‘ART’

by Yasmina Reza
Translated by Christopher Hampton
directed by Artistic Director Marti Lyons
May 1 – June 1, 2025

When Serge splurges on a controversial painting, it sparks a lively debate among his best friends, Marc and Yvan. What begins as playful banter soon escalates into heated arguments. As tensions build, their discussion of the subjective nature of art begins to expose the raw nerves at the center of the friendship. Will a piece of art sever their connection or bring them closer than ever?

‘ART’ examines the quirky dynamics of friendship and the enigmatic world of art through Yasmina Reza’s sharp wit and clever dialogue. This hilarious and thought-provoking comedy navigates the fine line between laughter and introspection, exploring the true value of both art and friendship.

 
Passage by Christopher Chen

Reviews

Coming soon!

Rehearsal Photos

Production Photos

Coming soon!

Cast

Serge – Chad Bay
Marc – Justin Albinder*
Yvan – Eduardo Curley*+

U/S Serge – Adam Qutaishat
U/S Marc – Hudson Therriault
U/S Yvan – Roberto Mantica

* Denotes member of Actors Equity Association
+ Denotes Core Ensemble Member
^ Denotes Associate Artist

Production

Director – Marti Lyons (she/her)
Assistant Director – Jazzlyn Luckett Aderele (she/her)
Scenic Designer: Lauren M. Nichols^ (she/her)
Lighting Designer: Liz Gomez^ (she/her)
Assistant Lighting Designer: Quinn Chisenhall (he/him)
Costume Designer: Kristy Leigh Hall^ (she/her)
Assistant Costume Designer: Janelle Smith (they/she)
Sound Designer: Matthew Chapman (he/him)
Props Designer: Amanda Herrmann^ (they/them)
Fight Designer: Jerry Galante (he/him)
Dramaturg: Faith Hart (she/her)
Lighting Supervisor: Nick Chamernik (he/him)
Scenic Charge: Caitlyn Girten (she/her)
Technical Director: Emmanuel Jimenez (he/him)
Production Manager: Johnnie Schleyer (he/him)
Creative Producer: Christina Casano (she/her)
Stage Manager: Cassidy Wray (she/her)
Assistant Stage Manager: Sophie Goddard (they/them)
Casting Director: Jasmine B. Gunter (she/her)
Casting Consultant: Katie Galetti (she/her)

About the Cast

JUSTIN ALBINDER (Marc)

JUSTIN ALBINDER* (he/him, MARC) is thrilled to be making his Remy Bumppo debut! New York City actor and dialect coach. Most recently played “Legolas” in the United States premiere of The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, as well as the international tour in Auckland, New Zealand. Other credits: “Barry” in Beautiful at Marriott Theatre (Jessica Fisch); Parade (“Leo Frank”) at Slow Burn Theatre Co., Jersey Boys (“Frankie”) for five years all over the country (Off-Broadway, National Tour, NCL, Phoenix Theatre Co, Mason St. Warehouse, and more). Film: “The Cathedral.” Huge thank you to Ashley, Katie, Larry G, Jess, the Albinder family, Amy, and all my beloved Chicago people. Proud member of AEA. Represented by Gray Talent. BFA: Ithaca College BFA. IG: @JustinaLBinder W: JustinaLBinder.co

CHAD BAY (Serge)

CHAD BAY (he/him, SERGE) is thrilled to be working with Remy Bumppo again after appearing in their staged reading of People, Places and Things earlier this year. Other recent credits include Little Bear Ridge Road (u/s) Steppenwolf; Tiger Style! (u/s) (Writers Theatre); Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oak Park Festival Theatre); In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play) (Idle Muse Theatre Co.); The Tempest (Commission Theatre); Twelfth Night, Two Gentlemen of Verona (Midsommer Flight); and Love’s Labour’s Lost (Invictus Theatre Co.). Regionally, he has worked behind the scenes at American Players Theatre and on stage with Riverside Theatre. He is also featured in Season 1 of the podcast series Auricle and the short film “The Survey.” He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and is represented by Big Mouth Talent.

EDUARDO CURLEY (Yvan)

EDUARDO XAVIER* (he/him, YVAN) is a Chicagoan and an award-winning ensembleist, play developer, and music maker. Developmental processes include: Gloria Imseih Petrelli’s The Live In(n) (Rivendell Theatre); Nancy García Loza’s RUST (The Goodman: New Stages), Bull (Paramount); and Isaac Gomez’ The Leopard Play, or sad songs for lost boys (Steep Theatre). New media developments include Hamlet (Make-Believe Association); Lake Song (Tribeca Official Selection, Make-Believe Association); Brava (Make-Believe Association); and The Last Hermanos (A Red Orchid Theatre). Chicago acting credits include A Year with Frog and Toad (Chicago Children’s Theatre);  Anna in the Tropics (Remy Bumppo); and Wit (The Hypocrites). Regional acting credits include Marisela Treviño Orta’s The River Bride (American Players Theatre); Bryna Turner’s At The Wedding (TheatreSquared). Film credits include “Station Eleven” (HBO Paramount). Thank you for supporting live theater — it doesn’t happen without you.

