Ethan Deppe News

 Griffin Theatre Company has announced its 28th Season, kicking off this fall with the Midwest premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's heartbreaking comedy POCATELLO, directed by ensemble member Jonathan Berry (Punk Rock, Balm in Gilead). Next winter, Griffin presents the Midwest premiere of British playwright John Van Druten's romantic drama LONDON WALL, directed by recent Jeff Award-winner and ensemble member Robin Witt (Men Should Weep, Flare Path). The season concludes next summer with the Chicago debut of the off-Broadway hit BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL with book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming, music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe, direction by Scott Weinstein, who helmed Griffin's hit musical Titanic, and music direction by Ethan Deppe.

Aurora's Paramount Theatre, wower of audiences and critics this season with consecutive smash hits CATS, Mary Poppins and The Who's Tommy, is closing its 2014-15 Broadway Series with Les Miserables, one of the greatest musicals of all time, March 18-April 26, 2015.

You're not dreaming a dream. Aurora's Paramount Theatre, wower of audiences and critics this season with consecutive smash hits CATS, Mary Poppins and The Who's Tommy, is closing its 2014-15 Broadway Series with Les Miserables, one of the greatest musicals of all time, March 18-April 26, 2015.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces today the casting and creative team for William Shakespeare's riveting odyssey Pericles, staged by CST veteran director David H. Bell and featuring Stratford Festival company member Ben Carlson in the title role.

David Yazbek has shown himself to be a Broadway composer-lyricist to be reckoned with, after a splashy debut with 2000's "The Full Monty," and a meaningful follow-up with 2005's "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." Both film adaptations, they won Drama Desk Awards for him, as well as Tony nominations. 2010's "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown", also a film adaptation, was Tony-nominated for its score as well, though it suffered a truncated run of only 69 performances. Theatre at the Center in the Chicago suburb of Munster, Indiana, is the location for the show's world regional premiere.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces today full casting, as well as six American Sign Language (ASL) Duo-interpreted performances for this year's Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, touring FREE FOR ALL to eighteen neighborhood parks across Chicago, July 18-August 17, 2014. Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks galvanizes communities by giving Chicagoans of all ages direct access to their city's cultural resources. This citywide summer tradition is made possible by a partnership between Chicago Shakespeare, the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District and Boeing. For the first time in the history of Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks, CST offers ASL Duo-interpreted performances as part of the Theater's continued commitment to Access Shakespeareprogramming.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Read about the EIGHT new musicals from Broadway In Chicago, the BIC Millennium Park concert, extensions for 'Days Like Today' and 'Avenue Q,' new work from Kokandy and New Colony, 'Caged Dames,' 'Myths And Hymns,' two films in downtown Aurora and Petterino's in downtown Chicago!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream, a 75-minute abridged production of William Shakespeare's whimsical comedy of misplaced young passions and magical mischief.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream, a 75-minute abridged production of William Shakespeare's whimsical comedy of misplaced young passions and magical mischief. Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream will be performed for the public Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. from February 22 to March 22 in CST's Courtyard Theater. After each performance, the actors remain on stage for a brief question-and-answer session, before joining the audience in the Lobby for one-on-one conversations and photo opportunities. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces casting for Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream, a 75-minute abridged production of William Shakespeare's whimsical comedy of misplaced young passions and magical mischief. This new adaptation by Jeff Award-winning director David H. Bell provides a quality, family-friendly introduction to Shakespeare with special opportunities for audiences to interact with the actors at every performance. In addition to public performances each Saturday, this production will welcome 1,000 students each day to the Theater's home on Navy Pier during its five-week run in the Courtyard Theater, followed by a tour to schools across the Midwest. Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream will be performed for the public Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. from February 22 to March 22 in CST's Courtyard Theater. After each performance, the actors remain on stage for a brief question-and-answer session, before joining the audience in the Lobby for one-on-one conversations and photo opportunities.

Theatre at the Center celebrates the holidays by bringing audiences an endearing combination of a treasured tale and soaring music by a Disney musical genius, A Christmas Carol: The Musical. Composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin) infuses the Charles Dickens holiday classic with music the whole family will cherish. Full of cheer for all ages, A Christmas Carol: The Musical opened November 14 and runs through December 22 at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster. Scroll down for photos from the opening night celebrations!

With the debut of their all-musical 2014 season, Kokandy Productions announces itself as Chicago's newest non-Equity musical theater company, dedicated to producing high-stakes musical theater pieces that authentically mine the emotional truth of the human experience and explore complex, challenging themes.

Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, continues their 2013-2014 season with a revival of one of Broadway's most popular rock musicals, GODSPELL. The groundbreaking production based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew runs now through October 20. Featuring a sparkling score by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), and an energetic book by original director John-Michael Tebelak, GODSPELL is the upbeat retelling of a series of biblical parables. The production is directed and choreographed by Stacey Flaster, with a press opening on Sunday, September 15 at 7:00 p.m. Scroll down for photos from opening night!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Oklahoma!' opens, a new 'Porgy,' a one-night 'Tommy,' improvised Sondheim, Darren Criss, 'The Jungle Book' has been cast, two new revues, my Tony perspective and more!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet, a 75-minute abridged production of Shakespeare's tragedy of true love found-and tragically lost, adapted and staged by Jeff Award-winning director and Chicagoan of the Year in Theater Rachel Rockwell. Providing a quality, family-friendly introduction to Shakespeare on Saturday mornings from February 23 to March 23, 2013, the cast of Rockwell's production includes Chicago actors Christopher Allen and Laura Rook, who make their CST debuts in the title roles. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announced today casting for Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet, a 75-minute abridged production of Shakespeare's tragedy of true love found-and tragically lost, adapted and staged by Jeff Award-winning director and Chicagoan of the Year in Theater Rachel Rockwell. Providing a quality, family-friendly introduction to Shakespeare on Saturday mornings from February 23 to March 23, 2013, the cast of Rockwell's production includes Chicago actors Christopher Allen and Laura Rook, who make their CST debuts in the title roles.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The pre-Broadway 'Big Fish,' a 'Fela!' tour, some long-running shows extend, Theo Ubique lights up the winter, Glencoe's 'Sweet Charity' jazz club, 'Lady Day,' two 'Grand Night' revues and more!

The musical "Forever Plaid," created in 1990 by writer/director Stuart Ross and the late musical director/arranger James Raitt (cousin to John and Bonnie), was and is a perennially popular staple of regional theaters looking for a small-cast, upbeat and moving musical to satisfy audiences of a certain age (meaning my parents, and your grandparents).

The hilarious holiday musical sequel to the record-breaking FOREVER PLAID, PLAID TIDINGS, entertains Theatre at the Center audiences now through December 23 at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster. The production opened last night, November 18th. Check out photos from the celebration below!

In a vision reminiscent of Monty Python, Samuel Beckett, Franz Kafka and Joseph Heller, Vitalist Theatre, in association with DCA Theater, presents the U.S.A. premiere of The Ghost is Here, the story of an alarming and preposterous con-artist promoting a grim scam: selling the dead.