IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE with Young People's Theatre of Chicago

Last Friday, Distant Era photographed the first production of Young People’s Theatre of Chicago’s season, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, adapted by Jody Davidson, based on the books by Laura Joffe Numeroff, and directed by Randy White. The three-person show, featuring Diego Rivera-Rodriguez as Boy, Matías Kruse as Mouse, and assistant stage manager James Hisinaga as ensemble, opened the following day, Saturday, September 26, and runs through October 25, 2026, at the Greenhouse Theater Center in Chicago.

I’ve said before that Young People’s Theatre of Chicago shows are the most vibrant, energetic, happy shows I have the privilege to photograph. They’re also among the most elaborate productions I shoot, with full sets, beautiful lighting, gorgeous costumes—and in the case of this show, incredible, giant-sized props. Not to mention the music, sound, dance, and raw talent onstage. The result is that I greatly enjoy shooting these fun, upbeat, beautiful shows, and I walk away forgetting my troubles. I even chose to spend my birthday at Young People’s Theatre of Chicago’s production of The Hobbit this year—best choice I could have made.

Photography

I alternate between two lenses to photograph Young People’s Theatre of Chicago productions, a wide angle 16–35 mm lens and a 24–105. The choice of lens depends on the show, and I shoot with both (on two camera bodies) if I must. The set for The Hobbit, for instance, sprawled in panorama befitting the world of Middle Earth, with scenes taking place across a wide stage that required a wide angle to shoot. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, on the other hand, takes place around a kitchen area in a home. It’s big, impressive play area, but fortunately just wide enough to fit within the widest range of my 24–105 lens, which meant I could roam freely about, capturing wide scenes (with giant props!) and close up action in turn.

DID I MENTION THE SUPER-COOL ENORMOUS PROPS???

After we photographed the show, we went out to the lobby of the Greenhouse Theater Center, where YPTCHI’s Mack Fincklea had assembled a YPTCHI background. I’ve been refining my portable light kit lately, so it was no problem to set up a light stand, softbox, and small 100 watt light to get some fun promotional shots of the actors.

Then I had to hit the road to photograph promotional images for Music Theater Works’s Margaritaville, which Mack is stage managing. It’s a very small theatre world. Enormous thanks to artistic director Randy White and the whole cast and crew of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie for an extraordinary dress rehearsal and photo session!

Cast and Creative Team

Here follows the cast and creative team for If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, as listed on the Young People’s Theatre of Chicago website:

Author: Laura Joffe Numeroff
Adapter: Jody Davidson

Boy: Diego Rivera-Rodriguez
Mouse: Matías Kruse
Understudy: Rachel Arianna

Director: Randy White
Movement Director: Britt Anderson
Set Designer: Shane Cinal
Costume Designer: Ellen MacKay
Lighting Designer: Kevin Rechner
Props Designer: Amy Gilman
Casting: Sam Shankman
Scenic Charge: Annie Smith
Stage Manager: Katie Pohlheber
Assistant Stage Manager: James Hisanaga

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Steven Townshend is a fine art/portrait photographer and writer with a background in theatre, written narrative, and award-winning game design. As a young artist, Steven toured the US and Canada performing in Shakespeare companies while journaling their moments on paper and film. In his transition from stage to page, Steven continued to work as a theatre photographer, capturing dramatic scenes while incorporating elements of costume, makeup, and theatrical lighting in his work. Drawn to stories set in other times and places, Steven creates works through which fellow dreamers and time travelers might examine their own humanity or find familiar comfort in the reflections of the people and places of a distant era.