Ike Holter News

Rescripted is thrilled to announce the second session of The Key: Young Critics Mentorship Program, beginning September 18 and hosted this year at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted. Regina Victor, founder of the online arts journalism platform Rescripted and entertainment critic Oliver Sava, created the 10-week training program for Chicago youth in arts criticism. In league with The Chicago Inclusion Project, The Key successfully launched last year at Greenhouse Theater Center with its first group of young writers learning the skills and industry knowledge needed to pursue careers in arts criticism. 

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, opens its 2018/19 season with Qui Nguyen's Vietgone, directed by Lavina Jadhwani, featuring original music and music direction by Gabriel Ruiz and choreography by Tommy Rapley. Vietgone runs August 15 - September 23, 2018 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Today, August 22 at 7:30 p.m.

This fall, Goodman Theatre presents its New Stages Festival-a free annual celebration and discovery of new plays by some of the country's finest established and emerging playwrights. Audiences experience a first look at seven new works-including three fully staged developmental productions (performed in repertory) There's Always the Hudson by Paola Lazaro-Muñoz; Felons and Familias by Sandra Delgado; Graveyard Shift by Korde Arrington Tuttle. In addition, four staged readings appear during the last weekend of the festival (October 4-7) including The Wizards by Ricardo Gamboa; Between Covers by Sarah Schulman; Birthday Candles by Noah Haidle; and Cressida on Top by Paula Vogel.

Victory Gardens Theater Artistic Director Chay Yew and Managing Director Erica Daniels announce the 2018/19 Season Directors Inclusion Initiates, to include Lauren Katz (Indecent), Mikael Burke (Rightlynd), N. Emil Thomas (Pipeline), Denise Yvette Serna (Cambodian Rock Band) and Ruby Des Jardins (Miriam for President).

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, opens its 2018/19 season with Qui Nguyen's Vietgone, directed by Lavina Jadhwani, featuring original music and music direction by Gabriel Ruiz and choreography by Tommy Rapley. Vietgone runs August 15 - September 23, 2018 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Wednesday, August 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Rec Room Arts launches into their third year with a powerhouse of a season that boldly tackles several of America's most divisive issues: guns, education, and race. The lineup, consisting exclusively of regional premieres and world premiere adaptations, includes a regional premiere of EXIT STRATEGY by Ike Holter, award-winning playwright of last year's hit play SENDER; a remount of Houston's newest, immersive holiday tradition, HANSEL AND GRETEL; a regional premiere of ON THE EXHALE by Martin Zimmerman; a regional premiere of THE ROYALE by Marco Ramirez; and a world premiere adaptation of Georg Buchner's groundbreaking 19th century play, WOYZECK.

Victory Gardens Theater Artistic Director Chay Yew, Managing Director Erica Daniels and Director of New Play Development Skyler Gray announce the lineup for the 10th Anniversary IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Prosthesis by Robert Askins; Untitled Road Trip Play by Lauren Yee; White History by Dave Harris; How to Defend Yourself by Lily Padilla; Seeing Eye by Nick Malakhow; and The First Deep Breath by Lee Edward Colston II. The 2018 Festival runs August 3 -5, 2018 at Victory Gardens Theater, located at 2433 N Lincoln Avenue.

Victory Gardens Theater under the direction of Artistic Director Chay Yew and Managing Director Erica Daniels, announces casting for its upcoming productions of Indecent by Paula Vogel, directed by Gary Griffin, Rightlynd by Ike Holter, directed by Lisa Portes, Pipeline by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Cheryl Lynn Bruce, and Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee, directed by Marti Lyons. The cast for Miriam for President by Madhuri Shekar, directed by Chay Yew, is yet to be announced.

Victory Gardens Theater presents Town Hall: Reunite!, an event where Chicago artists will respond to the current immigration policies of the United States. Town Hall: Reunite! will be held at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue on Wednesday, July 18 at 7 pm. This event is FREE and open to the public.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center and Blanket Fort Entertainment have announced an extended run of the 2018 Hollywood Fringe Festival breakout hit Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Nominated for six HFF Awards including Best Comedy, winner of the 2CentsTheatre Award for Distinctive Voices, and winner of the SoHo Playhouse (NYC) Fringe Encore Series Award, this genre-bending thriller had its world premiere at the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Davidson/Valentini Theatre and returns for 10 performances only, July 12 through July 29.

Firebrand Theatre, in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, is pleased to announces casting for its revival of the Tony Award-nominated Best Musical CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, featuring music by Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home, Violet), book and lyrics by Tony Kushner (Angels in America), direction by Lili-Anne Brown and music direction by Andra Velis Simon. 

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to announce casting for THE ARTIFICIAL JUNGLE, the final play by the legendary master of camp, Charles Ludlam.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the lineup for the 10th Anniversary IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Prosthesis by Robert Askins; Untitled Road Trip Play byLauren Yee; White History by Dave Harris; How to Defend Yourself by Lily Padilla; Seeing Eye by Nick Malakhow; and The First Deep Breath by Lee Edward Colston II. The 2018 Festival runs August 3 -5, 2018 at Victory Gardens Theater, located at 2433 N Lincoln Avenue.

The Core Writer program at the Playwrights' Center gives 25-30 of the most exciting playwrights from across the country the time and tools to develop new work for the stage. The Center is announcing new Core Writers Darren Canady, Erin Courtney, Marisela Treviño Orta, Stacey Rose, Ariel Stess and Ray Yamanouchi. In addition, the Playwrights' Center is pleased to welcome three new student playwrights to its Core Apprentice program for 2018-19: Lily Padilla, Drew Paryzer and Lauren Wimmer.

Artistic Director Chay Yew and Managing Director Erica Daniels announce Victory Gardens Theater's Public Programs line-up in conjunction with Mies Julie, written by Yael Farber, directed by Dexter Bullard, and adapted from August Strindberg's Miss Julie. Mies Julie runs May 25 - June 24, 2018, with the press performance on Friday, June 1, 2018 at 7:30pm at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

Primary Stages' (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Shane D. Hudson, Executive Director) 2018 Spring Fling benefitting their Free Student Matinee Program will take place tonight, Thursday, May 10, 2018, at 6:00 pm. The event will be held at Ramscale Studio (463 West Street) and will honor Kimberly Senior (Disgraced, Discord) with the Einhorn Mentorship Award.

Firebrand Theatre, the first musical theatre company committed to employing and empowering women by expanding opportunities on and off the stage, is pleased to announce its second season, featuring two fully-produced musicals, including a Chicago premiere. 

Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Urban League's collaborative program, EmpowerYouth! Igniting Creativity through the Arts, is excited to present Empower, an original opera developed with local African-American high-school students. Tickets are $10-20 and are available here for the one-night-only performance, which will take place Thursday, May 31 at 7:00pm at the Lyric Opera House. 

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Shane D. Hudson, Executive Director) announced today that the Primary Stages 2018 Spring Fling will benefit their Free Student Matinee Program on Thursday, May 10, 2018 at 6:00 pm.

The Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs end their 2017-18 season with two plays in rep, Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl, and Prowess by Ike Holter. Eurydice, directed by Addie Gorlin ('19), tackles grief and growing up through the lens of the reimagined Greek myth, and will be performed May 4-19, 2018. Prowess, directed by Ken-Matt Martin ('19) explores accountability in a world of vigilante justice, and can be seen May 5-20, 2018. All performances take place on the same set at the Pell Chafee Performance Center, 87 Empire Street, Providence. Tickets are on sale now at Trinity Rep's box office, by phone (401) 351-4242, or online at www.TrinityRep.com.