FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NORTHLIGHT THEATRE PRESENTS

FREE INTERPLAY READING OF

MERCY

BY FELICIA ODUH

DIRECTED BY HARRY J. LENNIX
FEATURING SHANESIA DAVIS, DIZZIE HARRIS, SHAMS EUGENE MONTEIRO, DWAIN A. PERRY, AND KELSEY SCOTT

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents an Interplay reading of Mercy, written by Felicia Oduh and directed by Harry Lennix. The virtual reading of Mercy will be presented via livestream on Sunday, December 13 (time TBA)

Catch a glimpse of this new drama while still in the development process. The reading premiere of Mercy will be followed by a live Q&A with the playwright and director. A recording will be available for 96 hours following the premiere. This event is FREE with a suggested donation, but registration is required to receive a viewing link. To sign-up, or for additional details, please visit https://northlight.org/events/interplay-mercy/.

This benefit reading is a part of Northlight’s Interplay New Play Development program, providing customized support for new work in the critical stages of early play development.

BJ Jones comments, “We are delighted to collaborate with Harry Lennix once again, this time on Felicia Oduh’s touching play Mercy. Northlight is dedicated to developing new work and new voices and Northwestern graduate Felicia Oduh is a gifted young playwright and actress who has something to say. In the same vein as Selina Fillinger, who wrote the Jeff nominated play Faceless and who also came from Northwestern, we are excited to discover and offer opportunity to fresh voices. And Harry Lennix is a gifted actor and director whose generosity and mentorship is inspiring and selfless. We are grateful for his continued relationship with Northlight and his contribution to our work.”

When Eric was leaving for college, he thought he and his friends had the world at their fingertips—until he was convicted of a crime he did not commit. Now, after 18 years away, Eric is finally home. And his mother is throwing him a party, whether he’s ready to celebrate or not. In Felicia Oduh’s new drama, one man struggles to reclaim the life he lost, while his family attempts to heal an age-old fracture.

Mercy features Shanesia Davis (Virginia), Dizzie Harris (Regina), Shams Eugene Monteiro (Eric), Dwain A. Perry (Julian), Kelsey Scott (Ariel). Stage directions will be read by Liana Runcie.

The artistic and production team includes Felicia Oduh (Playwright), Harry J. Lennix (Director), Sophia Danielle-Grenier (Zoom Coordinator), and Leean Kim Torske (Dramaturg).

The Interplay New Play Development Program is supported in part by The Sullivan Family Foundation.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Felicia Oduh (Playwright) is a Nigerian-American, Chicago-based playwright and actor whose work focuses on Black womanhood, identity formation, and underrepresented narratives across the diaspora. Her works include Mercy and Expecting, which received workshopped readings with Vertigo Productions, and Micro, which received a staged reading with Black Lives, Black Words. As an actor, Felicia has performed in several Northwestern University mainstage productions, and she currently holds a leading role in the new comedic web series How to Love. Felicia is a recent graduate of Northwestern where she studied playwriting, acting for the screen, and majored in theatre.

Harry J. Lennix (Director) is a renowned film, television and stage actor from Chicago’s Southside. He attended Quigley Seminary high school and began his professional acting career while a scholarship student at Northwestern University. He maintained his professional career while teaching fulltime in the Chicago Public Schools.

His prolific career includes films: Man of Steel, Ray (for which he earned a SAG Award nomination), The Matrix sequels, Barbershop 2, Love and Basketball, The Human Stain and State of Play; and television: NBC’s The Blacklist, ABC’s Commander in Chief, the FOX hit series 24, as well as ER, Diagnosis Murder and Dollhouse. Harry has appeared in stage productions across the country, including Northlight Theatre’s Permanent Collection in 2005. In 2001 he was part of the first American company to be invited to the Royal Shakespeare Company, and he made his Broadway debut in 2007 as the central figure in August Wilson’s Radio Golf, which was nominated for a Tony Award.

In addition to his accomplishments as an actor, Harry works to promote social change as evidenced by his founding of Exponent Media Group (EMG), a film production company dedicated to high quality films about the African American experience. Projects include H4, a reimagination of Shakespeare’s Henry IV translated into 21st century urban Los Angeles; Troubled Waters, chronicling the journey of a stand-up comedian inspired by Richard Pryor; and the gospel concert movie Revival. He has generously lent his time and voice to the National Association of Drug Court Professionals PSA campaign and met with many Congressional leaders to advocate for Drug Courts, for which he was the recipient of a 2011 NADCP Ambassador Award. He is a frequent speaker at colleges and universities on the importance of activism and advocacy as an African American actor. A long-standing member of Northlight Theatre’s Advisory Council, Harry also holds board or advisory positions with The Goodman Theatre, Northwestern University, Congo Square Theater, and The Robey Theater (LA).

