OPENING: Tracy Letts World Premiere Linda Vista at Steppenwolf 3/30-5/21

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

STEPPENWOLF DEBUTS NEW PLAY

FROM ENSEMBLE MEMBER TRACY LETTS  

LINDA VISTA  

DIRECTED BY DEXTER BULLARD

MARCH 30 - MAY 21, 2017

A CONTEMPORARY COMEDY FEATURING ENSEMBLE MEMBERS IAN BARFORD, TIM HOPPER, SALLY MURPHY AND CAROLINE NEFF

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of Linda Vista by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright and ensemble member Tracy Letts and directed by Dexter Bullard. A hilarious and complex exploration of a modern misanthrope, the cast features ensemble members Ian Barford (Wheeler), Tim Hopper (Paul), Sally Murphy (Margaret) and Caroline Neff (Anita) with Kahyun Kim (Minnie), Cora Vander Broek (Jules) and Troy West (Michael). This is the fifth world premiere production by Tracy Letts that Steppenwolf has produced.

Linda Vista begins previews March 30, 2017 and the production runs through May 21, 2017 in the Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N Halsted St. Press performances are Saturday, April 8 at 3pm and Tuesday, April 11 at 7:30pm; opening night is Sunday, April 9. 

Wheeler is 50. His marriage is over, his job is mundane, and the best years of his life appear to be behind him. A move from the cot in his ex-wife’s garage to his own apartment opens up new possibilities for love and sex—complicated, painful and hilarious. Full of opinions, yet short on self-examination, Wheeler is a modern misanthrope who must reconcile the man he has become with the man he wants to be.

Tracy Letts (Playwright) is a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright, actor and member of the Steppenwolf ensemble. He is the author of the plays Linda Vista, Mary Page Marlowe, The Scavenger’s Daughter, Superior Donuts, August: Osage County (Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award), Man from Nebraska (Pulitzer Prize finalist), Bug and Killer Joe.  Also an actor, he has appeared on Broadway in Will Eno’s The Realistic Joneses and Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role).  Film appearances include Lady Bird, The Lovers, Christine, Imperium, Indignation, Wiener-dog, Elvis and Nixon, The Big Short.  TV:  “Divorce" (HBO), two seasons as Sen. Lockhart on “Homeland” (Showtime), “Seinfeld."  His appearances at Steppenwolf include Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, American Buffalo, Betrayal, Homebody/Kabul, The Dresser, The Dazzle, Glengarry Glen Ross, Three Days of Rain, many others.

Dexter Bullard (Director) has strong ties with Steppenwolf, having directed Annie Baker’s The Flick last season to critical acclaim. He directed ensemble member Tracy Letts’s Bug at the Barrow Street Theater, for which he received the 2004 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Direction Off-Broadway. He has directed for Steppenwolf’s First Look Repertory of New Work in 2006 and 2013. Additional directing credits Craig Wright's Grace on Broadway, Roy Williams' Sucker Punch and Annie Baker's Circle Mirror

Transformation at Victory Gardens. He is the head of Graduate Acting and Showcase Artistic Director with The Theatre School at DePaul University.

The Linda Vista production team includes Todd Rosenthal (scenic design), Laura Bauer (costume design), Marcus Doshi (lighting design), Richard Woodbury (sound design) and Gigi Buffington (Company Vocal Coach). Additional credits include Malcolm Ewen (stage manager), Cassie Calderone (assistant stage manager), JC Clementz (casting director), Nicole Arbusto (Los Angeles casting) and Aaron Carter (artistic producer).

Accessible Performances: American Sign Language Interpretation: Sunday, April 30 at 7:30pmOpen Captioning: Saturday, May 20 at 3pm; Audio Description and Touch Tour: Sunday, May 21 at 1:30pm

Curtain Times: Tuesday – Friday at 7:30pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm and 7:30pm

Ticket prices: Previews: $20 – $54, Regular Run: $20 – $89. 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: Limited $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. 

Black Card Memberships are for audiences interested in extreme flexibility. Cards include six tickets for use any time, for any production including the LookOut Series. The tickets are valid for one year with the option to add additional tickets as needed. Perks include easy and free exchanges, access to seats before the general public, savings on single ticket prices and bar and restaurant discounts for pre- and post-show socializing. More info 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.

Visitor Information & Accessibility

Steppenwolf is located at 1650 N Halsted St near all forms of public transportation and is wheelchair accessible. The parking facility consists of both a covered garage ($11 cash or card) and an open-air lot, located just south of our theater at 1624 N Halsted. Valet parking service ($14 cash) is available directly in front of the main entrance at 1650 N Halsted St starting at 5pm on weeknights, 1pm on weekends and at 12 noon before Wednesday matinees. Street and lot parking are also available. For last minute questions and concerns, patrons can call the Steppenwolf Parking Hotline at (312) 335-1774. 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. With the expertise of Assistive Hearing Systems Ltd., Steppenwolf installed an induction loop on both the main and balcony levels of our Downstairs Theatre in 2015. There is also an induction loop installed in the 1700 Theatre.

Sponsor Information

Major Support for Linda Vista is provided by ComEd, Ameriprise Financial and The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation.

Major support for Steppenwolf’s New Play Development Initiative is provided by The Davee Foundation and the Zell Family Foundation.

United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf.

