Displaying items by tag: The Alice

About Face Theatre announces the return of Re/Generation Studio, a weekend of community building, education, and performance to help build the future of queer theater. Re/Generation Studio will be held March 28-30, 2025, with free events at The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St and About Face Theatre HQ, 1922 W. Irving Park Rd.

All events and workshops are free and open to the public. Re/Generation Studio is recommended for ages 12 and older. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance at aboutfacetheatre.com/regeneration/, or in-person at the events. Early registration is encouraged to help About Face prepare space and food, and some events may reach capacity. See individual event listings below for more details.

Re/Generation Studio 2025 is a powerful expression of the About Face mission to advance LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance. Through a dynamic series of events, attendees can participate in new play development, dreaming and planning sessions, a wellness circle, intentional meetups and discussions, and other opportunities to connect and learn. 

"Re/Generation Studio was born out of vulnerable, passionate, and hopeful exchanges in the Fall of 2021. The pilot year was organized around a series of Saturday afternoon play readings. One of those plays, Lavender Men, was so well received we decided to move it forward into full production in our 22-23 season. The second time around, the Re/Gen schedule was expanded into a festival format adding workshops and intentional community gatherings. One of the devising sessions led to a new model for developing work and that has been a major focus of our current season. Building on this remarkable trajectory, we are thrilled to introduce our third round of Re/Gen Studio with special thanks to our generous colleagues at The Goodman," comments Artistic Director Megan Carney. "At About Face we are dedicated to ongoing evolution for the field and our culture. Re/Generation Studio is one of those bright spots in our theatre ecology."

About Face first premiered Re/Generation Studio in February 2023. It was envisioned as a space for reconnecting and re-imagining after the social and creative isolation of the pandemic. The first iteration of Re/Generation Studio included five play readings and workshops, featuring a wide variety of playwrights, directors, actors, and audience members. The overwhelmingly positive response to these workshops proved that Chicago's creative communities are eager for a chance to rebuild community bonds and engage in collective dreaming and creating.

The current Re/Generation Studio 2025 schedule follows. Additional events will be announced soon.

New Play Reading Workshop: Phases of the Moon

Written by Bryna Turner

Directed by Keira Fromm

Friday, March 28 at 6:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Before she mastered the art of losing, the poet Elizabeth Bishop was a socialist vegetarian in a peacoat at Vassar College during the Great Depression. Following "Bishie" and her friends over a single lunar cycle during their senior year, Phases of the Moon begins with a ceremony gone awry and asks what's real under all the pretending.

Creative Sound Play for All

A Music and Wellness Workshop with Zahra Baker and Dionne Addai

Saturday, March 29, 2:00pm-2:45pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Join us for a 45-minute workshop on practicing how to use your voice amidst community. We'll experiment with sounds and learn about the ways that sounds and reverberation can be used for self-soothing and regulation. All ages and experience levels are invited to engage in this workshop and wellness circle.

New Play Reading Workshop: Untitled Queer Romance or The Subject of You

Written by Michael Turrentine

Directed by Catherine Miller

Saturday, March 29 at 3:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Matthew and Pat have met, gone on a few dates, and are awkwardly adorable. Autumn and Talia have been together for years and still have a spark about them. Lyle and Deja are about to embark on a journey neither are ready for. However, while we see Matthew and Pat in the midst of starting their relationship, Autumn and Talia are going from their ending to their beginning. "Untitled Queer Romance" is an exploration of how and why we connect, what differences we choose to highlight over our similarities, and makes us ask the question "Why are we here, together?"

Town Hall for Theater Directors and Makers: What do we need now?

Saturday, March 29, 5:00pm-6:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

As our producing landscape evolves and career development paths can feel murky, what support and opportunities do we need in order to grow in our craft? What kinds of community and institutional support would help? Directors and theatre artists of ALL experience levels are welcome − whether you've been directing and creating for years, or maybe you're curious about doing it someday − We want to hear from you! Please join us for this town hall discussion at Re/Gen 2025 to identify ways we can close gaps, share resources, and level up our field to sustain the people paving the way for the future of theatre. LGBTQ+ directors and makers will be centered though everyone is welcome at this Town Hall. About Face plans to organize and uplift our findings to the larger Chicago theatre community to help build the future.

