REVIEW: Sneak Peek at Underscore Theatre Company's CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL Through February 16th

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:
This is NOT Your Parents' Musical Theatre Fest

Underscore Theatre Company Presents

The 4th Annual

CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL

February 6 – 16, 2018 at Greenhouse Theater Center

 Liberators-2 (pictured) The cast of LIBERATORS: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL, part of the 4^th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL. Photo by Evan Hanover.

Review:

It was my great pleasure to catch the press “Sneak Preview,” featuring a sampling of songs from the 2018 Festival. The diverse offerings for 2018 range from impassioned immigrant stories and historical sagas to irreverently raunchy gay dating comedies. Several of the shows have unusual personifications and one even features sock puppets. All in all, this is NOT your parents' musical theatre fest. These new shows all push the traditional boundaries of the genre in exciting ways. Standouts from the medley of offerings in the press preview were THE BALLAD OF LEFTY & CRABBE -- a vaudeville adventure with fun potential, GRINDR The Opera-- a high energy ribald parody that left us wanting more, MUSICAL THERAPY-- a clever premise full of sock puppets and psychology, and finally haunting vocals of “TRU”. Do note, this run of TRU is already completely sold out.

Some of our favorite full productions from the past year, like CiviliTy of Albert Cashier': A stunningly spectacular true tale about a trans soldier, sprung from past years of the fest. Since its inception in 2014, the CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL has brought 35 new musical to Chicago stages! Come check out these fledgeling forays into new musical territory so you can claim you saw it first. 

 Discount tickets available at Chicago Theatre Week! Check it out. 

The 4th annual Festival takes place during the League of Chicago Theatres’ annual Chicago Theatre Week, with discounted tickets available to all Theatre Week performances!

Underscore Theatre Company is pleased to present its 4th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL, created to showcase and support the growing field of musical theatre creators from Chicago and beyond. This year’s Festival, featuring full productions of seven new musicals plus two staged readings, will play February 6 – 16, 2018 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Each full production will receive at least four performances during the Festival. Single tickets are currently available at www.cmtf.org. 

The festival provides much-needed artistic resources for emerging composer/lyricist teams to have their work supported, explored and most importantly – performed!

Production Schedule & Tickets:

Curtain times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8 pm; Fridays at 7:30 pm & 10 pm; Saturdays at 12 pm, 3 pm & 8 pm; Sundays at 12 pm, 3 pm & 6 pm. For a detailed scheduled of productions, please visit www.cmtf.org.

Tickets: $20 ($15 during Chicago Theatre Week). Tickets are currently available at www.cmtf.org.



The full line-up for the 4th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL includes:

(left to right) Vi Tran, Michael Van Pham, Carolyn Plurad and Diana Lee in THE BUTCHER'S SON, part of the 4^th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL. Photo by Evan Hanover.

THE BUTCHER'S SON
Book, Music & Lyrics by Vi Nhan H. Tran
Directed by Mackenzie Goodwin Tran, Music Direction by Ben Byard 
Cast: Todd Aulwurm, Jennifer Cheung, Carolyn Plurad, Diana Lee, Vi Tran and Michael Van Pham


(left to right) Carolyn Plurad and Vi Tran in THE BUTCHER'S SON, part of the 4^th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL. Photo by Evan Hanover.

Born in Vietnam and raised in southwestern Kansas, Vi Nhan H. Tran is torn between the mysterious secrets of his heritage and the waving wheat fields of his adopted home. A poignant and humorous folk musical memoir, The Butcher’s Son chronicles the Tran family’s escape from Vietnam, imprisonment by the Khmer Rouge and resettlement in the cattle country of America. Tran weaves a thrilling refugee story and All-American tale of how family stories become family lore and where one family's search for a home ends.

GRINDR The Opera
Book, Music and Lyrics by Erik Ransom
Directed by Rachel Klein, Music Direction by Oliver Townsend
Choreography by Rachel Klein and Shawn Quinlan
Cast: Connor Baty and Nathan Cooper. Additional casting to be announced.

Four gay men, seeking different types of connection, intersect to hilarious and calamitous results in this sung-through musical parody that puts the notorious gay hook-up app into the exaggerated world of opera. With musical styles ranging from contemporary pop to baroque, GRINDR The Opera is a daring, humorous look at the changing landscape of gay relationships, and the greatest catalyst for the shift: GRINDR.

IRON IRENE: A MUSICAL FABLE
Book by Liz Falstreau, Lyrics by Liz Falstreau and Ashley Flanagan, Music by Ashley Flanagan, Orchestration by Asher Carlson
Directed by Chris Causer, Choreography by Kira Christoforidis
Cast: Rena Ahmed, Luciana Bonifazi, Raymond Cleveland, Dylan Connelley, Casey Daniel, Liz Falstreau, Josh Greiveldinger, Tim Huggenberger, Josiah Robinson, Carly Sue Skankey, Maiko Terazawa and Elliot Watts

Set during the years following the American Civil War, Iron Irene tells the story of two sisters and their fight for family, equality and a better world. Upon the death of their parents, Cassie DeLanie is sent from her home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to live in southwestern Wyoming with her sister, Irene. Together, the sisters must learn to adjust to this new world while still attempting to maintain the beliefs and identities of their childhood. Their adventures will lead them to Wyoming’s shining moment: being the first U.S. territory to grant women’s suffrage.

(pictured) The cast of LIBERATORS: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL, part of the 4^th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL. Photo by Evan Hanover.

