Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' GLORIA Opens Tonight at Goodman Theatre

What is newsworthy? What lives have value? Does ambition compromise morals? MacArthur Foundation Fellow Branden Jacobs-Jenkins explores these questions and more in Gloria. Directed by Evan Cabnet, Gloria made its Off-Broadway debut in 2015 at the Vineyard Theater. The complete cast and creative team reunite for the Chicago premiere at the Goodman.

Gloria appears in the Albert Theatre through February 19 (Opening Night is tonight, January 23). Tickets ($25 - $85; price subject to change) are available at GoodmanTheatre.org/Gloria, by phone at 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 North Dearborn). *Please note: Gloria contains scenes that may be disturbing; intended for mature audiences.

"Gloria is one of the smartest, most entertaining and most provocative plays I have seen in many years. I was thrilled to see its Off-Broadway premiere, and am proud to share it now with Chicago, and expose a wider audience to the contemporary genius of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins," said Artistic Director Robert Falls. "A deserved finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize, Gloria is among the exciting work emerging from our current theatrical renaissance. We welcome director Evan Cabnet and his wonderful original company to the Goodman for this Chicago premiere."

A group of ambitious twenty-somethings at one of New York's most esteemed cultural magazines are pursuing it all-style, status and success. When a seemingly normal day at the office turns out to be anything but, these aspiring journalists recognize an opportunity to seize a career-defining moment. As previously announced, the cast includes Kyle Beltran, Catherine Combs, Michael Crane, Jennifer Kim, Jeanine Serralles and Ryan Spahn. The creative team includes Takeshi Kata (sets), Ilona Somogyi (costumes), Matt Frey (lights), Matt Tierney (sound) and J. David Brimmer (fight choreographer).

"The thing I love most about Gloria is how incredibly honest, funny and shocking it is all at the same time," said Director Evan Cabnet, who directed the Goodman's 2013 world premiere of Teddy Ferrara by Christopher Shinn. "I'm grateful to have worked closely with Branden on its development, along with this extremely talented group of actors and designers. I hope that Gloria will delight Chicago audiences and ignite insightful conversation."

In addition to Gloria, Jacobs-Jenkins' playwriting credits include Appropriate (Signature Theatre, Obie Award and Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), Neighbors (The Public Theater), An Octoroon (Soho Repertory Theatre and Theatre for a New Audience, Obie Award) and War (Yale Repertory Theatre). He is currently a Residency Five playwright at the Signature Theatre, where his newest work, Everybody, makes its world premiere on January 31. His work has been seen at Actors Theater of Louisville, Victory Gardens Theater, Woolly Mammoth Theater, The Matrix Theater, Mixed Blood Theater, CompanyOne and the HighTide Festival in the U.K. He is under commission from LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater and Manhattan Theatre Club. Honors include a Paula Vogel Award, a fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the inaugural Tennessee Williams Award, the 2015 Steinberg Playwright Award and the 2016 "Genius" Fellowship from the MacArthur Foundation. He has taught at New York University and Queens University of Charlotte and holds an MA in performance studies from New York University and a BA from Princeton University. He is a graduate of the Lila Acheson Wallace Playwrights Program at The Juilliard School.

Cabnet's Broadway credits include Thérèse Raquin (Roundabout Theatre Company) and The Performers. Off-Broadway credits include Gloria and Outside People (Vineyard Theater), The Model Apartment and Poor Behavior (Primary Stages), A Kid Like Jake and All-American (Lincoln Center Theater), The Dream of the Burning Boy (Roundabout Theatre Company), Elizabeth Meriwether's Oliver Parker! (stageFARM), Warrior Class (Second Stage Theatre), Oohrah! (Atlantic Theater Company), The Mistakes Madeline Made (Naked Angels) and Do I Hear a Waltz? (Encores!). Additional credits include Henry V (Chautauqua Theater Company), An American Daughter and his own adaptations of Ubu Roi and Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Seas of Stories (Williamstown Theatre Festival) and Saigono Samurai (Ginka Theater, Tokyo). Cabnet is the Artistic Director of Lincoln Center Theater's LCT3. He is also a former Associate Artist with the Roundabout Theatre Company and a performance consultant for the Metropolitan Opera (Die Fledermaus).

Goodman Theatre is a not-for-profit organization distinguished by the quality and scope of its artistic programming and civic engagement. Founded in 1925, the Goodman is led by Robert Falls-"Chicago's most essential director" (Chicago Tribune ), who marks 30 years as Artistic Director this season-and Executive Director Roche Schulfer, who is celebrated for his vision and leadership over nearly four decades. Dedicated to new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musical theater works, Goodman Theatre artists and productions have earned hundreds of awards for artistic excellence, including: two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards, nearly 160 Jeff Awards and more. Over the past three decades, audiences have experienced more than 150 world or American premieres, 30 major musical productions, as well as nationally and internationally celebrated productions of classic works (including Falls' productions of Death of a Salesman, Long Day's Journey into Night, King Lear and The Iceman Cometh, many in collaboration with actor Brian Dennehy). In addition, the Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays August Wilson's "American Century Cycle." For nearly four decades, the annual holiday tradition of A Christmas Carol has created a new generation of theatergoers.

The 2016 opening of the Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement ("the Alice") launched the next phase in the Goodman's decades-long commitment as an arts and community organization dedicated to educating Chicago youth and promoting lifelong learning. Programs are offered year-round and free of charge. Eighty-five percent of the Goodman's youth program participants come from underserved communities.

Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago's cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family's legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth's family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation of the new Goodman center in 2000.

Today, Goodman Theatre leadership includes the distinguished members of the Artistic Collective: Brian Dennehy, Rebecca Gilman, Henry Godinez, Dael Orlandersmith, Steve Scott, Chuck Smith, ReGina Taylor, Henry Wishcamper and Mary Zimmerman. Joan Clifford is Chair of Goodman Theatre's Board of Trustees, Cynthia K. Scholl is Women's Board President and Justin A. Kulovsek is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.

Visit the Goodman virtually at GoodmanTheatre.org-including OnStage+ for insider information-and on Twitter (@GoodmanTheatre), Facebook and Instagram.

Photo Credit: Liz Lauren

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