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!”
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for May 18th, 2011
May 18, 2011
May 18, 2011
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. Our top rated musicals, 'Porgy And Bess,' 'Murder For Two,' 'Something's Afoot,' 'Street Scene,' 'Adding Machine,' 'A Minister's Wife,' more....
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for May 11th, 2011
May 11, 2011
May 11, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,' 'White Noise,' 'Porgy And Bess,' 'The Wiz,' 'Adrift In Macao,' 'Glee,' more.
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for May 4th, 2011
May 4, 2011
May 4, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Jeff Award nominations, Tony Award nominations, 'Nunset Boulevard,' 'The Drowsy Chaperone,' 'The Phantom Of The Opera,' 'A Little Night Music,' 'Alien Queen,' more....
It’ll Charm You If You Want It To: NUNSET BOULEVARD Opens in Munster
May 4, 2011
May 4, 2011
It's not a typo folks! This is not a review of anybody's production of "Sunset Boulevard," despite the vision mistakes of ALL of my friends when they asked me in writing where I was going. Instead, it's the seventh or eighth "Nunsense" musical (depending on whether or not you count one all-male show), that overwhelmingly popular and not-quite-as-critically-successful series of small-scale musicals by Dan Goggin, written over the last 25 years and featuring five characters in a series of wacky, real-time, semi-performance situations.
BWW Reviews: An Uneven But Effective THE KING AND I Turns On The Porchlight Audience
May 3, 2011
May 3, 2011
Last weekend was the official opening of a hardworking production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic musical play, "The King and I," at Stage 773 courtesy of Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago. Coming simultaneously with the royal wedding goings-on in London, the show rang fascinatingly resonant with attentive audiences,...
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for April 27th, 2011
April 27, 2011
April 27, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Next To Normal,' 'Spring Awakening,' 'The Original Grease,' 'Rent,' the 'Waa-Mu' show, the Helen Hayes Awards, and more....
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for April 20th, 2011
April 20, 2011
April 20, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. '42nd Street,' 'All In Love Is Fair,' 'Passing Strange,' Rodgers and Hammerstein shows, the Blues Brothers, the 'Memphis' movie, more....
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for April 13th, 2011
April 13, 2011
April 13, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'White Noise,' 'Company,' two more Sondheim productions, two shows on Glenwood Avenue, Theatre On The Lake's season, the Alice Ripley Cover Contest and more!
Theatre At The Center Welcomes Richard Friedman As General Manager
April 9, 2011
April 9, 2011
April 7, 2011 - Munster, IN - Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana, one of Chicagoland's leading regional theatres, announces today the appointment of Richard Friedman as General Manager.
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for April 6th, 2011
April 6, 2011
April 6, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Gavin Creel tonight!, plus Matthew Morrison, the 'Chicago Sings' fundraiser, cabaret shows at Davenport's, 'Charlotte's Web,' dueling 'Secret Gardens,' dueling 'Brigadoons' and more....
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for March 30th, 2011
March 30, 2011
March 30, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Next season's musicals from Broadway In Chicago, Porchlight, Northlight, Writers' Theatre and more, plus 'White Noise,' 'Grease,' Alice Ripley, and, yes, more!
A Sexy "Aida" in Oakbrook: Always Stirring, and Occasionally Stunning
March 30, 2011
March 30, 2011
Two musicals which first firmly planted their roots in Chicago around 15 years ago achieved great acclaim on Broadway and elsewhere, and yet have never been far from our stages or our consciousness in Chicago. Both are about race relations in earlier times, and both continue to resonate with great success here. And both have received superior productions recently at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace.
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for March 23, 2011
March 23, 2011
March 23, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. A benefit for Japanese disaster relief, the Paramount Theatre's season, Donny and Marie for Christmas, Porchlight and Billy Stritch at Mayne Stage, 'A Chorus Line,' 'Always, Patsy Cline' and other suburban productions, 'The Magic Flute' in English, more....
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for March 16th, 2011
March 16, 2011
March 16, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, the marriage equality Be-In, 'Glee,' our two big summer music festivals, 'Pinkalicious,' two national tours, Stephanie Herman, Lea Salonga, more....
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for March 9th, 2011
March 9, 2011
March 9, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Hair,' the 'Hair' 'Be-In' at Sidetrack, the 'West Side Story' tour, 'Peter Pan,' Michael Mahler's week, radio Gershwin, Mandy Patinkin in Glencoe, two Evanston summer workshops, more....
It’s Chicago’s Musical, the 'Actors’ Musical.' WORKING Really Works!
March 5, 2011
March 5, 2011
The revised version of the 1970s musical "Working," that montage of monologues with the Frankenstein score that is usually called "the blue collar 'A Chorus Line'" (though it isn't), opened on Wednesday night in the town that originally birthed it, full of life and emotion and enough Chicago grit, grime and elbow grease to give it another 35 years in the repertoire, and then some.
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for March 2nd, 2011
March 2, 2011
March 2, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Various happenings at Broadway In Chicago, new musicals at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 'Follies,' 'Into The Woods,' 'Porgy And Bess,' more....
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for February 23, 2011
February 23, 2011
February 23, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Bohemian Theatre Ensemble season, a Stephen Schwartz world premiere, Alice Ripley in concert, the Chicago Symphony plays 'West Side Story,' 'Tomorrow Morning,' more.
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for February 16th, 2011
February 16, 2011
February 16, 2011
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Working,' the Grammy Awards, 'Les Miserables,' 'Smash,' Karen Mason, 'Ruthless!,' Betty Garrett, more....
"Guys And Dolls" Comes Out A Mid-Winter Winner At The Marriott!
February 14, 2011
February 14, 2011
Seriously, "Guys And Dolls" at the Marriott Theatre is great. It's just great. Great, great, great. No, it's not perfect. And it's definitely old school--there's definite dialogue sections, song sections, dance sections, just like the shows from the Golden Age were supposed to have. But what songs! And what dances!
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