Steppenwolf’s 2016/17 Season opened with the world premiere of Visiting Edna by David Rabe, directed by Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro (ended November 6), followed by the world premiere of Erika Sheffer’s The Fundamentals (ended December 31, 2016). Playing now is the Chicago premiere of The Christians by Lucas Hnath, directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman (now – January 29, 2017); next up is the Chicago premiere of Straight White Men, written and directed by Young Jean Lee (February 2 – March 19, 2017); the world premiere of Linda Vista by ensemble member Tracy Letts, directed by Dexter Bullard (March 30 – May 21, 2017); and the Chicago premiere of Hir by Taylor Mac, directed by Hallie Gordon (June 29 – August 20, 2017); and an additional summer show, Pass Over by Antoinette Nwandu (June 1 – July 9, 2017).

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier ensemble theater—redefining the landscape of acting and performance. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble has grown to 47 members who represent a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead to August: Osage County—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 14,000 participants annually from Chicago’s diverse communities; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. Steppenwolf’s own Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks serves coffee, cocktails and a menu curated in partnership with the Boka Restaurant Group day and night. 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. 

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

ONE NIGHT ONLY! Catch LIAISON, a Multicultural Tap Collaboration at the Athenaeum Theatre

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

CHICAGO TAP THEATRE REUNITES WITH FRANCE’S TAPAGE AND SPAIN’S TAP OLÉ IN 

LIAISON, 

SATURDAY, MARCH 25, AT THE ATHENAEUM THEATRE

In its Third Installment this International Collaboration Featuring New Music, Fan Favorites and Live Music Celebrates the World of Tap Dance

Artistic Director Mark Yonally and Chicago Tap Theatre (CTT) present Liaison, an international exploration of tap dance featuring three of the most critically acclaimed companies from Europe and the United States for one performance only, Saturday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport. Tickets are $37 for adults, $30 for seniors and $23 for students and dancers. For tickets or more information visit chicagotaptheatre.com or call 773.935.6875. Group discounts are also available. 

In Liaison, Tapage, from Toulouse, France, Tap Olé from Barcelona, Spain and Chicago’s Chicago Tap Theatre come together for the third installation of this international partnership established in 2004. The 2016 production includes new work, the return of fan favorites and live music. The companies perform together and in individual pieces highlighting the breadth and depth of tap performance including an updated version of the theme from Time Steps, by composer Kurt Schweitz and the first act closes with all three companies performing in “Somebody to Love,” from Chicago Tap Theatre’s hit 2016 production We Will Tap You! Each company has been given the music and instructions on which sections to choreograph, some of which will be together, some alone. The first time the three sections will be performed together will be here in Chicago. After the Chicago engagement, Liaison will be traveling to the south of France and the north of Spain for an extended tour in fall 2017.

The first time Tapage performed in Chicago was in April 2004, Lucia Mauro of the Chicago Tribune said, “to get a clearer sense of Tapage, try to envision the well-crafted fusion that would result if Martha Graham and Marcel Marceau created a tap company.” Chicago Tap Theatre and Tapage went on to tour the south of France and performed together in Chicago three additional times to critical and commercial successes.  In 2013, the two companies added Tap Olé to Liaison’s roster of performers

“Tapage director Valérie Lussac is at the forefront of where tap dance is going.  For the past 15 years, she has been applying her uniquely French aesthetic to the American art of tap dance and creating pieces that are completely different from anything you’ll see here in the States,” says Chicago Tap Theatre Artistic Director Mark Yonally. “Tap Olé is bridging the gap between Spanish guitar and dancing with tap dance. They are an amazing mix of precise technique, hot rhythms and a genuine sense of humor. Chicago Tap Theatre is excited to continue to develop these relationships and show Chicago and the world what is happening in Tap today and the possibilities of what the future holds.” 

ABOUT CHICAGO TAP THEATRE

Founded in 2002, Chicago Tap Theatre (CTT) is a growing and vibrant dance company dedicated to preserving the quintessentially American dance form of tap while taking it to the next level of creativity, innovation and quality. CTT performs exclusively with live music provided by some of Chicago’s finest musicians playing everything from Duke Ellington to David Bowie and many artists in between. Under the dynamic direction of master teacher and performer Mark Yonally, CTT has gained a loyal and sizable following in Chicago and continues to tour both nationally and internationally. Having pioneered the “tap opera” format, which tells stories with compelling characters and intriguing plots, CTT has used the language of tap dance, live music and narration to move Chicago audiences for over 10 years.  During 2016, CTT and its productions were included in the “Best of 2016” lists for dance from Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Windy City Times, Dance Magazine and SeeChicagoDance.com. 

ABOUT TAPAGE

La Compagnie Tapage was founded in 1991, first with children before evolving into a professional tap company. Today, the company’s objective is to convey an original approach to the art of tap dancing, and is known for the energy and originality they bring to their performances. Tapage is proud of its collaboration over the years with foreign artists including Deborah Brockus and her company “Brockus Dance” based in Los Angeles and its ongoing relationship with sister company Chicago Tap Theatre.  They have performed in concert, at private events, in outdoor festivals and events throughout France as well as international tours to Spain and the United States.

ABOUT TAP OLÉ

Tap Olé is an international fusion of cultures and styles, mixing Spanish music and American Tap dance to demonstrate that this mixture is a universal language capable of creating new destinies and sensations.  The company presents an explosion of rhythm and energy, which combines the virtuosity and passion of Spanish guitar with the precision and elegance of tap choreography along with the spontaneity of improvisation. Tap Ole have performed in Spain and internationally including the New York Tap Festival, International Festival of Valladolid in 2004 (Audience Award); "Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2005", "International Feet Beat Tap Festival 2006" in Helsinki and throughout Spain.  The tap dancers Guillem Alonso and Roser Font are renowned international soloists who have traveled throughout Europe and the United States performing and teaching master classes.  

