Director's Note:
Fifty scenes. One hundred nine characters. Very little punctuation or even context. This is the strange, experimental world of Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information. When you open the script to the first scene, you see the word “SECRET” in bold letters. Below it, this:
Please please tell me
no
please because I’ll never
don’t ask don’t ask
I’ll never tell
no
no matter what
it’s not
I’d die before I told
And so on. No character names delineate which actor should be speaking. No stage directions indicate where the scene takes place. And every subsequent scene presents the same parameters, which is to say, almost no parameters at all, beyond what can be gleaned from the dialogue. In some ways it’s the most liberating script I’ve ever worked with. In other ways, it has been the most challenging. How do we add enough visual variety to keep the audience – and actors – engaged? How can we layer on the complexities of realistic human behavior without burying the text? When do we lean into the scene as presented by the playwright, and when do we get more out of it by resisting the most obvious pathway?
Theatre is always a collaborative art form, but the process with this particular production has been exceptional. With so little “information” from the script, the actors have had to dive deeper into their own imaginations and reach out to their fellow actors, the stage manager, the costumer, and of course, the director, for inspiration. From brainstorming the wildest locations to the most unexpected character relationships, the cast have enthusiastically embraced the challenge. I’m so pleased with the work they have done, and so proud to present Love and Information to you.
By the way, if the pre-show music caught your ear, that’s the work of my brilliant friend, David Cain. His latest album, Variations, reminded me of this play, with its multitude of brief, often surprising, musings on a theme. I just had to share it with you.
-Aasne
Special thanks to:
Ensemble
Ethan Bruhn
Ethan is a first year at IC and plans to double major in History and Education with a minor in Music. He is also a member of the Band and Choir. He would like to thank his mom and dad for always believing in him even when he didn't believe in himself.
Meryn Davis
Meryn is a second-year student at Illinois College who is planning on majoring in Musical and Theater Performance/Communications/History with a minor in Religion and Spanish. She has performed in many productions and performed in Metamorphoses and R.U.R. here at IC. She would like to say “Love you!” to her mom, stepdad, siblings, and her friends for supporting her.
Lillian Deter
Lillian is a junior at Illinois College majoring in communication and rhetorical studies with minors in theater and music. She’s president of DREAM, secretary of Alpha Psi Omega, a member of Mu Phi Epsilon, and involved in the drum line, wind and percussion ensembles, the IC choirs, and as the theater box office manager and costuming assistant. She’s previously been seen in a number of roles at IC, her favorites being Helena in RUR, Alyssa Greene in The Prom, and as The Creature in Iridia’s Curse. If she isn’t in the theater, she can be found in the costume shop or watching the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest on loop. She would like to thank her wonderful cast and crew mates for their time and dedication to the program.
Jersey Howell
Jersey is a first-year student at Illinois College majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in theater. She's a part of the IC drumline, Jacksonville Drumline Institute, wind ensemble, Koiné International, and a member of Rotaract. She wants to thank her castmates for being supportive and accepting, her family for being her rock and her stage manager and director for always believing in her. She is looking forward to the show and seeing what theater at IC has in store for her for the next four years.
Pablo R. Iniguez
Pablo is a junior at Illinois College majoring in Political Sciences & Communication and Rhetorical Studies with a minor in world history. He is an RA for the Fayerweather House and works in sound design for the theatre. He is debuting in acting for Love & Information, after several years of being a sound designer and board operator for the theatre. He is excited to act at a college level for the first time. Outside of theatre, he is an avid motorsport fan and can be found watching NASCAR in random places around campus as he does homework. Feel free to ask him about the 2011 Homestead-Miami NASCAR Championship Race.
Jake Petrovich
Jake is a junior at Illinois College majoring in chemistry with a minor in theater. He is the president of Smash Club, works on campus as an Involvement Leader and a Supplemental Instructor for chemistry, and is involved in the IC choirs, the Esports program, the IC Honor Society. Jake has participated in many theater activities on campus, including Eurydice and The Prom, with his favorite role being Trent Oliver. When he isn't in the theater, he is living in the Lincoln Tech Center working on homework or playing Smash Ultimate with his friends. He would like to thank his family, his castmates, and Lillian for threatening him to write this bio.
