Evan Linder News

The New Colony will continue its 2016 Season with the world premiere of the fantastical family drama KIN FOLK, by William Glick, directed by Co-Artistic Director Evan Linder, playing July 8 - August 14, 2016 at its resident home, The Den Theatre's Upstairs Main Stage, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Tickets for KIN FOLK are currently available at www.thenewcolony.org. The press opening is Tuesday, July 12 at 7:30 pm.

"The Hairy Ape"- Eugene O'Neill's expressionist play presented in a stark, brutal and imaginative setting; "Byhalia, Mississippi"- a new work of southern love and forgiveness, and "Rent"- the musical update of "La Boheme" performed in a small storefront theatre, took home the most honors on Monday, June 6, at Park West during the 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony recognizing excellence in non-union Chicago theatre. 

Downstairs Cabaret Theatre is excited to announce the hilarious cult show FIVE LESBIANS EATING A QUICHE: May 20-June 19, 2016.

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 121 nominations in 24 categories for the 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff judges attended opening nights of 148 productions offered by 67 Non-Equity producing organizations. The Jeff Committee recommended 65 of those shows (or 44%), making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Of the 65 Jeff Recommended productions, a record 53 (or 82%) received nominations, representing 32 theatre companies.

 The New Colony will continue its 2016 Season with the world premiere of the fantastical family drama KIN FOLK, by William Glick, directed by Co-Artistic Director Evan Linder, playing July 8 - August 14, 2016 at its resident home, The Den Theatre's Upstairs Main Stage, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Tickets for KIN FOLK go on sale Monday, May 9, 2016 at www.thenewcolony.org. The press opening is Tuesday, July 12 at 7:30 pm.

Downstairs Cabaret Theatre is excited to announce the hilarious cult show FIVE LESBIANS EATING A QUICHE: May 20-June 19, 2016.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced today the 2016/17 Season, the first to be curated by Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro and the Steppenwolf artistic team. The new season brings many exciting changes that embrace expanded artistic offerings, flexibility and a diverse selection of experiences, featuring the ensemble in ways both familiar and new. In 2016/17, Steppenwolf will produce an expanded six-play Subscription Season, as opposed to the previous five-play season, in a new format that features four plays in the Downstairs Theatre with the opportunity for subscribers to choose between two productions in the Upstairs Theatre.

As it concludes its sell-out hit Byhalia, Mississippi, The New Colony is pleased to announce the final production of its 2016 Season: the world premiere comedy MERGE, a fast-paced, heartfelt and uproarious journey inside the burgeoning 1970s video game industry. 

Check out photos from the show below!

Chicago Theatre Week, an annual celebration of the rich tradition of theatre-going in Chicago, will take place February 11 - 21, 2016, spanning a week and two full weekends.

BYHALIA, MISSISSIPPI is a new play by Chicago playwright Evan Linder that combines humor and drama while bringing up issues of race, faithfulness, family, and forgiveness.Presented in readings and productions in 7 cities across the country, Birmingham was fortunate to take part in what will now be a online conversation this Monday.

The New Colony launches its 2016 Season with the world premiere of the racially charged family drama BYHALIA, MISSISSIPPI by Co-Artistic Director Evan Linder, directed by Tyrone Phillips and co-produced with Definition Theatre Company. BYHALIA, MISSISSIPPI plays now through February 14, 2016, at The New Colony's resident home, The Den Theatre's Upstairs Main Stage, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. The press opening is tonight, January 11 at 7:30 pm. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Evan Linder's BYHALIA, MS, a winner of the 2014 NewWorks@The Works Playwriting Competition, came about at an interesting time. I had recently heard an interview on NPR featuring Alabama-born Walton Goggins, currently co-starring in Quintin Tarantino's THE HATEFUL EIGHT. Goggins, a gifted actor, made the point that he did not wish to perpetuate the tired old 'let's paint Southerners as uneducated rednecks' point of view that all too often emerges in Hollywood films about the subject; having appreciated his point, I was initially wary of a work about racism entitled BYHALIA, MS. The South, and Mississippi in particular, are easy 'punching bags' for liberals; and yes, the historical past can surely produce numerous examples. There's no way, I thought, that Evan Linder should ever run for Mayor of Byhalia, a small Mississippi town not far from Memphis. However, after seeing the play, I realized that I was guilty of preconceived notions and misconceptions -- a shortcoming shared by black and white characters alike in Mr. Linder's probing, ambitious work.

The New Colony will launch its 2016 Season with the world premiere of the racially charged family drama BYHALIA, MISSISSIPPI, by Co-Artistic Director Evan Linder, directed by Tyrone Phillips and co-produced with Definition Theatre Company.

The New Colony will launch its 2016 Season with the world premiere of the racially charged family drama BYHALIA, MISSISSIPPI, by Co-Artistic Director Evan Linder, directed by Tyrone Phillips and co-produced with Definition Theatre Company.

Jim and Laurel Parker are about to become new parents. When Laurel finally gives birth to their overdue child, she and Jim are faced with the biggest challenge of their lives when their baby boy is black, the result of Laurel's affair the previous year. The lives of their families and friends are thrown into turmoil in Byhalia, Mississippi, a town with a racially-charged past that still very much affects it's present. Byhalia, Misissippi is a winner of the 2014 NewWorks@TheWorks playwriting competition. This will mark the second time that TheatreWorks has played host to the work of Byhalia, Mississippi playwright Evan Linder. Playhouse on the Square audiences might remember his work from the 2013 production of the comedy Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche. 

The New Colony concludes its 2015 season with the world premiere dark comedy THE TERRIBLE by Morgan McNaught, directed by Jesse Roth, playing now through November 21, 2015 at its resident home, The Den Theatre's Main Stage, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. THE TERRIBLE features Chris Fowler, Andrew Hobgood, Jessica London-Shields and Shariba Rivers. BroadwayWorld has fresh photos of the cast in action below!