Court Theatre and playwright Nambi E. Kelley have received the Prince Prize for Commissioning Original Work for 2018. Prince Charitable Trusts makes an award of $75,000 each year to a major Chicago dance, music, visual arts or theater company. When the Trust approached Court Theatre about projects that might fit their vision for the Prize, it was only natural to ask playwright Nambi E. Kelley to create an original play based on the story of Stokely Carmichael's activism and legacy for the stage. In 2014, Kelley had adapted Richard Wright's Native Son for Court Theatre in a co-production with American Blues Theatre that garnered great critical and popular acclaim. Another collaboration would build upon these successes.
Sideshow Theatre Company and Rivendell Theatre Ensemble present the Midwest premiere of Selina Fillinger's breathtaking new drama SOMETHING CLEAN, directed by Lauren Shouse, playing June 16 - July 21, 2019 at Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.
Premiere Stages at Kean University has announced its 15th anniversary season, featuring four new plays that explore the power and responsibility of legacy.
BoHo Theatre continues its 2019 season with THE RIVER, a haunting and complex new play by playwright Jez Butterworth, directed by Jerrell L. Henderson. THE RIVER was called "a magnetically eerie, luminously beautiful psychodrama" by TIME OUT LONDON. Henderson's cast will include Joe Lino as Man, Christina Gorman as Woman, Chelsee Carter as Other Woman. THE RIVER will be staged at the Greenhouse Theater Center and will open to the press on Saturday, June 15, following previews from June 8.
Strawdog Theatre Company is pleased to conclude its 31st season with the world premiere of TAKE ME, a musical comic fantasia written by Mark Guarino, with original music and lyrics by Jon Langford (The Mekons, The Waco Brothers).
The Gift Theatre is pleased to announce the final play of its 2019 Season: the Chicago premiere of Leah Nanako Winkler's dark comedy KENTUCKY, directed by ensemble member Chika Ike, playing October 17 - November 17, 2019 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago.
Boston Court Pasadena announced the full details of its 15th annual New Play Reading Festival, April 13-14, 2019. Curated by Literary Manager Emilie Beck, in concert with Artistic Directors Jessica Kubzansky and Michael Michetti, the New Play Reading Festival is a key component of Boston Court Pasadena's commitment to nurturing playwrights and new work, and continues the company's core mission of developing and programming works that are inherently theatrical, textually rich, and visually arresting.
The Drama League has announced the twelve stage directors who have been selected as the 2019 Directing Fellows of The Drama League Directors Project: NJ Agwuna, Sharifa Elkady, Raz Golden, Chika Ike, Rebecca Marzalek-Kelly, Ismael Lara, Jr., Amanda McRaven, Lindsey Hope Pearlman, Ben Randle, Tai Thompson, Gabriel Torres, and Sophia Watt. They will be publicly introduced to the professional theatre community during the 85th Annual Drama League Awards, which will be held on Friday, May 17, 2019 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway). More information can be found at www.dramaleague.org
16th Street Theater will give a FREE community performance of Debbie Baños' Bell's Palsy and Other American Side Effects directed by Esteban Arevalo Ibañez at the historic Chodl Auditorium-a 2,500-seat venue listed with the National Register of Historic Places-at Morton East High School at 2423 S Austin Blvd. in Cicero, IL, on Wednesday, April 17 at 7:00 PM. Underwritten by 16th Street's 100 Club Members, this free performance continues the 2019 Pop Up New Play Reading Series. All are welcome.
Powerful drama: still made in America. Lynn Nottage's 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat opens tonight in its Chicago premiere at Goodman Theatre. Ron OJ Parson directs the collision of race, class and friendship at a pivotal moment in America-hailed as 'extraordinarily moving' (The New York Times) and 'passionate and necessary...a masterful depiction of the forces that divide and conquer us' (Time Out New York). Sweat marks the fourth Nottage play to be produced at the Goodman, following Crumbs from the Table of Joy (2006), Ruined (a 2008 world-premiere Goodman commission that earned the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama) and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (2013). Sweat appears through April 14 in the Albert Theatre. Tickets ($20 - $80; subject to change) are available at Goodmantheatre.org/Sweat, by telephone at 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 N. Dearborn).
