A listing of understudies by role for the performance of Dirty Turk aka Dirty Immigrant.
Role
Played By
Understudy for Imam
Evan Jensen*
Understudy for Ozlem Teen/Ayaz/Attacker
Lily Grace*
Understudies will never substitute for a listed player unless an announcement is made
at the time of the performance.
Production history
Dirty Turk aka Dirty Immigrant has been developed and presented nationally since 2018, with consecutive sold-out
performances in 2018 and 2021. The work includes a critically recognized installation
and performance run at the Dallas Museum of Art, where it was presented alongside
the My|gration exhibition and noted for its immersive design, emotional rigor, and layered storytelling.
“In signature Artstillery fashion, Dirty Turk’s immersive performance creates multisensory
experience that points out the generational disconnect that takes place, as many immigrants
never vocalize the hardships they’ve endured, not even to their children. Sharing
these intimate stories with nonimmigrants and immigrants alike creates an opportunity
for us to make a healing reconnection to tradition and to the human family. As audiences
gather in a place made sacred by community, the call to prayer seems fitting.” - Dallas Morning News, September 2021.
Earlier iterations and related works were reviewed by TheatreJones, which highlighted
Ozgur’s approach to documentary performance as deeply human-centered, formally inventive,
and politically urgent, blending personal narrative with broader social context in
ways that resist simplification.
Each new production is reimagined in response to the space, the collaborators, and
the moment in which it is performed.
What is documentary theatre?
Documentary theatre is a form of performance created from real-life source material rather than fictional text. These sources may include interviews, oral histories,
court transcripts, letters, news reports, and personal testimony. Artists gather,
edit, and stage this material to illuminate lived experience and social realities.
Rather than inventing characters or dialogue, documentary theatre centers authentic voices, asking audiences to engage with the complexities of truth, memory, and perspective.
It is often used to explore issues of identity, history, justice, and community, and
invites viewers to consider whose stories are told—and how.
Please note
If we can help accommodate you during your visit, please speak with our House Manager.
Eating or drinking is not permitted in the theatre.
Please turn off all electronic devices.
The use of any recording device, either audio or video, and the taking of photographs,
either with or without flash, is strictly prohibited.
About the creative and technical team
Ilknur Nilufer Ozgur (Weaver, Director) (she/her/they/them) is a Turkish American writer, director and the Founder and Executive
and Artistic Director of Artstillery; a nonprofit immersive performance company dedicated
to community-engaged, documentary-based work now in its 10th year. Her practice centers
reallife narratives, oral history and immersive design to create performances that
invite audiences to share space, witness testimony and engage across differences.
Ilknur is an Arts Matter New York recipient, recognized as a writer and director,
and was named Best Director in Dallas (2018) for her innovative approach to performance.
She has served as commissioner on the Arts and Culture Commission for District 6 in
Dallas and is a 2024 graduate of the Intercultural Leadership Institute where she
traveled with artists from across the nation to explore intercultural performance
practices and models of shared space in cities across the U.S. for a year. She has
been commissioned to write, direct and produce original works alongside Artstillery
by Broadway Dallas, the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, The Moody Fund
For the Arts, Santander USA, Fair Park First, The Embrey Family Foundation, Southern
Methodist University, Donna Wilhelm Foundation and was awarded the first Nasher Public
Work Award. Ilknur is a full-time faculty member in Speech and Theatre at Harper College
where she integrates professional, immersive methodologies into academic and production
settings.
Robin Galman* (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be working in this show. This is his fourth show at Harper College.
He has previously worked as an assistant stage manager for The Odd Couple and an assistant
director for Guys & Dolls. Robin is working on building connections within the local
theatre community and is on the way to becoming a writer/director for film and theatre.
When not working backstage, Robin loves doing drag and burlesque!
Cynthia Von Orthal (Puppet Director) (She/Her), Artistic Director for VonOrthal Puppets, has designed and performed for
many theaters across the country and South and Central America. Some of her credits
include: The Joffrey Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare,
Redmoon, The Goodman Theater, The Actors’ Gang, Victory Gardens, CityLit, Lifeline,
the Old Town School of Folk Music and Artstillery. She has studied at the Trejnar
Studios in Prague, Czech Republic, is a graduate of The Goodman School of Drama at
DePaul University and has won an International UNIMA Award for Excellence in Puppetry
Arts for her co-creation of an all-puppet version of "The Adding Machine”. Ms. Von
Orthal is a faculty member at the Chicago Waldorf School.
