Chicago Shakespeare Theater News

Strawdog Theatre's second installment of "Play Rites!," a free series of interactive conversations, visual displays and events designed around the award-winning theatre company's productions is 'Saucy and Ambitious Devils: The World of The Duchess of Malfi' hosted by Regina Buccola, tonight, April 30 at 7 p.m. in Hugen Hall at Strawdog Theatre, 3829 North Broadway Street.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County presents City Theatre's 17th annual SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL, South Florida's fast and furiously fun program of the nation's hottest short plays, staged in the intimate Carnival Studio Theater (Ziff Ballet Opera House) from June 1-17, 2012. Under the new direction of Producing Artistic Director John Manzelli, the sizzling 17th season of the company's acclaimed SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL features fifteen performances of ten original short plays - some raucous, others innovative and poignant, but with the ultimate goal to make audiences laugh.

Summer 2012 will see Chicago offering more than 200 producing theaters includes a range of special summer programming, featuring everything from the latest musicals to highly anticipated world premieres.

The Old Globe's 2012-13 Season will feature the World Premieres of two new musicals: Allegiance - A New American Musical by Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione and A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak. The season also includes George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion in celebration of the classic play's 100th anniversary and the World Premiere of a new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House by Anne-Charlotte Hanes Harvey and Kirsten Brandt. Two recent Broadway hits will make their San Diego debuts at the Globe: David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People and Jon Robin Baitz's Other Desert Cities. Rounding out the season are the West Coast Premiere of Bekah Brunstetter's Be a Good Little Widow and the Southern California Premiere of Tarell Alvin McCraney's The Brothers Size.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County presents City Theatre's 17th annual SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL, South Florida's fast and furiously fun program of the nation's hottest short plays, staged in the intimate Carnival Studio Theater (Ziff Ballet Opera House) from June 1-17, 2012. Under the new direction of Producing Artistic Director John Manzelli, the sizzling 17th season of the company's acclaimed SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL features fifteen performances of ten original short plays - some raucous, others innovative and poignant, but with the ultimate goal to make audiences laugh.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents Ontroerend Goed's American premiere of A History of Everything, a CSTWorld's Stage presentation, May 25-June 3, 2012 Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare.

The producers of FREUD'S LAST SESSION, the smash hit at the Mercury Theater (3745 N. Southport, Chicago), have announced an extension through July 15th in Chicago.

The Tony Award®-winning Hartford Stage, under the leadership of Darko Tresnjak, Artistic Director, and Michael Stotts, Managing Director, presents William Shakespeare's The Tempest, directed by Darko Tresnjak, playing May 18 through June 10, 2012 (press opening: Wednesday, May 16 at 7:30pm).

On Monday April 23rd, Vanessa Ragland and Sarah Ziegler will host a fundraiser cabaret for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The night will feature new works by Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair (Murder For Two), Sam Carner and Derek Gregor (Unlock'd), Adam Michael Kaufman and Martin Landry, Adam Overett, Ian Weinberger, and Oran Eldor and Sarah Ziegler. In addition to contributing new medically-themed material, Kinosian, Landry, Overett (Light in the Piazza) and Ziegler will also be performing. Other performers include Holly Buczek, Mark Campbell (Mamma Mia!), Janice Landry, Vanessa Ragland, Ari Rossen, Erin Sjostrom, and Cecelia Ticktin.

City of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proclaimed today, April 23, Talk Like Shakespeare Day, an occasion for citizens from Chicago and across the globe to celebrate Shakespeare's 448th birthday by bringing the spoken words of Shakespeare into their daily lives. The holiday, which originated in Chicago in 2009, became a worldwide sensation garnering extensive national and international media coverage and more than one million hits to TalkLikeShakespeare.org.

The Paramount Theater is presenting the nostalgic jukebox revue Route 66 for a nine-week run, four shows a week, in the intimate, 216-seat Copley Theater. Tickets are on sale now for Paramount's production of Roger Bean's Route 66, a jukebox comedy about a gang of rowdy Chicago service station attendants who take an imaginary Chicago to L.A. road trip singing tunes by Willie Nelson, Woody Guthrie, Roger Miller and The Beach Boys, just to name a few. Check out photos from the production below!

Strawdog Theatre's second installment of "Play Rites!," a free series of interactive conversations, visual displays and events designed around the award-winning theatre company's productions is 'Saucy and Ambitious Devils: The World of The Duchess of Malfi' hosted by Regina Buccola, Monday, April 30 at 7 p.m. in Hugen Hall at Strawdog Theatre, 3829 North Broadway Street.

FREUD'S LAST SESSION by Mark St. Germain, now in its second successful year in New York, and currently running at the Mercury Theater (3745 N. Southport, Chicago) will host a birthday celebration in honor of the anniversary of Sigmund Freud's 156th birthday on Sunday, May 6. Following both performances that day, audiences will have the opportunity to meet and greet with the cast members and snack on cupcakes. One lucky audience member will be selected to receive a "Freudian Slip" by Cosabella, courtesy of Chicago's G Boutique.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County presents City Theatre's 17th annual SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL, South Florida's fast and furiously fun program of the nation's hottest short plays, staged in the intimate Carnival Studio Theater (Ziff Ballet Opera House) from June 1-17, 2012. Under the new direction of Producing Artistic Director John Manzelli, the sizzling 17th season of the company's acclaimed SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL features fifteen performances of ten original short plays - some raucous, others innovative and poignant, but with the ultimate goal to make audiences laugh.

Route 66 Theatre Company today announced the details of their annual benefit, Mile Markers, Monday, May 7, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont, Chicago.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announced today that in addition to being among the 37 international companies who will come together for an unprecedented 37-play 'Globe to Globe' Festival for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad on May 5 and 6, CST's commission, The Q Brothers' Othello: The Remix, will be Chicago Shakespeare's premiere appearance in Germany's Shakespeare im Globe Neuss Festival July 6 and 7 and return engagement at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, August 1-27, 2012 where Funk It Up About Nothin' won critical acclaim in 2009.

City of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proclaimed Monday, April 23, Talk Like Shakespeare Day, an occasion for citizens from Chicago and across the globe to celebrate Shakespeare's 448th birthday by bringing the spoken words of Shakespeare into their daily lives. The holiday, which originated in Chicago in 2009, became a worldwide sensation garnering extensive national and international media coverage and more than one million hits to TalkLikeShakespeare.org.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Hairspray' at Oakbrook, two projects from Team StarKid, 'Rise Of The Numberless' from Bailiwick and New Colony, a new theater in Naperville, 'Bab Fab' and so much more!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announced today the return of British film and stage actor Simon Callow to Chicago for CST's 25th Anniversary engagement of his acclaimed Being Shakespeare-a virtuosic solo performance that weaves together excerpts from William Shakespeare's plays and poems, breathing new life into his unforgettable characters and the real man behind the legend.