Cast and creative team were announced today for Open Space Arts’ season-closing production of SCANDALOUS BOY, by David Atfield. This will be the “International Premiere” of the play, which had its 2014 world premiere in Atfield’s native Australia. The play is the story of the love between the emperor Hadrian and Antinous in pre-Christian Rome but framed in a twenty-first century setting, with the statue of Antinous coming to life in modern Australia to tell his story. SCANDALOUS BOY will be directed by Benjamin Mills and will open on Friday, May 23 at 7:30 pm. It will play through June 8. All performances are at Open Space Arts’ hyper-intimate 20-seat theater at 1411 W Wilson, in Chicago.
Atfield’s play explains the context of the relationship between Hadrian and the much younger Antinous. In First Century, AD Rome, young men were often groomed by their mothers to become an “eronemos” (sexual companion) of wealthy male protectors. The relationship depicted in SCANDALOUS BOY thus has resonances for power-imbalanced couplings of any type – not just gay male relationships.
Mills’ cast will be led by Jordan Gleaves, as the Emperor Hadrian. Gleaves recently played the leading role of Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton in City Lit’s Jeff Award-winning production of August Wilson’s SEVEN GUITARS. Jose Alexander Martinez, who has served as Scenic Painter for such theatre companies as Timeline, Albany Park Theatre, and Theo Ubique, will make his Chicago acting debut in the title role of the “scandalous” Antinous. Jinyue "Yuna" Hu, seen recently in TUTA Theatre’s THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER, will play Antinous’ mother, Sabina. Antonio Cruz (BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE with The Imposters) will be Lucius, Hadrian’s trusted advisor and former lover. Emiliano Flores has been cast as Marcellus, Antinous’ contemporary and boyfriend.
Top Row L-R: Jordan Gleaves, Jose Alexander Martinez.
Lower Row L-R: Antonio Cruz, Emiliano Flores, Jinyue "Yuna" Hu.
The production team includes Dylan Tye Davis (Set Design), Brett Morgan (Costume Design), Lex Newman (Lighting Design), Santiago Quintana (Sound Design), Christa Retka (Intimacy Coordinator), Tadgh Mitchel (Social Media Coordinator), Veronica Kloss (Graphics), and Marz Allswede (Stage Manager).
The CANBERRA CRITICS CIRCLE called the World Premiere production “hugely entertaining, informative and refreshing” that “deserves to be seen beyond Canberra. It would be a shame if this play was sidelined into the realm of queer theatre, as it has much to say about the nature of love, and the manipulative power of a certain kind of love.” The SYDNEY MORNING HERALD called it “thoughtful and joyously explicit.”
Tickets for SCANDALOUS BOY are $30.00 general audiences and $25.00 for seniors and students and are on sale now at www.openspacearts.org.
LISTING INFORMATION
SCANDALOUS BOY
By David Atfield
Directed by Benjamin Mills
May 23 - June 8, 2025
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 6:00 pm
Open Space Arts
1411 W. Wilson Ave.,
Tickets $30.00 general, $25.00 seniors and students
Website: www.openspacearts.org
The story of the love between the emperor Hadrian and Antinous in pre-Christian Rome, framed in a twenty-first century setting with the statue of Antinous coming to life in modern Australia to tell his story.
BIOS
David Atfield (Playwright) is an Australian stage writer and director, based in Canberra, where he has been Writer/Director/Producer at The Street Theatre since 2018, and Writer/Producer at Canberra Theatre Center since 2021. David moved to Canberra in 1992 to work with Company Skylark, writing and directing plays for them, and later that year formed BITS (A Break In the Silence) Theatre Company. His plays include LOVELY LOUISE, about silent film star Louise Lovely, PINK TRIANGLES, a play about the Nazi persecution of gay men. In 2000 he directed a production of it, again at the Street Theatre. Other plays include CLEAN, EXCLUSION, and CHIAROSCURO. His 2014 production of SCANDALOUS BOY was named one of the top five productions of the year by THE CANBERRA TIMES and the script was shortlisted for the Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation Playwriting Award, New York
Benjamin Mills (Director) is an actor, designer, director, and Chicago theatre jack of all trades. His design work has been seen at Theatre L’Acadie, Open Space Arts, and Big Noise Theatre. Most recently seen on stage in SPRING AWAKENING, GREY GARDENS THE MUSICAL, THE LEARNED LADIES, BONNIE AND CLYDE THE MUSICAL, and a three show tour with Great Works Touring Theatre. Benjamin is a Company Member/Resident Costume Designer with Theatre L’Acadie. SCANDALOUS BOY marks Benjamin's Chicago directorial debut.
CAST BIOS:
Jinyue "Yuna" Hu (she/her, Sabina) is a Chinese actor and a proud graduate of the Chicago College of Performing Arts, represented by Grossman & Jack Talent. With performance experience across the U.S., China, and Korea, Yuna has appeared in over twenty short films screened throughout China and performed in more than ten plays. Recent stage credits include FIRST COMES LOVE at Perceptions Theatre and THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER at TUTA Theatre. In 2019, she joined the international tour of TOSCA in China. In 2023, she made her directorial debut at the University of Chicago with a Mandarin-language production of THE PILLOWMAN.
Emiliano Flores (Marcellus). Originally from South Texas, Emiliano has honed his acting abilities in both theatre and commercial settings. Upon moving to Chicago, he explored diverse artistic avenues including music production, fashion modeling and design, alongside pursuing his education in Latino Studies. In the past year Emiliano has eagerly returned to his acting roots, grateful to share this moment with the creative artists behind SCANDALOUS BOY!
Jose Alexander Martinez (Antinous) is thrilled to make his Chicago acting debut in this production of SCANDALOUS BOY. Jose has been a professional scenic painter and designer for the last few years and has painted some of your favorite shows. Recent credits include Timeline Theatre Company, Albany Park Theatre Company, Theo Ubique Theatre and currently teaches Scenic Painting at Roosevelt University.
Antonio Cruz (Lucious) is so excited to bring this show to life. He most recently understudied for Theatre L'Acadie's THE SWAN, in the role of the Fey in The Impostors Theatre's BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE, and Hanschen in Steel Beam’s SPRING AWAKENING. Other recent credits include Gaston (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), Don Alfonso (COSI FAN TUTTE), Craig McDermott (AMERICAN PSYCHO), Uncle Billy/Peter/Bert/Ernie/Foley (IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE), and the swing for STOP KISS and Urban Theater’s CHICAGO LORE(S). Antonio is also a writer, most recently penning the musical THE PATH with music by Indigo Egger and Priscilla Sabourin.
Jordan Gleaves (Hadrian) is making his Open Space Arts debut. Chicago/Chicago-area credits include SEVEN GUITARS (Jeff Award-Production (Play), City Lit); BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY (Remy Bumppo); RELENTLESS (Goodman and TimeLine); Ride Or Die and Ezekiel’s Wheel (MPAACT); The Swan (Theatre L’Acadie); SUNSET BABY (Fleetwood-Jourdain). Touring credits include OTHELLO and LOVES LABOURS LOST (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks). Other regional credits include MACBETH and JULIUS CAESAR (The Nashville Shakespeare Festival). Jordan is represented by Stewart Talent. He holds an MFA in Acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a BA in Drama from Morehouse College.
OPEN SPACE ARTS, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is dedicated to combating homophobia and transphobia through the transformative power of creativity and cultural expression. Our mission is to foster inclusivity, promote understanding, and empower marginalized communities by utilizing various artistic mediums to challenge discriminatory beliefs and attitudes. OSA won some of the top honors in the Joseph Jefferson Awards for work produced in 2024, including Production of a Play – Short Run (COCK), Direction of a Play – Short Run (Michael D. Graham - LIGHT SWITCH), Performer in a Principal Role – Short Run (Philip Andrew Monnett – LIGHT SWITCH), and Performer in a Supporting Role – Short Run (Sonya Robinson – COCK) . Additionally, Open Space Arts has produced SUNSETS: TWO ACTS ON A BEACH, ROSENBERG, MASSAGE THERAPY, MERCY KILLING, MR. PARKER, “it’s been ten years since everyone died. a play about final girls.” and THE KRAMER PROJECT, in live performances. OSA also produces the Queer Expressions Film Fest, a hybrid fest of streaming and in-person events. Open Space Arts is led by David Zak.