OPENING: ROE and Graveyard Shift at Goodman Theatre

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

LISA LOOMER’S ROE (CHICAGO PREMIERE) AND KORDE ARRINGTON TUTTLE’S GRAVEYARD SHIFT (WORLD PREMIERE)

***TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FOR BOTH PRODUCTIONS***

I'll be out for opening night, so check back soon for my full reviews. I adore director, Vanessa Stalling's work, and I'm particularly eager to catch the all too timely, ROE.

Goodman Theatre continues its 2019/2020 Season this winter with two new plays. A Chicago premiere, Roe by Lisa Loomer, directed by former Goodman Maggio Fellow Vanessa Stalling (The Wolves), illuminates the complex young women behind the landmark trial of Roe v. Wade. graveyard shift by korde arrington tuttle, directed by Danya Taymor, is a world premiere that was developed in the Goodman’s New Stages Festival last year. Roe appears January 18 – February 23 in the 856-seat Albert Theatre; tickets are $20 - $70 (subject to change). graveyard shift appears February 7 – March 8 in the 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre; tickets are $15 – $45 (subject to change). Visit GoodmanTheatre.org, call 312.443.3800 or purchase at the Goodman Theatre box office (170 N. Dearborn).

Goodman Theatre is grateful for the support of its sponsors of Roe, including Goodman Theatre Women’s Board and the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation (Major Production Sponsors), Winston and Strawn LLP (Major Corporate Sponsor) and WBEZ 91.5 (Media Sponsor).

Roe
By Lisa Loomer
Directed by Vanessa Stalling

"You didn’t give a damn about Roe the person—all you cared about was Roe the case!”-Norma, Act II, Scene II. Conceived in a pizza parlor and argued in the highest court in the land, 1973’s Roe v. Wade legalized abortion—and is hotly debated still today. The complex young women behind the trial—attorney Sarah Weddington and plaintiff Norma McCorvey (“Jane Roe”)—embark upon separate journeys that mirror the current polarization over the landmark decision. “Full of nuance and complexity" (NPR), Roe illuminates the heart and passion that each side has for their cause.

Kayla Carter………………………………………………Roxy
Jazmín Corona……………………………...……………Ensemble
Julia Dale…………….……………………………………Melissa/Emily
Stephanie Diaz……………………………………………Ofelia/Connie
Kirsten Fitzgerald…………………………………………Molly/Mary/Ensemble
Raymond Fox…………………………..…………………McCluskey/Ensemble
Christina Hall……………………………………...………Sarah Weddington
Carolyn Hoerdemann………………….…………………Ensemble
Maura Kidwell……………….......................……………Helen/Ronda/Ensemble
Ryan Kitley………………………..………………………Flip/Ensemble
John Lister………………..………………………………Justice Blackmun/Ensemble
Kate Middleton……………………...……………………Norma McCorvey
Eliza Stoughton………………………………….……….Ensemble
Jessica Dean Turner…………………............…………Barbara/Aileen/Ensemble
Meg Warner………………………………………………Judy/Linda Coffee/Ensemble

The creative team includes Collette Pollard (Set Design), Jessica Pabst (Costume Design), Keith Parham (Lighting Design) and Mikhail Fiksel (Sound Design). Briana J. Fahey is the Production Stage Manager.



graveyard shift
By korde arrington tuttle
Directed by Danya Taymor

Janelle, poised to reap the fruits of her labor, relocates from Illinois to Texas in order to give love a chance. Meanwhile, a small-town police officer wrestles with the harsh realities of change. When their worlds collide, both are forced to confront the consequences of an imbalance of power. Inspired by the legacy of Sandra Bland, graveyard shift is an unflinching, open-hearted experience rooted in navigating a world full of fear.

Keith D. Gallagher…………………………………………Brian
Rae Gray…………….………………………………………Elise
Aneisa Hicks…………………………………………………Janelle
Lia Mortensen………………………………………………Trish
Kyle Vincent Terry…………………………………………Kane
The creative team includes Kristen Robinson (Set Design), Montana Levi Blanco (Costume Design), Marcus Doshi (Lighting Design) and Richard Woodbury (Sound Design). Rebekah Heusel is the Production Stage Manager.


ABOUT GOODMAN THEATRE
Chicago’s theater since 1925, Goodman Theatre is a not-for-profit arts and community organization in the heart of the Loop, distinguished by the excellence and scope of its artistic programming and community engagement. Led by Artistic Director Robert Falls and Executive Director Roche Schulfer, the theater’s artistic priorities include new play development (more than 150 world or American premieres), large scale musical theater works and reimagined classics. Artists and productions have earned two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and more than 160 Jeff Awards, among other accolades. The Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” Its longtime annual holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, now in its fourth decade, has created a new generation of theatergoers in Chicago. The Goodman also frequently serves as a production and program partner with national and international companies and Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters.

As a cultural and community organization invested in quality, diversity and community, Goodman Theatre is committed to using the art of theater for a better Chicago. Using the tools of the theatrical profession, the Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs aim to develop generations of citizens who understand the cultures and stories of diverse voices. The Goodman’s Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is the home of these programs, which are offered free of charge for Chicago youth—85% of whom come from underserved communities—schools and life-long learners.

Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation of the new Goodman center in 2000.

Today, Goodman Theatre leadership also includes the distinguished members of the Artistic Collective: Brian Dennehy, Rebecca Gilman, Henry Godinez, Dael Orlandersmith, Steve Scott, Kimberly Senior, Chuck Smith, Regina Taylor, Henry Wishcamper and Mary Zimmerman. David W. Fox, Jr. is Chairman of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Denise Stefan Ginascol is Women’s Board President and Megan McCarthy Hayes is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.

OPENING: CHICAGO PREMIERE OF DUNCAN MACMILLAN’S EVERY BRILLIANT THING AT WINDY CITY PLAYHOUSE SOUTH

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

WINDY CITY PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF DUNCAN MACMILLAN’S “EVERY BRILLIANT THING,” STARRING REBECCA SPENCE 

BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 18 AT WINDY CITY PLAYHOUSE SOUTH

The Playhouse Will Unveil a New Space with the Opening of “Every Brilliant Thing” This Fall

Windy City Playhouse will present the Chicago premiere of Duncan Macmillan’s critically-acclaimed “Every Brilliant Thing” in a brand-new third performance space at the Playhouse’s South Loop location (2229 S. Michigan Ave.). “Every Brilliant Thing,” a funny and heartfelt personal chronicle of life's joys, will be presented in a loft space, designed by award-winning production designer Scott Davis, on the third floor beginning Sept. 18, while the long-running hit “Southern Gothic” continues its run in the same building on the first floor. I'll be out for the press performance Friday, Sept. 27th, so check back with ChiILLiveShows.com soon for my full review. For tickets and more information, please visit www.WindyCityPlayhouse.com. 

Known from the popular, same-titled HBO adaptation, “Every Brilliant Thing” follows the protagonist as she guides the audience through a story of finding the things that make life worth living in the face of her mother's depression. Stay true to the original production and Windy City Playhouse’s immersive style, the show will offer a unique opportunity for audience members to participate in the story. This one-person show is led by Rebecca Spence as the Narrator.

The Guardian called “Every Brilliant thing “a heart-wrenching, hilarious play… possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop.”  The New York Times raved “In the face of great loss and depression, a real effort of will is required to recall why it’s worth continuing with life. That will is the force that animates ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ and keeps it afloat for the captivating hour of its duration.” The 2014 Barrow Street production of “Every Brilliant Thing” starring Jonny Donahoe was filmed for an HBO Documentary that same year.

