Jess McLeod News

This time of year, most know the most important people in the industry are sadly not anyone putting on a show, but rather the Tony nominators. Usually, this is the time that many selected nominators start dropping out, typically because of involvement in an eligible production or failure to see all eligible productions. This season, we’ve so far had very few recusals, so as of now there is a pretty full slate.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago’s only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, welcomes eight new ensemble members.

Goodman Theatre has announced Jamal Howard (he/him) as the 2023 Michael Maggio Directing Fellow. A Chicago-based director and choreographer, Howard is the co-artistic director of New American Folk Theatre and an associate company member with TUTA Theatre.

Tickets are now on sale for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's Spring 2023 shows, which will take place in the new Moe and Jack's Place — The Rouse Theatre and the historic Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre. The season will open with an all-new production of A Chorus Line on Thursday, March 16 with previews running March 11, 14 and 15.

Dramatists Guild Foundation has announced the 2022-2023 class of Fellows. The program propels the most promising creative talents to their full potential to help shape the future of theater. 

The Board of Directors of Raven Theatre has announced that Sarah Slight will serve as the theater’s Interim Artistic Director beginning December 1, 2022, as the theater conducts a search to replace Cody Estle, who is departing to serve as the Artistic Director of Next Act Theatre in Milwaukee.  

Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST) has announced complete casting for the 38th Marathon of One-Act Plays, which will be fully comprised of work from artists who identify as Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC). This year's selection of eleven plays was curated by Co-Artistic Directors Mike Lew (Teenage Dick) and Colette Robert (Behind the Sheet). Ten plays will be presented across two different series from Sunday October 16 through Sunday November 13 at EST.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director Johanna Pfaelzer and Director of the Ground Floor Madeleine Oldham announced the Residency Lab participants and the return to full capacity of the Residency Lab portion of The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep’s Center for the Creation and Development of New Work.

Ensemble Studio Theatre has announced the directors for the 38th Marathon of One-Act Plays, which will be fully comprised of work from artists who identify as Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC).

Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST) announced the directors for the 38th Marathon of One-Act Plays, which will be fully comprised of work from artists who identify as Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC). The full list of directors is Sivan Battat, Dominic Colón, nicHi Douglas, Chika Ike, Cameron Knight, Rebecca Martinez, Jonathan McCrory, Jess McLeod, Keenan Tyler Oliphant, Erin Tripp and Elizabeth Van Dyke.

Following a tumultuous period for the Victory Gardens Theater, this week the board dismissed the remainder of its staff following the unionization effort. The staff was informed their positions were eliminated due to 'lack of business and operational needs.'

Staff at Chicago's stories Victory Gardens Theater, which has been engulfed in accusations of 'toxic behavior' and a 'lack of transparency' are seeking union representation. The remaining 16 employees, who remain in a standoff with the theatre's board of directors, have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board.

Atlantic Theater Company will present First Gen MixFest, a series of free readings co-produced by playwrights Ngozi Anyanwu and Sanaz Toossi, that will run at Atlantic's Linda Gross Theater from Monday, August 8th through Wednesday, August 17th, 2022. Casting information for the reading series is below.

Atlantic Theater Company will present First Gen MixFest, a series of free readings co-produced by playwrights Ngozi Anyanwu and Sanaz Toossi, that will run at Atlantic’s Linda Gross Theater from Monday, August 8th through Wednesday, August 17th, 2022. 

Ato Blankson-Wood (Tony nominee Slave Play), Asmeret Ghebremichael (Book of Mormon, Legally Blonde), Nora Schell (Jagged Little Pill) and Kara Young (Tony nominee Clyde’s) will take part in Broadway Advocacy Coalition's Arts in Action Festival, set to take place at 7pm on Sunday, July 24 at the Manhattan School of Music.

Williamstown Theatre Festival is celebrating tonight’s first performance of Most Happy in Concert, Tony Award-nominated director Daniel Fish’s reimagining of Frank Loesser’s critically adored score to the musical The Most Happy Fella, choreographed by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, playing through Sunday, July 31 on the Main Stage.

Actors’ Equity Association has issued a statement in response to recent events at Victory Gardens Theater.

Williamstown Theatre Festival begins performances tonight of Man of God, the new comedy thriller by Anna Ouyang Moench, directed by Maggie Burrows playing an extended engagement through Friday, July 22 at the Nikos Stage.

Williamstown Theatre Festival announced today additional casting and creative team members for the 2022 Summer Season, the final two Fridays@3 readings, and fellowships.

Today’s subject Ivania Stack is currently living her theatre life as the costume designer for There’s Always the Hudson at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. The production runs through June fifth.