Michael Gillis News

Broadway In Boston announced today that tickets for the upcoming Boston engagement of Love Never Dies, will go on sale to the public on Sunday, September 10, 2017.

Broadway In Chicago and LOVE NEVER DIES have announced full casting for the North American Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's LOVE NEVER DIES, the spellbinding sequel to The Phantom of the Opera.

Casting has been announced for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies, the spellbinding sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, that will kick-off its North American Tour at Detroit's Fisher Theatre on October 17 with performances through October 29. 

The unquestioned immortality of Mamma Mia! took a hit last year when its Broadway run came to an end after playing fourteen years, two theatres and 5,773 performances. Now comes the question of its unavoidability. Somehow, I've managed to - okay, maybe not avoid it, which implies snobbishness on my part - but Mamma Mia! has just never been on my radar. It'll be around forever - or at least as long as Boomer nostalgia sells - so that leaves plenty of time to catch up on other things, my thought process went. But now begins what will presumably turn into a licensing blitz, and Aurora's Paramount Theatre leads the bell-bottomed charge into Chicagoland. So here we go again for the first time, I guess.

Amber Mak, Founding Artistic Director of FWD Theatre Project, the not-for- profit arts organization dedicated to the Discovery, Development, and Delivery of the new American musical, is stepping down from her position to assume the role of New Works Development Director at Paramount Theatre in Aurora.

Casting is complete for LaunchingFWD : Season 2, the second annual sneak preview concert of new musicals in development offered by FWD Theatre Project, one of the most-watched new arts organizations in town. Last year's LaunchingFWD event (starring headliner and hometown superstar Jessie Mueller in her first Chicago appearance since winning the Tony Award for Beautiful) sold out the 320 seat main room at City Winery and required overflow seating; FWD hopes this year's event will be even more impressive.

When FWD Theatre Project introduced itself in 2014 (at City Winery Chicago,) audiences, actors, producers, and critics took notice. Something special had arrived for the city's arts community and for the future of musical theatre in Chicago. A group of seasoned theatre professionals combined to create a Festival of Works in Development, part of an effort to build Chicago into a premiere destination for writers and creators to showcase their new musicals in process. One year later and FWD's inaugural season of five staged readings - selected from the world's best projects on offer - was a success, selling out many of its events at a variety of Chicago venues.

FWD Theatre Project, a grass-roots initiative for the discovery, development and delivery of original musical theater to the Chicago community, has sold out its official launch event, titled LaunchingFWD!, in the 330-seat main room at City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph Street, scheduled to take place Monday, September 22 at 8 pm. FWD and City Winery today announce they will open an additional 70 "Mezzanine" tickets for sale beginning Wednesday, September 10, to meet the overflow demand.

Eight veteran actors, directors, writers, choreographers and producers have created FWD Theatre Project ("Festival of Works in Development"), a grass-roots initiative for the discovery, development and delivery of original musical theater to the Chicago community. Artistic Director Amber Mak along with Collective Artistic Associates Justin Brill, Wade Elkins, Michael Gillis, Karen Multer, Steve Multer, Missy Greenburg and Scott Sowinski, have announced LaunchingFWD!, a one-night-only concert event at City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph Street, Monday, September 22 at 8 pm (doors open at 6 pmfor food and cocktails).

Songs from The New Picasso The Musical, music & lyrics by Jonathan David Sloate, won the 2014 Featured Artist Award at ReverbNation, home to over 3 million music artists.

Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, and Saturday, Aug. 3; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, at the Lake Zurich Performing Arts Center, 300 Church St. in Lake Zurich. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door.

The original concept album cast recording of the new musical The New Picasso is now available for purchase online at CDBaby.com and BlackForestProductions.com. The cast recording is selling as 2 albums ('Act One' and 'Act Two') for $14.98 each and shipping worldwide. Both concept albums are also currently available for digital download at CDBaby and Amazon with further availability online.

The chandelier rises. The organ begins playing as The Forrest Theater welcomes back this popular choice for the holiday season.