Who's Who at Marriott Theatre

TERRY JAMES (Executive Producer) has been associated with the Marriott Theatre for the past 25 years, becoming Executive Producer in 2000. As a professional actor he appeared in more than 80 shows including numerous productions for the Marriott Theatre prior to becoming Associate Producer in 1992. He served as Musical Director for the Marriott Theatre from 1993 to 2000, garnering Jeff nominations for And the World Goes 'Round, and Kismet. In 1999 he received the Joseph Jefferson and After Dark awards for musical direction for The All Night Strut at Drury Lane Evergreen Park Theatre. In addition, he served as musical supervisor of Casper: The Musical at the Shaftsbury Theatre on London's West End, as managing director and co-founder of Puszh Co. for the Performing Arts, director of the acclaimed Dark Night series and the performing group S.R.O., artistic director of the California Conservatory Theatre, on staff with the Piven Theatre Workshop, and as theatre lecturer/musical director for Loyola University.

AARON THIELEN (Artistic Director) is thrilled to serve as Artistic Director for this theater. Mr. Thielen was the Artistic Director for The Producers, Thoroughly Modern Millie, State Fair and Married Alive! He also co-wrote and Artistic Directed the Marriott Theatre's Jeff Award winning hit The All Night Strut. Associated with the Marriott Theatre since 1995, he was a featured actor in more than 20 productions, choreographed Marriott's hit production of Forever Plaid, and was instrumental in facilitating the theatre's expansion in 2001. He co-founded a theatre company in Milwaukee dedicated to community outreach; he is a former company member of Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Company and is a 2006 four-time YMCA National Champion swimmer.

ANDY HITE (Artistic Director) joined the artistic team in 2002 as the assistant to the artistic director, was named associate artistic director in 2004 and is now thrilled to hold the position of artistic director. Prior to joining the Marriott Theatre, Andy enjoyed an award winning acting career in Chicago and was fortunate to be able to work at theatres such as Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, Northlight Theatre, The Auditorium Theatre and, of course, The Marriott Theatre. Acting highlights include: Pacific Overtures at Chicago Shakespeare, A Chorus Line at Drury Lane Evergreen Park and Miss Saigon at The Marriott Theatre.

THOMAS M. RYAN (Resident Scenic Designer) has designed scenery for more than 100 productions here since 1985. Other Marriott designs include Oliver!, Sweeney Todd, Chess, 1776, Brigadoon, Hello, Dolly! (Jeff nominated), Miss Saigon, and Cats. He has taught at Moorhead State University, Northwestern University, and the Latin School of Chicago. Other Chicago designs have been seen at Chicago Opera Theatre, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Apple Tree Theatre, Northwestern University, and Pegasus Players, where he received a Jeff Citation Recommendation for Merrily We Roll Along, Jeff Citations for Fallen Angels and The Rainmaker, and an After Dark Award for Sylvia's Real Good Advice. Non-theatrical work can be seen at Navy Pier (seasonal décor, Winter Wonderfest and Halloween), and at the Peggy Notebart Nature Museum's new interactive treehouse. A special thanks to my "at home assistants" S, C & J.

NANCY MISSIMI (Resident Costume Designer) has been designing costumes in Chicago for the past 22 years. She previously taught at the University of Detroit and C.W. Post College, and managed the costume collection for Theatre Development fund in New York. Her Chicago credits include design work for Court Theatre, The Royal George, Chicago Opera Theatre, Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, Drury Lane Martinique and Northwestern University's Waa-Mu Show. She is the recipient of numerous Joseph Jefferson nominations and awards, most recently for Marriott's production of Beauty and The Beast, Cats and Show Boat. Her designs for Joseph and The Wizard of Oz have been seen at Chicago's Shakespeare Theater; and she has recently designed a national tour of Phantom. Among her favorite Marriott shows are The King and I, 1776, and Hot Mikado. She and director-husband, Dominic, are pleased to share billing with daughters' Emmy and Angela.

DIANE FERRY WILLIAMS (Resident Lighting Designer) has designed over 80 productions for the Marriott Theatre. She has also worked for many other theatres around the country, including The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Portland Center Stage, Theatre Under the Stars, The Goodspeed, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The Goodman, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, ACT Seattle, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Indiana Rep, Hubbard Street, Regional Dance America, The Augusta Opera, and the Kennedy Center. International work includes The Harlem Gospel Singers in Paris and their European tour, and Die Shone Und Das Biest in Berlin and their European tour. Other design work includes Don't Stop The Carnival by Jimmy Buffet and Herman Wouk, and national tours of, Victor/Victoria, Kiss Me Kate and State Fair. Awards include a Jeff Award for Miss Saigon, an After Dark Award for Sunset Boulevard, a Carbonelle Award, 2 Drammy awards, and Jeff nominations for The Wizard of Oz, West Side Story, Cats, Beauty and The Beast, and Sunset Boulevard. Diane has a Master of Fine Arts in Theatrical Design from Northwestern University.

