ARTIST BIOS
*- DENOTES A LAZY SUSAN THEATRE CO. COMPANY MEMBER
†- DENOTES LAZY SUSAN THEATRE CO. ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Manuela Álvarez (she/her) is a recent graduate from Columbia College Chicago with a BA in musical theatre. Nor Bitter Nor Sweet marks her debut with Lazy Susan Theatre Co. Manuela was recently in Six Stories Up: On the Campaign Trail (Tellin’ Tales Theatre); La Ronde (Meat Machine Theatre); Deepen the Heart (StopMotion Lab); Doubt: A Parable, The It, Batboy: The Musical, and Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams (Columbia College Chicago). She can be found on instagram @Manualvzz.
Manuela Álvarez | Performer
Jake Griffith (he/him) is an actor, writer, and comedian based in Chicago. This show is Jake's debut with Lazy Susan! Jake has performed and written with theaters across the nation including: The Second City, Upright Citizens Brigade, Guthrie Theater, Shattered Globe Theatre, Jackalope Theatre Company, Brooklyn Comedy Collective, Pop-Up Productions, and Gwydion Theatre Company. Jake is also a Moth Story Slam winner, and an ensemble member at Gwydion Theatre Company. Jake received his training at the University of Minnesota / Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program. Outside of performing, Jake runs a theatre and writing workshop series in Chicago called "The Shop." www.jakegriffith.com
Jake Griffith | Performer
Martha Hansen is excited to be working with the Lazy Susan Theatre Co. and the talented ensemble of Not Bitter Nor Sweet. Her Chicago credits include Superior Donuts (Mary Arrchie Theatre u/s with performances); Moon Over Buffalo, ER, The Games Afoot (Jedlicka Performing Arts Center); American Beauty Shop (Chicago Dramatists u/s); Steel Magnolias (Ignite Theater); Everything In Between (Dandelion Theater); Minutes and Seconds (Rhinofest); Seven Days At Sea (Light and Sound Productions).
Martha Hansen | Performer
Allison Horvatin is ecstatic to make her Lazy Susan Theatre Co debut! Recent credits include; Celia in As You Like It (Roosevelt University), Ensemble/Peter U/S in Romeo and Juliet (Oak Park Festival Theatre), Ensemble in DRINK: Chicago Edition (Corn Productions). If you can’t get enough of her, consider seeing her Maria in Twelfth Night at Modern Arachiac Theatre Company this March. Many thanks to mom, dad, Abby and Jessica Anne!
Allison Horvatin | Performer
Hannah Loessberg (she/her) is an actor, playwright, and producer. The everyday roles Hannah plays include the Co-Artistic Director of Lazy Susan Theatre Co. and General Manager of the Greenhouse Theater Center. Hannah earned her degree from Columbia College Chicago with a BFA in Acting and a minor in Playwriting. Her credits include being the playwright of Madam & Steve, and an Ensemble Member in If the Moon Never Came Back (Lazy Susan Theatre Co.) She was recently seen in The Polar Express Train Ride (Chicago Union Station), The Amateurs (Studio 404), Phaedra’s Love (The Classic Theater), and Sender (The Classic Theater). In her film acting career, she can be seen in Nightstand, The Gift of Addiction, and Silent Scream. Hannah has also been the face of commercial social media campaigns for Parade and Cheez-it. She would like to thank her ensemble members for their dedication to this project and to the craft of devising. She would like to thank Nealie Tinlin, who fearlessly serves as the other half of her brain. You can follow her on IG @nannahbanannah.
Hannah Loessberg† | Performer & Director
Allison Ristaino (she/they) is a Chicago based comedian, writer, and early childhood educator. Not Bitter Nor Sweet is her debut performance with Lazy Susan Theater Co. Allison was recently seen in We Should Kill Him (Corn Productions), The Playground Festival (Eclectic Full Contact Theater) and Nunsense (Saint Sebastian Players). They are a graduate of the writing program and the conservatory at The Second City, the improv program at iO, and Improv Asylum in Boston. Allison grew up in Massachusetts where she earned a BA in theater with a writing concentration from Smith College. She has been nominated for awards at multiple film festivals for her short screenplay, Break In. You can find them on tiktok and Instagram @sillymissallison and read their published comedy articles on medium.com/@allison.ristaino
Allison Ristaino | Performer
Nealie Tinlin*† | Performer & Director
Nealie Tinlin (she/her) is the Co-Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Lazy Susan Theatre Company. She is a Chicago-based actor, writer, and director. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a BFA in Acting. She loves devising! She has been in projects such as American Origami in collaboration with Tectonic Theatre Project and If the Moon Never Came Back with Lazy Susan. On her days off you can find her swimming in the lake (weather permitting), reading oh so many books, and drinking copious amounts of coffee. She is sending lots of love to her family, friends, and loved ones for their support and the impact they have had on her journey of life and love.
Sarah Schorle (she/her) is a Chicago based stage manager and playwright that is passionate about new and devised works. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago, her stage management credits include Fallen Angels Hotel directed by Clara Radcliffe, Dance Nation directed by Alison Dornheggen, Pillars of Salt directed by Elliot Lockshine, the Columbia Senior Playwriting Festival hosted by the Chicago Dramatists, and Failure: a Love Story directed by Susan Padveen. Sarah is thrilled to be working with Lazy Susan again as a company member, where she was previously the lighting designer for If the Moon Never Came Back and a stage manager for Madam & Steve. Outside of theatre she enjoys hammocking at the lakefront, catching up on Love is Blind, and playing Pokémon. She is also an avid MUNA fan, putting their music in rotation with Joni Mitchell, Adam Melchor, ABBA, and Fleetwood Mac.
Sarah Schorle* | Stage Manager
Amina Gilbert (she/they) is a Chicago-based lighting designer, multi-hyphenate artist, and Lazy Susan company member. Lighting credits include A Paper Orchestra, Madam and Steve (Lazy Susan Theatre Co), Love’s Labours Lost (Dir. Gabriel Anderle, Lila Weisman), Tango Palace, and The It (Columbia College Chicago). Lighting assistantship credits include Little Bear Ridge Road (Steppenwolf Theatre), and In Quietness (A Red Orchid Theatre). Upcoming projects include Astronaut 1 (Griffin Theatre Co), The Pillowman (Dir. Ricardo Gamboa), Purim Spiel (Dir. Sivan Spector, Annelise Rittberg), and Spring Awakenings (Lazy Susan Theatre Co). Amina holds a BA in theatre from Columbia College Chicago. You can find her at www.aminagilbert.com.
Amina Gilbert* | Lighting & Sound Designer
This is Ella’s first production as designated gopher with Lazy Susan Theatre Co. A writer by day, she has presented with Talk Hard Chicago, Sandbox Theatre Collective, and the Athenaeum Writers Group. Ella is from the water fauna of San Francisco but now is of the ivy brickwork of Chicago. After receiving her degree in English & Creative Writing from the University of Iowa, Ella has fallen in love with scriptwriting and storefront theatre. She urges all writers to remember that Maya Angelou once said, “We write for the same reason that we walk, talk, climb mountains or swim in the oceans — because we can.” ellaboydwong.wixsite.com.
Ella Boyd-Wong | Asst. Stage Manager