Suburban theater world mourns one of its brightest lights

The founder of a prominent theater company in Palatine, and a longtime acting teacher for the Palatine Park District has died.

Susannah Kist passed away on Friday after a yearlong battle with breast cancer. She was 47.

Ms. Kist and her partner, Glen Jackson, founded the Wood Street Theater Company with the goal of mounting family-oriented musicals for the community. Their original production of "Mrs. Scrooge" debuted in 2001 and became a local tradition.

Wood Street was one of four theater companies based at Cutting Hall in Palatine, drawing its manager, Jeff Greene, to work closely with Ms. Kist, who also taught acting for the Palatine Park District.

She mounted two plays a year for "Acting Up" classes of 6-9 year olds, and two more for 5th-8th graders, as well as the summer musical for teens.

Through all this, Ms. Kist directed thousands of young actors, Greene said.

"She was dedicated to getting students involved in the arts," Greene says.

Carol Lange, arts director for the Palatine Park District, said Ms. Kist fostered a love of theater and music in all her students.

"All were accepted and nurtured in her program," Lange said.

Ms. Kist inherited the Second Suburb Players, started more than 20 years ago by the Palatine Park District. Colleagues say she fully supported its goals of immersing teens in a musical theater experience during the summer, exposing them to all aspects of mounting a full-length production.

Tom Vendafreddo is the choir director at Lakes Community High School in Lake Villa, and a professional actor who just finished up with a run of "Pump Boys and Dinettes." He said her legacy is in the thousands of opportunities she gave to children and adults, like him.

"When I was 15 years old, I was audacious enough to ask Susannah if I could music direct her summer musical 'Bye, Bye Birdie.' I had no previous experience music directing, some piano chops, and an OK voice. It's been nine years, and since then I have music directed over 25 productions in Illinois and New York.

"This is just one example of Susannah's incredible heart," he added. "She was the epitome of a giver; her main goal always seemed to be spreading love and peace."

The last show Ms. Kist actively directed for the company, in the summer of 2008, was Cole Porter's classic American musical, "Anything Goes," one year after she directed the large scale production of "Les Miserables."

"That was so serious that I was looking for something lighter this year," Kist said in a Daily Herald interview in 2008. "I wanted something where people would laugh and have a good time."

That year, its principal leads came from Lake Zurich and Palatine, while the cast ranged from communities throughout the Northwest suburbs and southern Lake County.

"We try to provide a more professional setting than at the high school level, and raise the bar a little," Kist added, "so that everyone who comes here can grow in a positive and encouraging environment."

Funeral services are pending.