Erik Pearson News

Intermountain Opera Bozeman has announced its casting for their 2022-2023 season. This follows a landmark 2021-2022 season in which the London-based Opera Now magazine reviewed IOB as 'a small but thriving opera company that is not constrained by convention.'

The Holiday Hootenanny Radio Hour is pleased to announce Nick Thornton's heart warming new radio play CRICKET ON THE MANTLE, with music directed and arranged by Mike Mazzocca, as its inaugural presentation. All proceeds from this pay what you will production will go to benefit the Chicago chapter of American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER).

Cutting Ball Theater's signature festival returns in the 2018/2019 Season, marking the 20th anniversary of the company's founding. The Cutting Ball Variety Pack - called 'half shindig, half artistic salon' by Artistic Director Ariel Craft - is an eleven-day festival dedicated to exploration and collaboration, featuring directorial shorts, new play workshops, and roundtable readings. The Cutting Ball Variety Pack offers an eclectic array of programming with particular delights for the creatively curious from November 8 through November 18. Tickets to festival offerings cost $15 each and all-festival passes costs $30 each. Admission includes a free drink at Cutting Ball's bar.

Refuge Theater Project is proud to announce the cast and production team for its first production in its 2018 - 2019 season, The Last Session, October 26 - December 2, book by Jim Brochu, with music and lyrics by Steve Schalchlin, additional lyrics by John Bettis and Marie Cain directed by Refuge Theatre Project's Artistic Director Christopher Pazdernik and music directed by Erik Pearson. The Last Session runs  Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. at Atlas Art Studio, 4809 N Ravenswood Ave. Previews are Friday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. with opening/press night Sunday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. There are two additional performances Monday, Nov. 12 and 26 at 8 p.m. Preview tickets are $15, regular run tickets are $30 each and available at RefugeTheatre.com.

Cutting Ball Theater's signature festival returns in the 2018/2019 Season, marking the 20th anniversary of the company's founding. The Cutting Ball Variety Pack - called 'half shindig, half artistic salon' by Artistic Director Ariel Craft - is an eleven-day festival dedicated to exploration and collaboration, featuring directorial shorts, new play workshops, and roundtable readings. The Cutting Ball Variety Pack offers an eclectic array of programming with particular delights for the creatively curious from November 8 through November 18. Tickets to festival offerings cost $15 each and all-festival passes costs $30 each. Admission includes a free drink at Cutting Ball's bar.

Refuge Theater Project is proud to announce the cast and production team for its first production in its 2018 - 2019 season, The Last Session

Due to popular demand, Underscore Theatre Company, in association with Theater Wit, is pleased to announce two additional weeks of performances of its hit musical HAYMARKET, extending through Sunday, September 16, 2018 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago.

Following a successful five-week run at The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage, Underscore Theatre Company, in association with Theater Wit is pleased to announce a transfer and extension of its hit musical HAYMARKET, the true story of Chicago's infamous Haymarket riot. HAYMARKET will play an additional four weeks of performances featuring the full original cast from August 3 - September 2, 2018 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago.

Underscore Theatre and The Den Theatre are pleased to present an all-new staging of the Jeff Award-nominated Best New Musical HAYMARKET (formerly Haymarket: The Anarchist's Songbook) the true story of Chicago's infamous Haymarket massacre. With book, music and lyrics by Alex Higgin-Houser and David Kornfeld, the actors accompany themselves to the stirring folk-infused score. Having spent the last two years workshopping the show, the authors alongside director Nick Thornton and musical director Robert Ollis have crafted an all-new theatrical experience - creating new songs, overhauling the book, and like the union workers from the show, building on a strong foundation.

Playwrights Foundation announces the plays and playwrights of the 2018 Bay Area Playwrights Festival (BAPF) running July 20-29, 2018 at Potrero Stage, 1895 18th St in San Francisco. The Artistic Teams for #BAPF2018 features Directors Erik Pearson, Christine Young, Margo Hall, Daniel Banks, Lauren English, and Ken Savage. Dramaturgs joining the teams include Alex Mallory, Maddie Gaw, Lisa Evans, Vidhu Singh, Roweena Mackay, and the Legendary Nakissa Etemad.

