Kane Repertory Theatre Selects Hammaad Chaudry For Multiplatform Commission

Kane Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Daniil Krimer and Managing Director Avery Bowne announce the selection of Hammaad Chaudry as the playwright for its new Multiplatform Commission. The yet to be titled commissioned play will be directed by Executive Producer Ansley Valentine and will premiere online March 29-April 11, 2021 with plans for an in-person production when it is safe to do so.

Tickets for the online production, $10 ($5 students), will be available at www.kanerepertorytheatre.com/box-office.

The Kane Repertory Theatre Multiplatform Commission was created to explore how virtual theatre can serve the transition of a brand-new play to the live stage. The Kane Repertory Theatre Multiplatform Commission selects one outstanding playwright to have a World Premiere of new play in two mediums-digitally this spring and, later, in-person when it is safe to do so. Hammaad Chaudry's play was selected to be developed over a months-long process, both in this digital moment is explored in its entirety, using that process to inform its premiere on the physical stage.

Artistic Director Daniil Krimer comments, "The Kane Repertory Theatre Multiplatform Commission is unique because it gives a playwright the chance to develop a play across mediums. In 2020 we have seen Shakespeare, Chekhov and Shaw transition from the stage to the screen, but we haven't yet seen any plays that premiered digitally, transition to the stage. In 2021 Hammaad will have his play produced virtually and have that inform how he wants the play to be staged in front of a live audience."

"In partnering with Hammaad Chaudry and Ansley Valentine on this ambitious project, we are fortunate to be working with artists of such unique talent. Hammaad's work has the great ability to unite people in their shared humanity. I cannot wait to see how his idea blossoms into a story," adds Managing Director Avery Browne. "When we started our work on the New Play Lab in March 2020, we reimagined how we could produce our work best, to be accessible to a wide audience and to be most productive to our artists while driving our mission to interrogate the American story. With that perspective, we devised 15 experiences with 14 playwrights from all over the country, each week enriching our community of artists and expanding our audience and their experience. Now, with the Multiplatform Commission, we are continuing our work with new plays and ensuring that the development process continues or an in-person experience."

The 2020 New Play Lab has featured actors and directors Mark Brokaw (Drama Desk Award, Obie Award and Lucille Lortel Award winner), Rondi Reed (Tony Award winner), Austin Pendleton (Tony nominee/Drama Desk recipient), James Vincent Meredith (Steppenwolf ensemble member), Francis Guinan (Steppenwolf ensemble member), BJ Jones (Artistic Director, Northlight Theatre), Eddie Torres (Co-founder Teatro Vista), Isabel Arraiza (Driven, Pearson), Karen Rodriguez (Steppenwolf ensemble member), Hallie Gordon (former Artistic Director, Steppenwolf for Young Adults), Kyle Beltran (The Cherry Orchard, In The Heights) Justin Lucero (Aristic Director, El Paso Opera), Jon Blake Hackler (Dallas Theatre Center ensemble member), Ken Barnett (Mozart in the Jungle, Too Much Sun) Anthony Irons (Lookingglass ensemble member), Kevin Asselin (Artistic Director, Montana Shakespeare), Michael Stebbins (Artistic Director, Door Shakespeare), Marcy Kearns (Associate Artistic Director, Chamber Theatre), Michael Patrick Thornton (Artistic Director, The Gift Theatre), and Barbara Zahora (Artistic Director, Oak Park Festival).

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