James Palmer, Artistic DirectorJames directed and adapted Dog in a Manger (2008). Directing credits include The Love of the Nightingale (2010 Jeff Recommended), Enemy of the People (2009), Pugilist Specialist (2008), Endgame (2007), Baden Lehrstuck (2007), FEP: Jesusland (2006), and FEP: Coriolanus (2006). In 2009, he produced the wildly successful Chicago Fringe Artist Networking Night and Mouse in a Jar (2009). He has dramaturged The Merchant of Venice (2006), Tis Pity She’s A Whore (2005), My Richard, (2005). With Tin Fish Theatre Company he designed lighting for Fools (2005), The Balcony (2004), and Cheddarheads (2004). He was last seen on stage as Biron in Love’s Labors Lost (2004) and Adam in The Shape of Things (2003).
He is in his fourth season as Red Tape Theatre Company’s Artistic Director after serving as Managing Director for two years prior. James is the assistant to Martha Lavey and David Hawkanson at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
James is on the Board of Directors at the League of Chicago Theatres and sits on their Finance Committee and Access Committee. He is also on the TCG 2010 Host Committee and chairs a subcommittee. James is a Steppenwolf Peer Mentor. He is a member of the Vestry at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and chairs their Marketing and Branding Committee. He also sits on Steppenwolf’s Access Committee. James participated in the 2008 Chicago Directors Lab.
James worked at the Texas Shakespeare Festival in 2003 and 2004 as an Electrician and Assistant Master Electrician. He was also an electrician at Steppenwolf theatre company for their 2004-2005 season.
James received his Bachelors degree in Theatre Arts from Simpson College and graduated Magna Cum Laude. While at Simpson, he was a member of the Alpha Psi Omega theatre fraternity and served as Secretary in 2004. James received the prestigious Senior Award as well as several Irene Ryan nominations.
Paul G. Miller, Managing DirectorPaul joined Red Tape Theatre's ensemble in 2007 and was promoted to Managing Director in 2009. His script, Demon's Crystal, was featured in CFANN09. Performance credits include Dog in a Manger (Red Tape), 1776 (Signal Ensemble, Jeff Award for Best Musical), Spring Awakening, The Last Unicorn (Promethean Theatre) and Gross Indecency (BoHo Theatre). He works by day as Development Coordinator for Steppenwolf Theatre. He received a B.A. in Theatre from Reed College in Portland, OR.
Myah Shein, Director of Marketing & Communications, Producer of CFANNMyah joined Red Tape in 2005 and served as interim Managing Director for the 2007-2008 season before taking on her current position. Myah holds a degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign in International Studies with a minor in French. She is currently pursuing a post-bac degree from Columbia College in Dance with an emphasis in Dance Studies. Myah has been a part of various Red Tape productions including Pugilist Specialist (Stage Manager), Directed by James Palmer, Endgame (Stage Manager), Directed by James Palmer, Merchant of Venice (Choreographer, Assistant Director), Directed by Robbie Hankins and many others. As a dancer, Myah has had the privilege of studying with Carrie Hanson, Paige Cunningham, Dardi McGinley-Gallivan, Becca Lemme and Kyle Seguin. She has appeared in works by John Leonard, Ariel Cisneros, Sarah Wattles and The Laboratory Dancers. Most recently Myah choreographed and performed in Red Tape's Jeff Recommended, The Love of the Nightingale.
Daria is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University where she completed a BFA in Theater Studies and a minor in Digital Cinema. She is a member of the 2009 DirectorsLab Chicago and is also a graduate of the Apprenticeship program at Steppenwolf Theatre where she apprenticed in the Literary Department, and as seems to be her custom, worked as a rogue dramaturge. Daria is a freelance director in Chicago where she has collaborated with American Theatre Company, Live Bait Theatre, Speaking Ring Theatre and Second Story, where she is also a company member. Daria has assisted at TimeLine Theatre, American Theatre Company and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Upcoming and current projects for Daria include assisting Charles Newell at Court Theatre, producing the 2010 Fresh Eyes Festival and a new collaboration with playwright Martyna Majok, the award winning playwright of Daria's Jeff nominated MOUSE IN A JAR at Red Tape. Becky Mock joined the Red Tape family in the Fall of 2009. Originally, from Memphis, TN, she moved north of the Mason-Dixon line to Chicago, where she graduated from Columbia College with a degree in Performing Arts Management. Previously, she has served as the Assistant Production Manager at Emerald City Theatre and is a recent graduate of the Production Management Apprenticeship program at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Robert is a founding member of Red Tape Theatre Company. Originally from the Mojave Desert of Southern California, Rob holds an MFA from Roosevelt University's Chicago College of the Performing Arts. In addition to Red Tape, Rob has worked with Eclipse Theatre, Circle Theatre, GreyZelda Theatre Group, New World Repertory Theater, The Side Project and the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. He has participated in numerous Red Tape productions as an actor and designer, and created the original adaptation of Red Tape's production of Henryk Ibsen's An Enemy of the People. He studies Meisner Technique with Eileen Vorbach. Mackenzie has been a Red Tape Theatre company member since 2008. She served as Production Manager for Red Tape Theatre's Dog in a Manger, Enemy of the People, Mouse in a Jar and CFANN09. Mackenzie has stage managed productions for Joffrey Ballet Chicago, Chicago Children's Theatre, Collaboraction, Goodman Theatre, Ravinia Festival, and La Red Music Theatre. Mackenzie has a B.A. in Theatrical Design and Production from Oklahoma State University and is married to fellow ensemble member Vic May. 
