Essential Invisible
Makenna Van Raalte
They/She | Founder/Artistic Director
Makenna Van Raalte is the artistic director and founder of Essential Invisible Productions. With a B.A. in Theatre and English from Loyola University Chicago, Makenna is dedicated to the pursuit and love of stories, in their variety of forms and mediums. The beauty of life is found in the tradition of performance and storytelling; they manipulate the way we see the world and offer new perspectives on life. As a queer, femme performer, writer, director, and producer in Chicago, they are drawn to the stories of those with unique perspectives and experiences. Essential Invisible stems from a place of learning and growth between communities with shared experiences and those who have nothing in common.
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Annemarie Andaleon
She/Her | Founding Ensemble Member
Annemarie is thrilled to debut as a playwright with Essential Invisible! She is a proud Filipino-American actor, musician, and writer. You may have seen her onstage in A Shadow Bright & Burning (Black Button Eyes Productions), The Hottest Fall (Pocket VR Theatre & Theatre L'Acadie), Shakespeare's R&J (PrideArts), or The Duchess of Malfi (Babes with Blades). She is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago with a BA in Theatre and a BS in Data Science. She sends thanks to all her loved ones for their support.​
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Olivia Wheeler
She/Her | Founding Ensemble Member
Olivia Wheeler (she/her) is absolutely thrilled to direct the first public reading of ARACHNE. Directing credits include William Inge's PICNIC and a reading of FIFTH OF JULY. Olivia has assisted on a variety of projects, including AS YOU LIKE IT, THE NEW NORMAL, and MAYBE FOR A MINUTE. Olivia thanks Annemarie and Mak for trusting her with this brilliant piece of new theater.​