Curtis Bannister News

Lyric Unlimited is thrilled to present the U.S. premiere of The Scorpions' Sting, an opera for families and young people with music and libretto from acclaimed Canadian composer Dean Burry. The opera follows a group of archaeology students and their professor as they uncover the Lost Temple of Isis, the ancient Egyptian goddess of healing. A mythic tale unfolds as they discover the ancient hieroglyphics, and the students learn the importance of knowledge and the power of forgiveness. The production is ideal for families with children ages 7-12.

Kokandy Productions presents the Chicago premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's LITTLE FISH, directed by Producing Artistic Director Allison Hendrix with music direction by Kory Danielson and choreography by Kasey Alfonso, playing now through August 20, 2017 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. The press opening is this Today, July 15, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Kokandy Productions presents the Chicago premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's LITTLE FISH, directed by Producing Artistic Director Allison Hendrix with music direction by Kory Danielson and choreography by Kasey Alfonso, playing now through August 20, 2017 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. The press opening is this Saturday, July 15, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Kokandy Productions is pleased to present the Chicago premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's LITTLE FISH, an oblique parable for urban life after the attacks of September 11th, directed by Producing Artistic Director Allison Hendrix with music direction by Kory Danielson and choreography by Kasey Alfonso, playing July 9 - August 20, 2017 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets for LITTLE FISH are currently available at www.kokandyproductions.com, by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at the Theater Wit Box Office. The press opening is Saturday, July 15 at 8 pm.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final production in the fourth season of Chicago's hit "lost" musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, music by Burton Lane, book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and based on the book Berkeley Square by John L. Balderston with direction by Lili-Anne Brown, musical direction by Andra Velis Simon and starring Sharriese Hamilton and Karl Hamilton. Porchlight Revisits On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, May 9 through Thursday, May 11 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight's Marry Me a Little (previews begin Friday, April 14) at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets are $35. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multimedia presentation, created and hosted by Weber that discusses that evening's production including the show's creative history, backstage gossip and the state of the art on Broadway that season. Single tickets are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final production in the fourth season of Chicago's hit "lost" musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, music by Burton Lane, book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and based on the book Berkeley Square by John L. Balderston with direction by Lili-Anne Brown, musical direction by Andra Velis Simon and starring Sharriese Hamilton and Karl Hamilton. Porchlight Revisits On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, May 9 through Thursday, May 11 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight's Marry Me a Little (previews begin Friday, April 14) at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets are $35. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multimedia presentation, created and hosted by Weber that discusses that evening's production including the show's creative history, backstage gossip and the state of the art on Broadway that season. Single tickets are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252.

Bradley Smoak, 32 of Cary, NC, won First Prize in the 2017 Lotte Lenya Competition, sponsored by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music. Smoak took home $20,000, the largest single prize amount given in the competition's nineteen year history.

Kokandy Productions has announced casting for its Chicago premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's LITTLE FISH, an oblique parable for urban life after the attacks of September 11th, directed by Producing Artistic Director Allison Hendrix with music direction by Kory Danielson, playing July 9 - August 20, 2017 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber have announced the final production in the fourth season of Chicago's hit "lost" musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, music by Burton Lane, book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and based on the book Berkeley Square by John L. Balderston with direction by Lili-Anne Brown, musical direction by Andra Velis Simon and starring Sharriese Hamilton and Karl Hamilton.

Jim Schubin of Plainsboro, NJ, and Brian Vu of Los Angeles, both earned top prizes in the 2016 Lotte Lenya Competition, sponsored by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music and held on April 16, 2016 in Kilbourn Hall of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.

Fifteen young singer/actors have been named as finalists for the 2016 Lotte Lenya Competition. Selected from thirty-one semifinalists, this year's finalists represent a diverse range of performers, ages 21 to 31, from across the United States, Canada, Europe and Israel. All will sing repertoire from the operatic, golden age and contemporary musical stages, and of course, the music of Kurt Weill.

