FEST ALERT: Destinos 7th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival September 30-November 17, 2024

Fest Alert: ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar Destinos 7th Chicago International  Latino Theater Festival  boasting most extensive line-up yet with works from Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Mexico and the U.S. playing all over the city, September 30-November 17 Here at ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama, we've covered every year of Destiny's Fest since its inception, and this year's no exception. We are so fortunate to have multicultural, world class theatre right on our doorstep. There's something for everyone at 7th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival. Don't miss this!  Only in Chicago can you experience a Brazilian play about a female shaman, a Chilean all-ages adventure about saving trees, the return of Port of Entry at Albany Park Theater, Chicago’s Satya Chávez in Brian Quijada’s Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, The Magic Parlour headlined by Latine magicians from Ecuador and Chicago, and the world premieres of a father/son dramedy set in Wrigley Field, a one-woman Mariachi musical, the true story of Humboldt Park church refugee Elvira Arellano and a Latine drag comedy. The Destinos 2024 lineup includes (top, from left) Chile’s Astillero Teatro’s all-ages family show, the North American premiere of La Memoria de los Sésiles, at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Oct. 31-Nov. 3. The U.S. premiere of Desvenar from Mexico’s Kraken Teatro explores the significance of the chile in Mexican culture, Oct. 3-5 at the National Museum of Mexican Art. (Middle) Latin Standards, a one-woman comedy by San Francisco solo artist Marga Gomez, plays Center on Halsted, Oct. 4-5. Albany Park Theater Project and Third Rail Projects present the return of their hit immersive production, Port of Entry, Oct. 17-Nov. 2. (Bottom) The North American premiere of El Brote from Compañia Criolla in Argentina features Roberto Peloni as an actor who can’t be sure who is writing the events in his own life, Oct. 2-5 at The Den. Chicago artist Satya Chavez stars in Brian Quijada’s Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, Nov.15-17 at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater.  The 2024 Destinos Festival is bringing exciting international productions from Argentina, Brazil, and Chile to Chicago.

Wednesday, October 2 at 8 p.m. El Brote  at The Den Theatre 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wicker Park I'll be catching El Brote on opening night, so check back soon for my full review at ChiILLiveShows.com.  Presented by Compañía Criolla, Argentina North American Premiere Written and directed by Emiliano Dionisi  Starring Roberto Peloni Four shows only, October 2-5: Wednesday - Saturday at 8 p.m.  Presented in Spanish with English subtitles 90 minutes Ages 15+ The lines between fiction and reality begin to blur for an actor, and now he cannot even be sure who is writing the events in his own life. What kind of character are we in this story?

CANCELLED DUE TO PERFORMER VISA ISSUES Desvenar at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., Pilsen Presented by Kraken Teatro, Mexico U.S. Premiere Written, directed by and co-starring Richard Viqueira Featuring Valentina Garibay and Angel Luna  CANCELLED  Presented in Spanish with English subtitles 90 minutes Ages 12+ Desvenar is a scenic mole that delves into the intricate layers of extravagance associated with spice, intertwining culinary traditions with historical, religious, botanical and patriotic perspectives. Through the lens of mole—a sauce rich in flavor and symbolism—this work explores the dual nature of spiciness as both a source of cultural flavor and a metaphor for the challenges and contradictions we face as a nation.

Thursday, October 3 at 7 p.m. Elvira at St. Augustine College, Charlie Chaplin Hall, 1345 W. Argyle St. in Uptown World Premiere Presented by Colectivo El Pozo, Chicago Written by Raúl Dorantes Directed by Mark Litwicki October 2-26: Thu and Fri at 7 p.m., Sat at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Performed in Spanish with English subtitles 75 minutes All Ages  Elvira tells the story of Elvira Arellano, a Mexican immigrant, single mother, worker and eventual activist. Fearing deportation, Elvira takes sanctuary for a year in a Humboldt Park church. Her year enclosed in sanctuary allows her to observe herself and the systems that led to her arrest and enclosure. Her son, a friend, her pastor, and other supporters accompany her as well as the demands and cruelty of the law-is-the-law Sistema. A story about a struggle for survival and for justice.

Friday, October 4, 8 p.m. Latin Standards at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St. in Lakeview Written by and starring Marga Gomez  Chicago Premiere via San Francisco Directed by David Schweitzer Two shows only, October 4 and 5: Fri and Sat at 8 p.m. Performed in English Runs 75 minutes Ages 16+ A loving, funny and true story of perseverance and creative and caffeinated addiction passed down from immigrant father to lesbian daughter. Mixing nostalgia, urgency, and comic edge, Gomez portrays herself as a driven adult child of a Cuban entertainer.

Saturday, October 5 at 7 p.m. El Piélago de las Calamidades Presented by Chicago's Teatro Tariakuri, 3117 W. 63rd St. in Chicago Lawn U.S. Premiere Written by Alejandro Licona Directed by Karla Galván October 5-27: Sat and Sun at 5 p.m. Performed in Spanish with English subtitles 90 minutes Ages 15+ (includes strong language and sexual innuendo) This U.S. premiere comedy is the unwritten story of what happened to a troupe of nomadic actors who were hired by Hamlet to represent the murder of his father.

Thursday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m. Azira’i at Chicago Shakespeare Theater Upstairs Studio, Navy Pier,  800 E. Grand Ave. I'll be catching Azira’i on opening night, so check back soon for my full review at ChiILLiveShows.com.  Presented by Sarau Cultura Brasileira, Brazil North American Premiere A biographical one-woman musical starring Zahy Tentehar  Conceived and with dramaturgy by Zahy Tentehar and Duda Rios Directed by Denise Stutz and Duda Rios Four shows only: October 24-27 Thu, Fri and Sat at 7:30 p.m.; Sun at 3 p.m. Performed in Portuguese and Ze’eng eté with projected English translation 90 minutes Ages 15+ This biographical musical show looks at Zahy Tentehar’s relationship with her mother, Azira’i, the first female Shaman from the Cana Brava reserve (MA), who held the rank of Supreme Shaman of the Tentehar peoples, which is only for people with extremely developed medicinal and spiritual knowledge. Chicago Shakespeare Theater hosts the North American premiere of Azira’i, a biographical one-woman show starring Zahy Tentehar presented by Sarau Cultura Brasileira in Brazil. The play looks at Tentehar’s relationship with her mother, Azira’i, a female Shaman.

Thursday, October 31 at 7:30 p.m. La Memoria de los Sésiles at Chicago Shakespeare Theater Upstairs Studio, Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave. Presented by Astillero Teatro, Chile North American Premiere Written by Nicolás Cancino-Said Directed by: Gabriel Contreras Four shows only: October 31-November 3: Thu, Fri and Sat at 7:30 p.m.; Sun at 3 p.m. Performed in Spanish with English translation 55 minutes Ages 6+ Created in the key of family theater, filled with songs, games and beautiful stagecraft, La Memoria de los Sésiles takes place in a not-too-distant future where all the trees have been cut down by uncontrolled real estate expansion. Sacha, an old hermit, will embark on a journey deep underground in the face of the inevitable destruction of his home. Accompanied by Tujo, a rebellious young environmentalist, they will go in search of the last living roots to the path that will allow them to make the forest emerge again.

