PRODIGAL SON
BY JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY
directed by jonathan james

The production ran from October 10 through November 2, 2025 at the Athenaeum  Center in Chicago. Read it’s press coverage here.

PRODIGAL SON  is John Patrick Shanley’s autobiographical coming-of-age story of a 15 year old attending a private New Hampshire prep school in the 1960s. Jim is a restless and brilliant youth from a blue collar family in The Bronx who, after being expelled from yet another high school, receives a scholarship to the prestigious Thomas More Preparatory School. While Jim wrestles with his identity, Carl Schmitt, the headmaster, and Alan Hoffman, head of the English Department, are wrestling with what to do with their troubled new student. Is he a brilliant-though-troubled youth who, with the correct guidance, could do great things? Or, is he a lost cause that could tarnish the reputation of their illustrious school?

JK Entertainment’s cast for PRODIGAL SON featured Julian Rus (Jim Quinn), John Pietrzyk (Alan Hoffman), Steve Delaney (Carl Schmitt), Maggie Kelly (Louise Schmitt) and Liam Pietrzyk (Austin Schmitt). The understudies were Brayden Cervantes, Jerod, Jonathan C Legat, Michael Rodriguez, and Staci Kelley. 

PRODIGAL SON was directed by Jonathan James, and assistant directed by Larissa Catalano, with set design by John Pietrzyk and Kathi Campbell, sound design by Michael Incardone, lighting design by Rick Keeley, and stage management by  Michael Fosha.