WildClaw Theatre Welcomes New Artistic Director, Managing Director for 8th Season

WildClaw Theatre is excited to announce big changes for the future of Chicago Horror Theatre.

Going into its 8th season, WildClaw Theatre is pleased to introduce its new Artistic Director and Managing Director: Josh Zagoren and Moira Begale. Zagoren will be taking over for Aly Renee Amidei as Artistic Director and Begale will be taking over for Brian Amidei as Managing Director. Aly Renee Amidei is stepping down as Artistic Director to join the faculty of UNCC as an Assistant Professor of Costume Design. Both Aly and Brian will remain with WildClaw as company members, helping to oversee the transition and contributing artistically as writers and adapters of future work. Joining the company as well will be four new artists: Krista D'Agostino, Sarah D. Espinoza, Norine McGrath and Christopher Walsh. The new leadership officially began on July 1st, 2015.

Since its inception in 2007, WildClaw Theatre has produced ten Chicago horror premieres, and commissioned six adaptations, including the critically lauded and audience favorite, Carmilla, based on Sheridan Le Fanu's gothic 1871 novella adapted by Aly Renee Amidei. Most recently, WildClaw produced the theatrical horror anthology, Motel 666, which commissioned eight of the Midwest's most exciting playwrights to write original horror tales with the one constant of all plays being set in the same rundown motel room. Such artistic achievements have solidified WildClaw as one of the leaders of Horror Theatre in the Midwest. "We look forward to building on past artistic successes and continuing to keep our nightmares alive in Chicago," remarks current Managing Director, Moira Begale.

WildClaw is currently curating its 8th annual evening of radio horror plays Deathscribe (December 7th 2015 at Mayne Stage Chicago) .

WildClaw Theatre brings the world of horror to the stage. We attract an audience craving strange journeys of dread, suspense, terror and wonder: Horror Theatre. The name "WildClaw" pays homage to the late, great Chicago actor, writer, and raconteur -- the much loved and missed Ray Wild, otherwise known as "The Claw".

Josh Zagoren has been a writer/actor in Chicago since 2006, performing in four WildClaw productions (LEGION, CARMILLA, SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH and recently the 2015 remount of THE REVENANTS). He is also the host of WildClaw's DEATHSCRIBE series as well as performing every Saturday as Chad the Bird of The Paper Machete at Chicago's Historic Green Mill Lounge.

Moira Begale is a producer/actor in Chicago with a double major in Acting and Theater Management from ISU; Moira has also trained in Meisner at Black Box Acting. She has performed with several theater companies in Chicago including WildClaw's production of Carmilla. Outside of the acting world she has produced many corporate events and independent short films. This summer/fall she will be performing in The Factory Theater's production of Zombie Broads and will be directing for OtherWorld's Sci-Fi/Fantasy Theatre Festival-Paragon.

For more information on WildClaw Theatre, visit www.wildclawtheatre.com.