New Destinos partners include Center on Halsted, Albany Park Theater Project and the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University U.S. productions, traveling from out-of-town for their Chicago debuts, include: Latin Standards, a one-woman comedic family memoir by San Francisco solo artist Marga Gomez, is a loving, funny and true story of perseverance and creative and caffeinated addiction passed down from immigrant father to lesbian daughter. It’s presented in partnership with Center on Halsted, two shows only, October 4-5. Press opening is Friday, October 4 at 8 p.m. Goodman Theatre is partnering with CLATA to bring the art of magic to Destinos with The Magic Parlour presents Siegfried Tieber (top). Twelve performances only, October 9-20 at The Magic Parlour, include two with special guest appearances by Chicago magicians (bottom, from left) Luis Carreon and Mago Gozner.  Goodman Theatre builds on its long-running partnership with CLATA to bring the art of magic to Destinos with The Magic Parlour presents Siegfried Tieber. This year, legendary Chicago magician Dennis Watkins has invited Tieber and local Latine magicians to take the stage of The Magic Parlour for this exclusive limited engagement, October 9-20 at The Magic Parlour, adjacent to Goodman Theatre and Petterino’s. Originally from Ecuador, Tieber is a L.A.-based magician who has fooled thousands, including Penn & Teller, with his amazing sleight-of-hand, psychology and humor. Watkins considers Tieber one of his favorite magic entertainers, calling him “smart, funny, gracious and incredibly devious.” Twelve performances only, including two with special guest appearances by local magicians Luis Carreon and Mago Gozner.  Rising musical theater composer and 2023 Jonathan Larson Award-winner Jaime Lozano comes to the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University to continue development of Desaparecidas, his new state-fair concert musical about stories of disappeared women from the borderlands. Told through the lens of Mexican folklore and music, writers Lozano, Florencia Cuenca and Georgina Escobar explore the strategic erasure of female voices in the fight to end gender-based violence and the disappearance of women and girls. From the missing, to the socially invisible, to the forgotten, Desaparecidas takes place in a classic and timeless Mexican state fair (a Palenque) where the audience will experience a special appearance by some stories of the missing. Performances are October 18-20 at Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts Chicago. Press opening is Friday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m.  I came here to weep, first presented at Brooklyn’s Chocolate Factory Theatre in 2023, is a performance installation led by Bessie Award-winning choreographer and interdisciplinary artist Yanira Castro. Co-created with the public, I came here to weep is a multimodal, interactive project with a built audio environment designed by Northwestern faculty member Stephan Moore. A culmination of Castro's design residency at Northwestern, I came here to weep examines U.S. territorial possession and Puerto Rican sovereignty and invites the audience into a collective exorcism. Experience I came here to weep November 15-16 at Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts Chicago. Press opening is Friday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m.  Chicago Latine companies, artists and shows participating in the 7th Destinos Festival are: Elvira, a world premiere from Colectivo El Pozo, tells the true story of Elvira Arellano, a Mexican immigrant, single mother, worker, and eventual activist, who, fearing deportation, took sanctuary for a year in a Humboldt Park church in 2005. Elvira, written by Raúl Dorantes and directed by Mark Litwicki, runs October 2-26 at the Charlie Chaplin Hall at St. Augustine College in Uptown. Press opening is Thursday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m.  Teatro Tariakuri in Chicago Lawn presents the U.S. premiere of El Piélago de las Calamidades, a comedy by Alejandro Licona, directed by Karla Galván, about the unwritten story of what happened to the nomadic actors who Hamlet hired to represent the murder of his father. Performances are October 5-27. Press opening is Saturday, October 5 at 7 p.m.  The setting is Wrigley Field, Cubs versus the Brewers, in the world premiere dramedy Que Te Vaya Bien from Subtext Studio Theatre, debuting October 10-27 at the Greenhouse Theater. After learning his wife is pregnant, Elias buys a ticket to the Cubs game to spiritually connect with his deceased father, in the hope of gaining some clarity on what it means to be a good father. A new play written by Omar Vicente Fernandez and directed by Octavio Montes De Oca. Press opening is Friday, October 11 at 7:30 p.m.  Childhood photo of Ruth Guerra, writer and star of Concrete Content's world premiere of Ruth on the Rocks, directed by Ricardo Gamboa, October 11 - November 16 at The Storyfront in Back of the Yards. Concrete Content presents the world premiere of Ruth on the Rocks, a dramedy developed and directed by Ricardo Gamboa, written by and starring Ruth Guerra. Ruth is just your average Mexican American, middle-aged girl that grew up in the hood on Chicago’s south side. Ruth loves a good drink or ten, her jams and a messy relationship. Oh! She’s also a mother and grandmother, regular at a few bars and backyards, sometimes actor and storyteller, and still grieving her father. She probably needs a therapist or an Ayahuasca trip but instead this veteran of Chicago’s underground Latino performance and storytelling scene made a play about her hot ass mess of a life. Performances are October 11 - November 16 at The Storyfront in Back of the Yards. Press opening is Friday, October 11 at 7 p.m.    Jeff Award-winning Visión Latino Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Jocey y Las Mariachis, a one-woman musical created by Jocey Villa, October 12-27 at the APO Culture Center in Pilsen. Jeff Award-winning Visión Latino Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Jocey y Las Mariachis, a one-woman musical created by Jocey Villa, directed by Yajaira Custodio. Experience one woman’s musical journey through culture, love and self-discovery in Chicago, accompanied by live mariachi music! Performances are October 12-27 at the APO Culture Centerin Pilsen. Press opening is Monday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m.  Albany Park Theater Project and Third Rail Projects present the return of their hit immersive production, Port of Entry. Step inside the real-life stories of immigrants and refugees from all parts of the world living side by side in a single apartment building in Albany Park. Each performance welcomes just 28 audience members into an iconic courtyard apartment building meticulously recreated in a 12,000 square foot warehouse. With each step, guests experience the struggles, joys and triumphs of people forging new lives alongside one another. The Chicago Tribune called the original 2023 staging “an astonishing piece of work…a beautiful and fresh tribute to those who came first.” Performances are October 17-November 2. Press opening is Thursday, October 17 at 7 p.m.  Destinos Spotlight Week returns with a series of one-night-only performances highlighting Chicago’s local talent, including Antojitos Improv on October 19 at The Den Theatre.  Destinos Spotlight Week returns with a series of one-night-only performances highlighting Chicago’s local talent. Enjoy storytelling hosted by Nestor Gomez on October 18, Antojitos Improv on October 19 and a Latine edition of Physical Theater Scratch Night on October 21. All performances are at The Den Theatre. Cabaret Parodia presents Más Dramáticas, written and directed by Esteban Pantoja, a comedy about an acting school director who shares the history of her prestigious academy and reveals the intense drama behind the auditions of five extraordinary students, each played by Chicago Latine drag performers. With fierce competition, high stakes and unwavering ambition, these girls are prepared to give it their all. Expect more music, more laughter, more wigs and more drama. Two shows only, October 23 and 24 at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Press opening is Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m.  Repertorio Latino Theater presents the Chicago premiere of Juicio a una Zorra, a dramatic monologue by Miguel Del Arco, directed by Sebastian Ligarde. Mafer Roussell plays Helen of Troy, famous for her beauty that sparked the most renowned war of Antiquity, and vilified as the adulterous queen of Sparta. Performances are October 24-November 10 at Citlalin Gallery & Theater. Press opening is Thursday, October 24 at 8 p.m.  Aguijón Theater, the city’s longest running Latino and Spanish-language theater, based in Belmont-Cragin, presents the Chicago premiere of Adverses, a contemporary take on the Electra myth by Rey Andujar, directed by Sándor Menéndez and Marcela Muñoz. This is a humorous yet poignant tragicomedy about the corrosive nature of the pursuit of power and the often-complicated relationship between mothers and daughters. Performances are November 1-December 15. Press opening is Friday, November 1 at 8 p.m.        Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Aguijón Theater will present a remount of Cintas de seda, about an imagined encounter between Frida Kahlo and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz,four shows only, November 7-10 at the National Museum of Mexican Art, where Aguijón first performed in 1990.  Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Aguijón Theater will also present a remount of Cintas de seda, four shows only, November 7-10 at the National Museum of Mexican Art, where Aguijón first performed in 1990. On the eve of Day of the Dead, Frida Kahlo and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz come together in an impossible dialogue where ghosts, hallucinations, and images of the past are present from death in a poetic representation of life. This special run will also serve as a fundraiser for Chicago’s longest running Spanish language theater company. Press opening is Thursday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m.  Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, the smash hit solo musical by Chicago native Brian Quijada, performed by the acclaimed multi-hyphenated Chicago artist Satya Chavez, runs for a very limited engagement, November 15-17 at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater. During a third grade lesson on the Civil Rights movement and Rosa Parks, a Latina child raises her hand to ask, “Where did we sit on the bus?” Her teacher can’t answer the question. Performed by Chavez, an actor, singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and intersectional feminist, and infused with Latin rhythms, hip-hop, and live-looping, don’t miss this high-octane, tour-de-force theatrical experience that examines what it means to be Latine in America. Press opening is Friday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m.  Additional programming for Destinos includes: The 2024 Destinos festival will mark the launch of Alianzas, a week of gatherings and events from October 21-27 dedicated to facilitating exchanges between artistic programmers representing international and national festivals and local Latine theater groups. Another first will be the introduction of Intercambios, a series of workshops throughout the run of the festival focusing on different skill building sessions. About the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) The Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) is a leading advocate organization for Latine theater in Chicago. Supporting the development of emerging and established Latine playwrights, actors, directors and theater professionals is central to its mission. CLATA’s goal is to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive theater community, by presenting and producing Latine theater that celebrates and promotes the richness and diversity of our Latinidad. CLATA believes together we can build a stronger and more sustainable Latine theater industry. CLATA has four signature programs: 1) Destinos, the Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, an annual, citywide festival showcasing Chicago's Latine theater artists and companies alongside top Latine artists from the U.S. and Latin America, 2) Destinos Al Aire, a free outdoor family festival that brings performing arts to Chicago Latine communities with the goal of making the arts accessible to everyone, 3) Inicios: Chicago Latine Playwright Festival, an annual festival dedicated to elevating and promoting Chicagoland area Latine playwrights and 4) Latine Theatre Artist Week, a weeklong series of free workshops and offerings specifically for Latine theatre actors and artists. CLATA is supported by the Ford Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Arts Work Fund, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, National Latinx Theater Initiative, Driehaus Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, Excellerator Fund, Shubert Foundation and Illinois Arts Council. Destinos is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, Allstate, Arts Midwest GIG Fund and the Consulate General of Argentina. For more information, visit clata.org, or follow CLATA on Facebook, Instagram and Threads at @latinotheater.

