Dramatists Guild News

Bailiwick Chicago's upcoming production of the award-winning off-Broadway hit 'Violet,' a powerful and heartwarming story of a vulnerable young woman's challenges, loves and emotional journey, will now be staged September 16 - October 16 at the Mercury Theater, 3745 North Southport Avenue. With a score by Jeanine Tesori ('Caroline or Change' 'Thoroughly Modern Millie') and book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, 'Violet' is directed by Bailiwick Artistic Advisor Elizabeth Margolius. The press night is Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, opens its 37th season with the Chicago premiere of Snapshots: A Musical Scrapbook, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by David Stern.

Following their successful production of Play Nice! at 59e59 Theaters, Ego Actus will present Aliens With Extraordinary Skills, the critically acclaimed play by Saviana Stanescu.

The new musical TAKE ME AMERICA follows seven desperate refugees seeking political asylum in the United States, and the three government agents who bear the responsibility of determining their fate.

The Lark Play Development Center announced the 2011-12 Playwriting Fellows receiving residencies in its eleven-year-old Playwrights' Workshop program.

Bill Nabel; a veteran actor of eight Broadway shows with 30 plus years on Broadway with over 9400 performances, a member of the original casts of '42nd Street' and 'Beauty and the Beast' - the latter of which he was the only cast member to do the entire 13 year run; has switched hats and will now see two of his many works mounted within weeks of each other. Utah Shakespeare Festival will present the World Premiere of Mr. Nabel's new play LYING TO SPIELBERG at the Auditorium Theatre (351 West Center Street) in Cedar City, Utah on August 11, 12 and 31. And the Village Theatre will present the West Coast Premiere of TAKE ME AMERICA, a new musical with book and lyrics by Mr. Nabel and music by Bob Christianson from September 14 through November 20 at the Village Theatre of Issaquah, WA and the Village Theatre of Everett, WA.

Partial Comfort Productions follows up its 3-time Drama Desk Award nominated and Obie Award-winning production of Samuel D. Hunter's A Bright New Boise with the World Premiere of Chad Beckim's AFTER. (formerly titled A Good Ending). Stephen Brackett directs.

Rachel Reiner Productions is proud to present the World Premiere of Victor L. Cahn's Dally With The Devil, directed by Eric Parness. Dally With The Devil will begin performances on Saturday, September 10 and will open on September 14 running thru October 8, 2011 at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street). Tickets are $55 and can be purchased at www.Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200.

Partial Comfort Productions follows up its 3-time Drama Desk Award nominated and Obie Award-winning production of Samuel D. Hunter's A Bright New Boise with the World Premiere of Chad Beckim's AFTER. (formerly titled A Good Ending). Stephen Brackett directs.

'Third Finger, Left Hand,' a southern gothic one-act by playwright and Irmo native Randall David Cook, opens the 2011-12 Black Box Late Night Series at Trustus Theatre on September 14th, at 7:30pm.

New Repertory Theatre, in residence at the Arsenal Center for the Arts has announced Collected Stories by 2000 Pulitzer Prize playwright Donald Margulies.

Impetus Ensemble presents an encore presentation: a staged reading of a new play that confronts bullying, 'CONSENT' by Frank J. Avella (author of VATICAN FALLS) on October 11, 2011 at 7PM at the National Comedy Theatre.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today the creative teams selected to be part of the 23rd Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

First Draft at Charter Theater - a nonprofit organization devoted to developing theater audiences alongside new plays; supporting local artists; and partnering with theaters looking to produce new work - announced today that it will present two readings of the new play, 'She Said/She Said,' by Rebecca Gingrich-Jones, a recent graduate of the Catholic University's graduate playwriting program.

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Associate Director; Jaynie Saunders Tiller, Managing Director) will present the World Premiere of Sylvan Oswald's Nightlands.

William Leavengood's SPECIAL will play Off Broadway at Theatre Row Studio Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street, beginning September 15 through October 2. Elissa Middleton stars; Cat Miller directs.

Over six weekends last season, the Mobtown Playwrights Group staged readings of three new plays by writers from Baltimore, Frederick, and the Eastern Shore, including Jessica McHugh, whose dark comedy Fools Call It Fate received a complete production at the Mobtown Theatre this summer.

The Dramatists Guild of America will host their second annual Dramatists Guild Chicago Intensive Four-Day Fellowship Program. The event will take place from September 12-15 at Northwestern University.