LIBERATORS: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL
Book and Lyrics by Eric C. Jones, Music by Bradley Dean Whyte and Alex Winkler,
Orchestrations by Nate Weil
Directed by Allison Heinz, Music Direction by Samantha Westlake
Choreography by Jaime Raglow
Cast: Isabel Breanahan, Caitlin Dobbins, Shelby Edwards, Chris Furrer, Luke Halpren, Alex Iacobucci, Jillian Jocson, Kate Jordan, Natalie Kreft, Lynette Li, Cari Meixner, Emily Moon, Mike Movidio, Gage Peterson, Christopher Ratliff, Colton Schied, Kati Schwaber, Allison Taylor, Thomas Tong and Evan Wilhelm

 

(left to right) Caitlin Dobbins and Luke Halpern in LIBERATORS: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL, part of the 4^th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL. Photo by Evan Hanover.

 

(pictured) The cast of LIBERATORS: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL, part of the 4^th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL. Photo by Evan Hanover.

A powerful rock musical about forgiveness, restoration, the power of friendship and what it means to be a family. This moving tale intersects and moves back and forth throughout 70 years and tells the story through the viewpoints of three unlikely men from different religious and ethnic backgrounds who are connected through a priceless family heirloom: a gold pocket watch. From the start of WWII to post-911 America, the lives of these characters will forever be changed during the historic liberation of Buchenwald and Dachau. Liberators: An American Musical encourages you to believe that even the most unlikely person can make a difference.

MUSICAL THERAPY
Music and Lyrics by Joey Katsiroubas, Book by Dan Hass
Directed by Madison Smith, Music Direction by Joey Katsiroubas
Choreography by Katelyn Stoss
Cast: James Bleecker Jr., Kirby Gibson, Matt Lamson, Alex Madda, Tommy Ross, Sophie Scanlon and Ashlyn Seehafer

Theresa is a young, single couples’ counselor in Chicago. While she’s great (well, okay) at keeping couples together, she can’t seem to lock down a guy for herself. And the fact that she tends to get attached (well, neurotic) after just one date doesn’t help either. Cut to Mr. Wonderful moving into the office next door: beautiful, bulgy-biceped Will. It’s obsession at first sight, and no obstacle or girlfriend is going to keep Theresa from being with him. She’ll ruin relationships, sabotage dates, push people out of the closet – mixing and matching her clients until it’s just Wonderful and her. Forever. And ever. 

THE BALLAD OF LEFTY & CRABBE
Book by Brian Huther, Ben Auxier and Seth Macchi, Music and Lyrics by Ben Auxier and Brian Huther, Arrangements and Music Direction by Ryan McCall
Cast: Ben Auxier, Molly Denninghoff, Ryan Hruza, Brian Huther, Nellie Maple, Mike Ott, Shea Pender and Elise Poehling

Set in the 1920s during the decline of Vaudeville and the rise of Hollywood, The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe tracks the journey of an ultra-sharp but down-on-their-luck comedy duo as they navigate the rapidly changing world of entertainment. With a cast of eight portraying nearly fifty characters, audiences will quickly lose themselves in this absurd and delightful comic world and leave with smiles on their faces.

(left to right) Meredith Kochan and Chuckie Benson in “TRU,” part of the 4^th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL. Photo by Evan Hanover.

“TRU” 
Book, Music, and Lyrics by David Gosz and Leo Fotos
Directed by Max Cervantes, Music Direction by Erik Pearson
Cast: Bradley Atkinson, Chuckie Benson, Kiko Laureano, Nic Mains, Hannon McEldowney, Meredith Kochan, Randolph Johnson, Marssie Mencotti, Marissa Pattullo and Marco Tzunux

 

(front, l to r) Marissa Pattullo, Bradley Atkinson and Kiko Laureano with the cast of “TRU,” part of the 4^th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL. Photo by Evan Hanover.

TRU-3 (pictured) The cast of “TRU,” part of the 4^th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL. Photo by Evan Hanover.

Through intricate characters and intimate music, “TRU” paints a picture of how hauntingly beautiful life can be. “TRU” explores the joys and challenges of the many relationships that are formed throughout one’s life, testing the various forms of love – between a man and his father, between a granddaughter and her grandmother, between a woman and her art, between a student and his teacher, between a man and himself. Walking hand in hand with reality, “TRU” toes the line between what is unbelievable and what is true.



Workshop Productions:

Monday, February 12 at 8 pm
MURDEROUS INNOCENT
Book by Tommy Jamerson, Music and Lyrics by Mark Contorno

Jacob Freeman seems to have it all; a thriving career, a bestselling novel, and an adoring wife. But when his past comes to haunt him in the form of his estranged seventeen year old daughter, Jacob’s perfect life is suddenly turned on its head and secrets long since buried begin to rise to the surface yet again.

Monday, February 19 at 8 pm
NOTES AND LETTERS
Book, Music and Lyrics by Annabelle Revak

Joe Loula departs war-torn Bohemia for Chicago in 1917 seeking a new job and a new independence. He quickly befriends Charlie, Nora and Olivia at Williams’ Custom Pianos. As the foursome become inseparable, the U.S. plunges into the World War I: businesses, relationships and pride are put to the test. A true story set to a jazz score, Notes and Letters chronicles the attempt to find an even beat in a world where the meter is constantly shifting. 

Are you a die-hard musicals fan? Do you want to see some terrific new shows and get invited to some exclusive events? Buy a festival pass and save!
​
What do I get?

1 ticket to all 7 festival full-length shows
Save 25% on your tickets, with no single-ticket fees
Exclusive invite to our February 5th press preview night to get a sneak-peek at all of this year's shows
Exclusive invite to our closing awards ceremony on February 25th
Stand at the FRONT of the line for every show, to make sure you get the best seats in the house
​
How much does it cost?
A 7-show festival pass costs only $120. Buy one HERE.
​
Once I get my pass, how do I use it?
Go to buy a ticket just like normal. Once you log in, you will be prompted to use your pass like any other payment method.