Claire Yearman (Fight Director) (She/Her) is happy to be working at Harper College again. She previously choreographed
violence for Journey's End and Private Lives. Claire is an actor, director, fight
director, SAFD Certified Teacher and intimacy choreographer. Some of the local theatres
she's worked at include: Oak Park Festival Theatre, Williams Street Repertory, Buffalo
Theatre Ensemble, Chicago Dramatists, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Parker Players,
Songbird Theatre, Oil Lamp Theatre, Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble, Wheaton Drama and
Music on Stage.
Gwen Heidank (Lighting Designer) (She/her) is a recently-graduated lighting designer in the Chicagoland area. This
is her first show at Harper College. She has previously designed at Prairie Players
Civic Theatre, Knox College and the Orpheum Theatre in Galesburg, IL. Gwen is thrilled
to be able to work with such a talented production team and is grateful to the Harper
community for welcoming her.
Meredith Hunt* (Costume Designer) (She/her) is currently a fashion student here at Harper College. Prior to coming to
Harper, she has worked professionally for Opera Theatre St. Louis, the Muny and the
Fabulous Fox in St. Louis, Missouri in wardrobe and other costume production roles.
This is her theatrical debut at Harper College, and she is very excited to be working
with such talented professionals.
Johnny Rutledge (Multimedia Design Director) is a Creative Director of Multimedia and visual artist based in Dallas, Texas. He
leads cross-disciplinary creative teams producing innovative, business-aligned media
across arts, marketing and brand platforms. Johnny currently serves as Creative Director
at Artstillery and previously led multimedia production at General Motors Financial,
guiding multi-channel campaigns from concept through execution. His work bridges storytelling,
strategy and design to create impactful visual experiences.
Rich Fiore (Creative Director of Multimedia Implementation & Design) (He/him) started his career in video game development and visual effects and created
the Visual Effects department at the Illinois Institute of Art. He has numerous online
courses on augmented reality, virtual reality, game development and 3D modeling for
Pluralsite.com. Rich has a Master of Art Management from Columbia College Chicago.
Chris Causer* (Multimedia Implementation & Design) (He/him) is a theatre artist from Frederick, MD. Chris is a lighting technician at
Cutting Hall Theater and IL credits include: Lifeline Theatre, Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse,
Big Noise Theatre, Parker Players Theater, Theatre D and Moving Bench Theatre.
Manar Basrawi* (Assistant Costume Designer) (She/her) received their associates in Fashion Design in Spring 2022. They continued
into the theater costuming route by learning a lot about designing for theater from
Harper’s resident costume designer, Jane Debondt. Manar is grateful for the opportunity
to assist with seven shows so far. She looks forward to working with the Dirty Turk
aka Dirty Immigrant production team. Manar continues to build on her skills and hopes
to be head costume designer of a production someday.
Dylan Lafcadio Hearn (Sound Designer) is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design with a B.F.A. in Sound Design.
He has worked on award-winning films, animations and theatrical productions. Some
include; Le Pagine del Destino, Blast Force Turbo, Our Side, and the world premiere of Stede Bonnet: A F**** Pirate Musical. Dylan has experience as a Re-Recording Mixer, Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer
and Audio Engineer. He was the Vice President of 3rd ACT which produces three theatrical
productions a year, along with special events that encourage more people to get involved
in theatre. His love of both theatre and film pushes him to be a sound designer that
blends the two realms of media and creates something new.
Mark Zalewski (Film Director • Opening Monologues) is full-time faculty in the Mass Communications department at Harper College. He received
his M.F.A. in Film-Directing from DePaul University. In addition to teaching, he regularly
works in live broadcasting around the country and is a member of IATSE Local 762.
About the cast
Aidan Christensen* (Tahir)
Aidan Christensen is a freshman at Harper College whose interests are deeply rooted
in environmental science, sustainability and understanding how the world shapes people’s
lives. Much of who Aidan is today has been shaped by the support of the people who
have consistently stood by them as they continue to discover their identity and the
impact they hope to make. While Aidan does not come from a formal performance background,
they bring strong presence, thoughtful preparation, and a high level of energy and
commitment to their work. They are excited to explore performance as a new creative
outlet, pushing beyond their comfort zone and finding new ways to express personal
experiences through a different medium.
Manaal Khan* (Imam)
is a South Asian college student from India who grew up in Saudi Arabia and is currently
in her final semester at Harper. She speaks Urdu, Hindi, a bit of Arabic, and some
sign language and enjoys connecting with people across cultures. When she’s not on
campus, she loves volunteering in her community, caring for cats at a local adoption
center and being part of events that bring people together. Manaal has a creative
eye for design, photography and storytelling especially when it comes to sunsets.
