Goodman Theatre

Animal Crackers, written by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, with music and lyrics by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, directed by Henry Wishcamper, begins September 18, 2009 in the Goodman's Albert Theatre.

Design by Kelly Rickert.

Henry Wishcamper, Drama League Directing Fellow, is the Artistic Director of Katharsis Theatre Company in Brooklyn, New York where he recently directed his own play The Polish Play, A Conflation of Macbeth by William Shakespeare and Ubu Roi by Alfred Jarry. His recent directing credits include Conor McPherson's Port Authority (Atlantic Theater Company), The Seafarer (Hartford TheaterWorks) and The Good Thief (Portland Stage Company); Stephen Karam's Speech and Debate (Hartford TheaterWorks); The Mystery of Irma Vep (The Old Globe), Lanford Wilson's The Mound Builders (Julliard); Horton Foote's Talking Pictures (Goodman Theatre); the New York premiere of Jane Martin's Flags (59E59 Theaters); Doug Grissom's Elvis People (New World Stages); Thorton Wilder's Pullman Car Hiawatha (Keen Company (Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Revival of a Play)); Scott Blumenthal's So Frightful an Event I Single in the History of Man (McGinn-Cazale Theater (commissioned by Maine Humanities Council)); Molière's The Flying Doctor and The Imaginary Cuckold (The Roundtable Ensemble); and John Ford's 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (HERE Arts Center). He served as the assistant director on the Broadway productions of August: Osage County directed by Anna D. Shapiro, Shining City directed by Robert Falls, Absurd Person Singular directed by John Tillinger and Match directed by Nicholas Martin. He served as the Artistic Director of the Maine Summer Dramatic Institute in Portland, Maine, from 1997-1999 and as the Artistic Associate of Keen Company from 2002-2005.

Joey Slotnick(Captain Spaulding/Groucho) is an ensemble member of Lookingglass Theatre Company, where his credits include Our Town co-directed by Anna D. Shapiro and Jessica Thebus, Wants & Needs, Great Men of Science Nos. 21 & 22 directed by Tracy Letts, Hard Times, Arabian Nights directed by Mary Zimmerman, The Master and Margarita, Up Against It and The Third Voyage. He appeared in Slotnick Katz & Lehr at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Fun and Nobody at Next Theatre Company. Slotnick's New York credits include Ethan Coen's Offices at Atlantic Theater Company and Coen's world-premiere play Almost an Evening off-Broadway at The Theatres at 45 Bleecker Street following a sold-out extended run at the Atlantic. His other New York credits include The Cartells at Comix and Nicky Silver's The Altruists at The Vineyard Theatre. His film credits include Brief Interviews With Hideous Men, Made in Romania, Jesus Cooks Me Breakfast, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, Hollow Man, Blast From the Past, Dinner and Driving, Twister, Since You've Been Gone, Judas Kiss and A League of Their Own. His television credits include Pushing Daisies, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Entourage, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Boston Legal, The Office, TNT's Pirates of Silicon Valley, CSI, Medium, Ghost Whisperer, Alias, nip/tuck, Boston Public and The Single Guy. He received his BFA from Southern Methodist University.

Molly Brennan (Harpo) makes her Goodman debut. She has appeared in productions at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Second City, Lifeline Theatre, Chicago Children's Theatre, Barrel of Monkeys, The Factory Theatre and The House Theatre of Chicago. She received a Jeff Award for her portrayal of Mikako in Curse of the Crying Heart at The House Theater. Her off-Broadway credits include Lady Macbeth and the Porter in Macbeth at The Mirror Repertory Company. As a company member of 500 Clown, Ms. Brennan has performed as Kevin in 500 Clown Macbeth, 500 Clown Frankenstein, 500 Clown Christmas and 500 Clown and the Elephant Deal at various venues in Chicago, as well as touring nationwide.

Jonathan Brody (Emmanuel Ravelli) was last seen in Chicago in Theda Bara & the Frontier Rabbi in 1992. He has appeared on Broadway in Monty Python's Spamalot and the original companies of Titanic, Me and My Girl and Sally Marr...and Her Escorts opposite Joan Rivers. His off-Broadway credits include Gimpl Tam (in Yiddish), Eating Raoul and the Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance. Brody has toured with Spamalot, Funny Girl and My Fair Lady. He has appeared regionally in Hamlet, I Hate Hamlet, The Dybbuk, Irma Vep, Urinetown, Groucho: A Life in Revue and many productions of Forever Plaid. His television credits include Guiding Light on CBS and Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall, An Evening With Alan Jay Lerner and as George Gershwin in Porgy and Bess: An American Voice on PBS. He has been a proud member of Actors' Equity for 27 years.

