tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5670284153578367312024-02-19T00:09:58.517-06:00Goodman TheatreGoodman Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03501200210374955571noreply@blogger.comBlogger181125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-38391403503879145392012-02-07T10:57:00.004-06:002012-02-07T11:08:55.936-06:00Coming Soon in the Owen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwAqeA7pXqT_6lpuxuBF-yEsbF_gv4Eq0AJOlF3_A4iJ13ozyc8Lmeba4DvvDe36AGlzanIsXlx1T5Ex2uK_VhiUXpGslB_YeU0ALUVXuoVSEx1OlaZjm9KmQGOTYrvGx7PNSOvjimyM/s1600/TheConvert_Production01.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwAqeA7pXqT_6lpuxuBF-yEsbF_gv4Eq0AJOlF3_A4iJ13ozyc8Lmeba4DvvDe36AGlzanIsXlx1T5Ex2uK_VhiUXpGslB_YeU0ALUVXuoVSEx1OlaZjm9KmQGOTYrvGx7PNSOvjimyM/s400/TheConvert_Production01.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706440307644076290" border="0" /></a>In just two and a half weeks, <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/ArtistPopups/DanaiGurira.aspx">Danai Gurira</a>’s sharp new historical drama, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=127">The Convert</a></span>, will open in the Owen. This world premiere by Ms. Gurira, who Goodman audiences may remember as the author and star of In the Continuum, which played in the Owen five years ago, takes place in 1895 in the country that would one day become Zimbabwe as it’s in the midst of British colonism. There, we meet Jekesai, a headstrong teenage girl who escapes a forced marriage by becoming the protégé of a black Catholic catechist, Childford. (Buy tickets <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/ticketing/calendar/index.aspx?monthDropDown=2012:2">here</a>.)<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Convert</span> as a co-production between the Goodman, <a href="http://www.mccarter.org/home.aspx?page_id=1">McCarter Theatre</a> in Princeton, New Jersey, and <a href="http://www.centertheatregroup.org/">Center Theatre Group</a> in Los Angeles, which means the production will have three runs—one at the McCarter, where it is currently playing, one here, which starts on February 25, and one in Los Angeles, which begins on April 17. For a preview of what’s in store, check out the show’s review in <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://nyti.ms/zCLlOc">The New York Times</a></span>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA_iM8NYoJCUbksnkgLLuC1V_x-coPNBexeMw6gMPRvtNI78vA8z8fVkWsk8h354W049loKfUwmeo3SZZ7jl4CCYYt1iKnt55K0wGSdyCslxwasM6A4R5lWeTfbpaR54PWjnaAXTjmj4/s1600/TheConvert_Production09.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA_iM8NYoJCUbksnkgLLuC1V_x-coPNBexeMw6gMPRvtNI78vA8z8fVkWsk8h354W049loKfUwmeo3SZZ7jl4CCYYt1iKnt55K0wGSdyCslxwasM6A4R5lWeTfbpaR54PWjnaAXTjmj4/s400/TheConvert_Production09.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706440828790813170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Top: Pascale Armand in </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >The Convert</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Bottom: Pascale Armand and Warner Joseph Miller in </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >The Convert</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photos by T. Charles Erickson. </span>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-4880529005581181302012-01-27T16:07:00.001-06:002012-01-27T16:14:38.545-06:00Conversations on Race<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Nazihah Adil, Institutional Giving Assistant </span><br /><br />On January 18, Goodman Theatre hosted an Artist Encounter featuring <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=126">Race</a></span>. Through intimate conversations about the process of creating theater, the Artist Encounter series connects audiences with theater artists who bring productions to life on stage. The <span style="font-style:italic;">Race</span> event engaged attendees in a conversation that both illuminated the production and acted as a catalyst for deeper exploration into its themes. With the Chicago <span style="font-style:italic;">Sun-Times</span>’ Laura Washington as moderator of the conversation, Goodman Resident Director and director of <span style="font-style:italic;">Race</span> Chuck Smith took to the stage alongside a distinguished group of theater artists to discuss the role of artists in advancing dialogue about race in America. <br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />One panelist, Teatro Luna co-founder Coya Paz, maintained that theater should be “at the forefront of civic discourse.” Its capacity to challenge audiences to think critically and proactively about contemporary issues raised by the plays on stage and its power to impact tangible social change is unparalleled. This is especially true at a theater like the Goodman, whose commitment to the city it serves both on and off the stage is reflected in the institutional values of quality, diversity and community. In <span style="font-style:italic;">Race</span>, the latest work by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet, two high-profile lawyers—one black, one white—are called upon to defend a wealthy white client accused of raping a young African American woman. This compelling crime mystery is a ruthless examination of guilt and oppression set against the backdrop of the complex legal system. True to its name,<span style="font-style:italic;"> Race</span> delves into the complex minefield of race, sex, gender and class. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Race </span>is but one of the productions this season that reflects the diversity of our community and our nation. Over the last 30 years, the Goodman has made cultural diversity the fabric of the institution, beginning with the work on stage and continuing into its relations in the community. Included in the 2011/2012 Season are two world premiere productions, <span style="font-style:italic;">The Convert</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Fish Men</span>, both by writers of color, and a revival of the gospel musical sensation, <span style="font-style:italic;">Crowns</span>, written and directed by Goodman Artistic Associate Regina Taylor. The Goodman sustains its commitment to cultural diversity through a variety of artistic and education and community engagement initiatives, including the development and production of new plays featuring artists of color, the expansion of the New Stages Series, collaborations with culturally specific theater companies, and the diverse artists of the Goodman Artistic Collective, whose talents and ideas allow the Goodman to give voice to a wide range of visions. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Race</span> is not the conversation about race, but a conversation, which, as Smith articulated, sounds the “opening bell” for an honest discussion of a complex issue. Coupled with its education and community initiatives and the remainder of the diverse works in the 2011/2012 Season, the Goodman promises to offer a season reflective of the diversity of the society in which we live.webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-91750379313061866782012-01-20T15:16:00.004-06:002012-01-20T16:28:45.174-06:00Mission: Homefront<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Willa J. Taylor, Director of Education and Community Engagement</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZG-rPM8PCtt9W4F5PsBo12Xqv5M3yXr3yuuAn69ScdzZ32JwJKw-NQbU2a0mnpFymdrf0tSTc3Tjf56se5_jjlpUifnPvm7UMn02tYp54WOOnR9QZSZJmNvtmutYp9Lfk-Db0aSQ7nRY/s1600/ToW+for+Goodman+Blog.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZG-rPM8PCtt9W4F5PsBo12Xqv5M3yXr3yuuAn69ScdzZ32JwJKw-NQbU2a0mnpFymdrf0tSTc3Tjf56se5_jjlpUifnPvm7UMn02tYp54WOOnR9QZSZJmNvtmutYp9Lfk-Db0aSQ7nRY/s400/ToW+for+Goodman+Blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699843942843538146" border="0" /></a>The transition from war zone to home front can often be difficult for the troops returning, their families and their communities. In recognition of the official withdrawal of troops from Iraq, Goodman Theatre, in collaboration with partners across the city, presents a series of events for military personnel, their families and our community to foster conversations and spark dialogue about the price of freedom. <br /><br />Our <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=137">Mission: Homefront</a> events kicked off with Community Day on December 31, 2011 and was followed by the first presentation of Theater of War on January 18. Just this morning, Aaron Hughes, of the Warrior Writers Project, and Rachael Hudak, of the Neighborhood Writing Alliance, led a public reflective writing workshop exploring “Radical Vulnerability” (hosted at the National Veterans Art Museum). Check out our <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=137">upcoming events</a>—we'd love to see you there!<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span>Photo: Elizabeth Laidlaw as Ajax in a reading of Sophocles' <span style="font-style:italic;">Ajax</span>. Photo by Teresa Rende.webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-85932093997130857162012-01-13T11:06:00.004-06:002012-01-13T11:14:03.502-06:00Discovering Mamet's Race<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Charlie O'Malley, Literary Intern </span><br /><br />“When a white person asks a black person a question such as, ‘What is it like to be black?’ the black person knows that it is not a question as a means of inquiry and discovery, but a test for which the white person perceives a right or wrong answer of which that white person is presumed to be the judge. This it seems to me is the role that David Mamet has assumed as the author of <span style="font-style:italic;">Race</span>, and his authority, ability and means to do so is not because of any scholarship or social practice that may give him any particular insights into issues of race, but because he is an entitled, privileged white male in contemporary American society whose name is David Mamet.”<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />So said Carlyle Brown, playwright, performer and author of <span style="font-style:italic;">Dartmoor Prison</span>, presented in the Goodman’s 2011 New Stage Amplified Series, in a discussion on David Mamet’s play <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=126">Race</a></span>, moderated by the Florida Studio Theatre. Mamet’s play has created a firestorm of discussion since its 2009 New York premiere. The Goodman is very excited to bring the discussion to Chicago this winter, and if you haven't already you can buy tickets <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/ticketing/calendar/index.aspx?monthDropDown=2012:1">here</a>. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Race</span> tells the story of three lawyers, two of them African American and one of them white, who find themselves facing the task of defending a white man accused of raping a black woman. In an electrifying display of the tight plotting and rich dialogue for which he is renowned as a dramatist, he weaves a thorny web of suppositions, half-truths and ingrained biases. Mamet’s play begins a discussion on race but the play itself becomes both the discussion forum and the discussion topic at the same time, raising the question: can we talk about race and can we talk about talking about race?