Ike Holter News

TEN, The Gift Theatre's annual season kickoff celebration of ten 10-minute plays curated by artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton and associate artistic director Paul D'Addario, returns this year as TEN (+5) to honor the 15 year anniversary, January 1-10, 2016.

First Floor Theater (FFT) is thrilled to announce the second show of their fourth season, the Chicago premiere of THE AWAKE, Ken Urban's lyrical and highly theatrical exploration of interrogation, government control, and the compulsive power of dreams, directed by Josh Altman. Hailed as "extraordinarily ambitious" by the New York Times, THE AWAKE plays February 14 - March 12 at Collaboraction's Room 300 Theater in The Flat Iron Arts Building. Tickets for THE AWAKE will be available at http://firstfloortheater.com/. The press opening is Sunday, February 14 at 6:00 p.m.

The National Theatre of Great Britain's North American wing (Tim Levy, Producer) in collaboration with Scott Morfee, Jean Doumanian, Tom Wirtshafter, and Patrick Daly have announced the North American premiere of playwright Lucy Prebble's award-winning new play The Effect. With direction by David Cromer, the entirely American production of The Effect will open at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street at 7th Avenue) in March 2016. Additional information will be announced shortly.

Mercy Street Theatre kicks off its second season with the world premiere of MERRY CHRISTMAS, MULCH PILE!, written by resident playwright Dakota Parobek.  The show runs tonight, December 3 - 6, 2015 at Hairpin Arts Center, 2810 N Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the next show of its 41st season, the World Premiere of Cocked by Sarah Gubbins, directed by Associate Artistic Producer Joanie Schultz. Cocked runs February 12 - March 13, 2016 with the press performance on Friday, February 19, 2016, at 7:30 pm at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the next show of its 41st season, Never the Sinner by John Logan, directed by Gary Griffin. Never the Sinner runs now through December 6, 2015 with the press performance tonight, November 13, 2015, at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

Mercy Street Theatre kicks off its second season with the world premiere of MERRY CHRISTMAS, MULCH PILE!, written by resident playwright Dakota Parobek.  The show runs December 3 - 6, 2015 at Hairpin Arts Center, 2810 N Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the next show of its 41st season, Never the Sinner by John Logan, directed by Gary Griffin.  Never the Sinner runs November 6 - December 6, 2015 with the press performance today, November 13, 2015, at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

Wild and wacky fun, just in time for the holidays, is onstage when Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the hilarious McCarter Theatre/Arena Stage production of Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery running November 27-December 27 at PTC's home, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets). Directed by Amanda Dehnert, the ensemble cast features Henry Clarke, Crystal Finn, Adam Green, Ron Menzel, and Matt Zambrano.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center and Sixth Avenue have announced the final nine performances of the West Coast premiere of Hit the Wall by Ike Holter. Directed by Ken Sawyer, Hit the Wall has been playing to sold-out houses since opening on September 18. Now extended for the second time, the run must end December 13.

?A Red Orchid Theatre announces its 2015-2016 Season, including the World Premieres of Pilgrims Progress by Ensemble Member Bret Neveu (The Opponent), and Sender by Ike Holter, both directed by Ensemble Member Shade Murray (Mud Blue Sky, Accidentally like a Martyr) and The Mutilated by Tennessee Williams, directed by Ensemble Member Dado (Simpatico).

Irish Theatre of Chicago is pleased to launch its 2015-16 Season with the Midwest premiere of Geraldine Aron's touching and comedic one-woman show MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE, directed by Siiri Scott and featuring ensemble member Barbara Figgins*. MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE will play tonight, October 7, through November 1, 2015 at Chief O'Neill's Pub & Restaurant, 3471 N. Elston Ave. in Chicago.

Jackalope Theatre Company is proud to announce that it has selected Cor Theatre for participation in The Pioneer Series. The Pioneer Series is Jackalope's continuous initiative to cultivate bold new theatre in Chicago. Through an extensive application process, Jackalope selected Cor Theatre to receive a free primetime 4-week run in The Frontier, at 1106 W Thorndale in Chicago, in the spring of 2016.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the next show of its 41st season, Never the Sinner by John Logan, directed by Gary Griffin.  Never the Sinner runs November 6 - December 6, 2015 with the press performance on Friday, November 13, 2015, at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

The West Coast premiere of Ike Holter's HIT THE WALL vividly illustrates what might have happened that fateful night in 1969  when Stonewall became the flashpoint for what many consider the start of the gay liberation movement. With director Ken Sawyer's inventive staging, the audience becomes almost fully immersed in the play's actions. The stage seems to be every available space where an audience member's not physically sitting.

The Philadelphia Theatre Company announced today that it has repurchased the iconic Suzanne Roberts Theatre from TD Bank, thanks in large part to a spirited community effort led by the Roberts family that raised over $3 million and enabled PTC to reclaim its longtime home, which is the final piece to its remarkable fiscal and artistic turnaround.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center and Sixth Avenue have announced the West Coast premiere of Hit the Wall by Ike Holter. This acclaimed play brings audiences into the famed 1969 Stonewall riots, credited historically as the beginning of the modern LGBT rights movement. Directed by Ken Sawyer with a cast of 10, a live three-piece band, and original music by Anna Waronker (former singer for That Dog) and Charlotte Caffey (guitarist for The Go-Go's), Hit the Wall will play three previews on September 15, 16, and 17, and opening is set for Today, September 18 at 8pm. Hit the Wall will run through October 25 in the Davidson/Valentini Theatre.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the launch of The Directors Inclusion Initiative to encourage and develop talented and emerging Chicago stage directors identifying as people of color, disable, women, transgender and gender non-conforming. The aim of the initiative is to cultivate a new generation of diverse stage directors who create dynamic theatre work for their unique points of view.

Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) is pleased to announce James Ijames as the recipient of the fourth Terrence McNally New Play Award for the development of his play White. The Terrence McNally New Play Award is a $10,000 cash prize given annually to recognize a new play that celebrates the transformative power of art. The Award will also include a year of development support at PTC, including readings as well as administrative support and networking to help manage the future of the play beyond its time at PTC.