Chris Proffitt
Chris (‘02) is an IC alum. He has been in many shows in Jacksonville and Springfield. Chris always enjoys working on the IC stage.
Faith Roberts
Faith is a first year nursing major at IC. She is involved in concert choir. She is very excited to be in her first play at IC. She would like to thank her family and friends that have helped her get this far.
Thorne Morgan
Thorne is a junior at Illinois College, and is excited to be a part of such a fun and interesting play. This will be their 5th production in the IC TheatreWorks. Some of their favorite roles include Sheldon from The Prom, Domin from Rossum’s Universal Robots, and Iridia in Sandie Norville’s Celebration of Excellence, Iridia’s Curse. They would like to thank everyone who has supported them throughout their acting career at IC.
Creative
Aasne Daniels, M.F.A. - Director
Prof. Daniels received her MFA in acting from Northern Illinois University and has attended training intensives with Frantic Assembly, London’s renowned physical devising theatre company, and The Gaiety School of Acting, the National Theatre School of Ireland. At Illinois College, she has directed RUR; Eurydice; You on the Moors Now; The Tempest; Against the Tide; The Robber Bridegroom; Cloud Tectonics; Frankenstein; The Playboy of the Western World; Mud, River, Stone; and Terminal Café.
As an actor, favorite roles include Mme. Thenardier in Les Miserables, Margaret in The Holly and the Ivy, Rosalind in As You Like It, Hedda in Hedda Gabler, Nora in A Doll’s House, Peter in Peter Pan, the Widow Quin in The Playboy of the Western World, and Hamlet in Hamlet.
Rich McCoy - Scenic Designer & Technical Director
Rich McCoy has been involved in regional theatre for the past forty years. A graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, Rich taught English and theatre until his retirement in 2013. He and his wife Laurie founded Playhouse on the Square in Jacksonville. After serving as designer/technical director here for the '22-23 academic year, he is happy to return to IC TheatreWorks.
Laurabeth Allyn - Costume Design
Laurabeth is a costume designer who has worked on productions at Illinois College, Jacksonville Theater Guild, and Theater in the Park. Laurabeth received her liberal arts degree from Texas Christian University and later a Master of Science in apparel and product technology from Florida State University. Laurabeth has been designing and making clothes since high school, but it was not until she moved to Jacksonville over 10 years ago that she started costuming.... and she has yet to stop. Since then Laurabeth has worked on many productions but has especially enjoyed All the King’s Women, Bonnie and Clyde, Richard III, Frankenstein and The Robber Bridegroom. Laurabeth loves costumes, especially when it comes to historical context. She feels the closer the dress is to the time period and characters of the play, the more connected the actors are with their roles. As always, she wants to thank her family for understanding when she disappears into the world of theatre, her best friend for all his ideas, support and help, and Aasne, Nancy and Craig for allowing her to create these worlds and help bring characters to life. She absolutely loves working with them!
Squire Prince - Light Designer
Coming soon.
Staff
Olivia Joy - Stage Manager
Olivia is a senior majoring in English & minoring in theatre. She was previously stage manager for Eurydice, The Prom, Metamorphoses, R.U.R, and is back again for Love and Information! She wouldn't want to be anywhere else (unless it's Schewe Library). Olivia would like to thank Professor Daniels and Dr. Taylor-Porter for letting her live her pipe dream!
Allyson Holste - Properties Master
Allyson is a junior at Illinois College majoring in elementary education. This is her fifth show at IC; she worked backstage for Eurydice, was the crew chief of The Prom's and Metamorphoses as well as the assistant stage manager. She would like to thank her family and friends.
Aniya Pallera - Crew Chief
Crew:
Carson Blaney
Chuck Brink
Carlos Cortes
Ben Dobbs
Landon Neff