Underscore Theatre and The Den Theatre are pleased to present an all-new staging of the Jeff Award-nominated Best New Musical HAYMARKET (formerly Haymarket: The Anarchist's Songbook) the true story of Chicago's infamous Haymarket massacre. With book, music and lyrics by Alex Higgin-Houser and David Kornfeld, the actors accompany themselves to the stirring folk-infused score. Having spent the last two years workshopping the show, the authors alongside director Nick Thornton and musical director Robert Ollis have crafted an all-new theatrical experience - creating new songs, overhauling the book, and like the union workers from the show, building anew.

Nell Benjamin's comedy THE EXPLORERS CLUB is a spoof of all those bold Victorian adventurers who ravaged foreign lands and annihilated indigenous cultures in the name of science. It's London 1879 and the prestigious Explorers Club is in crisis: a brilliant, beautiful woman who has discovered a legendary Lost City wants to join, but letting her in might shake the very foundations of the British Empire! THE EXPLORERS CLUB, which enjoyed a successful run off-Broadway in 2013, was honored with awards including the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play, the Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award, and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant.

Underscore Theatre and The Den Theatre are pleased to announce casting for an all-new staging of the Jeff Award-nominated Best New Musical HAYMARKET (formerly Haymarket: The Anarchist's Songbook), the true story of Chicago's infamous Haymarket massacre. With book, music and lyrics by Alex Higgin-Houser and David Kornfeld, the actors accompany themselves to the stirring folk-infused score. Having spent the last two years workshopping the show, the authors alongside director Nick Thornton and music director Robert Ollis have crafted an all-new theatrical experience - creating new songs, overhauling the book, and like the union workers from the show, building anew.

Hennepin Theatre Trust will launch its tenth round of Made Here with Avenues: Made Here on Wednesday, June 20. Avenues: Made Here commemorates and reflects upon the last five years of Made Here by showcasing a collection of previous Made Here artists that have participated since its inception in 2013.

Citadel Theatre will follow up their Jeff-recommended production of SEX WITH STRANGERS with Nell Benjamin's comedy THE EXPLORERS CLUB - a spoof of all those bold Victorian adventurers who ravaged foreign lands and annihilated indigenous cultures in the name of science. It's London 1879 and the prestigious Explorers Club is in crisis: a brilliant, beautiful woman who has discovered a legendary Lost City wants to join, but letting her in might shake the very foundations of the British Empire! THE EXPLORERS CLUB, which enjoyed a successful run off-Broadway in 2013, was honored with awards including the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play, the Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award, and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant.

Underscore Theatre Company is pleased to present its 4th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL, created to showcase and support the growing field of musical theatre creators from Chicago and beyond. This year's Festival, featuring full productions of seven new musicals plus two staged readings, will play February 5 - 25, 2018 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Each full production will receive at least four performances during the Festival. Single tickets are currently available at www.cmtf.org. The press "Sneak Preview," featuring a sampling of songs from the 2018 Festival, is Monday, February 5 at 8 pm.

Underscore Theatre Company is pleased to present its 4th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL, created to showcase and support the growing field of musical theatre creators from Chicago and beyond. This year's Festival, featuring full productions of seven new musicals plus two staged readings, will play February 6 16, 2018 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Each full production will receive at least four performances during the Festival. Single tickets are currently available at www.cmtf.org. The press Sneak Preview, featuring a sampling of songs from the 2018 Festival, is Monday, February 5 at 8 pm.

Over my three and a half years in college thus far, I have been constantly asked: what is your favorite part about working in the theatre industry? As a lighting designer when that question gets presented I would quickly start thinking about the specific details about my job that I enjoy.

Joining founders Jeff Kazor and Lisa Berman and long-time member Erik Pearson  (composer of the Crooked Jades tune featured by Sean Penn in his 2007 film "Into The Wild") will be important former members of what some now call the Crooked Jades collective.

Hennepin Theatre Trust will launch Represent: Made Here, sponsored by Andersen Windows, with a free, public celebration at Marin Restaurant & Bar (901 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis) on Thursday, June 2 from 5 to 8 p.m. This will be the sixth round of Made Here window displays in WeDo-the West Downtown Minneapolis Cultural District.