World Premiere of the love object Via The Story Theatre October 10 – November 3, 2024

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

World Premiere!

The Story Theatre Presents

the love object

Pictured (left to right) Mollyanne Nunn, Emily Holland, Spencer Diaz Tootle and Cat Christmas

The Story Theatre’s world premiere of the love object. Photo by David Hagen.

By Justine Gelfman

Directed by Jasmine B. Gunter

October 10 – November 3, 2024

The Story Theatre is pleased to welcome back audiences with its world premiere of the love object by Emerging Playwright-in-Residence Justine Gelfman, directed by Northwestern MFA Directing alum Jasmine B. Gunter. This new play, which explores agency, betrayal and power through the bubblegum veneer of the early 2000s pop music industry, will take place October 10 - November 3, 2024 on Raven Theatre’s Schwartz Stage, 6157 N. Clark St. (at Granville) in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at thestorytheatre.org/tickets or by calling (773) 338-2177. I'll be out for the press opening, October 13th so check back soon after for my full review. 

The production will feature Cat Christmas, Kaylah Marie Crosby, Spencer Díaz Tootle, Emily Holland, Mollyanne Nunn and William Anthony Sebastian Rose II. Understudies include Jordan Marie Ford, Freddy Mauricio Jr., Mollyanne Nunn and Jacinda Ratcliffe.

On the eve of Ramona’s sold-out stadium tour, her best friend and trusted assistant Paula announces she is leaving to pursue her own artistry. Fearing the loss of her closest confidante, Ramona reveals that a sex tape she made is about to be released, tainting her image (and ticket sales) forever. Will Paula stay and clean up Ramona’s mess one more time or finally escape the oppressive celebrity machine for good? A contemporary adaptation of Euripides’ Hippolytus, the love object examines the hyper-sexualization of women celebrities, the power struggles of interracial friendship and the tragedies of late-stage capitalism, all through the bubblegum veneer of an early 2000s pop superstar.

The production team includes Tianxuan Chen (Scenic Design), Ben Argenta Kress (Costume Design), Seojung Jang (Lighting Design), Newt Schottelkotte (Sound Design, Original Composition), Angelíca Grace (Choreographer), Racquel Postiglione (Prop Design), Courtney Abbott (Violence & Intimacy Design), Stina Taylor (Technical Direction), Ruby Lowe (Master Electrician), Ariel Beller (Stage Manager), Emma Johnson (Assistant Stage Manager), Lucy Whipp* (Production Manager), Brenna DiStasio*, Paul Michael Thomson*, Terry Guest* (Producers) and Ayanna Bria Bakari* (Associate Producer)

*denotes a member of The Story Theatre’s Governing Ensemble

Content Advisory: This production features strobe light effects and a confetti cannon. This play explores the hyper-sexualization of women and features designed intimacy. If you would like more details before purchasing your ticket, please feel free to email production@thestorytheatre.org. The Story recognizes that individual sensitivities are myriad, and we encourage you to reach out with any questions.

 Production Details:

Title: the love object

Playwright: Emerging Playwright-in-Residence Justine Gelfman

Director: Jasmine B. Gunter

Cast (in alphabetical order): Cat Christmas (Tish), Kaylah Marie Crosby (Paula), Spencer Díaz Tootle (Randy), Emily Holland (Ramona), Mollyanne Nunn (Kylie) and William Anthony Sebastian Rose II (Simon).

Understudies: Jordan Marie Ford, Freddy Mauricio Jr., Mollyanne Nunn and Jacinda Ratcliffe.

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

Dates: Previews: Thursday, October 10 at 7:30 pm and Friday, October 11 at 7:30 pm

Friends and Family Opening: Saturday, October 12 at 7:30 pm

Press Opening: Sunday, October 13 at 3 pm

Regular run: Thursday, October 10 – Sunday, November 3, 2024

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

Tickets: Previews $15, Regular run $20, Students/active military and veterans $10

Tickets are available at thestorytheatre.org/tickets or by calling (773) 338-2177

Group tickets: Special group grates are available. For more information, call (773) 338-2177 or email paulmichael@thestorytheatre.org.  

Plan Your Visit:

 Free parking is provided in a lot adjacent to the theatre—additional street parking is available.

Nearest El station: Granville Red Line. Buses: #22 (Clark), #36 (Broadway), #151 (Sheridan), #155 (Devon), #84 (Peterson). 

