Jonathan Berry News

Season 2 of A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW once again featured a core cast of Black women living relatable, hilarious experiences in a magical reality that subverts traditional expectations.

PROJECT GREENLIGHT is a docuseries focusing on the next generation of talented female filmmakers who are given the chance to direct a feature film. Issa Rae will appear in every episode as an Executive Producer, providing guidance and mentorship to these aspiring filmmakers. The finished film will then premiere on HBO Max.

The narrative sketch comedy series features a core cast of Black women living relatable, hilarious experiences in a magical reality that subverts traditional expectations.

The Emmy®-winning HBO comedy series INSECURE will conclude with its upcoming fifth season, it was announced today by Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming.

HBO Documentary Films is currently in production on SEEN & HEARD, a two-part documentary exploring the history of Black television as seen through the eyes of trailblazers who wrote, produced, created and starred in groundbreaking series of the past and present.   

Steppenwolf Theatre Company has confirmed that layoffs enacted on Friday include artistic producer Jonathan Berry and Hallie Gordon, artistic director of Steppenwolf for Young Audiences.

Victory Gardens Theater has announced Your World Off Stage, an online conversation series with artists from the upcoming 2020/2021 season and members of the VG Playwrights Ensemble.

HBO has renewed comedy series INSECURE for a fifth season, it was announced today by Amy Gravitt, executive vice president, HBO Programming.

Victory Gardens Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yew and Executive Director Erica Daniels, announces the lineup for its 2020a?"2021 Season. Victory Gardens' 46th Season will include the Chicago premiere of Poor Yella Rednecks by Qui Nguyen; the world premiere of In Every Generation by Ali Viterbi; the acclaimed Chicago play Exit Strategy by Ike Holter; the Chicago premiere of cullud wattah by Erika Dickerson-Despenza, and the Chicago premiere of Heroes of the Fourth Turning by Will Arbery.

In celebration of the season four premiere of hit comedy INSECURE, HBO will host its fourth annual block party for the series virtually.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced complete casting for two productions today: The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington by James Ijames, directed by Whitney White (April 2 a?" May 17, 2020); and Catch as Catch Can by Mia Chung, which also announced ensemble member Amy Morton as director (June 4 a?" July 26, 2020).

Returning for its ten-episode, fourth season SUNDAY, APRIL 12 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), INSECURE follows our favorite characters as they evaluate their relationships, both new and old, in an effort to figure out who and what comes with them in this next phase of their lives. 

The Gift Theatre is pleased to present TEN 2020, 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 Directors Paul D'Addario and Emjoy Gavino.

The Gift Theatre will present TEN 2020, 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 Directors Paul D'Addario and Emjoy Gavino. TEN will play January 9 - 18, 2020 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 at thegifttheatre.org or by calling the Gift's box office at 773-283-7071.

Steep Ensemble Member Jonathan Berry returns to Steep to direct Martyna Majok's Ironbound, opening in April. Majok won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Cost of Living. Ironbound received a workshop production in 2014 at Steppenwolf Theatre. Steep Ensemble Member Jonathan Berry has been at the helm of many of the company's most memorable shows, including the recent smash-hit productions of Ike Holter's Red Rex and Simon Stephens' Birdland.

Steppenwolf's world premiere production of LINDIWE, a collaboration between ensemble member Eric Simonson and acclaimed South African music group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, finds the most success in its musical moments. The production, co-directed by Simonson and Jonathan Berry, features new music from Ladysmith Black Mambazo to tell the love story of the titular Lindiwe and her boyfriend Adam. It helps that the narrative focuses on Lindiwe's experience as a singer touring with Ladysmith Black Mambazo-and, indeed, the group literally accompanies her at several moments throughout the production. Lindiwe explains that she never goes anywhere without her 'guys,' as she affectionately refers to them. Thus, Ladysmith Black Mambazo functions as a kind of Greek chorus underscoring the romantic storyline at the play's center. The conceit also allows for the play to utilize the group's original music.

Steppenwolf's world premiere production of Lindiwe, written by ensemble member Eric Simonson and featuring music written and performed by the five-time GRAMMY® winning group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, is now on stage. Directed by ensemble member Eric Simonson and Jonathan Berry, the life-affirming love story travels from Chicago's Kingston Mines to South Africa and beyond.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announces the addition of ensemble member Randall Arney in the role of 'Dr. Sweet' to the cast of Bug by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning ensemble member Tracy Letts, directed by Tony Award winner David Cromer (January 23 a?" March 8, 2020). Completing the cast of this acclaimed cult classic are Chicago favorites Jennifer Engstrom (R.C.) and Steve Key (Jerry Goss) along with previously announced ensemble members Carrie Coon (Agnes White) and Namir Smallwood (Peter Evans).

Announced today on the stage at the HBO Max WarnerMedia Day are three new projects in the works at the forthcoming streamer: DC Super Hero High from Elizabeth Banks, Rap Sh*t (working title) from Issa Rae and College Girls (working title) from Mindy Kaling.

Rehearsals are underway for Lindiwe, Steppenwolf's highly anticipated world premiere production written by ensemble member Eric Simonson and featuring music written and performed by the five-time GRAMMY® winning group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Directed by ensemble member Eric Simonson and Jonathan Berry, the life-affirming love story travels from Chicago's Kingston Mines to South Africa and beyond.