Actor William L. Petersen (TV's "CSI") will return to VGT in the coming season (in a to-be-announced project), as will the popular holiday musical by Michael Smith and Frank Galati, The Snow Queen (Nov. 28-Dec. 28), in its third annual run. The season's non-ensemble writer will be Sarah Ruhl, whose Eurydice will launch the slate (Oct. 3-Nov. 9). VGT associate artistic director Sandy Shinner will direct.
The world premieres — the meat and potatoes of the not-for-profit company run by artistic director Dennis Zacek — are by VGT Playwrights Ensemble members Gloria Bond Clunie and Jeffrey Sweet.
Living Green by Clunie (author of Shoes and North Star) is "a timely drama about an upper middle class black family considering a move back to the 'old neighborhood.'" It's billed as "a modern-day homage to A Raisin in the Sun…that asks, 'What happened to our families as we 'moved up' and fled the black communities that once nurtured us?'" It will play Jan. 23-March 1, 2009. VGT resident director Andrea J. Dymond will direct.
Class Dismissed by Sweet (Flyovers, The Value of Names), directed by Zacek, is "a comedic drama set in the free-spirited 1960s about youth and living with the consequences of how you spend it." It will play March 20-April 26, 2009.
Aditi Brennan Kapil's Love Person will make its Chicago debut May 15-June 14, 2009. "One of the hottest new plays among regional theatres devoted to new work, this intriguing love story, performed in English, Sanskrit, American Sign Language and projected e-mail, explores language as a portal and barrier to human connection," according to VGT. Shinner will direct. Closing Victory Gardens' 35th season is Petersen, returning to the theatre where he earned his Equity card, to star in a new project to be announced, directed by Zacek, July 3-Aug. 9, 2009.
Zacek said in a statement, "Collectively, next season's productions do what new plays do best — explore the hot-button issues on our minds right now. Responsibility to one's community, language and communication, love and loss, and class divisions in the U.S. are just a few of the topics that will be artfully investigated on our stage next season."
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