Rueben Echoles News

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor continues the 40th Anniversary Season (The Season of Greatest Hits) with The Marvin Gaye Story (Don't Talk About My Father Because God Is My Friend), written by Jackie Taylor and directed by Daryl D. Brooks. The Marvin GayeStory (Don't Talk About My Father Because God Is My Friend) will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, June 12 - July 10, 2016. The official press opening is Sunday, June 12 at 3:00 pm. Preview dates for the production are June 4, 5, 10 and 11.

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor continues the 40th Anniversary Season (The Season of Greatest Hits) withThe Marvin Gaye Story (Don't Talk About My Father Because God Is My Friend), written by Jackie Taylor and directed by Daryl D. Brooks. The Marvin Gaye Story (Don't Talk About My Father Because God Is My Friend) will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, June 12 - July 10, 2016. The official press opening is Sunday, June 12 at 3:00 pm. Preview dates for the production are June 4, 5, 10 and 11.

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor continue the 40th Anniversary Season (The Season of Greatest Hits) with DON'T MAKE ME OVER (In Tribute to Dionne Warwick), written by Jackie Taylorand directed by Rueben Echoles. DON'T MAKE ME OVER (In Tribute to Dionne Warwick) runs at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, now through May 15, 2016. The official press opening is Sunday, April 17 at 3:00 pm. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor continue the 40th Anniversary Season (The Season of Greatest Hits) with DON'T MAKE ME OVER (In Tribute to Dionne Warwick), written by Jackie Taylor and directed by Rueben Echoles.

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor continue the 40th Anniversary Season (The Season of Greatest Hits) with DON'T MAKE ME OVER (In Tribute to Dionne Warwick), written by Jackie Taylor and directed by Rueben Echoles.

Black Ensemble Theater's Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor announces the 40th Anniversary Season: The Season of Greatest Hits. The season opens with audience-favorites Doo Wop Shoo Bop and Those Sensational Soulful '60s, running in repertory. The 40th Anniversary Season continues with popular tributes to musical legends including Dionne Warwick, Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson, and Teddy Pendergrass and will close with the Black Ensemble Theater holiday classic The Other Cinderella.

What happens when you put Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson and Gladys Knight together in the same room for a day? Well you certainly get some great nostalgic music that's for sure. Originally presented in 2001, Dynamite Divas will also feature Divas from the past such as Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Nina Simone, December 12, 2015 - January 24, 2016.

Black Ensemble presents BLACK WHITE LOVE PLAY (THE STORY OF CHAZ AND ROGER EBERT) at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center (4450 N. Clark Street), September 26 - November 15, 2015. Check out photos from the show below!

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Black Ensemble Theater will present a musical inspired by renowned Chicago film critic Roger Ebert as part of its 2015 season.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Two weeks of voting left for the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards! The 'Annie' film and 'The Merry Widow' open, 'Patsy Cline' extends, 'Sherlock Holmes' sings, 'Cupid' has a heart, and MCL Chicago, Drury Lane Oakbrook and Black Ensemble Theater plan new works for 2015, including 'Beaches' and a tribute to Roger Ebert!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Cinderella' and 'Lucy' hit town, 'Hansel And Gretel' play on the Mag Mile, a BC/EFA benefit at Sidetrack, 'Porgy' and Redmoon make splashes, two shows named 'Nativity' ready to open, and 'Rudolph' and Big Red return!

Black Ensemble Theater's Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor announces the 2015 "Stir Up The Pot" Season. The season opens with a World Premiere non-singing drama with music, The Trial of Moses Fleetwood Walker, by Ervin Gardner. The season continues with a new musical that highlights girl groups, past and present, Sounds So Sweet, followed by A Tribute to the Incomparable Bill Withers. The Black White Play is a tribute to Roger Ebert and the music will speak to his philosophy of life. The 2015 season will close with a Black Ensemble Theater classic in true Black Ensemble Theater-style, Dynamite Divas: Gladys, Aretha, Roberta, Nina and Nancy.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Black Ensemble Theater will present a musical inspired by renowned Chicago film critic Roger Ebert as part of its 2015 season.

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor announces the two-week extension of its wildly popular production, At Last: A Tribute to Etta James written and directed by Jackie Taylor and co-directed by Daryl D. Brooks. At Last: A Tribute to Etta James will now run at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, through January 11, 2015.

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 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards are back with nominations open now! Plus the Jeff Awards on Monday night, three acclaimed recent openings, two shows proudly closing, three local shows that may never end, and NBC's live 'Peter Pan' is ready to fly!

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor announces the return of the Black Ensemble classic At Last: A Tribute to Etta James written and directed by Jackie Taylor and co-directed by Daryl D. Brooks. At Last: A Tribute to Etta James is presented at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, September 27-December 28, 2014. Check out a first look at highlights below!

Black Ensemble Theatre Presents At Last: a Tribute to Etta James, through Dec. 28. Candace Edwards, Arzula Gardner, Melanie McCullough, Alanna Taylor and Yahdina Udeen play Etta James with each actress representing a certain time in her career.

Black Ensemble Theater announces In Memory of Howlin Wolf (Ain't No Crying the Blues), written by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, directed by Associate Director Rueben Echoles, and starring Rick Stone one of the stars of the classic movie Cooley High . In Memory of Howlin Wolf is presented at the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, through August 11, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at highlights of the production below.

Ain't No Crying the Blues (In The Memory of Howlin Wolf), written by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, is directed by Associate Director Rueben Echoles, with assistant director Associate Director Daryl Brooks and musical director Robert Reddrick. The show is currently running through August 11, 2013, at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!