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Casting Director

CYD BLAKEWELL has been in love with the Gift for many years. They finally put a ring on it in 2015. Her first Gift experience was as an audience member of the inaugural performance in 4802, The Glass Menagerie. As a fan of beautiful storytelling, intimate performances, and damn good theatre, she was smitten. Since then, she has been seen on The Gift stage as a dead girl in TEN, a Fairy in Mine, a band groupie in Broadsword, a ghost in A Life Extra Ordinary, a nun in Doubt, and most recently as a detective in The Pillowman, among others.

“What I love the most about The Gift (aside from our amazing Ensemble) is that I have been given the chance to stretch myself artistically. This doesn’t happen everywhere. I have been able to push myself in ways I didn’t know were possible – thanks to the artistic opportunities, the directors, and the Ensemble. Which is both terrifying and fulfilling as an artist. In the space at 4802, I have lived the extremes of the human experience – love, death, marriage, loss, and life. I got engaged on that stage. It is a very special place.”

Cyd has been a member of the Chicago theatre community since 2003. During that time, she has worked with Griffin Theatre, Signal Ensemble, Theatre Seven of Chicago, Lookingglass Theatre, Steppenwolf Theater, Interrobang Theatre Project, The Side Project, and Jackalope Theatre. She was a founding member of the SiNNERMAN Ensemble where she acted and produced; appearing in their productions of Sweet Confinement, Ivanov (adapted and directed by Ensemble Member Sheldon Patinkin), Too Much Memory, and The Incredibly Famous Willy Rivers. She was also a proud Company Member of the Pavement Group and performed in MilkMilkLemonadeGirl, You Know It’s TrueBreaks & Bikes, Arrangements, fracture/mechanics, and Buddy Cop 2.

Hailing from Fort Worth, Cyd earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas and is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf, where she had the chance to assist Mr. Jon Berry in teaching Viewpoints. Aside from theatre, she loves hanging out with her husband (fellow Ensemble Member Keith Neagle), her son Wesley, and her family – blood and theatrical.

“Live theatre is necessary. Both as artist and audience member. Community is vital and I am proud to be a part of yours.”