Naomi Iizuka News

Ghostwritten by Naomi Iizuka and directed by Lisa Portes makes its world premiere at Goodman Theater 4/4-5/3. While traveling in Southeast Asia, an American woman strikes a bargain with a mysterious stranger. Twenty years later, she's become an acclaimed chef specializing in Asian cuisine and the mother of an adopted Vietnamese-born daughter.

Artistic Director Robert Falls proudly announces a diverse line-up-from musical hilarity and classic yarns, to memory pieces and family dramas, to stories with ethnic roots that reflect today's world-in Goodman Theatre's new 2009/2010 season.

Three countries, six theater companies, fourteen plays and programs, sixty-one days and an audience numbering nearly 50,000 defined 'A Global Exploration: Eugene O'Neill in the 21st Century' and marked an unprecedented success for Goodman Theatre. Artistic Director Robert Falls curated the ambitious eight-play selection of O'Neill's early works that appeared on both of the Goodman's stages January 7 - March 8: the 856-Albert and the 400-seat flexible Owen, which was transformed seven times, custom-designed for the visiting companies. The Exploration offerings performed at a grand total of 90% of capacity-alone, Falls' Broadway-bound production of Desire Under the Elms achieved 95% of capacity.

The SF Playhouse (Bill English, Artistic Director; Susi Damilano, Producing Director) and Lorraine Hansberry Theatre (Stanley Williams, Artistic Director; Quentin Easter, Executive Director) are pleased to announce casting for their co-production of The West Coast Premiere of The Story. 'A riveting drama about race, reporting and the truth'-Associated Press

On February 18 and 19, La MaMa will host an open house, 'New Voices Heard,' featuring a sampling of eight plays that were developed during the summer of 2008 in the La MaMa Umbria International Playwrights Retreat. This free event will take place at La MaMa La Galleria, 6 East First Street, Manhattan (between Second Avenue and Bowery), Manhattan. Admission is free. Excerpts of eight plays will be presented. Seven will be staged readings and one will be fully acted.

Columbia Stages presents Big Love, written by Charles L. Mee and directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh, running February 18th - 21st, 2009, at The Riverside Theatre, located in the historic Riverside Church at 91 Claremont Avenue between 120th and 122nd Streets.

On February 18 and 19, La MaMa will host an open house, 'New Voices Heard,' featuring a sampling of eight plays that were developed during the summer of 2008 in the La MaMa Umbria International Playwrights Retreat. This free event will take place at La MaMa La Galleria, 6 East First Street, Manhattan (between Second Avenue and Bowery), Manhattan. Admission is free. Excerpts of eight plays will be presented. Seven will be staged readings and one will be fully acted.

Goodman Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of Naomi Iizuka?s newest work, Ghostwritten directed by Lisa Portes as part of the Goodman?s ?Strong Women, Strong Voices? Owen Theatre Series. The 2004 recipient of the Joyce Award, Ghostwritten runs April 4 ? May 3, 2009 in the Owen Bruner Theatre. Tickets are $10 ? $39. In conjunction with the ?Strong Women, Strong Voices? series, Goodman Theatre partners with six of Chicago?s most exciting theater companies focused on presenting and supporting work by women for ?Taking the Stage: A Celebration of Women Making Theater,? a celebration of the distinct voices and visions of women theater artists, and the opportunities and obstacles facing women working in the theater today. Further information regarding these events will be announced at a later date. Ghostwritten is a Goodman commission supported by The Joyce Foundation. The Sara Lee Foundation is the Owen Season Corporate Sponsor.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre greets the new year by proudly presenting its 50th world premiere, a new comedy about marriage, intimacy, and electricity from the creators of Eurydice. Celebrated playwright Sarah Ruhl and Obie Award-winning director Les Waters come together again for the debut of In the Next Room (or the vibrator play). Commissioned by Berkeley Rep and staged in the state-of-the-art Roda Theatre, this hotly anticipated play begins previews on January 30, opens February 4, and closes March 15. BART and Wells Fargo serve as season sponsors for Berkeley Rep's 41st year of fearless theatre, and the executive producer for this show is the Strauch Kulhanjian Family.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre greets the new year by proudly presenting its 50th world premiere, a new comedy about marriage, intimacy, and electricity from the creators of Eurydice. Celebrated playwright Sarah Ruhl and Obie Award-winning director Les Waters come together again for the debut of In the Next Room (or the vibrator play). Commissioned by Berkeley Rep and staged in the state-of-the-art Roda Theatre, this hotly anticipated play begins previews on January 30, opens February 4, and closes March 15. BART and Wells Fargo serve as season sponsors for Berkeley Rep's 41st year of fearless theatre, and the executive producer for this show is the Strauch Kulhanjian Family.

