Winston Churchill News

Chicago Shakespeare Theater celebrated GALA 2018 on Friday, June 8, 2018, raising $1.6 million for the Chicago Shakespeare in Classrooms and Communities initiatives-which include the Tony Award-winning Theater's nationally recognized education programs and free citywide Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour.

Massey Hall is thrilled to announce, that today Toronto Mayor John Tory has proclaimed June 14, 2018 "Massey Hall Day"!

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced that its annual 2019 Gala will celebrate two-time Tony and six-time Emmy Award winner John Lithgow with The Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre on Monday, February 25, 2019.

Drury Lane Theatre announces casting for its sultry summer drama, Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Tony nominee Marcia Milgrom Dodge (2009 Broadway revival of Ragtime, Drury Lane's Smokey Joe's Cafe). Cat on a Hot Tin Roof runs July 5 - August 26, 2018, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The press opening is scheduled for Thursday, July 12 at 8:00 p.m.

Award-winning actor, singer, and dancer, Joel Grey, has been named to a star-studded advisory board to nominate the recipient of the Gold Coast International Film Festival's second annual Burton Moss Hollywood Golden Era Award. Regina Gil, founder and executive director of the Gold Coast Arts Center] and its Gold Coast International Film Festival, announced Grey's appointment to the board which includes such luminaries as Larry King, Richard Thomas, Edwina Sandys, Katherine Quinn, Tippi Hedren, Greg Mullavey, and Carole Shelley.

Los Altos Hills will be alive with The Sound of Music this summer, when multi-award winning Foothill Music Theatre presents the Tony, Grammy, and Academy Award-winning musical. This beloved musical, set in Austria in 1938, follows novice Maria Rainer who becomes the governess for the von Trapp family, capturing the hearts of the seven children and their father, a widowed naval captain. As the Nazis occupy Austria, the family is forced make decisions which forever change their lives, fleeing their home in pursuit of freedom.

Write Act Repertory's Producing Artistic Director John Lant and Anne Mesa are pleased to present the world premiere of Willard Manus'THEIR FINEST HOUR: CHURCHILL AND MURROW. The final production in the series, Three By Will In Rep, is directed by Stu Berg. Opening June 16th, 2018.?

To celebrate Massey Hall's 124th anniversary, join us Thursday, June 14 as several Massey Hall alumni gather and perform for an historic night of music. Performing double duty as both featured performers and the house band, Whitehorse will lead an all-star lineup including Jim Cuddy, Sarah Harmer, Sam Roberts and Buffy Sainte-Marie, with more artists to be announced soon. All tickets for this landmark event are $18.94, to honour the year that Massey Hall was gifted to the citizens of Toronto.

Write Act Repertory's Producing Artistic Director John Lant and Anne Mesa are pleased to present the world premiere of Willard Manus'THEIR FINEST HOUR: CHURCHILL AND MURROW. The final production in the series, Three By Will In Rep, is directed by Stu Berg. Opening June 3rd, 2018. Write Act Repertory @ The Brickhouse Theatre.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater celebrates GALA 2018 on Friday, June 8, 2018 across the company's multi-faceted complex on Navy Pier. Funds raised will benefit the Chicago Shakespeare in Classrooms and Communities initiatives-which includes the Tony Award-winning Theater's nationally recognized education programs and free citywide Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour. Chicago Shakespeare will present the Spirit of Shakespeare Awards to Civic Honorees Marilynn and Carl Thoma and Artistic Honoree John Lithgow. Guests will enjoy a one-night-only performance in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, featuring Tony and Grammy Award-winner Heather Headley and The Voice all-star Chris Mann.

Classic Spring is delighted to announce real-life father and son, Edward and Freddie Fox, are to play fictional father and son in Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband, from 20 April at the Vaudeville theatre. Also starring, in the role of Mrs. Cheveley, is Frances Barber. Directed by Jonathan Church, An Ideal Husband will play at the Vaudeville Theatre 20 April to 14 July 2018, before opening the Theatre Royal Bath Summer Season on 18 July to 4 August 2018.

Award-winning actor, singer, and dancer, Joel Grey, has been named to a star-studded advisory board to nominate the recipient of the Gold Coast International Film Festival's second annual Burton Moss Hollywood Golden Era Award. Regina Gil, founder and executive director of the Gold Coast Arts Center] and its Gold Coast International Film Festival, announced Grey's appointment to the board which includes such luminaries as Larry King, Richard Thomas, Edwina Sandys, Katherine Quinn, Tippi Hedren, Greg Mullavey, and Carole Shelley.

