Goodman Theatre News

The Chicago theater community will present a wide variety of festive plays, musicals, dance and concert offerings this Holiday season.

Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern announced today that Antoinette Nwandu (PASS OVER) is the recipient of Vineyard Theatre's 2017-2018 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award.

The critically acclaimed new Broadway musical THE BAND'S VISIT opens tonight, November 9, 2017, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). Get ready for tonight's official bows and scroll down to learn more about the company, plus watch highlights from the show!

The Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) announces the cast and creative team for Hamlet, directed by STC Artistic Director Michael Kahn and featuring acclaimed actor Michael Urie as the tortured Danish prince. Shakespeare's most celebrated tragedy will run January 16-February 25, 2018 at Sidney Harman Hall.

The gala 49th Annual Equity Jeff Awards held at Drury Lane Oakbrook on Monday, November 6, celebrated a season of outstanding productions.

Tragedy meets hilarity and King Lear gets a happy ending in a madcap musical romp la Mel Brooks and Monty Python. Open Fist Theatre Companyrevives its smash hit production of deLEARious, an award-winning play-within-a-play by Second City'sRon West and composer Phil Swann. West directs for a Nov. 10 opening at Atwater Village Theatre, where performances will continue through Dec. 16. Pay-what-you-want previews begin Nov. 3.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the second extension of Billy Elliot the Musical through Sunday, Dec. 31. Billy Elliot the Musical with music by Elton John and book and lyrics by Lee Hall is directed and co-choreographed by Porchilght Artistic Associate Brenda Didier, with Co-Choreographer Craig V. Miller and music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Linda Madonia at Porchlght's new home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. The current and extendsion performance schedule is included below.

With only a few tickets remaining for its original run, Steep Theatre has added four more performances of The Invisible Hand. This powerful play has fascinated audiences and critics alike. The Invisible Hand will run through Saturday, November 18.

Last night, Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang presented the 2017 Kesselring Prize to rising young playwright Lauren Yee at the National Arts Club. Ms. Yee earned the Kesselring for her play THE GREAT LEAP, to be produced this season by Denver Center, Seattle Rep and Atlantic Theater Company.

National Arts Club announces that a cast of 7 distinguished actors will comprise the cast for the reading of plays by Lauren Yee when the rising young playwright receives the 2017 Kesselring Prize on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 4 pm at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South

Jackalope Theatre Company in collaboration with the Chicago Inclusion Project presents CIRCLE UP!, a collection of new play readings fresh to Chicago. Set in JTC's Frontier venue at 1106 W Thorndale, CIRCLE UP! is dedicated to amplifying diverse stories of scope and providing safe harbor for evolving work. Each reading includes a post-show discussion, encouraging our audience to share and engage with the play over drinks and light fare. Bring your friends, bring your enemies, arrive with interest, leave with questions...

Children's Theatre Company (CTC) in partnership with Penumbra Theatre will present The Wiz, adapted from L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Steve Abrams and Kicky Productions announce that a brand new cabaret-concert, Lettin' the Good Times Roll featuring the dynamic duo, E. Faye Butler, Felicia P. Fields and a host of renowned musicians in a very special limited engagement for 9 performances at The Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago.

The new Broadway musical, War Paint, which stars Broadway legends and two-time Tony Award winners Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole together for the first time, plays its final performance today, November 5, 2017, after 236 regular and 33 preview performances.

The hilarious hit from comedy giant The Second City returns to The Armory for another year of holiday jeer. The Second City's A Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens, written by Emmy Award-winners Peter Gwinn and Bobby Mort, begins preview performances on the U.S. Bank Main Stage on December 5; opens on December 8; and runs through December 31.

S.U.C.K. (Stand Up Comedy Klub), returns to The Mockingbird Bar in the East Village with a performance on Friday, November 17 at 8:00 pm.

Following its hit production of MACHINAL, Greenhouse Theater Center is pleased to continue its 2017-18 season with the return of best-selling author Laurence Leamer's critically acclaimed drama ROSE. After a sold-out run during last season's Solo Celebration! Series, celebrated Chicago actress Linda Reiter reprises her Joseph Jefferson nominated performance as matriarch Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy in this intimate piece directed by Steve Scott. ROSE will play January 12 March 11, 2018 at the Greenhouse Theater Center (Downstairs Main Stage), 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Single tickets go on sale Monday, November 13, 2017 at greenhousetheater.org, in person at the box office or by calling (773) 404-7336. Season Flex passes are also available. The press opening is Monday, January 15, 2018 at 7:30 pm.

San Francisco Playhouse (Artistic Director Bill English; Producing Director Susi Damilano) announced casting for the second show of its 2017-18 Mainstage Season A Christmas Story: The Musical. With music and lyrics by Tony- and Oscar-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land) and a book by Joseph Robinette, A Christmas Story is based on the classic 1983 film of the same name. Susi Damilano will direct.

Lincoln Center Theater is bringing the critically-acclaimed, Drama Desk and Obie award-winning production of The Wolves, a new play by Sarah DeLappe, directed by Lila Neugebauer, to the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater this fall. Previews begin tonight, November 1 at 8pm.

The United States premiere of Pine, by Jacqui Honess-Martin, directed by Arianna Soloway, December 1 - 10 in the outdoor Christmas Tree lot at Uncommon Ground Edgewater, 1401 W. Devon Ave. The press opening is Friday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.