Patrick Tierney News

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The Jeff Awards, Theo Ubique's future plans, Jennifer Hudson performs, 'Damn Yankees' at LOW, 'The Beverly Hillbillies,' 'Coraline,' 'The Last Ship' and the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival debut, 'Spelling Bee' starts, 'Avenue Q' extends and BroadwayWorld Chicago hosts a Tony Party!

After 200 episodes and nine seasons as America's beloved 1960s sitcom, The Beverly Hillbillies is making strides on stage as a musical for the first time ever. Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana, presents the World Premiere of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, THE MUSICAL, running from July 10 through August 10 with a press opening on Sunday, July 13. Directed by Jeff Award nominee David Perkovich with a musical score by award-winning Chicago composer Gregg Opelka, THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, THE MUSICAL, was written by David Rogers and Amanda Rogers, and follows the nouveau-riche Clampett family as they move to the privileged society of Beverly Hills after discovering an oil reserve on their land. From Jed Clampett to Granny, Elly May and Jethro all the favorites from the '60s TV comedy are back and shaking things up as they adjust to their new, fast-paced life while maintaining their hayseed ways.

Theatre at the Center celebrates the holidays by bringing audiences an endearing combination of a treasured tale and soaring music by a Disney musical genius, A Christmas Carol: The Musical. Composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin) infuses the Charles Dickens holiday classic with music the whole family will cherish. Full of cheer for all ages, A Christmas Carol: The Musical opened November 14 and runs through December 22. Theatre at the Center's production will be directed by Artistic Director William Pullinsi and stars five time Jeff-Award nominee Larry Adams as 'Scrooge'. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Wicked' at Sidetrack, three more versions of 'A Christmas Carol,' four radio productions of 'It's A Wonderful Life,' BET's original 'dancesical,' Davenport's, the 'Black Nativity' and sing-a-long 'Grease' films, the Bar Show and more!

Theatre at the Center celebrates the holidays by bringing audiences an endearing combination of a treasured tale and soaring music by a Disney musical genius, A Christmas Carol: The Musical. Composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin) infuses the Charles Dickens holiday classic with music the whole family will cherish. Full of cheer for all ages, A Christmas Carol: The Musical opened November 14 and runs through December 22 at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster. Scroll down for photos from the opening night celebrations!

Theatre at the Center celebrates the holidays by bringing audiences an endearing combination of a treasured tale and soaring music by a Disney musical genius, A Christmas Carol: The Musical. Composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin) infuses the Charles Dickens holiday classic with music the whole family will cherish. Full of cheer for all ages, A Christmas Carol: The Musical opened November 14 and runs through December 22. Theatre at the Center's production will be directed by Artistic Director William Pullinsi and stars five time Jeff-Award nominee Larry Adams as 'Scrooge'. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Big local openings ('Miss Saigon,' 'Hello, Dolly!' and 'Mary Poppins'), holiday fare like Menken's 'A Christmas Carol,' the return of 'We Three Lizas' and more, season announcements from MTC and LOW, plus the Season Of Concern CD and a BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards deadline!

Theatre at the Center celebrates the holidays by bringing audiences an endearing combination of a treasured tale and soaring music by a Disney musical genius, A Christmas Carol: The Musical. Composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin) infuses the Charles Dickens holiday classic with music the whole family will cherish. Full of cheer for all ages, A Christmas Carol: The Musical opens November 14 and runs through December 22 at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster. The press performance will be Sunday, November 17 at 7 p.m. Theatre at the Center's production will be directed by Artistic Director William Pullinsi and stars five time Jeff-Award nominee Larry Adams as 'Scrooge'. Adams recently appeared in Oliver! at Drury Lane, Off-Broadway in the The Hunchback Variations, and was in the Broadway production and National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. He was seen at Theatre at the Center as 'Julian Marsh' in 42nd Street, 'Captain Von Trapp' in the Sound of Music, 'George' in La Cage aux Folles, 'Pilot' in Jesus Christ Superstar and in the title role in Maury Yeston's Phantom.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Spelling Bee,' 'The Bee Gees,' 'The Jungle Book' and 'Phantom' extend, 'Cabaret,' 'Uptown Opera' the Aguilars in 'Double Trouble,' 'Elf' and more!

Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, presents heartwarming production of the two-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Audiences will enjoy the fun now through August 18 when Theater at the Center spells out another winner with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Featuring witty and endearing music and lyrics by William Finn and a delightful book by Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the touching story of a group of prepubescent overachievers who are pitted against one another in the spelling challenge of a lifetime. The production is directed by David Perkovich and celebrated its press opening on Sunday, July 14. Scroll down for photos from opening night!

Theater at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, will present a heartwarming production of the two-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Audiences can enjoy the fun now through August 18 as Theater at the Center spells out another winner with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Featuring witty and endearing music and lyrics by William Finn and a delightful book by Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the touching story of a group of prepubescent overachievers who are pitted against one another in the spelling challenge of a lifetime. Check out a first look below!

Theater at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, will present a heartwarming production of the two-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Audiences will enjoy the fun today, July 11 through August 18 when Theater at the Center spells out another winner with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Featuring witty and endearing music and lyrics by William Finn and a delightful book by Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the touching story of a group of prepubescent overachievers who are pitted against one another in the spelling challenge of a lifetime. The production will be directed by David Perkovich with a press opening on Sunday, July 14 at 7 p.m.

Here's a listing of the top ten places that are really burning it up in theater this summer, in Chicago and the region nearby. Seek them out, and enjoy!

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!

Theater at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, will present a heartwarming production of the two-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Audiences will enjoy the fun July 11 through August 18 when Theater at the Center spells out another winner with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Featuring witty and endearing music and lyrics by William Finn and a delightful book by Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the touching story of a group of prepubescent overachievers who are pitted against one another in the spelling challenge of a lifetime. The production will be directed by David Perkovich with a press opening on Sunday, July 14 at 7 p.m.

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, begins its exciting 2013 season with a grand scale production of the Tony Award-winning musical OLIVER!, running through June 2, 2013. Click below to watch interviews with the cast and creative team on opening night!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, begins its exciting 2013 season with a grand scale production of the Tony Award-winning musical OLIVER!, previewing April 4, opening Thursday, April 11, and running through June 2, 2013. OLIVER! features an all-star cast of 35, led by Heidi Kettenring as 'Nancy' (National Tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Broadway in Chicago's Wicked, the World Premiere of Hero at Marriott Theatre, and Sweeney Todd at Drury Lane Theatre); Jeff Award winner John Reeger as 'Fagin' (The Iceman Cometh and A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre, Amadeus at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Hamlet at Court Theatre, and Chicago at Marriott Theatre); J.D. Rodriguez as the 'Artful Dodger' (National Tour of A Christmas Story) and Brady Tutton as 'Oliver Twist' ('Tiny Tim' in A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane Theatre). The production is Directed and Choreographed by multi-Jeff Award winner Rachel Rockwell (Ragtime, The Sound of Music and Sweeney Todd at Drury Lane Theatre). Rockwell will direct both her mother, Glory Kissel, who stars as 'Mrs. Bedwin' (Pericles at the Goodman Theatre and Anyone Can Whistle at Ravinia), and her son, Jake Helm, who plays an orphan. Her husband, Garth Helm, provides Sound Design.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Catch Me' a 'Big Fish' in the Loop, 'Barnum' and 'Sweet Charity' keep Coleman in the spotlight, 'The Pajama Game' up north, 'Oliver! out west, two from Theo Ubique and more!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, begins its exciting 2013 season with a grand scale production of the Tony Award-winning musical OLIVER!, previewing April 4, opening Thursday, April 11, and running through June 2, 2013.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. That Oscar show, the fall season of national tours from Broadway In Chicago, 'See What I Wanna See,' two from Theo Ubique, Mary Zimmerman's 'Jungle Book,' interesting cabarets at Davenport's and more!