Andrew Jackson News

Option Up!, the acclaimed musical theater cabaret and talk-show, celebrates its one-year anniversary on Sunday, February 8, 2015 in The Cab at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Avenue, Chicago. Featuring Aaron Benham and Christopher Pazdernik, Option Up! runs the second Sunday of each month through May 10 at 7:30 PM.

At first glance, the musicals THE COLOR PURPLE, CALVIN BERGER, and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES may not seem to have much in common. The settings couldn't be more different - the rural South in the early 20th century, a modern day high school, and a drag club in 1970s France. But since I happened to see them all on the same weekend, I couldn't help but draw parallels between them. All three musicals all speak to themes of beauty, identity, self-worth, and having the courage to be who you really are, despite what the world is telling you. In THE COLOR PURPLE, a young, poor, black woman is told that she's ugly and worthless, but after a lifelong journey she arrives at a place of strength and self-love. CALVIN BERGER sets the classic play Cyrano de Bergerac in a modern high school, where a young man feels that his large nose prevents him from getting what he wants in life and chooses to hide behind the handsome popular guy, both of whom eventually learn it's better to be loved for who you are. Finally, in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, a middle aged man who feels more comfortable dressed as a woman is asked by his own son to hide who he is, but confidently declares 'I am who I am!' Another thing these three musicals have in common is that they can all currently be seen on Twin Cities stages featuring talented local casts. Read on for more details on each, pick one that suits your fancy, and go see a local musical that just may inspire you to love you you really are!

The Heidi Chronicles will begin performances on Monday, February 23, 2015, with an official opening on Thursday, March 19, 2015, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). Tony Award-winnerPam MacKinnon (Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance, Edward Albee'sWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Clybourne Park) will direct. The production will star Golden Globe-winner and six-time Emmy Award-nominee Elisabeth Moss ('Mad Men,' 'Top of the Lake,' Speed-the-Plow), Emmy Award-nomineeJason Biggs ('Orange Is The New Black,' American Pie), Tony Award-nominee Bryce Pinkham (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), and Tracee Chimo (Lips Together, Teeth Apart, 'Orange Is The New Black,' Bad Jews), with Ali Ahn, Leighton Bryan, Elise Kibler, and Andy Truschinski. Check out photos of the marquee below!

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

The world premiere of Application Pending, a new comedy by Greg Edwards & Andy Sandberg about the hilariously cutthroat world of kindergarten admissions at New York private schools, begins previews tonight, January 26, 2015 at the Westside Theatre (407 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036).

San Francisco Playhouse begins the new year of its twelfth season with the regional premiere of Tree, by Julie Hebert and directed by Jon Tracy.

Calvin Berger, a modern, musical comedy about a boy, a girl...and a nose, based loosely on the timeless classic Cyrano de Bergerac and set in high school, makes its area premiere in a Minneapolis Musical Theatre (MMT) production running tonight, January 23, through February 15, 2015 at Hennepin Theatre Trust's New Century Theatre.

New Line Theatre Off Line presents an off-beat, decidedly adult evening of cabaret, SHOOTIN' THE SH!T, for one night only, Saturday, January 31 at the Kranzberg Arts Center Cabaret in Grand Center.

STARS OF DAVID: STORY TO SONG, a new musical revue based on the best-selling book by Abigail Pogrebin, and produced by Tony Award winning producer Daryl Roth, continues its Florida tour, opening January 28 and continuing through February 1 at Miami's Dave and Mary Alper JCC, followed by performances February 4 through February 15 at Miami Beach's The Gleason Room - Backstage at the Fillmore and February 17 through March 15 at West Palm Beach's Kravis Center - Persson Hall.

Nashville's non-profit Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) created a record-breaking economic impact of more than $64 million during its 2013-14 season. The impact, based on the nationally accepted formula from Americans for the Arts, is one of four records broken by the organization during the banner year, according to its annual report released today at a partnership event

5th Floor Theatre's 'From the Ground Up' is set for January 30, 2015 at 9:30 PM at 54 Below.

The Heidi Chronicles will begin performances on Monday, February 23, 2015, with an official opening on Thursday, March 19, 2015, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). Tony Award-winnerPam MacKinnon (Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance, Edward Albee'sWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Clybourne Park) will direct. The production will star Golden Globe-winner and six-time Emmy Award-nominee Elisabeth Moss ('Mad Men,' 'Top of the Lake,' Speed-the-Plow), Emmy Award-nomineeJason Biggs ('Orange Is The New Black,' American Pie), Tony Award-nominee Bryce Pinkham (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), and Tracee Chimo (Lips Together, Teeth Apart, 'Orange Is The New Black,' Bad Jews), with Ali Ahn, Leighton Bryan, Elise Kibler, and Andy Truschinski. The company just met the press and BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was on hand to chat with the full gang. Check out what they had to say below!

The Heidi Chronicles will begin performances on Monday, February 23, 2015, with an official opening on Thursday, March 19, 2015, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). Tony Award-winner Pam MacKinnon (Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance, Edward Albee'sWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Clybourne Park) will direct. The production will star Golden Globe-winner and six-time Emmy Award-nominee Elisabeth Moss ('Mad Men,' 'Top of the Lake,' Speed-the-Plow), Emmy Award-nominee Jason Biggs ('Orange Is The New Black,' American Pie), Tony Award-nominee Bryce Pinkham (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), and Tracee Chimo (Lips Together, Teeth Apart, 'Orange Is The New Black,' Bad Jews), with Ali Ahn, Leighton Bryan, Elise Kibler, and Andy Truschinski. The company just met the press and you can check out a photo preview below. Check back later for full coverage!

Women's Project Theater, under the leadership of newly-appointed Producing Artistic Director Lisa McNulty, is pleased to present the World Premiere of BRIGHT HALF LIFE - a new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist Tanya Barfield and directed by Tony Award nominee Leigh Silverman - in a five-week limited engagement at New York City Center Stage II (131 W. 55th Street) from Tuesday, February 17 to March 22, 2015. Opening night is set for Wednesday, February 25.

San Francisco Playhouse begins the new year of its twelfth season with the regional premiere of Tree, by Julie Hebert and directed by Jon Tracy.

The new Off-Broadway comedy 'Application Pending' stars Christina Bianco, who plays rookie admissions officer Christine Evans as well as forty other roles. The show will be playing at The Westside Theatre from January 26th to April 19th.www.ApplicationPendingPlay.com. Bianco and company just gave a special press preview of the new play and you can check out a sneak peek below!

Little Radical Theatrics (Fatima Viegas, Exec Producer) presents the Westchester Regional Premiere of the hit Broadway musical 'The Addams Family'. This will be the first area production of the brand-new version of this commerical and critically acclaimed new musical. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast!

The new Off-Broadway comedy 'Application Pending' stars Christina Bianco, who plays rookie admissions officer Christine Evans as well as forty other roles. The show will be playing at The Westside Theatre from January 26th to April 19th.www.ApplicationPendingPlay.com. Bianco and company just gave a special press preview of the new play and you can check out a sneak peek below!

Jared Zirilli has joined the cast of The Civilians' world premiere production Pretty Filthy, BroadwayWorld has confirmed.

The INDY Week's Arts Blog reported today that Raleigh Little Theatre has canceled its planned production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson based on discussions with the area's Native American community this fall.