Kevin Carolan News

Goodman Theatre's world premiere of The Jungle Book began previews on June 21 (opening night is July 1) and, with a second extension week just added, now runs through August 11. We've got a first look at scenes from the production below!

Goodman Theatre's world premiere of The Jungle Book opens on July 1 and, with a second extension week just added, now runs through August 11. Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman reimagines Walt Disney's 1967 animated hit into a wholly original new work for the stage, drawing from both the film as well as Rudyard Kipling's 1894 collection of stories set in the Indian jungle and featuring original Indian-inspired music and dance. As previously announced, 10-year-old Akash Chopra makes his Chicago debut as young 'man cub' Mowgli, who comes of age with the help of the anthropomorphic singing and dancing jungle animals; joining him in the role at select performances is Roni Akurati, who most recently appeared at the Goodman as Tiny Tim in the 2011 production of A Christmas Carol. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production shots below!

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 Jungle Book' opens, Audra and Sondheim visit, Stephen Wallem's St. Louis 'Shrek,' Make Music Chicago, 'The Land Of Smiles,' the Auditorium's cabaret series, Idina in Aurora and more!

Here's a listing of the top ten places that are really burning it up in theater this summer, in Chicago and the region nearby. Seek them out, and enjoy!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. It's our annual Summer Musical Theater Guide! This week, Part One: Chicagoland. Check out 'The Jungle Book,' 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman,' 'Next To Normal,' 'The Color Purple,' 'Spelling Bee,' 'Cabaret' and a whole lot more!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Oklahoma!' opens, a new 'Porgy,' a one-night 'Tommy,' improvised Sondheim, Darren Criss, 'The Jungle Book' has been cast, two new revues, my Tony perspective and more!

BroadwayWorld collected as many of yesterday's evening Saturday Intermission Pics as we could to bring you Part 2 of our April 27th SIP round-up. Yesterday evening's photos featured SIPs from CINDERELLA, MATILDA, KINKY BOOTS, THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, THE BOOK OF MORMON, ONCE, FLASHDANCE, PETER PAN, THE LION KING, JERSEY BOYS, Irish Rep's DONNYBROOK, THE FANTASTICKS, SILENCE! THE MUSICAL, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS at La Mirada and TONS of regional pics!

Mary Zimmerman returns to the Huntington Theatre Company for The Jungle Book, a world premiere stage adaptation produced in association with Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The production premieres in Chicago on June 21 and plays at the Huntington September 7 - October 6, 2013. Based on Nobel Laureate Rudyard Kipling's 1893 collection of stories set in the Indian jungle and Walt Disney's 1967 animated film, Zimmerman's adaptation of The Jungle Book is a music- and movement-filled adventure of young Mowgli's coming-of-age in the animal kingdom.

'SCARY MUSICAL… The Musical!', with Book by Richard Hochberg and Music and Lyrics by Richard Hochberg and Michael Paternostro, will be directed by Daniel Goldstein and produced by Kevin Spirtas in a workshop presentation slated for February 2013.

It's Saturday, and that means it's time for BroadwayWorld's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' round-up. Today's photos feature a slew of photo bombs (Homeland, Django Unchained, The Heiress, Jurassic Park, Downton Abbey and more!) using NEWSIES' new 'Photo Booth' app, THE BOOK OF MORMON's intermission snack, a water break for the ladies of NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, a 'sensible boob shot' from the stars of ROCK OF AGES, a goodbye to Aaron Carter at THE FANTASTICKS off-Broadway, and photos from the West End's TOP HAT, plus SPIDER-MAN, MARY POPPINS, JERSEY BOYS, BUNNICULA, FANCY NANCY, FLASHDANCE, WEST SIDE STORY and many more!

From the writer of DreamWorks' hit science-fiction parody Galaxy Quest comes an original musical comedy, The First Gentleman. Starring Emmy Award winning Actress Sally Struthers as The First Gentleman's Chief of Staff. Michelle Duffy as President Kathryn Cassidy. Steven Ted Beckler in the title role of Russell Cassidy and Daniel Quadrino as their son, Steven Cassidy. Featured roles are played by Inga Ballard, Nick Sullivan, Jane Blass, Kevin Carolan, Howard Kaye, Dan Debenport, Jillian Mueller, Brandon Kelly, Mark Campbell, Jennifer Dinoia, Richard Cerato, L.R. Davidson, Jessica Dillan, and Matt Stocke.

It's Saturday, and that means it's time for BroadwayWorld's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' round-up! Today's photos feature quite a few Hanukkah-themed pics from the casts of CHAPLIN, NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, ANYTHING GOES, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER at The Growing Stage, plus the usual antics from EVITA, NEWSIES, THE BOOK OF MORMON, SCANDALOUS, BRING IT ON, MARY POPPINS, ELF, GOLDEN BOY (in some hot new shorts!) and PETER PAN, plus a pic from the UK tour of AMERICAN IDIOT and lots of regional shows!

Earlier this week, NEWSIES, Disney's popular new musical about a charismatic newsboy and leader of a ragged band of teenage "newsies", receiveed Actors' Equity Association's Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA) Sixth Annual ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. The honor is the only industry accolade of its kind and honors the distinctive talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical.

NEWSIES, Disney's popular new musical about a charismatic newsboy and leader of a ragged band of teenage "newsies", will receive Actors' Equity Association's Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA) Sixth Annual ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. The honor is the only industry accolade of its kind and honors the distinctive talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical. The award will be presented in the Actors' Equity Association Council Room, overlooking Times Square, on Tuesday, November 27, 2012.

It's Saturday, and that means its time for BroadwayWorld's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' round-up!

NEWSIES has been playing now for several months the Nederlander Theatre, and by now the cast has lots of backstage rituals that go on before performances. In the video below, check out where they stretch, do vocal warm-ups, and more!

Andrew-Keenan Bolger and Kara Lindsay of NEWSIES interview with Lauren Scala of NBC Live as they take her backstage and behind the scenes. Check out the video below.

On June 22, the cast of NEWSIES, led by Jeremy Jordan, performed and signed copies of their cast album, which was released in April, at UES Barnes & Noble (86th/Lex). BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photos of Jordan, Harvey Fierstein and Jack Feldman, Kara Lindsay, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Ben Fankhauser and the cast of NEWSIES below!

Members of THE BOOK OF MORMON cast stood next to the NEWSIES company backstage at the 2012 Tony Awards on June 10 and caught their reaction to Christopher Gattelli's Tony win for Best Choreography. Check out the video below!

Christopher Gattelli is the recipient for this year's Tony Award for Best Choreography for NEWSIES. Following his win, an emotional Gattelli spoke with BroadwayWorld about what the whole expereince has meant for him.