Steve Scott News

Goodman Theatre and the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) present the U.S. premiere of Mendoza by Los Colochos Teatro of Mexico City, appearing in a limited engagement October 2-7 at the Goodman. The production is produced as part of Destinos-the 2nd Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, a seven-week festival of Latino theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America in shows, panels and student performances at venues citywide. An adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Mendoza is a thrilling, fast-paced and blood-soaked ensemble production by Antonio Zuñiga and Juan Carrillo, directed by Carrillo and presented in Spanish with English supertitles. The limited engagement of Mendoza appears October 2-7 (Opening Night is October 2) at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); Tickets ($25) are available by telephone 312.443.3800 or online GoodmanTheatre.org/Mendoza. Destinos takes place through November 4; complete festival programming and ticket information available at www.clata.org. Chicago Community Trust is the Sponsor Partner of Mendoza and Corona Extra is the Official Beverage Sponsor of Mendoza and Destinos. NOTE: this production contains a live animal and is intended for mature audiences.

Goodman Theatre's commitment to new works and emerging artists continues in its 2018/2019 Season. Today, the Goodman named four Chicago-based writers to its Playwrights Unit-Georgette Kelly, whose play Ballast was featured on The Kilroys List and received the Craig Noel Award for Outstanding New Play; Dianne Nora, a playwright, dramaturg, theater scholar and comedy writer who works in Chicago, Brooklyn and Dublin; Marisela Treviño Orta, semifinalist for the 2018 O'Neill Theater Center National Playwrights Conference and 2019 Kendeda Finalist (Alliance Theatre); and Stacey Rose, whose work has been presented at New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, National Black Theatre and more. The Playwrights Unit, in partnership with Chicago Dramatists, meets bi-monthly to discuss their commissioned plays-in-progress with the Goodman's artistic team. The residency culminates in a public staged reading of each new play in Summer 2019. 

Casting is complete for the three "developmental productions" featured in Goodman Theatre's 15th annual New Stages Festival-a free celebration of new works by some of the country's finest established and emerging playwrights. These three plays, which are staged in repertory following two weeks of rehearsal, include There's Always the Hudson by Paola Lazaro-Muñoz, directed by Jess McLeod; Felons and Familias by Sandra Delgado, directed by Marcela Muñoz; and Graveyard Shift by Korde Arrington Tuttle, directed by Danya Taymor. Developmental productions are designed by Kevin Depinet (Set), Noel Huntzinger (Costumes for There's Always the Hudson and Graveyard Shift), Birgit Rattenborg Wise (Costumes for Felons and Familias), Jesse Klug (Lights) and Richard Woodbury (Sound).

This holiday season, Goodman Theatre presents The Santaland Diaries-David Sedaris' "vivid, hilarious portrait of family Christmas with his deft combination of wicked humor and scalpel-sharp observation" (Chicago Magazine).

Obie Award-winning "spellbinding storyteller" (Los Angeles Times) David Cale returns to Goodman Theatre three decades after his debut (1988's The Redthroats) with his newest work, We're Only Alive For A Short Amount of Time-launching the Goodman's 2018/2019 Season.

What happens when a total stranger enters your life and changes it forever? Based on a true story, this Olivier Award winner for Best Play examines the impact of a charming young con man on a mature wealthy woman when she suddenly begins to care for his well-being. (Note: The play includes a brief scene with nudity)

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional Equity company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage (COD) opens its 2018-2019 season with "The Dingdong, or How the French Kiss," a new adaptation by Mark Shanahan from "Le Dindon" by Georges Feydeau. Five actors play 13 roles in this bubbly, fast-paced adaptation of Feydeau's classic directed by BTE Artistic Director Connie Canaday Howard, where opening the wrong door can lead to mayhem, giggles and ultimately some unexpected understandings of a happy marriage. The play runs Sept. 6-Oct. 7. There will be a preview Sept. 6. Press opening is Friday, Sept. 7.   

