Kestutis Nakas, as Kazu

Kęstutis Nakas is an American playwright, author, performer, director, and teacher whose work has been presented at the New York Shakespeare Festival, Yale Repertory Theatre, La Mama, Dixon Place, P.S. 122, St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery, 8 BC, The Kitchen, Highways, and numerous other national venues. Nakas was active in New York’s East Village performance scene and was Artistic Director of Gates of Dawn, which showcased cutting edge performers such as Holly Hughes. He has taught at New York University, UCLA, CUNY, and the University of New Mexico. His best-known piece is the 4-part historical comic farce When Lithuania Ruled the World. Parts I through III of the series combining Lithuanian history and mythology were produced in New York City in the 1980s and 1990s; Part IV was produced in Chicago in 2003. According to The New York Times review of this play, "Mr. Nakas is a very clever subverter of all versions of history...Experiencing this dizzying spectacle is certainly different and quite exhilarating, perhaps like seeing all the operas of Wagner and Mussorgsky jammed together and staged in Grand Central Terminal at rush hour."

Audre Budrys has performed with TUTA, Piven, Mary-Arrchie, Emerald City, Theatre at the Center in Munster, IN; Chamber Theatre Productions in Boston, MA; and in Lithuania, with the Drama Theatres of Siauliai and Kaunas, and has directed several productions at the Chicago College of Performing Arts/Roosevelt University. Audre performed her solo show, Milda the Wonderkid in Vingis Park, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, as part of Kids Euro festival in 2009. She also created and performed the solo show Une Baye, about the life of Lithuanian actress Une Babickaite-Baye (who spent part of her time in the U.S. in Bridgeport,) and performed it at Rhino Fest and at Prop Theatre, as well as in New York, Boston, and DC, for Europe Week. She is currently remounting this show, to be performed in fall 2014. Audre loves exploring theatre with her students at the Lab Schools, where she is the Middle School Drama teacher. She is thrilled to be part of the new Bridge Theatre ensemble in Bridgeport, with the inaugural production of “The Golfball” opening on June 13th.

Joan McGrath has spent several decades as part of Chicago’s robust theatre scene.  Among her credits:  ANGRY FAGS (at Steppenwolf Garage), DESIGN FOR LIVING and THE CHILDREN’S HOUR (Pride Films and Plays), THE PRESIDENT (Oracle Theatre), BLITHE SPIRIT (Piccolo Theatre), F**KING A (Urban Theatre), MARISOL and LOOK HOMEWARD ANGEL (The Artistic Home), DIARY OF ANNE FRANK and LEND ME A TENOR (Metropolis Performing Arts), ALL MY SONS (u/s TimeLine Theatre), QUESTA (People*s Theatre), A PASSAGE TO INDIA (Vitalist Productions), THE OLDEST PROFESSION (Bailiwick Repertory), WOMEN ON FIRE (Merely Players), AGNES OF GOD (Northminster Players), LION IN WINTER (North Shore Theater) and MIDDLE AGED WHITE GUYS (Open Eye Productions).  On film, INTO THE WAKE (Diesel Brothers Films/John Mossman) and THE LANDLORD (Massive Ego Productions).  After earning a B.S. in Theatre from Northwestern University, Joan spent two decades on Chicago radio and TV (“The Joan McGrath Show,” WGN Radio; “Gamut,” WMAQ-TV; “Dimensions,” WSNS-TV; Illinois State Lottery).  She is a Company Member of Pride Films and Plays and on the Board of the Illinois Theatre Association.  Off stage, she is partner in an executive media and presentation communication coaching firm.