They are pals with the Chicago expatriate acting posse : Ms. Katz , 40 , grew up in Evanston with Jeremy Piven and John and Joan Cusack ; Mr. Slotnick , 37 , bunked with David Schwimmer when the two were performing in a Lookingglass play in 1994 , and the next year in Los Angeles when '' Friends '' was a fledgling sitcom .