John Nasca News

A slate of 4 vibrant and kinetic new LGBTQ+ plays and 1 musical have emerged as finalists in Pride Films and Plays' 2016 Great Gay Play and Musical Contest. They come from writers across the United States, and were selected by a reading team from across the country doing blind readings of the manuscripts. Those five scripts will be performed as Enhanced Staged Readings at the Center On Halsted's Hoover-Leppen, 3540 N Halsted, during Gay Play and Musical Weekend which is April 22 to 24, 2016. Tickets for the event are pay-what-you-can (suggested $10). Find more information at www.pridefilmsandplays.com or 1 800 737 0984.

The Chicagoland theater world showed its strength last night, when the musical productions "American Idiot," "Billy Elliot" and "Les Miserables," and plays like "Direct from Death Row the Scottsboro Boys" and "The Glass Protege," took home top honors at the sixth annual BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration, held from 7-10 pm at The Call nightclub in the Andersonville neighborhood.

Pride Films and Plays will enliven the New Year by bringing back two leading actresses from its recent acclaimed production of the musical The Boy From Oz in a new show entitled Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli - Once in a Lifetime: The London Palladium Concert - a Tribute, featuring Nancy Hays (as Judy Garland) and Michelle Lauto (as Liza Minnelli), with music direction and orchestral arrangements by Robert Ollis (co-producer).  This loving musical tribute recalls the historic concert by these two famous performers at the London Palladium, just as Liza's singing career was beginning to take off. The Boy from Oz veterans Cameron Turner (choreography) and John Nasca (costume design) will round out the creative team for this dynamic new show.

Happy Holidays! It's the last week to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Time is running out to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Voting is fully underway for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 11. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

It's the 2015 BroadwayWorld Chicago Award Nominations! [TITLE OF SHOW] and DIRECT FROM DEATH ROW... Lead the Field of 180 Nominees. 86 productions from 55 theaters receive nominations in 36 categories. Voting open through New Year's Eve!

Pride Films and Plays annual fall benefit, Simply Sensational, headlined by Chicago?s own Alexandra Billings, will be held tomorrow, November 2 at Stage 773. Others in the all-star line-up include trans performers Honey West and Skylar Kergil.

Pride Films and Plays continues to grow into Chicago's most dynamic arts collective, and announces a Fall Season including festivals dedicated to the development of new LGBT work while anchored with a new look at a shocking LGBT work from another era. The Fall Season is the perfect follow-up to PFP's Jeff Recommended and Box Office hits Men on the Verge of a His-Panic Breakdown directed by Sandra Marquez and The Boy From Oz directed by David Zak.

The Boy From Oz, presented by Pride Films and Plays, will be directed by David Zak, with musical direction by Robert Ollis and choreography by Cameron Turner. The musical previews tonight, August 5 and Thursday, August 6, with a press opening slated for Friday, August 7 at 7:30. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in costume below!

From 1930's bohemian Paris to the dizzying heights of Manhattan society, a tempestuous love triangle unravels between a vivacious interior designer, Gilda, playwright Leo and artist Otto - three people unashamedly and passionately in love with each other.

The Boy From Oz, presented by Pride Films and Plays, will be directed by David Zak, with musical direction by Robert Ollis and choreography by Cameron Turner. The musical previews Wednesday, August 5 and Thursday, August 6, with a press opening slated for Friday, August 7 at 7:30. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in costume below!

The Boy From Oz tells the amazing life story of celebrated songwriter and performer Peter Allen. Featuring songs by Peter Allen, book by Martin Sherman and Nick Enright, Direction by David Zak, Musical Direction by Robert Ollis, and Choreography by Cameron Turner, The Boy From Oz tells the exuberant yet heart-warming true story of a young Australian boy who loved to perform and ended up in the glamorous orbit of Judy Garland and her soon-to-be famous daughter Liza.

Pride Films & Plays is excited to announce a new production of Design for Living, a sexy and seductive revival of this Noel Coward classic which will be directed by PFP Artistic Associate Derek Bertelsen, and running at Rivendell Theater from October 22 to November 22. The press opening is Saturday, October 24 at 7:30.

Giant Cherry Productions in association with Glitterati Productions presents the U.S. premiere of The Glass Protege, written by Dylan Costello with direction by John Nasca. Press opening is set for tonight, February 26, 2015 at 7:45 pm at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago, Ilinois.

Giant Cherry Productions in association with Glitterati Productions presents the U.S. premiere of The Glass Protege, written by Dylan Costello with direction by John Nasca. Press opening is set for February 26, 2015 at 7:45 pm at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago, Ilinois.

Giant Cherry Productions will bring its signature production The Glass Protege to Chicago theater audiences. Writer Dylan Costello first connected with the Chicago theater community when his play Hello Norma Jeane was one of five finalists in Pride Films and Plays' 2011 Great Gay Play and Musical Contest.

After a weekend of large houses and enthusiastic crowds viewing enhanced stage readings of four new plays and one new musical, Gentle Passage by Paul Elliot was named the winner of the 2014 Great Gay Play and Musical Contest.