John Kelly News

Performance Space New York closes out its by-turns pensive, provocative, and radically festive East Village Series with The Independence Day Ball, a Kiki ball from the organization's neighbors at Alliance for Positive Change (June 29).

VIDEO: John Travolta Talks Going From GREASE on Broadway To Starring In The Film On LIVE WITH KELLY AND RYAN

Chicago Shakespeare Theater celebrated GALA 2018 on Friday, June 8, 2018, raising $1.6 million for the Chicago Shakespeare in Classrooms and Communities initiatives-which include the Tony Award-winning Theater's nationally recognized education programs and free citywide Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour.

The Neo-Futurists present Ensemble Member Lily Mooney's Empty Threats, directed by Krissy Vanderwarker, in her directorial debut with The Neo-Futurists, playing at 5153 N. Ashland Ave., June 7 - July 14. Previews are Thursday, June 7 - Saturday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m., with opening night Monday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m. The running time is currently 90 minutes. Performances run Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices for previews and Thursdays are pay-what-you-can; for the regular run, tickets are $10-25. Tickets and information are available at neofuturists.org or 773.275.5255.

In a tradition that started in 1978 with Frankie Avalon, Grease: The Musical announces its fifth special cameo appearance by Grammy-Award singer/songwriter Michelle Williams who will join the other celebrity teen idols: Mark Ballas, George Canyon, Logan Henderson and Drake Bell -- in the iconic role of 'Teen Angel'.

The Gift Theatre is pleased to continue its 17th season with William Shakespeare's HAMLET. Directed by guest artist Monty Cole, this production of the Bard's great tragedy will crack open the mind of one of western drama's most fascinating and complex characters. HAMLET will play June 1 - July 29, 2018 at 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood.

The Breakthrough Theatre of Winter Park presents the Dan Gordon drama, 'Murder in the First', from June 8-18, 2018.

The Gift Theatre is pleased to announce casting for William Shakespeare's HAMLET, directed by guest artist Monty Cole. The Gift's production of the Bard's great tragedy will crack open the mind of one of western drama's most fascinating and complex characters. 

Chicago Shakespeare Theater celebrates GALA 2018 on Friday, June 8, 2018 across the company's multi-faceted complex on Navy Pier. Funds raised will benefit the Chicago Shakespeare in Classrooms and Communities initiatives-which includes the Tony Award-winning Theater's nationally recognized education programs and free citywide Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks tour. Chicago Shakespeare will present the Spirit of Shakespeare Awards to Civic Honorees Marilynn and Carl Thoma and Artistic Honoree John Lithgow. Guests will enjoy a one-night-only performance in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, featuring Tony and Grammy Award-winner Heather Headley and The Voice all-star Chris Mann.

Strawdog Theatre Company is proud to announce the cast and creative team for the final production in the 2017 - 2018 season, Bennett Fisher's Damascus directed by Cody Estle, May 11 - June 23, at Strawdog Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave. The Access Performance, featuring audio description, open captioning and a Touch Tour is Sunday, June 3 at 4 p.m., with Industry Night Monday, June 4 at 8 p.m.

Performance Space New York's East Village Series, the first themed series under the leadership of Executive Artistic Director Jenny Schlenzka, has reexamined the audacious origins of the organization and the communities that formed around it. In 1986, choreographer Ishmael Houston-Jones, composer/guitarist Chris Cochrane, writer Dennis Cooper, and an ensemble of dancers performed the first full version of THEM, an unblinking interdisciplinary work of scored improvisational dance, spoken text, and guitar, at what was then Performance Space 122.

Strawdog Theatre Company is proud to announce the cast and creative team for the final production in the 2017 - 2018 season, Bennett Fisher's Damascus directed by Cody Estle, May 11 - June 23, at Strawdog Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave.

10 Hairy Legs, the all male repertory dance company, dèbuts at Baryshnikov Arts Center for its sixth consecutive New York Season for four performances June 7 -10. The program features World Premieres by Bessie Award Nominee and company member Nicholas Sciscione, and Yin Yue. Works by Al Blackstone, Raja Feather Kelly and Christopher Williams complete the program. Sciscione will perform his solo work and Ofer Pelz his original composition at all performances. Tickets are $25 for Adults and $20 for Students and Groups of 10 or more through 10HL.org.

The Neo-Futurists present Ensemble Member Lily Mooney's Empty Threats, directed by Krissy Vanderwarker, in her directorial debut with The Neo-Futurists, playing at 5153 N. Ashland Ave., June 7 - July 14. Previews are Thursday, June 7 - Saturday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m., with opening night Monday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m. The running time is currently 90 minutes. Performances run Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices for previews and Thursdays are pay-what-you-can; for the regular run, tickets are $10-25. Tickets and information are available at neofuturists.org or 773.275.5255.

The Gift Theatre is pleased to continue its 17th season with William Shakespeare's HAMLET. Directed by guest artist Monty Cole, this production of the Bard's great tragedy will crack open the mind of one of western drama's most fascinating and complex characters. HAMLET will play June 1 - July 29, 2018 at 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood. Single tickets and season subscriptions are currently available by calling the Gift's box office at (773) 283-7071 or visiting thegifttheatre.org. 

Queer|Art|Mentorship was launched in 2011 to develop an intergenerational and interdisciplinary network of support and shared knowledge for LGBTQ artists. Now beginning its eighth year, the program brings together early-career and advanced-career artists for a year-long exchange across five different fields: Film, Literature, Performance, Visual Art, and Curatorial Practice.

Performance Space New York continues its East Village Series' examination of the history, assessment of the present, and radical gaze into the future of the neighborhood in which it was founded and has boldly returned this season. Autonomous, anti-capitalist, gender self-determining collective BRUJAS-who build revolutionary political coalition through youth culture, and express community through skateboarding, art, and political organizing-will be in residence at Performance Space New York from May 25-June 9. With their project, Training Facility, they have enlisted industrial designer Jonathan Olivares to transform the organization's new theater into a skate park and intimate meet-up spot. On May 25, as part of Red Bull Music Festival, the collective will throw their third annual Anti-Prom in the space, kicking off their residency with the gender-queering party described by the New York Times as 'an effervescent celebration of people usually sidelined by traditional prom culture.' Or, as BRUJAS co-founder Arianna Gil herself has described it, 'the Met-Gala of the underground.'

dick clark productions and NBC announced today that “2018 Billboard Music Awards” host, Kelly Clarkson, and two-time Billboard Music Award winner, John Legend, will both perform on the three-hour live telecast, airing Sunday, May 20th at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC.