Kevin Patterson News

The HBO Original three-part documentary series MURDER IN BOSTON: ROOTS, RAMPAGE, AND RECKONING, produced and directed by Jason Hehir (“The Last Dance,” HBO’s “Andre The Giant” ), and produced in association with The Boston Globe. The documentary series will debut on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.

In addition to realizing a financial gain, the Shaw Festival also made strides in cultivating new funding partnerships, while supporting surrounding businesses, during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.

During the Annual General Meeting held earlier today, the Shaw Festival announced positive financial results for the 2019 season. Kevin Patterson, Treasurer of the Board of Directors, shared with an audience of patrons, donors and company members that both sales and fundraising revenues achieved all-time highs, resulting in a $519,000 season surplus.

Before Scrooge.  Before Jacob Marley.  Charles Dickens had his own ghosts to contend with.

Before Scrooge. Before Jacob Marley. Charles Dickens had his own ghosts to contend with.

The Artistic Home will open its 2017-18 season with a lesser known, but wholly timely piece: WEDDING BAND: A LOVE/HATE STORY IN BLACK AND WHITE, by eminent African-American playwright and author Alice Childress. It opened to the press on Sunday, October 29 and will run through December 17, 2017. Last seen in Chicago in 2003 in a co-production between Steppenwolf and Congo Square Theatre, its first-ever showing here thirty years prior was but one stop in this play's march toward due recognition.

The Artistic Home will open its 2017-18 season with a lesser known, but wholly timely piece: WEDDING BAND: A LOVE/HATE STORY IN BLACK AND WHITE, by eminent African-American playwright and author Alice Childress. It will open to the press Sunday, October 29 at 7:00 pm, following previews from October 25 - 28.

The cast of Raven Theatre Company's premiere of Tennessee Williams' Not About Nightingales has been announced, with Raven Founding Artistic Director Michael Menendian directing. The play's action revolves around the tyrannical prison warden Boss Whalen's inhumane treatment of the inmates in his island prison.  Deciding they have had enough, and inspired by their de facto leader Butch, the inmates of Hall C fight back by waging a hunger strike. When it garners media attention, Boss Whalen responds with torture.  All the while, Whalen's inmate assistant Jim and new secretary Eva struggle with the moral dilemma of either exposing the strike and losing their jobs or assisting Whalen in keeping it under wraps. 

At the Annual General Meeting earlier today, Andrew M. Pringle fulfilled his duties as the Shaw Festival's Chair of the Board of Governors. During his remarks, Mr. Pringle passed the torch to Chair Designate Peter Jewett and announced new Board members Ian Joseph, Kevin Patterson and Julian Rance.

Vonnegut's World," a new week-long celebration of Vonnegut-themed special events leading up to the World Premiere event of "Happy Birthday, Wanda June" at Indianapolis Opera, was announced today and will be held at an array of Indianapolis venues fromSeptember 7th-14th. Presented by Indy Opera in partnership with Indianapolis Art Center, Butler University, Indy FilmFest, Bluebeard Restaurant, and Indy Reads, the festival represents a unique collaboration of area arts organizations and local venues to explore the many facets of the famed Hoosier and iconic literary figure. The schedule of events includes an opening reception, panel discussion, film screening, reading, "brunch of champions," special music performances, and final dress rehearsal of the new opera, written by Kurt Vonnegut and composed by Richard Auldon Clark. Vonnegut completed the libretto just two weeks before his death in 2007.

Vonnegut's World," a new week-long celebration of Vonnegut-themed special events leading up to the World Premiere event of "Happy Birthday, Wanda June" at Indianapolis Opera, was announced today and will be held at an array of Indianapolis venues fromSeptember 7th-14th. Presented by Indy Opera in partnership with Indianapolis Art Center, Butler University, Indy FilmFest, Bluebeard Restaurant, and Indy Reads, the festival represents a unique collaboration of area arts organizations and local venues to explore the many facets of the famed Hoosier and iconic literary figure. The schedule of events includes an opening reception, panel discussion, film screening, reading, "brunch of champions," special music performances, and final dress rehearsal of the new opera, written by Kurt Vonnegut and composed by Richard Auldon Clark. Vonnegut completed the libretto just two weeks before his death in 2007.

