Chuck Spence

The cast of Raven Theatre Company's premiere of Tennessee Williams' Not About Nightingales has been announced, with Raven Founding Artistic Director Michael Menendian directing. The play's action revolves around the tyrannical prison warden Boss Whalen's inhumane treatment of the inmates in his island prison.  Deciding they have had enough, and inspired by their de facto leader Butch, the inmates of Hall C fight back by waging a hunger strike. When it garners media attention, Boss Whalen responds with torture.  All the while, Whalen's inmate assistant Jim and new secretary Eva struggle with the moral dilemma of either exposing the strike and losing their jobs or assisting Whalen in keeping it under wraps. 

Raven Theatre Associate Artistic Director Cody Estle has announced a "blended family" of new and familiar Raven faces for the company's Midwest premiere of The Assembled Parties, which in 2013 earned a 2013 Tony® Award nomination for Best Play. The play by Richard Greenberg, author of Take Me Out, Three Days of Rain and many other plays, will open on Raven Theatre's East Stage under Estle's direction on Tuesday, January 31, following previews from January 25 - 30, 2017.

Raven Theatre Associate Artistic Director Cody Estle has announced a "blended family" of new and familiar Raven faces for the company's Midwest premiere of The Assembled Parties, which in 2013 earned a 2013 Tony® Award nomination for Best Play. The play by Richard Greenberg, author of Take Me Out, Three Days of Rain and many other plays, will open on Raven Theatre's East Stage under Estle's direction on Tuesday, January 31, following previews from January 25 - 30, 2017.

In Todd Bauer's world premiere play, The Bird Feeder Doesn't Know, an adult son living with cerebral palsy and dealing with the needs and demands of his aging parents learns that it's easier for birds to leave the nest than it is for humans to break away from their parents.. This tragicomic three-character play was developed by Raven Theatre Company [WORKING TITLE] New Play Development Series.

In Todd Bauer's world premiere play, The Bird Feeder Doesn't Know, an adult son living with cerebral palsy and dealing with the needs and demands of his aging parents learns that it's easier for birds to leave the nest than it is for humans to break away from their parents.. This tragicomic three-character play was developed by Raven Theatre Company [WORKING TITLE] New Play Development Series.

Arthur Miller's intense drama, raising questions of morality and the limits of family ties, promises to be a special opening production for Raven's 2014-2015 season. Headlining the cast will be Chuck Spencer and JoAnn Montemurro as Joe and Kate Keller. These two Raven ensemble members, who earned accolades for their work as Willy and Linda Loman in Miller's Death of a Salesman and as Victor and Esther Franz in his The Price, will play Joe and Kate Keller. Raven first produced All My Sons in 1990 and they appeared in that production as well, playing George Deever and Ann Deever.

Arthur Miller's intense drama, raising questions of morality and the limits of family ties, promises to be a special opening production for Raven's 2014-2015 season. Headlining the cast will be Chuck Spencer and JoAnn Montemurro as Joe and Kate Keller. These two Raven ensemble members, who earned accolades for their work as Willy and Linda Loman in Miller's Death of a Salesman and as Victor and Esther Franz in his The Price, will play Joe and Kate Keller. Raven first produced All My Sons in 1990 and they appeared in that production as well, playing George Deever and Ann Deever.

Raven Theatre's 32nd Season, under the theme 'Family Business,' will include four plays exploring the nature of family ties, according to Producing Artistic Director Michael Menendian and Co-Artistic Director JoAnn Montemurro.

The Gift Theatre artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton has announced casting for the Chicago premiere of Broadsword: A Heavy Metal Play written by Marco Ramirez (Orange is the New Black; Sons of Anarchy) and directed by Keira Fromm. Guest artists Chuck Spencer (Jeff Award-winner for Redtwist's Man From Nebraska) and Pavement Group's Cyd Blakewell (currently co-starring in Mine) join The Gift Ensemble members John Kelly Connolly (The Lonesome West), James D. Farruggio (Suicide, Inc.), Gabriel Franken (Mine) and John Gawlik (The Lonesome West).

Today, BroadwayWorld.com is proud to announce the slate of nominees for the third annual BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, the only fan-voted theater awards in the Chicagoland area! Expanded to thirty categories this year, the BCAs (or "Broadies") honor Chicago's theater productions and artists in both Equity and Non-Equity categories, including plays, musicals, revues, Theater for Young Audiences, touring shows and special theatrical events. Productions which opened between November 1, 2011 and October 31, 2012 were eligible for nomination. The BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards are the oldest and most popular of the several dozen regional BroadwayWorld Award competitions now being held in the U.S. And you can join the fun by voting for your favorites, and encouraging your friends to vote as the vote totals pile up!

Raven Theatre's 30th season opens with The Big Knife, directed by Michael Menendian. Opening is tonight, September 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark, with a reception following in Raven's lobby. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

Raven Theatre's 30th season opens with The Big Knife, directed by Michael Menendian. Opening is Monday, September 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark, with a reception following in Raven's lobby. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

McDonagh's plays are densely packed with vicious drama, wicked humor, savage truths, and deep humanity, while Senior uses her trademark vision, and Jack Magaw's in-your-lap design, to cram McDonagh's theatrical stew into a stage the size of a minivan-with no place to hide. McDonagh's twisted family dramas were born for the intimacy of Redtwist. And after Kimberly's uniquely creative staging of The Pillowman in 2009, it's her time again. The theatre requested the performing rights two years ago, but the two-week visit by Druid Theatre at Chicago Shakespeare tied up the rights for one year prior and three months after their March, 2011, production. The request was granted last June, and the production opens tonight May 13. See photos from the show below!

The Cripple of Inishmaan by Martin McDonagh, directed by Kimberly Senior, opens at Redtwist Theatre tonight, May 13, at 3pm.

McDonagh's plays are densely packed with vicious drama, wicked humor, savage truths, and deep humanity, while Senior uses her trademark vision, and Jack Magaw's in-your-lap design, to cram McDonagh's theatrical stew into a stage the size of a minivan-with no place to hide. McDonagh's twisted family dramas were born for the intimacy of Redtwist. And after Kimberly's uniquely creative staging of The Pillowman in 2009, it's her time again. The theatre requested the performing rights two years ago, but the two-week visit by Druid Theatre at Chicago Shakespeare tied up the rights for one year prior and three months after their March, 2011, production. The request was granted last June, and the production opens on May 13. See photos from the show below!

The Cripple of Inishmaan by Martin McDonagh, directed by Kimberly Senior, opens at Redtwist Theatre Sunday, May 13, at 3pm.

Raven Theatre will present Arthur Miller's drama, The Price, directed by Michael Menedian. Opening is Sunday, March 4 at 7:00 p.m. at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark, with a reception following in Raven's lobby.

The Chicago Theater Beat (formerly the Chicago Theater Blog) today announced the nominees for the 1st Annual Chicago Theater Critics' Beat Awards. The Beat Awards provide an opportunity for Chicago's critics to give recognition to outstanding achievements in Chicago's theatre community and the artists involved.

Raven Theatre will present Arthur Miller's drama, The Price, directed by Michael Menedian. Opening is Sunday, March 4 at 7:00 p.m. at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark, with a reception following in Raven's lobby.