Cody Estle

Joel Reitsma

Columbia College Chicago Theatre Department alumnus Cody Estle ’11, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s Theatre Directing program, is directing the midwest premiere of the 2014 Off-Broadway hit By the Water, running March 16-April 23 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. in the northern Chicago suburb of Skokie. The production marks Estle’s directing debut at Northlight, though he has been assistant director on several previous shows there. Alumnus Joel Reitsma ’08, a graduate of the Theatre Department’s acting program, is in the cast.

The drama — set in Staten Island, New York, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy — concerns a family’s efforts to rebuild their community following the disaster. Says Estle: “It’s about confronting deep-seated personal problems in the face of a generational divide and finding a way to move forward. Times are changing and it’s not about you and me; it’s about our grandchildren, and their children. It’s about all of us making sacrifices today to create a better tomorrow. . . .  I think it will engage, move and inspire audiences.”

Student tickets are only $15. (Student ID required at ticket pickup.) For tickets, call 847-673-6300 or click here.