The AA Arts Incubator Program of Asian Improv Arts Midwest (AIRMW) is pleased to announce that its historic series, 'Our Perspective: Asian American Play Readings,' continues with its second reading in 2019. The next reading is the comedic full length play Lucy and Charlie's Honeymoon by Matthew C. Yee, Monday, May 13, at the Steppenwolf 1700 Theatre, 1700 N Halsted St, at 6:30 p.m. The running time is 90 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $8 for general admission seating and may be reserved online at steppenwolf.org. Seating is limited. For any additional information about the event, go to Our-Perspective.com or call 773.972.6745.
Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the Chicago premiere of The Children written by acclaimed British playwright Lucy Kirkwood and helmed by celebrated Chicago director Jonathan Berry. Filled with dark humor, this thought-provoking and haunting play features three of Chicago's top actors tackling complex roles: ensemble members Ora Jones (Rose) and Yasen Peyankov (Robin) with Janet Ulrich Brooks (Hazel). Following sold-out runs in London and New York, Steppenwolf proudly presents this brave and profound work that confronts the responsibility each generation must face for the way it leaves the world.
Registration is now open for the MRT Young Company summer program, a professional theatre training program for high school students, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for three weeks, July 15 to August 2, in downtown Lowell. Nationally recognized creative producer, director, and performer Will Rogers will return to lead the program.
Irish Theatre of Chicago (ITC), Chicago's only professional theater company dedicated to presenting works that reflect the culture and history of Ireland, is pleased to bring the remount of its critically acclaimed 2009 production of Owen McCafferty's one act MOJO MICKYBO to The Davis Theatre
Magic Theatre (Loretta Greco, Artistic Director and Cierra Cass, Interim Managing Director) announced today the complete cast of Mfoniso Udofia's World Premiere In Old Age, the Company's first production of 2019. In Old Age will be directed by Victor Malana Maog. Previews begin on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at Magic Theatre's Fort Mason location (Fort Mason, 2 Marina Blvd., Building D, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94123), with a press opening on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets range from $15 - $75 and are on-sale now at MagicTheatre.org.
Irish Theatre of Chicago (ITC), Chicago's only professional theater company dedicated to presenting works that reflect the culture and history of Ireland, is pleased to bring the remount of its critically acclaimed 2009 production of Owen McCafferty's one act MOJO MICKYBO to The Davis Theatre
With the original run and first extension completely sold out, Steep Theatre is extending the run of Ike Holter's Red Rex through March 30. Jack Miggins, who was nominated for a Jeff Award for his work in Steep's 2014 production of The Vandal, will join the cast in the role of Adam beginning on March 13. Tickets are on sale now at steeptheatre.com/redrex, and they're expected to sell very quickly.
Promethean Theatre Ensemble will close its 2018-19 season with the Midwest Premiere of MAD BEAT HIP & GONE, by Steven Dietz, author of LAST OF THE BOYS and PRIVATE EYES and over thirty other plays that have been produced by regional theatres across the country, internationally, and off-Broadway in New York. MAD BEAT HIP & GONE, which had its world premiere in Austin, Texas in 2013, follows two young Nebraska men who meet beat generation writer Jack Kerouac. Rejecting the established order of mid-1950s America, they follow Kerouac's example and hit the open road in search of truth. Do they find it? And what can we learn from their travels?
59E59 Theaters (Val Day, Artistic Director; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) is thrilled to present the New York premiere of I CARRY YOUR HEART written by Georgette Kelly and directed by Cate Caplin. Produced by Athena Theatre, I CARRY YOUR HEART begins performances on Saturday, March 30 for a limited engagement through Sunday, April 14. Press Opening is Wednesday, April 3 at 7:30 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Friday at 7:30 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM; Sunday at 2:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Single tickets are $25 ($20 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call the 59E59 Box Office at 646-892-7999 or visit www.59e59.org. The running time is 80 minutes with no intermission.
THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, are thrilled to announce that the second show of its 2018-2019 season, the critically acclaimed, world premiere of DEATH HOUSE, written by Jason Karasev and directed by Michael Peretzian is EXTENDING through SATURDAY, MARCH 23 at the Road Theatre on Lankershim, 5108 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.