OPENING: World Premiere of Born Ready at The Factory Theater 3/17-4/29

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

THE FACTORY THEATER PRESENTS 

BORN READY,

MARCH 17 – APRIL 29

The Factory Theater presents the world premiere of Born Ready. Written by Stacie Barra and directed by Wm. Bullion, Born Ready runs March 17 – April 29 at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St. Previews are Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 19 at 3 p.m. Opening night is Friday, March 24 at 8 p.m. 

Regular performance times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 for preview performances and $25 for regular run. Tickets may be purchased through Box Office by calling 866.811.4111 or by visiting http://www.thefactorytheater.com.

Marion Kroft, an aging former child film actor turned variety show star in the 1950s, is desperate to get back into the public’s eye and show business. Harriet is a new young dancer who befriends Marion and the pair quickly becomes a smash comedy duo, but the truth behind their scenes may not be as funny. 

The cast for Born Ready includes: Eleanor Katz (Marion), Timothy C. Amos (Sam), Clara Byczkowski (Harriet), Rachel Craig (Betty), Amee Binder (Lois), Libby Conkle (Shirley), Harrison Weger (Kit), David Cady Jr. (Gil), Tim Newell (Byron), Michael Reyes (Neville/Ensemble), Mandy Walsh (Evelyn), Allison Cain (Dottie), Eric Roach (Announcer), Jennifer Betancourt (Girl/Pat/Reporter/Ensemble) and Nathaniel Fishburn (Ensemble). Understudies are Julia Beck, DJ Gierhart, Suzy Krueckeberg and Lila M. Whitney.

The production team for Born Ready includes Christy Arington (props design),

Eric Backus (sound design), Stacie Barra (playwright), Wm. Bullion (director), Greg Caldwell (assistant director), Ernie Deak (production manager), Andria Emerick (dance choreography) Morgan Gire (stage manager), Kate Setzer Kamphausen (costume design), Eric Luchen (set design), Rachel Markunas (assistant stage manager) Tobi Mattingly (music director), Jon Steinhagen (composer), David Trudeau (lighting design) and C.W. van Baale (master electrician).

About Stacie Barra, playwright

Stacie Barra is a Factory Theater ensemble member having performed in Factory’s GI’s in Europe, 1985 and Take the Cake. In addition to Factory, her area credits include work with Lifeline Theatre, The Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Stockyards' Theatre Project and Chemically Imbalanced Comedy to name a few.

About Wm. Bullion, director

Wm. Bullion is a Factory Theater ensemble member and has been a professional director in Chicago for over 25 years. His most recent full project was directing David Cerda’s masterpiece Scream, Queen Scream! with Hell in a Handbag Productions. Before joining The Factory ensemble in 2016, he was a member of Akvavit Theatre, directing its hit U.S. premiere of Andri Snær Magnason’s Blue Planet, the Midwest/Chicago premiere of Jon Fosse’s A Summer’s Day and created the original burlesque satire Pippi’s Lost Stockings: A Skirt Raiser. Bullion is director of programs with DirectorsLabChicago, an artist-service organization dedicated to emerging directors and is a graduate of UCLA’s school of Theater, Film and Television.

About The Factory Theater

For almost 25 years, The Factory has created its shows from scratch, doing exactly the kind of theater they wanted to do. From writing workshops to the closing night bash, Factory shows are a unique experience that fits its exacting standards: original, bold, and full-tilt. Its shameless ensemble are ambassadors of a good time, making certain that Chicago remains heartily entertained.

OPENING: World Premiere of Queen Begins at Victory Gardens 4/14-5/14

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Victory Gardens Theater presents

the World Premiere of

Queen

By Madhuri Shekar

Directed by Joanie Schultz

April 14 – May 14, 2017

Victory Gardens Theater continues its 42nd season with the World Premiere of Queen, written by Madhuri Shekar and directed by Joanie Schultz. Queen runs April 14 – May 14, 2017, with the press performance on Friday, April 21, 2017, at 7:30 pm at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue. 

PhD candidates Sanam and Ariel have spent the better part of the last decade exhaustively researching vanishing bee populations across the globe. Just as these close friends are about to publish a career-defining paper, Sanam stumbles upon a miscalculation. What appears to be a small error could cause catastrophic damage to their reputations, careers, and friendship. Now, Sanam is confronted with an impossible choice: look the other way or stand by her principles and accept the consequences.

The cast of Queen includes Priya Mohanty (Sanam Shah), Darci Nalepa (Ariel Spiegel), Adam Poss (Arvind Patel) and Stephen Spencer (Dr. Philip Hayes).

The creative team includes Chelsea Warren (scenic design), Janice Pytel (costume design), Heather Gilbert (lighting design) and Thomas Dixon (sound design). Lynne Harris is the production stage manager.

Queen by Madhuri Shekar and directed by Joanie Schultz (Cocked, The Whale) returns to Victory Gardens Theater after enthralling audiences at the 2015 IGNITION Festival of New Plays.

”The current conversation around climate change, the disappearance of bees, and our nation’s response to environmental protection continues to be challenging on a daily basis," comments Artistic Director Chay Yew. ”However, it excites me that playwright Madhuri Shekar has kept this dialogue alive and urgent in the world premiere of Queen. With Madhuri's signature wit and her uncanny ability to weave a complex yet remarkably insightful story, this play is framed by two female PhD science students from different races who want nothing more than to protect our planet and the bees that inhabit it – even at the cost of their own friendship."

