Christopher Davis News

HEARTBEAT OPERA—the radical indie opera company 'leading the charge in online opera' (Parterre) with 'groundbreaking' virtual content (Operawire) that is 'hacking the corporate contours of Zoom into a postmodern proscenium” (Washington Post)—announces BREATHING FREE, an ambitious six-part virtual series from December 4-12, dedicated to the celebration of Black artistic voices.

We're rounding up our top ten TikToks of the week, featuring stars like Laura Benanti, JJ Niemann, Kaycee Stroh, and many more!

HEARTBEAT OPERA—the radical indie opera company 'leading the charge in online opera' (Parterre) with 'groundbreaking' virtual content (Operawire) that is 'hacking the corporate contours of Zoom into a postmodern proscenium” (Washington Post)—announces BREATHING FREE, an ambitious six-part virtual series from December 4-12, dedicated to the celebration of Black artistic voices.

The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival today announced that the company will move from its longtime home at Boscobel House and Gardens in Garrison, NY to a new site in Philipstown, NY gifted by philanthropist Christopher Davis as a permanent home for the company.

This past Sunday, newly awarded Kennedy Center Honoree Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) was celebrated in a special tribute presentation at the 42nd annual Kennedy Center Honors Gala. The tribute included a performance by more than 40 alumni of the New World Symphony, America's Orchestral Academy (NWS), which MTT co-founded 32 years ago as a training ground for the next generation of classical musicians. Conducted by NWS alumnus and Louisville Orchestra Music Director Teddy Abrams, the alumni musicians paid tribute to MTT's wide-ranging artistry, performing a program that celebrated his acclaimed interpretations of modern masters, his advocacy for American music, and his own work as a composer. Joining the orchestra in performance were MTT's longtime friends and collaborators Audra McDonald and Yuja Wang, as well as Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, who recently collaborated with MTT as part of Metallica and San Francisco Symphony's S&M2 concert. Spoken tributes were also given by Mr. Ulrich and actress Debra Winger.

The Samantha Fish Cigar Box Guitar Festival – New Orleans 2020 will take place over four days (Wednesday, January 15 through Saturday, January 18) in two of the city's best live music venues:  New Orleans' top Americana club, Chickie Wah Wah (2828 Canal St. 504-304-4714), which will host the Festival on Wednesday, January 15 and Thursday, January 16 (7:00pm-10:30pm each night);  and The Howlin' Wolf (907 S Peters St. 504-529-5844), which will host afternoon and evening shows on Friday, January 17 and Saturday, January 18 (2:00 pm-11:00 pm each evening). 

One Performance Only! This Sunday, November 3, 2019! Long ago but not far away at all, there were many TV Variety Shows, Award Ceremonies, Music Centers and Theatre abounding with live Musical Performances, all with massive budgets; and dancers in this town, Los Angeles, made a darn good living, albeit having to work their asses off to do so, but it was a good and plentiful, fulfilling life. Besides myself, there was a plethora of working, professional dancers who ended up bonding together pretty easily, as a dancer's life is one of a nomad, or gypsy, going from one job to another, but in doing so, finding kindred spirits and lifelong connections. Jay Johnson, husband of one of these dancers and artistically gifted himself, was part of the artistic community, as was his wife, Sandi, and, typical with dancers, became close friends and comrades with other dancers, choreographers, and like-minded performers. As Jay was earning international fame as a ventriloquist, actor and comedian, and starring on the hit TV Series 'Soap,' us dancers were slaving away, happy to be able to make a living doing what we loved. Jay is best known for his role on ' Soap' as Chuck Campbell, a ventriloquist who believed his puppet Bob was real and demanded everyone treat Bob as human.

Pride Films and Plays' Jeff-recommended production of  A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, the Chicago area's first revival in over a decade of the heartwarming musical created by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Terrence McNally, has been extended for one additional week due to popular and critical demand. The musical will now close with the 2:30 pm matinee on Sunday, November 17.

