James Rank News

The Old Globe presents the West Coast premiere of Paul Gordon's delightfully romantic new musical SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, developed with Rick Boynton and presented in association with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where it was commissioned and had its world premiere in April 2015.

The Old Globe has announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of Paul Gordon's delightfully romantic new musical SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, developed with Rick Boynton and presented in association with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where it was commissioned and had its world premiere in April 2015.

If you go to see JERUSALEM, now on stage at Ensemble Theatre, don't expect it to be about people living in the Israeli city of that name, or of the 2013 film of the same name concerning a group of messianic pilgrims abandoning their native Sweden to emigrate to Palestine.

Ensemble Theatre concludes its 2015-16 season with JERUSALEM by Jez Butterworth, directed by Ian Wolfgang Hinz.

EVITA, one of the most passionate and powerful rock operas in Broadway history, opened April 20 at The Marriott Theatre (10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire), where it will run through June 5. The winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical masterpiece with lyrics by Tim Rice will be directed and choreographed by Jeff Award-nominee Alex Sanchez (Choreography for On the Town and Mary Poppins at The Marriott Theatre; Follies at Chicago Shakespeare Theater) with musical direction by Ryan T. Nelson. Go inside opening night below!

EVITA, one of the most passionate and powerful rock operas in Broadway history, will be presented at The Marriott Theatre (10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire), previewing April 13, opening April 20 and running through June 5. The winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical masterpiece with lyrics by Tim Rice will be directed and choreographed by Jeff Award-nominee Alex Sanchez(Choreography for On the Town and Mary Poppins at The Marriott Theatre; Follies at Chicago Shakespeare Theater) with musical direction by Ryan T. Nelson.

EVITA, one of the most passionate and powerful rock operas in Broadway history, is being presented at The Marriott Theatre (10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire), currently in previews an opening April 20 for a run through June 5. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Ensemble Theatre concludes its 2015-16 season with JERUSALEM by Jez Butterworth, directed by Ian Wolfgang Hinz.

EVITA, one of the most passionate and powerful rock operas in Broadway history, will be presented at The Marriott Theatre (10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire), previewing April 13, opening April 20 and running through June 5. 

The Marriott Theatre has completed casting for Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash hit EVITA. The show tells the story of the charismatic and glamorous first lady of Argentina, Eva Peron.

On January 21, guests gathered at Drury Lane Theatre for the Opening Night of their newest production, Bye Bye Birdie, directed and choreographed by Tammy Mader. With a cast led by Michelle Aravena as Rosie, Matt Crowle as Conrad's agent, Albert, and Jason Michael Evans as Conrad Birdie, audiences were treated to a throwback of the classic 1950's musical, brought to life again by this energetic and lively ensemble of 31. Check out photos from opening night, below!

Bye Bye Birdie, the four-time Tony Award-winning musical, begins performances at Drury Lane on January 14 to conclude the 2015 - 2016 Season. The funny, irreverent musical takes audiences back to 1959 in quiet Sweet Apple, OH, where rock star Conrad Birdie shakes things up when he arrives to give one lucky teenage girl a special goodbye kiss. With a cast led by 2015 Jeff Award Best Supporting Actor winners Michelle Aravena as Rosie and Matt Crowle as Conrad's agent, Albert, Bye Bye Birdie is directed and choreographed by multiple Jeff Award winner Tammy Mader. Featuring musical theater classics such as "Kids," "Put on a Happy Face," and "A Lot of Livin' to Do," the inspired cast and creative team promise to bring a decidedly fresh touch to the timeless story. 

THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER sails for its fifth year at Mercury Theater Chicago, running now through December 27, 2015. Jeff Award winner Stef Tovar takes the helm as the Schooner's captain, alongside Brianna Borger as the Captain's wife Alma Stossel. BroadwayWorld has photos from the show's opening festivities below!

Mention author J. M. Barrie, and the immediate thought is Peter Pan. Peter Pan, the tale of a boy who refused to grow up, has become a cottage industry. Dolls, movies, a musical play, coloring books, cartoons, Halloween costumes, a non-musical play, and books are all available. There is even a psychological condition, 'The Peter Pan Syndrome,' which puts the spotlight on men who refuse to assume responsibility for their boyish actions.

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Avenue, announces that The Christmas Schooner will be sailing for its fifth year at Mercury Theater Chicago, running November 25 through December 27, 2015.  Jeff Award winner Stef Tovar takes the helm as the Schooner's captain, alongside Brianna Borger as the Captain's wife Alma Stossel.  The whole family will enjoy this heart-warming musical story of the first Christmas tree ship and the family who risked their lives to fill Chicago with the Christmas spirit. The production features a powerful, moving story, an exquisite score of original music and traditional holiday favorites, and a company of 25 actors and musicians and is helmed by the Jeff-award winning team of L. Walter Stearns (Director), Eugene Dizon (Musical Director) and Brenda Didier (Choreographer).

Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning drama, now on stage at Ensemble Theatre, is universally recognized as one of, if not the greatest modern American play. Others that are recognized as top classic plays are LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT (Eugene O'Neil), STREET CAR NAMED DESIRE (Tennessee Williams), OUR TOWN (Thornton Wilder), and WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF (Edward Albee).

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Musical television series abound! Also special nights for 'Allegro' and 'Reefer Madness,' that Dolphin show at Annoyance, Mercury's 'Addams Family,' a big children's premiere, the return of 'Option Up!' and a surprising, real live 'Beauty!'

The Music Theatre Company joins forces with The Ravinia Festival for a special one night engagement of OSCAR & RICHARD & JOE: An Evening About Rodgers & Hammerstein's Allegro on Saturday, January 31 at 8:30 pm at Ravinia Festival's Bennett Gordon Hall, 200 Ravinia Park Rd., Highland Park, IL. Tickets for OSCAR & RICHARD & JOE are $10 and available by calling the Ravinia Festival Box Office at (847) 266-5100 or visiting www.ravinia.org.

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport Avenue, presents Chicago's beloved holiday musical THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER, running now through December 28, 2014. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!