Heaven, How I Got Here

Where Vision and Values Meet
proudly presents
Heaven, How I Got Here
Stage Play by Timothy Gregory
Based on the book by Colin S. Smith
This theater is a proud member of
Heaven, How I Got Here
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Provision Theater
P R O D U C T I O N I N F O R M AT I O N
Playwright / Director.................................................................................................. Timothy Gregory*+
Scenic and Lighting Designer......................................................................................... John Weygandt
Composer...........................................................................................................................................Dan Wells
Sound Designer.........................................................................................................................Ray Rehberg
Costume Designer......................................................................................................................Paula Kenar
Production Stage Manager.................................................................................................. Sarah Knoke*
September 12 – October 25
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm
Sundays at 3:00pm
1001 West Roosevelt Road, Chicago IL
312-455-0066
www.provisiontheater.org
Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, and other noise making devices.
Please note that the use of cameras (with or without a flash)
and the use of recording devices is strictly prohibited.
CAST
Levi.....................................................................................................................................Rod Armentrout*+
Kate................................................................................................................................................Kona N Burks
Max...................................................................................................................................... Patrick Thompson
Understudy – Levi/Max............................................................................................... Stephen Hanthorn
Understudy – Kate.....................................................................................................................Angela Alise
SET TING
Place: Heaven
Time: Now
* Denotes member of Actors Equity Association
+ Denotes Provision Theater Company Member
Heaven, How I Got Here
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P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F
Playwright / Director.................................................................................................. Timothy Gregory*+
Scenic and Lighting Designer......................................................................................... John Weygandt
Composer...........................................................................................................................................Dan Wells
Sound Designer.........................................................................................................................Ray Rehberg
Costume Designer......................................................................................................................Paula Kenar
Production Manager.............................................................................................................. Annie Sander
Assistant Stage Manager / Wardrobe...........................................................................Emily Svendson
Stagehands.........................................................................................................Louis Allen, Josh Veltman
Production Stage Manager.................................................................................................. Sarah Knoke*
MUSIC CREDITS
Violin...........................................................................................................................................Daniela Folker
Cello.............................................................................................................................................. Mike Grittani
Piano....................................................................................................................................................Dan Wells
Guitar....................................................................................................................................John Schambach
Percussion................................................................................................................................ Michael Folker
Music Recording........................................................................................................................Matt Postma
Music Mixing.............................................................................................................................David Giraldo
P R OV I S I O N S TA F F
Founding Artistic Director........................................................................................ Timothy Gregory*+
Education Director / House Manager / Office Manager...................................Priscilla Hummel+
Marketing Coordinator / Box Office Manager..............................................................Andrea Young
Administrative Intern............................................................................................Jonathan Goldthwaite
Box Office Associates.......................Jonathan Goldthwaite, Martin Gonzalez, Jennifer Hadley,
Jess Koster, Simon Sorin, Jordan Weed
Web Designer................................................................................................................................. Luke Renn
Photographers........................................................................................John Hockberger, Simon Sorin
P R OV I S I O N C O M PA N Y M E M B E R S
Brad Armacost*
Rod Armentrout*
Gary Fry
John Gedeon Jr.
Alex Goodrich*
Timothy Gregory*
Priscilla Hummel
Alaric Jans
Michael Mahler*
Susan Moniz*
Lia Mortensen*
Inseung Park
Johnny Rabe
Isaac B. Turner
Colin Wasmund
P R OV I S I O N B OA R D O F D I R E C TO R S
Bruce Leep, Chair
Timothy Gregory
John Hockberger
Larryl Humme
Kevin Moore
* Denotes member of Actors Equity Association
+ Denotes Provision Theater Company Member
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Provision Theater
CAST BIOGR APHIES
Rod Armentrout (Levi)
has been seen in
Provision Theater’s
productions of Jacob,
Fish Eyes, The Foreigner
and Bonhoeffer’s Cost. In
recent years he spent
most of his time working as an actor with
Willow Creek Community Church and the
Willow Creek Association. During a typical
weekend at Willow Creek, Rod would
perform in or direct original short plays
before thousands of attendees – it was
always exhilarating and humbling. While
working with the Willow Creek Association,
he was given the opportunity to perform
live in Norway, Holland, Germany, and South
Africa. He is honored to be counted
amongst the Provision Theater Company
Members and thanks his wonderful family
for their constant love and support.
