Christopher Chen News

Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern announced today that Antoinette Nwandu (PASS OVER) is the recipient of Vineyard Theatre's 2017-2018 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award.

In November, New Conservatory Theatre Center will offer a special presentation of Kevin Rolston's virtuosic solo play Deal with the Dragon, developed with and directed by M. Graham Smith. After an acclaimed run in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as well as equally acclaimed Bay Area runs at ACT Costume Shop, Z Space and TheaterWorks Silicon Valley, a newly revised version of Deal with the Dragon makes its return to SF ahead of a planned New York premiere.

Long Wharf Theatre's Contemporary American Voices Festival, an annual celebration of adventurous, innovative new plays, will take place October 20-22 on Stage II.

Artists Repertory Theatre presents Caught, a show centered around Chinese dissident artist Lin Bo that combines visual art and live theatre installations. Caught is presented in partnership with The Ch j Gallery/SF and The Geezer Gallery, and features dozens of collaborators including playwright Christopher Chen. The production runs October 1 through October 29, 2017 on Artists Rep's newly configured Morrison Stage.

Crowded Fire Theater (CFT) announces the featured playwrights and plays for the 2017 Matchbox Readings Series, an annual program presenting four public staged readings of plays in development. Playwrights include Idris Goodwin, Lisa Marie Rollins, Jonathan Spector, and Nathan Yungerberg. The readings will be presented November 15-18 at Brava! for Women in the Arts.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has announced its 2017-2018 Studio Theatre season: Heisenberg, October 25-November 12, 2017, Faceless, January 17-February 4, 2018 and Caught, March 7-25, 2018.

Crowded Fire Theater, one of the Bay Area's most innovative and critically acclaimed producers of new plays announces an upcoming change in leadership. Since 2007, Tiffany Cothran has has shepherded the organization through three Artistic Director transitions including, Kent Nicholson & Cassie Beck, Marissa Wolf, and Mina Morita. She will be stepping down this 2017 Season after 10 years of advancing the organization.

For its 35th anniversary as Portland's premiere mid-size regional theatre company, Artists Repertory Theatre will offer seven gripping, contemporary plays for their mainstage series.  Among these plays are Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winners, the second  Table|Room|Stage commission, The Thanksgiving Play, by Larissa FastHorse, and a limited run of the World Premiere of the epic theatrical event Magellanica, by Portland playwright E.M. Lewis. Artists Rep's FRONTIER SERIES returns for a second season with internationally acclaimed artists from New York, Seattle and Iran.

Crowded Fire Theater (CFT) In his inaugural commission as Crowded Fire's Playwright-in-Residence, Christopher Chen tackles the power structures inherent in large corporations. Set in a parallel world, A TALE OF AUTUMN is a psychological rise-to-power fable.

The Vineyard Theatre's Annual Emerging Artists Luncheon was just held at the National Arts Club, featuring the presentation of the 2016-2017 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award by Paula Vogel to Kate Tarker (THUNDERBODIES), who began her residency last fall.

The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President) and The Village Voice (Peter Barbey, Owner) just presented the 62nd Annual Obie Awards®. Jennifer Kidwell & Scott R. Sheppard's Underground Railroad Game, produced by Ars Nova, and J.T. Roger's Oslo, produced by Lincoln Center Theater, shared the Obie Awards for Best New American Theatre Work, which is accompanied by a $500 prize each. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel received a special Obie Award for Lifetime Achievement. Obie and Screen Actors Guild® Award-winning actress Lea DeLaria returned as host of this year's ceremony, which was held at Webster Hall (125 East 11th Street). 

The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President) and The Village Voice (Peter Barbey, Owner) are thrilled to announce the winners of the 62nd Annual Obie Awards®. Jennifer Kidwell & Scott R. Sheppard's Underground Railroad Game, produced by Ars Nova, and J.T. Roger's Oslo, produced by Lincoln Center Theater, shared the Obie Awards for Best New American Theatre Work, which is accompanied by a $500 prize each. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel received a special Obie Award for Lifetime Achievement. Obie and Screen Actors Guild® Award-winning actress Lea DeLaria returned as host of this year's ceremony, which was held at Webster Hall (125 East 11th Street). A complete list of the awards is given below.

The Vineyard Theatre's Annual Emerging Artists Luncheon will take place on Tuesday, June 6 from noon-2:30pm at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. The event will feature the presentation of the 2016-2017 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award by Paula Vogel to Kate Tarker (THUNDERBODIES), who began her residency last fall.

WP Theater (formerly known as Women's Project Theater), under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Lisa McNulty and Managing Director Michael Sag, has announced their 2017-2018 40th Anniversary Season at WP Theater (2162 Broadway, at 76th Street).

The Play Company (PlayCo; Founding Producer, Kate Loewald) announced today that Robert G. Bradshaw, who since July 2016 has served as Interim Managing Director, has been promoted to the role of Managing Director, effective immediately.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre is proud to congratulate What Would Crazy Horse Do? Director, Sam Pinkleton on his Tony Award Nomination Best Choreography for his work on this season's Broadway hit musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, which led the field with 12 nominations, including Best Musical. Pinkleton previously choreographed KCRep's 2015 acclaimed production of Hair: Retrospection.

San Francisco Playhouse (Bill English, Artistic Director; Susi Damilano, Producing Director) continues its 2016-2017 Sandbox Series for new works with the World Premiere of You Mean to Do Me Harm, written by acclaimed playwright and winner of the 2017 Lanford Wilson Award Christopher Chen.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre elevates its profile in the national theatre community with the second annual OriginKC: NEW WORKS FESTIVAL. In addition to a striking lineup of playwrights and directors for this year's festival, an impressive list of arts leaders from preeminent regional theaters across the country will be attending the Festival Weekend, May 12-13. 

Director Desdemona Chiang makes her Cal Shakes debut, infusing Shakespeare's  romantic comedy with the vibrant, complicated, and shifting energy of the Bay Area.   Berkeley, CA, April 26 - California Shakespeare Theater begins its 43rd Season with Shakespeare's gender-bending comedy, As You Like It. In director Desdemona Chiang's all new production, adaptable and resilient Rosalind must leave everything she knows behind to find her true family.

The Drama League has announced the 2017 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award. Scroll down for the full list of nominees!