Michael Peters News

The full cast has been announced for Guys and Dolls, the first musical to be staged at Chichester's Festival Theatre this summer following a major redevelopment.

The Gift Theatre Artistic Director Michael Patrick Thornton announces the Chicago premiere of Thinner Than Water written by Melissa Ross and directed by The Gift ensemble member John Gawlik (2013 Jeff Award winner for When the Rain Stops Falling at Circle Theatre). The production marks Thornton's return to The Gift main stage since ensemble member Andrew Hinderaker's Jeff Nominated Dirty in 2012. Thornton recently appeared in Les Waters' production of Our Town at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Thornton joins guest artists Donna McGough (last seen in Coriolanus with The Hypocrites) and Darci Nalepa (Dirty) and fellow Gift ensemble members Brittany Burch (The Lonesome West), Paul D'Addario (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), Gabriel Franken (Broadsword), Lynda Newton (Absolute Hell) and Jay Worthington (Vigils).

Am Sonntag, dem 2. Marz, findet in der Komodie am Kurfurstendamm die Urauffuhrung von Franz Wittenbrinks „Cafe ohne Aussicht' statt.

Last fall NATURAL GAS, the five-year-old house improv team of The Gift Theatre, took up an open run on Friday nights at Wicker Park's The Den Theatre, performing entirely improvised group sets in addition to their standing Wednesday night set at The Gift in Jefferson Park. Now, NATURAL GAS presents YOU & ME-a two-person, entirely improvised show featuring NATURAL GAS ensemble member/The Gift artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton with a special guest from the Chicago improv/theatre community. Upcoming performances of YOU & ME are Fridays Feb. 28 (with NATURAL GAS' Jim Kozyra), March 14 (with Susan Messing) and April 4 (with Keith Neagle) at 10:30 p.m. An ongoing schedule can be found at thegifttheatre.org/shows-events/gas-the-den.

The Gift Theatre Artistic Director Michael Patrick Thornton announces the Chicago premiere of Thinner Than Water written by Melissa Ross and directed by The Gift ensemble member John Gawlik (2013 Jeff Award winner for When the Rain Stops Falling at Circle Theatre). The production marks Thornton's return to The Gift main stage since ensemble member Andrew Hinderaker's Jeff Nominated Dirty in 2012. Thornton recently appeared in Les Waters' production of Our Town at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Thornton joins guest artists Donna McGough (last seen in Coriolanus with The Hypocrites) and Darci Nalepa (Dirty) and fellow Gift ensemble members Brittany Burch (The Lonesome West), Paul D'Addario (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), Gabriel Franken (Broadsword), Lynda Newton (Absolute Hell) and Jay Worthington (Vigils).

TEN, The Gift Theatre's annual season kickoff celebration of ten 10-minute plays, returns January 9-19, 2014. This year's ten-minute play premieres by The Gift and guests were curated by artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton and associate artistic director Paul D'Addario. Tickets to TEN are free for all at http://thegifttheatre.org/, however subscribers have the first opportunity to reserve.

NATURAL GAS, the five-year-old house improv team of The Gift Theatre, has taken up residence Friday nights at Wicker Park's The Den Theatre. NATURAL GAS @ The Den shows will alternate between entirely improvised group sets (NATURAL GAS) and a two-person, entirely improvised show featuring Michael Patrick Thornton with a guest (NATURAL GAS presents: YOU & ME (Michael Patrick Thornton)). On Friday, November 29, special guest Ed Flynn joins Thornton's two-person show. An updated schedule can be found at thegifttheatre.org/shows-events/gas-the-den

Writers Theatre has announced the On To A New Stage Campaign, a $31 million fundraising campaign that will establish the nationally-recognized company's new home - a theatre center designed by Chicago's internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects, led by principal Jeanne Gang.

ROCKERS ANONYMOUS took over The Bowery Electric for its ninth engagement entitled Rockers Anonymous: Let's '69!!! on Nov. 3. Hosted by Mike Kelton, the line up included Mary Michael Patterson (THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, ANYTHING GOES), Carlos Valdez (ONCE, JERSEY BOYS tour), Mykal Kilgore (MOTOWN, BOOK OF MORMON tour), Kate Loprest (FIRST DATE, WONDERLAND), Jason Gotay (SPIDER-MAN), Kent Overshown (MEMPHIS tour, PORGY AND BESS tour), Emma Hunton (SPRING AWAKENING, NEXT TO NORMAL and Off B'way RENT), Caitlin Lester-Sams, Darren Bluestone (AVENUE Q), Julius Thomas III (MOTOWN, PORGY AND BESS), Sheila Coyle (RENT National Tour), Vishal Vaidya, Hernando Umana, and Camille Trzcinski, Aashley Morgan. Check out a look back at the performances below!

