Max DeTogne News

Blank Theatre Company has announced the cast and creative team for the first show of their 2024 season, ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, music by Cy Coleman, book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre announces the cast and creative team of the Sondheim Tribute Revue, a customizable revue featuring the work of Stephen Sondheim. The production will honor Sondheim's legacy and showcase his evolution as a composer.

Blank Theatre Company announces their 2023 season featuring two full-length productions and one cabaret and new additions to the company.

Random Acts has announced the schedule for this month's Digital Fringe Festival, RATFest! The Random Acts of Theatre Festival will stream to several channels each night, including Youtube and Facebook. Donations will be accepted, with proceeds going to The Actors Fund.

The February lineup of acts performing at City Winery Chicago (1200 W. Randolph St) has been announced. See full details below!

City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph Street, announces Grammy Award-winning artist Mac Powell and his band The Family Reunion, iconic rock group The Ides of March and more. The following shows go on sale to the public on Friday, December 20 at noon. Tickets will be available at citywinery.com/chicago.

The Marriott Theatre presents Lionel Bart's OLIVER!, which is now running through Sunday, December 29th. The Tony Award-winning musical based on the classic Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist, is directed by eight-time Jeff Award winner for Outstanding Direction, Nick Bowling, with musical direction by Jeff Award winner Ryan T. Nelson and choreography by Jeff Award winner Brenda Didier.

The Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr. in Lincolnshire, is proud to bring the Victorian streets of London live to Lincolnshire with Lionel Bart's OLIVER!, previewing Wednesday, October 30th, opening Wednesday, November 6th at 7:30 p.m., and closing Sunday, December 29th. The Tony Award-winning musical based on the classic Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist, is directed by eight-time Jeff Award winner for Outstanding Direction, Nick Bowling, with musical direction by Jeff Award winner Ryan T. Nelson and choreography by Jeff Award winner Brenda Didier.

Award-winning performers Robert Deason (dueling pianist extraordinaire) and Lauren Paris (most recently seen in a critically acclaimed performance as Percy in THE SPITFIRE GRILL, Refuge Theatre Project) are back with their fourth round of Chi-Town Sings over the past year, after their sold-out performances honoring Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato, and Sara Bareilles. CHI-TOWN SINGS: BRITNEY VS. CHRISTINA will be performed at 8PM on June 10th, and the series is moving from The Den Theatre to City Winery in the West Loop. Food and drink can be enjoyed throughout the evening. An anonymous producer is signed on to the project. 2

Award-winning performers Robert Deason (dueling pianist extraordinaire) and Lauren Paris (most recently seen in a critically acclaimed performance as Percy in THE SPITFIRE GRILL, Refuge Theatre Project) are back with another round of Chi-Town Sings, after their sold-out performances of CHI-TOWN SINGS SARA BAREILLES and CHI-TOWN SINGS DEMI LOVATO. CHI-TOWN SINGS LADY GAGA will be performed at 8PM on March 4th at The Den Theatre. Previously, the series occupied the beloved 100 seat Haven Cabaret space, but have been upgraded to a 300 seat venue: The Heath. An anonymous producer has also signed on to the project.

Award-winning performers Lauren Paris (most recently seen in a critically acclaimed performance as Percy in THE SPITFIRE GRILL, Refuge Theatre Project) and Robert Deason (dueling pianist extraordinaire) are back with another round of Chi-Town Sings, after their sold-out performance of BETWEEN THE LINES: CHI-TOWN SINGS SARA BAREILLES. They now present TELL ME YOU LOVE ME: CHI-TOWN SINGS DEMI LOVATO

Robert Ollis, music director and producer of Pride Films and Plays's annual NOMINEE NIGHT, has announced the lineup of performers nominated for Non-Equity Jeff Awards who will perform at the Monday, May 21 event, singing songs from the productions and roles for which they were nominated this year. It was also announced that Steve Kmetko (pictured), a longtime featured personality on E! Entertainment will serve as the concert's Master of Ceremonies.

The Jeff Awards announced today a total of 115 nominations in 19 categories for the 45th Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards.

From the sun baked Oklahoma Territory at the turn of the 20th century comes the Broadway classic, Oklahoma!, beginning April 11 with a press opening on Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. at 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire. Due to high demand, an additional week is now on sale through June 10. Featuring a powerful score by legendary duo Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs, Oklahoma! will be directed by Artistic Director and Jeff Award-winner Aaron Thielen (She Loves Me, Spring Awakening). Jeff Award nominee Alex Sanchez (Marriott Theatre: Newsies, Evita, On the Town, Mary Poppins) will choreograph, with Musical Direction and orchestrations by Jeff Award winner Ryan T. Nelson.

Jeff Award-nominee and HIV+ director/producer Christopher Pazdernik is pleased to announce the 4th annual Chris's Birthday Belt Fest, a benefit concert for Howard Brown Health, Monday, May 14 at 8 p.m. at Uptown Underground, 4707 N. Broadway. Tickets are $30, in advance; $40, at the door on the night of the performance, and are available at uptownunderground.net or by calling 773.867.1946. Uptown Underground is a 21 years old and older venue and advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Full cast and creative team for Theo Ubique's holiday season production of ALTAR BOYZ was announced today by director Courtney Crouse, who previously directed A MARVIN HAMLISCH SONGBOOK and HONKY TONK ANGELS for the company. Playing the members of the fictitious Christian boy band of the title will be Max DeTogne, Frankie Leo Bennett, Colin Schreier, Brian Bandura and Steven Romero Schaeffer. Joining Crouse on the creative team will be Theo Ubique's Resident Music Director Jeremy Ramey and choreographer Sawyer Smith. Ramey and Smith are both recent Jeff Award winners: Ramey was named Best Music Director this year for Theo's THE MOST HAPPY FELLA and Smith won the 2016 award for his choreography of HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL by Kokandy Productions.

Kokandy Productions is pleased to continue its 5th anniversary season with the Chicago premiere of BONNIE & CLYDE, the musical story of two small-town nobodies searching for meaning at the height of the Great Depression from the creative team of Frank Wildhorn, Ivan Menchell and Don Black. Directed by Spencer Neiman, with music direction by John Cockerill and choreography by Aubrey Adams, BONNIE & CLYDE will play August 27 - October 15, 2017 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.kokandyproductions.com, by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at the Theater Wit Box Office. 

Dustin Rothbart and Danny Kapinos, Co-Artistic Directors, are excited to announce the formation of BLANK THEATRE COMPANY. Blank Theatre Company aims to present our audiences with work that is both timely & timeless.

Kokandy Productions has announced casting for its Chicago premiere of BONNIE & CLYDE, the musical story of two small-town nobodies searching for meaning at the height of the Great Depression from the creative team of Frank Wildhorn, Ivan Menchell and Don Black. 

 Pride Films and Plays will again host its annual Nominee Night cabaret showcasing many of the musical theater performers nominated in the Non-Equity Jeff Awards. The nominees were announced on April 24 and the awards will be presented June 5, 2017 at the Atheneaum Theatre. This year's cabaret will for the first time be performed in the Broadway, Pride Arts Center - the new home the company acquired in summer 2016. The theater is located at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. Audience members will have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a door prize drawing for $400.00 in airfare from Southwest Airlines.