Ed Rutherford News

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to announce casting for its Chicago premiere of WHISPER HOUSE, featuring music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening), book and additional lyrics by Kyle Jarrow (Spongebob Squarepants Musical), with direction by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, music direction by Micky York and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Dave Malloy's staged song cycle GHOST QUARTET is a madcap romp through seven centuries of mythology, folk tales, gothic horror stories, murder ballads, and more. Described in the lyrics as a 'circular story,' the nonlinear plot follows four friends through interweaving stories that include two sisters in a murderous love triangle, a modern-day subway platform homicide, and retellings of Arabian Nights and Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. Malloy's musical influences are as eclectic as his literary sources, and fans will recognize many of the styles present in his best-known work, the Tony Award-winning NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812.  

Black Button Eyes Productions launches its 2019-20 season with the Chicago premiere ofGHOST QUARTET, an intriguing and entertaining song cycle by Dave Malloy, directed by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions launches its 2018-19 season with the Chicago premiere of GHOST QUARTET, an intriguing and entertaining song cycle by Dave Malloy, directed by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to announce casting for its Chicago premiere of GHOST QUARTET, an intriguing and entertaining song cycle by Dave Malloy, directed by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

The Jeff Awards announced today via a special video, a total of 132 nominations in 22 categories for the 46th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to announce its 2019-20 Season, featuring two Chicago premiere musicals! The season kicks off this summer with GHOST QUARTET by Broadway composer Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812). This intriguing and entertaining song cycle is directed by Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions concludes its 2018-19 season with the Chicago storefront premiere of EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL, a parody of Sam Raimi's classic Evil Dead horror films, with book and lyrics by George Reinblatt and music by Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt.

Black Button Eyes Productions concludes its 2018-19 season with the Chicago storefront premiere of EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL, a parody of Sam Raimi's classic Evil Dead horror films, with book and lyrics by George Reinblatt and music by Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt.

Black Button Eyes Productions concludes its 2018-19 season with the Chicago storefront premiere of EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL, a parody of Sam Raimi's classic Evil Dead horror films, with book and lyrics by George Reinblatt and music by Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt.

Black Button Eyes Productions concludes its 2018-19 season with the Chicago storefront premiere of EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL, a parody of Sam Raimi's classic Evil Dead horror films, with book and lyrics by George Reinblatt and music by Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt. Directed by Producing Artistic Director Ed Rutherford with music direction by Oliver Townsend and choreography by Derek Van Barham, the spooky send-up will play January 11 - February 16, 2019 at Pride Arts Center (The Broadway), 4139 N. Broadway in Chicago.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to announce casting for the Chicago storefront premiere of EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL, a parody of Sam Raimi's classic Evil Dead horror films, with book and lyrics by George Reinblatt and music by Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to launch its 2018-19 season with the world premiere of NIGHTMARES AND NIGHTCAPS: The Stories of John Collier, a non-musical adaption of British author and screenwriter John Collier's phantasmagoric short stories, written and directed by Producing Artistic Director Ed Rutherford with choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to launch its 2018-19 season with the world premiere of NIGHTMARES AND NIGHTCAPS: The Stories of John Collier, a non-musical adaption of British author and screenwriter John Collier's phantasmagoric short stories, written and directed by Producing Artistic Director Ed Rutherford with choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to announce casting for its world premiere of NIGHTMARES AND NIGHTCAPS: The Stories of John Collier, a non-musical adaption of British author and screenwriter John Collier's phantasmagoric short stories, written and directed by Producing Artistic Director Ed Rutherford with choreography by Derek Van Barham.

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to announce its 2018-19 season, kicking off late this summer with the world premiere of NIGHTMARES AND NIGHTCAPS: The Stories of John Collier, a non-musical adaption of British author and screenwriter John Collier's phantasmagoric short stories. Written and directed by Producing Artistic Director Ed Rutherford, the production will feature choreography by Derek Van Barham and star Kevin Webb with additional casting to be announced.

Following its hit production of SHOCKHEADED PETER, Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to conclude its 2017-18 season with the Chicago premiere musical NEVERMORE The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, the moving life story of the iconic American writer told through haunting music, poetic storytelling and stunning stagecraft, with book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Christenson.

Following its hit production of SHOCKHEADED PETER, Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to conclude its 2017-18 season with the Chicago premiere musical NEVERMORE The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, the moving life story of the iconic American writer told through haunting music, poetic storytelling and stunning stagecraft, with book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Christenson.

Following its hit production of SHOCKHEADED PETER, Black Button Eyes Productions concludes its 2017-18 season with the Chicago premiere musical NEVERMORE - The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, the moving life story of the iconic American writer told through haunting music, poetic storytelling and stunning stagecraft, with book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Christenson. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in costume below!

Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to announce casting for its Chicago premiere musical NEVERMORE The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, the moving life story of the iconic American writer told through haunting music, poetic storytelling and stunning stagecraft, with book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Christenson.