Regina Taylor Launches New Website and Free Community Events Around New Play, STOP. RESET.

Goodman Theatre and Golden Globe winner Regina Taylor unite Chicago communities through art and technology with the new play, stop. reset., which explores the intersection of race, class, sex and gender and the tensions between old ways and new digital-driven ways.

Taylor, who celebrates 20 years as a Goodman Artistic Associate this year, has curated an extensive series of artistic collaborations and free live events throughout the city to ignite conversation inspired by the play's themes-including several dinner parties, the "OUTSIDE THE BOX" symposia series (May 17 and 18, June 5 and 9) and the "INSPIRES" series of artistic presentations (June 8, 14 and 15), involving community thought leaders from a cross-section of fields and generations, as well as student and professional artists.

All discourse is documented and appears on StopReset.org, a special website Taylor developed as a virtual gathering place, featuring digital portals for theatergoers to explore and engage with the play prior to attending, while they are at the theater and continuing the connection post-performance. Written and directed by Taylor, stop. reset.appears May 23 - June 21 (opening night is Monday, June 1) in the Owen Theatre.

Tickets ($10 - $40; subject to change) are on sale now by phone at 312.443.3800, at GoodmanTheatre.org/StopReset or at the box office (170 N. Dearborn).

"The idea of stop. reset. came to me when my favorite bookstore closed, and I started to think about what the future will hold for books, what it will look like, and if I can accept it. The play is about change-and it's also about identity, legacy and how we pass those things down in a time of societal upheaval with technology," said playwright and director Regina Taylor. "I've had the unique opportunity in the last 20 years working at the Goodman to find my own voice, and part of that is having dialogue with the communities in Chicago that have helped shape my work. I'm excited to expand the life of the play beyond the stage, finding new ways to break down the walls of the theater and have conversations with audiences."

In stop. reset., e-books and digital technologies are transforming the literary world, and Chicago businessman Alex Ames (Eugene Lee) must try to save his long-standing African American book publishing company from extinction. While his employees Jan (Jacqueline Williams), Chris (Eric Lynch), Deb (Lisa Tejero) and Tim (Tim Decker) fret over losing their jobs, Ames finds unlikely inspiration from a mysterious teenager-J. (Edgar Sanchez), who seems to be plugged into the future. The aging Ames is forced to discover how far he's willing to go to survive. stop. reset. made its world premiere in 2013 at Signature Theatre Company in New York, where Taylor is a Residency Five playwright.

About the Website

Digital portals of storytelling within the show's website, StopReset.org, immerse audiences in the world of the play. "The Play" portal houses detailed information about stop. reset., including bios and photos of the cast and creative team. The "Blogs" portal includes two web logs-"Director's Blog" and "J's Blog"-that give insight into Taylor's creative process and more insight into the character of "J," the mysterious teenager whose inventive, forward-thinking ideas may provide the solution to preserving Alex Ames' legacy. The "Artist Responses" portal features two sub-components, "Student Interpretations" and "Artists & Innovators," which feature projects by Chicago students, professional artists and institutions inspired by the play.

The "Community" portal includes videos and podcasts of a cross-section of community thought leaders and leaders from various fields discussing their response to the play and its themes; four sub-groups in this portal include "Interviews," "Symposia," "Dinners," and "Events." The "Media" portal gives professional writers, comedians and filmmakers the opportunity to create their own works of art around the ideas of stop. reset., expanding the play's themes beyond the stage.

Audiences can digitally mingle with the cast and creative team in "Connect"-the site's social media portal, using Twitter, Instagram, Vine and Tumblr using the hashtag #StopReset-as they document the rehearsal and production process.

About the "OUTSIDE THE BOX" Symposia Series
To reserve tickets to these free topical digital age discussions, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/stopreset

• ENDANGERED SPECIES | Sunday, May 17 | 2pm at DuSable Museum of African America History (740 E. 56th Pl.)

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Voter's Rights Act, this intergenerational discussion addresses how African American identity has evolved over the last five decades. Moderated by Tracye A. Matthews of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture, panelists for ENDANGERED SPECIES include WVON's Melody Spann Cooper, Desirée Rogers, Robert Blackwell, Sr. and Reverend Vance Henry.

• ARTISTS, SOCIAL CHANGE AND IDENTITY| Monday, May 18 at 7:30pm | Gallery Guichard (436 E. 47th St.)

This symposium focuses on technology's impact on cultural identity, gender and sexuality. Moderated by Barbara Allen, panelists for ARTISTS, SOCIAL CHANGE AND IDENTITY include Sandra Delgado, Billy Ocasio, Ginger Leopoldo, Roderick Hawkins and Jyreika Guest.

• STUDENTS AND STOP. RESET.?Friday, June 5 at 12 noon?Starter League (30 N. Racine Ave.)

Students age 16-21 discuss the technological and social changes occurring in their times.

• PLACE IS THE SPACE| Tuesday, June 9 at 7:30pm | Little Black Pearl (1060 E. 47th St.)

This symposium tackles community transformation in a technology-driven world. Panelists discuss topics such as re-shaping communities through art, and the future of communities that have been decimated by the destruction of public housing, the loss of industry, the foreclosure crisis and chronic disinvestment.

About the "INSPIRES" Series
To reserve tickets to these free events featuring Chicago artists' response to the play, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/stopreset

• stop. reset. INSPIRES at the Center for Inner City Studies | Monday, June 8 at 7pm | 700 E. Oakwood Blvd.

An eclectic evening of original pieces inspired by stop. reset. Artists from across Chicagoland respond to the play with their own creations in a variety of mediums.

• stop. reset. INSPIRES at Black Cinema House | Sunday, June 14 at 7pm | 7200 S. Kimbark Ave.

An eclectic evening of original pieces inspired by stop. reset. Artists from across Chicagoland respond to the play with their own creations in a variety of mediums.

• stop. reset. INSPIRES Storytelling | Monday, June 15 at 5pm | Goodman Theatre

A multigenerational group of artists from Goodman's various Education and Community Engagement programs explore the themes of stop. reset. through the writing and performing of personal narrative pieces.