About Underscore Theatre Company 
Founded in 2011, Underscore Theatre Company is a team of producing artists dedicated to exploring stories of power and resonance through a musical lens; fostering the development of new musicals; and bolstering Chicago’s role as a national leader in musical theatre. Since its creation, Underscore has produced 44 new musicals in Chicago. Underscore is proud to be Chicago's home for new musicals.

OPENING: BUNNY BUNNY: Gilda Radner, A Sort of Love Story at Mercury Theater Chicago Through April 1,2018

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Mercury Theater Chicago Announces Cast of 

BUNNY BUNNY: 

Gilda Radner, A Sort of Love Story 

February 9 – April 1, 2018

**running time approximately 2:20, including one 15 minute intermission**

ChiIL Live Shows will be ChiILin' at Mercury Theatre for the press opening Sunday, February 11th, so check back soon for my full review. I'm eager to catch this tribute to a fabulously funny, endearing and enduring friendship, written by and about Alan Zweibel and comedian extraordinaire, Gilda Radner. I'm also looking forward to another after party/reception in the fabulously fun and aptly named, Venus Cabaret space, next door to Mercury. They're ready to start hosting smaller cabaret shows there this spring. 

The performance schedule for BUNNY BUNNY is Wednesdays at 8pm, Thursdays at 8pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm and Sundays at 3pm.

Individual tickets range from $30-$55, and are available online at MercuryTheaterChicago.com, over the phone at 773.325.1700, or in person at 3745 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago.

The perfect way to celebrate Valentine's Day. 
Valentine's Day is on its way, and BUNNY BUNNY: GILDA RADNER, A SORT OF LOVE STORY is the perfect way to celebrate. Join us for this intimate, touching play about the special relationship between Gilda Radner and Alan Zweibel. 

Valentine's Date Special
2 Tickets for the Valentines' Night Show plus a Champagne Toast for $80.
February 14th at 8pm

Join us for a champagne toast before the show and enjoy premium seats for BUNNY BUNNY: GILDA RADNER, A SORT OF LOVE STORY.

Enter code:
"VALENTINE" 

Limited availability - offer valid 2/14 only. Valid on "regular" full-priced tickets only. Not applicable on previous purchases.



Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Avenue – is pleased to announce the cast and creative team of BUNNY BUNNY: GILDA RADNER, A SORT OF LOVE STORY, running from February 9th through April 1st. 

Led by Director Warner Crocker, Dana Tretta makes her Mercury Theater Chicago debut in the role of beloved comedian Gilda Radner, alongside Jackson Peter Evans as “Saturday Night Live” writer Alan Zweibel.

A funny, tender, and touching play, based on the book of the same name, former Saturday Night Live writer Alan Zweibel recalls his eccentric kinship spanning 14 years with beloved SNL actress Gilda Radner.



Gilda Radner was one of the great comic geniuses of the 20th century. Her life-long friend and comedy writer Alan Zweibel has written this loving tribute to Gilda. BUNNY BUNNY is based on their curious bond, a relationship that was always emotional but never physical. Comic and heartbreaking, this play follows these two overgrown kids as they ride bumper-car lives right up to Radner’s death from ovarian cancer. Their loyalty and love glows through every scene.

Gilda showed the nation that we should all live life to its fullest, that a sense of humor is key to survival and really does make the world brighter. She left a legacy of courage and comedy. In her honor, Gene Wilder established the first Gilda's Club in New York, a free counseling center for cancer patients and their families. A portion of the proceeds of this production of BUNNY BUNNY will be donated to Gilda's Club to help continue her important legacy.

Alan Zweibel is an original “Saturday Night Live” writer who the New York Times says has “earned a place in the pantheon of American pop culture,” Alan Zweibel has won multiple Emmy, Writers Guild of America, and TV Critics awards for his work in television, which also includes It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, Monk, PBS’s Great Performances, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Written by Alan Zweibel, BUNNY BUNNY will feature Dana Tretta as Gilda Radner and Jackson Peter Evans as Alan Zweibel. Jason Grimm will play the role of “everybody else” with Jake Bradley and Anna Segatti rounding out the cast. Scenic design is by Jacqueline and Richard Penrod, costume design is by Robert Kuhn, lighting design is by Kristof Janezic, sound design is by Mike Pryzgoda and wig design is by Kevin Barthel.



UPGRADE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Upgrade your experience at BUNNY BUNNY with a VIP Dinner Package. Packages include a premium ticket to the show, dinner at Grassroots Eatery, complimentary parking, intermission treats and a meet & greet with cast member(s) after the show. More information HERE.

The beautifully renovated Mercury Theater Chicago is an intimate jewel box of a theater in the heart of the Southport Corridor, a sophisticated neighborhood of restaurants and boutiques just steps from Wrigley Field. A delightful theater destination, Mercury Theater Chicago takes care of its guests from the moment they arrive with valet service and dining at its adjoining restaurant, Grassroots.

OPENING: Bertolt Brecht's FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH Via Haven Theatre at The Den 2/8-3/11/18

 Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Casting Announced!

Haven Theatre Presents

FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH

By Bertolt Brecht

Translated by Eric Bentley

Directed by Artistic Director Josh Sobel

February 8 – March 11, 2018 at The Den Theatre

Haven Theatre is pleased to continue its 2017-18 Season with Bertolt Brecht’s unsettling and unflinching drama FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH, translated by Eric Bentley and directed by Artistic Director Josh Sobel, playing February 8 – March 11, 2018 at The Den Theatre's Janet Bookspan Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently availale at haventheatrechicago.com. 

I'll be ChiIlin' at the press opening on February 13th, at Chi, IL's Den Theatre, so check back soon for my full review. 

All Production Photos by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux.

FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH features Joe Bianco, Amanda De La Guardia, Alys Dickerson, Elizabeth Dowling, Simon Hedger, Niko Kourtis, Kyla Norton, Siddhartha Rajan, Alexis Randolph and Jessica Dean Turner.