<br /><br />In an article published in <span style="font-style:italic;">The New York Times</span> about the play, Mamet wrote, “As a Jew, I will relate that there is nothing a non-Jew can say to a Jew on the subject of Jewishness that is not patronizing, upsetting or simply wrong. I assume the same holds true among African Americans.” These words are very closely paraphrased in <span style="font-style:italic;">Race</span> by the character Susan. This is just the beginning of the paradoxical whirlwind of debate that the play creates. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Race</span> begins performances tomorrow night! Directed by Goodman Resident Director Chuck Smith, and with a cast of Goodman favorites (Patrick Clear and Marc Grapey) and newcomers (Geoffrey Owen and Tamberla Perry), the Goodman’s production promises to challenge and question, and will be supported by a series of enrichment events, including an <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=126">Artist Encounter</a> discussion on January 18 ($5 general public, free for Subscribers and students) and <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=126">CONTEXT</a> event on February 6 (free, reservations required).webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-47734144722811973072012-01-06T14:45:00.004-06:002012-01-06T15:19:02.270-06:00Race Starts Next Week!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJxZVl5oCnetMFZFL6BuWqstHFxwQmzrCYAS9BsYROkZBxxCa5b0GfOvYO9fJU8rSOROW-EFp10-ZdOBN9Rz7SLXy5-gkS660zGhGhKpOWYtZM9n3ZB3llvswe4xk49Q6-O9lHYpe6fU/s1600/RaceRehearsal_10.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJxZVl5oCnetMFZFL6BuWqstHFxwQmzrCYAS9BsYROkZBxxCa5b0GfOvYO9fJU8rSOROW-EFp10-ZdOBN9Rz7SLXy5-gkS660zGhGhKpOWYtZM9n3ZB3llvswe4xk49Q6-O9lHYpe6fU/s400/RaceRehearsal_10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694630578896101266" border="0" /></a>Now that the festive <span style="font-style:italic;">Christmas Carol</span> season is behind us we're looking forward to our next play, David Mamet's <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=126">Race</a></span>. <span style="font-style:italic;">Race</span>, a swift 90-minute drama, chronicles what happens when a pair of lawyers—one black, one white—are called to defend a wealthy white client accused of raping a young African American woman. As in most Mamet plays (and in life), the evidence at hand isn't as straightforward as it seems.<br /><br />Performances of <span style="font-style:italic;">Race</span> start next Saturday, January 14; buy tickets <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/ticketing/calendar/index.aspx?monthDropDown=2012:1">here</a> if you haven't already!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Geoffrey Owens (Henry), Marc Grapey (Jack) and Patrick Clear (Charles) in rehearsal for </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >Race</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photo by Chuck Osgood. </span>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-77168605745894601342011-12-09T12:56:00.005-06:002011-12-09T13:11:30.503-06:00A First Meeting With A Christmas Carol <span style="font-weight:bold;">By Ilene Sørbøe, Artistic Intern and Assistant to the Director of <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOiO0IqH8eB4v-T5eYSjE1WfPiFmP_SIBGsejagP68m6ndSBPw47Eb3QA8Picey5lujtDn8PYo9wAB3yPsJgE1UH6CP_4qkuILhAfdIC27IMfcp_kqvbPju16oY8KaTXb35yelo33aLzc/s1600/ACC2011_6006.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOiO0IqH8eB4v-T5eYSjE1WfPiFmP_SIBGsejagP68m6ndSBPw47Eb3QA8Picey5lujtDn8PYo9wAB3yPsJgE1UH6CP_4qkuILhAfdIC27IMfcp_kqvbPju16oY8KaTXb35yelo33aLzc/s400/ACC2011_6006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684207922448471154" border="0" /></a>I was born and raised in Norway. This August, I moved to Chicago to be an artistic intern at Goodman Theatre for the fall season. I was informed beforehand that I would be working on Charles Dickens’ <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/uZVtrs">A Christmas Carol</a></span>. I had an idea of the story—its plot, characters and message. What I did not know was the production’s deeply rooted tradition in American theater. It didn’t take me long to realize just how much this Christmas tale means to the Goodman’s audiences.<br /><br />The holidays are a time of traditions. Year after year, we hang up the same Christmas decorations, eat the same food and listen to the same Christmas music. These actions are more than a routine or a habit. We do them because they are necessary steps towards finding our Christmas spirit. These steps worked last year, and the year before last year—why fix something if it isn’t broken?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Larry Yando (Ebenezer Scrooge) in </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >A Christmas Carol</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photo by Eric Y. Exit. </span><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />We ask the same questions every December: How will the turkey turn out this year? What should I wear on Christmas Day? Baked potatoes or mashed potatoes? And small upsets cause just the right amount of delightful variety, without stepping outside of the traditional frame of the Holiday.<br /><br />I respect and understand these traditions; we have Christmas traditions in Norway too, they just don’t include going to the theater to see <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span>. But being a passionate theater lover, I cannot explain how excited it makes me to see grandparents holding the hands of their grandchildren entering the theater for the first time. It’s the start of something new, the beginning of a tradition.<br /><br />Maybe next year, little Andy will not cry when Marley’s ghost appears—after all, he will be a whole year older. Or perhaps Andy will not cry because Marley’s ghost is less frightening than in the production the year before. We collect our memories based on small modifications, comparing this year’s Marley with last year’s Marley. We can handle subtle changes, but we feel alienated if they are too radical—like someone has pushed us outside of the holiday frames we have created.<br /><br />I am grateful to have been a part of this production of A Christmas Carol and to experience an important Christmas tradition of the American theater. Perhaps <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> will now become one of my Christmas traditions—the perfect way to usher me into the holiday mood.webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-74655964786684938662011-12-07T16:49:00.003-06:002011-12-07T17:00:15.526-06:00Christmas in the Owen<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Liz Rice, Education and Community Engagement Intern </span><br /><br />With Christmas just a few weeks away, the sights, sounds, and spirits (both literal and theoretical) of the holiday have taken over the Goodman. <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/uZVtrs">A Christmas Carol</a></span> is in full swing in the Albert Theatre, but the Dickensian classic isn’t the only holiday show up and running—on December 5, Congo Square Theatre Company opened their holiday show, an interpretation of the birth of Jesus, <span style="font-style:italic;">The Nativity</span>, in the Owen. Adapted from Langston Hughes’ gospel musical, <span style="font-style:italic;">Black Nativity</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/t24mJD">The Nativity</a></span> features not only gospel, but soul, blues and R & B music with extraordinary dance numbers by the cast and soloists Kathleen Purcell Turner (Mary) and Kevin Dirckson (Joseph), who execute the passion and emotion of Mary and Joseph through choreographed modern dance routines. <br /><br />In the swift two-hour show, the angel Gabriel narrates the birth of Jesus Christ through the gospels of Luke and Matthew. The story begins as Mary is called on by the angel and told that she is the mother of the son of God, and follows her and her betrothed, Joseph, as they travel to Bethlehem and later Egypt. The set calls to mind the arid desert of Israel under Roman rule, and Congo Square mixes in aspects of traditional African culture into the story through tribal dance, costumes, and the use of a stool, a symbol of royalty power for the Ashanti people and other African cultures. Musical numbers like “God is Good” gracefully demonstrate these multicultural mixtures in the pretext of modern music. <br /><br />The Nativity’s story may be over 2000 years old, but the production is young and fresh, enlivened with pop culture references and memorable and “soul”-ful performances. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Nativity </span>runs through December 31; <a href="http://bit.ly/uyxwHs">don’t miss it</a> while it’s here!webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-88613204618880972992011-12-05T13:09:00.007-06:002011-12-05T13:53:47.414-06:00My First Christmas Carol<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Shanequa Beal, Fan and Belinda Cratchit in <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Today we get a look inside the process of creating</span> A Christmas Carol <span style="font-style:italic;">from one of its youngest cast members, <a href="http://bit.ly/rV0XrJ">Shanequa Beal</a>.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK54pNvFYuX2pwDxol5cWHVNZhyphenhyphenRzlXImJX5PRrUfKRYC37hv7zScNQ8ghguzkv306ZFvVQN92C_UWVGiPO7SWiKEw3hqq4Ed4IkOr8Lwicd5WNbElKtUcRPOEtIjcA07MQatUcLNJ1QI/s1600/Rehearsal_07.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK54pNvFYuX2pwDxol5cWHVNZhyphenhyphenRzlXImJX5PRrUfKRYC37hv7zScNQ8ghguzkv306ZFvVQN92C_UWVGiPO7SWiKEw3hqq4Ed4IkOr8Lwicd5WNbElKtUcRPOEtIjcA07MQatUcLNJ1QI/s400/Rehearsal_07.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682731850578881730" border="0" /></a>This is my first time in <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/uZVtrs">A Christmas Carol</a></span> and I love it! Actually, I just love the Goodman Theater! I was kind of nervous when I first walked in because I didn't know if I was going to get along with the adults and the rest of the young performers but they are all really nice. The adults help and comfort us when we really need it. I also really love working with the other young performers, surprisingly we all get along pretty well! I share a dressing room with Emma Gordon. In <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> she plays Emily Cratchit and Want. Emma is an absolute sweetheart. We always have fun with each other. Emma is like a little sister that I always wanted.