Emma Rosenthal News

Liberty: A Monumental New Musical plays at 42West (514 West 42nd) and will celebrate its opening on July 4th, 2016. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Chicagoland theater world showed its strength last night, when the musical productions "American Idiot," "Billy Elliot" and "Les Miserables," and plays like "Direct from Death Row the Scottsboro Boys" and "The Glass Protege," took home top honors at the sixth annual BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration, held from 7-10 pm at The Call nightclub in the Andersonville neighborhood.

Happy Holidays! It's the last week to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Time is running out to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Voting is fully underway for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 11. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

It's the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Award Nominations! [TITLE OF SHOW] and DIRECT FROM DEATH ROW... Lead the Field of 180 Nominees. 86 productions from 55 theaters receive nominations in 36 categories. Voting open through New Year's Eve!

Drury Lane has announced the cast and creative team for the regional premiere of the Tony-nominated Peter and the Starcatcher, directed by Jeff Award-winner and Drury Lane Artistic Director William Osetek. Hailed as "astonishing" (The New Yorker) and "an absurdly funny fantastical journey," (Entertainment Weekly), Peter and the Starcatcher answers the question of how Peter Pan became "The Boy Who Never Grew Up." Complete with an all-Chicago cast, a company of twelve actors portray over one hundred characters throughout this captivating coming-of-age tale of one of literature's most beloved stories. Peter and the Starcatcher, with a book by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson and based on the 2004 play by Rick Elice, runs August 27 - October 18, 2015. Opening Night is set for Thursday, September 3 at 8pm.

This week at 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars! Well after Broadway orchestras begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including: Daniel Quadrino at 54 Below; Spring & Summer: Spring Awakening Cast Reunion; Seth Sikes Sings Judy Garland on Her Birthday; Michele Lee: Nobody Does It Like Me, The Music of Cy Coleman; and Liberty: A New Musical Cast Album Release.

Broadway Records announced today that the Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording of Liberty: A Monumental New Musical, will be released on CD and digitally on Tuesday, May 5th. It is now available for pre-order on the Broadway Records website at http://www.broadwayrecords.com/cds/liberty as well as on Amazon.com and other select retailers.

WEST SIDE STORY is now officially the fastest-selling production in Drury Lane Theatre's 30 year history. The highly-anticipated musical runs now through March 29. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, is kicking off the New Year with WEST SIDE STORY, the revolutionary Tony Award-winning production that forever changed American musical theater. Experience the passion, drama and heart-pounding excitement of WEST SIDE STORY like never before. The production is currently in previews and opens January 22, running through March 22. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, is kicking off the New Year with WEST SIDE STORY, the revolutionary Tony Award-winning production that forever changed American musical theater. Experience the passion, drama and heart-pounding excitement of WEST SIDE STORY like never before. The production previews January 15, opens January 22 and runs through March 22.

Producers Theresa Wozunk (The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess) and Timothy J. Harper announced today that 14 year-old actress, Abigail Shapiro (How the Grinch Stole Christmas) will play the title role in Liberty: A Monumental New Musical. Directed by Evan Pappas, the new musical will play a limited seven-week engagement at Theatre 80 (80 St. Marks Place) Tuesday, October 14 through Tuesday, November 25, 2014. Tickets are now on sale.

Producers Theresa Wozunk and Timothy J. Harper announced today that 14 year-old actress, Abigail Shapiro will play the title role in Liberty: A Monumental New Musical. Directed by Evan Pappas, the new musical will play a limited seven-week engagement at Theatre 80 (80 St. Marks Place) Tuesday, October 14 through Tuesday, November 25, 2014. Tickets are now on sale.

Porchlight Music Theatre begins its 20th Anniversary season with a benefit concert, Chicago Sings Disney featuring the music created by the Walt Disney Studios, Monday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. at Mayne Stage, 1328 West Morse Ave. The evening includes a thrilling roster of Chicago's top theatre artists performing familiar Disney classics and nostalgic treasures, a silent auction, cash bar and complimentary desserts at intermission, generously provided by Bespoke Cuisine. General admission tickets are $50 in advance and $65 at the door. VIP Tickets are available for $100, which includes a pre-show reception and premier reserved seating. Tickets may be ordered at773.777.9884 or porchlightmusictheatre.org. Proceeds from this concert benefit Porchlight productions and educational programs at The School at Porchlight.

Casting is complete and rehearsals begin May 20 for Goodman Theatre's new production of Brigadoon-Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's big, beautiful and beguiling song and dance fantasy. Chicago director/choreographer Rachel Rockwell, hailed as a "brilliant, insightful, mistress-of-grand-scale musicals" (Chicago Sun-Times) and named "2012 Chicagoan of the Year" by the Chicago Tribune, makes her Goodman debut. Brigadoon runs June 27 - August 3 in the Albert Theatre (opening night is Monday, July 7). Tickets ($25 - $93; subject to change) are on sale now, available atGoodmanTheatre.org/Brigadoon, by phone at 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 North Dearborn). JPMorgan Chase is the Major Corporate Sponsor. Allstate Insurance Company and PwC are Corporate Sponsor Partners. Towers Watson is the Opening Night Sponsor. Chicago Tribune is the Media Partner. A full performance calendar follows.