About the Artists

Madhuri Shekar (Playwright) is based in New York. Her plays include In Love and Warcraft, A Nice Indian Boy, Queen and Antigone, presented by the girls of St. Catherine’s. Her work has been produced, commissioned or developed at the Alliance Theatre, the Old Globe, Center Theatre Group, Victory Gardens, the Kennedy Center, Hedgebrook Playwrights Festival and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. She is currently a playwriting fellow at the Juilliard School and a member of the Ma-Yi Writers Lab. She co-created the Shakespearean web series Titus and Dronicus (titusanddronicus.com).

Joanie Schultz (Director) Victory Gardens Theater: Cocked, The Whale, Rest, Cocked. Regional: Sex with Strangers (Cleveland Play House); Lot's Wife (Kansas City Repertory Theatre); Hand to God (Studio Theatre). Chicago: Venus in Fur (Goodman Theatre); A Small Fire, The Cheats, Martyr, Luther (Steep Theatre); The Kid Thing (About Face Theatre/Chicago Dramatists); The Girl in the Yellow Dress (Next Theatre); Northanger Abbey (Remy Bumppo Theatre); Bruise Easy (American Theater Company); Spinning (Irish Theatre Chicago); Yankee Tavern (American Blues Theatre); Neighborhood 3 (Strawdog); The Hundred Flowers Project (Silk Road Rising), fml: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life (Steppenwolf for Young Adults); 2013 Co-Artistic Curator for Theater on the Lake. Opera: Bluebeard’s Castle, Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Acis and Galatea, Carmen. Artistic Director: WaterTower Theatre (Addison, TX); former Associate Artistic Producer at Victory Gardens Theater. Fellowships: Leadership U One-on-One Fellowship funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and administered by TCG, Drama League Fellowship, The Goodman Theatre’s Michael Maggio Directing Fellowship, SDCF Denham Fellowship, Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. Ensemble Member at Steep Theatre. Theater Faculty Member at Columbia College and the University of Chicago. MFA in Directing (Northwestern University).

PRIYA MOHANTY (Sanam Shah) Collaboraction: Gender Breakdown. Rasaka Theatre: A Widow of No Importance, A Nice Indian Boy, Vanya (That’s Life). Rasaka Theatre & Vitalist Theatre: Multitudes. Cuckoo’s Theatre Project: Anon(ymous)

DARCI NALEPA (Ariel Spiegel) Victory Gardens Debut. Chicago Theater: A Life Extra Ordinary, Good for Otto, Othello, Thinner Than Water, Dirty (The Gift Theatre); Kill Floor (American Theater Company); Yankee Tavern (American Blues Theater); Northanger Abbey (Remy Bumppo); The Drunken City (Steppenwolf Theatre – Next Up); Flare Path, Company (Griffin Theatre); Love and Money (Steep Theatre). Film/TV: Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party, Chicago Fire, Shameless, Patriot.

ADAM POSS (Arvind Patel) Victory Gardens: Oedipus El Rey. Chicago credits: 2666, Teddy Ferrara, The Solid Sands Below, The Magic Play, A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre), 1984, Animals Out of Paper (Steppenwolf Theatre), The Lake Effect, Scorched (Silk Road Rising), The Beats (16th St. Theatre). Regional: The North Pool, The Lake Effect (Theatreworks Palo Alto), Macbeth (Actor’s Theatre of Louisville), Lot’s Wife (Kansas City Rep), The History Boys (Studio Theatre DC). Film /TV: The Middle Distance, The Drunk, King of URLS, Speed Dating, Shameless, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Crisis, The Mob Doctor, The Chicago Code.

STEPHEN SPENCER (Dr. Philip Hayes). Chicago: Blizzard ’67 (16th Street); The Life of Galileo, Our Class, Night and Day (Remy Bumppo); Body+Blood (Gift Theatre); The Quality of Life (The Den & TOTL); Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Wait Until Dark (Court); Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Congo Square/Goodman); The Liquid Moon (Chicago Dramatists/Associate Artist); Comedy of Errors, Love’s Labour’s Lost (OPFT). Regional: Blackbird (Riverside Theatre); Romeo & Juliet, The Winter's Tale (Illinois Shakespeare Festival); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare Rep); Heroes (Nebraska Rep). Also: Utah Shakespeare, The Asolo. Overseas: Medeamaterial (Moscow's Leninsky Komsomol Theatre); Battery (Edinburgh Festival Fringe). Film/TV: Empire, Public Enemies, Mr. Lonely, Greg’s Leg, Morning Due (Cannes).

Full Performance Schedule

Previews for Queen are April 14-20, 2017. Previews are $15-$40. The Press opening is Friday, April 21 at 7:30pm. Regular performances run April 22 – May14, 2017: Tuesday — Friday at 7:30pm; Saturday at 3pm and 7:30pm; Sunday at 3:00pm.  Regular performances are $15-$60.

Victory Gardens has partnered with mobile theater ticketing app TodayTix to offer free tickets for the first preview of Queen. Free Tickets will be available via TodayTix mobile lottery, launching one week before the first preview on Friday, April 8, 2017. Winners will be notified by email and push notification between 12:00pm and 3:00pm on the day of the first preview, Friday, April 14, 2017. 

Performances are at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. For tickets and information, call the Victory Gardens Box Office, 773.871.3000, email tickets@victorygardens.org, or visit www.victorygardens.org. Ask the Box Office about student tickets ($15), senior, and Access. For group discounts, call 872.817.9087.

Public Programs

Public Programs is an event series designed to enhance your experience by exploring themes and issues within Victory Gardens Theater’s productions. Connecting our theater to the world beyond the stage and rehearsal room, Public Programs bridge ideas, provoke dialogue, and deepen the relationship between our audiences and our productions

A full and updated schedule of special events, post-show discussions and presentations centered on performances of Queen is available at www.victorygardens.org . All events are free unless otherwise noted. For more information, call 773.871.3000 or visit the Victory Gardens website.