"Within 10 minutes of watching ‘Every Brilliant Thing,’ I had fallen in love. Everyone in the room was part of this beautiful whirlwind of a quest to define and seek out brilliance, or more bluntly, a reason to live,” said Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein. “After watching the engagement of these audience members, we immediately set on a quest of our own, to gain the rights to produce ‘Every Brilliant Thing.’ That was not easy, but after two years of nagging and pushing, we did it! It tickles me to think about sharing this BRILLIANT experience with our audiences."

The Playhouse invites audience members to be a part of the action through brief, optional audience participation. While guests will be seated for the entirety of the production, there will be moments for them to be briefly cast in the play in collaboration with the Narrator.

“Every Brilliant Thing” begins performances on September 18 at Windy City Playhouse South. Tickets ($55-$75) are on sale now and can be purchased in-person at the Windy City Playhouse Box Office, by visiting WindyCityPlayhouse.com or by calling (773) 891-8985.

The performance schedule for “Every Brilliant Thing” is as follows: Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m. Tickets ($55-$75) are now on sale.



About the artists in “Every Brilliant Thing”:

Duncan Macmillan (Playwright) is an award-winning writer and theatre director whose plays include “Lungs,” “Every Brilliant Thing” and “2071.” His play “People, Places and Things” transferred from the National Theatre to the West End in 2016. His other plays include: “1984,” co-adapted/co-directed with Robert Icke, “The Forbidden Zone,” “Wunschloses Unglück,” and “Reise durch die Nacht.”

Jessica Fisch (Director) Recent credits: “I Wana F*#%ing Tear You Apart” (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble);  “Twilight Bowl” (University of Wisconsin at Madison); “Cry It Out” (Northlight Theatre); “You Across From Me” (Actors Theatre of Louisville, Humana Festival); “Late Company” (Cor Theatre, Midwest Premiere); “The Firebirds Take The Field” (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); “Straight White Men” (Associate Director, Steppenwolf Theatre); “Trudy, Carolyn Martha and Regine Travel to Outer Space” (Actors Theatre of Louisville, Humana Festival); “The Rosenkranz Mysteries: An Evening of Magic” (Royal George Cabaret); “Fefu and Her Friends” (Goodman Theatre/Rivendell Latina/o Celebration); “Opulent Complex and That Thing That Time” (Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Tens); “Psychodramatic” (A Red Orchid, Incubator Series); “Traces” (Feast Productions/ Jackalope Theatre). Selected New York credits: “The Realm” (The Wild Project), “Strive/Seek/Find” (Abingdon Theatre); the 2009 Playwrights Horizons’ Stories on 5 Stories Benefit, “Personal History” (Ensemble Studio Theatre); “The Redheaded Man” (Barrow Street Theatre/Down Payment Productions, FringeNYC, FringeEncores); “Dressed in Your Dreams” (Public Theater/Emerging Writers Group); an adaptation of the cult 1960’s gothic vampire soap opera “Dark Shadows” (Williamstown Theatre Festival). Fisch was a resident director at Ensemble Studio Theater, The Playwrights Horizons Directing Resident, and a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab. Upcoming Credits: “And Then There Were None” (Drury Lane Theater) MFA: Northwestern University. www.JessicaFisch.com

Rebecca Spence (Narrator) is the Associate Artistic Director of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, where she appeared in “The Firebirds Take the Field,” “How the World Began,” “These Shining Lives” (Equity Jeff Nom.) and “Wrens.” “Every Brilliant Thing” marks Spence’s first time working with Windy City Playhouse. Previous theatre credits include: “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” (Steppenwolf for Young Adults), “Mary Page Marlowe,” “The Crucible,” “Our Lady of 121st Street” and “Pacific” (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), “Continuity” (Goodman New Stages Festival), “In the Garden” (Lookingglass Theatre Company), “Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West” (TimeLine Theatre Company), “This” (Theatre Wit), “The Voysey Inheritance,” Les Liaisons Dangereuses” (Remy Bumppo - Equity Jeff Nom.), “Dracula” (Defiant Theatre) and  “Cyrano” (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre). Film credits include: “Princess Cyd,” “Saint Joan,” “Slice,” “Man of Steel,” “Fools,” “Tiger Tail in Blue,” “One Small Hitch,” “Contagion,” “The Dilemma,” “Public Enemies,” “Grace is Gone” and “The Break-Up.” Television credits: “Empire” (FOX), “Easy” (Netflix), “Boss” (STARZ), “Crisis” (NBC), “Chicago Fire” (NBC), “Betrayal” (ABC), “The Mob Doctor” (FOX), “Detroit 1-8-7” (ABC), “The Chicago Code” (FOX), “The Beast” (A&E) and “Prison Break” (FOX).

Marian Van Noppen (Narrator Understudy) is making her Windy City Playhouse debut. She is an actor, singer, songwriter and visual artist with roots along the east coast (North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, New York City) and now Chicago. Chicago appearances include Maggie Kubley’s “Come Over” (Steppenwolf Lookout Series 2019), performances at The Theatre School at DePaul University and singing backup for synth-pop band Celine Neon. Marian graduated in June with her MFA in Acting from DePaul University and is represented by DDO Chicago.

Amy Rubenstein is the Artistic Director and co-founder of Windy City Playhouse. Since the theater’s premiere in March 2015, she has overseen 11 mainstage productions, including the recent smash hit, world premiere “Southern Gothic,” of which she was also a co-creator. During her tenure, the Playhouse has been lauded for its uniquely contemporary approach that focuses on audience experience and has received numerous industry accolades, including seven Joseph Jefferson Award nominations, 11 Chicago Theater Awards, including the 2018 Trailblazer Award, and three International Centre for Women Playwrights’ 50/50 Awards. Prior to her current role at the Playhouse, Rubenstein’s credits include performing with Long Beach Playhouse, Human Race Theatre and Center Stage Theater, among others. She is a proud graduate of Brandeis University.

Helen Lattyak (Production Stage Manager) most recently worked with Windy City Playhouse on their 2019 production of “Noises Off.” Other credits include, “Bull in a China Shop,” “Significant Other,” “Bright Half Life,” “The Secretaries,” “Le Switch,” “Abraham Lincoln was a Faggot” and “We Three Lizas” (About Face Theatre), “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center of New York City” (Route 66), “Picnic” (American Theater Company), “Sucker Punch,” “Samsara” and “Failure: A Love Story” (Victory Gardens Theater), “Christmas at Christine’s,” “Ultra American,” “Muthaland” and “The Hundred Flowers Project” (Silk Road Rising) and “Brahman/i: A One-Hijra Stand Up Comedy Show” (About Face Theater and Silk Road Rising). Lattyak is a company member at TUTA Theater Chicago. She is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago and a member of the Actors Equity Association.

Scott Davis (Scenic Designer) returns to Windy City Playhouse, having previously designed the set for “Southern Gothic” (for which he won a 2018 Joseph Jefferson award) and “Chapter Two.” Chicago credits include: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Steppenwolf Theater, Court Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, Drury Lane Theatre, Northlight Theatre, American Theater Company, Griffin Theatre, Steep Theater and Northwestern University. International credits include productions with: Shakespeare's Globe, Unicorn Theater (London), Gdansk Shakespeare Theater (Poland), Market Theater (South Africa), Neuss Shakespeare festival (Germany), Edinburgh Festival (Scotland), South Korea Shakespeare Festival and Sydney Festival (Australia). Regional credits include productions with: Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Rep Stage and Dallas Theatre Center. Having received degrees from Northwestern University and University of Maryland College Park, Davis serves as adjunct faculty at Columbia College.

