Playwriting and Performing / Tuesdays@9 Chicago
Hi! I’m Constance. I’m a playwright and the creative director for Naked Angels Tuesdays@9 Chicago. I’m also a lightworker, and I’ll get into that later. First, playwriting!
In the past 25 years, I’ve written more than 50 plays. In the past year, I’ve:
-written a full-length play called Apple Blossom Mall. It’s a thriller about a shopping addict named Kristen who spends nearly all her time in at the mall. It was read at Tuesdays@9 but also received a full reading with Ubiquitous Players in November.
-finished writing a full-length play called The Quarter Millennial Experience. It was read by London Playground Theatre in December and Ubiquitous Players in April. This is a romantic comedy about racism. It’s about two ER nurses who are trying to get to work but their train, which is all decked out for the 2026 Fourth of July, keeps getting delayed.
-completed the first draft of my full-length play The Power Room. This play is about a legendary Las Vegas magician who helps his “magician’s assistant” and her cousin embrace witchcraft. Fun Fact: Researching this play led me to my day job as a lightworker at Access Soul.
-written a 10-minute comedy called The Vagus Nerve. It was read in February. It’s about an old married couple looking for ways to stimulate their ‘Vagus’ (and ‘Vegas’) nerves.
-written a 10-minute play called Hot Water. It’s a drama about women who have been shot and killed by the police. It is based off the killing of Sonya Massey.
-written a 15-minute play called The Window. It’s a drama about the mother of a mass shooter. It is based off the Highland Park Fourth of July Parade Shooting of 2022.
-started a new play called bodily. It is written entirely in haiku and it’s about surviving Jeffrey Epstein through poetry and nature.
As far as performing goes, I performed a live poetry-infused ASMR event. (Video above.) For Halloween, I was the “fear poet” and recited four disturbing poems. It was a costumed event so that is why I am dressed as the Chicago River (below).
Acting-wise, I read the role of Suzy in Live! at the Pony Village Mall by Joshua Fardon in February and co-hosted our annual fundraiser (the April 1 “Foolsraiser”) at Tuesdays@9 Chicago. And I read new work in front of a live audience at nearly every Tuesdays@9.
Tuesdays@9 Chicago is a valuable resource for any artist and the community is top notch. This is the premier place to test new material with and in front of an intelligent audience of artists. Check it out.
In May, I was named the new creative director for Tuesdays@9 Chicago but I’ve been the music and comedy director since 2020. I’ve been a playwright with Tuesdays since 2019 and absolutely love this community.
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Gigs, Research and Writing Trips
Dec. 16, 2025 – Scene 3 from my new play bodily will be read at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
Nov. 25, 2025 – Scene 2 from my new play bodily is read at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
Nov. 2025 – start working as a lightworker for Access Soul in Roscoe, IL. Book a session with me!
Sep. 30, 2025 – New pages from my new play Bodily written entirely in haiku going up at Tuesdays@9.
Sep. 9, 2025 – Season opener of Tuesdays@9.
Aug 1-31 – Participate in The Sealey Challenge in Rockford and at University of Arizona Poetry Center.
May 20, 2025 – Our last show of the 2024-2025 season. I am named the new creative director at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
May 6, 2025 – The conclusion of The Window was read at Tuesdays@9.
April 22, 2025 – The first draft of The Window was read at Tuesdays@9.
April 12-13, 2025 – Was certified in Reiki I and Reiki II at Rock Valley College. Currently practicing every day on people and pets, and hope to become a Reiki Master in April of 2026.
April 1, 2025 – Co-hosted Tuesdays@9 ‘Foolsraiser.’
March 29-31, 2025 – Trip to Connecticut. Visited William Benton Museum of Art and Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry.
March 18, 2025 – My 10-minute play Hot Water was read at Tuesdays@9. This reading was attended by the Massey family, making the night one of the greatest honors of my life.
February 25, 2025 – My epilogue to The Power Room was read at Tuesdays@9. First draft is complete!
February 22-23, 2025 – Learned Marma Indian Head Massage at Rock Valley College.