New Play Reading Workshop: An Army of Lovers

Written by R. Eric Thomas

Directed by Mikael Burke

Saturday, March 29 at 6:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Page Freemont, an aging queer activist is invited to the sleek, enclosed campus of a global communications company, by Chuck Dillahunt, an estranged friend from her early days. The company wants to give her an award at their first Pride celebration. She accepts but she does not come in peace. An Army of Lovers is a play about radical acts of existence, corporate culture as an oxymoron, and the freedom to be public.

Theatre for Learning and Liberation

Sunday, March 30 at 2:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Calling all students, teaching artists, organizers, and educators! What makes a space inclusive and affirming? How are you navigating systems to connect in a meaningful way? What's working and what do you need? Let's connect, share resources, and strategize for the moment. This session is a space to share tips, games, and techniques about theatre as a tool for teaching and learning. No matter where you are in your teaching artist, peer educator, mentor, or student journey, we hope you'll come out for this interactive and fun session. Please plan to stick around to participate in About Face Theatre's interactive touring show, Life Out Loud: Voices of Pride starting at 3pm.

Performance and Discussion: Life Out Loud: Voices of Pride

Based on original writing and stories from the archives

Directed by Dionne Addai

Theatrical Consultation by Lexi Saunders

Featuring Haven A.J. Crawley, Sharon Pasia, and Ua Smith

Sunday, March 30 at 3:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

Three friends journey through a gallery filled with stories from LGBTQ folks from the past and present. Together we'll look back to move forward, gathering inspiration to inform our current choices, and build confidence in our voices. This interactive play uses monologues and improv to introduce the audience to gender expansive and inclusive vocabulary as well as healthy coping mechanisms and boundary setting.

Life Out Loud: Voices of Pride is one of our current touring programs. Since 1995, About Face has reached thousands of people each year by taking the power of theatre on the road to support personal and organizational growth. We provide touring workshops and performances that combine fun, interactive, and accessible theatre-based activities to increase a sense of belonging, invite brave dialogue, and move individuals and groups toward action. Join us for this session to enjoy some theatre for social change in action!

Trans Workplace Inclusion in 2025

Sunday March 30 at 4:30pm-6:00pm

The Alice at Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn Street

In light of the current political climate, there have been questions about the state of workplace DEI initiatives and a targeting of the trans community. This 90-minute training is offered as part of the Trans-Inclusive Chicago Campaign from Chicago Therapy Collective and will focus on creating or maintaining practices that build a safe and welcoming workplace for trans employees. This session will explore hiring and workplace best practices, bystander intervention, and individual and institutional allyship. We look forward to seeing you there and collaborating to transform workplaces across our city

READING WORKSHOP ARTIST BIOS

Phases of the Moon Artists:

Bryna Turner (they/them)

Playwright

Bryna Turner is a Brooklyn-based playwright originally from Northern California. Their play At the Wedding had its world premiere at LCT3 at Lincoln Center Theater. It received the Laurie Foundation's Theatre Visions Fund Award, a NY Times Critic's Pick, and was featured in the NYT Best of 2022 "Unforgettable Theatrical Moments" category. Their play Bull in a China Shop also premiered at LCT3 and was a NY Times Critic's Pick. Other plays include Phases of the Moon and How to Separate Your Soul from Your Body (in ten easy steps!).

Keira Fromm (she/her)

Director

Keira is a Chicago-based, Jeff Award-nominated freelance director. She is a proud artistic associate at About Face Theatre where she's directed The Brightest Thing in the World, Bull in a China Shop, Significant Other, Bright Half Life, and A Kid Like Jake. Other recent favorite directing credits include: The Liar, The Moors, and A Doll's House (American Players Theatre), Mary's Wedding (Peninsula Players Theatre), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre); The Last Match (Writers Theatre); Top Girls and hang (Remy Bumppo); The Columnist (American Blues Theatre); The How and the Why (TimeLine Theatre), Charles Ives Take Me Home (Strawdog), Broadsword (Gift Theatre), and Fallow (Steep Theatre). Keira received her MFA from DePaul University, is a Lincoln Center Directors Lab alum, and is a member of SDC, the professional directors union.

Untitled Queer Romance or The Subject of You Artists:

Michael Turrentine (he/him)

Playwright

Michael Turrentine is excited to workshop his newest play with About Face. Mainly an actor in the city working at many theaters including The Gift Theater, Steppenwolf, The Lyric Opera, Marriott, Paramount, Drury Lane, and many more, Michael has also written several plays, podcasts, and shorts including Mare (workshopped at Broken Nose Theater) and If Only Once (workshopped at Commission Theatre).

