BEHIND THE SCENES

Thoughtful estate planning from Russo Law is built on trust, empathy, and experience.

GROWING UP IN THE ENTERTAINMENT MECCA of southern California, Beth Wolf says she had “no designs on being a director.” Her dream was to be on stage as an actor—a goal that led her to study theater at Northwestern University. She enjoyed some success there, performing in plays on campus and in Chicago. However, she had a big decision to make after graduating from Northwestern with a double major in theater and gender studies.

“I was faced with a choice of whether to stay in Chicago or go home to L.A.,” says Wolf, explaining that she knew if she left then, she may never return. “So, I stayed, went on some auditions, and took improv classes.”

The decision changed her life in more ways than one. It was at iO Chicago (formerly known as Improv Olympics) that Wolf would meet husband and fellow actor, Dave Urlakis. Several years later, after performing in theaters in and around Chicago, a friend asked her to go behind the scenes and direct a small festival project.

It was what she now calls an epiphany moment.

“That’s when I realized that I’m better at this job than being an actor,” Wolf says, explaining how that one project changed the direction of her career and ultimately led her to Lake Forest’s award-winning Citadel Theatre.

“I was incredibly grateful that a dear friend of mine spoke my name in a room with [Citadel founder] Scott Phelps,” she continues. “He was looking for some new directors to fill out a season and asked if she knew anyone. It was out of that initial meeting that he hired me to direct The Roommate.”

That was 2019 and Wolf has since directed two more plays at Citadel—earning Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for best director for Silent Sky and Outside Mullingar. When we spoke to Wolf late year, she was getting ready for rehearsals of her fourth play at Citadel, Admissions, which opens on February 13.

“By accident, this winter slot has become my Citadel slot. Every show I’ve directed for them has been in this same slot, which works perfectly with my other projects,” says Wolf, who commutes back and from her home in Chicago to Lake Forest. “People think of Chicago as being the center of everything but there’s some really great work happening outside the city center. Citadel is really exemplary of that.”

Written by Joshua Harmon, the play for this year’s “winter slot” is likely to inspire some challenging conversations. Set at an elite prep school, Admissions explores the complicated truths that surface around selective enrollment programs and what they can mean for Ivy League dreams.

“I’m really excited about this play because it is challenging,” she says, adding. “I will also say candidly that it’s challenging for me on a personal level as well. I have two children. They’re younger than the teenagers in the play but in a few more years, I’ll be in the same position in wanting the best for my kids.”

When she’s not directing at Citadel or working as an acting coach, Wolf runs Midsommer Flight—a theater company that has been bringing Shakespeare to Chicago parks since 2012. She also co-founded and is the former Artistic Director of Promethean Theatre Ensemble.

“With Midsommer Flight, we went from one park to six parks,” explains Wolf, who serves as Producing Artistic Director. “We’ve reached over 20,000 audience members over the years and it’s something I’m really proud of. The Shakespeare work makes my other work stronger and vice versa.”

Decades after that fateful decision to make the Chicago area her home, she’s left with nothing but gratitude for the opportunities she has both received and created for other actors—particularly in her work as director at Citadel Theatre.

“Citadel has a dedicated audience base and it attracts wonderful talent,” Wolf adds. “I feel really lucky that they keep asking me back.”

Admissions will run at Citadel Theatre from February 13 to March 15. For more information, visit citadeltheatre.org.