Walt Spangler News

The producers of A Christmas Story, The Musical! congratulate their composer/lyricist team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul on receiving the 2011 Songwriter's Fellowship Award.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company continues its 2011/12 season with Time Stands Still by Donald Margulies, directed by ensemble member Austin Pendleton, playing January 19 - May 13, 2012 in Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. Time Stands Still features ensemble members Francis Guinan and Sally Murphy with Randall Newsome and Kristina Valada-Viars. The press performances are Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 3 pm and Tuesday, January 31 at 7:30 pm.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company continues its 2011/12 season with Penelope by Enda Walsh, directed by ensemble member Amy Morton, playing December 1, 2011 - February 5, 2012 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. Penelope features ensemble members Ian Barford, Yasen Peyankov and John Mahoney with Scott Jaeck and Logan Vaughn.

Meghann Fahy (Next to Normal) and Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening) led Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk's latest collaboration, The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown at Goodspeed Musicals this summer. This original musical for Broadway's next generation ran through August 28, 2011 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., Goodspeed's home for developing new works. Click below for some show highlights!

Fresh from their hit Broadway turns, Meghann Fahy (Next to Normal) and Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening) lead The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown by the writing team of Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk. This original musical for Broadway's next generation will run through August 28, 2011 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., Goodspeed's home for developing new works. Click below for performance highlights from the show!

As A Christmas Story, The Musical! prepares to launch a five-city national tour for the 2011 holiday season, the show's producers, including Peter Billingsley, who starred as Ralphie in the original 1983 film, take their search for talented children to the internet.

Fresh from their hit Broadway turns, Meghann Fahy (Next to Normal) and Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening) lead The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown. Talkin' Broadway calls the show's writing team of Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk 'the most important young writers in musical theatre today.' This original musical for Broadway's next generation will run through August 28, 2011 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., Goodspeed's home for developing new works. Click below for performance highlights from the show!

Fresh from their hit Broadway turns, Meghann Fahy (Next to Normal) and Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening) lead The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown. Talkin' Broadway calls the show's writing team of Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk 'the most important young writers in musical theatre today.' This original musical for Broadway's next generation will run from tonight, August 4 through 28, 2011 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., Goodspeed's home for developing new works. Go inside rehearsal for the production by clicking below!

Fresh from their hit Broadway turns, Meghann Fahy (Next to Normal) and Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening) join the cast of The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown. Talkin' Broadway calls the show's writing team of Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk 'the most important young writers in musical theatre today.' This original musical for Broadway's next generation will run from August 4 through 28, 2011 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., Goodspeed's home for developing new works.

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will close on Sunday, July 31 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale is set to close July 24 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). New York Magazine called UNNATURAL ACTS 'remarkable, sleek and brutal' and said 'the play offers damning lessons in power, persecution and solidarity - or lack thereof.' Variety raved 'UNNATURAL ACTS is riveting and fascinating' with 'stunning theatricality.' The Associated Press called UNNATURALS ACTS 'powerfully riveting' and said 'Speciale has staged this engrossing story with flair and impressive theatricality, employing a company of extremely talented actors. In a riveting series of increasingly charged vignettes, he unspools a story of prejudice, intimidation, friendship, fear and betrayal that displays the crushing effect of societally-approved homophobia.' And The Daily News wrote 'Speciale's production is stylish and stirring, and beautiful.'

This holiday season, America's #1 Christmas movie comes to life on stage as a hilarious holiday musical.

Due to extraordinary demand, Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will extend for one final week through Sunday, July 31 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will close on Sunday, July 17 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will extend by popular demand for one additional and final week through Sunday, July 24 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). New York Magazine called UNNATURAL ACTS 'remarkable, sleek and brutal' and said 'the play offers damning lessons in power, persecution and solidarity - or lack thereof.' Variety raved 'UNNATURAL ACTS is riveting and fascinating' with 'stunning theatricality.' The Associated Press called UNNATURALS ACTS 'powerfully riveting' and said 'Speciale has staged this engrossing story with flair and impressive theatricality, employing a company of extremely talented actors. In a riveting series of increasingly charged vignettes, he unspools a story of prejudice, intimidation, friendship, fear and betrayal that displays the crushing effect of societally-approved homophobia.' And The Daily News wrote 'Speciale's production is stylish and stirring, and beautiful.'

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will present UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, as the final offering of its triumphant 2010-11 season. Based on the real-life story of Harvard's 'Secret Court' of 1920, UNNATURAL ACTS will conclude performances Sunday July 10 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Fresh from their hit Broadway turns, Meghann Fahy (Next to Normal) and Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening) join the cast of The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown. Talkin' Broadway calls the show's writing team of Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk 'the most important young writers in musical theatre today.' This original musical for Broadway's next generation will run from August 4 through 28, 2011 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., Goodspeed's home for developing new works.

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will extend by popular demand for one additional week through Sunday, July 17 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). New York Magazine called UNNATURAL ACTS 'remarkable, sleek and brutal' and said 'the play offers damning lessons in power, persecution and solidarity - or lack thereof.' Variety raved 'UNNATURAL ACTS is riveting and fascinating' with 'stunning theatricality.' The Associated Press called UNNATURALS ACTS 'powerfully riveting' and said 'Speciale has staged this engrossing story with flair and impressive theatricality, employing a company of extremely talented actors. In a riveting series of increasingly charged vignettes, he unspools a story of prejudice, intimidation, friendship, fear and betrayal that displays the crushing effect of societally-approved homophobia.' And The Daily News wrote 'Speciale's production is stylish and stirring, and beautiful.'

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will extend by popular demand for one additional week through Sunday, July 17 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

A Christmas Story, The Musical!, prepares to launch a five-city national tour for the 2011 holiday season, the show's producers, including Peter Billingsley, who starred as Ralphie in the original 1983 film, have announced that they will begin their search for young actors at an open audition for children between the ages of 8-13 at the Chicago Theatre Downstairs (enter just south of the main venue), 175 N. State Street, Chicago, Monday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.