Catherine Miller (they/them)

Director

Catherine has been casting for AFT since Mosque4Mosque, in addition to dramaturging The Brightest Thing in the World and acting as artistic producer of the 2024 Re/Gen Studio. Catherine is the resident casting director for Raven Theatre and American Musical Theatre Project at Northwestern University, in addition to having recently cast productions for Chicago Childrens Theatre, Theatre Wit, Backstitch Arts, and Jackalope Theatre, among many others. Additionally, Catherine has done dramaturgy and gender consulting work for Paramount Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, Cygnet Theatre, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, while also guest lecturing/teaching at Acting Studio Chicago, Northwestern University, The Theatre School, Notre Dame University, Roosevelt University, Columbia College, among others. They were a 2021 3Arts Make A Wave recipient and was featured in American Theatre Magazine's Role Call. They were also on NewCity Magazine's 2020 + 2019 Players: The Fifty People Who Really Perform for Chicago and the Windy City Times' 30 Under 30 list. Catherine has a BFA in Dramaturgy/Criticism from The Theatre School at DePaul. 

An Army of Lovers Artists:

R. Eric Thomas (he/him)

Playwright

R. Eric Thomas is delighted to be working with About Face again after 2018's production of his play Time Is On Our Side. He is the winner of the Barrymore Award for Best New Play, the Dramatists Guild Lanford Wilson Award, and the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Drama. He is also the "Eric" of Asking Eric, the popular nationally syndicated daily advice column found in over 100 newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. A proud member of the WGA, he was on the writing staff for the Peabody Award-winning series Dickinson (AppleTV+) and Better Things (FX) and is currently developing multiple projects for film, television, and stage. His books include the national bestseller Here For It, Kings of B'More, a 2023 American Library Association Stonewall Honor Book, and Congratulations, The Best Is Over!, an instant USA Today Bestseller.

Mikael Burke (he/him)

Director

Mikael Burke is a black queer director, deviser, and educator based in Chicago. A Princess Grace Award recipient in Theatre (2017) and Joseph Jefferson Award-winning Director (2024), his recent credits include: Milo Imagines the World by Christian Magby, Christian Albright, & Terry Guest (Rolling World Premiere, Chicago Children's Theatre, Chicago, IL & Children's Theatre Company, Minneapolis, MN); King James by Rajiv Joesph (Forward Theatre, Madison, WI); Oak by Terry Guest (World Premiere, Urbanite Theatre, Sarasota, FL); Othello by William Shakespeare (Theatreworks Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO); Short Shakes! Romeo & Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Chicago, IL); Notes From the Field by Anna Deveare Smith (TimeLine, Chicago, IL); The Salvagers by Harrison David Rivers (World Premiere, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT); Tambo & Bones by Dave Harris (Refracted Theatre, Chicago, IL, winner of 8 Joseph Jefferson Awards); Blues For an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage (Remy Bumppo, Chicago, IL); Clyde's by Lynn Nottage (Theaterworks Hartford, Hartford, CT, winner of 1 CCC Award); The Magnolia Ballet by Terry Guest (About Face Theatre, Chicago, IL, winner of 2 Joesph Jefferson Awards). Mikael has also been recognized with a Black Theatre Alliance Award for Directing (2022), and as one of New City Magazine's 50 Players of Chicago in 2023 & 2025. Mikael is an Artistic Associate at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company in Chicago, as well as at About Face Theatre, where he previously served as Associate Artistic Director. He's also an adjunct faculty member at DePaul University and Roosevelt University, and a proud member of SDC. MFA Directing, The Theatre School at DePaul University. 

About Face Theatre has a long history of building community and engaging with its audiences through touring shows, educational workshops, and play readings. AFT's education programs first started in 1999 with About Face Youth Theatre. Re/Generation Studio is part of the company's continuing evolution to respond to the needs of its community to advance LGBTQ+ equity.

ABOUT FACE THEATRE advances LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance. AFT envisions an affirming and equitable world in which all LGBTQ+ individuals are thriving and free from prejudice and discrimination. About Face Theatre is also dedicated to being an intentionally and increasingly anti-racist organization. Due to the intersectionality of our identities, we understand our work to advance LGBTQ+ equity as directly connected to movements for racial justice.