February 11, 2025 – My 10-minute play The Vagus Nerve was read at Tuesdays@9.
February 8, 2025 – Played Suzy in LIVE! at the Pony Village Mall by Joshua Fardon at Chicago Dramatists with Smoke & Mirror Productions.
January 21, 2025 – New scene from The Power Room read at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
January 14, 2025 – New scene from The Power Room read at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
January 1-4, 2025 – Writing trip in Las Vegas, Nevada with Jesse. Research for The Power Room.
December 7, 2024 – The Quarter Millennial Experience was read and discussed online by Playground Theatre (London), directed by Tasmin Jahan.
December 3, 2024 – New scene from The Power Room read at Tuesdays@9.
November 19, 2024 – New scene from The Power Room read at Tuesdays@9.
November 12, 2024 – – New scene from The Power Room read at Tuesdays@9.
November 9, 2024 – Apple Blossom Mall received a reading with Ubiquitous Players, directed by Tony Dobrowolski.
October 29, 2024 – Performed four fear poems at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
October 15, 2024 – Performed a live ASMR event at Tuesdays@9.
October 1, 2024 – Conclusion of my play Apple Blossom Mall read at Tuesdays@9.
September 24, 2024 – First scene of Apple Blossom Mall read at Tuesdays@9.
September 10, 2024 – Tuesdays@9 Chicago Season Opener.
August 23, 2024 – Member of “Shouty Chorus” of “Ha!” by Robbie Ellis at Northern Illinois University’s Week of Welcome starring Robbie Ellis.
July 20, 2024 – Judge for the NorthBeast Poetry Slam & Festival.
May 20, 2024 – Directed The Sign by Carl Maronich for Tuesdays@9 Chicago “First Mondays” series with Naked Angels. My play Hotbed received a staged reading with this series a few months before this.
May 7, 2024 – New scene from The Power Room read at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
April 18, 2024 – Special guest on Under Rocks with WNIJ, the NPR station for northern Illinois. It’s about birds! Listen here.
April 9 & 16, 2024 – Co-hosted Tuesdays@9 Chicago with Patricia Mario.
April 2, 2024 – Co-produced annual Tuesdays@9 Chicago fundraiser with Joshua Fardon. Co-hosted as Russette Timple with my brother Russ Timple. This was The Five Years On From Five Years On Salon.
March 2, 2024 – First full reading of The Quarter Millennial Experience with Ubiquitous Players.
January and February 2024 – Scenes from my play-in-progress The Quarter Millennial Experience shared at Tuesdays@9.
Every Sunday and Monday – I guide three-to-four miles hike-n-shares with Rockford Fringe.
December 21, 2023 – Produced 3rd Annual Winter Solstice Poetry Caroling Festival for Rockford Fringe.
December 21, 2023 – My Perspective Snowfootin’ aired on 89.5 WNIJ, the NPR station for northern Illinois.
December 11, 2023 – Staged reading of my play Hotbed through Naked Angels Tuesdays@9 Chicago at Chicago Dramatists. This play has also received a reading through Chicago Dramatists First Draft Series and a recorded reading with WNIJ in 2018.
December 5, 2023 – My 10-minute play The Lunker of the Lake was read at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
November 7 & 14, 2023 – Guest Host for Naked Angels Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
October 31, 2023 – Performed as A Host of Golden Daffodils at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
October 23, 2023 Wrote and recorded Where is Everyone? on 89.5 WNIJ, the NPR station for northern Illinois.
September 27, 2023 Wrote and recorded Give Barefootin’ a Try on 89.5 FM WNIJ, the NPR station for northern Illinois.
September 26, 2023. First scene of my new play The Quarter Millennial Experience was read at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
September 12, 2023 Naked Angels Tuesdays@9 Chicago season opener.
August 13, 2023 – Hosted Rockford Fringe’s Ugly Jam Session at The Annoyance Theatre from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the Little Theater.
July 2023 – Hosted weekly barefoot hikes throughout northern Illinois for Rockford Fringe.