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> was not a piece of cake. It required a lot of hours of work, memorizing and tons energy! At one point we worked a 50 hour week. Yes, I was really tired and missed school often but it was totally worth it. Honestly, my two favorite scenes are the Fezziwig scene and the last counting house scene. I feel the Fezziwig scene is when we let loose and enjoy ourselves the most. The last counting scene is so funny! Larry Yando is just awesome in general! I actually leave the dressing room early just so I can watch it!<br /><br />It is an amazing experience to be in the show and I thank everyone, Steve Scott and the rest of the cast, for making me feel as comfortable as possible. If you haven't seen <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span>, I recommend you to come and see it. Just watch out for Jacob Marley :)<br /><br />Love,<br />Shanequa Beal <3 :)<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Emily Gordon (left) and Shanequa Beal (right) in rehearsal for </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >A Christmas Carol</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photo by Eric Y. Exit.<br /></span>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-894370495581182011-12-02T12:27:00.004-06:002011-12-02T12:40:51.623-06:00Behind the Scenes of A Christmas Carol<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbWm8baACMOIPS4rMsql1zfY1N1Ph69EdsJp_2as8YdWOSROe8iJ8NzYPBdcflZE8D5Q8J0OVEQzuv3Q8-yVcftO8oQgMgx2HDKMqcxTmYQdmCXG7pQzeabVtt2Uz9jMWZALEE-amQhk/s1600/ACC_Production_10.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 328px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbWm8baACMOIPS4rMsql1zfY1N1Ph69EdsJp_2as8YdWOSROe8iJ8NzYPBdcflZE8D5Q8J0OVEQzuv3Q8-yVcftO8oQgMgx2HDKMqcxTmYQdmCXG7pQzeabVtt2Uz9jMWZALEE-amQhk/s400/ACC_Production_10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681602229304275858" border="0" /></a>Our annual production of <span style="font-style:italic;http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif"><a href="http://bit.ly/uZVtrs">A Christmas Carol</a></span> has opened, officially, and is up and running in the Albert Theatre. Even though we’ve been working from the same script for several years (Tom Creamer’s adaptation), each production of <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> is unique in its own way, and this year’s show is a particularly notable contrast from the last several seasons, as it marks the return of <a href="http://bit.ly/nXA2Bh">Steve Scott</a> at the helm as director. <br /><br />We spent several weeks in the rehearsal hall with the cast of <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> as they worked hard to put together this extravagant production—which features ghosts, flying, choreographed dancing, and many actors slipping in and out of multiple roles—documenting their process. Check out our video, plus additional <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span>–related goodies, on the Goodman’s <a href="http://www.youtube.com/TheGoodmanTheatre">YouTube</a> page. <br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />Photo: Ebenezer Scrooge (Larry Yando) and the Ghost of Christmas Present (Penelope Walker) in </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >A Christmas Carol</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photo by Eric Y. Exit. </span>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-15814960303031407822011-11-18T13:31:00.006-06:002011-11-18T13:44:07.345-06:00Closing, Opening<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRC30bDJg9IheVNpo318KJwA1RDa83DJaVTzVZ9E6GwgLF1Gng00am5bsgeIrFpM2xzeV-w0qPfY8Bxb5jeNKnweWiic22dVUayNsEEE0if0klauisrKw3ZZtdpMTjg8VFcYj5aPOyMs/s1600/Production_12.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRC30bDJg9IheVNpo318KJwA1RDa83DJaVTzVZ9E6GwgLF1Gng00am5bsgeIrFpM2xzeV-w0qPfY8Bxb5jeNKnweWiic22dVUayNsEEE0if0klauisrKw3ZZtdpMTjg8VFcYj5aPOyMs/s400/Production_12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676422779412368434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=125">New Stages Amplified</a></span> closes this weekend, with the final few performances of <a href="http://bit.ly/oezk9Z">Seth Bockley</a>’s <span style="font-style:italic;">Ask Aunt Susan</span> in the Owen. If you haven’t had a chance to see this irreverent new play—which was inspired by Nathanael West’s 1930s novella <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://amzn.to/u9WAtX">Miss Lonelyhearts</a></span>—do so this weekend; Bockley’s modern spin on the dark and comic Depression-era book is original, fresh, visually dazzling and bound to return to the American stage at a later date, and <span style="font-style:italic;">New Stages Amplified</span> offers you the opportunity to see it now while it’s still in development.<br /><br />Meanwhile, as one show closes another one opens, and tonight marks the first preview performance of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/uZVtrs">A Christmas Carol</a></span>. We’ll have much more <span style="font-style:italic;">Carol</span> coverage through the end of the year. For now, check out <a href="http://bit.ly/rFhcVu">our interview</a> with its director, <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/ArtistPopups/ScottSteve.aspx">Steve Scott</a>, or experience behind-the-scenes videos of <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carols</span> past on <a href="http://bit.ly/uZVtrs">our website</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/w0ljzI">Go here </a>for tickets to either show. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Andy Carey (Aunt Susan) in </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >Ask Aunt Susan</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photo by Michael Brosilow. </span>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-26460965740476436332011-11-16T15:43:00.005-06:002011-11-16T16:03:44.832-06:00Revisiting the Past, Reanimating the Present<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Lesley Gibson, Publications Coordinator </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOZRuXp81zls_Z6Mag-t5riQxnjkg5qvK4a6gES6f32REJH5UF9b8CF3oghcJM2opDfMzSEE0HAwjebLcRnTMZo5BxSngsXyvh6-r4r17HrO-rvanRnpgKMYzuKM3gcCa7L6mQGEBT-4/s1600/Rehearsal_01.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOZRuXp81zls_Z6Mag-t5riQxnjkg5qvK4a6gES6f32REJH5UF9b8CF3oghcJM2opDfMzSEE0HAwjebLcRnTMZo5BxSngsXyvh6-r4r17HrO-rvanRnpgKMYzuKM3gcCa7L6mQGEBT-4/s400/Rehearsal_01.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675715581092845458" border="0" /></a>The Goodman’s 34th annual production of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/tZow8V">A Christmas Carol</a></span> opens this Friday, November 18. This year marks the return of director <a href="http://bit.ly/nXA2Bh">Steve Scott</a> to the holiday classic after an almost 20-year hiatus at the helm—he last directed the 1989 – 1992 productions. Shortly before rehearsals began, he talked to us about his plans for the production, the ghosts, and the process of tucking surprises into a holiday tradition.<br /><br />Tickets to <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> always sell out quickly—<a href="http://bit.ly/sHCIub">don't miss out</a>!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Steve Scott in rehearsal for </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >A Christmas Carol</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photo by Eric Y. Exit. </span><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lesley Gibson:</span> What is your history with <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> at the Goodman?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Steve Scott: </span>I began working with <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol </span>while I was still the director of education. I used to go out and lecture to a lot of groups about <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span>. I would tell them the background of the story and the history of story on stage and off stage, so I was thoroughly indoctrinated into <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> before I took over as director, which I did in 1989. I directed four productions of <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> from 1989 to 1992. Since then I have been involved each year as the producer of the show. I think I have seen it more than any person on earth, actually [laughs], but it’s always been one of my favorite events at Goodman. I think it is one of the best things we do and it’s certainly has become a tradition for the whole city. It was really wonderful when I got the chance to direct it once more this year.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LG:</span> How is your perspective different with this 20 year break?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SS:</span> My perspective now has changed, certainly since I’m older and in some ways perhaps more cynical and perhaps more Scrooge-like, I think. I am even more affected now than I was before by the transformation that Scrooge makes and the kinds of things he learns, which, I think, is really at the heart of the show. I would hate to identify myself as Scrooge incarnate, but in some ways I think as you get older you do become a little inured to the holiday season. I think it’s even more important as you get older to come back to this story and see how you are reflected in what Scrooge is and how maybe that isn’t so good.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LG:</span> How will this production be different from recent past productions?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SS:</span> Even though it’s the same story, I think different directors bring different emphases to various facets of the story. One of the things that I really enjoyed doing before and want to do again now is to heighten the emotional journey through the story. To me, <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> is like an emotional rollercoaster. It’s joyous and happy at one moment, very sad and tragic at another moment, then at another it gets really, really scary. I think the audience gets on at the beginning, and it’s like a ride through a theme park almost where you see lots of different things coming at you very quickly and you respond really viscerally to it. Really, it’s trying to get back to that visceral response that we’ve had with the production in the past.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LG:</span> How do you plan on using some of the more fantastical production elements to achieve that effect?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SS:</span> Certainly something we are always reinvestigating is how to the ghosts appear and how to make those sequences scary and more impactful. We have a couple of tricks we are going to try this year on how to establish the ghosts and making them truly terrifying creatures [laughs]. We’re also renovating some elements of the set so that there is a greater disparity between the feeling of Scrooge and his counting house and all the other places that he visits—especially the Fezziwig scene, which is the site of the happiest moments of his youth. Interestingly, his counting house is in the same building that Fezziwig’s offices were, but we are trying to go for a larger contrast there to see what has happened, what’s decayed through the years, and to see where Scrooge ended up. Also, we are looking at a couple of other elements to make the story a little warmer, the family sequences a little richer, just generally broadening all the emotional context of the show.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LG:</span> I’ve heard this is one of the most diverse <span style="font-style:italic;">Christmas Carol</span> casts we’ve compiled?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SS:</span> It is; <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> is a staple of the Goodman’s season and a tradition for many Chicago area families. As a director, I hope to not only present Dickens’ beautiful story, but to show the timelessness of its message by having the production reflect the world we live in today; the community on stage should reflect our community. A diverse cast is paramount in achieving this, and it adds a beautiful authenticity to the play. This is true for all Goodman productions, and any play I direct outside of the Goodman, as well. Theater is all about telling stories—and those stories are made rich by finding a wide variety of voices to tell them. As the American theater progresses, inclusiveness—both for artists and audiences—is essential to make it thrive.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LG: </span>Are there any big surprises?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SS:</span> There are some big surprises, but I’m not going to tell you what they are [laughs]. You are going to have to come and see that.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LG:</span> Why do you think it is important for us to continue to do this year after year?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SS:</span> I think it’s an important story to revisit. It has become a tradition, I think, in a city where almost all of the holiday traditions that we’ve seen have kind of gone away, <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol </span>still remains. I think it is one of those events that one loves to experience with one’s loved ones. It has become a hallmark of the whole season of rebirth and reinvestigation and kind of beginning anew. And I think it is an important kind of social message, too, that we are bringing audiences, and I think that’s important to go back and revisit every year for the people who come but also for the artist involved in the show. I think a lot of the people certainly at the Goodman feel the same way about the production and view the coming of <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> as a major event in their lives, not just in their professional lives.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LG:</span> Is directing this play different than directing any other show?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SS:</span> Oh, very much so. There are certain elements in the production that always need to be preserved, things that audiences have come to expect over some 30 odd years. So as a director I have to preserve those elements but refresh them so they don’t just become set pieces. When you are directing other shows, you are usually starting from scratch and building from the ground floor. Here you are kind of taking something that has already been established and trying to put your own imprint on it in whatever ways you can, which is an interesting challenge. And in some ways it’s more fulfilling than directing other shows because you have such a rich tradition of things to draw upon. There have been so many wonderful directors attached to this production that have put their imprint on it, and so many actors that have been involved with it; it has such a rich history that it’s wonderful to be able to pull from all of that. It really is a great deal of fun, although it is a different kind of challenge for a director.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LG:</span> What is most fun about it?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SS:</span> I think certainly in the past the thing that I’ve enjoyed the most about directing <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span>, aside from the audience response which is always very gratifying, is if you do the show the right way, I think there is a real family feeling that builds up with the cast and the crew and the people who are working on the show. It’s a much closer bond than you get with any other production so that through the rehearsal and the performance period—you really grow together. It makes the Christmas celebration really mean a lot more when you have all of these people who are really part of your family that year to celebrate with.webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-18588666551178221162011-11-11T13:52:00.004-06:002011-11-11T13:55:42.739-06:00Coming Soon...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevNsy58s6d9ibMmIN0wNyMOKjNI0FV4s3K9vBdBXuQ9md0aWWlEyizpBkA1lZTft_EvpMSndvUdICb9rAuCxDL8rgjUNj5BT42U0DhXyOLw599d5YI6rU_dacBYzBSqC38WLmhhcuA-E/s1600/ACC+props.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevNsy58s6d9ibMmIN0wNyMOKjNI0FV4s3K9vBdBXuQ9md0aWWlEyizpBkA1lZTft_EvpMSndvUdICb9rAuCxDL8rgjUNj5BT42U0DhXyOLw599d5YI6rU_dacBYzBSqC38WLmhhcuA-E/s400/ACC+props.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673828946440073314" /></a>Christmas is slowly taking over downtown Chicago. For weeks now, workers have been busy constructing the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza—a block from the Goodman—and since late October the sounds of the season have been wafting through the halls here at the Goodman, courtesy of the rehearsing cast of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/w0ljzI"> A Christmas Carol</a></span>. This week, the set is being built on the Albert stage, and miscellaneous props—artificial gourds, a bed, faux brick buildings—are turning up left and right backstage. <br /><br />Whether or not one celebrates, enjoys, or can barely tolerate the Christmas season, it’s hard not to look forward to <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span>. It is, after all, based on the work of Charles Dickens, arguably one of the best story tellers in the history of the English language. Plus, there are ghosts! And time traveling. And actors flying above the stage. And even with all of these fantastical elements, it maintains its integrity as a story of one man’s personal redemption. What’s not to like? <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> starts performances next Friday, November 18. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrhSb4SbFTsqZM8Zwowds9J62WG8HSETN4dkF76pR3bVtEr_j7f3_sko4zfAzo04Z31kGEP1m9zMtaC2H4nhmItQ_2wG14IzgZg7jSNoemzr5iFaSyfwSFBOSGDtIKC0J_R5bApr-oKU/s1600/gourds%2521.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrhSb4SbFTsqZM8Zwowds9J62WG8HSETN4dkF76pR3bVtEr_j7f3_sko4zfAzo04Z31kGEP1m9zMtaC2H4nhmItQ_2wG14IzgZg7jSNoemzr5iFaSyfwSFBOSGDtIKC0J_R5bApr-oKU/s400/gourds%2521.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673829034522490322" /></a>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-27240153991501626812011-11-08T16:31:00.005-06:002011-11-08T16:53:53.888-06:00Aunt Susan and the Age of the Internet<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Charlie O’Malley, Literary Management and Dramaturgy Intern</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyY05GHY0dfuS2I6TCeZOwC_wTyMxOS0IvAElea0eO8zMnQoIIvlIUwwLmRgZG0TnVhlWQx2islm7Hm0UL79w_209MU0zc-6t3ezNgMbH6x2JLIa1y1bwalynFfLSnC_Cgyay_0N5E5k/s1600/Rehearsal_05.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyY05GHY0dfuS2I6TCeZOwC_wTyMxOS0IvAElea0eO8zMnQoIIvlIUwwLmRgZG0TnVhlWQx2islm7Hm0UL79w_209MU0zc-6t3ezNgMbH6x2JLIa1y1bwalynFfLSnC_Cgyay_0N5E5k/s400/Rehearsal_05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672761150152345282" border="0" /></a>Each year, the Goodman’s literary department commissions four Chicago-based playwrights to create new works under the auspices of the Goodman Playwrights Unit. This year we are blessed to be working with Nambi E. Kelly, Elaine Romero, Philip Dawkins and Martín Zimmerman. Each month, the playwrights, Tanya Palmer, our director of new play development, and Neena Arndt, associate dramaturg, all meet to read, discuss and improve upon their projects.<span style="font-style:italic;"> Ask Aunt Susan</span>, our final partially produced play of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/qK5rat">New Stages Amplified</a></span>, was written by <a href="http://bit.ly/oezk9Z">Seth Bockley</a> as part of last year’s Playwrights Unit and begins performances this Thursday in the Owen Theatre. <span style="font-style:italic;">Ask Aunt Susan</span> pointedly looks at identity, anonymity and the nature of honesty in the internet age. The Goodman is thrilled to close the series with this sharp, witty new comedy.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Andy Carey (Aunt Susan) in rehearsal for </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >Ask Aunt Susan</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photo by Michael Brosilow. </span><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />Bockley’s play takes its inspiration from <a href="http://www.nathanaelwest.com/west/?page_id=84">Nathanael West</a>’s 1933 novella <span style="font-style:italic;">Miss Lonelyhearts</span>, about a male newspaper reporter in the Great Depression who writes a self help column as “Miss Lonelyhearts.” <span style="font-style:italic;">Ask Aunt Susan</span> tells the story of a man who finds a job responding to desperate pleas of sorrow on a self-help website under the pseudonym “Aunt Susan.” His website quickly becomes a viral hit with a wealth of followers seeking guidance from this loving internet creation. His boss, Steve, wants to monetize the Aunt Susan brand, and his girlfriend, Betty, finds that he can’t share his attention between the woman in his real life and the women in his internet life. The real “Aunt Susan” becomes overwhelmed by the responsibility of listening to countless woes and grows terrified that his true identity will be discovered.<br /><br />In an age in which Twitter aids in revolutions and Steve Jobs’ death garnered more attention than Gaddafi’s, <span style="font-style:italic;">Ask Aunt Susan</span> questions our reliance on the digital. As we come to define ourselves by our Facebook profiles and answer our all our questions on Wikipedia, our real identities can start to fall by the wayside. Bockley asks: How can we define ourselves in real life when we are so focused on our digital personas? And how can we know that what we see on the internet is true? Ask Aunt Susan is a timely, hilarious and ultimately extremely compelling questioning of who we are and who we can be in the age of the internet.<br /><br />Each performance of <span style="font-style:italic;">Ask Aunt Susan </span>will be followed by a talkback with artists who worked on the show and led by members of the Goodman’s artistic staff. All audience members are invited to share their thoughts, voice their questions and take part in the process of creating a new work of drama.