Philip Dawkins News

Planet Ant Theatre will kick off its 2016-17 season with Paul Downs Colaizzo's startlingly funny play Really Really September 9 - October 1.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the extension of its first show of its 42st season, Hand To God by Robert Askins, directed by Gary Griffin due to early ticket demand.

Planet Ant Theatre will kick off its 2016-17 season with Paul Downs Colaizzo's startlingly funny play Really Really September 9 - October 1.

Composer David Mallamud's brain is a busy place. With a particular gift for compositions that fuse genres with his own unique perspective, the dynamic young composer's debut CD, 'The Wild & Whimsical Worlds of David Mallamud' (September 30 worldwide release on Broadway Records), brings the listener through a fanciful tour of time and place.

Six world premiere plays and four new adaptations seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving nominations by The Jeff Awards Committee. 178 nominations in 32 categories honor Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2015 and July 31, 2016.

Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave ) and Sideshow Theatre Company present the world premiere of "The Happiest Place on Earth," written by and starring Joseph Jefferson Award-winning playwright and Sideshow Artistic Associate Philip Dawkins and directed by Sideshow Artistic Director Jonathan L. Green.  The show runs Sept. 17 - Oct. 23 with the press opening on Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m. 

Oddfellows Playhouse launches its 41st season. Registration is open now for fall youth theater classes, circus training and play productions.

Celebration Theatre presents, under the artistic direction of Michael Matthews & Michael A. Shepperd, the first show in its 2016-2017 season, the West Coast premiere of CHARM, written by Philip Dawkins and directed by Celebration Theatre co-artistic director Michael Matthews.  CHARMwill begin previews on Saturday, September 3 at 8pm; will open on Friday, September 9 at 8pm and perform through Sunday, October 23 at the Celebration Theatre's new home, Celebration at the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave. in Los Angeles.

As it embarks on its 10th Anniversary Season, Sideshow Theatre Company is pleased to announce the playwrights for "The Freshness Initiative," the company's commissioning and new play development program, now in its third year. The 2016/17 season will feature public readings of brand new plays by J. Nicole Brooks, Selina Fillinger and Isaac Gomez. The readings will take place at Victory Gardens Theater during May, June and July of 2017. Two of the world premiere productions featured in Sideshow's 2016/17 Season were developed through "The Freshness Initiative," Philip Dawkins' The Happiest Place on Earth and Calamity West's Give It All Back.

Celebration Theatre presents, under the artistic direction of Michael Matthews & Michael A. Shepperd, the first show in its 2016-2017 season, the West Coast premiere of CHARM, written by Philip Dawkins and directed by Celebration Theatre co-artistic director Michael Matthews.  CHARMwill begin previews on Saturday, September 3 at 8pm; will open on Friday, September 9 at 8pm and perform through Sunday, October 23 at the Celebration Theatre's new home, Celebration at the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave. in Los Angeles.

Victory Gardens Theater's Teen Arts Council presents Shots Heard Round the World, an evening of spoken word poetry and performance in response to the state of the world and how it affects our youth.

First Floor Theater (FFT) is thrilled to announce its fourth annual literary festival, FITZFEST, a festival of eight world premiere plays, by some of the country's most exciting playwrights, inspired by the life and work of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Victory Gardens Theater announces casting for each of the 2016 IGNITION Festival of New Plays selected works, including The Wayward Bunny by Greg Kotis; BREACH: a manifesto on race in America through the eyes of a black girl recovering from self-hate by Antoinette Nwandu; EOM (end of message) by Laura Jacqmin; Kill Move Paradise by James Ijames; Gaza Rehearsal by Karen Hartman; and Girls In Cars Underwater by Tegan McLeod.

Victory Gardens Theater announces casting for its first show of its 42st season, Hand To God by Robert Askins, directed by Gary Griffin.

Victory Gardens Theater announces casting for each of the 2016 IGNITION Festival of New Plays selected works, including The Wayward Bunny by Greg Kotis; BREACH: a manifesto on race in America through the eyes of a black girl recovering from self-hate by Antoinette Nwandu; EOM (end of message) by Laura Jacqmin; Kill Move Paradise by James Ijames; Gaza Rehearsal by Karen Hartman; and Girls In Cars Underwater by Tegan McLeod.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the first show of its 42st season, Hand To God by Robert Askins, directed by Gary Griffin. Hand To God runs September 16 - October 16, 2016, with the press performance on Friday, September 23, 2016, at 7:30 pm at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

American Theater Company (ATC) announces the third year of AracaWorks: Chicago, a play development workshop in partnership with New York's The Araca Group, Broadway producers of Disgraced, Urinetown, Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, The Wedding Singer, Lend Me a Tenor and A View from the Bridge. The program gives three playwrights a weeklong development opportunity at ATC, culminating in a series of readings that for the first time will be open to the public.

Two years ago I saw Philip Dawkins' one-act play FAILURE: A LOVE STORY at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, and it was one of my favorite things I've ever seen at the Fringe. In fact I called it 'everything I want in theater,' a perfect blend of comedy and tragedy, with tons of heart. At the time I didn't know who Philip Dawkins was, but now I know he's a Chicago-based playwright who is a core writer with the Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis. His name has come up again recently when his new play CHARM (also a mix of comedy and tragedy with heart) was produced at Mixed Blood earlier this year. And now comes LE SWITCH, developed at the Playwrights' Center and having a rolling world premiere this year, including at the Jungle Theater. I'm happy to report that like FAILURE, it gave me all of the feels. Like FAILURE, LE SWITCH is a funny and beautiful love story, but not just a romantic love story. It's also a love story between a brother and a sister who are each other's only family; a love story between childhood best friends who, despite their differences, still love and support each other unconditionally; a love story between the main character and a man who was more of a father to him than his biological father ever was or could be. It's a fantastic new play and I'm excited to see where it goes next.

Nashville's Actors Bridge Ensemble is pleased to announce open call auditions for their 21st professional theatre season. Auditions will be held Sunday, June 26, at the Actors Bridge Studio at Darkhorse Theatre by appointment. Actors are asked to please prepare a contemporary monologue of their choice under 2 minutes in length and to provide both a headshot and resume for consideration. Callbacks for each production will occur by invitation.

The Hub Theatre announced their 2016-17 season today. Featuring a brand new play by Hub's Artistic Director, and the DC Area debut of playwright Christopher Chen. Season 9 also see's the return of Philip Dawkins, who's FAILURE: A LOVE STORY wowed audiences at The Hub in 2014.