Allison Semmes News

Hodges & Hodges grooved their way down to the Orpheum Theatre to dance the night away at MOTOWN the Musical! The hit record company defined the sound of the sixties and seventies, breaking down racial barriers with a signature soul/pop sound that cut across the black/white divide at a time when segregation was still the law of the land. Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations were just a few of the artists that made up the hit parade at Motown.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. It's the Chicago Summer Musical Theater Guide! With half the summer gone, our stages still burn bright with great showtune entertainment. Here's a rundown, from downtown to Indiana, to west and north. We've got 24 productions to keep your spirits up from now till Labor Day!

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy, and Broadway In Detroit are proud to announce that single tickets for the Detroit engagement of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL will go on sale Friday, July 18, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. MOTOWN THE MUSICAL will play at Detroit's Fisher Theatre, October 21 - November 16, 2014.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) celebrated the enduring vitality of Shakespeare on Monday, June 16 with GALA 2014 at its home on Navy Pier, raising nearly $1.2 million for Chicago Shakespeare in Urban Communities. Three hundred and fifty of Chicago's civic, corporate and cultural leaders attended the event benefitting CST's civic engagement and education initiatives, including the citywide summer tradition Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks and Team Shakespeare education programs. The evening culminated in the presentation of the fourth annual Spirit of Shakespeare Awards to this year's Civic Honoree, The Boeing Company and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith and his wife Denise, and Artistic Honoree, Chicago theater legend Mike Nussbaum.

'Motown the Musical' plays out like a veritable hit parade. Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, this first national touring production showcases Motown Records producer Berry Gordy's greatest songs as performed by some capable onstage talent. The show makes for a lively and fun evening at the theatre but provides little in the way of truly meaningful plot or character development.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Hold onto your hats! Shows beginning in late April include 'Avenue Q,' 'Ragtime,' 'Juno,' 'Hey! Dancin'! Hey! Musical!,' 'How To Succeed...,' 'Hair,' 'The Sound Of Music,' 'Motown' and 'The Wizard Of Oz!' AMAZING! Plus news from The Second City, the Goodman, that JCS arena tour, a 2015 'Little Shop' and the return of the Mormons! Whew!

As previously announced, Clifton Oliver and Allison Semmes will star in the leading roles of Berry Gordy and Diana Ross. Portraying groundbreaking Motown artists, Nicholas Christopher will play Smokey Robinson and Jarran Muse will play Marvin Gaye. Leon Outlaw, Jr. and Reed L. Shannon will portray Berry Gordy's boyhood counterpart and the roles of young stars Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder.

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy have announced that Clifton Oliver and Allison Semmes have been cast in the leading roles of Berry Gordy and Diana Ross in MOTOWN THE MUSICAL. The First National Tour begins performances April 22, 2014 at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago before continuing to cities across the country.

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture just launched its first exhibition of 2014, MOTOWN: THE TRUTH IS A HIT. Featuring items that highlight Motown's inimitable founder Berry Gordy and the institution's most beloved musical acts, the multi-media showcase chronicles one of the most significant record labels in American music history. Earlier this week, the company of the show gathered to launch the exhibition with a special performance. BroadwayWorld was there for the festivities and you can check out photos below!

The producers of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL just announced that Krystal Joy Brown (Big Fish, Leap of Faith) will assume the role of “Diana Ross” beginning Thursday, January 23 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.

BROADWAY SESSIONS is described as an evening of musical performances, games and open mic featuring a new Broadway guest each week. The show is created and hosted by Ben Cameron (Bway Wicked, Aida and Footloose) and features musical director Joshua Stephen Kartes on piano. Tonight, December 19th, Broadway Sessions will celebrate the holidays with an all-star concert event. Paige Davis (Chicago, Boeing Boeing, TLC's Trading Spaces) is set to co-host the event.

Broadway Sings for Pride will kickoff NYC Gay Pride 2013 by celebrating with their third annual Gay Pride benefit concert. The special one-night benefit entitled ' Unite' with join forces with American Idol and Billboard recording artistic Kimberley Locke, Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa (star of Wicked, Rent, Brooklyn The Musical), American Idol and Rent star Anwar Robinson and over 20 members of the Broadway community. The concert will benefit the Hetrick-Martin Institute and Broadway Sings for Pride. There will also be special speakers including a message of hope from Steven Guy and James Clementi of the Tyler Clementi Foundation. The night will be hosted by award winning host from the hit show 'truTV Presents: the World's Dumbest' Scott Nevins with staging by Rachele Rommes (Minnesota Timberwolves choreographer). A live auction will happen before the show.

Broadway Sings for Pride will kickoff NYC Gay Pride 2013 by celebrating with their third annual Gay Pride benefit concert. The special one-night benefit entitled ' Unite' with join forces with American Idol and Billboard recording artistic Kimberley Locke, Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa (star of Wicked, Rent, Brooklyn The Musical), American Idol and Rent star Anwar Robinson and over 20 members of the Broadway community. The concert will benefit the Hetrick-Martin Institute and Broadway Sings for Pride.

BROADWAY SESSIONS is described as an evening of musical performances, games and open mic featuring a new Broadway guest each week. The show is created and hosted by Ben Cameron (Bway Wicked, Aida and Footloose) and features musical director Joshua Stephen Kartes on piano.

Broadway Sings for Pride will kickoff NYC Gay Pride 2013 by celebrating with their third annual Gay Pride benefit concert. The special one-night benefit entitled ' Unite' with join forces with American Idol and Billboard recording artistic Kimberley Locke, Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa (star of Wicked, Rent, Brooklyn The Musical), American Idol and Rent star Anwar Robinson and over 20 members of the Broadway community. The concert will benefit the Hetrick-Martin Institute and Broadway Sings for Pride. There will also be special speakers including a message of hope from Steven Guy and James Clementi of the Tyler Clementi Foundation. The night will be hosted by award winning host from the hit show 'truTV Presents: the World's Dumbest' Scott Nevins with staging by Rachele Rommes (Minnesota Timberwolves choreographer). A live auction will happen before the show.

Musicals Tonight! continues its ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with its next edition of At This Performance… to be held on Monday, March 18th at 7:00 at The Lion Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street.

BROADWAY SESSIONS is described as an evening of musical performances, games and open mic featuring a new Broadway guest each week. The show is created and hosted by Ben Cameron (Bway Wicked, Aida and Footloose) and features musical director Joshua Stephen Kartes on piano. This Thursday, December 20th, Broadway Sessions will celebrate the season with it's annual all- star holiday concert spectacular!!! Past Broadway Sessions guests return to the weekly musical theater themed night to sing their favorite holiday tunes.

Broadway Sessions will welcome cast members from The Book of Mormon, Thursday November 29th.