As Germany careens toward war, an entire society begins to crack, and the seeds of chaos and tragedy take root in the minds of its citizens. Josh Sobel (We're Gonna Die) helms an ensemble-driven production of Brecht's 1938 classic with a contemporary eye – a warning of how insidiously a culture can make space for atrocity, and a call to never allow it to happen again. 

Comments Artistic Director Josh Sobel, "As the world finds itself in the midst of its next great cultural shift, Brecht's examination of the common citizen and how a society can be led to accept the inhumane feels strikingly immediate. Brecht wrote this play reflecting and pulling back the curtain on the news of the day as it was happening around him, providing an unnerving and – in our current moment – all too important call to confront injustice as it happens and to firmly and proudly say: No. With this production we seek to serve one of Haven's core values – the Future – through an intimate and personal look at our past and how such fatal mistakes were allowed to take place."



The production team for FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH includes Yu Shibagaki (scenic design), Izumi Inaba (costume design), Claire Chrzan (lighting design), Sarah D. Espinoza (sound design), Jeffrey Levin (original music), Sasha Smith (movement design), Abhi Shrestha (dramaturg, associate movement director), Angela Salinas (production manager), Madisen Dempsey (assistant director), Anna Sung-En Medill (assistant director) and Corbin Paulino (stage manager).



Regular run: Thursday, February 15 – Sunday, March 11, 2018
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 3 pm

Tickets: Previews: pay-what-you-can. Regular run $18. Tickets are currently available at haventheatrechicago.com.

Artist Biographies
Bertolt Brecht (Playwright) 1898-1956, playwright, poet and director, was born in Augsburg, Germany in February 1898. He established himself as a playwright during the 1920s and early 1930s with plays such as Baal, Man is Man, The Threepenny Opera and The Mother. In 1933, as Hitler came to power in Germany, Mr. Brecht fled to Scandinavia before eventually settling in the USA where he remained until 1947. During the war years, he wrote many of his best-known plays, including The Life of Galileo, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Mother Courage and Her Children and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. He returned to Europe in 1947 and shortly after his arrival formed the Berliner Ensemble. He died in Berlin on August 14, 1956 but remains a hugely influential theatre practitioner.

Eric Bentley (Translator) was born in England in 1916, became an American citizen in 1948, in 1998 was inducted into the (American) Theatre Hall of Fame, and in 2011 won a gold medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Scholar, critic, teacher, performer, translator and, finally, playwright, he has had many books published and many plays and adaptations performed, the latter feature making him a star of the Samuel French catalogue. Several of his critical works have become classics, notably The Playwright as Thinker, Thinking about the Playwright and The Life of the Drama. Today, nine of his plays are published by Northwestern University Press in three volumes entitled Rallying Cries, Monstrous Martyrdoms and The Kleist Variations. Four more Bentley titles have recently been published by Broadway Play Publishing Inc: Round One, Round Two, A Time to Die and A Time to Live and The Sternheim Trilogy.

Josh Sobel (Director) is a Chicago-based director and Artistic Director of Haven Theatre Company. Recent credits include We're Gonna Die at Haven, Bobbie Clearly at Steep (Jeff Award winner, Best New Work), The Long Christmas Ride Home and Hunting of the Snark (also Edinburgh Fringe) at Strawdog, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead at Metropolis and The Importance of Being Earnest featuring Lisa Tejero at Iowa Summer Rep, University of Iowa. Additional credits include work at Chicago Dramatists, Red Orchid, Victory Gardens, Sketchbook, The Ruckus, Greenhouse Theater Center, Abbie-Fest and New Leaf. From 2010-2013 Josh served as Associate Director of the National Theater Institute summer "Theatermakers" program at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Recipient, Stage Directors and Choreographers (SDC) Observership, Hamlet at Writers' Theatre. Associate member, SDC. 



About Haven Theatre:
NEXT GENERATION. NEW CANON. SOCIAL PROFIT.

We exist to be a Haven for The Future. We achieve this through championing the next generation of playwrights, directors and actors by producing and promoting plays and performances that are staking their claim as the immediate future of this art form, and by investing in those at the very beginning of their professional journeys. Through this inspiration, we seek to ignite in each audience member a hope for the Future - the Future of theatre and performance, the Future of each other, the Future of our community.

REVIEW: Podcasts, Park Trysts and Friendships Spark in BPBCo's Hilarious Speech & Debate

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Non-Equity Chicago Debut of

Speech & Debate



by Tony-winner Stephen Karam

directed by David Lipschutz

Running Time: 90-minutes 

Review:

This terrific trio embody high school struggles with believable humor and angst. The reluctant friendships that develop as this group of loners bond, is a joy to see. When the adults have their own agendas, like book promotion or sexual gratification, these teens grab their own destinies and hit the ground running.  The writing is superb and framing the scenes as competitive Speech & Debate styles is ingenious and a lot of fun to see. Add to that, Brown Paper Box Co. is renting one of our fav venues for the first time, The Edge Theater, and it's a win. The Edge has comfortable seating with cup holders, and a bar in the front lobby. Grab a drink and settle in for this battle of words and wills. Don't miss this. Recommended. 

February 2 - March 4, 2018


The Edge Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood

Following their Jeff Award Recommended run of They’re Playing Our Song, Brown Paper Box Co. concludes their 2017/2018 season with the non-Equity Chicago debut of Tony Award winner Stephen Karam’s Speech & Debate. BPBCo. Board President David Lipschutz* helms the timely dark comedy at The Edge Theater (5451 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60660).

