Written by Brian Friel
Directed by Artistic Director Braden Abraham
April 3 – May 4, 2025
Glencoe, IL– Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Artistic Director Braden Abraham, continues its 2024/25 Season with Brian Friel’s touching Irish drama Translations directed by Braden Abraham. Translations will run April 3 – May 4, 2025 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Friday, April 11, 2025 at 7:30pm.
Tickets are on sale at Writers Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org.
Life in County Donegal, Ireland proceeds much the same in 1833 as it’s always done. Irish-speaking young people gather at the local hedge school where the long-time and long-winded schoolmaster instructs them in lessons in Latin and Ancient Greek. This quiet rural life is shattered when the schoolmaster’s son arrives home along with members of the British army on an assignment to map the country, draw new borders, and “standardize” local place names into the King’s English. Soon, this quiet corner of the emerald isle is ablaze with political, cultural and personal tension. A powerful classic from one of Ireland’s most revered dramatists, Translations is a celebration of the power of language—whether it be to kindle romance, incite violence, or build a bridge to a common understanding.
“Brian Friel’s timeless, beautiful play, Translations, resonates for me right now because characters are caught in a moment of profound change,” said Artistic Director Braden Abraham. “Friel doesn’t offer us simple binaries of English and Irish. Instead, he shows us that all communication is an act of translation and interpretation. In the attempt to bridge gaps—between languages, between cultures, between hearts—we discover both the limitations and the possibilities of human connection.”
The cast is: Chloe Baldwin (Bridget/Understudy Maire), Kevin Gudahl (Hugh), Erik Hellman (Lieutenant Yolland), Casey Hoekstra (Owen), GregoryLinington (Captain Lancey), Ian Maryfield (Doalty), Tyler Meredith (Maire), Andrew Mueller (Manus), Julia Rowley (Sarah), Jonathan Weir (Jimmy Jack), Colin Covert (Understudy Owen), Amanda Fink (Undesrstudy Bridget/Sarah), Michael Holdring (Understudy Yolland/Manus), Matt Martin (Understudy Lancey/Doalty) and Scott Westerman (Undesrstudy Jimmy Jack/Hugh).
The creative team includes: Braden Abraham (Director), Andrew Boyce (Scenic Designer), Janice Pytel (Costume Designer), Maximo Grano De Oro(Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Sound Designer), Eva Breneman (Dialect Coach), Sheryl Williams (Intimacy Director), Bobby Kennedy (Dramaturg), and Ethan Karas (Assistant Director). The stage manager is Miranda Anderson and the assistant stage manager is Zoe Jennings.
Translations is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
Title: Translations
Written by: Brian Friel
Directed by: Artistic Director Braden Abraham
Cast: Chloe Baldwin (Bridget/Understudy Maire), Kevin Gudahl (Hugh), Erik Hellman (Lieutenant Yolland), Casey Hoekstra (Owen), Gregory Linington (Captain Lancey), Ian Maryfield (Doalty), Tyler Meredith (Maire), Andrew Mueller (Manus), Julia Rowley (Sarah), Jonathan Weir(Jimmy Jack), Colin Covert (Understudy Owen), Amanda Fink (Understudy Bridget/Sarah), Michael Holdring (Understudy Yolland/Manus), Matt Martin(Understudy Lancey/Doalty) and Scott Westerman (Understudy Jimmy Jack/Hugh).
Creative Team: Braden Abraham (Director), Andrew Boyce (Scenic Designer), Janice Pytel (Costume Designer), Maximo Grano De Oro(Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Sound Designer), Eva Breneman (Dialect Coach), Bobby Kennedy (Dramaturg), Sheryl Williams (Intimacy Director), and Ethan Karas (Assistant Director). The stage manager is Miranda Anderson and the assistant stage manager is Zoe Jennings.
Dates: First performance: April 3, 2025
Press opening: Friday, April 11, 2025 at 7:30pm
Closing performance: May 4, 2025
Performance Schedule:
Wednesdays: 3:00pm (April 16 & 30 only) and 7:30pm
Thursdays: 7:30pm
Fridays: 7:30pm
Saturdays: 3:00pm (except April 5) and 7:30pm
Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm (April 13 & 27 only)
Open Captioned Performance: Thursday, April 24 at 7:30pm
$30 Ticket Promo Code: WTOC2425
ASL-Interpreted Performance: Saturday, April 26 at 3:00pm
$30 Ticket Promo Code: WTASL2425
Location:
Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre; 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
Prices:
All tickets begin at $35.
Box Office:
The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org
NOTES OF INTEREST:
Translations is a celebration of the power of language—whether it be to kindle romance, incite violence, or build a bridge to a common understanding.
Brian Friel was called “the finest Irish dramatist of his generation” by The Guardian. His other plays include Philadelphia, Here I Come!, Faith Healer, and Dancing at Lughnasa.