About the Artists:

Justine Gelfman (Playwright) is a Brooklyn-based playwright and the Season IV Emerging Playwright-in-Residence at The Story Theatre. Her work has been developed or produced at Ars Nova, Williamstown Theatre Festival, IRT Theater, Theater Masters’ Take Ten, ESPA/Primary Stages, Dixon Place, The Story, Crashbox, Pete's Candy Store, New Women Space, New York Fringe Festival, UT Austin, Northwestern University and Kenyon College. She has been a resident at Yaddo, Colt Coeur, SPACE on Ryder Farm, Sewanee Writers' Conference, Vineyard Arts Project and Kenyon Playwrights Conference. Her writing has been published by Concord Theatricals. Her plays include the love object (The Story Theatre, 2024 Eugene O'Neill Theater Center semi-finalist), In Sisters We Trust, or My F**ked Up American Girl Doll Play (2019/20 DVRF Playwrights Program Winner, 2023 Kennedy Center NAPAT Award finalist, 2024 Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival finalist, 2020 Leah Ryan’s FEWW Prize finalist, 2020 New Harmony Project finalist, Playwrights Realm's 2020 Scratchpad Series semi-finalist, 2021 Eugene O'Neill Theater Center semi-finalist), The Galas (Ars Nova), The Technicians (2019 Seven Devils Playwrights Conference finalist, 2019 Blue Ink Playwriting Award finalist, 2019 Bay Area Playwrights Festival semi-finalist, 2019 Eugene O'Neill Theater Center semi-finalist), Doormat (2021 Theater Masters’ Take Ten MFA Festival) and The Thing That Never Happened (FringeFAVE at the New York Fringe Festival). Justine was the assistant to writer/director Annie Baker on her A24 film, Janet Planet. MFA: The University of Texas at Austin. BA: Northwestern University.

Jasmine B. Gunter (Director) is the current Resident Director/Associate Producer at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, NY. In the spring of 2024, Jasmine finished her studies as an MFA directing candidate at Northwestern University. She was the 2021 recipient of the Hangar Directing Drama League fellowship, the 2020 recipient of the Leighton M. Ballew Directing Scholarship and a proud SDC associate member. Recent directing credits include Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really (Northwestern University), The Revolutionists (Northwestern University), jump (Northwestern University) Lost Girl (Hangar Theatre), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Hangar Theatre), Hedda Gabler (Northwestern University) Wine in the Wilderness (Northwestern University), Intimate Apparel (SUNY Brockport), Ghost Story (Kane Repertory Theatre), Lines in the Dust (Geva Theatre Center), Reroute (24 Hour Plays: Nationals). Associate/Assistant Credit: Blues for an Alabama Sky (Remy Bumppo), Nina Simone: Four Women (Arena Stage), In the Heights (Seattle Rep), Quixote Nuevo (Hartford Stage/Huntington Theatre Company) and The Luckiest People (Actors Theatre of Charlotte/NNPN). Jasmine has also taught as a teaching artist at the Berkshire Theatre Group and the Redhouse Arts Center in Syracuse, NY.

About The Story Theatre:

Founded in 2018, The Story Theatre will pose questions rather than provide answers. We develop and produce new work that is whimsical, melancholic, mythic in vision and intimate in scale. We are run by a Governing Artistic Ensemble, who ensures our work is actively dismantling racism and inequity, while cultivating community through activism and catharsis. 

Our Emerging Playwright Residency Program fosters the growth of a playwright at the beginnings of an exciting career. After an intensive application and interview process, the Governing Ensemble chooses one playwright-in-residence and offers them: a fully-produced run of a completed full-length play; the development of a new script through our unique inquiry-based workshop process; a free public staged reading of this new script; and our trusted advocacy with industry professionals every step of the way. 

The Story Theatre is funded in part by The Michael and Mona Heath Fund, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, The Saints of Chicago, The Iole Foundation, and the CrossRoads Seed Fund.

The League of Chicago Theatres Announces Marissa Lynn Ford as the Organization’s New Executive Director

The League of Chicago Theatres Announces 

Marissa Lynn Ford as the Organization’s New Executive Director

The League of Chicago Theatres Board of Directors announces the selection of Marissa Lynn Ford as the organization’s new Executive Director. Ford comes to the League of Chicago Theatres from Goodman Theatre where she was Associate Managing Director. Among her accomplishments are spearheading IDEAA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, Anti-Racism) initiatives, contract negotiations, and overseeing Chicago’s first Covid-19 Equity approved production. Ford will begin at the League in October 2022. 

Ford succeeds Deb Clapp who stepped down from her position on June 30, 2022, after leading the service organization for 14 years. Clapp will continue to consult with the League through the leadership transition. 

The national search for the Executive Director began in March 2022 with a Search Committee of League Board members representative of the vast and diverse membership. The Committee worked in partnership with Arts Consulting Group to lead a thoughtful, diligent search, including input from League staff and key community stakeholders.  

“The committee unanimously recommended Marissa Lynn Ford to the position based on her proven leadership, vision, and care for community that will serve the organization, the membership, and the field at-large. Marissa’s deep experience in Chicago theatre, her distinguished work at the Goodman for the past eight years and her passion for Chicago theatre made her the top choice from a field of excellent and well-qualified candidates,” stated search committee co-chairs Charlique C. Rolle, League secretary and Executive Director of Congo Square Theatre and John Collins, immediate past chair of the League board and Managing Director of the Goodman Theatre. “We are grateful to the members of the Search Committee: Stan Brown, Director of Graduate Studies of the MFA in Acting program at Northwestern University, Eileen LaCario, past League board chair and Vice-President at Broadway In Chicago, Kate Lipuma, past League board chair and Executive Director at Writers Theatre, Marcela Muñoz, Co-Artistic and Managing Director at Aguijón Theater, Tyrone Phillips, Artistic Director at Definition Theatre, Heidi Thompson Saunders, current League board chair and Managing Director at Court Theatre, and Ivan Vega, Co-founder and Executive Director at UrbanTheater Company.

League of Chicago Theatres Board Chair Heidi Thompson Saunders adds, “On behalf of the League’s Board of Directors, I am thrilled to welcome Marissa Lynn Ford as Executive Director. Marissa’s commitment to Chicago and Chicago theatre make her an ideal choice to step into this role. We are lucky that Deb Clapp served the League so effectively for so long, and I look forward to partnering with Marissa as she works to help Chicago theaters continue to emerge from the pandemic.”

Marisa Lynn Ford comments. “What excites me about working with the League of Chicago Theatres is the opportunity to help share the stories of many voices across the Chicago community. The opportunity to develop the strategic plan, create new relationships and call-in community members and artists is exciting work. By building off the current framework and programs with the League’s amazing team of board and staff, I am confident that we will uplift Chicago theatre in a new way.”

Marissa Lynn Ford comes to the League of Chicago Theatres after 8 years at Goodman Theatre, working for the past 4 as the company’s Associate Managing Director. In that leadership position, she was responsible for IDEAA programs, negotiating contacts, supervising and maintaining a $5 million budget for artistic expenses and special projects for the 9-production season and securing production licensing, playwright contracts, commissions, and royalties. She oversaw Chicago’s first Covid-19 Equity approved production, including the Health and Safety and supervised a staff committee, company manager and accessibility coordinator.

Prior to that, she was the Special Projects Associate at Goodman Theatre. Her accomplishments include producing Goodman’s first Sensory Friendly Performance, curating the Black Words Matter Celebration, coordinating the League of Resident Theaters 2016 Fall Conference in Las Vegas, NV, and producing the Leonard Bernstein, Latino and Lorraine Hansberry Celebrations. She served on the Goodman Strategic Pricing Team to research and develop a new subscription model. Ford managed the 2015 Chicago accessibility summit in partnership with Chicago Community Trust and developed the Touch Tour Accessibility program.