Three teenage misfits in Salem, Oregon discover they are linked by a sex scandal that's rocked their town. When one of them sets out to expose the truth, secrets become currency, the stakes get higher, and the trio's connection grows deeper in this fiercely funny dark comedy with music. ​More information - including ticketing, group & student sales, LGBTQ+ tie-ins, and behind-the-scenes insights - can be found at www.BrownPaperBox.org. 

Where: The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60660
Preview: Friday, Feb 2, 2018 @ 7:30pm

Opening Night: Saturday, Feb 3, 2018 @ 7:30pm

Press Performances: Sunday, Feb 4, 2018 @ 3:30pm and ​Monday, Feb 5, 2018 @ 7:30pm


Regular Run: Friday, Feb 9 - Monday, Feb 12, 2018
Friday, Feb 16 - Sunday 18, 2018
Thursday, Feb 22 - Understudy Performance
Friday, Feb 23 - Sunday, Feb 25, 2018
 
Thursday, March 1 - Sunday, March 4, 2018
Tickets: On sale now at www.BrownPaperBox.org

“I am excited to stage Speech & Debate with BPBCo. because I’ve been performing, coaching, and judging at forensics competitions for over twenty years,” says director Lipschutz.  “The play holds a special spot in my heart since these high school misfits form an unforeseen friendship after starting their speech and debate team. This is reminiscent of my own high school experience as many of my closest and longest friendships began on the very same teams.”

Speech & Debate stars Trevor Bates (Howie), Austin Book (Howie u/s), Michael Brigance (Solomon u/s), Molly Coleman (Diwata u/s), Elise Marie Davis (Teacher/Reporter), Lauren S. Deaton (Teacher/Reporter u/s), Darren Patin (Solomon), and Deanalís Resto (Diwata).

The production staff and design team includes David Lipschutz* (Director), Sally Baker (Casting Assistant), Zach Dries* (Photographer/Videographer), Jeanine Fry (Costume Designer), ​Sara Heymann* (Properties Designer). Becca Holloway (Ass’t Director/Choreographer), ​Torrey Meyer (Scenic Designer), ​M. William Panek* (Box Office Manager), Erin Pleake (Lighting & Projection Designer), ​Deanna Satin (Stage Manager), Anna Schutz* (Production Manager), Charlie Sheets* (Graphic Designer), Daniel Spagnuolo* (Casting Associate), Gin To (Production Intern), and ​Becca Venable​ (Sound Designer).




Artist Bios

Stephen Karam (Playwright) plays include The Humans (Tony Award, Obie Award for Playwriting and Pulitzer Prize finalist), Sons of the Prophet (Pulitzer Prize finalist), and Speech & Debate. His adaptation of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard premiered on Broadway as part of Roundabout’s 2016 season; his film adaptation of The Seagull starring Annette Bening will premiere in 2017. Recent honors include two Drama Critics Circle, Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards; a Lucille Lortel Award, Drama League Award and Hull-Warriner Award. Stephen is a graduate of Brown University and grew up in Scranton, PA.



David Lipschutz* (Director)  BPBCo. member. David has directed with Hell in a Handbag (company member), Underscore Theatre, Generic Theatre Company, and several high schools throughout Chicagoland (where he ironically also coached and judged at speech and debate competitions). He recently assistant directed The Clockwork of the Lonely Soul with Runaways Lab Theatre's DDADIS Festival, and understudied/performed in At the Table (Non-Equity Jeff Award, Best Play) with Broken Nose Theatre. Next up, David is directing The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, Holiday Edition with Handbag. Thanks to BPBCo. for this incredible opportunity and to BC/KJOC.

Trevor Bates (Howie) is an actor, dancer, writer, and sketch comedian. Recent acting credits in Chicago include The Tempermentals (About Face, u/s); Jerker (Pride Films and Plays); The Wig Bullies (Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival at Stage 773) and The Merchant of Venice, Peter Pan & Wendy, and Metamorphosis (The Theatre School at DePaul) TV: "Play by Play." Love to his family, his vegan tribe, and all brave actors out there.

Elise Marie Davis (Teacher/Reporter) is very happy to be working with Brown Paper Box Co. for the first time! She is the Associate Artistic Director and Casting Director of Broken Nose Theatre, where she was last seen in the recent Jeff Award Winning production of At The Table. Elise is also a company member with The Factory Theater. Her Chicago acting credits include the Lyric Opera, Artemisia, Strawdog, Route 66, The New Colony, Midsommer Flight, Level 11, American Blues, Hobo Junction, and Pride Films and Plays. As a playwright, she has had her work performed at First Floor Theater, BNT, and Arc Theatre, while her play, A Phase, has been taught at the University of Chicago. She is represented by Big Mouth Talent Agency.

Darren Patin (Solomon) ​is excited to be making his Brown Paper Box Co. debut as Solomon in Speech & Debate! A recent BFA Musical Theatre Performance graduate of Columbia College Chicago, his credits include: David Heard (Choir Boy – Raven Theatre), Marco/John Paul understudy/Dance Captain (Little Fish -Kokandy Productions), Male Swing (The Wiz - Kokandy Productions), “Mohawk Guy” (High Fidelity – Refuge Theatre Project), and “CB” (Dog Sees God – CCC). He would like to thank his amazing family and friends for their constant love and support!



Deanalís Resto (Diwata) is a Pennsylvania-Rican teatrista who earned her Musical Theatre degree from Ithaca College. Having previously worked with BPBCo. (They’re Playing Our Song, "Positively Present") she is stoked to be back with the BPBCo. family! Deanalís has also worked with BoHo Theatre, Refuge Theatre Project, Theo Ubique, Oracle, Emerald City Theatre, Teatro Luna, Free Street Theater, & Rabid Bat Theatricals. She has also spent the last four years working as an actor, deviser, and teaching artist with For Youth Inquiry (FYI) at the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH), which designs participatory plays and theatre-based workshops for youth about sexual health and reproductive justice.

