Sean Graney News

Billy Magnussen joins his previously announced chums - Kristine Nielsen, David Hyde Pierce and Sigourney Weaver - for a reading of Noel Coward's A SONG AT TWILIGHT. The VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE friends are reuniting for a benefit performance to kick off the 2014/2015 season of The Flea Theater. The performance will take place on Monday, September 15. A cocktail reception begins at 6 pm followed by the reading at 7pm and then a talkback with the actors. Flea Artistic Director, Jim Simpson directs the event at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center (199 Chambers St).

Kathryn Rossetter, who appeared on Broadway opposite Dustin Hoffman in Death Of a Salesman and is currently head of the MFA Acting Program at the New School for Drama, will join Adam LeFevre (Broadway's Footloose, Mamma Mia, Guys and Dolls) in the World Premiere of MR. LANDING TAKES A FALL, an absurdist comedy by Sari Caine. Inspired by Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, the play was a PlayPenn 2013 semi-finalist and short-listed for both the 24/7 (UK) and the Ronald Duncan Award (UK). It is produced by Slightly Altered States Theater Company and directed by Sherri Eden Barber. Previews begin September 12 at The Flea Theater with opening slated for Monday, September 22.

The Flea Theater will present the World Premiere of Kim Davies' SMOKE, directed by Flea Resident Director Tom Costello (The Wundelsteipen) and featuring members of The Bats, the resident acting company at The Flea. Previews begin tonight, August 22 with opening slated for September 7. Says Producing Director Carol Ostrow, 'where 50 Shades of Grey dances on the surface of BDSM, Smoke cuts to the core.

Children's Theatre Company (CTC) will present Busytown the Musical, based on the beloved children's book 'What Do People Do All Day?" by Richard Scarry, adapted by Kevin Kling, directed by Sean Graney, with music by Michael Koerner and choreography by Tommy Rapley, on the UnitedHealth Group Stage September 16 - October 26, 2014. Live music performed onstage by Music Director/Sound Designer Victor Zupanc as a one-man band!

The Hypocrites launches their 2014-15 Season with the world premiere of ALL OUR TRAGIC, an unparalleled twelve-hour theatrical adaptation that combines all 32 surviving Greek tragedies into a single epic narrative, adapted and directed by Founding Artistic Director Sean Graney*, playing through October 5, 2014 at its new home, The Den Theatre, 1329-1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. ALL OUR TRAGIC marks the inaugural production at The Den's new, fully adaptable, street level theatre where the The Hypocrites will be the resident company. Single tickets for ALL OUR TRAGIC are currently on sale, with a variety of flexible season subscription packages also available. Patrons wishing to support this historic undertaking are invited to participate in the 'All Our Tragic Funding' campaign. For tickets, subscriptions and campaign information, please visit www.the-hypocrites.com. The press opening is Sunday, August 10 at 11 am.

The Flea Theater will present the World Premiere of Kim Davies' SMOKE, directed by Flea Resident Director Tom Costello (The Wundelsteipen) and featuring members of The Bats, the resident acting company at The Flea. Previews begin August 22 with opening slated for September 7. Says Producing Director Carol Ostrow, "where 50 Shades of Grey dances on the surface of BDSM, Smoke cuts to the core.

#serials@theflea is a raucous late night play competition featuring The Bats and some of NYC's hottest young playwrights and directors. This event, which runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 11pm*, includes 1 FREE beer with the purchase of a ticket. All tickets are only $12.

Slightly Altered States Theater Company presents the World Premiere of MR. LANDING TAKES A FALL, an absurdist comedy by Sari Caine, directed by Sherri Eden Barber. Inspired by Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, the play was a PlayPenn 2013 semi-finalist and short-listed for both the 24/7 (UK) and the Ronald Duncan Award (UK). Previews begin September 12 at The Flea Theater with opening slated for Monday, September 22.

The Flea Theater previously announced the extension of the World Premiere of THE MYSTERIES - a radical retelling of the Bible.

The Hypocrites are pleased to launch their 2014-15 Season with the world premiere of ALL OUR TRAGIC, an unparalleled twelve-hour theatrical adaptation that combines all 32 surviving Greek tragedies into a single epic narrative, adapted and directed by Founding Artistic Director Sean Graney*, playing August 2 - October 5, 2014 at its new home, The Den Theatre, 1329 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

The Flea Theater has announced the addition of two key members to the small but mighty Flea team. Joshua Cohen comes to The Flea following seven years at Roundabout Theatre Company, where he rose to the position of Manager for Financial Reporting.

