Taylor Mac News

Columbia University Libraries, on behalf of the board of the Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History, has announced the five finalist works for the 2017 award:

HIR is a socially-constructed, gender-neutral, politically-correct pronoun unofficially used in place of him/her or his/her. It is also an extremely dark and angry comedy by Obie Award winning artist and playwright Taylor Mac that made the New York Time's Top Ten Best Theater of 2015 list, about a housewife dealing with a daughter who is transgender, a son returning home after three years in Afghanistan, and a formerly abusive husband who has experienced a stroke that has rendered him nearly speechless. Think of it as Jules Feiffer on LSD wearing a stunning pair of Louboutins and you're getting closer to the neighborhood this play resides in. HIR makes Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Long Day's Journey into Night seem like quaint fifties family dramas.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) just began performances for the 13th annual UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL on Wednesday, January 4. This popular and highly-anticipated program of The Public Theater's winter season includes artists from across the U.S. and around the world including Belarus, France, Germany, Indonesia, Lebanon, and the UK. Curated by UTR Director Mark Russell, this year's UNDER THE RADAR expands to venues throughout New York City in addition to The Public Theater's downtown home at Astor Place.

Abingdon Theatre Company kicks off 2017 with a limited engagement of THE DORK KNIGHT, a new play written and performed by Jason O'Connell (star of Bedlam's recent Off-Broadway hit Sense and Sensibility) about his complicated relationship with the Caped Crusader.

Concetta Tomei, best known for her roles on TV's China Beach and Providence and on stage in The Elephant Man (opposite David Bowie) and Sarah Ruhl's The Clean House, leads the cast of Abingdon Theatre Company's world premiere of THE MOTHER OF INVENTION, a new play by Academy Award, Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award-winner James Lecesne, as Dottie Nerber.

New York theatre stuck it to the patriarchy this year with healthy-for-the-soul offerings like A 24 Decade History of Popular Music, O, Earth, The Wolves, and more!

This comedic masterpiece is a perfectly worded sendup of the American family kitchen sink drama in an era that is anything but traditional. Set against a suburban backdrop, we meet a Marine just returned home from war, his transgender teen sibling, stroke-victim father, and righteously liberal mom. The family divides along the battle lines in the mom's crusade to dismantle the patriarchy family structure. We watch alliances form and fail through wit, shocking revelations and a cacophonous climax that serve put the 'fun' in 'dysfunction'.

The Schlep Sisters & Thirsty Girl present the 10th Annual Menorah Horah! on Today, December 24th at The Highline Ballroom.

Mx Justin Vivian Bond is a force of nature with more than a quarter century onstage under v's (Bond's preferred pronoun) belt. A singular performer with an endless supply of bon mots, Bond has been celebrated with an Obie Award, a Bessie, a Tony nod, and the Ethyl Eichelberger Award, among other accolades. Fresh off a year-long career retrospective culminating in September's THE GOLDEN AGE OF JUSTIN VIVIAN BOND, v returns to Joe's Pub on December 12 at 9:30pm with a new holiday show, THE BIPOLAR EXPRESS. Ahead of the first show, we spoke over the phone about the show, v's enduring career, and the holidays themselves.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company welcomes internationally acclaimed playwright and director Young Jean Lee this winter as she directs the Chicago premiere of her play, Straight White Men.

As part of the UtahPresents 2016-17 season, Taylor Mac will perform A 24-Decade History of Popular Music: 1946-1976 at Kingsbury Hall on Saturday, January 14 at 7:30PM.

Christmas celebrations at HOME begin with a spectacular party with Back to the Future screening, Enchantment Under The Sea-inspired 50s to 80s disco and DJs, plus a very special visit from the DeLorean Time Machine, in partnership with First Street Manchester.

Abingdon Theatre Company kicks off 2017 with a limited engagement of THE DORK KNIGHT, a new play written and performed by Jason O'Connell (star of Bedlam's recent Off-Broadway hit Sense and Sensibility) about his complicated relationship with the Caped Crusader.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble announces its 2017 Season, 'The Mind/Body Connection.' The season includes three new plays linked under this mind/body connection and told from distinctly female perspectives. These bold works explore how we separate our primal, instinctive physical beings from our intellectual and emotional selves. The season will be performed at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago.

By popular demand, Steppenwolf Theatre Company extends its acclaimed world premiere production of The Fundamentals by Erika Sheffer and directed by ensemble member Yasen Peyankov.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announces complete casting for two upcoming Chicago premiere productions: Lucas Hnath's The Christians directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman (December 1, 2016 - January 29, 2017) in the Downstairs Theatre; and Straight White Men written and directed by Young Jean Lee (February 2, 2016 - March 19, 2017) in the Upstairs Theatre.

Steppenwolf continues its 41st season with the Chicago premiere of Lucas Hnath's The Christians directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman.

In March 2017, following a landmark year taking plays into the communities of West London, the Bush Theatre will return home following a £4.3m revitalisation of the venue.

Steppenwolf continues its 41st season with the Chicago premiere of Lucas Hnath's The Christians directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman. The cast features ensemble member Tom Irwin as Pastor Paul and ensemble member Robert Breuler as Elder Jay with Shannon Cochran as the Pastor's wife, Elizabeth, Glenn Davis as Joshua and Jacqueline Williams as Congregant. Set designer Walt Spangler transforms The Downstairs Theatre into a church where a live choir performs onstage. Under the musical direction of Jaret Landon, the choir features Faith Howard, Yando Lopez, Jazelle Morriss, Mary-Margaret Roberts, Charlie Strater and Michael Weatherspoon.

Multi-faceted musician, composer and musical director Lance Horne returns to New York City, headlining a yearlong performance residency called New Work New Work at Joe's Pub at The Public, beginning Monday, November 21 (9:30PM).