Buffalo Grove Actress Continues To Challenge Herself In New Production

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — For local actress Stephanie Shum, theater camp through the Buffalo Grove Park District helped guide her down a career path and she is grateful.

"After moving to Buffalo Grove with my family as a kid, I followed some friends to camp, and it changed my life," Shum recently told Patch.

Shum, a graduate of Stevenson High School, is currently performing in "Revolution," a new show by Brett Neveu, at Chicago's A Red Orchid Theatre. The production, which debuted last month, was recently extended through Nov. 5.

Shum said she plays "Puff," a new manager at Revolution Cuts, a salon in a strip mall, "who is deciding how to celebrate her birthday with her best friend and co-worker, Jame." Soon, a new person, "Georgia," who works at nearby Ross Dress for Less, joins the party. In the play, Shum is working alongside Chicago stage legend Natalie West, who is best known for her role as Crystal Anderson-Conner on "Roseanne."

"It's a lovely slice-of-life play that explores how we connect and form friendships," Shum said.

For Shum, who studied business and marketing, along with theater at McGill University, playing at A Red Orchid Theatre has been an exciting experience.

"A Red Orchid is a small 70-seat black box, so it's intimate and there's nowhere to hide," Shum said of the theater at 1531 N. Wells St. "I've been a fan of A Red Orchid for many years and have always loved seeing shows there, and that proximity combined with the incredible storytelling and design is thrilling."

When not on stage, Shum is heavily involved with the arts. She is currently director of development at A Red Orchid Theatre. She previously served as managing director, marketing director and co-artistic director of The New Coordinates, which closed in May. Shum was also formerly a marketing manager at Lookingglass Theatre Company, based in Chicago.

"I want to continue challenging myself and learning from each process," Shum said. "I love getting to work on new plays and getting to help shape stories as they develop so I hope there is more of that in my future. Further, getting to create roles for and by people who look like me is a huge priority of what I look for next."

To purchase tickets for "Revolution" and learn more about A Red Orchid Theatre, visit here.