Marquette News

Try as you might, chances are you won't be very lucky in convincing Wayne Kirkpatrick to give you the scoop about his next Broadway musical - that information is kept under the strictest of confidence, thanks to his pledge to producer Kevin McCollum and his musical collaborator who just happens to be his brother, Karey.

Paper Mill Playhouse, recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award, has announced early casting for Half Time, a new musical, directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell. Five-time Emmy nominee Georgia Engel (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Drowsy Chaperone) and Tony and Emmy Award winner Lillias White (The Life, Sesame Street) will lead the cast in this uplifting true story of ten New Jersey seniors with extraordinary dreams who audition to dance at halftime for a major basketball team.

Overture Center's Kids in the Rotunda offers a diverse lineup of local and regional performers and educators, selected exclusively for children and their families at no cost. The program will continue during the summer with scheduled events that are free and open to the public.

Disney Theatrical Productions and SHN announced today that tickets for the long-awaited engagement of Disney's ALADDIN will go on sale to the public on Friday, June 16.  The hit Broadway musical will begin performances on November 1, 2017 for a limited engagement of 10 weeks through January 7, 2018.

The completely original new musical SOMETHING ROTTEN!, directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (THE BOOK OF MORMON, ALADDIN), with music and lyrics by GRAMMY Award winner and Tony Award nominee Wayne Kirkpatrick and Golden Globe Award and Tony Award nominee Karey Kirkpatrick and a book by Tony Award nominees Karey Kirkpatrick and best-selling author John O'Farrell, opens at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts Aug. 8 - 13, 2017.

Beginning last night, Broadway's Jacob Dickney has joined the cast of Aladdin in Chicago in the title role. Current star Adam Jacobs is on a minor medical leave, according to the Chicago Tribune. 

Disney Theatrical Productions and Hennepin Theatre Trust announced today that Disney's ALADDIN, will launch the 2017-2018 Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin Season when it makes its Minnesota premiere Friday, Sept. 15-Sunday, Oct. 8 at the historic Orpheum Theatre (910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis) for a limited engagement of four weeks. The official opening night is Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m.

Old Town School of Folk Music, with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), is pleased to announce a free, city-wide concert series, Soundtrack of the City, taking place June 8 - August 20, 2017.

The 62nd Annual Drama Desk Awards, hosted by Michael Urie, were held at The Town Hall (123 W. 43rd Street) tonight, June 4th.

Repertory Theater presents the inaugural Professional Training Institute's production of So Thrive My Soul, in the Stiemke Studio July 13 - 16, 2017. The Professional Training Institute (PTI) is a free yearlong advance actor training program for students in 8th-12th grade who may have an interest in pursuing a career as a professional theater artist.

Ahead of its first anniversary at the Prince Edward Theatre, Disney's Aladdin has released behind-the-scenes photography of the new company in rehearsals. Having opened to critical acclaim in London's West End in June 2016, the hit musical based on the classic Academy Award®-winning animated film will celebrate its first birthday in the West End on 15 June 2017.

Theater Unspeakable brings their brand of family friendly, physical theater to Philadelphia with The American Revolution, a whirlwind re-telling of the American fight for independence. It runs in Arden Theatre Company's Studio Theatre, June 2-June 11, 2017.

Wisconsin-based traveling theatre group Summit Players Theatre is returning for a third season, and will be performing Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors from June 16 to July 30 in 16 different Wisconsin State Parks. All performances will be free and preceded by a 45-minute educational workshop. After being founded by a group of Marquette University students two years ago, the group is now an established nonprofit company.

The Montana Repertory Theatre is producing the 22nd annual Missoula Colony this summer, July 30-August 5. The Colony is a gathering of artists in support of the writer's craft. We've been hosting playwrights and theatre professionals from all over the country for the last 21 years.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team of the Globe-commissioned world premiere adaptation of The Imaginary Invalid written by Moliere and reinvented by the acclaimed theatre group Fiasco Theater. Fiasco last delighted Globe audiences with their inventive reimagining of Into the Woods in 2014. This new take on the hilarious classic tale is directed by Fiasco Co-Artistic Directors Jessie Austrian and Noah Brody.

 The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to announce the hiring of Kelly Candotti as Director of Development. Kelly joins the nonprofit team responsible for the premier venue for performing arts in Milwaukee where in 2016, nearly 700,000 attendees visited, across 2,250 events. She brings a background in development and marketing to the team, with nonprofit and sports industry experience.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that individual tickets for the completely original new musical Something Rotten! will go on sale to the general public Friday, May 12.

It's official! As BroadwayWorld reported earlier this year, Disney's Aladdin, the hit Broadway musical, will welcome Broadway vet Telly Leung as the title character beginning Tuesday, June 13, 2017.

Disney Theatrical Productions has released an exclusive first look at Matthew Croke as the title role in Aladdin ahead of his first performance in the title role on 5 June 2017 at the Prince Edward Theatre.

We're lookin' for something - and that's Effie on Broadway! As previously reported, the West End's DREAMGIRLS, starring GLEE alumna Amber Riley, has set Broadway in its sights. Now, according to a casting notice, rehearsals for the New York run will begin in 2018.