Next Theatre Company News

Joyce Award-recipient Naomi Iizuka brings her tale of family ties, a lingering debt, mystical stories-and magical food-to the Goodman stage in her newest work, Ghostwritten, April 4 - May 3, 2009. Lisa Portes, who has shepherded this play from its first appearance at the 2007 New Stages Series, directs its world-premiere production with a cast of Chicago favorites led by Lisa Tejero (Mirror of the Invisible World and Metamorphoses) and Kim Martin-Cotten (King Lear).

The Cleveland Play House Artistic Director Michael Bloom announces the world premiere production of Thornton Wilder's novel Heaven's My Destination, adapted by award-winning playwright Lee Blessing. The play is the centerpiece of the fourth annual FusionFest, a multidisciplinary performing arts festival.

Joyce Award-recipient Naomi Iizuka brings her tale of family ties, a lingering debt, mystical stories-and magical food-to the Goodman stage in her newest work, Ghostwritten, April 4 - May 3, 2009. Lisa Portes, who has shepherded this play from its first appearance at the 2007 New Stages Series, directs its world-premiere production with a cast of Chicago favorites led by Lisa Tejero (Mirror of the Invisible World and Metamorphoses) and Kim Martin-Cotten (King Lear).

The 16th Annual Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration program, honoring world class scenic designer Todd Rosenthal (August: Osage County), will take place on Monday, April 27, at the Steppenwolf Merle Reskin Garage Theatre. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a viewing of the third annual ?Theater Design Expo' showcasing the works of over 20 Chicago-area emerging theatrical designers and a student portfolio review. Martha Lavey, Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre Company, will moderate an inclusive discussion, 'Moving Chicago Productions to New York and Beyond' with the awardees, Director Anna Shapiro and Joshua Schmidt, composer and librettist, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Goodman Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of Naomi Iizuka?s newest work, Ghostwritten directed by Lisa Portes as part of the Goodman?s ?Strong Women, Strong Voices? Owen Theatre Series. The 2004 recipient of the Joyce Award, Ghostwritten runs April 4 ? May 3, 2009 in the Owen Bruner Theatre. Tickets are $10 ? $39. In conjunction with the ?Strong Women, Strong Voices? series, Goodman Theatre partners with six of Chicago?s most exciting theater companies focused on presenting and supporting work by women for ?Taking the Stage: A Celebration of Women Making Theater,? a celebration of the distinct voices and visions of women theater artists, and the opportunities and obstacles facing women working in the theater today. Further information regarding these events will be announced at a later date. Ghostwritten is a Goodman commission supported by The Joyce Foundation. The Sara Lee Foundation is the Owen Season Corporate Sponsor.

This Award-Winning play, with music by Joshua Schmidt and a libretto by Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt, is adapted from The Adding Machine, written in 1923 by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Elmer Rice. Generally considered to be the first American Expressionist play, it is the story of a man who, after 25 years of service to his company, is replaced by a mechanical adding machine.

Pittsburgh CLO's production of A Musical Christmas Carol will make musical memories once again at the Byham Theater from December 5 - 21. The talented cast will feature returning audience favorites as well as several new faces, including previously announced Pittsburgh native Tom Atkins as Scrooge.

Today, the Jefferson Awards announced the winners among the 150 nominees in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008. Beginning with this season, the Jeff Awards is acknowledging the work of Large and Midsize theatres in separate categories for productions and technical elements.

Writers' Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce William Inge's Picnic directed by David Cromer. The production runs September 16-November 16, 2008, at Writers' Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.

Today, the Jefferson Awards announced the 150 nominations in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008. Beginning with this season, the Jeff Awards is acknowledging the work of Large and Midsize theatres in separate categories for productions and technical elements.

The critically acclaimed Off Broadway hit 'Adding Machine' will play its final performance on Sunday, July 20 at the Minetta Lane Theatre.

