Modern Gentleman playbill

Landree Fleming, Director (she/her)

Landree believes passionately in theatre as a vehicle for social justice and change—as well as an opportunity to have a rockin’ good time. She is thrilled to return to this incredible theatre after previously directing the staged reading of Why Are Graham Crackers Hard? As part of their Re/Generation Studios reading and workshop series. Landree is also excited to continue collaborating with the brilliant Preston Max Allen, having recently directed his poignant and powerful piece Never Better at Theo Ubique. Additional directing credits include Little Shop, Fun Home (Jeff Nom – Best Director, co-directed with Jim Corti) (Paramount Theatre); Snow Queen (Marriott Theatre), Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Once Upon a Mattress (Jeff Nom – Best Director, Theo Ubique); 9 to 5: The Musical (Metropolis Theatre), and Assassins (North Central College). As an actor, she has performed at the Paramount Theatre, American Theater Company, Marriott Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Griffin Theatre, and Theatre at the Center. She stars in the Dungeons & Dragons TV show Encounter Party from Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast, and eOne, currently streaming on Plex, Freevee, and Roku, an adaptation of her podcast with the same name. She has appeared on Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med. She’s filled with endless gratitude to work on this phenomenal play with these incredible people.

Preston Max Allen, Playwright (he/him)

Preston is a Chicago-based playwright, lyricist, and composer whose musicals include 2019 Off-Broadway debut We Are the Tigers (album streaming, available through Broadway Licensing); Never Better (Theo Ubique, developmental premiere); Agent 355 (dramaturgy/co-book by Jessica Kahkoska, Marion Fellowship Award Winner); Carrie 2: The Rage, An Unauthorized Musical Parody (Underscore); and Krisis Kids Wilderness Adventure Camp (Village Theatre Kidstage Commission). Plays include Caroline (MCC, World Premiere Fall 2025); Nuclear (Manhattan Theatre Club Sloan Initiative commission); and Storytime (Lucille Lortel micro commission). Preston is a member of the Writers Guild of America East, Ars Nova Play Group (2019 – 2021), 2023 Jonathan Larson Grant Honorable Mention recipient, and above all, proud father to his cat, Hero. @prestonmaxallen

Theo Wampuszyc, Assistant Director (they/he)

Theo has been a queer theatre artist in one form or another for over a decade. Having moved from Michigan to Chicago to pursue an acting career, Theo soon discovered a penchant for the production side of things. Over the past five years has had the joy to stage manage, produce, and direct for several prominent theatre companies including Raven Theatre, Rivendell Theatre, About Face Theatre, Steep Theatre, Bring Your Own Theater, Gender Fucked Productions, the American Music Theatre Project, and more. Currently, he is pursuing his newfound passion for directing.  Still a devout performer, Theo indulges their dramatic side by performing as their drag persona “the Transjester” and by spending summers working as a beloved minor league baseball mascot in the Chicago suburbs.

Milo Bue, Scenic Designer (he/him)

Milo Bue (Scenic Design) is excited to be joining About Face Theatre on this production. Select design credits include Come From Away, An Act of God (Paramount Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors, Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, Hello Dolly, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Finding Nemo, James and the Giant Peach, The Magic School Bus (Marriott Theatre), Barnum, Into the Woods (The Rev Theatre Company), The Revolutionists, Indecent, Frida Libre and Working (Northwestern University), The Moors (A Red Orchid), Spamilton (Forbidden Broadway), and Pinocchio (Neverbird/Chicago Children Theatre). Select associate/assistant design credits include The King’s Speech (Tour), The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre London), Sunny Afternoon (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) and has assisted on productions at Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and many others. Milo received his MFA from Northwestern University and BA from Columbia College Chicago. milobuedesign.org

Ethan Korvne, Composer and Sound Designer

Ethan Korvne is a composer and sound designer from Akron, OH and based in Chicago. Selected credits: Birds of North America at A Red Orchid Theatre, Taming of the Shrew at Court Theatre (composer), Oak at Raven Theatre, Hamlet at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen at The Story Theatre, No Such Thing at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Coronation at Refracted Theatre Company (Joseph Jefferson Nomination – Best Sound Design), Short Shakes! Romeo & Juliet at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and the Chicago premiere of Tambo & Bones at Refracted Theatre Company (2 Joseph Jefferson Awards – Original Music in a Play and Best Sound Design). Ethan graduated from The Theatre School at DePaul University with a BFA in Sound Design. He believes in theatre that draws a diverse audience, plays that challenge and thrill, and work that puts a spotlight on perspectives that don’t receive hardly enough attention. Listen to his work and more at: ethankorvne.com

Chels Morgan, Intimacy Choreographer (they/them)

Chels is an intimacy, violence and movement director, social justice educator, AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator, adjunct professor at DePaul University, and the Director of Accessibility and Inclusion at the Intimacy Professionals Education Collective (IPEC). CHICAGO: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (The Goodman Theater); She Who Dared (Chicago Opera Theatre); 42 Balloons, Billie Jean, Paranormal Activity.  (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Into the Woods (Kokandy Productions), Seven Guitars (CityLit Theatre); OFF-BROADWAY: How to Defend Yourself (New York Theatre Workshop). REGIONAL: Joe Turner’s Come & Gone (Indiana Repertory Theater); Afterglow (The Hudson Theatres); Destiny of Desire (Old Globe Theatre); Siluetas (Power Street Theatre); Marty and the Hands that Could (WACO Theatre Center); HAIR, Bernarda Alba, RENT (University of Michigan). INTERNATIONAL: Orlando (Antipodes Theatre Company). FILM: all the words but the one, Some Kind of Paradise, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. TELEVISION: LACE (AllBlk Network). EDUCATION: MFA in Directing, Loyola Marymount University.

