About Us...

The Tympanic Theatre Company is dedicated to producing new work with fantastical, frightening, or absurd subject matter that provokes, inspires, and entertains. Through our use of vibrant storytelling, dynamic language, and colorful characters, we invite our audience to plunge headfirst with us into theatrical worlds that are fresh, energetic, and visceral.

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At this time, we are only seeking full length scripts that correspond with our mission statement of "producing new work with fantastical, frightening, or absurd subject matter that provokes, inspires, and entertains". If you would like to send your work to us, please submit a brief description of the work and from five to ten sample pages. Your description doesn't have to be a full description of the plot. In addition, please describe the play - it's world, characters, conflict, set requirements, etc. If there are any supporting materials (YouTube links, mp3s, pictures) that help describe your play's world, those are welcome. Your description and the pages received will be most helpful in whether or not we want to request the full manuscript. Multiple submissions are discouraged.

Please send all submissions to submissions@tympanictheatre.org. Physical mailings are not accepted at this time.

If you're interested in auditioning for our next production, email us at auditions@tympanictheatre.org
For general questions or concerns email info@tympanictheatre.org

Literary Manager Chris Acevedo

chris -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

Christopher Acevedo is a founding member of the Tympanic Theatre Company. He moved to Chicago in 2007 and has since appeared in Collaboraction's Sketchbook X, Pavement Group's fracture/mechanics, Red Tape Theatre's inaugural and second CFAN Festival (with Genesis Ensemble), Curious Theatre Branch's Rhinofest (with Tympanic Theatre Company), Drangoncello's And Time Runs On, Dramatis Personae's Feats of Strength and The Side Project's Splayed Verbiage (Cut to the Quick Festival). He is also an Artistic Assoicate with The Genesis Ensemble, and with them has appeared in The Secrets Project, and In Love's Bright Coils. With Tympanic Theatre Company, he has appeared in Splintered Crosses, The House of Weird Death, Gregor & the Squonk, Bastards of Young, And Then It Burst, and most recently in Ozma & Harriet. Next he is exted to be appearing with Tympanic in Muerte Del Maestro at the Side Project in November. He is so happy to be producing work he cares about, with friends he loves. He earned his B.A. in Theatre from Florida State University.

Director of Development Timothy Bambara

tim -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

Timothy Bambara puts the 'Tym' in Tympanic. He has been producing, directing and acting in Chicago for the past 4 years. He received his MFA in Theatre Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2006. He is a recipient of the 2008 CAAP Grant and was a participant in the 2008 Chicago Director's Lab. Favorite directing credits include The Rise of Emperor Eric, The Cook (asst. Director), Tamales!, Where's My Money? and Den of Thieves. Tim has directed May is a Special Time of Year, Ozma and Harriet, and The Deer Callers for Tympanic. As a director Tim has also worked with Prologue Theatre, Point of Contention, and Appetite Theatre. As an actor he was most recently seen in Chicago Fusion Theatre's 12 Hungry Men. He is currently collaborating on the world premiere of Wonderful for the 22nd RhinoFest.

Artistic Director Daniel Caffrey

daniel -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

Daniel Caffrey is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Tympanic Theatre Company. Writing and directing credits with Tympanic include Splintered Crosses, The House Of Weird Death, and Gregor And The Squonk. His short plays have been produced in Chicago by ARFTCO, Chicago Dramatists, Dramatis Personae, Dream Theatre Company, Hobo Junction, iO, and WildClaw. Occasionally an actor, he has performed with The Side Project (Slipping), Tympanic, and WNEP (this year's SKALD storytelling competition). He has also directed with The Side Project in their Cut To The Quick festivals. Upcoming projects include his short play "Wishbone" in Dramatis Personae's Feats Of Strength festival, "Yukon Cornelius, Greatest Prospector In The North" with ARFTCO's Christmas Spectacular, and writing and directing "Pogo" for The Ruckus' Tell It & Speak It & Think It & Breathe It. He holds BA degrees in Creative Writing and Theatre, and is a graduate of the Training Center at iO.

