Brenda Didier News

Time is running out to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Voting is fully underway for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 11. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER sails for its fifth year at Mercury Theater Chicago, running now through December 27, 2015. Jeff Award winner Stef Tovar takes the helm as the Schooner's captain, alongside Brianna Borger as the Captain's wife Alma Stossel. BroadwayWorld has photos from the show's opening festivities below!

Porchlight Music Theatre welcomes the return of its multi award-winning hit AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', now through December 20. This week's Chicago Tribune Showcase features cast members Robin Da Silva, Sharriese Hamilton, Donterrio Johnson, Lorenzo Rush Jr. and Lina Wass singing 'Black and Blue' with accompaniment by Austin Cook. Check it out below!

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Like its blessed branch, take it and pass it on.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Audiences looking for a jazzy and celebratory way to get into a holiday mood should look no further than Porchlight Music Theatre's AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'. This Fats Waller musical revue provides plenty of joy and entertainment but remains distinct among the city's holiday offerings because the show's content does not explicitly pertain to the holiday season. Aside from a few sprinklings of holiday tinsel in Jeffery D. Kmiec's set design, AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' revels primarily in its joyful celebration of Thomas 'Fats' Waller's song catalog--and will have audiences toe-tapping along to the music.

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Avenue, announces that The Christmas Schooner will be sailing for its fifth year at Mercury Theater Chicago, running November 25 through December 27, 2015.  Jeff Award winner Stef Tovar takes the helm as the Schooner's captain, alongside Brianna Borger as the Captain's wife Alma Stossel.  The whole family will enjoy this heart-warming musical story of the first Christmas tree ship and the family who risked their lives to fill Chicago with the Christmas spirit. The production features a powerful, moving story, an exquisite score of original music and traditional holiday favorites, and a company of 25 actors and musicians and is helmed by the Jeff-award winning team of L. Walter Stearns (Director), Eugene Dizon (Musical Director) and Brenda Didier (Choreographer).

Porchlight Music Theatre announces the return of its multi award-winning hit AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', now thorugh December 20, music by Thomas 'Fats' Waller, book by Murray Horowitz and Richard Maltby Jr., direction and choreography by multi Jeff-Award winner and Artistic Associate Brenda Didier with music direction by Jeff-Award winning Porchlight Artistic Associate Austin Cook at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

Porchlight Music Theatre stages the return of AIN'T MISBEHAVIN,' beginning tonight, where it will run through December 20, 2015 at Stage 773,1225 West Belmont Avenue. Check out photos below!

Porchlight Music Theatre announces the return of its multi award-winning hit AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', tonight, November 14 - December 20, music by Thomas 'Fats' Waller, book by Murray Horowitz and Richard Maltby Jr., direction and choreography by multi Jeff-Award winner and Artistic Associate Brenda Didier with music direction by Jeff-Award winning Porchlight Artistic Associate Austin Cook at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. 

It's the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Award Nominations! [TITLE OF SHOW] and DIRECT FROM DEATH ROW... Lead the Field of 180 Nominees. 86 productions from 55 theaters receive nominations in 36 categories. Voting open through New Year's Eve!

Porchlight Music Theatre announces the return of its multi award-winning hit AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', November 14 - December 20, music by Thomas "Fats" Waller, book by Murray Horowitz and Richard Maltby Jr., direction and choreography by multi Jeff-Award winner and Artistic Associate Brenda Didier with music direction by Jeff-Award winning Porchlight Artistic Associate Austin Cook at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. 

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Tours of 'Persuasion,' 'Pippin' and '42nd Street,' dueling productions of 'American Idiot,' Michael Kingston and Jane Lynch solo out, 'Bette' adds a date, Theo Ubique announced 'Blood Brothers,' Porchlight sets the season, and 'The Wiz Live!' gets movin' down the road!

Exciting news just in to BroadwayWorld!  Michael Weber, artistic director of Porchlight Music Theatre, has announced the casts of the Chicago premiere of the 2014 revision of Side Show, the return of Porchlight's hit Ain't Misbehavin', multi-Jeff Award-winner Summer Naomi Smart starring in the Chicago premiere of Far From Heaven, and Porchlight Music Theatre's 2015 - 2016 artistic leadership for its four Mainstage productions.

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 Tonys and the Jeffs bring honor and fun, and 'On Your Feet' and 'Beaches' aim for the future. Bette will be in town, Spike Lee films, 'Les Mis' and 'All Shook Up' play our southern environs, and 'The Secret Garden' and 'The Pied Piper' bring children's classics to life. Next week: Regional Summer Theaters!

June 8, 2015 - Chicago, IL. "The Wild Party," a dark, sensual, wanton musical, and "Men Should Weep," a tale of a disordered Scottish tenement household, took home top honors Monday, June 8, at Park West during the 42nd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony recognizing excellence in non-union Chicago theatre. Bailiwick Chicago's musical of Michael LaChiusa's "The Wild Party" led all musical nominees with eight awards, and Griffin Theatre's "Men Should Weep" led play nominees with three awards.

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 Jeff Awards stir things up, 'Louis & Keely' and 'Sounds So Sweet' evoke mid-century entertainment, Waa-Mu takes on the Berlin Olympics, a new Chicago-based revue in Edgewater, 'Chaperone' and 'Music Man' in the suburbs, 'The Boy From Oz' in a local production, 'Matilda' will tour, 'Amazing Grace' sets a Broadway run, and Circle Theatre re-emerges. Whew!

Sean Graney, who recently returned to Chicago to resume his post as Artistic Director of The Hypocrites, informed the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee that he just learned the theater company had been operating under an Equity CAT-N contract for the duration of the 2014-2015 Non-Equity season.  Over the past year, requests for judging its productions were made to the Non-Equity Wing without the committee having knowledge of the company's Equity status. The Jeff Committee was aware that two of the productions had Equity performers (as indicated in the program); however, the committee has now confirmed that these were not guest contracts.  As such, the company's productions are not eligible for consideration in the Non-Equity Wing, and all related Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations have been rescinded.  The productions in question will be shifted to the Equity Wing for awards consideration during its current season, which commenced on August 1, 2014 and will end on July 30, 2015.