Ed Kross News

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the summer engagement of American Blues Theater's Hank Williams: Lost Highway, by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik, directed byDamon Kiely, music director Malcolm Ruhl and starring Matthew Brumlow as "Hank Williams," July 25 - August 31 at the Greenhouse Theater Center's Downstage Mainstage Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the summer engagement of American Blues Theater's Hank Williams: Lost Highway, by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik, directed by Damon Kiely, music director Malcolm Ruhl and starring Matthew Brumlow as "Hank Williams," July 25 - August 31 at the Greenhouse Theater Center's Downstage Mainstage Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Pink Previews, where tickets sales benefit the Lynn Sage Foundation for breast cancer research, are Friday, July 25 and Saturday, July 26 at 7:30 p.m. Opening night is Friday August 1 at 7 p.m.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the Saturday, June 21 performance of Grounded, by George Brant and directed by Lisa Portes, at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. is a benefit performance for Children of War Foundation. Proceeds from the performance will go directly to surgery and medical treatment for Shah Bibi Tarakhail, an Afghan Child Affected by War. The running time is approximately 80 minutes. Grounded runs through July 13. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $19 - $49 and are available at 773.404.7336 or americanbluestheater.com.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside of American Blues Theater is proud to announce American Blues Theater is hosting a staged reading of the 2014 Blue Ink Playwriting Award-winning play Comden Mall Community Activists, by Chicagoan Douglas Post, Sunday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m. at Greenhouse Theater Center, Upstairs Studio, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., directed by American Blues Theater Ensemble member Heather Meyers. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 payable at the door. For more information go to americanbluestheater.com.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the Chicago premiere of Grounded, by George Brant and directed by Lisa Portes, today, June 6 - July 13 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the Chicago premiere of Grounded, by George Brant and directed by Lisa Portes, June 6 - July 13 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. The running time is approximately 80 minutes. Pink Previews, where tickets sales benefit the Lynn Sage Foundation for breast cancer research, are Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 8 at 2:30 p.m. Opening Night is Thursday, June 12 at 7 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $19 - $49 and are available at 773.404.7336 or americanbluestheater.com.

Music soars in Mary Zimmerman stage adaptation of "The Jungle Book" entering its final week at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, but this new theatrical version based on the Kipling and Disney classics is ultimately unfulfilling, needing more depth and heart.

Tony Award-winning director Mary Zimmerman brings her unique vision to the world premiere stage adaptation of 'The Jungle Book' now at the Huntington Theatre Company of Boston through October 13

Mary Zimmerman returns to the Huntington Theatre Company for The Jungle Book, a world premiere stage adaptation produced in association with Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The production premiered in Chicago on June 21 and plays at the Huntington tonight, September 7 - October 6, 2013.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside of American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, announces the Ensemble's 28th season. The season begins with the Chicago professional premiere of Hank Williams: Lost Highway by award-winning playwrights Randal Myler and Mark Harelik, directed by Damon Kiely, today, September 5 - October 6; the 12th smash year of It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! , now at the 199-seat Greenhouse Theater Center, directed by Ensemble member Marty Higginbotham, November 22 - December 29; world premiere of 2012 Blue Ink Playwriting Award-winning script American Myth by Christina Gorman, directed by Steve Scott, February - March 2014; Chicago premiere of 2012 Smith Prize winner Grounded by George Brant, June 2014. American Blues also announces year-long development and public reading of Ensemble member's Nambi E. Kelley's adaptation of Richard Wright's Native Son which will receive a production in fall of 2014.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the first production in American Blues Theater's 'Legends and Legacies' season, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik, directed by Damon Kiely, music director Malcolm Ruhl and starring Matt Brumlow as 'Hank Williams,' tonight, August 30 - October 6, at the Greenhouse Theater Center's Downstage Mainstage Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

Goodman Theatre's world premiere of The Jungle Book opens on July 1 and, with a second extension week just added, now runs through August 11. Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman reimagines Walt Disney's 1967 animated hit into a wholly original new work for the stage, drawing from both the film as well as Rudyard Kipling's 1894 collection of stories set in the Indian jungle and featuring original Indian-inspired music and dance. As previously announced, 10-year-old Akash Chopra makes his Chicago debut as young 'man cub' Mowgli, who comes of age with the help of the anthropomorphic singing and dancing jungle animals; joining him in the role at select performances is Roni Akurati, who most recently appeared at the Goodman as Tiny Tim in the 2011 production of A Christmas Carol. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production shots below!

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the first production in American Blues Theater's "Legends and Legacies" season, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik, directed by Damon Kiely, music director Malcolm Ruhl and starring Matt Brumlow as "Hank Williams," August 30 - October 6, at the Greenhouse Theater Center's Downstage Mainstage Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets are $19 for previews, $29 Thursdays and Fridays and $39 Saturdays and Sundays and $49 for opening night. Previews are Friday, Aug. 30 and Saturday, Aug. 31 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 1 at 2:30 p.m. Press/opening night is Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursday - Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. There are post-show discussions following Sunday performances beginning September 8. Single tickets go on sale July 24 at 773.404.7336 or americanbluestheater.com.

Mary Zimmerman returns to the Huntington Theatre Company for The Jungle Book, a world premiere stage adaptation produced in association with Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The production premieres in Chicago on June 21 and plays at the Huntington September 7 - October 6, 2013. Based on Nobel Laureate Rudyard Kipling's 1893 collection of stories set in the Indian jungle and Walt Disney's 1967 animated film, Zimmerman's adaptation of The Jungle Book is a music- and movement-filled adventure of young Mowgli's coming-of-age in the animal kingdom.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside of American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, announces the Ensemble's 28th season. The season begins with the Chicago professional premiere of Hank Williams: Lost Highway by award-winning playwrights Randal Myler and Mark Harelik, directed by Damon Kiely, September 5 - October 6; the 12th smash year of It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! , now at the 199-seat Greenhouse Theater Center, directed by Ensemble member Marty Higginbotham, November 22 - December 29; world premiere of 2012 Blue Ink Playwriting Award-winning script American Myth by Christina Gorman, directed by Steve Scott, February - March 2014; Chicago premiere of 2012 Smith Prize winner Grounded by George Brant, June 2014. American Blues also announces year-long development and public reading of Ensemble member's Nambi E. Kelley's adaptation of Richard Wright's Native Son which will receive a production in fall of 2014.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that I LOVE LUCY LIVE ON STAGE, the brand new hit musical stage show adapted from the longest-running and most beloved television program in history, starring Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel: America's favorite foursome, is extending two weeks by popular demand at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 East Chestnut St.). Tickets for performances through March 17, 2013 are on-sale now.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that I LOVE LUCY LIVE ON STAGE, the brand new hit musical stage show adapted from the longest-running and most beloved television program in history, starring Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel: America's favorite foursome, is extending by popular demand at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 East Chestnut St.). Tickets for performances Dec. 29, 2012 - March 3, 2013 are on-sale now.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Those dueling 'Assassins,' Broadway In Chicago's spring series, 'I Love Lucy' opens, a pre-Broadway tryout poll to take, two events at Northlight, plus Feinstein, Peters, McDonald and more!