Stephanie Hansen News

?Chicago's best musical theatre performers gather on the same stage for one night only when the 2016 Jeff Award Nominees are honored at Nominee Night, May 17 at 7PM at Sidetrack Video Bar in Lake View, Chicago.

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 121 nominations in 24 categories for the 43rd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff judges attended opening nights of 148 productions offered by 67 Non-Equity producing organizations. The Jeff Committee recommended 65 of those shows (or 44%), making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Of the 65 Jeff Recommended productions, a record 53 (or 82%) received nominations, representing 32 theatre companies.

On January 21, guests gathered at Drury Lane Theatre for the Opening Night of their newest production, Bye Bye Birdie, directed and choreographed by Tammy Mader. With a cast led by Michelle Aravena as Rosie, Matt Crowle as Conrad's agent, Albert, and Jason Michael Evans as Conrad Birdie, audiences were treated to a throwback of the classic 1950's musical, brought to life again by this energetic and lively ensemble of 31. Check out photos from opening night, below!

Bye Bye Birdie, the four-time Tony Award-winning musical, begins performances at Drury Lane on January 14 to conclude the 2015 - 2016 Season. The funny, irreverent musical takes audiences back to 1959 in quiet Sweet Apple, OH, where rock star Conrad Birdie shakes things up when he arrives to give one lucky teenage girl a special goodbye kiss. With a cast led by 2015 Jeff Award Best Supporting Actor winners Michelle Aravena as Rosie and Matt Crowle as Conrad's agent, Albert, Bye Bye Birdie is directed and choreographed by multiple Jeff Award winner Tammy Mader. Featuring musical theater classics such as "Kids," "Put on a Happy Face," and "A Lot of Livin' to Do," the inspired cast and creative team promise to bring a decidedly fresh touch to the timeless story. 

Hits keep coming at Theo Ubique's latest revue honoring the late composer Marvin Hamlisch

Theo's summer cabaret will feature favorites and lesser-known gems by the Emmy-Grammy-Oscar-Tony winning composer Theo Ubique's summer cabaret of 2015 will turn to the songs of one of the best-loved composers of the 20th Century's later decades when it showcases the songs of Marvin Hamlisch from tonight, June 4 - July 12, 2015 at the No Exit Cafe, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave. in Rogers Park

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Local Tony and Jeff Award events, 'Shining Lives' shines, major productions of 'City Of Angels' and 'The Secret Garden,' original shows at Lifeline and Theo Ubique, two suburban theaters program 'Spamalot,' House updates 'The Bacchae' and New York gets its talent from where?

Theo's summer cabaret will feature favorites and lesser-known gems by the Emmy-Grammy-Oscar-Tony winning composer Theo Ubique's summer cabaret of 2015 will turn to the songs of one of the best-loved composers of the 20th Century's later decades when it showcases the songs of Marvin Hamlisch from June 4 - July 12, 2015 at the No Exit Cafe, 6970 N. Glenwood Ave. in Rogers Park. Music Director Aaron Benham (recently honored with three Jeff nominations for the 2014-15 season, including one for last summer's A Musical Tribute to the Andrews Sisters by Theo) is providing new arrangements for a program representing the full body of Hamlisch's work. Benham and a cast of six will perform numbers ranging from standards like 'The Way We Were' and 'Nobody Does It Better' through selections from his Broadway musicals (A Chorus Line, They're Playing Our Song, Sweet Smell of Success, The Goodbye Girl and Smile) and film scores (The Sting, Sophie's Choice). Courtney Crouse (of Theo Ubique's Chess) is the stage director and Chris Logan (of Theo's A Cole Porter Songbook and Bailiwick Chicago's Murder Ballad) is the choreographer. The press opening will be Saturday, June 6 at 8 p.m., following previews Thursday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m., and Friday, June 5 at 8 p.m.

Although Drury Lane Theatre's Young Frankenstein closed yesterday, Dr. Frankenstein (Devin DeSantis) and The Monster (Travis Taylor) are still going strong with their own rendition of the ridiculously popular Let It Go from Disney's Frozen. Scroll down to listen!

Drury Lane Theatre presents the Mel Brooks Broadway hit YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. The show opened January 23, and runs through March 16, 2014. BroadwayWorld has a first look at highlights below!

Drury Lane Theatre presents the Mel Brooks Broadway hit YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. The show opened last night, January 23, and runs through March 16, 2014. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, presents the Mel Brooks Broadway hit YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, previewing tonight, January 16, opening Thursday, January 23, and running through March 16, 2014.

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, presents the Mel Brooks Broadway hit YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, previewing January 16, opening Thursday, January 23, and running through March 16, 2014.

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, presents the Mel Brooks Broadway hit YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, previewing January 16, opening Thursday, January 23, and running through March 16, 2014. The cast is led by Devin DeSantis as "Dr. Frederick Frankenstein" (Anyone Can Whistle with Patti LuPone at the Ravinia Festival, four years in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and Pirates of Penzance, Boys from Syracuse and Hot Mikado at Drury Lane Theatre); Jeff Award winner Jeff Dumas as "Igor" (First National Tour of Spamalot Directed by Mike Nichols, Bounce at The Kennedy Center, NBC TV's Chicago Fire, The Merry Widow at Lyric Opera Chicago, Pacific Overtures at Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Winesburg, Ohio at About Face Theatre); and Johanna McKenzie Miller as "Elizabeth Benning" (Mary Poppins at Marriott Theatre, Fiddler on the Roof at Drury Lane Theatre, The Music Man at Marriott Theatre, Sunday in the Park with George at Ravinia Festival and The Three Musketeers at Chicago Shakespeare Theater). The production is Directed by Drury Lane Theatre Artistic Director William Osetek (Drury Lane Theatre's smash hit production of Spamalot and Jeff Award nominee for Best Director and Best Production for Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Choreographed by Jeff Award winner Tammy Mader (Sunset Boulevard, Gypsy, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Hairspray at Drury Lane Theatre).

Theo Ubique's warmly-received production of Aspects of Love, the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black and Charles Hart, will be extended through Sunday, May 19, 2013. Theo Ubique Artistic Director Fred Anzevino announced the extension on Monday, April 1.

Playing now through April 21, 2013 at the No Exit Cafe in Rogers Park, and officially opening yesterday, the rarely seen Andrew Lloyd Webber musical 'Aspects of Love' has been very competently mounted by the consistently high-quality storefront non-Equity company, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. And this 1989 London show, receiving what I believe is the Chicago premiere of the revised version first mounted in the UK in 1993-4, has been clearly intended by the company to be a follow-up to its phenomenally successful, multi-Jeff Award winning, multi-BroadwayWorld Award winning 2012 production of 'A Light in the Piazza,' a show with a similar post-war, stylish Continental setting and the seduction of romantic melodies in the air--not much dialogue or dance needed.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) will partner with Regis Salons, presenting sponsor for HAIRSPRAY, in a first-ever endeavor to support Breast Cancer Research and Awareness throughout the month of October 2011.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) will partner with Regis Salons, presenting sponsor for HAIRSPRAY, in a first-ever endeavor to support Breast Cancer Research and Awareness throughout the month of October 2011.