Greenville Chautauqua celebrates its 20th Anniversary History Alive Festival. Get ready to discover that we are stronger than we think - that courage can be learned - and that we can get braver. These are times that try men's souls. And turbulent times forge muscles of grit. Five historic leaders, who in times of great adversity learned to become courageous, are coming to the Chautauqua History Alive Festival. And they want to talk with us.  And all the shows are FREE! (Nominal charge for shows in Asheville, NC)

BBC AMERICA announced today that it will air the Royal wedding of HRH Prince Henry of Wales and Ms. Meghan Markle, as a live and direct simulcast of BBC ONE's coverage. The historic event airs with limited commercial breaks as the centerpiece of a week of celebratory programming that includes the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana and the US television premiere of Harry and Meghan: A Very Modern Romance.

New author J. R. Strayve, Jr. has written a novel that early readers compare to the historical fiction storytelling of multiple bestselling author, Ken Follett. Being likened to an novelist with over 160 million books sold is high praise for any author, especially a brand new one. "Braxton's Century" tells the story of a British aristocrat from birth in 1866 until his 100th birthday. As a young boy, he is surrounded by the rarefied world of his fictional royal family. Protagonist Prince Braxton is typical of the men in classic 19th Century romance stories. He is brilliant, strikingly handsome, talented, and ambitious. Readers will be mesmerized as Braxton builds fame and fortune in London, Vienna, Venice, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Tokyo, Calcutta, San Francisco, Colorado, and New York. The novel follows an interesting cast of characters including Braxton's mother, a Contessa who became a Princess before being crowned Queen Mercedes. Historical Fiction fans can learn more about the book by visiting the book's website www.BraxtonsCentury.com, where readers can download a copy of the first chapter. On the site, they can click on a link to the Publishizer Crowdfunding page to learn more about how author J.R. Strayve, Jr. plans to interact with his readers, solicit their input on final cover design and invite them to participate in the book's formal launch this summer. Here are some early reader comments sent to the author: '...I really liked the first chapter. Really captivating, great character development already and well written. I'm ready for the rest of the book! (I left the manuscript on the plane purposely. Hopefully it will spread virally)' - Tom Lein '...I received the first chapter of your book. I downloaded and read it in bed last night. I have to say, I totally enjoyed reading it. It was as if I was in attendance to all the going on. Can't wait to get the book so can finish reading it. It is definitely my kind of story.' - Lin Haymaker J. R. Strayve, Jr. has a bit of Author James Thurber's daydreaming character Walter Mitty in him. The father of three adult children and three grandchildren, creating stories for them was one of the best parts of parenting for this true creative. "Braxton's Century" came to life after Strayve suffered an accident in 2016 and was only able to work part-time as a Financial Planner in San Diego, California where he still lives. Fatigued and weakened by illness, he passed out while working out at a gym. After the accident it took a few months to regain his strength, so he would go for long walks to exercise and refocus his thoughts. He says that during those walks in the inspiring beauty of San Diego, he reverted to the 'daydreaming, window gazing, wildly imaginative' days of his youth which gave birth to Prince Braxton. Strayve's favorite person history is Winston Churchill who was born in 1875. His familiarity with the time-period, vivid imagination and literary license gave birth to this gripping page-turner that readers say is hard to put down.

Write Act Repertory's Producing Artistic Director John Lant and Producer Tamra Pica are pleased to announce the extension of LILI MARLENE, a new musical about a family's escape from the rising tide of Nazism, with book, music and lyrics by Michael Antin and directed and choreographed by Mark Blowers.

As a special bonus in its 22nd season, First Folio Theatre (Mayslake Peabody Estate, 31st St. & Rt. 83.) is bringing back Ronald Keaton's hit one-man show Churchill, May 2 - 6. This show had its Illinois premiere at First Folio, before moving on to extended runs the Greenhouse Theatre Center in Chicago followed by a six-month run Off-Broadway at New World Stages in NYC.

Roundabout Theatre Company will present the world premiere of the Roundabout - commissioned play, Bernhardt/Hamlet by Pulitzer finalist Theresa Rebeck, directed by Tony nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel, will kick off Roundabout's 2018 - 2019 Broadway season.

Write Act Repertory's Producing Artistic Director John Lant and Producer Tamra Pica are pleased to announce the extension of the off-Broadway East Coast premiere of LILI MARLENE, a new musical about a family's escape from the rising tide of Nazism, with book, music and lyrics by Michael Antin and directed and choreographed by Mark Blowers. 

The UK and English language premiere of Death of a Hunter opens at the Finborough Theatre on Sunday, 1 April 2018 for nine Sunday and Monday evenings and Tuesday matinees including a performance in German on Tuesday, 10 April 2018 (Press Night: Monday, 2 April 2018 at 7.30pm).