WildClaw's Mission: Horror Theatre

WildClaw Theatre will bring the world of horror to the stage. We intend to attract a new kind of audience which does not usually go to the theatre, an audience craving strange journeys of dread, suspense, terror and wonder. In other words - Horror Theatre.

So all the thrills that our imagination, heart and intellect derive from the greatest horror fiction, art, film, games, and poetry - all these thrills, we will provoke alive, in the flesh, breathing and bleeding from the stage, and right in your face. Horror Theatre.

Laura Hooper in Scott T. Barsotti's The Revenants
Photo by Kirstie Shanley.

Why "WildClaw"?

The name WildClaw pays homage to the late, great Chicago actor, writer, and raconteur – the much loved and missed Ray Wild, otherwise known as "The Claw."

The WildClaw Blog

Check out what company members are talking about in the world of horror and theater at BLOOD RADIO (our blog and podcasts). We'll have events, interviews and insights into horror that only WildClaw can give you.

WildClaw Company Members

Charley Sherman
Founder

Charley Sherman is from Nottingham, England, and trained as an actor at The Drama Centre, London. After acting for various theatre companies in Chicago, he made his directorial debut with Clive Barker's In the Flesh - a full blown piece of Horror Theatre, which he and Steve Pickering adapted for the old Organic Theatre in 1992. It was during this production that he met and worked with fellow WildClawians Charlie Athanas and Paul Foster, and The Claw” himself. Subsequent Pickering/Sherman adaptations included Clive Barker's Son of Celluloid and William Gibson's Burning Chrome, both for the Next Theatre.

For The European Repertory Company in Chicago, Sherman directed the blood soaked productions of Beaumont and Fletcher's The Maid's Tragedy and Calderon de la Barca's The Mayor of Zalamea. He spent several years directing in England, before returning to Chicago, and subsequently directing Lord Byron's Cain for Tinfish Theatre. After the formation of WildClaw Theatre in 2007, he adapted and directed Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan and H.P. Lovecraft's The Dreams in the Witch House, and he recently adapted William Peter Blatty's Legion.

Sherman has been expressing visions of horror since he was seven years old, when his headmaster at school had to ask his parents if everything was alright with the child, due to his stories of spike wending demons, psychotic mutants and homicidal animal ghosts. Through WildClaw Theatre – a name he created in homage to the inspirational memory of a longtime dead but never forgotten friend, Ray Wild - such imaginative leanings can now be brought to life.

Allison Amidei - Artistic Director

• Costume & Makeup Mistress
• Podcast Queen

At a young age, Aly Renee Amidei decided that she was, indeed, the Incredible Hulk and decided to fingerpaint herself green to fight crime and smash things. Sadly she only got as far as one arm before she was caught, but a lifelong love of comics was born. This love for comics and genre fiction lead a suggestible teenage Aly to get into all things Clive Barker. The very first Chicago play she ever saw was, coincidently, In The Flesh, and it left a lasting impression. Aly got her bachelor's degree in Theatre from Knox College in 1997 and went on to get her MFA in Costume Design from Carnegie Mellon in 2000. She then moved back to Chicago and found employment as the costume designer for the College of Dupage and an ensemble member at Strawdog Theatre. She has designed for Seanachai, Piven Theatre Workshop, Uma, House Theatre, Artistic Home, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Lakeside Shakespeare, Collaboraction, and Teatro Vista. Aly also writes audio dramas, knits like crazy, and has a blog and podcast called Alyrenee's Copious Spare Time (http://alyrenee.blogspot.com), as well as, a Buffy podcast called Undead America: Adventures in the Whedon Verse.

Anne Adams

Anne Adams is a graduate of Emerson College and The School at Steppenwolf. Directing credits include Hot N Throbbing (Pine Box Theatre), The Revenants, Legion (WildClaw Theatre), 2nd Story (Serendipity Theatre Collective), and Hot Georgia Sunday (ATC). Chicago Acting Credits: Mauritius (Northlight), Cherry Orchard and Carter's Way (Steppenwolf), Imagining Brad, This Is Our Youth, Life and Limb (Pine Box Theatre), Orange Lemon Egg Canary (Uma Productions), The House of Bernarda Alba (Greasy Joan), BottleCanDraft and Can You Spot Me? (Sandbox Theatre Project). Anne is a proud company member of both WildClaw Theatre and Pine Box Theatre, and serves as an acting instructor at Black Box Acting Studio.

Brian Amidei

• Managing Director

Brian Amidei is very excited for the opportunity to scare people. After years spent in the non-equity theatre world, performing with such noted companies as Strawdog, Lifeline, European Rep, National Pastime, Lakeside Shakespeare, Crew of Patches, Hypocrites, and Powertap to name a few (not to mention a couple of lost fuzzy years in the Improv Ghetto), he should know better than to get involved with a brand new theatre company as an ensemble member. But one mention of bloody entrails and bloodsucking monsters and sign him up.

He absolutely blames his current predicament on Charley Sherman and would appreciate it if you all would call Mr. Sherman "Mitch" from here on out. He excels at taking direction and is a newcomer to this whole "worrying about the details" stuff. In his spare time, Brian likes to sleep and drink. Ha. Spare time. There is a thing of the past.

Charlie Athanas

• Graphic Design
• Marketing Manager
• Set Design
• Webmaster

Charlie is the Creative Director and Owner of The Devil's Candy Store, Inc. He has been creating graphics for Chicago theater since 1981 for such plays as Clive Barker's In The Flesh and William Gibson's Burning Chrome. For WildClaw Theatre he has created the posters for The Great God Pan, The Dreams in the Witch House, The Revenants, Legion, and DEATHSCRIBE. He also designed the sets for The Dreams in the Witch House and The Revenants.

Highlights from his other careers include:
• Concept design work for the band U2's interactive project U2-i
• Artist on the first computer generated comic book, SHATTER
• Animated John Madden Football II
• Co-designed Shadow President, the first computer game to be reviewed by The Economist
• Built an exact replica of Jimi Hendrix's Stratocaster
• And consulted with Paul Allen's Silicon Valley thinktank, Interval Research Corporation.

Only one of these is not true.

Scott T. Barsotti

• Literary Manager
• Writer

Scott T. Barsotti is a playwright originally from Pittsburgh, PA. Scott’s play The Revenants was directed by Anne Adams for WildClaw in 2009, and his play Kill Me will premiere in early 2012; his radio play The Skinny Man was featured in DEATHSCRIBE 2009. His other plays include The Body Snatcher, Jet Black Chevrolet, McMeekin Finds Out, and Brewed, and have played in Chicago, New York, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and New Orleans; his work has been seen at the New York International Fringe Festival, the Rhinoceros Theater Festival, and Collaboraction’s "Sketchbook," and has been produced and/or developed by WildClaw, Curious Theatre Branch, Chicago Dramatists, Pittsburgh Playwrights, The Visceral Company, and The Route 66 Theatre Company among many others.
As an actor, Scott has performed in WildClaw's productions of William Peter Blatty's Legion, J. Sheridan LeFanu's Carmilla, and DEATHSCRIBE 2010. He has also performed in Chicago with Curious Theatre Branch, Lifeline Theatre, WNEP Theater, The Mammals, Pavement Group, and Collaboraction to name a few.
Scott finds Samara Morgan terrifying, but isn't afraid to admit it. In addition to WildClaw, Scott is also a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists, a member of the Curious Theatre Branch ensemble, as well as an Artistic Associate of Collaboraction. He and his work can be found in the e-realm at http://scottbarsotti.wordpress.com.

Anna M. K. Brenner

• Stage Manager
• Outreach Coordinator and Director of Education

Anna M. K. Brenner is a theatre artist eternally torn between the fantastical, lofty world of the mind and the sticky, red, delicious world of the flesh. She considers herself unbelievably lucky to join WildClaw, which bridges those worlds and gives her weary bones a rest. Pre-WC, her quests crossed large waters; she braved many strange beasts in pursuit of achievement in journalism, education and the arts. Arriving in Chicago (2005), she narrowed her sights on its unique theatre community, working off-stage roles in productions with The House, the Hypocrites, Lookingglass and elsewhere. In 2009, she enjoyed lots of scary fun stage managing The Revenants and in her second WildClaw production Carmilla, Anna made her mark on the company—in blood, naturally. Apparently they couldn’t wash the mark out because they invited her to stay!

Although her early years don’t read “horror fan” in screaming 10-ft. letters, Anna believes that a full and satisfying life on this ball of dirt we call Earth must include complementary proportions of pleasure and pain. She urges you to embrace fear and danger, uncertainty and tension. Let’s revive them in the rich spectrum of human experience, where they rightfully belong.

Anna’s favorite stage direction ever: Enter Giovanni with a heart upon his dagger.

Casey Cunningham

• Casting Director

Casey Cunningham is an actor and singer, originally from Pittsburgh, PA. She is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and Penn State University. She sings in ElvisBride and scares easily. She's worked with WildClaw on The Dreams in the Witch House and Legion, among other tawdry gatherings and is thrilled to be apart of this merry band of weirdos!

Paul Foster

• Technical Director
• Production Manager
• Company Morlock
• Graphic Design
• Mailing Daemon

Paul lifts, carries, stores, builds, destroys, drives, designs and occasionally strings words into constructive sentences. He has designed lights for every WildClaw show thus far and designed the set of The Great God Pan. He has worked with many other theatre companies over the years, including Organic, Powertap, Lifeline, Hypocrites, Strawdog, Redmoon and Adventure Stage as either a technical director, a lighting designer, or a musician. Paul is a graduate of Amherst College, a professional web developer, and the bass guitarist in the WildClaw DEATHSCRIBE house band, Seeking Wonderland.

Steve Herson

Steve Herson, an actor, performed in WILDCLAW'S first production The Great God Pan and their most recent show, Carmilla. He is tumescent with delight to be welcomed as a member of WILDCLAW THEATRE CO. Steve says, "If you get involved with a bunch of 40 to 50 year olds who still persist in writing and producing original works of horror you know you're hooked up with some serious theatre nerds. May the malevolence be with us."

Ele Matalan

Ele Matelan is an actor and writer, originally from Dallas, TX, celebrating her ninth winter in Chicago. She has served as one of WildClaw's trusty helper monkeys for several years now, but that was just so they'd let her near the sharp objects. She joined the company after performing in Scott T. Barsotti's Kill Me, and loves her new haunted home. Ele is also a company member with The House Theatre of Chicago, as well as the now-defunct Mr. Toad's Theatre Circle, and enjoys bellydance, sci-fi & sundry geekery, design, and puns.

Danielle McKenzie

• Stage Manager

Danielle was born and bred in the northern 'burbs of Chicago, more specifically Waukegan, IL. Past WildClaw productions she has been involved with are The Great God Pan (Stage Manager), The Dreams in the Witch House (Asst. Stage Manager) and most recently Legion (Stage Manager). Prior to Legion, Danielle stage-managed The Sugar Syndrome at Chicago Dramatist.

She has also worked with the College of Lake County doing many productions such as West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, American Buffalo, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She works for the James Lumber Center of the Performing Arts as a technical assistant and has worked on shows such as, Momix and The Golden Dragon Acrobats. She is currently the resident stage manager for the Valerie Alpert Dance Company based in Chicago.

Danielle is a Halloween baby, which adds to her newfound love of horror theatre!

Michaela Petro

Michaela Petro hails from the East Coast and don't you forget it. She's a proud member of Strawdog Theatre Company's acting ensemble and has been known to play around town as well. She's thrilled to bloody pieces to join the ranks of WildClaw as she enjoys being scared and scaring. Her attempts at humor can be seen in The J & M Comedy Hour, and when she has the time she indulges in tee shirts & cookies. By the way... she knows what lives under your bed.

Coye Vega

Coye Vega, a Chicago native, is disturbingly excited to be an official part of the company, though he has had his grubby little hands all over WildClaw for some time -- working behind the scenes on The Revenants, gathering props for Carmilla, and working make-up magic for the fund-raising events. When not cavorting with the other WildClaw beasts, he lends his hands to stir the boiling cauldron behind Dark Travels. Coye blames his mother for his flaming horror-centric tendencies.

Scott Cummins

Throughout his career, Scott has been involved in over 70 productions throughout the United States either as an actor, director and/or fight choreographer. His recent directing credits include A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM for Lakeside Shakespeare and the World Premiere of CARMILLA for Wild Claw Theatre Company. His other Chicago credits include the Midwest premiere of SCENES FROM THE BIG PICTURE for Seanachai Theatre and I’M SPRITUAL DAMMIT by Jenniffer Weigel for Route 66 Theatre. Scott’s directing credits include the Los Angeles premieres of KILLER JOE (Four 2005-Ovation Awards including Best Direction and Best Production as well as Critics Choice LA Times) and BUG (Critics Choice LA Times, LA Weekly, Backstage West among others) both by Tracy Letts with Lost Angels Theatre, AND NEITHER HAVE I WINGS TO FLY as well as THE PAGANS (ADA Award Best Ensemble, ADA nomination Best Direction) both by Ann Noble with The Road Theatre Company, MR KOLPERT (Critics Choice LA Times) and MOONLIGHT & MAGNOLIAS both at The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, BRIGHT IDEAS with Morgan Productions & BOYS’ LIFE at USC. Other Chicago directing credits include MARKED TREE (After Dark Award – direction) and CALAMITY MEAT for Seanachai Theatre, BLOODY BESS (After Dark Award – Ensemble) for Red Hen Productions, MISSING ANGEL JUAN for Powertap Productions & SAWDUST & SPANGLES for Prop Theatre/Powertap. He has acted with such companies as The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The Next Theatre, Noble Fool Theatricals, The Organic Theatre, Famous Door Theatre, Apple Tree Theatre, Powertap Productions, Strawdog Theatre, The Odyssey Theatre (LA) and Syzygy Theatre (LA) to name a few. He has received two Joseph Jefferson Citations (one for Actor in Principle Role, one for fight direction) and a Jeff Award (Ensemble). He has also appeared in several TV shows and few films…but that’s not important right now. He would like to thank his wife Sabine for her endless love and support.

