Shane
main photo by Steven Townshend, Distant Era, design James Sparling, Lexographic
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“a compelling story.... strong performances...a sincere exploration of positive masculinity”
““A Classic Western With A Fresh Perspective... Shane has all the hallmarks of a classic Western. If you love the genre, this is a chance to see one of its familiar stories take a new form on stage.”
World Premiere Adaptation of the classic Western
by Jack Schaefer
Adapted and directed by Artistic Associate Mark Pracht
August 21 – October 4, 2026
Runtime: 95 mins (including intermission)
Shane, a mysterious stranger, shows up at the Starrett homestead in the Wyoming Territory in 1889. Though he seems to be hiding a dangerous past, he’s offered a job as a farm hand and settles in with the Starretts: Joe, his wife Marian, and his son Bob, our narrator. When Joe refuses to sell his land to open range rancher Fletcher, it sets up a deadly showdown that alters the fates of everyone involved.
World Premiere
Production photographs
by Steven Townshend, Distant Era
Cast
(if viewing on your phone, click on image and then click on white dot for bios)
Crew
Mark Pracht (Director/Playwright) has proudly worked in the Chicago theatre community for over 20 years, as an actor, playwright and director. As a playwright, City Lit presented his series on the history of the comic book industry, The Mark of Kane, The Innocence of Seduction (which he also directed), and The House of Ideas (Non-Equity Jeff nomination for Best New Work). As an actor, he is best remembered for his performance as Harlan “Mountain” McClintock in Requiem for a Heavyweight (The Artistic Home), for which he received the 2019 Non-Equity Jeff Award for Performance in a Principal Role. You can find out more at mark-pracht.com. I dedicate this show, and all I do, to CByrd, who continues to make my heart sing with her strength and courage. I see this world through your eyes, my love, and it is a joyous place.
Courtney Abbott (Intimacy Director) (they/she) Chicago: Deserted, ‘Night Mother, Agnes of God, Wolves (Redtwist), As You Like It (Midsommer Flight); Book of Will (Promethean); TwelfthNight (OPFT); Glassheart (City Lit); the love object (The Story); In His Hands (First Floor); Lavender Men (About Face). Education: MFA, Ohio University; BS, Northwestern. Courtney is a Stakeholder in the Back Room Shakespeare Project. @backroomshakes CourtneyAbbott.com
Jeremiah Barr (Scenic Designer) is very excited to be working with the City Lit gang and the Shane team. Some of his past credits include Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Clowns (scenic design), RUR (scenic design), Glassheart (scenic design), Night of the Hunter (scenic design) with City Lit Theatre; Strange Cargo (props/puppet design)with Black Button Eyes; Book of Will (props design) with Promethean Theatre Ensemble; Uncle Vanya (scenic/props design), The Pillowman (scenic/props design) with AstonRep Productions.
Leigh Barrett (Assistant Director) has been in Chicago stage managing, directing, and designing lights since 1989, working with companies such as Irish Theatre of Chicago, Bailiwick Repertory, Stage Left Theatre (Member Emeritus), Plasticene, Strawdog, Oak Park Festival Theatre, and City Lit. She acted as Artistic Director for Babes With Blades Theatre Company from 2011 - 2015, where she directed The Double, Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates, 180 Degree Rule, Patchwork Drifter, and The Invisible Scarlet O’Neil.
Jeff Brain (Props Design) is a Chicago-area designer and performer that is excited to work on another show with City Lit. His previous props designs at City Lit includes The House of Ideas and The Innocence of Seduction. His recent work includes scenic designs for Native Gardens (Theatre Evolve) and Mr. Burns (UW-Parkside, Kenosha WI). See his upcoming work as Scenic Designer for Prayer Circle (Redtwist) this fall.
Josiah Croegaert (he/him; Lighting Design) CHICAGO: Jesus Hopped The A Train (City Lit) Honeypot (Fleetwood Jourdain), Pro-Am (First Floor), Mothers (The Gift), Sondheim Tribute Review, Baked!, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Theo Ubique), Last Hermanos (Red Orchid) CO-DESIGN: The Heart Sellers (Northlight), Falsettos (Court), Topdog/Underdog (Invictus). REGIONAL: Young Frankenstein, Every Christmas Story, Cabaret (Breckenridge). Graduate of Columbia College Chicago 2021. josiahcrodesign.com
Mateo Gutierrez (Production Manager) is so excited to work with City Lit on their production of Shane. Past credits include Every Brilliant Thing (APM/ ALD), Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson APT 2B (PSM), SpongeBob the Musical (PSM), Carousel with Music Theatre Works (Assistant Stage Manager), and No Man’s Sky with Steppenwolf (Electrics Intern). He’s so glad to have worked with such an amazing team as he stepped into the role of production manager.