AFTERWORDS

After every performance of QUEEN (unless otherwise noted)

Join us for one of our intimate post-show conversations. Led by members from the Victory Gardens community—artistic affiliates, subscribers, Artistic staff, Teen Arts Council members, The Council of Community Leaders, and community partners— reflect on what you’ve seen and share your response.

HONEY, HONEY

Pre-show celebration | Post-show conversation

April 18, 2017

Reception begins at 6:30pm in the Victory Gardens lobby

Post-Show conversation to follow the evening performance of Queen

Avocados, coffee, cilantro, strawberries, and, yes, honey. All foods that we enjoy because of bees. What do we lose when we lose bees? Join us for a pre-show honey tasting and beekeeping demonstrations, featuring urban beekeepers in Chicago. After the performance of QUEEN, join local beekeepers to talk about the loss of bees from a more personal perspective.

YAAAS QUEEN

Pre-show celebration | Post-show conversation

April 19, 2017

Reception begins at 6:30pm in the Victory Gardens lobby

Post-Show conversation to follow the evening performance of Queen

STEM: Science, technology, engineering, mathematics. Just 25% of the workforce in these fields is comprised of women. Join us for a pre-show celebration to recognize the women like Sanam and Ariel who have pushed ahead in a field that continually tries to shut them out. After this performance of QUEEN, join us for a discussion with local scholars, researchers, and scientists about their work and experiences in the field.

ARTIST TALK WITH MADHURI SHEKAR

Post-show conversation

April 20, 2017 | Following the evening performance of Queen

Have you ever wondered what goes into writing a play like QUEEN? Join playwright Madhuri Shekar and

our Director of New Play Development Isaac Gomez as they delve into the process of developing a new

play from the ground up.

EARTH DAY

Pre-show celebration

April 22, 2017 | 6:30pm in the Victory Gardens Lobby

Every day should be Earth Day! How can we make daily changes to care for our planet? Join us for an

evening of interactive events including a food waste composting demo, Zero Waste Challenge performances from local artists and activists whose work centers around the environment. Then, join us for an evening performance of QUEEN. Each ticket includes a gift bag with seeds to help you start your

bee-friendly garden and other fun favors!

FROM STEM TO STEAM

April 29, 2017 | Following the evening performance of Queen

Art and science are often seen from the opposite ends of the education spectrum. But they are

more connected than we may think. Science and art are both methods to understand our place in the world and why things happen the way they do. Join us after tonight’s performance of QUEEN for a

post-show full of science-related poetry; applying math and science to the arts, applying art to math and

science.

COLLEGE NIGHT

Pre-show celebration | Post-show conversation

May 12, 2017

Reception begins at 6:30pm in the Victory Gardens lobby

Post-Show conversation to follow the evening performance of Queen

Gender parity is just one issue that the scientists in QUEEN, Sanam and Ariel, face throughout their careers. Even among the struggle, there is joy and pride to be found in the work that they did and will continue to do. Their fight is not just fictional: women comprise only 25% of the workforce in STEM fields.

Join us for a night of short plays written and performed by Chicago college students from Northwestern,

DePaul, University of Chicago, and Columbia, reflecting on the challenges that women face in their professional lives.

BEE IN THE KNOW

May 13, 2017 | Following the evening performance of Queen

In our current political climate, the issue of climate change is an often contentious one. A clear partisan

issue, what does this mean in the years to come? How is climate change affecting our day to day lives

and how can we get involved? Join us after tonight’s performance of QUEEN as we talk with local

scientists, activists, and scholars and dive into climate change and its effect on the bee population, as

well as on our futures.

For more information about Victory Gardens, visit www.victorygardens.org.  Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/victorygardens, Twitter @VictoryGardens and Instagram at instagram.com/victorygardenstheater/

Lead Production Sponsor The William and Orli Staley Foundation

  

Production Sponsors: Edgerton Foundation; Author Anupy Singla, Co-founder Indian As Apple Pie; Metropolitan Capital Bank, NEA Art Works, REAM Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust

Student Matinee and Youth Engagement Sponsors Exelon and AllState

Season Sponsors: Allstate, Alphawood Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Doris Duke Charitable Trust, Exelon, Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, The Joyce Foundation, The Mellon Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Prince Charitable Trust, The REAM Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Wallace Foundation

Travel Sponsor: Southwest Airlines

                                               

Queen is the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.

About Victory Gardens Theater

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yew and Managing Director Erica Daniels, Victory Gardens is dedicated to artistic excellence while creating a vital, contemporary American Theater that is accessible and relevant to all people through productions of challenging new plays and musicals.  Victory Gardens Theater is committed to the development, production and support of new plays that has been the mission of the theater since its founding, set forth by Dennis Začek, Marcelle McVay, and the original founders of Victory Gardens Theater.

Victory Gardens Theater is a leader in developing and producing new theater work and cultivating an inclusive Chicago theater community. Victory Gardens’ core strengths are nurturing and producing dynamic and inspiring new plays, reflecting the diversity of our city’s and nation’s culture through engaging diverse communities, and in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, bringing art and culture to our city’s active student population.  

Since its founding in 1974, the company has produced more world premieres than any other Chicago theater, a commitment recognized nationally when Victory Gardens received the 2001 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Victory Gardens Biograph Theater includes the Začek-McVay Theater, a state-of-the-art 259-seat mainstage and the 109-seat studio theater on the second floor, named the Richard Christiansen Theater.

