Welcome to the website of Black Button Eyes Productions, a Chicago theatre company! Our 2025 show was now a coproduction with City Lit Theater Company. Ed has directed the world premiere of Timothy Griffin’s play Strange Cargo: The Doom of the Demeter, an adaptation of a chapter from Bram Stoker’s Dracula! In 2026 the show was nominated for five non-equity Jeff Awards, including Best Ensemble in a Play. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew, including Ruby Lowe (nominated for Scenic Design), Joe Griffin (Sound Design), DJ Douglass (Projection Design), and Jeremiah Barr (Puppet Design)! Stay tuned for more BBEP news for 2026!
“[THREE STARS] [Playwright Timothy] Griffin puts imaginative twists on Stoker’s limited source material...a worthwhile way to kick off my seasonable lineup of spooky shows.”
“[READER RECOMMENDED] A moody, macabre horror tale for the Halloween season. The solid ten-member ensemble …is buoyed by imaginative and well-integrated design work.”
“Perfectly presented during the Halloween season, City Lit’s co-production with Black Button Eyes Productions is an absolutely timely artistic pairing… without a doubt, this horrifying legend of Dracula will forever be remembered as one of City Lit’s finest productions.”
“This world premiere presentation, directed by Ed Rutherford, is perfect for the Halloween season!...There are lots of nicely conceived and executed surprises throughout the show.”
“The crew tells their ghost story, a tale of horror written in the captain’s log and other details too terrible to commit to paper, with both acting verve and design finesse…a perfect spooky season treat. I would happily sit for their tale again.”
“The production, directed by Ed Rutherford, does a strong job in carrying out an interesting concept that largely succeeds…Griffin overall delivers a compelling narrative.”
“This has the makings of a great recurring seasonal show for Halloween…fun to watch.”
“A fine choice for those seeking Halloween drama… Let it shake your bones for this scary season.”