Goodman Theatre News

MCC Theater has announced the 2017 PlayLabs reading series, which will feature new works in development by playwrights: 2017-2018 Tow Playwright-in-Residence Jocelyn Bioh, MCC alum Amanda Peet, Charise Castro Smith, and MCC Youth Company alum Lily Houghton.

Voyage Theater Company and Crossroads Theatre Company will present the New York Premiere of Rohina Malik's THE MECCA TALES, directed by Kareem Fahmy (3/Fifths at 3LD; This Time with Rising Circle Theater Collective), at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture (18 Bleecker Street at the corner of Elizabeth Street), October 20-November 4.

Seven world premiere plays seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving nominations by The Jeff Awards. 158 nominations in 33 categories honor Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2016 and July 31, 2017.

Five theatre directors are slated for the fifth Sundance Institute | LUMA Foundation Theatre Directors Retreat, which convenes in Arles, France, August 25 through September 7. The Retreat is one of 24 residencies and Labs the Institute hosts annually across the world, and is an integral part of the Theatre Program's ongoing engagement with global theatremakers. 

The Sol Project, the new theater initiative dedicated to producing the work of Latinx playwrights, has announced the New York premiere of OEDIPUS EL REY by MacArthur Fellow Luis Alfaro, directed by longtime collaborator Chay Yew, the OBIE award-winning director.

A friendly reminder! The Public Theater will begin performances for the free Public Works musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's AS YOU LIKE IT, adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery, with music and lyrics by Shaina Taub on Friday, September 1.

Fall 2017 will see Chicago continue to produce some of the most exciting theater in the country. Offerings from the city's more than 250 producing theaters include a range of special fall programming, featuring everything from the latest musicals to highly anticipated world premieres.   

The Gift Theatre will present OPEN SEASON, the inaugural production of 4802, The Gift's new play research and development wing, written and performed by Adithi Chandrashekar and directed by Mara Stern.

Jane Alexander, Denis Arndt, Judith Ivey, and Christopher Michael McFarland will star in the world premiere of Fireflies by Tony Award nominee Matthew Barber, directed by Long Wharf Theatre Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein.

Haven Theatre is pleased to announce the line-up for its third DIRECTORS HAVEN, the company's ever-growing initiative showcasing the talents of three early career directors. This season, Kristen Johnson directs Vaclav Havel's riveting political satire THE PROTEST, Ian Martin helms Amiri Baraka's THE TOILET, a powerful look at love and empathy, and Lexi Saunders directs Rachel Dubose's sharply funny and biting new play THE DEPARTURE. The three fully-produced productions will run back-to-back in one program. DIRECTOR'S HAVEN 2017 will play October 16 - November 1, 2017 at Haven Theatre's resident home, The Den Theatre (2A), 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. All performances are pay-what-you-can. Tickets are currently available at haventheatrechicago.com. 

Previews begin tonight, August 18, for the Playwrights Horizons New York premiere production of For Peter Pan on her 70th Birthday, a new play by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award nominee Sarah Ruhl (Stage Kiss, Dead Man's Cell Phone at Playwrights; In the Next Room, or the vibrator play; The Clean House).

Vineyard Theatre Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern announce that the world premiere production of HARRY CLARKE by Obie Award winner David Cale (LILLIAN) and directed by Leigh Silverman (VIOLET) will be the first production of the 2017-2018 Season.

Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole, who co-star in Broadway's War Paint, sat down for an interview with fellow Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth this afternoon via Facebook Live. If you missed it, you can check out everything the trio had to say - from Elizabeth Arden's products and inspiring vocalists to first headshots - in the video below!

Aurora Theatre Company opens its 26th season with Rebecca Gilman's (Blue Surge, Spinning Into Butter, The Sweetest Swing in Baseball) LUNA GALE. Aurora Artistic Director Tom Ross directs this powerful and arresting Bay Area Premiere, featuring Jamie Jones (Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance, Mud Blue Sky, Gideon's Knot), Laura Jane Bailey (Mud Blue Sky), Devin S. O'­Brien (Mud Blue Sky), Joshua Marx (TheatreWorks), Alix Cuadra (Theatre of Yugen), Kevin Kemp (Shotgun Players), and Jennifer Vega.  LUNA GALE plays September 1 through October 1 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Kicking off the 2017-2018 Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) season is Arthur Miller's The Crucible, directed by Jonathan Berry. Steppenwolf Education presents this American classic as part of the SYA season which asks, "When does a lie become the truth?"

Other Theatre will continue its 4th season with the third revival of its holiday hit BARNEY THE ELF, a campy and irreverent musical comedy, written by Bryan Renaud with lyrics by Renaud and Emily Schmidt. After helming the 2016 production, Tommy Rivera-Vega returns to direct and choreograph. 

TimeLine Theatre Company presents the first production of its 2017-2018 season-the Chicago premiere of THE AUDIENCE by Peter Morgan, directed by TimeLine Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling, and featuring TimeLine Company Member Janet Ulrich Brooks in the central role of Queen Elizabeth II, August 24 - November 12, 2017 (previews tonight, August 16, through August 23) at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. Press Night is Wednesday, August 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Stage Left Theatre announces the upcoming Chicago premiere of Building the Wall, written by Robert Schenkkan and directed by co-artistic director Amy Szerlong. Building the Wall is the first production of Stage Left's 36th season. Press opening is Thursday, September 21, at 8 PM at Athenaeum Theatre Chicago, 2936 N. Southport Ave. The show runs through October 22nd.

The 67th Music Circus season continues with the feel-good musical comedy Sister Act, featuring an infectious score by Tony and Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken. Based on the hit 1992 film, this musical will fill the round stage with saintly sisters for the first time in Music Circus history. Performances of Sister Act are Tuesday, August 22 through Sunday, August 27 at the Wells Fargo Pavilion.

Goodman Theatre announces the lineup of its 14th annual New Stages Festival - a celebration and discovery of new work by some of the country's finest established and emerging playwrights. Over the course of three weeks, the annual festival offers Chicago theatergoers a first look at eight new works, completely free-of-charge.