Jess McLeod News

The Gift Theatre is pleased to announce casting for its world premiere of Stacy Amma Osei-Kuffour's haunting and often-humorous drama HANG MAN, directed by Jess McLeod.

Victory Gardens Theater announces Jess McLeod and Aaron Todd Douglas as the 2018 Next Generation Fellows. Beginning in February 2018, the Next Generation Fellowship will provide comprehensive mentorship, requisite training, and experience for these future leaders of color, preparing them to helm arts institutions or departments on the national and local level. The program is made possible by a generous grant from The Field Foundation of Illinois.

The Gift Theatre is pleased to present TEN 2018, the company's annual season kick-off festival of ten world premiere ten-minute pieces by The Gift and guest artists, curated by Artistic Director Michael Patrick Thornton and Associate Artistic Director Paul D'Addario, playing January 5 14, 2018 at 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood. Tickets for TEN are free for Gift subscribers and $10 for the general public. Tickets are currently available by calling the Gift's box office at 773-283-7071 or visiting thegifttheatre.org.

January 4, 2018 Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) continues the 2017/18 Season with a full line-up of productions through June 2018.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) begins rehearsals for Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream a 75-minute abridgment of William Shakespeare's riotous tale of mismatched love among mischievous fairies, young lovers and an amateur theatrical troupe of local workers. Directed and adapted by Jess McLeod and featuring a power-packed ensemble cast, this production will bring the magic to life for 1,000 students each day in the innovative, new venue The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare during its six-week run. Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream will be performed for the public on Saturdays February 3 March 10, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

The Gift Theatre is pleased to launch its 17th season with the world premiere of Stacy Amma Osei-Kuffour's haunting and often-humorous drama HANG MAN, directed by Jess McLeod, playing March 2 April 29, 2018 at 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Casting will be announced shortly.

The Gift Theatre is pleased to present TEN 2018, the company's annual season kick-off festival of ten world premiere ten-minute pieces by The Gift and guest artists, curated by Artistic Director Michael Patrick Thornton and Associate Artistic Director Paul D'Addario. Tickets for TEN are free for Gift subscribers and $10 for the general public. Tickets are currently available by calling the Gift's box office at 773-283-7071 or visiting thegifttheatre.org.

In September, Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Urban League announced EmpowerYouth! Igniting Creativity through the Arts, a groundbreaking, multi-year partnership that immerses African American youth in the creation of an original opera based on their own life experiences. Collaboratively planned and administered by Lyric Unlimited, Lyric's community engagement and education arm, and the Chicago Urban League's Youth Development Center, EmpowerYouth! is a multidisciplinary afterschool program that will culminate in the presentation of a fully staged, youth-centric opera on May 31 at the Lyric Opera House.

Goodman Theatre announces the casts for its one-time-only staged readings as part of its free 14th annual New Stages Festival, October 5-8. The four staged readings include: How to Catch Creation by Christina Anderson; Eden Prairie, 1971 by Mat Smart; The Untranslatable Secrets of Nikki Corona written and directed by Jos Rivera; We're Only Alive for A Short Amount of Time by David Cale, music by Matthew Dean Marsh. Plus, a sneak peek at an immersive work-in-progress POSTNATION conceived by Mikhael Tara Garver, an exploration of immigrants' roles in the creation of the U.S. Postal Service. Audiences also have the final opportunity to experience the three developmental productions (staged in repertory) during the weekend: Lottery Day by Ike Holter, directed by Lili-Anne Brown; Continuity by Bess Wohl, directed by Annie Tippe; and Twilight Bowl by Rebecca Gilman, directed by Erica Weiss. To reserve FREE tickets, call 312.443.3800, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/NewStagesFestival or the box office (170 N. Dearborn); For more information about Industry Professionals Weekend, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Professionals

Casting is complete for the three developmental productions featured in Goodman Theatre's 14th annual New Stages festival - a free celebration of new works by some of the country's finest established and emerging playwrights.

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.

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.

Casting is complete for the three developmental productions featured in Goodman Theatre's 14th annual New Stages festival - a free celebration of new works by some of the country's finest established and emerging playwrights.

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.

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.

The House Theatre of Chicago, in partnership with University of Chicago's Theatre and Performance Studies Program and their Logan Center for the Arts, presents an afternoon Open House touring new works in development. Guests will have the opportunity to see short selections from five projects, and meet the creative artists spearheading them. The audience in attendance will break into small groups and tour each project in various creative spaces in the state-of-the-art Logan Center.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the lineup for the 2017 IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Tuvalu, or The Saddest Song by Antoinette Nwandu; This Land Was Made by Tori Sampson; Spin Moves by Ken Weitzman; Tell Them I'm Still Young by Julia Doolittle; Wolf Play by Hansol Jung; and Suspension by Kristiana Rae Colon.

The House Theatre of Chicago, in partnership with University of Chicago's Theatre and Performance Studies Program and their Logan Center for the Arts, presents an afternoon Open House touring new works in development. Guests will have the opportunity to see short selections from five projects, and meet the creative artists spearheading them. The audience in attendance will break into small groups and tour each project in various creative spaces in the state-of-the-art Logan Center.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the lineup for the 2017 IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Tuvalu, or The Saddest Song by Antoinette Nwandu; This Land Was Made by Tori Sampson; Spin Moves by Ken Weitzman; Tell Them I'm Still Young by Julia Doolittle; Wolf Play by Hansol Jung; and Suspension by Kristiana Rae Colon.

American Theater Company's (ATC) Youth Ensemble presents a 50-minute abridgement by Jess McLeod and Sarah Slight of the critically acclaimed The Project(s)-a documentary play on Chicago's public housing conceived, co-written and originally directed by ATC's late Artistic Director PJ Paparelli and co-written by Joshua Jaeger-July 14 - 23, 2017. Directed by Monty Cole, the production features Youth Ensemble members Latrel Crawford, Danielle Jean-Baptiste, Alex King, Li Luzietti, Jenna Makkawy, Liliana Mastroianni, Azalia Resendiz, Keenya Riley, Ireon Roach, Leah Schiffman, Leojae Steward, and Ervin Tobar. The Youth Ensemble is meeting with Chicago public housing residents originally interviewed for the play, in order to learn more about the documentary theater-making process and help with character development prior to performing the piece.