Daria J. Davis, Producer of Fresh Eyes Project
Becky Mock, Production Manager
Paige Sawin, Casting Director
Paige is a graduate of Denison University with a BFA in Theatre Performance. After coming to Chicago in the fall of 2007, Paige was the casting intern at Collaboraction Theatre Company and moved on to be the Casting Apprentice at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 2008. Casting credits include, Collaboraction’s Stonehenge by Stephen Cone, Red Tape’s Enemy of the People adaptation by Robert Oakes and Mouse in a Jar by Martyna Majok. Upon joining Red Tape as their cast director and a company member in Fall 2009, she has cast The Love of the Nightingale by Timberlake Wertenbaker. Current projects include this season's Fresh Eyes Project and Red Tape's fall production.
Robert L. Oakes, Artistic Associate, Graphic & Web Design
Mackenzie Brown May, Company Member
Nicholas Combs, Company Member
Nicholas Combs started with Red Tape Theatre in 2009 with the production of Enemy of the People. Nicholas holds a B.A. in theatre from Westfield State College where he is a co-founder of the Student Theatre Association. Nicholas studied as an Acting Apprentice at the Actors Theatre of Louisville 07' - 08'. Currently an artist associate for Two Birds Casting. Originally from Plymouth, Massachusetts. Red Tape credits; City Lights Receding and The Love of the Nightingale. Other credits; Rhino Fest. 09', Hanger9's Boys' Life, About Face's XYZ Festival - Man in Love, U/S for ATC's annual production of It's a Wonderful Life; The Radio Play, Sketchbook X - 84.
Carrie Drapac, Company Member
Carrie joined Red Tape Theatre after her involvement in their 2010 production of The Love of the Nightingale. She holds a BFA in Theatre from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, having focused on musical theatre in the CAP21 program and film acting at Stonestreet Studios. She has had the pleasure of working on a wide variety of projects ranging from devised theatre to feature length horror films. Carrie's favorite projects include a musical adaptation of the novel Hotel Sarajevo, silent short films about the Iraq War (Red, White and Blue) and metamorphosis (Tropism), and 1940's musical fluff Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Carrie is a personal trainer and co-founder/owner of Comfy Fitness. Currently, Carrie and her business partner are producing a kids' fitness television pilot.
Kyle Land, Company Member
Kyle Land is a freelance Director, Designer, Technical Director, Carpenter/Welder/Scenic Painter, and Stagehand. He is a recent addition to the Red Tape Company who began with Technical Directing and Lighting Designing Enemy of the People, and served as Lighting Designer for this seasons Mouse in a Jar. Area credits include work with Adventure Stage, Theo Ubique, Metropolis, Side Project, and Timeline. Kyle was the Technical Director for the ‘09 National High School Institute “Cherubs” Program. Kyle came to Chicago by way of Emporia State University where he received a BFA in Theatre Arts and a BA in English, then stayed on to serve as Technical Director for four years after graduation. Back in Kansas, Kyle co-founded both L.I.T.E. and IF Theatre, and directed the inaugural shows for both companies: How I Learned to Drive and Fool for Love. He also directed several shows at ESU including A Bright Room Called Day, The Woman in Black, and My Left Breast, in Chicago Kyle has Assistant Directed Betrayal at New World Repertory Theatre.
Lona Livingston, Company Member
Lona enjoyed playing Niobe in Red Tape's recent production of The Love of the Nightingale tremendously. It was a pleasure working with so many new company members. She appeared last year in Adventure Stage Chicago's adaptation of Lois Lowry's Gossamer as Fastidious, 'a prim, officious, elderly female' - which sounds a lot like the Sandy Morten character she portrayed in Red Tape's 2009 production Enemy of the People. Favorite performance credits include Picnic, Isn’t it Romantic?, Cabaret, and Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. She founded and directed the Theater for Young Audiences in Gainesville, Florida, adapting children's classics into a participatory form of theater. Lona heads the Government Relations program at Columbia College Chicago and especially enjoys raising money for the arts. Lona is a Red Tape booster; she is proud to be an ensemble member and believes in the mission and artistic vision of the theatre. Watch out Chicago.
Vic May, Company Member
Vic May officially joined the Red Tape Theatre Ensemble in 2009 shortly after the first annual CFANN. Vic’s Chicago credits include performances at Lifeline Theatre, Theatre Hikes Chicago, Oak Park Festival Theatre, Chicago Kid’s Company, Piccolo Theatre and Redmoon Theatre. Red Tape credits include Demon’s Crystal at CFANN09, Cliff in Enemy of the People and Tereus in The Love of the Nightingale. Prior to moving to Chicago with his wife Mackenzie in 2007, Vic managed and performed with The Wichita Children’s Theatre’s Midwest Regional tour. While in Kansas he also performed in WCFTA’s production of Romeo and Juliet and assistant directed Harvey for WCT. Vic attended Simpson College where he majored in Theatre.
Errol McLendon, Company Member
Errol McLendon first worked with Red Tape in a reading of Jesusland for their Fresh Eyes Project. Since that time, he has appeared in a garbage can in Endgame and swinging a bat in Enemy of the People all directed by James Palmer. Errol has an MFA in performance and directing from the Dallas Theatre Center (Trinity University) and has directed over 35 productions over the last 15 years and just recently returned to acting. Errol is also a theatre educator, having served as a guest artist, adjudicator and workshop presenter in New York, Oklahoma and Texas. He was the past co-artistic director and educational coordinator for THEM Theatre Company. Outside of the realm of theatre, Errol is a Tarot Grand Master, Reiki practitioner, Tantric coach and Red Cross instructor. Recent roles: Quills for The Shadowmen (Marquis de Sade), Betrayal for New World Rep (Jerry), The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek for Thunder and Lightning Ensemble (Dray) and You Can't Take It With You (Paul) for Oak Park Village Players. Errol is currently in portraying Gary Busey portraying Angelo Pappas in the ongoing production of Point Break Live.
Amanda Reader, Company Member
Amanda Reader's first production with Red Tape Theatre was The Love of the Nightingale, in the spring of 2010, after which, she joined the ensemble. In Chicago, she was seen onstage in The Blessed Child, as part of Halcyon Theatre's Alcyone Festival and Sex Marks the Spot at the Theatre Building. She also performed in North Carolina Shakespeare Festival's productions of King Lear and Much Ado About Nothing (Ursula), and will be in Michigan Shakespeare Festival's Comedy of Errors (Luciana) and Romeo & Juliet (Juliet) during the summer of 2010. She has studied with Profiles Theatre, and also stage managed their production of The Mercy Seat. Amanda holds a BFA in Acting Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Meghan Reardon, Company Member
Meghan is a performer from Topeka, KS and is extremely proud to call herself a Red Tape Company member. She graduated in 2008 with a BA in Theatre and Dance from Knox College, where she received the Colton Prize for Performance and The Karger Award in Theatre Arts. In Chicago, she has performed in The Love of the Nightingale with Red Tape, Dumbspeak in the (a)Symmetry Cycle, SubUrbia with the Nine Chicago, Spectacle Lunatique with Redmoon (where she also served as a performance intern), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie with Signal Ensemble, The Conduct of Life with Tooth and Nail Ensemble, A Hampstead Hooligan in King Arthur's Court with Chicago Dell'arte, Dracula and as part of the Objects in Motion festival at The Building Stage, and Frugal Lovewith The Moving Dock. She has studied at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland and has studied with the SITI Company and The Actor's Gymnasium. She holds a particular place in her heart for movement and ensemble-based performance. Meghan was the recipient of a 2009 CAAP Individual Artist Grant.
Kathleen Romond, Company Member
Kathleen performed in Red Tape's 2010 production of The Love of The Nightingale. Other Chicago credits include; Blind Date and Talking Pictures as a part of The Horton Foote Festival at The Goodman Theatre. Regional Credits include The Cherry Orchard and The Government Inspector at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Kathleen was born and raised in Kentucky. She graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy High School in Michigan before hopping across the pond to Glasgow, Scotland where she received her BFA in Acting from The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. This winter Kathleen will be understudying Honey in Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf at Steppenwolf Theater.
Cynthia Carney, Company Member Emeritus
Cynthia Carney has a BA in Technical Theater with a concentration in Stage Management from Columbia College Chicago. She has Stage Managed Red Tape’s Dog in a Manager as well as their Fresh Eyes Project. She has had the opportunity to Stage Manage and Assistant Stage Manage for several shows at Columbia College Chicago including Company (SM), The Rocky Horror Show (SM), and West Side Story (SM). Cynthia also was the ASM for West Side Story at Theater Downtown in Orlando, Fl and she has Stage Managed with Walt Disney World’s theater group S.T.A.G.E (Society of Theater Arts for Growth and Expression).
