Writers' Theatre: News

Writers' Theatre Casting Release for 2013/14 Season

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Writers' Theatre Casting Release for 2013/14 Season

Writers' Theatre presents THE LIAR

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Writers’ Theatre presents

The Liar

adapted by David Ives

directed by William Brown

Featuring: Samuel Ashdown, LaShawn Banks, Nate Burger, Kalen Harriman, Michael Perez, Laura Rook, Anne E. Thompson, and Jonathan Weir

May 21 – July 28, 2013

Glencoe, IL– Writers’ Theatre Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Artistic Director Michael Halberstam announce the Writers’ Theatre production of The Liar, adapted by David Ives from the classic by Corneille, directed by William Brown. The production runs May 21 – July 28, 2013 at Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, IL. Press Opening is Thursday, May 30 at 7:30pm.

Hours after arriving in Paris, the charismatic Dorante is smitten by a pair of comely young ladies and confounded by a case of mistaken identity. Not to worry, this scoundrel is handsome, charming—and a pathological liar. He wins admirers wherever he goes…so long as he never has to tell the truth! Misunderstandings, secret agendas, and witty wordplay abound in this delightfully ingenious and irreverent update of a classic French romp. Writers’ Theatre favorite William Brown directs this costume comedy in verse, newly adapted from the classic Corneille by modern wordsmith and celebrated Broadway playwright David Ives.

Michael Halberstam comments, "David Ives is one of the nation's most significant contemporary writers. It was lovely having him in rehearsal and hearing him express his enthusiasm for the cast, director, and design. From his original work to his self-titled 'translaptations' (a cross between an adaptation and a translation), David brings words and ideas from the canon into an exhilaratingly relevant present. This giddy romp and homage to the world of Corneille provides our patrons with the perfect compliment to the resonant edges of our season. It may not change your life, but it might make you think twice about listening for the truth!"

The cast includes: Samuel Ashdown (Philiste), LaShawn Banks (Cliton), Nate Burger (Dorante), Kalen Harriman (Lucrece), Michael Perez (Alcippe), Laura Rook (Clarice), Anne E. Thompson (Isabelle/Sabine), and Jonathan Weir (Geronte).

The creative team includes: Keith Pitts (Scenic Designer), Rachel Anne Healy (Costume Designer), Jesse Klug (Lighting Designer), Andrew Hansen (Sound Designer), Julie Eberhardt (Properties Designer), David Castellanos (Production Stage Manager), Chris Thoren (Assistant Director) and Elise Hausken (Assistant Stage Manager).

Complete details for The Liar

Writers' Theatre presents YELLOW MOON

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Writers’ Theatre presents

Yellow Moon

by David Greig

Directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden,

Featuring Ashleigh LaThrop, John Lister,

Josh Salt and Karen Janes Woditsch

April 16 – July 21, 2013

Glencoe, IL– Writers’ Theatre Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Artistic Director Michael Halberstam announce the Writers’ Theatre production of Yellow Moon, written by David Greig and directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden. The production runs April 16 – July 21, 2013, performed at Books on Vernon – 664 Vernon Ave, Glencoe. Press Openings are Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 7:30pm and Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 7:30pm.

This is the ballad of Leila and Lee—a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde who learn that they aren’t alone in the world the night that they discover each other. Their wild ramble across the Scottish highlands in search of an absent father is told in a series of lyrical narratives that will immerse audiences in the action, forging a breathless drama of beauty in the darkness.

Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden (Travels With My Aunt, Hesperia) directs this intimate bookstore production.

Stuart Carden comments, “Playwright David Greig is an exuberant and masterful storyteller who articulates the twists and turns of his jaw-dropping narrative with some of the most inventive, muscular, and lyrical language I've read by a contemporary playwright. Little known in the U.S. but celebrated in the U.K. it is a distinct honor to be the first American company to produce Yellow Moon and introduce, within the intense intimacy of our bookstore space, this exciting playwright's inventive and energetic style of theatre to our audience.

The cast includes: Ashleigh LaThrop (Leila), John Lister (Billy/Frank), Josh Salt (Lee) and Karen Janes Woditsch (Jenni/Holly).

The creative team includes: Kevin Depinet (Scenic Design), Rachel Anne Healy (Costumes), Nick Heggestad (Props), Lee Fiskness (Lighting), Christopher Kriz (Original Music and Sound) and Eva Breneman (Dialect Coach). Becky Pechter is the Stage Manager.

Complete Yellow Moon show details

Writers' Theatre Announces 2013-2014 Season

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Writers’ Theatre announces 2013/14 Season

featuring a World Premiere musical by Alan Schmuckler and Laura Eason,

the Midwest premiere of The Old Man and the Old Moon,

Hedda Gabler, featuring Kate Fry in the title role

and intimate bookstore productions of two Conor McPherson plays—

the American premiere adaptation of Strindberg’s The Dance of Death,

and the Midwest premiere of Port Authority

Michael Halberstam, Stuart Carden, William Brown,

Kimberly Senior, and Henry Wishcamper slated to direct

Glencoe, IL—Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the 2013/14 Season. The work next year includes multiple premiere productions that not only exemplify Writers’ dedication to the Word and the Artist, but celebrate the diversity of the theatrical experience.

At Tudor Court (325 Tudor Court), Writers’ will stage the Midwest premiere of The Old Man and the Old Moon, a new play with music by PigPen Theatre Co., directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden and PigPen Theatre Co.; Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, directed by Kimberly Senior and featuring Kate Fry in the title role; and the world premiere musical Days Like Today, inspired by the plays of Charles L. Mee, with music and lyrics by Alan Schmuckler, book by Laura Eason, directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam, with musical direction by Doug Peck and choreography by Tommy Rapley.

At Books on Vernon (664 Vernon Ave.), the Theatre will feature two works by playwright Conor McPherson (The Seafarer, Shining City, Dublin Carol)—the moving and lyrical Port Authority (Midwest premiere) and McPherson’s fiendishly funny adaptation of August Strindberg’s The Dance of Death (American Premiere). This is a rare opportunity for subscription audiences to see two extraordinary and strikingly diverse works by McPherson—one of the most celebrated playwrights working today.

"As we continue to move forward with the planning of our splendid new Jeanne Gang designed performing arts center, our 2013/14 season represents a strong foundation in our past and traditions and an important step towards our future." says Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. "In this season full of innovation, we have a remarkable opportunity to develop a fresh chapter in our literary development initiative through collaboration with PigPen Theatre Co., we explore the work of Ibsen for the first time as we stage Hedda Gabler, and build our first new musical since A Minister’s Wife in the world premiere of Days Like Today with book by Laura Eason and music and lyrics by Alan Schmuckler. We're thrilled to have the opportunity to dedicate our Books on Vernon season to one of the most intriguing and heart-achingly poetic playwrights working today, Conor McPherson. It's going to be a remarkable conversation between our past and our future; filled with surprises and new perspectives and yet deeply rooted in an indelible homage to the Word and the Artist."

From its very first year, Writers’ has brought quality and excellence to the stage while maintaining the company’s hallmark intimacy. The last 21 years have been marked by unprecedented growth in both the artistic and business arenas and have garnered national recognition. With a reputation for consistent artistic excellence, and with strong ties to the community, Writers’ Theatre has built an award-winning repertoire and serves as a vital and highly-regarded company in the Chicagoland theatre community.

Writers’ Theatre performs in two performance spaces in Glencoe – its 50-seat venue at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Ave, and its 108-seat theatre at 325 Tudor Court in the Woman’s Library Club. Subscriptions and Memberships are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe, 847-242-6000 and www.writerstheatre.org.

Complete description of the 2013-14 Season

WRITERS' THEATRE AND STUDIO GANG ARCHITECTS

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0500

UPDATE

November 2012

Early Conceptual Designs for the new Writers' Theatre
Featured at The Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago is currently featuring the work of principal architect and 2011 MacArthur "Genius" grant recipient Jeanne Gang and her firm in an exhibition called "Building: Inside Studio Gang Architects."

The exhibition, which runs through February 24, 2013, includes some early conceptual designs and in-process sketches of Writers' Theatre’s planned new theatre center on Chicago’s North Shore in Glencoe. Make sure to check out the exhibit for a sneak peak at the early designs of the proposed new building!

The Writers' Theatre project was recently featured in the Chicago Tribune.

Interest in Studio Gang's work is on the rise nationally as well, as the company was recently profiled in The Wall Street Journal magazine.

Writers' Theatre hires award-winning Chicago firm Studio Gang Architects to design new theatre building

Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kate Lipuma announce the hiring of the award-winning, internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects, led by principal Jeanne Gang, FAIA. Chicago’s own Studio Gang has been hired to design a new home for Writers' Theatre by researching and developing concepts for the theatre's current site in downtown Glencoe. A Writers’ Theatre committee comprised of artists, board and staff conducted a thorough search for an architect, including local, national and international firms, for the project.

“After a rigorous process, we found in Jeanne an architect who embraces, understands and celebrates Writers’ Theatre. We look forward to working with Jeanne and her team to develop ideas of what Writers’ Theatre could be. We are confident that working with Studio Gang is the right match for the organization and for our community,” said Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “Jeanne has a vision of architecture that is derived from her own equivalent of the word and artist: the material and the environment. It is my belief that Studio Gang offers the opportunity for people to arrive encountering a world class piece of architecture and leave having experienced a world class evening of theatre.”

“Over the next several months, our process will involve key stakeholders—trustees, donors, subscribers, patrons and community members—as we work to design a permanent home for our nationally-recognized theatre company,” said Executive Director Kate Lipuma. “Writers’ Theatre’s new facility has the responsibility to resonate with and complement our neighboring Glencoe community and the North Shore’s world class cultural institutions—Ravinia Festival, the Chicago Botanic Garden and Kohl Children’s Museum. It has the potential to add tremendous value to Chicagoland and the North Shore as a premier cultural destination.”

“We are looking forward to collaborating closely with Writers’ highly creative team, including Michael Halberstam, Kate Lipuma and the Writers’ Theatre Trustees,” said Jeanne Gang. “I believe we have the ingredients here for a great project.”

ABOUT WRITERS’ THEATRE
Over the past nineteen seasons, Writers' Theatre has become a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence. Under the artistic leadership of Michael Halberstam and the executive leadership of Kathryn M. Lipuma, Writers’ Theatre has been deemed the “best drama company in the nation” by the Wall Street Journal and achieved nineteen years of surplus operations. The company, which plays to a sold-out and discerning audience of 35,000 patrons each season, has garnered critical praise for the consistent high quality and intimacy of its artistry. Prized for the finest interpretations of classic and contemporary theatre in its two intensely intimate venues, Writers’ Theatre’s acclaimed work includes artistic director Michael Halberstam’s world premiere in Glencoe and subsequent production of A Minister’s Wife at Lincoln Center Theater; David Cromer’s productions of A Streetcar Named Desire and Picnic; and the commissioning, world premiere and New York premiere of Crime and Punishment, which has received more than 30 subsequent regional theater productions.

ABOUT STUDIO GANG ARCHITECTS
Founded by Jeanne Gang, FAIA, in 1997, Studio Gang is a rising international practice whose work confronts pressing contemporary issues. Conceived as a collective of architects, designers, and thinkers, the studio acts as a lab for testing ideas on varying scales: from cities to environments to individual buildings’ unique material properties. The firm’s provocative and alluring architecture is exemplified by such recent projects as the Aqua Tower (the 2009 Emporis Skyscraper of the Year), Columbia College Chicago’s Media Production Center (a cutting-edge film production and teaching facility), and the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo (an educational pavilion and landscape that is quickly becoming a new Chicago landmark).

The work of Studio Gang has received national and international recognition and has been published and exhibited widely, most notably at the International Venice Biennale, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Building Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. A recent documentary about Aqua and Studio Gang was produced by the Checkerboard Film Foundation as part of their acclaimed Architecture Series. Reveal, Jeanne Gang’s first volume on the firm’s work and working process, was released by Princeton Architectural Press in April 2011. For more information, visit www.studiogang.net.

Writers' Theatre announces 2011/12 20th Anniversary Season

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500

20th Anniversary Season to feature work by Tom Stoppard, Harold Pinter, Randall Colburn, Stephen Sondheim and Robert Hewett - Michael Halberstam, Ron OJ Parson, Stuart Carden and William Brown slated to direct

Glencoe, IL—Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the company’s 20th Anniversary Season, which includes The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard, directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam; Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker, directed by Ron OJ Parson; Hesperia by Randall Colburn, directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden; and A Little Night Music, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, directed by William Brown. Writers’ also presents a limited engagement of Robert Hewett’s The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead, currently available only to Writers’ Theatre Subscribers and Members.

“It's amazing to believe that it's been 20 years since the launch of Writers’ Theatre, finding ourselves in the welcoming seas of the Chicago theatre community. Writers’ started with the words of Anton Chekhov, Nikolai Gogol, a back room in a Glencoe bookstore and a decent paycheck in the hands of some of Chicago's most respected theatre practitioners," said Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. "Our 20th Anniversary Season pays homage to our past with masterpieces by Harold Pinter (The Caretaker) and Tom Stoppard (The Real Thing) while looking to our future with Randall Colburn (Hesperia) and Robert Hewitt (The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead). Living happily in the middle ground between the past and the future is Sondheim and Wheeler's astonishing homage to Ingmar Bergman with A Little Night Music. I'm looking forward to the treasures, innovations, triumphs and risks in store for another 20 years in celebration of the Word and the Artist."

Writers' Theatre is proud to be celebrating its 20th Season. From the very first year, Writers’ has always strived to bring quality and excellence to the stage while maintaining the company’s hallmark intimacy. The last 20 years has been marked with unprecedented growth in both the artistic and business arenas and national recognition. With a reputation for consistent artistic excellence and with strong ties to the community, Writers’ Theatre has built an award-winning repertoire and serves as a vital and highly-regarded company in the Chicago theatre community.

Writers’ Theatre performs in two performance spaces in Glencoe – its 50-seat venue at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Ave, and its 108-seat theatre at 325 Tudor Court in the Woman’s Library Club. Subscriptions and Memberships are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe, 847-242-6000 and at writerstehatre.org.

The Writers’ 20th Anniversary Season is:

The Real Thing
By Tom Stoppard
Directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam
September 13 – November 20, 2011 | Performed at 325 Tudor Court

A married playwright blurs the line between reality and his dramas on the stage as his personal life unravels before his very eyes. Deeply moving and bitingly funny, Tom Stoppard’s razor sharp drama brilliantly examines the complex nature of love, art and reality. Artistic Director Michael Halberstam directs this multi-award winning modern classic.

The Caretaker
By Harold Pinter
Directed by Ron OJ Parson
November 8, 2011 – March 25, 2012 | Performed at 664 Vernon Avenue

Aston brings Davies, a fast talking tramp, to his cramped home full of odds and ends—best characterized as junk—offering him a bed and a much needed place to get on his feet. Davies quickly realizes that Aston and his brother Mick have a different take on the world around them. From Aston’s constant puttering and half finished fix-it jobs to Mick’s grand plans for the future, the three become an unlikely trio desperately trying to connect to one another but always missing the mark.

Hesperia
By Randall Colburn
Directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden
January 24 – March 18, 2012 | Performed at 325 Tudor Court

When Claudia left Ian and her old life in adult entertainment to return to her small-town roots, she found more than just a new start—she met her soon-to-be husband Trevor, the local youth minister and a man of god. But when Ian shows up on her doorstep just weeks before her wedding, their past together comes roaring back to life bringing doubts to Claudia’s now moral and well-ordered existence. In this honest exploration, playwright Randall Colburn brings an original voice to the complicated topics of love, sexuality and religion.

A Little Night Music
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler
Directed by William Brown

May 1 – July 8, 2012 | Performed at 325 Tudor Court

Set in turn of the century Sweden, A Little Night Music is a sumptuous musical celebration of love. Desirée Armfeldt has always captured the hearts of men. When both of her lovers—and their wives—show up for a weekend in the country, the boundless possibilities of an old romance and newly awakened passions bring endless surprises. Full of quick wit and evoking the harmonious rhythm of waltz time, Tony Award-winner Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music is the must-see musical of the season!

PLUS THE LIMITED ENGAGEMENT PRODUCTION:

The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead
By Robert Hewett
May 22 – July 29, 2012 |Performed at 664 Vernon Avenue

Thwarted housewife Rhonda Russell loses herself in a heated moment of passion, setting into motion an unbelievable series of events that ripple through the lives of everyone around her. One performer intricately weaves together the many different sides of Rhonda's story with engrossing narrative, wit and compassion. An international hit, The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead is a surprising and touching tale of loss and ultimate redemption.

The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead is currently only available to Writers' Theatre Subscribers and Members.

Writers' Theatre season ticket packages provide a convenient theatergoing experience and guarantees access to all of Writers' highly-anticipated productions in the 20th Anniversary Season. The Writers’ Theatre Membership is $195 and provides ultimate flexibility. The Subscription is $210 and offers patrons a preset schedule with the guarantee of the same seats for all of their originally scheduled performances in the Tudor Court venue.

