James Leaming News

Peninsula Players Theatre, America's Oldest Professional Resident Summer Theatre and Door County's theatrical icon, continues its 81st season now through July 24 when it presents Agatha Christie's intriguing whodunit, 'The Hollow.' A weekend in the English countryside goes deathly awry with an explosive murder in this spell-binding mystery.

American Blues Theater kicks off its 31st Season - 'Define Yourself' - with a pair of one acts, including Dutchman by Amiri Baraka, directed by Chuck Smith and the World Premiere of TRANSit by Darren Canady, directed by Lisa Portes. Dutchman and TRANSit run August 26 - September 25, 2016 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. The official press opening is Thursday, September 1 at 7:30 pm.

American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity Ensemble, under the continued leadership of Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announce the submission period for the 2017 National Blue Ink Playwriting Award. Playwrights are invited to submit one (1) manuscript for consideration. The winner will have the opportunity to further develop their script with American Blues Theatre. The submission period runs July 1 - August 31, 2016. Submissions are accepted via email at BlueInk@AmericanBluesTheater.com.

Peninsula Players Theatre, America's Oldest Professional Resident Summer Theatre and Door County's theatrical icon, announces company members for its 81st season, running June 14 through October 16, 2016. The mix of plays include a late-in-life romance, an intriguing whodunit, a raucous pop-rock musical, an engaging Midwest premiere and a wildly comic thriller.

American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity Ensemble, under the continued leadership of Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, hosts 2016 Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival on Tuesday, May 17, 2016.

? Peninsula Players Theatre will present a reading of "Who Am I This Time? (& Other Conundrums of Love)" by Aaron Posner, adapted from stories by Kurt Vonnegut at Bjorklunden at 7590 Boynton Lane, Baileys Harbor at 7p.m., Monday, April 4.  Posner's charming comedy explores love, pure and complicated, by weaving short stories from Vonnegut's early masterpiece "Welcome to the Monkey House."   Join the Players reading of comedic love stories that explores, with warm hilarity, human foibles in a small town.  Admission is free.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity Ensemble celebrating 30 years of presenting visceral theatrical works while engaging its audience in missions of local service agencies, are proud to announce the Chicago premiere of LOOKING OVER THE PRESIDENT'S SHOULDER, by Artistic Affiliate James Still and directed by Timothy Douglas, February 5 - March 6, 2016 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the lineup for its 2016 - 2017 Season, "Define Yourself."

? Todd Logan's highly acclaimed and emotionally poignant stage play Botanic Garden will be performed at the Ware Center on Friday, February 12, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. The play, starring real-life married partners Carmen Roman as Kate and James Leaming as her deceased husband Jake, offers a funny and refreshingly unsentimental look at love and loss, questioning our collective belief that "moving on" is the best medicine. Roman and Leaming are acclaimed actors both on-stage and on-camera, appearing in shows such as "Law and Order" and "Prison Break." The Ware Center is located at 42 N. Prince Street, Lancaster.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity Ensemble celebrating 30 years of presenting visceral theatrical works while engaging its audience in missions of local service agencies, are proud to announce the Chicago premiere of LOOKING OVER THE PRESIDENT'S SHOULDER, by Artistic Affiliate James Still and directed by Timothy Douglas, February 5 - March 6, 2016 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the return of the critically acclaimed It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, on the main stage of the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., November 20 - December 27. 'Pink Previews,' where tickets sales benefit the Lynn Sage Foundation for breast cancer research, play November 20 - November 22 following the regular schedule. The press/opening night performance is Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 7:30p.m. The running time is approximately 90 minutes. Tickets are $19 - $49 and are on sale now through the box office 773.404.7336 or online at AmericanBluesTheater.com. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. with additional holiday performances to be announced. For more information visit www.AmericanBluesTheater.com.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity Ensemble, announce that American Blues Theater is currently accepting submissions for the 2016 Blue Ink Playwriting Award between Wednesday, July 1 and Monday, Aug. 31 at 11:59 p.m. 

Geva Theatre Center's 2015 Fielding Studio Series continues with A Body of Water by Lee Blessing. This production comes to Geva from The Kitchen Theatre Company in Ithaca and is directed by Michele Minnick. The production begins performances on March 19 and runs in the Fielding Nextstage through April 5.

Coming next to Ithaca's Kitchen Theatre Company is A Body Of Water, a mystery about family and memory by Lee Blessing. A middle-aged man (Moss) and woman (Avis) find themselves in a beautiful summer home with a view of water on all sides.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside is proud to announce American Blues Theater's 2015 -- 2016 30th Anniversary Season, "Seeing is Believing." All main stage performances take place at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the return of the critically acclaimed It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, directed by Marty Higginbotham on the mainstage of the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., November 23 - December 28.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the casts for the 2015 productions of Steven Dietz's Yankee Tavern, February 20 - March 22, 2015, directed by Joanie Schultz and Warren Leight's Sideman, April 24 - May 24, 2015,directed by Jonathan Berry. All productions take place at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.

Due to early ticket demand, Court Theatre and American Blues Theater have extended the world premiere of American Blues Ensemble Member Nambi E. Kelley's new adaptation of Richard Wright's classic novel, Native Son, directed by Seret Scott. Native Son will now run through October 19, 2014 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue.

Due to early ticket demand, Court Theatre and American Blues Theater announce an extension to the world premiere of American Blues Ensemble Member Nambi E. Kelley's new adaptation of Richard Wright's classic novel, Native Son, directed by Seret Scott. Native Son will now run September 11 - October 19, 2014 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, present a special edition of RIPPED: The Living Newspaper DCFS Stories, Sunday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. as a fundraiser for the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. This RIPPED edition is a night of short plays, poetry and spoken word inspired by DCFS stories and headlines.