Ryan Lanning News

 PrideArts virtual fall season called REIGNITE will open on September 30 with a benefit concert conceived by PrideArts Artistic Director Donterrio Johnson that will intertwine original jazz compositions with poetry by James Baldwin and Tennessee Williams.

PrideArts Artistic Director Donterrio Johnson today announced casting for the second entry in the company's four - show virtual fall season called REIGNITE! Johnson will direct the hilarious comedy BOX AND COX by John Maddison Morton, a loosely staged production to be recorded live in the Pride Arts Center's Buena Theatre.

Playwright and Your Program Is Your Ticket podcast Creator/Host/Producer Sean Chandler's new musical Running: The Musical co-written with Joseph Jefferson award-winning Chicago Composer Leo Schwartz recorded five music videos from nine different locations and three different states during the COVID-19 lockdown.

PrideArts Artistic Director Donterrio Johnson today announced a four - show virtual fall season called REIGNITE! that will look to the 17th and 19th Centuries for inspiration. T

The premiere of Pride Films and Plays' annual NOMINEE NIGHT concert featuring performers nominated for Non-Equity Jeff awards in musical theatre categories, originally planned for Monday, June 1, has been rescheduled to Wednesday, June 3.

A preliminary list of performers for Pride Films and Plays' annual NOMINEE NIGHT concert has been announced by Robert Ollis, a PFP Artistic Associate serving as music director for the event. NOMINEE NIGHT is typically performed in mid-May at Sidetrack's Musical Monday to showcase musical theater performers and productions nominated in the Non-Equity Jeff Awards.

With the conclusion of the 2019-2020 Chicago non-Equity theater season, the Jeff Awards announced the nominees for the 47th annual awards for theater excellence that include 120 theater artists across 21 categories.

Cast and crew were announced today for Theo Ubique's production of the hilarious and heartbreaking musical GREY GARDENS, to be performed at the Howard Street Theatre at 721 Howard St., Evanston, from March 6 to April 26, 2020.

Pride Films and Plays' annual fall benefit, SIMPLY SENSATIONAL, celebrates theater artists who have had a tremendous impact on all they work with.  This year's event will honor a beloved figure in the Chicago theater scene a?"Robert Ollis, musical director of many shows with Pride Films and Plays, Underscore Theatre Company, Bailiwick Repertory, Bailiwick Chicago, the Casting Auction Players and many other companies and events. Ollis will be the honoree as well as music director of the Company's annual fundraising concert, SIMPLY SENSATIONAL, on Monday, November 4 in The Broadway, Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway.

Pride Films and Plays' Jeff-recommended production of  A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, the Chicago area's first revival in over a decade of the heartwarming musical created by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Terrence McNally, has been extended for one additional week due to popular and critical demand. The musical will now close with the 2:30 pm matinee on Sunday, November 17.

Pride Films and Plays will stage the first Chicago production in more than a decade of A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, the heartwarming musical created by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Terrence McNally, the team that wrote RAGTIME and ANASTASIA. A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE is based on a 1994 film starring Albert Finney and features a gorgeous Irish-influenced score.

Pride Films and Plays' annual fall benefit, SIMPLY SENSATIONAL, celebrates theater artists who have had a tremendous impact on all they work with.

Pride Films and Plays will stage the first Chicago production in more than a decade of A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, the heartwarming musical created by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Terrence McNally, the team that wrote RAGTIME and ANASTASIA. A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE is based on a 1994 film starring Albert Finney as a Dublin bus conductor and features a gorgeous Irish-influenced score. Donterrio Johnson, the Jeff award-winning actor who directed PFP's BUYER AND CELLAR earlier this year and is currently appearing in THE SPITFIRE GRILL with American Blues Theater, will direct. Music direction is by Robert Ollis, who most recently music directed SOUTHERN COMFORT for Pride Films and Plays and was a 2019 Jeff nominee for his music direction of HAYMARKET: A NEW FOLK MUSICAL. Ollis was Music Director for the 2008 production of A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, which earned five Jeff Award nominations for Bailiwick Repertory.

On Friday, August 3rd, immediately following the 1pm performance of The Gunfighter Meets His Match at the Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues), there will be a special meet and greet event with the cast. Audience members of all ages (recommended for ages 7 and up) are welcome to come and meet the actors behind Abby Payne's new Wild West musical at the 2018 New York Musical Festival. This opportunity is coupled with a family ticket discount so everyone can enjoy live theater and experience the whimsical music of The Gunfighter Meets His Match! For more information on the special family matinee and to purchase discount tickets, with the code FAMFRI22, please visit www.nymf.org/festival/2018-events/gunfighter-meets-his-match.

The producers (Abby Payne and Chelsea Retzloff) of the upcoming World Premiere of Abby Payne's The Gunfighter Meets His Match will present a special Friday the 13th themed fundraising event on Friday, July 13 from 6:30pm-10pm at The Church Street School of Music & Art (41 White Street between Church Street and Broadway).

The 2018 New York Musical Festival will present the World Premiere of The Gunfighter Meets His Match (Abby Payne and Chelsea Retzloff, Producers) with music, lyrics & book by Abby Payne (Musical Theatre Factory's series at Joe's Pub), directed and choreographed by Jeff Davis of Glitter Kitty Productions (One for the Ages!), July 30th-August 4th at the Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues).

Jeff Award-nominee and HIV+ director/producer Christopher Pazdernik is pleased to announce the 4th annual Chris's Birthday Belt Fest, a benefit concert for Howard Brown Health, Monday, May 14 at 8 p.m. at Uptown Underground, 4707 N. Broadway. Tickets are $30, in advance; $40, at the door on the night of the performance, and are available at uptownunderground.net or by calling 773.867.1946. Uptown Underground is a 21 years old and older venue and advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Following its hit production of SHOCKHEADED PETER, Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to conclude its 2017-18 season with the Chicago premiere musical NEVERMORE The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, the moving life story of the iconic American writer told through haunting music, poetic storytelling and stunning stagecraft, with book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Christenson.

Following its hit production of SHOCKHEADED PETER, Black Button Eyes Productions is pleased to conclude its 2017-18 season with the Chicago premiere musical NEVERMORE The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, the moving life story of the iconic American writer told through haunting music, poetic storytelling and stunning stagecraft, with book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Christenson.

Following its hit production of SHOCKHEADED PETER, Black Button Eyes Productions concludes its 2017-18 season with the Chicago premiere musical NEVERMORE - The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, the moving life story of the iconic American writer told through haunting music, poetic storytelling and stunning stagecraft, with book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Christenson. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in costume below!