When the president of an anti-establishment UChicago club is murdered during their annual fundraiser, the other officers must solve his murder while trying to keep the event going. The Dead Fun Society uses the audience at the fundraiser as the detectives in their mystery, trying to keep the event going while trying to find whodunit. As the conspiracy becomes deeper and more ridiculous, the hypocrisy and comedy of each of the remaining officers becomes clear.

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Cast

Josh Winston (Ben McGrady) is a 2nd-year Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations major. This is his fourth UT show, having previously been in The Trail to Oregon! (Understudy - Men), Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood (Friar Tuck), and The Laramie Project (Actor 4). Josh’s favorite detective is undoubtedly the world’s most ridiculous detective, Inspector Gadget.

Joseph DePaula (Mark Hellebrand) is a first-year History major. He was last seen performing in Cup of Theater’s The Physicists as too many characters to count (6, to be exact). He was also Little John in UT’s Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood, and he is Il Dottore in Attori Senza Paura, the Commedia dell’Arte RSO on campus! He’d also like you to know that, while he appreciates all of them dearly, he suspects any of the cast or crew might have a hand in his eventual, gruesome murder outside of the ISAC. His favorite detective is Lieutenant Columbo, but Joseph is also a big fan of Shawn Spencer (head psychic detective for the S.B.P.D.) and his partner, Sh’Dynasty (that’s S-H comma-to-the-top Dynasty).

Catherine Rohret (Danny Knight) is a fourth-year Religious Studies and Creative Writing double major. They have previously worked on Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood (Tommy of No Consequence). Catherine’s favorite fictional detective also happens to be fictional within his own universe: Dixon Hill, the detective that Captain Picard pretends to be in one of Star Trek: TNG’s first holodeck episodes, “The Big Goodbye.”

Caroline Lopez (Aspen Lucas) is a second-year Chemistry major. Her past UT credits include The Trail to Oregon!, Marian, and Queen of Spades, and she is very excited to be directing The Play That Goes Wrong next spring! As an avid lover of murder mysteries, she hopes you have a blast solving this one; though, despite her love and appreciation for her fellow cast members, production team, and everyone who tries to crack the case, she still firmly believes Miss Jane Marple, her favorite detective, would solve it first (though Nancy Drew ranks a close second!).

Giancarlo Beritela (Chase von Meyer) is a first-year Econ & Romance Languages major. At UChicago, he acted in both Romeo & Juliet (Benvolio) and All For The Best (Flavio Gualdi). Favorite detective? That’s a tough one, but he’ll go with Detective Pikachu, from box-office hit Detective Pikachu.

Allison Kanter (Robin Lorenz) is a fourth-year Political Science major. She has previously acted in Arms and the Man (as Raina), and Yivdak (as Nitzkah). In her spare time, she enjoys freaking out about graduation, and enjoying her favorite fictional detective: Harriet the Spy.

Julia Morales (Nicole Cantrell) is a first-year Near Eastern Language and Civilizations and History double major. With University Theatre and Cup of Theatre, she has previously worked on Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood (Lucy), Arms and the Man (Louka), Macbeth in Space (Lennox), and The Physicists (Nurse Monika/Head Nurse). She is excited to share this show with you, and hope you enjoy the show! Thanks for coming.

Production Staff

Noah Klowden (Co-Writer/Director) is a fourth-year Computer Science/Linguistics major. This is his third time directing a show at the University of Chicago (The Heirs, Arms and the Man), and second original work that he has put on. He’s a big fan of the murder mystery genre and excited to be able to direct one that’s University of Chicago specific! His favorite detectives are Sherlock Holmes and Kate Beckett (from Castle).

David Nathan Twersky (Co-Writer) is a cowriter for Dead Fun Society, and a fourth-year Biology major at the University of Chicago. He only asked his lab about toxic chemicals for the show, and no other reason, he promises.

Yufei Chen (Production Manager) is a first-year student. She has previously worked on Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood (ASM), Macbeth in Space (SM), Laika’s Coffin (ASM), and Twelfth Night (ALD).

Chenjia Zhang (Co-Stage Manager) is a first-year Math and Computer Science major. He has previously worked on Macbeth in Space (Assistant Stage Manager). He would like to thank all the cast and crew for their wonderful work during the quarter, especially the Co-SM Sophie and ASM Barbara!

Sophie Pope McCright (Co-Stage Manager) is a second-year Political Science and Cinema & Media Studies major. She has previously stage managed for Cup of Theater’s Arms and the Man. This is her first UT show.

Yifan Zou (Scenic Designer) is a second-year MAAD major and CS minor. She has previously worked on King Lear (Assistant Scenic Designer) and Macbeth in Space (Assistant Projection Designer).

Lila Alonso (Costume Designer) is a fourth-year English major. She has previously worked on Arms and the Man (Costume Designer). In her spare time, she co-hosts a podcast and takes walks with her dog, Rocket.

Emily Zen (Props Designer) is a second-year Computer Science major. They previously worked on Marian (Lighting Designer), King Lear (Assistant Lighting Designer), and Love’s Labour’s Lost (Assistant Props Designer).

Kayla Bock (Sound Designer) is a third-year Psychology major and Music minor, and has previously worked on Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood (Assistant Sound Designer) and Theater[24] (Sound Board Op).

Emma Linderman (Improvisation Specialist)

Aashna Moorjani (Assistant Director) is a second-year majoring in Creative Writing, Law Letters, and Gender and Sexuality Studies. Though she always enjoyed theater as an audience member, she decided to take that further this year, acting in The Intruder (Younger Daughter) and Arms and the Man (Catherine), and now directing Dead Fun Society. In the rare moments she’s not at rehearsal, you’ll find her struggling to bake fancy French desserts or reading a trashy romance novel.

Aneth Rodriguez (Assistant Director) is a first-year planning on majoring in TAPS and Business Economics. She has helped multiple fourth-year thesis staged readings but the DFS production is the first time in her life she’s been a part of a production as a crew instead of a cast.

Spencer Ng (Assistant Production Manager) is a fourth-year who will hopefully soon be graduating with degrees in Theater & Performance Studies and Computer Science. His TAPS and UT credits include LIVE at UChicago (Research Executive), Macbeth in Space (Projections Designer), The Intruder (Projections Designer), King Lear (PM), Love’s Labour’s Lost (SM), and My H8 Letter to the Gr8 American Theatre (SM). Spencer previously served as the UT Committee Chair, and he is grateful to Yufei and Noah for letting him follow along with this process and making this his last UT credit, despite taking production meeting notes only a handful of times.

Barbara Wang (Assistant Stage Manager) is a first-year Econ and Public Policy major, and Dead Fun Society is her first time being an Assistant Stage Manager. She wants to say thank you to the DFS cohort and especially to the Co-Stage Managers!

You Li (Assistant Scenic Designer)

Kelly Mao (Committee Liaison) is a second-year Computer Science and Mathematics major whose previous UT credits include The Laramie Project (Calling Stage Manager, SM Collective™) and The Heirs (Production Manager). She enjoys deep conversations and long walks on the beach at sunset.

Sana Fessuh (Tech Staff Liaison)