Eric Backus (Sound Designer) worked on previous Windy City Playhouse productions “Apartment 3A” and “Becky Shaw”. Recent regional credits include: Mark Twain’s “River of Song”, “The All Night Strut” (Milwaukee Rep.), “Shakespeare in Love”, “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” (TheatreSquared), “Working”, “Murder for Two” (Merry Go Round Playhouse) and “Legally Blonde” (Northern Stage). Recent Chicago credits include “Wolf Play” (Gift Theatre), “Something Clean” (Sideshow/Rivendell) and “The River” (BoHo). Baccus also designed the Off-Broadway, Chicago and touring productions of SoloChicago Theatre’s “Churchill” and the Chicago and LA productions of “Thrones! A Musical Parody.”

Caitlin McCarthy (Properties Designer) recently worked with Windy City Playhouse on their 2019 production of “The Recommendation”. She is a multidisciplinary artist who works as a prop designer, costume designer, production manager, visual artist and artistic producer. Recently she designed the costumes and set textiles for “The Late Wedding” (The Neighborhood Theatre) and served as the costume and production designer for Nire Nah’s music video, “Citizens of Atlantis”. She also recently production designed “The Care and Keeping of You”, a short film. Production Management credits include: “I’m Gonna Pray for You So Hard”, “Refrigerator” and “Mike Pence Sex Dream” (First Floor Theater). Caitlin is a company member at First Floor Theater.



About Windy City Playhouse
Windy City Playhouse is a professional theater and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, located on Chicago's northwest side. Premiering in March of 2015 with a mission to present contemporary, relevant, and approach art, the Playhouse has quickly become a mainstay of the Chicago theater scene. In 2018, its runaway hit, the immersive SOUTHERN GOTHIC, solidified the Playhouse as the first choice in Chicago theater for one-of-a-kind audience experience. "Experience driven. Audience first."

For more information, visit WindyCityPlayhouse.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

SAVE THE DATES: Shattered Globe Theatre's 2019-20 Season

Shattered Globe Theatre Announces 2019-20 Season:





Chicago Premiere!
BE HERE NOW
By Deborah Zoe Laufer
Directed by SGT Producing Artistic Director Sandy Shinner

Chicago Premiere!
SHEEPDOG
By Kevin Artigue
Directed by Wardell Julius Clark

WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING
By Andrew Bovell
Directed by Elizabeth Margolius

The cast of Shattered Globe Theatre’s 2019-20 season opener, the Chicago premiere of BE HERE NOW, includes (top, l to r) Demetra Dee and Deanna Reed Foster with (bottom, l to r)  Rebecca Jordan and Joe Wiens.

Shattered Globe Theatre is pleased to announce its 2019-20 Season, featuring two Chicago premieres: BE HERE NOW by Deborah Zoe Laufer, directed by Producing Artistic Director Sandy Shinner* – a bittersweet comedy about searching for happiness; and SHEEPDOG by Kevin Artigue, directed by Wardell Julius Clark – a love story colliding with today’s headlines; followed by WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING by Andrew Bovell, directed by Elizabeth Margolius – a stunning mystery of love and loss that reverberates through four generations.

The full 2019-20 Season will be presented at Shattered Globe’s resident home, Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. SGT’s VIP Season Traveler Memberships are on sale now at www.shatteredglobe.org. Single tickets for BE HERE NOW go on sale August 5, 2019 at www.shatteredglobe.org, by calling (773) 975-8150, or in person at the Theater Wit Box Office. Discounted group sales for all three productions are currently available at groupsales@shatteredglobe.org or by calling (773) 770-0333.



Shattered Globe Theatre’s 2019-20 Season includes:

September 5 – October 19, 2019
BE HERE NOW - Chicago Premiere!
By Deborah Zoe Laufer

Directed by SGT Producing Artistic Director Sandy Shinner*

Featuring Ensemble members Deanna Reed Foster*, Rebecca Jordan* and Joe Wiens* with Protégé Alumna Demetra Dee+

Press opening: Sunday, September 8, 2019 at 3 pm



Bari, an atheist and misanthrope, loses her job teaching nihilism in NYC and ends up working in a fulfillment center in her small hometown. Her empathetic co-workers push her toward yoga, meditation, and a blind date in the pursuit of happiness. But recently, her recurring headaches have gotten more intense, manifesting as ecstatic and almost religious experiences – and they are changing her entire outlook. She’s almost… happy! When she finds out that these rapturous headaches may be killing her, Bari needs to choose: does she live a shortened, joyful life – or does she risk a return to her past life of misery. Be Here Now takes audiences on a hilarious and poignant quest for meaning in modern life.



January 16 – February 29, 2020
SHEEPDOG - Chicago Premiere!
By Kevin Artigue

Directed by Wardell Julius Clark

Press opening: Sunday, January 19, 2020 at 3 pm

Amina and Ryan are both officers in the Cleveland police force. Amina is black, Ryan is white, and they are falling deeply and passionately in love. They pride themselves on moral and ethical conduct; they are officers committed to guarding the “sheep” (citizens) from the “wolves” (predators). When a police-involved shooting roils the department, the intoxication of young love spirals into confusion and self-doubt. This is a mystery inside a love story with high stakes and no easy answers. At breakneck speed, Amina’s dogged pursuit of the truth may exact a devastating toll.



April 23 – June 6, 2020

WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING

By Andrew Bovell

Directed by Elizabeth Margolius

Press opening: Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 3 pm

Shifting seamlessly from 1959 to 2039, an epic family saga unfolds across two continents and four generations. In the year 2039, rain falls in the desert of Australia as a father waits to reunite with his estranged son. A pivotal conversation unspools in London in 1988 as young Gabriel Law confronts his alcoholic mother about seven cryptic postcards his mysterious father sent from the outback. As Gabriel attempts to retrace his father’s footsteps, the past begins to inform the present. Rich and evocative, When the Rain Stops Falling creates a stunning thematic mosaic of secrecy, parentage and the echoing impact of the trespasses of those who came before.

*Denotes SGT Ensemble Member  ^Denotes SGT Artistic Associate  +Denotes SGT Protégé Alumna


About the Artists
Deborah Zoe Laufer’s (Playwright, Be Here Now) plays have been produced at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Cleveland Playhouse, Geva Theatre Center, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Portland Center Stage and The Humana Festival. Informed Consent appeared at The Duke Theatre in NYC in 2015, a co-production of Primary Stages and EST. It was a New York Times Critic’s Pick. Her play End Days won The ATCA Steinberg citation, and it has received over 70 productions around the country, and in Germany, Russia and Australia. Other plays include: Leveling Up, Out of Sterno, The Last Schwartz, Sirens, Meta, The Gulf of Westchester, Miniatures, Fortune, and Window Treatment, a collaboration with composer Daniel Green, produced in NYC by Premieres, Inner Voices. Be Here Now was commissioned and produced by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park in 2018.


Deb is a recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, the Lilly Award, and grants and commissions from The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, The Edgerton Foundation, The National New Play Network, the NEA, and the LeCompte du Nouy grant from the Lincoln Center Foundation. Her plays are published by Samuel French, Smith and Kraus and Playscripts, and have been developed at The Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Conference, PlayPenn, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Ojai Playwrights Conference, The Missoula Colony, The Cherry Lane Alternative, The Dramatists Guild Fellowship Program, New Georges, The Lark Play Development Center Asolo Repertory Theatre, PlayLab and the Baltic Playwrights Conference. She is a graduate of Juilliard, an alumna of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, and a member of The Dramatists Guild.

