Robert Falls News

Rising stars playwright korde arrington tuttle and director Danya Taymor reunite for the world premiere production of graveyard shift, following its appearance as a developmental production in the Goodman's 2018 New Stages Festival. Featuring an ensemble cast of five, graveyard shift is an unflinching but open-hearted look at how we navigate a world full of fear, loosely inspired by the legacy of Sandra Bland. Casting note: Debo Balogun replaces previously announced actor Kyle Vincent Terry, who has left the production. Full casting is below.

Goodman Theatre announced today it will premiere Good Night, Oscar, starring Emmy Award-winning actor and producer Sean Hayes (Broadway's Promises, Promises, NBC-TV's Will & Grace) as erstwhile character actor, pianist and wild card Oscar Levant.

Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls has announced casting for his upcoming revival of Molly Sweeney by Brian Friel. In assuming the title role, Chicago favorite Kate Fry returns to the Goodman, following her recent appearance in Falls' production of The Winter's Tale. Joining Fry are stage and screen star Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey), who returns to the Goodman following his triumphant appearance in last season's St. Nicholas by Conor McPherson, and Chicago's Christopher Donahue (Oedipus Rex at Court Theatre, Moby Dick at Lookingglass).

A new North American tour of Elton John and Tim Rice's Tony-winning Broadway smash Aida will premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse, February 4 a?' March 7, 2021.

Artistic Director Robert Falls announced today that acclaimed artist Hershey Felder will present the Chicago premiere of A Paris Love Story, his tour de force tribute to the life and music of Impressionist composer Claude Debussy, at the Goodman this spring. An a?oeexquisite singer and a virtuosic pianista?? (The New Yorker), Felder has been hailed as a a?oechameleon of musical charactersa?? (Los Angeles Times) who a?oecreates shows with artistic care and factual integritya?? (Chicago Tribune). A Paris Love Story is part of Felder's a?oeGreat Composer Series,a?? for which he has earned worldwide acclaim portraying classical music titans Irving Berlin, Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic Chopin, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and more.

San Francisco Playhouse announced casting for the second production of their 2019/2020 Sandbox Series of World Premieres: Born in East Berlin, written by Rogelio Martinez. Margarett Perry will direct the world premiere production, presented at The Creativity Theater.

 Conceived in a pizza parlor and argued in the highest court in the land, the landmark 1973 case of Roe v. Wade legalized abortiona?"and is debated still today. Vanessa Stalling returns to the Goodman to direct the 15-member cast, including emblematic characters of plaintiff Norma McCorvey (a?oeJane Roea??) and Sarah Weddington, the young Texan lawyer who argued the case.

Goodman Theatre, now in its 95th season, announces the a?oeLegacy & Promisea?? Education and Engagement luncheon on Wednesday, February 5 featuring Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated actor Sean Hayes. Hayes joins the Goodman's Walter Director of Education and Engagement Willa J. Taylor and more for this 5th annual event, which celebrates the theater's programs for youth, schools and lifelong learners. Proceeds from the event support these programs, all of which are offered completely FREE of charge to participants and are 100% funded by individual contributions. Event leadership includes Joan Clifford, Immediate Past Chair and Benefit Events Leadership Chair; Patricia Cox, Education and Engagement Trustee Leadership Chair; Kathleen Cowie, Goodman Theatre Trustee and Education and Engagement Committee Chair; and Teri Brown and Lorrayne Weiss, Women's Board Education and Engagement Co-chairs. The event takes place at The Palmer House (17 E. Monroe) at 12noon (registration opens at 11:30am). Tickets start at $250; call 312.443.3811 ext. 220. Proceeds benefit Education and Engagement at the Goodman. Media interested in attending/covering should call 312.443.5151.

Disney's Aladdin is flying into East Lansing from December 4th through 15th at the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts. The hit musical, based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, has been amazing audiences since the show's Broadway debut back in 2014. It has the music that we all know and love from the film and new songs that add to the Disney magic. a?oeMagical, romantic, surprising, exhilarating and funny,a?? is how Jonathan Weir, who plays Jafar the villain on the tour, described the show. a?oeIt's a fantastical story of a young man's adventure to become himself, the friendship he creates with a genie in a lamp, and the adventures and romance it unfolds.a?? Read more of BroadwayWorld Detroit's conversation with Jonathan Weir below to find out why he thinks Disney's Aladdin is special and if Jafar is really all that villainous!

Mozart's musically brilliant and masterful tale of lust and revenge, Don Giovanni, returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago on Thursday, November 14 at 7pm. There will be nine performances through December 8 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago. Tickets start at $39 and are available now at lyricopera.org/Giovanni or by calling 312-827-5600.

Mozart's musically brilliant and masterful tale of lust and revenge, Don Giovanni, returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago on Thursday, November 14 at 7pm. There will be nine performances through December 8 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago. Tickets start at $39 and are available now at lyricopera.org/Giovanni or by calling 312-827-5600.

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature Once On This Island, The Light in the Piazza, Sweeney Todd and more!

Trap Door Theatre presents The White Plague.

Aida is widely considered one of the grandest of grand operas. The task of converting it to a Broadway musical was a daunting one. Book writers Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang took liberties with the original libretto in a manner they believed would make the plot more relatable to the general public - while that is a question of taste, what is could not be changed was the epic size of the story - Pharaohs, Kings, and Princesses implicitly carry a certain about of gravitas. And the WPPAC production delivers in a big - very big way.

Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA is an epic tale of love, loyalty and betrayal, with an exhilarating Tony and Grammy Award winning score by Elton John & Tim Rice. 

Artistic Director Robert Falls announces an update to Goodman Theatre's 2019/2020 Season. The Chicago premiere of School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play by Jocelyn Bioh, directed by Lili-Anne Brown, originally scheduled for the Owen Theatre, will move into the 856-seat Albert Theatre; the Falls-directed major revival of Molly Sweeney by Brian Friel, originally scheduled for the Albert Theatre, will move into the 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre.

Don Giovanni is bad to the bone and utterly unrepentant. He takes what he wants and lives only for his own pleasure in his encounters with fiery Donna Elvira, tormented Donna Anna, and impressionable Zerlina, among countless others. He manipulates and abuses his frustrated servant Leporello, Anna's fiancé Don Ottavio, and Zerlina's brand-new husband Masetto, and murders Anna's father. Mozart's tale of lust and revenge is set to some of the composer's most thrilling and dramatic music.

Don Giovanni is bad to the bone and utterly unrepentant. He takes what he wants and lives only for his own pleasure in his encounters with fiery Donna Elvira, tormented Donna Anna, and impressionable Zerlina, among countless others. He manipulates and abuses his frustrated servant Leporello, Anna's fiancé Don Ottavio, and Zerlina's brand-new husband Masetto, and murders Anna's father. Mozart's tale of lust and revenge is set to some of the composer's most thrilling and dramatic music.

The White Plains Performing Arts Center (WPPAC) is proud to announce the cast for Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA, playing October 11-27, 2019.

Disney has officially been making magic on Broadway for 25 years! As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Disney on Broadway is partnering with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to put on a special benefit to celebrate the momentous occasion. We're getting in on the celebration by looking back at Disney's show-stopping productions, from classics like Beauty and the Beast and Newsies to current favorites like Aladdin and Frozen. Check it all out!