Chicago Shakespeare Theatre News

Ronald Keaton, author and star of the new play CHURCHILL at New World Stages, will be this week's special guest on the popular WPKN (89.5 FM) Radio program 'State of the Arts' tomorrow (Friday) at 12:10 PM. The interview can also be heard at www.wpkn.org. CHURCHILL is receiving its Off-Broadway premiere following an acclaimed 2014 sold-out world premiere engagement in Chicago. Performances began February 6th and the official Opening Night is set for next Wednesday, February 18th. Under the direction of Kurt Johns, CHURCHILL is based on the life and writings of one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th Century.

Nearly nine out of every ten seats were filled at last month's inaugural Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, a major success that attracted a total audience of more than 14,000 to 83 different festival events, sold out more than 80 percent of its shows, and played to 87 percent capacity over the course of its 12-day run, January 14-25.

CHURCHILL, a new play adapted and performed by Ronald Keaton, is receiving its Off-Broadway premiere following an acclaimed 2014 sold-out world premiere engagement in Chicago. Opening Night is set for next Wednesday, February 18th. Under the direction of Kurt Johns, CHURCHILL is based on the life and writings of one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th Century. Legendary mentalist The Amazing Kreskin attended the first preview of CHURCHILL this past Friday, February 6th, at New World Stages. Scroll down for a photo!

Bestselling author David Blixt ("The Master Of Verona," "Her Majesty's Will") returns with the thrilling fourth novel in his acclaimed Star-Cross'd series. Inspired as both an actor and historian, Blixt takes the real people of Dante's time and blends them with the timeless characters from Shakespeare's Italian plays. The result is a smashing novel of historical fiction, alternately hilarious and harrowing. Set in the year 1328, the city of Verona has just won its decade-long war with Padua, but lost an even longer war with the stars. Heartbroken from the events of "Fortune's Fool" (2012), young prodigy Cesco turns his troubled brilliance to darker purposes, embracing a riotous life and challenging not only the lord of Verona and the Catholic Church, but the stars themselves. Protecting him is Dante's son Pietro, who welcomes the plots and intrigues of the Veronese court, hoping they will shake the young man out of his torpor. But when the first body falls, it becomes clear that this new game is deadly, one that will doom them all. "The Prince's Doom" is available now in trade paperback from Sordelet Ink, and will be released on Amazon Kindle on February 24th, 2015. Sharon Kay Penman, acclaimed author of "The Sunne In Splendour," says of Blixt, 'For anyone who has yet to read David's novels, you are about to hit the literary lottery. Yes, he's that good.' C.W. Gortner (The Last Queen) says, 'David Blixt is a master of historical fiction. Dramatic, vivid, superbly researched, this series captures Renaissance Italy in all its heady glamour and lethal intrigue.' Blixt's previous novel, "Fortune's Fool," was the Editor's Choice of the Historical Novel Society: 'This is one of the most exciting, and satisfying, reads that I have immersed myself in for a long time. David Blixt is a gem of a writer.' Born in Ann Arbor and now a Chicago actor, director, and playwright, David Blixt has been seen on the stages of the Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, First Folio Shakespeare, Northlight, Lifeline, Griffin, as well as the Shakespeare Theatre of DC. He is a longtime Artistic Associate of the Michigan Shakespeare Festival, and founding member of A Crew Of Patches Theatre Company. This is his seventh novel.

CHURCHILL, a new play adapted and performed by Ronald Keaton, has its Off-Broadway premiere at New World Stages, with performances beginning tonight, February 6th, following an acclaimed 2014 sellout world premiere engagement in Chicago.

92Y has announced its upcoming Broadway events for March, including Wolf Hall's Hilary Mantel & Jeremy Herrin, the creative team behind Honeymoon in Vegas, and the cast of the upcoming revival of The Heidi Chronicles, including Elisabeth Moss and Jason Biggs.

