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Oh, What A Night the Windy City has in store with not one but Two rockin' reasons to plan a night on the town on Tuesday evenings in May. The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) River Cruise is teaming up the Chicago's own company of Jersey Boys - the legendary blockbuster musical celebrating a record-breaking open-ended run at the LaSalle Bank Theatre - to offer a chance to ride with the Jersey Boys cast members on their official cruise line, Chicago's First Lady Cruises. Jersey Boys cast members will be on board for the last cruise of the day at 3:00 p.m. every Tuesday in May, beginning May 6, 2008.
For a limited time, cast members from Chicago's Jersey Boys team up with CAF docents to provide an entertaining and fact-filled commentary on Chicago’s architecture from the unique vantage point of the river. Members of Chicago’s cast of Jersey Boys will welcome guests and share a little bit about why Jersey Boys has made its home in Chicago. Back on land, guests can make their way to the LaSalle Bank Theatre for the complete Jersey Boys experience.
All CAF cruises depart from the lower level and southeast corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge at Wacker Drive. The cruise highlights 53 historic and architecturally significant sites along the Chicago River. The staircase to the ticket window and dock is marked by a blue awning. Tickets are $28 for weekday cruises and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com.
Steppenwolf Launches 2008-2009 Traffic Series With A Sandra Bernhard Halloween
Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced they will kick off their 2008-2009 Traffic Series with two hauntingly hilarious performances of A Sandra Bernard Halloween on Monday, October 27, 2008 in the Steppenwolf Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St.
Actress, comedienne, author, singer and provocateur Sandra Bernhard promises plenty of "tricks and treats" as she storms the Steppenwolf stage for A Sandra Bernard Halloween. Audience members are invited to attend in costume as the outrageous and outspoken star brings her band The Rebellious Jezebels for an unforgettable night of music, wit and social commentary.
Steppenwolf’s Traffic Series brings together artists of all disciplines and casts them as storytellers in one night only presentations on the Steppenwolf stage. Traffic provides an intimate and unique intersection of language, lyrics, poetry and music.
A Sandra Bernhard Halloween will have a one night performance on October 27 with curtain times at 7:00pm and 9:30pm. Tickets go on sale Thursday, June 19 at 11 a.m. The full 2008-2009 Traffic Series lineup will be announced at a later date.
Broadway Legend to Perform in Oak Park
Chicago native and Tony-nominated Broadway performer John Herrera returns home for a special Father's Day concert to benefit Village Players Performing Arts Center in Songs for Fathers, Sons and Daughters.
John Herrera performed on the Village Players stage as John Dickinson in 1776 back in 1976 in a special bicentennial production, before embarking on a successful musical theatre career both on Broadway and across the United States. Coincidentally, he went on to play Roger Sherman in the last Broadway revival of 1776. As a special bonus at the concert, Herrera will perform a selection from 1776.
Regarding his last appearance for the Village Players, John says "I had seen the touring production of 1776 at the Shubert Theater when I was at Lane Tech High School. I had never seen a professional musical before. It was magical and life transforming in a very spiritual way. When I heard Gary Beach sing 'Molasses to Rum,' I knew what wanted to do: sing onstage. The theatre bug had bitten! So while a student at Loyola University, I heard about auditions for Oak Park Village Player's production. I took the 'El' all the way from Rogers Park. The late Laurel Cronin directed the production, and I was so young I thought she'd cast me as the courier. She totally surprised me and cast me as John Dickinson, the major antagonist who doesn't sign the declaration because of his strong beliefs. She felt although I was young I had the stage presence to play a much older man of such fervent convictions. It was a phenomenal experience. Most memorably, on opening night when John Adams was singing how the 4th of July would one day be celebrated with fireworks, the actual Bi Centennial fireworks could be heard in the distance. I get goose bumps just thinking about it."
Songs for Fathers, Sons and Daughters will feature John Herrera singing a mix of both pop and Broadway selections especially chosen for Father's Day, including songs written by Mr. Herrera as well as Amanda McBroom (composer of 'The Rose'), David Wilcox, The Beatles, Harry Chapin and Stephen Sondheim. He will be accompanied by pianist Rick Snyder and bass player Tom Mendel, both currently playing in the orchestra of Wicked in downtown Chicago.
John Herrera is perhaps best known in the Chicago area for playing Che in the original National tour of Evita at the Shubert Theater. He created the role of Neville in Drood on Broadway for which he was nominated for both the Tony and an Outer Critic's Circle awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.
