Ron OJ Parson News

Eleven world premiere plays and musicals seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving nominations by the Jeff Awards, announced today. A total of 192 nominations were made in 34 categories that honor Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2018 and July 31, 2019. During the 2018-19 season, Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 132 Equity productions offered by 43 producing organizations and from these openings, 112 productions were a?oeJeff Recommendeda?? and eligible for award nominations.

Court Theatre has announced the five plays that will be performed as part of its Spotlight Reading Series. Court's Spotlight Series endeavors to redefinea?'and ultimately expanda?'the canon of classic theatre by presenting readings of rarely produced plays by writers of color.

Artistic Director Rick Dildine and Executive Director Todd Schmidt have announced the 2019-2020 Festival Season at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, which features 13 productions that explore stories of contemporary culture, heroic revolutionaries, societal transformation, and lyrical legends. Captivating, collaborative storytelling remains at the heart of ASF. In its 48th season, the theatre continues its mission of embracing community through transformative theatrical events.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director, has announced casting for August Wilson's King Hedley II, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson. King Hedley II runs September 12 - October 13, 2019 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 7:30pm.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director, opens its 201920 season with August Wilson's King Hedley II, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson. King Hedley II runs September 12 ? October 13, 2019 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 7:30pm.

Today, the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association (TSDCA) announced their fourth annual membership meeting, with events for both members as well as the general public. On June 23rd-24th, the TSDCA will hold two days of public panels and discussions regarding sound design and composition in theatre. After three years of holding the annual meeting in New York City, the TSDCA will be changing its location this year to Chicago, in order to highlight the organization's growing national membership. The events will be held at the brand new headquarters of Shure, 125 S Clark St, Chicago, IL 60603 from 11am-8pm on June 23rd, and 10:30am-8pm on June 24th.

Writers Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce initial casting for the company's previously announced 2019/20 season.

TimeLine Theatre Company presents the Chicago premiere of Too Heavy for Your Pocket, which doubles as the Chicago debut of rising young playwright and TV writer Jireh Breon Holder, recently named one of "Tomorrow's Marquee Names, Now in the Making" by The New York Times.

TimeLine Theatre Company, acclaimed for presenting plays that explore today's social and political issues through the lens of the past, announces its 23rd season.

By popular demand, Goodman Theatre adds five performances of Sweat by Lynn Nottage, directed by Ron OJ Parson-on stage through April 21.

TimeLine Theatre Company announces the cast and creative team for the Chicago premiere of Too Heavy for Your Pocket, which doubles as the Chicago debut of rising young playwright and TV writer Jireh Breon Holder, recently named one of "Tomorrow's Marquee Names, Now in the Making" by The New York Times.

Lynn Nottage's 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning SWEAT, now in its Chicago premiere at Goodman Theatre under the direction of Ron OJ Parson, focuses on a group of blue-collar factory workers in Reading, Pennsylvania. Bound together by the toils of working-class life in the town's steel-tubing factory, these friends and family members gather at a local bar to let off steam and celebrate special occasions. And though the work at the factory may not be fulfilling, Nottage makes clear this work is vital for the characters' livelihoods. For many of them, a life of working at the factory dates back generations. As the play toggles between 2000 and 2008, Nottage also reflects how her characters' lives intersect with current events and questions of race, class, and success in America.

Powerful drama: still made in America. Lynn Nottage's 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat opens tonight in its Chicago premiere at Goodman Theatre. Ron OJ Parson directs the collision of race, class and friendship at a pivotal moment in America-hailed as 'extraordinarily moving' (The New York Times) and 'passionate and necessary...a masterful depiction of the forces that divide and conquer us' (Time Out New York). Sweat marks the fourth Nottage play to be produced at the Goodman, following Crumbs from the Table of Joy (2006), Ruined (a 2008 world-premiere Goodman commission that earned the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama) and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (2013). Sweat appears through April 14 in the Albert Theatre. Tickets ($20 - $80; subject to change) are available at Goodmantheatre.org/Sweat, by telephone at 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 N. Dearborn).

Goodman Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of Lynn Nottage's Sweat, directed by Ron OJ Parson. An acclaimed Broadway hit and 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner, the production follows a group of friends in a Rust Belt town who have spent their lives sharing secrets and laughs on the factory floor. But when layoffs begin to chip away at their trust, they're pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight in this collision of race, class and friendship at a pivotal moment in America.  

Writers Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the company's 2019/20 six play season, opening with Into the Woods, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, and directed by Gary Griffin in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre. The season will continue with The Niceties, written by Eleanor Burgess and directed by Marti Lyons; Lydia R. Diamond's Stick Fly, directed by Ron OJ Parson; and Mementos Mori, created by Manual Cinema. A new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, adapted by Sandra Delgado and Michael Halberstam and directed by Lavina Jadhwani, will open the season in the Gillian Theatre, followed by Anna Ziegler's The Last Match, directed by Keira Fromm.

TimeLine Theatre Company announces the cast and creative team for the Chicago premiere of Too Heavy for Your Pocket, which doubles as the Chicago debut of rising young playwright and TV writer Jir h Breon Holder, recently named one of Tomorrow's Marquee Names, Now in the Making by The New York Times.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, announces its 65th season. The company's 2019/20 season will feature the ninth play in August Wilson's American Century Cycle, King Hedley II, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson; the launch of Court's Oedipus Trilogy with the Sophocles classic Oedipus Rex, directed by Charles Newell; Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, directed by Sean Graney; Henrik Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea, directed by Shana Cooper; and The Gospel at Colonus, a reimagining of the story of Oedipus, conceived by Lee Breuer with music by Bob Telson, directed by Charles Newell.

This visceral American classic serves as the 1920s chapter of August Wilson's epic American Century Cycle. What begins as a routine recording session becomes more strained as tensions rise between the members of a blues band and the owners of the recording studio. The white producers mean to exploit the talents of the band especially the gifted and impulsive Levee but when Ma insists on having things her way, tensions are enflamed and the play builds to an unexpected and searing climax.

Goodman Theatre proudly announces the casts for its Chicago premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Sweat by Lynn Nottage, directed by Ron OJ Parson, as well as its world premiere of Lottery Day-Ike Holter's final work in his seven-play "The Rightlynd Saga," directed by Lili-Anne Brown. Tickets are now available for both productions at GoodmanTheatre.org, by telephone 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 N. Dearborn).

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, continues its 2018/19 season with August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, directed by Writers Theatre Resident Director Ron OJ Parson. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom runs February 6 - March 17, 2019 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Wednesday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m.