Edward Fraim News

Hell in a Handbag Productions will conclude its 21st season with the world premiere musical parody Murder, ReWrote, playing August 10 – September 16, 2023 at The Den Theatre (Upstairs Mainstage) 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.

Pride Films and Plays will host the first Chicago screening of the documentary EVERY ACT OF LIFE, a feature-length documentary film by Jeff Kaufman about Terrence McNally, one of theatre's most important and prolific playwrights of the last half-century. EVERY ACT OF LIFE profiles McNally's pioneering five-decade career in the theater, focusing on the struggle for LGBT rights and his pursuit of love and inspiration at every age. The 93-minute film features Angela Lansbury, F. Murray Abraham, Larry Kramer, Nathan Lane, Audra McDonald, Edie Falco, Christine Baranski, Patrick Wilson, Billy Porter, and many more artists who have worked with McNally over his career.

26 PRESENTS: NET-FLIX AND KILL, the third installment of '26,' opening September 30 and running up to the Today before Halloween, will take on a horror theme for its twenty-six scenes of horror-comedy and straight up horror written by various guest writers.

26 PRESENTS: NET-FLIX AND KILL, the third installment of '26,' opening September 30 and running up to the Saturday before Halloween, will take on a horror theme for its twenty-six scenes of horror-comedy and straight up horror written by various guest writers.

Pride Films and Plays changes lives through the generation of diverse new work (or work that is new to Chicago) with LGBTQ+ characters or themes that is essential viewing for all audiences. We accomplish this mission through fully-staged productions, writing contests and staged readings, film screenings, and special events. We foster long term relationships with artists to create programming that is as diverse, unique, and complex as the community we represent. In 2015, Huffington Post called PFP "A powerful and empowering entity." The company acquired its two performance spaces at 4139 and 4147 N. Broadway in July 2016, renaming the spaces the Pride Arts Center.

Late-Night at the Pride Arts Center announces '26,' Friday nights at 11pm, May 26th through July 14th at The Buena, Pride Arts Center, located at 4147 N Broadway Ave.

Pride Films and Plays' 2016-17 season will include two Chicago premieres of Tony Award nominated shows and two world premieres, Executive Director David Zak and Artistic Director Nelson Rodriguez announced today.

Pride Films and Plays is excited to start its fall season with the world premiere of Resolution, opening October 24 at Rivendell Theater, 5779 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago. Executive Director David Zakand Artistic Director Nelson Rodriguez announced the full cast today. This will be the last PFP production before it opens the Pride Arts Center, 4739 N. Broadway in January. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in character below!

Pride Films and Plays' 2016-17 season will include two Chicago premieres of Tony Award nominated shows and two world premieres, Executive Director David Zak and Artistic Director Nelson Rodriguez announced today.

Pride Films and Plays is excited to start its fall season with the world premiere of Resolution, opening October 24 at Rivendell Theater, 5779 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago. Executive Director David Zak and Artistic Director Nelson Rodriguez announced the full cast today.

After selling out shows across Chicago, "WOZ: A Rock Cabaret," is back by popular demand for five performances only now through July 17, 2016 at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Joining the original cast as the Wizard is Tony Award-nominated actor Andre De Shields, Broadway's original "The Wiz" (1975). The press opening is tonight, July 15 at 7:30 pm. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Joining the original cast as the Wizard is Tony Award-nominated actor Andre De Shields, Broadway's original 'The Wiz' (1975).

Pride Films and Plays, the LGBTQ+ focused company founded in 2010, will take up residence in the two theaters at 4139 and 4147 N. Broadway in Uptown that were recently vacated by Profiles Theatre, Executive Director David Zak announced today. The 90-seat space at 4139 N. Broadway will serve as the primary venue for the company's stage productions and will be named The Broadway. The 50-seat studio a few doors north at 4147 N. Broadway, to be dubbed The Buena, will serve chiefly as a rental venue. Zak says "We will welcome arts groups of all types - theaters, film fests, comics, musicians, performance artists - who share our mission to speak for the underrepresented populations of our community. The Pride Arts Center will be a safe and open place for all artists."

Pride Films and Plays presents a special workshop of the gorgeous new musical A HISTORY OF SUMMER, with music and lyrics by Jonathan Monro and book by Adam Mathias.

After selling out shows across Chicago, 'WOZ: A Rock Cabaret,' is back by popular demand for five performances only from July 14 - 17, 2016 at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Joining the original cast as the Wizard is Tony Award-nominated actor Andre De Shields, Broadway's original 'The Wiz' (1975). Inspired by the beloved film The Wizard of Oz, these Ozians will follow the yellow brick road to the tune of iconic rock anthems from the '80s and '90s. It's like your favorite radio station but better... because it has witches and munchkins! 

 Lake Forest Theatre presents its inaugural season opener, THE SECRET GARDEN, opening June 10 and running through July 2, with the press opening on Friday, June 10, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. Managing Artistic Director Steve Malone will direct the season opener at the newly renovated John & Nancy Hughes Theatre, 400 East Illinois Rd. in downtown Lake Forest. The production will be accompanied by a 15-piece live orchestra.

 Lake Forest Theatre presents its inaugural season opener, THE SECRET GARDEN, opening June 10 and running through July 2, with the press opening on Friday, June 10, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. Managing Artistic Director Steve Malone will direct the season opener at the newly renovated John & Nancy Hughes Theatre, 400 East Illinois Rd. in downtown Lake Forest. The production will be accompanied by a 15-piece live orchestra.

Lake Forest Theatre presents its inaugural season opener, THE SECRET GARDEN, opening June 10 and running through July 2, with a press opening on Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. Managing Artistic Director Steve Malone will direct the season opener at the newly renovated John & Nancy Hughes Theatre, 400 East Illinois Rd. in downtown Lake Forest. The production will be accompanied by a 15-piece live orchestra.

Lake Forest Theatre presents its inaugural season opener, THE SECRET GARDEN, opening June 10 and running through July 2, with a press opening on Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. Managing Artistic Director Steve Malone will direct the season opener at the newly renovated John & Nancy Hughes Theatre, 400 East Illinois Rd. in downtown Lake Forest. The production will be accompanied by a 15-piece live orchestra.

Joining the original cast as the Wizard is Tony Award-nominated actor Andre De Shields, Broadway's original 'The Wiz' (1975).