Anna Shapiro, 47, is known for directing darkly dramatic plays such as The Motherfucker with the Hat and August: Osage County, which won her a Tony. In March, she makes her Broadway debut with Of Mice and Men, starring James Franco and Chris O’Dowd.
In contrast to her work, the Evanston Victorian house she shares with her actor husband, Ian Barford, and their four-year-old children, Giovanni and Olivia, radiates cheery tranquility.
Her Father’s Photographs
“His work is elegant and modest like he was.”
August: Osage County
($8, amazon.com)
“The show is talismanic of a momentous change in my life.”
Fiesta Dinnerware
($16 to $18, Macy’s, 111 N. State St.)
“These make mealtime warm and less formal.”
Custom-Upholstered Ottoman
($1,800, Tom Ferguson Interiors, 3701 N. Ravenswood Ave.)
“We have family conferences and perform shows around it.”
Classic Chanel Bag
($4,900, Chanel, 935 N. Michigan Ave.)
“This is the perfect bag. It was a gift from a dear friend of mine.”
Bumble and Bumble Thickening Shampoo
($24 for eight ounces, bumbleandbumble.com)
“It does what it promises, and that’s rare.”
Rose Gold Wedding Band
(Christopher Duquet, 1224 Chicago Ave., Evanston)
“It’s a simple symbol of love, friendship, and faith.”
African Family Sculpture
($160, Ten Thousand Villages, 719 Main St., Evanston)
“This represents my husband and my shared wish to be interconnected yet free.”