Catherine Zachar Sweitzer, Founder and Executive Director
Catherine Zachar Sweitzer (B.A.- M.A. Rosary College, 1973) is a writer and educator with a passion for theatre. She began her career as a production assistant and script reader for the television series, the Hallmark Hall of Fame. After starting a family, Cathy returned to the classroom to teach writing: first at Northwestern University’s University College, then at the Sarah Lawrence Writing Institute in New York, and most recently at her alma mater, Dominican University. While living in New York City, Cathy wrote a series of writing workbooks for Scholastic Publishing and contributed to the teacher’s guide for Scholastic’s Literary Cavalcade Magazine. Returning to Chicago, she served as Production Manager and Communications Director for The University of Chicago Presents, U of C’s concert series. Cathy and her husband Jim, an astrophysicist, have written shows for planetarium theaters around the world. Cathy studied playwriting at Chicago Dramatists and completed the Second City Training Center’s yearlong writing program, along with classes in acting and producing. Cathy hopes that the Italian American Theatre of Chicago will be a means for her fellow Italian Americans to celebrate their heritage, share it with their children and the community, and help the latest wave of immigrants to Chicago.
Mary Campo, Advisory Board
Maria Campo immigrated to Chicago from Sicily in the early 1960’s with her parents and twin brothers. “Mary” has worked in leading administrative roles creating change and social transformation throughout her career. An alumna of Our Lady of the Angels School, she received her undergraduate degree from Wilbur Wright College in political science and general management. She worked for major corporations, like Zenith and Quasar, where she managed large teams structuring corporate policy affecting the visual communications industry. Additionally, she helped to build and shape the future education lab at Triton College in neighboring River Grove, Illinois. At Triton, she worked with students of many nationalities and backgrounds to help them make a successful social and educational integration into American life. In the mid 1980’s and ‘90’s, Mary worked for the States Attorney’s Office, as a key administrator and chief legal assistant to various judicial branches. In the early 2000’s, Mary became deeply involved with all facets of Italian immigration through the ACLI organization, where she continues to help the elderly with their retirement and disability needs, as well as acting as a notary for Italian American pensions. Today she pursues philanthropic needs and causes including poverty, equal rights and elder rights. Mary lives in Melrose Park with Marc, her husband, and enjoys spending time with her four grandchildren, teaching conversational Italian and traveling.
Elizabeth Monroe-Cook, Secretary-Treasurer
Liz Monroe-Cook, Ph.D. is a consulting psychologist who has worked with many nonprofit organizations and professional associations both as a facilitator and presenter. Using a rich variety of approaches—especially creative thinking and “both-and” thinking—in her work and volunteer efforts, Liz helps people and organizations build innovative and sustainable solutions to their most important challenges. She is also the proud granddaughter of one Italian and three Sicilian immigrants. She travels annually to Italy to present at a creativity conference, attend Italian language school, and soak up the beauty and culture of her grandparents’ homeland. As Secretary/Treasurer of the Italian American Theatre of Chicago, she enjoys the artistry, passion and dedication of all those who are part of the Theatre’s community and strives to advance their shared mission. She lives with her husband, Dale, in Oak Park, Illino
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NANCY GRECO, Vice President
NANCY GRECO, actor, soprano and director brings a first-hand knowledge of fine arts boards and management to her role as Vice President of the IATC. She recently served as President of the Board of the Michael Teolis Singers, of which she was a founding member. In her more than 13-year association with that distinguished ensemble, she has sung soprano, managed the vocalists and served in every board position. Additionally, Nancy also served on the Board of the Unity Temple Concert Series in Oak Park for 10 years, including a tenure as their president. Nancy has worked closely with theOak Park Area Arts Council and submitted several successful grants through that organization. Nancy’s acting, singing and directing credits are many, among the more recent are Theatre at the Center, Munster, IN; Skokie Theatre; Citadel Theatre, Lake Forest; Mercury Theatre, Chicago; Metropolis Performing Arts Center, Arlington Heights: Illinois Theatre Center, Park Forest; Riverfront Theatre, Rockford. Nancy holds an M.A. in Speech and Performing Arts from NEIU. She has directed several IATC productions, including: A Long Shadow by August Nigro; Passaggio Oscuro (Dark Passage) by Rosemary FrisinoToohey and The Wedding Box, by Cathy Sweitzer.”
Maura Junius, Advisory Board
Maura Junius is the President of the Board of Aston Rep Theatre in Chicago and the Marketing Director for the Raven Foundation, where she uses her skills to “make things work” and to bring about “peaceful communities.” With undergraduate degrees in math and theater and an MFA in costume design, Maura moves fluidly between the worlds of technology and the arts. She has served as choreographer, costume designer, producer, and casting advisor. Her video credits include Jesus the Forgiving Victim: Listening for the Unheard Voice and A Higher Cawing. Maura believes in the transformative power of theatre to provide people with a new understanding of themselves, their relationships and the world.
Colleen Joy Mraz, Inaugural Director
A graduate of Illinois State University, Colleen began her theatre career in the Chicago area, where she performed in numerous musicals, including “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Plain and Fancy,” and “Carousel.” A vacation abroad turned into a move to Italy, where she worked as a singer, choral conductor, actress, choreographer, director, and theatre teacher, both in English and Italian. She also wrote, produced, and directed three musicals in Italian, one of which included a cast of 250 and was performed for the Millennium celebrations in Rome. Having recently moved back to Chicago with her husband, Lucio Bosco, she’s looking forward to getting back into the theatre scene here.
Roxanne Christofano Pilat, Inaugural Playwright
Roxanne Christofano Pilat teaches English at Dominican University. Prior to earning her doctorate and teaching at the University of Illinois at Chicago, she was a secondary teacher, journalist, and corporate communications consultant. More recently, Roxanne has taught at DePaul and Lewis Universities. Her work has been published in the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times, and in a recent anthology of essays on Italian American women in Chicago. She was a founding editor of Packingtown Review. Roxanne is currently working on a book of short fiction and researching the lives of Florence Scala, Ellen Gates Starr, and other Chicago women who have made a difference.
Italian American Theatre of Chicago 