Spotlight: Passage Theatre streams staged reading; Lookingglass debuts new podcasts

Virtual readings

The Passage Theatre streams a virtual staged reading of "All One! The Dr. Bronner's Play" online beginning Friday, May 1, at thepassagetheatre.com. Commissioned from Beth Hyland and the TPT ensemble, the play is an irreverent look at soap maker Dr. Emanuel Bronner, a German Jew who emigrated to the United States in 1929. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with 50% of sales going to the artists. Also, a live Zoom talkback with Hyland and director Sammy Zeisel takes place at 9 p.m. Friday, May 1.

Solo play showcase

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble's inaugural Solo Voices Workshop showcasing new, one-woman plays by Chicago-area artists runs online through Saturday, May 2. "When Given the Choice, Bleed" by Kimberly Dixon-Mays will be released at 5 p.m. Friday, May 1. Lydia R. Diamond's "The Inside" will be released at noon Saturday, May 2. See rivendelltheatre.org/solo-voices.

'Keeping curious'

Lookingglass Theatre recently announced "The Infinite Room," free, weekly podcasts centered on theater and storytelling available at lookingglasstheatre.org/the-infinite-room-podcast. The first is a discussion of public housing with panelists including playwright/director J. Nicole Brooks ("Her Honor Jane Byrne"). The second features ensemble members David Catlin and Mary Zimmerman who talk about adapting stories to the stage. The third consists of ensemble member Andy White and other panelists discussing life's essentials: food, shelter and theater. Additionally, Lookingglass artists host 15-minute workshops at noon Tuesdays on facebook.com/watch/lookingglasstheatre.

Jeff nominees announced

The Joseph Jefferson Committee this week announced nominees for the 2020 non-equity Jeff Awards. Griffin Theatre's leading 10 nominations included best play, directing, principle performer David Goodloe and sound and lighting design for "Mlima's Tale." Jackalope Theatre Company was second with nine nominations, followed by Lifeline Theatre with eight.

The most nominated productions include: Red Tape Theatre's "All Quiet on the Western Front," Underscore Theatre Company's "The Ballad of Lefty & Crabbe," BoHo Theatre's "Big Fish" and Jackalope Theatre Company's "P.Y.G. or The Mis-Edumacation of Dorian Belle." Each received seven nominations.

The 47th annual non-equity Jeff Awards will be held virtually on June 8. See jeffawards.org.

Other theater news

• First Folio Theatre associate artistic director Melanie Keller interviews fellow artistic associate and Babes With Blades artistic director Hayley Rice. Rice is set to direct First Folio's premiere of "The Jigsaw Bride: A Frankenstein Story," by ensemble member Joseph Zettelmaier, this fall. See the interview on YouTube.com. Type in the name Hayley Rice to access the clip.

• Porchlight Music Theatre's ongoing digital Sondheim @90 Roundtable salute to composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim continues at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2, with a discussion of his Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Sunday in the Park With George." Panelists include Porchlight artistic director Michael Weber, TimeLine Theatre founding artistic director Nick Bowling, Tony Award-winner David Cromer ("The Band's Visit") and Jeff Award-winner Heidi Kettenring. See facebook.com/porchlightmusictheatre.

• Paramount School of the Arts instructors teach free, online master classes from 5 to 6 p.m. Mondays through May 18 at facebook.com/paramountschoolofthearts. Assistant technical director Kelly Steimel discusses drafting on Monday, May 4. New works development director Amber Mak discusses children's auditions on May 11 and properties master Jesse Gafney shares the tools of her profession on May 18.

• The Stratford Festival's 2020 season, which was to mark the reopening of the Tom Patterson Theatre following an extensive renovation, has been postponed. Festival organizers anticipate theaters will not reopen until 2021, forcing the cancellation of 15 productions. "It is a terrible irony," said artistic director Antoni Cimolino in a prepared statement. "The Stratford Festival was started in 1953 to save the city of Stratford from economic disaster and now its closure in the face of this pandemic poses its own economic devastation for the region."

Extensions

• The House Theatre of Chicago's "Verboten," Brett Neveu and composer/lyricist Jason Narducy's musical about a teenage punk band, is available for remote viewing through May 4. Tickets start at $15. See thehousetheatre.com. Also, Tony Award winner Michael Cerveris joins artistic director Nathan Allen, Neveu and Narducy at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2, to discuss combining rock and theater. Tickets are $99 and attendance is limited.

• Theater Wit again extended its virtual production of "Teenage Dick," Mike Lew's dark comedy inspired by William Shakespeare's "Richard III" about a high school student with cerebral palsy who's determined to become class president. Remote viewings continue through May 17. They're at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday and 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Tickets start at $25. (773) 975-8150 or theaterwit.org.