Ensemble Ali Delianides

ali -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

Ali Delianides graduated from Florida State University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre. After graduation she originated the touring role of Mama in Omaha Theater Company for Young Audiences first national tour of Old Yeller. In Chicago she has been seen in Tympanic's productions of Gregor and the Squonk (Margaret), And Then it Burst (Alice), with Point of Contention in their annual CHAOS play festivals, and with Chicago Kid's Company in their productions of Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Tortoise and the Hare. Ali is also a teaching artist with Victory Gardens Theater's educational outreach program.

Managing Director Paul E. Martinez

paul -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

Paul E Martinez is a founding member of Tympanic who came to Chicago after graduating from Florida State University's School of Theatre in 2006. He is also a graduate of Second City's Improv Conservatory. In Chicago, he has been seen in Los Desaparecidos (Babes With Blades), as well as in Gregor and the Squonk, And Then It Burst, and Ozma & Harriet with the Tympanic. Paul has also performed with improv ensembles Tymprov and Colorado Beautification Coalition.

Ensemble Leo Mendoza

leo -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

Leo Mendoza joined Tympanic Theatre in 2007, after performing with them in their first production, Splintered Crosses. He's trained at Act One, The Artistic Home, Lee Strasberg (NYC), and iO Chicago to name a few. In 2009 he moved to NYC, but still is happy to be a part of this great company. Chicago credits include: Modigliani (u/s), Putman Transit; Off-off Bwy credits include: Six Cylinder Love (Unity Stage Co), Love in an Elevator (Left Hip Prod), Outsourcing Christmas (World Players). Improv credits include: Magnet Circuit Team, Del Close Marathon 2009, Imaginary Friends (Chicago).

Ensemble Susan Myburgh

susan -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

Susan Myburgh is a founding member of The Tympanic Theatre Company where she has directed Gregor And The Squonk, Morality Play, The Great Black Vulutre, and Tea. She has also been seen all over the Chicago stages in Devil's Don't Forget (The Mammals), Orchard Reading Series (Apple Tree Theatre), Disturbed 2009 (Oracle Theatre), The Ride Down Mount Morgan (Redtwist Theatre), And Then It Burst (Tympanic Theatre for Curious Theatre's Rhino Festival 2010) and most recently in The Right Brain Project's Pretty Penny. This summer she directed Alice in Wonderland in Virginia for Endstation Theatre. Next you can see Susan in The Right Brain Project's highly anticipated Halfshut. Susan is represented by Lily's Talent Agency where she does voice-over and commercial work. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from Florida State University.

Ensemble Laura Turner

laura -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

Laura Turner joined Tympanic in 2010 after being involved in several previous productions, including Bastards of Young and Ozma & Harriet for which she stage-managed. Laura graduated from Florida State University in 2008 and is currently pursuing her Masters of Public Health at UIC.

Ensemble Chrissy Weisenburger

chrissy -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

Chrissy Weisenburger graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2007 with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Acting. Shortly after, she was in an improvised production of Food then quickly jumped into Tympanic Theatre. She has appeared in Tympanic's productions of Splintered Crosses, House of Weird Death, Gregor and the Squonk, And Then It Burst, Extinction Fantasies, and Wonderful. She also worked as co-makeup and co-costume designer for House of Weird Death and make-up designer for Musing, Bastards of Young, Extinction Fantasies, and Wonderful. Currently Chrissy is taking a break from performing to pursue a second bachelors degree in Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She can't wait to graduate and pursue a career in the technical world. She also sends her love and thanks to all those who have supported her over the years: "To my family, friends, and my loving fiancee PJ, thank you for everything!"

Artistic Associate Casey Bentley

caseyjbentley -at- gmail -dot- com

After Graduating with a BA in Theatre Production from Florida State University in 2008, Casey has worked with multiple companies across the U.S. such as Opera New Jersey, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Nebraska Theatre Caravan. Following her third tour of A Christmas Carol with NTC, Casey decided to move to Chicago. Since this relocation she has worked on a number of projects, including building props and puppets for Tympanic.

Artistic Associate Brian Berman

bberman3 -at- gmail -dot- com

Brian is excited to be working with the Tympanic Theatre Company for a third straight year. Brian has been the Lighting Designer for their productions of Musing, Bastards of Young, Ozma and Harriet, Muerte Del Maestro, and Verse Chorus Verse. Brian enjoys biking and running marathons and is a graduate of Michigan Technological University with a degree in Computer Engineering. His professional experience includes stage operations work with Lyric Opera Cleveland, Pine Mountain Music Festival, and Glimmerglass Opera.

Artistic Associate Jamie Bragg

jamiembragg -at- gmail -dot- com

Jamie Bragg has been performing, directing and dramaturging in Chicago since 2006. Recent performance credits include Thyona in Big Love (Chicago Fusion Theatre), Margret in Woyzeck (Oracle Productions), Jamie in Halfshut (Right Brain Project) and Sandra in Ozma and Harriet (Tympanic Theatre). Jamie has recently directed with Tympanic Theatre ("Dark Horse," part of 2010's Extinction Fantasies) and Commedia Beauregard ("The Disturbing Chair," part of 2011's Master Works: The Museum of Bad Arts Plays). She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2004, and she was a proud literary intern (2005-2006) at Actors Theatre of Louisville, home of the Humana Festival of New American Plays.

Artistic Associate McKenzie Gerber

mac -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

McKenzie Gerber is a founding ensemble member of Tympanic Theatre. Playwriting/directing credits with Tympanic include Splintered Crosses "What King?" and The House of Weird Death "Something out there" (co-writer / sound designer). Tympanic acting credits include Splintered Crosses, Gregor and the the Squonk, Bastards of Young, & And Then It Burst. He holds a BA degree in Theatre from Florida State University.

Artistic Associate Michael Greco

mick -at- tympanictheatre -dot- org

Michael "Mick" Greco (Jim / Rain) appears for the third time on stage with Tympanic Theatre Company, after House of Weird Death and Splintered Crosses. TTC also staged his short play Northstar Navigation as part of Bastards of Young. Mick has performed elsewhere in A View From The Bridge (Actors Workshop, now redtwist Theatre), and in classical productions for Chase Park Theatre, LiveWire Theatre and St. Sebastian Players.

Artistic Associate Charlotte Mae Jusino

charlotte -dot- jusino -at- gmail -dot- com

Originally from New York, Charlotte Mae Jusino is a recent transplant to the Chicago area from Boston, MA where she received her Acting and Costume Design degree from Emerson College. Since her arrival, she has performed in Wonderful at Curious Theatre Branch's Rhino Fest and Muerte Del Maestro - both with Tympanic; The Indefinable Aspect of Us at Prologue Theatre's Landmark Festival; The Comfort Station Plays with Open Source Theatre Project, and The Archivist with the Right Brain Project. Charlotte is a founding member of Area IV Theatre, with whom she toured the Canadian Fringe Circuit in MARCH during the summer of 2010. She also studied and performed at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland.

Artistic Associate Dustin Pettegrew

dpettegrew -at- gmail -dot- com

Native to Jacksonville, Florida, Dustin Pettegrew began his studies in technical theatre and scene design at a young age, going on to study production design at Savannah College of Art and Design from 2005-2007 when, prior to completing his degree, he returned to Jacksonville and began working as a full time stage carpenter while continuing to focus on his design work outside of the academic environment. Dustin relocated to Chicago in 2008 and in 2010 finally returned to academia and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine arts in set design from Columbia College Chicago, where he has designed scenery for several student directed projects including No Exit, Phaedra's Love and Rag and Bone. Dustin designed scenery for Tympanic's productions of Muerte del Maestro and Verse Chorus Verse. This Fall Dustin will again be designing on the Florida stage with Theater Jacksonville's production of Ian Mairs' new play The Learning Curve, and in the Spring at Columbia is designing for the faculty directed main stage production of RENT.