Michael Maggio News

Strawdog Theatre Company is proud to announce the first production in its 2016 - 2017 season, the world premiere of Jerre Dye's Distance, August 25 - October 1, directed by Erica Weiss, performed at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard.

As part of the Solo Celebration series, the Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave.) will present "Rose," the Chicago area premiere of best-selling Kennedy biographer Laurence Leamer's one-woman play about Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, Aug. 19 - Sept. 25.  The play is directed by Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott and will star six-time Joseph Jefferson Award recipient Linda Reiter.  

Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) announces the complete cast for The Burials, a world premiere by Caitlin Parrish and the first production of SYA's 2016/17 season.

The Board of Directors, Staff and Company Members of Oracle Productions are thrilled to announce that Vanessa Stalling has been named Oracle's new Artistic Director. Stalling has been involved with the Chicago theatre community for over a decade, and is the current Michael Maggio Directing Fellow at The Goodman Theatre.

Broadway In Chicago and Emerald City Theatre are pleased to announce A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS by Charles M. Schulz returns to the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) November 11, 2016 through January 8, 2017, after playing to sold-out houses during the 2015 holiday season. Based on the television special by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson and adapted for the stage by Eric Schaefferby special arrangement with Arthur Whitelaw and Ruby Persson,  this newly-staged production of A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS will be directed by Ann Filmer.

The 23rd Annual Merritt Awards for Excellence in Design and Collaboration will take place on Monday, May 16th, at Loyola University Chicago.    5:00pm-10:00pm  

On the heels of their critically acclaimed world premiere of Luna Gale, playwright Rebecca Gilman and Artistic Director Robert Falls again join forces for her newest drama, Soups, Stews, and Casseroles: 1976. Change is coming to a small Wisconsin town when a corporation acquires a local cheese manufacturer, which employs the majority of the town's working class citizens. For the Durst family, the merger presents newfound opportunity-and a moral dilemma. The Chicago premiere, which marks the play's second production following its 2014 world premiere at The Repertory of St. Louis, features Cliff Chamberlain as longtime factory employee Kim Durst; Cora Vander Broek as his wife Kat; Lindsay Stock as their daughter, Kelly. Rounding out the cast are Ty Olwin (Kyle), Angela Reed (Elaine) and Ann Whitney (JoAnne). The creative team includes Kevin Depinet (set), Richard Woodbury (sound), Jenny Mannis (costumes) and Jesse Klug (lights). Kimberly Osgood is the production stage manager. Soups, Stews, and Casseroles: 1976 appears May 21 - June 19 in the Owen Theatre (opening night is Monday, May 31). Tickets ($10 - $40; subject to change) are on sale now at GoodmanTheatre.org/Soups, by phone at 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 North Dearborn). Mayer Brown LLP is the Corporate Sponsor Partner.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) has announced its 2016/17 season: The Burials, a new play by Caitlin Parrish and directed by Erica Weiss; and a world premiere adaptation of Walter Dean Myers's critically acclaimed novel, Monster, adapted by Steppenwolf Artistic Producer Aaron Carter and directed by SYA Artistic Director Hallie Gordon. SYA's 2016/17 season explores the question, When we stick to our guns, who pays the price?

The New Jersey Ballet will perform Ginger Thatcher's Saturday Night as part of the company's annual gala performance on April 9, 2016 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey. Ms. Thatcher's work is choreographed to the music of jazz singer Etta James, and has been in the company's repertoire for over a decade.

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

American Theater Company (ATC) continues its Legacy Season with the world premiere of Bruise Easy by Dan LeFranc, a writer on Showtime's 2015 Golden Globe-winning drama The Affair and playwright of ATC's blockbuster world premiere The Big Meal-which went on to an extended off-Broadway run at Playwrights Horizons.

