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Monday, 26 October 2026 12:27

The Front Theatre announces casting for the North American Premiere of Sap February 25 - March 27, 2027

L-R: Rileigh Belle Wine, Lily Gaddis, Jay Donley.

The Front Theatre announces casting for the North American premiere of Rafaella Marcus's highly acclaimed play Sap, directed by Charles Riffenburg. Sap is a timely and poetic thriller, in which a woman's lie to her girlfriend threatens to grow out of control when a man from her past uses it against her. Sap will be presented February 25 - March 27, 2027, at The Den Theatre, 1331 N Milwaukee Ave, in Chicago. 

Daphne is in love with a woman she calls her "Wonder Woman," the kind of love that she can't remember having ever experienced before. But when a one-night stand from her past shows up, she'll do anything to keep her secret from her girlfriend. Inspired by the Greek myth of Daphne and Apollo, Sap is a poetic and timely new play about passion, power, bisexual erasure, domestic violence, and the danger of hiding who you are.
 
The cast of Sap features Rileigh Belle Wine, Lily Gaddis, and Jay Donley.

Sap originally premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2022 to rave reviews, winning the Soho Playhouse Medal for Excellence in Theatre, the Summerhall Lustrum Award, and The Stage Edinburgh Award. After a sold-out run, the two-person production toured the United Kingdom, racking up more accolades and stellar reviews. The tour led to playwright Rafaella Marcus receiving the Most Promising New Playwright Award at the UK's 2024 Off West End Theatre Awards. Marcus is currently adapting the script for television. The Front Theatre's production marks the first time Sap has been produced and performed outside of the United Kingdom.
 
Sap is a brilliantly layered script," says director Charles Riffenburg. "It uses a Greek myth as a foundation to build a timely contemporary story about love, emotional disconnection, and toxic masculinity. The story explores the very real world circumstances of a bisexual woman not feeling fully welcome in either queer or straight spaces. This speaks to the way so many of us are yearning for real community and connection in a society that is trying to keep us online and separate."
 
The Front Theatre was formed around the idea that theatre could do more than it currently is to build community, and to encourage that community to push for social change. The mission of The Front is to confront patriarchal systems by recognizing the harm those systems do to not only women, but also queer people and men who do not fit an aggressive, hypermasculine stereotype. To date, The Front has put its philosophy into practice by holding a "community gathering" at Andersonville's Women & Children First bookstore and a "Get Out The Vote" mailing event in partnership with the Center for Common Ground at Loaves & Witches coffee shop. Sap is The Front's inaugural production. 
 
Tickets for Sap will go on sale in December at The Den Theatre box office or The Front Theatre's website. The performance schedule, February 25 through March 27, 2027, is as follows: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 3:00pm. All performances will take place at The Den Theatre, 1331 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago.

About The Artists
 
Rileigh Belle Wine (Daphne)
Rileigh Belle Wine's regional work includes Pride@Prejudice> as Elizabeth Bennet, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised] [Again] as Daniel, and Digging Up Dessa as Mary Anning at Summer Circle Theatre Company. Her Michigan State University credits include Othello as Desdemona, A Beautiful Day in November... as Cheesecake, After the Blast as Anna, and Much Ado About Nothing as Beatrice. Sap marks Reileigh's Chicago stage debut.
 
Lily Gaddis (Woman)
Lily Gaddis is an actress and comedian originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. Lily frequently performs in various sketch and improv shows at The Second City and iO Theatre, and her recent Chicago theatre credits include Steamworks: The Musical, Who Slaughtered Daddy Dearest?! (Annoyance), Snow White (CKC), and It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Jedlicka). Represented by Big Mouth Talent.
 
Jay Donley (Man)
Jay Donley has been fortunate enough to live and collaborate in Chicago since 2011. Originally hailing from Michigan, he received his early training at Eastern Michigan University. Since arriving in the city, he has enjoyed performing on stage, choreographing violence and intimacy as a founding member of Violent Delights, voice acting, directing, leading gangster tours, and occasionally making a fine chili. Jay has worked on productions all over the area with Music Theatre Works, The Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Yellow Rose, The College of DuPage, Paramount Theatre, Ghost Light Theatre, and more. He was most recently seen on stage in City Lit Theater's production of Shane.

Charles Riffenburg (director)
Charles Riffenburg is an actor, director, and visual artist. He is the founder and artistic director of The Front Theatre. Previously, he served as an Artistic Associate and Marketing Director at BoHo Theatre and the Marketing Manager at About Face Theatre. He made his Chicago directing debut with Veronica's Room at BoHo Theatre, which was Jeff Award-nominated for Outstanding Play and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play (Sarah Wellington). His directing credits also include Sara Ruhl's Eurydice and Jeffrey Hatcher's Scotland Road with BoHo. Additionally, he has worked throughout the Chicago theatre community as an independent graphic designer, illustrator, and marketing consultant for over 16 years, partnering with clients such as Northlight, Remy Bumppo, Marriott Theatre, The House Theatre, Emerald City Theatre, Chicago Fringe Festival, League of Chicago Theatres, Lifeline Theatre, and many more.

Rafaella Marcus (playwright)
Rafaella Marcus is an award-winning playwright turned screenwriter. Her debut play Sap was a breakout hit of the Edinburgh Fringe, winning the Soho Playhouse Medal for Excellence in Theatre, the Summerhall Lustrum Award, and The Stage Edinburgh Award. After sell-out runs at Paines Plough's Roundabout and London's Soho Theatre, Sap toured nationally, off the back of which Rafaella won Most Promising New Playwright at the UK's 2024 Off West End Theatre Awards. This year, Rafaella was announced as recipient of the Donmar's 2026 Theatre Royal Haymarket Writers' Award. Rafaella was previously selected as one of 10 playwrights on the UK's inaugural Women in Theatre Lab. She has also worked prolifically in theatre as a director and dramaturg, focusing on new writing and promoting marginalised voices. Rafaella is now adapting Sap for television, alongside developing a host of other projects for TV, film, and theatre.

SAP
By Rafaella Marcus
Directed by Charles Riffenburg
February 25 - March 27, 2027
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm , Sundays at 3 pm
The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
Tickets: $15-$35, available at The Den Theatre Box Office (1331 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago)
Online at thefronttheatre.com or thedentheatre.com

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