CHICAGO: Court Theatre has announced its 2017-18 season, featuring six productions.
“From a celebratory musical to a leading American poet, from Arthur Miller’s tragedy of the common man to a stage adaptation of an iconic film and a portrait of a notorious figure in American jurisprudence, Court Theatre welcomes an eclectic and powerful season,” said artistic director Charles Newell in a statement. “We are thrilled to invite a range of celebrated artists from Chicago and beyond to bring these stories to life for our audiences.”
The season will begin with Five Guys Named Moe (Sept. 7-Oct. 8), by Clarke Peters, a musical tribute to the saxophonist and songwriter Louis Jordan. Abdul Hamid Royal will musical direct, and Ron OJ Parson and associate director Felicia P. Fields will co-direct.
Next up will be The Belle of Amherst (Nov. 2-Dec. 3), by William Luce, which offers a glimpse into the complex life of Emily Dickinson. Kate Fry will star, and Sean Graney will direct.
The season will continue with Arthur Miller’s All My Sons (Jan. 11-Feb. 11, 2018), about two business partners whose bitter history is assuaged by the romantic relationship between their son and daughter. Timothy Edward Kane and John Judd will star, and Charles Newell will direct.
Following will be Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (March 15-April 15, 2018), by Todd Kreidler, about a family dinner that goes awry when the daughter of a white upper-class family brings her black boyfriend to meet her parents. The cast will include Jacqueline Williams, and Marti Lyons will direct.
The season will conclude with John Strand’s The Originalist (May 10-June 10, 2018), about a Harvard Law School graduate’s experience working with Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in a clerkship.
In addition to the mainstage lineup, Court Theatre will re-mount the 2014 production of Iphigenia in Aulis at the Getty Villa. The production will feature some members of the original cast, and Newell will direct.
Court Theatre, founded in 1955, aims to expand the canon of translations, adaptations, and classic texts.
