Aurora Real de Asua – Playwright and Performer

Aurora Real de Asua is a playwright, actor, and director, hailing from the Bay Area and the Basque Country. She developed Aping Jane in the Greenhouse Theater’s Solo Lab. Her play The Pride Before was recently showcased in sideshow’s 2019 Freshness Initiative. Her work has also been performed at Victory Gardens. She was a two-time Agnes Nixon Award winner at Northwestern University, where she graduated with a BA in theatre. As an actor, she has worked with Rivendell, Goodman, Northlight, Court, Remy Bumppo, Victory Gardens, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and the Hypocrites, among others.
Brenna DiStasio – Director

Brenna DiStasio is an actor, Co-Artistic Director of The Story Theatre. She has had the privilege of working at Remy Bumppo, Northlight Theatre, Rasaka Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, among others. Television credits include Chicago Med (NBC). Commercial credits include AAA, Ace Hardware and Frigo Cheese. Brenna received her BFA in Acting from the University of Arizona, and is a founding member of The Story Theatre. She is represented by Big Mouth Talent.
Paul Michael Thomson – Director

Paul Michael Thomson is Chicago-based actor, playwright, and Co-Artistic Director of The Story Theatre. As an actor, he has worked with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Windy City Playhouse, Urbanite Theatre, Drury Lane Oakbrook, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, among others, as well as appearing on CHICAGO MED and CHICAGO JUSTICE. As a playwright, his plays have been produced by Avalanche Theatre, The Impostors Theatre Company, Other Theatre Company, Arc Theatre, North Central College, The University of Arizona, and The Story Theatre. He holds a BFA in Acting, a BA in Africana Studies, and minors in Spanish & Art History from The Honors College at The University of Arizona. He has long been a huge fan of Rivendell and is honored to workshop this play on its renowned stage. Paul Michael is represented by Gray Talent Group. paulmichaelthomson.com @paulmichaelt
Lisa Dillman
RTE Literary Director, Dramaturg

Lisa Dillman’s plays include Ground, Rock Shore, American Wee-Pie, Half of Plenty, The Walls, No Such Thing, Six Postcards, Flung, and Shady Meadows. Her work has been produced throughout the U.S., including at Steppenwolf, Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Humana Festival, American Theatre Company, Rogue Machine, Seattle Public Theatre, and Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. She has received commissions from Steppenwolf, Goodman Theatre, Northlight, Baltimore Centerstage, and the Chicago Humanities Festival. She is a longtime ensemble member at Chicago’s Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, where she serves as literary director. Rivendell has produced the world premieres of her plays Chiaroscuro, The Walls, and American Wee-Pie. Also a teacher, she has taught playwriting at Western Michigan University, Chicago Dramatists, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens, and the Chicago Public Schools. Her work is published by Samuel French, Dramatic Publishing, Heinemann, Playscripts Inc., and Smith & Kraus. She is currently working on a new play commissioned by The Defamation Experience.
Jeffrey Levin – Sound Design Consultant

Jeffrey Levin is a composer, sound designer, and musician based in Chicago IL. Jeffrey has contributed original music and sound designs for over 100 productions for many theaters locally and regionally. He has collaborated with Steppenwolf, Court, Northlight, Victory Gardens, Timeline, Steep, American Theatre Company, A Red Orchid, Adventure Stage Chicago, Filament, Lifeline, Oracle, Strawdog, Windy City Playhouse, Emerald City, Theatre Wit, Collaboraction, Albany Park Theatre Project, TUTA, and many more. Regionally he has worked with The Gulfshore Playhouse, Asolo Repertory, Miami New Drama, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Denver Center for Performing Arts, and Children’s Theatre Madison. Awards and recognitions include ten Joseph Jefferson Award Nominations for Sound Design and Original Music and one win (THE HAIRY APE Oracle Theatre), Edes Award for Emerging Artists. Jeffrey received his Masters of Music in Composition at DePaul University and Bachelors of Music in Composition at Columbia College Chicago. www.jeffreylevinmusic.com