Kona N Burks (Kate)
last worked with
Redtwist Theatre in
Good People. She was
previously seen on
stage in Saturday Night,
Sunday Morning with
Prologue Theatre, at Steppenwolf’s Garage
Rep. She attended The School at
Steppenwolf during the summer of 2012.
Some of her other theatre credits are with
Steppenwolf, Open Door Repertory, Illinois
Theatre Center, Black Ensemble Theatre,
Artistic Home, ETA Creative Arts,
Foundation, and Birmingham Festival
Theatre. Kona is also a member of SAGAFTRA. She received her bachelor’s degree
from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, and her master’s degree from
the University of Illinois at Chicago. “Our
days on earth are like a shadow, without
hope” (1 Chronicles 29:15).
Patrick Thompson
(Max) is very proud to
be a part of Provision
Theater’s Heaven, How I
Got Here. After a
successful career as an
international fashion
model, Patrick moved
to Los Angeles where he studied acting
under the tutelage of Harry Mastrogeorge.
While on the west coast, he appeared in
national commercials, fashion editorials,
runway, television and film. His film credits
include “Lights Out” for which he was
nominated Best Supporting Actor at the
Long Beach Action On Film Festival and
“The Jaybird” for which he was nominated
Best Actor at the Van Wert Film Festival.
Most recently, Patrick was seen as Alan
Raleigh in a successful run of Yazmin Reza’s
award winning God of Carnage. When not
acting, Patrick enjoys playing guitar,
writing short films, and reading the Bible.
He thanks God, his family, friends, and
girlfriend Kim for her patience and support.
2 Timothy 1:7.
Stephen Hanthorn (Understudy—Levi/
Max) After graduating with a BFA from
Wright State University, Stephen was
an Apprentice Company member with
The Atlanta Shakespeare Company at
the New American Shakespeare Tavern;
credits include Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth
Night, Edward III, Macbeth, The Tempest.
While in Atlanta, Stephen also on various
Atlanta-based television and film projects
including AMC’s The Walking Dead, NBC›s
Game of Your Life, Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural
and Paula Peril: Midnight Whistle. Since
moving to Chicago, Stephen has taken
improv classes and performed at Second
City and iO, and is a member of the
independent improv team Handsome.
Stephen is also a professional magician
in Chicago and performs regularly at the
Chicago Magic Lounge and the Abbey Pub.
Heaven, How I Got Here
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CAST BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Angela Alise (Understudy—Kate) is
delighted to be working with Provision
Theater again! She last appeared here in
Aladdin and before that in The Christmas
Miracle of Jonathan Toomey for two holiday
seasons. Some of her favorite Chicago
credits include: Saturday Night/Sunday
Morning (Prologue Theatre/Steppenwolf
Garage Rep), Parade (Boho Theatre), Fancy
Nancy (Emerald City), Hairspray (Drury Lane
Oakbrook), The Good Book (Court Theatre),
Rent (Big Noise/Ouroboros), Church (Red
Tape), and Coming Home (Erasing the
Distance). Angela is also the Artistic
Director of Prologue Theatre, and she holds
a BA in Theatre and Sociology from Loyola
University-Chicago. She thanks God,
family, friends, Tim and the cast/crew of
this beautiful show. www.angelaalise.com
P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F B I O G R A P H I E S
Colin S. Smith (Author of Heaven, How I
Got Here) is Senior Pastor of The Orchard
Evangelical Free Church in the northwest
suburbs of Chicago. His preaching ministry
is shared through the daily radio program,
“Unlocking the Bible”, and through his
website, unlockingthebible.org.
Timothy Gregory
(Playwright / Director)
is the founding artistic
director of Provision
Theater where he
recently wrote and
co-directed the world
premiere production,
Jacob. Other Provision Theater directing
credits include the productions of Old
Wicked Songs, Spoon River Anthology, The
Hiding Place, C.S. Lewis on Stage, The Spitfire
Grill, A Christmas Carol, Beast on the Moon
and The Foreigner. Additional directing
credits include The Comedy of Errors at
Chicago Shakespeare Theater; A Christmas
Carol at Ford’s Theatre Washington (D.C.);
Treasure Island and Alice in Wonderland at
Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre; The Twilight
of the Golds, The Diary of Anne Frank, and
Roll ofThunder, Hear My Cry at the Apple
Tree Theatre; Plaza Suite at the Lyric Theatre
and ’Dentity Crisis at the Studio Theatre.
