John Gassner News

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the World Premiere of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon and directed by Jessica Thebus, runs November 10 - December 18, 2016 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. The press opening is scheduled for Friday, November 18 at 8 pm.

Following hard on the heels of the opening of their critically acclaimed co-production of The Bakelite Masterpiece, WAM Theatre's Artistic Director, Kristen van Ginhoven has announced plans for the first event of the company's eighth season in 2017. A special event - a limited run remount of WAM's very successful 2013 production of Emilie: La Marquise Du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight, written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by van Ginhoven, will run from March 30-April 9, 2017, and be presented at Shakespeare & Company's Tina Packer Playhouse in Lenox. 

Passage Theatre Company, Trenton's Barrymore Award-winning theatre company, under the leadership of Artistic Director June Ballinger and Managing Director Damion Parran,  opens  its 2016-2017 season with Leslie Ayvazian's comedy, Out of the City.  

Director Yana Ross makes her BAM debut with Franz XaverKroetz's poignant cultural critique, Request Concert. The play consists only of stage directions, nodialogue. The sole character is a 50-year-old middle class woman who lives alone in an overly tidyapartment. She comes home from work, prepares dinner, does the laundry, watches TV, and listensto a radio program. Surrounded by Ikea furniture and brand-name appliances, acclaimed Polishactress Danuta Stenka infuses these actions with an increasing sense of loneliness and futility.Request Concert explores the devastating circumstances of life in a world that values objects overpeople. Staged in the round, the audience is invited to walk around the set and observe the production from all angles.

Arden Theatre Company opens its 29th season with Aaron Posner's STUPID f**kING BIRD, 'sort of' adapted from Anton Checkov's The Seagull. Posner, an Arden co-founder and former Artistic Director who has directed nearly 40 productions for the company, also directs his show for the first time. STUPID f**kING BIRD runs September 15 through October 16, 2016, on the F. Otto Haas Stage at 40 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia.

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE (EST) and The Radio Drama Network are proud to announce the first production of the 2016-2017 season, the limited engagement of WHERE DID WE SIT ON THE BUS?, written and performed by Brian Quijada and directed by Chay Yew.

The Lark named five New York City-based playwrights as Rita Goldberg Playwrights' Workshop Fellows for the 2016-17 season. The group spans a wide range of backgrounds and professional experiences and will meet regularly throughout the year to develop new plays.

Route 66 Theatre Company has announced its 9th season, featuring two plays at its new resident home, The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. The 2017 season kicks off early spring with the world premiere of Gabe McKinley's psychological drama THE SOURCE, directed by Jason Gerace.

The fourth play in Circle Theatre's 35th anniversary season is The Taming, Lauren Gunderson's all female "power-play". This raucous political comedy will have both parties laughing in the aisles. Hilarity ensues when two political opposites wake up and discover themselves locked in a hotel room with a beauty queen. Following her past Circle productions of Exit, Pursued By A Bear (2013) and I and You (2015), The Taming brings to the stage the startling humor and rich roles for women that Ms. Gunderson skillfully creates.

Geffen Playhouse has announced the addition of award-winning playwright Anna Ziegler's Actually to its 2016/2017 season, a co-world premiere with the Williamstown Theatre Festival. The production is slated to run May 2, 2017 through June 11, 2017 in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse. Opening night is May 10, 2017.

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE (EST) and The Radio Drama Network are proud to announce the first production of the 2016-2017 season, the limited engagement of WHERE DID WE SIT ON THE BUS?, written and performed by Brian Quijada and directed by Chay Yew.

Arden Theatre Company opens its 29th season with Aaron Posner's STUPID f**kING BIRD, 'sort of' adapted from Anton Checkov's The Seagull. Posner, an Arden co-founder and former Artistic Director who has directed nearly 40 productions for the company, also directs his show for the first time. STUPID f**kING BIRD runs September 15 through October 16, 2016, on the F. Otto Haas Stage at 40 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia.

Playwright Lauren Yee (King Of The Yees, The Hatmaker's Wife) recently visited Kansas City, MO to lead workshops with writers as part of the Dramatists Guild Fund's Traveling Masters Program. Click below to watch her in action and hear her speak!

WAM Theatre is pleased to announce the cast for the fourth in their 2016 Fresh Takes Play Reading Series, Samsara by Lauren Yee, directed by WAM Theatre Co-Founder Leigh Strimbeck. The reading will take place on Sunday, August 21 at 3 pm at No. Six Depot Roastery and Cafe, 6 Depot Street in West Stockbridge, MA.

Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST) announced today that their current home at 545-549 West 52nd Street, New York, NY, will undergo major renovations for the first time in nearly 50 years.

The fourth show of Circle's season is The Taming, Lauren Gunderson's all female "power-play". This raucous political comedy will have both parties laughing in the aisles. Hilarity ensues when two political opposites wake up and discover themselves locked in a hotel room with a beauty queen. Following her past Circle productions of Exit, Pursued By A Bear (2013) and I and You (2015), The Taming brings to the stage the startling humor and rich roles for women that Ms. Gunderson skillfully creates.

WP Theater (formerly known as Women's Project Theater) has announced its 2016-17 Season at the McGinn/Cazale Theater (2162 Broadway, at 76th Street), the artists for the 2016-2018 WP Lab and the new Domestic Partner residency initiative.

Steep Theatre Company has announced the programming for its upcoming 16th season, which continues the company's tradition of presenting bold plays from today's most exciting playwrights, brought to life by fearlessly honest ensembles and visionary directors. Season 16 will feature a world premiere from Chicago playwright Alex Lubischer, a U.S. premiere from Olivier Award-winning playwright Mike Bartlett, a U.S. premiere from rising English playwright Cordelia Lynn, and a Midwest premiere from California-based playwright Lauren Yee. Steep Ensemble Members and Jeff Award-winning directors Robin Witt and Jonathan Berry will helm two of the productions, to be joined by two guest directors. 

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to announce casting for its Chicago premiere of THE DIVINE SISTER, the hilarious comic homage to nearly every Hollywood nun film ever made, by the divine high priestess of camp Charles Busch and directed by Shade Murray.