Subscribers and Members receive exclusive benefits including free ticket exchanges by phone, mail and fax, show reminders by email before each scheduled performance, a one-year subscription to The Brief Chronicle newsmagazine and more. For a complete list of benefits visit writerstheatre.org.

Subscriptions and Memberships are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe, 847-242-6000 and writerstheatre.org.

Introducing Do North!

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

WRITERS' THEATRE PARTNERS WITH RAVINIA FESTIVAL, CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN AND KOHL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM TO BRING YOU DO NORTH!

Writers' has partnered with three of our neighbors-Chicago Botanic Garden, Kohl Children's Museum and Ravinia Festival-to create the umbrella organization, Do North. By brining four of the most acclaimed Chicago cultural attractions together, Do North aims to transform the north suburbs into a cultural destination.

As a member of one of the Do North organizations, you are eligible for special offers and discounts to all four partners. To learn more about these special offers and the partnership check out DoNorth.org. After more than a year of planning, Writers' and all of our partners are proud to celebrate this partnership with all of you!

Go to DoNorth.org now!

A MINISTER'S WIFE at Lincoln Center Theater in New York

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0600

After its world premiere at Writers’ Theatre, A Minister's Wife will play in New York at Lincoln Center Theater starting April 7, 2011. Conceived and directed by Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam, the incredibly successful production has found a second staging at the New York institution. Halberstam is back at the helm directing and will be once again working with two original cast members, Kate Fry (Candida) and Liz Baltes (Prossy).

A Minister’s Wife was adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s play Candida by Austin Pendleton, with music by Josh Schmidt and lyrics by Jan Tranen. Halberstam and his team of collaborators spent more than four years developing the production through Writers’ Literary Development Initiative. It took several workshops and countless rewrites to breathe life into the piece, which ultimately graced the Tudor Stage with its world premiere in May of 2009.

A Minister’s Wife explores the fires burning beneath the surface of a seemingly ordinary marriage. The Revered James Morell (to be played by veteran Broadway actor Marc Kudisch) and his wife, Candida (Kate Fry), are happily married – or at least they think – until a romantic young poet, Marchbanks, (Bobby Steggert) enters their life.

In the constant pursuit of bringing only the finest work to the stage, Halberstam and the rest of the creative team went back to work writing, rearranging and fine-tuning the musical for its New York debut. Since closing in Glencoe, A Minister’s Wife has gone through two workshops at Lincoln Center Theater. “We are immensely grateful that our dedication to the word and the artist has been received so enthusiastically by our colleagues around the nation and Lincoln Center is a superb home for A Minister’s Wife,” said Halberstam. “To be in collaboration with them is a great testament to the artistry and skill of the Writers’ Theatre creative team.”

If you missed A Minister’s Wife the first time around at Writers' Theatre or you’d like to see what Halberstam and his creative team have been up to, performances will begin Thursday, April 7, 2011 at the Mitzi Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street, New York). Tickets to will be available beginning Sunday, March 20 at the Lincoln Center Theater box office (150 West 65 Street), at telecharge.com or by visiting www.lct.org.

TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT now extended through April 10!

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Due to ticket demand, Writers’ Theatre announces a second extension to Travels With My Aunt directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden.

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn Lipuma announce a one-week extension of Travels With My Aunt by Graham Greene, adapted for the stage by Giles Havergal, directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden. The production, originally slated to run through March 27, 2011, will play through April 10, 2011, at Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe.

Henry Pulling, a mild-mannered retired banker, leads a quiet life tending his beloved dahlias and never straying too far from his Southwood, England home. But when his eccentric and outrageous Aunt Augusta suddenly appears in his life with mysterious information about his past, Henry is drawn from the safety of his flower beds into an exotic international adventure. Henry, Aunt Augusta and more than 25 characters are brilliantly and inventively portrayed by just four actors who switch identities, nationalities, ages and genders in this exciting theatrical escapade. Adapted from the celebrated novel by Graham Green, Travels With My Aunt takes you on an irreverent, often hilarious and absolutely unforgettable journey.

For a performance schedule and tickets, click here.

New Writers' Theatre Video: The Word and The Artist

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kate Lipuma along with countless actors, directors, designers, playwrights and theatre professionals discuss Writers' commitment to the Word and the Artist. Click here to watch the video!

World Premiere DO THE HUSTLE Starts Rehearsal

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Brett Neveu's world premiere production of DO THE HUSTLE started rehearsal with director William Brown and featuring a steallar Chciago cast: Patrick Andrews, Francis Guinan, Joe Minoso and Karen Janes Woditsch. Check out photos from first rehearsal on Facebook!

Writers' Theatre Nominated for Seven Broadway World Chicago Theatre Fans' Choice Awards!

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Broadway World Chicago launched a new Theatre Fans' Choice Awards and Writers' Theatre has earned seven nominations. We need your votes to win! Voting is open to the public through December 20, so be sure to cast your vote and support Writers’ Theatre and our fabulous nominees.

To cast your vote, click here!

Writers’ Theatre nominations of Broadway World Chicago Theatre Fans’ Choice Awards:

Best Revival of a Play (Resident Equity) – A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Best Revue (Resident Equity) – OH COWARD!
Best Actress in a Musical or Revue (Resident Equity) – Kate Fry, OH COWARD!
Best Actor a Musical or Revue (Resident Equity) – Rob Lindley, OH COWARD!
Best Actress in a Play (Resident Equity) – Natasha Lowe, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Best Actor in a Play (Resident Equity) – Allen Gilmore, ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD
Best Scenic Design (Resident Equity) – Colette Pollard, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

The winners will be announced on Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at a celebration hosted by Broadway World Chicago at The Call (1547 West Bryn Mawr Avenue) from 9:00 pm-2:00 am. For more information about the event, click here.

Congratulations to all of the nominees and thank you for supporting Writers’ Theatre!

STREETCAR Named best show of 2010

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0600

The Writers' Theatre production of A Streetcar named Desire, directed by David Cromer, was named Chicago Tribune's best production of 2010. To read the complete article, click here.

TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT - Now Playing!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Four actors transform into more than 25 characters in this hilarious whirlwind adventure! Travels With My Aunt, adapted from the Graham Greene classic novel by Giles Havergal and directed by Writers' Theatre Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden is now playing at Writers' Theatre: 664 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe. Check out photos and a video sneak peek here!

Congrats to Artistic Director Michael Halberstam!

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation has chosen Writers' Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam as the 2010 Zelda Fichandler Award recipient! Click here to learn more.

Just announced - STREETCAR extendeds again!

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Writers' Theatre announces the third and final extension of A Streetcar Named Desire - now playing through August 15. Buy your tickets today before they're gone! ORDER NOW!

STREETCAR is now extended by popular demand through July 18!

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

STREETCAR is now extended by popular demand through July 18! Tickets are selling fast - order today!

STREETCAR is a smash-hit!

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Critics love A Streetcar Named Desire.

"NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE OR WHAT YOU'RE DOING THIS SUMMER...GO TO CHICAGO AND SEE WRITERS' THEATRE'S STREETCAR." -The Wall Street Journal

“YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO SEE THIS PLAY AGAIN IN QUITE THE SAME WAY.”-Chicago Sun-Times

“A FEAST FOR THE SENSES."
“4 STARS"-Chicago Tribune

"THE MOST DESIRABLE ACT OF THE SPRING SEASON."-Time Out Chicago

Click here to read all the reveiws here!

Writers' Theatre was nominated for 10 Joseph Jefferson Awards!

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Writers' Theatre was nominated for 10 Joseph Jefferson Awards—congratulations to all!

BEST PRODUCTION (MUSICAL)
A Minister’s Wife

BEST NEW WORK OR ADAPTATION
Josh Schmidt, Jan Tranen & Austin Pendleton for A Minister’s Wife

BEST DIRECTOR (PLAY)
David Cromer for Picnic

BEST DIRECTOR (MUSICAL)
Michael Halberstam for A Minister’s Wife

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (MUSICAL)
Alan Schmuckler for A Minister’s Wife

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (PLAY)
Hillary Clemens for Picnic

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (MUSICAL)
Liz Baltes for A Minister’s Wife

BEST SCENIC DESIGN
Brian Sidney Bembridge for The Maids
Jack Magaw for Picnic

BEST MUSIC DIRECTION
Richard Carsey for A Minister’s Wife

Writers' Theatre Presents The Revival of Nixon's Nixon, Directed By Michael Halberstam, Featuring William Brown and Larry Yando

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

               Contact: Cathy Taylor / Schoenly Hixson
               Cathy Taylor Public Relations, Inc.                                   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
               773-564-9564                                                                      July 23, 2008
               cathy@cathytaylorpr.com
                                                                                                                ELECTRONIC PHOTOS AVAILABLE

                                                  WRITERS’ THEATRE PRESENTS THE REVIVAL OF
                                                                                 NIXON’S NIXON
                                                            DIRECTED BY MICHAEL HALBERSTAM,
                                                  FEATURING WILLIAM BROWN AND LARRY YANDO,
                                                                            ALREADY EXTENDED!

Glencoe, IL– Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma proudly announce the revival of Nixon’s Nixon by Russell Lees, directed by Michael Halberstam. The production runs August 19-October 19, 2008, at Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. The official press openings are August 27 and 28, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.

This is the strongest presale in the history of Writers’ Theatre as ticket sales exceeded 80% of the goal in presale to season ticket holders. The production has already been extended by three weeks and must close October 19, 2008.

Just in time for the elections, Writers’ brings back its critically-acclaimed, award-winning production of Nixon’s Nixon. This box office record-breaking production returns to our most intimate theatre for a limited engagement. Artistic Director Michael Halberstam will once again direct William Brown and Larry Yando as they reprise their tour-de-force performances as Kissinger and Nixon in this thrilling, hilarious and brilliantly imagined story of what might have happened in the Lincoln sitting room the night before Nixon resigned.

“With our revival of Nixon’s Nixon, Writers’ Theatre proves that the word and the artists combined with an intimate setting make for an amazing theatrical experience,” says Michael Halberstam, “while also providing a vehicle for some truly dynamic conversation in this especially intense political season!” He continues, “Larry Yando and William Brown, two of the cities finest artist. reprise their award-winning roles in the same performance venue as the original production. They thrillingly demonstrate how world class theatre can happen in humble environments – which is after all, what truly places Chicago Theatre at the creative forefront of the nation!”

The designers are Jack Magaw (scenic), Josh Schmidt (sound), Keith Parham (lighting), Sarah Heberlein (costume).

Michael Halberstam (Artistic Director) and co-founder of Writers’ Theatre, where he has directed Love & Lunacy, A Play on Words, Dear Master, Not About Heroes (starring Nicholas Pennell), Diary of a Madman, My Own Stranger, Marriage & Bears, Blake, Memoir, Private Lives, Look Back in Anger, Candida, Fallen Angels, Nixon’s Nixon, Spite for Spite, The Father, A Phoenix Too Frequent, Rough Crossing, Crime and Punishment, Benefactors, The Doctor’s Dilemma, Seagull, The Uneasy Chair, The Duchess of Malfi, Othello, and most recently The Savannah Disputation. Michael appeared in the Writers’ Theatre productions Two by Shaw, Oscar Remembered, Damon, Ring & F. Scott, In the Heart of Winter, the title role in Richard II, pInteracts, Loot and Misalliance. Previously, he spent two years at The Stratford Festival in Ontario and performed in Timon of Athens, The Knight of the Burning Pestle (title role), Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It and Macbeth. Halberstam’s other Chicago acting credentials include productions with Wisdom Bridge, Court Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He spent two-and-a-half years teaching Shakespeare at The Theatre School at DePaul University. Elsewhere he directed Pledge of Allegiance (American Theatre Company), The Gamester (Northlight Theatre), A Man for All Seasons (Peninsula Players Theatre), Hamlet (Illinois Shakespeare Festival), Candida (Jean Cocteau Repertory in New York City, NY) and Ten Little Indians (Drury Lane Oakbrook), a highly acclaimed revival of Crime And Punishment, which Writers’ Theatre produced Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theatres in New York and most recently, Enchanted April (Milwaukee Repertory Theater). His forays into opera have included The Rape of Lucretia (Chicago Opera Theater), Francesca da Ramini featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christoph Eschenbach and Le Freyschutz, a Berlioz adaptation of the Weber opera conducted by Christoph Eschenbach in its North American Premiere (Ravinia Festival). Halberstam has received awards for excellence in theatre management and artistic achievement from The Chicago Drama League, The Arts & Business Council and the Chicago Lawyers for the Creative Arts. Halberstam will direct State of the Union at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, in their Powerhouse venue this September. Also, Halberstam will direct Nixon’s Nixon and the world premiere musical A Minister’s Wife, based on Candida by George Bernard Shaw, as part of the 2008/09 Season.

William Brown (Henry Kissinger) returns to reprise his Joseph Jefferson winning portrayal of Henry Kissinger in Nixon’s Nixon at Writers’ Theatre where he also previously appeared as Dr. Lyman in Bus Stop. Directing credits at Writers' Theatre include last season’s As You Like It and Joseph Jefferson nominated productions of Another Part of the Forest, Our Town, Rocket to the Moon, Misalliance and The Glass Menagerie, among others. At Northlight Theatre he has directed productions of She Stoops to Conquer (After Dark Award), The Chalk Garden, and Lady Windermere’s Fan, a play he also directed at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. At American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin he has directed Night of the Iguana, Shaw’s You Never Can Tell, Antony and Cleopatra, All’s Well That Ends Well, The Cherry Orchard, Twelfth Night and Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker. At TimeLine Theatre, he has directed the Midwest premiere of Tennessee Williams’ recently discovered prison drama Not About Nightingales, (six Jeff Citations including Best Play and Best Director), Halcyon Days, and Paragon Springs. Brown is the Associate Artistic Director of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks where he has directed Heartbreak House, Cymbeline, Much Ado About Nothing, The Winter’s Tale, Love’s Labours Lost, The Comedy of Errors, and The Country Wife. He most recently directed A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre.

Larry Yando (Richard Nixon) will reprise his Joseph Jefferson nominated role as Richard Nixon in Nixon’s Nixon after last season’s unforgettable portrayal of Jaques in As You Like It, directed by William Brown. Other credits include Bach at Leipzig and Rock¬et to the Moon at Writers' Theatre; Titus Andronicus at Defiant Theatre; The Two Noble Kinsmen, Cymbeline, The Tempest, All’s Well That Ends Well, Timon of Athens, Two Gentlemen of Verona, King Lear, Henry IV, Parts I and II and Antony and Cleopatra at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; and Travesties, Ghosts, The Importance of Being Earnest, An Ideal Husband, Electra, Measure for Measure and Travels with My Aunt at Court Theatre. He has also appeared at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Marriott Theater in Lincolnshire, Apple Tree Theatre, and the Royal George Theatre. Regionally, he has appeared at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Madison Repertory Theatre. Yando also appeared as Scar in a 3-year run with the national tour of The Lion King.

Previews are August 19-26, 2008. The opening press performances are on August 27 and 28, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. The production runs through October 19, 2008. Curtain times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. There will be no show on Tuesday, September 9 and 30, 2008. Wednesday matinees will begin at 2 p.m. on September 10 and October 1, 2008.

Tickets are $60-$75 (Writers’ Theatre subscribers receive a 10% discount) and are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.

Discussions with artistic staff and cast members will follow the performances on September 2, 3, 23 and 24, 2008. A pre-show lecture, designed to make the Writers’ Theatre experience even more enjoyable, will be given by Michael Halberstam or other members of the artistic staff on September 7 at 5 p.m.

DiPescara is the Writers’ Theatre 2008/09 Season restaurant partner. Patrons can enjoy dinner before the show at Di Pescara (2124 Northbrook Court, Northbrook), one of the North Shore’s top restaurants, named among the city’s best new restaurants by Chicago magazine. This Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, conveniently located at Northbrook Court (just five minutes from the theatre), is offering a three-course pre-theatre meal for $29.95 (excluding tax and gratuity). Contact Di Pescara at 847-498-4321 to make your reservation and mention Writers’ Theatre to receive your special offer.

The production sponsor is Philip and Janice Beck.

The Writers’ Theatre season is underwritten, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the Word and the Artist. Remaining true to the intention of the playwright and nurturing the artist stand at the center of the mission. Now in its 17th season, the company both revives classic scripts and cultivates new works and adaptations while invigorating them with fresh energy in the intimacy of its venues. Founded in 1992, Writers’ Theatre performed exclusively at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Avenue for the first 12 years. In the fall of 2003, the organization opened a new 108 seat performance venue at 325 Tudor Court. Today, Writers’ theatre continues to produce in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences. Since 2000, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 to more than 5,300 today. With an operating budget of $3.2 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 full-time employees and a 29-member Board of Trustees.

