Eric Hoff News

A cast of six will lead the reading of Wendy Beckett's Off-Broadway - bound production of ALL MOD CONS. This new play, directed by Evan Bergman is the fifth in a series of Ms. Beckett's plays that will be brought across the pacific from Australia by Pascal Productions. The reading takes place on Monday, April 21, at 4PM at Primary Stages Studios (307 West 38 Street, Suite 1510) and is open to the public by reservation only. For tickets, please contact adamgm@kefproductions.com. Additional casting is soon to be announced.

Pride Films and Plays' Gay Play Weekend is one of the most exciting events for LGBT theater lovers, as five great new scripts are brought to life in enhanced staged readings directed by Chicago's top directors. The first three years of the contest had produced finalists and award winners like At The Flash by Sean Chandler and David Leeper, Under A Rainbow Flag by Leo Schwartz, Learn to Be Latina by Enrique Urueta, and Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead by Martin Casella.

The recount of the Stonewall Riots, 'Hit the Wall,' originally produced by The Inconvenience, will return to Chicago with the majority of its original ensemble cast and artistic team in a triumphant remount presented by the Chicago Commercial Collective, running April 22 to June 29 at the Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue. Tickets ($20 - $55) are on sale now. The press performance will be Wednesday, April 30, at 8 p.m.

PFP's Gay Play Weekend includes a dynamic musical about a tragedy in gay history, and a historical drama about Michelangelo. You will also see a murder mystery which takes place at a party where everyone is dressed as Joan Crawford, a fun piece about gay dating today, and a drama about abuse and healing. These are the themes of the five finalists in Pride Films and Plays' 2014 Gay Play and Musical Contest.

The Ruckus Theater follows up its Jeff-Recommended productions of Heist Play and Facing Angela with the world premiere of The Deer, starting April 11 at Collaboraction (Flat Iron Arts Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee) in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. The Deer marks the third partnership between playwright Brooke Allen and director Eric Hoff; the pair collaborated on The Life and Death of Madam Barker, which premiered to great acclaim at Red Tape Theatre in 2013. The cast of six includes Mike Tepeli as The Deer (Great Expectations, Strawdog Theatre; The Burnt Part Boys, Griffin Theatre Company); Bryan Bosque (Harry & the Thief, Pavement Group; The Skriker, Red Tape Theatre); Julie Cowden (Facing Angela, The Ruckus; All Girl Frankenstein, The Mammals); Ruckus Associate Artistic Director Joshua Davis (Heist Play, The Ruckus; Lear, Red Tape Theatre); Matthew Lloyd, (The Lives of Pigeons, the side project); and Cheryl Snodgrass (Hell in a Handbag).

Chicago Commercial Collective, which was formed to help Chicagoans discover the finest of its city's vibrant theater scene by showcasing the biggest off-Loop hits in the city, today announced that the company plans to give renewed life to two standout Chicago theater productions by staging remountings of the critically acclaimed productions.

The award winning CAP21 Theatre Company will kick off its 2014 season on February 4th with the new musical by Jonathan Larson Award winning writers Dan Collins (book) and Julianne Wick Davis (music and lyrics). The story was conceived in collaboration by Julianne Wick Davis, Sally Wilfert & Michael Winther. The production will be directed by Eric Hoff with musical direction by Charity Wicks and will star Broadway veterans Sally Wilfert (Broadway: Disney's King David, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Assassins; Off-Broadway: See Rock City and Make Me a Song), and Michael Winther (Broadway: 33 Variations, Mamma Mia!, 1776, Damn Yankees; Drama Desk nomination: Songs From An Unmade Bed).

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Three touring shows are playing this week, with 'Wicked' beginning next week, plus a lot at Northwestern, two spelling bees, more Halloween shows, appearances by Joan Crawford and Elaine Stritch, and more!

Red Tape Theatre (RTT) has announcde the successful conclusion of the Kickstarter campaign dedicated to raising funds to help produce the World Premiere of The Life and Death of Madam Barker. Through generous donations from the community, they surpassed our initial goal of $2000, raising a total of $2270.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is pleased to announce its fall season of theater and dance performances and residencies. The DCASE Theater and Dance series presents critically-acclaimed local, national and international music, theater, dance and multidisciplinary artists, newly commissioned works and Chicago premieres.

