James Lea News

Love is in the air at Joe's Pub! Excited for Valentine's Day? Check out Stew & Heidi of The Negro Problem: Black History Valentine's Day Month (Feb. 5), Brown Girls Burlesque: Love Got Game - Valentine's Edition (Feb. 12), and Isaac Oliver Is Your Valentine (Feb. 13). Hate Valentine's Day? Then, Lea DeLaria: f**k Love is your ticket (Feb. 14). Indifferent to Valentine's Day? See Barb Jungr: Bob, Brel and Me (Feb. 14 & 15). Also, for the love of music and performance, don't miss Southern Avenue's soul/blues/R&B fusion (Feb. 5), The Loser's Lounge: The Rat Pack - Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and More (Feb. 6-8), Celtic legends Genticorum (Feb. 9), renown soul singer Morgan James (Feb. 9), celebrated feminist comic Jaime Loftus (Feb. 10), game changing singer-songwriter-guitarist FLAX (Feb. 11), an exploration of early Dolly Parton with Nath Ann Carrera (Feb. 12), mesmerizing soul performances at Xavier and Friends: Ladies Of Soul Tribute - Special Chaka Khan Edition (Feb. 13), and raucous live music with rib-tickling storytelling from the award winning MESHELLE (Feb. 15).

American Blues Theater continues its 2017-2018 Season with the Chicago premiere of Steve Murray's This Wonderful Life and directed by Ensemble member Carmen Roman, starring Founding Ensemble Member James Leaming. This Wonderful Life runs November 2-26, 2017 at The Edge Theater, 5451 N Broadway in Chicago. The official press opening is November 5, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.

American Blues Theater continues its 2017-2018 Season with the Chicago premiere of Steve Murray's This Wonderful Life and directed by Ensemble member Carmen Roman, starring Founding Ensemble Member James Leaming. This Wonderful Life runs November 2-26, 2017 at The Edge Theater, 5451 N Broadway in Chicago. The official press opening is November 5, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.

Leading immersive and digital performance innovators ZU-UK have announced a season of developed works and prototype performances that use binaural sound and interactive performance to explore playful, unexpected and meaningful interactions between strangers in public spaces.

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the lineup for its 2017 - 2018 Season, 'The Beat Goes On.'

The Third Annual Chicago Theater Bike Ride: Love Hard, a 501(c)(3) organization, will benefit The Actors Fund, a nationwide human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment (www.actorsfund.org), and TheEmergency Aid Fund, which has assisted community members with funeral and apartment fire expenses with proceeds from the first two Rides.

Urban Stages' Board of Directors and founding artistic director Frances Hill presented the 2017 Urban Stages' Lifetime Achievement Award to Oscar, Emmy and Tony Award-winning legendary set and costume designer Tony Walton.  The celebrated Broadway, TV and film star,  Melissa Errico, ("Billions", My Fair Lady, High Society, Encores' Do I Hear a Waltz?), presented the award to her mentor and close friend, Tony Waltonat the annual benefit at the Boathouse in Central Park. 

American Blues Theater opens its 2017-2018 Season with the Chicago Premiere of Beauty's Daughter by Dael Orlandersmith, directed by Ron OJ Parson, and Artistic Affiliate Wandachristine. Beauty's Daughter runs July 7 - August 5, 2017 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago.  The official press opening is Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity Ensemble, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the 2017 Blue Ink Playwriting Festival. 

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts announced today that James A. Rocco has decided to step down from his role as Vice President of Programming and Producing Artistic Director to pursue his freelance career. After more than a decade of remarkable service to the Ordway, Mr. Rocco's departure date is planned for December 22, 2017.

American Blues Theater opens its 2017-2018 Season with the Chicago Premiere of Beauty's Daughter by Dael Orlandersmith and directed by Ron OJ Parson. Beauty's Daughter runs July 7 - August 5, 2017 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago.  The official press opening is Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity Ensemble, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, hosts 2017 Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival on Tuesday, May 2, 2017.

The Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center will celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month in April with Broadway in Leimert Park, 27 performances beginningSaturday with Charles Wright, the writer and vocalist of the iconic 'Express Yourself' with the Watts 103rd Street Band, joining Emmy-nominated jazz and blues singer Morrison for a concert that begins at 7 p.m.

American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity Ensemble, announces the appointment of the theater's new Managing Director, Claude Binder. He will begin his tenure at American Blues Theater today, March 6, 2017.

Part of the MA Contemporary Performance Practices programme but open to the wider public, ZU-UK are hosting a series of four free talks exploring the role of artists today. Topics the talks will cover include how to lead from outside the mainstream, how leadership can be representative of diverse opinions, and how to make art with those of differing opinions.

American Blues Theater continues its 2016-2017 Season with the Chicago Premiere of The Columnist by David Auburn and directed by Keira Fromm. The Columnist runs February 17 - April 9, 2017 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.  The official press opening is Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the lineup for its 2017 - 2018 Season, 'The Beat Goes On.'

American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity Ensemble, under the continued leadership of Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, has named Idris Goodwin the winner of the 2017 National Blue Ink Playwriting Award. Goodwin's play, HYPE MAN, was selected from a pool 543 submissions. As part of the award, Goodwin receives a $1,000 cash prize and the opportunity to further develop his script with American Blues Theater.

American Blues Theater continues its 2016-2017 Season with the Chicago Premiere of The Columnist by David Auburn and directed by Keira Fromm. The Columnist runs February 17 - April 1, 2017 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago.  

On last night's LATE LATE SHOW, James and Madonna went for a drive through New York City singing classics from her epic catalog of music, and James learns about Madonna's relationship with Michael Jackson.