<br /><br />Tickets to <span style="font-style:italic;">Ask Aunt Susan</span> start at $10. <a href="http://bit.ly/w0ljzI">Don't miss it</a>!webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-40919548238603242512011-11-04T16:26:00.005-05:002011-11-07T09:38:27.047-06:00Goings On at the Goodman<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhqrI-ydbMZoEOLPp362_LYbTaScmfZb8Ih88fbKxgvb9OMV4JlvL1vif5ZfE1LlGCXjGKZwzdB2IOh_yI5XVSPuuPCYmXpNgmP1V6RI2mWD3vqVYXBlDcOZ-jz9wnlkjjzqNgLZ3ChE/s1600/Production_11.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhqrI-ydbMZoEOLPp362_LYbTaScmfZb8Ih88fbKxgvb9OMV4JlvL1vif5ZfE1LlGCXjGKZwzdB2IOh_yI5XVSPuuPCYmXpNgmP1V6RI2mWD3vqVYXBlDcOZ-jz9wnlkjjzqNgLZ3ChE/s400/Production_11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671259839028820114" border="0" /></a>The next few days at the Goodman promise much excitement, with the closing performances of our limited-run production of Kathleen Tolan’s <span style="font-style:italic;">Chicago Boys</span> this weekend, plus a FREE public reading of Laura Jacqmin’s <span style="font-style:italic;">Two Lakes, Two Rivers</span> on Monday. Both shows are part of our ongoing <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=125">New Stages Amplified</a></span> series, which continues next week with the opening of our final produced play, Seth Bockley’s <span style="font-style:italic;">Ask Aunt Susan</span>. Each of the <span style="font-style:italic;">New Stages</span> plays features an exclusive look at a new work, plus, the post-show discussions offer a glimpse into the mysterious play development process. <a href="http://bit.ly/w0ljzI">Be there</a>.<br /><br />Meanwhile, downstairs in the Healy rehearsal room <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=132">A Christmas Carol</a></span> rehearsals are in full swing. The big loading in of the set into the Albert Theatre began today, and boxed set pieces and shrink-wrapped holiday adornments have been turning up backstage all week. Stay tuned…<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Derek Gaspar and Sandra Delgado in </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >Chicago Boys</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photo by Michael Brosilow. </span>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-2626714251154089782011-11-03T16:39:00.005-05:002011-11-11T13:42:00.605-06:00Broadway via Chicago<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Jenny Seidelman, Campaign Manager</span><br /><br />Regular blog readers may recall that after our summer show <span style="font-style:italic;">Chinglish </span>closed, most of the cast headed to New York to take on Broadway. If you’ve been keeping up with the <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://trib.in/uJg2R0">Chicago Tribune</a></span>, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://econ.st/twGAOd">The Economist</a></span>, or <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://nyti.ms/vuEuLT">The New York Times</a></span>, you may have noticed last week our favorite comedy of miscommunication as finally opened on the Great White Way! If you’re in New York, <a href="http://chinglishbroadway.com/">check it out</a>.<br /><br />Of course, this isn’t the first time a Goodman show has made it to Broadway. The <a href="http://bit.ly/w1Ad6e">Internet Broadway Database</a> lists more than 20 productions in Broadway history that started at the Goodman. Highlights include:<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />The 1984 production of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=4458">Glengarry Glen Ross</a></span>, featuring Joe Mantegna and Mike Nussbaum.<br /><br />The 1999 production of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=6286">Death of a Salesman</a></span>, with Brian Dennehy.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=12486">A Moon for the Misbegotten</a></span> in 2000, starring Gabriel Byrne and Cherry Jones.<br /><br />And the 2005 original co-production (with <a href="http://www.intiman.org/">Intiman Theatre</a>) of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=390706">The Light in the Piazza</a> </span>.<br /><br />Next time you’re in New York, be on the lookout for Goodman productions!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlabJ4a2YPFrSRkBLYJV5-6o6xy23yaTGIF0ELyIi5VhYvIW6ppx2QZEt722f6Kk7e8l4VXND20iWpVvM4Y56zqhhBKNTUCMCAgeupQds_x1J1YPvjKEg89uwYu-K7FqxiVGzRfXdurPQ/s1600/Chinglish+in+New+York.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlabJ4a2YPFrSRkBLYJV5-6o6xy23yaTGIF0ELyIi5VhYvIW6ppx2QZEt722f6Kk7e8l4VXND20iWpVvM4Y56zqhhBKNTUCMCAgeupQds_x1J1YPvjKEg89uwYu-K7FqxiVGzRfXdurPQ/s400/Chinglish+in+New+York.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670893749005707858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Goodman Immediate Past Chairman Patricia Cox, </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >Chinglish</span><span style="font-size:78%;"> Director Leigh Silverman, Playwright David Henry Hwang, and Chairman Ruth Ann M. Gillis at opening night on Broadway. </span>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-66371377060780170492011-11-01T16:15:00.009-05:002011-11-02T10:19:25.903-05:00The Real Chicago Boys: Understanding an Economic Revolution<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Nazihah Adil, Institutional Giving Assistant</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeLEJUVaC3XsGYnptmWe9kOM8gYupwYvGm7Oc6RHVBWp0iw_kiYloMz7_aL9gUPCe8TDpJUny8xp4nl_78O-eF-i9X-G1FJyJKZEmoJuPxUAqp2dijFdQoaatZndp96RiGDvCm2DPRFE/s1600/Production_03.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeLEJUVaC3XsGYnptmWe9kOM8gYupwYvGm7Oc6RHVBWp0iw_kiYloMz7_aL9gUPCe8TDpJUny8xp4nl_78O-eF-i9X-G1FJyJKZEmoJuPxUAqp2dijFdQoaatZndp96RiGDvCm2DPRFE/s400/Production_03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670417327612381074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;">Chicago Boys</span>, the second play in our <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=125">New Stages Amplified</a> </span>series, explores the economic policies that shaped the 1973 Chilean coup d’état. Named after a group of young Chilean economists who trained largely under the renowned economist <a href="http://bit.ly/tApNEy">Milton Friedman</a> at the University of Chicago or the affiliate Catholic University of Chile, <span style="font-style:italic;">Chicago Boys</span> offers a glimpse into the revolutionary ideas that went on to form the foundations of Chilean economic policy under the regime of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusto_Pinochet">Augusto Pinochet</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo of Derek Gaspar and Brad Armacost by Michael Brosilow</span><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />This set of ideas was heavily influenced by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_school_of_economics">the Chicago school of economics</a>, whose theories rejected Keynesianism, the predominant economic model during the mid-twentieth-century, in favor of monetarism and rational expectations. Simply put, the Keynesian economic model, named after <a href="http://www.maynardkeynes.org/">John Maynard Keynes</a>, advocated a mixed economy, one with a predominant private sector—run by private individuals and groups and free from state control—but with a marked government and public sector presence. At the heart of the Chicago School, on the other hand, was its unrelenting advocacy of the free market and little room for government intervention.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style:italic;">Chicago Boys</span>, the tension between the free market theories of the Chicago School and the socialist views of the supporters of the freely elected <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Allende">Salvador Allende</a> is at its peak. In a covert attempt to counter the spread of developmentalism that threatened the economic stability of the United States, the State Department partnered with the Ford Foundation to establish the “Chile Project,” a project designed to influence Chilean economic thinking. Graduates of this program became known as the Chicago Boys. The ideas promoted by the Chicago Boys went largely unnoticed until the 1973 coup d’état and the fall of Allende. Under the Pinochet regime, the economic policies originally drafted by the Chicago Boys in a confidential report came to the fore. These reforms called for economic liberalization, privatization, and stabilization of inflation. Economic liberalization promoted laissez-faire economics, free from government intervention, while privatization shifted control of publicly owned enterprises into the hands of private individuals and groups.<br /><br />While the economic policies that grew out of the Pinochet regime remain controversial, the impact of the Chicago Boys and their namesake is unprecedented. Chile is now a regional economic leader, and based on a series of 10 economic measures, its economy was ranked the 10th freest in the world according to the 2010 Index of Economic Freedom.webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-67089138648705142462011-10-27T11:19:00.004-05:002011-10-27T11:44:14.537-05:00Night of Two Openings<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dYVYKdQkaI6mnSBznj_oYu_BzkEfLhX7xjNja-wZDEXh4d-5ZEUyjGGF96k2U8ktlfWdpCUf4Ti4GzVFzzDrtJmDqPZ2XHrwJqjzQhBEH1VB4jYp7XVLh9Ko4rYIukYROlqBHwfovmc/s1600/Rehearsal_05.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dYVYKdQkaI6mnSBznj_oYu_BzkEfLhX7xjNja-wZDEXh4d-5ZEUyjGGF96k2U8ktlfWdpCUf4Ti4GzVFzzDrtJmDqPZ2XHrwJqjzQhBEH1VB4jYp7XVLh9Ko4rYIukYROlqBHwfovmc/s400/Rehearsal_05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668211486083574658" border="0" /></a>Tonight the second of our <span style="font-style:italic;" com="" img="" gif=""><a href="http://bit.ly/uZVtrs">New Stages Amplified</a></span> plays begins performances in the Owen, as <a href="http://bit.ly/qgPqkp">Kathleen Tolan</a>’s <span style="font-style:italic;">Chicago Boys</span> takes the stage. This will be the second turn in the Owen for <span style="font-style:italic;">Chicago Boys</span>—an earlier draft of the play, which is a fictional account of a young American protégé of economist Milton Friedman who finds himself caught up in the Chilean military coup in the 1970s, was featured as a staged reading in the <span style="font-style:italic;">New Sages</span> festival this past January. As this is the second of our three <a href="http://bit.ly/vz2WOd">partially produced plays</a>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Chicago Boys</span> will have only through Sunday, November 6, and tickets start at only $10; <a href="http://bit.ly/n8HUpe">be there</a>!<br /><br />Meanwhile, tonight in New York our summer hit <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/prrgTQ">Chinglish</a></span> officially opens on Broadway. Since the show transferred to New York, playwright David Henry Hwang has been keeping up with <a href="http://bit.ly/ti1C8d">his blog</a>—check it out for an update on our favorite bilingual comedy.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Alfredo Huereca and Derek Gaspar in rehearsal for </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >Chicago Boys</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photo by Michael Brosilow. </span>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-30729778056440670572011-10-26T12:23:00.007-05:002011-10-26T13:54:40.141-05:00Seeing Red: Rothko in Pop Culture<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Teresa Rende, Education and Community Engagement Associate </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTViwPaI3S7qbA1IerhRTPvDVrQFwlZKSBqjp12ZukSCCZEDlthw_iDZ3Y3SzQ4wHomPqs9jrjJEPQEUe1yk8h2-q-bN49u91QLqmrFrauqnDbP5SkJVi13dXWMixWekas9Yk2GKNDCE/s1600/Production_09.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTViwPaI3S7qbA1IerhRTPvDVrQFwlZKSBqjp12ZukSCCZEDlthw_iDZ3Y3SzQ4wHomPqs9jrjJEPQEUe1yk8h2-q-bN49u91QLqmrFrauqnDbP5SkJVi13dXWMixWekas9Yk2GKNDCE/s400/Production_09.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667861070125774226" border="0" /></a>In <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/qZHI8h">Red</a></span>, playwright John Logan paints Mark Rothko as the anti-cool, anti-pop, anti-name-brand-recognition man. As I watched the play and heard Rothko furiously exclaim the likes of Jasper Johns and Andy Warhol were “…trying to kill [him]!” I couldn’t help but wonder what he’d think of his own place in pop culture today. Not only did the thought of a soup can as art infuriate Logan’s Rothko, but he also believed that artists like Jackson Pollock suffered early deaths and artistic stagnation because of their popular success.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style:italic;">Red</span>, Rothko himself steps back from this direction by recanting his big commercial commission and keeping his work. While he saved the murals the dubious distinction of “over mantels” by pulling them from the Four Seasons before they arrived, he did not save himself from the eye of pop culture. Some might argue that his change of heart made him an even more iconic figure than if he had simply handed the paintings over.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo of Edward Gero by Liz Lauren. </span><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />Where do these ruminations of popular recognition lie now? It may surprise you just how much pop culture Rothko presently permeates.<br /><br />Musicians have used Rothko as fodder for their songs, and one 1997 band went so far as to make Rothko their namesake. London’s ambient band,<a href="http://bit.ly/rDyswi"> Rothko</a>, continues to release work under their founder’s label, Trace Records.<br /><br />In September 2008, the popular <a href="http://www.amctv.com/">AMC</a> television series <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/txZW41">Mad Men</a></span> featured a Rothko painting in one episode. Burt Cooper, the co-founder of the extremely profitable Sterling Cooper Advertising agency, buys himself a Rothko. A number of employees sneak into his office to see the very expensive painting, and while some describe it as “fuzzy squares,” others have a deeper sense of the work. One employee, Ken Cosgrove, hits the nail on the head in conversation with his colleague, the agency's art director, Sal Romano.<br /><br />KEN: I don't think it's supposed to be explained.<br /><br />SAL: I'm an artist, okay? It must mean something.<br /><br />KEN: Maybe it doesn't. Maybe you're just supposed to experience it. Because when you look at it, you're to feel something, right? It's like looking into something very deep. You could fall in.<br /><br />In a March 2011 article, author John Naughton aligns colors to culture with <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.gq.com/">GQ</a></span>’s <a href="http://bit.ly/rGFIwt">Pop Culture Color Chart</a>. Rothko appears as color 13 of 30, “Rothko’s Four Darks in Red,” alongsidhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife comment that such a palate should be available as a <a href="http://bit.ly/rM8bZO">Fired Earth</a> interior design scheme (a notion that would surely illicit reaction from Rothko).<br /><br />Whether in music, print, or TV, Rothko continues to pervade popular culture in more spaces than just canvas, screen, or stage. What would he have to say about that?webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-56671529322798000592011-10-21T11:28:00.006-05:002011-11-02T17:14:00.645-05:00News and Notes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZ6wavLaTsqTXuyh6gRdEQvg4xyDLUg_qOCKG8yOpBJT1ZiG9_3LcpepYmHHUsnLfkc2vjo6T1gyyyTLPn2ZzQmZuLOrrZ6DMegr0Ooz76E7YHUX6rqnfKVBMEYs9meLwqPE5mEGnCYs/s1600/DartmoorPrisonProduction_03.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZ6wavLaTsqTXuyh6gRdEQvg4xyDLUg_qOCKG8yOpBJT1ZiG9_3LcpepYmHHUsnLfkc2vjo6T1gyyyTLPn2ZzQmZuLOrrZ6DMegr0Ooz76E7YHUX6rqnfKVBMEYs9meLwqPE5mEGnCYs/s400/DartmoorPrisonProduction_03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665986864805197298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=125">New Stages Amplified</a></span> is in full swing, with our limited-run production of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://goodman-theatre.blogspot.com/2011/10/dartmoor-prison-and-americas-promise-of.html">Dartmoor Prison</a></span> already coming to a close this Sunday. On Saturday, the night before its last performance, we’ll be hosting an Artists Encounter in the Polk rehearsal room with the playwrights of the three produced <span style="font-style:italic;">New Stages Amplified</span> plays. For an hour starting at 6:30pm, our Director of New Play Development, Tanya Palmer, will moderate a conversation between <a href="http://bit.ly/oa3BAm">Carlyle Brown</a>, <a href="http://bit.ly/qgPqkp">Kathleen Tolan</a>, <a href="http://bit.ly/oezk9Z">Seth Bockley</a> and a small audience.<br /><br />Artist Encounters are one of our more under-the-radar audience engagement events, and they can be especially informative because their intimate nature—they typically include 50 – 100 audience members—allows attendees to talk directly to the artists, shaping the conversation as it moves along. Plus, they’re free to subscribers, students, and Goodman donors, and only $5 for everyone else. <a href="http://bit.ly/psWepO">Be there</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: (left to right) Steve Pickering, Charles Stransky, Dexter Zollicoffer, and Will Allan in Dartmoor Prison. Photo by Michael Brosilow. </span><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />Meanwhile, in other <span style="font-style:italic;">New Stages Amplified</span> news, on Monday evening we’ll feature the first of the <span style="font-style:italic;">New Stages Amplified</span> concert readings, when<a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/ArtistPopups/NoahHaidle.aspx"> Noah Haidle</a>’s <span style="font-style:italic;">Smokefall</span> takes to the Owen stage. Regular Goodman patrons might remember Noah’s work from our 2006 production of <span style="font-style:italic;">Vigils</span> or the reading of his play <span style="font-style:italic;">Two Echos</span> during the 2007 New Stages festival. Don’t miss it—this reading offers Chicago theaterphiles the opportunity to get a first-look at an imaginative and lyrical new work from one of the most exciting playwrights out there.<br /><br />Lastly, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=124">Red</a></span> is going into its final week in the Albert Theatre. If you haven't had a chance to see it <a href="http://bit.ly/n8HUpe">get your tickets now</a>; good seats are still available.webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-78376984593472822112011-10-19T16:57:00.004-05:002011-10-19T17:08:50.977-05:00Nurturing New Work<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Andrew Knight, Assistant to the Associate Producer </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24encHG9pm1Pn8M-eNCxNFg8KmzS8zBbX6lAUZ9Dk8w3Mc1jIWpx39zIglB4zicODYWdZIdVGQT5LVybGJBYTHhyphenhyphenR1XzJkCAeSiKK8uO-drjo6GFyDRGVEVOThI_n9K5h3F4RvmfCWFw/s1600/DartmoorPrisonProduction_01.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24encHG9pm1Pn8M-eNCxNFg8KmzS8zBbX6lAUZ9Dk8w3Mc1jIWpx39zIglB4zicODYWdZIdVGQT5LVybGJBYTHhyphenhyphenR1XzJkCAeSiKK8uO-drjo6GFyDRGVEVOThI_n9K5h3F4RvmfCWFw/s400/DartmoorPrisonProduction_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665326940755534898" border="0" /></a>With <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=125">News Stages Amplified</a> </span>officially up and running—<span style="font-style:italic;">Dartmoor Prison</span> had its first performance last Thursday and both <span style="font-style:italic;">Chicago Boys</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Ask Aunt Susan</span> are now in rehearsals—there’s a lot of talk about new work at the Goodman and, specifically, the theater’s role in developing it.<br /><br />This word—developing—is bandied about quite a bit in reference to new plays, perhaps because it’s so inclusive. After all, the Goodman’s role as an institution in premiering new work is vast and varied. The ultimate goal, of course, is to produce the play by assembling actors, a director, designers, and other artists to present the piece to an audience. It’s a simple process in theory, but it takes a lot of time and effort; it requires adequate financing and material resources, an audience, and a level of trust between the artists and the institution to ensure the play can evolve and grow.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Cedric Young in </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-size:78%;" >Dartmoor Prison</span><span style="font-size:78%;">. Photo by Michael Brosilow.</span><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />But before this process can begin, there must be a text (or at least an idea) to work with, and the search for these new texts is a large part of the staff’s job at the Goodman. Whether we’re reading play submissions from agents, attending local and national workshops and productions, or staying current with international work, we’re constantly looking forward, hoping to bring fresh and exciting pieces to the Goodman. However, it’s also the theater’s responsibility to support and encourage the playwright and to facilitate inspiration’s transformation into art. With this in mind, the Goodman has made commissioning a key program in its mission to develop new work.<br /><br />Commissioning—when the theater awards a playwright remuneration to write a play—is an intricate undertaking and one where the specifics range from case to case. Summing up the process—which I’m about to do—can only offer a general idea of the time and effort that goes into it.<br /><br />In a perfect world, after the playwright has accepted a commission, a first draft of the script is received within a year. Upon its receipt, and after consultation with the playwright, an in-house reading occurs where a group of actors sit around a table and read the script out loud so the playwright, artistic director, and literary staff can hear the piece. It’s a chance to find out what works—what’s particularly moving, thought provoking, funny, or delightful—and what doesn’t. The playwright goes back to work after this, developing another draft based on these discoveries.