Chicago Dramatists News

Today, the Jefferson Awards announced the winners among the 150 nominees in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008. Beginning with this season, the Jeff Awards is acknowledging the work of Large and Midsize theatres in separate categories for productions and technical elements.

Kicking off the new season in the Village Players Blackbox is Betrayal, an intimate three person look at relationships by Harold Pinter, the 2005 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature.

25 to Life Productions, LLC will present 'FOR FLOW,' AN ALMOST-BECKETT HIP-HOP MUSICAL PLAY, a hip-hop Vladimir-and-Estragon play, at Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue (at East Tenth Street), Manhattan, from November 6 to 23.

Tickets go on sale today for Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of HOME, the second production of Signature's 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Rasaka Theatre Company, in association with Premiere Theatre and Performance, presents the Chicago premiere of YONI KI BAAT, opening Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 7pm at Chicago's Strawdog Theatre.

Chicago Dramatists has appointed six new playwrights to its Resident Playwright program, Artistic Director Russ Tutterow announced today. The new Residents in this 30th anniversary season are Mary Ruth Clarke, Cheryl Coons, Christopher De Paola, Sarah Gubbins, David Scott Hay, and Jon Steinhagen.

Flux Theatre Ensemble concludes its 2008 Season of Transformation with the world premiere of Johnna Adams' epic Angel Eaters Trilogy. The Trilogy follows three generations of a family cursed with the gift of raising people from the dead. The three plays of the Trilogy, Angel Eaters, Rattlers, and 8 Little Antichrists, will run in rep beginning November 3 at The Wings Theatre, 154 Christopher Street. The production will run through November 22. On Saturdays, intrepid audiences will be able to catch all three shows in chronological order.

For the first time ever, VS. Theatre Company & Range View Productions have joined together to bring Los Angeles a very funny new play by one of Chicago's most compelling writers, the West Coast Premiere of EAGLE HILLS, EAGLE RIDGE, EAGLE LANDING, written by Brett Neveu (American Dead, Eric LaRue) and directed by Ron Klier (On An Average Day) . EAGLE HILLS, EAGLE RIDGE, EAGLE LANDING will preview on Friday, October 17 at 8pm and will open on Saturday, October 18 and run through Saturday, November 15 at the Hayworth Studio Theatre, 2511 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles.

Nice People Theatre Company is celebrating the Halloween season by presenting the Philadelphia premiere of Marisa Wegrzyn's Psalms of a Questionable Nature. This eerie sibling drama runs October 25-November 9 at Walnut Street Theatre's Studio 5, 825 Walnut Street. It marks the Philadelphia directorial debut of Pirronne Yousefzadeh. Tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and $15 for students and seniors. For more information go to www.nicepeopletheatre.org

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for HOME, by Samm-Art Williams and directed by Ron OJ Parson. HOME will be the second production of Signature's 2008-09 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Chicago Dramatists has appointed six new playwrights to its Resident Playwright program, Artistic Director Russ Tutterow announced today. The new Residents in this 30th anniversary season are Mary Ruth Clarke, Cheryl Coons, Christopher De Paola, Sarah Gubbins, David Scott Hay, and Jon Steinhagen.

Chicago Dramatists has appointed six new playwrights to its Resident Playwright program, Artistic Director Russ Tutterow announced today. The new Residents in this 30th anniversary season are Mary Ruth Clarke, Cheryl Coons, Christopher De Paola, Sarah Gubbins, David Scott Hay, and Jon Steinhagen.

16th Street Theater is proud to announce its production of Tanya Saracho's 'Kita y Fernanda' directed by Artistic Director Ann Filmer. Kita y Fernanda will run September 25 - October 25, 2008 at the Berwyn Cultural Center.'Kita y Fernanda' is a look at class, immigration and women's friendships as it follows the lives of two girls growing up in the same household; one the privileged daughter of a rich Mexican family living in Texas, the other the child of an undocumented maid.

Arman, a writer blocked by the pressures of unexpected success, follows his girlfriend to the redwood forests of northern California. In this isolated landscape, he develops a friendship with an enigmatic treesitter and is soon caught in the struggle between those who make their living cutting timber and those who risk their lives to preserve nature. Torn between conflicting information and expectations, Arman must reach into his past for the key that will allow him to determine exactly where-and with whom- he stands. ODIN'S HORSE is the winner of the national EcoDrama Award from the EcoDrama Playwrights Festival and makes its professional World Premiere in this Infamous Commonwealth Theatre production.

Today, the Jefferson Awards announced the 150 nominations in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008. Beginning with this season, the Jeff Awards is acknowledging the work of Large and Midsize theatres in separate categories for productions and technical elements.

16th Street Theater is proud to announce its production of Tanya Saracho's 'Kita y Fernanda' directed by Artistic Director Ann Filmer. Kita y Fernanda will run September 25 - October 25, 2008 at the Berwyn Cultural Center.'Kita y Fernanda' is a look at class, immigration and women's friendships as it follows the lives of two girls growing up in the same household; one the privileged daughter of a rich Mexican family living in Texas, the other the child of an undocumented maid.

Infamous Commonwealth Theatre opens their 2008-09 season dedicated to the topic Nature with the riveting drama ODIN'S HORSE, written by Chicago Dramatists Resident Playwright Robert Koon and directed by Chicago Dramatists Associate Artist Anna C. Bahow.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the 4th annual First Look Repertory of New Work.