Victory Gardens Ensemble Playwrights include Luis Alfaro, Philip Dawkins, Marcus Gardley, Ike Holter, Samuel D. Hunter, Naomi Iizuka, Tanya Saracho and Laura Schellhardt. Each playwright has a seven-year residency at Victory Gardens Theater.

The Playwrights Ensemble Alumni includes Claudia Allen, Lonnie Carter, Steve Carter, Gloria Bond Clunie, Dean Corrin, Nilo Cruz, Joel Drake Johnson, John Logan, Nicholas Patricca, Douglas Post, James Sherman, Charles Smith, Jeffrey Sweet and Kristine Thatcher.

Victory Gardens Theater receives major funding from The Wallace Foundation, Alphawood Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Shubert Foundation, The REAM Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Allstate Insurance, Polk Bros. Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The William and Orli Staley Foundation, and The National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding is provided by: Abbot Downing & Wells Fargo, Alliance Bernstein, The Charles H. and Bertha L. Boothroyd Foundation, Exelon, The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, John R. Halligan Charitable Fund, Illinois Arts Council, Illinois Tool Works, Italian Village Restaurants, Mayer Brown LLP, The McVay Foundation, LLP, The Prince Charitable Trusts, The Saints, Charles & M.R. Shapiro Foundation, Southwest Airlines, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Whole Foods Market, and Wrightwood Neighbors Conservation Association.

Strawdog Theatre Makes New Home In Former Signal Ensemble Space in North Center

STRAWDOG THEATRE ANNOUNCES 30^th SEASON TO TAKE PLACE IN ITS NEW NORTH CENTER LOCATION 

Strawdog’s Main Stage and Late Night Offerings to be held at the Former Signal Ensemble Space, 1802  W. Berenice. 

Congrats to Strawdog Theatre Company on their new home! We'll still miss the bold doors, brickwork, and urban character of their last permanent home, but we're eagerly anticipating what Strawdog will achieve in this stellar new space.

Strawdog Theatre Company is proud to announce the Company has signed a three-year lease for the former Signal Ensemble Theater, 1802 W. Berenice.  The space was also briefly home to Oracle Productions following Signal’s closure, and has a 99-seat theatre. Strawdog’s 30^th Anniversary Season to be celebrated during 2017 – 2018 is to be announced.

“We are so excited to have a home with such a rich connection to the Chicago Theatre community,” said Co-Artistic Director Anderson Lawfer. “We have had a great year at the Factory Theater and thank them for being such fantastic hosts and landlords. Strawdog has been looking for a new home since leaving Lakeview and the North Center location offers many opportunities for celebrating our 30^th Anniversary and planning our future seasons and popular late night programming.”

Strawdog Theatre Company’s final production of the 2016 - 2017 season will take place at the new Factory Theater in Rogers Park, 1621 W. Howard St. The Night Season, written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz and directed by Elly Green, runs May 11 – June 24. Strawdog Theater on Berenice takes residence immediately with the space available for rentals to itinerant companies.

ABOUT STRAWDOG THEATRE COMPANY 

Since its founding in 1988, Strawdog Theatre Company has offered Chicagoland the premiere storefront theatre experience and garnered numerous Non-Equity Jeff Awards with its commitment to ensemble acting and an immersive design approach. The celebrated Company develops new work, re-imagines the classics, melds music with theatre, asks provocative questions and delivers their audience the unexpected.

Strawdog Theatre Company is supported in part by The Alphawood Foundation, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and through the generous contributions of businesses and individuals.

OPENING: Midwest Premiere of By the Water at Northlight 3/16-4/23

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Northlight Theatre continues its 2016-17 season with

the Midwest Premiere of

By the Water

By Sharyn Rothstein Directed by Cody Estle

March 16 - April 23, 2017

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the Midwest Premiere of By the Water, written by Sharyn Rothstein and directed by Cody Estle.  By the Water runs March 16 – April 23, 2017 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie.

Hurricane Sandy has just ravaged the lifelong home of Marty and Mary Murphy. But the storm has ripped apart more than just the walls: with their neighbors too devastated to stay, the couple’s beloved Staten Island community is in danger of disappearing forever. Determined to rebuild, Marty wages a campaign to save his neighborhood and his home, but when the Murphys’ sons arrive to help their parents dig out, past betrayals come rushing to the surface.

With fierce compassion and poignant humor, By the Water reminds us that the very powers that tear us apart can also bring us together.

The Box Office is located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, in Skokie.  Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm, and Saturdays 12:00pm-5:00pm. On performance days, the box office hours are extended through showtime. The Box Office is closed on Sundays, except on performance days when it is open two hours prior to showtime.

Curtain times are: Tuesdays: 7:30pm (March 21 only); Wednesdays: 1:00pm (except April 5) and 7:30pm; Thursdays: 7:30pm; Fridays: 8:00pm; Saturdays: 2:30pm (except March 18) and 8:00pm; Sundays: 2:30pm (except April 16) and 7:00pm (March 19 and April 9 only)

Tickets:Previews: $30-$57

Regular run: $30-$81

Student tickets are $15, any performance 

(subject to availability)

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.

847.673.6300; northlight.org

“Sharyn is a wonderful talent and we are proud to have her work on our stage directed by longtime collaborator Cody Estle, who has assisted me on many projects here at Northlight,” said Artistic Director BJ Jones. “In this play, natural disaster serves as a metaphor for the social and political change that forces generations to confront very real issues about their own lives—lives built on values that have become outmoded. Sharyn's sharp sense of humor built on rich character development is sprinkled throughout, and the themes of justice and family values and loyalties emerge full-throated in her dialogue and her surprising plot.” 

•In the neighborhood that By the Water is based on, 

there were 184 families living on the water.  

