Mary Zimmerman News

Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre tackles Shakespeare's 'problem play,' All's Well that Ends Well, in New York City in December 2018.

Lookingglass Theatre Company presents the world premiere of The Steadfast Tin Soldier, from the story by Hans Christian Andersen, conceived and directed by Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman. This family-friendly, holiday show runs November 7, 2018-January 13, 2019 at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. Tickets can be purchased online at lookingglasstheatre.org or by phone at (312) 337-0665.

The Chicago theatre community will present a wide variety of festive plays, musicals, dance and comedy offerings this Holiday season.  In support, the League of Chicago Theatres will create its annual comprehensive Holiday Theatre Guide that will be available beginning in mid-November at hotels, theaters, events, and destinations across the Chicago area. An updated list of holiday shows with additional details about each production will be available throughout the season at ChicagoPlays.com. Additionally, many holiday shows will be available at Hot Tix, Chicago's local, half-price ticketing service.

NETWORK begins previews tonight, November 10 at Broadway's Belasco Theatre. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!

Lookingglass Theatre Company announces casting for the world premiere of The Steadfast Tin Soldier: A Christmas Pantomime, from the story by Hans Christian Andersen, conceived and directed by Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman. This family-friendly, holiday show runs November 7, 2018 - January 13, 2019 at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. 

Some girls would kill to be on the team! Midnight Theatricals and Producers S. Asher Gelman & Matthew Hui have announced that WE ARE THE TIGERS, an original pop/rock musical and teen horror comedy written & composed by Preston Max Allen, will make its New York Premiere Off-Broadway in February 2019. Michael Bello will direct the pitch-black comedy about a dismally low-ranking team of cheerleaders terrorized by a serial killer. Patrick Sulken is the Music Supervisor. The cast, creative team and theater are soon to be announced. www.tigersmusical.com

Lookingglass Theatre Company announces Family Days for The Steadfast Tin Soldier, from the story by Hans Christian Andersen, conceived and directed by Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman. Family Days will be held on Saturdays, December 1 and 15, 2018, Thursday, January 3, 2019, and Saturday, January 12, 2019 at 2 p.m. with a meet and greet to follow at 3:15 p.m.

Lookingglass Theatre Company presents the world premiere of The Steadfast Tin Soldier, from the story by Hans Christian Andersen, conceived and directed by Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman

Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre tackles Shakespeare's 'problem play,' All's Well that Ends Well, in New York City in December 2018.

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed classical repertory theatre company, continues the cherished holiday tradition of presenting its well-loved production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol this year, onstage for the seventh holiday season. This time-honored tale of forgiveness plays 17 performances only, Saturday, December 1 through Sunday, December 23, 2018. After the show, audience members are invited to enjoy a cup of cider and take photos with the cast.

Show-only tickets to Second Stage Theater's Fall Benefit Honoring Harvey Fierstein are now on sale to the general public.  Hosted by Michael Urie, the benefit will take place on Monday, November 12 at Terminal 5 (610 West 56th Street).  The evening will feature performances and appearances by Cyndi Lauper, Rosie O'Donnell, Annaleigh Ashford, Keala Settle, Wayne Brady, Christopher Sieber, Michael Urie, Marissa Jaret Winokur, as well as Shoshana Bean, J. Harrison Ghee, Bianca Del Rio, and Gino Emnes.  To purchase tickets, please go to: https://2st.com/support-us/events/fall-benefit.

On November 17th, Opera San Jose's 35th season continues with Leoncavallo's tragedy Pagliacci.

For the first time in six years, Goodman Theatre's Costume Shop hosts a costume sale today, October 20 from 9am - 2pm. More than 100 handmade items by the Goodman's costume shop artisans will be available for sale, priced starting at just $1. From couture gowns to fashionable headwear, attendees can pick selections from acclaimed Goodman productions including-hats and headwear from Artistic Associate Regina Taylor's gospel musical sensation Crowns (2004, 2012); uniforms from Artistic Director Robert Falls' celebrated production of King Lear (2006); the majorette costume from Sweet Bird of Youth (2012) with Academy Award-winning actress Diane Lane and Finn Wittrock; and more. The costume sale takes place today, October 20 from 9am - 2pm at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn). Admission is free and costume pieces range from $1 - $300+; both cash and credit is accepted. All sales are final and proceeds support the Goodman. Costume previews will not be available prior to the sale. 

