Chicago Shakespeare Theater News

Celebrating the 100th birthday of one of America's most prominent and popular 20th Century playwrights, TimeLine Theatre Company launches its 2015-16 season with a revival of Arthur Miller's THE PRICE, a classic about the legacy of the past and the price of life's choices. 

The Hypocrites are thrilled to launch their 2015-16 season with the Chicago premiere of the smash Broadway musical AMERICAN IDIOT, featuring music by Grammy Award-winning punk rock band Green Day, book by Green Day frontman/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer and lyrics by Armstrong, direction by Steven Wilson, musical direction by Andra Velis Simon and choreography by Katie Spelman. AMERICAN IDIOT will play August 28 - October 25, 2015 at The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage, 1329 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

Overflowing with Rock n' Roll, romance, and mistaken identities, the Elvis fueled Broadway Musical, ALL SHOOK UP, rides into Theatre at the Center, now through August 16th at 1040 Ridge Road in Munster, IN. Jeff Award-winning Artistic Director Bill Pullinsi joins forces with Jeff Award-winning Choreographer Danny Herman to co-direct the well-tuned, hot-rod musical, which continues Theatre at the Center's spectacular 25th Anniversary 2015 season. With a book by Tony Award-winning Joe DiPietro, nostalgic songs and sensational dance numbers, the hilarious musical will have audiences of all ages jumpin' out of their blue suede shoes. BroadwayWorld has highlights from the show below!

A go-getting young producer of new musical theatre is filling the normally quiet month of August at Greenwich Theatre with two full-length musicals to appeal to a wide range of audience -- The Who's Tommy and The Adventures of Pinocchio.

Overflowing with Rock n' Roll, romance, and mistaken identities, the Elvis fueled Broadway Musical, ALL SHOOK UP, rides into Theatre at the Center, July 16th through August 16th with a press opening on Sunday July 19th at 7 p.m. at 1040 Ridge Road in Munster, IN. Jeff Award-winning Artistic Director Bill Pullinsi joins forces with Jeff Award-winning Choreographer Danny Herman to co-direct the well-tuned, hot-rod musical, which continues Theatre at the Center's spectacular 25th Anniversary 2015 season. With a book by Tony Award-winning Joe DiPietro, nostalgic songs and sensational dance numbers, the hilarious musical will have audiences of all ages jumpin' out of their blue suede shoes!

Overflowing with Rock n' Roll, romance, and mistaken identities, the Elvis fueled Broadway Musical, ALL SHOOK UP, rides into Theatre at the Center, now through August 16th with a press opening this Sunday, July 19th at 7 p.m. at 1040 Ridge Road in Munster, IN. Jeff Award-winning Artistic Director Bill Pullinsi joins forces with Jeff Award-winning Choreographer Danny Herman to co-direct the well-tuned, hot-rod musical, which continues Theatre at the Center's spectacular 25th Anniversary 2015 season. With a book by Tony Award-winning Joe DiPietro, nostalgic songs and sensational dance numbers, the hilarious musical will have audiences of all ages jumpin' out of their blue suede shoes. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Million Dollar Quartet, the longest-running Broadway musical production in Chicago's history, has been extended through January 17, 2016.  With over 2,000 performances and nearly 7 smash years in Chicago, the Tony Award-winning rock 'n' roll musical holds the record for the longest-running Broadway musical in Chicago.  A new block of tickets, for performance from September 30, 2015-January 17, 2016 will go on sale on Friday, July 17, 2016.

Overflowing with Rock n' Roll, romance, and mistaken identities, the Elvis fueled Broadway Musical, ALL SHOOK UP, rides into Theatre at the Center, tonight, July 16th through August 16th with a press opening on Sunday July 19th at 7 p.m. at 1040 Ridge Road in Munster, IN.

Everything's up to date in Aurora, where nearly 27,000 subscribers (and still counting) have already signed up for the Paramount Theatre's 2015-16 four-show Broadway Musical Series.

The Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, presents the World Premiere of the new musical OCTOBER SKY, previewing August 19, opening August 26 and running through October 11. Written by Aaron Thielen, with music and lyrics by Michael Mahler, OCTOBER SKY is directed by Jeff Award-winner Rachel Rockwell. Music Direction is by Ryan T. Nelson. Presented in association with Universal Stage Productions (Billy Elliott, Wicked, Bring It On), and from the writing team that brought audiences HERO (Jeff Award, Best New Work, 2012), OCTOBER SKY is based on the beloved Universal Pictures film October Sky and the bestselling novel Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickam, Jr.

Producing Artistic Director Chuck Tobin recently announced the area premiere of John Patrick Shanley's new Irish comedy Outside Mullingar, which had its world premiere on Broadway last year.

CHICAGO: Tickets are now on sale for The Brown Paper Box Co.'s upcoming production, the Chicago storefront premiere of [title of show], with music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen and book by Hunter Bell. The show will run from July 17 through August 16, 2015 at Rivendell Theatre in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood (5779 N. Ridge Ave.). Ticketing information and more is available at www.brownpaperbox.org.

The complete cast and creative team have been announced for The Comedy of Errors as The Old Globe's 2015 Summer Shakespeare Festival continues the Globe's 80th Anniversary festivities as part of the Balboa Park Centennial Celebration.

Windy City Playhouse, Chicago's newest Equity theater, announces the cast for its third production, the riotous Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight: A Comedy in Three Beds from Peter Ackerman, co-author of 20th Century Fox's hit animated film Ice Age. This contemporary sex farce is directed by William Brown, fresh off his successful run of Doubt at Writers Theatre. Brown directs a stellar cast of Broadway veterans and rising stars including Emily Tate, Peter Meadows, Patrese McClain, Shane Kenyon, Chris Sheard and Robert Spencer. Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight runs August 12-October 4 at Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park. Opening night is Saturday, August 15. windycityplayhouse.com/things/

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Beaches,' 'Kinky Boots' and 'Gotta Dance' show how a pre-Broadway tryout is done, while 'Fancy Nancy,' 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Pinocchio' go for a younger demographic. Meanwhile, Ravinia, Grant Park and Three Oaks (MI) do summer concerts, and The Music Theatre Company announces its own surprise demise.

Producing Artistic Director Chuck Tobin today announced the opening of the area premiere of John Patrick Shanley's new Irish comedy Outside Mullingar, which had its world premiere on Broadway last year. 

GFour Productions, winners of 54 Drama Desk and 44 Tony Awards, today announced the cast of leading ladies for the Memphis production of the international hit show Menopause The Musical, which will play the Orpheum Theatre for 3 performances, August 1-2, 2015. Tickets are available for purchase online at the official Orpheum Theatre website, www.orpheum-memphis.com, The Orpheum Box Office (901.525.3000), the ticket counter at The Booksellers at Laurelwood, and all Ticketmaster centers (901.743.ARTS).

National Alliance for Musical Theatre has announced the line up of new musicals for their 27th ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 15 and Friday, October 16 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Registration for Industry members is free and now open at www.namt.org/festival.