Jackalope Theatre Company is proud to announce the plays and casts for the 16th Annual Living Newspaper Festival, August 21 - 25, at the Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway. The Living Newspaper Festival is inspired by the 1930s Living Newspapers of the Federal Theatre Project that created stories based on recent events. This year’s Festival includes five one-act plays inspired from recent news headlines. The running time is 75 minutes with no intermission. Press are invited for the opening, Thursday, Aug. 21 at 7:30 p.m. The opening night performance is in partnership with the Goodman Theatre as part of the Goodman’s 100 Free Acts of Theater. The performance schedule is Friday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 24 at 2 p.m. and Monday, Aug. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22’s performance is Open Captioned and Sunday, Aug. 24’s performance is audio described. Tickets for August 22 - 25 are $15 - $35 and are available at JackalopeTheatre.org or by calling 773.340.2543.
The 16th Annual Living Newspaper Festival includes plays from Ike Holter, Jesse Jae Hoon, Nora Leahy, Paloma Nozicka and Jasmine Sharma.
"We're thrilled to assemble this acclaimed line-up of playwrights to pen artistic responses to the nation's current events,” said Artistic Director Kaiser Ahmed. “At a time when the speed of the news stream can dull the senses, the 16th Annual Living Newspaper Festival slows down and explores the human stories beyond the articles."
The 16th Annual Living Newspaper Festival includes
ABG
by Paloma Nozicka
directed by Jon Berry
Inspired by "Earth is Spinning Faster and Days are Getting Shorter, For Now” - The New York Times, July 11, 2025
The planet’s rotation fluctuates as it travels around the sun and measurements suggest we’re losing more than a millisecond during the long days of summer.
THE LAST REMAINS OF THE DODO
by Ike Holter
directed by Ike Holter
Inspired by "The Return of the Dire Wolf” - Time Magazine, April 7, 2025
The dire wolf once roamed an American range that extended as far south as Venezuela and as far north as Canada, but not a single one has been seen in over 10,000 years, when the species went extinct. Plenty of dire wolf remains have been discovered across the Americas, however, and that presented an opportunity for a company named Colossal Biosciences.
ENEMIES OF AMERICA
by Jesse Jae Hoon
directed by Kaiser Ahmed
Inspired by "Student Who Sued Trump Takes Powerful Stand Against ‘Constant Dread’ of Deportation Threats” - The Guardian, March 25, 2025
On 5 March, Chung – a 21-year-old student at Columbia University – attended a sit-in to protest the expulsion of several students involved in pro-Palestinian activism at the famed New York university. Four days later, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents showed up at her parents’ home.
I HAVE TO GET OFF RAYA
by Jasmine Sharma
directed by Sydney Charles
Inspired by "What the 4b Movement and Boycotting Men Tells American Women About Where We Are” - USA Today, May 9, 2024
Instead of blaming women, we should strive to understand that this isn’t a personal attack on men – it’s a step forward in dismantling the patriarchy. Today, in South Korea, the "4B movement" − based on four Korean words that start with the letter B − is led by women protesting rampant misogyny, gender-based violence and discrimination.
SIGNAL DOWN
by Nora Leahy
directed by Monét Felton
Inspired by "Community Radio Stations are Collateral Damage as Congress Cuts NPR Funding” - NPR, July 20, 2025
When President Trump pushed to slash federal funding for public media, he said a key reason was because he thinks PBS and NPR are politically biased. But some of those hardest hit by Congress' decision last week to clawback $1.1 billion in federal funds are small radio operations that provide local news and information to rural communities.
The cast of the 16th Annual Living Newspaper Festival includes Pedro Arturo Jiménez (The Last Remains of the Dodo); Carolyn Hu Bradbury (Enemies of America); Anya Clingman (The Last Remains of the Dodo); Barbara Figgins (Enemies of America); Sól Fuller (Signal Down); Bryce Gangel (ABG); Lindsey Gavel (The Last Remains of the Dodo); Chris Hainsworth (Signal Down); Gloria Imseih Petrelli (Enemies of America); Niko Kourtis (I HAVE TO GET OFF RAYA); Andrew Swanson (Signal Down) and Netta Walker (I HAVE TO GET OFF RAYA).
