Chicago Theatre + Broadway News

Steppenwolf Theatre's 'WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN' Plays Tonight, 5/21

(5/21/2012) Steppenwolf Theatre Company previously announced the addition of three vocalists—Tina Brown, Rhonda Preston and David Simmons—to the cast of Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for a Faith.

Theater Wit Presents HAIKU HOOTENANNY Tonight, 5/21

(5/21/2012) Theater Wit previously announced the premiere benefit of the season, the Haiku Hootenanny, tonight, May 21 from 7 to 10 pm, celebrating nine years of theater and the second year of Chicago-style storefront experience. Tickets are only $75. Space is limited, so purchase tickets today at theaterwit.org or call the Theater Wit box office at 773.975.8150.

JERSEY BOY Michael Lomenda Talks Touring, Subway Compliments, and Playing the Off-Center Nick Massi

(5/20/2012) JERSEY BOY Michael Lomenda has called Chicago his touring-home for just over a month, but the closest Starbucks to The Bank of America Theater, where the first national touring cast of Jersey Boys is currently playing its 9 week run, has rooted itself firmly in his routine. He also calls a brownstone with fellow cast members in Wrigleyville his place of residence, has mastered the el (and gotten plenty of compliments while doing so), and taken in the city’s architectural feats on boat tours.

Black Ensemble Theater's THE MARVIN GAYE STORY Celebrates Opening Tonight, 5/20

(5/20/2012) Black Ensemble Theater's production of THE MARVIN GAYE STORY celebrates its press opening tonight, May 20, 2012. The show runs now through July 29 at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street.

Raven Theatre Presents BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY, Now thru 6/30

(5/20/2012) Raven Theatre closes the 2011-2012 season with, Bang the Drum Slowly, directed by Michael Menendian. Opening is tonight, May 20 at 7:00 p.m. at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark, with a reception sponsored by the Fireside Restaurant following in Raven’s lobby. Tickets and information are available at www.raventheatre.com or 773-338-2177.

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS Returns To Chicago at the Paramount Tonight, 5/19

(5/19/2012) THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, the smart, provocative and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view, returns to Chicago for its second limited engagement. The production will be presented at the Paramount Theatre, 63 East Galena Boulevard, Aurora, tonight, May 19.

Pine Box Theater Company Presents THE JAMMER, Now thru 7/1

(5/19/2012) Pine Box Theater Company kicks off its 2012 Season with THE JAMMER by Rolin Jones, directed by Artistic Director Vincent Teninty, playing tonight, May 19 – July 1, 2012 at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago.

Oracle Productions Presents World Premiere of THE SANDMAN, Now thru 6/30

(5/19/2012) Oracle Productions’ Public Access Theatre Season 2 continues as Artistic Director Max Truax directs a world premiere adaptation of THE SANDMAN, based on the short story by E.T.A. Hoffman, adapted by Bob Fisher. THE SANDMAN opens tonight, May 19 and runs through June 30. Performances are Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday nights at 8PM.

Focal Point Theatre Company Presents AFTER MISS JULIE, Now thru 6/10

(5/19/2012) Focal Point Theatre Company (FPTC) continues its first season with its first full length production: the Chicago premiere of After Miss Julie, by playwright Patrick Marber (Closer, Dealer’s Choice, Notes on a Scandal).

Tanya Saracho's ENFRASCADA Ends Extended Run at 16th Street Theater Tonight, 5/19

(5/19/2012) Tanya Saracho's JEFF-Recommended ENFRASCADA (A Hoodoo Comedy of Jarring Proportions) was extended one week at 16th Street Theater, 6420 16th Street in Berwyn, and closes tonight, May 19.

Win Tickets to See IL DIVO in Concert!

(5/18/2012) The world's foremost classical crossover quartet IL DIVO is set to embark on its 2012 world tour, the group's fourth, which follows the release of the quartet's latest album, Wicked Game (on Syco/Columbia Records) and provides a new mark of achievement for the signature vocal blend and unique operatic arrangements which have captivated millions and launched a classical-crossover sensation. To celebrate the kick-off of this much-anticipated world tour, BroadwayWorld invites you to enter for a chance to WIN ONE PAIR OF TICKETS to see IL DIVO live in concert!