Pride Films and Plays will stage the first Chicago production in more than a decade of A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, the heartwarming musical created by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Terrence McNally, the team that wrote RAGTIME and ANASTASIA. A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE is based on a 1994 film starring Albert Finney and features a gorgeous Irish-influenced score.

Celebrating the 1920's and 30's world of  Harlem and Tin Pan Alley, Surflight Theatre is thrilled to be producing the never before seen on the Surflight stage, Fats Waller musical celebration AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' from August 27th through September 8th.  Winner of the Tony Award for Betst Musical In 1978 Ain't Misbehavin sings and dances us through the era of the Harlem Renaissance with rowdy, musical fun and the tunes from the great Harlem Stride player Fats Waller. .

Celebrating the little four-stringed wonder a?" the Ukulele a?" which has been captivating hearts and bringing musical joy into people's lives for over 100 years, the 2019 Los Angeles International Ukulele Festival presented by Kala Koa Entertainment, is an exciting day-long event dedicated to exploring the musical versatility of the ukulele for the experienced ukulele player, the occasional strummer, or simply the curious spectator.

Pride Films and Plays will stage the first Chicago production in more than a decade of A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, the heartwarming musical created by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Terrence McNally, the team that wrote RAGTIME and ANASTASIA. A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE is based on a 1994 film starring Albert Finney as a Dublin bus conductor and features a gorgeous Irish-influenced score. Donterrio Johnson, the Jeff award-winning actor who directed PFP's BUYER AND CELLAR earlier this year and is currently appearing in THE SPITFIRE GRILL with American Blues Theater, will direct. Music direction is by Robert Ollis, who most recently music directed SOUTHERN COMFORT for Pride Films and Plays and was a 2019 Jeff nominee for his music direction of HAYMARKET: A NEW FOLK MUSICAL. Ollis was Music Director for the 2008 production of A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, which earned five Jeff Award nominations for Bailiwick Repertory.

WSRep, McHenry County's only professional theater company, presents Chicagoland premiere of Disney's Freaky Friday! 

Theatre By the Sea's 85th season starts off with a bang with the 1978 musical revue AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'. Using the songs of famed African-American jazz pianist and composer Thomas "Fats" Waller, every aspect of Theatre By the Sea's rollicking production comes together to create as close to the experience of attending a 1930's Harlem nightclub as is possible in 2018.

In celebration of 85 Years of Theatre By The Sea, owner and producer Bill Hanney is proud to announce the opening of the 2018 Summer Season. The season begins with the toe tappin' Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, Ain't Misbehavin' which will be presented from May 30 - June 17, 2018.

In celebration of 85 Years of Theatre By The Sea, owner and producer Bill Hanney is proud to announce the opening of the 2018 Summer Season. The season begins with the toe tappin' Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, Ain't Misbehavin' which will be presented from May 30 - June 17, 2018.

Porchlight Music Theatre announces Merrily We Roll Along, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, with direction by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber, associate direction and musical staging by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by Aaron Benham has been extended through March 17 at Porchlght's home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Merrily We Roll Along is based on the play by the same name written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. 

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the next mainstage production it its 2017 - 2018 season Merrily We Roll Along, January 26 - March 11, 2018, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, with direction by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber, associate direction and musical staging by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by Aaron Benham at Porchlght's home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Merrily We Roll Along is based on the play by the same name written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the next mainstage production it its 2017 - 2018 season Merrily We Roll Along, January 26 - March 11,  2018, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, with direction by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber, associate direction and musical staging by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by Aaron Benham at Porchlght's home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Merrily We Roll Along is based on the play by the same name written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. (March 4 and March 11) and 6 p.m. (February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25) with a weekday matinee Thursday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m. There is no 4 p.m. performance Saturday, Feb. 3 and no 7:30 p.m. performance on Thursday, March 8. Tickets are $33 - $60 and are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced the next mainstage production in its 2017 - 2018 season - Merrily We Roll Along - running January 26 - March 11, 2018, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, with direction by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber, associate direction and musical staging by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by Aaron Benham, at Porchlght's home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Merrily We Roll Along is based on the play by the same name written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in character below!