The free series of script-in-hand staged readings takes place in the Goodman's Owen Theatre and is open to the public. Tickets are free, but reservations are required at (312) 443-3800.

Now in its sixth year, the Goodman's New Stages Series has provided the first look at nearly 30 new plays, many of which have gone on to receive world-premiere productions at the Goodman — including the upcoming Ruined by Lynn Nottage (Nov. 8-Dec. 7 in Chicago, followed by a run at New York City's Manhattan Theatre Club) and Ghostwritten by Naomi Iizuka (April 4–May 3, 2009, in Chicago) and last season's The Ballad of Emmett Till by Ifa Bayeza and Gas for Less by Brett Neveu).

2008 New Stages Series

Pa's Hat: A Liberian Legacy by Cori Thomas, directed by Chuck Smith, Sept. 12 at 7 PM "Civil unrest, national heritage and family responsibility converge in this one-act drama that follows an elderly former ambassador and his daughter as they are abducted by a child soldier in war-torn Liberia."

Safe House by Keith Josef Adkins, directed by Hallie Gordon, Sept. 13 at 7 PM. "A family of color, free since their great-grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War, cannot resist the temptation to help a young woman escape from slavery along the Underground Railroad. In the great American tradition of historical romance, two brothers compete for their birthright of freedom." Household Spirits by Mia McCullough, directed by Meghan Beals McCarthy, Sept. 14 at 7 PM. "It's Christmas Eve in Westchester County and Philip, an entertainment lawyer, and Evelyn, his new wife and agent to the stars, are preparing for a party. Unfortunately, Philip has recently revealed that he's an alcoholic, and the couple's teenage children are conspiring to complicate Evelyn's perfect soirée. In this bitingly funny and unexpectedly thoughtful new play, Chicago playwright Mia McCullough grapples with the complicated nature of family and inheritance."

Without by Sean Graney, Sept. 19 at 7 PM. "In the back room of a space-themed bar, Rocketman and White White meet for the first time in 15 years. White White has something she needs Rocketman to do — but does he have what it takes to do it? Chicago writer/director Sean Graney (The Hypocrites) pens a devastating look at responsibility and regret."

Marie Antoinette by David Adjmi, directed by Jackson Gay, Sept. 20 at 7 PM. "How's a queen to keep her head in the middle of a revolution? A satirical, irreverent portrait of the famous queen and her downfall, this vividly rendered study of celebrity, power and privilege is painted in sad, funny and surrealistic strokes."

The Long Red Road by Brett C. Leonard, Sept. 21 at 7 PM. "A devastating new play about the impact of addiction, The Long Red Road introduces Sammy, who has fled his past and landed in South Dakota where he is slowly drinking himself to death. When his young daughter arrives desperate to reunite with her father, Sammy must decide between the self-hatred that consumes him and the responsibilities he has tried to leave behind."

For more information visit goodmantheatre.org.

Goodman is led by artistic director Robert Falls and executive director Roche Schulfer.