<br /><br />When both the playwright and the Goodman feel the piece is ready, it receives a concert reading or developmental workshop. These are more formal than the table read—more “performance” oriented, with a director and a short rehearsal period. A concert reading might be a part of our New Stages series, and would likely be open to the public. It allows our patrons a glimpse into a process-oriented presentation. In turn, the audience response also gives the playwright a fresh perspective on the play, influencing yet another new draft.<br /><br />If the play is scheduled for production, a one or two week “pre-production” workshop generally takes place early in the season. The longer rehearsal period allows for an in-depth exploration; perhaps with a little staging too see how it works “on its feet.” The process culminates in another presentation, and the playwright, once again, goes back to work on a new draft—the draft that will be used at the start of rehearsals for the production.<br /><br />That’s the general idea of how one Goodman commission might come to fruition. The process isn’t always so systematic, though. The reality is that some plays take longer to write—large scale pieces, for example, or those with subject matter that requires in-depth research. Other works, like musicals, require multiple workshops before they’re ready for production. The timeline also varies depending on how the playwright works. Some writers work alone to produce a polished initial draft and might not need a great deal of workshop development. Other writers prefer a more interactive approach, finding their inspiration in hearing the piece and developing it with actors and directors.<br /><br />Although the primary purpose of commissioning is to support the playwright and augment the American theater repertoire, this process benefits the institution as well. By commissioning new works, the Goodman earns the right to be the first theater to produce the piece. If the Goodman should decide not to produce it for any reason, the playwright is, of course, allowed to pursue a production at a different company.<br /><br />But by far, the greatest benefit to the theater is the variety that newly commissioned works bring to the season. We aim to commission a range of voices who all write with a singular style and passion. We generally don’t approach playwrights with a particular subject to write about; instead, we hope that freedom will breed inspiration.<br /><br />On the subject of commissions and the process, it should be noted that the majority of the plays in our<span style="font-style:italic;"> New Stages Amplified</span> festival are commissions in their various stages of development.<span style="font-style:italic;"> Dartmooor Prison</span> (one of our workshop productions), <span style="font-style:italic;">Smokefall</span>, and <span style="font-style:italic;">Teddy Ferrara</span> (both concert readings) are all standard commissions. <span style="font-style:italic;">Ask Aunt Susan</span> (another staged production) and <span style="font-style:italic;">Two Lakes, Two Rivers</span> (the third reading) were written as a part of our Playwrights Unit. The Playwrights Unit, a new program at the Goodman to support Chicago-based playwrights, follows a more structured approach to developing new work. Four local writers commissioned at the beginning of the season meet once a month to discuss and share their work with each other and Tanya Palmer, our director of new play development, and Neena Arndt, our associate dramaturg. Over the course of the year, the plays developed in the Playwrights Unit each receive two readings: an in-house table read and a concert reading at the season’s conclusion.<br /><br />None of the works in <span style="font-style:italic;">New Stages Amplified</span> is technically complete. In fact, the productions never really “open”—the playwright may continue to work on the piece after it begins performances. The director, the actors, the designers, and the audience are all participants in the play’s development. As an institution, we hope that through commissioning and by committing adequate time and resources to a play’s evolution, the Goodman will play a vital role in keeping the future of new work bright.webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-66376362077893551142011-10-17T12:43:00.005-05:002011-10-17T13:11:05.030-05:00The Stars Out Front<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Jenny Seidelman, Campaign Manager</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHmz5TNgIaAWvFJbPgLLH04Wz3-0BUbPbyn1va2iqeGbmL3OTFAy9CiB_X__4jcvPrelP1GuJghcH09K7fYiMnsMHiNoAiRIcWiteXay1s7MC95zIdmLBVAUFzYmsEzSsyo3nnc43Dyo/s1600/Walkway+of+Stars+2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 398px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHmz5TNgIaAWvFJbPgLLH04Wz3-0BUbPbyn1va2iqeGbmL3OTFAy9CiB_X__4jcvPrelP1GuJghcH09K7fYiMnsMHiNoAiRIcWiteXay1s7MC95zIdmLBVAUFzYmsEzSsyo3nnc43Dyo/s400/Walkway+of+Stars+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664524289333700690" /></a>If you’ve ever come to the Goodman's North Dearborn Street home, you may have noticed a group of glittering stars that line the sidewalk directly under the marquee. On Thursday, October 13, we added to that group when <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/About/Leadership/Womens.aspx">Goodman Theatre Women's Board</a> received their very own star on the Walkway of Stars in recognition of the collective $2.5 million they raised for the <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/support/Individual/endowment.aspx">Endowing Excellence Campaign</a>.<br /><br />The Walkway of Stars features an eclectic group of names—individuals and organizations without whom we wouldn’t be the theater we are today. Check out who else is featured on the walkway:<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Most Glamorous:</span> Merle Reskin. A cast member in the original production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s <span style="font-style:italic;">South Pacific</span>, she had a professional Chicago, Broadway and television performing career in the 1950s.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Most Politically Connected:</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_M._Daley">Mayor Richard M. Daley</a>. Chicago’s longest-serving mayor secured support from the city for the Goodman’s new home on Dearborn Street. He and his wife, Maggie, also have seats named for them in the Albert Theatre.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Most Visionary:</span> Susan and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Manilow">Lew Manilow</a>. Mr. Manilow ignited the Loop redevelopment project that saved the Selwyn and Harris theaters (which are now part of the Goodman) and transformed the North Loop into a thriving center of performing arts in Chicago. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Most Notorious:</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Ryan">Governor George H. Ryan</a>. During Governor Ryan’s administration, the Goodman received critical funding from the state in support of the Building Campaign, which helped create our North Dearborn Street facility. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Most Missed:</span> Michael Maggio. An anonymous donor funded a star in honor of Goodman Associate Artistic Director Michael Maggio, who passed away in 2000. Goodman Theatre also funds <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/Artists/Maggio.aspx">a directing fellowship</a> in Mr. Maggio’s name.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDqiYVDTnax7mgG1m4a65f2HKFoULMm3u03ijF5HNfHCURjR5zkjwChJRw9Sc4YeVHdcVrQ7xNJOeCZEAiUwrtfe8D7uGcybPKiMb8OqgLVfu5vkfURjPGWo8CZ_iEz3e-nPXi4CaxOI/s1600/Walkway+of+Stars+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDqiYVDTnax7mgG1m4a65f2HKFoULMm3u03ijF5HNfHCURjR5zkjwChJRw9Sc4YeVHdcVrQ7xNJOeCZEAiUwrtfe8D7uGcybPKiMb8OqgLVfu5vkfURjPGWo8CZ_iEz3e-nPXi4CaxOI/s400/Walkway+of+Stars+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664525166273456898" /></a>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-82754567491755748832011-10-13T11:17:00.006-05:002011-10-13T12:09:16.599-05:00Dartmoor Prison and America’s Promise of Freedom<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Charlie O'Malley, Literary Management and Dramaturgy Intern</span><br /><br /><br />“Freedom? We’re in prison, man. There isn’t any damn freedom for us. We are just the mules that pulls freedom’s plow.”<br />-Governor, <span style="font-style:italic;">Dartmoor Prison</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyXy9yY_u0TLp81cStvcA_J__ScYhReSGP69_DQDosB32nnLeZil66yAUooT2Rg4iLcMrLsVxFenD2_PNf1LIEdKG3bq9bxV9_0YGELq_0zs3pYV7OLFGEm4loueveSYuInprvzdeyEw/s1600/Rehearsal_01.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyXy9yY_u0TLp81cStvcA_J__ScYhReSGP69_DQDosB32nnLeZil66yAUooT2Rg4iLcMrLsVxFenD2_PNf1LIEdKG3bq9bxV9_0YGELq_0zs3pYV7OLFGEm4loueveSYuInprvzdeyEw/s400/Rehearsal_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663020377472512578" border="0" /></a>As any presidential election approaches, the concept of “freedom” is bandied about between candidates, journalists, pundits and voters. Indeed, America has always prided itself on its own brand of liberty, however complicated and challenging that idea may be. <a href="http://bit.ly/oa3BAm">Carlyle Brown</a>’s new play, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/qK5rat">Dartmoor Prison</a></span>, which kicks off the Goodman’s <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/qK5rat">New Stages Amplified</a></span> tonight, takes pause to question notions of freedom in America’s history. The play explores American identity and patriotism, as history has defined the two notions, and questions how democracy operates today.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />(Photo: Playwright Carlyle Brown. Photo by Michael Brosilow.)</span><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />Inspired by real events, <span style="font-style:italic;">Dartmoor Prison</span> takes place during the War of 1812, in a racially segregated prison yard for American prisoners of war. As the 4th of July approaches, tensions arise in the yard as the white prisoners, eager to commemorate their country’s independence, plan a celebration in prison yard number 4, home to the African American prisoners. The informal ruler of number 4, a black sailor named King Dick, questions the liberties that America offers given the profits that it makes from slavery. Confined in a prison with little food, abysmal living conditions, and an American agent who will do little to help them and dwindling morale, the prisoners are forced to reevaluate their expectations of liberty: Can they expect it? Do they deserve it? Is it promised to them? With the country of big ideas and grandiose promises in its infancy, the future for these men is limited, and as their British captors strengthen their grip on the prisoners’ minds, they must decide what price they are willing to pay to be truly free.