Casting Announced for Haven's DIRECTORS HAVEN 2019

Haven is pleased to announce casting for its fifth DIRECTORS HAVEN, the company's ever-growing initiative annually showcasing the talents of three rising directors. This season, Lauren Katz directs Caryl Churchill's ambitious surrealist work THIS IS A CHAIR; Aaron Mays helms Sonia Sanchez's lyrical drama 2 x 2; and AJ Schwartz directs Dan Giles' tender yet challenging one-act HOW YOU KISS ME IS NOT HOW I LIKE TO BE KISSED.

THIS IS A CHAIR features Catherine Dvorak, Tamsen Glaser, LaKecia Harris, Isaac Snyder, Julian "Joolz" Stroop and Diego Zozaya.

2 x 2 features Dionne Addai, Sheree Bynum, Simon Gebremedhin, Merrina Millsapp and Juwon Tyrel Perry.

HOW YOU KISS ME IS NOT HOW I LIKE TO BE KISSED features Morgan Lavenstein and Rolando Serrano.

The three productions, which will have the support of a full production team, will run back-to-back in one program. DIRECTOR'S HAVEN2019 will play October 14 - 30, 2019 at Haven's resident home, The Den Theatre (2A) 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Tickets ($10 suggested donation) are currently available at havenchi.org.

Comments Artistic Director Ian Damont Martin, "This cohort of directors is more than ready to bring their work to the Chicago community, and Haven couldn't be more excited to facilitate and support them in this fifth year of our Directors Haven program. Each of these early-career directors have interests and visions that are specific, intelligent, and downright exciting. The pieces they have individually selected are glimpses of the kind of work we need to be seeing and making right now - work that asks us the difficult questions - work that makes space for the marginal and the marginalized. This is met with an articulated interest and commitment in intentional processes, which is becoming increasingly important at Haven. We are very much looking forward to bringing you this necessary work from the next generation of artists helping to find and define the future of our practice."

PHOTO CREDIT: The cast of Haven's DIRECTORS HAVEN 2019 includes (top, l to r) Catherine Dvorak, Tamsen Glaser, LaKecia Harris, Isaac Snyder, Julian "Joolz" Stroop and Diego Zozaya with (bottom, l to r) Dionne Addai, Sheree Bynum, Simon Gebremedhin, Merrina Millsapp, Juwon Tyrel Perry, Morgan Lavenstein and Rolando Serrano.