Patrick Thornton News

The Gift Theatre artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton has announced casting for the Chicago premiere of Broadsword: A Heavy Metal Play written by Marco Ramirez (Orange is the New Black; Sons of Anarchy) and directed by Keira Fromm. Guest artists Chuck Spencer (Jeff Award-winner for Redtwist's Man From Nebraska) and Pavement Group's Cyd Blakewell (currently co-starring in Mine) join The Gift Ensemble members John Kelly Connolly (The Lonesome West), James D. Farruggio (Suicide, Inc.), Gabriel Franken (Mine) and John Gawlik (The Lonesome West).

New mother Mari has a devoted husband, a reassuring midwife and a mom who can't wait to babysit. But she can't shake the feeling that there's something strange about her newborn daughter. Chicago's The Gift Theatre Company births a world of new motherhood, where doubt and certainty blur, in the Chicago premiere of Laura Marks' thrilling, haunting and terrifying Mine, directed by Marti Lyons. Mine makes its Chicago premiere now through August 11, 2013, at The Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Avenue (at Lawrence) in Chicago. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!

Pavement Group will develop and produce the world premiere "Harry & the Thief" at The Den Theatre October 10 - November 10, 2013, written by emerging playwright Sigrid Gilmer and directed by Krissy Vanderwarker, Co-Artistic Director of Dog & Pony Theatre Company. An audacious historical time travel play about Harriet Tubman, "Harry & the Thief" is chock full of Bruckheimer-worthy dialogue and slapstick humor - think "Django Unchained" meets "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure".

New mother Mari has a devoted husband, a reassuring midwife and a mom who can't wait to babysit. But she can't shake the feeling that there's something strange about her newborn daughter. Chicago's The Gift Theatre Company births a world of new motherhood, where doubt and certainty blur, in the Chicago premiere of Laura Marks' thrilling, haunting and terrifying Mine, directed byMarti Lyons. Mine makes its Chicago Premiere tonight, June 13 - August 11 at The Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave (at Lawrence) in Chicago. Press opening is Monday, June 17.

New mother Mari has a devoted husband, a reassuring midwife and a mom who can't wait to babysit. But she can't shake the feeling that there's something strange about her newborn daughter. Chicago's The Gift Theatre Company births a world of new motherhood, where doubt and certainty blur, in the Chicago premiere of Laura Marks' thrilling, haunting and terrifying Mine, directed byMarti Lyons. Mine makes its Chicago Premiere June 13 - August 11 at The Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave (at Lawrence) in Chicago. Press opening is Monday, June 17.

Natural Gas, the house improv team of The Gift Theatre, begins its open run at The Second City this Sunday, April 21 at 8 p.m. The first installment, Natural Gas: Thornes, will be an entirely improvised two-man set starring The Gift Theatre artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton and Natural Gas Artistic Director Kyle Zornes (currently starring in Vigils at The Gift, directed by Erica Weiss).

Artistic Director of Chicago Opera Theater, Andreas Mitisek, Artistic Director of the dance troupe The Seldoms, Carrie Hanson, actor from ABC's "Private Practice" and artistic director of The Gift Theatre, Michael Patrick Thornton and chef Homaro Cantu of Moto. The opening act is Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen of Dolly Varden. Appetizer and entree tastings for the audience are from Moto are paired with wine from Domane Wachau and chocolate by Vosges.

The Gift Theatre has announced its 11th season, beginning January 2013. The season opens with a celebration of short world premieres and then presents three radically different productions dealing with the most universal of human crises: death, birth, and the mystery of what lies beyond.

The Gift Theatre has announced its 11th season, beginning January 2013. The season opens with a celebration of short world premieres and then presents three radically different productions dealing with the most universal of human crises: death, birth, and the mystery of what lies beyond.

Just in time for the final showdown for the White House, Pine Box Theater patriotically presents ElectionFest 2012, 'twelve bold, politically-charged ten-minute plays exploring the issues driving the divide in today's political landscape and the upcoming election,' written by some of the country's most exciting theatrical voices.' The four-night festival will be presented today, October 22-23 & 29-30, 2012 at Theatre Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.theatrewit.org or by calling the Theatre Wit Box Office at (773) 975-8150.

The Chicago Park District's Theater on the Lake: The Chicago Summer Theater Festival at Fullerton Avenue and Lake Michigan announces the new co-artistic curators to select the 2013 season: Halena Kays, artistic director of The Hypocrites, and Joanie Schultz, freelance opera and theater director.

Just in time for the final showdown for the White House, Pine Box Theater patriotically presents ElectionFest 2012, twelve bold, ten-minute plays exploring the issues driving the divide in today's political landscape and the upcoming election, written by some of the country's most exciting theatrical voices. The four-night festival will be presented October 22-23 & 29-30, 2012 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.theaterwit.org or by calling the Theatre Wit Box Office at (773) 975-8150.

Just in time for the final showdown for the White House, Pine Box Theater patriotically presents ElectionFest 2012, twelve bold, ten-minute plays exploring the issues driving the divide in today's political landscape and the upcoming election, written by some of the country's most exciting theatrical voices. The four-night festival will be presented October 22-23 & 29-30, 2012 at Theatre Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.theatrewit.org or by calling the Theatre Wit Box Office at (773) 975-8150.

The Gift Theatre has announced the world premiere of Dirty by Andrew Hinderaker, the Joseph Jefferson-nominated writer and director of Suicide, Incorporated and I Am Going to Change the World tonight, September 20, 2012.

The Gift Theatre has announced the upcoming world premiere of Dirty by Andrew Hinderaker, the Joseph Jefferson-nominated writer and director of Suicide, Incorporated and I Am Going to Change the World on September 20, 2012.

Just in time for the final showdown for the White House, Pine Box Theater patriotically presents ElectionFest 2012, 'twelve bold, politically-charged ten-minute plays exploring the issues driving the divide in today's political landscape and the upcoming election,' written by some of the country's most exciting theatrical voices.' The four-night festival will be presented October 22-23 & 29-30, 2012 at Theatre Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.theatrewit.org or by calling the Theatre Wit Box Office at (773) 975-8150.

At the Non-Equity Jeff Awards Ceremony tonight, June 4, 2012, a Special Jeff Award will be presented to the Theater on the Lake of the Chicago Park District in honor of the theater's 60th anniversary in June 2012 and in recognition of its long contribution to the vitality of the city's theatre scene.

In honor of Theater on the Lake's 60th anniversary in June 2012, the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee will bestow a Special Award to the Theater for its commitment to presenting a cross section of Chicago's diverse theater scene, in its facility on the lakefront.

At the Non-Equity Jeff Awards Ceremony on June 4, 2012, a Special Jeff Award will be presented to the Theater on the Lake of the Chicago Park District in honor of the theater's 60th anniversary in June 2012 and in recognition of its long contribution to the vitality of the city's theatre scene.

The Gift Theatre closes tonight, April 29, its U.S. Premiere of Absolute Hell by Rodney Ackland, directed by ensemble member Sheldon Patinkin and featuring Gift Ensemble Members Brittany Burch, John Connolly, Paul D'Addario, Gabriel Franken, Alexandra Main, Kenny Mihlfried, Lynda Newton, Michael Patrick Thornton and Jay Worthington with guest artists Alexis Atwill, Harter Clingman, Kurt Conroyd, Patrick DeNicola, Joanne Dubach, Marssie Mencotti, Donna McGough, Justine Serino, Amy Speckien, Maria Stephens, Dylan Stuckey, and Adam Welsh.