Ann Davis News

N. W. Flanders, a passionate author, has completed her new book 'Murder in the Pines': a gripping and exhilarating story of a successful lawyer that proves the innocence of her client with this verdict the people she loves begin getting murdered.

Theatre at the Center is announcing its first season under the leadership of new Artistic Director Linda Fortunato.   Theatre at the Center's 2017 season is comprised of a variety of works ranging from Broadway musicals to a Chicagoland premiere play and a holiday classic.  The season opens with My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra, followed by Kander and Ebb's Tony Award winning Cabaret.  Next will be the Chicagoland premiere of The Tin Woman by Sean Grennan, then Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and closing the season is A Wonderful Life: The Musical.  Jeff award-winner Fortunato will direct three of the five productions.   William Underwood will serve as music director for the season.

On July 1, DreamWrights Center for Community Arts kicks off the public phase of its $2.5 million Capital Campaign.  The Campaign effort is headed up by J. T. Hand, COO at The York Water Company, and Suzanne McConkey, Vice President of Human Resources at Glatfelter Insurance. Together with Executive Director, Ann Davis, and a handful of Ambassadors and Solicitors, DreamWrights will hit the ground running on July 1, one day following a community centered kickoff event.

?Actors Norm Boucher and George Keating will play the leads in Theatre at the Center's cast for the famous comedy classic The Odd Couple, the 1965 Broadway hit by iconic playwright Neil Simon.   Directed by Larry Wyatt, The Odd Couple runs from July 14 to Aug. 14.   

Richard Skipper is returning for the second installment of a series that encourages each of us to celebrate each and every day and all the gems that each day holds. 

Theatre at the Center presents the Chicagoland premiere of the Broadway hit NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT. This new musical features a book by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, and a treasure trove of George and Ira Gershwin's most beloved, instantly recognizable tunes (Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, Someone to Watch Over Me, 'S Wonderful). NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT runs now through June 5 at Theatre at the Center. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

DreamWrights is in a period of transition and its lineup of summer camps reflects the innovation and change as well. New classes have been added to the mix to include hip hop, digital photography and movie making, wacky summer Olympics, and poetry reading, writing, and reciting with York's very own Poet Laureate! DreamWrights will continue to offer its most popular camps which include Broadway Week, ballroom dancing, and three Disney musical productions.

In this year of the presidential election and the bicentennial celebration of the Hoosier state, the South Bend Civic Theatre is presenting 1776 in the Wilson Theatre. The original, Broadway production of this musical depiction of the birth of our nation won the Tony Award for Best Musical and now this theatrical, historical journey comes to South Bend for three weekends between April 15th and May 1st. A wonderful cast of volunteer actors illuminate the story of the Second Continental Congress for a unique perspective of this iconic event in our nation's history: with men that are emotional, proud, uncertain, charming, and irritable humans wanting the best for their families.

?Theatre at the Center announces the Chicagoland premiere of the Broadway hit Nice Work If You Can Get It.  This new musical features a book by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, and a treasure trove of George and Ira Gershwin's most beloved, instantly recognizable tunes (Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, Someone to Watch Over Me, 'S Wonderful).  Nice Work If You Can Get It runs May 5 through June 5 at Theatre at the Center.

A hit on Broadway and in London's West End, the thrilling comedy, Alfred Hitchcock's THE 39 STEPS kick started Theatre at the Center's 26th season on February 21 and continues through March 20, 2016. This comedic spoof offers non-stop action and features four actors playing more than 150 different characters. The show is filled with an incredible series of lightning fast costume changes that make for a great deal of laughter and excitement. BroadwayWorld has a photo from the opening night festivities below!

? DreamWrights Youth and Family Theatre is pleased to announce the addition of seven new members to the Board of Directors in 2016. Cindy Steele, Chief Operating Officer of York's Central Market, Randy Riley, Controller for Menasha Packaging, Kevin Alvarnaz, Director of Community Health and Wellness at WellSpan Health, and Jim Tyson, employed by the Home Depot and pastor at City Church York, bring focus and expertise to the team. Our three Teen Advisors: Jacob Schlenker, a 9th grader at York County School of Technology, Grace Shelton, a freshman at Christian School of York, and Brice Leidy, a freshman at York Catholic, add the younger voices and viewpoints necessary to the mission.

On Thursday, February 4, 2016, DreamWrights Youth and Family Theatre received a generous windfall. Ressy Neff, Retail and Small Business Leader at BB&T, presented a $2000 check to Ann Davis, Executive Director of DreamWrights Youth and Family Theatre. This funding will support scholarships for young people at DreamWrights' summer camps. 

A hit on Broadway and in London's West End, the thrilling comedy, Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps" kick starts Theatre at the Center's 26th season beginning February 18 and continuing through March 20, 2016.  This comedic spoof offers non-stop action and features four actors playing more than 150 different characters.  The show is filled with an incredible series of lightning fast costume changes that make for a great deal of laughter and excitement.

As the grand finale to their spectacular 25th Anniversary 2015 Season, Theatre at the Center presents the beloved holiday classic, A CHRISTMAS STORY, running now through December 27, with a press opening this Sunday, November 22 at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

As the grand finale to their spectacular 25th Anniversary 2015 Season, Theatre at the Center presents the beloved holiday classic, A Christmas Story, running November 19 through December 27, with a press opening on Sunday, November 22 at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. Based on the award-winning film, the play by Phil Grecian tells the story of Ralphie Parker, who longs for a genuine Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. The source material for the film was the warm and hilarious story collection In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by local Hammond, Indiana native Jean Shepherd. The holiday classic will be directed by Jeff Award-winner Linda Fortunato (Monty Python's Spamalot, A Christmas Carol, 42nd Street at Theatre at the Center).

 A massive hit on Broadway, playing over 1,500 hysterical performances seen by more than two million people, Monty Python's SPAMALOT continues Theatre at the Center's exceptional 25th Anniversary Season. The Monty Python-inspired farce of the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year, features a book and lyrics by Eric Idle and a fresh new score created by Eric Idle and John Du Prez. The tale of King Arthur and his band of raunchy knights won the Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical, as well as the Grammy Award in 2006 for Best Musical Show Album. Jeff Award-winning Director David Perkovich and Jeff Award-winning Choreographer Linda Fortunato join artistic forces to put their creative spin on the irreverent musical parody, running September 17th through October 18th, with a press opening on Sunday, September 20th at 7 p.m. at 1040 Ridge Road in Munster, IN.

A massive hit on Broadway, playing over 1,500 hysterical performances seen by more than two million people, Monty Python's SPAMALOT continues Theatre at the Center's exceptional 25th Anniversary Season.

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Avenue, presents RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH, now playing an extended run through November 1. The musical tribute has received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike and has broken sales records for Mercury Theater Chicago. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

A massive hit on Broadway, playing over 1,500 hysterical performances seen by more than two million people, Monty Python's SPAMALOT continues Theatre at the Center's exceptional 25th Anniversary Season.

 Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Avenue, is thrilled to announce that RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH has been extended through November 1. The musical tribute has received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike and has broken sales records for Mercury Theater Chicago. "A good time with a great American artist!" exclaimed Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune. Hedy Weiss of the Chicago Sun-Times Highly Recommends the production saying it's "A show ablaze with fire and unmitigated fun!"