FACT SHEET
NIXON’S NIXON

Just in time for the elections, Writers’ brings back its critically-acclaimed, award-winning production of Nixon’s Nixon. This box office record-breaking production returns to our most intimate theatre for a limited engagement. Artistic Director Michael Halberstam will once again direct William Brown and Larry Yando as they reprise their tour-de-force performances as Kissinger and Nixon in this thrilling,hilarious and brilliantly imagined story of what might have happened in the Lincoln sitting room the night before Nixon resigned.

                          Title:                         Nixon’s Nixon
                          Written by:               Russell Lees
                          Directed by:            Artistic Director Michael Halberstam
                          Featuring:               William Brown and Larry Yando

                          Dates:                     Previews: August 19-26, 2008
                                                           Press opening: August 27 and 28, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.
                                                           Regular run: August 29 – September 28, 2008
                                                           Extension Dates: September 30 – October 19, 2008
                          Schedule:              Tuesdays & Wednesdays: 7:30 p.m.
                                                           Thursdays & Fridays:       8:00 p.m.
                                                           Saturdays:        4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
                                                           Sundays:   2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
                                                           Wednesday Matinee:  2:00 p.m., September 10 and October 1, 2008

                                                          There will be no show on Tuesdays, September 9 and 30, 2008.

                           Special events:    Pre-show lectures:  September 7, 2008, at 5:00 p.m.
                                                           Post-show discussions: September 2, 3, 23 and 24, 2008

                           Location:               Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon Avenue
                           Tickets:                 Tickets for all performances will range from $60 -                                                       $75. Season ticket holders receive a 10% discount on tickets.
                          Box Office:             The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
                                                           847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

Notes of Interest:
• Nixon’s Nixon is playing in Chicago for the second time ever. The first Chicago production was at Writers’ Theatre in 2000. The production was also directed by Michael Halberstam and featured the same cast.

• William Brown won the Jeff Award for his portrayal of Henry Kissinger in 2000. Larry Yando was nominated for a Jeff Award for his portrayal of Richard Nixon in this same production.

• William Brown and Larry Yando worked together at Writers' Theatre in As You Like It, directed by William Brown with Larry Yando with an unforgettable performance as the melancholic Jaques. They will again work together later this year for the Goodman’s A Christmas Carol, directed by William Brown, featuring Larry Yando as Scrooge, and with the world premiere of Old Glory by Brett Neveu at Writers' Theatre, directed by William Brown and Larry Yando in a six-person ensemble.

• William Brown will direct the world premiere of Old Glory by Brett Neveu at Writers’ later this year.

• This spring, Michael Halberstam will direct A Minister’s Wife, a world premiere musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s Candida. He will team with Josh Schmidt (music), Jan Tranen (lyrics) and Austin Pendleton (adaptation). Michael is also slated to direct State of the Union at Milwaukee Rep this season.

THE LION WINTER Extended Through August 17th

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0500

                  Contact: Cathy Taylor / Schoenly Hixson
                               Cathy Taylor Public Relations, Inc.                                            July 18, 2008
                               773-564-9564
                               cathy@cathytaylorpr.com

                                                               DUE TO HIGH TICKET DEMAND
                                             WRITERS’ THEATRE ADDS A SECOND EXTENSION TO
                                                                     THE LION IN WINTER
                                                                THROUGH AUGUST 17, 2008

Glencoe, IL– Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma once again announce additional dates for James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter directed by Rick Snyder due to record ticket demand. The production will now run through August 17, 2008, at Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.

Weekly sales for The Lion in Winter have broken box office records and nearly doubled the previously set record held by As You Like It. This is the second show to extend this season for Writers’ Theatre due to high demand. The Lion in Winter has become the highest grossing production in Writers’ Theatre history.

It is Christmas in England, 1183, and the aging monarch, Henry II, brings his wife Queen Eleanor out of exile in order to discuss his plans for succession. Also present are his three sons that include future kings of England John (famous for the Magna Carta) and Richard the Lionheart (who was to lead the crusades). Themes of mortality, romance, power and politics all collide. Goldman scribes fiction from the circumstances of the past, crafting a wholly modern telling of deliciously historic times. Director Rick Snyder brings touches of the gritty authenticity to this classic drama.

                                      Title:                    The Lion in Winter
                                      Written by:          James Goldman
                                      Directed by:        Rick Snyder
                                      Featuring            Robert Belushi, Michael Canavan, Shannon Cochran, Lea Coco,
                                                                   Laura Coover, Michael Fagin and Christopher McLinden

                                      Dates:                  Regular run: June 4-August 3, 2008
                                                                    Extension: August 5-17, 2008

                                      Schedule:           Tuesdays & Wednesdays:      7:30 p.m.
                                                                   Thursdays & Fridays:                8:00 p.m.
                                                                   Saturdays:                                   4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
                                                                   Sundays:                                      2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
                                                                   There will be no 6:00 p.m. performances on July 27
                                                                   Wednesday Matinees:              2:00 p.m. July 23 only

Location: Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

Tickets: Regular run (through August 3): $40-$70
Extension (August 5-17): $50-$70

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

2008/09 SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Contact: Cathy Taylor
(773) 564-9564
cathy@cathytaylorpr.com                                                                                EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
                                                                                                                              ON TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2008

Writers’ Theatre announces 2008/09 season,
to include the world premiere musical adaptation of Shaw’s Candida,
the world premiere of Brett Neveu’s Old Glory;
Picnic; and The Maids plus
a late summer revival of Nixon’s Nixon
and the holiday classic A Christmas Carol

Glencoe, IL—Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the company’s 17th season, which includes two world premieres: the world premiere musical adaptation of Candida (as yet untitled) by George Bernard Shaw with music by Josh Schmidt, book by Austin Pendleton, lyrics by Jan Tranen and conceived and direction by Michael Halberstam; and Brett Neveu’s Old Glory, directed by William Brown. The subscription season also includes Picnic by William Inge, directed by David Cromer; and Jean Genet’s The Maids translated by Martin Crimp, directed by Jimmy McDermott. For the first time in Writers’ Theatre history, three non-subscription shows will be produced, including an election season revival of Nixon’s Nixon by Russell Lees, directed by Michael Halberstam, featuring the original cast of William Brown and Larry Yando; Michael Halberstam’s one-man dramatic staged reading of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol; and a family production to be determined.

Writers’ Theatre performs in two performance spaces in Glencoe – its 50-seat venue at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Ave, and its 108-seat theatre at 325 Tudor Court in the Woman’s Library Club. Subscriptions and Memberships are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe, 847-242-6000 and www.writerstheatre.org.

“I look at this season as a coming of age for Writers’ Theatre” says Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “The company has enjoyed a long-time collaborative relationship with artists like William Brown, David Cromer, Josh Schmidt and Larry Yando. This year, we showcase them all in an extraordinary lineup of productions. Two world premieres, a new musical, a revival of one of our most successful productions, an American chestnut dusted off to be brought into new light and a contemporary French masterpiece all combine to make theatrical alchemy.”

THE 2008/09 WRITERS’ THEATRE SEASON IS:

The revival of
Nixon’s Nixon
By Russell Lees
Directed by Michael Halberstam
Featuring William Brown and Larry Yando
Performance Venue: 664 Vernon Avenue

Previews: August 19 – 26, 2008
Regular Run: August 30 – September 28, 2008
Press Openings: August 27 & 28, 2008 at 7:30 pm

Tickets are currently only available to 2008/09 season ticket holders and will be on sale to the public on June 20, 2008.

Just in time for the presidential elections, Writers’ brings back its critically acclaimed, award-winning production of Nixon’s Nixon. This box office record-breaking production returns to our most intimate theatre for a limited engagement. Artistic Director Michael Halberstam will once again direct William Brown and Larry Yando as they reprise their tour-de-force performances as Kissinger and Nixon in this thrilling, hilarious and brilliantly imagined story of what might have happened in the Lincoln sitting room the night before Nixon resigned.

Picnic
By William Inge
Directed by David Cromer
Featuring Marc Grapey
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Previews: September 16 – 23, 2008
Regular Run: September 26 – November 16, 2008
Press Opening: September 24, 2008 at 7:30 pm

This American classic is staged by Chicago’s own David Cromer whose previous work for Writers’ Theatre includes The Price and Booth and whose highly acclaimed production of The Adding Machine is enjoying a successful run in New York. When a charismatic young drifter arrives in a small Kansas town on the eve of a Labor Day picnic, the simmering repressions of its residents come rapidly to a boil. Frequently hilarious and profoundly moving, Inge’s masterpiece chronicles the hopes and despairs that lie between the realization of adulthood and the eternal optimism of youth.

The Maids
By Jean Genet
Translated by Martin Crimp
Directed by Jimmy McDermott
Performance Venue: 664 Vernon Avenue

Previews: November 18 – December 2, 2008
Regular Run: December 6, 2008 – April 5, 2009
Press opening: December 3 & 4, 2008 at 7:30 pm

When the mistress is away, the maids will play. Two women in service to a younger socialite pass the moments of their day in playacting and fantasy. As the line between fantasy and reality begins to disintegrate, their games take a deadly turn. Jealousy, resentment, sexual tension and murder converge in this 1947 classic French thriller. Jimmy McDermott, one of the city’s most exciting young directors, brings his trademark edginess to this seminally rebellious play.

A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Michael Halberstam
Featuring Michael Halberstam
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Regular Run: December 14 – 23, 2008
Press opening: December 13, 2008

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam gives another solo tour-de-force performance of the greatest ghost story ever written. Available for a limited engagement, our 13th annual reading of Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey over the course of one magical Christmas Eve has become a holiday tradition.

The world premiere of
Old Glory
By Brett Neveu
Directed by William Brown
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Previews: February 3 – 11, 2009
Regular Run: February 14 – March 29, 2009
Press Opening: February 12, 2009 at 7:30 pm

William Brown, director of last season’s triumphant As You Like It turns his attention from the old to the new. One of the country's hottest young playwrights, Brett Neveu, brings us the world premiere of Old Glory. This gripping drama in which a family confronts loss as a consequence of war is brought intensely to life through Neveu’s direct yet poetic language. No government, no politics, just people. Razor sharp wit and fiercely emotional confrontation combine as this viscerally powerful mystery unfolds.

A new musical adapted from Candida by George Bernard Shaw (as yet untitled)
Music by Joshua Schmidt
Lyrics by Jan Tranen
Adapted by Austin Pendleton
Conceived and Directed by Michael Halberstam
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Previews: May 19 – June 3, 2009
Regular Run: June 6 – July 19, 2009
Press Opening: June 4, 2009 at 7:30 pm

After his unanimously acclaimed New York debut, The Adding Machine, Writers’ Theatre Associate Artist Josh Schmidt has become the most eagerly anticipated young musical theatre composer in the country. His second creation adapted from Candida by George Bernard Shaw in collaboration with artistic director Michael Halberstam, playwright Austin Pendleton and lyricist Jan Tranen, receives its world premiere in Glencoe. A poet, a preacher and his wife enter into a delicious conflict when a fantastical suspicion turns an ordinary day topsy turvy.

Family Programming
Following the success of this season’s The Frog Prince, Writers’ will continue its family programming with a play yet to be determined. The family production will open March 14 and will run through April 19 with performances on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and Sundays at 11:00 a.m.

TICKET INFORMATION:

Writers' Theatre season ticket packages provide a convenient theatergoing experience to accommodate busy lives. The Writers’ Theatre Membership is $180 and provides ultimate flexibility. The Subscription is $200
and offers patrons a preset schedule with the guarantee of the same seat to their originally scheduled performances. Each Membership and Subscription includes one ticket to Picnic, The Maids, Old Glory and the new musical adaptation of Candida.

Both season packages offer exclusive pre-sale access to tickets for Nixon’s Nixon, A Christmas Carol, Family Programming and special behind-the-scenes events. The Rain Checks is a new benefit that gives Members and Subscribers the opportunity to make up a missed performance at no cost. Members and Subscribers also receive free ticket exchanges by phone, mail and fax, show reminders by email before each scheduled performance and a one-year subscription to The Brief Chronicle newsmagazine.
Subscriptions and Memberships are available at the at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe, 847-242-6000 and www.writerstheatre.org.

SPECIAL SERIES:
Pre-Show Lecture
Writers’ Theatre guest artists will guide patrons through the inner-workings of each production. By providing details that enhance the Writers’ Theatre experience, each lecture will increase audience appreciation for the production to follow. The pre-show lectures begin at 5:00 p.m. and are offered at no additional cost with select Sunday evening performances.

Post-Show Discussions
Writers’ Theatre artistic staff and cast members will host lively post-show discussions. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions about the process, the characters and the production. Post-show discussions are offered at no additional cost and are available with select Tuesday and Wednesday evening performances.

About Writers' Theatre
Writers' Theatre is a professional company focusing on the Word and the Artist. Remaining true to the intention of the playwright and nurturing the artist stand at the center of the mission. Now in its 17th season, the company both revives classic scripts and cultivates new works and adaptations while invigorating them with fresh energy in the intimacy of its venues. Founded in 1992, Writers’ Theatre performed exclusively at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Avenue for the first 12 years. In the fall of 2003, the organization opened a new 108 seat performance venue at 325 Tudor Court. Today, Writers’ theatre continues to produce in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences. Since 2000, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 to more than 5,300 today. With an operating budget of $3.2 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 full-time employees and a 29-member Board of Trustees.

THE LION IN WINTER

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Contact: Cathy Taylor / Schoenly Hixson
Cathy Taylor Public Relations, Inc.
773-564-9564
cathy@cathytaylorpr.com
                                                                                                                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                                                                     April 28, 2008

WRITERS’ THEATRE PRESENTS JAMES GOLDMAN’S
THE LION IN WINTER
DIRECTED BY RICK SNYDER

Glencoe, IL– Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma proudly announce James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter directed by Rick Snyder. The production runs May 27- August 3, 2008, at Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe. The official press opening is June 4, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.

It is Christmas in England, 1183, and the aging monarch, Henry II, brings together his exiled wife Queen Eleanor and his three sons in order to plan for his succession. The ensuing power struggles and attempts to craft political alliances engage you in the dramatic exploration of the ultimate family gathering. Goldman creates a modern fiction from the circumstances of the past resulting in a deliciously witty and resonant evening of theatre. Director Rick Snyder brings a wonderfully authentic touch to this very contemporary play.

“Rick has put together an incredible cast and design team,” comments Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “In such capable and fearless hands I look forward to a classic Writers’ Theatre revival in which a familiar American classic gets a visceral, earthy, first class staging in our intimate theatre. The dramatic family dynamics that Rick explored as an actor in August: Osage County will very much compliment the dangerous and yet highly entertaining circumstances of Goldman’s play. It’s perfect summer viewing!”

The cast includes Robert Belushi (John), Michael Canavan (Henry II, King of England), Shannon Cochran (Eleanor), Lea Coco (Richard), Laura Coover (Alais Capet), Michael Fagin (Philip Capet, King of France) and Christopher McLinden (Geoffrey).

The designers are Jack Magaw (scenic), Josh Schmidt (sound), J.R. Lederle (lighting), Nan Zabriskie (costume) and Meredith Miller (properties).

The Lion in Winter is sponsored by JP Morgan Chase Bank, NES Rentals and Scott Byron Co.

The Lion in Winter

Rick Snyder (Director) recently appeared in August: Osage County and The Unmentionables with Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Recent directing credits are The Actor at the Goodman Theatre, Aristocrats at Strawdog Theatre, Betrayal at Steppenwolf, Jolly and The Disappearance of the Jews at the Goodman, St. Scarlet at American Theatre Company, Bus Stop at Writers’ Theatre and Last of the Boys at Steppenwolf. Other directing credits at Steppenwolf include Tavern Story, Things Being What They Are, Orange Flower Water (which traveled to the Galway Arts Festival) and The Fall to Earth. Recent acting credits are Man From Nebraska and I Never Sang For My Father. Other Steppenwolf acting credits include Wedding Band, The Time of Your Life, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in London and on Broadway, Sideman in Galway, Ireland, David Copperfield, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Slaughterhouse Five, Molly Sweeney, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, the Tony Award-winning Grapes of Wrath, The Road to Nirvana and A Walk in the Woods. He has appeared at the Goodman Theatre in As You Like It, Down the Shore and as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. At Northlight Theatre he appeared in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolff and The Rear Column. Television credits include Crime Story, First Steps, Lady Blue, Legacy of Lies, The Woman Who Loved Elvis, Overexposed and guest starring roles on Early Edition, Profiler, Chicago Hope, Angel Street, The Untouchables, Missing Persons and Mind of the Married Man. Rick has appeared in the films Meet the Applegates, The Tuskegee Airmen, Alien Nation Millenium, The Net starring Sandra Bullock, Whiteboys and Soul Survivors. He appeared as agent Frank Burrows in U.S. Marshals and recently appeared in The Human Stain. He has taught acting classes at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN, as well as advanced acting classes at Northwestern University and DePaul University. He currently teaches Directing 1 at Columbia College in Chicago. Rick has been a member of the Steppenwolf ensemble since 1983, and an instructor for The School at Steppenwolf and Associate Artist at Steppenwolf for the last ten years.

