Kudos to Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department alum Claire Chrzan ’11, a graduate of Columbia’s Theatre Design program. As previously reported in this blog, she is nominated for two 2019 Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards, for her lighting designs for two different productions, The New Colony’s Fun Harmless Warmachine and Raven Theatre’s Yen. And Chicago Tribune theatre critic Chris Jones has dubbed her work for Yen “the best storefront lighting design in years.” In his March 29, 2019, review, Jones wrote: “[The] lighting design here, from Claire Chrzan, goes far beyond what you normally see or experience at this level of budget. It’s another character in this play, an illumination of yen and consequence, daringly dark when it needs to be.”

In addition to Chrzan, Columbia College Theatre Department alumni connected with the acclaimed production include Sam Hubbard ’12, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s Acting program, whose Violence and Intimacy Direction for the show is also nominated for a 2019 Jeff Award. And Raven Theatre’s staff includes Columbia College alumni Cody Estle ’11, Jake Fruend ’13, and Max Colvill ’16, all graduates of the Theatre Department’s Theatre Directing program. Estle, Fruend, and Colvill are Raven’s artistic director, marketing manager, and front-of-house staff respectively.

Yen runs through May 5 at Raven Theatre, located at 6157 N. Clark in Chicago’s Edgewater/Andersonville Theatre District. For tickets, click here.