Stage Left Theatre Presents
October 25 - November 20, 2022
a new play by Dolores Díaz
MAN OF THE PEOPLE
directed by Anna C. Bahow

A charlatan doctor rises to power by peddling a radical remedy in the days before medical regulation in the U.S. Man of the People explores the U.S. love affair with charlatans and their existence in the space between symptom and cause of public folly.
MAN OF THE PEOPLE is inspired by the true story of John Brinkley, an American “doctor” that grew to notoriety for selling a cure for male impotence in the 1920s. Bolstered to fame through radio, Brinkley earned the adoration of many but made an enemy of Chicago’s Dr. Morris Fishbein, editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association who sought to hold him accountable for his quackery. Despite numerous attempts to thwart him, Brinkley wriggled away from consequence, creating his own reality, and announcing his political candidacy before the final showdown with Fishbein.
October 25 through November 20
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays @8pm; Sundays @2pm
A special performance on Monday, November 14, 2022
will feature the understudies of the production.
All performances at Chicago Dramatist - 1105 W. Chicago Ave, Chicago.
Featuring

Michael Peters (He/Him) is excited to work with Stage Left for the first time! Michael's notable credits including Rudge in THE HISTORY BOYS at TimeLine Theatre (Equity Jeff Awards for Best Production, Best Ensemble) and Cliff in CABARET with The Hypocrites (Non-Equity Jeff Award for Best Production). He is also a co-founder of Chicago-based The New Coordinates where he is proud to serve as Associate Artistic Director. He's performed in several TNC productions including PSYCHONAUT LIBRARIANS, ME

Joan Nahid (Minnie) is delighted to work with Stage Left Theatre for the first time. Joan is an Iranian Chicago-based actor, writer and voice artist. Her Chicago credits include: Antigone (Redtwist Theatre), The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe (Oak Park Festival Theatre), Kiss (Haven Theatre), Tango (Trap Door Theatre), The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe (First Folio Theatre), The Locketeer (Trap Door Theatre), The House of Bernarda Alba (Saint Sebastian Players), The Malta Play (Artemisia Theatre), Th

Shawn Smith is an accomplished multi-hyphenate that thrives in the art of storytelling. Actor, writer, singer, composer, musician, producer, these words define the artistic being known as Shawn Smith. Since he was a child he has performed in various theatrical plays and musicals throughout the Midwest and Los Angeles, CA; Tyrone in Fame, Black in Fahrenheit 451, Simeon in Joseph and the Technicolor DreamCoat, and Ernst in Spring Awakening, to name a few. Shawn has studied at various institutions

Robert is happy to be working with the good people at Stage Left. He recently appeared in MIDDLE PASSAGE for Lifeline Theatre and HAMLET for Invictus Theatre. He is an ensemble member with Broken Nose Theatre, where he appeared in LABYRINTH and HUMAN TERRAIN. Other credits include CASA VAENTINA for Pride Films and Plays, A DICKENS CAROL for Madison Street Theatre, FUN HARMLESS WARMACHINE for The New Coordinates, PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY for Strawdog, THE WOMAN IN BLACK for Wildclaw

Andrew Bosworth is a relative newcomer to Chicago, not long ago having received his MFA from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory in Sarasota, FL. You may have seen him recently in Redtwist's Antigone or Glass Apple’s Dracula. He spent a couple of summers at Festival 56 (roles included Puck, Gomez Addams), and several years in Austin, TX (Iago, Cyrano, Bobby). He is currently working toward teacher certification with the International Demidov Association, and will be one of four people in the world train

Sandy is thrilled to be working with Stage Left Theatre for the first time. Some of her favorite roles include Woman in "Now and Then", Clairee in "Steel Magnolias", Aunt Gert in "Lost in Yonkers", First Lady Julia Grant in "Democracy", 14 different women in "Orwell Down and Out", Jackie in "Hot L Baltimore", and several roles in the world premiere of "The Grapes of Wrath" at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Sandy is also extremely honored to have played Nurse Bethany in the independent feature fi
Understudies: TBA
Production Team
Assist. Director/ Stage Manager:
Kyle Aschbrenner*
Production Manager: Eric Cope
Lighting Designer:Ellie Humphrys
Costume Designer: Andrés Mota
Intimacy Designer: Charlie Baker
Sound Designer: Hannah Foerschler
Technical Director / Scenic Designer:
Jonathan Berg-Einhorn
Dramaturg: TBA
Artistic Director: Bobbi Masters
*Ensemble Member †Stage Left Artistic Associate ^Stage Left Staff