Goodman Theatre News

'Sunday in the Park with George,' a Pulitzer Prize winning musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, begins performances today, July 24, 2013 at Peninsula Players Theatre, America's oldest professional resident summer theater and Door County, Wisconsin's theatrical icon. 'Sunday in the Park with George' has a three week run with performances Tuesday through Sunday through August 11, 2013.

The Elegy Project has announced the Chicago premiere of Elegy, October 31 - December 1, written by Ron Hirsen and directed by Dennis Zacek at the Richard Christiansen Theater at Victory Gardens Biograph, 2433 Lincoln Ave.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater announced casting today for I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett, the first production to open The Rep's 60th Anniversary 2013/14 Season, Venus in Fur, coming to the Stiemke Studio in late September, Forever Plaid, opening at the end of October in the Stackner Cabaret and Noises Off, the second production in the Quadracci Powerhouse this season.

The American Theatre Critic's Association announces the election of veteran Chicago theater critic Jonathan Abarbanel as Chair of the American Theatre Critics Association, at the conclusion of the Association's 40th annual conference on July 20, 2013, held this year in Shepherdstown, WV. He will serve a one-year term as Chair of the Association's nine-member executive committee and may be re-elected for up to two more years.

Playing at 99% of capacity and poised to become the best selling musical in Goodman Theatre history, The Jungle Book recently extended by popular demand through August 18-marking the first time that three extension weeks have been added to a production in the Goodman's home on Dearborn Street. Now the show's success in Chicago might mean more productions internationally for the new Disney musical, however similarities to The Lion King might keep it from Broadway for a while.

It's Saturday, and that means it's time for BroadwayWorld's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' round-up. Today's photos feature a last SIP from THE FANTASTICKS' Daniel Rowan ?and Ali Ewoldt before they head off to The Muny, the cast of KINKY BOOTS anticipating the royal baby, MATILDA, THE BOOK OF MORMON and more staying cool backstage, Goodman Theatre's THE JUNGLE BOOK channeling Comic-Con, and a Stratford Festival FIDDLER ON THE ROOF calendar, plus pics from PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, THE NANCE, SOUL DOCTOR, TOP HAT, JERSEY BOYS and lots of regional shows!

Goodman Theatre presents four free staged readings of new plays developed in the Playwrights Unit, a season-long residency program for local writers who meet twice monthly with members of the theater's artistic staff to discuss their plays in progress. Out of this process emerges four brand new plays, which appear in FREE staged readings: Sleeping with the Prince of Darkness: The Imagined Pillow Talk of FBI Agent John O'Neill by Greg Allen (July 20 at 7:30pm); F(law)less by christopher oscar peña (July 21 at 2:30pm); Prowess by Ike Holter (July 21 at 7:30pm); and Ninth Man Out by Alice Austen (August 16 at 7:30pm).

Producers Daryl Roth and Eva Price announced today that Sebastian Arcelus, Fred Dalton Thompson (in his Broadway debut), and John Douglas Thompson will star in the new Broadway courtroom drama A Time to Kill, Tony Award-winning playwright Rupert Holmes' stage adaptation of John Grisham's best-selling novel. This new Broadway play holds the distinction of being the first-ever John Grisham property to be adapted for the stage. A Time to Kill is set to open on Broadway on October 20, 2013 at the John Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street). Previews begin September 28th. Ethan McSweeny will direct. The remainder of the high-powered ensemble cast of 13 will be announced shortly. For more information, visit www.ATimeToKillOnBroadway.com.

"Sunday in the Park with George," a Pulitzer Prize winning musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, begins performances July 24, 2013 at Peninsula Players Theatre, America's oldest professional resident summer theater and Door County, Wisconsin's theatrical icon. "Sunday in the Park with George"" has a three week run with performances Tuesday through Sunday through August 11, 2013.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola has announced that Fetch Clay, Make Man, written by Will Power and directed by Des McAnuff, will begin performances Friday, August 23 at NYTW, 79 East 4 Street, between Bowery and Second Avenue. Opening night is set for Thursday, September 12 at 7pm. Fetch Clay, Make Man is scheduled to run through Sunday, October 13; tickets are on sale now.

TimeLine Theatre Company, dedicated to presenting plays inspired by history that connect to today's social and political issues, has finalized casting for three of the four productions of its 2013-14 season, as the company embarks upon its most ambitious season ever with major revivals (A Raisin in the Sun, The Normal Heart and the musical Juno), a new play (The How and the Why), and a pioneering partnership with the Chicago Commercial Collective and Broadway In Chicago to remount a previous hit show (To Master the Art).

The newly-formed Goodman Innovation Group unites top-tier entrepreneurs with young theater leaders in a collective that injects the start-up mentality into the business of the theater. The 20-member group was developed by Patricia Cox, Goodman Life Trustee and Immediate Past Chairman, along with Chicago entrepreneur Genevieve Thiers, as an opportunity to share ideas between the established non-profit arts organization and Chicago's brand new companies. The goals of the group are to engage young entrepreneurs in the vision, values and programs of Goodman Theatre; create professional development opportunities for the next generation of theater leaders; and identify initiatives emphasizing new technologies and further insights that advance the Goodman's mission and priorities.

By popular demand, Albany Park Theater Project (APTP) remounts its smash hit production, Home/Land, in a limited summer run at Goodman Theatre, concluding the 2013 Latino Theatre Festival.

"Remixing the March," Goodman Theatre's year-long commemoration of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, continues this summer: youth participants in General Theater Studies (GTS) combine talents with senior citizens of the GeNarrations writing program to create a performance piece that views the historic event through a contemporary lens. As part of the annual GTS six-week summer program (through August 12), 80 teenage participants initiate discussions with GeNarrations participants about their recollections of the March, including Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech. From these interviews, the students blend their own stories into an original performance piece to be presented almost 50 years to the day.

Goodman Theatre continues its partnership with Chicago Public Library by presenting Stage Chemistry lessons at select branches, as part of each location's ongoing programming. These sessions are a part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's "Summer of Learning" (through August 10), which encourages young people to participate in activities focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). The Stage Chemistry lessons focus on the physics of lighting in the Goodman's production of The Jungle Book (now through August 18).

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Spelling Bee,' 'The Bee Gees,' 'The Jungle Book' and 'Phantom' extend, 'Cabaret,' 'Uptown Opera' the Aguilars in 'Double Trouble,' 'Elf' and more!

Join a live studio audience on the set of a '70s-style sitcom as The Inconvenience, The New Colony and the University of Chicago's Theater and Performance Studies Program team up to co-produce the world premiere of B-SIDE STUDIO, co-written by Inconvenience Resident Writer Ike Holter and New Colony Co-Artistic Director Evan Linder and directed by Nicholas J. Carroll, Andrew Hobgood and Gus Menary. B-SIDE STUDIO is performed on Fridays and Saturdays at 9/8c (that's 8 pm in Chicago, meathead!) from September 13 - October 12, 2013 at The Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. in Chicago. The press performances are Friday, September 13 at 8 pm and Saturday, September 14 at 8 pm.