Robert Belushi (John) comes to Writers’ Theatre direct from Las Vegas, where he was performing with Second City Mainstage in their new revue. He has performed improvisation and sketch comedy throughout Chicago, most notably as an understudy for the Second City National Touring Company, at the IO Theater, in the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival and the Chicago Improv Festival. Other theater credits include Marty in Ellen Fairey's Girl, 20 with Serendipity Theater Collective (World and West Coast Premiere) and as Warren in This Is Our Youth with Pine Box Theatre (remounted at the Theater on the Lake). Film credits include Riff Raff (Best Supporting Actor, Tenerife International Film Festival) and The Christians (Splitpillow). Rob graduated from Wesleyan University with an Honors BA in Film Studies and the School at Steppenwolf.

Michael Canavan (Henry II, King of England) previously appeared at Writers’ Theatre in The Father. Other Chicago credits include Mizlansky/Zilinsky at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and The Dying Gaul at Apple Tree Theatre. He recently appeared off-Broadway in Bug by Tracy Letts. Other New York credits include working with Joseph Papp Public Theatre, Theatre for the New City and Riverside Shakespeare Company. Regional credits include Prelude to a Kiss, Reckless, Jitters, Cold Sweat, Ghost in the Machine, Oleanna at South Coast Repertory, De Donde? at New Mexico Repertory Theatre and a season with the Pittsburgh Public Theater. He also played Vershinin in Three Sisters at Teatro Popular de Bogota in Colombia, South America. Film projects include Flags of Our Fathers, The Island, Hidalgo and Murder By Numbers, among others. He has guest-starred on dozens of television programs including Bones, Shark, Entourage, Brother & Sisters, Criminal Minds, Big Love and has had recurring roles on 7th Heaven and General Hospital. He is a produced playwright and has directed productions for Pegasus Repertory in Aspen, CO, and Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, MA.

Shannon Cochran (Eleanor) returns to Writers’ Theatre having last appeared in The Father, also opposite Michael Canavan. She received an Obie Award and a Theatre World Award for the role she created in Bug by Tracy Letts. She just completed a national tour of Top Secret: The Battle For The Pentagon Papers with John Heard. Other recent theatre credits include the world premiere of Bruce Norris’ The Unmentionables at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Private Lives at the Long Wharf Theatre and System Wonderland at South Coast Repertory Theatre. Her film credits include The Ring, Star Trek: Nemesis, The Babe and she is cast in Oliver Stone’s Pinkville. She currently has a recurring role on the upcoming Fox series The Oaks. Her recent guest-starring appearances include Grey’s Anatomy, The Unit, The Office, Without a Trace, Close to Home and Law & Order: SVU.

Lea Coco (Richard) makes his debut at Writers’ Theatre. He has appeared in productions at About Face Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Madison Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company (with Shannon Cochran), Utah Shakespeare Festival, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Blue Man Group (as a Blue Man) and the Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival). He has appeared in a few movies and TV shows. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon.

Laura Coover (Alais Capet) joins Writers' Theatre for the first time. She recently received her BFA in acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Favorite roles include Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at the Great River Shakespeare Festival, Joan in The Lark at Krannert Center at Universtiy of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Martha Cratchit in A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre.

Michael Fagin (Philip Capet, King of France) makes his professional theatrical debut at Writers’ Theatre. A native Chicagoan and 2007 graduate of Loyola University Chicago’s theatre program, Michael has appeared in stage shows at Navy Pier, the Abbie Hoffman Festival at Mary Arrchie Theatre Company and a night of live radio productions at Strawdog Theatre Company with Bentlight Theatre Company.

Christopher McLinden (Geoffrey) returns to Writers’ Theatre where he previously appeared in Seagull and The Duchess of Malfi. Other Chicago credits include Last of the Boys, The Diary of Anne Frank (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Short Shakespeare! Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Vincent in Brixton (Appletree Theatre, After Dark Award), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (First Folio Shakespeare Festival), Lady from the Sea (Greasy Joan & Co.), The Vortex (Boxer Rebellion Ensemble), The Old Lady Shows Her Medals, Man Of Destiny and You Never Can Tell (Shaw Chicago Theatre Company). McLinden received his BFA from Northern Illinois University and has also studied at the Moscow Art Theatre.

Previews are May 27 - June 3, 2008. The opening press performance is on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. The production runs through August 3, 2008. Curtain times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. There will be no 6:00 p.m. performances on June 15, July 13 and July 27. Wednesday matinees will be available on June 11, July 9 and July 23, 2008 at 2 p.m. There are no performances scheduled for July 3 and 4, 2008.

Tickets start at $40 and are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.

Discussions with artistic staff and cast members will follow the performances on June 17 and 18, July 15 and 16, 2008. A pre-show lecture, designed to make the Writers’ Theatre experience even more enjoyable, will be given by Michael Halberstam or other members of the artistic staff on June 22 and 29 at 5 p.m., in the dining room at the theatre (325 Tudor Court).

Morton’s The Steakhouse is the Writers’ Theatre restaurant partner. Patrons can enjoy a meal at Morton’s, before the show, consisting of a salad, entrée, dessert and a glass of wine for $83, including tax! For more details or to purchase your meal, contact the Box Office.

The Lion in Winter

The Writers’ Theatre season is underwritten, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the word and the artist, with the playwright at the center of its mission. The 16-year-old company produces classic scripts and cultivates new works including literary adaptations, second productions and rarely or infrequently produced works of classic writers, invigorating them with new energy and a new approach. For its first 12 years, Writers’ Theatre performed in the anteroom of “Books on Vernon” at 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. In the fall of 2003, the company opened its new 108-seat thrust stage performance venue at 325 Tudor Court, continuing its tradition of bringing audiences face to face with literature’s greatest creators and creations in an intimate environment.

The company continues to produce works in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences while growing annual attendance to more than 30,000. In the past seven years, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 in 2000 to more than 5,200 in 2007. With an operating budget of more than $3 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 fulltime employees and a 28-member Board of Trustees.

Fact Sheet / The Lion in Winter

                                                Title:                   The Lion in Winter
                                                Written by:         James Goldman
                                                Directed by:       Rick Snyder
                                                Featuring:          Robert Belushi, Michael Canavan, Shannon Cochran,
                                                    Lea Coco, Laura Coover, Michael Fagin and Christopher McLinden

                                                Dates:                Previews: May 27-June 3, 2008
                                                                            Press opening: June 4, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
                                                                            Regular run: June 4-August 3, 2008

                                               Schedule:          Tuesdays & Wednesdays:              7:30 p.m.
                                                                           Thursdays & Fridays:                        8:00 p.m.
                                                                           Saturdays:                                           4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
                                                                           Sundays:                                              2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
                        There will be no 6:00 p.m. performances on June 15, July 13 and July 27
                                                                           Wednesday Matinees:                      2:00 p.m.

June 11, July 9 and July 23 only

                                                                         *There will be no performances on July 3 and 4

                                              Special events: Pre-show lectures:            June 22 and 29 at 5:00 p.m.
                                                                           Post-show discussions:  June 17 and 18, July 15 and 16

Location: Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

Tickets: $40-$65

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

NOTES OF INTEREST:
• Director Rick Snyder is a Steppenwolf ensemble member who was most recently seen onstage in the original cast of August: Osage County. Rick declined the offer to appear on Broadway as he chose to spend his year teaching at Columbia College and directing in Chicago, including a piece in the Goodman’s Horton Foote Festival and this production at Writers’ Theatre. This is Rick’s second production at Writers’. Previously, he directed William Inge’s Bus Stop.

• The Lion in Winter is sound designer Joshua Schmidt’s first project since opening The Adding Machine in New York. Audiences may remember the elaborate and detailed set designs for Bus Stop and The Subject was Roses. Schmidt is also currently working with Artistic Director Michael Halberstam, Austin Pendleton and Jan Tranen on the musical adaptation of Candida, titled A Minister’s Wife, to premiere next season. Designer Jack Magaw once again teams up with Writers’ Theatre and Rick Snyder for this project.

• Robert Belushi, a second generation Chicago actor, comes to Writers’ Theatre direct from Las Vegas, where he was performing with Second City in its new revue.

• Real-life husband/wife team Michael Canavan and Shannon Chochran previously appeared together at Writers’ in The Father; Shannon also appeared at Writers’ in Private Lives. Shannon is also known to Chicago audiences from her roles in Tracy Letts’ Bug and The Man from Nebraska, which also featured Rick Snyder.

• Christopher McLinden returns to Writers’ Theatre where he previously appeared in Seagull and Duchess of Malfi. Lea Coco, Michael Fagin and Laura Coover are all working at Writers’ Theatre for the first time.

Writers' Theatre presents David Mamet's THE FROG PRINCE

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Writers’ Theatre presents
David Mamet’s The Frog Prince
directed by Artistic Associate Jimmy McDermott

Glencoe, IL— Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director
Kathryn M. Lipuma proudly inaugurate family programming with David Mamet’s The Frog Prince, directed by Artistic Associate Jimmy McDermott. The production runs Saturday afternoons on February 23, March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2008, at 12:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings on March 9, 16, 23 and 30, 2008, at 11 a.m. The press is invited to attend on Saturday, February 23, 2008, at 12:30 p.m.

Please note date and time changes: The production runs Saturday afternoons on February 23, March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2008, at 12:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings on March 9, 16, 23 and 30, 2008, at 11 a.m.

Writers’ Theatre introduces family programming with a retelling of The Frog Prince, an unlikely play from one of theatre’s most successful and groundbreaking writers who sheds new light on a familiar fairytale. An arrogant prince, a doomed kingdom, a curse and a kiss all take stage in this story that asks the question: Can people truly change?

“I am delighted to announce the long overdue launch of programming that seeks to provide the same caliber of text and artistry as our main stage productions but which is aimed primarily at a family audience,” comments artistic director Michael Halberstam. “Given the significant number of families in our vicinity, a production that celebrates the word and the artist, while avoiding condescension and overt sentimentality, seems a natural addition to our lineup. Now that we have established a tradition of in-school theatre residencies and outreach programming with our wildly successful touring production The MLK Project directed by Ron OJ Parson, The Frog Prince provides an obvious and necessary component to building a season!”

The Frog Prince is recommended for ages 8 and older. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

The cast includes Erik Hellman (The Prince), Dana Tretta (The Milkmaid), Penny Slusher
(The Peasant), and Aaron Alpern (The Servingman).

The designers are Keith Pitts (scenic), Tatjana Radisic (costumes), Adam Friedland (lights), Tina-Louise Mead Happ (sound), Tramon Crofford (properties). The stage manager is Wendy Woodward.

Jimmy McDermott (Director) is the artistic associate at Writers’ Theatre where he recently directed 365 Days/365 Plays and Puppetmaster of Lodz. He is also a company member with the side project theatre company in Chicago, having directed The 4th Graders Present An Unnamed Love-Suicide, The Elephant Man, Maggie: A Girl Of The Streets, Salome and Sweet Pretty Love Jam. Other directing credits include work for The Hypocrites and Collaboraction. McDermott received his MFA in directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University in 1999.

Erik Hellman (The Prince) is pleased to make his debut at Writers Theatre in this production.   Most recently he appeared in Court Theatre’s Titus Andronicus having previously appeared in Court Theatre’s production of Arcadia.   Recent work includes the Theatre for Young Audiences performances of The Elephant Man and Huck Finn at Steppenwolf, The Busy World is Hushed (Next Theatre), Feast (Chicago Dramatists), Tartuffe (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company), Hatfield and McCoy (The House Theatre of Chicago), New Orleans (The Side Project) and Macbeth (The Mirror Rep, Off-Broadway, New York).

Erik is a member of Strawdog Theatre Company where he has appeared in Three Sisters, Impossible Marriage (Joseph Jefferson Nomination, Best Supporting Actor) and Puntila and His Man Matti.   Film work includes the upcoming feature The Dark Knight.   Erik is a Denver native and a graduate of Northwestern University.   In his spare time he teaches banjo.

Aaron Alpern (The Servingman) returns to Writers’ Theatre, where previously he portrayed The Bear in Marriage and Bears and has performed as an understudy in The Puppet-master of Lodz, The Chosen, Doctors Dilemma, Rocket to the Moon and is currently an understudying for As You Like It. Locally Alpern has played The Player King in Hamlet (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Prospero in The Tempest (First Folio Shakespeare Festival), Eddie in Halcyon Days (TimeLine Theatre Company), Morell in Candida (Circle Theatre) and Shylock in Merchant Of Venice (Shakespeare’s Motley Crew). Regional credits include Bill in Bea’s Niece (Next Act Theatre, Milwaukee, Wisconsin), Martin in Substance Of Fire (Northern Stage, Milwaukee, Wisconsin), Gavronsky in I.D. (Quantum Theatre, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), Paul in Misery (Apollo Fine Arts and Entertainment Center, Peoria, Illinois), Cooper in Denial (Jewish Ensemble Theatre, Detroit, Michigan), Banquo in Macbeth (Theatre at the Center, Munster, Illinois), Lenny in Mice And Men, (Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, Santa Maria, California). Alpern received his MFA in Acting from The California Institute for the Arts and his Bachelors degree from the University of Michigan.

Dana Tretta (The Milkmaid) joins Writers’ Theatre for the first time. She was most recently seen as Sally Bowles in Cabaret with Theo Ubique Theatre Company. She has also worked with Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Watertower, TimeLine Theatre Company, StageLeft Theatre, Bohemian Theatre Company and White Horse Theatre Company.

Penny Slusher (The Peasant) has appeared in several Writers’ Theatre productions. She was seen as Lavinia Hubbard in Another Part Of The Forest (for which she won an After Dark Award and Joseph Jefferson Award for best supporting actress), Grace in Bus Stop and Nettie in The Subject Was Roses. Most recently she portrayed Marina (Nanny) in Uncle Vanya with Court Theatre (After Dark Award). Also at Court Theatre, she was Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest and Mrs. Malins in James Joyce’s The Dead. She has appeared as Simona in Serendipity Theatre’s The Outfit, Rosemary (Joseph Jefferson citation nominee) in Griffin Theatre’s Picnic, Aunt Hannah in All The Way Home (also Griffin Theatre) and Mrs. Grogan in Famous Door’s Joseph Jefferson Award winning production of The Cider House Rules.  Musical theatre productions include Countess Maritza and Kismet at Light Opera Works, The 1940s Radio Hour, Oliver! and The Boyfriend.

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the word and the artist, with the playwright at the center of its mission. The 16-year-old company produces classic scripts and cultivates new works including literary adaptations, second productions and rarely or infrequently produced works of classic writers, invigorating them with new energy and a new approach. For its first 12 years, Writers’ Theatre performed in the anteroom of “Books on Vernon” at 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. In the fall of 2003, the company opened its new 108-seat thrust stage performance venue at 325 Tudor Court, continuing its tradition of bringing audiences face to face with literature’s greatest creators and creations in an intimate environment.

The company continues to produce works in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences while growing annual attendance to more than 30,000. In the past seven years, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 in 2000 to more than 5,200 in 2007. With an operating budget of more than $3 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 fulltime employees and a 27-member Board of Trustees.

                                                          The Frog Prince / FACT SHEET

                             Title:                       The Frog Prince
                             Written by:             David Mamet
                             Directed by:          Jimmy McDermott
                             Featuring:             Erik Hellman, Aaron Alpern, Dana Tretta, Penny Slusher

                              Dates:                  Press opening: Saturday, February 23, 2008,
                                                            at 12:30 p.m.
                                                           Regular run: Saturdays February 23, March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29
                                                           Sundays, March 9, 16, 23 and 30

Schedule: Saturdays: 12:30 p.m., Sundays: 11:00 a.m.

Location: Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe

Tickets: $20

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

Notes of Interest:

· The Frog Prince marks the inauguration of Writers’ Theatre’s new Family Programming, an extension of Writer’s commitment to producing meaningful educational works for children and young adults. In 2005 Writers’ commissioned The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights, written by Yolanda Androzzo and directed by Ron OJ Parson. The one-woman show follows a young girl’s search for truth and self-discovery through the American Civil Rights Movement. The production will tour Chicago-area schools through February 29, 2008.

· The classic fairy tale The Frog Prince is best known through the Brother’s Grimm written version. David Mamet’s charming adaptation is one of his Three Children's Plays, which also contains The Poet and the Rent: A Play for Kids from Seven to 8:15 and The Revenge of the Space Pandas; or, Binky Rudich and the Two-Speed Clock.

· The Frog Prince features Equity actors, including Penny Slusher, winner of the Jeff Award for her role in Writers’ production of Another Part of the Forest. The Frog Prince is a full production and exhibits the excellent professional elements that have become Writers’ hallmark.

