Colette News

"The Mother," a stage tale of class warfare, and "Passion," a musical of love and obsession, took home top honors for Oracle Productions and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre respectively Monday, June 2, at Park West during the 41st Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony recognizing excellence in non-union Chicago theatre. Oracle, with five awards, and Theo Ubique, with four awards, garnered the most honors at Monday night's ceremony.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has announced the full lineup of productions, concerts, readings and special events for its 11th annual festival. This year's Festival will begin July 7th and continue through July 27th.

The Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival, the nation's premiere short play competition, is excited to announce the Final 30 playwrights whose plays will be presented during the 2014 Festival Week, occurring August 4th-10th at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre.

After 200 episodes and nine seasons as America's beloved 1960s sitcom, The Beverly Hillbillies is making strides on stage as a musical for the first time ever. Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana, presents the World Premiere of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, THE MUSICAL, running from July 10 through August 10 with a press opening on Sunday, July 13. Directed by Jeff Award nominee David Perkovich with a musical score by award-winning Chicago composer Gregg Opelka, THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, THE MUSICAL, was written by David Rogers and Amanda Rogers, and follows the nouveau-riche Clampett family as they move to the privileged society of Beverly Hills after discovering an oil reserve on their land. From Jed Clampett to Granny, Elly May and Jethro all the favorites from the '60s TV comedy are back and shaking things up as they adjust to their new, fast-paced life while maintaining their hayseed ways.

The Old Globe today announced it will present Emmy Award-winning actor Richard Thomas ("The Waltons," Fifth of July, "The Americans") starring in A Distant Country Called Youth, an intimate look at the making of an artist, adapted by Steve Lawson from early letters Tennessee Williams sent to his family, friends, and professional associates. This one-night-only engagement takes place on Monday, June 9 at 7:00 p.m.

Seattle-based Nordstrom, Inc. announced plans to open a Nordstrom Rack at Winrock Town Center in Albuquerque, N.M. The approximately 33,500-square-foot store is scheduled to open in fall 2015. The new Nordstrom Rack will be the company's first retail location in New Mexico.

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 latest Jeff Award nominations, 'Brigadoon' gets cast, 'The Sound Of Music' and 'Motown' light up the Loop, new musicals from Writers Theatre and American Theater Company, 'Nunsense,' 'The Wild Party,' a new web series to support and more!

World premieres, brand new shows and classic songbook - the LONDON FESTIVAL OF CABARET spreads its wings across London in May. Celebrating all things songbook, the LFOC will play at eight venues in the Capital from TUESDAY 6 MAY to THURSDAY 22 MAY 2014.

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 128 nominations in 24 categories of Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff judges attended opening nights of 147 productions offered by 65 Non-Equity producing organizations. The judges recommended 66 of those shows, making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Thirty theatre companies received nominations.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment present the fourth production in its 2013-1014 season of shows with one of the most popular musical events of all-time, the Tony award-winning, CATS, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats' by T.S. Eliot, with musical direction by John Glaudini and directed and choreographed by Dana Solimando. CATS will feature Kelly Provart as Grizabella and Todrick Hall (whose hilarious YOUTUBE video parodies have been seen by millions of viewers) as Rum Tum Tugger. CATS opened on Saturday, April 19, and runs through Sunday, May 11, 2014 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present the fourth production in its 2013-1014 season of shows with one of the most popular musical events of all-time, the Tony award-winning, CATS, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats' by T.S. Eliot, with musical direction by John Glaudini and directed and choreographed by Dana Solimando. CATS will feature Kelly Provart as Grizabella and Todrick Hall (whose hilarious YOUTUBE video parodies have been seen by millions of viewers) as Rum Tum Tugger. CATS opens tonight, April 19) and run through Sunday, May 11, 2014 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Cats,' 'Les Miserables' and 'Songs From An Unmade Bed,' rake in the reviews, 'Road Show' and 'Passion' will be followed by 'Assassins,' Theo readies 'The Andrews Sisters,' Kokandy brings back 'The Full Monty' and 'Loving Repeating,' plus two kids shows and more!

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has announced additional productions and readings for its 2014 Festival. This year's Festival will begin July 7 and continue through July 27. An additional slate of concerts and other events will be announced shortly.

'Call the Midwife,' the acclaimed BBC/PBS series by Emmy-nominated screenwriter and playwright Heidi Thomas, began airing its third season on March 30, 2014 on PBS in the US and continues through May 18, 2014. The period drama, which follows the midwives and nuns of a convent in the poor East End of London in the 1950s, first premiered to record ratings on BBC One in the UK in January, 2012 and began airing in the US in fall of 2012 on PBS, earning ecstatic reviews from television writers. It is currently the BBC's top-rated drama, earning 10.5 million viewers per episode and has been sold to 197 territories worldwide. 'Call the Midwife' is produced by Neal Street Productions, a film, television and stage production company, founded and run by Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris and Caro Newling.

Amazon Studios today announced that The After, Bosch, Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street, Mozart in the Jungle, Transparent and Wishenpoof! will become the next Amazon Original Series

The LONDON FESTIVAL OF CABARET is spreading its wings across London celebrating all things songbook in 2014, and this year will play at eight venues in the Capital from TUESDAY 6 MAY to THURSDAY 22 MAY 2014.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Passion,' 'Road Show' and 'Into The Woods' celebrate Sondheim's birthday, 'Dessa Rose' and 'Rent' rake in the reviews, Black Ensemble and Bailiwick announce spring shows, new musicals from Writers Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare, plus Ravinia and Court plan summers 2014 and 2015 and more....

MAD COW THEATRE announces the headliners for the The Twelfth Annual Orlando Cabaret Festival, Orlando's Home of the Great American Songbook. The Festival features cabaret artists and acts from Central Florida and beyond. Joining the previously announced headliner Christiane Noll (April 25-26) are Nicholas Rodriguez (May 1-3) and Tony Award-winner Laura Benanti (May 9-10).

The Riverside Opera Company, under the direction of Maestro Alan Aurelia announces a performance of 'PoPera' a mix of Opera and Broadway favorites featuring long time Riverside Opera piano accompanist Ming Kwong and sopranos Jessica Sandidge and Manna Knjoi who are winners of open public auditions, held in New York City by the Riverside Opera Company. They will sing selections of their choosing. The performance is free and open to the public as part Music @NYPL on Saturday, April 19, 2 p.m. at the RichmondTown branch of the New York Public Library located at 200 Clarke Avenue, Staten Island. For information contact: riversideoperacompany@gmail or call Riverside Opera Company at 212-729-4792.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT present the fourth production in its 2013-1014 season of shows with one of the most popular musical events of all-time, the Tony award-winning, CATS, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T.S. Eliot, with musical direction by John Glaudini and directed and choreographed by Dana Solimando. CATS will feature Kelly Provart as Grizabella and Todrick Hall (whose hilarious YOUTUBE video parodies have been seen by millions of viewers) as Rum Tum Tugger. CATS will preview onFriday, April 18, 2014 (with a press opening on Saturday, April 19) and run through Sunday, May 11, 2014 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.