Songs for Fathers, Sons and Daughters will be presented in the Mainstage Theater of the newly renovated Village Players Performing Arts Center located at 1010 W. Madison St., Oak Park. Tickets available at www.village-players.org or by calling 866-764-1010.
The Smash Hit Drama A Steady Rain Celebrates National Police Week May 11 - 17
A Steady Rain, Chicago Dramatists' hit production now playing at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted, will celebrate National Police Week by offering all police officers special buy one get one free tickets to performances on Thursdays, May 8 and 15 and Sundays, May 11 and 18. Police officers should bring proper identification to the Royal George Theatre box office to receive the discount. Recently extended through June 8, no other production in recent Chicago history has garnered the kind of rave reviews as A Steady Rain.
A Steady Rain explores love and rage on the streets of Chicago, as a routine domestic disturbance call sends two Chicago cops, Denny (Randy Steinmeyer) and Joey (Peter DeFaria), on a harrowing journey that will test their loyalties and change their lives forever.
2008 Waa-Mu Show Takes Audiences to New York, L.A. and Chicago
Northwestern University’s 2008 Waa-Mu Show "Skylines" will focus on the East Coast, West Coast and Midwest as it follows recent Northwestern graduates to New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
In a tapestry of big city settings and musical styles the show is filled with original songs, sketches and dances and covers a wide range of subject matter from New York subways to the joys and woes of being a Chicago Cubs fan.
The annual student- and alumni-written show -- now in its 77th year -- features a cast of 38 student performers and is being directed for the 15th consecutive year by Northwestern theater faculty member Dominic Missimi. Missimi directed the highly-praised musical production of Les Miserables which runs through May 11 at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. His wife Nancy served as costume designer for Les Miserables and is also designing costumes for the 2008 Waa-Mu Show.
"This year's 'Skylines' visits three great cities that have been stomping grounds for a number of Waa-Mu shows," said Missimi. "Many of our past Waa-Mu shows have featured countless songs and sketches in New York City. My sixth Waa-Mu Show was set entirely in the Big Apple. As for Chicago, many Waa-Mu shows have enjoyed spoofing our favorite Chicago institution, the Cubs, a tradition we enjoy repeating this year. And in a school (Northwestern’s School of Communication) that has an enormous roster of alumni who are Hollywood stars, how could we not have visited LaLa land on innumerable occasions?"
Tickets to the show range in price from $11 to $27. Call 847-491-7282 to purchase tickets by phone.
The House Theatre of Chicago To Hold Annual Gala June 20, 2008
The House Theatre of Chicago who have brought Chicago innovative productions this year such as The Sparrow and The Nutcracker have announced a gala event. The House invites Chicagoans to participate in The Third Annual Gathering of the Secret Order of the Magic Pearl, to be held Friday June 20, 2008 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Carmichael’s Chicago Steak House, 1052 W Monroe St.
Become privy to the best-kept secrets in Chicago, as members of the Secret Order of the Magic Pearl take part in arcane rites and impassioned speechmaking. For those who remain cautious, representatives from the Order claim that facial tattoos will be optional this year. The glorious evening will feature a scrumptious buffet to nourish the soul, live entertainment, and silent and live auctions. Among the plethora of smashing prizes will be a week’s stay in Manzanillo, Mexico, and a weekend in New York City.
The Annual Gathering of the Secret Order of the Magic Pearl is an integral fundraising event for the ever-innovative House, which offers anywhere from three to six productions per season. Since 2001, The House has provided Chicago with intrigue and hijinks, hilarity and creativity. The evening’s festivities will be hosted by Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me.
"Like a lot of fans of The House Theatre of Chicago, I don't just want to see their shows. I want to be in them. I want to save the world, have cool fights and make things fly with the power of my mind," says gala host Peter Sagal. "Sadly, they say they don't have a role that's quite right for me, but I do, every year, get to host The Annual Gathering of the Secret Order of the Magic Pearl, which is not only a solemn and musical invocation of art, community, and evil-fighting, but it's also the kind of party I used to dream about being invited to when I grew up and got to hang with the cool people. I understand this year they might let me sing."
Individual tickets are $100 and can be ordered through The House Theatre of Chicago's website at www.thehousetheatre.com. For more information, please contact The House Theatre of Chicago’s office at 773-769-3832.