Ben Burke News

Pride Films and Plays presents the Chicago premiere of Some Men by Terrence McNally. The cast includes PFP Artistic Associates Patrick Rybarczyk and Nelson Rodriguez, and Artistic Ensemble Members David Besky, Sam Button-Harrison, Tom Chiola, Edward Fraim, and Jude Hansen. They are joined by Ben Burke, Jeremy Sonkin, and Robert Ayres to become an ensemble of 10 playing over three dozen characters. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast!

Pride Films and Plays has announced an exciting cast for the Chicago premiere of Some Men by Terrence McNally. The cast includes PFP Artistic Associates Patrick Rybarczyk and Nelson Rodriguez, and Artistic Ensemble Members David Besky, Sam Button-Harrison, Tom Chiola, Edward Fraim, and Jude Hansen. They are joined by Ben Burke, Jeremy Sonkin, and Robert Ayres to become an ensemble of 10 playing over three dozen characters.

A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Jon Robin Baitz's OTHER DESERT CITIES is a heavy-hitting and sharply written drama gallivanting about as a comedy for much of the first hour. While the laughs are many, Baitz's quick-witted script is thick with suspense, disloyalty and resentment. Virginia Repertory Theatre has hired some of the most accomplished performers and creative artists in Richmond to mount the Tony-nominated production.

The House Theatre of Chicago presents DORIAN, a modern adaptation of Oscar Wilde's novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray.' This famous thriller of Dorian's ill-fated portrait is performed in promenade style. This original play is intended for mature audiences only, and is written by Company Members Ben Lobpries and Tommy Rapley. Company Member Kevin O'Donnell provides the score. Rapley directs and choreographs. The production previews today, April 4 - 13 and opens on Monday April 14 at 7pm at the Chopin Theatre (1543 W. Division St, Chicago). DORIAN will run through May 18, 2014.

Firehouse Theatre Project, touted as Off-Broadway on Broad Street, was transformed from a decommissioned fire station to an intimate theatre space in the early 1990s. And for Kristoffer Diaz's THE ELABORATE ENTRANCE OF CHAD DEITY, a 2010 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the space has changed once again to take on the persona of a small wrestling arena. A serviceable ring complete with ringside seats brings greater authenticity to the 'main event.' But outside the ring, Edwin Slipek's set design feels neglected.

The House Theatre of Chicago presents DORIAN, a modern adaptation of Oscar Wilde's novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray.' This famous thriller of Dorian's ill-fated portrait is performed in promenade style. This original play is intended for mature audiences only, and is written by Company Members Ben Lobpries and Tommy Rapley. Company Member Kevin O'Donnell provides the score. Rapley directs and choreographs. The production previews April 4 - 13 and opens on Monday April 14 at 7pm at the Chopin Theatre (1543 W. Division St, Chicago). DORIAN will run through May 18, 2014.

Broken Nose Theatre (BNT) is continues its second season with the Chicago Premiere of From White Plains, written by Michael Perlman - in collaboration with Aaron Rossini, Craig Wesley Divino, Karl Gregory, and Jimmy King, the actors in the original production - which from its initial run went on to receive the GLAAD Award for Best New Off-Off Broadway Play. Directed by BNT Ensemble Member Spenser Davis, From White Plains will run in the Downstairs Studio at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 North Lincoln Ave., tonight, January 24th - February 23rd.

Broken Nose Theatre (BNT) is continues its second season with the Chicago Premiere of From White Plains, written by Michael Perlman - in collaboration with Aaron Rossini, Craig Wesley Divino, Karl Gregory, and Jimmy King, the actors in the original production - which from its initial run went on to receive the GLAAD Award for Best New Off-Off Broadway Play. Directed by BNT Ensemble Member Spenser Davis, From White Plains will run in the Downstairs Studio at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 North Lincoln Ave., January 24th - February 23rd. The show runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Preview performances are from January 24th - 26th and 29th - 30th, with Press Opening on January 31st. Tickets to From White Plains range from $15 - $25 and are available online at www.greenhousetheater.org or by calling the box office at 773.404.7336.