Shakespeare's AS YOU LIKE IT to be directed by William Brown

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600

January 9, 2008

Writers’ Theatre presents

Shakespeare’s As You Like It

directed by William Brown

Glencoe, IL— Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce As You Like It, by William Shakespeare, directed by William Brown. The production runs February 5– April 13, 2008, at Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe. The official press opening is Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.

“All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players...” Shakespeare’s wildly beautiful romp through the Forest of Arden brings to life some of the most romantic scenes ever to be scribed for the stage, while throwing in a dynamic twist of gender politics. In order to test the veracity of Orlando’s love for her and Rosalind disguises herself as a man and attempts to convince him that his love for her is merely an illusion. A duke and his merry men in exile, the melancholy Jacques, a love sick shepherd and the shepherdess who spurns him all swirl around the potential lovers, shaping the evening into this most perfect of comedies.

William Brown comments, “Two aspects of As You Like It, in particular, really excite me. One is the context of the play, in which displaced persons -- forcibly exiled-- laugh, sing, and court. The other is how randomly we love and hate. It is a play where love and hate are in battle. And love wins hands down.” He continues, “I couldn’t imagine doing this play any place other than Writers’. The venue has the intimacy of sitting around a campfire and the audience will get a sense of overhearing the events of the play.”

The cast includes Tracy Michelle Arnold, Kevin Asselin, Carey Cannon, David Dastmalchian, Tim Gittings, Carol Kuykendall, Ross Lehman, John Lister, Nancy Moricette, Eric Parks, Marcus Truschinski and Larry Yando. Director William Brown will replace Ross Lehman as Touchstone during the last three weeks of the run.

The designers are Keith Pitts (scenic), Rachel Anne Healy (costumes), Charles Cooper (lights), Andy Hansen (sound), Tramon Crofford (properties). The fight director is Kevin Asselin and the verse coach is Susan Felder. The production stage manager is David Castellanos.

William Brown (Director) returns to Writers’ Theatre where he has directed Joseph Jefferson nominated productions of Another Part of the Forest, Arms and the Man, Our Town, Rocket to the Moon, Misalliance, The Glass Menagerie and Arthur Miller’s Incident at Vichy. At Northlight Theatre he has directed productions of She Stoops to Conquer (After Dark Award), The Chalk Garden, and Lady Windermere’s Fan, a play he also directed at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. At American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin he has directed Night of the Iguana, Shaw’s You Never Can Tell, Antony and Cleopatra, All’s Well That Ends Well, The Cherry Orchard, Twelfth Night and Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker. At TimeLine Theatre, he has directed the Midwest premiere of Tennessee Williams’ recently discovered prison drama Not About Nightingales, (six Jeff Citations including Best Play and Best Director), Halcyon Days and Paragon Springs. Brown is the Associate Artistic Director of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks where he has directed Heartbreak House, Cymbeline, Much Ado About Nothing, The Winter’s Tale, Love’s Labours Lost, The Comedy of Errors, and The Country Wife. He most recently directed A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre. Bill received a Joseph Jefferson Award as Best Actor for his portrayal of Henry Kissinger in Nixon’s Nixon at Writers’ Theatre, where he also appeared as Dr. Lyman in Bus Stop.

Marcus Truschinski (Orlando) is making his Chicago debut. He is originally from Wisconsin where credits include Milwaukee Shakespeare, Bialystock & Bloom, Next Act and four seasons with American Players Theatre. Other regional credits: Great River Shakespeare Festival and North Carolina Stage Company. He will return to American Players Theatre this summer to play Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by William Brown, and Doricourt in The Belle's Stratagem.

Tim Gittings (Adam/Corin) has previously appeared in Chicago at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, Stage Left, Circle Theatre and ChicSpeare. He was last seen occasionally stepping in as Harpagon in The Miser at Northlight Theatre. Tim is a recent graduate of the MFA training program at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

Kevin Asselin (Oliver and Fight Director) has appeared in The Three Musketeers (Joseph Jefferson Nomination), A Little Night Music, Romeo and Juliet, Two Gentlemen of Verona, As You Like It, School for Scandal and Short Shakespeare Macbeth, Romeo And Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) and Oedipus Complex (Goodman Theatre). He has worked at Shakespeare on the Green, Famous Door, Defiant, Rising Moon and the Chicago Symphony. Regionally he as spent five seasons with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, four seasons with Summer Shakespeare at Notre Dame and worked with Offsquare Theatre, Papermill, Illinois Repertory Theatre and Struther's Library. Kevin holds an MFA in Acting from UIUC.

Eric Parks (Charles/ Silvius), making his Writers’ debut, received his BFA from Pacific Lutheran University and his MFA from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He spent a year with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater and then spent some time with Nebraska Shakespeare Festival in Omaha before coming to Chicago.

Carey Cannon (Celia), making her Writers’ Theatre debut, has been seen locally at Northlight Theatre in Lady Windermere's Fan (with Tracy Arnold and directed by William Brown) and as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride And Prejudice (Joseph Jefferson Nomination). She has worked here in Chicago and regionally at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Apple Tree Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, The Vineyard Playhouse and the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Cannon also spent three wonderful seasons at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin where she is thrilled to be returning this summer.

Tracy Michelle Arnold (Rosalind), making her Writers’ Theatre debut, has appeared at Northlight Theatre in Lady Windermere's Fan, The Chalk Garden, and Red Herring, Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Lady Madeline, and Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Top Girls. Regional work: Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Madison Repertory Theatre, Next Act Theatre, Chamber Theatre, Renaissance Theatreworks and eight seasons with American Players Theatre in Spring Green, WI. She will be returning for her ninth American Players Theatre season this summer. This is Tracy's eighth collaboration with Bill Brown.

Ross Lehman (Touchstone) has previously appeared at Writers’ Theatre in The Uneasy Chair and Bach at Leipzig. He has worked at Marriott Theatre where credits include Kiss Me Kate, Oliver!, The Music Man, and Koko in Hot Mikado. He has played Koko in several productions of Hot Mikado, (Joseph Jefferson Award) including the West End production in London (Lawrence Olivier nomination). He has appeared on Broadway in The Tempest (with Patrick Stewart) One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He has also appeared at Chicago Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, the Goodman Theatre, Apple Tree Theatre, and Milwaukee Shakespeare Theatre.

David Dastmalchian (LeBeau/cast) is a graduate of The Theatre School, DePaul University, and is pleased to be back at Writers’ Theatre after appearing in Othello last season. He has been seen in Shattered Globe’s Suddenly Last Summer. In Chicago, David has worked with Caffeine Theatre (where he’s an artistic associate), Collaboraction, Side Project, Timeline, Naked Eye, Goodman Theatre and others. Television appearances include Early Edition and commercials for Nintendo, Cingular and Best Buy. He recently completed work on the upcoming feature films, The Horsemen and The Dark Knight.

John Lister (Duke Frederick/Duke Senior) has appeared in The Crucible (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), She Stoops To Conquer, Inherit The Wind, Red Herring, Lady Windermere’s Fan (Northlight Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre), Henry IV Parts I & II, Antony and Cleopatra, The Tempest, Richard II, The Winter’s Tale, The Herbal Bed (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), The Lark (Eclipse Theatre) and Enter the Poet (Collaboraction). Regional credits include Death Trap, The Foreigner and the world premiere of Shady Business (Peninsula Players), Romeo and Juliet, Henry V and The Comedy of Errors (Notre Dame Summer Shakespeare). Television credits include the FOX - TV series Prison Break. John received his MFA in Acting from Michigan State University.

Carol Kuykendall (Audrey /Amiens) most recently appeared at Writers’ Theatre as Mrs. Gibbs in Our Town. She has worked in Chicago at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Goodman, Marriott Theatre, Apple Tree Theatre, and Theatre at the Center. Her regional credits include Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire and The Dining Room at Arizona Theatre Company; Fastrada in Pippin at Utah Shakespearean Festival; Emma in Panic at Riverpark Center Theatre; Dottie and Ellie in Showboat in Chicago and the National Tour. Carol is married to actor Joel Hatch.

Nancy Moricette (Phebe /cast) recently premiered her one woman show Jaspora/Imitation Haitian, Off Broadway at the 11th Annual New York Fringe Festival. She has worked with a variety of Chicago theatre’s including Lookingglass Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, MMPACT Theatre, Steppenwolf, and Rogue Theatre. This Summer she will be traveling to Haiti to aid her father in the rebuilding of a grade school he helped build on his land.

Larry Yando (Jacques/cast) has appeared in Nixon’s Nixon, Rocket to the Moon and Bach at Leipzig at Writers’ Theatre; Titus Andronicus at Defiant Theatre; The Two Noble Kinsmen, Cymbeline, The Tempest, All’s Well That Ends Well, Timon of Athens, Two Gentlemen of Verona, King Lear, Henry IV, Parts I and II and Antony and Cleopatra at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; and Travesties, Ghosts, The Importance of Being Earnest, An Ideal Husband, Electra, Measure for Measure and Travels with My Aunt at Court Theatre. He has also appeared at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Marriott Theater in Lincolnshire, Apple Tree Theatre, and the Royal George Theatre. Regionally, he has appeared at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Madison Repertory Theatre. Yando also appeared as Scar in a 3-year run with the national tour of The Lion King.

Previews are February 5-13, 2008. The opening press performance is on Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. The production runs through April 13, 2008. Curtain times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday matinees will be held February 2, March 12 and April 9, 2008, at 2 p.m. A matinee for school groups will be held March 26, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. There will be no performance on April 4, 2008.

Ticket prices are $40 for all preview performances; $45 for Tuesdays through Thursdays; $50 for Sunday evenings; $55 for Fridays and Sunday matinees, and $58 for both Saturday performances. Weekday Matinees are $45. Tickets are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.

Discussions with artistic staff and cast members will follow the performances on: February 19, 20, March 26, and April 1, 2008. A pre-show lecture, designed to make the Writers’ Theatre experience even more enjoyable, will be given by members of the artistic staff on February 24 and March 9, at 5 p.m. at the Woman’s Library Club (325 Tudor Court, Glencoe). The pre-show lecture will begin at 5 p.m. A Theatre Thursday and Wine Series event will take place on February 28, 2008.

Mirani’s is the Writers’ Theatre restaurant partner. Patrons can enjoy a meal at Mirani’s consisting of a salad, entrée, dessert and a glass of wine starting at only $42 including tax! For more details call the Writers’ Theatre Box Office at 847-242-6000.

As You Like It is sponsored by Magnetar Capital and The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation

This program is partially supported by a grant form the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the word and the artist, with the playwright at the center of its mission. The 16-year-old company produces classic scripts and cultivates new works including literary adaptations, second productions and rarely or infrequently produced works of classic writers, invigorating them with new energy and a new approach. For its first 12 years, Writers’ Theatre performed in the anteroom of “Books on Vernon” at 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. In the fall of 2003, the company opened its new 108-seat thrust stage performance venue at 325 Tudor Court, continuing its tradition of bringing audiences face to face with literature’s greatest creators and creations in an intimate environment.

The company continues to produce works in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences while growing annual attendance to more than 30,000. In the past seven years, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 in 2000 to more than 5,200 in 2007. With an operating budget of more than $3 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 fulltime employees and a 27-member Board of Trustees.

Fact Sheet / As You Like It

Title:                 As You Like It
Written by:       William Shakespeare
Directed by:   William Brown
Featuring:        Tracy Michelle Arnold, Kevin Asselin, Carey Cannon, David Dastmalchian, Tim Gittings, Joel Hatch, Carol Kuykendall, Ross Lehman, Nancy Moricette, Eric Parks, Marcus Truschinski, and Larry Yando

Dates:              Previews: February 5- 13, 2008
                          Press opening: February 14, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
                          Regular run: February 14-April 13, 2008

Schedule:        Tuesdays & Wednesdays: 7:30 p.m.
                          Thursdays & Fridays: 8 p.m.
                          Saturdays: 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
                          Sundays: 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
                          Weekday Matinees: Feb. 27, Mar. 12, Apr. 9

There will be no performance on Friday, April 4, 2008.

Special events: Pre-show lectures: Feb. 24 and Mar. 9 at 5 p.m.
                             Post-show discussions: Feb. 19, Feb. 20, Mar. 26, April 1

Location:            Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
Tickets:            Previews: $40 for all preview performances;

Regular run: $45 for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening performances; $50 for Sunday evenings; $55 for Fridays and Sunday matinees are $58 for (both performances). Weekday matinees are $45.

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

NOTES OF INTEREST:
•   William Brown has appeared at Writers’ Theatre in Candida, Butley, Nixon’s Nixon, Private Lives and Bus Stop, and has directed The Glass Menagerie, Rocket to the Moon, Misalliance, Our Town, Arms and the Man and Another Part of the Forest.

•   As You Like It is Bill’s first Shakespearean production with Writers’ Theatre, as well as his first full-length Shakespeare production in the Chicago area.

•   Of Shakespeare’s 38 plays, William has acted in or directed nearly half the canon. He will be replacing Ross Lehman as Touchstone for the last three weeks of the run.

•   This production of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy features real-life married couple Tracy Michelle Arnold and Marcus Truschinski, who frequently perform together at Peninsula Players in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

•   Writers’ Theatre has assembled a large “all-star” cast for this production, including many actors who have worked with Bill at other theatres around the country. The cast size ties with Our Town as being the largest at Writers’.

CALENDAR ANNOUNCEMENT: WT to Present A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0600

Calendar Announcement
December 2007


WRITERS’ THEATRE PRESENTS A CHRISTMAS CAROL

December 19 - 23, 2007

Writers’ Theatre will present A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens adapted by Michael Halberstam. The production runs December 19 – 23, 2007, at Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam performs a reading of the greatest ghost story every written, Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, for four performances only. The 12th annual dramatic one-man version of Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey over the course of one magical Christmas Eve has become a North Shore holiday tradition.

Title:                   A Christmas Carol
Adapted By:     Michael Halberstam from the story by Charles Dickens
Featuring:           Michael Halberstam
Dates:                 Regular run: December 19 – 23, 2007

Schedule:           Wednesday & Thursday:   8:00 p.m.
                             Saturday and Sunday:       2:00 p.m.

Location:        Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
Tickets:          $30 for all performances;
Box Office:   The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
                        847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

Subscriptions and Memberships to the 2007/08 Season are currently on sale.

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the word and the artist. The 16-year-old company produces classic scripts and cultivates new works including literary adaptations, second productions and rarely or infrequently produced works of classic writers, invigorating them with new energy and a new approach. For its first 12 years, Writers’ Theatre performed in the anteroom of “Books on Vernon” at 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. In the fall of 2003, the company opened its new 108-seat thrust stage performance venue at 325 Tudor Court, continuing its tradition of bringing audiences face to face with literature’s greatest creators and creations in an intimate environment.

The company continues to produce works in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences while growing annual attendance to more than 30,000. In the past seven years, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 in 2000 to more than 5,200 in 2007. With an operating budget of more than $3 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 full-time employees and a 27-member Board of Trustees.

Electronic photos and B-roll available

THE TURN OF THE SCREW directed by Jessica Thebus

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500

October 10, 2007

Writers’ Theatre presents
The Turn of the Screw
directed by Jessica Thebus

Glencoe, IL— Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce The Turn of the Screw adapted by Jeffery Hatcher from the classic story by Henry James. The production, directed by Jessica Thebus, runs November 13, 2007 - March 30, 2008, at Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. The official press opening is Wednesday, November 28, 2007, at 7:30 p.m.

Part ghost story and part psychological thriller, this classic tale concerns a governess hired by a wealthy recluse to look after his orphaned niece and nephew. The seemingly innocent children gradually reveal a series of terrifying secrets. Henry James’ novel has been adapted by Hatcher with minimal setting and relying instead upon the word and the artist. Ideally suited for the intimacy of the bookstore, this spine-tingling script places the weight of its dramatic success upon the perfect fusion of stagecraft and the far reaches of the imagination.

“This theatrical piece about the landscape of the mind gives the opportunity for virtuoso performances by Kymberly Mellen and LaShawn Banks,” comments Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “This is Jessica’s first time working with Writers’ Theatre, and we welcome her to our most intimate space following her directorial debut in New York. She has worked on some of the city’s finest stages, and we look forward to her exploration of this intriguing and terrifying classic ghost-story.”

The cast includes LaShawn Banks (The Man) and Kymberly Mellen (The Woman).

The designers are Jack Magaw (scenic), Andre Pluess (sound), J.R. Lederle (lighting), Rachel Anne Healy (costume) and Meredith Miller (properties). Peter Davis is the dramaturg. Rose Marie Parker is the stage manager.

