Philip Dawkins News

Single Carrot's 11th season continues with an original LGBTQ+ adaptation of Peter Pan written by Joshua Conkel. Joshua and dramaturg Jolene Noelle will remain in Baltimore for the intensive workshop period through March 12, joining the team from Los Angeles and New York City respectively.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the Chicago premiere production of Guards at the Taj by acclaimed playwright Rajiv Joseph, directed by ensemble member Amy Morton. A stunning tale about the search for beauty in desperate circumstances, the Steppenwolf production will feature the original cast members, Omar Metwally (Humayun) and Arian Moayed (Babur), whom Amy Morton directed in the Off-Broadway world premiere which received rave reviews when it premiered in 2015 and won the 2016 Obie Award for Best New American Play.

Raven Theatre is pleased to continue its 35th anniversary season with the world premiere of Philip Dawkins' provocative drama THE GENTLEMAN CALLER, directed by Artistic Director Cody Estle, playing March 28 - May 13, 2018 in Raven's intimate 55-seat West Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) is proud to produce the world premiere of The Burn, written by acclaimed Chicago playwright Philip Dawkins and directed by Devon de Mayo. Featuring a cast of professional actors, The Burn addresses the bullying and social media issues that many teens experience in school.  Public performances for The Burn are Saturday, February 17 at 3pm and 7:30pm; Friday, February 23 at 7:30pm; Saturday, February 24 at 3pm and 7:30pm; Friday, March 2 at 7:30pm; Saturday, March 3 at 3pm and 7:30pm; and Saturday, March 10 at 3pm in the Upstairs Theatre.  Weekday performances are reserved for school groups only. Tickets to public performances ($20; $15 with student I.D.) are available through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org.

Victory Gardens Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yew and Managing Director Erica Daniels, announces the lineup for its 2018-2019 Season. Victory Gardens' 44th Season will include the Tony Award-nominated play Indecent by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel; the Chicago premieres of Pipeline by Dominique Morisseau and Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee; and the world premieres of Rightlynd by Ike Holter and Miriam for President by Madhuri Shekar.

Once upon a time in 1955, a magical kingdom was built on the founding principles of dreams, American idealism, and our wildest hopes. Eight years later, a quintessential American family reeling from the loss of their King embarks on a quest for restoration and deliverance in this kingdom. 50 years later, their expedition is brought to dazzling life in an effort to understand one's place in family, the American way, and whether happiness is truly a place where dreams come true.

Victory Gardens Theater introduces Public Programs to Envision Justice through the Lens of Theater, a new initiative made possible by a grant from The David Rockefeller Fund. Public Programs is an event series designed to enhance audience experience by exploring themes and issues within Victory Gardens' productions by provoking dialogue and deepening the relationship between audiences and the plays. Public Programs to Envision Justice takes Victory Gardens one step further by building a stream of citizen engagement programs that will contextualize the plays in relation to the issues surrounding criminal justice and lead audiences to understanding their role in affecting change.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) is proud to produce the world premiere ofThe Burn, written by acclaimed Chicago playwright Philip Dawkins and directed by Devon de Mayo. Featuring a cast of professional actors, The Burn addresses the bullying and social media issues that many teens experience in school.  Public performances for The Burn are Saturday, February 17 at 3pm and 7:30pm; Friday, February 23 at 7:30pm; Saturday, February 24 at 3pm and 7:30pm; Friday, March 2 at 7:30pm; and Saturday, March 3 at 3pm and 7:30pm in the Upstairs Theatre. The press performance is Saturday, February 17 at 3pm. Weekday performances are reserved for school groups only. Tickets to public performances ($20; $15 with student I.D.) are available through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org. 

Sideshow Theatre Company is pleased to announce the newest playwrights chosen for its annual "The Freshness Initiative," the company's commissioning and new play development program, now in its fourth year. The 2018 Freshness Initiative will feature PRO-AM, written by Brynne Frauenhoffer and directed by Regina Victor and LORCA PLAY written by Ariel Zetina and directed by artistic director Jonathan L. Green. Free readings of the productions will be presented in July 2018 at Victory Gardens Theater. Sideshow world premieres developed through "The Freshness Initiative" include Kristiana Rae Colon's Tilikum, Philip Dawkins' The Happiest Place on Earth and Calamity West's Give It All Back.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series and Mark Cortale are pleased to present Patti LuPone with Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host. The one-night-only event is Monday, March 5, 2018 with performances at 6:30pm and 9pm in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted).

Iconic star of The Office actor and comedian Rainn Wilson will return to the stage in Steppenwolf Theatre Company's production ofThe Doppelg nger (An International Farce). Wilson leads the cast as Thomas Irdley/Jimmy in the world premiere production.

In a political climate in which truth - and even fact - are disputed, what is the storyteller's role in the social conversation? Sideshow Theatre Company explores that pressing and timely question at WHY STORY MATTERS NOW: Fiction in a Time of Political Chaos on Sunday, February 11, 2018 at 4 pm at 2664 N. Greenview Ave. in Chicago.

Victory Gardens Theater announces Jess McLeod and Aaron Todd Douglas as the 2018 Next Generation Fellows. Beginning in February 2018, the Next Generation Fellowship will provide comprehensive mentorship, requisite training, and experience for these future leaders of color, preparing them to helm arts institutions or departments on the national and local level. The program is made possible by a generous grant from The Field Foundation of Illinois.

Abingdon Theatre Company (Tony Speciale, Artistic Director; Denise Dickens, Producing Director) will launch its 25th Anniversary main stage season with The Gentleman Caller, the New York premiere of a new play by Philip Dawkins (Charm, Le Switch, The Homosexuals).

Raven Theatre is pleased to announce the cast and creative team for its world premiere of Philip Dawkins' provocative drama THE GENTLEMAN CALLER, directed by Artistic Director Cody Estle.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) is proud to produce the world premiere of The Burn, written by Chicago playwright Philip Dawkins and directed by Devon de Mayo. SYA presents this new play as part of their season which asks, 'When does a lie become the truth?'

Victory Gardens Theater continues its 43rd season with BREACH: a manifesto on race in america through the eyes of a black girl recovering from self-hate, written by Antoinette Nwandu and directed by Lisa Portes.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has announced the full casting for the return of The Second City's irreverent and interactive seasonal satire, Twist Your Dickens. Second City alumni Carisa Barreca and Paul Jurewicz and local favorite Eric M. Messner join returning cast members Aaron Bliden, Anne Bowles, John Lescault, and Tia Shearer.

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the premiere of Lonely Planet by Steven Dietz, a Staged Reading is planned to coincide with World AIDS Day.

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the premiere of Lonely Planet by Steven Dietz a Staged Reading is planned to coincide with World AIDS Day. The staged reading, directed by Brian Maschka, will star Philip Dawkins as Jody and Daniel Kyri as Carl. Lighting design is by Eric Watkins and props design is by Ellie Terrell. Kathleen Dickinson will stage manage. The performances will take place at 7:30pm on November 30 and December 1 in Theatre 2B at The Den Theatre (1331 N Milwaukee Ave). BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!