Mara Davi (Arabella/Mrs. Whitehead)'s Broadway credits include Janet Van de Graaff in The Drowsy Chaperone and Maggie Winslow in the original revival cast of A Chorus Line. Her New York credits include Nanette in No, No Nanette and Miss Emily Benson in Of Thee I Sing, both at New York City Center Encores! Regionally, Davi originated the role of Gabrielle Gerard in Dancing in the Dark at The Old Globe Theatre. Her regional credits include Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie at Sacramento Music Circus, Judy Haynes in Irving Berlin's White Christmas at The Ordway and Gabrielle Gerard in a workshop of The Band Wagon. She appeared as Peggy Sawyer in the North America and Japan tour of 42nd Street. She has performed solo concerts for Birdland, Ars Nova and with The Lyrica Chamber Orchestra.

Ora Jones (Mrs. Rittenhouse) returns to the Goodman, where her credits include A Christmas Carol, The Good Person of Setzuan, Proof and Marvin's Room. She most recently appeared as Maria in Twelfth Night at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where she also appeared as Lucienne in A Flea in Her Ear (After Dark Award) and Mistress Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor. She is a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company Ensemble, where her credits include Jessie Brewster in The Violet Hour (Jeff Award nomination), Aunt Mimi in The Unmentionables and Marilyn in Carter's Way (Jeff Award nomination). Other Chicago credits include the Stage Manager in Our Town for Writers' Theatre (After Dark Award), Turtle in A Year With Frog and Toad at Chicago Children's Theatre and Gwen in Execution of Justice at About Face Theatre. Her film credits include The Weatherman, Stranger Than Fiction, Save the Last Dance and Were the World Mine.

Ed Kross (John Parker/Jamison) has appeared in Stalag 17, Scapin, The Threepenny Opera, Below the Belt, A Lie of the Mind and Augusta at American Theater Company. Other Chicago credits include Transference at Mercury Theatre, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Pheasant Run Theatre, Enter the Guardsman at Northlight Theatre, The Princess and the Pea and The Wizard of Oz at Chicago Shakespeare Theater and three years in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change at the Royal George Theatre. He also hosted The Sing-a-Long Wizard of Oz at the Oriental Theatre. Regional credits include Moon Over Buffalo and Hello Dolly at Theatre at the Center and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors at Peninsula Players. He also hosted the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. His film credits include Road to Perdition and Ocean's 12. He has appeared in more than 60 commercials and is an 11-year ensemble member of the American Blues Theater.

Stanley Wayne Mathis (Hives/Chandler) returns to the Goodman having last appeared in Faust. His Broadway credits include Wonderful Town, Kiss Me Kate, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, The Lion King, Jelly's Last Jam and Oh Kay. His regional credits include Death of a Salesman at Yale Repertory Theatre, Radio Golf at The Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Of Mice and Men at Dallas Theater Center, Blues for an Alabama Sky at the Cleveland Play House, St. Louis Woman at New York City Center, Fences at Bristol Riverside Theatre, Cinderella at Paper Mill Playhouse, Master Harold and the Boys at Triad Stage and You Can't Take It With You at Pioneer Theatre Company. He appeared in the feature film Brother to Brother. His television credits include NBC's Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Saturday Night Live.

Jessie Mueller (Grace/Mary) makes her Goodman debut. Other Chicago credits include Niki Harris in the recent regional premiere of Curtains at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook; The Bowery Boys, Natalie Haller in All Shook Up and Jenny Anderson in Shenandoah at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire; and Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel at Court Theatre and Long Wharf Theatre, for which she received a Jeff Award and Connecticut Critics Circle Award. She also appeared in several productions at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, including Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka, Daisy in How Can You Run With a Shell on Your Back?, The Three Musketeers and Lady Mortimer in Henry IV, Parts I & 2, also on tour at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Tony Yazbeck (Wally Winston/M. Doucet) has just completed his run as Tulsa in Gypsy on Broadway, for which he received an Outer Critics Circle nomination. Other Broadway credits include Al in A Chorus Line, Never Gonna Dance, Oklahoma and Gypsy with Tyne Daly. His off-Broadway credits include Charles in Fanny Hill at The York Theatre Company and City Center Encores! productions of On the Town, Pardon My English, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Apple Tree and Gypsy. He has toured nationally with Thoroughly Modern Millie, Annie Get Your Gun and Doctor Dolittle. His regional credits include Tony in West Side Story at Trinity Repertory Company, Bobby in Crazy for You at Maine State Music Theatre and Tony in Copacabana at Pittsburgh CLO. He has appeared on television in All My Children and As the World Turns and is presently in the feature documentary Every Little Step.