Sandy Shinner (Director, Be Here Now) joined Shattered Globe Theatre in October 2013 as the theatre’s first Producing Artistic Director. Her SGT directing credits include Will Snider’s How to Use a Knife, Scott McPherson’s Marvin’s Room and Sally Nemeth’s Mill Fire. The former Associate Artistic Director of Victory Gardens Theater, she created the nationally known IGNITION! Festival, served as co-director of the Access Project, and, with former Artistic Director Dennis Zacek and former Managing Director Marcelle McVay, accepted the 2001 Regional Theater Tony Award on behalf of Victory Gardens. Her other recent directing credits include: the world premiere of Rasheeda Speaking by Joel Drake Johnson (Rivendell Theater Ensemble) and Creditors by August Strindberg (Remy Bumppo Theater Company). She has directed over 80 plays at theaters including Victory Gardens, Remy Bumppo, American Blues, the University of Virginia, Actors Theater of Louisville’s Humana Festival, Steppenwolf’s First Look Repertory of New Work, New York’s 78th Street Theater Lab and the Sacramento Theater Company, among others. Her production of Trying by Joanna McClelland Glass transferred to New York, and her direction was nominated for the Joe A. Callaway Award. Shinner received the 2013 Kathryn V. Lamkey Spirit Award from the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee of Actors’ Equity Association for her commitment to diversity and non-traditional casting. She has been recognized as one of “50 Top Players” by Newcity and a “Chicagoan of the Year” by the Chicago Tribune. She is an adjunct professor at DePaul’s Theatre School, an At Large Ambassador for the National New Play Network and an Artistic Affiliate at American Blues Theatre.

Kevin Artigue (Playwright, Sheepdog) writes plays, TV and film. He was raised in Redlands, CA and calls Brooklyn home. He’s a current member of The Working Farm @ SPACE at Ryder Farm, the Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers Group at Primary Stages and an alum of Interstate 73 and the Public Theater's Emerging Writers Group. He most recently was welcomed into New Dramatists, class of 2026. His plays have been performed and developed with South Coast Rep, Golden Thread, Page 73, The Public Theater, the National New Play Network, NYTW, Long Wharf Theater, Portland Center Stage and the Playwrights' Center. MFA: Iowa Playwrights Workshop.

Wardell Julius Clark (Director, Sheepdog) is originally from Fairfield, Alabama and earned his BFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. Upcoming shows he's directing include His Shadow (16th Street Theater), Kill Move Paradise (TimeLine Theatre). Chicago directing credits include: Dutch Masters (Jackalope Theatre), The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 (Chicago Children's Theatre), The Shipment (Red Tape), Insurrection: Holding History (Stage Left) and Surely Goodness and Mercy (Redtwist). He was also Associate Director for Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and Assistant Director for Gem of the Ocean and Satchmo at the Waldorf (Court), and Assistant Director for The Scottsboro Boys (Porchlight Music Theatre). Chicago acting credits include work with Raven Theatre, American Blues Theater, First Folio, Windy City Playhouse, Court Theatre, Northlight, Victory Gardens, 16th Street Theater, MPAACT, American Theater Company and Congo Square Theater. Regional credits include work at Theater at Monmouth, Cardinal Stage, Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival and Carver Theatre. His television and film credits include Shameless, Chicago Fire and Proven Innocent. Wardell is also a company member at TimeLine Theatre, as well as an actor instructor/teaching artist at the School at Steppenwolf, TimeLine Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Black Box Acting Studio, Vagabond School of the Arts. He is represented by Gray Talent Group.

Andrew Bovell (Playwright, When the Rain Stops Falling) is an internationally recognized writer for the stage and screen. His works for the stage include Things I Know to Be True, a co-production between State Theatre Company of South Australia and Frantic Assembly in the UK (2016), plus a new production at Belvoir Street Theatre in 2019; an adaptation of Kate Grenville novel The Secret River, directed by Neil Armfield, Sydney Theatre Company / Sydney Festival 2013 and Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in 2016; When the Rain Stops Falling, Adelaide Festival of the Arts 2008, Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company in 2009, Brisbane, Canberra and Alice Springs in 2010. The play was produced in London at the Almeida Theatre (2009) and in New York at The Lincoln Center (2010), where it won five Lucille Lortell Awards and was named best new play of the year by Time Magazine. Productions of Andrew’s plays continue throughout Asia, UK, America and Europe.

Earlier works for the stage include: Holy Day (2001), Who’s Afraid of the Working Class? (1998), Speaking in Tongues (1996), Scenes from a Separation (1995), Ship of Fools (1999) and After Dinner (1988). After Dinner was revived by Sydney Theatre Company in 2015 and State Theatre Company of South Australia in 2018.

Andrew’s film credits include Stoner (2017) an adaptation of John Williams’ novel for Blumhouse/F4, In the Shadow of Iris, a French language adaptation of his screenplay Chaos directed by Jalil Lespert (starring Romain Duris, Charlotte Le Bon, Jalil Lespert, and Camille Cottin); A Most Wanted Man (2014) an adaptation of John Le Carre’s novel for director Anton Corbijn (starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Defoe and Robyn Wright) which premiered at Sundance Film Festival; Edge of Darkness (2010) starring Mel Gibson; Blessed (2009) winner Best Screenplay at the San Sebastian Film Festival; The Book of Revelation (2006); Lantana (2001), based on his stage play Speaking in Tongues, premiered at Sydney Film Festival and had Gala Screening at Toronto Film Festival, the screenplay was awarded Best Screenplay at the Australian Film Institute Awards, Australian Critics Circle Award, Australian Writers Guild Award; Head On (1998) winner Best Screenplay Australian Writers Guild Awards, The Fisherman’s Wake (1996) and the original screenplay for Strictly Ballroom (1992).


Elizabeth Margolius (Director, When the Rain Stops Falling) is a Chicago and upstate New York based, multiple Joseph Jefferson Award-nominated stage and movement director. Elizabeth’s stage and movement directorial credits include: Queen of the Mist for Firebrand Theatre, The Scarlet Ibis for Chicago Opera Theater, Miss Holmes for Peninsula Players, Machinal for Greenhouse Theater Center (Movement Director), The Bridges of Madison County for Peninsula Players, Uncle Philip’s Coat for Greenhouse Theater Center, Haymarket: The Anarchist’s Songbook for Underscore Theatre, L’Occasione Fa Il Ladro and Twelfth Night for DePaul Opera Theatre, The Girl in the Train, The Land of Smiles and The Cousin from Nowhere for Chicago Folks Operetta, Goldstar, Ohio for American Theater Company, The Merry Wives of Windsor for Chicago Shakespeare Theater (Assistant Director), The Last Cyclist for Genesis Theatrical Productions, Opus 1861 for City Lit Theater (Jeff nomination-Best Adaptation), Violet for Bailiwick Chicago (Jeff nomination—Best Director of a Musical) and Bernarda Alba and Songs for a New World for Bohemian Theatre Ensemble. Elizabeth is an alumna of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab, a recipient of a full directorial scholarship for the Wesley Balk Opera-Music Theater Institute, a finalist for the Charles Abbott Fellowship, and the Co-Founder of DirectorsLabChicago. Elizabeth is a proud member of the American Guild of Musical Artists and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

About Shattered Globe Theatre

Shattered Globe Theatre (Sandy Shinner, Producing Artistic Director; Doug McDade, Managing Director) was born in a storefront space on Halsted Street in 1991. Since then, SGT has produced more than 65 plays, including nine American and world premieres, and garnered an impressive 42 Jeff Awards and 106 Jeff Award nominations, as well as the acclaim of critics and audiences alike. Shattered Globe is an ensemble-driven theater whose mission is to create an intimate, visceral theater experience that challenges the perspective of audience and artist alike through passionate storytelling. Shattered Globe is inspired by the diversity of Chicago and committed to making theater available to all audiences. Through initiatives such as the Protégé Program, Shattered Globe creates a space which allows emerging artists to grow and share in the ensemble experience.

