Victory Gardens Biograph Theater

Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago's #1 producer of new work, is ramping things up next season with an ambitious seven play line-up, launching with one of the company's most daring new play development projects in 36 years - the next phase of its Ignition Festival.

Last Spring, 120 new works were submitted from around the U.S. by playwrights of color, under 40 years old, to Victory Gardens' first-ever national new play festival for emerging writers. Six finalists were selected, workshopped and presented as staged readings in an incredibly well received, weeklong festival this past Summer.

Now, two nearly simultaneous world premieres by young writers of increasing national prominence - Year Zero by Michael Golamco, and The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz - will kick off Victory Gardens '2009-2010 season.

Fueling more excitement about Ignition, Victory Gardens will make Year Zero the debut production in its new, 120-seat 2nd floor Studio Theater, currently under construction on the second floor of Chicago's historic Biograph Theater. The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity will be a co-production with Teatro Vista.

Add rotating performance schedules, panel discussions, hot social events like Spark Plug II, a "jewel box" of a new space, and the opportunity to invite producing theaters to visit Chicago for a wider viewing of the playwrights' work promise to make Ignition a new play festival of national interest.

Soon after Ignition, Victory Gardens' smash hit holiday musical The Snow Queen returns for her fourth season, followed in the new year by the Chicago premiere of Blue Door, a Pulitzer-Prize nominated journey through four generations of black history by award-winning playwright and actor Tanya Barfield, a writer new to the Gardens.

Next come three new works from Victory Gardens' own Playwrights Ensemble: the Chicago premiere of Lonnie Carter's acclaimed play The Lost Boys of Sudan, James Sherman's world premiere farce Jacob and Jack, and finally, the debut of A Guide for the Perplexed by Joel Drake Johnson, author of Victory Gardens' 2007 smash hit Four Places. Adding star power to Victory Gardens' season, A Guide for the Perplexed will boast the return to a Chicago stage of acclaimed actor Kevin Anderson. Anderson 's fellow Steppenwolf ensemble member, Francis Guinan, co-stars.

"In many ways this is our most ambitious season ever," said Victory Gardens Artistic Director Dennis Zacek. "It's exciting that we have chosen to present seven projects. We're particularly thrilled to open next season with not just one - but two - of our Ignition finalists, to launch our new Studio Theater, and to have our longtime friend Kevin Anderson join us on stage next season."

Despite the current economy, Victory Gardens is not increasing ticket prices in 2009-2010. "Instead," said new Victory Gardens Executive Director Jan Kallish, "we're cutting costs, seeking new funding and collaborations to support our exciting programmatic initiatives like Ignition, while raising the bar on producing fresh, fully realized productions in our expanded Biograph facility. Additionally, we're incredibly excited about the launch of our new Studio Theater, and the larger opportunities that support our mission."

Five-, six- and seven-play subscriptions are on sale now, starting at $80. Flex Plans, two-year subscriptions, and value added packages including Neighbors Night, Humanities Night, Pub Night, Access Project, and Family Saturday are also available. Convenient parking, easy ticket exchanges, exclusive invitations to special events, a free subscription to Victory Magazine, and plenty of pre- and post-show deals at area bars and restaurants are always part of the Victory Gardens package.

The Victory Gardens Biograph Theater is conveniently located at 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue , in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. For more information, call the Victory Gardens box office, 773- 871-3000 or visit victorygardens.org.