The play is set in 1833, three decades after the Act of Union brought Ireland into the United Kingdom, and twelve years before the start of the Great Famine.
Baile Beag, the town where the play takes place, is a fictional one that Brian Friel set many of his plays in. The town is located in Donegal, a rugged and remote county in the far northwest of Ireland.
The character of Hugh is a hedge school master. Hedge schools were informal classrooms held outdoors or in unused barns, at a time when it was illegal for Catholics to teach young people.
Captain Lancey and Lieutenant Yolland, members of the Corps of Royal Engineers, are in Donegal as part of the Ordnance Survey, a British effort to map Ireland in detail.
Most of the Irish characters only speak their native Irish, and the British characters only speak English. Although the play is presented in entirely in English, the inability of the British and Irish to understand one another is at the core of the story.
Translations is directed by Artistic Director Braden Abraham. He previously directed Eurydice at Writers Theatre and more than 20 productions at Seattle Rep.
Translations Events
Family Matinee
Saturday, May 3 at 3pm
Going to the theatre just got a little bit easier for parents and caregivers. Parents and caregivers can see the 3pm matinee of the production while their young ones engage in active creative play with WT Education’s professional teaching artists.
Student Matinees
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 and Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 10:45am
Writers Theatre Education welcomes students in to attend award-winning theatre! Seeing a live performance activates students’ imagination, can increase critical thinking-skills and emotional literacy and create connections to classic and new works of art. To book, please fill out our 2024/25 Student Matinee interest form and WT Education will follow up to confirm booking details. Reach out to
Upcoming Education & Engagement Programs
Show & Tell Storytelling
Tuesdays, April 15 and May 13 at 7pm
Enjoy an engaging evening of storytelling at our monthly Show & Tell series. Each event features talented professional storytellers and celebrates unique themes in a relaxed environment. Tickets are Pay What You Can.
Unlock Your Voice Storytelling Workshop for Adults
Wednesdays, April 2, 16, 23 & 30 and May 7, 6pm-8pm
Join Writers Theatre and multi-Moth Grand Slam winner Nestor Gomez to unlock the power of your voice! Whether you’ve always wanted to tell stories or you’re just starting to explore your creative voice, you’ll learn the fundamentals of storytelling—how to structure your ideas, build compelling characters, and captivate your audience. No prior experience is necessary—just bring your curiosity and a willingness to explore. By the end of the five sessions, you’ll leave with the skills to share your unique voice and stories in a way that feels authentic and engaging. Come ready to inspire and be inspired!
Pop-Up Day Camps
Monday, April 21, 9am-3pm
When school is off but you’re not, WT Education is here to help. Young people ages 7-11 just might catch the theatre bug on this day-long creative adventure.
Wake Up Words Family Playtime
Sundays, March 9 and June 8 at 11am
Stories jump off the page on select Sunday mornings at Writers Theatre. Each Playtime pairs a favorite story with another art form and is a unique opportunity for young children and their families to create together. Designed for ages 3-6 and their parents/caregivers, siblings welcome.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Brian Patrick Friel (Writer) was an Irish dramatist, short story writer and founder of the Field Day Theatre Company. He had been considered one of the greatest living English-language dramatists. He has been likened to an “Irish Chekhov” and described as “the universally accented voice of Ireland”. His plays have been compared favorably to those of contemporaries such as Samuel Beckett, Arthur Miller, Harold Pinter and Tennessee Williams.
Recognized for early works such as Philadelphia, Here I Come! and Faith Healer, Friel had 24 plays published in a career of more than a half-century. He was elected to the honorary position of Saoi of Aosdána. His plays were commonly produced on Broadway in New York City throughout this time, as well as in Ireland and the UK. In 1980 Friel co-founded Field Day Theatre Company and his play Translations was the company’s first production. With Field Day, Friel collaborated with Seamus Heaney, 1995 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Heaney and Friel first became friends after Friel sent the young poet a letter following publication of his book Death of a Naturalist.
Friel was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the British Royal Society of Literature and the Irish Academy of Letters. He was appointed to Seanad Éireann in 1987 and served until 1989. In later years, Dancing at Lughnasa reinvigorated Friel’s oeuvre, bringing him Tony Awards (including Best Play), the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. It was also adapted into a film, starring Meryl Streep, directed by Pat O’Connor, script by Frank McGuinness.
Braden Abraham (Director/Artistic Director)
Joining Writers Theatre as Artistic Director in 2023, Braden Abraham directed Eurydice in his first season. Previously, he served as Artistic Director of Seattle Rep where he directed six world premieres and over 20 productions including: True West, Clybourne Park, Photograph 51, Ibsen in Chicago, Mr. Dickens and His Carol, Betrayal, Luna Gale, A View from the Bridge, A Great Wilderness, Breakin' Hearts and Takin' Names, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.
