L. Walter Stearns News

Mercury Theater Artistic Director Christopher Chase Carter, Managing Director Kristi J. Martens and Executive Producers L. Walter Stearns and Eugene Dizon has announced the cast and creative team for Big River, a musical based on Mark Twain's timeless classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Mercury Theater has extended the run of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, directed by Christopher Chase Carter and Alexis J. Roston, written by Lanie Robertson, and starring Alexis J. Roston as Billie Holiday.

Music Theater Works has announced the cast and creative team for the first production in its 43rd season, Avenue Q in the North Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts In Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, March 9 - April 2.

What did our critic think of CLUE at Mercury Theater Chicago? Mercury Theater’s CLUE is a comedic delight of a production. The laughs flow freely and easily in this stage adaptation of the farce-meets-murder-mystery based on the iconic 1985 film. Director L. Walter Stearns’s ensemble lands each and every moment, maximizing the laughs but maintaining the integrity. These actors understand the assignment of both farce and murder mystery: The characters in CLUE take themselves and the outrageous situations of the play deeply seriously, and the ensemble finds the comedy in playing those truths. It’s a near masterclass in how farce should be performed. The fact that the play is only 90 minutes also means the stage adaptation doesn’t overstay its welcome: There’s just enough time to set up the mystery, play the antics, and send audiences home after a delightful, hilarious time.

Mercury Theater will present fun experiences for audiences at their upcoming production of the murder mystery comedy Clue, based on the iconic comic movie and the classic board game. Clue, directed by L. Walter Stearns runs October 13, 2022 – January 1, 2023 at Mercury Theater.

Mercury Theater has announced the cast and creative team for the murder mystery comedy Clue. This Chicago Premiere is adapted from the beloved motion picture by Jonathan Lynn and Sandy Rustin, with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price, with original music by Michael Holland directed by executive producer Walter Stearns.

Mercury Theater Chicago has announced Kristi J. Martens as its new managing director. Martens, who has been the production stage manager at Mercury Theater Chicago for the past ten years, joins the leadership team of Artistic Director Christopher Chase Carter and Executive Producers L. Walter Stearns and Eugene Dizon. 

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced the current roster of music theatre and cabaret talent performing in this year’s annual Chicago Sings fundraising concert, Chicago Sings Stephen Sondheim, Monday, May 23, at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce Jim Corti as the recipient of the 2022 Guy Adkins Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Music Theatre. The award will be presented during this year’s annual Chicago Sings fundraising concert, Chicago Sings Stephen Sondheim, Monday, May 23, at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), 220 E. Chicago Ave. This year’s Chicago Sings concert offers two opportunities to experience Chicago’s music theatre and cabaret performers saluting Stephen Sondheim.

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced a line up including more than 50 Chicago artists performing, greetings and well wishes from Broadway stars including E. Faye Butler, Sean Allan Krill, Telly Leung, LaChanze, Susan Moniz and Kathy Voyto, a new raffle prize for a weekend in the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and more as a part of its annual Chicago Sings fundraising concert.

Each year, Porchlight Music Theatre celebrates an individual who has made an exceptional and lasting contribution to the state of the art of Chicago music theatre with the prestigious Guy Adkins Award. This year, Felicia P. Fields is the recipient.

In its 52nd annual celebration of theater excellence, the Jeff Awards has recognized 39 recipients for the 2020 awards, selected from among 142 theater artist nominees across 30 artistic and technical categories.

The Jeff Awards has announced the nominees for the 52nd annual awards for theater excellence that include 142 theater artists across 30 artistic and technical categories. The awards will be presented in an online program on Monday, November 9, 2020 at 7:00PM.

Executive Director, L. Walter Stearns and partner, Business Manager Eugene Dizon announced today the permanent closure of Mercury Theater Chicago after ten years and 25 productions, due to the loss of revenue following the COVID-19 shutdown.

L. Walter Stearns, Executive Director of Mercury Theater Chicago, announced today an ongoing lineup of three video series featuring past and present Mercury talent, to include actors, musicians and members of several creative teams.

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the 14th Annual Chicago Sings concert: Chicago Sings 25 Years of Porchlight, Monday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m., at The Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave, directed by Christopher Pazdernik and Artistic Director Michael Weber with music direction by David Fiorello. Reception begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour and light appetizers. Performances, awards ceremony and paddle raising begins at 7 p.m. in the Edlis Neeson Theatre. Tickets are on sale for $125 at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling 773.777.9884. Tickets at the door will be $150. The event has reserved seating and supports Porchlight Music Theatre's educational and artistic programming.

Walter Stearns, Executive Director of Mercury Theater Chicago, announced today the cast and creative team of the upcoming LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, running on the main stage from March 1 through April 28. The press opening is Sunday, March 10 at 7:30pm. This hit sci-fi musical has devoured the hearts of audiences around the world for more than 30 years, following the story of floral assistant who stumbles across a new breed of carnivorous plant that promises to grant him fame, fortune and all his desires - as long as the blood keeps flowing. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS will feature the creative talents of Walter Stearns (Director), Eugene Dizon (Musical Director) and Christopher Carter (Choreographer)

A mainstay of the Belmont Theater District, Mercury Theater Chicago's critically acclaimed production of AVENUE Q moves into its final weeks with a closing date of December 30. With incredible runs on the Mercury stage in 2014 and 2018, this lovingly revived Broadway musical comedy appealed to the heart and humor of more than 40,000 audience members, earning widespread critical acclaim with coverage from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, WTTW's "Chicago Tonight" and WGN Radio, and awards from Broadway World and the Joseph Jefferson awards, including 12 Broadway World Award nominations for the 2018 production. By its closing date, AVENUE Q will have played 355 performances over 12 months, placing it as one of the longest-running homegrown musicals in Chicago history.

By popular demand, Mercury Theater Chicago's critically acclaimed production of AVENUE Q has extended performances for the second time, now running through December 30. After an incredible run in 2004, this lovingly revived Broadway musical is wowing audiences yet again with its relatable humor and heartwarming message. Directed by L. Walter Stearns, AVENUE Q opened on June 21 to rave reviews, with Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune noting "AVENUE Q is a long-running hit all over again in Chicago. 'Warning, puppet sex' once again appears on the Mercury's marquee," and WTTW's Chicago Tonight highly recommending the show, remarking "it's not only clever and refreshingly frank but wholly charming."

Cue the jazz hands--Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson's PIPPIN has arrived at Mercury Theater's Venus Cabaret in an intimate staging that brings the actors and the audience together. Mercury Artistic Director L. Walter Stearns's interprets this cabaret production of PIPPIN in a literal manner: the show's visual references and presentational style are highly influenced by the 1920s Weimar cabaret in Germany. Thus, the fictional story of Charlemagne's son Pippin does not at all take place in medieval times but rather seems to occupy a moment all its own. Given the eccentricities in the material for PIPPIN itself, this is a fitting choice.