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Director Kate Whoriskey returns to the Goodman Theatre October 14th to helm the world premiere production of Noah Haidle’s Vigils, which Chicago audiences first witnessed as a staged reading in the Goodman’s 2005 New Stages series devoted to new plays. A prolific young writer who has been produced at some of the nation’s leading theaters, Haidle places unconventional characters in often awkward situations to explore themes of desire, grief and humor in modern life. The cast of this fantastical new play about love, death and acceptance includes Johanna Day (Tony Award-nominee for Proof), Marc Grapey, Steve Key and Coburn Goss.
“I was impressed by Noah Haidle’s imaginative, provocative Mr. Marmalade off-Broadway last year, and am pleased to give Chicago audiences the first glimpse of what’s next from this fresh new voice in American theater,” said Artistic Director Robert Falls. “I’m thrilled to pair Noah with Goodman favorite Kate Whoriskey; I know their collaboration will be delightfully simpatico.”
Two years after a fireman died trying to save a baby from a burning home, his widow is clinging to the past—literally. She has trapped her husband’s soul in a box, and his body is wandering around aimlessly, ricocheting from one memory to the next, as body and soul try to come to terms with their actions during his life. When a handsome wooer arrives on the scene, the widow must decide between the past she knows and a future that she can only imagine.
Playwright Noah Haidle graduated from Princeton University in 2001 and from The Juilliard School in 2004 where he was a Lila Acheson Wallace playwright-in-residence. His play Mr. Marmalade was produced last season by Roundabout Theatre Company after premiering at South Coast Repertory. Other plays include Princess Marjorie, commissioned and produced by South Coast Repertory, and Rag and Bone, which premiered at Long Wharf Theatre. His work has also been seen at Arielle Tepper’s Summer Play Festival. Haidle is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan. “I am honored to have my work produced at the Goodman in Chicago and thrilled to work with Kate for the first time,” said Haidle. “To have a director with such remarkable visual creativity and complex imagination is a gift for a new play.”
Director Kate Whoriskey returns to the Goodman where she previously directed the world premiere of Regina Taylor’s Drowning Crow as well as The Rose Tattoo and Heartbreak House. Directing credits include Massacre for Labyrinth Theatre Company; the world premiere of Fabulation, Or the Re-Education of Undine at Playwrights Horizons; The Tempest at Shakespeare Theatre Company; the world premiere of Intimate Apparel, as well as The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Antigone, and The Clean House at South Coast Repertory; The Master Builder at American Repertory Theatre; and Blue/Orange, Lady from the Sea and The Chairs at Intiman. She has also directed at Sundance Theatre Lab, Center Stage in Baltimore, Perseverance Theatre, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Geva Theatre and Bard Summerscape. A graduate of New York University and the ART Institute at Harvard, Whoriskey has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts/Theatre Communications Group programs and has acted as a visiting professor at University of California Davis. She is currently a visiting lecturer at Princeton University.
Johanna Day (Widow) makes her Goodman Theatre debut. She received a 2001 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance as Claire in Proof. She appeared in the world premiere of Edward Albee’s Peter and Jerry at Hartford Stage. Other credits include Satellites at the Public Theatre; The Rainmaker, An American Daughter and Anthems: Culture Clash in D.C. at Arena Stage; Helen at New York Shakespeare Festival; How I Learned to Drive at Mark Taper Forum and The Country Club at Long Wharf Theatre. Coburn Goss (Wooer) also makes his Goodman Theatre debut in Vigils. His Chicago credits include Seagull at Writers’ Theatre; Absolution and The Royal Family at Steppenwolf; and A Whistle in the Dark and Journey’s End at Seanachai Theatre Company. He appeared in the world premiere of The Last True Believer at Seattle Repertory Theatre. Marc Grapey (Soul) last appeared at the Goodman in Robert Falls’ world premiere staging of Griller by Eric Bogosian. He made his Broadway debut last year in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple. In Chicago, he has appeared at Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Second City and Famous Door. His television work includes Sex and the City. Steve Key (Body) returns to the Goodman where most recently he appeared in The Zoo Story. He also appeared at the Goodman and off-Broadway in Robert Falls’ world premiere production of Blue Surge by Rebecca Gilman. His Chicago credits include Talk Radio, All My Sons, A View From The Bridge (Jeff citation), Coyote On A Fence (Jeff citation), all at Shattered Globe Theatre; The Libertine and As I Lay Dying at Steppenwolf; and Hushabye Mountain and Mann ist Mann at Famous Door.