Birthday Candles Tickets
Click on a performance to purchase
December 4 7:30pm December 5 7:30pm December 6 2pm
December 6 7:30pm December 7 2pm December 11 7:30pm
December 12 7:30pm December 13 2pm December 13 7:30pm
December 14 2pm December 18 7:30pm December 19 7:30pm
December 20 2pm December 20 7:30pm December 21 2pm
December 26 7:30pm December 27 2pm December 27 7:30pm
December 28 2pm December 28 7:00pm

Birthday Candles

Written by Noah Haidle

Directed by Alex Levy

December 4-EXTENDED THROUGH DEC 28!

Ernestine Ashworth spends her 17th birthday agonizing over her insignificance in the universe. Soon enough, it’s her 18th birthday. Even sooner, her 41st. Her 70th. Her 101st. This poignant and funny play takes its audience through the highlights, heartbreaks and extraordinary moments that make up one woman’s ordinary life. “For my money, Birthday Candles is precisely why people go to the theater.” – Chicago Tribune

Presented with generous support from Wilma Probst Levy, in honor of Louis Levy

Birthday Candles runs about 100 minutes with no intermission.

Open Captioned Performances :

  • December 11 - 7:30 pm, December 12 - 7:30 pm, December 13 - 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm,

    December 14 - 2:00 pm

Audio-Described Performance:

  • December 14 - 2:00 pm

Mask Required Performances:

  • December 13 - 7:30 pm

Community Conversations

Following the 2 PM Performance

12/6/25: Meet the Design Team

Join us in conversation with members of the Design Team for Birthday Candles about creating the world of the play.

12/7/25: Meet the Director

Chat with director Alex Levy about the process of bringing this story to life.

12/13/25: Meet the Cast

Join 1st Stage in conversation with the cast of Birthday Candles.

12/15/25 at 7pm: Meet the Cast (ON ZOOM!)

Chat with the cast of Birthday Candles - from the comfort of your own home! Register for FREE here.

Accessibility

Meet the Cast

  • Deidra LaWan Starnes*

    ERNESTINE ASHWORTH

  • Surasree Das

    JOAN/ALEX/BETH

  • Chris Genebach*

    MATT/WILLIAM

  • Patrick Joy

    BILLY/JOHN

  • Hannah Taylor

    ALICE/MADELINE/ERNIE

  • Jacob Yeh*

    KENNETH

  • Rachel Manteuffel

    ERNESTINE ASHWORTH U/S

  • Dylan Arredondo

    KENNETH/MATT U/S

  • Hannah Chester

    ALICE/JOAN ET AL. U/S

  • Terrence Griffin

    BILLY/JOHN U/S

Meet The Design Team

Alex Levy

Director

Sarah Usary*

Stage Manager

Jonathan Dahm Robertson+

Scenic Designer

Maria Bissex

Assistant Stage Manager

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

+Member of United Scenic Artists

Helen Garcia-Alton

Lighting Designer

Lorraine Ressegger

Intimacy Coordinator

Sarah O’Halloran+

Sound Designer

Lynly Saunders

Costume Designer

Cindy Jacobs

Props Designer

Ezinne Elele

Assistant Director