AUBURN, N.Y-The Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, by special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide, proudly produces the world premiere of the new North American production of SATURDAYNIGHT FEVER.  Performances run from July 22 through through August 12. Based on Nik Cohn's 1975 article 'Tribal Rites of the new Saturday Night' and Norman Wexler's 1977 screenplay it inspired, this iconic time capsule centers around Tony Manero, a Brooklyn youth whose weekend is spent at the local dance hangout. There, he escapes into the admiration of the crowd, a growing relationship and the pulse of the beat that enables him to forget the realities of his life, his dead-end job and his gang of deadbeat friends. This new production delivers all the favorite tunes and dance sequences while bringing out the dimension and layers of the story and the landscape of such an iconic snapshot in American history.  Adapted for the stage by Robert Stigwood in collaboration with Bill Oakes, this new North American version features songs by The Bee Gees, is adapted for the stage by Sean Cercone and features additional music and lyrics by David Abbinanti.  

The Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, by special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide, proudly produces the world premiere of the new North American production of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.  Performances run from July 22 through through August 12. Based on Nik Cohn's 1975 article 'Tribal Rites of the new Saturday Night' and Norman Wexler's 1977 screenplay it inspired, this iconic time capsule centers around Tony Manero, a Brooklyn youth whose weekend is spent at the local dance hangout. There, he escapes into the admiration of the crowd, a growing relationship and the pulse of the beat that enables him to forget the realities of his life, his dead-end job and his gang of deadbeat friends. This new production delivers all the favorite tunes and dance sequences while bringing out the dimension and layers of the story and the landscape of such an iconic snapshot in American history.  Adapted for the stage by Robert Stigwood in collaboration with Bill Oakes, this new North American version features songs by The Bee Gees, is adapted for the stage by Sean Cercone and features additional music and lyrics by David Abbinanti.  Check out a first look at highlights below!

Maestra Marin Alsop conducts BSO accompanied by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society

Baltimore, Md. (March 23, 2015) - For the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Music Director Marin Alsop lead the BSO premiere of Leonard Bernstein's comedic operetta Candide tonight, June 11 at the Music Center at Strathmore, and June 12 through June 14 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The BSO announced today that the semi-staged production of Candide will be directed by Garnett Bruce and features an all-star cast including Peter Sagal, the host of NPR's weekly current events quiz show "Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me," and Judy Kaye, Tony Award-winning star of The Phantom of the Opera. Rounding out the cast are Keith Jameson, Lauren Snouffer, Joshua Hopkins, Mark Diamond, Marie Lenormand, Stephanie Sadownik, Curtis Bannister, Patrick Cook, Andrew McLaughlin, Melissa Wimbish and Lewis Shaw.

Principle Pops Conductor Jack Everly and the Baltimore Choral Arts Society rekindle wonderful movie memories.

Baltimore, Md. (March 23, 2015) — For the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Music Director Marin Alsop lead the BSO premiere of Leonard Bernstein's comedic operetta Candide on June 11 at the Music Center at Strathmore, and June 12 through June 14 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The BSO announced today that the semi-staged production of Candide will be directed by Garnett Bruce and features an all-star cast including Peter Sagal, the host of NPR's weekly current events quiz show “Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me,” and Judy Kaye, Tony Award-winning star of The Phantom of the Opera. Rounding out the cast are Keith Jameson, Lauren Snouffer, Joshua Hopkins, Mark Diamond, Marie Lenormand, Stephanie Sadownik, Curtis Bannister, Patrick Cook, Andrew McLaughlin, Melissa Wimbish and Lewis Shaw.

For the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Music Director Marin Alsop lead the BSO premiere of Leonard Bernstein's comedic operetta Candide on June 11 at the Music Center at Strathmore, and June 12 through June 14 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

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,' 'Evita' and 'Joseph' all appear, Broadway In Chicago brings new shows and old friends, the 'Annie' film, 'Rent' and next year at the Paramount, two versions of JRB's first show, and Davenport's dishes out the talent.