Sticking with his dream pays off for St. Charles actor

Every actor, it seems, dreams of moving to L.A. and making it big. But not all of them have the guts to make the move, as St. Charles-based actor Dave Prentiss did.

And Prentiss - now starring in Provision Theater's production of "The Hiding Place" - stuck it out for 10 years, appearing in a number of commercials and local theater productions.

"I was in a commercial for Titleist golf balls with John Cleese," he says. "That was fun for me personally. Not only am I a fan of his, but I am also an avid golfer."

Unfortunately, the TV commercials were "few and far between" and, in 2005, Prentiss moved back to St. Charles where he was raised.

"I stuck it out for so long in L.A. because I wanted to get to where I was auditioning for TV," he says. "And I loved the weather and being around the business. But I never got an agent who could get me in TV. Finally I was approaching 40 and wasn't earning enough so I decided to move back to be near my family."

Prentiss returned to St. Charles "to regroup." He planned to give up the theater until a role in "Glengarry Glen Ross" at Steel Beam Theatre cropped up. The feedback he received, coupled with his wife's blessing, convinced him to give it another go.

This year, Prentiss' dreams paid off. He made the step from the suburbs to the city, landing a part in "The Hiding Place."

The play is based on the autobiography of Dutch author Corrie ten Boom, whose family sheltered Jews during the Holocaust. She was captured and sent to a concentration camp.

The play, adapted and directed by Provision founder Tim Gregory, reveals how she survived her ordeal.

"I play a Nazi, Lt. Rahms," Prentiss says. "When (ten Boom) is first arrested she is sent to a prison in Holland and Rahms interrogates her."

But the character Prentiss plays is not all evil. "His work weighs heavily on his conscience," Prentiss says. "Rahms feels trapped."

Ultimately, Rahms grows close to Corrie ten Boom and he is able to do small things to make her incarceration easier.

"I am so glad I am still acting," Prentiss says. "I still have this dream."

And maybe this time, Chicago is the place dreams come true.

• "The Hiding Place" runs through May 23 at the Provision Theatre, 1001 W. Roosevelt, Chicago. For reservations, call (866) 811-4111 or go to provisiontheater.org.