Usman Ally News

The Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) announced casting today for two theatrical productions in November: White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, the Iranian absurdist play about isolation co-presented with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), running today, Nov. 3-9, 2013, and Birds Do It, Bees Do It..., the annual cabaret performance Nov. 5, 2013, created by Rob Lindley and Doug Peck.

The Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) presents the 24th annual Fall Festival, with more than 60 events that will explore the theme of ANIMAL: What Makes Us Human, Nov. 1-10 at venues across Chicago. This year's presenters include political consultant and former Senior Advisor to President Obama David Axelrod, revolutionary chef, restaurateur and TV personality Rick Bayless, celebrated author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Eating Animals Jonathan Safran Foer, autism activist and author Temple Grandin, 59 Grand Slam title-winning tennis player Martina Navratilova, critically-acclaimed director of Boys Don't Cry and the recently released Carrie remake Kimberly Peirce, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler), author of The Secret History and the newly released novel The Goldfinch Donna Tartt, and many more.

Music soars in Mary Zimmerman stage adaptation of "The Jungle Book" entering its final week at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, but this new theatrical version based on the Kipling and Disney classics is ultimately unfulfilling, needing more depth and heart.

The Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) announced casting today for two theatrical productions in November: White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, the Iranian absurdist play about isolation co-presented with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), running Nov. 3-9, 2013, and Birds Do It, Bees Do It..., the annual cabaret performance Nov. 5, 2013, created by Rob Lindley and Doug Peck.

Tony Award-winning director Mary Zimmerman brings her unique vision to the world premiere stage adaptation of 'The Jungle Book' now at the Huntington Theatre Company of Boston through October 13

Mary Zimmerman returns to the Huntington Theatre Company for The Jungle Book, a world premiere stage adaptation produced in association with Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The production premiered in Chicago on June 21 and plays at the Huntington tonight, September 7 - October 6, 2013.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Jungle Book' reviews, 'Oklahoma!' on the radio, Broadway In Chicago's Park preview, 'Hedwig' and 'Rooms' rock, Team StarKid is back, community theater in Glenview, a children's musical in Mundelein, plus the 'Summer Birthday Showtune Blowout' July 10th!

Goodman Theatre's world premiere of The Jungle Book opens on July 1 and, with a second extension week just added, now runs through August 11. Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman reimagines Walt Disney's 1967 animated hit into a wholly original new work for the stage, drawing from both the film as well as Rudyard Kipling's 1894 collection of stories set in the Indian jungle and featuring original Indian-inspired music and dance. As previously announced, 10-year-old Akash Chopra makes his Chicago debut as young 'man cub' Mowgli, who comes of age with the help of the anthropomorphic singing and dancing jungle animals; joining him in the role at select performances is Roni Akurati, who most recently appeared at the Goodman as Tiny Tim in the 2011 production of A Christmas Carol. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production shots below!

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 Jungle Book' opens, Audra and Sondheim visit, Stephen Wallem's St. Louis 'Shrek,' Make Music Chicago, 'The Land Of Smiles,' the Auditorium's cabaret series, Idina in Aurora and more!

Victory Gardens and the One-Minute Play Festival (OMPF) present the Third Annual Chicago One-Minute Play Festival, an evening of micro-plays by sixty of Chicago's top playwrights, directed by ten Chicago directors. OMPF benefits the Miller Match campaign and will be presented for two performances only, today, June 17 and Tuesday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park.

Here's a listing of the top ten places that are really burning it up in theater this summer, in Chicago and the region nearby. Seek them out, and enjoy!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. It's our annual Summer Musical Theater Guide! This week, Part One: Chicagoland. Check out 'The Jungle Book,' 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman,' 'Next To Normal,' 'The Color Purple,' 'Spelling Bee,' 'Cabaret' and a whole lot more!

Victory Gardens and the One-Minute Play Festival (OMPF) present the Third Annual Chicago One-Minute Play Festival, an evening of micro-plays by sixty of Chicago's top playwrights, directed by ten Chicago directors. OMPF benefits the Miller Match campaign and will be presented for two performances only, Monday, June 17 and Tuesday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Oklahoma!' opens, a new 'Porgy,' a one-night 'Tommy,' improvised Sondheim, Darren Criss, 'The Jungle Book' has been cast, two new revues, my Tony perspective and more!

Mary Zimmerman returns to the Huntington Theatre Company for The Jungle Book, a world premiere stage adaptation produced in association with Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The production premieres in Chicago on June 21 and plays at the Huntington September 7 - October 6, 2013. Based on Nobel Laureate Rudyard Kipling's 1893 collection of stories set in the Indian jungle and Walt Disney's 1967 animated film, Zimmerman's adaptation of The Jungle Book is a music- and movement-filled adventure of young Mowgli's coming-of-age in the animal kingdom.

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 Jungle Book' heats up, 'Oklahoma!' and 'South Pacific,' 'Oliver!' and 'Barnum,' plus 'Stomp,' some interesting student productions and more!

Lyric Opera of Chicago's general director Anthony Freud announced today that Broadway's Tari Kelly will portray the feisty Ado Annie in the company's premiere and new production of Oklahoma! directed by Gary Griffin May 4-19 at the Civic Opera House. Casting is now complete for the beloved classic musical.

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 Award nominees, three shows that are closing, 'The Burnt Part Boys' debuts, a second 'Fifty Shades' parody musical, 'Miami Nice,' Lyric Opera's 'Oklahoma!' and more....

Today, BroadwayWorld.com is proud to announce the slate of nominees for the third annual BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, the only fan-voted theater awards in the Chicagoland area! Expanded to thirty categories this year, the BCAs (or "Broadies") honor Chicago's theater productions and artists in both Equity and Non-Equity categories, including plays, musicals, revues, Theater for Young Audiences, touring shows and special theatrical events. Productions which opened between November 1, 2011 and October 31, 2012 were eligible for nomination. The BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards are the oldest and most popular of the several dozen regional BroadwayWorld Award competitions now being held in the U.S. And you can join the fun by voting for your favorites, and encouraging your friends to vote as the vote totals pile up!

Lookingglass Theatre Company announces the second extension of Metamorphoses, based on the myths of Ovid from a translation by David Slavitt, written and directed by Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman, and produced in association with Arena Stage. The revival production, coinciding with the 10th Anniversary of the Broadway production, is now playing through the holidays at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson.