Gwen Tulin
Artistic Director
email: gwen@briansurgeontheater.org
Gwen Tulin's life is marked by periods of great productivity followed by periods of great sloth. The creation of Brain Surgeon Theater marks her 2006-present "productive" phase. She has directed and co-written Brain Surgeon Theater's "CAVES!" "Zombie Project: The Sad World," "Johnny Ten Bones," and "Post-Christmas Spectacular 1976." Gwen is also a musician and composer and you can listen to some of her original songs and covers on this website. Gwen received her BA in Theater and Creative Writing from Brandeis University in 2006 and also studied at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. In Chicago, she has also worked with Pegasus Players and Emerald City Theater, and currently studies at the Artistic Home.
Liz Ladach-Bark
Director of Marketing and Development
email: liz@brainsurgeontheater.org
Liz Ladach-Bark is originally from Dallas, TX. She studied theatre and film at Loyola University New Orleans where later she formed LadyBebe Theatre with fellow graduates in 2005. Hurricane Katrina blew her far east to Chongqing, P.R. China where she taught English and established LadyBebe International with Chinese post-graduate students, co-creating and directing Speaking in Circles, an original play in Chinese and English. Upon returning stateside, she moved to Chicago where she has worked with The Strange Tree Group, The Artistic Home, The Bulding Stage, Lincoln Square Theatre, ACT Company, n.u.f.a.n. esemble, and the delectable Brain Surgeon Theater.
Company MemberJoseph Riley is a gemini rooster. He enjoys designing sets and often struggles to keep his pants from falling down. He drives a pickup truck and has a daschund named Julian. www.josephleeriley.com
Company MemberOriginally from Birmingham, AL, Elise graduated from the University of Mississippi with a BFA in Theater Arts with an emphasis in Musical Theater in May of 2007. Shortly after graduation, she moved to Chicago to pursue her dreams. Elise found Brain Surgeon Theater on her second audition in the city, and was devastated when she realized she wouldn't be able to make rehearsals because of her job...so she quit! As for her current employment, you can find her in an adjoining cubicle next to Gwen Tulin, because all that time in rehearsal just wasn't enough. She has performed in several of the past productions with Brain Surgeon and is very proud to be a company member. Besides performing with Brain Surgeon Theater, Elise has completed training at I.O. ( formerly Improv Olympic) and is currently studying at Second City Conservatory. She is also a contributing playwright and performer with Pocket Full of Pandas Productions. Elise would like to thank her friends and family for their unconditional support.
Katie Canavan
Artistic Associate
Katie Canavan graduated from Michigan State University with a BA in Acting and Costume Design. Since moving to Chicago, she has been lucky enough to design costumes for The Artistic Home, The Feltre School, GreatWorks Theater, and Bare Boned Theatre. Katie has acted with various companies around the city, including Quest Theatre Ensemble, GreatWorks Theater, Bare Boned Theatre and Urban Scenze. Katie has appeared in the "Best of New Faces Showcase" at Edge Comedy Club as a stand-up comedienne, and she is a textile artist and musician. Katie could not be more thrilled to be working with such a creative group of people.
Annemarie Chouinard
Company Member
Annemarie is a canadian-born, Boston-bred 24-year-old undercover princess who moved to Chicago to find a career, and though she hasn't quite hit the nail on the head yet, she did stumble upon her prince charming in the process. She is an avid bicyclist who can change her own tires, but can't start the day without a cup of coffee. Annemarie thrives by surrounding herself with good people, good music and the color pink. She dedicates her life to the Gilmore Girls, lives with her cat, Noel, and has recently discovered the incredible taste of nutter butters. She truly believes in the innocence of children and desperately hopes to keep her inner child active for the rest of her life. Her soul belongs to the theatre, and her day job belongs to the tiny tykes of the world.
Stepher has been working with Brain Surgeon Theater since 2008. She is a Northeastern University (Boston, MA) graduate with a B.S. in Theatre Performance and Philosophy. She has worked on Brian Surgeon's last two productions, Johnny Ten Bones and Post Christmas Spectacular 1976. She has had the pleasure to Assistant Direct with Eric Rosen on The Little Dog Laughed with About Face Theatre and directed a new work, Party Time, in Twenty Percent's annual Snap Shots Festival this past summer. Her other passion includes music where she is an active member of the Chicago Classical Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Oboe. She looks forward to the future exploration that is Brain Surgeon Theater.
Aaron Glasser
Artistic Associate
Aaron received his BA from Columbia College where he majored in Radio Broadcast with a focus in audio production. He is currently working in the Chicago broadcast industry. His passion remains in terrestrial broadcast production despite the booming advancements in internet technology. However, he does agree there are infinite possibilities for audio production via the internet. In the summer time if you cannot find Aaron riding his bike around city it’s a sure thing his ear is glued to the radio listening to his favorite Chicago sports team—the Chicago Cubs. It is an extreme honor to work with such a friendly and open-minded organization. He hopes to spend many hours milling behind his computer creating and editing sounds for you to enjoy at any given Brain Surgeon Theater production.
Company MemberDaniel Goode received his BFA in dance from the Ohio State University. And ever since has been trying to break out of the norms of dance. He has loved his experience of working/performing with Brain Surgeon Theater. He feels forever in the debt of the artists he has worked with, and would like to take this moment to say thanks. You have taught me so much! I love you guys from the bottom of my heart and look forward to numerous collaborations.
Charles Worth (Pianist) is from Kankakee, Illinois, "City of the Future". He attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and moved to Chicago in 2008. He was the pianist for "Zombie Project: The Sad World", "Johnny Ten Bones", and "Post-Christmas Spectacular 1976". Other Chicago credits include rehearsal/performance pianist for "Reefer Madness" at Columbia College, and he was music director/pianist of Crescendo Park Ensemble's production of "Godspell". Charles is also the accompanist at Presbyterian Church in Orland Park for the Celebration Singers choir.
Aaron Dean
Emeritus Company Member
Originally from West Michigan, Aaron Dean moved to Chicago in the fall of 2006 and has been working with Brain Surgeon since. Aaron has a BA in theatre from Michigan State University where he acted in over seventy productions. He has worked as a screenwriter for indiehorror.com, and has appeared in the feature films TALENT and ACTS OF DEATH. He has either acted, written, played music or done all three for every BST production to date. He enjoys reading, writing, eating sweets and playing in his band, mOm, with BST guitar virtuoso Lico Saenz. He wants so much for you to be impressed with his bio. Are you impressed? No? Then he hopes that you have someone watching over the safety and upkeep of the tires of your parked automobile every second of every day. Oh, you don't? Oh. Pity.