Andra Velis Simon News

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 Super October! Local productions of 'Sweeney Todd,' 'Titanic,' 'Parade' and 'The Wild Party' have folks excited! 'At Last' and 'Cole Porter's Greatest Hits' honor past artists, the Savoyaires mount 'The Grand Duke,' and Des Plaines goes 'Legally Blonde.' Colleges produce 'Into The Woods' and 'In The Heights, 'Amazing Grace' arrives downtown and more!

Wit's eleventh season launches November 21-December 28 with The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello, directed by Theater Wit Artistic Director Jeremy Wechsler, once again starring Mitchell Fain.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Peter' plays Monroe Street, new musicals try out in Wicker Park and Bucktown, 'Evita' lights up Cicero, 'Hot Mikado' jazzes up Rogers Park, The Hypocrites announce a trilogy, three Tony winners start rehearsal here and Las Vegas calls on the Windy City's finest!

The Hypocrites are pleased to announce their 2014-15 Season, beginning in August 2014 with the world premiere of ALL OUR TRAGIC, an unparalleled twelve-hour theatrical adaptation that combines all 32 surviving Greek tragedies into a single epic narrative, adapted and directed by Founding Artistic Director Sean Graney*. Audiences may experience ALL OUR TRAGIC at a single twelve-hour marathon performance (with ample breaks for food and beverage) or through shorter installments spread over multiple weekends.

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N Southport Ave., will celebrate Stephen Sondheim's birthday at The Hypocrites' production INTO THE WOODS with a weeklong celebration beginning on Sunday, March 16 with a panel discussion following the 3 p.m. performance with Andra Velis Simon from Columbia College Chicago and Director Geoff Button, and a second panel discussion on Saturday, March 22 following the 2 p.m. performance with Kris Vire, Associate Editor at Time Out Chicago and Executive Director L. Walter Stearns. The matinee performance on March 22, Stephen Sondheim's actual birthday, will also feature a classic Sondheim sing-a-long immediately following the panel discussion with selections from Merrily We Roll Along, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George and Roadshow. A delicious birthday cake from gourmet Southport bakery Sensational Bites A Dessert Cafe will be served following the sing-a-long on March 22. Directed by Geoff Button* with Musical Direction by Matt Deitchman, INTO THE WOODS has been extended through Saturday, April 5.

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 a non-holiday edition! With 'The Mikado,' 'Triumph Of Love,' 'Sweet Smell Of Success,' 'Cabaret' at the Marriott, 'Ain't Misbehavin',' CST's 'Gypsy' and more, plus Streisand and Sondheim on TV, and 'The Sound Of Music' at Sidetrack!

Chicago Children's Theatre (CCT) opens Season 8: Grow tonight with a delightful new production of A Year with Frog and Toad, the Tony-nominated musical based on the Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel, directed by Henry Godinez. Performances run through November 24 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in action below!

The Hypocrites is proud to announce the return production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado adapted and directed by Founding Artistic Director Sean Graney. The Mikado will be remounted at the Steppenwolf Garage (1624 N Halsted St) this coming winter.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The release of the Equity wing Jeff Award nominations, 'Double Trouble' and 'Hank Williams' open, '50 Shades' and 'Frog And Toad' return, plus 'Heartbeat Of Home,' 'Sweet Smell Of Success,' a new musical theater magazine and more!

Chicago Children's Theatre (CCT) is kicking off Season 8: Grow with a delightful new production of A Year with Frog and Toad, the Tony-nominated musical based on the Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel, directed by Henry Godinez, resident artist at the Goodman. Performances start October 9, 2013 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Press opening is Friday, October 11 at 7 p.m. Performances run through November 24. Single tickets start at $25 and are on sale now at chicagochildrenstheatre.org or by calling the Chicago Children's Theatre box office, (872) 222-9555.

PIRATES OF PENZANCE at the American Repertory Theater's Loeb Drama Center is tantamount to a three-ring circus being held at a beach volleyball tournament. There are beach balls, kiddie pools, beach chairs, and a grass cocktail shack. The cast performs as roving troubadours, each proficiently playing an instrument. The singing voices are good across the board and the songs are delivered with brio. As an acting troupe, The Hypocrites fit nicely with the A.R.T. aesthetic, making a strong connection with the audience both physically and emotionally. Director Sean Graney's vision serves as an introduction to the great work of Gilbert and Sullivan, albeit equivalent to a 'Reader's Digest' abridgement, and one might hope that it would motivate the previously uninitiated to learn more about them.

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), in association with the Loeb Drama Center, begins performances of the runaway hit of the 2012 Emerging AmericaFestival, Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, in a new adaptation by Sean Graney and Kevin O'Donnell, arranged by Kevin O'Donnell and the Cast. Performances begin tonight, May 10, 2013 with press opening on Wednesday, May 15, and runs through June 2, 2013.

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), in association with the Loeb Drama Center, begins performances of the runaway hit of the 2012 Emerging AmericaFestival, Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, in a new adaptation by Sean Graney and Kevin O'Donnell, arranged by Kevin O'Donnell and the Cast. Performances begin on May 10, 2013 with press opening on Wednesday, My 15, and runs through June 2, 2013.

In Pigeon House by Honor Molloy is now playing through November 18th, 2012 at the Den Theatre (1333 N. Milwaukee Avenue) in Chicago. Get a first look at the show with the production photos below.

In Pigeon House by Honor Molloy opens tomorrow night, October 17th and runs through November 18th, 2012 at the Den Theatre (1333 N. Milwaukee Avenue) in Chicago. Get a preview of the show in the video below!

Artistic Director Robert Falls' major revival of Eugene O'Neill's nearly five-hour, 18-character epic broke box office records and played to 100% of capacity at the Goodman-officially concluding its 50-performance extended run as the most successful show in the Goodman's 87-year history.

Nominations for the Chicago-based Non-Equity Jeff Awards were announced today; Theo Ubique leads with 14 nominations

The Jeff Awards today announced 124 nominations in 25 categories for Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2011, and March 31, 2012. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff Awards judges covered opening nights of 154 productions offered by 71 Non-Equity producing organizations. The judges recommended 64 of those shows, making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Thirty-two theatre companies received nominations.

Due to high demand for tickets, Goodman Theatre extends Robert Falls' major revival of The Iceman Cometh with six additional performances through June 17. O'Neill's monumental drama is led by Tony Award-winners Nathan Lane and Brian Dennehy. Tickets start at $61 for the added performances (prices are subject to change) and can be purchased at GoodmanTheatre.org, by phone at 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 North Dearborn).