Goodman Announces 12/13 Playwrights Unit Members

Goodman Theatre announces four Chicago-based writers for its third season of the Playwrights Unit-a year-long residency program designed to support and develop new works. The appointed playwrights include Greg Allen, founding director of The Neo-Futurists and the creator of Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind (30 Plays in 60 Minutes); Alice Austen, resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists and a member of Shanghai Low Theatricals; Ike Holter, founding member and resident writer of The Inconvenience and author of Hit the Wall; and Christopher Oscar Peña, whose play however long the night premiered at London's Old Vic. A partnership with Chicago Dramatists, the Playwrights Unit meets twice per month with members of the Goodman's artistic team to discuss their plays-in-progress and provide feedback for one another. The program includes readings of the playwrights' works-in-progress at Chicago Dramatists in early 2013, and culminates in June 2013 staged readings of their completed works at the Goodman. Playwrights Unit alumni include Philip Dawkins, Nambi E. Kelley, Elaine Romero and Martín Zimmerman (2011/2012 Season), and Seth Bockley, Lisa Dillman, Laura Jacqmin and Rohina Malik (2010/2011 Season).

"We welcome this New Group of smart, talented writers to the Goodman–each one entirely unique, bringing their own voice and vision to the group," said the Goodman's Director of New Play Development Tanya Palmer. "Since its inception in 2010, the Playwrights Unit has become an important part of our mission to support new American plays from living playwrights. We look forward to establishing lasting relationships with each of these talented Chicago-based artists."

New work development at the Goodman was instituted by the Lester and Hope Abelson Fund for Artistic Development. Time Warner Foundation is a Major Supporter of New Play Development; the Glasser and Rosenthal Family and the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust are Foundation Supporters. The Davee Foundation is a Major Contributor to Research and Development for New Work; The Joyce Foundation is the Principal Supporter of Artistic Development and Diversity Initiatives. Shawn M. Donnelley is the Grand Benefactor of the New Works Endowment Fund and Prince Charitable Trusts is the leading foundation contributor of this important initiative.