Jeremiah Barr (Scenic/Props Designer, Technical Director)

Jeremiah is very pleased to be joining the BBE team on Mary Rose. Some of Jeremiah's previous credits with BBE include, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Evil Dead-The Musical, Nightmares and Nightcaps and Shockheaded Peter. In addition his design, fabrication, and carpentry work can be seen with several cool and interesting theatre companies including Aston Rep. Theatre Company, Promethean Theatre Ensemble, City Lit Theatre, Congo Square Theatre, Dominican University and Northlight Theatre. Big thanks to Ed, the cast and crew of Mary Rose, and a huge shout out to Sam for her love ,support and inexhaustible knowledge of cats.

Jeff Bouthiette (Composer, Lyricist)

Jeff is a Chicago-based director, songwriter and performer, and currently serves as musical director for the Second City Mainstage. Jeff was also Head of the Music Program at the Second City Training Center for a decade. Jeff’s original musicals include Picture It! (MCL Chicago), Planted: A Song Cycle (Chicago Music Theatre Festival) and Miami Nice (Gorilla Tango). Previously with Black Button Eyes, Jeff has served as both actor (Mr. Bobo, Coraline) and musical director (Goblin Market).

Liz Cooper (Lighting Designer)

Liz is excited to be a part of another Black Button Eyes show! Some of her favorite lighting design credits include Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Whisper House, Ghost Quartet, Nevermore, Shockheaded Peter (Black Button Eyes), The Sundial, Bloodhound Law, Father Ruffian and Peyton Place(City Lit), Bard Fiction (Commedia Beauregard), Marisol, Winter's Tale, A Study in Scarlet and Henry V (Promethean).

Carrie Hardin (Voice and Dialect Coach)

Carrie is pleased to be working with Black Button Eyes for the first time. You may have heard her coaching efforts around town with the likes of First Folio, Babes with Blades, Lifeline, CityLit, Idle Muse, Pegasus Players, Loyola University, and the dearly departed Prologue Theatre, of which she was a founding member. She also teaches privately. Many thanks to all involved, and to her family for putting up with her near-constant quiet mumbling in different voices.

Elinor Keener (Orchestrations)

Elinor Keener is a Chicago-based composer and orchestrator originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Her previous credits include the original scores for documentary films Welcome to the Dollhouse (2021) directed by Elizabeth Miller-Derstine (Atlanta Docufest winner: best director) and Opa’s Odyssey (2020) directed by Greta Neufeld. She also had the honor of premiering her orchestral composition, City of the South Bridge, with the Goshen College Symphony Orchestra in early March of 2020. Elinor is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in music composition at Roosevelt University, where she participated in the Chicago Electro/Acoustic Music Festival in 2021.

Macy Kloville (Sound Design)

Macy is excited to be making her Black Button Eyes debut. Recent credits: As You Like It (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) (Deck Audio), Songs for a New World (Theo Ubique) (Audio Engineer), Her Honor Jane Byrne (Lookingglass Theatre Company) (Sound Crew Cover); Regional credits include: Williamstown Theatre Festival, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Cardinal Stage Company. Indiana University - BA in Theatre and Drama.

Cecilia Koloski (Stage Manager)

Cecilia is excited to be working with Black Button Eyes Productions again! Previous stage management credits include Dr Horrible’s Sing Along Blog, Whisper House (Black Button Eyes Productions), At The Wake of a Dead Drag Queen** (The Story Theatre), Speech & Debate, Cabaret (Loyola University Chicago). She thanks her amazing friends and family for their continued support!

Beth Laske-Miller (Costume Design)

Previous credits with BBEP include: Nightmares & Nightcaps (Jeff nom), Nevermore, Shockheaded Peter (Jeff Award), Goblin Market, Amour, and Coraline. Other credits include: Williams Street Rep; The Elephant Man, Sylvia, and Little Shop of Horrors. Hell in a Handbag Prod; Poseidon! An Upside-Down Musical and L’Imitation of Life. Otherworld Theatre Co.; Corona and Medusa Undone. Irish Theatre of Chicago; Lay Me Down Softly, The Seafarer, In Pigeon House, and A Moon for the Misbegotten. Promethean Theatre Ensemble; The Winter’s Tale and A Study in Scarlet (Jeff nom). MadKap Prod.; Anyone Can Whistle, Bonnie & Clyde, and Man of La Mancha.

Ed Rutherford (Director, Libretto & Lyricist)

Ed's directing credits for Black Button Eyes include Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Whisper House, Ghost Quartet (Jeff Nomination: Best Director of a Musical), Evil Dead the Musical (Jeff Nomination: Best Director of a Musical), his script Nightmares & Nightcaps: The Stories of John Collier, Nevermore, Shockheaded Peter, Amour, Goblin Market, and Coraline. He is an artistic associate with Promethean Theatre Ensemble, where he directed The Liar, his own adaptation of Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn, Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle and the company's inaugural production, Christopher Durang’s Beyond Therapy. Directing with Brown Paper Box Co: The Baltimore Waltz. As an actor, he's performed with Drury Lane Oakbrook, Porchlight, Theater Wit and many others. A graduate of Northwestern's theater program, he also completed his MBA at Kellogg. ed-rutherford.com

Nick Sula (Music Director, additional Orchestrations)

Nick is a pianist, arranger and award-winning music director for theater and cabaret. He is proud to return to Black Button Eyes Productions, where he was music director for Coraline, Amour, Nevermore and Jeff-nominated as music director for Ghost Quartet. Other music direction credits include productions with Porchlight Music Theatre, BoHo Theatre Ensemble, Pride Films and Plays, Chicago Theatre Workshop and Chicago Musical Theatre Festival. Nick performs with vocalists at venues such as Davenport’s Piano Bar, Petterino’s, Drew’s on Halsted, Victory Gardens and the Park West. He is an instructor, music director and vocal coach at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

Derek Van Barham (Choreographer)

Derek is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions, and a member of the Red Tape Theatre ensemble. Recent directing credits: Head Over Heels (Kokandy), The View Upstairs (Circle), Poseidon (Hell in a Handbag) and Taylor Mac’s A Walk Across America for Mother Earth (CCPA/Roosevelt). Black Button credits include Ghost Quartet, Evil Dead The Musical (Jeff nomination), Coraline the Musical, Goblin Market, Amour, Nevermore, and Shockheaded Peter. He has also choreographed for The Plagiarists, Inappropriate Theatre, The Ruckus, Brain Surgeon Theatre and Salonathon. He was named one of Windy City Times 30 Under 30, recognizing individuals from Chicago's LGBTQ community. www.derekvanbarham.com