Future Labs Virtual Reading

STARTS 3/20/2021 Virtual Reading
7pm CST Free, registration required.

Tokens of Promise

By Ada A., Directed by Sydney Chatman

There’s only one open “diversity” analyst position at this start-up. And the minorities must duke it out to access the sweet privilege of employment. A wicked satire about the modern-day job search and scarcity mentality, Ada A.’s new play exposes the inherent competition in employment that leads us to forsake our humanity out of necessity and survival.

Current runtime: About 75 minutes with no intermission.

Read Content Advisory Info
  • Tokens of Promise contains profanity and adult themes and is intended for mature audiences.
  • Ada A. / Playwright

    Ada A. is an early-career playwright and director who graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A in anthropology. She was previously the assistant director for Sideshow’s The Ridiculous Darkness and Haven’s Titus Andronicus. As a playwright, her ten-minute play “United Separatism” had a professional reading at the 2020 Fade to Black Festival. Her one-act play The Reverend Dr. Paul(i) Murray had its world premiere at Valiant Theatre through its New Works Festival earlier this year.

    Ada A.
  • Sydney Chatman / Director

    Sydney Chatman uses theater as her medium to conjure hope, justice, freedom and joy. Led by ancestral guidance and intergenerational wisdoms, she directs, educates, produces, and writes work that heals her community. Ms. Chatman is an African-American Arts Alliance Award and 3Arts Make a Wave winner. Her theater credits include New York fellowships with SDC and Lincoln Center's Director’s Lab, and the Goodman Theatre Maggio Directing Fellowship. Chicago theatre credits: Goodman Theatre, TimeLine Theatre Company, Court Theatre, Congo Square Theatre Company, and eta Creative Arts; Louisville: StageOne Family Theatre; Indiana: Indiana University Northwest. She’s created theatrical performances and collaborations with the MCA of Chicago, Adler Planetarium, Hyde Park Jazz Festival/Back Alley Jazz, The Reva and David Logan Center, Court Theatre and Victory Gardens Theater. In 2008 she founded The Tofu Chitlin’ Circuit and created innovative programming called the A La Carte and the Tuxedo Junction. She is a featured artist in Black Theater is Black Life: An Oral History of Black Theater in Chicago 1997-2010. She recently directed the virtual play festival Statesville Voices.

    Audrey Francis

CAST

CHER ÁLVAREZ - Castaña
BRIANNA BUCKLEY - Ebony
CAROLINE CHU - The Assistant
MEAGAN DILWORTH - Char
ROBERT ISAAC - Onyx
STEVE KEY - Corporate Boss Guy

DIANA RENE' COATES - Stage Directions Reader

 

SPONSORS

Future Labs Sponsors

About Future Labs

Future Labs—Goodman Theatre’s newest artistic program to develop works authored and directed by Black, Indigenous, Latinx, AAPI and other artists of color. Designed primarily for Chicago-based writers who have not had a play produced at the Goodman, Future Labs will feature up to nine workshops and presentations, slated to begin early 2021.

Support Future Labs

Future Labs is just one of Goodman Theatre's many new work development programs, which amplify bold new artistic voices. We gratefully ask for your support in these efforts through a contribution. YOU can help us to shape the future of American theater!

 
 

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