Now Playing Onstage in Chicago - Week of 1/20/2013
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DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID JR ROUND LAKE AREA PARK DISTRICT COMMUNITY THEATRE 1/18-1/23/2013 In a magical kingdom fathoms below, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she'll have to defy her father King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula, and convince Prince Eric that she's the girl with the enchanting voice. Adapted from Disney's 2008 Broadway production, Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. features the hit songs "Part of Your World," "She's in Love," and the Oscar-winning "Under the Sea." Click Here for More Information  Roald Dahl'S WILLY WONKA KIDS in Broadway" border="0" height="100" width="100" align="right">
Roald Dahl'S WILLY WONKA KIDS ROUND LAKE AREA PARK DISTRICT COMMUNITY THEATRE 12/5-1/25/2013 Roald Dahl's timeless story of the world-famous candy man and his quest to find an heir comes to life in this special 30-minute stage adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which features the songs from the classic family film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.Roald Dahl's WILLY WONKA KIDS, featuring a memorable score by Leslie Bricusse (JEKYLL & HYDE, DOCTOR DOLITTLE) and Anthony Newley, follows enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka as he stages a contest by hiding five golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whoever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats: the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket who takes the tour in the company of his equally amiable grandfather. The children must learn to follow Mr. Wonka's rules in the factory--or suffer the consequences.This scrumdidilyumptious musical is guaranteed to delight everyone's sweet tooth. With this show's flexible cast size, your elementary school's production will take audiences on a fantasy ride into the land of pure imagination! Click Here for More Information 
DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR TRILOGY SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS 1/26-1/26/2013 Step into the enchanted world of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR. Featuring songs from the Academy-Award winning animated feature, this stage version includes music by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice. Your audiences will be transported to the heart of provincial life in a lovely French town. When Maurice becomes lost in the woods on the way to the fair, he seeks shelter in an old castle, but the master of the castle is a horrible beast that takes him captive. Maurice's daughter, Belle, must then give up her freedom to save his life. Belle's taming of the unfortunate Beast and his ultimate transformation back into a handsome prince is a beloved fairy tale about very different people finding strength in one another and learning how to love. This "tale as old as time" is filled with spectacular costume and set opportunities. Even more simply staged, Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR. offers students a great introduction to musical theatre, using familiar songs and characters to guide them through their production. Click Here for More Information 
ANNIE JR PALOS SOUTH JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 1/26-1/26/2013 Leapin' Lizards! The popular comic strip heroine takes center stage in one of the world's best-loved musicals. With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan ANNIE charms everyone's hearts, despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, ANNIE escapes to the wondrous and magical world of NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, ANNIE foils Miss Hannigan's evil machinations and befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She finds a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.ANNIE JR. is ideal for productions involving different grade levels, or for middle schools where students may be maturing at different rates. The cast size and age range of the parts are flexible and the bright, tuneful score is easy to sing and filled with familiar numbers. Click Here for More Information 
THE MUSICAL ADVENTURES OF FLAT STANLEY TYA VERSION WINNETKA COMMUNITY THEATRE 1/12-1/27/2013 The beloved children's book written by JefF Brown in 1964 has become a literary and pop cultural phenomenon - delighting readers and travelers all around the world. And now, MTI has taken everyone's favorite two-dimensional hero and given him a new life in THE MUSICAL ADVENTURES OF FLAT STANLEY® TYA Stanley Lambchop is your ordinary, every day, run-of-the-mill ten-year-old: normal mom and dad, normal little brother, normal life. That's just the problem...for Stanley, life is too normal. He wants to travel the world, do something amazing, something no one's ever seen before. Careful what you wish for, Stanley!One night, the bulletin board on the wall above Stanley's bed comes loose and falls - right on top of Stanley! The next morning, Stanley Lambchop wakes up flat. Not just a little flat...really, REALLY flat! I n a whirlwind musical travelogue, Stanley - the ultimate exchange student - scours the globe for a solution to his unusual problem. He's stamped, posted and cancelled from Hollywood to France to Honolulu and beyond. And whether he's thwarting a robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, or 'hanging ten' off the coast of Hawaii, Stanley is closing in on his goal of being a three-dimensional boy once more. Click Here for More Information
DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR MUSIC MAKERS OF WESTERN SPRINGS 1/26-1/27/2013 Step into the enchanted world of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR. Featuring songs from the Academy-Award winning animated feature, this stage version includes music by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice. Your audiences will be transported to the heart of provincial life in a lovely French town. When Maurice becomes lost in the woods on the way to the fair, he seeks shelter in an old castle, but the master of the castle is a horrible beast that takes him captive. Maurice's daughter, Belle, must then give up her freedom to save his life. Belle's taming of the unfortunate Beast and his ultimate transformation back into a handsome prince is a beloved fairy tale about very different people finding strength in one another and learning how to love. This "tale as old as time" is filled with spectacular costume and set opportunities. Even more simply staged, Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR. offers students a great introduction to musical theatre, using familiar songs and characters to guide them through their production. Click Here for More Information 
JEKYLL & HYDE (B'WAY) POP FACTORY PLAYERS 1/18-1/27/2013 A true musical theatre phenomenon, JEKYLL & HYDE attracted legions of loyal fans even before the show began its smash-hit Broadway run. An evocative tale of the epic battle between good and evil, JEKYLL & HYDE is based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story about a brilliant doctor whose experiments with human personality create a murderous counterpart. Convinced the cure for his father's mental illness lies in the separation of Man's evil nature from his good, Jekyll unwittingly unleashes his own dark side, wreaking havoc in the streets of London as the savage, maniacal Edward Hyde.This gothic musical is the perfect opportunity for your male and female stars to showcase their abilities. The show offers great flexibility for cast size and use of ensemble and its powerful rock score will require strong, versatile singers. Click Here for More Information 
DISNEY'S ALICE IN WONDERLAND JR BELLEVILLE TOWNSHIP WEST HIGH SCHOOL 1/13-2/1/2013 Join Alice's madcap adventures in Wonderland as she chases the White Rabbit, races the Dodo Bird, gets tied up with the Tweedles, raps with a bubble-blowing Caterpillar, and beats the Queen of Hearts at her own game! Roles are plentiful, including three Cheshire Cats and dozens of other wonderfully wacky characters. Disney's ALICE IN WONDERLAND JR. is a fast-paced stage adaptation of featuring updated dialogue and new arrangements of such classic Disney songs as "I'm Late," "The Un-birthday Song" and "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah." Click Here for More Information 
A FUNNY THING...FORUM STAGE 212 1/23-2/2/2013 Broadway's greatest farce is light, fast-paced, witty, irreverent and one of the funniest musicals ever written. A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from time-tested, 2000 year old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville.A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM is a non-stop laugh-fest in which Pseudolus, a crafty slave, struggles to win the hand of a beautiful but slow-witted courtesan named Philia, for his young master, Hero, in exchange for freedom. The plot twists and turns with cases of mistaken identity, slamming doors, and a showgirl or two.This unforgettable, hysterical musical allows a terrific ensemble of comedic actors to shine--"something for everyone, a comedy tonight!" Click Here for More Information  Andrew Jackson in Broadway" border="0" height="100" width="100" align="right">
BLOODY BLOODY Andrew Jackson CELEBRATION COMPANY STATION THEATRE 1/17-2/2/2013 BLOODY BLOODY Andrew Jackson creators Michael Friedman and Alex Timbers cook up an alternate universe (and draw parallels to today's political/populist landscape) with their musical about the seventh U.S. president, reinvented as an "emo" rock star. BLOODY BLOODY Andrew Jackson tells the story of America's first political maverick. A.J. kicked British butt, shafted the Indians and smacked down the Spaniards all in the name of these United States--who cares if he didn't have permission?An exhilarating and white-knuckled look at one of our nation's founding rock stars, BLOODY BLOODY Andrew Jackson recreates and reinvents the life of "Old Hickory," from his humble beginnings on the Tennessee frontier to his days as Commander-in-Chief. It also asks the question, is wanting to have a beer with someone reason enough to elect him? What if he's really, really hot?This wildly entertaining 90-minute show is perfect for comedic actors and singers, with minimal dancing required. BLOODY BLOODY Andrew Jackson is an actor driven rather than design-dependent musical; it encourages breaking the fourth wall, audience participation, and rocking out! Click Here for More Information 
THE MUSIC MAN Paramount Theatre 1/16-2/3/2013 It's going to be a busy week for traveling salesman Harold Hill. He has to convince the residents of River City he's a well-accomplished musician; convince the Mayor of River City to put him in charge of starting a children's band; convince the parents of River City to buy their young musicians uniforms and instruments from him; then get out of town with everyone's money before there's trouble in River City. Even the best laid plans encounter a few hurdles. In this case those hurdles include the warmth of a woman, the needs of a painfully shy boy and a community that wants to believe in him. Before Harold knows it, he's leading the big parade and changing everyone's lives. One of the most iconic musicals in theater history comes to life on the Paramount stage. The scenery is spectacular, the costumes are colorfully lavish and the music (played by the Paramount orchestra), combined with the choreography, is bound to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and march. Click Here for More Information 