Becca Holloway (Casting Director) (she/her) is thrilled to have cast this amazing team! Casting Credits (Selected): Scaramouche (City Lit Theater), Indoor Cats, Hamlet, The Pilon, The Seagull (Red Theater), Wise Guys, Party At The Pantheon, Die Hard 4 Your Luv (Factory Theater), Romeo And Juliet, Love's Labour's Lost (Midsommer Flight). Aside from her work as a director and casting director, Becca is also the curator of the monthly Readings at Red series to help support and develop new plays written by Chicago local playwrights. Much love as always to CWW. IG: bwaybexy
Beth Laske-Miller (Costume Designer) previously worked with City Lit on Strange Cargo, RUR, House of Ideas, Innocence of Seduction, and Fuente Ovejuna. Other credits include Mary Rose, Nightmares & Nightcaps (Jeff Nom 2019), Shockheaded Peter (Jeff Award winner 2018), Goblin Market, and Coraline with Black Button Eyes and I Promised Myself to Live Faster (Jeff Award winner 2024) A Fine Feathered Murder (Jeff Award winner 2023)and L’Imitation of Life with Hell In a Handbag.
Michael Lesko (Stage Manager) (he/him) Michael’s first production with City Lit Theatre. Recent stage management credits include The Trojan Women (Eos Theatre), Bat Boy The Musical (Stage Wright), and Lyn Knottage’s Sweat (Loop Players) He has worked various roles throughout his career as an actor, sound designer, and stage carpenter. He wants to thank his family and friends for their endless support, and you all for coming to see our production of Shane.
G. “Max” Maxin IV (Projection Design) (he/him) has created over 300 designs on over 200 professional & educational productions. He is a proud member of the United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE. Max has won 2 Non-Equity Jeff Awards (Lighting - Jekyll & Hyde @ Kokandy & Projections - Angels in America @ Invictus), a Lou Award (Lighting - Into the Woods @ Big Noise), and 3 Equity & 9 additional Non-Equity Jeff nominations. Max spent 2 summers designing lighting for the touring opera company La Musica Lirica (Novafeltria, Italy). ivMaxin.com
R&D Choreography (Violence Design) is Victor Bayona (he/him) and Rick Gilbert (he/him). R&D was founded in 1997 for the purpose of improving the power and effectiveness of Chicago area theatre through the art of violence design – choreographing better fights for better shows. We have designed violence for nearly four hundred productions and films. Our work has been seen at dozens of Chicago area theatres, including Backroom, Chicago Opera Theatre, Citadel, Factory, Goodman, Haven, Lifeline, Lookingglass, Metropolis, Oil Lamp, The Paramount, Piven, Steep, Steppenwolf, TUTA, and Theo.
Jim Terry (Projection Artwork) is a Ho-Chunk writer and illustrator who’s called Chicago his home for thousands of years. His memoir Come Home, Indio was nominated for the LA Bookprize as well as the Ignatz, and his recent visual essay Paper Cuts, based on his residency at the Newberry Library, is currently being taught in several schools. He’s illustrated for Marvel, Heavy Metal, Dark Horse, and several other publications over the years and when he’s not drawing comics he is writing spooky stories or making cheesy horror films. Find him at www.woundedbutdangerous.com
Petter Wahlbäck (Sound Design) is an award-winning Swedish composer/sound designer mainly for media and the performing arts. Over the years, he has written music for numerous films, dance performances, and theater productions. He also teaches music theory and composition at Columbia College, Chicago. Among his sound design credits are Superior Donuts, Hedda Gabler, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, Witch, Dying for It (Jeff Nominated), The Pavillion (Jeff Award Nominated), Eurydice, Requiem for a Heavyweight (Jeff Winner), By the Bog of Cats, Ada and the Engine, and Vanya on the Plains, (Artistic Home), Changing Channels, Glassheart, House of Ideas, The Night of the Hunter, Innocence of Seduction, The Mark of Kane (CityLit), Angels in America, The Winter’s Tale, Macbeth (all three Jeff Nominated), Network, Three Sisters, Topdog/Underdog, The Crucible, Julius Caesar (Invictus).
Reviews
‘Shane’ Is A Classic Western With A Fresh Perspective
Alli Doubek August 30, 2026, Entertaining Chicago
A classic Western tale of loyalty and family, Shane makes its world premiere on stage, transporting audiences to 1889 Wyoming with rugged characters, a mysterious hero, and a young narrator who sees the adventure through very different eyes.
Ever since the Western genre became popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it has been a major part of American storytelling. We have hugely successful television shows and films, although, surprisingly, the genre has been somewhat lacking on the stage. There is Annie Get Your Gun and Oklahoma!, but it is a genre that could use more exploration.
Shane is about a mysterious man who shows up at the Starrett homestead in a Wyoming territory in 1889 and is just passing through. While there, Joe Starrett offers him a job as a farmhand. Shane clearly has a past that he is hiding, but he is a good worker, and Joe’s son, Bob, and wife, Marian, take to him just as Joe does. When open-range rancher Fletcher tells Joe to sell him his farm, Shane and Joe instead choose to defend the land with consequences.
