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Board of Directors
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Artistic Director Richard Engling is an actor, director, playwright, novelist and musician. His books have been published by Penguin/Putnam and Polarity Ensemble Theatre Press. He played drums with a jazz quartet for ten years. With Polarity, he directed Absolute Macbeth and The Good Harvest and adapted and appeared in Antigone. He wrote and directed Ghost Watch and appeared in Hamlet and The Rivals. He has degrees in Theatre and Creative Writing, works as a freelance writer, and has performed with Keyhole Theatre, ShakespeareInc, Chicago Actors Ensemble, the IO and others. |
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Managing Director Ann Keen received her B.A. from Saint Mary's University and her M.F.A. in acting from Arizona State University. Her favorite roles include Clytemnestra in The Oresteia, Emilia in Othello, Lucetta in Two Gentleman of Verona and Lady Macbeth. She has directed Polarity's productions of Antigone, Hamlet and A Streetcar Named Desire. She is especially brilliant at working with playwrights on developing new scripts. She has also directed and acted in short films. She assists Polarity in administration and fundraising. She makes her living in the banking industry. |
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Publisher Irv Gorman brought Polarity's first book into print. Irv is a published author and holds degrees in American Literature and Film from the University of Texas. He has acted on stage and in television and film and is a former artistic director of the inner city Los Angeles H.O.L.A. Youth Theatre Company. He was awarded a Mayor's Certificate of Commendation for his work with H.O.L.A. |
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Board Member Mark Mathyer is the Development and Membership Services Manager at the Museum of Science and Industry. His job involves Database Management, Software Support, Training, and Project Management. Mark has a B.A. in English from Texas Lutheran University, and an M.S. in Communication Systems from Northwestern University. Involvement in community theater during high school and college led Mark to understand that his theatrical contributions should be made in supporting roles, and not on stage. |
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Lauren Cerkiewicz joined Polarity Ensemble Theatre after performing in its production of Hamlet. Her other Chicago credits include T'is Pity She's a Whore with Red Tape Theatre and Slide, a staged reading of a new musical. Outside of Chicago she has appeared in Sweeney Todd, The Cherry Orchard, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, On The Town, and Rumors. She holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from SUNY Fredonia. |
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David Chrzanowski played Captain Jack Absolute in The Rivals. He has worked with Chicago Shakespeare (Macbeth - Short Shakespeare), Victory Gardens (The Wrong War), The Court Theatre (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom), The Goodman, Chicago Children's Theatre, Lifeline, Silk Road Theatre Project, and First Folio Shakespeare. Regional work includes stops at Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, Kentucky Shakespeare, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and the Performance Network in his home town of Ann Arbor, Michigan. David is the Lead Teaching Artist for Silk Road Theatre Project and is represented by Shirley Hamilton. |
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Charley Jordan received his degree in theatre from St. Mary's University. He has played Oliver in As You Like It, Brick in Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, and Mark in The Benchmark. For Polarity he has played Ross in Absolute Macbeth and Lord Polonius in Hamlet. Charley has been a member of Polarity since 2004. He has organized educational theatre for the St. Ignatius Higher Achievement Program and for the Marketing Research Association Chicago Chapter. |
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Devorah Eizikovic Richards joined Polarity as an Artistic Associate after playing Mrs. Malaprop in The Rivals. She is currently developing an original work with American Blues Theater. Her recent appearances include: staged readings with Silk Road Theatre Company and Theatre Or's Israeli Play Festival at Victory Gardens, The Glass Menagerie (Oakton Community College), Yerma (Halcyon Theatre), Orpheus Descending (American Theatre Company), Tom Stoppard one-act plays (Piccolo Theatre), The Dresser, (understudy, Steppenwolf). Devorah has also appeared in independent films, commercials, industrials and television. |
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Laura Sturm teaches at Act One Studios and has acted in Chicago since 1994 with theatres such as Bailiwick Repertory, Provision Theater, Signal Ensemble Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Raven Theatre, Illinois Theatre Center, Apple Tree TYA, Breadline Theatre and Mary Arrchie, as well as with the Texas Shakespeare Festival. She appeared in Polarity's Hamlet as Gertrude. Other favorite roles include Imogen in Cymbeline, the title role in Evita, and Mrs. Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer. Laura also directs in Chicago, including the world premiere of the musical Tuxedo Love for Theatre 5.2.1 where she is an Artistic Associate. Laura received her M.F.A. from Northern Illinois University. She also serves as an acting and movement coach. |
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Abigail Trabue* spent seven years as an actor/choreographer in Kansas City, MO before attending Columbia College Chicago. She received the Betty Garrett Scholarship for Musical Theatre excellence and graduated with a B.A. in Musical Theatre in 2004. She joined Polarity in 2005 and performed in Absolute Macbeth (1st Witch), Antigone (Antigone), OTHELLO in mask (Amelia) and Hamlet (Ophelia), and also directed, choreographed, musical directed and produced. Abigail has also worked with Porchlight Music Theatre, Provision Theatre Company, Hell in a Handbag Productions, Emerald City Theatre, Bruised Orange Theatre Company and others. |
