March 11--The new season at the Goodman Theatre, announced Wednesday, includes new plays from Jose Rivera and Rebecca Gilman, revivals of works by Lorraine Hansberry and Thornton Wilder, a new adaptation of an epic Chilean novel from artistic director Robert Falls and Seth Bockley, and a classic musical, directed by Mary Zimmerman.
The 2015-16 subscription season begins in September with Ayad Akhtar's "Disgraced," directed by Kimberly Senior. This play, about a powerful Muslim American lawyer and his tempestuous marriage, was first seen in Chicago at American Theater Company before moving to Broadway. It plays Sept. 12 though Oct. 18.
"Feathers and Teeth," a new work by Charise Castro Smith, will be directed by Henry Godinez in the Owen Theatre from Sept. 19 through Oct. 18.
January will see the commissioned world premiere of "Another Word for Beauty," Rivera's new play set in a female prison in Colombia and directed at the Goodman by Steve Cosson. With music by Hector Buitrago, "Another Word for Beauty" plays the Albert Jan. 16 through Feb. 21.
Thornton Wilder's "The Matchmaker," directed by Henry Wishcamper, follows in the Albert. Probably now best known as the inspiration for the musical "Hello Dolly," "The Matchmaker" plays from March 5 through April 10, 2016.
Another commission, Thomas Bradshaw's "Carlyle," follows in the Owen Theatre, directed by Benjamin Kamine. This world premiere looks at an African-American member of the Republican party and plays April 2 though May 1, 2016.
A revival of Hansberry's rarely produced "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window," the late, great Chicago playwright's final work, will play the Albert Theatre from April 30 through June 5, 2016, directed by Anne Kauffman. And in the Owen from May 21 through June 19, Falls will direct a new work from Gilman, "Soups, Stews, and Casseroles: 1976," a play set in Monroe, Wisc.
And in the summer of 2016 (June 25 through Aug. 7) Zimmerman will direct a revival of "Wonderful Town," the 1953 musical with a score by Leonard Bernstein.
Both "A Christmas Carol" and "Twist Your Dickens" (the collaboration with Second City) return for another year over the holidays, and Albany Park Theatre Project will be back with its annual residency. as will the New Stages festival of developmental works.
Finally, in an off-subscription, expansive, grant-aided project, Falls and Bockley will collaborate on a new adaptation of Roberto Bolano's "2666." "2666" is based on a highly regarded 1,100 page novel, penned by the late Chilean novelist in 2004, about a group of literary critics searching across a broad canvas for a reclusive writer named Archimboldi. It will play the Owen Theatre from Feb. 6 through March 13.