Shattered Globe Theatre is partially supported and funded by generous grants from The Shulman-Rochambeau Charitable Foundation, The James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, Alphawood Foundation, The Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council, a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, The Shubert Foundation, The Blum-Kovler Family Foundation, The Robert J. & Loretta W. Cooney Family Foundation and the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation.

For more information on Shattered Globe Theatre, please visit www.shatteredglobe.org.

OPENING: CHICAGO PREMIERE of New musical NOW AND THEN at The Broadway at Pride Arts Center

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CHICAGO PREMIERE OF

NOW AND THEN

Music and Lyrics by Dennis Manning, Story and Book by Ronnie Larsen

Directed by Ronnie Larsen

Music Direction by Dennis Manning

July 10 – August 11, 2019

New musical NOW AND THEN, about a love between two men across four decades, to begin performances July 10 in The Broadway at Pride Arts Center

Chicago premiere of original musical that enjoyed its World Premiere in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in Fall 2018

NOW AND THEN, a new musical about a long-term loving relationship between two gay men, will be mounted in a commercial production by Now and Then Productions in the Broadway Theatre at the Pride Arts Center from July 10 – August 11. The musical with a folk-infused score by Dennis Manning and a story and book by Ronnie Larsen had its World Premiere at Wilton Theatre Factory in the Ft. Lauderdale area in September 2018 and was recommended for the Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s Theater and Arts Honors.

This musical tells with humor and heart the relationship of the characters Daniel and Greg from their twenties through their middle and later adult years. They meet in college, when Daniel is an aspiring country singer-songwriter and Greg has dreams of being a stand-up comedian. The two characters will be played by six actors, portraying Daniel and Greg in their twenties, mid-thirties and sixties as they deal with such universal relationship challenges as establishing trust, financial pressures, and keeping their love vibrant over time. The story by Ronnie Larsen, whose plays have enjoyed long runs off-Broadway and across the US, is loosely based on events from Manning’s life. Manning, whose wistfully melodic15-song score will be accompanied by three of the actors playing acoustic guitar on stage, has worked as a singer-songwriter and has performed at Nashville’s celebrated Wild Horse Saloon.

Larsen will direct a cast including Carl Herzog, who was just recently given a Jeff Award nomination for his role on THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY by Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. Herzog, also known for his work in Theo Ubique’s MY WAY: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA and Kokandy Productions’ TOMORROW MORNING, will play “Daniel 2” – the thirtysomething version of the aspiring country singer Daniel. Alex Smith will play “Greg 2,” who in his thirties has become the more practical half of the couple. The cast also will include Will Fulginiti as “Daniel 1” and Benjamin Walton as “Greg 1,” the college-age version of the couple. The couple in their sixties will be played by Manning as “Daniel 3” (the role he originated in the World Premiere production) and Skip Sams as “Greg 3.”

The three versions of the couple will sometimes be on stage simultaneously, as if remembering or anticipating events in their relationship over the decades. Daniel and Greg’s past and present will co-exist on stage, as the title NOW AND THEN suggests. Reviewing the World Premiere production for the website New York Style Guide, critic Bill Hirschman said, “director Larsen stages bookwriter Larsen’s concept deftly and inventively by visually, aurally and dramatically juxtaposing these couples.”

NEW YORK STYLE GUIDE’s Hirschman also praised the score, saying  “Manning’s heartfelt music gloriously meanders in a fusion of several genres. Without intentionally emulating them, it echoes early Indigo Girls, Joni Mitchell, coffeehouse folk and a hint of Grand Ol’ Opry, notable for rippling cascades of finger-picked notes along with strummed background chords that add strength and palpable dimension.” The enthusiastic reception to the score from audiences and critics alike led to a cast recording, which was released in April and is available through Amazon Music, iTunes, YouTube Music, Spotify, Google Play, Pandora, Deezer, and iHeartRadio.

NOW AND THEN
July 10 – August 11, 2019
Previews: July 10 and 11 at 8:00pm All preview seats $15.
Press Opening: Friday, July 12  at 8 pm
Regular Run: July 12 – August 11 with evening performances Thursdays - Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 7 pm; matinees Saturdays at 4 pm and Sundays at 3 pm
Pride Arts Center - The Broadway
4139 N. Broadway

Premium front row seats $50, general admission seats $35. Tickets available online at www.nowandthenmusical.com 


BIOS

Dennis Manning (Lyricist and Composer). Dennis has been a singer, songwriter and performer for more than 40 years in the country, pop, folk music industry.  He has performed in Nashville at the celebrated Wild Horse Saloon. He did theater in the early days in productions of GODSPELL, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM. Dennis was a Franciscan Friar, a restauranteur, and has worked in a variety of industries.  He holds an MS in Training, BS in Marketing, BA in English and has a recording engineering certification.

Ronnie Larsen (Story and Book). Ronnie Larsen is an actor-director-playwright-producer whose work has been seen in every major city in America, as well as in Canada, Australia, Italy and London. Twelve of his plays have been produced and five have been seen Off-Broadway in New York City. He has also made a documentary that had theatrical runs at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, Cinema Village in New York City and the Laemmle 5 in Los Angeles as well as showings at numerous film festivals in America, England and the Berlin Film Festival. His plays include: SCENES FROM MY LOVE LIFE, MAKING PORN, 10 NAKED MEN, PEEP SHOW, ALL-MALE PEEP SHOW, GIRL MEETS GIRL, MY BOYFRIEND THE STRIPPER, SHOOTING PORN: LIVE ONSTAGE!, A FEW GAY MEN, SLEEPING WITH STRAIGHT MEN, CHARLIE THE SEX ADDICT, COCKSUCKER: A LOVE STORY, SEX AND VIOLENCE, and TWO DEAD CLOWNS. He created the documentary, SHOOTING PORN and he has also hosted THE VAGINA TALK SHOW, THE PENIS TALK SHOW and THE TGIRL TALK SHOW.

SAVE THE DATES: Chicago Premiere of Head Over Heels Via Kokandy Productions July 1 – August 25, 2019

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Kokandy Productions Announces the Chicago Premiere of

HEAD OVER HEELS

Songs by The Go-Go’s

 The creative team for Kokandy Productions’ Chicago premiere of HEAD OVER HEELS includes (left to right) Co-Directors Derek Van Barham and Elizabeth Swanson, music director Kyra Leigh and choreographer Breon Arzell.

Based on The Arcadia by Sir Phillip Sidney

Conceived & Original Book by Jeff Whitty

Adapted by James Magruder

Co-Directed by Derek Van Barham & Elizabeth Swanson

Music Direction by Kyra Leigh

Choreography by Breon Arzell

July 1 – August 25, 2019 
at Theater Wit

Kokandy Productions is pleased to announce the Chicago premiere of
the bold new musical comedy HEAD OVER HEELS, featuring songs by The Go-Go’s, based on The Arcadia by Sir Phillip Sidney, conceived and original book by Jeff Whitty and adapted by James Magruder. Making its Chicago debut just six months after concluding its Broadway run, HEAD OVER HEELS is co-directed by Kokandy’s new Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham and Elizabeth Swanson, with music direction by Kyra Leigh and choreography by Breon Arzell. Casting will be announced shortly. 