This Thursday, July 17, Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle (1972 Broadway at 66th Street, 3rd Floor) will host an afternoon with the critically acclaimed Off Broadway musical Adding Machine. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a special 30 minute suite from the show, featuring the entire cast and band, followed by a cast CD signing. The performance will be hosted by special guest Austin Pendleton. Customers will have the opportunity to purchase the World Premiere PS Classics recording onsite. In addition, the recording is available wherever CD's are sold, and online at www.psclassics.com. Adding Machine will play its final performance this Sunday, July 20 at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane). After having received some of the best reviews of any musical this season (on or Off Broadway), Adding Machine was awarded 2 Outer Critics Circle Awards (Outstanding New Off Broadway Musical, Outstanding New Score), 4 Lucille Lortel Awards (including Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Director, Outstanding Lead Actor, Outstanding Lighting Design), 4 Obie Awards (plus 10 total nominations from the Drama Desk Awards and Drama League Awards, including Best Musical). Adding Machine also presented to New York to the extraordinary debut of Joshua Schmidt whose award-winning score will soon be heard in European productions, regional theaters and in opera houses around the world. Direct from a smash World Premiere at Chicago's Next Theatre Company (winning the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Musical), Adding Machine features a score by Joshua Schmidt and a libretto by Jason Loewith and Mr. Schmidt. Under the direction of David Cromer, Adding Machine stars Cyrilla Baer as 'Mrs. Zero,' Joel Hatch as 'Mr. Zero' and Amy Warren as 'Daisy.' The featured cast includes Joe Farrell as 'Shrdlu,' Jeff Still as the 'Boss,' Adinah Alexander as 'Mrs. Two,' Niffer Clarke as 'Mrs. One,' Roger E. DeWitt as 'Mr. Two' and Daniel Marcus as 'Mr. One.' Darkly comic and heartbreakingly beautiful, Adding Machine, a musical adaptation of Elmer Rice's incendiary 1923 play, tells the story of Mr. Zero, who after 25 years of service to his company is replaced by a mechanical adding machine. In a vengeful rage, he murders his boss. An eclectic score gives passionate and memorable voice to this stylish and stylized production, which follows Zero's journey to the afterlife in the Elysian Fields where he is met with one last chance for romance and redemption. Adding Machine is produced Off Broadway by Scott Morfee, Tom Wirtshafter and Margaret Cotter, and features scenic design by Takeshi Kata, lighting design by Keith Parham, costume design by Kristine Knanishu, sound design by Tony Smolenski, projection design by Peter Flaherty, properties design by Michele Spadaro and musical direction by J. Oconer Navarro. The album is produced by Tommy Krasker, co-founder of PS Classics. Founded in 2000 by Krasker and Philip Chaffin, and a four-time Grammy nominee (for its cast albums of Assassins, Nine: The Musical, Grey Gardens and Company), PS Classics has made significant contributions to the heritage of American popular song through its critically acclaimed cast recordings (including the current Broadway productions of Xanadu, Sunday in the Park With George and A Catered Affair); solo albums by such Broadway luminaries as Christine Andreas, Rebecca Luker, Victoria Clark, Jason Danieley and Marin Mazzie, and Jessica Molaskey; and recordings drawn from rare sound archives, including Sondheim Sings. PS Classics is distributed exclusively by Image Entertainment. For more information, visit www.psclassics.com. Situated one block south of West 3rd Street and East of 6th Avenue, the Minetta Lane Theatre is located at 18 Minetta Lane in Greenwich Village just steps away from the West 4th subway station (A, C, E, B, D, F and V lines). The performance schedule for Adding Machine is Tuesday - Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 & 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $45 - $69.50 and are available by calling the Minetta Lane Theatre box office at 212-420-8000 or through Ticketmaster at 212-307-4100 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com. A limited number of $25 student rush tickets are available in person at the box office on the day of the performance, subject to availability. For more information, visit www.addingmachineamusical.com.

This Thursday, July 17, Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle (1972 Broadway at 66th Street, 3rd Floor) will host an afternoon with the critically acclaimed Off Broadway musical Adding Machine. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a special 30 minute suite from the show, featuring the entire cast and band, followed by a cast CD signing.

The critically acclaimed Off Broadway hit 'Adding Machine' will play its final performance on Sunday, July 20 at the Minetta Lane Theatre.

The critically acclaimed Off Broadway hit Adding Machine will extend through August 31 at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane), it was announced today by the show's producers.

The featured cast of the New York Premiere of Adding Machine has been announced. Adding Machine features a score by Joshua Schmidt and a libretto by Jason Loewith and Mr. Schmidt. David Cromer directs. Performances begin at the Minetta Lane Theatre on February 7, 2008, with an opening night set for Monday, February 25 (this is a change from the previously announced date of February 26).

The New York Premiere of Adding Machine, a new musical based on Elmer Rice's fascinating and incendiary 1923 expressionist play, is set for Off Broadway. Performances begin at Greenwich Village's Minetta Lane Theatre on February 7, 2008, with an opening night set for Tuesday, February 26. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, December 22, 2007.