Pictured: Beth Hyland and Preston Choi

The Passage Theatre has announced its second season, which consists of two world premiere plays by Chicago playwrights and the introduction of a developmental reading series.

The Passage will kick off its 19/20 season in November with “Happy Birthday Mars Rover” by Preston Choi, directed by Alison Thvedt. The season will continue in the spring with “All-One! The Dr. Bronner’s Play,” a commission by Beth Hyland, directed by Sammy Zeisel.

The company will also host a new reading series dubbed “The Current,” with the purpose of developing unproduced plays by Chicago playwrights.

The Passage Theatre’s 2019/20 Season:
(Descriptions from a press release)

The World Premiere of
“Happy Birthday Mars Rover”
By Preston Choi
Directed by Alison Thvedt
November 15 – December 2, 2019
Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church

“‘Happy Birthday Mars Rover’ is a morbidly whimsical kaleidoscope of life on Earth and the universe. A joy ride through a timeline of curious robots, existential cows, 5th grade powerpoints on extinct species, and the last human on Earth on the search for more jars.”

The World Premiere of
“All-One! The Dr. Bronner’s Play”
By Beth Hyland
Directed by Sammy Zeisel
Spring 2020

“‘Good/Evil! Clean/Dirty! Madness/Genius! Apart/Together! Can all of these major dualities be contained in a soap you may have in your shower right now? And can that soap really have eighteen different uses? ‘All-One: The Doctor Bronner’s Play’ is an irreverent look at life’s deepest darkness and brightest light through the too-wild-to-be-believed life of the world’s most famous soap maker, Emanuel Bronner.”

The Current: A Reading Series

“Presented throughout the 2019/2020 season, The Current will showcase the great writers of our Chicago Theatre Community by presenting unproduced plays and aiding in their development. Each reading will be followed by a facilitated discussion to provide the playwright with additional feedback.”

The Passage Theatre is accepting submissions for The Current until July 21. Chicago playwrights can submit their work by visiting thepassagetheatre.com/.