Jersey Boys

Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, will soon place a new block of tickets on-sale.  Audiences may plan for the season ahead as tickets for the holiday block of performances October 14, 2008 - January 11, 2009 go on-sale to the public Friday, July 25 at 10 a.m. 

Directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Des McAnuff, Jersey Boys won both the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical and the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Musical Recording, and continues to break box office records on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre since opening in November 2005.  Jersey Boys is written by Academy Award -winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo.

Presented by Broadway In Chicago and TheatreDreams, Jersey Boys, now playing at the Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St), premiered in Chicago on October 5, 2007 and became a resident production on February 27, 2008.  

The new block of tickets for performances October 14, 2008 - January 11, 2009 will be available to the public starting Friday, July 25, 2008 at 10 a.m. 

Musical Hits From Drury Lane Oakbrook to play at Drury Lane Water Tower Place

Executive Producer of Drury Lane Productions, Kyle DeSantis announced that Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook Terrace's productions of the mega hit musicals Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story and Meet Me in St. Louis will be presented at Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut Street  Chicago, IL 60611.  The series will be kicked off in September and will feature the hit musical Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, previewing September 10, opening September 19 and running through November 2, followed in November by Meet Me in St. Louis, previewing November 12, opening November 19 and running through January 4, which both had sold-out runs during the 2007 - 2008 season at Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook Terrace. 

DeSantis is excited to follow the tradition that his grandfather, Anthony DeSantis, started, staging successful productions at multiple Drury Lane locations.  "We are a creative family that has a deep appreciation and passion for the arts", said DeSantis, "Our goal is to support the local arts by producing great musicals that employ local actors, designers and musicians."

Broadway Dreams Foundation presents their 1st annual Chicago Broadway Boot Camp

Straight from their hugely successful 3rd annual Atlanta camp, the Broadway Dreams Foundation (BDF) www.mybroadwaydreams.com makes its debut in Chicago this summer.  The Broadway Dreams Foundation's summer curriculum is the premiere workshop for anyone Broadway bound.  Professional instructors, who know what it takes to make it, come directly from the New York stage, to your local Chicago one, to share their Broadway secrets. 

The foundation's goal is to brighten the future of financially challenged young talent through workshops, intensive training sessions and its signature weeklong summer camp.  This not for profit organization will bring performers closer to their Broadway dreams, regardless of their financial status.  By raising awareness, the Broadway Dreams Foundation is able to offer more scholarship opportunities to students each year.  "Over 40% of the students in Atlanta attended BDF camp on scholarship," says foundation director Annette Tanner.  "My partners and I hope for the same success in the 2009 tour."

The Broadway based "Boot Camp" will contain technical skill-building sessions in the performance basics of singing, dancing and acting.  The camp will be filled with one-on-one guidance and personal coaching led by NY Casting Director David Petro (For Colored Girls, Spelling Bee, Dreamgirls, Altar Boyz and Nickelodeon).  As David describes, "Our students undergo amazing transformations during Broadway Boot Camp and we help to facilitate this process.  As instructors, our priority is giving the students a sense of accomplishment and the confidence necessary to take their skills and talents to the next level." 

BDF is honored to have an award winning trio of guest faculty joining them in Chicago including Tony award winning actor Jarrod Emick, Chicago Theatre's #1 leading lady, Hollis Resnik and NY Casting Director David Petro. 

The highlight of camp week will conclude with a Broadway Production entitled "Oh What a Night."  This one-of-a-kind musical production showcases camp participants performing onstage alongside Hollis Resnick, Jarrod Emick and composer Jeremy Schonfeld, one of the most sought after singer/songwriter talents and musical theater composers of today.

The grand finale will be performed at The Gorton Center on Sunday August 3rd at 7:30pm.  Tickets for this performance go on sale July 14th at, www.tix.com.  All proceeds from the Broadway Dreams Concert, in addition to private donations and grants make scholarships and continuing programs possible.  Chicago Broadway Boot Camp begins Thursday, July 31 with classes through Sunday, August 3, 2008.

Kevin Heckman Named Managing Director of Next Theatre Company

The celebrated Next Theatre Company, Chicago's destination for socially provocative, artistically adventurous work, has announced the appointment of Kevin Heckman to the post of Managing Director at the start of its 28th Season.

Kevin Heckman comes to Next Theatre from Stage Left Theatre, Chicago's like-minded storefront venue, where he has served for seven seasons, initially as the Managing Director and most recently as the Producing Artistic Director. Under his leadership, Stage Left has tripled its individual giving, seen unprecedented board development and modernized its internal infrastructure.  As a theater artist, Heckman has received numerous accolades for directing, writing, performance and design, including a total of seven Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for productions he has helmed.   Heckman is an associate artist at Chicago Dramatists and an ensemble member at Stage Left. He has taught acting at North Shore Academy in Highland Park, a school for at-risk youth, and is a contributing writer for PerformInk newspaper where he edited the first four editions of The Book: An Actor's Guide to Chicago. A 1992 graduate of Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT), Heckman received degrees in theatre and mathematics. He resides in Evanston with his wife Christine.

"The Board is excited by Kevin's commitment to Evanston and his deep understanding of the vibrant Chicago theatre scene. In line with our strategic plan for accelerated growth in upcoming seasons, Kevin's appointment will allow us to build on our solid foundation in Chicagoland and secure Next's place on the national stage," said Board President Judy Kemp.

"Given his long experience at Stage Left - where he was passionate about the same kind of work we do - I know that Kevin is going to add immeasurably to this institution's growth," remarked Artistic Director Jason Loewith. "And as an Evanstonian, he's ready to fully integrate Next Theatre into the fabric of our community."

Regarding his new appointment, Heckman said, "I am very excited to join Next at this critical point in its organizational life. I look forward to building on the strong foundation Jason has created, and helping to bring Next into the top tier of Chicago area theatres." Heckman begins fulltime work on August 5.

With its Managing Director search complete, Next Theatre can now focus exclusively on the national Artistic Director search to replace Jason Loewith, who will be leaving the company at the conclusion of the 2008-09 season.

Superior Donuts Extended

Due to popular demand, Steppenwolf Theatre Company has announced a one-week extension of its world premiere comedy Superior Donuts by ensemble member and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tracy Letts, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau. The show will now close on August 24.