She began at Goodman as Apprentice Producer to Roche Schulfer in 2014. Prior to that she spent time at Collaboraction Theatre Company as a marketing intern, American Theater Company as a development and events apprentice, and Broadway In Chicago as an operations intern.

A Chicago native, Ford graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, IA, with a B.S in Business Administration, International Business and a B.F.A. in Theatre Acting. She has served on the League of Resident Theaters Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Mentorship Committee, the Theatre Communications Group Programming Council, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival ASPIRE program and the Woodlawn AME Church Daniel H. Guy Scholarship Committee.

The League of Chicago Theatre’s Board of Directors is: Heidi Thompson Saunders, Managing Director, Court Theatre (Chair); Doreen Sayegh, Producer/General Manager, Pemberley Productions (Vice-Chair); Kate Piatt-Eckert, Executive Director, Steep Theatre Company (Treasurer); Charlique C. Rolle, Executive Director, Congo Square Theatre (Secretary); Stan Brown, Director of Graduate Studies, Northwestern University; Karen Cardarelli, Executive Director, Facets Multi-Media; Elaine Cohen, John Collins, Managing Director, Goodman Theatre; Alice da Cunha, Co-Artistic Director, Physical Theater Festival Chicago; Cody Estle, Artistic Director, Raven Theatre; Rachel Fink, Executive Director, Lookingglass Theatre;; Kirsten Fitzgerald, Artistic Director, A Red Orchid Theatre; Lisa Naparstek Green, Iceberg Enterprises; Ashlee Harris, Executive Director of Marketing, Broadway In Chicago; Jen Hoyt, Director of Special Projects, Steppenwolf Theatre; Emily Jelsomeno; Rachel Kraft; Eileen LaCario, Vice-President, Broadway In Chicago; Kate Lipuma, Executive Director, Writers Theatre; Marcela Muñoz, Managing and Co-Artistic Director, Aguijón Theater; Susan Padveen, Associate Professor, Associate Chair, Columbia College Chicago; Tyrone Phillips, Artistic Director, Definition Theatre; Dr. Marcus Robinson, Enrich Chicago; Roche Schulfer, Executive Director, Goodman Theatre; Michael Patrick Thornton, Founder, The Gift Theatre; and Ivan Vega, Executive Director, UrbanTheater Company.

About Chicago theatre

Chicago theatre is the leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theatres throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theatres to the most renowned resident theatres in the country, including 5 which have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago’s theatres serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago typically produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. Each year Chicago theatres send new work to resident theatres across the country, to Broadway, and around the world. 

League of Chicago Theatres’ Mission Statement

Theatre is essential to the life of a great city and to its citizens. The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theatres which leverages its collective strength to support, promote, and advocate for Chicago’s theatre industry. Through our work, we ensure that theatre continues to thrive in our city. 

 

Drury Lane 2025/26 Season to Include Chicago Premiere of The Da Vinci Code and More

Chi, IL Live Shows On Our Radar 

Drury Lane announces the 2025/26 Season 

featuring a lineup of shows that invite audiences to escape the ordinary 

including the Chicago premiere of The Da Vinci Code, Always…Patsy Cline, Dial M For Murder, Sister Act, and the Chicago regional premiere of On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan

Drury Lane Theatre invites audiences to escape the ordinary with an enticing lineup of productions in its 2025/2026 season, including a gripping Chicago premiere, a tale of envy and murder, and a trio of beloved female-driven musicals sure to have you singing along. The new season is packed with shows audiences have been clamoring for, and Drury Lane is proud to present them as only it can, with unparalleled theatrical artistry.

Drury Lane kicks off the 2025/26 season with the action-packed Chicago premiere of The Da Vinci Code, adapted from the best-selling novel by Dan Brown; a tale of friendship and heartache based on a true story in Always…Patsy Cline; a new adaptation of the beloved thriller of jealousy and deception, Dial M For Murder, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Frederick Knott; the heavenly musical comedy Sister Act, based on the hit 1992 film; and the Chicago regional premiere of the unstoppable rhythm of the Miami Sound Machine in On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan.

Drury Lane’s new season runs from April 1, 2025 – March 22, 2026, at 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. For more information, visit www.drurylanetheatre.com.

“For me, announcing the 2025-2026 season is a thrilling experience. Drury Lane has crafted a groundbreaking series of productions with titles you will recognize, music you can start singing now, and surprises that I hope will bring thrills and chills,” comments Drury Lane Managing Director Wendy Stark Prey.

The performance schedule for Drury Lane’s 2025/2026 Season is Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Excellence isn’t limited to the stage at Drury Lane! Before or after the show, theatergoers can indulge in delicious onsite dining at Lucille Restaurant, which features seasonal pre-fixe menus and an elevated atmosphere to complete their experience. Boasting over a century of collective expertise in hospitality, the dedicated team ensures that you will be cared for with freshly prepared meals, handcrafted cocktails, and exceptional service. At Drury Lane, everything is in one place, so you will never be late for your performance. 

Drury Lane Theatre Membership Program

Lock in your seats for a season of spectacular theatre with Drury Lane’s new Membership Program! Members have exclusive access to uniquely tailored benefits designed to enrich their Drury Lane experience, all at a cost savings of more than 50% off single ticket prices. Membership includes Tier One seating for all five Drury Lane Theatre productions, free ticket exchanges, dedicated dining credits at Lucille Restaurant, exclusive event invitations, Member pre-sales and unlimited single ticket discounts. Membership prices range from $229.25 - $260.75. For more information, visit www.drurylanetheatre.com.

Group tickets start at $45 and Student group tickets start at just $35. To book a group of 10 people or more, call Group Services at 630-570-7272 or email Groups@DruryLane.com.

The Drury Lane Theatre 2024/2025 Mainstage Season is as follows:

Chicago Premiere

The Da Vinci Code

Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel

Based on the novel by Dan Brown

April 9 – June 1, 2025

Press Opening: Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 7pm

 

Witness the action-packed novel live on stage as Professor Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu race against the clock to unlock the secrets of Da Vinci in this Chicago regional premiere.

 

Based on a True Story

Always…Patsy Cline

Created and originally directed by Ted Swindley

June 11 - August 3, 2025

Press Opening: Thursday, June 19, 2025 at 7pm

Featuring 27 of Patsy Cline’s biggest hits, this is the ultimate love letter to one of the most celebrated and influential performers of the 20th century.

 

New Adaptation

Dial M For Murder

Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher

From the original by Frederick Knott

September 3 - October 26, 2025

Press Opening: Thursday, September 11, 2025 at 7pm

An affair, a fortune on the line, and the perfect murder…But what happens when it all goes wrong? Find out in this riveting new adaptation.

 

Sister Act

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Glenn Slater

Book by Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner

Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane

November 12, 2025 - January 11, 2026

Press Opening: Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 7pm

Based on the hit 1992 film, this divine, feel-good comedy will have you rejoicing with your group this holiday season.

 

Chicago Regional Premiere

On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan

Book by Alexander Dinelaris

Featuring Music Produced and Recorded by Emilio & Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine

January 28 - March 22, 2026

Press Opening: Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 7pm

Filled with the exhilarating music of the Miami Sound Machine, this celebration of Gloria Estefan’s greatest hits will have you dancing in the aisles.

