Theatre News Wire

Congo Square Theatre Company is celebrating its 10th season in Chicago with its Legacy Festival. The Legacy Festival showcases 10 of Congo Square's most popular and critically acclaimed plays in staged readings featuring members of the Congo Square Ensemble and special guest performers.  This exciting retrospective will take place during two weekends: Friday, Saturday & Sunday, April 23 - 25, 2010 and Friday, Saturday & Sunday, April 30 - May 2, 2010.  All performances will be held at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, 777 N. Green Street in Chicago.  The public is invited to mingle with cast members during a cocktail reception immediately prior to each performance.  Tickets are free, but a $10 donation is encouraged.  

Following is the play schedule for the Legacy Festival:
Piano Lesson by August Wilson -Friday, April 23, 2010  - 7:30 p.m.
Playboy of the West Indies by Mustapha Matura -    Saturday, April 24, 2010 - 3:00 p.m.
A Soldier’s Play by Charles Fuller  - Saturday, April 24, 2010 - 6:00 p.m.
Spunk by George C. Wolfe - Sunday, April 25, 2010 - 3:00 p.m.
African Company Presents Richard III by Carlyle Brown  - Sunday, April 25, 2010 - 6:00 p.m.
Seven Guitars by August Wilson - Friday, April 30, 2010 - 7:30 p.m.
Stick Fly by Lydia Diamond  - Saturday, May 1, 2010  - 3:00 p.m.
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson  -  Saturday, May 1, 2010   -  6:00 p.m.
The Talented Tenth by Richard Wesley  - Sunday, May 2, 2010 - 3:00 p.m.
Deep Azure by Chadwick Boseman  -  Sunday, May 2, 2010 - 6:00 p.m.

An ensemble that is consistently praised for its artistic merit, Congo Square Theatre Company produces definitive and transformative theatre spawned from the African Diaspora, as well as other world cultures.  Congo Square Theatre Company has garnered numerous awards.  The company's production of Seven Guitars earned three Jeff Awards for Best Production, Direction and Ensemble.  Other recognition includes Chadwick Boseman's Jeff-nominated world premiere of Deep Azure, Javon Johnson's The House That Jack Built and Ali, for which Derrick Sanders, co-founder and former artistic director, received a Black Alliance Theater Award for Direction. The company’s production of The Talented Tenth received two Black Theater Alliance Awards in 2008 for Best Production and Best Performer for ensemble member Ron Conner.

Congo Square is pleased to have so many of its talented ensemble members return for this 10th anniversary celebration.  Daniel Bryant, Aaron Todd Douglas, Ericka Ratcliff, Ann Joseph, Aimee Bryant, Alexis J. Rogers, Ron Conner, Allan Gilmore, TaRon Patton, Anthony Irons, Will Sims, Monifa Sims, Bakesta King and Sam Roberson, artistic associate, will join other actors to present these 10 outstanding plays.