Theatre News Wire

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, announced its 68th season. The company's 2022/23 season will feature Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson; The Island by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona, directed by Gabrielle Randle-Bent; Caryl Churchill's Fen, directed by Vanessa Stalling; and The Gospel at Colonus, a reimagining of the story of Oedipus, with music by Bob Telson, production by Mark J.P. Hood and Charles Newell

For the 68th season, Court Theatre is thrilled to share a beloved, sharp-witted classic comedy; a drama set in Apartheid-era South Africa that speaks directly to our moment; an award-winning Caryl Churchill play about the lives of women farm laborers in 1970s England; and a celebratory, exuberant musical that re-imagines the story of Oedipus.

"As we emerge from the challenges of the last two years, we want to share plays that take audiences on a journey of healing, redemption, and celebration," says Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director. "From classic comedy to resonant dramas, and culminating in a celebratory musical, it is our hope that the 2022/23 season will both delight and uplift audiences with stories of our shared humanity. "

"The 2022/23 season continues Court's commitment to showcase the diversity of classic theatre and its appeal to a wide variety of audiences. We offer stories of resilience and hope that resonate deeply today," says Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director of Court Theatre. "These works allow us to further our commitment to connect with our surrounding community through engagement and education initiatives relevant to our patrons, students, and neighbors."

The 2022/23 Court Theatre Season up close:

Arsenic and Old Lace
by Joseph Kesselring
Original Broadway Production by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
Directed by Ron OJ Parson
September 2 - October 2, 2022

Mild-mannered sisters Martha and Abby Brewster live in their spacious Victorian home in a quiet neighborhood in Brooklyn with an eccentric nephew, Teddy. Famed for their hospitality, Martha and Abby are adored by their neighbors and frequently entertain guests. But when their other nephew, Mortimer, discovers his aunts' macabre secrets, a hilarious chain of events ensue in this character-driven farce. Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson directs this beloved American classic, bringing much-needed humor and healing laughter to the stage in Court's 2022/23 Season opener.

The Island
by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona
Directed by Gabrielle Randle-Bent
November 11 - December 4, 2022

John and Winston are political prisoners on South Africa's infamous Robben Island, spending their days toiling at grueling, futile tasks in the prison's quarry. At night, they secretly rehearse a two-man version of Antigone and find solace and strength in their burgeoning friendship. The Island is at once a sobering glimpse into the social, physical, and psychological wounds of Apartheid; a lesson in the complex work of liberation; and a testament to the transformative power of theatre. Frequent collaborator Gabrielle Randle-Bent makes her solo directorial debut at Court, bringing her vision of resistance and resilience to the stage.

Fen
by Caryl Churchill
Directed by Vanessa Stalling
Performance Dates: February 10 - March 5, 2023

On the marshy fens of eastern England in the 1980s, ghosts of the past haunt the women who labor as tenant farmers in the potato fields and who lead lives essentially unchanged from their 19th-century forebears. When Val seizes on a new relationship as a path to escape the crushing bonds of work, poverty, and family, she is confronted with the explosive repercussions of her decision. Employing astonishing theatrical imagery, Churchill's Fen shows with grace and sly humor how the intricate pressures of gender and class both shape and distort the characters of women. Jeff Award-winning director Vanessa Stalling (Photograph 51) returns to Court Theatre to bring her striking clarity and fresh perspective to the path-breaking text that won Churchill the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and cemented her reputation as one of our greatest living playwrights.

The Gospel at Colonus
Adaptation and Original Lyrics by Lee Breuer
Adapted Lyrics by Lee Breuer and Bob Telson
Music by Bob Telson
Production by Mark J.P. Hood and Charles Newell
May 12 - June 11, 2023

Soulful and stirring, The Gospel at Colonus reimagines the story of Oedipus as the centerpiece of an African American Pentecostal church service. A redemptive celebration, this one-of-a-kind theatrical event breathes new life into a classic myth with a score of powerful gospel music. A bold collaboration from an extraordinary team of artists led by Mark J.P. Hood and Charles Newell, The Gospel at Colonus builds upon the strengths and experiences of its artists to bring this smash hit to life with new clarity on Chicago's South Side.