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Dartmoor Prison</span> is a story that immerses itself in a consuming exploration of American identity, and the questions that it raises about liberty dive to the very core of American selfhood and the promises on which America was built. Promises of freedom are inherently compromised by slavery, poverty, imperialism, and prejudices ingrained in the American consciousness. The questions that plague the prisoners in Dartmoor are the same ones with which we grapple every day—in the news, in our classrooms, and in the streets. In Brown’s intricately woven drama, characters of various backgrounds spur, challenge and provoke, keeping the tensions high and the debate rumbling constantly.<br /><br />Each performance of <span style="font-style:italic;">Dartmoor Prison</span>, like all of the shows in <span style="font-style:italic;">New Stage Amplified</span>, will be followed by a talkback with artists who worked on the show and led by members of the Goodman’s artistic staff. All audience members are invited to share their thoughts, voice their questions and take part in the process of creating a new work of drama.webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-24690356032934802012011-10-12T15:02:00.003-05:002011-10-12T15:14:52.418-05:00Fame Games<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Liz Rice, Education and Community Engagement Intern </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5LY58tJxBCVja16MNdsyU-WkYNgMD536xoXxc7HNHuTxKkmLsPdQrzRI9PFrrHdQ2OwmUXXZs5vew_N7QcvOkLKnoJf1eIRlZF6o5NN4XcC3ctTc1RGbwuADQNF6ODfPCCc104EJQ6o/s1600/DSC_0086.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5LY58tJxBCVja16MNdsyU-WkYNgMD536xoXxc7HNHuTxKkmLsPdQrzRI9PFrrHdQ2OwmUXXZs5vew_N7QcvOkLKnoJf1eIRlZF6o5NN4XcC3ctTc1RGbwuADQNF6ODfPCCc104EJQ6o/s400/DSC_0086.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662701314565847394" /></a>The Goodman and season opener <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/qZHI8h">Red</a></span> met by way of Hollywood Monday night, as the theater was swarmed by <a href="http://collaboraction.org/">Collaboraction</a> paparazzi (left) for the first 2011/2012 <a href="http://bit.ly/o6PriO">CONTEXT</a> event, The Price of Fame. Attendees were greeted by flashing bulbs and jarring questions that delved into their personal lives—upcoming projects, and of course, who they were wearing. Rumors abounded as whispers that Brad Pitt’s mistress was attending, though nobody seemed to sight her, and that Steven Spielberg was picking up everybody’s next script. <br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />Gracing the theater was Chicago-based Collaboraction’s Artistic Director, Anthony Moseley, former Goodman intern and current Collaboraction Assistant Artistic Director, Kristin Idaszack, and Goodman-commissioned playwright Carlyle Brown. Brown’s play <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/qK5rat">Dartmoor Prison</a></span> opens at the Goodman on October 13, as the first show in Goodman’s <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/qK5rat">New Stages Amplified</a></span> series. Guests mingled with prominent artists as DJ Jonathan Marks energized the room to the sound of Amy Winehouse and Ratatat. Excitement overflowed as the evening’s panel of speakers arrived. Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot arrived from WBEZ’s Sound Opinions, along with Charna Halpern of the Chicago-based improv theater <a href="http://chicago.ioimprov.com/">iO</a>. Drawing from Mark Rothko’s views on fame and suicide, and the present-day aftermath of Amy Winehouse’s recent death, the panel discussed pressures of fame and how, mixed with assorted vices, it has been a major factor in the premature deaths of many talented artists. Among people discussed were Nirvana front man, Kurt Cobain and legendary <span style="font-style:italic;">Saturday Night Live</span> actor Chris Farley. Our panelists also touched upon the likes of Jeff Tweedy of Chicago’s own Wilco and comedian Andy Dick who, while still living, have also struggled with fame, alcohol, and drug abuse. <br /><br />Audience members were given their own opportunity to discuss, questioning how we as fans, friends, and family can keep artists of the future from such fates. As the evening drew to a close, guests left with a new found firsthand understanding of “celebrity” and an appetite for more CONTEXT events to come. Keep your eyes peeled for another event this January!webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-9533185469050475832011-10-11T14:17:00.004-05:002011-10-11T15:26:08.187-05:00Black and White: A Brief Overture to Dartmoor Prison<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Andrew E.T. Kron, Marketing Intern </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">This Thursday our much-anticipated </span>New Stages Amplified <span style="font-style:italic;">series begins with Carlyle Brown’s</span> Dartmoor Prison. <span style="font-style:italic;">For more information on the series check out this post from back in July.</span> Dartmoor Prison <span style="font-style:italic;">will only be staged for 12 performances, and <a href="http://bit.ly/n8HUpe">tickets</a> are all only $10 or $20 each, so don’t miss your chance to see this riveting new work while it’s here!</span> <br /><br />In <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/qK5rat">Dartmoor Prison</a></span>, playwright <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/ArtistPopups/CarlyleBrown.aspx">Carlyle Brown</a> explores two concrete ideas: the will of man and the ultimate goal of survival. The play is very much a tale of war—it's set in Devon, England, during the War of 1812 inside an ominous reformatory known as Dartmoor Prison. But what begins as a story of willpower and endurance transforms into an entirely different tale within itself.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />In <span style="font-style:italic;">Dartmoor Prison</span>, the holding pens are policed by soldiers of the British Empire. (A brief historical note: the War of 1812 was a three-year conflict between the United States and Great Britain.) The inhabitants of Dartmoor Prison are, of course, prisoners, and are American prisoners at that, sailors the British have captured. But the premise gets even more intriguing by what exactly is happening inside the walls of the penitentiary—the American captives stationed inside Dartmoor Prison have been divided up, segregated into two very specific groups: blacks and whites.<br /><br />So there is the set-up. A prison yard, run by the British, holding American sailors during the War of 1812. <br /><br />Very black and white, yes? <br /><br />Not quite.<br /><br />Inside Dartmoor Prison, walls do not hold any such measure of human segregation. Black, white, British, American—it doesn’t matter. In the end, every man inside and outside of that prison is fighting for just one simple thing: freedom. But freedom comes at a price, and as we find in this new play, in a place like Dartmoor Prison, in the Summer of 1814, that idea of freedom might come at the price of being black or white.webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567028415357836731.post-74794931912442337362011-10-05T16:22:00.005-05:002011-10-06T15:29:37.015-05:00CONTEXT: The Price of Fame<span style="font-weight:bold;">By Teresa Rende, Education and Community Engagement Associate</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhfOshjZjynWtE9zbHcBZUYtREwhAVZs-mtxH_LBqQ_RCnkC7FdX4fIW8UfzA6EOS2oFbkhVkuMBrmxRpKbayIOiYu2N2maRqfO5kq4haCyxTvDOiDIEFunqkN5AwnUcu3RBNpMz41aU/s1600/500px-Evan_Rachel_Wood_%2528April_2009%2529_4.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 355px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhfOshjZjynWtE9zbHcBZUYtREwhAVZs-mtxH_LBqQ_RCnkC7FdX4fIW8UfzA6EOS2oFbkhVkuMBrmxRpKbayIOiYu2N2maRqfO5kq4haCyxTvDOiDIEFunqkN5AwnUcu3RBNpMz41aU/s400/500px-Evan_Rachel_Wood_%2528April_2009%2529_4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660130052060407362" border="0" /></a>On July 24th, 2011, the morning after singer Amy Winehouse died, I and my colleagues were having a discussion about young artists and their propensity to fall into drugs, alcohol abuse, depression and addiction. I had just read <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://bit.ly/qZHI8h">Red</a></span> the day before, and I remembered a scene in which Rothko’s conversation with Ken turns toward the death of artist Jackson Pollock. The two discuss a crucial element of Pollock’s personality, and point to the fact that, while Pollock died in a car accident, his extreme fame and alcoholic history may have been a contributing factor to his demise. With that scene fresh in my mind, the conversation that morning led us to think about the many famous musicians, actors, artists, and comedians we loose rather young, and to ask, “Is there a price to fame?”<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />Next Monday, October 10, at 7pm, the Goodman's Education Department will kick off the 2011/2012 Season’s CONTEXT series with our first event around <span style="font-style:italic;">Red</span>. During this event we'll explore that question I had back in July—the price of fame—with our audiences. We’ve crafted an interactive experience with the help of our friends at <a href="http://collaboraction.org/">Collaboraction</a>, during which we'll examine the cost of fame and what happens when artists become commodities. The atmosphere will be that of a red-carpet event, in which each attendee is essentially fulfilling the role of a celebrity—forced to make their way past a throng of paparazzi just to get in. Once inside, panelists Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot of WBEZ’s <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.soundopinions.org/">Sound Opinions</a></span> will discuss fame and how it plays out—in both good and bad ways—in today’s music industry. They’ll also discuss the price of fame in comedy and performance with Charna Halpern of Chicago’s own <a href="http://chicago.ioimprov.com/">iO</a>. Time will be allotted for questions and conversation with our panelists and the Collaboraction artists.<br /><br />The CONTEXT series intends to illuminate our productions, act as catalysts for deeper exploration, and offer a public space for debate and discussion. We’re hoping the evening will not only place attendees in the spotlight, but help us all look at just how glamorous that spotlight truly is, and is not.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /><br />CONTEXT: The Price of Fame is Monday, October 10 at 7pm in the Goodman lobby. Call 312.443.3800 or click <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/ticketing/tickets/reserve.aspx?performanceNumber=4926">here</a> to reserve tickets to this FREE event.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rubenstein_/">Rubenstein</a>. </span>webpresencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00654890858064418324noreply@blogger.com1