Our mission

Bramble Theatre Company seeks to create powerful new theatre that both nourishes and challenges our community to explore the question of what it is to be Human.

By fostering an Artist-first culture that inspires hope and innovation, we strive to be a leading voice in this emerging era of American Theatre.

Our story…

Our journey as an ensemble began in June 2019 at the School at Steppenwolf. We officially launched in February 2021 as Bramble Theatre Company with 22 members out of the original 24 in our S@S class.

We chose the humble bramble bush because of its beautiful duality: the thorn challenges while the fruit nurtures. Made of many tangled vines, it remains a single united organism. We are an ensemble of multicultural artists who tell new stories that embrace this philosophy.

Since then, we have continued to grow and opened our artistic home, the Bramble Arts Loft, in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago in April 2024.

Leadership Team

  • Karissa Murrell Myers

    Artistic Director and Co-Founder

  • Matthew Lunt

    Executive Producer and Co-Founder

  • Dan Washelesky

    Managing Director

  • Gabriela Diaz

    Director of Development

  • Matthew Reddin

    Marketing Director

  • Rasheeda Denise

    Company Manager

  • Kylie Anderson

    Kylie Anderson

    Social Media Manager

  • Jonathan Shaboo

    Education Co-Director

  • Hilary Wililams

    Education Co-Director

Ensemble Members

  • Kylie Anderson

  • Haley Bolithon

  • Danny Breslin

  • Brandon Burns

  • Rasheeda Denise

  • Sébastien Heins

  • Jay Hobson

    Jay Hobson

  • Spencer Huffman

  • Suzy Krueckeberg

  • Matthew Lunt

  • Alex Morales

  • Karissa Murrell Myers

  • Jonathan Shaboo

  • Dan Washelesky

  • Johnard Washington

  • Hilary Williams

Board of Directors

  • Ari Zickau

    Ari Zickau (President)

  • Arvin Jalandoon

    Arvin Jalandoon

  • Grace Bolander

    Grace Bolander (Secretary)

  • Ludwig Defrenne

    Ludwig Defrenne

  • Marie Tredway

    Marie Tredway

  • Terilyn Eisenhauer

    Terilyn Eisenhauer (Vice President)

EMERITUS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS

Aja Singletary

Amber Calderón

Maddy Lowe

Levin Valayil

Grace Victoria

We are so grateful for the significant and exemplary contributions made by our emeritus ensemble members to the success of our company.

#48hands #HoldOnTightly #LetGoLightly

“Empathy is the most powerful weapon.”

— Augusto Boal