Charles Newell News

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, announced today that nominations for the Zelda Fichandler Award are now being accepted through July 10, 2020.

Court Theatre announces new dates for its production of The Gospel at Colonus, featuring book and lyrics by Lee Breuer, and music by Bob Telson.

Court Theatre announces cancellation of The Lady from the Sea and postponement of remaining performances of An Iliad.

Court Theatre has announced a one week extension of its groundbreaking site-specific performance of An Iliad. Discussing the extension, Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, shares that, a?oeTo see such an outpouring of support for Court and the OI in this ambitious endeavor has been as humbling as it has been thrilling. We're excited to add one more week of performances to this sold-out production so that more people have a chance to witness the power of an intimate, site-specific approach in the telling of this ancient story.a?? Added performances run from April 1 to April 5, 2020.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, announces its 66th season. The company's 2020/21 season will feature the sixth play in August Wilson's American Century Cycle, Two Trains Running, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson; the Americana musical Violet, with book and lyrics by Brian Crawley and music by Jeanine Tesori, directed by Charles Newell; the culmination of Court's Oedipus Trilogy with the Sophocles classic Antigone, directed by Seret Scott; Caryl Churchill's Fen, directed by Vanessa Stalling; and a new production of Shakespeare's Othello, starring Kelvin Roston, Jr. and Timothy Edward Kane, adapted and directed by Charles Newell.

The Guthrie Theater (Joseph Haj, artistic director) announced today a return of rotating repertory with Shakespeare's History Cycle (Richard II, Henry IV [Parts I and II as one play] and Henry V), which will play on the Wurtele Thrust Stage during the 2020-2021 Season.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director, continues its 2019/20 season with The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie, directed by Sean Graney. The Mousetrap runs January 16, 2020 - February 16, 2020 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, January 25, 2020 at 7:30pm.

Hyde Park School of Dance (HPSD) brings together fans of ballet, modern, and hip hop with its annual presentation of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, with more than 175 dancers-primarily children ages 7 to 18. The cast includes weekly students and members of the school's pre-professional Studio Company and features high school seniors who have grown up at the school, all supported by hundreds of volunteers. Performances are December 13-15 at Mandel Hall on the University of Chicago campus, 1131 E. 57th Street, Chicago.

Court Theatre announces the remount of audience favorite An Iliad as the sixth production in its 2019/20 season. Taking place throughout the Oriental Institute Museum (OI) on the University of Chicago campus, this groundbreaking, site-specific performance not to be missed. Combining promenade-style elements throughout the Oriental Institute Museum, as well as a seated portion performed in the OI's Robert and Deborah Aliber Persian Gallery, this explosive combination of theatre and history brings the epic poem to life in a thrilling new way. As the Center for Classic Theatre, Court will partner with the OI to add exciting environmental and thematic context to Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare's one-man adaptation of Homer's Iliad. Tickets go on sale to the public on Monday, September 16 at noon.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director, continues its 2019/20 season with Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, translated by Nicholas Rudall and directed by Charles Newell. Oedipus Rex runs November 7 a?" December 8, 2019 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 7:30pm.

Court Theatre has announced the five plays that will be performed as part of its Spotlight Reading Series. Court's Spotlight Series endeavors to redefinea?'and ultimately expanda?'the canon of classic theatre by presenting readings of rarely produced plays by writers of color.

Court Theatre has appointed three new individuals to its staff. Regina Victor joins Court as their first-ever Associate Producer, while Andrew Berg will serve as the theatre's Director of Development, and Gabrielle Randle will conduct research in conjunction with Court's Oedipus Trilogy as an Artistic Fellow.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director, has announced casting for August Wilson's King Hedley II, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson. King Hedley II runs September 12 - October 13, 2019 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 7:30pm.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director, opens its 201920 season with August Wilson's King Hedley II, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson. King Hedley II runs September 12 ? October 13, 2019 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 7:30pm.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), announced today that nominations for the Zelda Fichandler Award, for a director or choreographer who is transforming theatre in the Central Region, are now being accepted through July 2, 2019.

Court Theatre, under the leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, announces the extension of its critically acclaimed hit The Adventures of Augie March, a play by David Auburn, based on the novel by Saul Bellow, and directed by Charles Newell, due to overwhelming demand.

Court Theatre, under the leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, concludes its 2018/19 season with the World Premiere of The Adventures of Augie March, a play by David Auburn, based on the novel by Saul Bellow, and directed by Charles Newell. The Adventures of Augie March runs May 9 - June 9, 2019 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, May 18, 2019 at 7:30pm.

Court Theatre and playwright Nambi E. Kelley have received the Prince Prize for Commissioning Original Work for 2018. Prince Charitable Trusts makes an award of $75,000 each year to a major Chicago dance, music, visual arts or theater company. When the Trust approached Court Theatre about projects that might fit their vision for the Prize, it was only natural to ask playwright Nambi E. Kelley to create an original play based on the story of Stokely Carmichael's activism and legacy for the stage. In 2014, Kelley had adapted Richard Wright's Native Son for Court Theatre in a co-production with American Blues Theatre that garnered great critical and popular acclaim. Another collaboration would build upon these successes.

Court Theatre, under the leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, concludes its 2018/19 season with the World Premiere of The Adventures of Augie March, a play by David Auburn, based on the novel by Saul Bellow, and directed by Charles Newell. The Adventures of Augie March runs May 9 June 9, 2019 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, May 18, 2019 at 7:30pm.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, announces its 65th season. The company's 2019/20 season will feature the ninth play in August Wilson's American Century Cycle, King Hedley II, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson; the launch of Court's Oedipus Trilogy with the Sophocles classic Oedipus Rex, directed by Charles Newell; Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, directed by Sean Graney; Henrik Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea, directed by Shana Cooper; and The Gospel at Colonus, a reimagining of the story of Oedipus, conceived by Lee Breuer with music by Bob Telson, directed by Charles Newell.