David Kaplan News

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Jeff Awards, 'Yank!,' 'Oh Coward!,' 'Ragtime,' Mayne Stage, Barbra Streisand, more.....

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) brings a world premiere stage event to Navy Pier this summer with a new family musical, based on Hans Christian Andersen's classic story, The Emperor's New Clothes.

Is "Ragtime" the Great American Musical? Certainly a grand argument in favor of that statement is now on display at the Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago's western suburb of Oakbrook Terrace, where one of the strongest home-grown musical productions in recent memory very nearly floored the opening night audience this past Wednesday night.

Kicking off their 2010 season, Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, presents an epic production of the nostalgic and powerful portrait of life in turn of the century America, RAGTIME.

Kicking off their 2010 season, Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, presents an epic production of the nostalgic and powerful portrait of life in turn of the century America, RAGTIME. Previewing March 18, opening March 24, and running through May 23, the riveting production will be directed and choreographed by Rachel Rockwell, who received a Jeff Award nomination for her direction of last season's smash hit Miss Saigon. Quentin Earl Darrington will star as "Coalhouse Walker" (Broadway: RAGTIME, National Tours of THE COLOR PURPLE, RAGTIME and THE LION KING; and Regionally RAGTIME at Paper Mill Playhouse; ABYSSINIA at Goodspeed Opera House; A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at California Music Theatre, and DREAMGIRLS at Madame Walker Theatre; and Valisia Lekae (Broadway: RAGTIME, 110 IN THE SHADE, THE THREEPENNY OPERA; Off-Broadway: ALMOST HEAVEN; 1st National Tours of ALL SHOOK UP, MAMMA MIA) will star as "Sarah".

Quentin Earl Darrington, who recently starred as Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the Broadway revival of RAGTIME, will take to the stage in the same role at the Drury Lane Oakbrook Theater beginning March 18 and running through March 23.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, Stephen Sondheim, Broadway In Chicago, 'The Addams Family,' 'Fiddler On The Roof,' 'Ragtime,' more.....

Kicking off their 2010 season, Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, presents an epic production of the nostalgic and powerful portrait of life in turn of the century America, RAGTIME. Previewing March 18, opening March 24, and running through May 23, the riveting production will be directed and choreographed by Rachel Rockwell, who received a Jeff Award nomination for her direction of last season's smash hit Miss Saigon. Quentin Earl Darrington will star as "Coalhouse Walker" (Broadway: RAGTIME, National Tours of THE COLOR PURPLE, RAGTIME and THE LION KING; and Regionally RAGTIME at Paper Mill Playhouse; ABYSSINIA at Goodspeed Opera House; A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at California Music Theatre, and DREAMGIRLS at Madame Walker Theatre; and Valisia Lekae (Broadway: RAGTIME, 110 IN THE SHADE, THE THREEPENNY OPERA; Off-Broadway: ALMOST HEAVEN; 1st National Tours of ALL SHOOK UP, MAMMA MIA) will star as "Sarah".

After setting a record for the Gem Theatre's best holiday show in 2007, A Forbidden Broadway Christmas cracks up audiences again at the Gem Nov. 24 - New Year's Eve.

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, in association with the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, is pleased to present an evening of poetry, theater and reminiscences in honor of the induction of Tennessee Williams into the Cathedral's Poets' Corner. On Thursday, November 5th at 7:00pm, theatre luminaries, friends of Mr. Williams and people who were inspired by his life work, will take part in the historic celebration. Participants include Eli Wallach & Anne Jackson, Vanessa Redgrave, Marian Seldes, John Guare, Olympia Dukakis, John Patrick Shanley, Gregory Mosher, Sylvia Miles, William Jay Smith, Lenya Rideout, Jeremy Lawrence, Wyatt Prunty, David Kaplan, Thomas Keith, Mitch Douglas, and current Cathedral Poet-in-Residence Charles F. Martin. It is expected that additional friends and colleagues of Mr. Williams will also be taking part in the evening.

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, in association with the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, is pleased to present an evening of poetry, theater and reminiscences in honor of the induction of Tennessee Williams into the Cathedral's Poets' Corner.

HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA follows two enterprising Brooklyn twentysomethings as they hustle their way through New York City, determined to achieve the American Dream. Trying to make a name for themselves in New York's competitive fashion scene, Ben Epstein (Greenberg) and his friend and business partner Cam Calderon (Rasuk) use their street knowledge and connections to bring their ambitions to fruition.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Jeff Award results, 'Ragtime' auditions, 'Young Frankenstein' and Broadway in Chicago tours, Zachary James, and more....

Yesterday evening marked the 41st annual Jeff Equity Awards Ceremony, honoring productions and production companies for excellence in Chicago-area theater. The ceremony took place at at the Skokie's North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.

The Jeff Awards have announced 179 nominations in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2008, and July 31, 2009.

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, in association with the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, is pleased to present an evening of poetry, theater and reminiscences in honor of the induction of Tennessee Williams into the Cathedral's Poets' Corner. On Thursday, November 5th at 7:00pm, theatre luminaries, friends of Mr. Williams and people who were inspired by his life work, will take part in the historic celebration. Participants include Eli Wallach & Anne Jackson, Vanessa Redgrave, Marian Seldes, John Guare, Olympia Dukakis, John Patrick Shanley, Gregory Mosher, Sylvia Miles, William Jay Smith, Lenya Rideout, Jeremy Lawrence, Wyatt Prunty, David Kaplan, Thomas Keith, Mitch Douglas, and current Cathedral Poet-in-Residence Charles F. Martin. It is expected that additional friends and colleagues of Mr. Williams will also be taking part in the evening.

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, in association with the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, is pleased to present an evening of poetry, theater and reminiscences in honor of the induction of Tennessee Williams into the Cathedral's Poets' Corner.

The Jeff Awards have announced 179 nominations in 35 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2008, and July 31, 2009.

Two important post-Broadway mountings of 21st-century musicals opened in the Chicago area this week. One, 'Mary Poppins,' has had a great deal of attention. Now you can forget about it. This review concerns itself with the other one! 'Curtains,' the exemplary 2007 Kander and Ebb post-modern musical comedy, is now receiving its first post-Broadway mounting anywhere at our very own west suburban Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook Terrace. That?s right! This major coup for Oakbrook continues the very high standards for musicals that the theatre set last year, with no end in sight.

CURTAINS, the hilarious new musical whodunit that was a 'must-see' hit of the 2007-2008 Broadway season, playing over 500 performances, kicks off Drury Lane Oakbrook's 25th anniversary season. The production previews March 19, opens Thursday, March 26 and runs through May 17 at Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, IL. This is the first regional production of CURTAINS, preceding even the first National Tour. CURTAINS is the winner of nine Drama Desk Awards and eight 2007 Tony Award nominations including Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, and Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (David Hyde Pierce).