 

Theatre for Young Audiences 2025 

A Christmas Carol

By Charles Dickens

November 28 – December 27, 2025

Single Tickets: $30-$40, Group Tickets: $17.50 (10 or more)

Continue your tradition or start a new one by gathering the whole family for Drury Lane Theatre's heartwarming production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Set in Victorian-era London, A Christmas Carol tells the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts that visit him one fateful Christmas Eve hoping to change his miserly ways. Complete with falling snow and magical illusions, the play is a visually stunning experience and, at one hour long, perfect for children of all ages.

 

About Drury Lane Theatre  

Built from scratch. Built in Oakbrook. Built for you.

Founded by Anthony DeSantis over 60 years ago, Drury Lane remains a family-run organization under the leadership of President Kyle DeSantis. Drury Lane Theatre continues as a major force in the Chicagoland theatre scene, producing world-class theatre in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading actors, directors, and creative minds. Drury Lane Theatre produces the highest quality theatrical experience that immerses and supports our artists and audiences in the exploration of what it means to be human and to experience the transcending power of the performing and visual arts. Drury Lane strives to create an environment in which every individual or group is welcomed, respected, supported, valued and able to fully experience and participate in this transformative art form.

The theatre has staged more than 2,000 productions and has been nominated for over 360 Joseph Jefferson Awards. Drury Lane proudly employs thousands of professional actors, musicians, designers, and crew members to entertain upwards of nine million audience members and counting

 

About Face Theatre Announces Local and National Partnerships for 30th Anniversary Season

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

About Face Theatre Announces Local and National Partnerships for 30th Anniversary Season

Plans include a new “choose your own adventure” play ready to tour the region

About Face Theatre begins its 30th season with programming to advance LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance. The company’s upcoming programs feature local and national partnerships to expand its impact and elevate LGBTQ+ voices. A new touring show about gender, consent, and healthy relationships, a 30th Anniversary Party, and a national partnership elevating Black Trans Women playwrights kick off the year.

About Face’s 2024-2025 season will kick off with a special engagement two-weekend run of its next touring show, We Could Be in association with Rivendell Theatre. Building on the company’s 29 year history of touring new plays and education programs to schools, community organizations, conferences, and workplaces, We Could Be is currently available for bookings in 2025. Next, the company is thrilled to celebrate its 30th Anniversary Season with a party that includes the presentation of Leppen Leadership Awards and introduces a new award in honor of one of the founding company members, Brian Goodman. To wrap up the fall, About Face is partnering with Long Wharf Theatre of New Haven CT, for the 5th year of Black Trans Women at the Center, a new work development program and virtual play festival.

“We are proud to enter our 30th anniversary season with partnerships and vibrant community events that serve our mission,” states Megan Carney, About Face Theatre’s Artistic Director. “We designed the season to expand our reach and offer different and meaningful ways to connect, grow, and create change together. We’re excited to be out and about during this landmark year.”

ABOUT FACE THEATRE’S 2024-2025 SEASON

We Could Be

in association with Rivendell Theatre

Conceived by & Creative Producer by About Face Theatre Education Manager Dionne Addai Written by Kirsten Baity and Teddy Thomas

Directed by Alyssa Vera Ramos

October 16-27, 2024 | Opening: Friday, October 18

Showtimes: Mon (10/21 only), Thurs & Fri @ 8:00pm, Sat @ 4:00pm & 8:00pm, Sun @ 6:00pm at Rivendell Theatre, 5779 N Ridge Ave, Chicago

Pay-what-you-can tickets ($5 – $35) on sale September 20, 2024, through the About Face Theatre website: aboutfacetheatre.com and the Rivendell Theatre website and box office.

The short run will be followed by a tour. About Face Theatre began touring interactive theatre productions to schools in 1997 to open up dialogue about sexuality and gender with young people and their allies. We Could Be is the latest offering available for bookings by contacting About Face Theatre.

What if building your identity, seeking out knowledge, and facing conflict felt more like... a video game? Join two siblings as they navigate their curiosities and needs around crushes, gender, and feeling safe and confident in their bodies. Though they’ll meet shame – and their own anxieties – along the way, a solid support system keeps them resourced on their journey ... and that includes YOU! Incorporating true stories from Illinoisians of all ages, mindfulness practices for everyday life, and honest conversation, We Could Be is an interactive new play that asks: In a world where societal expectations lay out your path, do you dare to choose your own adventure?

30th Anniversary Party

Thursday, November 7, 2024

6:00pm Cocktails, Cocktails and Supper

7:00pm Entertainment and Presentation of Awards Venue West, 221 N Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60612

The Board, staff, and major donors of About Face are hosting a special festive event to celebrate the company’s 30th Anniversary Season. The event promises to bring together multiple generations of the company’s supporters, artists, and staff with performances, presentation of Leppen Leadership Awards, and the introduction of the Brian Goodman Shooting Stars Awards. Tickets are on sale now at aboutfacetheatre.com.

Black Trans Women at the Center: A Virtual New Play Festival Co-produced by Long Wharf Theatre, The Theater Offensive, and Breaking the Binary Theatre, in partnership with About Face Theatre, National Queer Theater, and Portland Center Stage

Curated by Long Wharf Theatre Artistic Ensemble member Lady Dane Figueroa

Black Trans Women at the Center Chicago watch party: Wednesday, November 20, 2024 5:00pm-7:00pm at Brave Space Alliance, 1515 E 52nd Pl, 3rd Floor, Chicago Admission is free and open to the public; food will be provided.

Experience the electrifying creativity and visionary talent of Black trans women playwrights as they take center stage in a captivating digital showcase of new plays. Black Trans Women at the Center is part of Long Wharf Theatre’s 60th Anniversary Season. To honor this fifth round of new work, Long Wharf Theatre Artistic Ensemble member Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi and team established partnerships with other theatres to expand the reach of the festival and introduce new audiences to the power and artistry of these plays. In Chicago, About Face Theatre Artistic Director Megan Carney and Education Manager Dionne Addai participated in planning meetings with the Long Wharf team. They also read through four years of plays from the project along with this year’s new work. After that, they collaborated with Lady Dane to select two of the plays for production through About Face.

The festival will premiere on November 18 and be available to stream for free for three days. About Face Theatre, in partnership with Brave Space Alliance, will present a watch party of select works on Wednesday, November 20. This watch party will be free and open to the public.

The season continues in 2025

More information on the rest of About Face Theatre’s 30th anniversary season, including its third Re/Generation Studio and productions will be announced this fall.

ABOUT FACE THEATRE’S 30-YEAR HISTORY

About Face Theatre was founded in 1995 to address the lack of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and queer (LGBTQ+) voices in the American theatrical canon. The company has evolved and adapted in many ways while staying true to the core principles of producing remarkable new plays, offering groundbreaking educational and leadership programs for and with queer young people, and demonstrating an unwavering commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance.

In 1998, the company launched About Face Youth Theatre and other education programs to provide arts-based community building and resources for LGBTQ+ youth. The programs became nationally recognized and continue to build community and opportunities across generations. Education programs at About Face include original play development, onsite workshops and skill building, employment and leadership development, and touring shows. About Face has continued to adapt its educational programming over the years to meet the evolving needs of LGBTQ+ youth and their allies.

The company started the Leppen Leadership Awards in 2001. Named in honor of founding supporter and consultant Michael Leppen, award recipients are people and organizations that lead with creativity and purpose to advance LGBTQ+ equity. Over the years, Leppen Leadership Award recipients have included Affinity Community Services, Emmanuel Garcia, Precious Brady Davis, Jane M. Saks, Windy City Media Group, Art Johnston and Pepe Peña, Victor Salvo of the Legacy Project, and Gloria “Mama Gloria” Allen, among others.

