Company in the News June-2026

PlayGround-Chicago Writers, Company Members, and Alumni are up to this June including: Matt Schutz, J.S. Puller, Andrea C. Conway-Diaz, Leanna Gianoutsos Oliveira, Katherine Swan, and Spencer Ryan Diedrick!

Leanna Gianoutsos Oliveira is a founding member/creative producer at Ways & Means Theatre – a brand new Chicago theatre company! Check us out and join our mailing list at www.wam-theatre.com. Fresh off a reading at The Goodman as part of About Face Theatre’s Re/Generation Studio, up next we have a reading of littlespace, or the daddy play – a new play by Chicago playwright Marjorie Muller on June 12th at 7pm at The Fine Arts Building. See description below:

On a scale of 1 to 10, Bea’s pain is a 10, but she’ll tell you it’s an 8. After putting plans of a family on hold indefinitely, Bea pushes her doctor to test for endometriosis. But normalcy fractures when her husband reveals he’s been contacted by a daughter he didn’t know he had. littlespace, or the daddy play, exposes a system that discredits women’s bodily knowledge, both in their pain and in owning their desires. Directed by Company Member Leanna Gianoutsos Oliveira. Click HERE for tickets.

Matt Schutz will have his short play, “I Was Adapted From a Shakespeare Play and All I Got Was My Soul Stolen By A Lousy Magic Bridge,” produced as part of Footholds Vol. 7 with Impostors Theatre Company, opening Friday June 5th and running through Saturday June 13th at the Den Theater. Footholds is a collection of six short plays all centered around a common theme or object; this year’s foothold is “a weathered bridge, not save for driving.” Click HERE for more information.

J.S. Puller will participate in the Summer of Stories for Young Readers ages 8 and up. The Barnes & Noble in Hyde Park highlight will five wonderful authors talking about their books and their processes. They will answer any questions you may have too. The store will have their books to be signed after the discussion. The authors include: J.S. Puller, Sara Shacter, Nicole Hewitt, Liesl Shurtliff, and Natasha Tarpley. Click HERE for more information.

Andrea Conway-Diaz will be performing an original story she wrote called “Moving Things Around” as part of Fillet of Solo; “Resistance” :st Bughouse Theater on Sunday, June 14 at 3pm.

Katherine Swan‘s play Red Bell is a Finalist at Premiere Stages New Play Festival, and will have a staged reading in Union, NJ in June. Click HERE for more information.

Spencer Ryan Diedrick is thrilled to direct back-to-back world premieres in June! The first is Pride of Place by Skyler Tarnas, part of Black Cat Theatre’s Crossing Paths Festival, performing on June 20th and 22nd. The second is Company’s Coming by Siah Berlatsky, part of Theatre L’Acadie’s In Bloom series, performing on June 23rd and 29th. Both are hysterical and showcase some of Chicago’s best actors. Hope you can make one or both! Click HERE for tickets.