Gary Griffin News

Writers' Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce that A Minister's Wife, Writers' Theatre's musical adapted from George Bernard Shaw's Candida, will be produced by Lincoln Center Theater in the 2010-11 season. The original musical was conceived and directed by Michael Halberstam, adapted by Austin Pendleton with music by Joshua Schmidt and lyrics by Jan Tranen. The Lincoln Center production will be directed by Halberstam. Performances begin on Thursday, April 7, 2011 and opens on Thursday, May 5, 2011 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street, New York City).

Writers' Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the final selection for company's 19th season, Travels With My Aunt by Graham Greene, adapted for the stage by Giles Havergal. The production will be directed by Associate Artistic Director Stuart Carden.

Led by the exquisitely voiced Dayna Jarae Dantzler in the pivotal role of Celie, we are taken on a journey of almost 40 years in the lives of Walker's richly drawn characters, to learn the true lessons of life and love. The story is as moving as it has ever been - Walker's novel relates the story of Celie's extraordinary life eloquently and articulately - but the creators of this musical (which earned a whopping 11 Tony Award nominations, winning the top honor for LaChanze's stirring performance as Celie) have re-fashioned the story to make it more palatable for theatre-goers, delivering a version of the story that is easier to follow, while retaining all the epic scope and dramatic possibilities of the original work. Neither is it slavish in its devotion to Stephen Spielberg's fine film version; The Color Purple, 'the musical about love,' obviously tells the same story, but in a different way, offering instead a re-intepretation of Walker's artfully created story set to music and told vividly onstage.

The adventure continues. Eric Rosen has announced his selections for Kansas City Rep's 2010-11 season, his third as the theatre's artistic leader.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre will end its run of the play Broke-ology on March 21 as a part of the Sprint Copaken Stage Series. Written by Nathan Louis Jackson and directed by Kyle Hatley, this family drama will feature Shamika Cotton, Larry Powell, and Postel Pringle.

Today, artistic director of the Writers' Theatre, Michael Halberstam, and executive director Kathryn M. Lipuma, announced the theatre's 2010-2011 season.

Writers' Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the company's 19th season, which includes Joe Masteroff, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's She Loves Me, directed by Michael Halberstam with an all-star Chicago cast; the world premiere of Brett Neveu's Do The Hustle, directed by William Brown; and George Bernard Shaw's Heartbreak House, directed by William Brown.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson announced today the lineup of productions for the 2010/11 Season.

The Chicago Shakespeare Theatre will present a new staging of Noel Coward's PRIVATE LIVES. The play, set in a hotel balcony, will presented in the round in the new staging, by acclaimed Chicago director Gary Griffin. Performances for the production will begin January 6th. The company has added new seating to its Courtyard Theatre in order to accommodate Griffin's idea, adding seats around the proscenium.

Rounding out their 2009-10 smash hit season, Drury Lane Oakbrook presents the 1964 classic Broadway musical comedy FUNNY GIRL.

Dianne Pilkington, currently starring as Glinda in Wicked, will be appearing in The 39 Steps beginning April 26. The comedy will feature Pilkington in the roles of Annabella Schmidt, Pamela and Margaret. Joining her will be David Bark-Jones as Hannay, and Timothy Speyer and Jeremy Swift as Man 1 & 2.

This March the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park will present its inaugural Broadway Luminaries series as part of the Harris Theater Presents 2009-2010 season of world-renowned national and international artists and ensembles. Featuring Broadway legends of script and song, the series features an 'A Life in the Theater' dialogue with composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, Thursday, March 4 at 7:30 pm and an evening with Winnetka native and two-time Tony Award-winning actress and songstress Christine Ebersole, Thursday, March 25 at 7:30 pm.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, Stephen Sondheim, Broadway In Chicago, 'The Addams Family,' 'Fiddler On The Roof,' 'Ragtime,' more.....

Two River Theater Co. will present Neil Simon's Tony nominated romantic comedy: BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, directed by Two River Founder and Executive Producer, Robert M. Rechnitz. Barefoot in the Park runs through Sunday, February 28.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre will be performing Broke-ology February 19th through March 21 as a part of the Sprint Copaken Stage Series. Written by Nathan Louis Jackson and directed by Kyle Hatley, this family drama will feature Shamika Cotton, Larry Powell, and Postel Pringle.

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 Lion King,' 'The Wild Party,' 'Rush Limbaugh,' 'The Ring Cycle,' '13,' Stephen Sondheim, more.....

Two River Theater Co. will present Neil Simon's Tony nominated romantic comedy: BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, directed by Two River Founder and Executive Producer, Robert M. Rechnitz. Barefoot in the Park begins previews on Tuesday, February 9, opens Saturday, February 13, and runs through Sunday, February 28.

Marsha Norman's clever book for the musical version of THE COLOR PURPLE greatly compresses the action of the novel, while also managing to tone down some of its more violent aspects. In combination with a rousing music score by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, which runs the gamut from gospel to blues to swing, it brings Alice Walker's original vision to life in a manner that celluloid wasn't able to capture adequately. A splendid touring company of this production is currently playing the Fox Theatre.

The Broadway smash hit THE COLOR PURPLE, The Musical about Love, will play its final show at Fox Theatre on February 7.

The final performance for Colombia Stages' 'Black Snow' will be held on February 6, 2010.