Regina Taylor News

Broadway favorite Sherie Rene Scott is not the 'Sherie Rene Scott' diva character appearing in EVERYDAY RAPTURE, but that doesn't mean everyone knows that yet.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will launch its 31st season this fall with the New York premiere of Anna Deavere Smith's LET ME DOWN EASY. Conceived, written, and performed by Ms. Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, LET ME DOWN EASY will begin preview performances on Tuesday, September 15 and will officially open in early October.

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.

For this one-night-only event, Broadway performers will join the 2ST Board of Trustees to perform 'The Quest for Fame,' featuring the Great White Way's best show-stopping numbers in this spring gala benefit for the acclaimed off-Broadway theatre company.

Completing its 30th Anniversary Season, Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will present EVERYDAY RAPTURE, written by Dick Scanlan (Tony nominee for Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Sherie Rene Scott (Tony nominee for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), with musical supervision by Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, High Fidelity), directed by Michael Mayer (Tony Award winner for Spring Awakening).

Artistic Director Robert Falls announced today the final production of Goodman Theatre's 2009/2010 season-The Good Negro, Tracey Scott Wilson's 'thunderous...stunning' (Variety) new play, comes to Chicago fresh from its off-Broadway run at The Public Theater. Resident Director Chuck Smith, who previously collaborated with Wilson on the Goodman's 2004/2005 Chicago-premiere production of The Story, will direct The Good Negro in the Albert Theatre in Spring 2010.

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.

On behalf of Goodman Theatre and Artistic Director Robert Falls, Executive Director Roche Schulfer proudly accepted Actors Equity Association (AEA)'s 'Spirit Recognition Award,' honoring individuals and institutions that have made non-traditional casting a way of life. The award was presented at AEA's Central Region Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Committee's 'Spirit 2009 - A Celebration of Diversity' event held on Monday, March 30 at the Goodman, recognizing Central Region Members of Color and minority-focused theaters and producers.

16th Street Theater announces the second annual WORDS IN MOTION festival curated by Artistic Director Ann Filmer at the Berwyn Cultural Center April 2 - 25, 2009. Tekki Lomnicki's Blurred Vision opens Thursday, April 2 at 7:30 PM, followed by two intergenerational takes on mixing the races: mother and daughter team Marilyn Campbell & Maria Merrin with their humorous take on hair and feminism Mixing It Up opens Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 PM, while Martie Sanders' The Me, Mom & Dad Show! (performed with her 80-year old father!) opens Friday, April 17 at 7:30 PM. Yes, you will see Charlie Sanders recreate that tap dance he presented in 1967 to the all-African American student body of Spain Junior High in Detroit where he was assistant principal.

In conjunction with her Goodman Theatre world-premiere production of Magnolia, playwright Regina Taylor announces Eyes on Chicago, a competition of 'cell short takes'-films that are 5-10 minutes in length and filmed entirely on cell phone cameras-for Chicago students aged 15-30. Cell short takes should address one of three questions: 'How are you, as a Chicagoan, affected by the numerous changes, good and bad, America is currently facing?

The Ebony Repertory Theatre is proud to announce casting for the Los Angeles premiere of CROWNS, adapted by Regina Taylor from the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry. Debuting as a co-production with Pasadena Playhouse, the show will star Emmy® nominee Paula Kelly, Suzzanne Douglas, Dawnn Lewis, Ann Weldon, Sharon Catherine Blanks, Angela Wildflower Polk and Clinton Derricks-Carroll, with direction by Ebony Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Israel Hicks.

Crowns is back in town, and with direction and choreography by Kenneth Lee Roberson (Broadway's Avenue Q, Arena's Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill) and musical direction by Grammy nominee e'Marcus Harper, this soulful musical will be bigger than ever in the Lincoln Theatre. Arena favorites Marva Hicks (The Women of Brewster Place) and E. Faye Butler (Dinah Was, Ain't Misbehavin') are joined by NaTasha Yvette Williams (Broadway's The Color Purple), Mary Millben, Kara Tameika Watkins, Phillip Boykin and Zurin Villanueva. Howard University student Villanueva was discovered in Arena's January 'Finding Yolanda' one-day casting search, and this production marks her debut professional performance.

Magnolia by Regina Taylor and directed by Anna D. Shapiro opened March 14 and plays to April 19 at Goodman Theater. Atlanta, 1963. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspires Atlanta's black citizens to fight passionately for their civil rights, the new mayor erects 'The Payton Wall' to restrict where they can live

Magnolia, Artistic Associate ReGina Taylor's world premiere about possibility in the face of seismic social change, takes root at the Goodman with an official opening tonight, March 23rd, Magnolia runs through April 19, 2009.

Goodman Theatre unites six diverse Chicago theater companies who are presenting work created, produced and/or performed by women for a special spring series, 'Taking the Stage: A Celebration of Women Making Theater,' April 4 - 19, 2009. Over the course of two weeks, each of the participating companies-Babes with Blades, Berwyn's 16th Street Theater, Goodman Theatre, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Serendipity Theatre Collective and Teatro Luna-presents productions, panel discussions and workshops that highlight the voices and visions of female theater artists, as well as the opportunities and obstacles they face today.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will restart its summer theatre, the Nutmeg Summer Series, by presenting the hit musical show Crowns June 11 - 21 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre, Storrs. Tickets go on sale March 30. For tickets and information, call 860-486-4226 or visit www.crt.uconn.edu.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will present EVERYDAY RAPTURE, written by Dick Scanlan (Tony nominee for Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Sherie Rene Scott (Tony nominee for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), with musical supervision by Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, High Fidelity), directed by Michael Mayer (Tony Award winner for Spring Awakening).

Magnolia is written by Regina Taylor and directed by Anna D. Shapiro Show plays March 14 - April 19 Atlanta, 1963. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspires Atlanta's black citizens to fight passionately for their civil rights, the new mayor erects 'The Payton Wall' to restrict where they can live. Amid these churning social currents, Magnolia Estate faces foreclosure, pitting the sensual, free-spirited heiress Lily Forrest against Thomas, a strong-willed businessman who lays claim to the estate where his ancestors were slaves.

16th Street Theater announces the second annual WORDS IN MOTION festival curated by Artistic Director Ann Filmer at the Berwyn Cultural Center April 2 - 25, 2009. Tekki Lomnicki's Blurred Vision opens Thursday, April 2 at 7:30 PM, followed by two intergenerational takes on mixing the races: mother and daughter team Marilyn Campbell & Maria Merrin with their humorous take on hair and feminism Mixing It Up opens Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 PM, while Martie Sanders' The Me, Mom & Dad Show! (performed with her 80-year old father!) opens Friday, April 17 at 7:30 PM. Yes, you will see Charlie Sanders recreate that tap dance he presented in 1967 to the all-African American student body of Spain Junior High in Detroit where he was assistant principal.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) has announced the two plays which will be presented as part of the company's seventh annual Second Stage Theatre Uptown Series this summer: Zakiyyah Alexander's 10 Things To Do Before I Die, directed by Jackson Gay, and Lila Rose Kaplan's Wildflower, directed by 2008 Callaway Award winner Giovanna Sardelli.