Vonnegut's World," a new week-long celebration of Vonnegut-themed special events leading up to the World Premiere event of "Happy Birthday, Wanda June" at Indianapolis Opera, was announced today and will be held at an array of Indianapolis venues fromSeptember 7th-14th. Presented by Indy Opera in partnership with Indianapolis Art Center, Butler University, Indy FilmFest, Bluebeard Restaurant, and Indy Reads, the festival represents a unique collaboration of area arts organizations and local venues to explore the many facets of the famed Hoosier and iconic literary figure. The schedule of events includes an opening reception, panel discussion, film screening, reading, "brunch of champions," special music performances, and final dress rehearsal of the new opera, written by Kurt Vonnegut and composed by Richard Auldon Clark. Vonnegut completed the libretto just two weeks before his death in 2007.

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor continues the 40th Anniversary Season (The Season of Greatest Hits) with The Marvin Gaye Story (Don't Talk About My Father Because God Is My Friend), written by Jackie Taylor and directed by Daryl D. Brooks. The Marvin GayeStory (Don't Talk About My Father Because God Is My Friend) will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, June 12 - July 10, 2016. The official press opening is Sunday, June 12 at 3:00 pm. Preview dates for the production are June 4, 5, 10 and 11.

Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys (An Evening of Vaudeville and Sorrow), which on Monday, June 6 was honored for 'Outstanding Ensemble' at the annual Jeff Awards (Non-Equity Branch), has extended its previously announced remount by one week, with a new closing date of August 27, 2016. The entire Jeff award-winning all-African-American cast of the production will return for the run from July 21 through August 27, 2016.

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor continues the 40th Anniversary Season (The Season of Greatest Hits) withThe Marvin Gaye Story (Don't Talk About My Father Because God Is My Friend), written by Jackie Taylor and directed by Daryl D. Brooks. The Marvin Gaye Story (Don't Talk About My Father Because God Is My Friend) will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, June 12 - July 10, 2016. The official press opening is Sunday, June 12 at 3:00 pm. Preview dates for the production are June 4, 5, 10 and 11.

Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys (An Evening of Vaudeville and Sorrow), which earned rave reviews, was Jeff-recommended, won the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards for Best Revival, Best Director and Best Actor (Andrew Malone) and became one of the largest selling hits in Raven Theatre Company's 32-year history, will return for a limited engagement in July and August of 2016. Michael Menendian, Producing Artistic Director of the company and director of this production, announced the remount today. The entire all-African-American cast of the production will return for the run from July 21 through August 21, 2016.

Raven Theatre will welcome Elizabeth Clarke, founder and President of the Juvenile Justice Initiative and one of its board members, Khadine Bennett, staff attorney and Legislative Counsel with the ACLU of Illinois, when they visit the theater to lead a discussion of its critically acclaimed DIRECT FROM DEATH ROW THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS following the November 7th performance of the play.

Raven Theatre will welcome Elizabeth Clarke, founder and President of the Juvenile Justice Initiative and one of its board members, Khadine Bennett, staff attorney and Legislative Counsel with the ACLU of Illinois, when they visit the theater to lead a discussion of its critically acclaimed DIRECT FROM DEATH ROW THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS following the November 7th performance of the play.

Polarity Ensemble Theatre presents its annual DIONYSOS CUP FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS tonight, July 9, through July 19 featuring workshop readings of four new full-length plays by Chicago-area playwrights as a part of a six-month long development process.

Polarity Ensemble Theatre presents its annual DIONYSOS CUP FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS July 9 - 19 featuring workshop readings of four new full-length plays by Chicago-area playwrights as a part of a six-month long development process.