Sorry! Wrong Chimney! |
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John Marsaglia |
Sterling Wynn Aric Huettemann |
Abby Hougas |
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Leo W. Sears, CFEE. Leo has four plays published with the Samuel French imprint of Concord Theatricals: Sorry! Wrong Chimney!, 100 Lunches: A Gourmet Comedy and Star on the Door were co-written with the prolific late Jack Sharkey. Borderline Crazies was his solo work.
He has directed 65 plays and produced 90 in high school theater, community theater and dinner theater. He was founder/owner of Metro Playhouse, dinner theater company from 1985 - 1992. Retired in 2001 after 25 1/2 years as high school teacher in theater and English. He has acted on stage and screen (in both movies and commercials). Graduated from Arizona State University in 1975 with a B Ed in Communication Arts with emphasis in Theater. Honored in Who's Who Among Colleges and Universities. Twice wounded Vietnam-era Marine. Founder/Owner/Executive Director of Big Island Film Festival in Hawaii from 2006 to 2016. He is a Certified Festival and Events Executive with IFEA. Currently living in Iowa City, IA.

Jack Sharkey (1931-1992) was born on May 6, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois. He began writing when he was 10 years old. He graduated from college with a BA in Creative Writing and taught school from 1953 to 1955. In mid-1955, Mr. Sharkey enlisted in the Army, serving at Sandia Base, New Mexico as a special services worker. He wrote, produced and directed one show per month for the Enlisted Men's Club.
In 1958, Mr. Sharkey went to New York to begin a full-time freelance writing career. He wrote science fiction stories and novels, humor articles and mystery novels. In 1961, he returned to Chicago, where he worked as joke editor for Playboy Magazine before serving as editor of the Allstate Insurance Company Magazine from 1964-75.
Mr. Sharkey wrote his first stage comedy in 1965. At the end of 1975, he went exclusively into playwriting, which he continued until a few months before his death. He has 83 published plays written under his own name and four others - Rick Abbot, Monk Ferris, Mark Chandler and Mike Johnson. Mike Johnson wrote only stage thrillers. All the other plays are comedies and/or musicals. The plays are performed all around the world. Mr. Sharkey died of cancer on September 28, 1992.
Northern Illinois Foodbank
Help Morris Theatre Guild Provide Groceries to our Neighbors Facing Hunger this Holiday Season!
Morris Theatre Guild will be collecting donations for Northern Illinois Food Bank as part of our holiday show, "Sorry, Wrong Chimney!"
For every $10 donated, the Food Bank can provide $80 of the most-needed groceries to the people facing hunger in our neighborhoods.
Use the link below to make a credit card donation or see a volunteer tonight to make a cash or check donation
https://support.solvehungertoday.org/give/f6766140/#!/donation/checkout
Providing food for our neighbors throughout Northern Illinois.
At Northern Illinois Food Bank, we focus on delivering food and healthy eating services to the Northern Illinois community. As part of the national Feeding America network, we serve our neighbors in 13 counties by providing 250,000 meals per day.
Where We Serve and Our Locations
Northern Illinois Food Bank serves our neighbors in 13 counties.
Boone County, DeKalb County, DuPage County,
Grundy County, Kane County, Kankakee County,
Kendall County, Lake County, McHenry County,
Ogle County, Stephenson County, Will County,
Winnebago County
We have distribution centers in 4 locations across Northern Illinois.
If you need assistance please visit our Joliet location.
- South Suburban Center – Joliet
- 171 South Larkin Avenue
Joliet, IL 60436
Phone: 815.846.1041
- 171 South Larkin Avenue
AUDITIONS
One of the great benefits that community theatre provides is the opportunity for people of all backgrounds to take their spot in the limelight. It doesn’t matter if you have previously graced the stage with your acting prowess, dabbled in acting way back in high school, or if local live theatre is on your “bucket list” – MTG has a role for you and auditions are a great place to start!
All are welcome, so bring your friends, neighbors, and any local natives that will fit in your car. Throughout the year, MTG puts on productions from comedies to musicals and dramas, and the available roles are just as diverse.
Our current audition opportunities are listed below and we invite you to join us for one – or all – of our shows! You will find being part of our community theatre family will provide you with the acting experience that feeds your aspirations and provides an experience of working with a tight-knit group that pulls together to “break a leg” on stage!
Steel Magnolias
Show Dates: March 13-22, 2026
Audition Dates: Jan 4th 2:00-4:30 & Jan 5th 6:30-8:30
6 Female roles
Leaving Iowa
Show Dates: May 15-24,2026
Audition dates: Feb 22 @ 2:00-4:30 & 6- 7:30pm
Casting six to eight (6-8) roles, three to four (3-4) men and three to four (3-4) women. No roles are precast, and all roles are open. All backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities are encouraged to attend!
For more information please visit our website at: www.morristheatreguild.org/auditions or email us at infor@morristheatreguild.org
Cast
Upcoming Show
Show Dates: March 13-22, 2026
Friday & Saturday shows are at 7:30 pm and Sunday shows @ 2:30pm
The action is set in Truvy’s beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies who are “anybody” come to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon, Ouiser, ("I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a bad mood for forty years"); an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M’Lynn, whose daughter, Shelby (the prettiest girl in town), is about to marry a “good ole boy.” Filled with hilarious repartee and not a few acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions, the play moves toward tragedy when, in the second act, the spunky Shelby (who is a diabetic) risks pregnancy and forfeits her life. The sudden realization of their mortality affects the others, but also draws on the underlying strength—and love—which give the play, and its characters, the special quality to make them truly touching, funny and marvelously amiable company in good times and bad.

