Shanna VanDerwerker

The Beautiful City Project held it's Holiday fundraising event A NOT-SO-SILENT NIGHT, with proceeds to benefit Season of Concern, on Friday, December 19th at Floating World Gallery.

The Beautiful City Project has announced the cast of it's Holiday fundraising event A NOT-SO-SILENT NIGHT, with proceeds to benefit Season of Concern, an incredible Chicago organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to Chicagoland theater practitioners.

Special Offer: Don’t be a cotton-headed-ninny-muggins! Drury Lane Theatre will continue its 2022/2023 season with Elf-the Musical, based upon the film. Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Skylar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin. Directed by Lynne Kurdziel-Formato. Elf-the Musical runs November 9, 2022 - January 8, 2023.

Drury Lane Theatre will continue its 2022/2023 season with the holiday classic Elf-the Musical, based upon the film written by David Berenbaum. Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Skylar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin. Directed by Lynne Kurdziel-Formato. Elf-the Musical runs November 9, 2022 – January 8, 2023, at Drury Lane Theatre.

The Beautiful City Project, led by Founder and Artistic Director David Fiorello, in collaboration with Mercury Theater Chicago Artistic Director Christopher Chase Carter, presents the full-length feature film Intersect, which beautifully marries dance, storytelling and music.

Hinsdale's BAMtheatre will present MAMMA MIA this summer for its High School & College Mainstage Production! The show will take place at Christian Church of Clarendon Hills, 5750 Holmes Ave, Clarendon Hills, IL 60514.

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce that next Movie Musical Monday discussion about the movie “Funny Girl” will be hosted by Porchlight Music Theatre Board Member and retired Chicago Public Library Foundation CEO Rhona Frazin with special guest multiple Emmy Award-winner Bruce Vilanch, Monday, June 7 at 7 p.m. CDT. 

Porchlight Music Theatre held PorchlightPalooza, a three-day virtual festival Friday, Aug. 21 - Sunday, Aug. 23,  in lieu of its cancelled March 23 ICONS GALA.

Music Theater Works presents MAMMA MIA! at Cahn Auditorium in Evanston, June 6, through June 14, 2020.

Porchlight Music Theatre announces the cast and creative team for the Chicago premiere of Disney's Freaky Friday, A New Musical, April 10 - May 24, 2020 at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. The musical comedy about a mother and her daughter who switch identities stars Cory Goodrich as 'Katherine,' the mother, and Maya Lou Hlava as Katherine's daughter 'Ellie.'

Walter Stearns, Executive Director of Mercury Theater Chicago, announced today two new cast members to lead the production of Monty Python's SPAMALOT beginning November 14, with Jeff Diebold as King Arthur, and Keely Vasquez as the Lady of the Lake. SPAMALOT opened on September 8 to rave reviews, with the original cast members, Jonah D. Winston and Meghan Murphy originally at the helm in the roles of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake. Murphy and Winston will play their final week of SPAMALOT through November 10.     

Sunset Boulevard stars Hollis Resnik and is directed by Michael Weber, choreographed by Shanna VanDerwerker and music directed by Aaron Benham.  The regular run performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with additional performances Wednesday, Nov. 6; Nov. 13 and Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 24, Nov. 14 at 1:30 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 29 at 3:30 p.m. and an added performance Sunday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $39 - $66 and are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884. 

Porchlight Music Theatre presents Sunset Boulevard at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts. Featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics and books by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, Sunset Boulevard stars Hollis Resnik and is directed by Michael Weber, choreographed by Shanna VanDerwerker and music directed by Aaron Benham.

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce Sunset Boulevard at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street, has been extended through Sunday, Dec. 8.

By popular demand, Mercury Theater Chicago's critically acclaimed production of Monty Python's SPAMALOT will be extended into the fall and winter, with performances now running through December 29. Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, SPAMALOT opened on September 8 to rave reviews, with Amanda Finn of NewCity noting a?oeSPAMALOT makes its triumphant return to Chicago, coconuts and all, in a no-holds-barred, good time show.a?? SPAMALOT is directed by Walter L. Stearns, with music direction by Eugene Dizon and choreography by Shanna VanDerwerker.    

A perfect night of theatre it ain't, but for Meghan Murphy's powerhouse diva and a communal bout of well-earned chuckles, SPAMALOT will leave you choosing wisely.

Porchlight Music Theatre's 25th anniversary season began with the 14th Annual Chicago Sings concert: Chicago Sings 25 Years of Porchlight, Monday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m., at The Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave, directed by Christopher Pazdernik and Artistic Director Michael Weber with music direction by David Fiorello and a band featuring Kelsey Boltz, Cara Hartz, John McCreary, Greg Strauss, Celeste Park and Jake Saleh.

Walter Stearns, Executive Director of Mercury Theater Chicago, announced today the cast and creative team of the upcoming MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT, running on the main stage from August 30 through November 3.

Porchlight Music Theatre's 25th Anniversary Mainstage season launches with Sunset Boulevard, October 11 - November 24

Walter Stearns, Executive Director of Mercury Theater Chicago, announced today that a production of the Tony-Award Winning Best Musical, SPAMALOT. will run on the Mercury Theater stage from August 30 through November 3, 2019. The press opening is Sunday, September 8 at 7pm. Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, SPAMALOT retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, featuring ridiculous men in tight pants - not to mention cows, killer rabbits, and French people. SPAMALOT will feature the creative talents of Walter Stearns (Director), Eugene Dizon (Musical Director) and Shanna VanDerwerker (Choreographer).