Red Tape Theatre (RTT) opens its tenth season with the World Premiere of The Life and Death of Madam Barker on October 14th, 2013. Tickets will go on sale September 16th at www.redtapetheatre.org. All performances will be presented at RTT's home in St. Peter's Episcopal Church, located at 621 W Belmont Ave. Tickets during the regular run for The Life and Death of Madam Barker will be $25, General Admission with Preview tickets discounted at $15 and all Thursday night performances being "Pay What You Can". Performances are Thursdays-Mondays at 8pm.

Red Tape Theatre (RTT) announces their 2013/14 Season, which marks their 10th Anniversary Season and first season under the direction of new Artistic Director, Brandon Ray. The season opens October 14th, 2013 with the world premiere of The Life and Death of Madam Barker by Brooke Allen, with music and lyrics by John Fournier and directed by Eric Hoff. Then, in January of 2014 RTT will present the US premiere of hamlet is dead. no gravity by Ewald Palmetshofer, translated by Neil Blackadder and directed by Seth Bockley. Concluding the season in May of 2014, RTT will present another US Premiere, Earthquakes in London, by Mike Bartlett and directed by Brandon Ray. Red Tape Theatre's 10th Season will be presented at its home in St. Peter's Episcopal Church, located at 621 W Belmont Ave.

Throughline Artists (J.J. Kandel, Executive Producer; John McCormack, Producing Artistic Director) presents SUMMER SHORTS 2013, their seventh annual festival of new American short plays from established and emerging writers, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street between Park and Madison Avenues). BroadwayWorld was there for opening night and you can check out full photo coverage from the reception below!

Summer in New York City is filled with outdoor theater events and different festivals. At 59E59 summer brings the annual SUMMER SHORTS. This is the seventh year for the event in which excellent writers, directors, and actors come together to present two series of three one-act-shorts. SERIES A delivers a humorous look inside the psyche during the audition process, a fast-paced telling of a political candidate's first meeting with her running mate, and an imaginative retelling of a classic tale of a princess.

Following a successful fourth season with productions at Theater Wit and the Athenaeum Theatre, The Ruckus Theater is proud to announce its fifth season in Chicago. Artistic Director Allison Shoemaker and Associate Artistic Director Joshua Davis release today a season of five new plays and workshops. First, Artistic Director Allison Shoemaker takes the helm of a revamped version of The Ruckus' first Chicago production, Heist Play. Through a workshop and development process in 2013, this production has undergone significant rewrites by playwright Mitch Vermeersch and will be performed at The Side Project (Oct. 12- Nov. 10, 2013). The Spring production, The Deer, is penned by Chicago playwright Brooke Allen (Ruby Wilder) and will be directed by Eric Hoff (Hit the Wall). The Deer will be performed at Collaboraction (March 30-April 27, 2014). Additionally, The Ruckus will present three works-in-progress in the late Spring of 2014, including new work Home After Dark by Will Bishop and two pieces to be devised by the company. Further details regarding The Ruckus: Season 5, including casting and ticket information, will be announced in the coming weeks. Please visit www.ruckustheater.org for more information.

Throughline Artists (J.J. Kandel, Executive Producer; John McCormack, Producing Artistic Director) presents SUMMER SHORTS 2013, their seventh annual festival of new American short plays from established and emerging writers, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street between Park and Madison Avenues), opening August 4th.

Throughline Artists (J.J. Kandel, Executive Producer; John McCormack, Producing Artistic Director) presents SUMMER SHORTS 2013, their seventh annual festival of new American short plays from established and emerging writers, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street between Park and Madison Avenues), beginning performances Friday July 19th.

The Kindling Theatre Company and Neighborhood Productions, in association with The Gym at Judson, are thrilled to present the world premiere of THE CAPABLES, written by Jay Stull and directed by Stefanie Abel Horowitz. THE CAPABLES begins performances tonight, July 17 for a limited engagement through Saturday, August 3. Press opening is Tuesday, July 23 at 7 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Today at 7 PM; Thursday - Saturday at 8 PM; Sunday at 7 PM. Performances are at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street, at Washington Square South). Tickets are $18. To purchase tickets, call SmartTix on 212-868-4444 or visit www.smarttix.com.