Northwestern University News

Scenes and Monologues from Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award Finalists, 2008-2012 (Applause Books, Sept. 2013, $19.99) presents some of the finest, sharpest scenes and monologues from the award finalists of 2008-2012. The chosen scripts include groundbreaking and contemporary work by promising playwrights such as Sara Ruhl, Tracy Letts, Donald Margulies, Bill Cain, Rinne Groff, Quaira Alegria Hudes, Yussef El Guindi, and Rebecca Gilman.

Crabapple Productions is thrilled to announce their inaugural production which will be the culminating effort of Something Incredibly Marvelous Happens, a festival of magical realism. The festival takes place now through September 1 throughout Chicago.

Berkshire Playwrights Lab will present a staged reading of Christina Gorman's Far From the Trees, directed by Tim Raphael, tonight, August 21 at 7:30pm at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center (14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, Mass.). There is no charge for admission, however, Berkshire Playwrights Lab suggests a $10.00 donation to help offset its programming costs. For reservations, call 413.528.0100 or visit the Mahaiwe box office in person.

Rati Gupta is set to bring her Hollywood Fringe and FringeNYC hit NOT ANOTHER TEEN SOLO SHOW to Chicago's own Fringe Festival for a series of performances beginning on August 29 at Hold The Pickles Stage.

Abingdon Theatre Company-which has produced 81 new American plays since 1993 - celebrates its 21st season with the second annual ABINGDON BAY RIDGE ONE-ACT FESTIVAL, an evening of three world-premiere short plays, commissioned by Abingdon Theatre Company, by Allston James, Stephen Kaplan and Katalina Mustatea, today, August 17 at 7:00pm at Christ Church Bay Ridge (7301 Ridge Boulevard) in Brooklyn.

Today marks the start of the 100-day countdown to the historic launch of FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports' new national multi-sport network, and much has been accomplished since its official unveiling just over two months ago.

The Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) revealed today the complete schedule for the 24th Annual Fall Festival, 88 events which will explore the theme of Animal: What Makes Us Human, Oct. 13 on the Northwestern Universitycampus, Oct. 20 on the University of Chicago campus, and Nov. 1-10 at venues across Chicago. This year's presenters include political consultant and former Senior Advisor to President Obama David Axelrod, revolutionary chef, restaurateur, and TV personalityRick Bayless, celebrated author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Eating Animals Jonathan Safran Foer, Tony Award-winning choreographer and Kennedy Center Honors recipient Bill T. Jones, 59 Grand Slam title-winning tennis player Martina Navratilova, critically-acclaimed director of Boys Don't Cry and the upcoming film remakeCarrie Kimberly Peirce, Boardwalk Empire and Man of Steel actor Michael Shannon as a featured performer in White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, author of A Series of Unfortunate EventsLemony Snicket (Daniel Handler), and many more.

Mary-Arrchie Theater Co. has decided to re-open it's production of Austin Pendleton's Uncle Bob tonight, August 15, 2013 at 8 p.m.

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra welcomes three new musicians to the roster for the 2013.14 season: Yuka Kadota, first violin; Alexander Ayers, second violin; and David Cohen, acting associate principal trumpet.

Today Berkeley Repertory Theatre announces that 16 young professionals - including seven California natives - have been awarded fellowships for the 2013-14 season. Each year, the brightest and best young minds from across the country are selected through a rigorous application process to take part in Berkeley Rep's Fellowship program. This prestigious training program provides hands-on practical experience with educational seminars that offers insight into the operation and inner workings of an award-winning theatre.

Kicking off its 26th Season, Lookingglass Theatre Company presents the World Premiere of Marguerite Duras' The North China Lover, adapted and directed by Ensemble Member Heidi Stillman. The North China Lover runs September 25 - October 4, 2013 at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. The Press Opening is Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA) President Deborah F. Rutter announces the appointment of Laura Emerick as Digital Content Editor, effective August 19, 2013.

Winifred Haun & Dancers teams up with the Leopold Group to curate a series of events, Vision, Faith, & Desire: Dancemakers Inspired by Martha Graham, inspired by the legacy of modern dance choreographer Martha Graham, culminating in performances on Friday, September 27 at 7:30pm and Saturday, September 28 at 7:30pm at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn. The Saturday night performance will be preceded by a Graham technique master class at 5:00pm, taught by former Graham Company dancer Lisa Thurrell. Tickets are available online through Brown Paper Tickets, $30 general admission or $25 for the master class which includes a free ticket to the show. In addition to new works by Chicago natives Haun, Leopold and Kato, the performances will feature a screen dance by former Graham Company soloist Peter Sparling, a remounted work by former Graham dancer Lisa Thurrell of Kanopy Dance Company, and using the creative structure by The Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance, a new "Lamentation Variation.'

The International Beethoven Project, led by President and Artistic Director George Lepauw, announced today the full schedule of more than 60 musical performances in nine days for Beethoven Festival: LOVE 2013-the organization's third annual multidisciplinary festival inspired by the genius of Ludwig van Beethoven, Sept. 7-15, 2013. Spanning from Bach to The Beatles, new classical and rock commissions, the diverse musical programming for LOVE 2013 includes 37 world premieres and six Chicago premieres, among them the world premieres of a newly discovered Beethoven love song and a cello/percussion piece by Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche.

Veteran NBC News Journalist John Palmer has passed away today after a brief illness. The network has issued the following statement on the sad news:

Adventure Stage Chicago (ASC) is very proud to announce that ASC Founder and Producing Artistic Director Tom Arvetis is the 2013 recipient of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education's Orlin Corey Award for Artistic Excellence.

BroadwayWorld collected as many of yesterday's evening Saturday Intermission Pics as we could to bring you Part 2 of our August 3rd SIP round-up. Yesterday's photos include the cast of Ogunquit Playhouse's JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, featuring Clay Aiken as Joseph, LES MISERABLES at Surflight Theatre, MATILDA, CINDERELLA, MARY STUART at Stratford Festival and lots of regional shows!

What does it mean to be a stranger in your own skin? In a foreign land? Steppenwolf Theatre Company encourages audiences to confront these difficult questions of deceit, displacement and dependency in Amy Herzog's Belleville, directed by Anne Kauffman. The conversation continues with Explore: The World of Belleville, when Steppenwolf brings together Northwestern University professor Laura Kipnis and Steppenwolf Artistic Director Martha Lavey for a deeper discussion of Belleville.