While at Seattle Rep, Braden commissioned and premiered works by Anna Zeigler, Samuel D. Hunter, and Cheryl L. West. Many projects developed under his leadership gained acclaim nationwide, including Irene Sankoff and David Hein's Come From Away and the exclusive presentation of David Byrne's Here Lies Love outside New York and London. His final initiatives at Seattle Rep included 20x30: Reimagine the Anthropocene, commissioning twenty new plays by 2030, and New Directions, a program supporting generative work from directors.
Around the country, Braden has developed new work at Ojai, O'Neill, Denver Center, and Perseverance Theatre. He has been a guest artist at Stanford, Gonzaga, and Seattle University. Braden is the co-creator of Sound Place Love, an audio installation about the life and work of Emmy-Award winning sound ecologist Gordon Hempton.
Chloe Baldwin (Bridget, Understudy Maire) is making her Writers Theatre Debut. Chicago: POTUS (Steppenwolf Theatre), The Winter’s Tale, The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci (Goodman Theatre), The Invisible Scarlet O’Neil (Babes With Blades). Regional: The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (The Old Globe), As You Like It, Macbeth (Kingsmen Shakespeare). National Tour: The Woman In Black (Pasadena Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Royal George Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse). Film: Widows, Perpetrator, Morning is Broken. Television: Chicago Fire, Shining Girls, Utopia. Awards: Two-Time Jeff Nominee, Curious Elixirs Creator Grant, Sarah Siddons Society Scholarship. Training: The Theatre School at DePaul, Second City, Interlochen.
Amanda Fink (Understudy Bridget/Sarah) is making her Writers Theatre debut. Chicago: Noises Off, POTUS (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Pro-Am, Plano, I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard, peerless (First Floor Theater, selected); Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Court Theatre); Tilikum, Give It All Back (Sideshow Theatre Company). Regional: Noises Off (Geffen Playhouse). Education: The ACADEMY at Black Box Acting; The University of Chicago. She is a proud company member of First Floor Theater and is a co-owner of Black Box Acting.
Kevin Gudahl (Hugh) has performed at Writers Theatre in The Diary of Anne Frank, Twelfth Night, Parade, A Minster’s Wife, She Loves me, Othello, and The Doctor’s Dilemma. CHICAGO: Comedy of Errors, As You Like It, The King's Speech, Pacific Overtures, Richard III, A Little Night Music, and the title roles in Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, Troilus and Cressida (Chicago Shakespeare); Inherit The Wind, King Lear, The House of Martin Guerre (Goodman Theatre); My Fair Lady, Uncle Vanya, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf (Court Theatre); Spring’s Awakening, Elf, 1776 (Marriott Theatre); and shows at Northlight Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Drury Lane Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater. INTERNATIONAL: five seasons with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival; Canadian Stage; Donmar Warehouse; and Royal Shakespeare Company. FILM: While You Were Sleeping, Home Alone III. TELEVISION: The Emperor Of Ocean Park (MGM+) The Shining Girls (Apple TV+); Chicago Fire, Crisis (NBC); Boss (STARZ); Empire, The Chicago Code (FOX); and Early Edition (CBS). Gudahl is a multiple Jeff Award recipient, and a Shakespearean verse coach.
Erik Hellman (Lieutenant Yolland) returns to Writers Theatre where he has previously appeared in Smart People, Marjorie Prime, and Hysteria. Other credits include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Othello, and Mousetrap at Court Theatre; Richard III at Chicago Shakespeare; Let the Right One In at Berkley Rep; 1776 and The Sound of Music at Marriott; Lindiwe and Familiar at Steppenwolf; Little Women, Georgiana and Kitty and Miss Bennet at Northlight Theatre; Luna Gale at the Goodman. Film/TV work includes The Dark Knight, Walden, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Empire, The Good Fight, Mrs. America, Fargo, 61st Street, and David Fincher’s The Killer.
Casey Hoekstra (Owen) returns to Writers Theatre where he previously appeared in Twelfth Night (2018). He has worked in Chicago at Paramount Theatre (A Streetcar Named Desire as Stanley), Northlight (Dear Jack, Dear Louise), Chicago Shakespeare (All’s Well, Comedy of Errors). He’s spent the last seven years working at American Players Theatre in Wisconsin. Other regional credits include: Chamber Theatre, Next Act, Forward Theatre, Indianapolis Repertory, Minneapolis Children’s Theater, and the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis where he grew up and went to school. He received a Jeff Award for his fight choreography in EthiopianAmerican for Definition Theatre.
