James Vincent News

Eleven world premiere plays and musicals seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving nominations by the Jeff Awards, announced today. A total of 192 nominations were made in 34 categories that honor Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2018 and July 31, 2019. During the 2018-19 season, Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 132 Equity productions offered by 43 producing organizations and from these openings, 112 productions were a?oeJeff Recommendeda?? and eligible for award nominations.

Writers Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce initial casting for the company's previously announced 2019/20 season.

The 29th annual Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival (Inside Out), championing innovative LGBTQ filmmakers from across the globe, revealed its full feature and short film lineup. The announcement was made today by Inside Out's Executive Director Andria Wilson and the festival's Director of Programming Andrew Murphy. Inside Out, which launched the first ever annual LGBTQ Film Finance Forum, has established itself as an international home and incubator for LGBTQ emerging and established filmmakers. This year's festival will take place May 23 to June 2, 2019.

It seems only fitting that Ike Holter would conclude his seven-play "Rightlynd Saga," set in the fictional 51st Ward of Chicago, by literally sending it off with a party. And this is no ordinary celebration. A cast of characters from previous installments in the "Rightlynd Saga" gathers in Mallory's backyard; she's the neighborhood's maternal figure, and she's poised to give away a sizable sum of money to one lucky winner.

"Not everyone will go home a winner" in Goodman Theatre's world-premiere production of Lottery Day by Ike Holter, which appears through April 28 in the Owen Theatre. Holter concludes his seven-play "Rightlynd Saga"-the first play of which premiered five years ago, and has been hailed as "one of the most significant literary achievements in modern-day Chicago" (Chicago Tribune)-with a raucous theatrical bash, directed by Chicago native Lili-Anne Brown. Commissioned by the Goodman and developed through its New Stages Festival of new plays, Lottery Day takes place in a Rightlynd backyard where new characters and returning characters from the saga come together to create a work about the cost of belonging and the gift of community. Lottery Day appears through April 28 in the Owen Theatre.

Irish duo ALL TVVINS will release their James Vincent McMorrow co-produced sophomore album, Just To Exist, April 12 on Faction Records. Current single “Build A Bridge”, which premiered via Billboard in January, is currently garnering airplay on BBC Radio 1, but Conor Adams and Lar Kaye shared another track from the record, “I Heard You”, Friday during a live interview with Ireland's RTE 2fm + via DSPs.

Keep Music Alive is excited to announce the 5th Annual Teach Music Week will be celebrated Monday March 18th through Sunday March 24th.  This annual week-long holiday invites musicians, music schools, music stores and other music organizations to offer a free lesson or class to new students (kids and adults).  This year, over 750 locations in 15 countries will participate including the U.S., Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Canada, Croatia, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, in its 23rd season, will present three plays about women's historical struggles that fuel the debates of today, ranging from a world premiere adaptation of a beloved literary classic, a new production of a groundbreaking modern classic about female empowerment, all the way to a Chicago premiere of a new play about the relationship between two iconic Americans.

Goodman Theatre proudly announces the casts for its Chicago premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Sweat by Lynn Nottage, directed by Ron OJ Parson, as well as its world premiere of Lottery Day-Ike Holter's final work in his seven-play "The Rightlynd Saga," directed by Lili-Anne Brown. Tickets are now available for both productions at GoodmanTheatre.org, by telephone 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 N. Dearborn).

Keep Music Alive is excited to announce the 5th Annual Teach Music Week will be celebrated Monday March 18th through Sunday March 24th.  This annual week-long holiday invites musicians, music schools, music stores and other music organizations to offer a free lesson or class to new students (kids and adults).  For this milestone anniversary, an estimated 750 locations in a dozen countries will participate including the US, Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, Switzerland, UAE, UK.

Cork, Ireland-based Talos (a.k.a. Eoin French) has debuted the video for new single “See Me” via Flood Magazine. Says Flood, “'See Me' is a breezy orchestral affair positioning Eoin French's soaring Ezra Koenig falsetto over downbeat boom-bap electronics,” while calling the video “equally as lush” as the song itself. Watch it HERE. The track was produced by Talos, Ross Dowling (James Vincent McMorrow) and mixed by Damian Taylor (Bjork, Arcade Fire).

Random Acts, About Face Youth Theatre and Pride Films & Plays have announced a special 20th Anniversary Reading of THE LARAMIE PROJECT by Moises Kaufman, directed by Jason Gerace. The event, set to feature some of Chicago's best talent, will take place on Sunday, November 4 at 7:30pm at Pride Films and Plays' Broadway space. Tickets are tiered from $5-20 and can be purchased at www.RandomActsChicago.com. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

Due to overwhelming demand, Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, announces the extension of August Wilson's Radio Golf, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson. Radio Golf now runs through October 6, 2018, at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. 

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, opens its 2018/19 season with August Wilson's Radio Golf, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson. Radio Golf runs August 30 - September 30, 2018 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 7:30pm.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro announced today the addition of Rajiv Joseph and Karen Rodriguez to the world-renowned Steppenwolf ensemble. An Obie Award-wining and Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright, Rajiv Joseph's Guards at the Taj was produced at Steppenwolf this past May to great acclaim. Karen Rodriguez, a celebrated Chicago-based actor, recently performed at Steppenwolf in The Doppelganger (an international farce) and The Rembrandt, and will be featured in this season's world premiere of Isaac Gomez's La Ruta, in a role written specifically for her.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, opens its 2018/19 season with August Wilson's Radio Golf, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson. Radio Golf runs August 30 - September 30, 2018 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. 

Steppenwolf Theatre Company's world-renowned ensemble was joined by more than 675 civic, cultural and business leaders for the 2018 Gala on Saturday, May 12, 2018, raising over $1.3 million for Steppenwolf's artistic, educational and community programming. The major fundraising event, which had record-breaking attendance, was held at a new location not far from the theatre, 1340 N Cherry Avenue, and was designed and produced by Jeffrey Foster for Frost Chicago. Attendees celebrated 42 seasons of groundbreaking ensemble theatre with an evening of festivity emceed by actor Rainn Wilson, well-known for his role as "Dwight Schrute" on NBC's award-winning comedy, The Office and currently starring in The Doppelganger (an international farce) at Steppenwolf. Comedian, actor, director and producer Chris Rock, who starred in the world premiere Broadway production of The Motherf**ker with the Hat directed by Steppenwolf Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro, joined as the guest auctioneer alongside Christie's Robbie Gordy.

Due to popular demand, Steppenwolf Theatre Company has extended the world premiere comedy, The Doppelganger (an international farce) written by Matthew-Lee Erlbach (Showtime's Masters of Sex, Off-Broadway's Handbook for an American Revolutionary), through June 2 with the original cast.