HEAD OVER HEELS will play July 1 – August 25, 2019 at Theater Wit,
1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.kokandyproductions.com, by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at the Theater Wit Box Office. I'll be out for the press opening July 6th, so check back shortly after for my full review.

From the visionaries that rocked Broadway with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Avenue Q and Spring Awakening, HEAD OVER HEELS is a laugh-out-loud love story is set to the music of the iconic 1980’s all-female rock band The Go-Go’s, featuring the hit songs, “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth” and “Mad About You.” A hilarious, exuberant celebration of love, HEAD OVER HEELS follows the escapades of a royal family on an outrageous journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction – only to discover the key to their realm’s survival lies within each of their own hearts.

Comments Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham, “A celebratory pop musical about self-love and acceptance? I can’t imagine a better way to spend the summer!  Whether you’re looking for escape or sanctuary, the world of Head Over Heels has something for everyone. There’s a universal journey of self-discovery at the pulse of this show, and I am so proud to be able to share it with Chicago!”

Board President Scot Kokandy comments, “I also wanted to take this opportunity to share some updates to our staff and board. In January, we welcomed new board member Katherine Smith to fill the vacancy that occurred due to the passing of Gitta Jacobs. We know Gitta will always be with us in
spirit cheering us on and we thank her for her wisdom and guidance while working with us. Nik Whitcomb has left as one of our Artistic Associate – we wish him well on all his artistic endeavors. Lastly, founding member John D. Glover retired from the organization last year and I want to acknowledge his contributions. Not only did John contribute to the artistic formation and ongoing
vision of the company by directing sixs shows over six years, but he made significant contributions financially, both personally and through his fundraising efforts. If it wasn’t for John’s efforts and support early on, the company wouldn’t be here today.”

Location: Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago
Dates: Previews: Monday, July 1 at 7 pm, Tuesday, July 2 at 7 pm, Wednesday, July 3 at 7 pm and Friday, July 5 at 8 pm
Press performance: Saturday, July 6 at 8 pm
Regular run: Sunday, July 7 – Sunday, August 25, 2019

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. Please note: there will be added performances on Saturday, July 27 at 3 pm, Saturday, August 10 at 3 pm and Saturday,
August 24 at 3 pm.

Tickets: Previews $25. Regular run $40. Students/seniors $35. Tickets are available at www.kokandyproductions.com, by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at the Theater Wit Box Office.

About the Artists
Derek Van Barham (Co-Director) is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions, and a member of the Red Tape Theatre ensemble. He previously served as Associate Artistic Director of Pride Films & Plays. For PFP, he directed Perfect Arrangement, Angry Fags (Steppenwolf Garage), Songs from an Unmade Bed (Jeff nomination), and (co-directing) PRISCILLA, Queen of the Desert. Choreography credits include The CiviliTy of Albert Cashier and BITE (PFP), all Black Button Eyes productions, and Salonathon. Other directing credits include The View Upstairs (Circle Theatre), Three Days of Rain (Boho) and Miracle! by Dan Savage and Skooby Don't! (Hell in a Handbag). He was named one of Windy City Times 30 Under 30, recognizing Chicago's LGBTQ+ community.

Elizabeth Swanson (Co-Director) is a Chicago-based theater director. Recent credits include I Know My Own Heart (Pride Films & Plays), Hildegard: A New Musical (With a Machete Productions), Where All the White Sneakers At? (Second City) and Lungs (Granary Theatre, Cork, Ireland). Assistant directing credits include Fun Home (Victory Gardens Theater), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) and Vardo for the Dublin Theatre Festival (Anu Productions). Elizabeth has also directed for Stage 773’s Artists Lab, as well as festival shows and readings with About Face Theater, Chicago Dramatists, Chicago Theater Marathon, The New Colony and Waltzing Mechanics,
among others. Elizabeth holds an MFA from the Lir National Academy of Dramatic Arts at the University of Dublin. elizabethswansondirector.com
Kyra Leigh (Music Director, she/her/hers) is active as both a musician and actor. She’s composed and performed for the prestigious Stewart Ostrow Musical Theatre Lab, Prop Thtr, and released a full length album, “Transfigure.” She’s acted with the Jeff Award-winning Theo Ubique, The National Pastime Theatre, and is making her debut with Pride Films & Plays. She’s performed as a solo artist at venues such at Mary's Attic, Park West, The Abbey Pub and Davenport’s. She also directs shows at the Chicago School of Rock and is an active church musician with North Shore Baptist. She is a passionate advocate for trans visibility in the worlds of pop music, classical music and theatre. She is
currently represented by DDO Artists.

Breon Arzell (Choreographer) Most commonly known as an actor, Arzell's breakout, and award-winning, premiere as a Chicago choreographer came with Oracle Productions' The Hairy Ape. The Detroit native received his first training while at Miami University. In Chicago, he has worked as a dancer, choreographer and instructor at Joel Hall Dancers & Center, Porchlight Music Theatre, Vagabond School and The Goodman Theatre (for their Musical Theater Program). Developing his own style of dance (hip-hop, jazz, modern, lyrical, contemporary and body percussion) and storytelling, movement credits include: We Are Proud to Present (Steppenwolf Theatre), Poseidon! (Hell in a Handbag), The Total Bent (Haven Theatre/About Face), Rightlynd, The House That Will Not Stand (Victory Gardens Theater), Night Runner, Wig Out (DePaul University); Julius Caesar (Writers Theatre), Marie Christine  (BoHo Theatre), The Wiz  (Kokandy), Scottsboro Boys (Porchlight Music Theatre), and more. His talents have allowed him to work all across the U.S., Canada, England, Italy,
Germany, Denmark, Singapore and Malaysia.

About Kokandy Productions
Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theater
to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-
based musical theater artists, and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theater
community.

The company's artistic staff is comprised of John D. Glover (Artistic Producer), Allison Hendrix
(Producing Artistic Director), Scot T. Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Kory Danielson (Resident
Music Director).

For additional information, visit www.kokandyproductions.com.

OPENING: Chicago Premiere of THE UNDENIABLE SOUND OF RIGHT NOW Via Raven Theatre May 2 – June 16, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Chicago Premiere!

Raven Theatre Presents

THE UNDENIABLE SOUND OF RIGHT NOW

By Laura Eason

Directed by BJ Jones

May 2 – June 16, 2019 

Raven Theatre is pleased to conclude its 2018-19 season with the Chicago premiere of Laura Eason’s THE UNDENIABLE SOUND OF RIGHT NOW, a poignant and potent portrait of those who can change with the times and those who get left behind. Directed by BJ Jones, THE UNDENIABLE SOUND OF RIGHT NOW will play May 2 – June 16, 2019 on Raven’s 99-seat East Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177. The press opening is Monday, May 6 at 7:30 pm.

THE UNDENIABLE SOUND OF RIGHT NOW features Christopher Acevedo, Dana Black, Henry Greenberg, Jeff Mills, Casey Morris and Lindsay Stock.

Chicago, 1992. The city and its culture are changing, but grungy old Hank’s Bar isn’t. The “soulless” noise of electronic music is on the rise. Hank, proprietor of a legendary rock club, must battle the rising tide of The Next Big Thing as it threatens to destroy his legacy and fracture his family.

