PJ Paparelli News

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago’s only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, welcomes eight new ensemble members.

The Board of Directors of Raven Theatre has announced that Sarah Slight will serve as the theater’s Interim Artistic Director beginning December 1, 2022, as the theater conducts a search to replace Cody Estle, who is departing to serve as the Artistic Director of Next Act Theatre in Milwaukee.  

Local actor Kelly O'Sullivan brings her talents to the role of Sandra in the national tour of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, now in a sit-down Chicago run through early April.

Stage Left Theatre announces a change to the availability of the final showing of their acclaimed online production of The Project(s).

Stage Left Theatre announces their upcoming online production of The Project(s), written by PJ Paparelli and Joshua Jaeger, and directed by Christian Helem in his Stage Left debut. Performances of The Project(s) will be live, not pre-recorded*, capturing the excitement and  interactivity of an onstage show in an online performance. Press opening is Friday, November 6th at 7:00pmCT via Zoom. The show runs through November 26th.

Greasepaint presents columbinus for three performance only. Sept 6 through Sept. 8. columbinus is staged through Greasepaint's Bare Bones program, an annual production that focuses on social justice.

The Gift Theatre continues its 2019 Season with the Chicago premiere of Hansol Jung's WOLF PLAY, a messy, funny and disturbing theatrical experience grappling with a wolf, a puppet, and a very prickly problem: What is a family? What do we need from them, today? Is it very different from the things humans have needed from families before?

Random Acts will honor the 20th anniversary of the events at Columbine High School with The United States Theatre Projects' columbinus. The site-specific production will be directed by Nora Lise Ulrey and will take place at Unity Lutheran Church (1212 W. Balmoral Ave, Chicago) from June 5-14, 2019. Tickets are currently available at RandomActsChicago.com. Proceeds from the performances will benefit The Brady Campaign.

The Gift Theatre announces casting for its Chicago premiere of Hansol Jung's WOLF PLAY, a messy, funny, and disturbing theatrical experience grappling with a wolf, a puppet, and a very prickly problem: What is a family? What do we need from them, today? Is it very different from the things humans have needed from families before?

To mark the 20th anniversary of the deadly shooting at Columbine High School, 1st Stage brings us a columbinus that, tragically, is as frightening, significant, and topical today as ever before. In the two decades since the massacre at Columbine High-the deadliest school shooting at the time-we have now experienced tragedies at Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Parkland, and more. columbinus mixes documentary fact with fiction to delve into the alienation, social pressure, intimidation, and rage of adolescent life in high school.

Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the tragic 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, this docudrama combines fact and fiction to illuminate the dark realities of adolescence. Weaving together excerpts of real interviews with parents, survivors, and community leaders and powerful characterizations of contemporary teens, columbinus thoughtfully explores the Columbine shooting and the conversations that continue to this day. The New York Post hailed columbinus as 'a powerful and important piece about the churning rage that's all too likely to bubble over again.'

Random Acts announces columbinus by the United States Theatre Project. The site-specific production will be directed by Nora Lise Ulrey and will take place at Unity Lutheran Church (1212 W. Balmoral Ave, Chicago) from June 5-14, 2019. Tickets are currently available at RandomActsChicago.com. Proceeds from the performances will benefit The Brady Campaign. Press is invited to attend any performance the first week.

Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the tragic 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, this docudrama combines fact and fiction to illuminate the dark realities of adolescence. Weaving together excerpts of real interviews with parents, survivors, and community leaders and powerful characterizations of contemporary teens, columbinus thoughtfully explores the Columbine shooting and the conversations that continue to this day. The New York Post hailed columbinus as "a powerful and important piece about the churning rage that's all too likely to bubble over again."

From the co-creator of the Academy Award-winning film Moonlight comes a profoundly compelling story of family, devotion, and belonging. Deep in the Louisiana bayou, the hardworking and steady, Ogun Size, is reunited with his aimless younger brother recently released from prison. Flights of poetry, music, and West African mythology combine in a one-of-a-kind experience that delivers "the greatest piece of writing by an American playwright under 30 in a generation or more" (The Chicago Tribune).

Although it comes across as 'The Breakfast Club' meets 'Natural Born Killers,' it's powerful as hell.

1st Stage, Tysons Corner's award-winning professional theatre, announces the extension of their critically-acclaimed production of A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration until December 30.

It's 1864 and Washington, D.C. is settling down to the coldest Christmas Eve in years. "History lessons and holiday warmth sit cozily alongside each other" (The New York Times) in this pageant of carols by Paula Vogel, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer of Indecent. Stories of many intertwining lives- spanning from the battlegrounds of Northern Virginia to the halls of the White House- demonstrate that the gladness of one's heart is the best gift of all. This "rich and moving play with music" (Variety) is a treat the whole family will enjoy.

It's 1864 and Washington, D.C. is settling down to the coldest Christmas Eve in years. "History lessons and holiday warmth sit cozily alongside each other" (The New York Times) in this pageant of carols by Paula Vogel, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer of Indecent. Stories of many intertwining lives- spanning from the battlegrounds of Northern Virginia to the halls of the White House- demonstrate that the gladness of one's heart is the best gift of all. This "rich and moving play with music" (Variety) is a treat the whole family will enjoy.

During last night's Season Release Bash at Filament Theater, Artistic Director and Co-Founder Michael Patrick Thornton proudly announced The Gift Theatre's 2019 Season will include: a revival of John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning drama DOUBT: A PARABLE directed by Ensemble Member John Gawlik and featuring Ensemble Members Jennifer Glasse, Maryann Thebus and Michael Patrick Thornton (February 27 - March 31) and the Chicago premiere of Hansol Jung's WOLF PLAY, directed by guest artist Jess McLeod (October 18 - November 24). The Gift's 17th season will also include a soon-to-be-announced third production (July 12 - August 18).

Steppenwolf's LookOut series is proud to present The Yard's production ofcolumbinus by the United States Theatre Project, written by Stephen Karam and PJ Paparelli. Directed byMechelle Moe and performed by The Yard's 15 young-person ensemble, columbinus runs Thursday, May 3 - Saturday, May 26 in the 1700 Theatre. Press date is Friday, May 4 at 8pm. Tickets ($15 - $25) to columbinusare on sale now through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org. Red and Black Card Members can use their credits toward columbinus, and Black Card members get 2-for-1 tickets.