HUDSON THERRIAULT (U/S Marc)

HUDSON THERRIAULT (he/him, U/S MARC) is a Chicago-based theatre maker and arts worker. He is a member of Jackalope Theatre Company and a co-founder of Here’s the Exit Theatre Company. He is also a full-time audio describer for Chicago area theaters, museums, and universities.

ADAM QUTAISHAT (U/S Serge)
Adam Qutaishat (Any/All) is a proud non-binary Arab-American storyteller and advocate. Recent acting highlights include Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Writers Theatre, TheatreSquared, and The Milwaukee Rep. Adam’s audio fiction podcast Vigil is on the Fable & Folly Network and Season 2 is on release now wherever you get podcasts. Adam is represented by Gray Talent Group. You can learn more at adamqutaishat.comحرة فلسطين
 
ROBERTO MANTICA (U/S Yvan)

ROBERTO MANTICA (he/him, U/S YVAN). Chicago:  A Streetcar Named Desire (Paramount Theater); Twelfth Night (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Landladies (Northlight Theater); When Harry Met Rehab (Greenhouse Theater) and Anna in the Tropics (Theater Wit). Regional: Re-Entry (Montana Rep Theater) Film: Lapse, Beyond, Continuance Television: “Chicago PD” (NBC), “Chicago Fire” (NBC), “The Red Line” (CBS), and “Phillip K Dick’s Electric Dreams” (Amazon Prime) Education: Associates in Theater and Film, Purdue University Awards: Best Short Film at Raw Science Film Festival forContinuance” and “Beyond.” Representation: Big Mouth Talent

About the Director

MARTI LYONS (Director)

Marti Lyons (she/her/hers) most recently directed Galileo’s Daughter by Jessica Dickey at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberly at Northlight Theatre, Wife of a Salesman by Eleanor Burgess at Milwaukee Rep, Sense and Sensibility adapted by Jessica Swale at American Players Theatre and the world-premiere of John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower at Studio Theatre in D.C. Marti’s other productions include The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess at Writers Theatre; Cymbeline at American Players Theatre; The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe and both the stage and audio productions of Kings by Sarah Burgess at Studio Theatre; the world-premiere of How to Defend Yourself by liliana padilla, a Victory Gardens and Actors Theatre of Louisville co-production; Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee at Victory Gardens and City Theatre; Witch by Jen Silverman at Geffen Playhouse and Writers Theatre (LA Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Direction); Native Gardens by Karen Zacarías at Victory Gardens; Botticelli in the Fire by Jordan Tannahill at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company; I, Banquo at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Title and Deed by Will Eno at Lookingglass Theatre Company; Laura Marks’ Bethany and Mine at The Gift Theatre. Marti is also an ensemble member at The Gift Theatre, and a member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

About the Playwright

YASMINA REZA (Playwright)
Yasmina Reza (she/her) is a French playwright, actress, novelist and screenwriter best known for her plays Art and God of Carnage. Many of her brief satiric plays have reflected on contemporary middle-class issues. The 2011 black comedy film Carnage, directed by Roman Polanski, was based on Reza’s Tony Award-winning 2006 play God of Carnage.

About the Translator

CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON (Translator)

Christopher Hampton’s (he/him/his) plays and musicals have so far garnered four Tony Awards, three Olivier Awards, four Evening Standard Awards and the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award; prizes for his film and television work include an Oscar, two BAFTAs, a Writers’ Guild of America Award, the Prix Italia, a Special Jury Award at the Cannes Film Festival, Hollywood Screenwriter of the Year and The Collateral Award at the Venice Film Festival for Best Literary Adaptation. Original plays include AppomattoxThe Talking CureWhite ChameleonTales From HollywoodTreatsSavages, The PhilanthropistTotal Eclipse, and When Did You Last See My Mother? Adaptations from novels: Youth Without God (Horváth), Embers (Márai) and Les Liasons Dangereuses (Laclos). Musicals: Stephen WardDracula: The Musical and Sunset Boulevard. Libretti: “Appomattox,” “The Trial” and “Waiting for the Barbarians” (all for Philip Glass).

Translations include plays by Chekhov, Ibsen, Molière, Horváth, Yasmina Reza and Florian Zeller. His films include: “Ali and Nino,” “A Dangerous Method,” “Chéri,” “Atonement,” “The Quiet American,” “Dangerous Liaisons,” “The Good Father,” “The Honorary Consul,” “Total Eclipse,” “Mary Reilly,” “Tales From The Vienna Woods” and “A Doll’s House.” He wrote and directed “Imagining Argentina,” “The Secret Agent” and “Carrington.” His television credits include: “The Thirteenth Tale,” “The Ginger Tree,” “Hôtel Du Lac,” “The History Man” and “Able’s Will.”

Administrative Office

3759 N. Ravenswood Avenue
Suite 124
Chicago, IL 60613
773.244.8119

Performance Venue

Theater Wit
1229 W. Belmont Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60657
Box Office: 773.975.8150

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