When Governor Cuomo’s buyout plan was proposed, 

all but 40 families took it.

Director Cody Estle adds, “It’s about confronting deep-seated personal problems in the face of a generational divide and finding a way to move forward. Times are changing and it’s not about you and me; it’s about our grandchildren, and their children. It’s about all of us making sacrifices today to create a better tomorrow. The harrowing backdrop of a natural disaster also allows for unexpected wit and humor—all in all I think it will engage, move and inspire audiences.”

•By the Water was the recipient of the 2015 American Theater Critic’s Association Francesca Primus Prize, awarded annually to an emerging woman playwright. 

The Primus Prize was founded in 1997 in memory of actress and critic 

Francesca Primus. Previous awardees include Jennifer Haley, Stefanie Zadravec, 

Karen Zacarias, and Lynn Nottage.

The cast of By the Water includes Janet Ulrich Brooks (Andrea Carter), Jordan Brown (Sal), Patrick Clear (Phillip Carter), Amanda Drinkall (Emily), Francis Guinan (Marty Murphy), Joel Reitsma (Brian) and Penny Slusher (Mary Murphy).

The creative team includes Jeffrey D. Kmiec (Scenic Design), JR Lederle (Lighting Design), Rachel Laritz (Costume Design), and Lindsay Jones (Sound Design). The Production Stage Manager is Mara Filler.

Northlight’s production of By the Water is supported in part by Bill and Eleanor Revelle and Hagerty Consulting. 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

•By the Water marks Cody Estle’s directorial debut for Northlight Theatre where he previously served as an assistant director to BJ Jones on Charm, Season’s Greetings and Stella & Lou, and others, as well as an artistic assistant for the 2014-2015 season.

CODY ESTLE (Director) is a Chicago-based freelance director. Directing credits include The Assembled Parties, A Loss of Roses, Dividing the Estate, Vieux Carré (named by Chicago Tribune as one of the Year's Best in 2014), Good Boys and True, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Boy Gets Girl and Dating Walter Dante at Raven Theatre; Scarcity at Redtwist Theatre; The Seagull and Watch on the Rhine at The Artistic Home; Don't Go Gentle at Haven Theatre; Uncle Bob at Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company and Hospitality Suite at Citadel Theatre. He’s had the pleasure of assistant directing at Northlight, Steppenwolf, Goodspeed Musicals, Court, Writers, Next Theatre and Strawdog. Estle is the Associate Artistic Director at Raven Theatre, an associate member of SDC and a graduate of Columbia College Chicago.

•Sharyn Rothstein’s idea for By the Water sprang from a visit to the areas of Staten Island designated for a buyout following Hurricane Sandy. She said, “Leaving behind a community, a lifetime of memories, seemed like an enormous leap of faith and an incredibly difficult decision, but the destruction was gut wrenching. Yet, in front of one neat, clearly beloved house, a man who looked to be in his sixties was tending his lawn. With his whole neighborhood in ruins, with a majority of his neighbors already gone or figuring out how to leave, here was a man clearly standing firm. The image of him standing there amid so much loss was the genesis of my play.”

SHARYN ROTHSTEIN (Playwright) is a playwright and television writer, whose plays and musicals have been workshopped and produced around the country, as well as internationally. Her play By The Water was first produced by Manhattan Theater Club and Ars Nova in 2014 and was the recipient of the 2015 American Theater Critic’s Association Francesca Primus Prize for a play by an emerging woman playwright. Her play All The Days was the recipient of the Edgerton Foundation Award and was produced at the McCarter Theater Center in 2016, directed by Emily Mann. In addition to playwriting, Sharyn is a writer for the USA Network drama SUITS. She holds an MFA in dramatic writing from NYU and a Masters in Public Health from Hunter College, with a concentration in Urban Health.

JANET ULRICH BROOKS (Andrea Carter) returns to Northlight after previously appearing in Ten Chimneys. A company member of TimeLine, her credits include Bakersfield Mist, The How And The Why, Apple Family Plays and Jeff-nominated performances in All My Sons, When She Danced, Not Enough Air and Weekend.  Other credits include Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, The Seagull (Goodman); Crazy For You (Drury Lane); Women Laughing Alone With Salad (Helen Hayes nomination - Woolly Mammoth Theatre, DC); Failure: A Love Story (Victory Gardens); Golda’s Balcony (Jeff Award – Pegasus Players) and work with Steppenwolf, ATC, About Face and Writers.  TV: Sense8, Chicago Fire, Chicago Justice and Boss.  Film: Divergent, Conviction, One Small Hitch and Fools. A recipient of the Ed See Outstanding Theatre Alumnus Award from University of Central Missouri, Janet is represented by Gray Talent Group.

Jordan Brown (Sal) returns to Northlight where he previously appeared in White Guy on the Bus and Sense & Sensibility. Other Chicago credits include the Goodman’s Wonderful Town, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Brigadoon (Jeff Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Musical) and A Christmas Carol; Iphigenia In Aulis (Court); The Pitmen Painters and Juno (TimeLine) and In The Company Of Men (Profiles). Off-Broadway, he played Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing (Theatre Row in the Beckett Theatre). In Baltimore, he appeared in A Skull in Connemara (Centerstage Theatre). TV credits include Sirens and Crisis. Jordan can also be seen playing the role of Kirt in NBC's web series Bobby & Iza. He is a graduate of the University of the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Patrick Clear (Phillip Carter) returns to Northlight where he was seen as Mr. Kirby in last season’s You Can’t Take It With You. His other Northlight appearances include The Mousetrap, The Miser, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde and Pride and Prejudice. He has appeared in more than 60 productions with Chicago area theatres including Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, Writers and Remy Bumppo. His regional credits include appearances at Hartford Stage, the Asolo Repertory Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Arena Stage, the Guthrie Theater, American Shakespeare Theatre, Centerstage, the Huntington Theatre and the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. He appeared on Broadway in Noises Off and Hollywood Arms. Film and television credits include Empire, The Dark Knight, Chicago PD, Boss, The Untouchables and Early Edition.