Based on the 1949 novel by Jack Schaefer and adapted and directed by Artistic Associate Mark Pracht, this is the world premiere of Shane at City Lit Theater Company, and it is a western through and through.
Clad in leather vests, cowboy hats, striped shirts, and overalls, each of the adult men in this show carries themselves with their defenses up and has only rare moments of vulnerability. The story is serious, with real threats to families’ livelihoods and locals’ lives.
What sets this show apart, though, is that it is narrated by Bob, the Starretts’ son. Completely taken with Shane from the moment he lays eyes on him, Bob (played by charming Bruce Holtman) keeps the audience abreast of what is happening while bringing an unexpected sense of levity to the high-stakes drama around him. As an adolescent, he sees Shane and the events around him with a naivete that makes many of his lines particularly funny.
The stage feels rustic, with the front structure of a wooden house, wooden tables and chairs, flannel cakes for breakfast, and a wooden saloon in town. A screen at the back of the stage displays everything from the house window with the setting sun to fencing on the property, two men cutting down a tree stump, the silhouette of a man with smoke tendrils rising into the air, and more. Together, the rustic set and detailed projections create a fully realized Wyoming landscape.
The cast is solid, led by a fierce Michael B. Woods as Shane, a gentle protector in Josh Odor as Joe, and a strong but feminine energy in Whitney Minarik as Marian. And although the Starretts don’t seem to mind his mysterious past, the question of who Shane really is — and whether Shane is even his real name — lingers throughout the production as he fights for the people and land he has come to care about.
With stage combat, gunshots, a mysterious stranger, and a fight for the land they call home, Shane has all the hallmarks of a classic Western. If you love the genre, this is a chance to see one of its familiar stories take a new form on stage.
Shane runs for approximately 1 hour 35 minutes including a 10-minute intermission. It is suitable for ages 10 and up.
City Lit’s Shane saddles up a classic western with fresh heart
Written by Angelo Campos, Buzz Center Stage, August 30, 2026
City Lit Theater’s world premiere of Shane, adapted for the stage and directed by Mark Pracht, brings a fresh, nostalgic perspective to Jack Schaefer’s classic novel - a story immortalized by Alan Ladd in the memorable 1953 film. Pracht, who has been developing this piece since the 2000s, crafts the adaptation as a heartfelt tribute to his own father and grandfather. The result is a sincere exploration of positive masculinity, celebrating men who stand by their virtues and protect others, even at great personal cost.
Set in the Wyoming Territory in the 1880s, the story kicks into gear when Shane, a quiet, mysterious stranger carrying the weight of a dangerous past, rides onto the homestead of Joe Starrett. Seeing something noble in the newcomer, Joe offers him a job as a farm hand, inviting him into his home and introducing him to his wife Marian and young son Bob. But the family’s peaceful routine is threatened by an escalating battle over land. Fletcher, a ruthless local cattle baron, wants to drive out the homesteaders at all costs, even hiring a killer to instigate a final conflict.
The narrative shines primarily through the eyes of young Bob, played warmly by Bruce Holtman. Spying on Shane at every opportunity, Bob serves as our window into understanding this complex, high-stakes frontier world. Narrating much of the action, Holtman skillfully transitions from an energetic, shy, and wide-eyed child into a mature observer. He injects a sense of humor into the production, as his younger self observes the adult world without always understanding the subtext. Through Bob’s perspective, the story taps into the beloved western's classic father-son overtones. He sees the mysterious stranger as the tough, capable man he wants to become, while Shane’s genuine kindness toward the boy shows that despite a dark past, he is capable of taking him under his wing.
Michael B. Woods gives a strong performance as Shane, maintaining a jaded, guarded viewpoint that slowly softens. He gives the titular character a needed complexity as he wrestles with his past and rediscovers himself. Woods also executes the stage combat with convincing physical precision.
The ensemble also gives strong performances. Josh Odor plays Joe Starrett, with a steady, kind masculinity. He is stoic, hard-working, and fiercely devoted to his family, yet far from weak; in Shane, he finds a true blood brother who is willing to stand beside him in the fight against Fletcher's greed. Whitney Minarik plays the wife, Marian, with equal skill, portraying a stern woman who may be a little bit of a fish out of water in the frontier, but who manages regardless. Minarik handles the character's complex emotional landscape well, navigating a subtle romantic pull toward Shane.
Adapting a western presents production challenges, and yet, the play manages a compelling story. In a contemporary landscape where masculine energy is often framed negatively, this tale highlights what it means to be a man of integrity: placing the needs of others first and standing up for what is right despite fear. As Shane famously notes, "A gun is a tool. No better and no worse than any other tool.” In that same spirit, Shane learns to see himself as more than the past he ran from. By choosing to protect a family and a home he cares about, his ultimate victory on stage allows us, much like Bob, to recognize our own capacity for growth and virtue. City Lit’s Shane is earnest, capable entry for anyone looking to step into the Wild West for an evening.
