A woman walks into a bar. Her name is Porto. She’s a regular. She likes this bar: serious food, serious wine, serious bartender–a staple in a gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood (perhaps Bushwick?). Her friends, her wine, and her artisanal snacks are there; her doubts about being a Modern Woman are put on snooze. A handsome stranger […]
Ibsen in Chicago
The world premiere of Ibsen’s controversial play Ghosts took place in Chicago, performed by a group of Scandinavian immigrants: a little known fact. Grimm’s play spins a yarn based on this ‘great reckoning in a little room’ and explores the immigrant experience and opportunities for self re-invention against the backdrop of changing artistic and social […]
Lickety Split
Women and men in outrageous shorts! This fast-paced rollicking collection of short plays featuring fantastically funny females and madly misbehaving men is a laugh-out-loud adventure for all. You’ll encounter women who are brilliant, baffling and know a conscience is what hurts when other parts feel sooo good. And you’ll find men who are confident, strong […]
Eight Tales of Pedro
EIGHT TALES OF PEDRO begins in 17th century Mexico, as Pedro and his companion travel from a small port town into the fabled Veracruz, telling stories while following Pedro’s one true love. Meanwhile, in the present day, in a van full of Mexican immigrants, Peter crosses a border into an unfamiliar country, while his companions […]
A Dark Sky Full of Stars
A play about a young man, Brandon, who is always in and out of trouble. Until he is shot in the back by a member of his community. Through the perspectives of his family, friends, and girlfriend we learn the circumstances of a young American man’s life and how seemingly unrelated events culminate in cutting […]
The Coast Starlight
A young man armed with a secret that can land him in terrible trouble boards the Coast Starlight, the long-distance train that runs from Los Angeles to Seattle. With the help of his fellow travelers, all of whom are reckoning with their own choices, he has roughly one thousand miles to figure out a way […]
The Ballad of Emmett Till
THE BALLAD OF EMMETT TILL dramatizes the final days of Emmett Till, a Chicago teenager who takes a fateful trip to Mississippi in the summer of 1955. It is the story of a quest, Emmett’s pursuit of happiness, of liberty and ultimately of life. This is the first play in The Till Trilogy, a three-play […]
Musings of a Crazy Texican
Imagine witnessing 500 years of Aztec history in 10 minutes, a commercial for menudo popsicles, auditions for Pancho Villa: The Musical or a jillion texts from a psycho gringa. This “crazy” collection of eight short plays contains works that have entertained, inspired and sometimes offended. Playwright Alvaro Saar Rios showcases new work, commissioned pieces as […]
Miss You Like Hell School Edition
When a whip-smart, deeply imaginative teenager agrees to take a road trip with her free-spirited Latina mother, neither can imagine where it will take them. Chance encounters with a medley of characters along the way brings them closer to understanding what sets them apart—and what connects them forever. At the heart of the story is […]
I Love You Because: School Edition
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE is a charming, modern-day reimagining of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, set against the backdrop of bustling New York City. This witty and heartfelt musical follows an uptight, rule-bound greeting card writer whose world is upended when he meets a free-spirited photographer with a mind of her own. As their unlikely romance unfolds—mirroring […]
The Man in the Ceiling
12 year-old Jimmy Jibbett would rather be a successful cartoonist than be in 7th grade. His father disapproves. His mother is busy. His uncle tries to understand but is too wrapped up trying to write a love song for his next flop musical. Where can Jimmy turn for inspiration and hope? Maybe THE MAN IN […]
Miss You Like Hell
When a whip-smart, deeply imaginative teenager agrees to take a road trip with her free-spirited Latina mother, neither can imagine where it will take them. Chance encounters with a medley of characters along the way brings them closer to understanding what sets them apart—and what connects them forever. At the heart of the story is […]