Dael Orlandersmith, "an intense poet, writer and intellectual" (Chicago Tribune), brings her newest work, Lady in Denmark, to the Owen Theatre. Reuniting with director Chay Yew (Black n Blue Boys/Broken Men, 2012), Orlandersmith's world premiere production is a reflection on love and adversity starring stage and screen actress Linda Gehringer in a 90-minute solo performance. Helene (Gehringer) is a Danish American woman coping with the death of her husband who finds solace in the hauntingly beautiful music of their favorite singer, Billie Holiday. This is her journey through the couple's time together-from the smoky jazz clubs of post-war Copenhagen to the home they shared in present-day Chicago. Lady in Denmark is one of five world premieres this season, all originally developed as a part of the Goodman's New Stages Festival. The creative team includes Andrew Boyce (set), Christine Pascual (costumes), Lee Fiskness (lighting) and Mikhail Fiksel (original music and sound). Donald E. Claxon is the Production Stage Manager. Lady in Denmark appears October 19 - November 18, 2018 (opening night is October 29 at 7pm) in the Goodman's Owen Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); tickets ($15-45; subject to change) go on sale Friday, August 31, by telephone 312.443.3800 or online GoodmanTheatre.org/LadyInDenmark.

Goodman Theatre celebrates teaching, learning and transformation with its "Igniting Imagination: The Art of Great Teaching" Education and Engagement luncheon on Thursday, September 20. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and educator Paula Vogel will join Walter Director of Education and Engagement Willa J. Taylor in conversation about art of teaching and importance of mentorship in shaping young minds.

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional Equity company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage (COD) opens its 2018-2019 season with "The Dingdong, or How the French Kiss," a new adaptation by Mark Shanahan from "Le Dindon" by Georges Feydeau. Five actors play 13 roles in this bubbly, fast-paced adaptation of Feydeau's classic directed by BTE Artistic Director Connie Canaday Howard, where opening the wrong door can lead to mayhem, giggles and ultimately some unexpected understandings of a happy marriage. The play runs Sept. 6-Oct. 7. There will be a preview Sept. 6. Press opening is Friday, Sept. 7.   

In a unique addition to its upcoming 2018/2019 Season, Goodman Theatre and the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) will present the U.S. premiere of Mendoza by Los Colochos of Mexico City-the latest in a 30-year history of premiering works by prominent local, national and international Latino playwrights and theater companies. Mendoza is presented as part of Destinos-the 2nd Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, a seven-week festival of Latino theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America in shows, panels and student performances at venues citywide. A radically reimagined adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Mendoza is a tale of ambition, blood and power by Antonio Zuñiga and Juan Carrillo, directed by Carrillo and presented in Spanish with English supertitles. The limited engagement of Mendoza appears October 2-7, 2018 at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); tickets ($25-32; subject to change) go on sale Friday, August 24 by telephone 312.443.3800 or online GoodmanTheatre.org/Mendoza.

What happens when a total stranger enters your life and changes it forever? Based on a true story, this Olivier Award winner for Best Play examines the impact of a charming young con man on a mature wealthy woman when she suddenly begins to care for his well-being. (Note: The play includes a brief scene with nudity)

This fall, Goodman Theatre presents its New Stages Festival-a free annual celebration and discovery of new plays by some of the country's finest established and emerging playwrights. Audiences experience a first look at seven new works-including three fully staged developmental productions (performed in repertory) There's Always the Hudson by Paola Lazaro-Muñoz; Felons and Familias by Sandra Delgado; Graveyard Shift by Korde Arrington Tuttle. In addition, four staged readings appear during the last weekend of the festival (October 4-7) including The Wizards by Ricardo Gamboa; Between Covers by Sarah Schulman; Birthday Candles by Noah Haidle; and Cressida on Top by Paula Vogel.

More than 60 Chicagoland students make their Goodman Theatre debut on the mainstage to conclude summer programming-PlayBuild Youth Intensive and Musical Theater Intensive-on August 10 and 11 at 7pm. The free programs were taught over a course of seven-to-eight weeks in the Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement.

Eclipse Theatre Company, the only Midwest theatre company to feature one playwright in one season, will continue their 2018 William Inge Season with Bus Stop, directed by ensemble member Steve Scott.

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.

HipHopDX, the #1 Hip Hop news source is bringing back their extremely popular annual video game tournament, DX TURBO. This year's event, DX TURBO III, is sponsored by BET, the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music and news television programming for the African-American audience and Wingstop, a worldwide franchise who remains on the cutting edge of digital ordering technology. DX TURBO III, is a highly anticipated event and will once again pit teams of professional gamers and celebrities face off against one another in this year's competition, Tekken 7, a fighting game developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game is the ninth installment in the Tekken series, and the first to make use of the Unreal Engine. This exciting double elimination tournament will consist of eight teams of two players, which consist of one Hip Hop artist and one professional gamer.

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional Equity company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage, is pleased to announce six new ensemble members.  

Eclipse Theatre Company, the only Midwest theatre company to feature one playwright in one season, will continue their 2018 William Inge Season with Bus Stop, directed by ensemble member Steve Scott.