The producers of The Color Purple have announced that American Idol Season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino will reprise her starring role of Celie for the Chicago Engagement. Returning to its debut home of Chicago, The Color Purple will make its home at The Arie Crown Theater for two weeks, September 2 -13, 2009.

Fantasia made her Broadway.... Read More

Northlight Theatre Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans prepare for the Chicago Premiere of The Lieutenant of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh, directed by BJ Jones.  The production will run April 29-June 7, 2009 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. 

"Wee Thomas" the cat has been killed.  What's worse,.... Read More

DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, Ltd. Have announced that the 'big fat hit' Broadway production of Shrek The Musical with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori, directed by Jason Moore, will launch a National Tour in Chicago. Shrek The Musical will play the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental.... Read More

Court Theatre will conclude its 54th season with August Wilson's beloved classic The Piano Lesson, directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson. The fourth play in Wilson's Century Cycle will run at Court Theatre, 5535 S Ellis Avenue, May 5 - June 7, 2009.

Master playwright August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play is the 1930s entry in his.... Read More

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley announced that April 23, Shakespeare's 445th Birthday, will be Talk Like Shakespeare Day, an occasion for Chicagoans to bring the spoken words of Shakespeare into their daily lives. "On his 445th birthday, Shakespeare still speaks to the people of Chicago through timeless words and works," said Mayor Daley in his formal city proclamation..... Read More

Get out your dictionaries!  Celebrating 35 years of producing award-winning musical theater in Chicagoland, The Marriott Theatre will present this side-splitting production of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.  The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee previews May 13th, opens May 20th, and runs through July 19th.... Read More

Two countries, three generations, 22 turbulent years-and a dynamic soundtrack ranging from Syd Barrett to The Plastic People of the Universe to U2-are at the heart of Rock 'n' Roll, a sweeping and passionate drama about love, music and revolution from Academy Award and four-time Tony Award-winner Tom Stoppard. For the play's Chicago .... Read More

TimeLine Theatre Company, dedicated to presenting plays inspired by history that connect to today's social and political issues, announces three of the four plays of its 2009-10 season, including the Chicago premiere of Aaron Sorkin's The Farnsworth Invention. A fourth play and the season's schedule are still to be announced.

"We have put together.... Read More

New Artistic Director Jason Southerland has announced his first full-season's roster of plays at Evanston's Next Theatre, Chicago's destination for socially provocative, artistically adventurous work. In the offering, theater-goers will find the highly-anticipated world premiere of Jason Loewith's latest adaptation War With The Newts, Israeli playwright Boaz Gaon's poignant.... Read More

During its extraordinary eight years, Collaboraction's annual Sketchbook Festival has received more than 5,000 short plays submissions and has presented 138 world premiere short plays for more than 30,000 audience members. This year, Sketchbook expands its scope and scale, making the versatile Building Stage, 412 N. Carpenter St., its new.... Read More

The Chicago Park District's 57th annual Theater on the Lake season features reprisals of eight artistically diverse Chicago theater companies June 17 - Aug. 9, 2009. The season opens with Collaboraction Theater Company's production of Jon (June 17-21) and continues with popular productions by Redmoon Theater (June 24-28), Blindfaith Theatre Company (July 1-5), Theo Ubique Theater Company.... Read More

Fiddler On The Roof will be making a stop in Chicago as legendary and original Broadway star Topol reprises his role of Tevye to bring this time honored story to audiences in Chicago June 10 - 28 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre ( 24 W. Randolph St ).

"Without our traditions, our lives.... Read More

Porchlight Music Theatre is growing-up. In celebration of its15th anniversary Porchlight Music Theatre announced a season of musicals exploring the challenges of growing-up: The Fantasticks, Miracle on 34th Street and Into the Woods. The season opens with the romantic charmer The Fantasticks, previewing September 11, 2009, opening September 13 at 2:30 p.m. and running through November 8,.... Read More

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson announced the series lineup of productions, with new affordable access opportunities, for the 2009/10 Season. "Villains and lovers make for compelling storytelling, and this year- from Shakespeare's beguiling hunchback and fiery fiancées, to Chekhov’s restless lovers and Coward’s dueling.... Read More

Steep Theatre continues its 2008-2009 season of Midwest Premieres with Jez Butterworth's Parlour Song, directed by Robin Witt.  This production, by the playwright of Mojo and The Night Heron, will feature many of the artists behind Steep's 2008 smash hit Breathing Corpses, also directed by Robin Witt.  Witt will be.... Read More

Twenty-three members of American Theater Company ensemble announced that they are no longer a part of the American Theater Company organization.  Chicago's second oldest ensemble based company is continuing on as American Blues Theatre, which was founded in 1985. The newly formed organization will present two productions in 2010 in celebration of their 25th season as an ensemble. .... Read More

Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago's #1 producer of new work, is ramping things up next season with an ambitious seven play line-up, launching with one of the company's most daring new play development projects in 36 years - the next phase of its Ignition Festival.

Last Spring, 120 new works were submitted from around the U.S. by playwrights.... Read More

Broadway In Chicago will present Michael Bennett's masterpiece, A Chorus Line, for a limited 3-week engagement April 14 to May 3, 2009.  The award-winning show will play Chicago's Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre at 24 W. Randolph St.

A Chorus Line recouped its entire $8 million.... Read More

Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans have announced the 2009-2010 Northlight Theatre Season, which includes Roger Bean's pop musical, The Marvelous Wonderettes; Stephen Temperley's comedic musical tribute, Souvenir directed by David Bell; Clifford Odets' Depression-era classic Awake and Sing directed by Amy Morton and featuring Rondi Reed and.... Read More

Silk Road Theatre Project begins its 2009 season with the Midwest Premiere of Pangs of the Messiah by renowned Israeli playwright Motti Lerner. The production, directed by Piven Theatre Workshop Artistic Director Jennifer Green, will run March 19 - May 10, 2009, in Pierce Hall at The Historic Chicago Temple Building, 77 .... Read More