The Gift Theatre artistic director and co-founder Michael Patrick Thornton proudly announces its 2014 season featuring two Chicago premieres and the theater's first staging of Shakespeare. The season includes Bethany, reuniting the writer and director of the 2013 Gift Theatre hit Mine. Bethany premiered Off-Broadway in January to raves with America Ferrara in the title role. The Gift Season Subscriptions, starting at $75, offer theatergoers the opportunity to be part of the exciting revolution of The Gift and Chicago's Northwest Side; Jefferson Park was recently recognized by the Chicago Sun-Times and Nadig Press as 'Chicago's newest theater district.'

Chromolume Theatre has announced its next production, the world premiere of Love Songs, A Musical with book, music and lyrics by Steven Cagan, and directed by Kay Cole. Featuring orchestrations and arrangements by Doug Walter and music direction by Richard Berent. Opening is set for tonight, June 22 at 8pm. Love Songs will play a limited engagement through July 28 only.

Chromolume Theatre has announced its next production, Love Songs, with book, music and lyrics by Steven Cagan, and directed by Kay Cole. Featuring orchestrations and arrangements by Doug Walter and music direction byRichard Berent, there will be one preview performance on June 21, andopening is set for Saturday, June 22 at 8pm. Love Songs will play a limited engagement through July 28 only.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on a multi-Tony Award-winning choreographer, director and performer who was involved with many landmark musicals of the 20th century - Michael Bennett.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on two of the most memorable musicals of the 1980s, DREAMGIRLS & NINE!

MeLu Communications Group announces the release of 'American Mambo'... the exciting new CD by Lucio Fernandez a.k.a. 'The Cuban Kid'. A feel good production... from dance tracks, to boleros, to hard driving ballads... this is 'American Mambo'.

DREAMGIRLS, the smash hit musical about an up-and-coming 1960s singing girl group, debuts in Las Vegas at West Las Vegas Theatre, tonight, March 7 & 8, 7PM and March 9 & 10, 2013 at 1:30PM. With music by Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tony and Grammy-winning Tom Eyen, it features the unforgettable hits, 'One Night Only', 'I Am Changing' and the powerhouse ballet 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.' DREAMGIRLS, which was made into an award-winning film, is presented by A Source Of Joy Theatricals and will mark the second production of 2013 Broadway In The Hood - Las Vegas Season.

Broadway World [BWW] sat down with Broadway veterans, Lloyd Culbreath and Valarie Pettiford, to discuss their efforts to preserve Bob Fosse's legendary choreography for the next generation of dancers. The pair held an exclusive Fosse Workshop in early February and invited fifty professional dancers to learn the signature style and articulation of Fosse choreography.

DREAMGIRLS, the smash hit musical about an up-and-coming 1960s singing girl group, debuts in Las Vegas at West Las Vegas Theatre, March 7 & 8, 7PM and March 9 & 10, 2013 at 1:30PM. With music by Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tony and Grammy-winning Tom Eyen, it features the unforgettable hits, 'One Night Only', 'I Am Changing' and the powerhouse ballet 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.' DREAMGIRLS, which was made into an award-winning film, is presented by A Source Of Joy Theatricals and will mark the second production of 2013 Broadway In The Hood - Las Vegas Season.

Victory Gardens Theater announces The Warriors for Newtown, a benefit to support the Sandy Hook Elementary Victims Relief Fund. The evening will include a one-night-only reading of The Warriors by Evan Linder, conceived by Mary Hollis Inboden with contributions by Sarah Gitenstein, Wes Needham, Whit Nelson, Nicole Pellegrino and Michael Peters, followed by a community conversation. Kimberly Senior will direct the benefit reading. The Warriors for Newtown will be held on Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. at the Victory Gardens Zacek McVay Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Victory Gardens Theater announces The Warriors for Newtown, a benefit to support the Sandy Hook Elementary Victims Relief Fund. The evening will include a one-night-only reading of The Warriors by Evan Linder, conceived by Mary Hollis Inboden with contributions by Sarah Gitenstein, Wes Needham, Whit Nelson, Nicole Pellegrino and Michael Peters, followed by a community conversation. Kimberly Senior will direct the benefit reading. The Warriors for Newtown will be held on Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. at the Victory Gardens Zacek McVay Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.