March 14, 2023 – Hosted springtime Ugly Jam Session at The Annoyance Theatre.
February 14, 2023 – Performed spoken word as A Host of Golden Daffodils at Tuesdays@9.
February 7, 2023 – Guest hosted Tuesdays@9 Chicago at The Annoyance Theatre.
December 22, 2022 – Produced Winter Solstice Poetry Caroling Festival on Rockford’s West Side.
November 19, 2022 – Performed at Truths As We Speak Them: A Storytelling Open Mic hosted by Dr. Ada Cheng at Bronzeville Historical Society in Chicago.
November 5, 2022 – Sang along to Forty-five Seconds by Robbie Ellis at Robbie’s Metric System album release party at The Annoyance.
November 1 and 7, 2022 – Guest hosted Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
October 29, 2022 – Performed spoken word for Atrocious Poets at Woodstock Train Station.
October 25, 2022 – Performed as A Host of Golden Daffodils for Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
September 13, 2022 – Performed standup/storytelling at Tuesdays@9 Chicago.
July 9, 2022 – Produced Rockford Fringe Festival, an all-day outdoor celebration of the performing arts which included a reading of my ten-minute play Natural Life.
Hike Guide
I’m a hike guide for the Rockford Fringe. I lead private and public hikes through the forests and prairies of northern Illinois. If you’d like to arrange a private hike, fill out the contact form located at the bottom of this page.
The Rockford Fringe is on Facebook and Instagram @rockfordfringe. And you can find the Rockford Fringe Podcast on Apple, Spotify and Anchor. That’s where I interview artists about their process, background and upcoming projects.
Radio Reporter
A few years ago (2018-2021), I fulfilled a lifelong dream and worked in radio as a reporter for 89.5 WNIJ, the NPR station for northern Illinois. I interviewed artists, scientists, politicians, civic leaders, survivors, environmentalists, naturalists, Paula Poundstone and a clown. It was a great job and I even won an Associated Press Broadcasters Award for my feature story on bird-banding. I miss reporting but my degree — and my training — and my experience — and my passion — is in theatre.
If you’re curious about the “radio side” of me, you can find more than 100 of my stories (including audio) by clicking here. I also hosted the arts series State of the Artist. Here’s a link to my artist interviews.
Playwriting & Directing
I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre from Cornell College and have written and directed more than 50 plays and films in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Rockford. I’ve written for numerous 24-, 48- and 72-hour play and film festivals. My play The Mason Jar was a semi-finalist at the Turnip Theatre 15-Minute Play Festival in NYC. I’ve written 10-minute and one-act plays that have been staged, read or produced at Bedlam Theatre, Stages Theatre, Theatre Unbound, Riverside Theatre, Minnesota Fringe, Rockford Fringe, Tuesdays@9 Chicago, and Chicago Dramatists. I’ve directed several plays and films for Metropolitan Players, Minnesota Fringe, Tuesdays@9 Chicago, Bedlam Theatre, Spring Lake Park High School, B’Nai Emet Synagogue, Minneapolis-St.Paul International Film Festival, Word Film Festival (Albuquerque), On the Waterfront Film Festival (Rockford) and more. I have also written several plays-as-fundraisers for Tinker Swiss Cottage; Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center; Rockford Area Arts Council; Rockford Dance Company and Rockford Writers’ Guild.
Producer and Writer
In the summer of 2021, we were coming out of the pandemic. It wasn’t time to get back into the theaters, but it was time to do something. That “something” had to be safe, collaborative, creative, and completely new so I wrote and produced a a mock talk show called The Stormy, Husky, Brawling Show. Five weekly episodes aired on Facebook and YouTube. This Chicago-based mock show humorously showed the desperate chaos of running a talk show under a tight deadline. Watch here.
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I am someone who simply loves to work. Whether it’s writing, directing, judging, reading, performing, hosting, producing, acting, editing, practicing reiki or guiding hikes, I am reliable, thorough, and a lot of fun.
Thank you for stopping by my website. Let’s work together sometime! -Constance
Constance Kuntz 