Seth Bockley News

Steep Theatre is extending the run of Isaac Gomez' The Leopard Play, or sad songs for lost boys through March 14, adding eight more chances to catch this heart-wrenching and powerful play.

Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls has announced casting for his upcoming revival of Molly Sweeney by Brian Friel. In assuming the title role, Chicago favorite Kate Fry returns to the Goodman, following her recent appearance in Falls' production of The Winter's Tale. Joining Fry are stage and screen star Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey), who returns to the Goodman following his triumphant appearance in last season's St. Nicholas by Conor McPherson, and Chicago's Christopher Donahue (Oedipus Rex at Court Theatre, Moby Dick at Lookingglass).

The Gift Theatre has launched its 2020 Season with a revival of Martin McDonagh's masterpiece THE PILLOWMAN, directed by Laura Alcalá Baker, playing February 27 a?" March 29, 2020 at The Gift's home at 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood. Single tickets go on sale Sunday, December 1 at www.thegifttheatre.org or by calling (773) 283-7071. Casting will be announced shortly. Season subscriptions packages are currently available. The press opening is Monday, March 2 at 7:30 pm.

Trap Door Theatre presents The White Plague.

Steep Theatre announces the programming for its upcoming 19th season, which will continue the company's tradition of presenting bold plays from today's most exciting playwrights, brought to life by fearless ensembles and visionary directors.

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.

Pivot Arts, which celebrates innovative, multidisciplinary performance, has expanded the lineup for its seventh annual Pivot Arts Festival, including five world premieres by playwright/director Seth Bockley, BraveSoul Movement, Chicago Fringe Opera, choreographers Ayako Kato and Erin Kilmurray, musician/actor Ahmed Moneka making his U.S. debut and more. The Festival runs May 31-June 9 at various locations in Chicago's Uptown and Edgewater neighborhoods.

Pivot Arts, which celebrates innovative, multidisciplinary performance, announces the lineup for its seventh annual Pivot Arts Festival showcasing theatre, dance and music performances, including five world premieres. The Festival runs May 31-June 9 at various locations in Chicago's Uptown and Edgewater neighborhoods. Tickets go on sale April 3 at pivotarts.org/festival.

Due to its successful, sold-out run during the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, Cabinet of Curiosity is extending and moving its Tabletop Tragedies production to the Chopin Theatre Main Stage, February 7 through 17, 2019.

The Trap Door Theatre presents The Old Woman Broods written by Tadeusz Rozewicz

The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival announces the complete lineup for the 2019 Summer Season, including Shakespeare's boisterous MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING and adventure-laden CYMBELINE, alongside the New York premiere of CYRANO, a new adaptation of Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac written by Jason O'Connell and Brenda Withers. HVSF will also produce its first-ever musical, the Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine classic, INTO THE WOODS.

Collaboraction will reunite 200+ Chicago artists involved in the creation of this year's third annual PEACEBOOK Festival for a one-day-only, marathon celebration showcase of more than 20 world premiere short works about peace Sunday, October 7 at The Chop Shop, 2033 W. North Avenue in Bucktown. 

Presented by Collaboraction, Chicago's social issue-driven contemporary theater, PEACEBOOK is a free, city-wide festival of theater, dance, music, visual art and spoken word that travels to three Chicago Parks over three consecutive weekends in September, all focused on cultivating peace in Chicago.

Goodman Theatre announces a line-up of free staged 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 2017/2018 Playwrights Unit include Sam Collier, Ricardo Gamboa, Isaac Gomez, Kristin Idaszak and Nigel O'Hearn. Free, one-time-only readings take place July 14-18 at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); to make a reservation call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org/PlaywrightsUnit. Availability is extremely limited.

Goodman Theatre announces a line-up of free staged 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.

From internationally-celebrated novel, to world-premiere stage adaptation, to groundbreaking online event. Late Chilean author/poet Roberto Bolaño's 2666, co-adapted and co-directed by Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls and Chicago-based playwright Seth Bockley, is now streaming.

"Monsieur D'eon is a Woman" is a madcap romp following the extraordinary life and adventures of the Chevailere D'eon, an eighteenth century French diplomat, soldier, spy and a celebrated figure for Transgender and Women's rights.

The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (Davis McCallum, Artistic Director; Kate Liberman, Managing Director) is proud to announce complete casting for the 2018 summer season. The previously announced season will include two Shakespeare classics, RICHARD II and THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, alongside David Farr's adaptation of THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD, and the world premiere of Seth Bockley's RIP VAN WINKLE; or, CUT THE OLD MOON INTO STARS, the first-ever mainstage commission by HVSF, featuring 40-plus members of the Hudson Valley community alongside a cast of 4 professional actors. The season will also feature the HVSF Conservatory Company in an original clown piece, THE SEA-MAID'S MUSIC, devised and directed by Zachary Fine.

Falls directs his adaptation, based on a translation by Eleanor Marx-Aveling, with a cast featuring Philip Earl Johnson as Thomas Stockmann, doctor and chief medical officer of the baths; Scott Jaeck as Peter Stockmann, Thomas' older brother and town mayor; Lanise Antoine Shelley as Katherine, Thomas' wife; Rebecca Hurd as Thomas' daughter, Petra. Rounding out the cast are Jesse Bhamrah (Billing), David Darlow (Morten Kiil), Allen Gilmore (Aslaksen), Aubrey Deeker Hernandez (Hovstad), Larry Neumann, Jr. (The Drunk) and Carley Cornelius, Arya Daire, Guy Massey, Roderick Peeples and Dustin Whitehead as townspeople.

PAGE 73 PRODUCTIONS (Page 73) (Michael Walkup, Producing Artistic Director; Jenny Lagundino, Managing Director; Liz Jones and Asher Richelli, Founding Directors) has named C.A. Johnson the 2018 P73 Playwriting Fellow. Selected from over 400 applicants, Johnson will receive a $10,000 award and additional $10,000 budgeted for developing several new plays over the course of the year.