ABOUT INTERPLAY

Since its inception in 2006, Northlight’s Interplay Program has invested in provocative new works by American and international playwrights, providing customized support in the critical stages of early play development.

Through Interplay, Northlight seeks to serve the specific needs of the play and can provide playwright commissions, workshops with actors, and private or public readings. The public reading series is an instrumental part of the Interplay program, providing audiences the opportunity to participate in a part of the evolutionary process from initial idea to full theatrical production, including first-hand insight from the playwright. Also through the reading series, the playwright has the opportunity to hear audience response that is integral to shaping the play for full production.

As of 2020, Interplay has provided support for 40 new plays, 33 of which have gone on to full productions – some at Northlight and others around the country, including the Goodman Theatre, the Humana Festival, TheatreWorks, and off-Broadway. Four plays have continued on to acclaim at Ireland’s famed Galway International Arts Festival.

That staggering success rate has established Interplay as a valuable incubator for new work in the American theatre, and has helped cement Northlight’s national reputation as an important contributor to the American theatrical canon.

Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community.

Founded in 1974, the organization has mounted over 220 productions, including more than 40 world premieres. Northlight has earned 208 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 36 Awards, as well as ten Edgerton Foundation for New Play Awards. As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.

Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from Allstate Insurance; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; BMO Harris Bank; Bulley and Andrews; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; ComEd, An Exelon Company; The Davee Foundation; Evanston Arts Council; Evanston Community Foundation; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; John R. Halligan Fund; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Illinois Humanities; Katten Muchin Roseman LLP; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; Margaret and Paul Lurie; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Jackie Mack and More; Colonel Stanley R. McNeil Foundation; Modestus Bauer Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Niles Township; NorthShore University HealthSystems; Northwestern University; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; PNC Bank; Polsinelli; Ralla Klepak Trust for the Performing Arts; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; Dr. Scholl Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; Skokie Community Foundation; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; and Tom Stringer Design Partners.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Court Theatre and the Experimental Performance Initiative at the University of Chicago Launch

“For You’s Artists & Elders: “A Bridge, A Gift” Project
with Online Event December 10″

Chicago, IL – Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, presents a virtual presentation, Artists & Elders: A Bridge, A Gift, on December 10, 2020 at 7pm CST to mark the culmination of their collaboration with the Experimental Performance Initiative and For You. After Court Theatre’s production of The Lady from the Sea closed due to COVID-19, Court teamed up with the Experimental Performance Initiative, Lady from the Sea choreographer Erika Chong Shuch and her colleagues from For You to connect ten artists with ten elders in Chicago. Drawing on dramaturgy from director Shana Cooper’s vision for the play, these artists looked for beacons of hope in their connections with strangers. As a form of creative mutual aid, this project offered artists and elders the chance to connect while sheltering in place, create an artistic exchange in the spirit of gift-giving and inspire new forms of distant socializing.

Thinking about this project, Artistic Director Charles Newell shares, “I’m thrilled that Court’s canceled production of Ibsen’s The Lady from the Sea has found new life as the inspiration behind such a dynamic partnership. Together with For You, Hyde Park Arts Center, and the Experimental Performance Initiative, Court has been able to spark meaningful artistic experiences in the lives of others.”

For You’s Erika Chong Shuch reflects, “We are all finding new ways to make art, connection, and meaning. The many complexities of 2020 have asked us to reconsider what building community looks like, to rethink impact, and to reimagine how we might move forward with renewed purpose. We’re grateful that Court and eXp have invited For You into their respective families as we all consider how our field’s future will unfold. The artists & elders that we’ve met through this collaboration have energized and delighted us and one another. We hope this is only the beginning.”

Court’s Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre adds, “As a form of creative mutual aid, Artists & Elders: A Bridge, A Gift illustrates the power all artforms have to brighten the lives of others. For artists and neighbors alike, this virtual program offered connection and hope during a difficult year for all.”