Jessica Thebus (Director) is an Associate Artist with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and an Artistic Associate at About Face Theatre and The Corn Exchange in Dublin, Ireland. Recent directing projects include Sonia Flew, Intimate Apparel and Lady Madeline (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Citizens of the World (Millennium Park) Inherit the Wind and Red Herring (Northlight Theatre), The Clean House (Goodman, Jeff nomination - Best Production), Aren’t We All (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company), They All Fall Down (Lookingglass Theatre Company), Salao: The Worst Kind of Unlucky (Redmoon Theatre), Melancholy Play, Abingdon Square (Piven Theatre Workshop) and Whispering City, The Water Engine and A Tale of Two Cities (Steppenwolf for Young Adults). She has also worked with About Face Theatre directing Pulp (Joseph Jefferson Nomination - Best Director and an After Dark Award - Best Production), Winesburg and Ohio (Jeff Nomination - Best Director and an After Dark Award - Best Director). She has directed at Center Theater, Lifeline Theatre, Collaboraction and Caravan Productions, as well as touring internationally with the Bread and Puppet Theater. She holds a doctorate in Performance Studies from Northwestern University. Jessica has designed courses and taught at The University of Chicago, DePaul University, Columbia College, The University of Illinois and Roosevelt University. She is currently a faculty member in the Directing Program at Northwestern University.

LaShawn Banks (The Man) returns to Writers’ Theatre after appearing as understudy for the title role in Othello, he also performed in The Duchess of Malfi and To the Green Fields Beyond. Other Chicago credits include Execution of Justice (About Face Theatre), A Year with Frog and Toad (Chicago Children's Theatre) and five seasons of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre). He has worked regionally with Summer Shakespeare at Notre Dame, Milwaukee Shakespeare Theatre, American Players Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and The Cleveland Playhouse.

Kymberly Mellen (The Woman) returns to Writers’ Theatre after appearing in Another Part of the Forest, Arms and the Man, My Own Stranger, Our Town, Rocket to the Moon (Joseph Jefferson Award and After Dark Award) and Butley. Chicago credits include She Stoops to Conquer (Northlight Theatre), Intimate Apparel (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Passion, Doll (Ravinia Festival), The Romance Cycle: Cymbeline and Pericles, My Fair Lady (Court Theatre), Sunday in the Park with Georger, Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet and Two Gentlemen of Verona (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Regional credits include Angel Street, Unnecessary Farce (Peninsula Players) and A Flea in Her Ear (Milwaukee Repertory Theater). Film credits include the upcoming Poker House, The Quiet, Joseph: Prophet of the Restoration and Screechers. She can be seen and heard in numerous commercials and voice-overs. Kymberly is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Previews are November 13-27, 2007. The opening press performance is on Wednesday, November 28, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. The production runs through March 30, 2008. Curtain times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Wednesday matinees will be available on December 12, 2007, January 2, January 23, February 13, March 5 and March 26, 2008, at 2 p.m. There are no performances scheduled for on November 22, December 25, 26 or January 1

Ticket prices are $40 for all preview performances; $45 for Tuesdays through Thursdays; $50 for Sunday evenings; $55 for Fridays and Sunday matinees, and $58 for both Saturday performances. Weekday Matinees are $45. Tickets are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.

Discussions with artistic staff and cast members will follow the performances on: December 4, 5, 2007, January 15, 16, February 26, 27, March 19 and 25, 2008. A pre-show lecture, designed to make the Writers’ Theatre experience even more enjoyable, will be given by Michael Halberstam or other members of the artistic staff on December 9, 2007, February 10 and March 16, 2008 at Gallery 659, 659 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe. The pre-show lecture will begin at 5:00 p.m.

Writers’ Theatre presents the third annual “From Page to Stage”, a partnership between Writers’ Theatre and eight North Shore Public Libraries, which will present a variety of formats for experiencing The Turn of the Screw and its many elements. Events will be held each Thursday beginning January 10, 2008. For more information, please visit www.writerstheatre.org.

DiPescara is the Writers’ Theatre restaurant partner. Patrons can enjoy a meal at Di Pescara in Northbrook Court, before the show, consisting of a salad, entrée, dessert and a glass of wine for only $35, including tax! For more details or to purchase your meal, contact the Box Office.

The Writers’ Theatre season is underwritten, in part, by a grant from The Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the word and the artist, with the playwright at the center of its mission. The 16-year-old company produces classic scripts and cultivates new works including literary adaptations, second productions and rarely or infrequently produced works of classic writers, invigorating them with new energy and a new approach. For its first 12 years, Writers’ Theatre performed in the anteroom of “Books on Vernon” at 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. In the fall of 2003, the company opened its new 108-seat thrust stage performance venue at 325 Tudor Court, continuing its tradition of bringing audiences face to face with literature’s greatest creators and creations in an intimate environment.

The company continues to produce works in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences while growing annual attendance to more than 30,000. In the past seven years, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 in 2000 to more than 5,200 in 2007. With an operating budget of more than $3 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 fulltime employees and a 27-member Board of Trustees.

Fact Sheet / The Turn of the Screw

Adapted By:             Jeffery Hatcher from the story by Henry James
Directed by:             Jessica Thebus
Featuring:                 LaShawn Banks, Kymberly Mellen

Dates:                        Previews: November 13- 27, 2007
                                    Press opening: November 28, 2007, at 7:30 p.m.
                                    Regular run: November 28, 2007- March 30, 2008

Schedule:                Tuesdays & Wednesdays: 7:30 p.m.
                                  Thursdays & Fridays: 8:00 p.m.
                                  Saturdays: 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
                                  Sundays: 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
                                  Weekday Matinees: December 12, January 2, 23, February 13, March 5                                                   and March 26 at 2:00 p.m.

There are no performances scheduled for on November 22, December 25, 26 or January 1.

Special Events:    Pre-show lectures: December 9, February 10 and March 16 at 5:00 p.m. at                                                 Gallery 659, 659 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe
                                Post-show discussions: December 4, 5, January 15, 16, February 26, 27,                                                     March 19 and 25

Location: Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe
Tickets: Previews: $40 for all preview performances;

Regular run: $45 for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening performances; $50 for Sunday evenings; $55 for Fridays and Sunday matinees and $58 for Saturdays (both performances). Weekday matinees are $45.

Box Office:             The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
                               847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

NOTES OF INTEREST:
·   The Turn of the Screw was originally published in 1898 as a novella written by Henry James, and has since been adapted for the stage, film, television, opera and ballet.
·   Jessica Thebus is directing When The Messenger Is Hot at 59E59 Theaters, where Michael Helberstam’s Crime & Punishment is currently rehearsing.
·   Jeffrey Hatcher also co-wrote the stage adaptation of Tuesdays with Morrie with author Mitch Albom, and Three Viewings, a comedy consisting of three monologues - each of which takes place in a funeral home.
·   The Writers’ Theatre subscription season also includes As You Like It and The Lion in Winter. This season, Writers’ has introduced a Writers’ Theatre Membership, its answer to the traditional subscription in an age where time is limited and flexibility is a must. Each Membership Plan includes one ticket to each of the four season productions with no need to schedule dates up front.
·   Writers’ Theatre presents the third annual “From Page to Stage,” a partnership between Writers’ Theatre and eight North Shore Public Libraries, which will present a variety of formats for experiencing The Turn of the Screw and its many elements. Events will be held each Thursday beginning January 10, 2008. For more information, please visit www.writerstheatre.org.

CALENDER ANNOUNCEMENT: THE MLK PROJECT: THE FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500

October 10, 2007

WRITERS’ THEATRE PRESENTS
THE MLK PROJECT: THE FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Opening performance Friday, January 11, 2008 at The Field Museum

Glencoe, IL – Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma present The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights by Yolanda Androzzo and directed by Ron O.J. Parson. The opening performance will be held at The Field Museum of Natural History on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. in the James Simpson Theatre.

Weaving together poetry, song and oral-tellings, The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights is a touring one-woman show that follows a young girl’s search for truth and self-discovery through the American Civil Rights Movement. The production will tour public schools throughout Chicago January 11-February 29, 2008. The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights is a Carol Marks Jacobsohn Arts & Education Program.

Title:                     The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights
Playwright:            Yolanda Androzzo
Directed by:         Ron O.J. Parsons
Featuring:            Sharyon Culberson

Dates:                    Opening performance:   Friday, January 11, 2008, at 10:30 a.m.
                                Museum run: January 19, 20 & 21 at 2p.m.

Tickets:                Free with Museum admission

Location:              The Field Museum of Natural History, the James Simpson Theatre 1400 S. Lake                                       Shore Drive

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the word and the artist, with the playwright at the center of its mission. The 16-year-old company produces classic scripts and cultivates new works including literary adaptations, second productions and rarely or infrequently produced works of classic writers, invigorating them with new energy and a new approach. For its first 12 years, Writers’ Theatre performed in the anteroom of “Books on Vernon” at 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. In the fall of 2003, the company opened its new 108-seat thrust stage performance venue at 325 Tudor Court, continuing its tradition of bringing audiences face to face with literature’s greatest creators and creations in an intimate environment.

The company continues to produce works in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences while growing annual attendance to more than 30,000. In the past seven years, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 in 2000 to more than 5,200 in 2007. With an operating budget of more than $3 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 fulltime employees and a 27-member Board of Trustees.

WT presents the World Premiere of The Savannah Disputation

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0500

August 27, 2007

Writers’ Theatre presents
the World Premiere of The Savannah Disputation
by Evan Smith
directed by Michael Halberstam

Glencoe, IL— Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the world premiere of The Savannah Disputation by Evan Smith, directed by Michael Halberstam. The production opens the 16th season and runs September 18-November 25, 2007, at Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe. The official press opening is Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at 7:30 p.m.

The Savannah Disputation is sponsored by Urban Innovations.

This world premiere script comes to Writers' Theatre from the playwright of The Uneasy Chair. The story revolves around two sisters who forget all about southern charm when a young door-to-door evangelist comes proselytizing. Smith, known for his wildly eclectic thematic writing, employs his trademark sharpness of wit and draws a compelling portrait of the conflicts between dogma, faith and the wildly variant interpretations of biblical texts depending upon the point of view and needs of the reader.

“It’s a marvelous feeling to be producing a world premiere play from a living playwright with whom we have an ongoing relationship. We have a long history of World Premiere adaptations, but this is deliciously new territory for us,” says Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “The Word and the Artist are very much at the forefront of The Savannah Disputation. Four of Chicago’s finest actors are collaborating to bring to life this play which manages to tackle the matter of faith without judging the actions of its characters. Consequently, we are left to ask our own questions and reflect on our own relationship to the issues at hand. Of course, because it’s an Evan Smith play, it also offers a landscape which is rich with laughter and sympathy.”

The cast includes Marilynn Bogetich (Mary), Linda Kimbrough (Margaret), Suzanne Lang (Melissa) and Robert Scogin (Father Murphy).

The designers are Keith Pitts (scenic), Josh Schmidt (sound), Keith Parham (lighting), Janice Pytel (costume) and Jenniffer Thusing (properties). LaRonika Thomas is the dramaturg. David F. Castellanos is the production stage manager.

Evan Smith (playwright) returns to Writers’ Theatre after The Uneasy Chair. He was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia where he attended Benedictine Military School. He has a BA in English from Vassar College and an MFA in playwriting from the Yale School of Drama. His play Sevicemen was produced by the New Group in New York City and New York Stage and Film in Poughkeepsie, NY. Both The Uneasy Chair and Psych were produced by Playwrights Horizons in New York City. The Uneasy Chair was recently revived in a new version by 1812 Productions in Philadelphia prior to its production at Writers’. 1812 Productions also produced his play Daughters of Genius in 2006. His TV pilot Debs was produced onstage in Los Angeles by Naked TV, a joint venture of Fox TV and Naked Angels. His plays have been published by the Grove Press, the Dramatists Play Service, Smith and Kraus, Dell Books and soon by Playscripts.com. He is a recipient of a 2002 Whiting Award. He was resident playwright at the William Inge Center in 2005.

Michael Halberstam (director) is the Artistic Director and co-founder of Writers’ Theatre, where he has directed Love & Lunacy, A Play on Words, Dear Master, Not about Heroes, Diary of a Madman, My Own Stranger, Marriage & Bears, Blake, Memoir, Private Lives, Look Back in Anger, Candida, Fallen Angels, Nixon’s Nixon, Spite For Spite, The Father, A Phoenix Too Frequent, Rough Crossing, Crime and Punishment, Benefactors, The Doctor’s Dilemma, Seagull, The Uneasy Chair, The Duchess of Malfi and most recently Othello. Michael appeared in the Writers’ Theatre productions Two by Shaw, Oscar Remembered, Damon Ring & F. Scott, In the Heart of Winter, the title role in Richard II, Pinteracts, Loot and Misalliance. Previously, he spent two years performing at The Stratford Festival in Ontario. Michael’s other Chicago acting credentials include productions with Wisdom Bridge, Court Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He spent two-and-a-half years teaching Shakespeare at The Theatre School at DePaul University. Elsewhere he has directed at American Theatre Company, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Jean Cocteau Repertory (New York), Northlight Theatre and Peninsula Players Theatre. His forays into opera have included The Rape of Lucretia (Chicago Opera Theater); Francesca Da Rimini featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christoph Eschenbach and Le Freyschutz, a Berlioz adaptation of the Weber opera conducted by Christoph Eschenbach in its North American Premiere (Ravinia Festival). Michael has received awards for excellence in theatre management and artistic achievement from The Chicago Drama League, The Arts & Business Council and the Chicago Lawyers for the Creative Arts. Michael will perform in the 12th annual production of his one-man performance of A Christmas Carol. He will also be directing The Writers' Theatre New York premiere of Crime and Punishment at 59E59 Theaters in New York City this November and Enchanted April at Milwaukee Repertory Theater in February.

Marilynn Bogetich (Mary) makes her debut with Writers’ Theatre. She has appeared in Death of a Salesman, Bounce, A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre), Maria Arndt (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Sunday in the Park with George (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Bubbe Meisus (Northlight Theatre), By the Bog of Cats (Irish Repertory), Fighting Words (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble), Mousetrap, Deathtrap, Into the Woods (Peninsula Players), Oliver, Beauty and the Beast, Grovers’ Corners (Marriott’s Lincolnshire Theatre), Music Man and Damn Yankees (Drury Lane). Marilyn has performed with Court Theatre in My Fair Lady (Joseph Jefferson Award, Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Musical) and Happy End. She has also worked with Candlelight Theatre, appearing in Phantom, Follies (Joseph Jefferson Nomination, Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Musical), Cabaret and Fiddler on the Roof.

Linda Kimbrough (Margaret) previously joined Writers’ Theatre in The Uneasy Chair and Fallen Angels. A selection of Chicago credits include She Stoops to Conquer, Red Herring (Northlight Theatre), Miss Witherspoon (Next Theatre), The Play about the Baby (Goodman Theatre), The Man who Came to Dinner (Steppenwolf Theatre Company and The Barbican Center in London, England), The Moliere Comedies (Chicago Shakespeare Theater at The Shubert Theatre) and All’s Well that Ends Well (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Movie credits include Spartan, State and Main and the soon-to-be-released Redbelt. Linda has volunteered for the past 20 years at CHRIS radio, reading the newspaper to the sight-impaired and the neurologically handicapped.

Suzanne Lang (Melissa) was recently seen at Writers’ Theatre in Othello and Bus Stop. Recent credits include Pride and Prejudice (Northlight Theatre). She has also appeared in Collaboraction’s The Life and Times of Tulsa Lovechild (Joseph Jefferson Award, Best Ensemble) and Defying Gravity (Brown Couch Theatre Company). Suzanne has performed with Estrogen Fest, Stage Actors’ Multicultural Fest, Chicago Dramatists, The Indiana Shakespeare Festival and the English American Theatre Festival in Düsseldorf, Germany. This past October, she completed filming for Elsewhere by Nathan Hope and in November, she appeared in An Open Door at this year’s 42nd Chicago International Film Festival. Suzanne has an MFA in acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Robert Scogin (Father Murphy) returns to Writers’ Theater where he was seen previously in Seagull, The Doctor's Dilemma, Niedecker, Dear Liar and Richard II, and directed Pinteracts starring Michael Halberstam. He appeared on Broadway in Henry V and Off-Broadway in A Road Where the Wolves Run and Children of the Ladybug. Regional credits include American Shakespeare Festival, California Shakespeare Festival, Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, Notre Dame Summer Shakespeare, Missouri Repertory Theater and Indiana Repertory Theater. Chicago credits include Wisdom Bridge Arts Project, Northlight Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company and Goodman Theater. Robert has appeared in more than 30 productions at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, most recently in Henry IV Parts I and II. He is Artistic Director of ShawChicago where he directed more than 35 Shaw plays. Robert taught and directed Shakespeare at the Turkish State Theater Conservatory in Konya, Turkey. He recently directed Arms and the Man for the Konya State Theater Conservatory's Second International Theater Festival.

Previews are September 18-25, 2007. The opening press performance is on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. The production runs through November 25, 2007. Curtain times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Wednesday matinees will be available on October 10, 24 and November 14, 2007, at 2 p.m. There will be no performance on Thursday, November 22, 2007.

