Goodman Theatre News

Hallmark Channel announces Bruce Boxleitner ('TRON,' 'Babylon 5,' 'Scarecrow and Mrs. King') has been cast as a series regular in Hallmark Channel's first-ever primetime series, 'Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove.' The two-hour drama is set to premiere Saturday, July 20 (8 p.m. ET/PT, 7C), with Boxleitner joining the cast regularly as Bob Beldon, owner of the local Cedar Cove Inn, Thyme and Tide.

Jackalope Theatre Company, in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, presents the world premiere of THE CASUALS, co-written by Chance Bone and Andrew Swanson and directed by Jonathan Berry, playing July 7 - 28, 2013 at The Storefront Theater.

The Village Voice, the nation's first and largest alternative weekly newspaper, welcomes esteemed critic and longtime judge of the awards Michael Feingold as Obie chairman for the 58th Annual Village Voice OBIE Awards, replacing former Chairman Brian Parks who has moved on from The Village Voice.

Directed by Stuart Bousel, Prelude to a Kiss previews tonight, May 17-19, opens May 21, and runs through June 16 at the Gough Street Playhouse.

A plethora of new details about acclaimed director Mary Zimmerman's new stage reimagining of the classic 1967 Disney film THE JUNGLE BOOK have now been released, including a first look at the costumes and information about the score and overall visual inspiration for the new production trying out at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago starting next month.

The Fox Valley Rep Performing Arts Academy welcomes youth who have completed 1st-12th grade to apply for the Academy's first ever talent contest, 'Got Talent?,' sponsored by Delnor Express Care. Submissions are due Friday, June 7, 2013. This contest provides young people with the opportunity to not only showcase their abilities, but to pursue their dreams in the performing arts. The youth attain experience in performing up on-stage in front of an audience and receive critiques of their performance by casting professionals from some of Chicago's biggest theatres and talent agencies. Judges include Casting Director Erica Sartini, Casting Coordinator Laura Durham, and Talent Agent Morgan Manock.

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, presents the Tony Award-winning 2008 Broadway revival version of the hit comedy BOEING-BOEING, previewing June 13, opening Thursday, June 20 at 8 p.m., and running through August 4, 2013. BOEING-BOEING stars Saturday Night Live alum Nora Dunn as"Berthe" (Dunn was Meryl Streep's co-star in the Nancy Meyers film It's Complicated; her TV credits include Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, Private Practice, Psych and Franklin & Bash; and she recently starred in Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron's play Love, Loss and What I Wore at the Broadway Playhouse in Chicago).

Fort Point Theatre Channel presents The Land, a new play written by Jessica Litwak, with Amir al-Azraki. Directed by Marc S. Miller, production design by Anne Loyer. Workshop performances: tonight, May 16-18, Thurs.-Fri. at 8 pm; Sat. 7 & 9 pm.

The Muny announced principal casting for the sixth show of its fantastic 95th Season, Disney and Cameron Mackinstosh's Mary Poppins the Musical, directed by Gary Griffin and choreographed by Alex Sanchez. Mary Poppins the Musical is sponsored by Ameren.

Colt Coeur's Play Hotel reading series will present an industry reading of Laura Jacqmin's Dental Society Midwinter Meeting on Monday, May 20th at 3pm at TheaterLab, 357 West 36th Street, 3rd Floor in Manhattan. Directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt (Recall, Fish Eye, Seven Minutes in Heaven), the cast includes Matt Stadelmann, Katya Campbell (The Big Knife, Broadway), Adam Harrington (HIT-LIT, Queens Theater), Sue Jean Kim (Water By the Spoonful, 2nd Stage), Hubert Point-Dujour (A Map of Virtue, 13P) and Kate Cullen Roberts (Breakfast at Tiffany's, Broadway).

The Boston Theater Critics Association (BTCA) previously announced that Broadway icon Chita Rivera will be the recipient of the 2013 Elliot Norton Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's awards ceremony set for last night, May 13 at the Paramount Center, 559 Washington Street, Boston.

The award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company has exciting shows lined up for its thirty-third season. It includes the usual world premiere ('The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'), a New Jersey premiere ('Lost on the Natchez Trace'), a comedy by a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright ('The Late Christopher Bean'), an American detective joins Holmes in our popular radio-style productions ('Holmes and Carter Mysteries') and our enchanting storytelling holiday show ('Christmas with Harte and O. Henry.') Special events include our standing-room-only Student Workshop Production and A Sunday Film Series that includes incredible silent features with live organ accompaniment. Our performance venue is the historic First Presbyterian Church of Cape May, located at the corner of Decatur and Hughes, between the beach and the Washington Street Mall.

Wayward Productions in association with Chicago Fusion Theatre is pleased to announce the full cast list for the remount of its hit production of William Shakepeare's tragic masterpiece RICHARD III at The Den Theatre.

The Boston Theater Critics Association (BTCA) previously announced that Broadway icon Chita Rivera will be the recipient of the 2013 Elliot Norton Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's awards ceremony set for tonight, May 13 (7pm) at the Paramount Center, 559 Washington Street, Boston.

American Theater Company concludes 2012-2013 Season with a revised remount of Speech & Debate, written by Stephen Karam, and directed by Artistic Director PJ Paparelli. Speech & Debate will run tonight, May 10 - June 23, 2013, at American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St, Chicago, IL. Press opening is Monday, May 13, at 7:00 pm.

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), in association with the Loeb Drama Center, begins performances of the runaway hit of the 2012 Emerging AmericaFestival, Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, in a new adaptation by Sean Graney and Kevin O'Donnell, arranged by Kevin O'Donnell and the Cast. Performances begin tonight, May 10, 2013 with press opening on Wednesday, May 15, and runs through June 2, 2013.

Pivot Arts launches a new celebration of innovative theater, music and dance in unique and often historic spaces from June 6 - 22, 2013 throughout Chicago's Uptown and Edgewater neighborhoods. The inaugural PIVOT MULTI-ARTS FESTIVAL answers the City's call for a reinvigorated Uptown Entertainment District by uniting artists, businesses and local organizations around multidisciplinary "pop-up" performances occurring in a former Vaudeville Theater, an at-one-time Charlie Chaplin film studio and other historic spaces throughout these communities. Tickets are now on sale, with a range of free events and no more than $15 per event. To purchase tickets, and for complete festival information, visit www.pivotarts.org/festival or call 773-609-0782.