This is her first theater production and she’s excited to explore performance and
share space in Dirty Turk aka Dirty Immigrant.
Jasmine Sanders (Yuksel)
is a Chicago-based actress with credits in television, independent film and theatre.
She is drawn to roles that reflect power, transformation and depth. She loves musical
theatre and is excited to step onto the Broadway stage while expanding her presence
on the global screen.
Britta Luce* (Shadow Puppeteer)
Britta has been involved in many productions, but they are especially excited about
this one because of its unique nature. She has recently begun exploring voice acting;
a creative avenue she is thoroughly enjoying. Outside of performance, Britta loves
spending time playing video games and singing, both of which continue to fuel her
creativity and expressive spirit.
Zeynep Atayeva* (Feride)
I am a Turkman immigrant whose creative voice is rooted in memory, language and the
feeling of being in-between worlds. Speaking multiple languages has taught me how
meaning shifts depending on where and how it is spoken. I’m interested in storytelling
that holds contradiction—tenderness and rage, humor and grief. Dirty Turk aka Dirty
Immigrant feels like a place where those layers are not only allowed, but necessary.
Kyle O’Brien* (Murat Adult/Teen/Shadow Puppeteer)
Kyle O’Brien has been acting and performing in plays and musicals since third grade
and studied toward a BFA in Acting at the University of Illinois at Chicago before
shifting his focus to an AFA in Music Production at Harper College. A multi-instrumentalist,
Kyle has played guitar since the age of ten and also performs on piano and drums.
Before anything else, however, he was memorizing lines and stepping into characters,
discovering early on that acting was his first passion. After taking a year away from
the stage, he deeply missed the theatre community and the act of storytelling. Returning
to performance through this original and heartfelt work, especially in parallel with
Ilknur’s background, has been a meaningful and rewarding experience.
Pete Almeida (Adnan)
Pete has over twenty years of experience in community engagement with a strong emphasis
on working within higher education to support Latine communities and underserved populations.
In addition to his roles in law enforcement, including extensive culturally responsive
community outreach while serving in multiple roles as a police officer/sergeant, Pete
has held key positions in public service such as Director of Stakeholder Engagement,
at the state level, as well as in the private sector and non-profit organizations.
His wide-ranging work in higher education has been central to his efforts in developing
and promoting initiatives that foster inclusion and student success. He has also developed
public service announcements and delivered public speaking events in both English
and Spanish, further broadening outreach efforts to help reach diverse communities.
Pete’s leadership and dedication to service continue to drive meaningful engagement
here at Harper as the new Project Director of our Hispanic Serving Institution Program.
Morgan Smith* (Ozlem Teen/Shadow Puppeteer)
Morgan Smith is thrilled to make her Harper Ensemble Theatre Company debut! Previous
credits include Chicago: Teen Edition (Matron Mama Morton), Cats (Rumpleteaser), The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Pastor Van Houteen), and A Chorus Line (Vicki). She thanks
Ilknur endlessly for taking a chance on her for this important piece.
Annie Sauter (Ozlem Adult)
is an actor and a birthright member of a federally-recognized Tribal organization.
She has deep respect for all of earth's inhabitants and the stories they carry. When
she’s not performing, she supports teams in a Level I trauma center through fast-paced,
pivotal moments. Her birthday wish each year is to be known for the right reasons.
She has been represented by Shirley Hamilton Talent, Inc. for 14 years.
Juliette Sadoff (Ozlem Youth)
Juliette is a creative 5th grader in her third production. She was in MOVE Productions'
Wizard of Oz as well as her school play, also Wizard of Oz. She loves acting, singing,
playing piano and playing the flute. She hopes to be in many more shows and dreams
of acting in the future. Juliette thanks her family and friends for their support
and is excited to be on stage!
Aleks Halusiak* (Ayaz/Attacker/Shadow Puppeteer)
Aleksandra returns to the stage after a long break and is happy and grateful to be
back on stage. They come from a small village located in southeast Poland and have
previously performed in theatres and on stages all around Poland as a singer. For
this production they will be doing both acting and singing, which they have always
wanted to try. It will also be their first time participating in immersive theatre
and is looking forward to experiencing the unique magic and impact of this piece.
Aleksandra is very grateful for this opportunity and gives huge thanks to everyone
involved.
