Lisle native directs family musical

David Zak remembers quite clearly the day more than 30 years ago when he chose to make theater his life.

The Lisle native had been teaching and working as the drama director at Benet Academy, his own alma mater.

“One day I was teaching my English class. I said, ‘You are the captain of your own life.' One of my students asked, ‘If you are the captain of your own life, why are you teaching us?'”

The question hit home.

“I thought it over and I submitted my resignation the same day,” Zak said.

He moved to the city and began making his mark as a mainstay of Chicago's off-Loop theater scene. Decades later, he continues to do that, most recently as the director of a new musical called “From Generation to Generation.”

Zak comes by his theater credentials through his family. As a kid, his father formed the family into a musical act: The Zak Family Singers.

“We did a lot of talent shows,” Zak remembers. “My three sisters and my dad and myself. My specialty was ‘The Little Drummer Boy.'”

He left the group before college and didn't consider doing pro theater until that fateful day in the classroom.

For many years, Zak was the driving force behind one of Chicago's most innovative and gutsy theater companies, the Bailiwick. Zak stepped down as Bailiwick's artistic director a couple of years ago.

His latest project — “From Generation to Generation” — marks its Chicago premiere at Stage 773 after runs in Omaha, Neb., St. Louis and Los Angeles.

“It is about three generations of Jewish women,” Zak explains. “It is a family musical.”

The show, written by Karen Sokolof Javitch and Elaine Jabenis, concerns the efforts of a woman, Rose Lieberman, who may not live to see the birth of her granddaughter. So she decides to leave a record, in songs and stories, of her life and legacy.

“The show is based on the experiences of the composer (Sokolof Javitch),” Zak adds, “and the stories in her family of the old country, Russia.”

Zak admits it is great to be working on another show.

“I feel most at home in rehearsal with a great musical director and a great cast,” he says. “In this rehearsal we have moved material around. ... The audiences are really touched by this show.”

“From Generation to Generation”

<b>Location: </b>Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont, Chicago, (773) 327-5252, stage773.org

<b>Showtimes: </b>7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday through May 1

<b>Tickets:</b> $30