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Angela Lin is a nonprofit communications professional based in Chicago. During her time at the University of Michigan where she majored in English, she served as a copy editor at the Michigan Daily and also wrote for art[seen], reviewing arts events on or near campus. After college and during COVID, she returned home to Dayton, OH, where she volunteered as an usher with Dayton Live for four seasons, working hundreds of shows, from Broadway tours to Dayton Philharmonic concerts to comedy shows to Dayton Contemporary Dance Company performances and much more.

As a longtime theatre fan, Angela is excited to explore and immerse herself in the thriving Chicago arts community after moving to the city in 2026. She works in the progressive organizing space and loves to write about politics, the arts, and especially how all art is political.

Emily Werner is a theatre critic and administrator located in Chicago, IL. Originally from Ohio, she holds a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration from the University of Connecticut and a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Music from the University of Toledo. Her professional experience includes internships with Lookingglass Theatre Company and Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and positions at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Auditorium and Lyric Opera. Along with BroadwayWorld Chicago, you will also find her writings on Splash Magazines Worldwide and Third Coast Reviews.

In addition to her writing and administrative work, Emily serves as a Marketing and Audience Engagement Committee board member of Porchlight Young Professionals. Deeply passionate about the performing arts and the city of Chicago, she is committed to expanding access to the arts and helping audiences discover the transformative value of creativity.

Lauren Sheely (she/her) is a chronically ill dancemaker, dramaturg, and arts professional from Chicago, IL. Her works centers on exploring the bodily manifestations of invisible illness and finding joy in all manners of movement. Lauren is a co-facilitator for the weekly Inclusive Dance Workshop series and collective member and regular collaborator with Unfolding Disability Futures. Select dance works include: And Yet We Are Here (Dancer, 2026, 2023), Monitrice Sway (Dancer, 2024), Close/Across (Dancer/Audio Describer, 2022), and Ti(c)k To(c)k (Choreographer, 2022). She also regularly collaborates with TimeLine Theatre. Lauren has previously reviewed both theatre and dance for the Chicago Stage Standard, and has written for the Performance Response Journal. She holds a BA in Theatre and Performance Studies from Grinnell College and an MA in the Humanities with a Concentration in Performance Studies from the University of Chicago, where her research focused on choreographic practices for physically integrated dance making.

Rachel Weinberg (she/her) is the Co-Lead Editor and Theater Critic for BroadwayWorld Chicago. She joined the team in 2014. Rachel is a B2B tech marketing professional specialized in content strategy, writing, and editing. She holds her Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and earned her undergraduate degree in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania. Rachel has worked previously in digital marketing for Goodman Theatre and as a marketing apprentice for Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City. When she’s not at the theater, you can catch her riding up a storm on her Peloton bike, getting lost in a good novel, or sampling desserts at bakeries across the city. You can find her online at RachelWeinbergReviews.com.

I live in Naperville IL, a Chicago suburb. Theater and the arts is a passion.  I have been to almost every theater venue in Chicago and the regional theaters including Drury Lane Oakbrook, Marriott Lincolnshire and the Paramount in Aurora. On a personal note I have been involved with The Summer Place community theater in Naperville IL for more than 50 years as a performer. I have also performed at other venues in the area. This opportunity to let a larger audience know about the state of theater and the amazing talent in the Chicago area is an honor. 

Zac Thriffiley is a writer and edior based in Chicago. Over the years, Zac has been heavily involved in arts communities wherever he has lived. He has performed in and directed theatrical productions throughout southeastern Louisiana, including in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. While working on his MA at DePaul University in Chicago, Zac covered the arts and culture scene for his university’s graduate student newspaper. He also served as a judge for Stage Left Theatre’s new playwright residency and dramaturg for Big Noise Theatre in Des Plaines. His writing has been published in The Windy City Times, The Coachella Review, and County Roads. Whenever he isn’t seeing a play or singing along to showtunes, Zac explores the city’s various bookstores and restaurants, usually with his two dogs close behind.