In addition to the many individual shows, there are several festivals and special events that will enrich the autumn theater season. Here's a quick look at some of them, listed by dates:
New Stages Festival: This is the Goodman Theatre's 15th annual showcase of new scripts and works-in-progress, presented over a three-week period, some as script-in-hand readings and others fully staged. The line-up includes authors and directors known and unknown, with Paula Vogel, Noah Haidel and Sandra Delgado among this year's crew. Quite often, a New Stages play from this year will be part of the Goodman's regular subscription season next year. Tickets are FREE, but reservations are recommended. Running through Nov. 4. Info/tickets: Goodmantheatre.org
Destinos, 2nd Chicago International Latino Theater Festival: This program of the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance offers 14 productions at nine venues around the city, staged by local and visiting Latino theater troupes. This year's visitors are from Argentina, Columbia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Puerto Rico as well as Los Angeles and Dallas. Leadership theaters such as Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Steppenwolf and Victory Gardens are participants as well as true barrio institutions such as Aguijon, the Miracle Center, Urban Theater Company and Water People Theater. Running Sept. 20-Nov. 4. Info/tickets: CLATA.org
Artemisia Fall Festival 2018: Six new plays about women, but for everyone, presented as staged readings, one play a night as part of Artemisia's autumn event. All genders are represented among the six playwrights, six directors and 30 actors. Founded in 2011, Artemisia is a professional company that produces all-new, empowering plays that focus on women who have agency, independence and are the focal points of their own narratives. The Festival is guided by executive artistic director Julie Proudfoot, and is presented at the Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway, Sept. 24-Oct. 3. Info/tickets: Artemisiatheatre.org
FRANKENSTEIN: Unearthed: Literati know that 2018 is the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's iconic novel, Frankenstein, or The New Prometheus, which has been adapted/distorted more times than Frankie has stitches. Four Chicago troupes are marking the bi-centennial with different adaptations of the work this season: Lifeline ( now through Oct. 28 ), Remy Bumppo ( Oct. 11-Nov. 11 ), Court ( Nov. 1-Dec. 2 ) and Lookingglass ( May 8-Aug. 4, 2019 ). Actors, directors and adapters from all four companies will mark this rare convergence with an afternoon panel discussion, Sunday, Sept. 30 at Lookingglass Theatre. Info/tickets: https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=85009b
WorldStage: This is the series of innovative theater companies and artists from around the world, typically here for short runs, presented by Chicago Shakespeare Theater. These dynamic guests are almost always worth seeing, even if you know nothing about their work, which almost never is run-of-the-mill realism. Big Mouth, from Belgium, is this year's first presentation ( running only through this Saturday ), to be followed by Acelere, performed by Circolumbia ( Columbian circus artists ) as part of Destinos ( see above ), Oct. 24-Nov. 4. At the same time another Belgian troupe, Ontroerend Goed, will offer Fight Night, an audience-interactive election/political piece, Oct. 23-Nov. 4. Info/tickets: ChicagoShakes.com