ABOUT THE LIVING NEWSPAPER FESTIVAL
With a history in the USSR and Germany in the early part of the century, the Living Newspaper was initiated in the United States in 1935 as part of the Federal Theatre Project. Its founders believed in the value of drama as an instrument of social change and the Living Newspapers became a highly effective new form, boldly producing plays that often brought to light social injustices, challenged ideals, and criticized the government.
In response to the Great Depression, Congress appropriated $4.8 billion for work relief and created agencies to administer the funds, including the Works Progress Administration. Despite being allocated less than one percent of WPA funding, the Federal Theatre Project employed approximately \eight thousand Theatre professionals a year during its four-year run.
In an attempt to create new plays, the Federal Theatre Project often recruited new writers. One of the goals of the short-lived FTP was to create plays and provide training for aspiring writers, and the Living Newspapers fostered this on a grand scale. Even though insiders acknowledged that it is much easier to build a dam or teach a trade than it is to develop a playwright, the legacy of the FTP laid the groundwork for using theatre to invoke conversation on national themes.
ABOUT GOODMAN THEATRE’S 100 FREE ACTS OF THEATER
The opening night performance, Thursday, Aug. 21, is in partnership with the Goodman Theatre’s 100 Free Acts of Theater, a citywide year-long event that activates theater in all 50 wards of Chicago, co-presented by the Department of Culture Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). Designed as a celebration of the artistic fabric of Chicago, The Goodman is partnering with Jackalope Theatre Company and organizations across the city during its Centennial Season to amplify existing programming and collaborate on new efforts.
All 100 acts are offered FREE, with participation open to Chicagoans of all ages and backgrounds. Learn more at GoodmanTheatre.org/100FreeActs.
ABOUT JACKALOPE THEATRE
Jackalope Theatre Company expands the definition of American Identity by engaging with communities to produce works that celebrate diverse perspectives. Jackalope is a premier home for new and exciting Off-Loop Theatre based in Chicago's Edgewater and Rogers Park neighborhoods. They are committed to cultivating new voices that contribute to an expanding American culture and mythology. Each season, Jackalope produces full-length plays, new play development programming and provides free classes in partnership with the Chicago Park Distri
Jackalope Theatre expands American identity by engaging with our communities to produce works that celebrate diverse perspectives. Season 16 is made possible by the continued generosity of Season Sponsors Michael and Mona Heath.
Jackalope is funded in part by the Illinois Arts Council, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Arts Work Fund and The Paul M. Angell Foundation.
2025 Playwrights Top Row: (L to R) Ike Holter, Jesse Jae Hoon, Nora Leahy; Second Row: (L to R) Paloma Nozicka and Jasmine Sharma
2025 Directors Top Row (L to R): Jon Berry (ABG); Ike Holter (The Last Remains of the Dodo) and Kaiser Ahmed (Enemies of America); Bottom Row (L to R): Sydney Charles (I Have to Get Off Raya) and Monét Felton (Signal Down)
2025 Cast First Row (L to R): Pedro Arturo Jiménez (The Last Remains of the Dodo); Carolyn Hu Bradbury (Enemies of America); Anya Clingman (The Last Remains of the Dodo) and Barbara Figgins (Enemies of America); Second Row (L to R): Sól Fuller (Signal Down); Bryce Gangel (ABG); Lindsey Gavel (The Last Remains of the Dodo) and Chris Hainsworth (Signal Down); Third Row (L to R): Gloria Imseih Petrelli (Enemies of America); Niko Kourtis (I HAVE TO GET OFF RAYA); Andrew Swanson (Signal Down) and Netta Walker (I HAVE TO GET OFF RAYA).