PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE: Founder/Artistic Director of Chicago Jewish Theatre, 2003-2006 Founded and served as Artistic Director of Chicago Jewish Theatre, Chicago’s only professional theatre company dedicated to producing works dealing exclusively with Jewish themes, history, identity and experiences. Duties included negotiating contracts with Actors Equity, overseeing office staff, play selection, overseeing fundraising and marketing, creating PR campaigns, budgeting, facility maintenance, negotiating playwright contracts, casting, board development. Highlights include: • World premiere production of All Through the Night by acclaimed, Tony nominated playwright Shirley Lauro • Hosted internationally known performer Saul Reichlin in one-man show Sholom Aleichem: Now You’re Talking • Oversaw production of 9 Chicago premiere productions and 2 World premiere productions • Directing credits included Chicago premieres of The Stroop Report by Robert Preston Jones, A Rosen by Any Other Name and The Chopin Playoffs by Israel Horovitz and I Never Saw Another Butterfly by Celeste Raspanti Founder/Producing Artistic Director of Red Hen Productions, 1997-2003 Founded and served as Artistic Director of Red Hen Productions, a professional, Equity theatre company dedicated to producing new works and lesser known works of artistic merit. Duties included negotiating contracts with Actors Equity, overseeing office staff, play selection, overseeing fundraising and marketing, creating PR campaigns, budgeting, negotiating playwright contracts, casting, board development. Highlights include: • Co-authored new adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II • Chicago premiere of Tony Kushner adaptation of A Dybbuk by S. Ansky. Nominated for Joseph Jefferson Award for best supporting actor. Named one of the 10 best theatre productions of the year by Richard Christiansen of The Chicago Tribune • Produced 3 Chicago premiere productions and 2 World premiere productions • Winner of Gay Chicago Magazine’s After Dark Award for Best Ensemble of Bloody Bess Founder/Producer of LeTraunik Productions, 1995-1997 Founded and served as Producer of LeTraunik Productions, a for-profit theatrical production company. Duties included play selection, marketing, creating PR campaigns, budgeting, negotiating playwright contracts, casting. Highlights include: • Musical revue Fairy Tales, directed by Gary Griffin. Subsequently produced off-off-Broadway and in London, England. Winner of Joseph Jefferson Citation for best musical direction. • Chicago premieres of Incorruptible by Michael Hollinger and Black Angel by Michael Cristofer (nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Citation for best supporting actress) RELATED EXPERIENCE: Auditions columnist for Chicago theatre trade paper PerformInk, 1988-2005 Collected, edited and oversaw all aspects of providing accurate information on a deadline. Required to have many contacts at all Chicago area theatres, attention to detail, excellent customer relation ability. Founder and creator of Casting Call Hotline, 1987-2004 Distributed casting and employment information to theatre community of Chicago and surrounding areas via phone, fax and email. Columnist for Plays and Players Magazine, London, England, 1996-2000 As Chicago theatre correspondent, submitted monthly column covering news, events and reviews of Chicago theatre. Columnist for Chicago Sun-Times, 1992-1995 Submitted weekly column covering aspects of the theatre/performing world including screenwriting, auditioning, stage combat, musical theatre, summer stock/outdoor theatre, acting schools. Interviewed several world-renown individuals including Broadway, film and television star Ben Vereen. • OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE THEATRE WORLD. MANY NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN CONTACTS INCLUDING ACTORS, PLAYWRIGHTS, DESIGNERS AND DIRECTORS Feature articles have appeared about Elayne LeTraunik in The Chicago Sun-Times, Pioneer Press, Chicago Jewish News, JUF Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, The Daily Herald, PerformInk and many other publications. REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST QUOTES ABOUT THE PRODUCTIONS OVERSEEN BY ELAYNE LeTRAUNIK All Through the Night by Shirley Lauro (World Premiere) “Shirley Lauro’s (play) is by far the most significant and worthy show in the short history of Chicago Jewish Theatre. A fine, compelling play.” -Chris Jones, The Chicago Tribune “Raw and gripping production” -Louis Weisberg, Free Press The Diary of Anne Frank “Not to be missed” -Leah Zeldes, Pioneer Press The Golem “Chicago Jewish Theatre has staged this mystical, poetical and human morality tale with a great deal of reverence and style” -Rick Reed, Windy City Times The Stroop Report (Chicago Premiere) “Elayne LeTraunik does an excellent directing job on the rapid intersections of scenes. Dramatizes an important historical moment that must never be forgotten. Timely, compelling drama.” -Beverly Friend, Pioneer Press Today, I am a Fountain Pen (Chicago Premiere) “It’s all very, very funny.” -Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Bloody Bess “As good an evening’s entertainment as you will find. The cast hums together. Ever the tight ship. If I could give their work 5 stars, I would.” -Emily Lee, Gay Chicago Magazine A Dybbuk (Chicago Premiere of Tony Kushner’s adaptation) “The most beautiful conclusion to any play I have ever seen. Red Hen Productions is to be lauded for their truly elegant and beautiful production. This one’s not to be missed. Four stars.” -Etta Worthington, Gay Chicago Magazine “Grand, mythic production. A surprising and striking new production of A Dybbuk. A vivid, articulate presentation of the drama.” -Richard Christiansen, The Chicago Tribune Class Enemy “Savvy direction. Strikingly passionate performances. Red Hen has aptly demonstrated that this play can still pack a big theatrical punch.” -Chris Jones, The Chicago Tribune “A full blaze of glory.” -Hedy Weiss, The Chicago Sun-Times Fairy Tales “A heartbreaking tale with a through storyline. Director Gary Griffin has opened up many of the songs while at the same time retaining the intimate heart. Exceptional brilliance. A glowing tribute for our community.” -Jeff Rossen, Gay Chicago Magazine “Fairy Tales is a class act, rare as its inspiration.” -Lawrence Bommer, The Chicago Tribune Fairy Tales, produced at The Duplex in New York City, winner of 1998 Backstage Bistro Awards for Best Musical Revue, Best Performer in a Revue and Best Direction. Fairy Tales, produced in London at The Drill Hall, in association with Out & Proud, Ltd., directed by Cameron Macintosh associate Ken Caswell.

Elayne LeTraunik in "Nuts" by Tom Topor