THE PLAY ABOUT MY DAD, by Boo Killebrew, which opened at New York's 59E59 Theatres in June 2011, tells of the author's father, a doctor in Gulfport, Mississippi who stayed behind to take care of patients as Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005. The play will be performed in Raven's intimate West Stage space. The production officially opens tonight, October 27, and runs through November 28, 2015. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Play About My Dad by Boo Killebrew, which opened at New York's 595 E 59 Theatres in June 2011, tells of the author's father, a doctor in Gulfport, Mississippi who stayed behind to take care of patients as the storm hit in August 2005. New Orleans, as the largest city to be hit by the storm, appropriately received most of the media attention, but Katrina's effects on the Gulf Coast were devastating. Many coastal towns were destroyed, 235 people were killed and more than one million Mississippians were affected.

Raven Theatre's cast and creative team for The Play About My Dad has been announced by Michael Menendian, the company's Co-Founding Artistic Director.

The Gift Theatre artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton announces the world premiere of smart, exhilarating new play Body & Blood by Gift Co-Founder and playwright, William Nedved and directed by Marti Lyons, who previously directed Bethany last season and recently directed Thornton in Lookingglass' Title and Deed. Body & Blood features Gift ensemble members Lynda Newton (The Royal Society of Antarctica) and Gabe Franken (Thinner Than Water) with guest artists Cyd Blakewell (Griffin Theatre Company's Balm in Gilead), Stephen Spencer (Remy Bumppo's Our Class) and Nicholas Harazin (Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Macbeth).

The Gift Theatre artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton presents the World Premiere of Body & Blood, the smart, exhilarating new play by Gift Co-Founder and playwright William Nedved, directed by Marti Lyons, who recently directed Thornton in Lookingglass' Title and Deed. Body & Blood features The Gift ensemble members Lynda Newton (The Royal Society of Antarctica) and Gabriel Franken (Thinner Than Water) with guest artists Cyd Blakewell (Griffin Theatre Company's Balm in Gilead), Stephen Spencer (Remy Bumppo's Our Class) and Nicholas Harazin (Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Macbeth). Body & Blood runs tonight, June 11 - August 9 at The Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Press opening is Monday, June 15 at 7:30pm.

The Gift Theatre artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton announces the cast for the World Premiere of Body & Blood, the smart, exhilarating new play by Gift Co-Founder and playwright William Nedved, directed by Marti Lyons, who recently directed Thornton in Lookingglass' Title and Deed. Body & Blood features The Gift ensemble members Lynda Newton (The Royal Society of Antarctica) and Gabriel Franken (Thinner Than Water) with guest artists Cyd Blakewell (Griffin Theatre Company's Balm in Gilead), Stephen Spencer (Remy Bumppo's Our Class) and Nicholas Harazin (Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Macbeth). Body & Blood runs June 11 - August 9 at The Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Press opening is Monday, June 15 at 7:30pm.

Irish Theatre of Chicago, formerly Seanachai Theatre Company, is pleased to announce its 2015-16 Season, featuring a U.S premiere and two Midwest premieres. The company's first-ever three-show season kicks off this fall with the Midwest premiere of Geraldine Aron's touching and comedic one-woman show MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE, directed by Siiri Scott. ITC's 21st Season continues in March 2016 with the Midwest premiere of Gary Mitchell's intense thriller IN A LITTLE WORLD OF OUR OWN, directed by Associate Artistic Director Jeri Frederickson. The season concludes in spring 2016 with the U.S. premiere of Deirdre Kinahan's probing drama SPINNING, directed by Joanie Schultz.

The 22nd Annual Merritt Awards for Excellence in Design and Collaboration will take place on Monday, May 4th, at Loyola University Chicago.

The Gift Theatre artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton announces the world premiere of smart, exhilarating new play Body & Blood by Gift Co-Founder and playwright, William Nedved and directed by Marti Lyons, who previously directed Bethany last season and recently directed Thornton in Lookingglass' Title and Deed. Body & Blood features Gift ensemble members Lynda Newton (The Royal Society of Antarctica) and Gabe Franken (Thinner Than Water) with guest artists Cyd Blakewell (Griffin Theatre Company's Balm in Gilead), Stephen Spencer (Remy Bumppo's Our Class) and Nicholas Harazin (Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Macbeth).