CECIL AVERETT (Resident Sound Design) has designed sound and composed music for theater, film, multimedia, and civic installations. He is also co-founder of cS]designgroup (www.csdesigngroup.net), a production / multimedia design company. Some regional theater credits include productions at Arena Stage, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and Steppenwolf, as well as Waiting for My Man off-Broadway. Mr. Averett is also a recent recipient of an After Dark Award (original music) for his work on Eclipse Theatre's production of Frame 312.

GREGORY ISAAC (Properties Design) is designing for the Marriott Theatre for the twelfth time and his affiliation for the theatre now reaches into its fourth season. Previous designs were seen in â€¦Forum, Footloose, Oliver!, â€¦Millie, State Fair, â€¦New Jersey, â€¦Charlie Brown, All Night Strut, Grease, Shenandoah and Married Alive! He also spent seven years working in television scenery with Turner Studios in Atlanta, building for networks from CNN to Cartoon Network. He has discovered a passion for running late in life, and this fall will participate in two more marathons, including his first crack at the New York City Marathon.

DAVID SIEGEL (Orchestral Reductions) was co-orchestrator with Danny Troob for the Broadway revival of How To Succeed in Businessâ€¦. National Tours include orchestrations for Cinderella, Ziegfeld, A Night At The Follies and Jolson. Original orchestrations for musical theatre include Windy City, The All Night Strut and Once Upon A Time in New Jersey. David has also written orchestrations for the Radio City Christmas Show, Walt Disney Entertainment's Tokyo Disney, Euro Disney Parade, C'est Magique and Walt Disney's 100 year parade. For the Fynsworth Alley label he orchestrated The Stephen Sondheim Album, Emily Skinner and The Sherman Brothers. For the Varese Sarabande label David wrote the orchestrations for Unsuspecting Hearts and Broadway Duets with Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley, The Stephen Schwartz Album, Cinderella, and Christiane Noel's A Broadway Love Story. David wrote the orchestrations for the Nick Jr. show, The Wonder Pets.

MICHAEL HENDRICKS (Production Stage Manager) began his career as an actor in regional theatre in companies such as Indiana Repertory, Meadow Brook, Guthrie, and several theatres in Chicago. Here at the Marriott Theatre, he has staged managed over 100 musical productions, working with some of the best and brightest actors, directors, composers, designers, and technicians. In his spare time, he is pursuing his â€œmid-lifeâ€ dream: developing and producing new musicals for the stage.

ADAM FORD (Production Manager) is honored to join the Marriott Team as Production Manager. Previously at the Marriott Theatre, he served as Assistant Stage Manager/Project Manager for All Night Strut, Grease, The Wizard of Oz, Shenandoah and Married Alive! Before coming to the Marriott, Adam stage managed many shows throughout Chicago at The Goodman Theatre, About Face Theatre, Steppenwolf, Vittum Theater and Serendipity Theatre. Adam is a proud member of Actor's Equity Association. Much love to my family, friends and Jennings.

PATTI GARWOOD (Musical Supervisor / Conductor) has been with the Marriott Theatre since 1994. Other Chicago musical directing and conducting credits include the Grant Park Orchestra featuring Dennis De Young, Catskills On Broadway at the Shubert Theatre and Oliver!, Song and Dance, and Kopit and Yeston's Phantom at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse. Prior to making the Chicago area her home, Patti served as Resident Musical Director at the Fireside Dinner Playhouse in Fort Atkinson, WI and at the Musicana Dinner Playhouse in West Palm Beach, FL. Other regional theatre work includes La Comedia Dinner Theatre in Springboro, OH; the Capitol Theatre in Rome, NY and the Harbor House on Nantucket Island, MA.

LAUREN M. JOHNSON (Director of Marketing) made her theatrical debut in her high school's production of Richard Hardingbush and the Rococo Coco Bean and was never allowed on stage again! After graduating from DePauw University she found her calling as a Director of Sales and Marketing for Marriott Hotels for more than a decade. She was named Outstanding Director of Sales for the Midwest. In 1987, she combined her off-stage love of musical theatre with her business background and proudly joined the staff of Marriott Theatre. In addition to overseeing the more than forty thousand season subscribers and developing group sales, she especially enjoys coordinating the marketing effort for Marriott's popular Theatre for Young Audiences. And she still finds time for the three boys and girl in her life.

PETER MARSTON SULLIVAN (Artistic Associate) has worked for the Marriott Theatre for over four years in various capacities, including his current position of Artistic Associate. Peter earned a BA in Theatre and an MA in Teaching at Trinity University in San Antonio , and an MFA in Directing at Illinois State University. In tandem with his work at the Marriott Theatre, Peter frequently directs in the city. Recent directing projects include Playing with Fire (After Frankenstein), and M. Butterfly at the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, Monster Garden at the Gorilla Tango Theatre, Cry Havoc at Bailiwick, and Metamorphoses at Illinois State University.