Aeriel Williams News

The acclaimed Black Ensemble Theater, led by Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, is celebrating the 2020 Holiday season with The Black Ensemble Virtual Holiday Extravaganza, written and directed by Producing Managing Director Daryl D. Brooks.

Porchlight Music Theatre announces the star of Porchlight's spring production, the Chicago premiere of Disney's Freaky Friday, A New Musical Cory Goodrich as the host of New Faces Sing Broadway NOW, directed by Johanna McKenzie Miller and music directed by Tom Vendafreddo; at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street, Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets to each New Faces are $37 at SPACE and $60 at The Arts Club. The Arts Club performances include a pre-performance cocktail hour starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced the star of Porchlight's spring production, the Chicago premiere of Disney's Freaky Friday, A New Musical Cory Goodrich as the host of New Faces Sing Broadway NOW, directed by Johanna McKenzie Miller and music directed by Tom Vendafreddo; at Evanston at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Monday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street, Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets to each New Faces are $37 at SPACE and $60 at The Arts Club. The Arts Club performances include a pre-performance cocktail hour starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

Eleven world premiere plays and musicals seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving nominations by the Jeff Awards, announced today. A total of 192 nominations were made in 34 categories that honor Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2018 and July 31, 2019. During the 2018-19 season, Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 132 Equity productions offered by 43 producing organizations and from these openings, 112 productions were a?oeJeff Recommendeda?? and eligible for award nominations.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Angel Ysaguirre, Executive Director, continues its 2019/20 season with Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, translated by Nicholas Rudall and directed by Charles Newell. Oedipus Rex runs November 7 a?" December 8, 2019 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 7:30pm.

Million Dollar Quartet opened Sunday, February 17 at Theatre at the Center in Munster. The show stars Zach Sorrow as Elvis Presley, Michael Kurowski as Jerry Lee Lewis, Tommy Malouf as Johnny Cash, Zachary Stevenson as Carl Perkins, Sean Fortunato as record producer Sam Phillips and Aeriel Williams as singer Dyanne.  Directed by Daryl Brooks, Million Dollar Quartet's cast also includes musicians Michael Sinclair as Jay and Nick Anderson as Fluke.  The show continues its extended run through March 31.  This production is sponsored by Pat Binkley.

Porchlight Music Theatre announces the final extension of its latest production, Memphis. Memphis must close Saturday, June 16, following that evening's 8 p.m. performance. Now playing through June 16 at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street, features  book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music and lyrics by David Bryan and  is directed by Daryl D.  Brooks, assistant directed and choreographed by Christopher Carter, music directed by Jermaine Hill and assistant choreographed by Reneisha Jenkins.

Hockadoo! Porchlight Music Theatre's MEMPHIS bursts onto the stage with joy and earnest energy. Under the direction of Daryl Brooks, this musical sheds light on timely historical issues while milking the show's sweetest, most exuberant moments for all they're worth.

Porchlight Music Theatre announces that due to audience demand Memphis is now extended through Sunday, June 10, at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street.

Porchlight Music Theatre's Mainstage 2017-2018 season concludes with Memphis, April 19 - June 3, at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Memphis, book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music and lyrics by David Bryan, is directed by Daryl D.  Brooks, assistant directed and choreographed by Christopher Carter, music directed by Jermaine Hill and assistant choreographed by Reneisha Jenkins. 

The Black Ensemble Theater World Premiere of 'All In Love Is Fair' opened this past March to rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. This unique take on traditional love stories, is produced and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and Executive Director Jackie Taylor and choreographed by Rueben Echoles. 'All In Love Is Fair' features an incredible ensemble cast as well as music from renowned artists such as Luther Vandross, Brook Benton, James Ingram, Gladys Knight and Roberta Flack. The show kicked off the 2011 Season at the Black Ensemble Theater, 4520 N. Beacon Street, and is now on an open run.

Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company and Jujamcyn Theaters presented the fourth annual August Wilson Monologue Competition National finals Monday, May 3 at Broadway's August Wilson Theatre (245 W. 52nd Street). The finals featured performances of monologues from August Wilson's Century Cycle by twelve regional finalists from Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Chicago and New York. The evening also included performances by Blues musician Guy Davis (Finian's Rainbow), Chris Chalk (Fences), LaTanya Richardson (Joe Turner's Come and Gone), Keith Randolph Smith (Fences, King Hedley II), Heather Alicia Simms (Gem of the Ocean, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) and Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Gem of the Ocean, Tony Award winner for Seven Guitars). The competition was judged by celebrity judges playwright Regina Taylor (Crowns and Drowning Crow), costume designer Constanza Romero (Fences, Gem of the Ocean, Seven Guitars, The Piano Lesson), and actors Russell Hornsby (Fences, Jitney), Mykelti Williamson (Fences, 'Forrest Gump,' '24') and Phylicia Rashad.