The HELP WANTED signs are out in full force right now at Chicago area theatres. And while that statement probably got the hopeful hearts racing of pretty much every aspiring actor, designer and behind-the-scenes person reading this column, all the positions I'm talking about are at the management level. A recent Behind the Curtain reported that Light Opera Works is looking for an artistic director to replace Lara Teeter. But that's not the only opening to be filled this year.  Resumes should be pouring in to our post offices and theatre headhunters will be lining up people for interviews throughout the Windy City and its near environs as companies ponder the perfect people to fill their newly vacated or newly created leadership posts.

Both Court Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company are on the prowl for new executive directors. Jacqueline Russell will be cleaning out her office in the Water Tower Water Works at the end of November. She is ending a seven-year tenure at the helm of the company. She plans to focus on children's theatre and will continue to advise Lookingglass and teach students with autism through Lookingglass Drama Residency program at Agassiz Elementary School. Court's Executive Director Dianne Claussen has resigned her post at the south side theatre to take over as managing director at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. The move marks a return to the East Coast for Claussen who managed the George Street Playhouse in the Garden State through much of the 90's. (Do you suppose this gives her a special affinity for Bon Jovi or a greater appreciation of Zach Braff's new movie?). [More on the ED shuffle.]

Next Theatre Company is also on the lookout for a new managing director. The company recently received a $25,000 salary support grant from the Chicago Community Foundation to hire someone full-time. The new hire will mark the first time in the company's history that it has had paid artistic and managing directors working in tandem. This comes on the heels of the company's happy news it ended its fiscal year up nearly 20 per cent. This success made it possible for Next to pay off a $30,000 debt for backrent in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center to the City of Evanston a year ahead of schedule.

Next is one of many Chicago area companies saying "Bonjour!" to French theatre this fall when Playing French: Chicago's First Festival of Contemporary Plays From France comes to the city. In October and November various Chicago-area theatre companies will present full performances and salon-style English translation readings of contemporary French and French-speaking playwrights. Scheduled productions include European Repertory Company's The Warriors, by Phillipe Minyana; Wing and Groove's How to Explain the History of Communists to Mental Patients, by Matei Visniec and Piccolo Theatre's Climbing the Volcano, by Victor Haim. Minyana's Rooms will be performed by The Theatre School at DePaul University and acclaimed French director Jean Luc-Lagarce will see TUTA perform his Rules for Good Manners in the Modern World. Visniec and Haim also have second plays in the festival as their The Body of A Woman as a Battlefield in the Bosnia War and Stage Combat will be read at Steppenwolf and the Chicago Cultural Center respectively. All the playwrights mentioned here will be in Chicago for a portion of the festival and will participate in discussions with the audience. Ooh la la! Admission is free. For more information, visit www.PlayingFrench.org.

I wouldn't usually be so bold as to make comedy suggestions to the folks at Mad-TV, but maybe the writers should think about using Keegan-Michael Key as a Frenchman now that he's signed on as a regular cast member for next season's 22 episodes. Can't you just hear him doing a contemporary take on Inspector Clouseau? (You know the sketch comedy show's scribes read this column for ideas all the time!).

In other people news, Dan Griffiths is heading out west to Dell Arte International School of Physical Theatre to take an MFA. He'll leave KAPOOT and LID Productions in the hands of new artistic director Jim Williams.

We're not just losing people to other places, though. We've got people switching jobs right here in the city and even some new additions have heard the siren song of Chicago's stage community. Bill Pacholski is the new Operations Director at Vittum Theatre. He joins the company for its first in-house season of works for young audiences. He had been member services manager at the League of Chicago Theatres since Feb. 2001. Thad Engle is the new technical assistant at DePaul Theatre School, replacing Benjamin Cohen. He moved here for Vero Beach, Florida, with his wife, Becca, who is an Equity actress. Sarah O'Hanlon has left the Chicago Humanities Festival to join Carol Fox & Associates as a publicity account executive. O'Hanlon's clients will include the Chicago International Film Festival, Lookingglass Theatre Company and the Beverly Arts Center of Chicago. Stage Left's new literary manager is LaRonika Thomas. The company starts its 23rd season this September with The (W)hole Thing by local playwright John Green.

Want to see your name or your theatre company's moniker in bold print?
If you have news or announcements for Behind the Curtain e-mail Jenn at jqgoddu@sbcglobal.net.

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