Riverfront Theater Opens in Chicago, 5/30

(5/18/2012) Riverfront Theater will welcome – direct from Dublin – The Twelve Tenors. The five-day production is the first of a series of summer programming in the 70-foot tall, 22,000 square foot temperature-controlled tent along the scenic Chicago River.

Nick Offerman Sells Out First TBS Comedy Festival Show; Second Show Added

(5/18/2012) A second performance of Nick Offerman: American Ham at the Vic Theatre has been added to the TBS Just For Laughs Chicago lineup, Saturday, June 16, at 10 p.m. His previously announced 7:30 p.m. show is sold out. Tickets ($35) for the late show are available at the Vic Theatre box office, online at etix.com, or by phone at 800-514-etix (3849).

The American Demigods to Present THE FACTORY THAT MAKES DEVILS, 5/25-6/9

(5/18/2012) THE AMERICAN DEMIGODS will present THE FACTORY THAT MAKES DEVILS, an evening of short horror themed plays written and directed by Rory Leahy.

Kai Talim to Host WALK WITH CHILDREN Concert, 5/25

(5/18/2012) Kai Talim, an alumnus of the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy for gifted pre-college musicians, hosts the second annual Walk with Children benefit concert featuring other Academy alumni, current students, and friends. The program includes works by Handel, Schubert, Prokofiev, Ravel, Villa-Lobos, Smetana, Piazzolla and more.

STAGE TUBE: JERSEY BOYS Cast Sings at White Sox Game

(5/18/2012) The JERSEY BOYS Chicago cast recently sang a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem at a White Sox game at Cellular Field.

'Almost Elton John and the Rocket Band' Play the Paramount Theatre Tonight, 5/18

(5/18/2012) "Transport your evening to the days of big hair, outrageous clothes and cheap gasoline" with Almost Elton John & The Rocket Band tonight, May 18, at 8 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. Starring Elton John doppelganger Craig A. Meyer, Almost Elton John & The Rocket Band is a spectacular musical journey celebrating decades of chart-topping hits, including "Benny and the Jets," "Philadelphia Freedom," "Crocodile Rock," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Candle in the Wind."

The Building Stage Closes Season with LIFE IS A DREAM, Now thru 6/30

(5/18/2012) The Building Stage, now in its 7th year creating original works of theater, wraps up its four-show season with its original adaptation of Pedro Calderon de la Barca’s LIFE IS A DREAM, performing Friday and Saturday nights tonight, May 18 – June 30 at The Building Stage, 412 N. Carpenter Street in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood.

Second Stage Theater Presents INCENDIARY, Now thru 6/3

(5/18/2012) Presented by Wishbone Theatre Collective, INCENDIARY, a new comedy, is set to play Second Stage Theater on Thursdays through Sundays, tonight, May 18-June 3.

Emily Rohm, William Travis Taylor et al. to Lead Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at CST, 6/28-8/26

(5/17/2012) Enchanting audiences of all generations worldwide, Disney's Beauty and the Beast casts its spell in Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theater on Navy Pier June 28 to August 26, 2012. Tickets are $18–$25 with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more. All patrons receive a 40 percent parking discount at Navy Pier garages. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater's website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

Rasaka Theatre Company to Present GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES, 7/5-8/5

(5/17/2012) The Chicago Premiere of Gruesome Playground Injuries, from 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph, will run July 5 - August 5, 2012, at the Chopin Theatre Downstairs, 1543 West Division, Chicago, IL. Directed by Rasaka Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Lavina Jadhwani, press opening is Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 8 PM. For tickets and more information, visit www.rasakatheatre.com.

Firecat Projects and 16th Street Theater to Present NICKEL HISTORY at the Steppenwolf Garage, 7/19-8/5

(5/17/2012) Firecat Projects and 16th Street Theater present Nickel History: The Nation of Heat, written and performed by Tony Fitzpatrick with Stan Klein July 19-August 5 in Steppenwolf’s Garage Theatre, 1624 N. Halsted with a press opening of Thursday, July 19 at 8 p.m. Adapted and directed by 16th Street artistic director Ann Filmer, Nickel History features film and video art by Kristin Reeves, music by John Rice and Anna Fermin. Singer-songwriter Joe Pug is a guest performer on opening night.

