Goodman Theatre News

Playwrights Foundation (PF) is pleased to announce the line-up of playwrights for the 2016-2017 Rough Readings Series in partnership with the National Center for New Plays at Stanford University, now in its 11th year. Beginning October 24th and 25th with workshop early draft  readings of ALL FALL DOWN by Lisa Ramirez (PF Resident Playwright), the series continues monthly December 2016 through May 2017 with seven exceptional new works that are pushing into new theatrical territory, challenging assumptions, and presenting deeply felt dilemmas within our culture and world society.

MCC Theater today announced casting and full creative team for its thrilling New York City premiere of the new musical Ride the Cyclone, which marks just the third musical in MCC's now-iconic 30-year history of producing new works for the American theater.

THE BARDY BUNCH: The War of the Families Partridge and Brady, the musical parody by Stephen Garvey that gained cult status during its Off-Broadway run in 2014, runs in a limited engagement in Chicago, September 16 through November 20, at the Mercury Theater, 3745 N. Southport Avenue. The show's all-star cast will portray the Brady and Partridge families, just after the ABC Network ceased airing their chronicles in 1974, in a blood-soaked, vengeance-fueled, lust-filled crossover episode of Shakespearean proportions. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

Matrix Theatre Teen Company members spent the summer working with renowned playwright Noah Haidle to independently write original plays. The plays will be presented as readings at a two evening showcase, Writers' Blocks, Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22, at 7:30 pm at Matrix Theatre Company. Matrix Theatre Company is located at 2730 Bagley in the heart of Detroit's Mexicantown. Ticket prices are $8 adults, $5 students and seniors. To order tickets, or for further information, go to www.matrixtheatre.org, or call 313 967 0599. Some content is suitable for adult audiences.

THE BARDY BUNCH: The War of the Families Partridge and Brady, the musical parody by Stephen Garvey that gained cult status during its Off-Broadway run in 2014, is excited to announce casting for its limited engagement in Chicago, September 16 through November 27, at the Mercury Theater, 3745 N. Southport Avenue. The show's all-star cast will portray the Brady and Partridge families, just after the ABC Network ceased airing their chronicles in 1974, in a blood-soaked, vengeance-fueled, lust-filled crossover episode of Shakespearean proportions.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce a second extension of Porchlight's 22nd season opener, the multi-Tony Award-winning In The Heights, now playing through Saturday, Nov. 19, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegria Hudes. Directed and co-choreographed by Brenda Didier, co-choreographed by Chris Carter, music directed by Diana Lawrence and assistant directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. The  performance times are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with an added Thursday matinee, October 6 at 1:30 p.m. There is no 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6. Tickets are $43 - $51. Single tickets may be purchased at 773.327.5252 or at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org. 

Bristol Riverside Theatre opens its 30th Anniversary Season with A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline by Dean Regan on September 27-October 16.

Goodman Theatre kicks off its 2016/2017 Season with a major revival of Wonderful Town, Leonard Bernstein's timeless musical composition of hope and adventure, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and book by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov.

The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust today announced that Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award-nominated playwright Sarah Ruhl is this year's recipient of the Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award.

Steep Theatre is thrilled to announce that Vanessa Stalling will direct the ensemble's spring 2017 production of Lauren Yee's Hookman.

The four Chicago-based playwrights newly named to the Playwrights Unit, a year-long residency in partnership with Chicago Dramatists, include Lucas Baisch, whose work has been developed at Victory Gardens Theater, Post Q at Links Hall, Chicago Dramatists' Saturday Series and more; Dawn Renee Jones, recipient of the 2015 Ruby Prize for her play A Heap See; Evan Linder, whose recent credits include the acclaimed remount of his play Byhalia, Mississippi, (2016 Non-Equity Jeff Award for new work) at Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre; and Emma Stanton, recipient of the 2016 Princess Grace Award Playwriting Fellowship, which includes a year-long residency at New Dramatists in New York.

Playing Dashwood sister Marianne, Alejandra Escalante gives a delightful, no nonsense interview in 6 Questions & a Plug -- just as you'd expect from SENSE & SENSIBILITY.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, has announced the recipients of the second round of the 2016 Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards.

Torch songs, smoky clubs and great music... The 70's in Chicago was a time of amazing people and music for a fresh young face out of Minnesota.  Suzanne Petri, Bobby Schiff, Jim Cox and Robert Breuler share fantastic stories of the great Chicago clubs such as Mr. Kelly's, The London House, Chez Paree and The Happy Medium.

Three of Chicago's leading theater artists - actor James Vincent Meredith, and director/educators Henry Godinez of Northwestern University and Susan Padveen of Columbia College will appear following performances of the play detailing the story of Ira Aldridge, who in 1833 became the first black actor to play Othello on a London stage. The three each have a unique and personal connection to the play's themes. 

Chicago writer and actress Fawzia Mirza takes the stage in her one-woman comedy ME, MY MOM & SHARMILA, directed by Meghan Beals, presented as part of Steppenwolf Theatre's LookOut Series.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for the Chicago premiere of Mike Bartlett's new West End and Broadway sensation King Charles III, directed by Gary Griffin as part of the Theater's 30th Anniversary Season.

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Seattle and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include FOLLIES in St. Louis, THE LAST SHIP in Salt Lake City, and PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES in Seattle, just to name a few.