Show Dates: May 15-24, 2026
Friday & Saturday shows are at 7:30 pm and Sunday shows @ 2:30pm
Don Browning, a middle-aged writer, who returns home and decides to finally take his father's ashes to his childhood home, as requested. But when Don discovers Grandma's house is now a grocery store, he begins traveling across Iowa searching for a proper resting place for his father. This father-and-son road trip shifts smoothly from the present to Don's memories of the annual, torturous vacations of his childhood. Don's existential journey leads him to reconcile his past and present at the center of the United States.
Creative Team
Cheryl Crisman
Brian Pross
Rebecca West
Support the Arts Donors
SUPPORT THE ARTS!
LEVELS OF SUPPORT
| Stage Hand | $0.01 | $99.99 | |
| Actor | $100.00 | $249.99 | |
| Director | $250.00 | $499.99 | |
| Producer | $500.00 | AND UP |
Our Donors, Thank you for your support!
Stage Hands:
| Arlene | Kaminski |
| Barbara | Nielsen |
| Becky | Scaman |
| Bruce | Jones |
| Charlyn | Gowler |
| Christina | Van Yperen |
| Diana | Jenkins |
| Diana | Wynn |
| Eric | Johnston |
| Gina | Carrier |
| Jacob | Roller |
| Krystal | Olivier |
| Kylie | Atkins |
| Lisa | Bruno |
| Margaret | Marsaglia |
| Melinda | Hogan |
| Nicole | Schaeffer |
| Paul | Page |
| Robert | Marsaglia |
| Victoria | Szczypkowski |
Actor:
| Karen | Marsaglia |
Producer:
| Forrest | McCormack |
Acknowledgements
The Morris Theatre Guild thanks the following for their contributions to this production:
Paul Crisman, Wendy Hougas, Sarah Crisman,
Alethia DeHaan, Zoe DeHaan,
The Hideout Two
Directors Note:
As a first time Director I have been blessed to have the best team around that truly has made this an amazing experience. Their hard work and dedication made this all possible. I have received unwavering support from my family as I have been on this endeavor. I am proud to present this light-hearted show that will hopefully make you forget about this crazy world for the evening. Thank you!
Cheryl Crisman
Meet the Company
Corri Rogan
Corri is excited to be back on the stage again with such a funny cast. She wants to thank her family, friends, and the crew for their support. Happy holidays and enjoy the show!
Colleen Stroup
Colleen Stroup is excited to be returning to the Morris Theatre Guild stage. They first began acting in MTG's 2012 production of Miracle Worker, and has since appeared in several of productions. Most recently, Colleen played the role of Uzo in Godspell and was part of the MTG radio show It's A Wonderful Life. In their free time, they enjoy reading, art, and spending time with friends and family.
Tony Pethtel
Tony would like to thank all of you for coming out to see Morris Theater Guilds production of Sorry Wrong Chimney and would like to extend a special thank you to his loving sister Abby for joining him on the stage for her first time so please laugh as loud as you can and enjoy.
John Marsaglia
John is thrilled to be back on the MTG stage this holiday season playing the role of the arrogant, yet loyal neighbor William (a.k.a. Bill). John's past credits include serving as the director of Morris Theatre Guild's fall production of The Great Beyond, playing the role of Stine in On Clover Road (MTG) and as Ed's Father in And Then They Came for Me (MTG).
Originally from Coal City, John has spent the better part of the last decade in southern California where he earned his master’s degree from Chapman University’s prestigious film school. John has produced and directed various projects ranging from music videos for Grammy Award winning artists, short and feature films, and online branded content. In his spare time, John can be found watching as many movies as humanely possible as well as complaining about his favorite Chicago sports teams. Just ask him, he.’ll tell you all about it.
Sterling Wynn
Sterling studied Theatre at Eureka College, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. While there, he took part in several of the college’s theater productions, most notably playing Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night and Chuck Biggs in a student-led production of She Kills Monsters, for which he was nominated for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. He was also part of the ensemble in Minooka Community High School’s productions of West Side Story and Les Misérables. Currently, Sterling is furthering his studies by taking classes at Acting Studio Chicago and The Second City in the hopes of getting into voiceover.
Abby Hougas
This is Abby’s acting debut and she wants to thank you all for coming to see the show! She wants to thank her brother for forcing her to audition! She is very excited to try something new out of her comfort zone.
Aric Huettemann
Aric Huettemann is excited for his first ever production on the Morris Theatre Guild's stage! Aric has acted throughout high school and into college, with his most recent show being "Machinal" by Sophie Treadwell at Joliet Junior College. Aric is thrilled to be a part of this show and is grateful to have met such wonderful cast members from around the area.
Cheryl Crisman
Brian Pross
Rebecca West
Photos
LOCAL COMMUNITY THEATRE'S
Support other Local Theaters
Engle Lane Theatre:
Stage 212:
Joliet Drama Guild:
https://www.thejolietdramaguild.com/
Plainfield Arts Community Theatre:














