Ray Toler News

Three of Chicago's leading theater artists - actor James Vincent Meredith, and director/educators Henry Godinez of Northwestern University and Susan Padveen of Columbia College will appear following performances of the play detailing the story of Ira Aldridge, who in 1833 became the first black actor to play Othello on a London stage. The three each have a unique and personal connection to the play's themes. 

Psmith - one of the most popular characters created by British humorist P.G. Wodehouse - will come to life on the City Lit stage this fall in an original stage adaptation by Artistic Director Terry McCabe, who will also stage the comedy. Richard Eisloeffel will star as Psmith. Also in the cast are T. J. Anderson, John Blick, Nicholas Roy Caesar, Joe Ciresi, Patrick Delaney, George Ellison, Jay Hobson, Robert Kaercher, Charles Schoenherr and Lee Wichman, McCabe, who will direct the production, announced casting today.

Michael Menendian, Producing Artistic Director of Raven Theatre, has announced casting for the company's upcoming production of Red Velvet, by Lolita Chakrabarti.

Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys (An Evening of Vaudeville and Sorrow), which on Monday, June 6 was honored for 'Outstanding Ensemble' at the annual Jeff Awards (Non-Equity Branch), has extended its previously announced remount by one week, with a new closing date of August 27, 2016. The entire Jeff award-winning all-African-American cast of the production will return for the run from July 21 through August 27, 2016.

JoAnn Montemurro, co-Artistic Director of Raven Theatre, presents THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES by John Guare. The play begins on the company's East Stage from today, April 20 through June 18, 2016 under Montemurro's direction.

JoAnn Montemurro, co-Artistic Director of Raven Theatre, has announced casting for the company's upcoming production of THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES by John Guare. The play will run on the company's East Stage from April 20 through June 18, 2016 under Montemurro's direction.

Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys (An Evening of Vaudeville and Sorrow), which earned rave reviews, was Jeff-recommended, won the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards for Best Revival, Best Director and Best Actor (Andrew Malone) and became one of the largest selling hits in Raven Theatre Company's 32-year history, will return for a limited engagement in July and August of 2016. Michael Menendian, Producing Artistic Director of the company and director of this production, announced the remount today. The entire all-African-American cast of the production will return for the run from July 21 through August 21, 2016.

Raven Theatre will welcome Elizabeth Clarke, founder and President of the Juvenile Justice Initiative and one of its board members, Khadine Bennett, staff attorney and Legislative Counsel with the ACLU of Illinois, when they visit the theater to lead a discussion of its critically acclaimed DIRECT FROM DEATH ROW THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS following the November 7th performance of the play.

Raven Theatre will welcome Elizabeth Clarke, founder and President of the Juvenile Justice Initiative and one of its board members, Khadine Bennett, staff attorney and Legislative Counsel with the ACLU of Illinois, when they visit the theater to lead a discussion of its critically acclaimed DIRECT FROM DEATH ROW THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS following the November 7th performance of the play.

Nicholas Meyer's The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, in a world premiere adaptation by City Lit Artistic Director Terry McCabe and directed by Warner Crocker, will open City Lit Theater's thirty-sixth season, McCabe announced today.

Raven Theatre's cast and creative team for Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys (An Evening of Vaudeville and Sorrow) has been announced by Michael Menendian, Co Founding Artistic Director. Playwright Mark Stein's play with music and dance, a satirical retelling of the true story of nine African-American teenagers falsely accused in 1931 of raping two white women on a train in Alabama, will be performed by an all-African-American cast of nine actors. Menendian will direct, with Frederick Harris providing musical direction for the score by Harley White Jr. Kathleen Dennis will be choreographer. Previews will be Wednesday, September 16 - Monday, September 21, 2015 with the press opening Tuesday, September 22. The regular run will be September 25 - November 14, 2015. Tickets are on sale now at www.raventheatre.com or by calling 773-338-2177.

June 8, 2015 - Chicago, IL. "The Wild Party," a dark, sensual, wanton musical, and "Men Should Weep," a tale of a disordered Scottish tenement household, took home top honors Monday, June 8, at Park West during the 42nd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards ceremony recognizing excellence in non-union Chicago theatre. Bailiwick Chicago's musical of Michael LaChiusa's "The Wild Party" led all musical nominees with eight awards, and Griffin Theatre's "Men Should Weep" led play nominees with three awards.

Sean Graney, who recently returned to Chicago to resume his post as Artistic Director of The Hypocrites, informed the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee that he just learned the theater company had been operating under an Equity CAT-N contract for the duration of the 2014-2015 Non-Equity season.  Over the past year, requests for judging its productions were made to the Non-Equity Wing without the committee having knowledge of the company's Equity status. The Jeff Committee was aware that two of the productions had Equity performers (as indicated in the program); however, the committee has now confirmed that these were not guest contracts.  As such, the company's productions are not eligible for consideration in the Non-Equity Wing, and all related Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations have been rescinded.  The productions in question will be shifted to the Equity Wing for awards consideration during its current season, which commenced on August 1, 2014 and will end on July 30, 2015.

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 118 nominations in 24 categories for the 42nd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards for productions that opened between April 1, 2014, and March 31, 2015. The Non-Equity Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatres not under a union contract. Jeff judges attended opening nights of 133 productions offered by 56 Non-Equity producing organizations. The Jeff Committee recommended 62 of those shows, making them eligible for Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations. Of the 62 Jeff Recommended productions, 46 received nominations, representing 23 theatre companies.

Arthur Miller's intense drama, raising questions of morality and the limits of family ties, promises to be a special opening production for Raven's 2014-2015 season. Headlining the cast will be Chuck Spencer and JoAnn Montemurro as Joe and Kate Keller. These two Raven ensemble members, who earned accolades for their work as Willy and Linda Loman in Miller's Death of a Salesman and as Victor and Esther Franz in his The Price, will play Joe and Kate Keller. Raven first produced All My Sons in 1990 and they appeared in that production as well, playing George Deever and Ann Deever.

Arthur Miller's intense drama, raising questions of morality and the limits of family ties, promises to be a special opening production for Raven's 2014-2015 season. Headlining the cast will be Chuck Spencer and JoAnn Montemurro as Joe and Kate Keller. These two Raven ensemble members, who earned accolades for their work as Willy and Linda Loman in Miller's Death of a Salesman and as Victor and Esther Franz in his The Price, will play Joe and Kate Keller. Raven first produced All My Sons in 1990 and they appeared in that production as well, playing George Deever and Ann Deever.

Raven's revival of this later play by Tennessee Williams that was 'rediscovered' in acclaimed productions in London and New York is an autobiographical play that Williams first began writing around the time he started The Glass Menagerie. It concerns a young writer who in 1938 moves to a ramshackle French Quarter rooming house that's home to an assortment of desperate and eccentric characters. The New York Times said Vieux Carre is, along with The Glass Menagerie, Williams' other autobiographical memory play, one of two 'critical bookends' to Williams' career. Scroll down to see a trailer for the production!

Raven's revival of this later play by Tennessee Williams that was 'rediscovered' in acclaimed productions in London and New York is autobiographical play that Williams first began writing around the time he started The Glass Menagerie. It concerns a young writer who in 1938 moves to a ramshackle French Quarter rooming house that's home to an assortment of desperate and eccentric characters. The New York Times said Vieux Carre is, along with The Glass Menagerie, Williams' other autobiographical memory play, one of two 'critical bookends' to Williams' career. Scroll down to see some pictures of the cast in action!

Complete casting has been announced for Raven's revival of this later play by Tennessee Williams that was 'rediscovered' in acclaimed productions in London and New York. An autobiographical play that Williams first began writing around the time he started The Glass Menagerie, it concerns a young writer who in 1938 moves to a ramshackle French Quarter rooming house that's home to an assortment of desperate and eccentric characters. The New York Times said Vieux Carre is, along with The Glass Menagerie, Williams' other autobiographical memory play, one of two 'critical bookends' to Williams' career.

Raven Theatre welcomes you home in The Trip to Bountiful by Horton Foote, directed by JoAnn Montemurro. Opening night is Monday, September 23 at 7:30 p.m. at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark, with a reception following in Raven's lobby. Tickets and information are available atwww.raventheatre.com or 773-338-2177.