CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DIRECTORS IN OUR 2025-2026 SEASON!
KATHLEEN KIRK with BLAKE STUBBS (Assistant Director)
RHYS LOVELL
SANDRA ZIELINSKI
CYNDEE BROWN
DARLENE LLOYD
DAVE MONTAGUE
SCOTT MYERS
JASON A. VALES
RICH TINAGLIA
VENUS IN FUR, by David Ives
DIRECTED BY KATHLEEN KIRK
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR BLAKE STUBBS
Comedy/ 1 woman, 1 man
A playwright named Thomas is struggling to find an actress for his adaptation of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s “Venus in Furs.” He is met with Vanda, a desperate and seemingly unrefined actress, who auditions for the role. As Vanda performs, she delves into the complex themes of power, submission, and the blurring lines between performance and reality, captivating Thomas and challenging his preconceived notions of the role and his own understanding of the play.
Auditions: July 7, 8
Read Through: Sunday, July 13
Performances: August 28, 29, 30 September 5, 6, 7, 12, 13* — 2025
Strike: September 14
AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, by Henrik Ibsen (adapted by Christopher Hampton)
DIRECTED BY RHYS LOVELL
Drama / 2 women, 8 men (any ethnicity)
Dr. Thomas Stockmann, the medical officer of a spa town, discovers its famous, and profitable, bathwater is polluted. He refuses to be silenced when he reveals this truth, leading to his ostracization by the town and his declaration as an “enemy of the people.” The play explores themes of truth vs. popular opinion, the importance of individual conscience, and the dangers of unchecked power and societal pressure.
Auditions: September 15, 16
Read Through: Sunday, September 21
Performances: November 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22* — 2025
Strike: Sunday, November 23
SMOKEFALL, by Noah Haidle
DIRECTED BY SANDRA ZIELINSKI
Drama / 2 women (doubling), 3 men
Magical realism collides with manic vaudeville in a family drama unlike any you’ve ever seen. Fetuses swap philosophy while awaiting their birth, a daughter eats dirt and doesn’t speak, a father is about to drive away and never return, and there’s an apple tree growing through the walls of the house. Whipping from astonishing tenderness to profound humor and back again, Smokefall explores the lives of a family in a lyrical treatise on the fragility of life and the power of love.
Auditions: December 8, 9
Read Through/Table Work: TBD
Rehearsals officially begin: January 2, 2026
Performances: February 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21* — 2026
Strike: Sunday, February 22
WELL, by Lisa Kron
DIRECTED BY CYNDEE BROWN
Comedy / 4 women, 2 men
Well paints a mother-and-daughter picture of rich, unusual artistry where matters like race, creed and health are best considered from the other person’s viewpoint. Kron’s essential message about the importance of weaving the incongruous parts into the fabric of life provides a compassionate antidote to our judgmental times. Wise and funny and utterly winning.
Auditions: February 23, 24
Read Through: Sunday, March 1
Performances: April 9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25* — 2026
Strike: Sunday, April 26
10-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL 2026: ROUTE 66
DIRECTED BY DARLENE LLOYD, DAVE MONTAGUE, SCOTT MYERS, JASON A. VALES
8 Winning 10-Minute Plays from Submissions Around the World
8 Original 10 Minute Plays
Auditions: April 27, 28
Read Through: At Directors’ discretion
Performances: May 28, 29, 30, June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13* — 2026
Strike: Sunday, June 14
NEW PLAYS FROM THE HEARTLAND Midwest One-act Play Festival
DIRECTED BY RICH TINAGLIA, DARLENE LLOYD & TBD
3 Winning New One-act Plays from Submissions Around the Midwest
Staged Readings
Auditions: June 15, 16
Read Through: Sunday, June 21
Forum with Playwright: July 9
Performances: July 10, 11, 12 — 2026
* 2 Performances (matinee and evening) on final performance date
Applications must be received no later than April 26, 2025. Applicants may submit theatrical résumés, but all information in the application must be completely filled out in order to be considered.
Questions? Write to [email protected].