Light Opera Works News

Music Theater Works (formerly Light Opera Works) presents GYPSY, the tale of an ambitious stage mother fighting for her daughters' success, at Cahn Auditorium in Evanston, August 19 through 27. A 25-piece orchestra accompanies such well-known songs as "Everything's Coming Up Roses," "Let Me Entertain You" and "Some People."

Linda Rae 'K.D.' Kweskin, a Chicago entertainment publicist for more than 30 years, died June 29 in St. Louis, where she recently moved to be near family.

The fourth installment of Pride Films and Plays' His & His.'  cabaret series - entitled 'Broadway at the Broadway' will be performed on Thursday, June 8 in The Broadway at the Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway. The His and His series follows the development of LGBT characters on Broadway, and celebrates the artists who wrote the great works of musical theater.

Music Theater Works (formerly Light Opera Works) presents the Leonard Bernstein classic, CANDIDE, based on Voltaire's satire on the follies of the human race, at Cahn Auditorium in Evanston, June 3 through 11. A 24-piece orchestra accompanies the well-known songs "Glitter and Be Gay," "The Best of All Possible Worlds" and "Make Our Garden Grow."

To close out its 2016-17 season, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre will revive its highly acclaimed original musical revue, Jacques Brel's Lonesome Losers of the Night.

Music Theater Works (formerly Light Opera Works) continues to accept applications for the summer teen production of CANDIDE.

Music Theater Works (formerly Light Opera Works) continues to accept enrollments for the 2017 Musical Theater Summer Workshop. Young people ages 8 to 13 will learn singing, dancing and acting in preparation for a free public performance, where family and friends are invited to watch them perform a mini-musical. No experience or audition required, and everyone gets a part.    

The 24th Annual Merritt Awards for Excellence in Design and Collaboration will take place on Monday, May 15th, 2017 at Loyola University Chicago.Legendary Broadway and Film Costume Designer Ann Roth (The Nance, The Book of Mormon, The English Patient, Midnight Cowboy) will receive the 2017 Merritt Award. 

Check out the top stories from Chicago you might have missed this week and more! Top Stories From Chicago You Might Have Missed 3/31 - SPAMILNTON and More!

Under the guidance of new Artistic Director, Steve Calzaretta, JPAC Theatre is proud to announce the upcoming production of GYPSY. The role of Mama Rose, the iconic stage mother, will be played by veteran stage performer, Nancy Hays, who played Auntie Mame last summer at Light Opera Works and Judy Garland in Pride Films and Plays, Boy from Oz. Other leading cast members include Jim Spangler as Herbie, Rachel Livingston as Louise, and Brice Baron as June. Ava Morse will play Baby June. Justin Amolsch will music direct the classic Jule Syne and Stephen Sondheim score with an eight piece orchestra.

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, continues its 2016/17 season with The Mystery of Love & Sex written by Bathsheba Doran and directed by Marti Lyons. The production runs April 5 - July 2, 2017 in The Gillian Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

Court Theatre, under the leadership of Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Stephen J. Albert, announces casting for the Chicago premiere of The Hard Problem by Tom Stoppard, directed by Charles Newell. The Hard Problem runs March 9 - April 9, 2017 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue in Chicago.

To celebrate its 10th Anniversary, NightBlue Performing Arts Company opens its 2017 season with the Chicago premiere of 'Disney's TARZAN: The Broadway Musical' at Stage773, 1225 W. Belmont.

Artemisia, a Chicago theatre, is proud to announce the world premiere of Visiting, by Ed Proudfoot and directed by Carrie Lee Patterson, April 14 - May 7, at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway. The opening night is Friday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. Tickets for all performances are $25 and are available at ArtemisiaTheatre.org or by calling 312.725.3780. Group and VIP Passes* are also available.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the latest performance in its 2016 - 2017 season of Chicago's hit musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway 1969, hosted by E. Faye Butler, co-directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo and Michael Weber with music direction by David Fiorello, is Monday, March 14at Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave in Skokie and Tuesday, March 15 at the Uptown Underground, 4707 N. Broadway at 7:30 p.m.  In tribute to the original New Faces series that ran on Broadway and on film from 1934 - 1968, Porchlight Music Theatre last year created this Chicago musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway, as a showcase for the best emerging music talent now performing on Chicago stages. Each edition is a journey from the start to the finish of a entire musical season on Broadway, peppered with photos and films of the era in an exciting multimedia presentation with a favorite Chicago theatre veteran hosting and introducing the next generation of music theatre artists while acting as your guide through a past season on the Great White Way. Seating is general admission; tickets are $22, with no drink minimum and are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org. 

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the continuation of the fourth season of Chicago's hit "lost" musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits Little Me, music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and book by Neil Simon based on the novel by Patrick Dennis, with direction by Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber, musical direction by Linda Madonia, choreography by Craig Miller with special guest choreography by veteran Bob Fosse dancer Jane Lanier and starring Jeff Award-winner Matt Crowle. Porchlight Revisits Little Me is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, Feb. 28 through Thursday, March 2 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight's The Scottsboro Boys (previews begin Friday, Feb. 3) at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets for Little Me are $35. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multimedia presentation, created and hosted by Weber that discusses that evening's production including the show's creative history, backstage gossip and the state of the art on Broadway that season. Single tickets to Little Me are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252. 

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the continuation of the fourth season of Chicago's hit "lost" musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits Little Me, music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and book by Neil Simon based on the novel by Patrick Dennis, with direction by Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber, musical direction by Linda Madonia, choreography by Craig Miller with special guest choreography by veteran Bob Fosse dancer Jane Lanier and starring Jeff Award-winner Matt Crowle. 

Asolo Rep will host Inside Asolo Rep: BORN YESTERDAY and THE LITTLE FOXES today, February 23 at 11am, with refreshments at 10am. This special behind-the-scenes panel will spotlight Asolo Rep's productions of Garson Kanin's classic American comedy BORN YESTERDAY (February 8 - April 15) and Lillian Hellman's gripping drama THE LITTLE FOXES  (March 15 - April 15).  The panel will feature BORN YESTERDAY director Peter Amster, THE LITTLE FOXES director and two-time Tony® winner Frank Galati, Tracy Michelle Arnold (Regina Giddens, THE LITTLE FOXES), and Christina DeCicco (Billie Dawn, BORN YESTERDAY). This insightful discussion will be helmed by Asolo Rep Dramaturg and Casting Associate Lauryn E. Sasso. 

Quest Theatre Ensemble will offer free performances of the world's longest running musical to audiences at their home in Andersonville's Blue Theatre in February and March.

Court Theatre, under the leadership of Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Stephen J. Albert, announces casting for the Chicago premiere of The Hard Problem by Tom Stoppard, directed by Charles Newell. The Hard Problemruns March 9 - April 9, 2017 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue in Chicago.