New Stages Festival

The 14th annual New Stages festival of new plays includes three developmental productions in repertory and three staged readings. Founded in 2004, the festival is a celebration of innovative new plays designed to give playwrights an opportunity to take risks and experiment. New Stages offers Chicago theatergoers a first look at dozens of plays, many of which have gone on to become successful full productions — including Noah Haidle’s Smokefall and Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Ruined.