Goodman Theatre News

Temple Theaters, with Temple University's Division of Theater, Film and Media Arts, welcomes playwright Nzotake Shange and Broadway director Oz Scott to the Temple Performing Arts Center (TPAC) on Sunday, September 20 at 4:00 pm. In a free and public event moderated by Temple professor Lee Kenneth Richardson, the two African American artists will discuss development of Shange's groundbreaking drama for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced today the complete cast for the Chicago premiere of Domesticated, a provocative dark comedy written and directed by ensemble member and Pulitzer Prize-winner Bruce Norris. The cast features ensemble member Tom Irwin and venerable Chicago actress Mary Beth Fisher as a political couple in the midst of a sex scandal. Irwin has been an ensemble member since 1979, having performed in more than 50 Steppenwolf productions including The Grapes of Wrath and The Seafarer. Fisher, a frequent performer at Goodman Theatre, most recently in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, last performed at Steppenwolf in Dead Man's Cell Phone in 2008. Completing the Domesticated cast are Emily Chang, Esteban Andres Cruz, Meighan Gerachis, Rae Gray, Beth Lacke, Millie Langford, Melanie Neilan, Meg Thalken and Karen Woditsch. Domesticated runs December 3, 2015 - February 7, 2016 in the Downstairs Theatre. Tickets to Domesticated ($20 - $89) go on sale Friday, October 2, 2015 through Audience Services (1650 N. Halsted) at 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org.

This fall, award-winning playwright Sarah Gubbins makes her Bay Area debut at New Conservatory Theatre Center with the West Coast premiere of The Kid Thing, to be directed by Becca Wolff. Hailed by Variety as "a work of significant depth," The Kid Thing proves good news isn't all it's cracked up to be. When two lesbian couples who have been close friends for years get together for a dinner party, the unexpected news of an impending pregnancy manages to rock both relationships. Emotions run deep in this biting, witty piece about what it means to have a child today.

Dive on in with the dazzling cast of Theatre Under The Star's production of Disney's The Little Mermaid!  Back by popular demand, this fun-filled, timeless tale will play for a limited run this weekend, September 10 - 13 at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'American Idiot' examines a generation, and 'The Girl In The Train' captures a by-gone era. We run down long-run shows, and break down the Marriott Theatre's 2016 season announcement, too. Plus 'Hollywood' from Light Opera Works, a new show from Underscore, a high school mounts 'Starlight Express,' and Christmas has begun!

American Theater Company (ATC) announces the final production, directors and run dates for Season 31: The Legacy Season, honoring ATC's late artistic director PJ Paparelli and continuing the theater's dedication to developing new works.

In conjunction with its upcoming production of A Little Night Music, the Huntington Theatre Company will host a number of special events and post-show conversations. Admission to onsite post-show events is free with a ticket to A Little Night Music, available at huntingtontheatre.org/night-music/ by phone at 617 266 0800, or in person at the BU Theatre (264 Huntington Avenue) and Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA (527 Tremont Street) box offices. Tickets start at $25. Performances begin Friday, September 11, 2015 at the Avenue of the Arts / BU Theatre.

The Civilians (Steve Cosson, Artistic Director), the Obie award-winning theatre company, announces the members of its 2015-16 Research and Development (R&D) Group, comprised of writers, composers, and directors who are creating new works of investigative theater.

Peninsula Players Theatre, America's Oldest Professional Resident Summer Theater and Door County's theatrical icon, continues its 80th season with the hilarious musical comedy 'Nunsense,' with book, music and lyrics by Dan Goggin. The lighthearted musical has a six-week run starting tonight, Sept. 9, through Oct. 18. 'Nunsense' received the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical, Best Book, Best Music and Best Off-Broadway Musical.

Peninsula Players Theatre, America's Oldest Professional Resident Summer Theater and Door County's theatrical icon, continues its 80th season with the hilarious musical comedy "Nunsense," with book, music and lyrics by Dan Goggin.    The lighthearted musical has a six-week run starting Sept. 9 through Oct. 18.  "Nunsense" received the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical, Best Book, Best Music and Best Off-Broadway Musical. 

