Richard Engling Will Launch New Novel THE VERY LAST PRODUCTION OF KING LEAR at The Book Cellar

Chicago author Richard Engling will celebrate the release of his new novel, The Very Last Production of King Lear, with a reading, Q&A, and book signing at The Book Cellar (4736 N. Lincoln Ave.) on Friday, September 19, 2025 at 7 p.m. The event will also feature offerings from the bookstore café, including coffee, tea, wine, beer, and treats.

A comedic work inspired by Engling’s years leading a small nonprofit theatre, The Very Last Production of King Lear is the third in his series of novels about the Chicago storefront theatre scene. Together, the books form the only known trilogy set in the contemporary world of live theatre.

The novel follows beleaguered director Dwayne Finnegan, who lands his big break directing King Lear at Goodman Theatre after two ill-fated Shakespeare productions. But disaster strikes again when his leading man struggles with terminal confusion, his set designer proposes an illegal fire effect, his actors tumble in and out of romance, and his wife turns to a mysterious curandera. It’s up to Dwayne to salvage the production before opening night.

Engling, co-founder and longtime Artistic Director of Polarity Ensemble Theatre, has published multiple novels and plays, including Body Mortgage, Visions of Anna, and Anna in the Afterlife. His first two Dwayne Finnegan novels, Give My Regards to Nowhere (2023) and Romeo and Juliet Keep Their Eyes on the Prize (2024), established the satirical world that King Lear now completes.

Event Information

What: Book Launch – The Very Last Production of King Lear by Richard Engling
When: Friday, September 19, 2025 – 7 p.m.
Where: The Book Cellar, 4736 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL
Admission: Free and open to the public

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