The company works with nationally recognized and emerging artists. About Face has a strong track record of launching world premiere plays that have big impact and go on to successful productions around the country. The company’s inaugural season opened with an adaptation of the Jim Grimsley novel DREAM BOY, written by AFT founder Eric Rosen, that went on to enjoy productions in Atlanta, Chapel Hill, and San Francisco. In 2002, the company produced I AM MY OWN WIFE with Moises Kaufman and Doug Wright which became a Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning production and went on to international acclaim. Following its 2003 premiere with

About Face, Patricia Kane’s lesbian musical PULP has been produced in San Diego, Boston, Madison, Cleveland, and Los Angeles. In 2004, Tectonic Theater Project and Steppenwolf Theatre Company formed a collaborative partnership with AFT to produce an adaptation of Tennessee Williams’s ONE ARM, which advanced to an Off-Broadway run. AFT’s 2011 world premiere production of Philip Dawkins’s THE HOMOSEXUALS enjoyed great box office success in Chicago prior to full productions in Detroit, Raleigh-Durham, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Buffalo. In 2012, AFT premiered the holiday musical WE 3 LIZAS, which has since been seen in Richmond and Des Moines. In the same season, the company co-produced Paul Oakley Stovall’s IMMEDIATE FAMILY which then had a run in Houston as well as at Los Angeles’ Mark Taper Forum in 2015. AFT’s 2016 world premiere of Philip Dawkins’s LE SWITCH was subsequently produced in Minneapolis and San Francisco. In the 2021-2022 season, AFT workshopped and produced THE MAGNOLIA BALLET, written by Terry Guest which enjoyed a year-long rolling world premiere through the National New Play Network. Through the years, multiple new plays created by ensembles in the About Face Youth Theatre have been adapted and toured throughout the region accounting for 50% of the company’s reach in audiences. 

As of the completion of the 2023-24 season, AFT has achieved 94 productions

including 52 world premieres

About Face has been recognized with numerous industry awards including Jeff Awards, After Dark Awards, and recognitions from the Black Theater Alliance and the American Theatre Wing. The company has also received the Esteem Award for Artistic Expression from PrideIndex.com, Special Recognition Award from PFLAG National (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays National), the Illinois Theatre Association Award of Excellence in Professional Theatre, the Human Rights Campaign Community Equality Award, a Human First Award from Horizons Community Services, a Champions Award from Gay Games – Chicago, and Induction into City of Chicago’s LGBT Hall of Fame.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Dionne Addai (they/she): We Could Be Creative Producer

Dionne Addai is a performer, writer, director, and teaching artist local to Chicago. They’re a passionate advocate for reproductive rights, racial justice, and free comprehensive sex education. Their artistic practice centers on educating in order to encourage sociopolitical action and mutual aid. As a performer, Dionne has multiple on-camera credits and has worked with over 20 renowned theatre companies in the U.S. (Merrimack Repertory, Raven Theatre, Filament Theatre; etc). Prior to joining About Face Theatre as Education Manager, she worked with AFT as an actor, director, and writer (Kickback Festival, Power in Pride, Re/Generation Studio). Dionne is represented by Actors Talent Group

Megan Carney (she/her): AFT Artistic Director

Megan’s work thrives at the intersection of making theatre and building community. As the Artistic Director for About Face Theatre she combines her love for directing, producing, and teaching. Prior to working with About Face in this role, Megan served as the Director of the Gender and Sexuality Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago and was one of the founders of About Face Youth Theatre. She is a certified mediator with the Center for Conflict Resolution, earned an MFA in Theatre with a focus on Directing and Public Dialogue from Virginia Tech, and a BA from Kalamazoo College, where her ideas about art and activism began to take shape. Recent Chicago directing credits include The Gulf, 20/20, and Time Is On Our Side (About Face), Winter, Grizzly Mama, Danielle Pinnock’s Body/Courage, American Wee Pie, and The Walls (Rivendell). Plays based on extended oral history projects including Women At War (Rivendell); Open Systems (Goodman Theatre); and Let Them Eat Cake (Dixon Place, NYC). Megan designed and teaches a Queer Theatre class for Columbia College Chicago and has been an adjunct instructor at DePaul University. Her work has been recognized with multiple After Dark Awards, the GLSEN Pathfinder Award, an APA Presidential Citation, induction into Chicago’s LGBT Hall of Fame, and a Rockefeller Foundation MAP Grant, among others.

Alyssa Vera Ramos (she/her/ella): We Could Be Director

Alyssa is a theatre director, devising artist, cultural strategist, and blossoming intimacy director dedicated to dreaming—and living into—a liberated world. Her always-collaborative artistic work explores themes of bodily autonomy and delight, racial justice and decolonization, collective learning, and her Boricua heritage. Directing and lead developer credits include: Epic Tales From the Land of Melanin (FEMelanin at Latinx Theatre Commons’ International TYA Festival and Free Street Theater), Expectation (For Youth Inquiry), Meeting Our Desires (Night Out In the Parks – also a podcast!), and You Can’t Cover the Sky With Your Hand (Pivot Arts’ The Memory Place), in-development with her mother, novelist Marisel Vera. For many years, she served as the Artistic Director of For Youth Inquiry Performance Company at the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH), where she also co-facilitated the youth organizing cohort and helped win major legislation for abortion access. Alyssa is a practitioner of Theatre of the Oppressed, Creative Drama, and Participatory Theatre. She co-authored The Sex Ed Playbook: Participatory Theatre for Health Education and is a contributor to the upcoming volumes Applied Theatre and Gender Justice and Into Abolitionist Theatre: A Guidebook for Liberatory Theatre-making. She is also a proud curator of Swarm Artist Residency and a dedicated student at La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón — two of her cultural homes.

About Brave Space Alliance

Brave Space Alliance is the first Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ Center located on the South Side of Chicago, dedicated to creating and providing affirming, culturally competent, for-us by-us resources, programming, and services for LGBTQ+ individuals on the South and West sides of the city. They strive to empower, embolden, and educate each other through mutual aid, knowledge-sharing, and the creation of community-sourced resources as we build toward the liberation of all oppressed peoples.

About Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

Founded in 1994, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble advances the lives of women through theatre. Rivendell cultivates the talents of women artists—writers, actors, directors, designers and technicians—by seeking out innovative plays that explore unique female experiences and producing them in an intimate salon environment. The company employs women theatre artists, offers mind-expanding experiences with new voices and perspectives, and sparks dialogue and action on critical issues in the lives of women and their communities. In its 25+ year history, Rivendell has earned 12 Joseph Jefferson Awards and nearly four dozen nominations. They are recognized as a national force in new play development and a home for women theatre artists, and the company engages about 200 artists and 3,000+ audience members each year through their mainstage season and new work development.

About Long Wharf Theatre

Founded in 1965, Long Wharf Theatre (Jacob G. Padrón, Artistic Director; Kit Ingui, Managing Director) is a Tony Award-winning company of international renown. It was founded on the notion that New Haven deserves an active culture that is locally created, supported by community leaders and patrons of the arts. It is recognized for a historic commitment to commissioning, developing, and producing new plays and musicals that have become a part of the modern American canon. More than 30 of its productions have transferred to Broadway or Off-Broadway runs, three of which—Wit, The Shadow Box, and The Gin Game—won Pulitzer Prizes for Drama. It was among the earliest recipients of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre (1978) and its productions have won numerous accolades, including Tony, New York Drama Critics' Circle, and Obie Awards; a Margo Jones Award; and nominations and Connecticut Critics Circle Awards in nearly every category.

