Nicole Michelle Haskins News

Goodman Theatre concludes its 2018/2019 Season on a high note with Mary Zimmerman's major revival of The Music Man-Meredith Willson's joyous musical masterpiece, hailed as "one of the sunniest musicals ever" that "glows with enjoyment" with "tunes [that] are full of gusto" (The New York Times), based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey.

Jeff Award-winning director and HIV+ activist Christopher Pazdernik presents the 5th installment of Chris' Birthday Belt Fest, an annual benefit concert for Howard Brown Health, Monday, May 13 at 8 p.m. at Greenhouse Theatre Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.Tickets are $30, in advance; $40, at the door on the night of the performance, and are available at GreenHouseTheater.org or by calling 773.404.7336. The performance is suitable for all ages and runs two hours with one intermission.

Black Lives, Black Words International Project, in partnership with Goodman Theatre and Artistic Directors of the Future, is proud to announce the festival line-up for "I AM…FEST: A Celebration of Women of Color in Arts, Activism and Leadership." Curated by Black Lives, Black Words Co-founders Reginald Edmund and Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway, "I AM…FEST" is a first-of-its-kind international festival that shines a spotlights on female voices across the globe through three days of innovative and inspiring events.

Sideshow Theatre Company is pleased to launch its 2018-19 Season with the world premiere of J. Nicole Brooks' dazzling new play HeLa, directed by artistic director Jonathan L. Green* and presented in partnership with the Greenhouse Theater Center. HeLa will play November 18 - December 23, 2018 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.

Sideshow Theatre Company is pleased to launch its 2018-19 Season with the world premiere of J. Nicole Brooks' dazzling new play HeLa, directed by artistic director Jonathan L. Green* and presented in partnership with the Greenhouse Theater Center. HeLa will playNovember 18 - December 23, 2018 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.

Firebrand Theatre, in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, is pleased to announce its hit revival of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE will add two additional weeks of performances, extending through Sunday, November 11, 2018 at The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. PHOTO CREDIT: CarolineorChange-1 (front) Rashada Dawan with back Emma Sipora Tyler and Tyler Symone in Firebrand Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company's production of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, directed by Lili-Anne Brown. Photo by Marisa KM.

Sideshow Theatre Company, in partnership with the Greenhouse Theater Center, has announced casting for the world premiere of J. Nicole Brooks' dazzling new play HeLa, directed by artistic director Jonathan L. Green*.

Celebrate the fierce femmes of the '90s with Firebrand Theatre! Firebrand presents YOU OUGHTA KNOW: A TRIBUTE TO FIREBRANDS OF THE '90s on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 8 pm at Elastic Arts, 3429 W. Diversey Ave. #208, in Chicago.

Firebrand Theatre's second season opens with a poignantly fitting musical choice: composer Jeanine Tesori and librettist Tony Kushner's CAROLINE, OR CHANGE. In the musical from this renowned writing team, protagonist Caroline Thibodeaux, a black woman working as a maid for a white Jewish family in 1963 Lake Charles, Louisiana goes on a powerful journey of self-discovery. Firebrand, in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, has made a production choice that fits the company's feminist mission like a glove.

Firebrand Theatre, in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, is pleased to launch its 2018-19 season with a revival of the Tony Award-nominated Best Musical CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, playing September 22 - October 28, 2018, at The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage

Firebrand Theatre, in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, is pleased to launch its 2018-19 season with a revival of the Tony Award-nominated Best Musical CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, playing September 22 - October 28, 2018, at The The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Firebrand Theatre, in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, is pleased to launch its 2018-19 season with a revival of the Tony Award-nominated Best Musical CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, playing September 22 - October 28, 2018, at The The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Firebrand Theatre, in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, is pleased to launch its 2018-19 season with a revival of the Tony Award-nominated Best Musical CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, playing September 22 - October 28, 2018, at The The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Eclipse Theatre Company, the only Midwest theatre company to feature one playwright in one season, will continue their 2018 William Inge Season with Bus Stop, directed by ensemble member Steve Scott.

Firebrand Theatre, in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company, is pleased to announces casting for its revival of the Tony Award-nominated Best Musical CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, featuring music by Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home, Violet), book and lyrics by Tony Kushner (Angels in America), direction by Lili-Anne Brown and music direction by Andra Velis Simon. 

Eclipse Theatre Company, the only Midwest theatre company to feature one playwright in one season, will continue their 2018 William Inge Season with Bus Stop, directed by ensemble member Steve Scott.

Goodman Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Niegel Smith. Parks, in her 'finest work yet' (New York Times), serves up 'an American story as much about our present as it is about our past' (Los Angeles Times).

Goodman Theatre announces the cast and creative team for the Chicago premiere of Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Niegel Smith. Parks, in her "finest work yet" (New York Times), serves up "an American story as much about our present as it is about our past" (Los Angeles Times). Filled with wit, poetry and original music composed by Grammy Award winner Justin Ellington and performed on stage nightly by Chicago native blues musician Melody Angel, the production follows Hero (Kamal Angelo Bolden), a Texas slave, who faces a simple yet monumental choice: join his master in the Confederate army to win his freedom-or remain enslaved at the plantation. Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) appears May 25 - June 24, 2018 (opening night is June 4 at 7pm) in Goodman Theatre's 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre. The estimated run time is 2 hours and 30 minutes. Tickets ($10 - $40; subject to change) are available at GoodmanTheatre.org/Father , by phone at 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 N. Dearborn). The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation is the Major Production Sponsor and American Airlines is the Contributing Sponsor.

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

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.