The Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted, raises the curtain at 7:30p.m. on Monday, May 3rd, 2010 in honor of Michael Cullen, owner of the Mercury Theater and Cullen's Bar and Grill, and a thirty five-year veteran producer and pioneer in the development of Chicagoland theater as it is known today. Recently suffering from a stroke, Mr. Cullen requires extensive therapy treatments. The evening, which will be directed by Michael Weber, features Malachy McCourt, Chicago's Entertainer Ron Hawking, Gretchen Cryer (Writer and star of I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking it On the Road) and cast members from Million Dollar Quartet. The evening will also include cast members appearing from some of the many dynamic productions that Michael Cullen produced including Steel Magnolias (Nancy Baird), Pump Boys And Dinettes (Malcolm Ruhl, John Foley, Shawn Stengel, Susie and Joel Raney, Tom Mendel, Mary Launder, Rick Pickren, Tammy Mader, Liza Jaine, Tiffany Herlien, Shaun Whitely, Brian Burke and Maggie LaMee) & The Irish And How They Got That Way (Jane Baxter, Miller, Kent Lewis, David Girolmo, Justine Serino, and Susan Voelz.)
Michael Cullen began his artistic journey through part of his graduate program at the Goodman School of Drama where he founded the Travel Light Theater Company, one of the first off-Loop theater companies. Starting with ten actors Travel Light grew into one of the more prominent and well-known theaters. During the Travel Light years he independently produced over eighty productions. He was one of the co-founders and developers of the Theater Building located 1225 West Belmont Avenue in Chicago where Travel Light Theater found a permanent home. Here he produced such shows as Lone Star with Sigourney Weaver, Woody Guthrie featuring Tom Taylor, Say Goodnight Gracie directed by Austin Pendelton and featuring the acclaimed Steppenwolf Company. It received four Joseph Jefferson Awards and a PBS airing. During this same time he helped found the League of Chicago Theaters.Some of Mr. Cullen's independent productions along with partner Arnie Saks, include the Midwest premiere of I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road starring Gretchen Cryer. It became the longest-running show at the Drury Lane Water Tower Theater, spanning 1 ½ years and winning six Joseph Jefferson Awards. His premiere of Tintypes played a record breaking run at the Apollo Theater Center and earned six Joseph Jefferson Awards. At the Goodman Theater he presented Lily Tomlin in Lily Tomlin; Appearing Nightly. He brought Mary Wilson and The Supremes, Barbara Cook, and Tommy Tune to the Royal George for a series of concert appearances. He served as Associate Producer for the Broadway production of Speed of Darkness by Steve Tesiech directed by Robert Falls. It received four Tony nominations, winning a Best Supporting Actor Tony for Stephen Lang.Videos