About The Company:

RICHARD COTOVSKY, Artistic Director | Email: rich(at)maryarrchie.com

Richard Cotovsky is the last of the founding members of Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co. He started in theater studying at the University of Illinois where he took an introduction to theater class and was to attend 3 theatrical performances and incidently saw the original production of American Buffalo at the St. Nicholas Theatre.

After that he was totally immersed in the theater community. He continued studying at the UICC and later went on to study at Wisdom Bridge Theatre and Victory Gardens Theatre. He studied with Paul Sills and Joesephine Forsberg at Second City.

He first worked in the legitimate theater with a group called Blackbird Theatre. With this group he was in a production of two plays Renegade, Farwell and Pistoleer. When Renegade, Farwell was taken to Los Angeles, Cotovsky was left behind to manage the theater facility and he attempted to produce Gas Mask 101 by Arlene Cook. This attempt failed due to many complications.

HANS FLEISCHMANN, Producing Director | Email: hans(at)maryarrchie.com

Hans Fleischmann (Director) serves as the Producing Director for Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co., having last directed Sam Shepherd's 4-H Club and the critically acclaimed BURIED CHILD. He is currently wrapping up a successful run with Griffin Theatre's JOURNEY'S END. This month, Hans returns to to Profiles Theatre to act in the midwestern premiere of Neil Labute's A DARK DARK HOUSE having last directed PERSUASION PAPER 101 for Labute's THINGS WE SAID TODAY. Favorite acting credits from last year include; BLASTED with A Red Orchid Theatre & COWBOY MOUTH with Mary-Arrchie. Hans has also had the pleasure of working with these fine theatre companies; The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Co., Madison Repertory Theater, Walk-About Theatre, and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. He dedicates his work on THE CARETAKER to the loving memory of Bob Ruhl. Hans received a Non-Equity Jeff Nomination for his work on A DARK DARK HOUSE.

BRAD BUKAUSKAS, Company Member | Email: brad(at)maryarrchie.com

Brad Bukauskas is the youngest member of Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company. He was last seen as Silver Johnny in Mary-Arrchie's MOJO and as Hula in GAS MASK 101 at Abbie Hoffman Fest XVII. Brad is currently a junior at Columbia College Chicago, working towards a B.A. in Theatre, where he performed in Columbia's productions of WE WERE DANCING and A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. Other Chicago credits include: GARY at Steppenwolf Theatre and JOURNEY'S END at Griffin Theatre.

SHANNON CLAUSEN, Literary Manager | Email: shannon(at)maryarrchie.com

Shannon relishes the opportunity to unearth new works and breathe new life into old ones as Mary-Arrchie's new Literary Manager. She earned a Bachelor's of Art in Theater and Acting from Illinois State University . Her acting credits in Chicago include LIVING CANVAS in association with New Millennium Theater Company and EINSTEIN'S DREAMS with Moving Dock Theater Company. She will make her M-A debut in BEGGARS IN THE HOUSE OF PLENTY. She is also a playwright always working to meld her two loves of sideshow and theater.

CARLO LORENZO GARCIA, Company Manager | Email: carlo(at)maryarrchie.com

Carlo acts as company manager of Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co., where his stage work includes BURIED CHILD, MOJO, GAS MASK 101, and coming soon: BEGGARS IN THE HOUSE OF PLENTY in May 2008. Carlo is an artistic associate with Greasy Joan & Co. and his previous work with GJ include: THE MISANTHROPE, WOYZECK and SUENO. He is also an artistic associate with Collaboraction, where he performed in THE PULL TOY (AND HIS PAISAN). Other Chicago credits, include work with Teatro Luna, The Free Associates, and Walkabout Theater at Lookingglass. Carlo just completed work on the indie feature HELIX starring opposite of Alexa Vega (Spy Kids) and Austin O'Brien (Promised Land). For more information please visit www.carlogarcia.com.

SUSAN JODRY, Publicity | Email: susan(at)maryarrchie.com

KARL POTTHOFF, Company Member | Email: karl(at)maryarrchie.com

Karl was born and raised in the heart of the" Illinois River Valley" area,and has resided in Chicago since 1980.Karl's credits at M.A. have included LONE STAR, DETECTIVE STORY, SCREWTAPE, WILD DOGS, a brief but notable appearance in SMALL CRAFT WARNINGS, BURIED CHILD, A PRAYER FOR MY DAUGHTER, BEGGARS IN THE HOUSE OF PLENTY, KILLERS, and MODIGLIANI as " the waiter". Karl is also co-founder of the notorious "Kitchen Sessions".

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co. was established in 1986 and is currently in its 22nd full season of theater. We are committed to producing theater as an ensemble including actors, directors, and designers who are intimately involved in the process.

We approach material, published and original, dealing with the fears and passions of the human condition involving characters who are often misunderstood, societal outcasts, and victims of their own exile. We have garnered a reputation for making risky choices by embracing challenging material for both our audience and the artists involved. We are dedicated to bringing light to controversial subjects and presenting alternative viewpoints of these subjects giving our audience different information to consider as they walk away from the theater.

These qualities were definitely evident in our last season of theater, which included The Altruists by Nicky Silver and a world premier by a local playwright, David Hauptschein, When The Walls Have Ears. Together with our last production from the season before, The Hot l Baltimore by Lanford Wilson, our last three productions all have been recommended by the Joseph Jefferson Committee and garnered us two best supporting actress nominations and one recipient of a Jefferson Citation.

Other examples of our work include Eugene O'Neill's The Hairy Ape, David Greig's Europe, our original adaptation of Edward Louis Wallant's The Pawnbroker, our ever popular production of Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and our multiple Jeff cited productions of Brian Friel's The Freedom of the City and John DiFusco's Tracers.

All of these productions have helped heighten our visibility in the theater community and have stayed true to our vision and mission. We want to continue to be as diverse and original with our choices as we can be. Our decisions as to what plays to produce are always based on what social, psychological, and/or philosophical thoughts they provoke.

Above all criterion is the quality of the writing. If we are working on a new play, we hone it and shape it with heavy involvement from the playwright. If we are working on an established play, we find our own personal edge, which adds another level to the material to keep it fresh and exciting for audiences familiar with the piece and inspiring for those who are unfamiliar. Other productions of ours that exemplify these attributes can be sighted on our enclosed company history.