About Brown Paper Box Co.
Brown Paper Box Co. creates challenging and inspiring theatre that focuses on the text. By employing a smart, simple aesthetic in intimate spaces, we connect audiences directly to the heart of the story. For more information, please visit www.BrownPaperBox.org.

*Denotes Brown Paper Box Co. members


OPENING: Eugene O’Neill's A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN at Writers Theatre Through 3/18/18

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Writers Theatre presents

A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN

Written by Eugene O’Neill

Directed by WT Resident Director William Brown

February 7 – March 18, 2018

Running Time: 3 hours, including two intermissions.

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, presents A Moon for the Misbegotten, written by Eugene O’Neill and directed by WT Resident Director William Brown. A Moon for the Misbegotten runs February 7 – March 18, 2018 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. 

My husband and I will be spending Valentine's Day at the press opening on Wednesday, February 14, so check back soon for my full review. Writers Theatre has been a top favorite of mine for years and I'm excited to see their take on this O'Neill classic. 

In 1920s rural Connecticut, Phil Hogan cobbles together a living on rented farmland that he hopes to someday own outright, when his landlord Jim Tyrone comes into his inheritance. Hogan has driven away his three sons, but his towering daughter Josie understands her father and can hold her own. When the two learn that the land may be sold out from under them, they concoct a plan to save it that ultimately reveals the secret desires that two lonely souls have kept hidden for years.

This bittersweet elegy from four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and Nobel laureate Eugene O’Neill offers a moving and powerful exploration of humanity at its basest and most beautiful. Directed by WT Resident Director William Brown (Company, Doubt: A Parable, The Liar, A Little Night Music and many more), this soaring powerhouse of a play is simultaneously intimate and epic, touching on themes of desire, family and the things we sacrifice for those we love. 

        

“We’re all excited to be exploring Eugene O’Neil for the first time in our 26-year history,” said Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “Bill Brown has articulated such a beautiful, passionate, personal and clear vision for the piece. At Writers, it is our mission to take classics down from the shelf and dust them off a breathe new life into them. AC Smith, Bethany Thomas and Jim DeVita (in fact the whole cast) are some of the finest actors in the city and therefore the country. They bring original and refreshing voices to the conversation about the play and their endless reservoirs of creativity and emotional sophistication will make for a compelling take on the narrative. Furthermore, Bill’s design team has created a wonderful connection between intimate and epic in the beautiful Nichols Theatre. The lives of these disenfranchised characters demand such an intimate and empathic engagement while their emotional turmoil lives at an epic scale. Lean forward and engage!"

Featuring: Jim DeVita*, Eric Parks*, Cage Sebastian Pierre, A.C. Smith* and Bethany Thomas*. 

*Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers  

       Returning to Writers Theatre are Eric Parks (T. Stedman Harder) who previously appeared in As You Like It; A.C. Smith (Phil Hogan) where he previously appeared in East Texas Hot Links; and Bethany Thomas (Josie Hogan) who was in She Loves Me. 

The cast includes: Jim DeVita (James Tyrone, Jr.), Eric Parks (T. Stedman Harder), Cage Sebastian Pierre (Mike Hogan), A.C. Smith (Phil Hogan) and Bethany Thomas (Josie Hogan).

Two cast members are making their Writers Theatre debuts in this production, including Jim DeVita (James Tyrone, Jr.) and Cage Sebastian Pierre (Mike Hogan).

The creative team includes Todd Rosenthal (scenic), Rachel Anne Healy (costumes), Jesse Klug (lighting), Andrew Hansen (sound), Regina Victor (dramaturg), Elizabeth Laidlaw (violence & intimacy director) and Karen Janes Woditsch (assistant director). The production stage manager is David Castellanos.

Tickets are priced $35 - $80. Subscriptions and individual tickets may be purchased online at www.writerstheatre.org, by phone at 847-242-6000 or in person at the box office at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.

       A Moon for the Misbegotten is a sequel to Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night, featuring an older and increasingly troubled version of James Tyrone, Jr. than seen in the previous play. The character is based on O'Neill's older brother, Jamie O'Neill.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Eugene O’Neill (Playwright) began writing for the stage early in the 20th century; the American theatre was dominated by vaudeville and romantic melodramas. Influenced by Strindberg, Ibsen and other European playwrights, O’Neill vowed to create a theatre in America, stripped of false sentimentality, which would explore the deepest stirrings of the human spirit. In 1914, he wrote: “I want to be an artist or nothing.” During the 1920s, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for three of his plays–Beyond the Horizon, Anna Christie and Strange Interlude. Other popular successes, including The Emperor Jones, The Hairy Ape, Desire Under the Elms, The Great God Brown and Mourning Becomes Electra, brought him international acclaim. In 1936, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature—the only American playwright to be so honored. O’Neill experimented with new dramatic techniques and dared tackle such controversial issues as interracial marriage, the equality of the sexes, the power of the unconscious mind, and the hold of materialism on the American soul. In each of his plays, he sought to reveal the mysterious forces “behind life” which shape human destiny. Three of his final works, written at Tao House, tower over the others: The Iceman Cometh, Long Day’s Journey into Night and A Moon for the Misbegotten. These autobiographical plays portray, with “faithful realism,” the haunting figures of his father, mother and brother who loom in the background of most of his other plays. He was awarded a fourth Pulitzer Prize, posthumously, in 1956 for Long Day’s Journey into Night. In a career which spanned three decades, Eugene O’Neill changed the American theatre forever.

        A Moon for the Misbegotten is Director William Brown’s 23rd production at Writers Theatre. He previously directed Company, Doubt: A Parable, Port Authority, The Liar, A Little Night Music, Heartbreak House, Do the Hustle, Old Glory, As You Like It, Another Part of the Forest, Arms and the Man, Our Town, Rocket to the Moon, Misalliance, Incident at Vichy, and The Glass Menagerie. As an actor he appeared in Writers Theatre productions of Bus Stop, Nixon's Nixon, Candida, Private Lives, Dear Master, and Butley.

