Usman Ally News

The Falcon Theatre, Abbie Phillips and Jan Kallish in association with the Lookingglass Theatre Company are thrilled to announce a very special event to benefit Lookingglass Theatre Company. Tonight, March 29 at 4 pm, a performance of the West Coast Premiere of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, written by Nicola Behrman, David Kersnar, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman and Andrew White and directed by Dan Bonnell, followed by a post-show Q & A with members of the creative team, and a private dinner following. This is the first association between the Falcon Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, 2011 recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.

The Falcon Theatre, Abbie Phillips and Jan Kallish in association with theLookingglass Theatre Company are thrilled to present the West Coast Premiere of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, written by Nicola Behrman, David Kersnar, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman and Andy White and directed by Dan Bonnell. This is the first association between the Falcon Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, 2011 recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON began previews on Wednesday, March 19; will open tonight, March 28 and continue throughSaturday, April 19 at the Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Dr. in Burbank.

The Falcon Theatre, Abbie Phillips and Jan Kallish in association with the Lookingglass Theatre Company are thrilled to announce a very special event to benefit Lookingglass Theatre Company. On Saturday, March 29 at 4 pm, a performance of the West Coast Premiere of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, written by Nicola Behrman, David Kersnar, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman and Andrew White and directed by Dan Bonnell, followed by a post-show Q & A with members of the creative team, and a private dinner following. This is the first association between the Falcon Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, 2011 recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.

The Nominating Committee of the Independent Reviewers of New England has just announced nominees for the 2014 IRNE Awards. The Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Awards, founded by Beverly Creasey of the Journal Newspapers and Larry Stark of TheaterMirror in 1997, recognize the extraordinary wealth of talent in the Boston theatre community.

Huntington Theatre Company has received 29 IRNE Award nominations from the Independent Reviewers of New England for its 2013 productions. The Committee recognized the Huntington with the following nominations:

The Falcon Theatre, Abbie Phillips and Jan Kallish in association with theLookingglass Theatre Company are thrilled to present the West Coast Premiere of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, written by Nicola Behrman, David Kersnar, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman and Andy White and directed by Dan Bonnell. This is the first association between the Falcon Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, 2011 recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON will begin previews on Wednesday, March 19; will open on Friday, March 28 and continue throughSaturday, April 19 at the Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Dr. in Burbank.

Continuing with its new 'incite change' mission, Collaboraction presents SKETCHBOOK 14: 2049 with 18 world premiere theatre pieces addressing a wide range of contemporary social issues. Collaboraction's 14th annual SKETCHBOOK festival will transport audiences to 2049, a post-apocalyptic world of regeneration and birth, where 18 shows from the past are being staged to remember the way we were before the Revolution.

The Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) announced casting today for two theatrical productions in November: White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, the Iranian absurdist play about isolation co-presented with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), running today, Nov. 3-9, 2013, and Birds Do It, Bees Do It..., the annual cabaret performance Nov. 5, 2013, created by Rob Lindley and Doug Peck.

The Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) presents the 24th annual Fall Festival, with more than 60 events that will explore the theme of ANIMAL: What Makes Us Human, Nov. 1-10 at venues across Chicago. This year's presenters include political consultant and former Senior Advisor to President Obama David Axelrod, revolutionary chef, restaurateur and TV personality Rick Bayless, celebrated author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Eating Animals Jonathan Safran Foer, autism activist and author Temple Grandin, 59 Grand Slam title-winning tennis player Martina Navratilova, critically-acclaimed director of Boys Don't Cry and the recently released Carrie remake Kimberly Peirce, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler), author of The Secret History and the newly released novel The Goldfinch Donna Tartt, and many more.

Music soars in Mary Zimmerman stage adaptation of "The Jungle Book" entering its final week at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, but this new theatrical version based on the Kipling and Disney classics is ultimately unfulfilling, needing more depth and heart.

The Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) announced casting today for two theatrical productions in November: White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, the Iranian absurdist play about isolation co-presented with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), running Nov. 3-9, 2013, and Birds Do It, Bees Do It..., the annual cabaret performance Nov. 5, 2013, created by Rob Lindley and Doug Peck.

Tony Award-winning director Mary Zimmerman brings her unique vision to the world premiere stage adaptation of 'The Jungle Book' now at the Huntington Theatre Company of Boston through October 13

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 premiered in Chicago on June 21 and plays at the Huntington tonight, September 7 - October 6, 2013.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Jungle Book' reviews, 'Oklahoma!' on the radio, Broadway In Chicago's Park preview, 'Hedwig' and 'Rooms' rock, Team StarKid is back, community theater in Glenview, a children's musical in Mundelein, plus the 'Summer Birthday Showtune Blowout' July 10th!

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!

Victory Gardens and the One-Minute Play Festival (OMPF) present the Third Annual Chicago One-Minute Play Festival, an evening of micro-plays by sixty of Chicago's top playwrights, directed by ten Chicago directors. OMPF benefits the Miller Match campaign and will be presented for two performances only, today, June 17 and Tuesday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park.

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!

Victory Gardens and the One-Minute Play Festival (OMPF) present the Third Annual Chicago One-Minute Play Festival, an evening of micro-plays by sixty of Chicago's top playwrights, directed by ten Chicago directors. OMPF benefits the Miller Match campaign and will be presented for two performances only, Monday, June 17 and Tuesday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park.