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE SCHAUMBURG ON STAGE 1/25-2/3/2013 THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE is a high-spirited musicalromp that has all of New York dancing the Charleston. It's the zany new1920's musical that has taken Broadway by storm, winning the TONY Award for BEST MUSICAL!Taking place in New York City in 1922, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIEtells the story of young Millie Dillmount, who has just moved to thecity in search of a new life for herself. It's a New York full ofintrigue and jazz - a time when women were entering the workforce andthe rules of love and social behavior were changing forever. Based onthe popular movie, the stage version of THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE includes a full score of new songs and bright dance numbers.Filled with frisky flappers, dashing leading men and a dragon-lady of a villainess audiences will love to hate, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIEis a perfectly constructed evening of madcap merriment. And with therole of Millie Dillmount, musical theatre has found a new heroine forthe ages in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE! Click Here for More Information SKYLIGHT Court Theatre 1/19-2/10/2013 Abselon Auditorium: - David Hare; dir: William Brown. Click Here for More Information OTHER DESERT CITIES Goodman Theatre 1/12-2/17/2013 Albert Theater: - Jon Robin Baitz; dir: Henry Wishcamper. Click Here for More Information THE WHIPPING MAN Northlight Theatre 1/18-2/24/2013 - Matthew Lopez; dir: Kimberly Senior. Click Here for More Information DISCONNECT Victory Gardens Theater 1/25-2/24/2013 Zacek-McVay Theater: - Anupama Chandrasekhar; dir: Dexter Bullard. Click Here for More Information THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT Steppenwolf Theatre Co 12/27-3/3/2013 Downstairs Theatre: - Stephen Adly Guirgis; dir: Anna D. Shapiro. Click Here for More Information THE MAGNIFICENTS The House Theatre of Chicago 1/18-3/10/2013 The Chopin Theatre: - Dennis Watkins; dir: Nathan Allen. Click Here for More Information A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING Mercury Theater Chicago 1/12-3/10/2013 Taste and imagination, the two key ingredients for a first-rate revue, abound in this fresh take on the Rodgers & Hammerstein canon conceived by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie. Over three decades after the duo's final collaboration, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, took the Great White Way by storm, it was in fact this new R&H musical that opened the 1994 Broadway season with flair and distinction, garnering wildly enthusiastic notices as well as earning two Tony nominations, including Best Musical. Here at R&H, our founding fathers probably never imagined 'Shall We Dance?' as a comic pas de deux for a towering beauty and her diminutive admirer, nor did they suspect that one day a lovelorn young lad might pose the musical question, 'How do you solve a problem like Maria?' But that's precisely the kind of invention lavished upon this new revue, with innovative musical arrangements including a sultry Andrews Sisters-esque 'I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a My Hair,' a swingin' 'Honeybun' worthy of the Modernaires, and a jazzy 'Kansas City' which leaves no question about how terrifically up to date the remarkable songs of R&H remain.Music by Rodgers, Richard; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; Music Arrangements by Fred Wells; Conceived By Walter Bobbie Click Here for More Information 
THE BOOK OF MORMON Bank of America Theatre 12/11-3/13/2013 Winner of 9 Tony Awards® including Best Musical! From Trey Parker and Matt Stone, four-time Emmy Award-winning creators of "South Park," and Tony Award-winner Robert Lopez, co-creator of the Tony Award–winning Best Musical Avenue Q, comes THE BOOK OF MORMON, a new Broadway musical that Jon Stewart of The Daily Show describes as, "a crowning achievement, so good it makes me angry" and by Entertainment Weekly as "the funniest musical of all time." Featuring choreography by Tony Award-winner Casey Nicholaw, THE BOOK OF MORMON is directed by Nicholaw and Parker. Don't miss your chance to see what Ben Brantley of The New York Times calls "the best musical of this century." Contains explicit language. Click Here for More Information SOUTHBRIDGE Chicago Dramatists 1/24-3/13/2013 - Reginald Edmund; dir: Russ Tutterow. Click Here for More Information SWEET CHARITY Writers' Theatre 1/22-3/31/2013 325 Tudor Court: - book: Neil Simon; lyrics: Dorothy Fields; music: Cy Coleman; dir: Michael Halberstam. Click Here for More Information THE MUSIC OF Andrew Lloyd Webber Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre 1/16-3/31/2013 Click Here for More Information SUNSET BOULEVARD Drury Lane- Oakbrook 1/24-4/7/2013 Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, based on Billy Wilder's 1950 film with the same name, weaves a magnificent tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition. Silent movie star Norma Desmond longs for a return to the big screen, having been discarded by Tinseltown with the advent of "talkies." Her glamour has faded in all but her mind. When Norma meets struggling Hollywood screen-writer Joe Gillis in dramatic circumstances, their subsequent passionate and volatile relationship leads to an unforeseen and tragic conclusion. Click Here for More Information SUNSET BOULEVARD Drury Lane Theatre 1/24-4/7/2013 SUNSET BOULEVARD weaves a magnificent tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition. Silent movie star Norma Desmond longs for a return to the big screen, having been discarded by tinsel town with the advent of 'talkies.' Her glamour has faded in all but her mind. When she meets struggling Hollywood screen-writer Joe Gillis in dramatic circumstances, their subsequent passionate and volatile relationship leads to an unforeseen and tragic conclusion. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Book and Lyrics by Don Black & Christopher Hampton; Based on the Billy Wilder Film Click Here for More Information CONCERNING STRANGE DEVICES FROM THE DISTANT WEST Timeline Theatre Company 1/15-4/14/2013 TimeLine Theatre: - Naomi Iizuka; dir: Lisa Portes. Click Here for More Information View All Show Listings for Chicago Click Here to View BroadwayWorld.com Chicago Calendar |
