Passion with Blank Theatre Company

Last week, Distant Era photographed a final dress rehearsal of Blank Theatre Company’s production of Passion at the Greenhouse Theater Center in Chicago. 

I’ve loved shooting Blank’s season, from A Bright Room Called Day last December to Sweet Charity in the Spring to Passion this summer. In that time, I’ve witnessed Blank move from intimate period drama to big choreographed musical comedy to intimate dramatic musical without choreography (and if memory serves, the cast of each has been completely unique, without a single actor appearing in more than one of these shows). This is to say the company has considerable range, which makes each new show a unique, fun, and interesting experience.

Despite being a Sondheim fan in general, and an Into the Woods fan in particular (for which, like Passion, Stephen Sondheim composed the music and lyrics, and James Lapine wrote the book), I’d never seen Passion and didn’t know anything about its story, nor could I have listed any of its songs. Thus, I was excited for the opportunity to experience a new-to-me work by some of my favorite artists!

Blank neatly summarizes the show on their website along these lines: 

Based on the film Passione d’Amore, originally directed by Ettore Scola, Passion is an intense and hauntingly beautiful musical exploring the complexities of love, obsession, and desire. Set in nineteenth-century Italy, the story follows a young soldier, Giorgio, who becomes entangled in a passionate and consuming relationship with Fosca, a sickly but deeply emotional woman. With a lush and powerful score, Passion delves into the darker, more vulnerable sides of human connection, offering an unforgettable journey into the nature of love and its transformative power.

Blank Theatre Company’s Passion synopsis.

Photography

I arrived as early as possible to take a look at the set and lighting and dial in my camera settings, switching over from the previous day’s headshots and portraiture. I learned about the pace of the action from director Danny Kapinos, which helped me estimate the shutter speed I’d need. Scenic designer Haley Wallenfeldt helped me set my camera’s white balance while putting finishing touches on the set. Lighting designer Seojung Jang showed me what to expect throughout the show, especially concerning the very cool “transparent” set effects you’ll see in the photos below. And I got to catch up with costume designer Cindy Moon, whose awesome work is on display in every shot.

I spent the show running back and forth, standing up, lying down, adjusting camera settings, in an attempt to capture every moment, every performer, and every technical element so that everyone would have a record of their work.

Ghostly Presences

Blank’s production of Passion uses a cool stage-and-lighting effect wherein offstage characters can appear like ghostly visions, almost as though the onstage characters’ thoughts have summoned them. Most of the time, the back wall of the stage is an opaque gray facade. But sometimes, characters suddenly appear through the facade, and behind the speckled texture they appear like living paintings. It was a really neat effect that facilitated the storytelling. And it was fun to photograph.

I had a marvelous time shooting Passion with Blank Theatre Company. Photographing this season has broadened my horizons, exposing me to rare gems from well-known playwrights. I’m grateful to Dustin Rothbart for the opportunity and to Danny Kapinos for such a great collaboration. My thanks as well to the cast and crew for being so kind, accommodating, and talented. I wish Blank Theatre Company a thousand thanks, as well as the greatest success on their beautiful production, which runs until August 11, 2025.

Tickets for Blank Theatre Company’s production of Passion are available here!

Blank Theatre Company’s website lists the cast and production team like so:

Cast

Clara: Ella Gatlin

Doctor Tambourri: Matthew Benenson Cruz

Fosca’s Mother/Mistress/Attendant: Halli Morgan*

Major Rizzoli/Fosca’s Father/Sergeant Lombardi: Brian James

Lieutenant Torasso/Count Ludovic/Private Augenti/ Lieutenant Barri: Joe Grudt

Production Team

Director: Danny Kapinos​*

Music Director: Aaron Kaplan

Assoc. Music Director: Evelyn Ryan

Assistant Director: Sam Shankman

Stage Manager: Shelby Burgus

Costume Designer: Cindy Moon

Lighting Designer: Seojung Jang

Scenic Designer: Haley Wallenfeldt

*Designates Blank Company Member

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