Rob Kozlowski -- Chicago:

Now, let me tell you a story about my wife Jennifer. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know Jen is an amazing, wonderful, hot-as-hell, brilliant woman, but she is not an avid playgoer. She represents sort of what you would call a normal audience, the kind of person who isn't obsessed with theater like I am, but when she gets attached to a certain company and/or actors, she will remain unflinchingly loyal. When Jen and I first dated, she became attached to the House and Remy Bumppo (I know, strange combination, but she's a strange woman). She will rarely move outside the comfort area of these two companies and will only accompany me to plays that she thinks sound interesting.

BUT...wait! She's going with me to see Othello at Chicago Shakespeare in a few weeks. Why? Because David Darlow and Nick Sandys are in the cast! They're Remy Bumppo people, don't you know. So, Jen is going to see Othello with me. It's the ultimate date play!

I don't know how many new audience members the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre is going to gain by casting local faces, but they gained at least two. I don't know their work very well. The last (and only) show I saw there was Griffin's A Little Night Music four years ago, so I don't know how guilty they are of importing actors, but what brought me back after four years was casting local actors that we admire.

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