Ed White News

It is nearly impossible not to be emotionally affected by the events depicted in PARADE, the stirring, Tony Award-winning 1998 musical inspired by shocking actual events surrounding the trial of a man accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl. It's certainly a heavy, morose subject to wrap an entire musical around, which is probably why PARADE is so rarely produced, despite its high-caliber book by Alfred Uhry and gorgeous music by Jason Robert Brown. But when the material is executed with emotional heft and interesting staging---as it mostly is in Chance Theater's latest production---the results can be powerful, gut-wrenching, and, most importantly, thought-provoking.

Cirque du Soleil opens tonight in Chicago its delightfully imaginative and visually stunning production LUZIA, a waking dream of Mexico. Through September 3, 2017, audiences are invited to a redesigned white-and-gold Big Top at the United Center parking lot to escape to an imaginary Mexico - a sumptuous and vibrant world suspended between dreams and reality.

Cirque du Soleil has announced two additional weeks of performances (August 22 - September 3) for the Chicago engagement of its delightfully imaginative and visually stunning production LUZIA, a waking dream of Mexico

In a recent interview with the Daily Beast, playwright Tony Kushner opens up about his new play about the Trump presidency. 'The nightmare is in high gear,' says Kushner. 'It certainly feels like folly that I or anyone else has a definitive understanding or comprehensive understanding of what going on. I have my guesses like everyone else has, but it will take some time and a lot will depend on how it is resolved.'

On Thursday, July 20, HBO will celebrate season three of its hit comedy 'BALLERS' with an exclusive VIP event featuring DJs Virgil Abloh and DJ Wonder, to mark the launch of its retail pop-up in Los Angeles.

Sunday in the Park with George is a musical about the "art of making art" and two artists' journeys of filling in a blank canvas. It tells the story of George, a fictionalized version of the real George Seurat, and the creation of his famous painting, "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte," and his great-grandson, who is also named George, and his struggle to create something meaningful and new. With a book by James Lapine and music by Stephen Sondheim, it is a musical experience one will not forget. The original Broadway Production opened in1984 at the Booth Theater, and went on to win two Tony Awards, eight Drama Desk Awards, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1985. It's appropriate, then, to produce this show in a space that is surrounded by art.

New Plays and Musicals can sometimes take years to nurture before making it to a professional stage with paying customers. One such play opening at the 2017 NY Summerfest July 31 at Hudson Guild Theatre has had a 15-year journey; Jack Dyville's "My Stage Daddy".

September marks the launch of O17, the inaugural edition of Opera Philadelphia's game-changing new annual season-opening festival, and We Shall Not Be Moved (Sep 16-24) is one of three world premieres with which the company looks forward to baptizing the festival by fire.

Love and Other Lures is a truly original, DC-based (there's good monster-watching here) comedic enterprise with the capacity to just keep giving to anyone who craves an alternate reality in which love with a monster is possible, if deadly.

???????Comedian Ron White performs two shows at Mayo Performing Arts Center on Friday, August 11 at 7 pm and 9:30 pm. Tickets are $49-$99. This event is for adults only.

There is a moment in the musical, 'Buddy,' when the audience realizes they are part of the show. They are not just the audience at Hackmatack Playhouse in Berwick, Maine, but they are thrust into the Buddy Holly show itself as part of the audience at the Apollo Theater in New York.

Design. Pattern. Composition. Balance. Light. Dark. Harmony. These are the principles artist Georges Seurat-as imagined by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine-names in his struggle to paint in a new way. All these principles are present in the musical SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. The current production in Minneapolis is a delight, visually scintillating, gorgeously sung and orchestrated, and successful at melding the two disparate acts into a satisfying whole.

It's the season of smoking and searing, fire and spice, grillin' and chillin' and feeling the burn of homemade barbecue sauce passed down through ages of summer celebrations. The backyard grill is an American icon, honored each July by National Grilling Month. This year, 12 top chefs from the kitchens at Benchmark Resorts & Hotels and the Gemstone Collection, are getting their grill on with recipes that span the American culinary landscape from the East Coast all the way to the North Shore of Oahu.

The Atlanta Botanical Garden has designated 2017 as its 'year of the garden,' and to celebrate is presenting an art exhibition designed to encourage guests to see, stop, experience and talk about nature -all in surprisingly intriguing ways.

Grammy Award-nominated, multi-platinum rock band Buckcherry plays historic White Eagle Hall in Jersey City on July 6th.

The recent Signature Theatre revival of Suzan Lori-Parks' VENUS, based on the true story of Saartjie Baartman, depicted a 19th Century African woman who was subjected to exploitation because of white people's fascination with her prominent posterior.  But the mood is considerably lighter over at Playwrights Horizons these days, where the title character of Kirsten Childs' joyfully old-fashioned, but sneakily subversive new musical, BELLA: AN AMERICAN TALL TALE, is a 19th Century African-American woman who celebrates the attention her queenly derriere receives and uses it as a source of empowerment.

On Saturday, July 1, 2017, The Players pays tribute to the music and musicians that have characterized the American experience with "America the Beautiful: A Patriotic Celebration." This dynamic and captivating five-piece production will warm your heart, lift your spirit and make you "proud to be an American!" Starring nationally renowned pianist/vocalist and musical director Brian Gurl, vocalists Katherine Alexandra and Michele Pruyn plus The All Star Band, this captivating show celebrates America's independence with an exciting blend of popular songs, lush vocal harmonies and Gurl's awesome, one-of-a-kind musical arrangements. 

This summer, think twice about grabbing that standby bottle of rosé and enjoy a brisk taste of the Italian Alps with Alto Adige's Three S's of Summer: Schiava, Sylvaner and Sauvignon. Each bottle of Alto Adige wine brings scintillating complexity and refreshment that can't be matched by "summer water." You need not be a wine geek to enjoy these off-the-beaten path varietals. Like most Alto Adige wines, they pair effortlessly with food, so stick to the three S's for picnics in the park, rooftop dinners al fresco, and everything in-between. A chill summer vibe is guaranteed!

Creative Loafing's Tampa Bay Restaurant Week is back for it's 10th year from June 15th through 25th with three-course prix fixe menus at more than 50 participating restaurants throughout Tampa Bay-and to kick it off, Creative Loafing will host the third annual Meet The Chefs on Thurs., June 15th, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Vault (611 N. Franklin St. in downtown Tampa).

The Bush Theatre is thrilled to announce that their production of Nassim written by Nassim Soleimanpour (While Rabbit Red Rabbit) and directed by Bush Theatre Associate Director Omar Elerian (One Cold Dark Night, Islands) will transfer to the Traverse Theatre for a full run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer.