Goodman Theatre News

Round House Theatre continues its 2014/15 season with a magical, fresh new take on a beloved classic - The Nutcracker, a new holiday musical created by Tommy Rapley, Jake Minton, Phillip Klapperich, and Kevin O'Donnell. Directed by the award-winning Joe Calarco, The Nutcracker makes its area premiere at Round House Theatre from November 26 thru December 28, 2014. Opening night is Monday, December 1, 2014.

Rubicon's Theatre Company's trips to New York and London typically sell-out within days of being announced. The company's trips have earned a reputation for offering unique behind-the-scenes experiences that cannot be arranged privately. This year, the company has added a new tour -- a first-ever theatre excursion to Chicago later this month.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company hosts its first EXPLORE event of the season tonight, October 23 at 5:30pm prior to that evening's 7:30pm performance of The Night Alive. EXPLORE events invite audiences to further engage with the ideas and themes of the play through interactive and fun pre-show gatherings.

Sundance Institute today announced the projects and artists that will participate in its two Fall artist development programs: the inaugural Playwrights Studio at Flying Point in Water Mill, NY (October 19-26), as well as the two-week Theatre Lab (November 30 - December 14) for musical theatre, ensemble-generated projects and solo work at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA). Under the supervision of Artistic Director Philip Himberg and Producing Director Christopher Hibma, the initiatives are among the Theatre Program's five annual Labs and Residencies for theatre artists and part of the 24 artist residency labs across many creative disciplines Sundance Institute offers annually.

The Actors' Fund of Canada and members of the National Touring Companies of WICKED and THE BOOK OF MORMON will host DON'T STOP BELIEVIN', an evening of song and dance, at the Panasonic Theatre on Monday, October 27. The performance starts at 8:00 PM with the VIP Plus reception beginning at 6:30 PM. The Panasonic Theatre is located at 651 Yonge Street, Toronto. Net proceeds will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) and the Actors' Fund of Canada.

Congratulations to THE ENSEMBLIST's Nikka Lanzarone who will wed Dr. Daniel David Smith this evening, Oct. 19, at the Bell House in Brooklyn!

the side project's historic 15th season will begin in November with a haunting two-show repertory in the spirit of the fall season. The plays, by local playwright Scott T. Barsotti and NY-based Mary Hamilton, will be helmed by Devon de Mayo and Josh Sobel, respectively -- two first-time collaborators for the side project who have gained attention in recent months as directors to watch.

Founding Artistic Director Jessica Beth Redish and Co-Artistic Director Jess McLeod are pleased to announce The Music Theatre Company's (TMTC) 2014-2015 season, which begins December 4, 2014 and runs through August 2015.

Huntington Theatre Company continues its 2014-2015 Season with Ether Dome, 'an essential story' (Hartford Courant) by Elizabeth Egloff about the advent of ether as an anesthetic and the resulting revolutionary impact on the medical profession.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Monday night's Jeff Awards at the Drury Lane, and 'Amazing Grace' at the BOAT! Plus 2014's other Broadway In Chicago shows, The Grinch at the Chicago Theatre, local productions of 'Parade,' 'Camelot' and 'Mary Poppins,' the new 'A Christmas Memory,' and the sold-out Humanities Festival tribute to the Tonys!

On the heels of their critically acclaimed hit ALL OUR TRAGIC, The Hypocrites are pleased to continue their 2014-15 Season with another world premiere: a playful re-imaging of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera H.M.S. PINAFORE, adapted and directed by Founding Artistic Director Sean Graney, co-directed by Thrisa Hodits with new arrangements by Matt Kahler* and Andra Velis Simon.

Continuing its 40th Anniversary Season, Victory Gardens Theater announces the Midwest Premiere of The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin, directed by Dennis Za?ek and featuring Linda Reiter. The Testament of Mary runs November 14-December 14, 2014, with the press performance on Friday, November 21, 2014 at 7:30pm, at Victory Gardens Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) presents the first production of its 2014/15 season, George Orwell's Animal Farm, a world premiere adaptation by Althos Low. Directed by SYA Artistic and Educational Director Hallie Gordon, the cast of professional actors features Will Allan, Jasmine Bracey, Lucy Carapetyan, Amelia Hefferon, Matt Kahler, Mildred Marie Langford, Blake Montgomery, Dana Murphy, Lance Newton and Sean Parris. Animal Farm runs today, October 15 - November 9, 2014; the press performance is on Saturday, October 18 at 3pm.

Lyric Opera of Chicago's 60th anniversary starts in style with a brand-new production of Mozart's Don Giovanni, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, Lyric's music director, and staged by director Robert Falls, artistic director of Chicago's Goodman Theatre. It opens on Saturday, September 27 with 10 performances through Wednesday, October 29. Performance dates are Sept. 27, 30, Oct. 11, 14, 17, and 29 at 7:30pm; Oct. 2, 5, 8, and 24 at 2pm. Check out the trailer, behind-the-scenes videos and more below!

At the gala 46th Annual Equity Jeff Awards held at Drury Lane Oakbrook on Monday, October 13, awards were spread among numerous theatres honoring a season of outstanding productions. From Writers Theatre, "The Dance of Death", a battle of wits between a tyrant and his manipulative wife, received the Production-Play award for a large theatre, along with its two principal actors Larry Yando and Shannon Cochran. "The Normal Heart", Larry Kramer's tale of the early indifference in N.Y. about the HIV/Aids crisis, presented by TimeLine Theatre Company, was honored with awards for Production-Play for a midsize theatre and for Director Nick Bowling.

Rubicon's Theatre Company's trips to New York and London typically sell-out within days of being announced. The company's trips have earned a reputation for offering unique behind-the-scenes experiences that cannot be arranged privately. This year, the company has added a new tour -- a first-ever theatre excursion to Chicago later this month.

RLS Productions will present the West Coast premiere of DIRTY, written by Kennedy Center Playwright Award-winner Andrew Hinderaker and directed by Obie Award-winner Shannon Cochran (August: Osage County, Bug). DIRTY will preview on Wednesday, November 12; Thursday, November 13 & Friday, November 14 at 8pm and will open on Saturday, November 15 at 8pm and will run through Sunday, December 21 at the Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Ave., in West Hollywood.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company hosts its first EXPLORE event of the season on Thursday, October 23 at 5:30pm prior to that evening's 7:30pm performance of The Night Alive. EXPLORE events invite audiences to further engage with the ideas and themes of the play through interactive and fun pre-show gatherings.

A new crop of local talent joins Goodman Theatre's artistic team for the 2014/2015 Season.