W. Howard News

Plaid as Hell, the winner of the BWBTC's Biennial International Playwriting Competition Joining Sword & Pen and The Margaret W. Martin Award, is an honest, slightly raunchy, queer comedy which introduces us to Cass, who is hoping her annual camping trip will go well this year.  But with her best friend Emilie sniping at Cass's new girlfriend Jessica, not to mention the serial killer on the loose, the weekend is off to a rocky start.

The Factory Theater,1623 W. Howard St., is pleased to announce the return of their annual Holiday Show available for viewing exclusively online.  The Factory Holiday Special consists of 4 all new performance pieces: Hamilton Beach 4/20 Special, All is Calm, There's Always Time, and Elf Slang for Murder.

Babes With BladesTheatre Company’s 2022 season opens with Plaid as Hell, January 22 through March 5, 2022 at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St, followed by Richard III, BWBTC’s biannual Shakespeare production running August 25 until October 15, 2022 at The Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway. 

The Festival, which is free and open to the public is available online and in person, features readings of three scripts in the development process.  After each reading the audience has an opportunity to provide feedback for the playwright.

The Factory Theater,1623 W. Howard St., has announce the LIVE return of its hit production, Last Night in Karaoke Town, September 24 - November 6. Written by Mike Beyer and Kirk Pynchon and directed by Kim Boler, the original run was ended during its run in spring 2020 due to COVID.

Northlight Theatre announces plans for outdoor musical events this summer, including Felicia P. Fields and E. Faye Butler in Lettin' the Good Times Roll with Fe and Faye! on July 9 and 10, 2021 at the NorthShore Center for the Performing Arts.

Open Book Theater will present ZOOM WITH SANTA! These personalized one-on-one meetings will begin the day after Thanksgiving and run through Christmas Eve. Open Book Theater has partnered with Santa Jerry, a four-time graduate of the world-renowned Charles W Howard school for Santa.

Westa??s play, in which she turned her anger at injustice into witty repartee, tells of a married but closeted high society man who throws a wild drag ball that proves to be a fateful event in more ways than one, given the various degrees of scandal going on around so many of the characters. Written under a pseudonym before she became a blockbuster Hollywood star, THE DRAG scandalized New York audiences in 1927 with its portrayal of homosexuality, transgender characters, and drag queens. The premiere production closed out of town by the authorities after two weeks of sold-out performances to appreciative audiences.

Radically inclusive, ATM Productions has the whole world as a stage by converting their annual Fall Festival to a completely online affair.

Today Rachael Sage has shared Character, her latest full album under her own label, MPress Records, and premiered by M Music and Musician Magazine. The emotional, timely, and timeless project from the multi-instrumentalist and producer came together as Sage was overcoming cancer and was pushed to ask herself, “what comprises character?”.

Babes With Blades Theatre Company's (BWBTC) 22nd season continues with Duchess of Malfi, running April 17 - May 30, written by John Webster, adaptation and direction by BWBTC Artistic Director Hayley Rice and fight choreography by Maya Vinice Prentiss. All performances are at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard Street.

The Factory Theater,1623 W. Howard St., has announced its newest main stage production, Last Night in Karaoke Town, February 14 - March 28, 2020. Written by Mike Beyer and Kirk Pynchon, creators of the Factory hit Hey! Dancin'!, bring the only known tribute to Cleveland in the history of American theater to the Factory this winter, directed by Kim Boler. Previews are Friday, Feb. 14 and Saturday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. Press Opening is Friday, February 21, 2020 at 8 p.m. and the regular performance schedule is Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets for Last Night in Karaoke Town are $10 - $25 and may be purchased through the Box Office by calling 866-811-4111 or by visiting TheFactoryTheater.com.

The Factory Theater presents the continuation of last year's holiday special, Xmas War, with Xmas War: ENDGAME, December 13 - 21 at Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St. Factory Theater's holiday production is a double feature with the company performing last year's show and then continuing the story with this year's sequel. The production runs for two weekends only, Friday, Dec. 13 and 20 and Saturday, Dec. 14 and 21, at 8 p.m. Xmas War: ENDGAME is directed by Matt Engle and written by Scott OKen. Tickets are $15 each, and may be purchased through the Box Office by calling 866-811-4111 or by visiting TheFactoryTheater.com.

The nonprofit Rogers Park Business Alliance (RPBA) announces a community-wide, month-long holiday celebration with its annual Live Love Shop Rogers Park rebate program, kicking off on Small Business Saturday, November 30, and running through December 31.

The Factory Theater,1623 W. Howard St., has announced the launch of The Factory Zone, a two-night event featuring a collection of eight plays and conceived by Factory Co-Artistic Directors Manny Tamayo and Stacie Barra. The Factory Zone will run Friday, Nov. 15 and Saturday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. Tickets for The Factory Zone are $10, and may be purchased through the Box Office by calling 866-811-4111 or by visiting TheFactoryTheater.com.

Babes With Blades Theatre Company's (BWBTC) 22nd anniversary season launches with Women Of 4G, August 1 – September 14, written by Amy Tofte, direction by Lauren Katz, assistant direction by Stephanie Mattos and fight direction by Maureen Yasko. 

The Factory Theater opens its 27th season with Oh Sh#t! It's Haunted! September 27 a?" November 9, written by Factory Theater Ensemble Member Scott OKen and directed by Factory Theater Co-Artistic Director Manny Tamayo at the Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St.

Babes With Blades Theatre Company's (BWBTC) 22nd anniversary season launches with Women Of 4G, August 1 - September 14, written by Amy Tofte, direction by Lauren Katz, assistant direction by Stephanie Mattos and fight direction by Maureen Yasko. All performances are at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St. Preview performances are Thursday, Aug. 1 - Saturday, Aug. 3 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 4 at 3 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 8 at 8 p.m. Opening Night is Friday, Aug. 9 at 8 p.m.

The Factory Theater presents the return of its late night special event, Factory After Dark in its tenth incarnation Factory After Dark 10 with host Factory Ensemble Member Eric Roach, Saturday, July 13 at 10:30 p.m. at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St.

Babes With Blades Theatre Company (BWBTC) announces its 22nd Anniversary Season, "Take Control. Take Action. Make History.," consisting of two full productions and three developing scripts as part of the Fighting Words Festival 2020, all reflecting how women take ownership of their circumstances and how they manage to prevail.