Comments Artistic Director Cody Estle, “The Undeniable Sound of Right Now is a Chicago story – set in Chicago and written by fourth generation Chicagoan Laura Eason. The play is a somewhat poignant look at the fall of rock music and the rise of house music in the early 1990s. This is a topic Laura knows well, as she was the singer, songwriter and bass player for the Chicago power pop band Tart. I am pleased to present this play about the inevitable changes which come with the passage of time and the coming of age of a new generation.”

The production team for THE UNDENIABLE SOUND OF RIGHT NOW includes: Jeffrey D. Kmiec (scenic design), Izumi Inaba (costume design), Heather Gilbert (lighting design), Lindsay Jones (sound design), Lacie Hexom (props design), Kanome Jones (casting director), Eli Newell (assistant director), Eric Backus (assistant sound designer), Eileen Rozycki (scenic artist), Cole von Glahn (production manager), Bek Lambrecht (technical director), Wilhelm Peters (stage manager) and Sapier Weinglass (assistant stage manager).

Cast (in alphabetical order): Christopher Acevedo (Toby), Dana Black (Bette), Henry Greenberg (Nash), Jeff Mills (Hank), Casey Morris (Joey) and Lindsay Stock (Lena).

Location: Raven Theatre East Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville), Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, May 2 at 7:30 pm, Friday, May 3 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, May 4 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, May 5 at 3 pm

Press performance: Monday, May 6 at 7:30 pm

Regular run: Thursday, May 9 – Sunday, June 16, 2019

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm.

Tickets: Previews $32 ($29 if purchased online). Regular run $46 ($43 if purchased online). Seniors/teachers $41 ($38 if purchased online). Students/active military and veterans $15. Every Thursday is “Under 30 Thursday,” when patrons under age 30 can purchase tickets for $15. Tickets are currently available at www.raventheatre.com or by calling (773) 338-2177.

Touch Tour/Open Captioned performance: Sunday, June 2 at 3 pm. Touch tour begins at 1:45 pm.

Group tickets: Groups of 10 or more are $30 per person for Thursday and Friday performances and $35 per person for Saturday and Sunday performances. Student groups are $15 per person.

Plan Your Visit:
Free parking is provided in a lot adjacent to the theatre – additional street parking is available. Nearest El station: Granville Red Line. Buses: #22 (Clark), #36 (Broadway), #151 (Sheridan), #155 (Devon), #84 (Peterson).

About the Artists:
Laura Eason (Playwright) is a Brooklyn-based screenwriter and playwright. She is best known for four seasons as a writer/producer on the Netflix drama House of Cards (WGA nomination for outstanding writing in a drama series, three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for drama series) and her play Sex With Strangers (Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago; Second Stage, NY; Hampstead Theatre, London; Sydney Theatre, AU; Blackwing Productions, Buenos Aires, AR; one of the most produced plays in the U.S. of the ’15-’16 and ’16-’17 seasons with more than 50 separate productions). Her award-winning stage adaptations for family audiences include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Hartford Stage, CT; New Victory, NY; and more than thirty productions around the U.S.) and Around the World in 80 Days (Lookingglass Theatre, Chicago and many productions in U.S. and London/UK). Eason is an ensemble member and the former Artistic Director of Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago (2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award), and a Dramatists Guild, WGAE, AEA, SAG, and SDC member. Laura is an alumna of Northwestern University and WP Playwright’s Lab. More information at www.lauraeason.com or @LEasonNYC


BJ Jones (Director) is in his 20th season as Artistic Director of Northlight Theatre, where he has commissioned and directed the world premieres of Faceless, Charm, White Guy on the Bus, Chapatti, Stella & Lou, The Outgoing Tide (Jeff Nomination – Best Director), Better Late and Rounding Third. Notably he has directed productions of Outside Mullingar, Grey Gardens, The Price (Jeff Nomination – Best Director), A Skull in Connemara, The Cripple of Inishmaan, and The Lieutenant of Inishmore. As a producer he has guided the world premieres of Shining Lives, The Last Five Years, The Gamester and Studs Terkel’s The Good War. From Second City to Shakespeare, BJ has directed Pitmen Painters (Jeff Nomination – Best Director, TimeLine), A Number (Next), 100 Saints You Should Know (Steppenwolf) and The Dresser (Body Politic). Regional: Glengarry Glen Ross (Suzie Bass Nominee – Best Director, Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre), Enchanted April (Asolo Theatre), and productions at Cherry Lane Theatre NY, Galway International Arts Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, and Utah Shakespeare Festival. As a performer, Mr. Jones is a two-time Joseph Jefferson Award winner and has appeared at Northlight, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Court and other theatres throughout Chicago. Film/TV credits include The Fugitive, Body Double, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Early Edition, Cupid and Turks, among others.



About Raven Theatre
Raven Theatre tells stories of today and the past that connect us to our cultural landscape. Through its plays as well as its educational programming, Raven is committed to serving our communities’ needs through the arts.

Raven Theatre Company is funded in part by the Alphawood Foundation, The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, Polk Bros Foundation, Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, S&C Electric Company Fund, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

ADULT NIGHT OUT: Chicago Premiere of The Children at Steppenwolf Theatre Company April 18 - June 9, 2019

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Following Sold-Out Runs in London and New York

Steppenwolf Presents the Chicago Premiere of 

The Children

Written by Lucy Kirkwood

Directed by Jonathan Berry

April 18 - June 9, 2019 

Three nuclear scientists. A chilling and dangerous plan.

I'll be out for the press opening May 1st so check back soon for my full review. 

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the Chicago premiere of The Children written by acclaimed British playwright Lucy Kirkwood and helmed by celebrated Chicago director Jonathan Berry. Filled with dark humor, this thought-provoking and haunting play features three of Chicago’s top actors tackling complex roles: ensemble members Ora Jones (Rose) and Yasen Peyankov (Robin) with Janet Ulrich Brooks (Hazel). Following sold-out runs in London and New York, Steppenwolf proudly presents this brave and profound work that confronts the responsibility each generation must face for the way it leaves the world.

Previews for The Children begin April 18, 2019 and the production runs through June 9, 2019 in the Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Press performances are Monday, April 29, 2019 at 7pm and Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at 7:30pm; Opening night is Monday, April 29.. Tickets ($20-$99) are available through Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.
Classic Memberships starting at $100 for the 2019/20 Season are now available. More info at steppenwolf.org/memberships.

On a summer evening in an isolated seaside cottage in the East of England, a pair of retired nuclear scientists are startled by a visit from a former colleague. As some crackers and wine are trotted out, so are various old jealousies, leading to the true reason for Rose's sudden reappearance: the revelation of a chilling and dangerous plan.

Playwright Lucy Kirkwood shares, “I had been trying to find a form for a long time to write about climate change in a way that was emotionally rather than intellectually driven. What is important and theatrical to me is not the facts of climate change – we all know the facts now, and most of the average theatre audience will believe in them too. What is interesting is this: if we know the facts, why are we failing so catastrophically to change our behaviors?”

“Lucy’s work powerfully interrogates the challenging space between our all too human desires and our shared responsibility to the generations to come. That she does this by creating rich, nuanced characters with a complicated history and a high-stakes problem to solve makes it a perfect fit for Steppenwolf. It's a taut 90-minute pressure cooker of a play,” comments Director Jonathan Berry.

About the Cast

Ensemble member Yasen Peyankov, who plays Robin, can currently be seen at Steppenwolf in A Doll’s House, Part 2 (through March 17). An ensemble member since 2002, he has performed in dozens of Steppenwolf plays, including the Broadway production of Superior Donuts. He translated and directed the Bulgarian premiere of August: Osage County at the National Theatre in Sofia. Currently he plays the Russian Foreign Minister on CBS’s Madam Secretary and will be seen in the upcoming feature film Captive State and the third season of Stranger Things.

Ora Jones, a longtime ensemble member, plays the role of Rose. In the past year she has portrayed a wide range of roles at Steppenwolf in Familiar, The Roommate and The Doppelgänger (an international farce). Her Broadway credits include Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Matilda The Musical as well as work at the Manhattan Theatre Club, the Public Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, and more. Film and television credits include Betrayal, Chicago Fire, Consumed, Were the World Mine and Stranger than Fiction.

Janet Ulrich Brooks, a celebrated Chicago actor, is a company member of TimeLine Theatre, where she was recently seen in Master Class. Other TimeLine credits include The Audience, Bakersfield Mist, The How and The Why, and Jeff-nominated performances in 33 Variations, A Walk in the Woods, All My Sons, When She Danced and Not Enough Air. Additional credits include Plantation (Lookingglass), Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Jeff Award nomination, Goodman), 2666, The Seagull, A True History of the Johnstown Flood and Teddy Ferrara (Goodman); Women Laughing Alone with Salad (Helen Hayes nomination Actress in Principal Role, Woolly Mammoth, D.C.); By The Water (Northlight); Failure: A Love Story and Native Gardens (Victory Gardens); Crazy For You (Drury Lane); and Golda’s Balcony (Jeff Award, Pegasus Players).

Playwright and Director Bios

Lucy Kirkwood is a playwright and screenwriter. In 2009, her play It Felt Empty When the Heart Went At First But It Is Alright Now was produced by Clean Break at the Arcola Theatre. Nominated for an Evening Standard Award for Best Newcomer, it made Lucy joint winner of the John Whiting Award. Chimerica premiered at the Almeida Theatre in 2013 and transferred to the West End, earning Best New Play at the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards, as well as the Critics Circle and Susan Smith Blackburn Award. Recent work includes Mosquitoes at the National Theatre in 2017, and The Children, which premiered at the Royal Court in 2016, and opened on Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club in 2017.

Jonathan Berry is an Artistic Producer at Steppenwolf and a director and teacher in Chicago. Steppenwolf productions include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, You Got Older, Constellations, The Crucible, Gary and A Separate Peace. Berry is a Steep Theatre ensemble member where productions include Red Rex, Birdland, Earthquakes in London, Posh, If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet, The Knowledge, Festen, Moment and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. He’s also an ensemble member at Griffin Theatre where productions include the Harvest, Winterset, Pocatello, Balm in Gilead, Golden Boy, Spring Awakening, Punk Rock, Port and On the Shore of the Wide World. He has served as the Assistant Director for Anna D. Shapiro’s Broadway productions Of Mice and Men and This Is Our Youth. Other theatre credits include Dirty, Suicide, Incorporated, Othello (Gift Theatre); The Solid Sand Below, The World of Extreme Happiness for New Stages (Goodman Theatre); Kill Floor (American Theater Company); Little Shop of Horrors, Sideman (American Blues Theater); I am Going to Change the World (Chicago Dramatists); and The Casuals (Jackalope Theatre Company). He pursued his MFA in directing from Northwestern University. He has taught at University of Michigan, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Columbia College and The School at Steppenwolf.

The Children production team includes Chelsea M. Warren (Scenic Design), Mara Blumenfeld (Costume Design), Lee Fiskness (Lighting Design), Andre Pluess (Sound Design), and Gigi Buffington (Company Voice and Text Coach). Additional credits include Laura Glenn (Stage Manager), Elise Hausken (Assistant Stage Manager), JC Clementz (Casting Director) and Greta Honold (Artistic Producer).

Ticket prices and schedule:
Preview ticket prices (April 18 – 28) range from $20 – $84; and the regular run (April 28 – June 9) are $20– $99. Prices subject to change.
20 for $20: Twenty $20 tickets are available for subscription shows on the day of the performance at 11am (Mon – Sat) and 1pm (Sun), by phone only at 312-335-1650. Limit 2 per person.
Rush Tickets: Half-price rush tickets are available one hour before each show.
Student Discounts: $15 student tickets are available online. (Limit 2 tickets. Must present a valid student ID for each ticket). For additional student discounts, visit steppenwolf.org/students.
Group Tickets: All groups of 10 or more receive a discounted rate for any performance.

Classic Memberships for the 2019/20 season offering guaranteed seats, great value and early access are now available. Packages start at $100.
Black Card Memberships are available for audiences interested in extreme flexibility and peace of mind with six tickets for use any time, are valid for one year with the option to add additional tickets as needed. Perks include free exchanges, access to seats before the general public, savings on single ticket prices and bar and restaurant discounts. RED Memberships are available for theatergoers under 30. Memberships options at steppenwolf.org/memberships.

Audience Services: For tickets or more information, contact Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St) at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.
Curtain Times: Tuesday – Friday at 7:30pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm and 7:30pm; Wednesdays at 2pm.


Accessibility

Committed to making the Steppenwolf experience accessible to everyone, performances featuring American Sign Language Interpretation, Open Captioning and Audio Description are offered during the run of each play. Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for every performance and the Downstairs and 1700 Theatres are each equipped with an induction hearing loop. All theaters feature wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms, and Front Bar features a push-button entrance, all-gender restrooms and accessible counter and table spaces.

Accessible Performances:
American Sign Language Interpretation: Sunday, May 12 at 7:30pm.

Open Captioning: Thursday, May 9 at 7:30pm and Saturday, June 4 at 3pm.

Audio Description and Touch Tour: Sunday, May 26 at 1:30pm


Visitor Information
Steppenwolf is located at 1650 N Halsted St near all forms of public transportation, bike racks and Divvy bike stands. The parking facility ($12 or $14, cash or card) is located just south of our theater at 1624 N Halsted. Valet parking service ($14 cash) is available directly in front of the main entrance starting at 5pm on weeknights, 1pm on weekends and at 12noon before Wednesday matinees. Limited street and lot parking are also available. For last minute questions and concerns, patrons can call the Steppenwolf Parking Hotline at 312.335.1774.


Sponsor Information
United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf.

Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks
Connected to the main lobby is Steppenwolf’s own Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks, offering a warm, creative space to grab a drink, have a bite, or meet up with friends and collaborators, day or night. Open Tuesdays – Sundays from 8am to midnight, Front Bar serves artisanal coffee and espresso is provided by La Colombe and food prepared by Goddess and Grocer. The menu focuses on fresh, accessible fare, featuring grab-and-go salads and sandwiches for lunch and adding shareable small plates and desserts for evening and post show service. www.front bar.com.

Year of Chicago Theatre
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is proud to be part of the 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre, presented by the City of Chicago and the League of Chicago Theatres. To truly fall in love with Chicago, you must go to our theatres. This is where the city bares its fearless soul. Home to a community of creators, risk-takers, and big hearts, Chicago theatre is a hotbed for exciting new work and hundreds of world premieres every year. From Broadway musicals to storefront plays and improv, there’s always a seat waiting for you at one of our 200+ theatres. Book your next show today at ChicagoPlays.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier ensemble theater. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble represents a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead to August: Osage County and Pass Over—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards—have made the theater legendary. Steppenwolf produces hundreds of performances and events annually in its three spaces: the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat 1700 Theatre. Artistic programing includes a seven-play season; a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; Visiting Company engagements; and LookOut, a multi-genre performances series. Education initiatives include the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf for Young Adults, which engages 15,000 participants annually from Chicago’s diverse communities; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. 

For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.