GREASE, NORTHWEST HIGHWAY, et al. Continue for Chicago's Summer Season

With the 2011-2012 summer season fully underway, Chicago continues to produce some of the most exciting theater in the country and hold its place as a leader on the national scene. The city's wide range of summer programming, featuring everything from the latest musicals to international work, is enjoying record ticket sales, with many hit productions enjoying record extensions, as well.

"The quality and creativity of the theater being produced in Chicago this summer is evidenced by the sheer number of hit shows that have set box office records and extended well beyond their original run dates. Chicago theaters have seen record attendance and ticket sales for productions ranging from world premieres and international work to family-friendly musicals," says Deb Clapp, Executive Director of the League of Chicago Theatres. "Our vibrant theater community is a source of pride for our city and this summer's tremendous critical and popular success further proves that Chicago theater is stronger than ever, both fiscally and artistically."

A selection of productions playing in Chicago throughout the summer months includes:

The summer of David Henry Hwang continues. Yellowface extends at Silk Road Theatre Project through July 31 and Chinglish extends at the Goodman through July 31, 2011. Hwang's earlier work Family Devotions produced by Halcyon Theatre opens at the Greenhouse Theater Center August 11 - September 4, 2011.

The hit new play Northwest Highway by Will Nedved set in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood has been extended at The Gift Theatre through September 11, 2011.

The Original Grease written by Jim Jacobs, directed by Artistic Director PJ Paparelli and set on Chicago's northwest side, has been extended at American Theater Company through August 21, 2011.

Playwright Keith Huff's follow up to Broadway hit A Steady Rain, The Detective's Wife at Writers' Theatre has been extended through August 7, 2011. Directed by Gary Griffin.

The classic Chicago story The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur plays an extended run at TimeLine Theatre, through July 17, 2011.

Lookingglass Theatre's new play The Last Act of Lilka Kadison has been extended through August 7, 2011.

Theatre Seven of Chicago opens their new Chicago-centric piece We Live Here at the Greenhouse Theater Center August 4 - September 11, 2011.

About Face Theatre's new play The Homosexuals by Philip Dawkins runs through July 24 at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater.

The world premiere family musical The Adventures of Piccochio plays at Chicago Shakespeare Theater July 13 through August 28, 2011.

Emerald City Theatre's family musical Pinkalicious plays at the Broadway Playhouse through September 4, 2011.

Summer Shakespeare Outdoors. First Folio Theatre's Romeo and Juliet runs at the Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook through August 7, 2011. Oak Park Festival Theatre's Henry V plays in Oak Park's Austin Gardens July 14 - August 20, 2011.

Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwright and actor Tracy Letts appears in Middletown at Steppenwolf Theatre through August 14, 2011, directed by Les Waters. Tracy's play Bug runs at Redtwist Theatre through June 31, 2011.

Collaboraction remounts their hit production of 1001 at Theater on the Lake July 20-24 and then brings the production to their new space at the Flat Iron Arts Building July 28 - August 28, 2011.

Murder for Two at Chicago Shakespeare Theater has been extended through July 31, 2011.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater's World Stages production of En Route, a pedestrian based live arts event, devised by the Melbourne based one step at a time like this runs July 12 - August 13, 2011.

The hit musical Million Dollar Quartet in its third year at the Apollo Theater continues through the summer.

A new multimedia production of J.M. Barrie's classic Peter Pan at the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center has been extended through August 21, 2011.

The classic musicAl West Side Story plays at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, June 19 - August 14, 2011.

About Chicago theater
Chicago theater is the leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theaters throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theaters to the most renowned resident theaters in the country, including 5 which have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago's theaters serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. In 2009-10 alone Chicago theater companies produced more than 130 world premiere productions and adaptations. Each year Chicago theaters send new work to resident theaters across the country, to Broadway, and around the world.

The League of Chicago Theatres' Mission Statement
The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theaters which leverages its collective strength to promote, support and advocate for Chicago's theater industry locally, nationally and internationally. The League of Chicago Theatres Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the art of theater in the Chicago area through audience development and support services for theaters and theater professionals.

For a comprehensive list of ChicaGo Productions, visit the League of Chicago website, www.chicagoplays.com. Discounted tickets are available at www.hottix.com.