Naomi Iizuka News

During this year's Season Release Bash at Park & Field, Artistic Director and Co-Founder Michael Patrick Thornton and Associate Artistic Director Emjoy Gavino announced The Gift Theatre's 2020 Season will include: a revival of Martin McDonagh's masterpiece THE PILLOWMAN; the Chicago premiere of Naomi Iizuka's drama AT THE VANISHING POINT, directed by Lavina Jadhwani; and the world premiere of Jennifer Rumberger's drama THE LOCUSTS, commissioned and developed by The Gift.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the cast and creative team for the American premiere of The Great Wave written by Francis Turnly and directed by Mark Wing-Davey.

The Jewish Plays Project (David Winitsky, Artistic Director) is proud to announce that In Every Generation by Ali Viterbi has won the 2019 Jewish Playwriting Contest.

Aurora Theatre Company opens its dynamic 28th season with the Bay Area Premiere of Ike Holter's  EXIT STRATEGY. Aurora's new Artistic Director Josh Costello will direct this powerful examination of the Chicago public school system. 

Creation myths and family histories meld in a wildly theatrical, startling new comedy that explores what it means to walk the edge between cultures. 

With over 725 stories to choose from, the eight writers we commissioned to reimagine Aesop's Fables were spoilt for choice. Each of the writers has had their own unique take on them - from Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig's joyful musical with a crow chorus through to as piece by Chris Goode which takes the basis of a rehearsal room and then smashes through the fourth wall with an act of animalistic rebellion.

The Unicorn will be continuing their hugely popular workshops this summer holidays. Led by professional theatre-makers, participants can learn great new skills and make new friends. From dance, set design, drama, puppetry and more. Workshops range from a day or two days, through to the five day Play In A Week workshops. The performance-based workshops close with a sharing for friends and family.

McCarter will welcome a group of esteemed and emerging playwrights and theater artists to Princeton for the Sallie B. Goodman Artists' Retreat. The annual retreat in June is a centerpiece of McCarter's LAB, a platform and creative incubator devoted to ongoing theatrical development and artist cultivation. The 2019 Retreat will take place from June 12 - June 19.

Play On Shakespeare today announces an expansive list of compelling actors and dynamic directors confirmed to participate in the Play on! Festival, presented in association with Classic Stage Company (CSC) and Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF). Play on! features 39 readings of new, work-in-progress translations of Shakespeare's plays into contemporary modern English by some of today's most exciting playwrights-May 29-June 30 at the Lynn F. Angelson Theater at CSC (136 E. 13th Street). In 2015, Oregon Shakespeare Festival launched an ambitious 39-play, three-year commissioning project, Play on!, tasking 36 playwrights-more than half of whom were women and playwrights of color, each paired with a dramaturg-to translate Shakespeare's canon in celebration of the enduring impact of the Bard's work. Supported by a generous grant from the Hitz Foundation and inspired by long-time patron Dave Hitz's passion for Shakespeare, the project was and continues to be led by Lue Morgan Douthit. For more information, visit playonfestival.org.

The Colorado New Play Festival announces full casting for all five readings for the 2019 season. The 22nd Annual Festival, to be held on June 2-8, 2019 in Steamboat Springs, CO, will develop five new works in partnership with City Theatre Company, Curious Theatre Company, The Public Theater, South Coast Repertory and Steppenwolf Theatre.

Unicorn Artistic Director Justin Audibert and Associate Director Rachel Bagshaw direct a series of eight newly commissioned plays from leading voices in theatre based on Aesop's Fables classic tales. They will play in repertory to two age groups, one for ages 4-7 and one for ages 8-12.

The Syracuse University Department of Drama concludes its 2018-2019 season with Naomi Iizuka's 'Good Kids.' This production is directed by faculty member Holly Thuma and features New York City based actor Carey Cox, who portrays the character Dierdre. 'Good Kids' runs May 3 through May 11 in the Storch Theatre at the Syracuse Stage/SU Drama Complex, 820 East Genesee St., Syracuse, New York, 13210.

La Jolla Playhouse is pleased to bring back for a seventh year its acclaimed play development initiative, the DNA New Work Series, a weekend of readings of new works, taking place May 2 - 5, 2019 in the Playhouse's Rao and Padma Makeneni Play Development Center (PDC) and Seuss 1 rehearsal spaces.

Play On Shakespeare in association with Classic Stage Company (CSC) and Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) presents the Play on! festival-featuring 39 readings of new, work-in-progress translations of Shakespeare's plays into contemporary modern English by some of today's most exciting playwrights-May 29-June 30 at the Lynn F. Angelson Theater at CSC (136 E. 13th Street).In 2015, Oregon Shakespeare Festival launched an ambitious 39-play, three-year commissioning project, Play on!, tasking 36 playwrights-more than half of whom were women and playwrights of color, each paired with a dramaturg-to translate Shakespeare's canon in celebration of the enduring impact of the Bard's work. Supported by a generous grant from the Hitz Foundation and inspired by long-time patron Dave Hitz's passion for Shakespeare, the project was and continues to be led by Lue Morgan Douthit. For more information, visit playonfestival.org.

Award-winning Oregon Children's Theatre is proud to present its 2019-2020 Season, which takes the audience on a journey into fantasy worlds big and small, transport us to places near and far, take us back in time, and even show us the wonder in our own backyards.

The Playwrights Realm announces the 10th Anniversary INK'D Festival of New Plays (April 2019), the annual showcase of new works by The Realm's Writing Fellows. Over the past decade, the festival has introduced audiences to a diversity of fresh perspectives on theater's ability to address the world around it-and has proven to be an indispensible launching pad for the voices driving the future of playwriting.

Victory Gardens Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yew and Executive Director Erica Daniels, announces the lineup for its 2019-2020 Season. Victory Gardens' 45th Season will include the Chicago premiere of Tiny Beautiful Things by Nia Vardalos; the world premiere of The First Deep Breath by Lee Edward Colston II; the co-world premiere of How to Defend Yourself by Lily Padilla; and the world premiere of Dhaba on Devon Avenue by Madhuri Shekar; and the Chicago premiere of Right to Be Forgotten by Sharyn Rothstein.

Five-time Obie Award-winning theater company Clubbed Thumb (Maria Striar, Producing Artistic Director; Michael Bulger, Associate Artistic Director; Quinn Metal Corbin, Advancement Director) is proud to announce the line-up for SUMMERWORKS, its annual series of new plays. Now in its 24th season, SUMMERWORKS will run May 17 through June 29 at The Wild Project (195 E 3rd Street) in Manhattan, and will feature productions of three new plays: LUNCH BUNCH by Sarah Einspanier and directed by Tara Ahmadinejad; YOU NEVER TOUCHED THE DIRT by Zhu Yi and directed by Ken Rus Schmoll; and KING PHILIP'S HEAD IS STILL ON THAT PIKE JUST DOWN THE ROAD by Daniel Glenn and directed by Caitlin Ryan O'Connell.

Voyage Theater Company/PARTS UNKNOWN Play Reading Series will present a staged reading of Sphinx by British playwright Neil Fleming, directed by Wayne Maugans, at the 53rd Street New York Public Library (18 W 53 Street, across the street from MOMA), Thur February 21 at 7pm. Admission is FREE and open to the public, but reservations are highly encouraged. Please RSVP here. The performance will run approximately 95 minutes with no intermission.