Kylah Williams News

Black Ensemble Theater continues its 2019 Season (Legends and Lessons) with Style and Grace: In Tribute to Lena Horne, written and directed by Kylah Williams. Style and Grace: In Tribute to Lena and Nancy will be performed May 11 - June 30, 2019 at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago. The press opening is Sunday, May 19 at 3:00pm. 

Black Ensemble Theater's Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor announces the 43rdSeason of Excellence: Legends and Lessons. The 2019 Season includes tributes to the renowned Gospel great Mahalia Jackson, legendary singer and actress Lena Horne, funk legends from James Brown to The Parliaments, and the legendary Motown artist, American icon and musical genius Stevie Wonder. The season culminates with the return of audience favorite The Other Cinderella. All performances will be held at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago. 

Black Ensemble Theater continues its 2018 Season (Movers and Shakers) with A New Attitude: In Tribute to Patti LaBelle, written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Rueben D. Echoles. A New Attitude: In Tribute to Patti LaBelle will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, May 5 - June 17, 2018.

Black Ensemble Theater continues its 2018 Season (Movers and Shakers) with A New Attitude: In Tribute to Patti LaBelle, written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Rueben D. Echoles. A New Attitude: In Tribute to Patti LaBelle will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, May 5 - June 17, 2018. The press opening is Sunday, May 13 at 3:00pm.

Black Ensemble Theater opens its 2018 Season (Movers and Shakers) with Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, written by L. Maceo Ferris a senior member of the Black Ensemble Theater's BPI (Black Playwrights Initiative) and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Daryl D. Brooks. Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, February 17 - April 1, 2018. The press opening is scheduled for Sunday, February 25 at 3 p.m.

Black Ensemble Theater opens its 2018 Season (Movers and Shakers) with Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, written by L. Maceo Ferris a senior member of the Black Ensemble Theater's BPI (Black Playwrights Initiative) and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Daryl D. Brooks. Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, February 17 - April 1, 2018. The press opening is scheduled for Sunday, February 25 at 3 p.m.

Black Ensemble Theater opens its 2018 Season (Movers and Shakers) with Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, written by L. Maceo Ferris a senior member of the Black Ensemble Theater's BPI (Black Playwrights Initiative) and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Daryl D. Brooks. Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, February 17 April 1, 2018. The press opening is scheduled for Sunday, February 25 at 3 p.m.

Black Ensemble Theater concludes the 2017 Season (The Dance Theater Season) with Sammy: The Story of Sammy Davis Jr., written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Daryl D. Brooks, with choreography by Rueben D. Echoles. Sammy: The Story of Sammy Davis Jr. will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, December 9, 2017 January 21, 2018.

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor continue the 2017 Season (The Dance Theater Season) with the world premiere musical Last Dancer Standing (More Than Hip Hop), written, directed, and choreographed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Rueben Echoles. Last Dancer Standing (More than Hip Hop) will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, July 22 - September 3, 2017.  

The global phenomenon seen by over 60 million people all around the world and one of Broadway's longest running hits, MAMMA MIA!, kicks off Marriott Theatre's 2017 Season, running February 8 through April 2, 2017 with a press opening on February 15 at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire.

The global phenomenon seen by over 60 million people all around the world and one of Broadway's longest running hits, MAMMA MIA!, kicks off Marriott Theatre's 2017 Season, running February 8 through April 2, 2017 with a press opening on February 15 at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire.

The Jackie Wilson Story returns to Chicago after an extremely successful opening in 2000 and remount in 2011, plus a national tour in 2002, which culminated at the famous Apollo Theater in New York City. This high-energy and touching story follows the career of one of the greatest entertainers who ever lived.  

Black Ensemble Theater continues the 40th Anniversary Season (The Season of Greatest Hits) with The Jackie Wilson Story, written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor. The Jackie Wilson Story will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, July 30-September 4, 2016.  The official press opening is Sunday, August 7, 2016 at 3:00 pm.  Preview dates for the production are July 30-31 and August 5-6, 2016. 

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor continue the 40th Anniversary Season (The Season of Greatest Hits) with DON'T MAKE ME OVER (In Tribute to Dionne Warwick), written by Jackie Taylorand directed by Rueben Echoles. DON'T MAKE ME OVER (In Tribute to Dionne Warwick) runs at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, now through May 15, 2016. The official press opening is Sunday, April 17 at 3:00 pm. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Ain't No Crying the Blues (In The Memory of Howlin Wolf), written by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, is directed by Associate Director Rueben Echoles, with assistant director Associate Director Daryl Brooks and musical director Robert Reddrick. The show is currently running through August 11, 2013, at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!

Black Ensemble Theater announces Ain't No Crying the Blues (In The Memory of Howlin Wolf), written by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, directed by Associate Director Rueben Echoles, and starring Rick Stone, one of the stars of the classic movie Cooley High. Ain't No Crying the Blues will be presented at the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, tonight, June 1 - August 11, 2013. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 3:00PM.

Black Ensemble Theater announces Ain't No Crying the Blues (In The Memory of Howlin Wolf), written by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, directed by Associate Director Rueben Echoles, and starring Rick Stone, one of the stars of the classic movie Cooley High. Ain't No Crying the Blues will be presented at the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, June 1 - August 11, 2013. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 3:00PM.

In its first Chicago production since the Broadway tour, with a pop-rock score that features stirring ballads and rousing choral numbers, Elton John and Tim Rice's 'AIDA' is a contemporary musical take on a classic tale of the timeless bond between an enslaved Nubian princess and an Egyptian soldier. As forbidden love blossoms between them, the young lovers are forced to face death or part forever. Bailiwick Chicago partners with the modern dance company Deeply Rooted Dance Theater to bring this re-envisioned and exhilarating production to Chicago audiences for a limited run.

Now and for just two more weeks, an extraordinary, stylish and heartfelt production of Elton John's and Tim Rice's "Aida" is running at the very, very warm American Theater Company space in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Courtesy of the reconstituted Bailiwick Chicago,...

Bailiwick Chicago's Executive Director Kevin Mayes announced today that tickets are now on sale for their upcoming production of Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA. Preview performances begin July 1, with opening night scheduled for July 10, at American Theater Company's space located at 1909 W. Byron in Chicago.