The newly rebranded Pegasus Theatre Chicago, formerly Pegasus Players, will open its first full season under its new name with a premiere by Nambi E. Kelley. For Her as a Piano, a generational story about a woman tracing her family's history, will be helmed by Pegasus artistic director Ilesa Duncan, featuring original music by Jaret Landon. The cast will include Nadirah Bost, Dushon Brown, Toni Lynice Fountain, Nicole Michelle Haskins, Monette McLin, Camille Robinson and Toya Turner.
Kelley's acclaimed adaptation of Richard Wright's Native Son, which premiered last fall as a co-production of Court Theatre and American Blues Theater, received a Jeff Award nomination on Friday for new adaptation; it's also up for best new work in Time Out's inaugural Theater Awards. For Her as a Piano will run September 30–November 1. Pegasus's 29th annual Young Playwrights Festival, featuring one-acts chosen from submissions by Chicago high school students, follows December 30–January 24. A third production next spring remains to be announced; all three shows will be staged at Chicago Dramatists.