Paul W. Thompson, a contributor to BroadwayWorld.com since 2007, is a Chicago-based singer, actor, musical director, pianist, vocal coach, composer and commentator. His career as a performer, teacher and writer is centered at Paul W. Thompson Music, located in Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building, where he teaches the great songs of Broadway to the next generation of musical theater performers. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Paul was raised in a family of professional musicians and teachers, steeped in classical, gospel, country, pop, sacred and show music. Dubbed a “thin, winsome lad” at the age of 13 by a critic for the Nashville Banner, he earned two degrees in musical theater (a B.F.A. with Honors from Baylor University and an M.M. from the University of Miami, Florida), plus an M.B.A. with Distinction from DePaul University. Paul’s memberships include Actors’ Equity Association, the American Guild of Musical Artists, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (proud voter for the Grammy Awards!), the National Association of Teachers of Singing and New York’s Drama League.Moving easily between the worlds of classical music, religious music, classic pop and musical theater, Paul has appeared onstage or in the orchestra pit in concerts, musicals, operettas and operas in 30 states and in Europe, in a career spanning more than 35 years. His Chicagoland stage credits include “Forever Plaid” at the Royal George Theater and twenty mainstage productions at Light Opera Works. Paul joined the Chicago Symphony Chorus in 1995 (he was Tenor I Section Leader for four years and sings on two Grammy-winning recordings), and is one of Chicago’s foremost liturgical singers, marking 20 years as a member of the choir at St. James Cathedral (Episcopal) in 2011.He has composed and arranged a number of anthems, hymns and songs for worship and concert use, and collaborates on the creation of new works of musical theater. Paul can be found on Monday nights watching showtune videos at the world-famous Sidetrack nightclub, the inspiration for his weekly column, “The Showtune Mosh Pit.” His proudest achievement is that he has seen the original Broadway production of every Tony Award-winning Best Musical since “Cats.” No, really. Since “Cats!”
February 13, 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. Grammy and Oscar, 'Smash' and 'Million Dollar Quartet' on TV, Lyric Opera's five R and H shows, Rachel Rockwell directs 'Brigadoon' and 'Shrek,' two college shows, and the two singing Callaway sisters!
February 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. It's the Midwinter Round-Up! We've got 'Peter Pan,' the Marriott's Lloyd Webber revue, the Mercury's R&H revue, Porchlight's 'Lady Day,' the Writers' 'Sweet Charity,' Heidi Kettenring in concert, 'Sunset Boulevard' and more!
January 30, 2013
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to New York. Upcoming productions of 'See What I Wanna See' and 'Little Women,' a unique 'Joseph...,' four world premieres, including 'Under A Rainbow Flag,' plus a whole bunch of special cabaret evenings, the return of 'Best Musical!' at Stage 773, and world premiere choreography by Ann Reinking!
January 23, 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. Two Lloyd Webber shows from our most important resident musical theater houses, two big shows from the 1950s in brief appearances, three special shows for Valentine's Day (from Cory Goodrich, Felicia Fields and CPaz), our two favorite showtune TV shows and more!
January 20, 2013
In the Paramount's production, directed and choregraphed by Rachel Rockwell, the show lives and breathes in the very music that a con man and flim-flam artist, "Professor Harold Hill," uses to sell band instruments, uniforms and instruction booklets to the parents of young boys he knows he cannot really teach. Music is everywhere,...
January 16, 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. Our Awards Celebration, Hershey Felder returns, shows at The Music Theater Company, a Broadway star in 'The Music Man,' the Lincoln Squares, and music in the sketch comedy world, from '50 Shades' to the opera to Team StarKid at Second City! And more....
January 9, 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. The pre-Broadway 'Big Fish,' a 'Fela!' tour, some long-running shows extend, Theo Ubique lights up the winter, Glencoe's 'Sweet Charity' jazz club, 'Lady Day,' two 'Grand Night' revues and more!
January 2, 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. This week: Our TOP TEN HOT TOPIX for the second half of 2012!!
December 26, 2012
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 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards winners and 1/9/13 Celebration, 'Mormon' and 'Les Miz' reaction, 'Oliver!' opens, 'Lucy' extends, StarKid goes sketch, our unofficial Lloyd Webber festival and more!
December 20, 2012
BroadwayWorld Chicago is proud today to announce the winners of the third annual BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, the only comprehensive theater award in the Chicago area voted on by fans, and the only one to honor productions in both Equity and non-Equity categories simultaneously. And you, the fans, have spoken! Prominent local companies, famous names on a national level, and some new favorites on our theater scene are winners this year.
December 19, 2012
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Three theatrical radio plays called 'It's A Wonderful Life,' two Second City touring companies, Gilbert and Sullivan in rep, the Rockettes, Karen Mason in town, holiday films we fancy, Congo Square's 'Nativity' and a special holiday thought....
December 12, 2012
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 the no-Christmas-musicals edition of the Mosh Pit! The T-BOM has arrived, BWW Chicago Awards voting ends this Saturday, the Grammys, three new musicals in workshop, dueling TYA 'Cinderella' musicals and more!
December 5, 2012
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Musicals starring The Grinch and Rudolph, four more musicals based on Dickens (including the indie film 'Scrooge And Marley'), 'The Nutcracker,' dueling musical improv troupes and more!
December 2, 2012
"The Christmas Schooner" has been performed in the Chicago area every year, except for one, since 1995. And yet, I know for a fact that new theatergoers are discovering it all the time. Hence, it's a good thing that the Mercury Theater on Southport Avenue has mounted this story--based on a real slice of Chicago history--for the second year, and has already announced it for next year as well. It's one of the most popular musicals across the country to originate in Chicago, and we are proud to call it our own.
November 28, 2012
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 'Season Of Carols' concert, the 'Eastland' CD, short runs of 'Lucky Stiff' and 'They're Playing Our Song,' changes at Drury Lane and Circle, and a variety of alternative holiday performances!
November 27, 2012
One of the nation's most prominent of the many productions of "A Christmas Carol" that crop up like greenery this time of year is the one at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. Now in its 35th annual outing, it's a warm, thought-provoking and timeless tale of redemption and good will, humanity and universality that, surprisingly , shares with Jonathan Larson's "Rent" an immediate central theme. "No day but today" might very well be a line from Charles Dickens' short 1843 novel of the same name, as pithy and wise as the novel's, and this show's, ending line: "God bless us, everyone."
November 25, 2012
For consistency and boldness of artistic vision, or (more accurately) for auteur singularity of mind in application of a specific lens to the artistic work of another, one need look no further than to Oak Park, Illinois, and the Circle Theatre production of "Pippin," playing now through December 23, 2012 at the Madison Street Theatre.
November 21, 2012
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Les Miz' mania, a local 'Annie,' and holiday musicals galore: 'Schooner,' 'Jonathan Toomey,' 'We Three Lizas,' 'Gifts Of The Magi,' three 'Christmas Carols' and more!
November 20, 2012
The musical "Forever Plaid," created in 1990 by writer/director Stuart Ross and the late musical director/arranger James Raitt (cousin to John and Bonnie), was and is a perennially popular staple of regional theaters looking for a small-cast, upbeat and moving musical to satisfy audiences of a certain age (meaning my parents, and your grandparents).
November 14, 2012
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Two national tours land here simultaneously, 'Pippin' goes to India, plus openings at Court Theatre, Marriott Theatre and Drury Lane Theatre, Theo Ubique goes rep again, and more, including the 'Mormon' cast!
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