July 13--The Gift Theatre has announced its 2016 season, which includes a production of William Shakespeare's "Richard III," to be presented in the Garage Theatre at Steppenwolf with the Gift artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton in the starring role.
A production of "Richard III" with Thornton had been slated for the Next Theatre in Evanston, but was cancelled when that theater company went out of business. The planned show, directed by Jessica Thebus, will now be seen beginning in March.
Other major productions on the Gift slate include John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" in the Frank Galati adaptation, directed by Erica Weiss and slated to open at the Gift in June of next year.
In October, John Gawlik will direct the world premiere of "A Life Extra Ordinary," a new play by Melissa Ross about an expectant mother who vanishes from a small Ohio town on Christmas Eve.
Gift Theatre's home is at 4802 N. Milwaukee Avenue in the Chicago neighborhood of Jefferson Park.