Ticket prices are $40 for all preview performances; $45 for Tuesdays through Thursdays; $50 for Sunday evenings; $55 for Fridays and Sunday matinees, and $58 for both Saturday performances. Weekday Matinees are $45. Tickets are available at the Box Office, 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe; 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.

Discussions with artistic staff and cast members will follow the performances on October 2, October 3, November 6 and November 7, 2007. A pre-show lecture, designed to make the Writers’ Theatre experience even more enjoyable, will be given by Michael Halberstam or other members of the artistic staff on October 7 and 21, 2007. The pre-show lecture will begin at 5:00 p.m.

Writers’ is hosting an Afternoon Tea Series and a Wine Series this season. The Afternoon Tea event will be at 4:30 p.m. on November 14, 2007 at the theatre, 325 Tudor Court. The Wine Series will be held at 7:00 p.m. on October 11, 2007 at Gallery 659 (659 Vernon Avenue) in Glencoe. Both series are $20 in addition to the cost of a ticket to the production, are available from the Box Office.

Yalumba is the Wine Series partner for The Savannah Disputation. The Afternoon Tea partner is The Celtic Knot Pub.

DiPescara is the Writers’ Theatre restaurant partner. Patrons can enjoy a meal at Di Pescara in Northbrook Court, before the show, consisting of a salad, entrée, dessert and a glass of wine for only $35, including tax! For more details or to purchase your meal, contact the Box Office.

The Writers’ Theatre season is underwritten, in part, by a grant from The Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Writers’ Theatre is a professional company focusing on the word and the artist, with the playwright at the center of its mission. The 16-year-old company produces classic scripts and cultivates new works including literary adaptations, second productions and rarely or infrequently produced works of classic writers, invigorating them with new energy and a new approach. For its first 12 years, Writers’ Theatre performed in the anteroom of “Books on Vernon” at 664 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe. In the fall of 2003, the company opened its new 108-seat thrust stage performance venue at 325 Tudor Court, continuing its tradition of bringing audiences face to face with literature’s greatest creators and creations in an intimate environment.

The company continues to produce works in both spaces, maintaining an intimate theatrical experience for audiences while growing annual attendance to more than 30,000. In the past seven years, the subscriber base has grown almost 250%, from 1,500 in 2000 to more than 5,200 in 2007. With an operating budget of more than $3 million, Writers’ Theatre is supported by a staff of 16 fulltime employees and a 27-member Board of Trustees.

15th Anniversary Season Wrap UP and the Year Ahead

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0500

September 13, 2007

August, 2007—Writers’ Theatre has a lot to celebrate it as wraps up it‘s 15th Anniversary and enters the 2007/08 Season. The previous season was deemed a success, both artistically and fiscally, and the company is well poised for an exciting upcoming year. Writers’ sold tickets totaling 106% of capacity and had 40,000 people in attendance overall, including The MLK Project and in-school residencies. Both Bach at Leipzig and The Puppetmaster of Lodz enjoyed extended runs. Writers’ operated “in the black” for the 15th consecutive season and welcomed new Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma.

The upcoming season will celebrate Writers’ first original world premiere play with Evan Smith’s The Savannah Disputation. Writers’ will also inaugurate Family Programming, which will continue the collaboration of director Jimmy McDermott and world-renowned puppetry artist Michael Montenegro. In addition to the upcoming subscription season, Writers’ is producing Crime and Punishment, directed by Michael Halberstam, in New York City, the company’s New York debut.

The following document contains upcoming press performances and some of the highlights of the previous season.

PLEASE JOIN WRITERS’ FOR THE FOLLOWING 2007/08 PRESS PERFORMANCES:

The Savannah Disputation by Evan Smith, directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam
Press Opening: September 26, 2007, at 7:30 p.m.

The Turn of the Screw adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the story by Henry James, directed by Jessica Thebus
Press Opening: November 28, 2007, at 7:30 p.m.

As You Like It by William Shakespeare, directed by William Brown
Press opening: February 13, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.

The Lion in Winter by James Goldman, directed by Rick Snyder
Press opening: June 4, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.

The 12th Annual A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted & performed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam
Press opening: December 19 at 8:00 p.m.

WRITERS’ THEATRE MAKES COMPANY DEBUT IN NEW YORK WITH ITS CELEBRATED
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, adapted by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus
Directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam
Featuring Susan Bennett, John Judd and Scott Parkinson
Designed by Eugene Lee (set), Keith Parham (lights) Theresa Squire (costumes), and Josh Schmidt (sound)
November 1–December 2, 2007 at 59E59 Theaters, 59 E. 59th Street

Writers’ Theatre is making its debut in New York City this fall with a remount of the highly acclaimed award-winning production of Crime and Punishment adapted by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus from the Fyodor Dostoevsky novel. Following his New York directorial debut last season, Michael Halberstam will return to New York to direct this 90-minute adaptation featuring the original Writers’ Theatre cast— Susan Bennett, Scott Parkinson, and John Judd. Susan Bennett most recently performed at The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C.; Scott Parkinson recently completed the run of The Coast of Utopia at Lincoln Center; John Judd most recently played Iago in Writers’ sold out production of Othello.

Crime and Punishment had its world premiere at Books on Vernon during the 2003 season and is a quintessential Writers’ Theatre production. Brilliantly literary and yet inherently theatrical, it manages to compress the essence of one of the world’s greatest novels into a three-actor, 90-minute performance without sacrificing the heart of the source material.

Designers include scenic designer Eugene Lee (Saturday Night Live, Wicked, Sweeney Todd, Ragtime), sound designer Josh Schmidt, (Othello, The Chosen, The Doctor’s Dilemma); costume designer Theresa Squire (Lieutenant of Inishmore, Orson’s Shadow), and lighting designer Keith Parham (The Savannah Disputation, Bach at Leipzig).

Performances will run November 1 through December 2, 2007 at 59E59 Theaters in New York. For tickets, contact the 59E59 Theaters Box Office at 212-279-4200 or www.59e59.org.

Writers’ Theatre is hosting a weekend in New York to celebrate the opening of Crime and Punishment, November 9-10, 2007. For more information, contact Jon Faris, General Manager, 847-242-8940.

MICHAEL HALBERSTAM TO DIRECT IN CHICAGO, NEW YORK AND MILWAUKEE AFTER TRIUMPHANT NEW YORK DEBUT WITH CANDIDA
Last season, Michael Halberstam directed Othello at Writers’ and Ten Little Indians for Drury Lane Oakbrook. This season, he will direct the world premiere of Evan Smith’s The Savannah Disputation at Writers’ followed by Crime and Punishment at 59E59 Theaters in New York City, NY, which will mark the company’s New York Premiere. Michael made his New York City debut in 2006 when he directed Candida at the Jean Cocteau Repertory. He will then direct Enchanted April at Milwaukee Rep, opening this February.

In December, Michael will perform in the 12th annual production of his one-man performance of A Christmas Carol at Writers’. He is also currently working on a musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Candida with Josh Schmidt (The Adding Machine) and Jan Tranen.

WRITERS’ WELCOMED KATE LIPUMA AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Writers’ Theatre welcomed Kathryn M. Lipuma as its new Executive Director. Lipuma began at Writers’ late March, 2007. She replaced Jennifer Bielstein, who left in October to assume the position of Managing Director at Actors Theatre of Louisville.

Kathryn M. Lipuma was the Executive Director of the award-winning Signature Theatre Company in
New York. As Signature’s chief operating and administrative officer, during her tenure Lipuma directed the company through several milestones, and among its numerous awards and accolades, recognition as Outstanding National Theatre of the Year in 2003. Most recently, Lipuma was responsible for overseeing Signature’s strategic business and operations plans for the creation of a new, multi-venue performing arts center located at the redeveloped World Trade Center site, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry.

Lipuma has consulted with not-for-profit theatres, hosted fundraising seminars for development professionals from across the country and has been a guest lecturer on arts management in the graduate programs at New York University and at Marymount Manhattan College. She has served on numerous arts and funding panels including the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Philadelphia Theatre Institute for the Pew Charitable Trust. Prior to moving to New York City, she spent six years with The Goodman Theatre in Chicago. She is a graduate of the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she received her B.A. in radio and television broadcasting.

WRITERS’ INTRODUCES FAMILY PROGRAMMING
Continuing their collaborative relationship formed during The Puppetmaster of Lodz, Director Jimmy McDermott and puppet artist Michael Montenegro will join forces again to create a new family programming series which will enjoy a limited run on Saturdays in spring 2008. The piece will be an original work and will have appeal for the entire family. The creative team will stage a production that parents can enjoy as much as their children and that will derive its inspiration from the magical combination of words and artistry.

Last season’s production of The Puppetmaster of Lodz featured the memorably eloquent designs from the master puppeteer Michael Montenegro. Writers’ Theatre will reunite Montenegro with Jimmy McDermott, who was recently promoted at Writers’ to the position of Artistic Associate, to debut the first ever Writers’ Theatre Family Program. Joining this team is playwright Emily Schwartz, whose most recent work Mr. Spacky: The Man Who Was Continuously Followed by Wolves played to critical raves and packed houses for The Strange Tree Group at The Chopin. Her intelligent and uniquely humorous voice perfectly complements Montenegro’s incomparable, rough-hewn visual style. This exciting new piece is now in development under the working title The Last Elephant. The story’s topics will touch on themes of conservation, responsibility, change and acceptance.

Performances will run Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. from February 23 through March 29 at 325 Tudor Court. Tickets are $20 and can be ordered by contacting the Box Office at 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.

WRITERS TO PARTICIPATE IN 365
Joining with hundreds of theatres all over the country, Writers’ Theatre presents its offerings in Susan Lori Parks’ 365 plays. Directed by Artistic Associate Jimmy McDermott, the dramatic plays will be produced as pre-show presentations to occur at Tudor Court in the upstairs dining room prior to performances of The Savannah Disputation. Performances will run the week of October 15 and admission is free. For more information, 847-242-6000.

MICA COLE NAMED DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AT WRITERS’
Mica comes to Writers’ Theatre from the south side of Chicago. Since graduating from the Theatre School at DePaul University, she has become the co-founder of The POEACTRY PROJECT, an urban creative writing initiative for young women, co-founder of Cursed With Words Theatre Company and founder of The TRUTH About Us, a performance-based educational program. She has worked in arts-in-education for seven years and has taught in collaboration with Free Street Programs, Chicago Public Schools, Columbia College and After School Matters. She is an Artistic Associate at Free Street Programs.

WRITERS’ INITIATED THE MLK PROJECT; PRODUCTION REACHED ALMOST 9,000 STUDENTS
Last season, Writers’ Theatre introduced the world premiere of The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights, a one-woman play by Yolanda Androzzo, directed by Ron OJ Parson, featuring Sharyon Culberson. The play was commissioned by Writers’ Theatre to encourage students to explore the history of the African-American civil rights movement of the 1950s and ‘60s within their own communities.

The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights, a touring one-woman show that weaves poetry, song, and oral-tellings, follows a young girl’s search for self-discovery through the American Civil Rights Movement. The MLK Project outlines the major events and ideas behind the civil rights movement, and illustrates how the Midwest experience mirrored that of the Southern states. The interactive performance includes excerpts of interviews with key figures and unsung participants of the civil rights movement from diverse backgrounds including M. Earle Sardon, David Hernandez, Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs and Reverend Jesse Jackson.

The Theatre collaborated with Urban Gateways and Chicago Communities in Schools to schedule the tour of schools. Writers’ also worked with Kathy Georgopolous, Theatre and Public Schools (TAPS) Coordinator at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) at the onset of the tour. David Roche, Director of Fine and Performing Art in the newly created CPS Art Department, attended the performance at the Cultural Center of Chicago. Writers’ Theatre worked with the Old Town School of Folk Music, Du Sable Museum of African-American History and the Chicago Cultural Center to bring several schools to their locations to experience the performance. The MLK Project is supported by a variety of corporations and foundations, including Ariel Capital Management, the Carol Marks Jacobsohn Foundation, Cornell/Weinstein Family Foundation, Credit Suisse Foundation, Steans Family Foundation, Target, and Winnetka Rotary Club. Writers’ Theatre hopes to continue these relationships and build upon them to bring The MLK Project and its important message of acceptance to students throughout Chicagoland.

WRITERS’ THEATRE COMMISSIONS NEW WORKS BY JOSH SCHMIDT AND JAN TRANEN, BRETT NEVEU AND CHAY YEW
To further its commitment to the creation of new works, Writers’ Theatre announces commissions for the following projects:

Josh Schmidt (music) and Jan Tranen (lyrics) are collaborating with Artistic Director Michael Halberstam on a yet-to-be-titled musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Candida. The piece is currently scheduled for workshops in the 2007/08 season and will premiere in the 2008/09 season. Soaring from his success with The Adding Machine at Next Theatre, Josh Schmidt will continue his longtime association with Writers’ as a sound designer and composer (The Puppetmaster of Lodz, Othello, The Duchess of Malfi, The Chosen, The Subject Was Roses, The Doctor’s Dilemma and Rough Crossing, among others) by collaborating with lyricist Jan Tranen. Halberstam returns to Candida in this new musical production after directing successful productions of Shaw’s comedy at Writers’ Theatre and, most recently, at The Jean Cocteau Repertory in New York.

Chicago playwright Brett Neveu will be writing a yet-to-be-titled piece for Writers’ Theatre. The play is in its early stages, and will result in workshops over the next two seasons as part of the play development initiative.

Chay Yew, an award-winning director and playwright, has been commissioned to write a play for Writers’ Theatre to be developed in workshops over the next two seasons. Yew’s plays include Porcelain, A Language of Their Own, Red, A Beautiful Country, Wonderland, Question 27 Question 28 and A Distant Shore. His work has been produced at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Manhattan Theatre Club, Wilma Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, LaJolla Playhouse, Intiman, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Singapore Repertory Theatre and TheatreWorks Singapore, among others.

WRITERS’ THEATRE CONTINUES SUCCESSFUL “FROM PAGE TO STAGE” IN CONJUNCTION WITH NORTH SHORE LIBRARIES
Writers’ Theatre will partner with ten North Shore Libraries for the third annual “From Page to Stage” program in conjunction with The Turn of the Screw. Last season, “From Page to Stage,” a partnership between Writers’ Theatre and eight North Shore Public Libraries reached out to new audiences with programming to enhance and discuss elements of Othello.

WRITERS’ CONTINUES TRADITION OF SPECIAL SERIES; NEW AFTERNOON TEA SERIES ADDED:
Wine Series
Before the show, participants will explore wines from the world of the play complemented by savory hors d’oeuvres at Gallery 659 (659 Vernon Avenue) in Glencoe. Wine tastings begin at 7:00 p.m. and are available with select Thursday evening performances. Price (including subscription tickets): $220

Pre-Show Lecture
Writers’ Theatre guest artists will guide patrons through the inner-workings of each production. By providing details that enhance the Writers’ Theatre experience, each lecture will increase audience appreciation for the production to follow. The pre-show lectures begin at 5:00 p.m. and are offered at no additional cost with select Sunday evening performances.

Post-Show Discussions
Writers’ Theatre artistic staff and cast members will host lively post-show discussions. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions about the process, the characters and the production. Post-show discussions are offered at no additional cost and are available with select Tuesday and Wednesday evening performances.

Dinner Theatre
As an add-on to any subscription package, each Writers’ Theatre visit can be enhanced by having dinner before or after the show at four of the North Shore’s finest restaurants. Each meal will include an appetizer, entrée, dessert and a glass of wine. The package includes one meal at each of the participating restaurants, DiPescara, Lincolnshire Gourmet, Mirani’s and Morton’s Steakhouse. Price: $175 (Tuesdays-Thursdays and Sundays); $200 (Fridays and Saturdays).

Afternoon Tea Series
Writers’ Theatre and The Celtic Knot partner in this exciting new social event to be enjoyed throughout the season. The first tea has been scheduled for November 14, 2007, at 4:30 p.m. The tea can be enjoyed as a post-show event for matinee-goers or a pre-show treat for the evening ticketholders. Price: $65 for performance and tea or $20 tea only.

WRITERS’ ANNUAL GALA CELEBRATED 15 YEARS OF WRITERS’ THEATRE
The Writers’ Theatre Board of Trustees and Gala Host Committee hosted the Writers’ Theatre 15th Anniversary Gala, a tribute to 15 seasons of celebrating the word and honoring the artist on Saturday, March 10, 2007, at the Four Seasons Hotel, 120 E. Delaware Place, Chicago. More than 350 to attended and $240,000 was raised for the theatre.

The elegant black-tie event featured a special musical performance of original songs and favorite standards by the cast of Bach at Leipzig. The cast included: Ross Lehman, Rob Lindley, John Reeger, Tim Rock, Jonathan Weir and Larry Yando.

The 2007/08 Gala will be held April 4, 2008, at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago.

