Lisa Carlson News

The Starlight Performing Arts Center will present at the Surflight Theatre, Mean Girls- High School Version. Learn more about the musical and find out how to get tickets here!

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Steve Steiner, presents Bright Star for its NEW JERSEY PREMIER! Featuring the Grammy-nominated score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell. Set in the American South of the 1920s and '40s.,BRIGHT STAR won the 2016 Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical and Best Score and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music. It also received five 2016 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book, Best Lead Actress in a Musical, and Best Orchestrations.

Barrel of Monkeys presents THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Stories About Food, featuring a side-splitting lineup of food-related sketches adapted from stories written by Chicago elementary school students. Barrel of Monkeys' professional actors and musicians explore students' favorite dishes and culinary traditions - whether on Earth, in space or from a magical land. Former Artistic Director Joseph Schupbach returns to guest direct this delicious revue, which plays Mondays at 8 pm from July 23 - August 27, 2018 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are available at www.barrelofmonkeys.org or by calling (773) 506-7140.

Barrel of Monkeys presents THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Stories About Food, featuring a side-splitting lineup of food-related sketches adapted from stories written by Chicago elementary school students. Barrel of Monkeys' professional actors and musicians explore students' favorite dishes and culinary traditions - whether on Earth, in space or from a magical land. Directed by Joseph Schupbach, THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Stories About Food will play Mondays at 8 pm from July 23 - August 27, 2018 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are available at www.barrelofmonkeys.org or by calling (773) 506-7140. The press opening is Monday, July 30 at 8 pm.

Barrel of Monkeys is pleased to present THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Stories for Change, an evening of stories showcasing the fascinating, poignant and often hilarious ideas students have for the change they'd like to see in their lives and their communities. The stories are created during Barrel of Monkeys' creative writing residencies in Chicago elementary schools, where one day is dedicated to learning how to write for change. The student-written stories are then adapted for the stage and performed by Barrel of Monkeys Company members. 

The Alliance Theatre has announced the cast and creative team behind its upcoming production of Crossing Delancey, the play that led to the hit 1980s film about a young woman's search for fulfillment and her loveable, but overbearing Bubbie. 

Barrel of Monkeys celebrates the season with THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Holiday Stories, a festive line-up of stories written by kids and inspired by the holidays, winter, elves, gift-giving and much more! THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Holiday Stories will play Mondays at 8 pm plus a special weekend of added holiday performances from December 4 December 23, 2017 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Directed by Artistic Director Brandon Cloyd, THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA features stories conceived and written by Chicago elementary school students and adapted for the stage and performed by Barrel of Monkeys Company Members. Tickets are available at www.barrelofmonkeys.org or by calling (773) 506-7140.

Rehearsals are underway for Alliance Theatre's upcoming production of Shakespeare in Love, based on the 1998 film that won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture. Georgia Shakespeare co-founder and Artistic Director Richard Garner is directing this love letter to William Shakespeare in his company's former home at Oglethorpe University's Conant Performing Arts Center while the Alliance Theatre undergoes a complete renovation. Performances are August 30 - September 24, 2017.  Opening night is Today, September 6. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

The Alliance Theatre has announced the cast and creative team behind its upcoming production of Crossing Delancey, the play that led to the hit 1980s film about a young woman's search for fulfillment and her loveable, but overbearing Bubbie. 

Rehearsals are underway for Alliance Theatre's upcoming production of Shakespeare in Love, based on the 1998 film that won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture. Georgia Shakespeare co-founder and Artistic Director Richard Garner is directing this love letter to William Shakespeare in his company's former home at Oglethorpe University's Conant Performing Arts Center while the Alliance Theatre undergoes a complete renovation. Performances are August 30 - September 24, 2017.  Opening night is Wednesday, September 6. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Metropolis presents the Tony-winning play Peter and the Starcatcher through August 20, 2017, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Alliance Theatre is pleased to announce the cast and creative team behind its upcoming regional premiere of Shakespeare in Love, based on the 1998 film that won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture. 

Tickets go on sale July 1 for Gainesville Theatre Alliance's 38th season, which explores Indian jungles, small-town Americana, and the Grecian high seas

Barrel of Monkeys invites you to enjoy a line-up of brand new stories this summer at THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Attack of the Phantom of the BBQ directed by Joseph Schupbach, playing Mondays at 8 pm from June 19 - July 17 and August 7 - 28, 2017 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Throughout the summer, Barrel of Monkeys will premiere new stories from the 2016-17 school year written by Chicago Public School students and adapted for the stage and performed by Barrel of Monkeys Company Members. Tickets are available at www.barrelofmonkeys.org or by calling (773) 506-7140. 

Creatives - a darkly comic pop opera with an original book by Irvine Welsh and Don De Grazia and a score including songs from some of the most popular rock bands of recent decades - reveals the desperation that fuels the passion to create. The score will include songs by Simple Minds, New Order, Iggy Pop, Oasis, Happy Mondays and others, along with original songs by Laurence Mark Wythe.

Beginning appropriately on Valentine's Day, the Gainesville Theatre Alliance invites audiences to the world of Shakespearean comedy and romance in the Italian countryside with Much Ado About Nothing. While witty and fiery Benedick and Beatrice swear never to marry, lovers Claudio and Hero can't find the altar quick enough. 

Beginning appropriately on Valentine's Day, the Gainesville Theatre Alliance invites audiences to the world of Shakespearean comedy and romance in the Italian countryside with Much Ado About Nothing. While witty and fiery Benedick and Beatrice swear never to marry, lovers Claudio and Hero can't find the altar quick enough. 

Barrel of Monkeys invites you to celebrate spring with a weekly dose of theater by children! Get out of the house and enjoy the outside world again after a long Chicago winter at THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: I Still Know What You Did Last Spring, playing Mondays at 8 pm from April 24 - May 22, 2017 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Directed by Joseph Schupbach, Barrel of Monkeys' newest revue features stories written by Chicago Public School students and adapted for the stage and performed by Barrel of Monkeys Company Members. Tickets are available at www.barrelofmonkeys.org or call (773) 506-7140. The press performance is Monday, May 1 at 8 pm.

Chicago Theatre Workshop (CTW), in association with Susan Jack and Helen R. Jack, present "Creatives," a darkly comic pop-opera beginning February 19 at the Edge Theatre (5451 N. Broadway) under the direction of CTW's Artistic Director Tom Mullen.

Barrel of Monkeys is pleased to bring back its popular weekend matinees with THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Revenge of the Winter Matinees, directed by Brandon Cloyd, playing Sundays at 2 pm from January 8 - 29, 2017 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Bring the entire family to escape the winter doldrums at this line-up of safe, funny, heart-warming and perfectly weird stories written by Chicago Public School students and adapted for the stage and performed by Barrel of Monkeys Company Members. Tickets are available at www.barrelofmonkeys.org or call(773) 506-7140.