CHURCHILL, a new play adapted and performed by Ronald Keaton, will receive its Off-Broadway premiere at New World Stages, with performances beginning this Friday, February 6th following an acclaimed 2014 sellout world premiere engagement in Chicago. Under the direction of Kurt Johns, this limited engagement of CHURCHILL is based on the life and writings of one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th Century. The official opening night is set for Wednesday, February 18th.

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL star Jessie Mueller recently had her picture added to the many Broadway caricatures at Sardi's. BroadwayWorld was on the same to bring you photos of the event, which you can check out below!

Profiles Theatre continues its 26th Season with the Chicago premiere of The Other Place by Sharr White, directed by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus. The production runs February 13 - April 5, 2015 at Profiles Theatre's The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway. The press opening is Thursday, February 19 at 8pm.

Councilman Jimmie L. Williams III, Herman LeVern Jones and THEATRESOUTH INC. present the second annual production of I HAVE A DREAM the Broadway Musical by Josh Greenfield, running tonight, January 22, through the 25th, 2015 at the 4th Street Playhouse at Phichol Williams Community Center, 951 SW 4th Street, Homestead, Florida.

The cast of the Tony Award-winning hit Beautiful just celebrated the show's one year anniversary. Since opening on Broadway on January 12, 2014, Beautiful has broken all box office records at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, where it recently became the highest grossing production in the theatre's history. Leading the company is Tony winner Jessie Mueller, who has been with the show all along the way. Mueller just chatted with BroadwayWorld about her year as Carole King, working with Sara Bareiless on her new WAITRESS musical, performing at the Kennedy Center Honors, and so much more. Check out the full interview below!

Tympanic dares you to brave The Den and explore several dystopias with us for the final show in our eighth season: TODAY WE ESCAPE: Plays Inspired by OK COMPUTER. Enter a sterilized future inspired by one of the most haunting -- and touching -- albums ever recorded.

The day after The Who's Tommy debuted on Broadway in 1993, The New York Times exclaimed, '...at long last the authentic rock musical that has eluded Broadway for two generations...an Entertainment Juggernaut.' Twenty-one years later, no other musical has come close to replicating its sure power, electricity and monumental impact.

Organizers of the inaugural Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival presents the line-up of top contemporary puppets acts and artists from around the world, the U.S. and Chicago to be presented at venues large and small throughout the city today, January 14-25, 2015.

Families are invited to participate in an adventure through the nooks and crannies of the iconic Theatres Building (the spire building) in upsidedowninsideout, a site-specific work by one step at a time like thiscommissioned by Arts Centre Melbourne. From 20-25 January children aged 6 to 12 and their families will be given the chance to journey through the labyrinth that is Arts Centre Melbourne.

CHURCHILL, a new play adapted and performed by Ronald Keaton, will have its Off-Broadway premiere at New World Stages, with performances beginning February 6th following an acclaimed 2014 sellout world premiere engagement in Chicago. Under the direction of Kurt Johns, CHURCHILL is based on the life and writings of one of the greatest leaders of the 20th Century. The official opening night is set for Wednesday, February 18th.

'Fare Thee Well,' a goodbye concert for Broadway's ONCE, which closed on Sunday, January 4, will feature stars Paul Alexander Nolan, Jessie Fisher, and more at the Highline Ballroom tonight, January 6, 2015.

Councilman Jimmie L. Williams III, Herman LeVern Jones and THEATRESOUTH INC. present the second annual production of I HAVE A DREAM the Broadway Musical by Josh Greenfield, running January 22-25, 2015 at the 4th Street Playhouse at Phichol Williams Community Center, 951 SW 4th Street, Homestead, Florida.

The day after The Who's Tommy debuted on Broadway in 1993, The New York Times exclaimed, '...at long last the authentic rock musical that has eluded Broadway for two generations...an Entertainment Juggernaut.' Twenty-one years later, no other musical has come close to replicating its sure power, electricity and monumental impact.