Street Tempo Theatre announces a two week extension for Little Shop of Horrors - the second production for the newly launched musical theatre company. Street Tempo Theatre is committed to creating raw, intimate, thought-provoking musical theatre in Chicago and opened their first season with the 1970's cult classic Let My People Come. The Company's production of Little Shop of Horrors is Co-Directed by Street Tempo Theatre Artistic Director Brian Posen and Music Director Kory Danielson.

Street Tempo Theatre announces Little Shop of Horrors as the second production for the newly launched musical theatre company.

Street Tempo Theatre announces Little Shop of Horrors as the second production for the newly launched musical theatre company. Street Tempo Theatre is 'committed to creating raw, intimate, thought-provoking musical theatre in Chicago and opened their first season with the 1970's cult classic Let My People Come.'

Street Tempo Theatre announces Little Shop of Horrors as the second production for the newly launched musical theatre company.

This week The Great American Melodrama adds George M. Cohan's delightful mystery-comedy to its summer season of fun! 'The Tavern,' directed by Roger DeLaurier, takes place on a dark and stormy night, when a wild wind blows all sorts of oddball characters into the tavern run by Freeman (Alan Benson), his son, Zach (Jim McCaffrey) and their hired girl, Sally (Megan C.C. Walker). First to arrive is a whimsical vagabond (Chuck McLane), who delights in the theatrics of the events that unfold throughout the night, including the discovery of a woman asleep in the wood shed. She is Violet (Bree Murphy), a distraught lady with a mysterious past who has lost her way en route to the capitol to seek an audience with the Governor. Situations heat up when the Governor himself (Jim Shine) arrives, along with his daughter, Virginia (Katie Worley) and her fiancé, Tom (Andrew Beck), seeking shelter from the storm and on edge from having been robbed on the road. Suspicions abound until all is resolved with the arrival of the Sheriff (Aaron Lamb) and Stevens (Suzy Newman). One of the most popular plays written by one of America's greatest showmen, 'The Tavern,' offers up mystery and madcap fun!

The Great American Melodrama kicked off its summer season of exciting melodrama on June 17 with THE CROCK OF GOLD, written by Silas S. Steele and directed by Eric Hoit.

This week The Great American Melodrama adds George M. Cohan's delightful mystery-comedy to its summer season of fun! 'The Tavern,' directed by Roger DeLaurier, takes place on a dark and stormy night, when a wild wind blows all sorts of oddball characters into the tavern run by Freeman (Alan Benson), his son, Zach (Jim McCaffrey) and their hired girl, Sally (Megan C.C. Walker). First to arrive is a whimsical vagabond (Chuck McLane), who delights in the theatrics of the events that unfold throughout the night, including the discovery of a woman asleep in the wood shed. She is Violet (Bree Murphy), a distraught lady with a mysterious past who has lost her way en route to the capitol to seek an audience with the Governor. Situations heat up when the Governor himself (Jim Shine) arrives, along with his daughter, Virginia (Katie Worley) and her fiancé, Tom (Andrew Beck), seeking shelter from the storm and on edge from having been robbed on the road. Suspicions abound until all is resolved with the arrival of the Sheriff (Aaron Lamb) and Stevens (Suzy Newman). One of the most popular plays written by one of America's greatest showmen, 'The Tavern,' offers up mystery and madcap fun!

The Great American Melodrama kicked off its summer season of exciting melodrama on June 17 with THE CROCK OF GOLD, written by Silas S. Steele and directed by Eric Hoit.

Pride Films and Plays Presents TAKE ME OUT Reading 6/20

Pride Films and Plays Presents TAKE ME OUT Reading 6/20

As we come to the middle of June (already?!), a number of our theatre and live entertainment venues have shows opening, or gearing up to do so, here on the beautiful California Central Coast!

Playing each Thursday through Sunday from now until May 1, 2010, the 1993 off-Broadway musical "Hello Again" is on the boards at the Heartland Studio space on Glenwood Avenue, courtesy of the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble. With book, music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa.....