Our team.

Clara Zucker director headshot. Person with curly brown hair wearing a black shirt against a purple background.

Clara Zucker (she/her)

Co-Artistic Director

Clara is a Chicago-based director, playwright, and dramaturg. She is passionate about utilizing theater as a tool for social change and firmly believes in theater’s ability to uplift and unify diverse voices. Directing credits include the Midwest premiere of The Lacy Project (The Understudy), Sophie Sucks Face (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, shortlisted for best show for Edinburgh Comedian's Choice Awards), Doom Tank (Under St. Mark’s Theatre), Shayna Punim, The Aliens, Athena, Mr. Marmalade (Oberlin College). Past playwriting credits include Fishing for Whales (2024 Cherry Picking, New York, NY), and Shayna Punim (Oberlin College, Oberlin Ohio). Clara currently serves as the literary and dramaturgy apprentice at the Goodman Theatre. She has also been involved with the Annoyance Theater, Logan Square Improv, and Chicago Dramatists. Clara holds a B.A. in Theater and American Studies from Oberlin College and is the recipient of the Nash Drama Award for exceptional achievement in Oberlin Theater.

Emily Newmark director headshot. Woman with blonde hair, burgundy off-shoulder top, and jeans sitting on a stool against a gray background.

Emily Newmark (she/her)

Co-Artistic Director

Emily is a Chicago-based director, choreographer and filmmaker. Her most recent directing credits include her short film Kintsugi, as well as Next to Normal, The Tempest, Triplets (Oberlin College), and The Shrew Strikes Back (Playground-Chi). Passionate about developing new work, Emily has contributed to several world premieres, directing Retold (Oberlin Musical Theater Association) and This Is Not The Reunion (Independent Staged Reading). Selected assistant-directing credits include: The Heart Sellers, Much Ado About Nothing, The Nativity Variations, and The Greatest Love for Whitney (Milwaukee Rep), and The Totality of All Things (Redtwist). Emily was a 2022/23 Emerging Directing Resident at Milwaukee Repertory Theater and subsequently continued her journey there as an Artistic assistant. Emily holds a B.A in Theater and Psychology from Oberlin College and a certificate in film direction from Prague Film School. She is a recipient of the Nash Drama Award and her short film won Best Cinematography at Prague Film School.

Bailey McWilliams-Woods executive director headshot. Woman with long brown hair wearing a gray ribbed sweater and gold hoop earrings, standing against a dark background.

Bailey McWilliams-Woods (she/her)

Executive Director

Bailey is a Chicago-based theater artist dedicated to cultivating and nurturing community through performance and dialogue. A graduate of Oberlin College with degrees in Theater and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, she is now pursuing an MA in Social Sector Leadership and Nonprofit Management at the University of Chicago. Bailey is passionate about theater as a transformative space for identity exploration and integration, especially for young people and Queer folks.

Jane Hobson director of marketing headshot. Person with curly hair wearing a black shirt, neutral expression.

Jane Hobson (she/her)

Director of Marketing

Originally from Madison, WI, Jane graduated from Oberlin College with an English degree in 2022. She has collaborated with director Clara Zucker on five productions, most recently acting in The Lacy Project (spring of 2024). Outside of theater, Jane leads a self-titled music project. By day, she works as a Senior Admissions Counselor at the University of Chicago.

Emily Waskowitz marketing associate headshot. Person sitting outdoors with trees in the background, wearing a brown top and showcasing arm tattoos.

Emily Waskowitz (they/she)

Marketing Associate

Naomi Zhanel Kalter artistic associate headshot. Close-up of a woman with long dark hair wearing a black off-shoulder top against a dark background.

Emily is a Chicago-based artist and public health worker who primarily works with fiber, illustration, and printmaking. A graduate of Loyola University Chicago with a degree in Public Health, Emily’s work aims to strengthen and empower disenfranchised communities throughout Chicago. Emily champions creativity and expressive design throughout their work and is so excited to be joining The Village Theater!

Naomi Zhanel Kalter (she/her)

Artistic Associate

Naomi Zhanel Kalter is a Chicago-based actress who is thrilled to be part of The Village  Theater’s artistic team. Her acting credits include American Players Theatre (Acting  Apprenticeship 2023), where she performed as Anne Page in Merry Wives of Windsor and as an ensemble member in Romeo and Juliet; Milwaukee Rep (Emerging Professional Residency  2022), where she played Fan in A Christmas Carol and Hero in Much Ado About Nothing (u/s  performance), as well as understudying Jules in Nativity Variations; and Kingsmen Shakespeare  Company, where she was part of the ensemble in Macbeth and performed as Hymen in As You  Like It. Education: BA in Acting Performance Studies at Saint Mary’s College of California. Naomi has a deep love for the Chicago artistic community and is eager to continue contributing to its growth. She looks forward to collaborating with The Village Theater team to help lay the foundation for a vibrant, layered community that will inspire both artists and audiences alike.