The Hypocrites will launch their 2014-15 Season with the world premiere of ALL OUR TRAGIC, an unparalleled twelve-hour theatrical adaptation that combines all 32 surviving Greek tragedies into a single epic narrative, adapted and directed by Founding Artistic Director Sean Graney*, playing August 2 - October 5, 2014 at its new home, The Den Theatre, 1329 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. ALL OUR TRAGIC marks the inaugural production at The Den's new, fully adaptable, street level theatre where the The Hypocrites will be the resident company. Single tickets for ALL OUR TRAGIC go on sale Tuesday, June 17, 2014, with a variety of flexible season subscription packages available now. Patrons wishing to support this historic undertaking are invited to participate in the "All Our Tragic Funding" campaign. For tickets, subscriptions and campaign information, please visit www.the-hypocrites.com. The press opening is Sunday, August 10 at 11 am.

The Flea Theater has announced Stephen Lang's BEYOND GLORY. Lang brings the stories of eight Medal of Honor recipients to the stage in this exciting one-man show adapted from Larry Smith's bestselling book, Beyond Glory. As a tribute to fallen soldiers, Lang has performed the show on military bases and on the floor of Congress as well as on Broadway. In the fall of 2013 filming began on a documentary Beyond Glory: Tour of Duty, following Lang as he toured the show throughout the Heartland and to the front lines in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Now he brings the show and the film crew to The Flea, in order to document the play in its entirety.

The Flea Theater has announced the extension of the World Premiere of THE MYSTERIES - a radical retelling of the Bible. Playwrights commissioned by Jim Simpson and Carol Ostrow including Tony Award and Academy Award winners and nominees David Henry Hwang, Craig Lucas, Billy Porter, Jose Rivera and Jeff Whitty; Flea alumni, Mallery Avidon, Trista Baldwin, Erin Courtney, Yussef El Guindi, Amy Freed, Sean Graney, Nick Jones, Qui Nguyen, and Jenny Schwartz; and a host of notable newcomers, Marc Acito, Johnna Adams, Liz Duffy Adams, Bill Cain, CollaborationTown, Jorge Ignacio Cortiñas, Eisa Davis, Gabriel Jason Dean, Chris Dimond, Madeleine George, Kate Gersten, Sevan K. Greene, Kirsten Greenidge, Lillian Groag, Jordan Harrison, Lucas Hnath, Ann Marie Healy, Meghan Kennedy, Kimber Lee, Kenneth Lin, Laura Marks, Ellen McLaughlin, Michael Mitnick, Don Nguyen, Dael Orlandersmith, A. Rey Pamatmat, Max Posner, Kate Moira Ryan, Najla Said, Jordan Seavey, Matthew Stephen Smith, Lloyd Suh, Jason Williamson and Bess Wohl join together to tell the entire History of Man's Salvation in 52 episodes from The Fall of Lucifer through and including Judgment Day.

The Den Theatre is pleased to announce its expansion into a new street-level theater space set to open in late summer as the new resident home of The Hypocrites. The fully adaptable, 6,000 square foot space will feature seating for up to 200 patrons, a bar and other amenities in Chicago's popular Wicker Park neighborhood. Anchored by The Hypocrites' full season, programming will also include an annual Den Theatre production and availability for other companies. The new theatre will open at 1329 N. Milwaukee Ave., directly below the Den's existing five performance spaces at 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. Future plans include marquee signage, valet parking, a nearby parking lot and elevators to the 2nd and 3rd floors making the entire building accessible to people with disabilities. The space is made possible through the generous support of Michael and Mona Heath.

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 128 nominations in 24 categories of Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff judges attended opening nights of 147 productions offered by 65 Non-Equity producing organizations. The judges recommended 66 of those shows, making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Thirty theatre companies received nominations.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Peter' plays Monroe Street, new musicals try out in Wicker Park and Bucktown, 'Evita' lights up Cicero, 'Hot Mikado' jazzes up Rogers Park, The Hypocrites announce a trilogy, three Tony winners start rehearsal here and Las Vegas calls on the Windy City's finest!

The Flea Theater presents the World Premiere of THE MYSTERIES - a radical retelling of The Bible.

The Hypocrites are pleased to announce their 2014-15 Season, beginning in August 2014 with the world premiere of ALL OUR TRAGIC, an unparalleled twelve-hour theatrical adaptation that combines all 32 surviving Greek tragedies into a single epic narrative, adapted and directed by Founding Artistic Director Sean Graney*. Audiences may experience ALL OUR TRAGIC at a single twelve-hour marathon performance (with ample breaks for food and beverage) or through shorter installments spread over multiple weekends.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the leadership of Artistic Director Diane Paulus and Managing Director William Russo, has announced its 2014/15 Season.