Brenda Winstead News

Cabaret, one of the great Broadway musicals of all time, begins previews at Theatre at the Center (TATC) in Munster on May 4 and opens on May 7 for a run that continues through June 4.

Sex, power, institutional failure, human frailty, betrayal, dreams and madness are at the core of celebrated Cuban-American writer Maria Irene Fornes's Pulitzer-Prize nominated play What of the Night?

Theatre at the Center's production of Annie Warbucks, the sequel to Annie, the 1977 Tony Award-winning smash Broadway hit, opened to a packed house Sunday, November 20. Based on Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie comic strip, the book is by Thomas Meehan with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin. Annie Warbucks opened Off Broadway in 1993 and broke records for the time with 200 performances.  The Jeff Recommended production will continue through December 18. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening festivities below!

Stage Left Theatre announces the upcoming world premiere of The Bottle Tree, written by Beth Kander and directed by ensemble member Amy Szerlong. The Bottle Tree is the first production of Stage Left' s 35th season. 

Five Chicago actor-musicians made their Theatre at the Center debut in this production. Christine Mild as Rhetta Cupp, Shaun Whitley as Jim, Matt Holzfeind as Jackson, Matt Edmonds as L.M. and Cody Siragusa as Eddie are joined by Veronica Garza, who returns to the TATC stage to play Rhetta's sister Prudie Cupp. Directed by Brian Russell with musical direction by William Underwood, Pump Boys and Dinettes will continue through October 16.  Check out some songs from the show below!

It was a full house on Sunday, September 18, for the opening night of Pump Boys and Dinettes at Theatre at the Center in Munster. The audience was treated to a little slice of Americana with this upbeat roadside musical. Scroll down for photos from the opening night festivities!

Five Chicago actor-musicians make their Theatre at the Center debut in the musical Pump Boys and Dinettes.  Christine Mild as Rhetta Cupp, Shaun Whitley as Jim, Matt Holzfeind as Jackson, Matt Edmonds as L.M. and Cody Siragusa as Eddie are joined by Veronica Garza, who returns to the TATC stage to play Rhetta's sister Prudie Cupp.   The director is Brian Russell and William Underwood is Music Director. 

Chicago, fasten your seat belts-the world premiere musical HELLDRIVERS OF DAYTONA has parked at the Royal George Theatre...and it's a bumpy, messy ride. Billed as a spoof of 1960s racing films, composer Berton Averre (known for 'My Sharona'), lyricist Rob Meurer, and book writer Mark Saltzman have developed a show that's entirely too on the nose. HELLDRIVERS lacks the satirical tone it seeks; instead, the first act replaces the sexual repression common in those 1960s movies with blatant, unoriginal sexual innuendoes and jokes in poor taste. Though conceived as an ironic take on the movies of that era, HELLDRIVERS feels overall cringe-worthy in the first act. The show shifts gears in the second act to focus more on sending up a number of great American musicals (and one Billy Joel song). The overall experience is erratic.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines...and prepare for a bumpy ride! The rubber will meet the road as the World Premiere of the hilarious new pop rock musical HELLDRIVERS OF DAYTONA takes the stage, opening tonight, September 12, at 7:30 p.m., and running through October 30 at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street, Chicago. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Six world premiere plays and four new adaptations seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving nominations by The Jeff Awards Committee. 178 nominations in 32 categories honor Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2015 and July 31, 2016.

Stage Left Theatre announces the upcoming world premiere of The Bottle Tree, written by Beth Kander and directed by ensemble member Amy Szerlong. The Bottle Tree is the first production of Stage Left' s 35th season. 

Five Chicago actor-musicians make their Theatre at the Center debut in the musical Pump Boys and Dinettes.  Christine Mild as Rhetta Cupp, Shaun Whitley as Jim, Matt Holzfeind as Jackson, Matt Edmonds as L.M. and Cody Siragusa as Eddie are joined by Veronica Garza, who returns to the TATC stage to play Rhetta's sister Prudie Cupp.   The director is Brian Russell and William Underwood is Music Director. 

On Sunday, July 17 Theatre at the Center celebrated opening night of the Neil Simon comedy classic THE ODD COUPLE. THE ODD COUPLE runs through August 14. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

Dashnight Productions is delighted to present the World Premiere of CHOPS, running through August 14, with press opening last night, July 14 at 8 p.m. at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening below!

Dashnight Productions is delighted to present the World Premiere of CHOPS, previewing July 7, running through August 14, with press opening on Thursday, July 14 at 8 p.m. at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines…and prepare for a bumpy ride!  The rubber will meet the road as the World Premiere of the hilarious new pop rock musical HELLDRIVERS OF DAYTONA takes the stage, previewing September 8, opening September 12 at 7:30 p.m., and running through October 30 at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street, Chicago.  With music by Berton Averre (The Knack), lyrics by Rob Meurer (Platinum Records with Christopher Cross), and book by Emmy Award-winner Mark Saltzman (The Tin Pan Alley Rag, The Adventures of Milo and Otis), these award-winning creative minds have put the pedal to the metal in this NASCAR-themed musical full of girls, cars, and rockin' guitars.

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.

?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.   

Dashnight Productions is delighted to present the World Premiere of CHOPS, previewing July 7, running through August 14, with press opening on Thursday, July 14 at 8 p.m. at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont.

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!