Directors, Casting Announced for Victory Gardens’ Ignition Festival

Ilesa Duncan, Andrea J. Dymond, Henry Godinez, Ricky J. Martinez, Derrick Sanders, Brian Tucker, and Diane Rodriguez will stage winning entries in Victory Gardens’ Ignition Festival, celebrating emerging playwrights of color. The six plays were selected out of 120 submissions from throughout the U.S. and internationally. The festival runs August 7-10.

Godinez will direct The Imagine Man by Christopher De Paola, August 7. The cast will feature Scott Barsotti, Jason Boat, Christopher De Paola, Stephanie Diaz, Amy Ellenberger, Michael Herschberg, and Chiké Johnson. Dymond will direct Michael Lew’s play, A Better Babylon, August 8, with a cast featuring Charin Alvarez, Allan Aquino, Kevin Hope, and Jennifer Shin. Martinez will stage The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz, August 9, featuring Desmin Borges, James Krag, Morocco Omari, and Ben Whiting.

Sanders will helm Brian Tucker’s Bathing Van Gogh, August 9, and the cast members are Yadira Correa, KirTracy Hill, Bakesta King, and Adeoye Mabagunje. Ilesa Duncan will stage Year Zero by Michael Golamco, August 10, with cast members Joyee Lin, Jennifer Shin, Dwight Sora, and Dawen Wang. Finally, Fati’s Last Dance by France-Luce Benson, August 10, will be directed by Rodriguez with cast members Tawny Newsome, Anthony Peeples, Samantha D. Tanner, and Wandachristine.

For more information, call 773-871-3000 or visit victorygardens.org