Local Theatre Mentors help Kids Save the Earth Sept. 28-Oct. 7

Tellin' Tales Theatre's Six Stories Up in Climate Change at Filament Theatre on North Milwaukee features six middle school apprentices and six adult mentors with and without disabilities including local northside mentor/performers Stephen Donart (back row, center) Tamara Rozofsky (front, far left), Robert Teverbaugh (back, second from right) and middle school apprentice Mickie Allegretti (front, second from right).

Students at an Alaskan summer camp discover a magical totem pole that holds the secrets to slowing down climate change. When a greedy developer levels the sacred relic, they must find a way to reconstruct it and save the earth. This often hilarious and moving musical, written by the cast, is peppered with personal stories about overcoming differences while they tackle different aspects of climate change.

The show runs weekends beginning Friday, September 28 through Sunday, October 7 at Filament Theatre, 4041 N. Milwaukee in Chicago. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students; the show is suitable for ages 9 and up.

For information and tickets visit www.tellintales.org. The September 29 show is sign language interpreted and audio described. For group rates, call 1-312-540-1330.

Stephen Donart is a mentor to 5th grader Tiernan Tajali of Grayslake and plays the character of Jim Beetle in Six Stories Up in Climate Change. He is special education teacher and theatre director, having directed many productions at Theatre on the Lake. He has a long association with Tellin' Tales Theatre and has been an adult mentor for their annual Six Stories Up productions for many years. This year he is also the co-writer of the final script along with Tellin' Tales Theatre artistic director Tekki Lomnicki. He is the husband of mentor Robert Teverbaugh.

Tamara Rozofsky is mentor to 5th grader Mickie Allegretti of Chicago and plays Mary Ann Baloni. She is a writer, teacher, performer and storyteller. She is a graduate of Second City sketch writing and conservatory programs and iO Theater's improvisation program. This is her sixth show with Tellin' Tales Theatre and the second with Six Stories Up. She is a former youth minister for the Diocese of San Francisco.

Apprentice Mickie Allegretti of William J. Onahan Elementary School plays the characters of Sammi and Christine Erika Frank. She has participated in many Shriners Hospitals for Children commercials. She plays trumpet and piano in the school band. Her mentor is Tamara Rozofsky. Erika L. Allegretti is Mickie's mom.

Robert Teverbaugh is mentor to Mary Pfaff of Hoffman Estates. A local realtor, he makes his first stage appearance in 20 years with this production! Previously, he played Aaron in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus and Belize in Angels in America with The Journeymen. He plays the character of Bear. Teverbaugh is the husband of mentor Stephen Donart.

The Mentoring Program:

Six Stories Up is an annual mentoring program developed by Tellin' Tales Theatre where middle school children and their mentors write and star in a full-length play with the theme changing every year. In June, storytellers were paired with middle school students with and without disabilities. Each team took on a different aspect of climate change and was given the mission to bring it to life while weaving in personal stories and insights about overcoming differences in their lives. In late July, Tellin' Tales artistic Director Tekki Lomnicki and Stephen Donart drafted a final script linking the six vignettes together into a cohesive final script; music and lyrics were added.

The Cast and Crew:

The cast and production team of Six Stories Up in Climate Change is an exciting mix of ethnicity and ability. They come from the city of Chicago and the suburbs. Mentors include Stephen Donart, Shannon Fox, Jack Gehringer, Tekki Lomnicki, Tamara Rozofsky and Robert Teverbaugh. Nancy Sosnowski has a cameo role. Apprentices include Mickie Allegretti, Tim Bannon, Mary Pfaff, Saleem Ross, Tiernan Tajalli and Dominika Tamley. Carl Ulaszek spearheads set design and composer Mike Przygoda created the original score. Tekki Lomnicki directed the production assisted by Sue Nunamaker and apprentice assistant Lee Buell.

About Tellin' Tales Theatre:

The mission of Tellin' Tales Theatre is to shatter barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds through the transformative power of personal story. Children and adults from both communities are brought together to share their stories in theatrically innovative productions and programs to promote awareness, understanding and acceptance.

Six Stories Up in Climate Change is the final production of Tellin' Tales Theatre's 22nd season.

The poster design is by David Lee Csicsko and photography is by Suzanne Metzel.