Danni Smith News

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 Jeff Awards, Theo Ubique's future plans, Jennifer Hudson performs, 'Damn Yankees' at LOW, 'The Beverly Hillbillies,' 'Coraline,' 'The Last Ship' and the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival debut, 'Spelling Bee' starts, 'Avenue Q' extends and BroadwayWorld Chicago hosts a Tony Party!

"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 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!

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.

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!

Stephen Sondheim's Tony award-winning chamber musical has never felt more intimate than in Fred Anzevino's production.

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....

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Sondheim shows 'Gypsy,' 'Road Show,' 'Passion' and 'Waltz,' plus Gambatese in Lyric's 'SOM,' NBC's follow-up, Lamont Dozier's show, Bailiwick's Casting Auction results, Chris and Aaron start a monthly variety show, and more!

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre's production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Passion will feature three Jeff-Award lauded performers in its lead roles, Artistic Director Fred Anzevino has announced. The role of Fosca, the sickly woman obsessed with a handsome young soldier in 19th Century Italy, will be played by Danni Smith, who just last year was honored with the Jeff Award for Actress in a Supporting Role for her work in Bailiwick Chicago's production of the musical See What I Wanna See. Smith's win came after two previous nominations in the same category, for Theo Ubique's Pump Boys and Dinettes and Bohemian Theatre Ensemble's The Glorious Ones. Playing Giorgio, the military officer who is the object of Fosca's affections, will be Peter Oyloe, a three-time Jeff Award winner. Oyloe's recent win as best leading actor in a musical for 2013's Hank Williams: Lost Highway was preceded by wins for his leading role in Equus and supporting role in The Pillowman, both at Redtwist Theatre. Collette Todd, Jeff-nominated for her role as Giulietta in Theo Ubique's Aspects of Love and recipient of critical and audience raves for her leading roles in Light Opera Works' productions of Man of La Mancha, Oliver! and Annie Get Your Gun, will play Clara - the third member of Passion's love triangle. Ms. Todd will also understudy the role of Fosca.

Voting is now underway for Chicago! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Chicago! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Chicago! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Chicago! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Chicago! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Bailiwick Chicago will ring in the holidays with a diverse line-up of December events. First up, Resident Playwright Aaron Holland asks 'What's holding you back from being as fabulous as you could be?' in a staged reading of the coming-of-age tale PRINCESS MARY DEMANDS YOUR ATTENTION, playing December 7 and December 8, 2013 at Victory Gardens' Richard Christiansen Theater. Then, celebrate the season with a throwback to the decade of The Beatles and Hair at A SEASON OF CHANGE: HOLIDAYS IN THE SIXTIES, a cabaret-style collection of songs from - and inspired by - the sixties, playing December 12 and December 19, 2013 at Davenports Piano Bar and Cabaret.

Voting is now underway for Chicago! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

BroadwayWorld.com is proud once again to announce the nominations for the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, Chicago's only comprehensive, fan-voted theater award now in its 4th fabulous year. And the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble leads the way, with a whopping 15 nominations overall, including 10 for its summer production of 'Kiss of the Spider Woman.' Chicago Shakespeare Theater is next overall, with 12 nods, spread out over an impressive 7 different productions, including 'Othello: The Remix,' 'Henry VII,' 'The School for Lies' and its Shakespeare in the Parks production of 'The Comedy of Errors,' nominated as Best Theatrical Event.

Pride Films and Plays announced today that David Leeper, James Nedrud, Robert Ollis, and Raphael Schwartzman had joined the company as New Artistic Ensemble Members. Learn more about each new member below.

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 Jeff Awards, the Tony Awards (and our BWW Chicago Tony Award Viewing Party!), the return of two special events, 'West Side Story,' upcoming seasons of musicals, and my June 13th cabaret concert, plus more!

A stage tale of troubled families, a true-life story musical about gay servicemen in World War II and a rousing rock'n'roll revue took home top honors Monday, June 3, at Park West during the 40th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony recognizing excellence in non-union Chicago theatre.