Celeste Cooper

Check out photos from opening night of Describe the Night at Steppenwolf Theatre Company!

Aziza Barnes's BLKS is often funny, often vulgar, and sometimes heartbreaking. Now in a world premiere staging at Steppenwolf, BLKS chronicles 24 hours in the lives of three young black women in their early 20s living in New York City. Barnes's playwriting is achingly real and naturalistic, while also showcasing the playwright's poetic chops. In Octavia (Nora Carroll), Imani (Celeste Cooper), and June (Leea Ayers), Barnes has given us three unique and beautifully written characters navigating a tumultuous moment in their young lives.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett. BLKS began previews December 7, 2017, opening night is Monday, December 18 and the production runs through January 28, 2018 in the Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N Halsted St. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett. An uproarious and frank play, the acclaimed Chicago-based cast features ensemble member Namir Smallwood (Justin /Sosa/Dominican Dude) with Leea Ayers (June), Nora Carroll (Octavia), Celeste Cooper (Imani), Danielle Davis (Ry) and Kelly O'Sullivan (That Bitch on the Couch/White Woman). BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett. An uproarious and frank play, the acclaimed Chicago-based cast features ensemble member Namir Smallwood (Justin /Sosa/Dominican Dude) with Leea Ayers (June), Nora Carroll (Octavia), Celeste Cooper (Imani), Danielle Davis (Ry) and Kelly O'Sullivan (That Bitch on the Couch/White Woman). Below, check out an interview with playwright Aziza Barnes as she talks about BLKS!

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett. An uproarious and frank play, the acclaimed Chicago-based cast features ensemble member Namir Smallwood (Justin /Sosa/Dominican Dude) with Leea Ayers (June), Nora Carroll (Octavia), Celeste Cooper (Imani), Danielle Davis (Ry) and Kelly O'Sullivan (That Bitch on the Couch/White Woman). BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

In conjunction with the world premiere of BLKS by acclaimed poet/playwright Aziza Barnes this December, Steppenwolf Theatre Company has collaborated with Barnes to bring a beautiful lineup of Black artists, queer artists, women-identified artists, artists of color and their communities to Steppenwolf's LookOut Series. The BLKS Salon Series celebrates the themes and conversations sparked by Barnes's play an ingenious portrait of a day in the life of four young black women in New York City.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announces full casting for its upcoming productions of BLKS by poet Aziza Barnes (December 7, 2017 - January 28, 2018); You Got Older by Clare Barron (January 25 - March 11, 2018); and Steppenwolf for Young Adults' production of The Burn by Philip Dawkins (February 14 - March 3, 2018).

Strawdog Theatre Company and Artistic Directors Michael Dailey, Heath Hays and Anderson Lawfer present the first production in their 2017 - 2018 season, Barbecue by Robert O'Hara, running now through September 30, with direction by Damon Kiely at Steppenwolf Theatre Company's 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted Street as a LookOut Visiting Company. Opening night performance is tonight, August 28, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Strawdog Theatre Company and Artistic Directors Michael Dailey, Heath Hays and Anderson Lawfer are proud to announce the company's 30th Anniversary Season: the Chicago premiere of Barbecue, August 17 - September 30, at Steppenwolf Theatre's 1700 Theater,  1700 N. Halsted Street as a LookOut Visiting Company; the Chicago premiere of Pillars of the Community, January 19 - March 30, 2018 and the world premiere of Damascus, May 11 - June 24, 2018 at Strawdog Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave. Subscriptions start at $55 per package, a 25% discount, and are on sale now at Strawdog.org. Subscribers also receive invitations to workshop presentations of Take Me, a new musical by Jon Langford and Mark Guarino, in development with Strawdog throughout Season 30. 

Strawdog Theatre Company and Artistic Directors Michael Dailey, Heath Hays and Anderson Lawfer are proud to announce the company's 30th Anniversary Season: the Chicago premiere of Barbecue, August 17 - September 30, at Steppenwolf Theatre's 1700 Theater,  1700 N. Halsted Street as a LookOut Visiting Company; the Chicago premiere of Pillars of the Community, January 19 - March 30, 2018 and the world premiere of Damascus, May 11 - June 24, 2018 at Strawdog Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave. Subscriptions start at $55 per package, a 25% discount, and are on sale now at Strawdog.org. Subscribers also receive invitations to workshop presentations of Take Me, a new musical by Jon Langford and Mark Guarino, in development with Strawdog throughout Season 30. 

Strawdog Theatre Company and Artistic Directors Michael Dailey, Heath Hays and Anderson Lawfer have announced the first production in their 2017 - 2018 season, Barbecue by Robert O'Hara, August 17 - September 30, with direction by Damon Kiely at Steppenwolf Theatre Company's 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted Street as a LookOut Visiting Company.

Be in the 'Driver's Seat' for THE MAKING OF A MODERN FOLK HERO, a new play by Martin Zimmerman, next up in Route 66 Theatre Company's monthly reading series at Mrs Murphy and Sons Irish Bistro.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the next show of its 41st season, Never the Sinner by John Logan, directed by Gary Griffin.  Never the Sinner runs November 6 - December 6, 2015 with the press performance on Friday, November 13, 2015, at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

Stage Left Theatre announces casting for all three shows in the company's mainstage season as well as the addition to the company of two Ensemble Members and four Artistic Associates.

Windy City Playhouse, Chicago's newest Equity theater, announces the cast for its sophomore production, Lydia R. Diamond's award-winning Stick Fly. This wisecracking family drama is directed by Chuck Smith, director of the play's 2006 world premiere production in Chicago, fresh off his successful run of Two Trains Running at the Goodman. Smith directs a stellar cast featuring Tyrone Phillips, Celeste Cooper, Paige Collins, Michael Pogue, Kristen Magee and Phillip Edward Van Lear, reprising his role of the patriarch from the original production. Stick Fly runs May 27-July 5 at Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park.

Windy City Playhouse, Chicago's newest Equity theater, announces the cast for its sophomore production, Lydia R. Diamond's award-winning Stick Fly. This wisecracking family drama is directed by Chuck Smith, director of the play's 2006 world premiere production in Chicago, fresh off his successful run of Two Trains Running at the Goodman. Smith directs a stellar cast featuring Tyrone Phillips, Celeste Cooper, Paige Collins, Michael Pogue, Kristen Magee and Phillip Edward Van Lear, reprising his role of the patriarch from the original production. Stick Fly runs May 27-July 5 at Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park. Press opening is Sunday, May 31 at 5:00pm.

'Tis the season! Step Up Productions is pleased to continue its 2014-15 season with the return of its wildly popular HoliDaze, a hilarious and heartwarming line-up of original holiday-themed short works by Kristiana Rae Colon, Dana Lynn Fromby, Aline Lathrop, Steven Peterson, Joshua Rollins and Steve Simoncic playing now through December 21, 2014 at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave. in Chicago.