Philip Earl Johnson

Photos: ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN? In Rehearsal at Arena Stage
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 9, 2026

Get a first look inside rehearsals for ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN? at Arena Stage, directed by Anna D. Shapiro and running October 17 through December 6, 2026.

Cast Set for ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN? at Arena Stage
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 29, 2026

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has revealed the company for Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?, Eric Bentley’s political docudrama.

COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA Comes to American Blues Theater
by Stephi Wild - Jan 13, 2026

American Blues Theater will continue its 40th anniversary season with the reimagined classic Come Back, Little Sheba by William Inge and directed by Associate Artistic Director Elyse Dolan.

Cast Set for COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA at American Blues Theater
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 18, 2025

American Blues Theater will continue its 40th anniversary season with the reimagined classic Come Back, Little Sheba by William Inge and directed by Associate Artistic Director Elyse Dolan.

American Blues Theater Will Host Blue Bash
by Stephi Wild - Mar 14, 2025

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, has announced Casino Royale, the 2025 Blue Bash, a fundraiser celebrating the company's history and artistry.

American Blues Theater to Present NO ONE CARES ABOUT CLOWN PAIN by Philip Earl Johnson
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 22, 2024

American Blues Theater will present No One Cares About Clown Pain by Philip Earl Johnson. Learn more about the show and see how to purchase tickets.

American Blues Announces Live May Virtual Events
by A.A. Cristi - May 11, 2021

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, presents a live, online reading of There's A Clown in My Bubble, written and performed by Ensemble Member Philip Earl Johnson on May 14 at 7pm Central, as part of “The Room” series. Ensemble Member Ian Paul Custer will perform Piano Man, celebrating 50 years of the music of Billy Joel, on Friday, May 21 at 7pm Central as part of “The Garage” series.

American Blues Presents A Reading Of ON THE GREENBELT By Karissa Murrell Myers
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 22, 2021

American by Karissa Murrell Myers Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, presents a live, online reading of On the Greenbelt by Karissa Murrell Myers, directed by Andrew Coopman, as part of “The Room” series.

American Blues Theater Celebrates 35 Years With Annual Blue Bash Benefit
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Aug 28, 2020

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, has announced the 2021 Blue Bash, a fundraiser celebrating 35 Years Strong.

BWW Review: THE WINTER'S TALE at Goodman Theatre
by Rachel Weinberg - May 14, 2019

Goodman Theatre's THE WINTER'S TALE is one of the most inventive and playful productions of Shakespeare I've seen.

Photo Flash: First Look At THE WINTER'S TALE At Goodman Theatre
by A.A. Cristi - May 8, 2019

No modern American director is better at making a play's iconic moments pop with fresh irreverence' (Chicago Tribune). Artistic Director Robert Falls reimagines The Winter's Tale-one of William Shakespeare's final and most wildly theatrical works-following his celebrated revivals of Measure for Measure (2013) and King Lear (2006) at Goodman Theatre. 

BWW Review: ON CLOVER ROAD at American Blues Theater
by Patrick Rybarczyk - Feb 8, 2019

Like a car in a drag race, Steven Dietz's theatrical thriller ON CLOVER ROAD goes from zero to 100 within the first few seconds and doesn't shift down for 85 minutes. The challenge of telling this tale full of twists in such a short time is where do we go once we're at 100? The intensity for the actors and the audience is equal parts thrilling and exhausting. When this car finally comes to a stop, it's hard to determine if there's actually a winner.

Photo Flash: American Blues Theater Presents The Chicago Premiere Of ON CLOVER ROAD
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 7, 2019

American Blues Theater continues its 2018-2019 Season with the Chicago Premiere of the thriller On Clover Road, by Steven Dietzand directed by Halena Kays. On Clover Road runs February 1 - March 16, 2019 at Stage 773, 1225 W Belmont Ave in Chicago.  

American Blues Theater Presents The Chicago Premiere Of ON CLOVER ROAD
by A.A. Cristi - Dec 4, 2018

American Blues Theater continues its 2018-2019 Season with the Chicago Premiere of the thriller On Clover Road, by Steven Dietz and directed by Halena Kays. On Clover Road runs February 1 - March 16, 2019 at Stage 773, 1225 W Belmont Ave in Chicago.  The official press opening is Thursday, February 7, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.

