Red and the Wolf

A gritty retelling of the classic fairy tale.

The wildlings, known as wolves, live in the forest, kept away from the decent folk of civilization. Red, the orphaned daughter of famous heroes, leads a garrison at the wall. When a wolf emerges, he is not what anyone expected.

With a score inspired by Les Miserables, Hadestown, as well as heavy influence from Stephen Sondheim, Red and the Wolf is a 90 minute folk opera about how stories shape our lives.

Music

Composer Aaron Zimmerman discusses the musical elements that bring Red and the Wolf to life.

Cast

  • A woman with red hair styled in a middle part, wearing a black top with a v-neck and decorative buttons. She has fair skin, blue eyes, and a subtle smile, posed against a dark background.

    Abby Naden

    Red

  • Close-up of a man with long dark hair and a beard, wearing a blue button-up shirt, looking directly at the camera against a dark background.

    Kevin Loeper

    Wolf

  • Close-up portrait of a smiling woman with long, brown hair, wearing a black top and a small nose piercing, against a dark background.

    Sarah Inendino

    Granny

  • Close-up portrait of a man with short brown hair, a trimmed beard, wearing a black shirt, against a dark background.

    Zach Gibson

    Woodsman

  • A young man with light brown hair, blue eyes, and a slight smile, wearing a gray shirt, indoors with a light-colored wall background.

    Peter Moeller

    Narrator, Wolf U/S

  • Close-up portrait of a young woman with curly brown hair, blue eyes, wearing a black leather jacket, gold hoop earrings, slight makeup, against a dark background.

    Elizabeth Bushell

    Ensemble, Granny U/S

  • Close-up of a smiling man with a bald head and brown eyes, wearing a blue T-shirt with a white outline of Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Tower on it, against a dark background.

    Kevin Godwin

    Ensemble

  • Close-up of a woman with reddish-brown hair, wearing a black top, smiling against a dark background.

    Annie Beaubien

    Ensemble, Woodsman U/S

  • Sarafina Monteleone

    Ensemble

  • Close-up portrait of a woman with straight brown hair, wearing pearl earrings and a black top, against a dark background.

    Mia Cavener

    Ensemble, Red U/S

  • Close-up of a smiling man wearing glasses with a black shirt and a dark gray background.

    Tom Reusz

    Ensemble

Creative

  • A woman with blue eyes and long brown hair wearing a red top and earrings, smiling softly at the camera.

    Claire Yearman

    DIRECTOR

    Claire is excited for the opportunity to bring this new folk opera to life, and for the opportunity to collaborate with Aaron and Emma again. Claire is an EMC actor, director, fight director, SAFD Certified Teacher, and intimacy choreographer. She most recently directed the musical Titanic at Wheaton Drama. Some other local theatres she's worked for include: Oak Park Festival Theatre, Williams Street Repertory, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Chicago Dramatists, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Oil Lamp Theatre, Village Theatre Guild, and Aston Rep Theatre Company. Unending gratitude to her parents and her partner, Nick, for their love and support.

  • A young man with short brown hair and blue eyes wearing a black t-shirt, leaning on a piano with his head resting on his hand, against a plain gray background.

    Aaron Zimmerman

    COMPOSER / MUSIC DIRECTOR

    Aaron is a pianist, music director, and writer centered in the western suburbs of chicago. Music direction credits include Freaky Friday (Big Noise), Titanic (WDI), Sweeney Todd (WDI, NRP), Ragtime (Metropolis PAC). His writing has appeared in various publications including Metaphorisis Magazine and Story Hack. AaronZimmermanMusic.com

  • A woman with brown hair smiling, standing in front of an ornate metal door with intricate patterns, shells, starfish, and floral designs.

    Emma Hajny

    CHOREOGRAPHER

    Emma is thrilled to be working with Aaron and Claire again! Dancing since she could walk, Emma Hajny is a dance instructor with the Downers Grove Park District, specializing in teaching ballet, jazz and musical theater. With a strong background in classical ballet, Emma has trained at Chicago Festival Ballet, Salt Creek Ballet and Northern Illinois University, and has since choreographed pieces for theater companies such as Wheaton Drama (Titanic the Musical, Peter and the Starcatcher), Bard in the Burbs (As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing), and Glenbard West Theater (Addams Family).