William Brown (Director) returns to Writers where he previously directed Company, Doubt: A Parable, Port Authority, The Liar, A Little Night Music, Heartbreak House, Do the Hustle, Old Glory, As You Like It, Another Part of the Forest, Arms and the Man, Our Town, Rocket to the Moon, Misalliance, Incident at Vichy, and The Glass Menagerie. As an actor he appeared in Writers Theatre productions of Bus Stop, Nixon's Nixon, Candida, Private Lives, Dear Master, and Butley. Bill has directed 17 productions at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, including Three Sisters, King Lear, Travesties, The Importance of Being Earnest, All My Sons, Troilus and Cressida, The Critic, Hay Fever, The Comedy of Errors, Night of the Iguana, Antony and Cleopatra, All’s Well That Ends Well, You Never Can Tell and The Matchmaker. He directed and wrote (with Doug Frew) To Master the Art for TimeLine Theatre Company where he is an Associate Artist and most recently directed the world premiere of Susan Felder’s Wasteland. He has directed four plays at Northlight, including his own adaptation with music of She Stoops to Conquers. He directed Skylight at Court Theatre and at Indiana Rep, Around the World in Eighty Days and Fallen Angels. Recently he directed Singing in the Rain at Marriott Lincolnshire. He is the Associate Artistic Director of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, where he has directed and acted since 1980. He regularly teaches and directs at universities across the country, most recently University of Houston, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern. As an actor Brown has appeared in over a hundred productions. He appeared as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre where he also appeared in Light up the Sky, Sunday in the Park with George, The Misanthrope and Wings. At Court Theatre, he appeared as Falstaff in Henry IV, Jack in The Importance of Being Earnest and Almady in The Play's The Thing. He created the role of Jody in Steven Dietz’s Lonely Planet (Northlight Theatre). Brown received a Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Director for The Liar (Writers Theatre) and a Best Actor award for his portrayal of Henry Kissinger in Nixon’s Nixon (Writers Theatre).  He received a 2010 Spirit of Diversity Award from Actors’ Equity Association and was named Chicagoan of the Year for Theatre by the Chicago Tribune in 2003.

Jim DeVita (James Tyrone, Jr.) is a native of Long Island, NY, an author, actor and theater director. Jim is primarily based in Wisconsin where he has been a core-company member of American Players Theater (APT) for twenty-three years. Some directing credits include Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, Gift of the Magi, The Desert Queen and Cyrano de Bergerac. Recent acting credits Eddie in A View from the Bridge (APT), Poet in An Iliad (Milwaukee Reperatory, APT) and Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons (ACT Theater). Along with his novels, A Winsome Murder, The Silenced and Blue, Jim has also worked extensively as a playwright. Some of his adult plays include Learning to Stay, Christmas in Babylon, Gift of the Magi (musical adaptation), In Acting Shakespeare, The Desert Queen (the life of Gertrude Bell), Dickens in America and a new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac. Jim has also worked for many years as a playwright for young audiences. His work in the field has been acknowledged with The Distinguished Play Award from The American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE), The Intellectual Freedom Award and The AATE honored his body of work with the Charlotte B. Chorpenning Award. Jim’s education began as a first mate on the charter boat JIB VII out of Captree Boat Basin, NY. He then studied theater at Suffolk County Community College, Long Island, and at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He also attended Madison Area Technical College where he was licensed as an Emergency Medical Technician. Jim is a member of The Dramatists Guild and Actors Equity Association, and a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship for Fiction.

Eric Parks (T. Stedman Harder) returns to Writers Theatre where he previously appeared in As You Like It. He has worked in Chicago at Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Northlight Theater and Drury Lane Oakbrook. Regionally he has worked with American Players Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theater, The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Nebraska Shakespeare Festival and The Utah Shakespearean Festival.  Eric holds a BFA from Pacific Lutheran University and an MFA from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

Cage Sebastian Pierre (Mike Hogan) has appeared in Chicago in Short Shakes! Romeo and Juliet at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. His upcoming credits include Macbeth at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Regional credits include American Players Theatre. Mr. Pierre received his BFA from the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theatre BFA Actor Training Program.

A.C. Smith (Phil Hogan) returns to Writers Theatre where he previously appeared in East Texas Hot Links. In Chicago, Smith considers the Court Theatre to be his home where he has worked for the past eight years or so in productions ranging from Moliere to the great August Wilson and a host of other classic works. Smith received the Joseph Jefferson Award for his portrayal of Troy Maxson in Court Theatre’s production of Fences. Regional credits include Clarence Brown Theatre (Knoxville, TN), Portland Stage Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Peninsula Players Theatre and The Black Rep, where he has been a company member for 21 years and is a nine-time Woodie King, Jr. Award winner. National tour credits include The Piano Lesson directed by Lloyd Richards. Off-Broadway credits include the title role in Jelly Belly (Audelco Award Nomination—New Federal Theatre). Smith has appeared on film, television, radio, voice-over, commercials and in Ebony and Jet magazines.

