Casting a wide net honoring smaller off–Loop houses and suburban theatres along with downtown main stages, The Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee announced 155 nominations in 28 categories for Chicago's Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2005 and July 31, 2006. The Jeff Committee sent judges to the opening nights of.... Read More

Using its new theatre at 1439 W Jarvis Ave – christened The Side Project Theatre – as an impetus, the side project has revamped its mission statement and returned to its roots as a company that provides not only like-minded playwrights and directors a home for their art, but also a company that looks.... Read More

Robert Falls’ 20th anniversary season at Goodman Theatre begins with his production of William Shakespeare’s King Lear, featuring Stacy Keach in the title role with performances beginning September 9. However, his season won’t just keep him in Chicago. Falls will reunite with playwright Eric Bogosian to also direct the first Broadway production.... Read More

Profiles Theatre is preparing to kick off their 2006-2007 Season by presenting the Midwest Premiere of Neil LaBute's award-winning Fat Pig. Fat Pig won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play in 2005 and will open at Profiles September 14, 2006. Profiles' production will mark only the third time Fat Pig.... Read More

The Pirate Queen is about ready to set sail in Chicago with its October 3 opening at the Cadillac Palace Theatre but those eager for a sneak peak of the show may want to check out the “castcom” which will launch on Tuesday, September 12th.

This castcom is a daily video diary that will introduce.... Read More

Victory Gardens Theater will officially rename its longtime location at 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue the Victory Gardens Theater Greenhouse at a free Open House celebration, Tuesday, August 29 from 6 to 8 pm.

Here's your chance to sample the variety of companies and plays that will be seen at the Victory Gardens Theater Greenhouse on.... Read More

Kids can meet Snow White, Nutcracker, Cat and the Hat and other Emerald City characters at Taste of Emerald City, a free event celebrating the launch of Emerald City Theatre Company's 11th season, Saturday, September 9 from 9:30 am-2:30 pm at the Apollo Theatre, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. The event includes live performances,.... Read More

Goodman Theatre’s 2006/2007 season marks the 20th anniversary of its Tony Award-winning Artistic Director, Robert Falls.  Since 1986, Falls’ forward-thinking leadership has created ground-breaking live theater and earned the Goodman unparalleled artistic distinction; since his time as Artistic Director of Wisdom Bridge Theatre (1977 – 1985) he has brought the city of Chicago.... Read More

I asked for this interview after seeing Gary Houston’s performance in The Artistic Home’s production of Romulus Linney’s Unchanging Love.  I’d never seen him act before that; I’d never even heard of him.  But the ease and conviction of his work were striking.  On Google I found a couple of articles from the.... Read More

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company officially begins its 2006-2007 season with its annual Season Salon on Wednesday, Sept. 6. The Salon will be held at the Victory Gardens Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N Lincoln Avenue. The event will last from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

.... Read More

Theatre Building Chicago presents Stages 2006, a festival of eight new musicals on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, August 11, 12, and 13. The three-day musical extravaganza performs each new work twice in concert-style formats. Now in its thirteenth season, Stages is committed to developing musicals and the writers who create them.

Stages kick-off gala takes place.... Read More

Award-winning composer Stephen Sondheim will join Ravinia Festival president Welz Kauffman for a pre-concert discussion prior to the Aug. 11 concert staging of the classic Gypsy. The pre-concert discussion, according to a Ravinia spokesperson, will be held in the Ravinia's Martin Theatre and will also be broadcast to the audiences on the lawn. The.... Read More

Teatro Vista- Theatre With a View, a theatre company committed to sharing and celebrating the riches of Latino culture with all Chicago theater audiences, has announced their 2006-2007 season which will give theatre-lovers productions packed with powerhouse performances by ensemble members. Artistic Director, Edward F. Torres says, “We are extremely excited to bring you some of the most.... Read More

Kristy Cates has performed on Broadway, at the Tony Awards and currently stars in the leading role as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in Chicago's blockbuster production of Wicked.  Now, Arlington Heights' Metropolis Performing Arts Centre has announced a rare solo performance by Cates, one-night-only, Monday, October 9, 2006 at 7:30 pm.

This.... Read More

The world premiere of "Asphalt Beach" will be the third new musical to emerge from the recently launched American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University. The show features music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, book by T. C. Smith and Peter Spears and direction by Amanda Dehnert. Performances will be held from.... Read More

College-bound high school students interested in pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies in the areas of music, dance, theater, visual arts, graphic design, and other related disciplines can find out more about by attending the National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC) Chicago Performing and Visual Arts College Fair.

The Chicago Performing and Visual Arts College Fair will be.... Read More

I watched theatrical designer Brian Sidney Bembridge at work during tech week at Writers’ Theatre as he finalized the lighting for The Duchess of Malfi. Even from afar, he was someone you couldn’t help liking -- relaxed (even in the crucible of tech), friendly, positive, focused, professional. Only after I asked.... Read More

Big Bang, the "unofficial" inaugural production of the new Downstairs theatre at the Chicago Theatre has closed its run early due to the inability to find a Chicago audience for the show.

The production, which was slated to run until August 20, had its last show on Sunday, July 23. This was the first.... Read More

Chicago comedy legend Del Close apparently did not, in fact, donate his skull to the Goodman Theatre, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday. The human skull that was thought to be Close's has become a legendary prop in Chicago theater and a symbol of his eccentric and offbeat humor. 

Close died at 64 in.... Read More

Every day, Victory Gardens Theater's dream of creating An American Center for New Plays inside Chicago's historic Biograph Theater comes closer to reality. Chicago's number one presenter of new work for more than 30 years, Victory Gardens will open its new Biograph mainstage in September 2006, becoming an important new addition to Chicago's live.... Read More