Goodman Theatre adds to its 2018/2019 Season a limited engagement of St. Nicholas-an internationally-acclaimed major revival by London's Donmar Warehouse of Conor McPherson's 1997 intimate thriller, directed by Simon Evans. The monologue play stars Olivier Award-winning actor Brendan Coyle ("Mr. Bates" of the smash sensation Downton Abbey, for which he earned an Emmy Award nomination) in "a superlative, mesmerizing performance that's simply not to be missed" (The Arts Review). The U.S. premiere, which appears in the Goodman's 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre, follows two acclaimed recent appearances at the Donmar Warehouse and the Dublin Theatre Festival. The creative team includes Peter McKintosh (Set), Matt Daw (Lighting) and Christopher Shutt (Sound). Goodman Theatre's limited engagement of St. Nicholas appears January 9 - 27, 2019 in the Owen Theatre (170 N. Dearborn). Tickets are available now ONLY with the purchase of a new Classic Membership (4-play packages start at $80). Individual tickets ($25 - $60; subject to change) go on sale Friday, November 9. For tickets and more information, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/StNicholas or call the box office (312.443.3800, 12 noon - 5pm daily).

Pulitzer Prize Finalist Dael Orlandersmith highlights the universal languages of love and music in Lady in Denmark, kicks off the 2018/2019 season in the 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre. Chay Yew, who also helmed the play's 2016 New Stages Festival staged reading, directs Linda Gehringer as Helene-a Danish American woman coping with the death of her husband who finds solace in the hauntingly beautiful music of their favorite singer, Billie Holiday. Orlandersmith's newest play is Helene's journey through the couple's time together-from the smoky jazz clubs of post-war Copenhagen to the home they shared in present-day Andersonville, Chicago. The creative team includes Andrew Boyce (set), Christine Pascual (costumes), Lee Fiskness (lighting) and Mikhail Fiksel (original music and sound). Donald E. Claxon is the production stage manager. Lady in Denmark appears October 19 - November 18, 2018 (opening night is October 29 at 7pm) in the Goodman's Owen Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); tickets ($15-45; subject to change), by telephone 312.443.3800 or online GoodmanTheatre.org/LadyInDenmark.

THE GREEN ROOM 42 will welcome back the "undie rock" sensation THE SKIVVIES with a special "Halloween Hootenanny" on Wednesday, October 31 at 10:30 PM. The duo made up of Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley will welcome special guests from Broadway and beyond including Lesli Margherita, Alice Ripley, Ellyn Marie Marsh, Dan DeLuca, Rebecca Faulkenberry, Isaac Cole Powell, Vasthy Mompoint, Tamika Lawrence, Diana Huey and Conor Ryan.

Applications are now available for two Goodman Theatre Education and Engagement programs-Disney Musicals in Schools and Cindy Bandle Young Critics-offered at no cost to Chicagoland youth. Applications for Disney Musicals in Schools are available through Monday, October 15 and Cindy Bandle Young Critics through Friday, October 19 at GoodmanTheatre.org/Engage-Learn. For more information, call 312.443.5581.

Pulitzer Prize Finalist Dael Orlandersmith highlights the universal languages of love and music in Lady in Denmark, kicks off the 2018/2019 season in the 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre. Chay Yew, who also helmed the play's 2016 New Stages Festival staged reading, directs Linda Gehringer as Helene-a Danish American woman coping with the death of her husband who finds solace in the hauntingly beautiful music of their favorite singer, Billie Holiday. Orlandersmith's newest play is Helene's journey through the couple's time together-from the smoky jazz clubs of post-war Copenhagen to the home they shared in present-day Andersonville, Chicago. The creative team includes Andrew Boyce (set), Christine Pascual (costumes), Lee Fiskness (lighting) and Mikhail Fiksel (original music and sound). Donald E. Claxon is the production stage manager. Lady in Denmark appears October 19 - November 18, 2018 (opening night is October 29 at 7pm) in the Goodman's Owen Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); tickets ($15-45; subject to change), by telephone 312.443.3800 or online GoodmanTheatre.org/LadyInDenmark.

For the first time in six years, Goodman Theatre's Costume Shop hosts a costume sale on Saturday, October 20 from 9am - 2pm. More than 100 handmade items by the Goodman's costume shop artisans will be available for sale, priced starting at just $1. From couture gowns to fashionable headwear, attendees can pick selections from acclaimed Goodman productions including-hats and headwear from Artistic Associate Regina Taylor's gospel musical sensation Crowns (2004, 2012); uniforms from Artistic Director Robert Falls' celebrated production of King Lear (2006); the majorette costume from Sweet Bird of Youth (2012) with Academy Award-winning actress Diane Lane and Finn Wittrock; and more. The costume sale takes place on Saturday, October 20 from 9am - 2pm at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn). Admission is free and costume pieces range from $1 - $300+; both cash and credit is accepted. All sales are final and proceeds support the Goodman. Costume previews will not be available prior to the sale. 

Hypokrit Theatre Company and Access Theater present R + J, a female/genderqueer adaptation of Shakespeare's classic Romeo and Juliet. Adapted and directed by Molly Houlahan featuring a diverse cast of 6 women/ gender-nonconforming actors playing all of the roles, previews begin September 27 at Access Theater in Tribeca. Opening is slated for Today, October 4.