Goodman Theatre News

Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation's preeminent African American theatre, announces a special presentation of I Wish You Love in the 2011-2012 season. Due to popular demand, 16 performances will be staged at Penumbra Theatre November 18 - December 4, 2011

Goodman Theatre Artistic Associate Regina Taylor announced casting for her 10th Anniversary production of Crowns this week at the theater's 5th annual breakfast celebrating diversity. Taylor re-imagines Crowns, one of the most-produced musical productions in the country, at the Goodman June 30 – August 5, 2012 with a company featuring some of Chicago's foremost 'leading ladies'—E. Faye Butler as Mabel, Felicia Fields as Mother Shaw and newcomer Jasondra Johnson as Velma. JP Morgan Chase & Co, Corporate Sponsor Partner for ,em>Crowns, hosted the annual breakfast where corporate, foundation, government and community leaders gathered to celebrate the Goodman's ongoing commitment to quality, diversity and community. Group tickets and season subscriptions (including Crowns) are on sale now; individual tickets ($25 – $88) go on sale March 16, 2012. Call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org; to book a group, contact Kim Furganson at 312.443.3820 or KimFurganson@GoodmanTheatre.org. Target is the Major Corporate Sponsor and PwC is the other Corporate Sponsor Partner for Crowns. American Airlines is the official airline of Goodman Theatre. Actors, dates and ticket prices all subject to change.

The Theatre @ Boston Court announces PLAY/ground, the annual New Play Festival December 10-11, 2011 at Boston Court Performing Arts Center in Pasadena, CA. Literary Managers Aaron Henne and Emilie Beck, in concert with Artistic Directors Jessica Kubzansky and Michael Michetti, have selected five plays to be presented as staged readings in the Marjorie Branson Performance Space.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company continues its 2011-2012 Season with the return of Ethan McSweeny (The Merchant of Venice, The Persians, Ion, Major Barbara) directing Shakespeare's romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing.

The Actors Fund and the Vineyard Theatre has just announced complete casting for their upcoming one-night-only benefit concert performance of THE VISIT, starring Broadway stage legends and Tony Award winners Chita Rivera and John Cullum.

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 2011 BroadwayWorld Chicago Award nominations, 'WSS' everywhere, 'The Baker's Wife,' dueling TYA 'Babes In Toyland' shows, a 'Seussical' and more....

Returning for a third season to Millennium Park is the theater lab series, In the Works, where audiences have a chance to sit on the stage of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in a climate controlled environment and experience works in development by local theater artists. The 2011-2012 season, supported by a grant from The Boeing Company, kicks off with a concert reading of Lifeline Theatre's world premiere adaptation of Hunger on November 17-19, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

The New Ohio Theatre presents an industry reading of the new play Schooled, written by Lisa Lewis and directed by Oliver Butler, starring Michael Cerveris, Phoebe Strole, James Kautz and Mara Davi, with dramaturgy by Matthew Schneider. The reading will take place on Tuesday, November 15 at 8pm at the New Ohio Theatre, located at 154 Christopher Street, between Greenwich and Washington Streets in New York City.

Chicago talent agent Sam Samuelson and other longtime members of Chicago's acclaimed entertainment industry have gathered to form Chicago Entertainment Collective, Chicago's first charity group organized to benefit working professionals in the entertainment field.

Upcoming Theatre Communication Group Member Shows - 11/13 for Chicago

The Drama Desk and the Fordham University Theatre Program will present a special panel discussion on Sunday, November 13th at 6:30pm at Fordham University's Lincoln Center campus (Pope Auditorium, 113 West 60th Street). The discussion, titled 'Anatomy of a Breakout,' will reflect on the remarkable trend of breakthrough productions and breakout performances on the New York stage in 2011.

The Drama Desk and the Fordham University Theatre Program will present a special panel discussion at 6:30 PM on Sunday, November 13th, titled 'Anatomy of a Breakout,' reflecting the remarkable trend of breakthrough productions and breakout performances on the New York stage.

Conceived and directed by 9 time Tony-winner Tommy Tune and written by Mark Saltzman, FIFTY FOUR FOREVER, is currently receiving its world premiere at The University of Miami's Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, from November 9 to 19. South Florida theatre audiences are the first to experience this exciting new musical and so far, they've all been raving about the production.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents Season's Greetings by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones.

Today, BroadwayWorld.com is announcing the nominees for the 2011 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards! Representatives of 67 different theater productions, which played at 40 different Chicagoland theaters, are nominated in the 25 categories for the second annual Awards. As these are the only Theater Fan Choice Awards for the internationally known Chicago theater scene, the nominees rightly come from both Equity and Non-Equity theater companies, and from the worlds of plays, musicals, revues and touring shows.

Conceived and directed by Tony-winner Tommy Tune and written by Mark Saltzman, FIFTY FOUR FOREVER, will receive its world premiere at The University of Miami's Jerry Herman Ring Theatre, from November 9 to 19. The associate director and choreographer of the production will be David Warren Gibson. Check out photos from the production below!