Henry Wishcamper to Direct THE LITTLE FOXES at the Goodman, Running 5/2-6/7

Goodman Theatre announces that a new production of The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman, Tony Award-winning playwright, screenwriter and author and Academy Award nominee, completes its 90th Anniversary "Season to Celebrate." Goodman Artistic Associate Henry Wishcamper directs the 1939 classic American Southern drama that "could not be more timely, as the play's social skewering remains satisfyingly fresh" (Los Angeles Times). The Little Foxes is slated to appear May 2 - June 7, 2015 as the fourth production in the 2014/2015 Season, followed by Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, which runs June 20 - July 26, 2015. For a limited time, Subscriptions start at $90 in honor of the anniversary season; call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org. Individual tickets go on sale beginning in August. A full season line-up appears below.

"I am incredibly excited to direct Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes, one of the greatest American plays of the twentieth century, on the Goodman's Albert stage next year. Hellman's caustic portrait of American economics and culture remains extremely vivid and timely today," said Wishcamper, whose current projects include the world premiere of Seth Bockley's Ask Aunt Susan (May 24 - June 22 at the Goodman) and Conor McPherson's critically acclaimed new version of The Dance of Death by August Strindberg (through July 20 at Writers Theatre). "The Little Foxes is filled with terrific roles for actors, making the production a strong choice for Chicago's brilliant local talent. I can't wait to start putting together the cast for this classic show."

In Hellman's turn-of-the century study of family greed, Ben and Oscar Hubbard stand to earn millions funding an industrialized cotton mill, and seek help with the initial investment from their sister Regina. The refusal of Regina's dying husband to finance their scheme sets off an explosive series of betrayals, shattering the Hubbard clan's genteel façade and exposing their ruthless pursuit of wealth. Ferocious, funny and enduringly relevant, The Little Foxes is an absorbing chronicle of the dark side of the American Dream and wealth's corrupting power--and "one of the most enjoyably chilling chapters in the history of melodrama" (The New York Times).

Playwright Lillian Hellman's (1905 - 1984) celebrated works include The Children's Hour, Watch on the Rhine, Another Part of the Forest, The Autumn Garden, Toys in the Attic (Tony Award), My Mother, My Father and Me, Montserrat, The Searching Wind and Days to Come. She also won a Tony Award for the book of the musical Candide and was nominated for an Academy Award for her screenplay adaptation of The Little Foxes (1941, Samuel Goldwyn Entertainment). Her many accolades include the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Gold Medal for Drama from the National Institute of Arts and Letters and the National Book Award for her autobiography An Unfinished Woman. She also subsequently wrote two more volumes of her autobiography, Pentimento and Scoundrel Time. Hellman was born in New Orleans and attended New York University and Columbia University.

A member of the Goodman's Artistic Collective, Henry Wishcamper's Goodman Theatre directing credits include the upcoming Ask Aunt Susan, his own adaptation of Animal Crackers (Jeff nomination), A Christmas Carol (also the upcoming 2014 production), Other Desert Cities and Talking Pictures. Other Chicago directing credits include the current production of The Dance of Death at Writers Theatre (through July 20) and the upcoming The Night Alive at Steppenwolf Theatre Company (September 18 - November 16, 2014). New York directing credits include Spirit Control at Manhattan Theatre Club; Graceland at LCT3; Port Authority at Atlantic Theater Company; Elvis People at New World Stages; The Polish Play at Katharsis Theater Company; Pullman Car Hiawatha at Keen Company (Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Revival of a Play); So Frightful an Event is Single in the History of Man at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre; The Flying Doctor and The Imaginary Cuckold with the Roundtable Ensemble and 'Tis Pity She's a Whore at HERE Arts Center. Regional theater and other directing credits include Animal Crackers at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, the American premiere of Conor McPherson's The Birds at the Guthrie Theater; Engaging Shaw and The Mystery of Irma Vep at The Old Globe; Art at Barrington Stage Company; The Seafarer and Speech & Debate at TheaterWorks; The Good Thief at Portland Stage Company and Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It and A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Maine Summer Dramatic Institute and Shakespeare in Deering Oaks Park. He has served as the assistant director of the Broadway productions of August: Osage County and Shining City. His adaptation of Animal Crackers has been produced by the Denver Center Theatre Company, Baltimore Center Stage, Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Lyric Stage Company. Wishcamper is the artistic director of Katharsis Theater Company and was previously the artistic director of the Maine Summer Dramatic Institute (MSDI) in Portland, Maine. While there, he founded Shakespeare in Deering Oaks Park, a free Shakespeare festival in Portland's primary public park featuring students from MSDI's education program. Wishcamper is a Drama League directing fellow and a graduate of Yale University.

About Goodman Theatre: Goodman Theatre is world-renowned for the quality and scope of its artistic programming and its commitment to improving life in the community. Artistic Director Robert Falls' and Executive Director Roche Schulfer's leadership has earned unparalleled artistic distinction and experienced unprecedented success. Together, they have staged more than 80 world premieres, earning numerous awards-including the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre (1992) and the Pulitzer Prize for Ruined (2009)-and produced more than 25 new work commissions. Founded in 1925 and housed in a state-of- the-art two-theater complex in the downtown Chicago Theatre District, the Goodman is Chicago's oldest and largest not-for- profit producing theater, named "Best Regional Theatre" by Time magazine and "top dog of the Chicago theater scene" by Frommer's. American Airlines is the Exclusive Airline of Goodman Theatre. Ruth Ann M. Gillis is Chairman of the Board of Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes Added to the Goodman's 2014/2015 Season Page 5 of 5 Henry Wishcamper Directs the American Classic Trustees, Sherry John is President of the Women's Board and Lauren Blair is President of the Scenemakers Board, the Goodman's young professionals auxiliary group.

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