Jazmin Aurora Medina, Costume Designer

Paloma Locsin, Props Designer

Kieran O’Connor, Technical Director (he/him)

Kieran O’Connor is a Chicago native and has been working in this city’s theater scene since he graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University. Whether he’s on stage or behind the scenes, he is constantly looking for ways to expand his skillset. He is thankful to work with About Face again and is ecstatic to share this piece with everyone.

Mark Brown, Lead Electrician (he/him)

Mark is a 2021 graduate of Columbia College Chicago. He has worked as the Lighting Supervisor for TimeLine Theatre Company since 2022, and as the production electrician for other companies including First Floor Theater, Story Theater, Steep, Teatro Vista, Mercury Theater, and City Lit.

MacKenzie Makurat, Assistant Stage Manager (she/her)

MacKenzie “Mack” Makurat is a Chicago Stage Manager, originally from Oshkosh, WI. Mack studied Stage Management at Columbia College Chicago & currently works as a Studio Stage Manager at The Second City. Recently, she has worked with About Face Theatre on Om Missions (PA) & Say Gay Plays (SM). Mack is thrilled to be working with About Face again on Modern Gentleman (ASM), & is delighted to be a part of this wonderful team.

Gianni Carcagno (she/they): Accessibility Coordinator

Gianni is excited to return to About Face after recently working as accessibility coordinator for Gender Play and Mosque4Mosque. In addition to accessibility, Gianni is also a stage manager, with recent credits including: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, TimeLine Theatre Company, and Apollo Theater Chicago. www.giannicarcagno.com

MEGAN CARNEY (she/her): AFT Artistic Director

Megan is a director, playwright, and teaching artist. Recent Chicago directing credits include The Gulf, 20/20, and Time Is On Our Side (About Face), Winter, Grizzly Mama, Danielle Pinnock’s Body/Courage, American Wee Pie, and The Walls (Rivendell). Megan has written several plays based on true stories, including Women At War based on 75 interviews with women in the military (Rivendell); Open Systems about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (Goodman Theatre); Let Them Eat Cake about marriage equality (Dixon Place, NYC); and multiple large ensemble plays with About Face Youth Theatre, which she co-founded. Megan’s work in theatre and community building has been recognized with multiple After Dark Awards, the GLSEN Pathfinder Award, an APA Presidential Citation, induction into Chicago’s LGBT Hall of Fame, and a Rockefeller Foundation MAP Grant. Megan served as the Director of the Gender and Sexuality Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she developed public arts-based programs and led interactive workshops. She is a certified mediator with the Center for Conflict Resolution, earned an MFA in Theatre with a focus on Directing and Public Dialogue from Virginia Tech as well as a BA from Kalamazoo College, where her ideas about art as a tool for social justice and activism began to take shape.

JAMIE MEUN (he/they): AFT Managing Director

Jamie Meun’s career has been centered around the vibrant world of LGBTQ+ theatre and nightlife. His work at AFT is driven by their mission of uplifting queer voices through performance, collaboration and joy. As an event producer in Chicago’s North Halsted and Uptown, he celebrates queer, Asian artists by co-producing Dim Sum & Drag. He recently performed with Willow Pill’s on her national tour, God’s Child, and performs under the drag name, Aunty Chan. Jamie holds a B.A. in Comedy Writing & Performance from Columbia College Chicago.

AUDREY KLEINE (she/her): AFT Production Manager

Audrey is a Chicago-based artist and the Operations and Production Manager at About Face Theatre. She moved from Nashville, Tennessee, to Chicago to attend college and received a BA in Theater with a concentration in Stage Management from Columbia College Chicago in 2017. After graduating, she freelanced as an Assistant Stage Manager and Production Assistant for more than a dozen productions at Chicago theaters including Windy City Playhouse, The Goodman, About Face Theatre, Rivendell and more. The Brightest Thing in the World marks her ninth full production with About Face.

DIONNE ADDAI (she/they): AFT Director of Education and Programming

Dionne Addai (they/she) is a performer, writer, director, and teaching artist local to Chicago. She works at About Face Theatre as their Educational and Artistic Programming Director. Dionne is a passionate advocate for reproductive rights, racial justice, and free comprehensive sex education. Their artistic practice centers on educating to encourage sociopolitical action and mutual aid. As a performer, Dionne has multiple on-camera credits and has worked with over 20 renowned theatre companies (Merrimack Repertory, Raven Theatre, Filament Theatre; etc).  She co-hosts a live-recorded podcast called Mad Liberation and releases music under the stage name, Strawberry Gelato.  Dionne is represented by Actors Talent Group.