Jeremiah Barr (Scenic/Props, Technical Director) (he/him)

Jeremiah is very happy to be a part of the St Nicholas team. Some of his past credits include Black Button Eye's Strange Cargo (co-production with City Lit) A Shadow Bright and Burning, Mary Rose, Evil Dead the Musical, Shockheaded Peter, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, and Nightmares and Nightcaps: the Stories of John Collier-Jeff nominated for best specialized design-puppets; Aston Rep's Language Archive, Buried Child, Equus, When We Were Young and Unafraid- Jeff nominated for best scenic design, City Lit Theatre's Night of the Hunter, Playboy of the Western World. You might have also seen his handy work at the Chicago Botanic Gardens Lightscapes where he creates and installs the large scale installations for the holiday season. When not designing or building shows Jeremiah enjoys visiting strange and interesting places in search of mystery and adventure with his amazing partner Sam. Huge shout out to Ed, all the awesome designers, and cast members.

Liz Cooper (Lighting Designer) (she/her)

Liz is excited to be designing for Black Button Eyes again! Some of her favorite designs for Black Button Eyes include Mary Rose, The Authorized Fan Production of Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, Ghost Quartet, and Shockheaded Peter. Other favorite design credits include I Promised Myself to Live Faster, The Golden Girls Lost Episodes at Golden Con 2022, The Drag Seed (The Chopin, Chicago and La Mama, NYC) and Christmas Dearest (Hell in a Handbag), Night of the Hunter, Thirteen Days and The Sundial (City Lit), and, The Winter's Tale (Oak Park Festival Theatre). She is a resident designer at City Lit. Her light plot for Christmas Dearest was included in Live Design's 31 Days of Plots in 2021.

Joe Griffin (Sound Designer) (he/him)

Joe is glad to be working with proper villains again. His recent work includes City Lit Theatre’s Strange Cargo: The Doom of the Demeter (Jeff winner), Lifeline Theatre’s War of the Worlds (Jeff nominated), as well as Fahrenheit 451 and The Birds at Moraine Valley Community College. He’s also created sound designs for The Time Warp Trio and So You Think It’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy? (Lifeline), and assorted shows for Mercury, Eclectic Full Contact, BoHo, Annoyance, and Steep. Next up: Richard III at Moraine Valley, where he’s designed most of the last 19 seasons of summer Shakespeare. griffinsounddesign.wordpress.com

Carrie Hardin (Voice and Dialect Coach) (she/her)

Carrie is pleased to be back with Black Button Eyes after coaching their 2024 production of A Shadow Bright and Burning and their 2022 production of Mary Rose. You might have also heard her coaching efforts around town at Babes with Blades, Kokandy, First Folio, Pegasus, CityLit, Idle Muse, (the dearly departed) Prologue Theatre Co, and Loyola University Chicago, where she also sometimes teaches. Many thanks to Ed and everyone involved, and to her family, for putting up with her near-constant quiet mumbling in different voices.

Adam Jezl-Sikorski (Production Electrician)

Bio coming soon.

Conor McPherson (Playwright)

Conor McPherson was born in Dublin in 1971. He attended the University College in Dublin, where he began to write and direct. His plays include Rum & Vodka, The Good Thief, This Lime Tree Bower, St. Nicholas, The Weir (Olivier Award, Best Play), Dublin Carol, Port Authority, Shining City (Tony Award nomination, Best Play), and The Seafarer. Film work includes “I Went Down,” “Saltwater,” Samuel Beckett’s “Endgame,” and “The Actors.” Other awards include the George Devine Award; Critics’ Circle Award; Evening Standard Award; Meyer Whitworth Award; Stewart Parker Award; two Irish Film & Television Academy Best Screenplay Awards; CICAE Best Film Award, Berlin Film Festival (“Saltwater”); Best Film and Best Screenplay Awards, San Sebastian Film Festival (“I Went Down”).

Ella Joyce Johnson (Stage Manager) (she/they)

Ella is very excited to be a part of the St Nicholas team. Their recent credits include Stage Manager for The Pilon & DOGS (Red Theater) , Problem Play, StarQuest Dance Competition (Event Director), and Chicago the Musical National Tour (USA/SK - APEX Touring). She would love to thank her chosen family, she is eternally grateful for their fierce love and unwavering support.

Ed Rutherford (Producer/Director) (he/him)

Ed Rutherford is the Producing Artistic Director of Black Button Eyes Productions, where directing credits include Strange Cargo: The Doom of the Demeter, Ghost Quartet (Jeff Nomination: Director of a Musical), Evil Dead the Musical (Jeff Nomination: Director of a Musical), Shockheaded Peter, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Goblin Market, and Coraline, as well as his scripts Nightmares & Nightcaps, A Shadow Bright and Burning, and Mary Rose (Jeff Nomination: New Work). Promethean Theatre Ensemble: artistic associate, where he directed The Liar, his adaptation of Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and Beyond Therapy. Book & Lyrics: the parody musical Murder, ReWrote and Mary Rose. As an actor, he's performed with City Lit, 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

Carli Shapiro (Substitute Stage Manager) (they/them)

Carli is a Chicago based freelance stage manager who is from Long Island, NY and is a graduate of Elon University, TDT. Recent Chicago credits include The Targeted (A Red Orchid), Dial M for Murder (Drury Lane), Little Shop of Horrors (Music Theatre Works), The Irish and How They Got That Way and Fun Home (Porchlight Music Theatre). Select regional credits include 25th Annual…Spelling Bee, Pippin, and Jesus Christ Superstar (Timberlake Playhouse), Hair!, Murder on the Orient Express, and Kiss Me, Kate! (Cortland Repertory Theatre). Instagram: @carlixtheatre

Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Designer) (she/her)

Rachel is thrilled to be back collaborating with BBEP! Other companies she has worked with include Goodman, Kokandy, Music Theater Works, Theater Wit, Backstage Breckenridge Theater, Babes with Blades, Trap Door, Oak Park Festival Theater, Citadel, Midsommer Flight, Hell in a Handbag, Lifeline, Porchlight, Griffin, Strawdog, the Factory and Redtwist. She also has designed at Wheaton College, Governor's State University, North Central College, St. Patrick's High School, Indiana University Northwest, Loyola Academy, and the Chicago Academy for the Arts. She is a ten-time Non-equity Jeff nominee, having been awarded two. More info at www.rachelsyp.com