Chris Hainsworth

Chris Hainsworth was born and raised in the desolate waste lands of Suburban Chicago. One Saturday night in 1974, someone allowed him to watch Carnival of Souls on WFLD’s Creature Feature which seriously f’ed his s up and caused him to a) avoid all horror movies and b) sleep with a light on until 1982, when a neighbor showed him John Carpenter’s The Thing which he thought was disturbing yet awesome. Chris also had the privilege of living the company’s namesake for 5 years which while also awesome provided some profoundly disturbing moments as well. Chris has appeared as Sheriff Raven in WildClaw’s production of The Dreams in the Witch House and has been a three time Finalist for WildClaw’s DeathScribe Audio Horror Play Festival, taking home the coveted Bloody Axe in 2009 for his script Remembrance. Other non-horror related endeavors around town include Strawdog, where he was an active member from 2000-2011 (now Emeritus) and Lifeline Theatre (2010-Present) where he writes non-horror scripts which still somehow feature massive death and cannibalism.

Kenneth Hite

Scott Tallarida

Scott is not much of a theater type - but he is a 17-year-vet of the Chicago music scene. Along the way he has played with many a successful Chicago band, toured the country and produced a big stack of records for all sorts of artists. These days, he's likely locked up in his basement project studio "Binge" working on remixes, writing, production and sound design. Legion is the first full length Chicago theater production he's worked on unless you count Rhinoceros at Weber High School in 1993. Oh, you should-a been there. He first caught the WildClaw bug by working live digital foley for DEATHSCRIBE in 2008 & 2009. He just can't seem to get enough of these horror people...

Karen Tarjan

Karen is semi-retired from a long and checkered career on the stage. She received her Bachelors in Theatre Arts from Mount Holyoke College in 1981 and spent the next ten years in Boston, mostly goofing around with the fellow founding members of the Beau Jest Moving Theatre, a sort-of improv dance comedy company. Life was not horrifying. It was rowdy and there were hijinks and high spirits. She and her fellow Jestian, Steve, had enough of the good life and moved to Chicago to pursue more “serious” endeavors in 1992. Steve was cast by Charley Sherman in In the Flesh. He promptly quit theatre when it was over. Karen became a founding member of the Seanachai Theatre Company and spent 8 years making heartfelt speeches in an Irish dialect and wearing nubbly sweaters. Not horrifying at all. Sweat and tears, sure, but no blood.

She also did a few side projects as a movement director and an adaptor. The very adventurous Lifeline Theatre produced her versions of The Overcoat, The Two Towers, The Return of the King and The Killer Angels. Things were dicey, but when there was mayhem, the puppets got the worst of it.

Steve decided to get back onto the boards and Charley was kind enough to cast him in The Great God Pan. Perhaps Charley remembered Karen’s work as movement designer for Next Theatre’s The History of the Devil, because when a director needs someone to stage the seduction of a naïf gamine by a satanic entity, corporeal or otherwise, Karen’s the go-to. Charley also hired her for Pan, and then later for The Dreams in the Witch House, what with the human rats and 4th Dimensions. Karen also collaborated with Ms. Anne Adams for the insane dream sequences in Legion. A natural fit. Now, for Karen with WildClaw, there’s lot of blood (and some dementia) but no sweat or tears. Life is still sweet.

© 2008 WildClaw Theatre

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WildClaw Theatre is dedicated to bringing horror, science fiction, and fantasy works to the live stage.
We believe the fantastique holds intimate power in the realm of live theater and we aim to put it there.