ABOUT FACE THEATRE advances LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance. Learn more at aboutfacetheatre.com

Steep Theatre Presents The World Premiere of Happy Days Are Here (Again) September 13 - October 27, 2024

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Steep Theatre Presents The World Premiere of

Happy Days Are Here (Again)

By Omer Abbas Salem Directed by Azar Kazemi 

September 13 - October 27, 2024

A World Premiere commission by Steep ensemble member Omer Abbas Salem, examines man-made "divine" power, who wields it, and if they should be trusted.

This September, Steep Theatre will present the World Premiere of ensemble member Omer Abbas Salem’s Happy Days Are Here (Again) directed by Azar Kazemi. Preview performances begin Friday, September 13th, at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater as renovations progress on Steep’s recently acquired home, and the production officially opens on Friday, September 20th. The show will run through October 27th. This world premiere is Steep’s follow-up to the sold-out run of Samuel D. Hunter’s A Case for the Existence of God, which closes on September 7, 2024.

An unanswered question rings through the halls of St. Boniface High School: "Who will help me?" This large ensemble piece explores how people in power abuse their systems and the resilience that fighting them requires. The thirteen-person cast features Steep ensemble members Patricia Donegan (Earthquakes in London, Love and Money) and Alex Gillmor (Paris, First Love is the Revolution); previous Steep collaborators Ashlyn Lozano (Light Falls, Pomona) and Maya Hlava (Zurich); and a collection of first-time Steep artists, including John Zhou Duncan, Katie Incardona, Rich Adrian Lazatin, Eric Lindahl, Oliver Maalouf, Carter Shimp, Yourtana Sulaiman, Gage Wallace, and Jocelyn Zamudio.

Commissioned and workshopped by Steep over the last year, Happy Days Are Here (Again) is Salem’s first collaboration as a playwright with the theater company. He has been produced by the Actors Theatre of Louisville, The New Colony, Jackalope Theatre, Theatre Viscera, Means of Production, Definition Theatre, and Steppenwolf Theatre. His play Mosque4Mosque was developed with Steppenwolf Theatre’s SCOUT program. This production will mark director Azar Kazemi’s debut with Steep Theatre. Kazemi recently directed Rivendell Theatre’s smash-hit, world premiere production of Tuckie White’s Motherhouse, which won Jeff Awards for both Best New Work and Best Ensemble.

Tickets are available on Steppenwolf’s website (www.steppenwolf.org) and prices range from $10 - $40 with performances Thursday - Sunday throughout the production run.

Artists

Omer Abbas Salem (Playwright; Happy Days are Here (Again); he/they) is an actor and playwright. As an actor, they've worked at Roundabout Theatre, Atlantic Theatre, St. Louis Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Goodman, Steep Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, Silk Road Rising, First Floor Theatre, The New Coordinates, About Face Theatre, Griffin Theatre, and The Second City. As a playwright, their work has been produced at The Goodman, Steppenwolf Theatre, About Face Theatre, Steep Theatre, First Floor Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, The New Coordinates, The Story Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, National Queer Theatre, Definition Theatre, and The Theatre School of DePaul. They are a member of the 2021/22 Goodman Playwrights Unit and had a play developed in The Goodman’s New Stages Festival in 2022. They are the winner of the 2022 Blueprint Commission winner from First Floor and recipient of the 2021 Cunningham Commission from DePaul University. They were given an Emerging Playwright commission from Audible Theater and are also the most recent recipient of the Edgerton Commission at Steppenwolf Theater. They also won the 2022 3Arts Award in Theater. They are an ensemble member of Steep Theatre, First Floor Theater, and The New Coordinates. They graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and the University of Chicago. They are represented by Gray Talent and the Gersh Agency. Find out more at www.omerabbassalem.com

Azar Kazemi (Director, Happy Days Are Here (Again) is first-generation Persian American and a freelance director and educator based in Chicago. She directs socially-charged plays where the political and personal collide, most recently directing the Jeff Award winning world premiere of Motherhouse by Tuckie White at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Some of Azar’s other Chicago directing credits include: the U.S. premiere of debbie tucker green’s dirty butterfly, the Midwest premiere of Samuel D. Hunter’s Jack’s Precious Moment, and Sarah Kane’s Crave. Azar received her MFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she is also on faculty and received the 2020-21 Excellence in Teaching Award. Azar has worked at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, Victory Gardens, American Theatre Company, Chicago Dramatists, and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. In New York City Azar worked at The New Group where she assistant directed three Off-Broadway productions, two under the direction of her mentor Ethan Hawke. Azar is a proud member of SDC. To learn more please visit: azarkazemi.com

CAST

Patricia Donegan^ John Zhou Duncan Alex Gillmor^ Maya Hlava

Katie Incardona Rich Adrian Lazatin Eric Lindahl

Ashlyn Lozano Oliver Maalouf Carter Shimp Yourtana Sulaiman Gage Wallace* Jocelyn Zamudio

CREATIVE TEAM

Director – Azar Kazemi

Stage Manager – Olivia Sullam

Scenic Designer - Lauren Nichols

Lighting Designer - Conchita Avitia

Costume Designer - Emily McConnellˆ

Sound Designer - Thomas Dixonˆ

Props Designer - Saskia Bakker

Intimacy and Violence Consultant - Gloria Imseih Petrelli Dramaturg - Caroline Uy

Production Electrician - Baylee Speer

Assistant Director - Jordan Kost

Intimacy & Violence Consultant - Gloria Imseih Petrelli Technical Director - Emmanuel Jimenez

Photographer - Joseph Chretien-Golden

Graphic Designer - Stu Kiesow

ˆSteep Company Member

ˆˆ Steep Artistic Associate

* Appearing through an Agreement between Steep Theatre and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

About Steep Theatre

Founded in 2000 by three actors, Steep has grown into a dynamic ensemble of forty-five theatre artists, supported by a dedicated and inspired team of arts administrators and community members.  Described by Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune as "the most fearless theater in town", Steep creates powerful productions of plays by today's most exciting writers and features the work of Chicago's hottest theatre artists in an intimate, accessible space. Steep is known as a home for hard-hitting, finely-tuned ensemble work. With each production, the company has shepherded a growing community of audiences and artists into bold new territories of story and performance. Steep Theatre is committed to creating an inclusive and anti-racist environment for making and watching theatre. To learn more, please visit https://steeptheatre.com/antiracism.

Steep is in the midst of its Lights Up Edgewater Capital Campaign to support the creation of Steep’s new theater and artistic home and to fund robust and equitable compensation for artists and staff. To learn more about this campaign, please visit www.steeptheatre.com/lightsup.

Production Information

WHERE:

Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater 1700 N Halsted

Chicago, Illinois 60614 www.steppenwolf.org

WHEN:

September 20 - October 27, 2024

Previews: September 13 - September 19, 2024

Press Opening: Friday, September 20, 2024 at 8:00pm

Schedule: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8:00pm | Sunday matinees at 3:30pm

Accessible Performances:

-Audio Description: Sunday, October 6, 2024 at 3:30pm

-Open Captioning: Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 8:00pm and Sunday, October 13, 2024 at 3:30pm

Contact us at info@steeptheatre.com or 773-649-3186 for more information.

 Social: Twitter: @SteepTheatre Facebook: SteepTheatre Instagram: @steeptheatre