Robert Falls News

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 197 nominations in 34 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions, which opened between August 1, 2011, and July 31, 2012. The Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 118 Equity productions offered by 55 producing organizations. From these openings, 96 productions were 'Jeff Recommended,' which made them eligible for award nominations.

Featuring a triumvirate of capable, confident and consummately talented actors-LaToya Gardner, Kevin Mead and Lisa Graham-in the show's leading roles, it is a beautifully sung, interestingly staged and tremendously affecting musical that succeeds even despite the limitations of director Ralph Gabriel's sometimes questionable choices.

Theater Latté Da announced today that a season of fourmusicals and the launch of a major new work development program will comprise its 15th Anniversary Season.

According to Deadline.com, stage veteran Liev Schreiber has joined the cast of the upcoming Lee Daniels film The Butler, as Lyndon B Johnson. Danny Strong wrote the script with Daniels.

Melody Hollis, will make her desert debut in 'Melodyland' today, July 15, 2012 at 2 PM as part of the Sundays In Summer Cabaret Series presented by Les Michaels at the Joslyn Center's Arthur Newman Theatre.

Artistic Director Robert Falls announced today that he will direct a major revival and new adaptation of Measure for Measure, Shakespeare's darkly comic collision of vice and virtue, in Goodman Theatre's 2012/2013 season, March 9 - April 14, 2013. Also, director David Cromer announced partial casting for his production of Sweet Bird of Youth: Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award-nominee Diane Lane appears as Princess Kosmonopolis and Finn Wittrock, who recently appeared in Broadway's Death of a Salesman with Philip Seymour Hoffman, is cast as the young-actor-turned-gigolo Chance Wayne. Complete casting to be announced soon. The production opens the Goodman's new season, September 15 - October 21; a September 24 Season Opening Benefit will take place at The Standard Club. Tickets available only on subscription; call 312.443.3800 or visit www.GoodmanTheatre.org. Individual tickets to Sweet Bird of Youth go on sale August 10; Abbott Fund, Fifth Third Bank, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP and PwC LLP are the Corporate Sponsors Partners. Call 312.443.3811, ext. 586 for more information about the Season Opening Benefit.

Goodman Theatre Artistic Associate and "triple threat" Playwright/Director/Actor Regina Taylor brings her musical Crowns, based on the book by Craig Marberry with photographs by Michael Cunningham, back to the Goodman stage. For her all-new 10th anniversary production, Taylor has engaged community partners and used workshops to explore and deepen the spoken word, dance and music elements in Crowns. Crowns runs now through August 5, 2012 (Opening Night is July 9) in the Goodman's Albert Theatre. Get a first look at the cast on stage in the photos below!

Artistic Director Robert Falls' major revival of Eugene O'Neill's nearly five-hour, 18-character epic broke box office records and played to 100% of capacity at the Goodman-officially concluding its 50-performance extended run as the most successful show in the Goodman's 87-year history.

Melody Hollis, will make her desert debut in 'Melodyland' on Sunday, July 15, 2012 at 2 PM as part of the Sundays In Summer Cabaret Series presented by Les Michaels at the Joslyn Center's Arthur Newman Theatre.

Robert Falls' major revival of THE ICEMAN COMETH will not take a Broadway bow, the theatre confirmed to the Chicago Tribune this morning.

Goodman Theatre Artistic Associate and "triple threat" Playwright/Director/Actor Regina Taylor brings her musical Crowns, based on the book by Craig Marberry with photographs by Michael Cunningham, back to the Goodman stage. For her all-new 10th anniversary production, Taylor has engaged community partners and used workshops to explore and deepen the spoken word, dance and music elements in Crowns. Crowns runs June 30 - August 5, 2012 (Opening Night is July 9) in the Goodman's Albert Theatre. Check out photos of the cast and creative team in rehearsal below!

Today we are talking to an actor who has appeared in over fifty feature films and starred in plays on Broadway and in the West End all about his career thus far, looking ahead to his new role as John Sculley in the forthcoming jOBS, co-starring Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs and Josh Gad as Steve Wozniak, directed by Joshua Michael Stewart - the one and only Matthew Modine. In this all-encompassing chat tracing the past to the present, Modine also manages to give us the scoop on his featured role in the final part of Christopher Nolan's BATMAN trilogy, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, and shares his candid impressions of working with Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the rest of the starry cast of the sure-to-be blockbuster of the summer. Additionally, Modine illustrates his experiences working with director Robert Altman on screen and stage projects as diverse as SHORT CUTS and STREAMERS on film, Arthur Miller's FINISHING THE PICTURE in Chicago and RESURRECTION BLUES at the Old Vic in the West End and Modine expresses his overall general enthusiasm for acting and reveals deeply probing insight into many of his most memorable and famous roles to date - ranging from roles in Stanley Kubrick's FULL METAL JACKET to Alan Parker's BIRDY to his work with Oliver Stone, Tony Richardson, Jonathan Demme, John Sayles, Mike Figgis, John Schlesinger and others. All of that, a thorough discussion of his recent roles in the theatrical productions of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and THE MIRACLE WORKER, as well as recollections of working on many of his most beloved projects to date, such as AND THE BAND PLAYED ON, THE REAL BLONDE, ORPHANS, CUTTHROAT ISLAND, BYE BYE LOVE, THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE, WEEDS - and much, much more!

Producer Scott Rudin, who holds the rights to produce the show on Broadway, has decided not to stage the Goodman Theatre production on the Great White Way.

Regina Taylor brings her musical Crowns - based on the book by Craig Marberry with photographs by Michael Cunningham-back to the Goodman stage.

On the heels of their 2011 Best Production Awards sweep for Small Engine Repair (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, LA Weekly, Ovation, and Garland Awards), Rogue Machine have announcesd the first production of their new season. Seen for the first time on the West Coast, Mark Roberts' Where The Great Ones Run, includes an award winning cast of actors led by Jeff Kober from tonight, May 26 at Rogue Machine, 5041 Pico Blvd., LA, CA 90019.

Robert Falls' major revival of THE ICEMAN COMETH, O'Neill's towering portrait of hope and disillusionment, just opened on May 3 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The production is led by Tony Award-winning stage and screen star Nathan Lane as Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman, the quintessential purveyor and slayer of pipe dreams. The 18-member cast is one of the largest ensembles to take the Goodman stage in recent years. Tony Award-winner Brian Dennehy portrays one-time syndicalist-anarchist Larry Slade, joined by mix of local and out-of-town actors as the motley assortment of former soldiers of fortune, entrepreneurs, political dissidents and social outcasts in Harry Hope's saloon. BroadwayWorld brings you performance highlights below!

The Tony Award-winning Hartford Stage, under the leadership of Darko Tresnjak, Artistic Director, and Michael Stotts, Managing Director, presents William Shakespeare's magical masterwork, The Tempest, directed by Darko Tresnjak, playing now through June 10, 2012 (press opening: Wednesday, May 16 at 7:30pm). Tony Award nominee Daniel Davis, best known for his recent NYC roles in Classic Stage's The Cherry Orchard, Lincoln Center's The Invention of Love, and the 2004 Broadway revival of La Cage aux Folles, as well as six seasons as Niles the Butler on TV's "The Nanny, plays Prospero. See photos of Davis and the rest of the cast on stage below!