Frances Limoncelli News

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, continues its 30th anniversary season with the Tony Award-winning musical comedy THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, now running through August 17, 2014. Scott Calcagno (Legally Blonde at The Civic Theatre, Grease at The Long Lake Theatre as well as the annual production of A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane Theatre) will direct. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, will continue its 30th anniversary season with the Tony Award-winning musical comedy THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, previewing June 19, opening Thursday, June 26 at 8 p.m., and running through August 17, 2014. Scott Calcagno (Legally Blonde at The Civic Theatre, Grease at The Long Lake Theatre as well as the annual production of A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane Theatre) will direct.

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, will continue its 30th anniversary season with the Tony Award-winning musical comedy THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, previewing tonight, June 19, opening Thursday, June 26 at 8 p.m., and running through August 17, 2014. Scott Calcagno (Legally Blonde at The Civic Theatre, Grease at The Long Lake Theatre as well as the annual production of A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane Theatre) will direct.

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 Jeff Awards, Theo Ubique's future plans, Jennifer Hudson performs, 'Damn Yankees' at LOW, 'The Beverly Hillbillies,' 'Coraline,' 'The Last Ship' and the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival debut, 'Spelling Bee' starts, 'Avenue Q' extends and BroadwayWorld Chicago hosts a Tony Party!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, will continue its 30th anniversary season with the Tony Award-winning musical comedy THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, previewing June 19, opening Thursday, June 26 at 8 p.m., and running through August 17, 2014. Scott Calcagno (Legally Blonde at The Civic Theatre, Grease at The Long Lake Theatre as well as the annual production of A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane Theatre) will direct.

TimeLine Theatre Company has announced the addition of several new artists and community leaders to its ranks with the creation of a new Playwrights Collective, plus the naming of four new Associate Artists and eight members to its Board of Directors. TIMELINE PLAYWRIGHTS COLLECTIVE Eight playwrights have been named to the inaugural year of TimeLine's Playwrights Collective: Alice Austen, Aaron Carter, John Conroy, Emily Dendinger, Wendell Etherly, Frances Limoncelli, Susan McLaughlin Karp and Brett Neveu.

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!

When the game turns deadly, how will you play? Steppenwolf for Young Adults' 2013/14 season asks this question with Nigel Williams's adaptation of William Golding's classic, Lord of the Flies. The Hypocrites Artistic Director Halena Kays stages the production in Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre, featuring William Burke, Spencer Curnutt, Lane Flores, Rudy Galvan, Ryan Heindl, Cale Manning, Brendan Meyer, Lance Newton, Ty Olwin, Kevin Quinn, Adam Shalzi and Dan Smeriglio. Lord of the Flies runs now through November 15, 2013; the press performance is on October 19 at 3pm. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

A CHRISTMAS CAROL, the beloved annual holiday tradition entertaining thousands of families each year, will be presented from November 21 through December 21 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane. Recently enhanced with traditional carols, the timeless story is directed by Scott Calcagno (Legally Blonde at The Civic Theatre, Grease at The Long Lake Theatre as well as the annual production of A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane Theatre). The hour long Drury Lane production uses 14 of the most versatile actors in Chicago to bring over 30 of the colorful Dickensian characters to life. Drury Lane Theatre also offers families the special opportunity to have breakfast or dinner with Santa Claus on select performance dates in the dining room with a festive buffet-style menu complete with seasonal favorites.

When the game turns deadly, how will you play? Steppenwolf for Young Adults' 2013/14 season asks this question with Nigel Williams's adaptation of William Golding's classic, Lord of the Flies. The Hypocrites Artistic Director Halena Kays stages the production in Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre, featuring William Burke, Spencer Curnutt, Lane Flores, Rudy Galvan, Ryan Heindl, Cale Manning, Brendan Meyer,Lance Newton, Ty Olwin, Kevin Quinn, Adam Shalzi and Dan Smeriglio. Lord of the Flies runs tonight, October 16 - November 15, 2013; the press performance is on October 19 at 3pm. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal below!