Columbia Stages presents Big Love, written by Charles L. Mee and directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh, running February 18th - 21st, 2009, at The Riverside Theatre, located in the historic Riverside Church at 91 Claremont Avenue between 120th and 122nd Streets.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre greets the new year by proudly presenting its 50th world premiere, a new comedy about marriage, intimacy, and electricity from the creators of Eurydice. Celebrated playwright Sarah Ruhl and Obie Award-winning director Les Waters come together again for the debut of In the Next Room (or the vibrator play). Commissioned by Berkeley Rep and staged in the state-of-the-art Roda Theatre, this hotly anticipated play begins previews on January 30, opens February 4, and closes March 15. BART and Wells Fargo serve as season sponsors for Berkeley Rep's 41st year of fearless theatre, and the executive producer for this show is the Strauch Kulhanjian Family.

The Lark Play Development Center was one of five theaters selected for the first-ever NEA Distinguished New Play Development Project. Each theater receives $20,000 to support early development activities for a new play which the Lark will be using to implement a national, multi-theater development strategy for Aditi Brennan Kapil's AGNES UNDER THE BIG TOP, A FAIRY TALE.

The Lark Play Development Center was one of five theaters selected for the first-ever NEA Distinguished New Play Development Project. Each theater receives $20,000 to support early development activities for a new play which the Lark will be using to implement a national, multi-theater development strategy for Aditi Brennan Kapil's AGNES UNDER THE BIG TOP, A FAIRY TALE.

Keen Teens, the educational theatre partnership between Off-Broadway's Keen Company and the publishing company Playscripts, Inc. has selected the writers for the program's third season. Liz Flahive, Jason Grote and Cheri Magid have been commissioned to write thirty minute, large cast plays, which will be produced with student actors Off-Broadway in May 2009.

On Sunday October 19th, Marjorie de Hartog and Stella Ferrer, widows of Tony Award-winners Jan de Hartog and José Ferrer, were on hand to toast the opening of Keen Company's revival of The Fourposter.

Keen Company (Artistic Director Carl Forsman, Producer Wayne Kelton) will kick off its 2008-2009 season with a revival of the 1952 Tony Award-winning comedy The Fourposter by Jan de Hartog, directed by Blake Lawrence. Starring Todd Weeks and Jessica Dickey, this production will begin performances on Tuesday, October 7 at The Clurman Theatre / Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues. Opening night is scheduled for Sunday, October 19. The Fourposter will run through November 22.

Today Tony Taccone, artistic director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre, announced additional dates for two solo shows that he staged in Berkeley before launching them on tours across the continent. Danny Hoch's Taking Over had its world premiere at Berkeley Rep in January and hit it big in Montreal this July; next week it starts an All City Tour featuring free performances in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx in addition to previously announced dates in Manhattan and Los Angeles. Moreover, after a record-breaking run in Berkeley last winter, Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking careened through Hartford, San Jose, Santa Fe, and Washington, DC this summer; now it adds Seattle to a list of upcoming destinations that also includes Boston.

Keen Company (Artistic Director Carl Forsman, Producer Wayne Kelton) will kick off its 2008-2009 season with a revival of the 1952 Tony Award-winning comedy The Fourposter by Jan de Hartog, directed by Blake Lawrence. Starring Todd Weeks and Jessica Dickey, this production will begin performances on Tuesday, October 7 at The Clurman Theatre / Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues. Opening night is scheduled for Sunday, October 19. The Fourposter will run through November 22.

South Coast Repertory kicks off the 2008-09 Season with the World Premiere of its first commissioned musical: An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville.