Summer Naomi News

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 'Women in Theater' feature in Connecticut, a spotlight on Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre's 50th Anniversary in Nashville, Robyn Spangler in Los Angeles and more. Check out our top features below!

As we start our new year, we are offering a more comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which will now include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature COPENHAGEN in Washington, DC, FENCES in Salt Lake City, an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of FUN HOME in Denver and more. Check out our top features below!

Votes are cast; polls are closed; and results have been tabulated! This was our biggest year yet! After a record number of voters in more than 75 regions worldwide, BroadwayWorld is very excited to announce the 2016 Salt Lake City winners! Thanks to all who voted, and huge congratulations to all the winners!

From the Oscar-winning team Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz comes a lushly scored retelling of Victor Hugo's epic story of love, acceptance, and what it means to be a hero. THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME opened August 5 at Tuacahn Amphitheatre and will run through October 15. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

HAZELDrury Lane Theatre opens its 2016-2017 season with the World Premiere musical comedy HAZEL, A MUSICAL MAID IN AMERICA, based on the character from the Saturday Evening Post cartoon by Ted Key and the 1960s TV comedy series starring Shirley Booth. HAZEL features a book by Lissa Levin, music by Ron Abel, and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. This new musical is directed and choreographed by Tony nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse with musical direction by Roberta Duchak. HAZEL opened this week and runs through May 29, 2016 at Drury Lane Theatre. BroadwayWorld has highlights from the show in the video below!

Drury Lane Theatre opens its 2016-2017 season with the World Premiere musical comedy Hazel, A Musical Maid in America, based on the character from the Saturday Evening Post cartoon by Ted Key and the 1960s TV comedy series starring Shirley Booth. Hazel features a book by Lissa Levin, music by Ron Abel, and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. This new musical is directed and choreographed by Tony nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse with musical direction by Roberta Duchak. Hazel through May 29, 2016 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. BroadwayWorld was on hand for opening night - check out more photos below!

Drury Lane Theatre opened its 2016-2017 season with the World Premiere musical comedy Hazel, A Musical Maid in America, based on the character from the Saturday Evening Post cartoon by Ted Key and the 1960s TV comedy series starring Shirley Booth. Hazel features a book by Lissa Levin, music by Ron Abel, and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. This new musical is directed and choreographed by Tony nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse with musical direction by Roberta Duchak. Hazel through May 29, 2016 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace.

Drury Lane Theatre opens its 2016-2017 season with the World Premiere musical comedy Hazel, A Musical Maid in America, based on the character from the Saturday Evening Post cartoon by Ted Key and the 1960s TV comedy series starring Shirley Booth. Hazel features a book by Lissa Levin, music by Ron Abel, and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. This new musical is directed and choreographed by Tony nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse with musical direction by Roberta Duchak. Hazel through May 29, 2016 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. BroadwayWorld was on hand for opening night - check out photos below!

Folks of a certain age might remember Hazel, the spunky, middle-aged maid upon which a 1960s television sitcom was based. Now, 50 years later, she's on stage, taking care of the same family, only this time she's cracking wise via song and dance.

Drury Lane Theatre opens its 2016-2017 season with the World Premiere musical comedy Hazel, A Musical Maid in America, based on the character from the Saturday Evening Post comic strip by Ted Key and the 1960s TV comedy series starring Shirley Booth. Hazel features a book by Lissa Levin, music by Ron Abel, and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. This new musical is directed and choreographed by Tony nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse with musical direction by Roberta Duchak. Hazel runs March 31 - May 29, 2016 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The Press Opening is Wednesday, April 6 at 8:00 p.m. Check out a first look below!

Drury Lane Theatre opens its 2016-2017 season with the World Premiere musical comedy Hazel, A Musical Maid in America, based on the character from the Saturday Evening Post comic strip by Ted Key and the 1960s TV comedy series starring Shirley Booth. Hazel features a book by Lissa Levin, music by Ron Abel, and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. This new musical is directed and choreographed by Tony nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse with musical direction by Roberta Duchak. Hazel runs March 31 - May 29, 2016 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The Press Opening is Wednesday, April 6 at 8:00 p.m.  Check out a look at the first day of rehearsal below!

Drury Lane Theatre opens its 2016-2017 season with the World Premiere musical comedy Hazel, A Musical Maid in America, based on the character from the Saturday Evening Post comic strip by Ted Key and the 1960s TV comedy series starring Shirley Booth. Hazel features a book by Lissa Levin, music by Ron Abel, and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. This new musical is directed and choreographed by Tony nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse with musical direction by Roberta Duchak. Hazel runs March 31 - May 29, 2016 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. The Press Opening is Wednesday, April 6 at 8:00 p.m.

Porchlight Music Theatre's production of FAR FROM HEAVEN marks the musical's Chicago premiere--the show debuted Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 2013 and takes the titular 2002 Todd Haynes-directed film as its source material. And while this musical from composer-lyricist team Scott Frankel and Michael Korie was written three years ago, FAR FROM HEAVEN touches on issues of gender, sexuality, and race in 1957 suburban Connecticut that poignantly resonant with the present moment. At the center of the musical is Cathy Whittaker (the superb and stunning Summer Naomi Smart), a 1950s housewife and mother--decked out in Bill Morey's outstanding period-authentic dresses and residing in Grant Sabin's charming set. At the top of the show, she catches her husband, Frank (Brandon Springman) cheating on her--with a man. Stunned by this secret, Cathy is forced to confront the reality of what happens when her life cannot conform to the societal pressures and ideals coming at her from both the media and friends--a matter which is further complicated when she strikes up an unexpected friendship with her black gardener, Raymond Deagan (Evan Tyrone Martin).

Porchlight presents the critically acclaimed new musical based on the 2002 film hit starring Julianne Moore. In 1957 suburban Connecticut, Cathy Whitaker seems to be the picture-perfect wife and mother. But boiling beneath the surface, secret longings and forbidden desires cause her world to unravel, with incendiary consequences. Featuring a lush score from Tony Award-nominated (Grey Gardens and Finding Neverland) songwriters Frankel and Korie and a book by Tony Award-winner Greenberg (Take Me Out) that is both jazz-inflected and hauntingly lyrical, FAR FROM HEAVEN is a powerful story of romance, betrayal and intolerance, as a woman grapples with her identity in a society on the verge of upheaval.

Porchlight presents the critically acclaimed new musical based on the 2002 film hit starring Julianne Moore. In 1957 suburban Connecticut, Cathy Whitaker seems to be the picture-perfect wife and mother. But boiling beneath the surface, secret longings and forbidden desires cause her world to unravel, with incendiary consequences. Featuring a lush score from Tony Award-nominated (Grey Gardens and Finding Neverland) songwriters Frankel and Korie and a book by Tony Award-winner Greenberg (Take Me Out) that is both jazz-inflected and hauntingly lyrical, FAR FROM HEAVEN is a powerful story of romance, betrayal and intolerance, as a woman grapples with her identity in a society on the verge of upheaval. 

Porchlight director Rob Lindley finds theatrical inspiration in garage sale, antique store and flea market finds for his latest production, FAR FROM HEAVEN

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Details on the arrivals of 'Hamilton' and 'If/Then,' and Bill Pullinsi's and Michael Flatley's retirements mark the end of two eraa. 'Far From Heaven' and 'Heathers' will premiere locally, and 'Bel Canto' bows at the Lyric Opera. 'Daddy Long Legs' streams, 'Option Up!' debuts new works, and voting for the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards heats up!

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to present the Chicago premiere of Far From Heaven, book by Richard Greenberg, music by Scott Frankel and lyrics by Michael Korie and starring multi-Jeff Award-winner Summer Naomi Smart with Brandon Springman and Evan Tyrone Martin. The production is directed by Porchlight Artistic Associate Rob Lindley, music directed by Chuck Larkin and choreographed by William Carlos Angulo, February 5 - March 13, 2016. Previews are Friday, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. and opening night is Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. The regular performance times are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with the exception of no performances February 11 or March 3 and an added performance Thursday, March 3 at 1:30 p.m. Single tickets may be purchased at porchlightmusictheatre.org or 773.327.5252. Groups of ten or more may receive discounts on tickets purchased via Group Theater Tix at 312.423.6612 or grouptheatertix.com.

Porchlight Music Theatre announces the return of its multi award-winning hit AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', tonight, November 14 - December 20, music by Thomas 'Fats' Waller, book by Murray Horowitz and Richard Maltby Jr., direction and choreography by multi Jeff-Award winner and Artistic Associate Brenda Didier with music direction by Jeff-Award winning Porchlight Artistic Associate Austin Cook at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.