Sparks and Ashes
Readings by seasoned Chicago writers and performers
CHICAGO DANZTHEATRE
(1650 W Foster Ave.)
Sparks and Ashes
Readings by seasoned Chicago Writers and Performers
Produced by Her Story Theater Writers Exchange
Performed by Mary Bonnett, Sandy Borglum, Will Clinger, Gary Houston, Hugh Iglarsh, Amy Sunshine, and Malcolm Rothman
Mary Bonnett (The Quiet, fiction, chapter of novel) is an award-winning artist who is founder and producing Artitistic Director of Her Story Theater whose recent production was nominated for two Jeff Awards for best actor, Gary Houston and best play. As a playwright, her works include a cycle on Chicago domestic sex trafficking: Shadow Town (The Den), The John (National Jewish Theater, Skokie, Houston, Texas), Money Make'M Smile (Victory Gardens), Monger (Greenhouse) and Mia: Where Have All The Young Girl's Gone (Greenhouse). Her additional plays are Invisible and Gloss Over. Court Side was seen in Philadelphia, Chicago Cultural Center), Me and Louie Armstrong (Go Solo Festival, NYC.). Mary is a novelist with a published children's book and an adult novel entitled The Quiet. She is a member of Dramatist Guild, Sag-Aftra Chicago Radio Players, Chicago Dramatist, Perennial Theatre and SAG-AFTRA. Come see her new play The Novelist, live, at Chicago Dramatist, November 21, 2026 at 2PM.
Sandy Borglum (Mrs. Kolias, monologue) is an actor and playwright. Her acting credits run the gamut from Kate in “Taming of the Shrew”, to Miss Amelia in “The Ballad of the Sad Café”, as well as musical theatre, opera, dance, and circus work. She has worked with Court Theatre, Steppenwolf, Timeline, and numerous other theatres in the Chicago area. Her one-person show, “Confessions of a Spiritual Existential Nihilist”, was well-received at Lifeline Theatre’s Filet of Solo Play Festival, receiving a standing ovation. She most recently won First Place in Writers Bloc’s 10- minute play competition.
Will Clinger (World Traveler, monologue, hurmorous) His Chicago theater credits include Being Seen (Chicago and London), New Country at the Den Theater, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Porchlight Music Theatre, Measure for Measure and Hamlet! The Musical at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Eric LaRue at A Red Orchid Theatre and his one-man show Dr. Harlon’s Keys to Better Living at the Royal George Theatre. He co-wrote and performed in the musical Two for the Show (Theatre Wit), which received the After Dark Award for Best New Work and was nominated in the same category for a Joseph Jefferson Award. Clinger has acted in numerous film and television productions over the years, most recently guest starring on Chicago P.D. and the 4th season of Fargo. He is the producer and host of the award-winning PBS travel series Wild Travels.
Gary Houston (Bootheel, Bob's Dad, Crying Wolf, nonfiction) was last seen onstage at Her Story Theater as Henry Percival in The Official Biography, where he was recently nominated for a Jeff Award as Best Actor in a Play, short run. Before that he could be seen at the Goodman Theater in August Wilson's GEM OF THE OCEAN and JOE
TURNER’S COME AND GONE, both directed by Chuck Smith. As well as numerous film roles, Gary is a Jeff-nominated actor, with a long history of performances at Northlight, Writers Theatre, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Wisdom Bridge, National Jewish Theater and in the original Organic Theatre ensemble. As a former books and arts staffer for the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, he interviewed Studs Terkel, Saul Bellow, Joseph Heller, and Elie Wiesel. Gary is presently managing editor of CHICAGO QUARTERLY REVIEW and a member of Actors’ Equity and SAG-AFTRA.
Hugh Iglarsh (Short Story) is a Chicago-based critic, essayist, satirist and editor, and a longtime member of the Nelson Algren Committee. His work – including theater, dance, book and art reviews, as well as political and cultural commentary and travel accounts – has appeared in a number of publications, including Newcity, CounterPunch and the Chicago Quarterly Review. He lives in Old Town.
Malcolm Rothman (Egg Roll, memoir) was a long time regular on the Chicago theatrical scene appearing on stage, in film, radio and TV commercials and anything else that could bring in a buck or two including 20 years as Chicago's premiere Harry Caray impersonator. He wrote his first story at the age of 72. His memoir, "Family Photos" appeared in The Chicago Quarterly Review and was cited as a notable essay by "The Best Essays of 2020". In addition, his story, "Good Dog" appeared in Issue #35 of the CQR and his story, “Ghosts Are As Real As Dreams” appeared in issue #37. Most recently, his story, “The Man Who Wouldn't Cheer the Tsar” is in the current issue. The essay he's reading today, "The Day an Egg Roll Changed My Life”, was featured online in The Chicago Story Press. Malcolm was a Navy Hospital Corpsman and served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970. He is married to Amy Sunshine, and is a better man for it.
Amy Sunshine (The Mother's Curse, memoir) came to Chicago to settle down with the love of her life, Malcolm Rothman, and to try making a career as an actor. The many detours, before finding that writing & telling stories is soul satisfying, were as a Talent Agent, a Casting Director, a v/o talent (2 jobs), an on-camera actor (1 commercial, 2 industrials), and 25 years as a fine dining waiter that has given her a pension to retire on. Waiting tables was her outlet to work on her acting skills. She is a member of SAG/ AFTRA and Actor’s Equity.
Sun 10/24 at 3:00pm