Ian Maryfield (Doalty) is making his Writers Theatre debut. Chicago credits include: A Lie of the Mind (Raven Theatre); The Lord of the Rings Musical - US Premiere & New Zealand Tour, SS: Romeo & Juliet, SS: Comedy of Errors (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); All Quiet on the Western Front (Red Tape Theatre); Photograph 51 u/s, The Originalist u/s (Court Theatre); Hamlet, Indoor Cats (Red Theater); Recipe for Disaster (Windy City Playhouse); The Nutcracker (The House Theatre). Regional credits: As You Like It (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks). Commercial credits: Illinois Lottery, State Farm, Wisconsin Lottery, Guinness, Legendary Whitetails, and Avocados From Mexico. Television credits: Chicago Fire (NBC). Ian holds a BFA from Oklahoma City University.
Tyler Meredith (Maire) returns to Writers Theatre where she previously worked on Eurydice & Mystery of Love and Sex. Chicago credits include: Inherit the Wind, The Penelopiad, The Cherry Orchard, Twilight Bowl, Graveyard Shift/New Stages (Goodman Theatre); Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women (Northlight Theatre); Campaigns, Inc. (Timeline Theatre); The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); A Christmas Carol (Drury Lane Theatre). Regional credits include: A Phoenix Too Frequent (American Players Theatre); At The Wedding, Miss Bennet: Christmas At Pemberley(TheatreSquared).TV/Film credits include Chicago Fire. Tyler is a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, School at Steppenwolf and the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Andrew Mueller (Manus) was last seen at Writers as Dolokhov in 2024’s Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. Other Chicago credits include: Gerry Goffin in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Marriott; Jeff Award), Ernest Shackleton in Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Porchlight; Jeff nomination), Peter inJesus Christ Superstar (Lyric Opera), and Mark in RENT (Paramount), among others. Off-Broadway: Alice by Heart (MCC) and Peter and the Starcatcher(New World Stages).
Julia Rowley (Sarah) has appeared in Chicago in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (The Gift Theatre), Romeo & Juliet (Oak Park Festival Theatre), Macbeth(Invictus Theatre Company), Airness (Citadel), Hamlet (Red Theater), Blue Stockings (Promethean Theatre, Jeff Nomination: Best Ensemble). Film/TV credits: Chicago Med (NBC), South Side (HBO), neXt (Fox), The Killer (Netflix). She is a graduate of The Black Box Acting Academy, Second City and CIC improv, and Art of Acting Studio Los Angeles.
Jonathan Weir (Jimmy Jack) returns to Writers for his eleventh production. Writers credits include: Into the Woods, Days Like Today, The Liar, A Little Night Music, Bach at Leipzig, Arms and the Man, Misalliance, Doctor’s Dilemma, The Father and Booth. Chicago: Uncle Vanya (The New Theatre Project);Candide, The Visit, A Christmas Carol, 2666 (Goodman Theatre); King Charles III, Twelfth Night, Emperor’s New Clothes (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre);Stepping Out (Steppenwolf Theatre); The Merry Widow (Lyric Opera Chicago); and productions at Marriott Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Oakbrook Court and Northlight Theatres. Broadway: Scar and Pumbaa in Disney’s the Lion King and Jafar in Aladdin. National tours: Aladdin, Jersey Boys, Lion King, Scrooge the Musical. He is a proud husband, father and grandpa.
WRITERS THEATRE 2024/25 SEASON
The season concludes with the World Premiere of Madhuri Shekar’s Dhaba on Devon Avenue, directed by Chay Yew and produced in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, June 19-July 27, 2025.
Single tickets are $35 - $95 and are subject to change. Tickets are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES:
WT offers Open Captioning on select dates for each production. Please visit writerstheatre.org/accessibility for more information.
Throughout the season, Writers Theatre offers a variety of audience enrichment and special programming. This includes regularly occurring offerings like the Family Matinee Series, The Green Room artist interview series and podcast, and The Final Word Audience Discussion Series. Please visit writerstheatre.org/events for a full listing of upcoming offerings.
ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE
Writers Theatre boldly looks to the future as it begins its 33rd season. Having captivated audiences for years with its dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible, the theatre is now a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called “America’s finest regional theater company” by The Wall Street Journal. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Braden Abraham and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, the company is charting a path forward for the next 30 years.
Since its founding in 1992, Writers Theatre has stayed true to its core values: valuing the power of the written word and uplifting the artists who bring that word to life. The company has produced over 140 productions—everything from inventive interpretations of classics to groundbreaking new work. In 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility designed by the internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to accommodate its growing audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy.
Writers Theatre now welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each season and has helped establish the North Shore of Chicago as a premier cultural destination. Through its Literary Development Initiative, which has been responsible for the nurturing and premiering of over 30 world premieres, the theatre has established itself as a major originator of new theatrical works. Serving as an extension of the Writers Theatre mission, WT Education programs engage an average of 10,000 students each year with active learning opportunities centered around the written word.