American Blues Theater Adds Ensemble Members, 'Buddy Holly' Zachary Stevenson Appointed To Artistic Affiliates
by Julie Musbach - Nov 13, 2018

American Blues Theater announces the addition of five new Ensemble members and one new Artistic Affiliate to the Blues family. Joining the Ensemble is director, designer and Associate Producer Elyse Dolan, who directed several works in past Ripped and Blue Ink festivals; designer Jared Gooding, lighting designer of Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story; actor Philip Earl Johnson, who is slated to appear in the upcoming Chicago premiere of Steven Dietz's On Clover Road; director Chuck Smith, director of the recent American Blues production of Pearl Cleage's Flyin' West; and actress and playwright Wandachristine, who won many awards for her solo performance Beauty's Daughter. Actor Zachary Stevenson has been named an Artistic Affiliate. Stevenson recently made his Chicago debut as 'Buddy Holly' in American Blues Theater's Joseph Jefferson Award-winning musical Buddy - the Buddy Holly Story, in which he also won a Jeff Award for Performance in a Musical.

Regional Roundup: Top New Features This Week Around Our BroadwayWorld 3/23 - PHANTOM, IN THE HEIGHTS, WAITRESS and More!
by BWW Special - Mar 23, 2018

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature The Lion King, Finding Neverland, The Crucible, and more!

BWW Review: AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE at Goodman Theatre
by Emily McClanathan - Mar 21, 2018

With his use of phrases such as 'fake facts' and 'drain the swamp', Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls overtly speaks to the current political climate in his new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. The audience's audible reactions to particularly searing lines prove that this 19th-century classic remains as relevant as ever, and Falls' thoughtful direction presents nuanced characters and ideas which defy simplistic analysis.

Photo Flash: Robert Falls Presents Henrik Ibsen's AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 14, 2018

On the heels of Artistic Director Robert Falls' world premiere production of Blind Date comes his new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People. Nearly 150 years after Ibsen's masterpiece first thrilled audiences, it "is startling how current the play's ideas feel' (The New York Times) as it examines the complexities of corruption, greed and destruction of the environment and remains "a play so necessary, so exhilarating to experience.' (The Village Voice) When a water contamination crisis puts their community in peril, two brothers-Philip Earl Johnson as Thomas Stockmann, doctor and chief medical officer of the baths and Scott Jaeck as Peter Stockmann, Thomas' older brother and town mayor-face off in a battle of political ambitions and moral integrity.

American Blues Theater Announces 2018-2019 Season
by Julie Musbach - Mar 6, 2018

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the lineup for its 2018 - 2019 Season, "Home Sweet Home." American Blues' 33rd Season will include the Chicago Premieres of On Clover Road by Steven Dietz, directed by Halena Kays and The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by James Lecesne, directed by Kurt Johns; Flyin' West by Pearl Cleage, directed by Chuck Smith; the 17th annual production of It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! from Frank Capra's film, directed by Gwendolyn Whiteside; and The Spitfire Grill - a musical book, lyrics, and music by James Valeq & Fred Alley, music directed by Malcolm Ruhl.

Cast Announced For Robert Falls' AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE at Goodman Theatre
by Julie Musbach - Feb 19, 2018

Falls directs his adaptation, based on a translation by Eleanor Marx-Aveling, with a cast featuring Philip Earl Johnson as Thomas Stockmann, doctor and chief medical officer of the baths; Scott Jaeck as Peter Stockmann, Thomas' older brother and town mayor; Lanise Antoine Shelley as Katherine, Thomas' wife; Rebecca Hurd as Thomas' daughter, Petra. Rounding out the cast are Jesse Bhamrah (Billing), David Darlow (Morten Kiil), Allen Gilmore (Aslaksen), Aubrey Deeker Hernandez (Hovstad), Larry Neumann, Jr. (The Drunk) and Carley Cornelius, Arya Daire, Guy Massey, Roderick Peeples and Dustin Whitehead as townspeople.