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Archives |
4/30/2008 |
Chicago |
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From left, Paul Nowatka (Mayor Richard Daley), Charles Haigh (Sen. Eugene McCarthy), Mark Wood (David Dellinger), and Ken Seeraty (Jerry Rubin) comprise the cast of Chicago. |
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Chicago, adapted and directed by J-Powers, dramatizes the efforts of four specific leaders and the movements they represent to influence the direction of American politics in the aftermath of the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. Through actor performances and historical images, the work follows Jerry Rubin as he forms and unleashes the Yippies, David Dellinger as he organizes the Mobilization to End the War in Vietnam, Sen. Eugene McCarthy as he wages a quixotic campaign to win the Democratic nomination, and Mayor Richard Daley as he prepares to keep the streets and public places of Chicago free of any uncivil behavior.
Charles Haigh (Sen. Eugene McCarthy) Charles is a SAG actor with numerous screen, TV, and stage credits dating back to Little House on the Prairie. More recently, he played the recurring role of prosecutor Tom Sneddon in the TV reenactment of the Michael Jackson Trial and performed in a Boeing national commercial that has been running for three years. He also played President Woodrow Wilson in the History Channel production, Presidential Prophecies. Charles has performed previously for Works in Progress in The Examination of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson…, The Army – McCarthy Hearings 1954, The Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas Hearings, and in the series The 9/11 Commission Report. Charles is also an accomplished writer. He wrote for Divorce Court many years ago. He has a published short story called First Solo. He co-wrote and acted in a feature film that was shot in Poland. Recently, he wrote a gripping war story called Birthday at Angels Three Zero, which will be published in We Were Crewdogs IV in June 2008 and will be available at www.wewerecrewdogs.com. He has also recently completed a monumental work of historical fiction titled King of the Bees, which is now available at www.trafford.com.
Paul Nowatka (Mayor Richard Daley) Paul has performed in many of the Works in Progress productions including The Examination of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson at the Court at Newton, The Army-McCarthy Hearings, The Watergate Tapes, The Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas Hearings, Trial of Lenny Bruce, Court-Martial of William Calley, McMartin Preschool Trial, and Trial of O.J. Simpson. He also appeared throughout the four-part 9/11 production. Paul is a retired lieutenant with the Torrance Police Department and is currently serving a second term on the City Council. His is a member of the faculty for the Tools for Tolerance program at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Museum of Tolerance.
Ken Seeraty (Jerry Rubin) This marks Ken’s second appearance in a Works in Progress production, the first being 9/11 as FBI agent Kenneth Williams. His most recent performance was this past summer as the village idiot (pure typecasting) in Don Nigro’s Cinderella Waltz. His credits include stints at the Long Beach Playhouse (one of which earned him a Best Actor nomination at the 2002 Ethel Case Awards) and scene showcases at Burbank’s Third Stage and San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre.
Mark Wood (David Dellinger) Mark has appeared in a number of Works in Progress productions, including The Watergate Tapes, Trial of Lenny Bruce, and McMartin Preschool Trial. He has appeared in several motion pictures, such as The Source and Viva. Two films, Duke’s Café and Cafe Coexistence are scheduled for release later this year. During the day, Mark practices law in the Los Angeles area.
J-Powers (Writer-director) While known to many as John Powers at Torrance Cultural Arts Center where he creates and produces various performing arts programs, J-Powers produces the theater series, Works in Progress, for which he has written and directed a number of original stage adaptations of compelling contemporary events. These include The Examination of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson at the Court at Newton, The Army-McCarthy Hearings, The Watergate Tapes, The Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas Hearings, Trial of Lenny Bruce, Court-Martial of William Calley, McMartin Preschool Trial, and Trial of O.J. Simpson. In 2006, he adapted and produced 9/11, the world’s only dramatization of The 9/11 Commission Report. His original drama @HEART was recently produced at Ruskin Group Theatre, Santa Monica, where it was a critical success. He is married to Deborah Green and he is a proud step-dad to their three children Alissa, Spencer, and Cameron. |