Chicago Interviews

I interviewed Peloton cycling instructor Sam Yo about his return to the stage and how he balanced performing in the production with teaching at Peloton....

BroadwayWorld sat down with star James Monroe Iglehart while the production played its first pre-Broadway engagement in New Orleans to chat about bringing Louis' story to life, the care that goes into telling stories through musicals, and if he can play a certain instrument....

I interviewed Tony Award winner Gavin Creel about his experience as The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in the national tour of Stephen Sondheim’s INTO THE WOODS. The production started as a City Center Encores staging and later transferred to Broadway. Now, Chicago audiences can see the tour — with some o...

Heidi Blickenstaff speaks about why the role of Mary Jane Healy feels so personal, how it's the biggest challenge of her career, and what it's like to rock out to Alanis's iconic song catalog on stage....

Willem Butler, winner of BroadwayWorld's first ever season of Next on Stage, is currently shining bright on stages across the country as Dmitry in the National Tour of Anastasia. A recent graduate from Elon University, Anastasia is Butler's touring debut! Read BroadwayWorld's interview with Willem B...

Multiplatinum troubadour Andy Grammer continues to engage, energize and empower audiences with stomping stadium-size pop anthems meant to be shared at full volume. His observations and affirmations pick you back up when you need it, affirm your potential and encourage you to keep going. His catalog ...

Michael Bublé started singing at age four in his family's home in Burnaby, Canada and hasn't stopped since that time. His self-titled debut album on Reprise Records was released in 2005. A series of multi-platinum, No. 1 albums followed including Call Me Irresponsible, Crazy Love, To Be Loved and Ch...

Peloton Studios London instructor and former West End performer Sam Yo has been bringing his unique energy and passion for musical theater to Peloton members since he joined the team as an instructor in 2019. For Peloton members familiar with Sam, it shouldn't come as a surprise that he was every bi...

Andy Sachs, Emily Charlton, and of course, the infamous Miranda Priestly from THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA are back following Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel and the cult-classic 2006 film...but this time, these iconic characters are taking to the stage in a brand-new musical with music from Elton John, lyr...

Tony®, EMMY®, and four-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer, songwriter, actor, and philanthropist Josh Groban possesses one of the most outstanding and instantly recognizable voices in music. Read our interview about his new album, tour and special! ...

The National Tour of Dear Evan Hansen is in its fourth year of touring across North America, and will now have a new Evan Hansen! Anthony Norman (The Prom original Broadway cast, National Tour of Newsies, and more) is stepping into the lead role! Read BroadwayWorld's interview with the new star of D...

Formed in 2007, The Boxmasters have recorded an impressive and diverse catalogue of music that touches on their love of a wide array of influences, but most importantly, the rock and roll of the 1960's. Listening to The Boxmasters, one can hear obvious odes to the Beatles, Byrds and Beach Boys, but ...

Michael Cerveris is a singer/songwriter and guitarist who's toured the US and UK as a guitarist for Bob Mould, but also happens to have been declared 'possibly the most versatile actor on Broadway' by Playbill magazine, while The Wall Street Journal suggested he 'might just be the best musical-theat...

It's not an overstatement to say that Jacqueline Williams is a staple of the Chicago theater community. She returns to her hometown in the role of Calpurnia in the current national tour of Aaron Sorkin's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, coming to Broadway In Chicago from May 17,209, 2022. Williams reflected o...

Libby Lloyd takes on the role of Nini, one of the principal club dancers, in the MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL national tour. The Tony Award winning musical is currently making its tour premiere here in Chicago. Lloyd reflected on bringing the iconic Baz Luhrmann jukebox movie musical to life for tourin...

As funny as it may sound, Anaïs Mitchell has spent the past 15 years in some kind of hell. Ok, not actual hell, but the multi-faceted world of Hadestown, a musical project she began in Vermont in 2006 that has grown into a Tony-and Grammy-award-winning Broadway phenomenon with touring editions now d...

Local actor Kelly O'Sullivan brings her talents to the role of Sandra in the national tour of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, now in a sit-down Chicago run through early April....

The national tour of director Daniel Fish’s Tony Award-winning revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA! arrives in Chicago next week. Ahead of the show’s Chicago engagement, Sasha Hutchings reflected on her role as leading lady Laurey, her journey with the show, and how the show’s themes and t...

STOMP's percussive rhythms and electrifying performers have been wowing audiences for 30 years, and the stage phenomenon is currently making its way through the US on a National Tour! Blending dance and performance with music created using everyday objects, STOMP is a one-of-a kind experience you wo...

Last year, the world’s biggest-selling soprano and legendary GRAMMY® Award-nominated artist Sarah Brightman entertained her first-ever Christmas livestream concert Sarah Brightman: A Christmas Symphony, and it warmed hearts worldwide as the ultimate holiday event. Given the overwhelming response, an...

