David Cromer News

Based on the best-selling novel by Chaim Potok (The Chosen), My Name is Asher Lev, a new play by Aaron Posner, will begin performances at the Westside Theatre (407 W. 43rd Street) on November 8. Opening night is set for November 28.

Goodman Theatre adds five performances of Sweet Bird of Youth by Tennessee Williams, extending through October 28 with its current company intact. Chicago native director David Cromer's production stars Academy Award nominee Diane Lane as Alexandra del Lago, an aging Hollywood screen siren on a journey with an unlikely soul mate, and Broadway's Finn Wittrock as Chance Wayne, an ineffectual drifter whose youth and promise have begun to fade.

"We are all civilized people, which means that we are all savages at heart but observing a few amenities of civilized behavior,' writes Tennessee Williams in his introduction to Sweet Bird of Youth. Goodman Theatre opens its 2012/2013 Season with a major revival of Williams' 1959 play directed by Chicago native David Cromer. As previously announced, Academy Award nominee Diane Lane portrays Alexandra del Lago, an aging Hollywood screen siren on a journey with an unlikely soul mate, Chance Wayne (Broadway's Finn Wittrock)-an ineffectual drifter whose youth and promise have begun to fade.

When the Huntington Theatre Company brings David Cromer's landmark production of Thornton Wilder's classic Our Town home to New England this winter, local residents will have the opportunity to become Honorary Mayor of Grover's Corners for a day. Huntington Trustee Judi Krupp and her husband Douglas have issued the Make Our Town Your Town Challenge and will match all new and increased gifts to the Huntington's Annual Fund dollar for dollar up to $50,000.

The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for the San Diego Premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People, the award-winning play about class divisions in modern-day Boston. Directed by Paul Mullins, Good People will run Sept. 29 - Oct. 28, 2012 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run Sept. 29 - Oct. 3. Opening night is Thursday, Oct. 4 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

"We are all civilized people, which means that we are all savages at heart but observing a few amenities of civilized behavior,' writes Tennessee Williams in his introduction to Sweet Bird of Youth. Goodman Theatre opens its 2012/2013 Season with a major revival of Williams' 1959 play directed by Chicago native David Cromer. As previously announced, Academy Award nominee Diane Lane portrays Alexandra del Lago, an aging Hollywood screen siren on a journey with an unlikely soul mate, Chance Wayne (Broadway's Finn Wittrock)-an ineffectual drifter whose youth and promise have begun to fade.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that individual tickets have gone on-sale for the first show of its 2012-13 season: the world premiere of Stephen Belber's Don't Go Gentle. Performances take place at The Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) and tickets go on sale at 11AM today Thursday, August 23rd at www.mcctheater.org or by calling (212) 352-3101.

Five powerful productions have been scheduled for Center Theatre Group's 2013 season at the Mark Taper Forum, it was announced today by CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie.

Fall 2012 will see Chicago continue to produce some of the most exciting theater in the country. Offerings from the city's more than 200 producing theaters includes a range of special fall programming, featuring everything from the latest musicals to highly anticipated world premieres.

The producers of Off-Broadway's Tribes have announced new additions to the clan beginning September 4th: Lee Roy Rogers (Orson's Shadow) will assume the role of Beth and Dina Thomas (See How They Run) will assume the role of Ruth, and beginning September 25th: Susannah Flood (A Civil War Christmas) will assume the role of Sylvia, joining Will Brill (Our Town) as Daniel, Russell Harvard (There Will Be Blood) as Billy, and Jeff Still (August: Osage County) as Christopher.

Single tickets to productions in the Huntington Theatre Company's 2012-2013 Season go on sale to the general public onThursday, August 16.

MCC THEATER today announced full casting for Don't Go Gentle and additional casting for Small Engine Repair, two productions in their upcoming 2012-13 season, which marks the company's 27th consecutive year producing and developing new work by today's most provocative and vibrant artists.

Producers Scott Morfee, Jean Doumanian and Tom Wirtshafter have announced that the Off-Broadway hit play Tribes has been extended at The Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street, NYC), by popular demand, through January 6, 2013.

Artistic Director Robert Falls announced today that he will direct a major revival and new adaptation of Measure for Measure, Shakespeare's darkly comic collision of vice and virtue, in Goodman Theatre's 2012/2013 season, March 9 - April 14, 2013. Also, director David Cromer announced partial casting for his production of Sweet Bird of Youth: Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award-nominee Diane Lane appears as Princess Kosmonopolis and Finn Wittrock, who recently appeared in Broadway's Death of a Salesman with Philip Seymour Hoffman, is cast as the young-actor-turned-gigolo Chance Wayne. Complete casting to be announced soon. The production opens the Goodman's new season, September 15 - October 21; a September 24 Season Opening Benefit will take place at The Standard Club. Tickets available only on subscription; call 312.443.3800 or visit www.GoodmanTheatre.org. Individual tickets to Sweet Bird of Youth go on sale August 10; Abbott Fund, Fifth Third Bank, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP and PwC LLP are the Corporate Sponsors Partners. Call 312.443.3811, ext. 586 for more information about the Season Opening Benefit.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. It's the Top Ten Hot Topix for the first half of 2012! Is your favorite production on the list?

American Theater Company (ATC) has announced new performance dates for its production of Jonathan Larson's RENT, directed by David Cromer. The production is now extended through July 1, 2012 at American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St, Chicago, IL. Tickets for the two-week extension are now on sale through the box office, www.atcweb.org and 773.409.4125.

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 Sidetrack all-time Top Ten list, Make Music Chicago, Chicago concerts by Chenoweth, Callaway, Mason, Menzel and Eder, two puppet musicals, 'Next Stop,' 'The Hunchback Variations' and more!

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that Jon Bernthal (AMC's "The Walking Dead") and actor/playwright John Pollono will star in the New York Premiere of Small Engine Repair, by John Pollono, directed by Jo Bonney (Neil LaBute's The Break of Noon, Some Girl(s), Fat Pig). The production will be the third and final production of MCC's 2012-13 three-play mainstage season, which marks the company's 27th consecutive year producing and developing new work by today's most provocative and vibrant artists. Small Engine Repair will be performed at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) May 16 - June 23, 2013.

American Theater Company's (ATC) production of Jonathan Larson's, Rent, directed by David Cromer must close Sunday, June 24. The production, now playing at American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St, Chicago, IL, played for 6 weeks and enjoyed an extension. Tickets for the limited engagement are on sale through the box office, www.atcweb.org and 773.409.4125.

In case you missed it in the "Showtune Mosh Pit" column last week, here is my full listing of musical theater shows (plus three special concert events) happening in Chicago this summer. Click on the name of each show for a link to more information. And enjoy!