Take an intimate look at the 30-year friendship between poets Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell in DEAR ELIZABETH, September 23 - October 18, 2015. Milwaukee Chamber Theatre continues its 2015-2016 Season with a moving and innovative play by Sarah Ruhl, under the direction of Marie Kohler and starring real-life married couple Carrie Hitchcock and Norman Moses. DEAR ELIZABETH performs in the Broadway Theatre Center's Studio Theatre in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward.

Steep Theatre is thrilled to launch their 15th season with the world premiere of Hamish Linklater's The Cheats.  Mr. Linklater, a celebrated and award-winning stage and film actor, made his playwriting debut in 2013 with the well-regarded piece The Vandal, which enjoyed an extended Off-Broadway run with the Flea Theater in New York City and subsequently made its Midwest premiere at Steep Theatre in October of 2014.  The Cheats, Mr. Linklater's much-anticipated second play after his promising debut, explores the way that we can hastily judge others while refusing to acknowledge our own flaws. The production will be helmed by one of Chicago's most sought after directors, Steep Ensemble Member Joanie Schultz. The Cheats opens on October 1st at Steep's Edgewater theatre, where the company has put together a string of hits, while bringing new work and new voices to Chicago.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for the U.S. premiere of Ride the Cyclone, a new musical with a refreshingly offbeat twist from Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond, directed and choreographed by multiple Jeff Award-winner Rachel Rockwell. Originating as a cult classic cabaret piece in Canada, this dark musical comedy is being further developed with Chicago Shakespeare Creative Producer Rick Boynton for its highly anticipated American debut, presented in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, September 29-November 8, 2015.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago's only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, announces the third production of its 20th Anniversary Season, the Chicago premiere of How the World Began, written by Catherine Trieschmann and directed by Keira Fromm. The production runs tonight, September 2-October 10, 2015, at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. The press opening is Wednesday, September 9, 2015, at 7:00pm.

The Other Theatre Company (TOTC) and Artistic Director Carin Silkaitis are proud to present the first show the company's 2015-2016 season Daughters of Ire, by Company Member Savanna Rae, directed by Artistic Director Carin Silkaitis, September 2 - 20.

Lifeline Theatre welcomes Jessica Wright Buha to its artistic ensemble, the body which determines the company's artistic programming and provides leadership, support and counsel in its play-development process.

THERE IS A HAPPINESS THAT MORNING IS - a new play by Mickle Maher - will premiere as  the season opener at The Tank theater company this fall with Previews beginning September 11 and Opening on September 12th at The Tank (151 West 46th Street / 8th Fl.) HAPPINESS is scheduled to run through September 27th.

The Hypocrites are thrilled to launch their 2015-16 season with the Chicago premiere of the smash Broadway musical AMERICAN IDIOT, featuring music by Grammy Award-winning punk rock band Green Day, book by Green Day frontman/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer and lyrics by Armstrong, direction by Steven Wilson, musical direction by Andra Velis Simon and choreography by Katie Spelman. AMERICAN IDIOT will play tonight, August 28 - October 25, 2015 at The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage, 1329 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

Quintessence Theatre Group launches its sixth season of progressive classic theatre with Shakespeare's romantic tragedy ROMEO AND JULIET presented in rotating repertory with Wallace Shawn's celebrated translation of Machiavelli's sex comedy THE MANDRAKE. A nine actor repertory ensemble comprised of Quintessence's best and director Alexander Burns will continue to establish Quintessence's brand of full throttle epic classic theatre for today. ROMEO AND JULIET will begin previews on Wednesday, September 30 at 7pm and open on Saturday, October 3 at 8pm.  THE MANDRAKE will begin previews on Wednesday, October 14 at 7pm and open on Saturday, October 17 at 8pm. All performances are at the Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave in Mt Airy, Philadelphia, 19119. To purchase tickets visit www.QuintessenceTheatre.org or call 215.987.4450.

Dive on in with the dazzling cast of Theatre Under The Star's production of Disney's The Little Mermaid!  Back by popular demand, this fun-filled, timeless tale will play for a limited run September 10 - 13 at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts!