William Boles News

There's just a few weeks left to make your voice heard and submit your votes for the 2019 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, brought to you by TodayTix! The people have spoken nominations are set, and now you can vote to make sure your favorite local theatre's achievements and performers are recognized!

Check out  the first installment of this season's Tea Time with Crumpet, with the star of Actors Theatre's The Santaland Diaries, Bear Brummel as Crumpet the Elf. 

It's December! Voting is now underway for the 2019 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, brought to you by TodayTix! Now you can vote to make sure your favorite local theatres and performers are recognized. Check out the first set of stats below.

As the Christmas countdown begins, a newly-hired elf enters the coldest circle of retail hell: Macy's Santaland. In real life, Crumpet the Elf is an unemployed actor, but now he's hard at work, greeting children, judging their parents and giving us a hilarious behind-the-scenes tour of the North Pole. Packed with David Sedaris's signature wit, The Santaland Diaries is a delightfully irreverent holiday classic for those of us who prefer our eggnog spiked.

Actors Theatre of Louisville and Artistic Director Robert Barry Fleming announce the upcoming holiday season favorites: Fifth Third Bank's A Christmas Carol, beginning November 23 in the Pamela Brown Auditorium, and The Santaland Diaries, based on the essay by David Sedaris, beginning November 24 in the Victor Jory Theatre. Tickets are now available at ActorsTheatre.org.

Voting is NOW OPEN and the first votes are in for the 2019 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, brought to you by TodayTix! The nominees are set, and now you can vote to make sure your favorite local theatres and performers are recognized!

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the World Premiere of The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon and directed by Jessica Thebus. The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley has been extended for an additional five performances and will now run through December 22, 2019 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, continues its 2019-2020 season with the World Premiere of The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon and directed by Jessica Thebus. The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley runs November 7 a?" December 15, 2019 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. The press opening is Friday, November 15, 2019 at 8pm.

Paramount Theatre's production of DISNEY'S NEWSIES THE MUSICAL, directed by Jim Corti, offers a spirited, heartfelt take on the popular Tony Award winner. Originally a 1992 Disney movie musical, the cult favorite has attracted a whole new fandom since the stage adaptation opened on Broadway in 2012, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman, and book by Harvey Fierstein. Based on the true story of the 1899 New York City newsboys' strike, NEWSIES is best known for its rousing tunes and jaw-dropping dancing. With music direction by Tom Vendafreddo and choreography by Joshua Blake Carter, Corti's production nails these essential elements, while the cast give moving, layered performances as the ragtag band of brothers who faced down the giants of the 19th century press.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, continues its 2019-2020 season with the World Premiere of The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon and directed by Jessica Thebus. The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley runs November 7 a?" December 15, 2019 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. The press opening is Friday, November 15, 2019 at 8pm.     

Eleven world premiere plays and musicals seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving nominations by the Jeff Awards, announced today. A total of 192 nominations were made in 34 categories that honor Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2018 and July 31, 2019. During the 2018-19 season, Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 132 Equity productions offered by 43 producing organizations and from these openings, 112 productions were a?oeJeff Recommendeda?? and eligible for award nominations.

People's Light kicks off their 45th Anniversary season with the regional premiere of Colman Domingo's Dot. 

Shakespeare may have been in love with Viola in this season's premiering romance/comedy Shakespeare in Love at the brand new installation for TheatreSquared, 477 W. Spring Street, in Downtown Fayetteville, but I was in love with this theatre the moment I stepped inside the venue. The look of the building, the eagerness from the staff, and the fun coming from my fellow patrons made Wednesday night's (Aug. 28) production immensely enjoyable. Running through September 15, this performance is a must see.

Haven concludes its 2018-19 Season with the Chicago premiere of KISS by Guillermo Calderón, Chile's most acclaimed playwright-director. Monty Cole directs and performs in this bold theatrical experience that asks if art is a tool for empathy, what are the limits?

Haven Theatre concludes its 2018-19 Season with the Chicago premiere of KISS by Guillermo Calderon, Chile's most acclaimed playwright-director. Monty Cole directs and performs in this bold theatrical experience that asks if art is a tool for empathy, what are the limits?

Adirondack Theatre Festival Producing Artistic Director, Chad Rabinovitz, announces the second show of the season, The Enlightenment of Percival Von Schmootz. The show runs July 5 - 13, 2019 at the Charles R. Wood Theater in Downtown Glens Falls, NY. The leading professional theatre in the Capital Region, ATF is dedicated to new plays and musicals, the season runs June 14 - August 9, 2019 with all performances at the Charles R. Wood Theater.

It feels in many ways poetic that both the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the 200th anniversary of Walt Whitman's birth fall on the same year. That's precisely where The Bearded Ladies Cabaret comes in. The Philadelphia-based experimental cabaret troupe is part of La MaMa's STONEWALL 50 celebrations, joining a group of LGBTQ+ artists from around the globe. The Beards' contribution is the New York premiere of their CONTRADICT THIS! A BIRTHDAY FUNERAL FOR HEROES, which---spoiler alert---starts as a birthday party for 'much-lauded homo poet' Walt Whitman and descends into a trial, taking on Whitman's problematic political views, our imperfect heroes, and cancel culture as a whole.

Cake, coffin, gavel, choir, composers, live musical trolling! On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the much lauded poet Walt Whitman's birth, a group of Philly queers and misfits known as The Bearded Ladies Cabaret gathers to put this ancestor and his legacy on trial. Should Whitman be canceled? Can he be? Come with friends, complaints, heroes and villains alike. All are welcome. Presented by La MaMa, the New York premiere performances will take place in the Ellen Stewart Theater (June 20 - 29).

Contradict This! A Birthday Funeral for Heroes will take place as part of Stonewall 50 at La MaMa, a month-long celebration of World Pride with exciting voices from around the globe and down the block, featuring multiple generations of queer performers as they pose questions, honor legacies and ignite the present.

Cake, coffin, gavel, choir, composers, live musical trolling! On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the much lauded homo-poet Walt Whitman's birth, a group of Philly queers and misfits known as The Bearded Ladies Cabaret gathers to put this ancestor and his legacy on trial. Should Whitman be canceled? Can he be? Come with friends, complaints, heroes and villains alike. All are welcome. Presented by La MaMa, the New York premiere performances will take place in the Ellen Stewart Theater (June 20 - 29).