COT Presents OPERA FOR ALL in Schools, 6/1-8

(5/17/2012) Chicago Opera Theater’s (COT) Opera For All, an education program that brings opera to the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders of three Chicago Public Schools - Dewitt Clinton Elementary, Lionel Hampton Fine & Performing Arts School, and Reilly Elementary - is finishing its 12th year with three fun operas written and performed by the students themselves!

Sarah Silverman and More Added to TBS Just For Laughs Lineup

(5/17/2012) TBS and Just For Laughs today announced that Emmy® Award-winning comedian Sarah Silverman will host two shows at The Chicago Theatre on Saturday, June 16. Sarah Silverman and Guests will feature some of her favorite comedians, with line-up details to be revealed shortly.

TimeLine Theatre Announce 3 MY KIND OF TOWN Special Events for 5/22, 6/10 & 25.

(5/17/2012) TimeLine Theatre Company will offer three special events connected to its world premiere production of My Kind of Town by John Conroy, directed by Nick Bowling. My Kind of Town is now playing through July 29, 2012 at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago.

Chicago Dramatists Announce Andrew Hinderaker's I AM GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD for 5/24-7/1

(5/17/2012) Chicago Dramatists will present the final production of their 2011 - 2012 Season, I Am Going to Change the World by Resident Playwright Andrew Hinderaker and directed by Jonathan Berry from May 24 – July 1 at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 West Chicago Ave. Opening nights are Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2 at 8 p.m. Previews are May 24 - 26 and May 31 at 8 p.m. Regular performance times (June 3 – July 1) are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

BWW TV: Nathan Lane & Brian Dennehy in THE ICEMAN COMETH- Performance Highlights!

(5/16/2012) Robert Falls' major revival of THE ICEMAN COMETH, O'Neill's towering portrait of hope and disillusionment, just opened on May 3 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The production is led by Tony Award-winning stage and screen star Nathan Lane as Theodore "Hickey" Hickman, the quintessential purveyor and slayer of pipe dreams. The 18-member cast is one of the largest ensembles to take the Goodman stage in recent years. Tony Award-winner Brian Dennehy portrays one-time syndicalist-anarchist Larry Slade, joined by mix of local and out-of-town actors as the motley assortment of former soldiers of fortune, entrepreneurs, political dissidents and social outcasts in Harry Hope's saloon. BroadwayWorld brings you performance highlights below!

Chicago's American Theatre Company to Bring Back Original Off-Broadway Version of HAIR in 2013

(5/16/2012) American Theater Company today announced Season 28, which kicks off with two American classics in rotating repertory – The Catholic Repertory: Doubt & Agnes of God – featuring Ensemble Member Sadieh Rifai; and a Chicago holiday repertory – The Radio Repertory: The Wizard of Oz & It’s a Wonderful Life – directed by ATC Artistic Associate Jason W. Gerace.

Annoyance Theatre to Present DON’T ACT LIKE A GIRL on Sundays in June

(5/16/2012) After a successful run this winter, Don't Act Like A Girl is back. In honor of Pride month, the Annoyance Theatre is hosting the show at 8 PM every Sunday in June.

Eclipse Theatre's 2012 Eugene O'Neill Season Continues with AH, WILDERNESS, Opening 7/29

(5/16/2012) Eclipse Theatre Company (www.eclipsetheatre.com), the only theatre company in the Midwest to feature the works of one playwright in one season, continues their 2012 season featuring the works of legendary American playwright Eugene O’Neill with his romantic comedy, “Ah, Wilderness!” directed by Eclipse ensemble member Steve Scott. This will be the second of three productions by America’s first great playwright.

Pride Films and Plays to Present RICHMOND JIM, 6/29-8/10

(5/16/2012) Pride Films and Plays will present Cal Yeomans's award-winning but long-lost play Richmond Jim to celebrate Pride Month. Richmond Jim will be featured in the Naked July Fest at National Pastime Theater and run June 29 to August 10.

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for May 16th, 2012

(5/16/2012) The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The "Apocalyptour," two Sondheim/Lapine productions, Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen visit Northlight, "The Last Five Years," Spider Saloff writes and stars, that "Smash"ing season finale, and more....

HOMECOMING Concludes Chicago Dramatists 2012 Season, Opening Tonight, 5/16

(5/16/2012) Chicago Dramatists, known for producing innovative and award-winning new work, is proud to announce its 34th season featuring three world premiere productions by its Resident Playwrights. Chicago Dramatists continues to nurture the city’s most promising playwrights and to push the envelope with the newest plays, helping to advance Chicago’s reputation as a leader in American theatre new play development. The season begins with Freshly Fallen Snow, September 20 - October 28, by Resident Playwright M.E.H. Lewis and directed by Associate Artistic Director Meghan Beals McCarthy. The first show of 2013 is Southbridge, January 24 - March 13, by Resident Playwright Reginald Edmund and directed by Artistic Director Russ Tutterow. The Chicago Dramatists’ season concludes with Homecoming 1972, May 16 - June 23, by Resident Playwright Robert Koon and directed by Associate Artist Kimberly Senior.

Photo Flash: Team StarKid's APOCALYPTOUR Comes to Chicago

(5/15/2012) Following the success of The SPACE Tour, internet sensation Team StarKid announces a second national tour: APOCALYPTOUR, featuring a cast of StarKid veterans performing hits from the company's acclaimed original comedy musicals A Very Potter Musical, A Very Potter Sequel, Me and My Dick, and Starship, as well as their latest parody show Holy Musical B@man!. APOCALYPTOUR launched at the House of Blues in Chicago on May 9. View photos below!

Lifeline Theatre Sets 29th Anniversary Benefit for 6/6

(5/15/2012) Lifeline Theatre presents “An Austen Soiree: Readings, Music and Games of Jane’s World” for its 29th Anniversary Benefit.

Commedia Beauregard Announce CORLEONE: The Shakespearean Godfather by David Mann for June 1-24

(5/15/2012) Commedia Beauregard, a Chicago-based theater company dedicated to producing plays in translation, turned the concept of translation on its head this year with the audience favorite production of Bard Fiction. Their upcoming summer show, Corleone: The Shakespearean Godfather continues their film-to-Shakespeare season and will be presented at the Greenhouse Theater Center from June 1-24, 2012.

Stage Left Theatre Presents WITCHES VANISH & More for LeapFest 9, Now thru 6/3

(5/15/2012) Stage Left Theatre previously announced the program for LeapFest 9, Stage Left’s annual new-play festival, running todya, May 15 through June 3, 2012. LeapFest is an annual event featuring five new plays with socio-political themes, presented as workshop productions in rotating repertory. This year’s festival includes new works from Claudia Barnett, Shayne Kennedy, Alex Lewin, Barbara Lhota, and Penny Penniston.

L.A.'s Theatre Dybbuk and Chicago's Shpiel Team Up for Weekend Intensive, 7/20-22

(5/14/2012) For the first time, ShPIeL-Performing Identity from Chicago will join with theatre dybbuk in Los Angeles to conduct a workshop for theatre professionals at the Spirit Studio in Silver Lake. The theme of the Intensive is Performing Identity, which comes from ShPIeL’s mission to create, develop, produce and educate about performances of identity, heritages and cultures.

The Route 66 Reading Series Continues With Wandachristine, 5/21

(5/14/2012) The Route 66 montly reading series continues this month with the veteran of Stage, Screen, Film, and soon-to-be-published author Wandachristine. May 21, at 7:30 PM Upstairs at Mrs. Murphy's Irish Bistro, Chicago IL.

High School in the Spotlight: Newton Community High School

(5/14/2012) Based on user demand, BWW is taking our commitment to arts education one step further with the launch of the BWW Student Center - High School Edition. This directory features upcoming show listings for more than 1500 high schools nationwide with more being added each week. Schools can register for 'enhanced' listings on the site - adding in photos, cast lists, videos, links and more. Productions that take advantage of this will receive highlights on our listing pages, extra editorial mentions and potential spotlight features.