Speakers at the online event will offer insight and stories from their time collaborating on Artists & Elders. Featured speakers and topics include Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson discussing his work expanding community engagement at Court; Sarah Curran on the Experimental Performance Initiative at University of Chicago; Ryan Tacata and Rowena Richie from For You; Shana Cooper on how artists are shifting roles to meet the current moment; and several participants reflecting on their creative process.

The works created during Artists & Elders: A Bridge, A Gift can be viewed in a digital gallery at http://www.CourtTheatre.org/ABridgeAGift

To register for the free event on December 10 at 7pm CST, visit http://www.CourtTheatre.org.

Participants in Artists & Elders: A Bridge, A Gift include Sheldon D. Brown, Brenda Butler, Melissa DuPrey, Gina Freed , Benjamin Lamar Gay, Delia Gray, Karen Hirsch, Vanissa James, Mark Jeffrey, Emily Hooper Lansana, Sarah Lauzen, Efé McWorter, Michael Pogue, Kelvin Roston Jr., Darling Shear, Kelli Simpkins, Shaila Small, Christopher “Mad Dog” Thomas, Sophia Watson, and Larry Wolf.

Court Theatre is the professional theatre of the University of Chicago, dedicated to innovation, inquiry, intellectual engagement, and community service. Court endeavors to make a lasting contribution to classic American theatre by expanding the canon of translations, adaptations, and classic texts. The theatre revives lost masterpieces; illuminates familiar texts; explores the African American theatrical canon; and discovers fresh, modern classics. Court engages and inspires its audience by providing artistically distinguished productions, audience enrichment activities, and student educational experiences. In all of this work, we are committed to recognizing, addressing, and eradicating racism, as we strive to better serve our South Side community.

For You is a dedicated practice of performance making initiated by Erika Chong Shuch, Rowena Richie, and Ryan Tacata in 2016. For You brings strangers together for shared, intimate encounters and considers performance making as gift giving. As a response to worldwide shelter-in-place ordinances due to COVID-19, and with awareness that many elders are at risk in terms of infection and the compounding hardships of isolation, For You launched Artists & Elders, a project that brings artists and elders together for creative exchange. For more information on For You and Artists & Elders, visit: http://www.foryou.productions/artistsandelders

The Experimental Performance Initiative (eXp) at the University of Chicago brings together artists and scholars from disparate disciplines to probe histories, experiment with forms, and catalyze transformative practices. eXp at UChicago supports the research, creation, and presentation of work in which exploration, experimentation and expression form part of a dynamic and unpredictable process, one that aligns with the University’s fundamental commitments to complex thought and compelling invention.



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Lookingglass Theatre Company presents the holiday stream of Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman’s The Steadfast Tin Soldier.

Experience Chicago’s beloved holiday tradition with your family this holiday season, as the production streams into your home this December! Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story about a little tin soldier who never gives up, this production is a gorgeous spectacle of music and movement that is perfect for the whole family.

An Opening Night Livestream will take place December 1, 2020 at 6:30PM Central. Opening night includes a pre-show event with live music hosted by Ensemble Member Kasey Foster, who plays the Ballerina in The Steadfast Tin Soldier. Following the show, Artistic Producer Kareem Bandealy will host a Q&A with Adaptor/Director and Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman, Co-Sound Designer, Composer and Ensemble Member Andre Pluess, and Costume Designer Ana Kuzmanic.

The cast of The Steadfast Tin Soldier features Ensemble Members Kasey Foster (Ballerina) and Anthony Irons (Goblin), with Joe Dempsey (Nursemaid), John Gregorio (Rat), and Alex Stein (Steadfast Tin Soldier).

Original music for The Steadfast Tin Soldier is composed by Ensemble Member Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert. Musicians include Leandro López Várady (Music Director/Piano), Greg Hirte (Violin), Juan Horie (Cello), and Constance Volk (Flutes).

The creative team includes Todd Rosenthal (scenic design), Ana Kuzmanic (costume design), TJ Gerckens (lighting design), Ensemble Member Andre Pluess and Christopher M. LaPorte (sound design), Leandro López Várady (associate arranger), Ensemble Member Tracy Walsh (choreography), Ensemble Member Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi (circus choreography), Chicago Puppet Studio (puppet design), Amanda Herrmann (properties),Rigability Inc. (rigging design), Katrina Herrmann (stage manager) and Liz Anne Larsen (assistant stage manager). The production was filmed in 2019 by HMS Media.

Direct link to RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScC_ftrs0VgKEj3YntNw65iZhmorzL1mSxaAivmYO7lBdIdtg/viewform