Sasha Smith News

Ike Holter's RIGHTLYND sets into motion the central theme of the tension between political idealism and the realities that come with power in a complicated, often staid political machine.

About Face Theatre is pleased to launch its 2018-19 season with the Chicago premiere of the poetic and political romance THIS BITTER EARTH by award winning playwright and McKnight Fellow Harrison David Rivers, directed by Mikael Burke, recipient of the 2017 Princess Grace Award in Theatre.

Victory Gardens Theater continues its 44th season with the World Premiere of Rightlynd, written by Ike Holter and directed by Lisa Portes with original music by Charlie Coffeen. Rightlynd runs November 9 - December 23, 2018, with press performances on Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 7:30pm and Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 3:00pm at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

Forty floors up, behind the windows of a posh Swiss hotel, a man sings, a maid cleans, children run wild, a banker makes things difficult, and one elderly woman's fight against a corrupt world order changes everything. Or nothing. Disturbingly funny, Amelia Roper's Zurich dives below the surface of lives lived in the moments before.

About Face Theatre is pleased to launch its 2018-19 season with the Chicago premiere of the poetic and political romance THIS BITTER EARTH by award winning playwright and McKnight Fellow Harrison David Rivers, directed by Mikael Burke, recipient of the 2017 Princess Grace Award in Theatre.

Forty floors up, behind the windows of a posh Swiss hotel, a man sings, a maid cleans, children run wild, a banker makes things difficult, and one elderly woman's fight against a corrupt world order changes everything. Or nothing. Disturbingly funny, Amelia Roper's Zurich dives below the surface of lives lived in the moments before.

Forty floors up, behind the windows of a posh Swiss hotel, a man sings, a maid cleans, children run wild, a banker makes things difficult, and one elderly woman's fight against a corrupt world order changes everything. Or nothing. Disturbingly funny, Amelia Roper's Zurich dives below the surface of lives lived in the moments before.

Victory Gardens Theater continues its 44th season with the World Premiere of Rightlynd, written by Ike Holter and directed by Lisa Portes. Rightlynd runs November 9 - December 23, 2018, with press performances on Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 7:30pm and Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 3:00pm at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

Steep's new cabaret-lounge space, The Boxcar, is set to open to the public this weekend, expanding the company's artistic programming and offering a community gathering place five nights a week, Thursday through Monday evenings.

The Jeff Awards committee presents a panel conversation on the art and challenges of intimacy design on Tuesday, August 17 at 7:30 pm at the Greenhouse Theater. The discussion will be led by Intimacy Directors International co-founder Tonia Sina and Chicago actors and directors Sasha Smith and Gaby Labotka. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend the program. If interested in attending the August 14 program, please email David Liesse, Jeff Awards Committee Chair at chair@jeffawards.org.

The Jeff Awards committee presents a panel conversation on the art and challenges of intimacy design on Tuesday, August 17 at 7:30 pm at the Greenhouse Theater. The discussion will be led by Intimacy Directors International co-founder Tonia Sina and Chicago actors and directors Sasha Smith and Gaby Labotka. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend the program. If interested in attending the August 14 program, please email David Liesse, Jeff Awards Committee Chair at chair@jeffawards.org.

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.

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. 

Steep Theatre is thrilled to welcome several new members to its ensemble of artists. Nate Faust, Brandon Rivera, Amber Sallis, and Sasha Smith are the newest members of Steep's acting ensemble. Both Faust and Sallis appeared in last year's Earthquakes in London, and Sallis returns to Steep's stage next week in Simon Stephens' Birdland. Brandon Rivera debuted at Steep in Brilliant Adventures, and Sasha Smith appeared in Steep's Hookman and Hinter.

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, presents Smart People, written by Lydia R. Diamond and directed by Hallie Gordon. Smart People runs March 21 - June 10, 2018 in the Gillian Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe.

Haven Theatre is pleased to continue its 2017-18 Season with Bertolt Brecht's unsettling and unflinching drama FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH, translated by Eric Bentley and directed by Artistic Director Josh Sobel, playing February 8 - March 11, 2018 at The Den Theatre's Janet Bookspan Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at haventheatrechicago.com. The press opening is Tuesday, February 13 at 7:30 pm.

With its original run almost sold out, Steep Theatre has added eight more performances of Calamity West's Hinter. Called 'taut, complex and a bloody good time" by Alex Huntsberger of TimeOut Chicago, this thrilling new play has enthralled audiences and critics alike. Hinter will run through Saturday, March 17.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the Chicago premiere production of the Obie Award-winning play You Got Older, written by Clare Barron and directed by Jonathan Berry. This bawdy, irreverent and touching play features four ensemble members Glenn Davis (Mac), Audrey Francis (Hannah), Francis Guinan (Dad) and Caroline Neff (Mae), along with Emjoy Gavino (Jenny), David Lind(Matthew) and Gabriel Ruiz (Cowboy).

Steep Theatre presents the world-premiere of Calamity West's new play, HINTER. The play was inspired by the Bavarian Hinterkaifeck murders, where six members of one household were brutally murdered in 1922. The case was never solved. HINTER delves into that mystery and attempts to piece together what may have really happened on that fateful night. HINTER opened on January 25th and will run through March 3rd.