Theatre News Wire

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is pleased to announce its 7th annual First Look Repertory of New Work - three developmental productions of new plays presented in repertory playing October 26 - November 20, 2011 in The Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 N. Halsted St. The 2011 festival will also include three free readings by emerging playwrights presented November 3 - 5, 2011. Tickets for First Look Repertory of New Work go on sale Friday, August 19, 2011 at 11 am as well as reservations for the free readings.

Steppenwolf also announces the continuation of First Look 101, a unique two-month experience from September 24 - November 13, 2011 that takes enrolled participants on a backstage journey through all aspects of the new play development process - from the first rehearsal to the final performance. The program is open to anyone interested in the process of creating new plays. Tickets for First Look 101 go on sale to the public Friday, July 15, 2011 with a special pre-sale for previous First Look 101 participants beginning Friday, July 1, 2011.

First Look 2011 Productions:

Man in Love
A new play by Christina Anderson
Directed by Robert O'Hara
Wednesday, October 26 - November 20, 2011

1936. A metropolis divided by segregation and struck by economic turmoil. Rent parties rage above, while men hungry for work and love roam the streets. In this concrete jungle, a series of black female bodies turn up and a pattern emerges. Reactions vary across the city - hot-tempered ex-con Walker remains oblivious; Darlynn is anxious, but then again, she's always anxious; and her neighbor Paul Pare Jr., a young, charming black man stays cool. Man in Love examines a world of quiet desperation in hard times, where a criminal and his victims can get lost in the crowd.

Christina Anderson's plays include Hollow Roots, pen/man/ship, Sweet Brown Ginger, Glo, BlackTop Sky, Inked Baby and DRIP. Her work has appeared at A.C.T., Penumbra Theater, About Face Theatre, Playwrights' Horizons, Crowded Fire, Ars Nova and others.

Want
A new play by Zayd Dohrn
Directed by Kimberly Senior
Thursday, October 27 - November 20, 2011

A group of former junkies and sex addicts gather in a California beach flophouse to overcome their desires with an aggressive dose of "tough love" group therapy. When a strange young woman shows up on their doorstep, their sobriety, celibacy and faith in each other are all put to the test. The denizens of Zayd Dohrn's Want follow a new age approach which begs the question: cure or cult?

Zayd Dohrn is a playwright and screenwriter. His plays, including Sick, Magic Forest Farm, Reborning and Outside People, have been produced and developed across the country, including Manhattan Theatre Club, Berkshire Theatre Festival, MCC, Marin Theatre Company, The Public (SPF), Naked Angels, South Coast Rep, The Vineyard, Southern Rep, Kitchen Dog, The Lark, New York Theatre Workshop and San Francisco Playhouse.

Oblivion
A new play by Carly Mensch
Directed by Matt Miller
Friday, October 28 - November 20, 2011

Uber-hip Brooklynites Pam and Dixon take great pride in their progressive approach to parenting. But when their 17-year-old daughter, Julie, repeatedly lies about where she spent the weekend, their cool, high-brow façade crashes and burns. Carly Mensch's Oblivion takes a wry look at Nietzsche, famed film critic Pauline Kael and what it means to fight for the things you love.

Carly Mensch is currently a story editor on the Showtime series Weeds. Other plays include Now Circa Then, All Hail Hurricane Gordo and Len, Asleep in Vinyl. She has developed work at The Kennedy Center, Marin Theatre Company, New York Stage & Film, Center Theatre Group and Ars Nova, where she was the 2008 Playwright-in-Residence, as well as a founding member of Play Group.

The production team for First Look 2011 includes Chelsea Warren (sets), Myron Elliott (costumes, Oblivion), David Hyman (costumes, Man in Love) Crystal Jovae Mazur (costumes, Want) J.R. Lederle (lights) and Miles Polaski (sound). Additional credits include: Erica Daniels (casting), Cassie Wolgamott (lead stage manager) and Jonathan Nook & Tess Lauchaire (stage managers).