Chicago Shakespeare Theater News

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Rob Shapiro's '1 Night Only: A Hanukkah Jamboree' tonight, November 26, 2013.

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Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company, entering its 28th season, announces major changes to its company and infrastructure. Carlo Lorenzo Garcia, who served as the industrious Producing Director since 2008, has relinquished his duties to pursue other personal endeavors but is to remain a company member and consultant. Mary-Arrchie is proud to name Tosha Fowler as Associate Artistic Director.

Producers Jayson Raitt, Barbara Whitman, Steven Chaikelson and Second Stage Theatre have announced the Murderous Musical Mondays Concert Series at New World Stages - Stage 5 (340 West 50th Street) following the 7pm performances of the new hit musical comedy Murder For Two on Mondays beginning December 2, 2013 and culminating with the Kellen and Joe Christmastime Show on December 16, 2013. Admission to the post-show 'singbacks' is exclusive to ticket holders of the December 2, 9, and 16, 2013 performances of Murder For Two. A portion of ticket sales for the designated performances will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Daniel Mate and Friends on December 6th, 2013. Join 2013 Kleban Award-winning songwriter Daniel Mate and a group of top-notch singing actors for an evening of eclectic, insightful, and thoroughly contagious theater songs. With astonishing lyrical flair and musical influences ranging from Cole Porter to Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan to Wu- Tang Clan, Funkadelic to Soundgarden, Mate's acclaimed and genre-hopping songs have been heralded by theater veterans and a new generation of audiences alike. This intimate evening will feature performances by Tony Award Nominee Daniel Breaker (Passing Strange, Love's Labour's Lost), Heath Calvert (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Nobody Loves You), Ariana DeBose (Motown, Bring It On), Hannah Elless (Godspell, The Other Josh Cohen), Grace McLean (Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812), Jason 'Sweettooth' Williams (Bloodsong of Love), and Mate himself.

Ghostlight Records will release the original cast recording of the hit new musical comedy MURDER FOR TWO in early 2014. MURDER FOR TWO, which was a hit at Second Stage Theatre Uptown before transferring to New World Stages, has already extended its run through March 16, 2014. The album will be produced by Joel Moss with Kurt Deutsch serving as executive producer. Sign up to pre-order at www.sh-k-boom.com/murderfortwo.html.

Holiday cheer will abound at Cleveland Play House (CPH) with an all-new production of the beloved holiday classic, A Christmas Story running from Nov. 29th - Dec. 22nd in the Allen Theatre at PlayhouseSquare. In honor of the 30th anniversary of the unforgettable film, CPH enthusiastically breathes new life into this classic story about Ralphie and his ultimate Christmas wish. Having delighted audiences for 30 years on both the big and small screens, this incredible production is brought to vivid life on stage for Northeast Ohio audiences. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased by calling (216) 241-6000 or online at www.clevelandplayhouse.com. CPH is pleased to have University Hospitals as the Presenting Sponsor of A Christmas Story, along with Benesch, Nordson and FirstMerit as Supporting Sponsors.

Victory Gardens Theater kicks off its 2013-14 season with the Co-World Premiere of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, directed by Gary Griffin. Appropriate is presented in association with Actors Theatre of Louisville and was developed, in part, by IGNITION 2012. Appropriate runs now through December 8, with the press performance tonight, November 15, 2013, at Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The BCA nominations are out, Levi Kreis leads a reading, 'We Three Lizas' return, two holiday shows from Broadway In Chicago, three more versions of 'A Christmas Carol,' more reindeer, and Palatine's 'White Christmas.' And it's still early November!

BroadwayWorld.com is proud once again to announce the nominations for the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, Chicago's only comprehensive, fan-voted theater award now in its 4th fabulous year. And the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble leads the way, with a whopping 15 nominations overall, including 10 for its summer production of 'Kiss of the Spider Woman.' Chicago Shakespeare Theater is next overall, with 12 nods, spread out over an impressive 7 different productions, including 'Othello: The Remix,' 'Henry VII,' 'The School for Lies' and its Shakespeare in the Parks production of 'The Comedy of Errors,' nominated as Best Theatrical Event.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Rob Shapiro's '1 Night Only: A Hanukkah Jamboree' on November 26, 2013. It's time for another Jewish holiday! Back after a sold out performance at Ars Nova's ANT Fest, Rob Shapiro and friends present 1 Night Only: A Hanukkah Jamboree. Join musical Maccabees Mara Jill Herman, Drew Hirshfield, Melanie Hopkins, Ally Bonino and Sam Heldt to witness the great trials endured by Mattathias and his sons, the miracle of oil and the ancient art of driedel spinning! Tell your bubbe you will celebrate the Festival of Lights at 54 Below with prizes, menorahs, and shiksas, oh my! Directed by Leah Bonvissuto, the show will also feature special guests Rachel Sklar, Daniel Mate, and Alexis Field.

The Old Globe presents The Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program presentation of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, running tonight, Nov. 9 - Nov. 17 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is tonight, Nov. 9 at 8:00 p.m.

You already know you're going to love Mamma Mia! now on stage at the Fisher Theatre, through November 10. The wildly popular musical takes the massive worldwide hits from ABBA and weaves them into a compelling story about life, love and dreams.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The Equity Jeff winners, the Q Brothers tackle Christmas, The Rascals visit, 'The Dead Prince' debuts, plus three shows extend, the Kiss Kiss Cabaret explodes, Christine Andreas in in Indy and Bruce Vilanch plays Sidetrack!

Continuing its 26th Season, Lookingglass Theatre Company presents The Little Prince, produced in Association with The Actors Gymnasium, by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar, based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, and directed by Ensemble Member David Catlin. The Little Prince runs December 5, 2013 - February 2, 2014 at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. The Press Opening is Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

Producers Jayson Raitt, Barbara Whitman, Steven Chaikelson and Second Stage Theatre have announced a 10-week extension to the limited engagement of Murder For Two at Off-Broadway's New World Stages - Stage 5 (340 West 50th Street). The show, which was originally scheduled to play through Sunday, January 5, 2014, will now play its final performance on Sunday, March 16, 2014.

At the gala 45th Annual Equity Jeff Awards held at Drury Lane Oakbrook on Monday, November 4, Steppenwolf Theatre Company's 'Good People' received the award for Production-Play in a large tier theatre. Principal Actress Mariann Mayberry was also honored for her role in this David Lindsey-Abaire play, which considers the dangerous consequences of holding on to the past or leaving it behind. William Brown received Best Director of a play for Writers Theatre's production of the French farce 'The Liar', adapted by David Ives.

The Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) announced casting today for two theatrical productions in November: White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, the Iranian absurdist play about isolation co-presented with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), running today, Nov. 3-9, 2013, and Birds Do It, Bees Do It..., the annual cabaret performance Nov. 5, 2013, created by Rob Lindley and Doug Peck.