Columbia College Chicago Theatre alumni are in the creative team and cast of About Face Theatre‘s world premiere of Modern Gentleman, a new comedy written by Columbia College alum Preston Max Allen ’13, a graduate of the Columbia College Theatre Program’s BA Program in Acting. The show runs March 19 through April 18 at Raven Theatre, located at 6157 N. Clark St. in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. Student discounts are available. For tickets, click here.
Preston Max Allen
As previously reported in this blog, playwright Preston Max Allen is the author of Caroline, a drama that had an Off-Broadway run last fall under the direction of Tony Award-winning former Columbia College Chicago Theatre Program student and faculty member and Columbia College Honorary Degree recipient David Cromer HDR ’17. Allen is also the author/composer of the musical We Are the Tigers, which enjoyed a 2019 Off-Broadway run.
Preston Max Allen
In 2024, Allen was honored by Chicago’s LGBT news site Windy City Times as one of its “30 Under 30” award winners. “About Face has always been such an iconic theater for LGBTQ storytelling, and it’s been a longtime dream of mine to collaborate with this exciting, thoughtful, risk-taking team,” says Allen. “To be entirely surrounded and supported by artists in and close to my community is such a special, rare experience, and I can’t wait for us to fully realize this piece that celebrates and interrogates nuances of community and identity that are very close to my heart.”
Emma Fulmer
The cast of Modern Gentleman includes Columbia College alum Emma Fulmer ’24, a graduate of the Theatre Program’s BFA Program in Acting.
Milo Bue
Conchita Avitia
The production team includes Columbia College alums Milo Bue ’16 and Conchita Avitia ’18, both graduates of the Theatre Program’s BA Program in Theatre Design; they are the show’s scenic designer and lighting designer respectively.
MacKenzie Makurat
Mark Brown
Jamie Meun
Audrey Kleine
Columbia alum MacKenzie Makurat ’25, a graduate of the BA Program in Theatre, is the assistant stage manager; Columbia alum Mark Brown ’21, a graduate of the BA Program in Theatre Design and Technology, is the lead electrician. Columbia alum Jamie Meun ’17, a graduate of the Theatre Program’s BA Program in Comedy Writing and Performance, is About Face Theatre’s managing director, and Columbia alum Audrey Kleine ’17, a graduate of the BA Program in Technical Theatre with a Minor in Management, is About Face Theatre’s operations and production manager.
Set in present-day New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut, Modern Gentleman is described as “the queer and trans rom-com you’ve been waiting for.” After his partner of five years abruptly ends their relationship, 28-year-old Adam must navigate the world of dating for the first time since coming out as a trans man. But Adam’s hopes for a fresh start are quickly derailed when a chaotic new girlfriend, the return of his ex, and long-ignored personal demons force him to finally confront his complicated relationship to his own identity.
A special Columbia College Night performance of Modern Gentleman on Friday, April 3, is being hosted by the Columbia College Chicago School of Theatre and Dance‘s Theatre Alumni Board as part of the alumni board‘s new program “SPOTLIGHT” – An Event Series Showcasing Our Collective Industry Excellence. Each semester, the Theatre Alumni Board will collaborate with an industry professional and/or company that employs students, alumni, and/or faculty members to provide events and opportunities to support these artists, connect with industry professionals, and learn more about what it takes to produce their work. “SPOTLIGHT” provides events to celebrate the talent, collaboration, and achievements of our theatre industry while fostering meaningful connections between students, alumni, faculty, and the wider professional landscape. This series supports the Theatre Alumni Board’s mission to build connections, explore career paths, and bring members of Columbia College Chicago‘s Theatre Program together to support our industry. Open to alumni, students, faculty, and supporters of the Theatre Program at Columbia College, the evening begins with a pre-show reception at 6 PM featuring appetizers and a cash bar, followed by a performance of Modern Gentleman at 7:30 PM. For tickets to the Columbia College Night at Modern Gentleman, click here.