WRITERS’ RECEIVES MacARTHUR FOUNDATION GRANT
Writers’ Theatre received a $200,000 five-year gift from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The MacArthur Foundation is a private Chicago-based grant-making institution that is dedicated to large, long-term gifts that can deeply impact and strengthen organizations. Most of these gifts are for general operating support, which allows the leadership of the recipient organizations to allocate the funds as beneficially as possible.

WRITERS’ CONTINUES THE TRADITION OF THEATRE TOURS, HOSTED BY MICHAEL HALBERSTAM AND RICHARD CHRISTIANSEN
Writers' Theatre offered two sold-out theatre tours last season. Hosted by Michael Halberstam and Richard Christiansen, the tours traveled to London (December 28-January 5) for six productions on the West End, and exclusive discussions with Tony Award-winner Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) and Jeffrey Dench (Merry Wives--The Musical); and the Stratford Festival of Canada for four productions, including King Lear with Brian Bedford. A total of 49 people traveled with Writers’ last season and the theatre raised over $18,000 in donations from the excursions. Writers’ will again travel to London with hosts Michael Halberstam and Richard Christiansen over the upcoming New Year’s holiday, December 30, 2007-January 6, 2008.

2007/08 season announced, to include a world premiere by Evan Smith, The Turn of the Screw, As You Like It and The Lion in Winter

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500

March 22, 2007

Writers’ Theatre offerings enhanced by
special subscription series and programs,
the New York premiere of Writers’ Crime and Punishment,
a new family programming series
and its commitment to commissioning and developing new works

Glencoe, IL—Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma are delighted to announce the company’s sixteenth season, which includes the world premiere of The Savannah Disputation by Evan Smith, author of Writers’ Theatre’s hit production of The Uneasy Chair, directed by Michael Halberstam; The Turn of the Screw adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the story by Henry James, directed by Jessica Thebus; Shakespeare’s As You Like It directed by William Brown; and James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter, directed by Rick Snyder. Writers’ Theatre performs in two performance spaces in Glencoe – its original 50-seat venue at Books on Vernon, 664 Vernon Ave, and its 108-seat theatre at 325 Tudor Court in the Woman’s Library Club.

“The word and the artist are still at the forefront of our mission and I believe that this season exemplifies our commitment to both. A world premiere, a Shakespearean comedy, a fresh approach to a chestnut and an adaptation of a masterpiece all line up to reveal a classic Writers’ Theatre season,” comments Artistic Director Michael Halberstam. “I am particularly delighted to welcome back William Brown and Rick Snyder, introduce the considerable talents of Jessica Thebus to our audience and, most of all, to share this dramatic wealth with the remarkable Kate Lipuma who comes to partner with me in bringing Writers' Theatre into a whole new chapter of creativity."

Executive Director Kate Lipuma adds, “All of us here at Writers’ are invigorated to present such a strong season while commissioning some of today’s most exciting writers – including Brett Neveu, Chay Yew, Josh Schmidt and Jan Tranen – for the creation of new works. Coupled with the New York premiere of Writers’ Theatre’s recent hit, Crime and Punishment, the 2007/08 season should be one of the most exquisite yet. I can’t think of a better, more exciting welcome to the theatre than this.”

THE 2007/08 WRITERS’ THEATRE SEASON IS:

The world premiere of
The Savannah Disputation
By Evan Smith
Directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam
Featuring Linda Kimbrough and Suzanne Lang
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Previews: September 18-25, 2007
Regular Run: September 26, 2007-November 25, 2007
Press Opening: September 26, 2007, at 7:30 p.m.

This world premiere script comes to Writers' Theatre from the playwright of The Uneasy Chair. The story revolves around two sisters who forget all about southern charm when a young door-to-door evangelist comes proselytizing. Smith, known for his wildly eclectic and thematic writing, employs his trademark sharpness of wit and draws a compelling portrait of the conflicts between dogma, faith and the wildly variant interpretations of biblical texts depending upon the point of view of the reader.

The Turn of the Screw
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the story by Henry James
Directed by Jessica Thebus
Performance Venue: 664 Vernon Avenue

Previews: November 13-27, 2007
Regular Run: November 28, 2007-March 30, 2008
Press Opening: November 28, 2007, at 7:30 p.m.

Part ghost story and part psychological thriller, this classic tale concerns a governess hired by a wealthy recluse to look after his orphaned niece and nephew. The seemingly innocent children gradually reveal a series of terrifying secrets. Henry James’ novel has been adapted by Hatcher with minimal setting and relying instead upon the word and the artist. Ideally suited for the intimacy of the bookstore, this spine-tingling script places the weight of its dramatic success upon the perfect fusion of stagecraft and the far reaches of the imagination.

As You Like It
By William Shakespeare
Directed by William Brown
Featuring Tracey Arnold
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Previews: February 5-12, 2008
Regular Run: February 13, 2008-April 13, 2008
Press opening: February 13, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.

“All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players..." Shakespeare's wildly beautiful romp through the Forest of Arden brings to life some of the most romantic scenes ever to be scribed for the stage, while throwing in a dynamic twist of gender politics. In order to test the veracity of Orlando's love for her, Rosalind disguises herself as a man and attempts to convince him that his love is merely an illusion. A duke and his merry men in exile, the melancholy Jacques, a love sick shepherd and the shepherdess who spurns him all swirl around the potential lovers, shaping the evening into this most perfect of comedies.

The Lion in Winter
By James Goldman
Directed by Rick Snyder
Featuring Shannon Cochran
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

Previews: May 27, 2008–June 3, 2008
Regular Run: June 4, 2008–August 3, 2008
Press opening: June 4, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.

It is Christmas in England, 1183, and the aging monarch, Henry II, brings his wife, Queen Eleanor, out of exile in order to discuss his plans for succession. Also present are his three sons, including future Kings of England John (famous for the Magna Carta) and Richard the Lionheart (leader of the crusades). Themes of mortality, romance, power and politics all collide with wonderfully dramatic consequences. Goldman scribes fiction from the circumstances of the past, crafting a wholly modern telling of deliciously historic times. Director Rick Snyder brings touches of gritty authenticity to this classic drama.

The 12th Annual
A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Adapted & Performed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam
Performance Venue: 325 Tudor Court

December 19 and 20, 2007, at 8:00 p.m.
December 22 and 23, 2007, at 2:00 p.m.

The 12th annual dramatic one-man version of the greatest ghost story ever written has become a North Shore holiday tradition. Single tickets for A Christmas Carol are $30 and can be added on to a four-play subscription package.

TICKET INFORMATION:
Subscriptions are currently available for the 2007/08 Season, and can be purchased by calling the Writers’ Theatre Box Office at 847-242-6000. Subscriptions to the four-play season range in price from $154-$232. Additional information is available at www.writerstheatre.org.

The performance schedule is Tuesdays and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. (select Wednesdays only); Thursday and Fridays at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Single ticket prices for subscription series productions are $38-$40 for preview performances; $45 for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evening performances; $40 for Wednesday matinees; $50 for Friday and Sunday matinee performances, and $58 for Saturday matinee and evening performances.

Single tickets will be available for purchase on the following dates:
The Savannah Disputation        August 17, 2007
The Turn of the Screw             October 12, 2007
As You Like It                         January 4, 2008
The Lion in Winter                   April 25, 2008

SPECIAL SERIES:
Wine Series
Before the show, participants will explore wines from the world of the play complemented by savory hors d’oeuvres. Wine tastings begin at 7:00 p.m. and are available with select Thursday evening performances. Price (including subscription tickets): $230

Pre-Show Lecture
Writers’ Theatre guest artists will guide patrons through the inner-workings of each production. By providing details that enhance the Writers’ Theatre experience, each lecture will increase audience appreciation for the production to follow. The pre-show lectures begin at 5:00 p.m. and are offered at no additional cost with select Sunday evening performances.

Post-Show Discussions
Writers’ Theatre artistic staff and cast members will host lively post-show discussions. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions about the process, the characters and the production. Post-show discussions are offered at no additional cost and are available with select Tuesday and Wednesday evening performances.

Dinner Theatre
As an add-on to any subscription package, each Writers’ Theatre visit can be enhanced by having dinner before or after the show at four of the North Shore’s finest restaurants. Each meal will include an appetizer, entrée, dessert and a glass of wine. The package includes one meal at each of the participating restaurants, DiPescara, Lincolnshire Gourmet, Mirani’s and Morton’s Steakhouse. Price: $175 (Tuesdays-Thursdays and Sundays); $200 (Fridays and Saturdays).

WRITERS’ THEATRE IN NEW YORK WITH CRIME AND PUNISHMENT:
By Fyodor Dostoevsky
Adapted by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus
Directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam
Featuring Scott Parkinson
November 1–December 9, 2007 at 59E59 Theaters, 59 E. 59th Street

A poor student commits a brutal murder in order to prove a theory. Relentlessly pursued by a wily policeman, he seeks refuge with his only confidant who is a young woman forced into prostitution by desperate circumstances. Slowly, his theory begins to crumble and he must choose whether or not to face the horror of his crime. One of the greatest psychological studies in literature has been adapted by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus into an award-winning, 85-minute adaptation for three actors. Scott Parkinson, fresh from a run in the triumphant The Coast of Utopia trilogy at the Lincoln Center, reprises his brilliant performance as Dostoevsky's tortured Raskolnikov.

FAMILY PROGRAMMING:
Continuing their collaborative relationship formed during The Puppetmaster of Lodz, Director Jimmy McDermott and puppet artist Michael Montenegro will join forces again to create a new family programming series which will enjoy a limited run on Saturdays in spring 2008. The piece will be an original work and will have appeal for the entire family. The creative team is very enthusiastic to stage a production that parents can enjoy as much as their children and that will derive its inspiration from the magical combination of words and artistry.

COMMISSIONS FOR NEW WORKS:
To further its commitment to the creation of new works, Writers’ Theatre announces commissions for the following projects:

Josh Schmidt (music) and Jan Tranen (lyrics) are collaborating with Artistic Director Michael Halberstam on a yet-to-be-titled musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Candida. The piece is currently scheduled for workshops in the 2007/08 season and will premiere in the 2008/09 season. Soaring from his success with The Adding Machine at Next Theatre, Josh Schmidt will continue his longtime association with Writers’ as a sound designer and composer (The Puppetmaster of Lodz, Othello, The Duchess of Malfi, The Chosen, The Subject Was Roses, The Doctor’s Dilemma and Rough Crossing, among others) by collaborating with lyricist Jan Tranen. Halberstam returns to Candida in this new musical production after directing successful productions of Shaw’s comedy at Writers’ Theatre and, most recently, at The Jean Cocteau Repertory in New York.

Chicago playwright Brett Neveu will be writing a yet-to-be-titled piece for Writers’ Theatre. The play is in its early stages, and will result in workshops over the next two seasons as part of the play development initiative. Neveu’s collaboration with Writers’ Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Halberstam comes on the heels of Neveu’s successful productions in Chicago at American Theatre Company, TimeLine Theatre Company and A Red Orchid, where he is an ensemble member. Neveu has been commissioned by Steppenwolf, The Goodman, TimeLine and now Writers’ Theatre. He is the recipient of the League of Chicago Theatre’s first emerging Artist Award and currently teaches writing at Northwestern University.

Chay Yew, an award-winning director and playwright, has been commissioned to write a play for Writers’ Theatre to be developed in workshops over the next two seasons. Yew’s plays include Porcelain, A Language of Their Own, Red, A Beautiful Country, Wonderland, Question 27 Question 28 and A Distant Shore. His work has been produced at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Manhattan Theatre Club, Wilma Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, LaJolla Playhouse, Intiman, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Singapore Repertory Theatre and TheatreWorks Singapore, among others. He is under commission from Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Alliance Theatre, Singapore Repertory Theatre/Theatreworks Singapore and Writers’ Theatre. An alumnus of New Dramatists, he currently sits on the Board of Directors of Theatre Communications Group and on the executive Board of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

Kathryn M. Lipuma Appointed Executive Director

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0600

February 5, 2007

Glencoe, IL—The Writers’ Theatre Board of Trustees today announces Kathryn M. Lipuma as the new Executive Director at Writers’ Theatre. Lipuma is expected to begin at Writers’ late March, 2007. She replaces Jennifer Bielstein, who left in October to assume the position of Managing Director at Actors Theatre of Louisville.

“We are honored that Kate accepted the invitation to join us,” says Board President Christopher Knight. “She has proven herself a leader in the national theater community and shows keen business savvy and genuine passion for the art. After nine years at Signature Theatre Company, we welcome her back home to Chicago as a new member of the Writers’ Theatre family.”

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam adds, "Kate brings a dynamic new energy to the Writers' Theatre mission. The breadth of her experience, the depth of her knowledge, and the vitality of her aesthetic inspires a truly exhilarating vista of potential. In partnership with Kate I recognize that we will be able to maintain, build upon and reinvent our standards of excellence, the range of our programming and the scope of our imaginations. She is a wonderful addition to our organization and indeed to the Chicago Theatre Community at large.”

“I am so excited to be returning to Chicago as the new Executive Director of Writers’ Theatre. I am deeply grateful and honored by this appointment and I am especially thrilled to partner with Michael Halberstam, the Board of Trustees and Writers’ incredible staff and artists,” said Lipuma. “I look forward to re-immersing myself in this vibrant, very generous arts community and being a part of Writers’ exciting future.”

Kathryn M. Lipuma is the Executive Director of the award-winning Signature Theatre Company in New York. In her nine seasons with the company, she has worked with such acclaimed writers as Edward Albee, Lee Blessing, Horton Foote, Maria Irene Fornes, John Guare, Bill Irwin, Romulus Linney, Paula Vogel, August Wilson and Lanford Wilson, and produced 28 productions including this year’s award-winning revivals of Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful and August Wilson’s Seven Guitars.

As Signature’s chief operating and administrative officer, during her tenure Lipuma directed the company through several milestones, and among its numerous awards and accolades, recognition as Outstanding National Theatre of the Year in 2003. Most recently, Lipuma was responsible for overseeing Signature’s strategic business and operations plans for the creation of a new, multi-venue performing arts center located at the redeveloped World Trade Center site, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry.

This year, in partnership with Signature Artistic Director James Houghton, she co-created Signature’s 15 Anniversary $15 Ticket Program, a groundbreaking ticket initiative that reduced full-price tickets to every performance by 70%. In the ongoing effort to increase accessibility to the arts, the $15 Program has seen rewarding results, with its productions playing to 107% capacity, with more than 50% of audiences identified as first-time ticket buyers.

Lipuma has consulted with not-for-profit theatres, hosted fundraising seminars for development professionals from across the country and has been a guest lecturer on arts management in the graduate programs at New York University and at Marymount Manhattan College. She has served on numerous arts and funding panels including the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Philadelphia Theatre Institute for the Pew Charitable Trust.

Prior to moving to New York City, she spent six years with The Goodman Theatre in Chicago. She is a graduate of the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she received her B.A. in radio and television broadcasting.

NIXON'S NIXON Calendar Announcement

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Contact: Cathy Taylor / Schoenly Hixson
Cathy Taylor Public Relations, Inc.
773-564-9564
cathy@cathytaylorpr.com                                               Calendar Announcement
                                                                                  August-September 2008
                                                                                  ELECTRONIC PHOTOS AVAILABLE

Writers’ Theatre presents a limited-run revival of
Nixon’s Nixon
featuring the original cast of
William Brown and Larry Yando,
directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam

Glencoe, IL– Writers’ Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the summer production of Nixon’s Nixon by Russell Lees. The production runs August 19-September 28, 2008, at Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe.

Just in time for the elections, we bring back our critically acclaimed, award-winning production of Nixon’s Nixon. This box office record-breaking production returns to our most intimate theatre for a limited engagement. Artistic Director Michael Halberstam will once again direct William Brown and Larry Yando as they reprise their tour-de-force performances as Kissinger and Nixon in this thrilling, hilarious and brilliantly imagined story of what might have happened in the Lincoln sitting room the night before Nixon resigned.

        Dates:             Previews: August 19-26, 2008
                              Press opening: August 27 and 28, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.
                              Regular run: August 29 – September 28, 2008

        Schedule:        Tuesdays & Wednesdays:       7:30 p.m.
                                     Thursdays & Fridays:               8:00 p.m.
                                     Saturdays:                                4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
                                     Sundays:                                    2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
                                     Wednesday Matinee:              2:00 p.m. on September 10, 2008

                              There will be no show on Tuesday, September 9, 2008.

        Special events: Pre-show lectures:              September 7, 2008, at 5:00 p.m.
                              Post-show discussions:        September 2, 3, 23 and 24, 2008

Location: Writers’ Theatre, 664 Vernon Avenue

Tickets: Tickets for all performances will range from $60 - $75. Season ticket holders receive a 10% discount on tickets.

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 376 Park Avenue, Glencoe;
847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org

Production Sponsor: Philip & Janice Beck