Goodman Theatre’s 20th Annual “New Stages” Festival to Run December 11 – 15, 2024
Chicago’s Goodman Theatre recently announced five new works—four developmental plays plus one musical in free public readings—are on tap this December for the 2024 “New Stages” Festival, under Artistic Susan V. Booth and Director of New Works Kat Zukaitis.
Over the past two decades, “New Stages” has offered Chicago audiences a first-look at more than 120 plays—the majority of which have premiered at the Goodman or its peer theaters across the country since 2004. The “New Stages” Festival is made possible by The Joyce Foundation, which provides Major Support for Diverse Artistic and Professional Development.
“It’s exhilarating to meet a play at the beginning of its adventure, when it’s without a pedigree or history to tell us what those before us have felt/thought/experienced, and to have the opportunity to forge meaningful collaboration and dialogue with its creator,” said Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. “I’m proud of the projects that ‘New Stages’ has helped launch along its own two-decade adventure and am continually inspired by our audiences’ enthusiasm and hunger for new work.”
The 20th year for this annual celebration of new-plays-in-process kicks off with a new musical, Broken Eggs (based on Eduardo Machado’s plays Broken Eggs and Fabiola) co-adapted by Machado (Book and Lyrics) and Jacinta Clusellas (Music), directed by Henry Godinez, followed by four new play readings: Ashland Avenue by Lee Kirk, directed by Booth; George Washington’s Mexican Birthday by Dolores Díaz; Rave by Dael Orlandersmith, directed by Neel Keller; and a new English-language adaptation of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Marco Antonio Rodriguez, directed by Wendy Mateo.
In addition, Booth and Zukaitis have invited a number of American theater industry professionals to join for “Industry Weekend,” including special events and opportunities for networking. “I’m thrilled to welcome the emerging and established artists involved in this season’s five ‘New Stages’ readings, and for Chicago to experience a first-look at their unique plays-in-process—works that are inspiring, trenchant, provocative, hilarious and beautiful,” said Zukaitis. “Some of the Goodman’s most exciting creative collaborations over the past 20 years have originated in this festival. We’re proud to share the excitement of this celebration with industry professionals from our peer theaters to see these new plays as they begin their journey.”
Goodman Theatre’s 20th annual “New Stages” Festival appears December 11 – 15, 2024, in the 350-seat Owen Theatre; reservations for free tickets open on November 15 at GoodmanTheatre.org/Festival or by phone at 312.443.3800 (12noon – 5pm, daily). Theater professionals interested in attending Industry Weekend should RSVP by November 25, 2024, at GoodmanTheatre.org/Professionals; for questions, contact Lena Romano (312.553.7253 or [email protected]).
