Brand-new plays from six contemporary, diverse voices of the American theater come together for two weekends in Goodman Theatre's 2009 New Stages Series, December 11-20, 2009. The series of script-in-hand staged readings takes place in the Goodman's Owen Theatre and is open to the public. Free tickets for the 2009 New Stages Series can be reserved at the Goodman Box Office (170 N Dearborn St), or by phone at 312-443-3800.

For its seventh year, the New Stages Series includes the newest work by acclaimed playwright, director, actor and Goodman Theatre Artistic Associate Regina Taylor; Pulitzer Prize-winner Nilo Cruz (Anna in the Tropics, 2003); Kia Corthron, whose work has appeared at Manhattan Theatre Club, Mark Taper Forum and Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival of New American Plays; Minneapolis-based playwright Carlyle Brown, whose work has been commissioned by the Goodman, Actors Theatre of Louisville and Arena Stage; Chicago playwright Rohina Malik, known for her work with Teatro Vista, 16th Street Theater, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble and Live Bait Theater; and award-winning playwright Thomas Bradshaw, whose latest play The Bereaved at Wild Project in New York opened to critical and popular acclaim in September.

The Goodman's New Stages Series has provided the first look at nearly 35 new plays, many of which have gone on to receive world-premiere productions at the Goodman, including the 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning Ruined by Lynn Nottage and the upcoming The Long Red Road by Brett C. Leonard (February 13-March 14, 2010). Several others have been produced at theaters across the country, including Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights Horizons, New York's The Public Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, American Theatre Company and Geffen Playhouse.