Ed Rutherford

Hell in a Handbag Productions will conclude its 21st season with the world premiere musical parody Murder, ReWrote, playing August 10 – September 16, 2023 at The Den Theatre (Upstairs Mainstage) 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.

Kicking off the new year, the Joseph Jefferson Awards announced its nominations for theater excellence among Non-Equity theater. See the full list!

Hell in a Handbag Productions has announced its 2022-23 season. The 21st season kicks off with the world premiere of FRANKENSTREISAND, conceived and written by ensemble member Tyler Anthony Smith* and directed by Stephanie Shaw, playing September 29 – October 31, 2022.

Black Button Eyes Productions will conclude its 2021-22 season with the world premiere musical Mary Rose, featuring book and lyrics by Producing Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, music and lyrics by Jeff Bouthiette, adapted from play of the same name by J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan), directed by Ed Rutherford with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions will conclude its 2021-22 season this winter with the world premiere musical Mary Rose, featuring book and lyrics by Producing Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, music and lyrics by Jeff Bouthiette, adapted from play of the same name by J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan), directed by Ed Rutherford with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to conclude its 2021-22 season this winter with the world premiere musical Mary Rose, featuring book, music and lyrics by Producing Artistic Director Ed Rutherford and Jeff Bouthiette, adapted from play of the same name by J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan), directed by Ed Rutherford with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions is welcoming back live audiences this fall with the popular internet musical Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, an authorized fan production to benefit the Chicago charity Season of Concern, playing now through November 6, 2021 at The Edge Theater.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to welcome back live audiences this fall with the popular internet musical Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, an authorized fan production to benefit the Chicago charity Season of Concern, playing October 8 – November 6, 2021 at The Edge Theater.

Black Button Eyes Productions has announced casting for its fall production of the popular internet musical Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, an authorized fan production to benefit the Chicago charity Season of Concern.

Black Button Eyes Productions have announced its 2021-22 season, launching this fall with the popular internet musical Dr. Horrible's Sing-ALong Blog, an authorized fan production to benefit the Chicago charity Season of Concern.

With the conclusion of the 2019-2020 Chicago non-Equity theater season, the Jeff Awards announced the nominees for the 47th annual awards for theater excellence that include 120 theater artists across 21 categories.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to present the world premiere of Masque of the Red Coronavirus, a free online-only script and video experience, written and directed by Producing Artistic Director Ed Rutherford and adapted, in part, from Edgar Allen Poe's short story The Masque of Red Death.

Black Button Eyes Productions will conclude its 2019-20 season of “Ghost Stories” with the Chicago premiere of WHISPER HOUSE, featuring music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening), book and additional lyrics by Kyle Jarrow (Spongebob Squarepants Musical), with direction by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, music direction by Micky York and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to conclude its 2019-20 season of “Ghost Stories” with the Chicago premiere of WHISPER HOUSE, featuring music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening), book and additional lyrics by Kyle Jarrow (Spongebob Squarepants Musical), with direction by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, music direction by Micky York and choreography by Derek Van Barham. WHISPER HOUSE will play January 10 – February 15, 2020 at The Athenaeum Theatre (Studio Two), 2936 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at athenaeumtheatre.org, by calling (773) 935-6875 or in person at The Athenaeum Theatre Box Office. 

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to announce casting for its Chicago premiere of WHISPER HOUSE, featuring music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening), book and additional lyrics by Kyle Jarrow (Spongebob Squarepants Musical), with direction by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, music direction by Micky York and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Dave Malloy's staged song cycle GHOST QUARTET is a madcap romp through seven centuries of mythology, folk tales, gothic horror stories, murder ballads, and more. Described in the lyrics as a 'circular story,' the nonlinear plot follows four friends through interweaving stories that include two sisters in a murderous love triangle, a modern-day subway platform homicide, and retellings of Arabian Nights and Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. Malloy's musical influences are as eclectic as his literary sources, and fans will recognize many of the styles present in his best-known work, the Tony Award-winning NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812.  

Black Button Eyes Productions launches its 2019-20 season with the Chicago premiere ofGHOST QUARTET, an intriguing and entertaining song cycle by Dave Malloy, directed by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions launches its 2018-19 season with the Chicago premiere of GHOST QUARTET, an intriguing and entertaining song cycle by Dave Malloy, directed by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to announce casting for its Chicago premiere of GHOST QUARTET, an intriguing and entertaining song cycle by Dave Malloy, directed by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

The Jeff Awards announced today via a special video, a total of 132 nominations in 22 categories for the 46th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards.