Chicago Theatre Leaders Join Richard Engling For Book Launch Panel At Bramble Arts Loft
Event celebrates the release of Engling’s new novel The Very Last Production of King Lear.
By: A.A. Cristi Sep. 23, 2025
A panel discussion and celebration titled Taking the Leap: A Conversation on Bold Moves in Chicago Theater will take place on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the Bramble Arts Loft (5545 North Clark Street, 2nd Floor, Chicago).
The evening will mark the release of Richard Engling’s new comedic novel The Very Last Production of King Lear, the final installment of his Dwayne Finnegan Trilogy. A book signing will follow the discussion, and beverages and cocktails will be available. Admission is free, and no reservations are required.
The conversation will be moderated by Mark Larson, author of Ensemble: An Oral History of Chicago Theater, and will feature Chicago theater leaders who have taken bold leaps in their own careers. Panelists include Tyrone Phillips (Founding Artistic Director, Definition Theatre), Gwendolyn Whiteside (Artistic Director, American Blues Theater), Elizabeth K. Auman (Director of New Home Development, TimeLine Theatre), and Karissa Murrell Myers (Artistic Director and co-founder, Bramble Theatre Company).
Author Richard Engling founded Polarity Ensemble Theatre in 2004 and served as its Artistic Director for twelve years. He is the author of six books, and his Dwayne Finnegan Trilogy offers a comedic, behind-the-scenes look at the world of Chicago storefront theater. The third and final volume, The Very Last Production of King Lear, follows Finnegan as he attempts to stage a production of Lear at The Goodman Theatre with hilarious and chaotic results.
Engling’s trilogy began with Give My Regards to Nowhere, in which Finnegan sets out to direct Shakespeare’s least-favorite play, only to lose his producer and risk his marriage and finances. The second book, Romeo and Juliet Keep Their Eyes on the Prize, finds Finnegan battling saboteurs, rebellious actors, and a disintegrating marriage while trying to mount another production. The new novel completes the trilogy with Finnegan’s long-awaited chance at the big time.
Panelists will reflect on their own experiences building Chicago theater institutions and navigating bold transitions, while connecting Engling’s fictional Finnegan to the realities of risk-taking in the city’s vibrant theater scene.
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