Halena Kays News

In celebration of their 30th anniversary season, The Neo-Futurists announce the return of holiday hit BURNING BLUEBEARD in co-production with The Ruffians for seven performances only, December 26 - 31, 2018 at The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Since its premiere as an original Neo-Futurist production in 2011, the fantastical tale inspired by Chicago's 1903 Iroquois Theatre has been an annual Chicago holiday favorite for seven years running. Tickets are currently available at neofuturists.org.

American Blues Theater continues its 2018-2019 Season with the Chicago Premiere of the thriller On Clover Road, by Steven Dietz and directed by Halena Kays. On Clover Road runs February 1 - March 16, 2019 at Stage 773, 1225 W Belmont Ave in Chicago.  The official press opening is Thursday, February 7, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.

In celebration of their 30th anniversary season, The Neo-Futurists are thrilled to announce the return of holiday hit BURNING BLUEBEARD in co-production with The Ruffians for seven performances only, December 26 - 31, 2018 at The Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago.

Victory Gardens Theater Artistic Director Chay Yew, Managing Director Erica Daniels and Director of New Play Development Skyler Gray announce the lineup for the 10th Anniversary IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Prosthesis by Robert Askins; Untitled Road Trip Play by Lauren Yee; White History by Dave Harris; How to Defend Yourself by Lily Padilla; Seeing Eye by Nick Malakhow; and The First Deep Breath by Lee Edward Colston II. The 2018 Festival runs August 3 -5, 2018 at Victory Gardens Theater, located at 2433 N Lincoln Avenue.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the lineup for the 10th Anniversary IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Prosthesis by Robert Askins; Untitled Road Trip Play byLauren Yee; White History by Dave Harris; How to Defend Yourself by Lily Padilla; Seeing Eye by Nick Malakhow; and The First Deep Breath by Lee Edward Colston II. The 2018 Festival runs August 3 -5, 2018 at Victory Gardens Theater, located at 2433 N Lincoln Avenue.

Syracuse Stage concludes its season with an intriguing and mystifying production of The Magic Play. The unique production features a cast of three actors under the astute direction of Halena Kays. It is positively entrancing thanks to the brilliant cast and unique script.

Syracuse Stage concludes the 17/18 season with 'The Magic Play,' starring magician and actor Brett Schneider and written by Andrew Hinderaker. Performances start April 25 and run through May 13 at the Archbold Theatre in the Syracuse Stage/SU Drama complex at 820 E. Genesee Street. Opening night is today, April 27.

Syracuse Stage concludes the 17/18 season with "The Magic Play," starring magician and actor Brett Schneider and written by Andrew Hinderaker. Performances start April 25 and run through May 13 at the Archbold Theatre in the Syracuse Stage/SU Drama complex at 820 E. Genesee Street. Opening night is today, April 27.

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the lineup for its 2018 - 2019 Season, "Home Sweet Home." American Blues' 33rd Season will include the Chicago Premieres of On Clover Road by Steven Dietz, directed by Halena Kays and The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by James Lecesne, directed by Kurt Johns; Flyin' West by Pearl Cleage, directed by Chuck Smith; the 17th annual production of It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! from Frank Capra's film, directed by Gwendolyn Whiteside; and The Spitfire Grill - a musical book, lyrics, and music by James Valeq & Fred Alley, music directed by Malcolm Ruhl.

Andrew Hinderaker's stunning theatrical hybrid The Magic Play begins preview performances at The Armory on March 3, opens on March 9 and runs through April 1 on the U.S. Bank Main Stage. The Armory's production brings together the artistic team from the celebrated world premiere at Goodman Theatre/Olney Theatre Center, including director Halena Kays; magic creator/actor Brett Schneider; actor Sean Parris; master illusionist Jim Steinmeyer; scenic designer Lizzie Bracken, costume designer Alison Siple; aerial choreographer Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi; and flying effects by ZFX, Inc. Portland Center State at The Armory's run of The Magic Play is a co-production with Actors Theatre of Louisville and Syracuse Stage.

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Kevin E. Moore announce the cast and creative team for The Magic Play. Featuring magic created by Brett Schneider, The Magic Play by Andrew Hinderaker will be directed by Halena Kays. Performances begin January 23 and run through February 11 in the Pamela Brown Auditorium, as part of the Brown-Forman Series. Tickets are available at 502.584.1205, online at ActorsTheatre.org or in person by visiting the Actors Theatre Box Office at 316 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202.

The Neo-Futurists and The Ruffians are thrilled to announce the return of the holiday hit BURNING BLUEBEARD for six performances only, December 27 31, 2017 at The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. The fantastical tale inspired by Chicago's 1903 Iroquois Theatre fire has been an annual Chicago holiday favorite for six years running. Tickets are currently available at neofuturists.org.

Take, for example, Conner McCabe, a 20-year-old junior at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro: the new academic year has barely been in session for a month and he's already preparing for his role as Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Yet somehow, even with the typical schedule of a harried college student, he managed to find time to answer our queries as the latest actor in the spotlight for this edition of Collegiate Theatrics

Victory Gardens Theater announces the lineup for the 2017 IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Tuvalu, or The Saddest Song by Antoinette Nwandu; This Land Was Made by Tori Sampson; Spin Moves by Ken Weitzman; Tell Them I'm Still Young by Julia Doolittle; Wolf Play by Hansol Jung; and Suspension by Kristiana Rae Colon.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the lineup for the 2017 IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Tuvalu, or The Saddest Song by Antoinette Nwandu; This Land Was Made by Tori Sampson; Spin Moves by Ken Weitzman; Tell Them I'm Still Young by Julia Doolittle; Wolf Play by Hansol Jung; and Suspension by Kristiana Rae Colon.

Barrel of Monkeys celebrates its 20th anniversary of arts education in Chicago Public Schools with a special one-night-only event: KIDS WRITE IT: 20 YEARS OF INTERGENERATIONAL STORYTELLING, featuring student-written stories from each of its 20 years, performed by the company's talented team of actor-educators, directed by Artistic Director Joseph Schupbach and co-directed by Co-Founder/Former Artistic Director Halena Kays. KIDS WRITE IT will be held on Thursday, July 27 at 7:30 pm at The Athenaeum Theatre Main Stage, 2936 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.athenaeumtheatre.org, by calling (773) 935-6875 or in person at The Athenaeum Theatre Box Office.  

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Kevin E. Moore are thrilled to share that Andrew Hinderaker's The Magic Play will round out Actors Theatre of Louisville's 2017 - 2018 Season.

Portland Center Stage at The Armory kicks off its 30th anniversary season with the "heart-gripping and cathartic" musical Fun Home, which swept the 2015 Tony Awards with five wins.

The Ruffians are thrilled to announce the return of their critically acclaimed holiday hit, BURNING BLUEBEARD for three performances only, December 16, 17 & 18, 2016.  The fantastical tale inspired by Chicago's 1903 Iroquois Theatre celebrates the fifth anniversary of its creation at the theater where it was born, The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Tickets go on Thursday, December 1, 2016 at brownpapertickets.com.  

The Ruffians are thrilled to announce the return of their critically acclaimed holiday hit, BURNING BLUEBEARD for three performances only, December 16, 17 & 18, 2016.  The fantastical tale inspired by Chicago's 1903 Iroquois Theatre celebrates the fifth anniversary of its creation at the theater where it was born, The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Tickets go on Thursday, December 1, 2016 at brownpapertickets.com.