Playwrights Unit News

Today, the Goodman named four Chicago-based writers to its Playwrights Unit

The Baltimore Playwrights Festival, (www.baltplayfest.org) continues its 38th Season with CRUSADE, a world premiere play by local playwright Bruce Bonafede, directed by Timoth David Copney and produced by Rapid Lemon Productions for their a?oeSeason of Beliefa??. CRUSADE opens on August 9 with an opening night reception immediately after.

Chester Theatre Company (CTC) presents Martín Zimmerman's On the Exhale July 25-August 4. First preview is July 25 at 2:00pm, and the opening is July 25 at 8:00pm. Written in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting, the play takes a unique look at the issues surrounding guns and gun violence in America. The production stars CTC Associate Artistic Director and Berkshire native Tara Franklin.

BWW catches up with Hannah Tova Wolff to chat about bringing Monica: This Play Is Not About Monica Lewinsky.

Strawdog Theatre, under the new artistic leadership of Leda Hoffmann, announces its 32nd season, "Truth."

Goodman Theatre announces a line-up of free readings written by members of its Playwrights Unit-a year-long residency for Chicago-based writers to develop their plays-in-progress with the Goodman's artistic team, in partnership with Chicago Dramatists. Members of the 2018/2019 Playwrights Unit include Georgette Kelly, Dianne Nora, Marisela Treviño Orta and Stacey Rose. Free, one-time-only readings take place July 5-7 at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); to make a reservation call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org/PlaywrightsUnitReadings. Availability is extremely limited. More information about each writer follows; headshots can be found in the Press Room.

Diversionary Theatre, the Nation's 3rd Oldest LGBT Theatre presents The 3rd Annual Spark New Play Festival featuring a program of new plays never before seen in San Diego.

The 26th annual Stages Theatre Festival will introduce Halifax audiences to many new and exciting scripts by playwrights from Atlantic Canada and beyond. Beginning May 28 from the comfort of the Scotiabank Stage, audiences will be offered the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of programming which will include new plays by local writers, musicals in various stages of development, and touring productions from outside the province. This year, STAGES will also offer Professional Development classes to local artists, as well as, two community events; "Singing with Parkinson's" and "Crossroads," a workshop for newly arrived immigrants to Halifax.

The annual Momentum Festival of New Plays at Different Stages will close the 2018-19 City Theatre season with four days of an intergenerational epic, an unconventional comedy, a chilling thriller, and a touching story of hope. Supported by The Fine Foundation, the festival runs May 30 - June 2, 2019, and is free and open to the public, though reservations are required as seating is limited. Reservations may be made at CityTheatreCompany.org or by calling the box office at 412-431-CITY (2489). Event schedule and project descriptions below.

Cloudgate Theatre announces the world premiere of Strange Heart Beating, July 9 - July 27, at The Frontier, 1106 W. Thorndale.

Award-winning artists' collective Rogue Artists Ensemble is thrilled to announce the Inaugural Rogue Lab Readings Series, a four-day event that includes readings of seven new works written, directed, and designed by emerging LA artists, as well as post-show discussions and receptions. The reading series will feature new plays by 2018-2019 Rogue Lab playwrights Lisa Sanaye Dring, Eric Fagundes, John Guerra, Mildred Inez Lewis, Chelsea Sutton, and Jennie Webb, and a special new play presentation by writing team Taylor Coffman and Z. Lupetin.

Court Theatre and playwright Nambi E. Kelley have received the Prince Prize for Commissioning Original Work for 2018. Prince Charitable Trusts makes an award of $75,000 each year to a major Chicago dance, music, visual arts or theater company. When the Trust approached Court Theatre about projects that might fit their vision for the Prize, it was only natural to ask playwright Nambi E. Kelley to create an original play based on the story of Stokely Carmichael's activism and legacy for the stage. In 2014, Kelley had adapted Richard Wright's Native Son for Court Theatre in a co-production with American Blues Theatre that garnered great critical and popular acclaim. Another collaboration would build upon these successes.

Pasadena Playhouse, State Theatre of California, continues their exciting partnerships with Caltech Theatre and the USC School of Dramatic Arts this Spring, with MACH 33: The Caltech|Pasadena Playhouse Festival of New Science Driven Plays, presented by Caltech Theater and Pasadena Playhouse May 9 -11 and the New Works Festival Year 3 May 17-18, presented by USC School of Dramatic Arts and hosted by Pasadena Playhouse. These plays are part of Playhouse community programming. Danny Feldman is the Producing Artistic Director of Pasadena Playhouse.

Rising Sun Performance Company's Founding Artistic Director Akia announced today that they will be bringing back its annual fan favorite for its 8th year.  'Shhh... It's a Speakeasy' will make its return on Saturday April 13th for one night only. 

Moving On: The 2019 One Acts features a mix of established playwrights and exciting, emerging younger talent. Here's the program:

Raven Theatre continues its 2018-19 season with the Chicago premiere of Anna Jordan's dramaYEN directed by Elly Green. This savage, unrelenting play about growing up, opening the windows and letting in the light will play March 21 - May 5, 2019 on Raven's intimate 55-seat West Stage, 6157 N. Clark St

David Dean Bottrell announced today that he is pleased to bring the newly revised 2019 version of his critically acclaimed One Man show to New York City this February. Partnering with Director Guy Stroman and Producer Akia Squitieri, the show will be presented at the storied Dixon Place Theatre.

The new season includes a world premiere, two hot-button dramas, a classic children's fantasy, a rock concert/music-theatre mash-up, and a party you won't want to miss. Alberta Theatre Projects announced their 48th season line-up that will run from September 2019 to May 2020. With a return to a six-play season and longer show runs, the season is the first programmed by ATP's Executive and Artistic Director Darcy Evans.

Barrington Stage Company announced today that Stacey Rose is the inaugural winner of The Bonnie and Terry Burman New Play Award, a new national play contest at BSC. Rose will be awarded $25,000 and her play America v. 2.1: The Sad Demise & Eventual Extinction of the American Negro will receive a world premiere production at BSC.

What does science have to tell us about love? Viola Davisand Julius Tennon's JuVee Productions and American Oasis present a moving, funny and thought-provoking drama about science, culture, religion and more. Vicangelo Bulluck directs the West Coast premiere of Paradise by Laura Maria Censabella, running Jan. 26 throughFeb. 17 in a visiting production at the Odyssey Theatre.