( Chicago, IL ) Goodman Theatre announces the casting and creative teams for its 2019/2020 "Theater That Moves" Season openers. The season kicks-off September 6 in the Owen Theatre with the world premiere of Lucas Hnath's Dana H., adapted from interviews with Dana Higginbotham conducted by Steve Cosson and directed by Les Waters. A co-production with Center Theatre Group, Dana H. stars Deirdre O'Connellin the title role recounting the harrowing true story of Dana's five-month abduction told in her own words and reconstructed for the stage by her son and playwright Hnath. The Albert season begins September 14 with the Chicago premiere of Bernhardt/Hamlet, Theresa Rebeck's Broadway comedy "so clever it uplifts, so timely it hurts" ( The New York Times ) about legendary actor Sarah Bernhardt's decision to assume the title role of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Directed by Donna Feore, the 14-member cast is led by Terri McMahon as legendary actor Sarah Bernhardt; a full cast list follows. Tickets ( $15-45; subject to change ) for Dana H. are now on sale and tickets ( $25-80; subject to change ) for Bernhardt/Hamlet go on sale July 26 at GoodmanTheatre.org . Memberships, including flexible packages, are now available for purchase. Five-play Albert Theatre packages start at just $100. Call 312.443.3800 orGoodmanTheatre.org/1920season. Single tickets will be available for select productions beginning in August.
The Goodman's Season Opening Celebration featuring the opening night performance of Bernhardt/Hamlet takes place on September 23. Tickets start at $500 and include pre-show cocktails and dinner at the Langham Chicago, followed by the 8pm performance; visit GoodmanTheatre.org/seasonopening to purchase tickets. Elaine R. Leavenworth is the Season Opening Chair and Elizabeth A. Raymond is the Corporate Chair. Proceeds from the event support the Goodman's productions and education and engagement programs.
Abbott Fund is the Major Production Sponsor, American Airlines is the Major Corporate Sponsor and Mayer Brown is the Corporate Sponsor Partner for Bernhardt/Hamlet.
ABOUT THE CASTS AND CREATIVE TEAMS
Dana H.
By Lucas Hnath
Directed by Les Waters
A Co-Production with Center Theatre Group
September 6 — October 6, 2019 in the Owen
Dana was a chaplain of a psych ward where she met a charismatic patient, an ex-convict searching for redemption. A harrowing true story, Dana was held captive with her life in this man's hands—trapped in a series of Florida motels, disoriented and terrified—for five months. Told in Dana's own words and reconstructed for the stage by her son Lucas Hnath ( A Doll's House, Part 2, The Christians ), "one of the freshest playwriting voices to emerge in the past five years" ( The New York Times ), this innovative work shatters the boundaries of the art form and our understanding of good and evil.
Deirdre O'Connell…..Dana Higginbotham
The creative team includes Andrew Boyce ( Set ), Janice Pytel ( Costumes ), Paul Toben ( Lights and Supertitle Design ), Mikhail Fiksel ( Sound ) and Steve Cuiffo( Illusion and Lip Sync Consultant ).
Bernhardt/Hamlet
By Theresa Rebeck
Directed by Donna Feore
September 14 — October 20, 2019 in the Albert
In 1899, legendary leading lady Sarah Bernhardt's decision to assume the title role of Shakespeare's Hamlet left critics and patriarchs aghast and indignant. Laced with forbidden romance and backstage gossip, this behind-the-scenes look at Bernhardt's most ambitious role is a "dynamic character study" ( Variety ) of one of the most famous actresses—and infamous divas—in the world.
Nate Cheeseman………..Raoul
Thomas J. Cox………….Ensemble
Amira Danan…………….Ensemble
William Dick………..........Louis
Amanda Drinkall……......Lysette
Volen Iliev……….............Ensemble
Park Krausen……….......Ensemble
Jennifer Latimore……....Rosamond Gerard
Gregory Linington……...Alphonse Mucha
Terri McMahon…………..Sarah Bernhardt
Luigi Sottile………….......Maurice Bernhardt
John Tufts……………......Edmond Rostand
Travis Turner……….........Francois
Larry Yando……………...Constant Coquelin
The creative team includes Narelle Sissons ( Set ), Dana Osborne ( Costumes ), Robert Wierzel ( Lights ) and Joanna Lynne Staub ( Sound ).
About Goodman Theatre
AMERICA'S "BEST REGIONAL THEATRE" ( Time magazine ), Goodman Theatre is a premier not-for-profit organization distinguished by the excellence and scope of its artistic programming and civic engagement. Led by Artistic Director Robert Falls and Executive Director Roche Schulfer, the theater's artistic priorities include new play development ( more than 150 world or American premieres ), large scale musical theater works and reimagined classics ( celebrated revivals include Falls' productions of Death of a Salesman and The Iceman Cometh ). Goodman Theatre artists and productions have earned two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards, over 160 Jeff Awards and many more accolades. In addition, the Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson's "American Century Cycle;" and its annual holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, which recently marked its 41st production, has created a new generation of theatergoers. The Goodman also frequently serves as a production partner with local off-Loop theaters and national and international companies by providing financial support or physical space for a variety of artistic endeavors.
Committed to three core values of Quality, Diversity and Community, the Goodman proactively makes inclusion the fabric of the institution and develops education and community engagement programs that support arts as education. This practice uses the process of artistic creation to inspire and empower youth, lifelong learners and audiences to find and/or enhance their voices, stories and abilities. The Goodman's Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is the home of such programming, most offered free of charge, and has vastly expanded the theater's ability to touch the lives of Chicagoland citizens ( with 85% of youth participants coming from underserved communities ) since its 2016 opening.
Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago's cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family's legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth's family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation of the new Goodman center in 2000.
Today, Goodman Theatre leadership also includes the distinguished members of the Artistic Collective: Brian Dennehy, Rebecca Gilman, Henry Godinez, Dael Orlandersmith, Steve Scott, Kimberly Senior, Chuck Smith, Regina Taylor, Henry Wishcamper and Mary Zimmerman. David W. Fox, Jr. is Chairman of Goodman Theatre's Board of Trustees, Denise Stefan Ginascol is Women's Board President and Megan McCarthy Hayes is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.
—From a press release