Bethany Thomas (Josie Hogan) returns to Writers Theatre where she previously appeared in She Loves Me.  A Chicago-based actor and singer, her credits include Marry Me A Little, Into The Woods, Nine, In Trousers (Porchlight Music Theater), The Tempest (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Porgy and Bess (Court Theatre), Hairspray, Charlotte's Web (Drury Lane Oakbrook), Hair (Paramount Theatre), Fiorello! (TimeLine Theatre) also work with Second City, About Face Theatre, The Inconvenience, Theo Ubique, Congo Square, Theatre at the Center, Marriott Lincolnshire, Hell In A Handbag and American Theater Company. Regional credits include Iphigenia In Aulis (Getty Villa), The Color Purple, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Ragtime, Man Of La Mancha, A Christmas Carol (Milwaukee Reparatory Theatre) and Little Shop of Horrors (Geva Theatre). Bethany appeared in the second seasons of Empire (FOX) and You're So Talented (OpenTV). She is the proud recipient of a Joseph Jefferson Award, an After Dark Award and a Black Theatre Alliance Award. As a singer/songwriter, Bethany is a regular contributor at Salonathon and The Paper Machete, and has done several performance residencies at The Hideout and Steppenwolf's LookOut series. She's done concerts for WBEZ, WFMT, WTTW and the Chicago Humanities Festival, and was a featured local artist in Renee Fleming’s Chicago Voices Project at the Lyric Opera. Most recently, she's been touring the country as one quarter of the alt-country project on Langford's Four Lost Souls, (self-titled album out on Bloodshot Records) and she released an EP of her own music called First.

 The play has been produced five times on Broadway – the first production in 1957.  The 1973 revival starred Colleen Dewhurst (Tony-winner, Best Actress), Jason Robards (Tony-nominee, Best Actor), and Ed Flanders (Tony-winner, Best Featured Actor). The cast reprised their roles for ABC-TV in 1975, garnering five Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Special—Drama or Comedy, with Flanders also winning the award for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Special.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
Accessible Performances
ASL-Interpreted performance: Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 7:30 pm
Open-Captioned performance: Friday, March 16, 2018 at 7:30 pm

Sunday Spotlight— Sunday, March 4, 2018 after the matinee performance
Are you curious about the world that surrounds your favorite plays? Sunday Spotlight offers access to the finest speakers, scholars and cultural leaders. This one-hour event extends the conversation on our stages by featuring an expert in an area connected to the play. Seating is limited. RSVP is required. Save the date!

The Making of… Series—Monday, March 12, 2018 at 6:30 pm
Writers Theatre will once again host its popular The Making of… Series, providing insight into a different aspect of creating the productions seen on our stages. Enjoy a short and lively presentation by our actors, designers or other experts who will walk you through the process of preparing for and executing a production. The Making of… events are FREE and open to the public. Seating is limited. RSVP is required.

Post Show Conversation: The Word
Join us after every Tuesday evening performance (excluding previews and extensions) for a 15-minute discussion of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Post Show Conversation: The Artist
Join us after every Wednesday evening performance (excluding previews and extensions) for a 15-minute talk-back featuring actors from the production, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Pre-Show Conversation: Up Close
Join us at 6:45pm before every Thursday evening performance (excluding previews and extensions) for a 15-minute primer on the context and content of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

For more information about Writers Theatre Audience Enrichment programs visit writerstheatre.org/events.

RIDE METRA TO WRITERS THEATRE
In an effort to promote taking public transit to the Theatre, Writers Theatre launched a new promotion in 2013. Any audience member who purchases a ticket to a Writers Theatre production and rides Metra’s Union Pacific North Line to the Theatre may snap a photo of themselves on the train and post it to their Facebook or Instagram page or their Twitter feed with a tag of @WritersTheatre and #[the title of the show], and upon showing the post at the Writers Theatre Box Office, receive $5 in cash to put toward the cost of your fare as a thank you for going green.

This promotion is available for a limited time only, and may end without warning. Ticket must have been paid for in advance. Not valid on comp tickets. More information available at writerstheatre.org/metra

WRITERS THEATRE PARTNERS
Writers Theatre is pleased to recognize BMO Harris Bank as the 2017/18 Season Sponsor, and ComEd as the Official Lighting Sponsor of the 2017/18 Season. The Corporate Sponsor for A Moon for the Misbegotten is Consolidated Electronic Wire & Cable.  Foundation Support provided by The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation. The Artists Council Sponsors are Karen and Jim Frank and Emily and Christopher N. Knight. Additional support for A Moon for the Misbegotten is provided by the Director’s Society Sponsors.

For more information about Writers Theatre’s 2017/18 partners, visit writerstheatre.org/our-supporters.



ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE
For 25 years, Writers Theatre has captivated Chicagoland audiences with inventive interpretations of classic work, a bold approach to contemporary theatre and a dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible.

Under the artistic leadership of Michael Halberstam and the executive leadership of Kathryn M. Lipuma, Writers Theatre has grown to become a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called “America’s No. 1 theatre company” by The Wall Street Journal. The company, which plays to a sold-out and discerning audience of more than 60,000 patrons each season, has garnered critical praise for the consistent high quality and intimacy of its artistry—providing the finest interpretations of both classic and contemporary theatre in its two intensely intimate venues. 

In February 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility. This established the company's first permanent home—a new theatre center in downtown Glencoe, designed by the award-winning, internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects, led by Founder and Design Principal Jeanne Gang, FAIA, in collaboration with Theatre Consultant Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to continue to grow to accommodate its audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy. The new facility resonates with and complements the Theatre’s neighboring Glencoe community, adding tremendous value to Chicagoland and helping to establish the North Shore as a premier cultural destination.

Find Writers Theatre on Facebook at Facebook.com/WritersTheatre or follow @WritersTheatre on Twitter. For more information, visit www.writerstheatre.org.


Dates: First performance: Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Press opening: Wednesday, February 14, 2018 at 7:30pm
Closing performance: March 18, 2018

Schedule:                         
Tuesdays – Fridays: 7:30pm
(with select 3:00pm Wednesday matinees)
Saturdays: 3:00pm and 7:30pm
Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm

Location:                           
The Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre
325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
             
Prices:                             
Prices for all performances range from $35 - $80
Purchase early for best prices                                 
             
Box Office: 
The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe;
847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org