Northwestern University News

Cleveland Play House (CPH) announced today that, with the May 19 finale of its 2012-13 season, Artistic Director Michael Bloom will close out his tenure with the theatre company.

Scandinavian American Theater Company will present the US Premiere of GORILLA by Rhea Leman. The Danish premiere was just nominated for the 2013 Reumert Award (the Danish equivalent of the Tony Award) for Best Playwrighting. Directed by Ari Edelson, previews begin May 24 at the Lion Theatre at Theatre Row. Opening is slated for May 30.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. It's our annual Summer Musical Theater Guide! This week, Part One: Chicagoland. Check out 'The Jungle Book,' 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman,' 'Next To Normal,' 'The Color Purple,' 'Spelling Bee,' 'Cabaret' and a whole lot more!

Striding Lion Performance Group presents 'Dada Gert,' a multi-media dance theater performance inspired by the life and work of Valeska Gert, a renegade dance-theater-film-cabaret artist whose punk-like 'dance satires' alternately challenged and thrilled audiences in Weimar-era Berlin, conceived and choreographed by Annie Arnoult Beserra. The show runs one hour with no intermission.

Bay Street Theatre begins the 2013 Mainstage Season with Lend Me a Tenor (May 28 - June 23). This hilarious Ken Ludwig comedy, under the direction of Don Stephenson, includes Judy Blazer, Scott Cote, Betsy DiLellio, Donna English, Nancy Johnston, Noah Plomgren, Steve Rosen and Roland Rusinek as its hilarious cast.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, presents the world premiere production of Muckrakers, a new play by Zayd Dohrn, directed by Giovanna Sardelli (BSC's The North Pool and Lord of the Flies). Muckrakers begins previews Thursday, June 13, opens Wednesday, June 19 and will run through Saturday, July 6 at the St. Germain Stage, at the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield.

Jackalope Theatre Company, in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, presents the world premiere of THE CASUALS, co-written by Chance Bone and Andrew Swanson and directed by Jonathan Berry, playing July 7 - 28, 2013 at The Storefront Theater.

Mary-Arrchie Theater Co. is excited to announce that on it's 27th Anniversary, Thursday, June 13, 2013 at 8 p.m. it will open a production of Austin Pendleton's Uncle Bob. It will run Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m.and Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets will be $25. There will be previews on June 11 and 12 at 8 p.m. and the preview ticket price will be $15. It will be mounted at Angel Island which is at 735 W. Sheridan in Chicago, Illinois. There is parking available at the Mobil Gas station across from the theater for a price to be determined by Mobil.

NiCori Studios and Productions in association with Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center announces a new installment of the monthly concert series, 'Music at the Mansion', today, May 19, at 3pm. Performers include Jennie Litt & David Alpher, Ilene Angel and 4th Wall Theatre. The featured performer in the 'Young Musician Moment' will be Kevin Bergen.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company has announced the promotion of Miriam Weisfeld from Director of Artistic Development to Associate Artistic Director, an evolution reflective of Woolly's ongoing effort to unify its literary and production activities. In her new role-a position instituted only a few times in Woolly's 34-year history-Weisfeld will continue to manage Woolly's artistic programming from commissions and season selection to implementation, and now also provide oversight of casting, Connectivity, and other initiatives.

Performances begin in just five weeks for the third annual Next Up, continuing Steppenwolf Theatre Company's commitment to Chicago's next generation of theater artists. Next Up features three productions presented in rotating repertory, in collaboration with Northwestern University's MFA programs in Direction and Design. Next Up 2013 showcases the work of graduates of those programs with casts of professional Chicago actors-including nine alumni of the School at Steppenwolf: Fat Pig by Neil LaBute, directed by David Prete; The Drunken City by Adam Bock, directed by Johnny Michael DiResta; and The Internationalist by Anne Washburn, directed by Erin Murray.

On Sunday, May 19, Jules Feiffer's Little Murders arrives at The New Group @ Theatre Row in a one-night-only benefit reading. Directed by Cynthia Nixon, this benefit reading features Eric Bogosian, Kevin Cahoon, John Doman, America Ferrera, Charles Grodin, Rory O'Malley, Caroline Rhea and Michael Stuhlbarg.

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, presents the Tony Award-winning 2008 Broadway revival version of the hit comedy BOEING-BOEING, previewing June 13, opening Thursday, June 20 at 8 p.m., and running through August 4, 2013. BOEING-BOEING stars Saturday Night Live alum Nora Dunn as"Berthe" (Dunn was Meryl Streep's co-star in the Nancy Meyers film It's Complicated; her TV credits include Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, Private Practice, Psych and Franklin & Bash; and she recently starred in Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron's play Love, Loss and What I Wore at the Broadway Playhouse in Chicago).

Scott Emmons has been named dean of the Peck School of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). Emmons, a professor of music education, joined the UWM faculty in 1992. He has served as interim dean of the Peck School during the 2012-13 Year of the Arts at UWM, a celebration of the Peck School's 50th anniversary.

The Judas Redux team (led by Executive Producers Julia Albain and Corey Lubowich of Team StarKid fame) announces casting for a new production of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis, and directed by Julia Albain. The Last Days of Judas Iscariot will be presented at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont in Chicago, for 18 performances, August 23 - September 8, 2013. The Press Opening is scheduled for Sunday, August 25 at 6:00 p.m.

After discovering that a famous painting had been misinterpreted for centuries, Jean Gillies offers a new-found realization about it in her book, "Botticelli's Primavera: The Young Lorenzo's Transformation" (published by iUniverse).

The Spolin Players Improvisational troupe is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Viola Spolin (known as 'The High Priestess of Improv') by performing her theatre games at The Hollywood Fringe Festival. Each hour-long completely improvised show will be completely different and original. Bring your imagination and suggestions, and get ready to laugh a lot!

As part of its 2012-2013 producing Season, HERE will present You Are Dead. You Are Here. Together, playwright Christine Evans, director Joseph Megel and media designer Jared Mezzocchi have formed Transit Lounge, and You Are Dead. You Are Here. marks the company's debut production. This world premiere plays a limited engagement June 5-22, with Official Opening Night on Sunday, June 9 at 8:30PM at HERE (145 Sixth Avenue, just below Spring Street).

NiCori Studios and Productions in association with Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center announces a new installment of the monthly concert series, 'Music at the Mansion', on Sunday, May 19, at 3pm. Performers include Jennie Litt & David Alpher, Ilene Angel and 4th Wall Theatre. The featured performer in the 'Young Musician Moment' will be Kevin Bergen.

Join Teatro Luna for a staged reading of You, Me & Tuno by Milta Ortiz, winner of the 2013 Diane Rodriguez Award for the Advancement of Latina Voices in Theatre. The reading will be directed by Jacob Padron and roduced by Alexandra Meda* today, May 11, 2013 at 2pm at Stage773, 1225 W. Belmont, Chicago, IL.