Goodman Theatre Announces Winter Programming

Goodman Theatre kicks off the New Year with a slate of panel and round-table discussions to encourage conversation around the productions in the season. As part of its ongoing commitment to audience engagement, the Goodman offers a wide variety of events that explore artistic intention and the historical and societal implications of the work on stage. Each of the following events takes place at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); for tickets and reservations, call 312.443.3800 or visit www.GoodmanTheatre.org.

WINTER PROGRAMS
(Programming, dates and artists subject to change)

Representing Other: Race, Class and Gender in Post-August Wilson Black Theater
Saturday, January 15 at 5:30pm
FREE

Goodman Theatre partners with Public Square, a program of the Illinois Humanities Council, and the University of Illinois at Chicago's Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy for this discussion, which features a diverse panel of theater visionaries and academics discussing the landscape of black theater in America post-August Wilson. Moderated by Willa Taylor, Goodman Theatre's director of Education and Community Engagement, panelists include playwrights Thomas Bradshaw (Mary) and Danai Gurira (In The Continuum and The Convert -part of Goodman Theatre's New Stages Series); Kimberly Dixon, managing director at The Guild Literary Complex of Chicago; and Chuck Smith, Goodman Theatre resident director.

The Trinity River Plays Artists Talk
Featuring Playwright ReGina Taylor | Moderated by Lisa Dillman?Wednesday, January 19 at 6pm
$10 general admission; $5 Donors, Subscribers and students with ID

The Artists Talk series connects theater audiences with Goodman artists in conversations about their process held in an intimate environment. Learn about ReGina Taylor's world-premiere The Trinity River Plays from the playwright herself before a 7:30pm performance. A trilogy consisting of three stylistically distinct plays-Jaryfly, Rain and Ghoststory-The Trinity River Plays follows Iris Spears and her matriarchal Texas family as they explore transformative moments throughout Iris' life and the intricacies of her relationship with her mother. Albert Goodman/Edith-Marie Appleton Foundation is the Major Production Sponsor. Target is the Major Corporate Sponsor. The Joyce Foundation provides Principal Support of Artistic Development and Diversity Initiatives.

Fierce Conversations: Audiences, Critics and Controversial Art
Sunday, January 23 at 5:30pm
FREE

Freedom of expression is an essential tenet of a free society. But that freedom often comes under fire when artistic institutions present works that express different, and sometimes incendiary, points of view. This panel conversation-including playwright Kathleen Tolan (A Weekend Near Madison, The Wax); Erica Reda, Artistic Director of Chicago Opera Vanguard; Kelly Kleiman, WBEZ theater arts critic; Sydney Chatman, founder of The Tofu Chitlin Circuit Blog; moderated by Leonard Jacobs, editor of The Clyde Fitch Report blog-looks at recent visual and performing arts controversies in Chicago and across the country, and explores what role of cultural collaborators (the institutions presenting the work, and the media reviewing/critiquing it) is in preparing audiences for controversial work.

The Great Divide: Women of Color, Cancer and the Price of Survival - CONTEXT Event
A Marge Markin Theater Awareness Lecture
Monday, January 31 at 5:30pm
FREE

Cancer-specifically breast cancer-is the leading cause of death among African American women. While breast cancer death rates among white women have decreased by 11 percent in recent years, the rate of breast cancer deaths among black women has increased by 13 percent. A panel of oncology experts, community activists and policy analysts examines some of the factors that contribute to the disparities in cancer treatment, research and recourses among minorities. Goodman Theatre partners with the University of Illinois at Chicago's Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy for this free discussion, centered around The Trinity River Plays. Albert Goodman/Edith-Marie Appleton Foundation is the Major Production Sponsor. Target is the Major Corporate Sponsor. The Joyce Foundation provides Principal Support of Artistic Development and Diversity Initiatives.

Mary Artists Talk
Featuring Playwright Thomas Bradshaw and Director May Adrales | Moderated by Willa Taylor
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 6pm
$10 general admission; $5 Donors, Subscribers and students with ID

Meet the artists behind Thomas Bradshaw's provocative new play Mary before the evening performance of the world-premiere production. At the height of what Time magazine dubbed "AIDS hysteria" in 1983, college student David invites his boyfriend home to his parents' house in Maryland where nothing has changed since the 1800s-including the slave quarters. Goodman Theatre is the proud recipient of the Prince Charitable Prize for Commissioning Original Work for Mary. The Joyce Foundation provides Principal Support of Artistic Development and Diversity Initiatives.

 

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About the Goodman's Education and Community Engagement Programs

In its 24th year, the Student Subscription Series works with over 40 Chicago public high schools each year to creatively supplement students' reading, writing, critical thinking and communication skills. Special matinee performances of Goodman productions are supplemented with exclusive teacher training workshops, educational guides and post-show discussions. CONTEXT: Discourse & Discussion is a series designed to engage the community in debate, dialogue and deeper exploration of themes within Goodman productions. Unlike a traditional post-show discussion which centers on the production, CONTEXT events focus on particular issues raised within the plays and explore how they resonate in today's culture. Cindy Bandle Young Critics (CBYC) is a joint venture between Goodman Theatre and the Association for Women Journalists that introduces 11th grade girls to the art of theater criticism and the world of professional writing. Participants see every show in the Goodman's season, interview theater artists and receive one-on-one mentoring from professional journalists. CBYC is named in honor of Goodman Theatre's late, longtime press director, Cindy Bandle. General Theater Studies (GTS) is a six-week summer intensive for 14 -19-year olds with a focus on critical thinking, literacy, oral history and storytelling. Designed to validate student voices, help them examine their creativity and introduce them to the creation of theater, GTS is an ensemble-building program that culminates in an original student performance.

For more information, visit www.GoodmanTheatre.org.