When the game turns deadly, how will you play? Steppenwolf for Young Adults' 2013/14 season asks this question with Nigel Williams's adaptation of William Golding's classic, Lord of the Flies. The Hypocrites Artistic Director Halena Kays stages the production in Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre, featuring William Burke, Spencer Curnutt, Lane Flores, Rudy Galvan, Ryan Heindl, Cale Manning, Brendan Meyer,Lance Newton, Ty Olwin, Kevin Quinn, Adam Shalzi and Dan Smeriglio. Lord of the Flies runs October 16 - November 15, 2013; the press performance is on October 19 at 3pm. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal below!

Lifeline Theatre is proud to announce four new members of its artistic ensemble: Heather Currie, Amanda Delheimer Dimond,Amanda Link, and Maren Robinson. Lifeline's ensemble determines the company's artistic programming and provides leadership, support and counsel in the play development process.

When the game turns deadly, how will you play? Steppenwolf for Young Adults' 2013/14 season asks this question with Nigel Williams's adaptation of William Golding's classic, Lord of the Flies. The Hypocrites Artistic Director Halena Kays stages the production in Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre, featuring William Burke, Spencer Curnutt, Lane Flores, Rudy Galvan, Ryan Heindl, Cale Manning, Brendan Meyer, Lance Newton, Ty Olwin, Kevin Quinn, Adam Shalzi and Dan Smeriglio. Lord of the Flies runs October 16 - November 15, 2013; the press performance is on October 19 at 3pm. Performances Tuesday through Friday at 10am are reserved for school groups only; public performances are scheduled Friday at 7:30pm (except October 18), Saturday at 3 and 7:30pm, and Sunday at 3pm. Single tickets ($20) are on sale now through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650 andsteppenwolf.org. School group tickets are available through Education Assistant Lauren Sivak at 312-654-5643.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults is pleased to announce casting for the upcoming production of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Halena Kays directs a cast featuring William Burke, Spencer Curnutt, Lane Flores, Rudy Galvan, Ryan Heindl, Cale Manning, Brendan Meyer, Lance Newton,Ty Olwin, Adam Shalzi and Dan Smeriglio in Nigel Williams's stage adaption of Golding's classic novel. Lord of the Flies runs October 16 - November 10, 2013.

To accommodate extraordinary ticket demand, Lifeline Theatre will add four additional performances to the run of its family musical, The Emperor's New Threads: A Fashion Statement, based on the folktale The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen. The additional performances are Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Lifeline Theatre's KidSeries presents The Emperor's New Threads: A Fashion Statement, a children's musical based on the folktale The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen. The production is adapted and directed by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Frances Limoncelli (three-time Non-Equity Jeff Award-winning adaptor), with music and lyrics by George Howe. The Emperor is beloved as a chic trendsetter, but his ridiculous fashion tax is bankrupting the country.

Listen to celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton on Youtube, singing the song he recorded for the 2012 Broadway's Carols for a Cure, Volume 14. This original song is called 'A Perez Hilton Christmas,' with music by Lynn Pinto & Jason Michael Webb, and lyrics by George Howe & Frances Limoncelli. Perez Hilton recently made his New York stage debut in the comical off-Broadway revue "NEWSical the Musical." Listen to the recording below!

Celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton added his voice to the 2012 Broadway's Carols for a Cure, Volume 14, singing an original song called 'A Perez Hilton Christmas,' with music by Lynn Pinto & Jason Michael Webb, and lyrics by George Howe & Frances Limoncelli. Perez Hilton is making his New York stage debut in the comical off-Broadway revue "NEWSical the Musical."

Another favorite Lord Peter Wimsey novel comes to the stage this fall as Taproot Theatre presents Dorothy L. Sayers' classic mystery, Gaudy Night. Harriet Vane's Oxford reunion is terrorized by murderous threats from the "Poison Pen," a vicious vandal determined to destroy our heroine and everything she holds dear. Is her sleuthing enough to apprehend the villain? And where is Lord Peter when she really needs him? Producing Artistic Director Scott Nolte directs Frances Limoncelli's adaptation of Gaudy Night, which opened last night, September 21 and runs through October 20. Get a first look at the show in the photos below!

Lifeline Theatre will welcome WildClaw Theatre Artistic Director Aly Renee Amidei to its artistic ensemble.