Tim’s writing credits include Jacob, Shaw vs
Chesterton: The Debate, Bonhoeffer’s Cost
(with Mary Ruth Clarke), and adaptations of
Heaven, How I Got Here, Spoon River
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Provision Theater
Anthology, The Hiding Place,The Christmas
Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (with Michael
Mahler) and A Christmas Carol (with David
Bell). Tim’s acting credits include
numerous roles at Provision Theater,
Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Steppenwolf
Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Marriott
Lincolnshire Theatre, Apple Tree Theatre,
Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, Next Theatre
Company, Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and
Ford’s Theatre in Washington. His
television credits include “Cupid” on ABC,
“DeClassified” on WGN, and “Family
Practice” on Lifetime. He also served as the
host of HGTV’s “New Spaces”.
Dan Wells (Composer) Trained in music
at UCLA, composer and pianist, Dan
Wells worked in the Hollywood film score
industry in the ‘90s, including a particularly
close association to Patrick Williams, with
whom he worked on more than 20 films.
His broad work experience extends from
writing, orchestration and arranging, to
recording and producing, and even to
music editing and post production audio.
A Christian since 1992, Dan’s heart was
drawn in 2000 to church ministry. He
became a worship pastor at a church
in Orange, CA, and then at The Orchard
Evangelical Free Church (in Arlington
Heights, IL), where he has served since
2007 with Pastor Colin S. Smith, the author
of Heaven, How I Got Here.
P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F B I O G R A P H I E S
Ray Rehberg (Sound Designer) is thrilled
to be returning to Provision and Heaven,
How I Got Here after working on Jacob and
the Orchard production of Heaven. Ray
is an ensemble member and production
assistant at Redmoon Theater, where he’ll
be appearing in the Great Chicago Fire
Festival and Boneshaker/Skelebration this
fall. Other upcoming projects include
composing and performing original
music for A Snowy Day with Beatrix
Potter with Chicago Children’s Theatre
and understudying for The Princess, the
Minstrel, and the Rabid Bat with Rabid Bat
Theatricals. Ray has worked in the past
with Collaboraction, Indie Boots, Feast
Productions, the Poor Theatre, among
others. Thanks to Tim, and Mom & Dad!
Annie Sander (Production Manger)
Annie has been a front vocalist for
popular Chicago gigging bands,
recorded corporate jingles in Chicago
and across the U.S. and lead worship
for over 15 years at Willow Creek
Community Church and The Compass
Church. In 2008, Annie released her
debut solo project titled, “Brighter
Day” which gained the attention of
a Chicago-based Christian concert
promoter where she has performed
live with Grammy/Dove Award Winner,
Jeremy Camp, SuperChick, Rebecca St.
James, Bebo Norman, Matthew West,
and Love & The Outcome. Annie has
also recently recorded with Chicago
favorite and Grammy singer/songwriter Richard Marx. Currently, she
is releasing a new EP project with
Grammy nominated producer, Oh Hush
(expected release date of winter 2015)
c o n t.
and proudly works as the Director
of Communications & Events for the
nationally acclaimed radio ministry,
“Unlocking the Bible”. Annie is happily
married to her husband, Todd, of 15
years and is the proud mother of two
beautiful children, Samantha and Luke,
and a snuggly Cavalier King Charles
named Lucy.
Emily Svendson (Assistant Stage
Manager / Wardrobe) is a recent graduate
of Hope College and is excited to be
working with Provision Theatre! She has
held assistant stage management positions
with Hope Summer Repertory Theatre
and Mason Street Warehouse as well as
wardrobing with Opera Theatre St. Louis
and Stages St. Louis.
Sarah Knoke (Production Stage Manager)
is excited to be working with Provision
Theater for the first time. After a successful
year in New York City, Sarah moved to
Chicago in March to continue her career.
Her recent work includes stage managing
for the Off-Broadway productions of
Macbeth (Classic Stage Company) and
My Purple Wig (Heiress Productions) in
New York City, Midnight Syndicate Live!
and Happiness is Snoopy Ice Show (Cedar
Point), and Chicago (Bowling Green State
University) in Ohio. One of her most
exciting experiences was interning on
the Broadway National Tour of Wicked.
Sarah attended Bowling Green State
University in Bowling Green, Ohio with a
degree in Stage Management and in Arts
Management. She would like to thank her
family for their support and love.
OUR MISSION
Provision Theater Company is devoted to producing works of hope, reconciliation, and
redemption; works that challenge us to explore a life of meaning and purpose.
Heaven, How I Got Here
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