Amanda Drinkall (Emily) returns to Northlight where she previously appeared in White Guy on the Bus and Funnyman. Other Chicago credits include: King Charles III (Chicago Shakespeare); Mary Page Marlowe (Steppenwolf), Venus in Fur and Measure for Measure (Goodman); Dutchman (American Blues); Last Train to Nibroc (Haven Theatre-Jeff Award, Best Actress), Rest (Victory Gardens), Pygmalion (Oak Park Festival); Great Expectations (Strawdog); Pride and Prejudice (Lifeline); hamlet is dead. no gravity, The Skriker, Brand, The Love of the Nightingale, and Pullman, WA (Red Tape); and sixteen shows with The Back Room Shakespeare Project. Regional credits include North Carolina & Michigan Shakespeare Festivals.  TV credits: Chicago Med, Bobby & Iza. Film credits: The View From Tall. Ms. Drinkall holds a BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is represented by Gray Talent Group.

Francis Guinan (Marty Murphy) returns to Northlight where he previously appeared in White Guy on the Bus, Stella & Lou, Season’s Greetings and Inherit the Wind. Chicago credits include The Night Alive, The Birthday Party, Time Stands Still, The Book Thief, American Buffalo, Balm in Gilead and Say Goodnight, Gracie (Steppenwolf); The Book of Joseph (Chicago Shakespeare); Twist Your Dickens, Pullman Porter Blues and The Seagull (Goodman); A Guide for the Perplexed (Victory Gardens, Jeff Award); and Rantoul and Die (American Blues). He appeared on Broadway in August: Osage County, The Grapes of Wrath and As Is. His television credits include Boss, Eerie, Indiana, ER, Frasier and several Star Trek franchise episodes. Mr. Guinan’s film credits include Abundant Acreage Available, The Last Airbender, Typing, Low Tide and Constantine.

Joel Reitsma (Brian) is a company member with Steep Theatre, where he performed in Bobby Clearly and Motortown (Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination). He is also a co-founder, writer, performer, and director for The LIVINGroom, a Solo Performance ensemble that tells personal, autobiographical, and universal stories live on stage. Other Chicago credits include A Loss of Roses and Vieux Carré (Raven); Lisbon Traviata (Eclipse); Ecstasy (Cole Theatre); Love and Understanding (Redtwist); and The Brig (Mary Arrchie).

Penny Slusher (Mary Murphy) most recently appeared at Northlight in You Can’t Take It With You. Other Northlight productions include Chapatti, Sense & Sensibility and A Life. Chicago credits include: Sweet Bird of Youth (Goodman); Uncle Vanya (After Dark Award), The Importance of Being Earnest, James Joyce’s “The Dead” (Court); Old Glory, Another Part of the Forest (Jeff Award), Bus Stop, The Subject Was Roses (Writers). Regional: Chapatti and The Hollow (Peninsula Players), My Fair Lady (Asolo Repertory), Sense & Sensibility (Actors Theatre of Louisville and Saint Louis Repertory). International Theatre: Chapatti and Stella & Lou (Northlight at Galway International Arts Festival, Ireland), August: Osage County (Steppenwolf at Sydney Theatre, Australia). Film: Virginia, Meet the Browns, Grace is Gone. Television: The Connie Banks Show.

•Hurricane Sandy was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, and the second-costliest hurricane in United States history. In the US, Hurricane Sandy affected 24 states, with particularly severe damage in New Jersey and New York.  Of the five boroughs, Staten Island – where By the Water is set – faced the most death and damage. 

Northlight is continuing its popular special event series in conjunction with each production.  All events are free.  

Inside Look: By the Water

March 29 at 10:45am

at Bernard Weinger JCC

300 Revere Dr, Northbrook, IL

Explore the ​social and ​environmental context of By the Water, as well as aspects of the creative process through a discussion and Q&A session with director Cody Estle​.

Panel Discussion: Changing Climate, Changing Lives

April 1 at 4:00pm

at Evanston Public Library

1703 Orrington Ave, Evanston IL

In Northlight Theatre's By the Water, the Murphy family and their Staten Island neighbors lose their home to Hurricane Sandy - a natural disaster amplified by global warming. Join a panel of environmental experts to discuss the very human implications of climate change, and the many ways our changing environment can affect our lives. 

  

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community.

Now in its 42nd season, the organization has mounted over 200 productions, including nearly 40 world premieres. Northlight has earned 198 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 34 Awards. As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from Allstate Insurance; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation; BMO Harris Bank; Henrietta Lange Burk Fund; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Chicago Community Trust; ComEd, An Exelon Company; The Davee Foundation; Edgerton Foundation for New American Plays Award; Evanston Community Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Melvoin Award for Playwriting; Modestus Bauer Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Niles Township; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; Dr. Scholl Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; Tom Stringer Design Partners; Turner Construction; and the Venturous Theater Fund of the Tides Foundation.

•By The Water received its world premiere through The Writer’s Room, a new development partnership between Manhattan Theater Club and Ars Nova. The Writer’s Room is designed to commission, develop and support playwrights in the process of creating new work. By the Water marked the first world premiere production from the program and opened off-Broadway in November 2014 at MTC’s Studio at Stage II in New York’s City Center.