Caron Buinis News

Porchlight Music Theatre held PorchlightPalooza, a three-day virtual festival Friday, Aug. 21 - Sunday, Aug. 23,  in lieu of its cancelled March 23 ICONS GALA.

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced a new three-day celebration and fundraiser in honor of its 25th Anniversary, PorchlightPalooza, Friday, Aug. 21 - Sunday, Aug. 23, which will include performances from Chicago's best talents, an exclusive interview hosted by legendary newsman Bill Kurtis with the 2020 ICON Award recipient Joel Grey and more.

Drury Lane Theatre presents the beautifully captivating Gershwin musical An American in Paris. See photos from opening night!

Drury Lane Theatre presents the Regional Premiere of the beautifully captivating Gershwin musical An American in Paris.

Drury Lane Theatre has announced casting for the final show in its 2019/2020 season, the Regional Premiere of the beautifully captivating Gershwin musical An American in Paris. Leading the cast are Josh Drake as American GI Jerry Mulligan and Leigh-Ann Esty as Lise Dassin. Drake can currently be seen on Broadway in Disney's Aladdin, and Esty returns to An American in Paris after playing the role of Lise on the show's national tour. This Tony Award-winning musical features music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin with book by Craig Lucas and is directed and choreographed by Lynne Kurdziel-Formato. An American in Paris runs January 31 a?" March 29, 2020, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The press opening is scheduled for Thursday, February 6, 2020, at 8:00 p.m.

Tis' the season that many theaters turn to Dickensian fare, but at Marriott Theatre, young Oliver Twist rather than Tiny Tim takes the stage. Nick Bowling directs Lionel Bart's OLIVER!, the 1960 musical based on Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. With music direction by Ryan T. Nelson and choreography by Brenda Didier, a talented cast of child and adult actors delivers Bart's eminently hummable, if not groundbreaking, tunes. Though certain aspects of the material are irremediably dated, this is an entertaining revival of a (mostly) family-friendly show.

The Marriott Theatre presents Lionel Bart's OLIVER!, which is now running through Sunday, December 29th. The Tony Award-winning musical based on the classic Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist, is directed by eight-time Jeff Award winner for Outstanding Direction, Nick Bowling, with musical direction by Jeff Award winner Ryan T. Nelson and choreography by Jeff Award winner Brenda Didier.

The Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr. in Lincolnshire, is proud to bring the Victorian streets of London live to Lincolnshire with Lionel Bart's OLIVER!, previewing Wednesday, October 30th, opening Wednesday, November 6th at 7:30 p.m., and closing Sunday, December 29th. The Tony Award-winning musical based on the classic Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist, is directed by eight-time Jeff Award winner for Outstanding Direction, Nick Bowling, with musical direction by Jeff Award winner Ryan T. Nelson and choreography by Jeff Award winner Brenda Didier.

Forward Theater Company will begin their 11th season with the Wisconsin premiere of Mary Jane, written by Amy Herzog. This thought-provoking play is fresh from Broadway and will be presented in the Playhouse at Overture Center, September 12 - 29, 2019.

Porchlight Music Theatre's production of the 2014 Tony Award-winning Best Musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder has been extended through Saturday, March 16  at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder stars Matt Crowle and features music by Stephen Lutvak, lyrics by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak, and a Tony Award-winning book by Robert L. Freedman, is directed and choreographed by Stephen Schellhardt and music directed by Andra Velis Simon.

Porchlight Music Theatre's Mainstage 2018 - 2019 season continues with 2014 Tony Award-winning Best Musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, January 25 - March 10, 2019 at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street.

Acclaimed Chicago director Amber Mak dazzled audiences with Paramount's production of Disney's The Little Mermaid. She made kids of all ages believe in Santa again with Elf The Musical. Now she's taking audiences over the rainbow and into another fantastical world with The Wizard of Oz, November 14, 2018-January 6, 2019 at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in Aurora. Press opening is Saturday, November 17, at 8 p.m.

Six directors and 30 actors from the Chicago theatre community will collaborate to create staged readings of six new feminist plays in the Artemisia Fall Festival 2018, to be performed September 24-26 and October 1-3 at The Edge Theater at 5451 N. Broadway. Artemisia Founding Artistic Director Julie Proudfoot and Literary Manager Sharai Bohannon have curated the festival from submissions solicited from writers, agents and literary managers across the US with whom the company has had working professional relationships. One play from the six to be performed will be chosen for further development by Artemisia Artistic Director Proudfoot, who will work closely with the playwright over the next two years to develop their feminist story for a full production in Chicago.

Williams Street Repertory, McHenry County's only professional theater company, is excited to announce casting for its upcoming production of "Sylvia." This unlikely love triangle between a man, his wife… and his dog opens on May 4, 2018 at Raue Center For The Arts and runs select dates through May 20, 2018.

Actors David Sajewich, in the role of George Bailey, and Allison Sill in the role of his wife Mary, lead the cast of Theatre at the Center's A Wonderful Life: The Musical with James Harms as Mr. Potter, David Perkovich as Clarence, Jim Heatherly as Uncle Billy and Jason Richards as Mr. Martini. Previews began November 16 with an Opening Night on November 19 and a run through December 23. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening festivities below!

Rehearsals are underway for Fernanda Coppel's "King Liz," Windy City Playhouse's second show of the 2017 season, playing May 24 through July 16. Under the direction of Chuck Smith, the "fierce and compelling" (The New York Times) production stars Lanise Shelley as Liz Rico, a powerful NBA sports agent vying for a promotion to head her entire company. When Freddie Luna (played by Eric Gerard), a young, talented rookie, comes under her wing, Liz faces the biggest challenge of her career: trust her gut with the new player, or risk everything she's built for herself. The cast of "King Liz" also features Philip Edward Van Lear as Coach Jones, Jackie Alamillo as Gabby Fuentes, Caron Buinis as Barbara Flowers and Frank Nall as Mr. Candy.

Windy City Playhouse (3014 W. Irving Park Road) announces the complete casting for Fernanda Coppel's "King Liz," a production that "keeps you gasping with excitement" (Observer) over one woman's journey to take on the male-dominated world of sports agents.

Underscore Theatre Company is pleased to present its third annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL, featuring 14 new musical productions. Created to showcase and support Chicago's burgeoning field of musical theatre creators, this year's festival will be held August 9 - 28, 2016 at Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Each production will receive four performances during the Festival. The full schedule (Tuesdays - Sundays) and can be found at www.cmtf.org, with tickets currently on sale ($20 per show, $200 all-festival rush passes). The press "sneak preview," featuring a sampling of songs from the 2016 Festival, is Monday, August 8 at 7:30 pm.

CHIMERICA, the widely celebrated 2014 Laurence Olivier Award winner for Best New Play, will have one of its first U.S. productions this spring in Chicago, when TimeLine Theatre Company presents the Chicago premiere of the acclaimed geopolitical thriller, May 3 - July 31, 2016. Press Preview is Wednesday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m.