Chicago native and recent Northwestern graduate Alexa Xioufaridou Moster reflects on making her national tour debut in PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL and why she’s excited to return to her hometown when the tour arrives here in December. ...

Audiences will experience the musicality and passion for playing live that have earned famed Hollywood actor Dennis Quaid rave reviews. A riveting performer, Dennis captivates the audiences with engaging stories about his illustrious film career and stories behind the highly personal songs that will...

Sara Sheperd steps into the lead role of musician, songwriter, and singer Carole King in the BEAUTIFUL national tour. She chatted with BroadwayWorld Chicago about her long-standing connection with the show, and her excitement about returning to live performance and this iconic role....

While Chicago audiences have waited far more than 525,600 minutes for live theater to return to the city, it's now just a few weeks before the RENT 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour makes its way back. Javon King returns to the role of Angel for this latest tour engagement, and he reflected on how his ...

Gavin Creel chatted about making his Lyric debut, his hopes for the future of equity and access on Broadway, and how he handled self-care during the height of the coronavirus pandemic....

Emma Rice, the creator and leader of the UK theatre company Wise Children, has remounted the interrupted U.S. tour of her ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS. Wise Children will present a LIVE production of ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS (with dancing and kissing) livestreaming from the Bristol Old Vic stage September 22 thro...

Emma Rice, the creator and leader of the UK theatre company Wise Children, will virtually premiere her ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS months after live theatre was shuttered aborting their U. S. tour. The livestreaming from the Bristol Old Vic stage September 22 through 28 will benefit 30+ theatres worldwide, ...

Bachelor Nation fans of Chicago can experience all the drama of the popular reality show this March when THE BACHELOR LIVE ON STAGE arrives at Broadway In Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre. In advance of BACHELOR LIVE's arrival here, I chatted with former Bachelorette Becca Kufrin, who is co-hosting...

The first thing to know about Brian Jagde is that his name is pronounced a?oeJade,a?? like the jewel...

Already in previews, Heidi Schreck's 2019 Tony-nominated Best Play and Pulitzer Prize finalist WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME has been extended twice at the Mark Taper Forum through February 28, 2020. Maria Dizzia assumes the role of Heidi in this national tour, with original Broadway cast member...

Do you want to see Jonalyn Saxer fit her entire fist into her mouth? Actually, I don't know if the actor can do that, but she is showcasing her talents in the principal role of Karen Smith in the national tour of MEAN GIRLS (Fans of the original 2003 film will recognize that opening line as one of K...

Four Chords and a Gun is an intense black comedy about the infamous punk band the Ramones written by John Ross Bowie (“The Big Bang Theory”, “Speechless”). The play reveals the drama-filled 1979 recording session that led to The Ramones album, End of the Century, produced by the eccentric gun wieldi...

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and The House Theatre of Chicago are proud to present UNITED FLIGHT 232. Playing May 4-May 19, 2019 in the intimate Carnival Studio Theater (Ziff Ballet Opera House), UNITED FLIGHT 232 closes Center's 2018-2019 Theater Up Close S...

In advance of her upcoming concert tour date in Chicago, legendary Broadway performer Lea Salonga chatted with BroadwayWorld about what audiences can expect from her Human Heart tour and her thoughts on representation in the current Broadway landscape....

The 2019 National tour of Lincoln Center Theater's production of FALSETTOS has already begun in San Francisco, with its next stop the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles (beginning April 16, 2019). I was afforded the most opportune chance to chat with Nick Blaemire in between shows at the SHN Golden Gat...

Award-winning writer/actress Renee Taylor will be bringing her touring one-woman show RENEE TAYLOR'S MY LIFE ON A DIET back to her home town at The Wallis April 5, 2019. Known to many television fans of The Nanny as Fran Drescher's TV mom, Renee has collaborated on a multitude of movie and theatrica...

Lauded jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, accompanied by THE MEMPHIS SOULPHONY, will be bringing her latest show MEMPHIS: YES, I'M READY, based on her latest musical release Memphis: Yes, I'm Ready to The Wallis for one night only March 23, 2019. The most warm and delightful Ms. Bridgewater managed ...

BroadwayWorld had a chance to catch up with Dear Evan Hansen's touring Heidi Hansen, Jessica Phillips while the show was at their Chicago tour stop! Check out highlights from our Q&A below!...

Stephen Daldry's multi-award-winning revival of J.B. Priestley's AN INSPECTOR CALLS will land at The Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts January 22 through February 10, 2019 as part of its international tour. This production, the longest running revival of a play in history, has already been...

Already a few cities into their 27-city national circuit, the touring company of COME FROM AWAY has landed in Los Angeles at the Ahmanson. Helmed by its Tony Award-winning director Christopher Ashley, COME FROM AWAY runs through January 6, 2019. Still fresh and reeling from the audience's passiona...