Chicago Tour 2014 - Articles Page 37

Next Theatre Company has announced the Midwest premiere of Kirsten Greenidge's Luck of the Irish, January 16 - February 23, 2014, directed by Damon Kiely, at Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street. Previews are Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 17, 2014 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014 at 2 p.m. Opening Night is Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014 at 7 p.m.

For its 2014 season, the Oregon Bach Festival has just announced the appointment of organist Paul Jacobs to lead a newly-created Organ Institute. It is arguably the first major festival to add a component devoted exclusively to the study and performance of the organ, which figured so prominently in the compositions and performance life of J. S. Bach.

The Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) announces its Winter 2014 programs: featuring critically acclaimed authors Gary Shteyngart, Karen Russell, and Mohsin Hamid. Kicking off the new year, writer Gary Shteyngart will discuss his just-published memoir Little Failure with Chicago literary star Aleksandar Hemon on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. Following in February, The New Yorker '20 Under 40' writer and MacArthur Fellow Karen Russell will talk about her latest book Vampires in the Lemon Grove with Time Out Chicago's Laura Pearson on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014. Concluding in March, The New York Times bestselling author Mohsin Hamid will speak about his most recent novel How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, on Tuesday, March 11, 2014. All events will take place at 6 p.m. at First United Methodist Church at The Chicago Temple (77 W Washington St). Tickets will go on sale to CHF Members Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. and to the public Monday, Dec. 9 at 10 a.m. Visit chicagohumanities.org for more information.

Bailiwick Chicago has announced casting for its 2013-14 Season, which features two stunning musicals in their Chicago premieres. Leading the cast of the stirring musical drama DESSA ROSE are Sydney Charles as Dessa Rose (The Color Purple, The Mercury Theatre; Smokey Joe's Cafe, Theo Ubique) and Collective Member Harmony France as Ruth (Violet, Bailiwick Chicago-Jeff nomination; Tell Me on A Sunday, Bailiwick Repertory) with special guest artist Jayson "JC" Brooks as Nathan (Passing Strange, Bailiwick Chicago). The 2012 Off-Broadway revival version of the infamous 1988 musical CARRIE will star Callie Johnson (Pal Joey, Porchlight Music Theatre-Jeff Award; Next to Normal, Drury Lane Oak Brook) as Carrie and Katherine L. Condit as Margaret White (Chess, Original Broadway Company; Joseph and A Chorus Line, National Tours).

CHICAGO returns to PlayhouseSquare for ONE WEEK ONLY, January 7-12, 2014 as part of the U.S. Bank Star Performance Series. Producers Barry and Fran Weissler announce that the suave, debonair, award-winning actor and star of stage, TV & film, John O'Hurley will return to the road to reprise the role of Billy Flynn at PlayhouseSquare in Cleveland.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, currently presenting Season 36 in Chicago and on tour across the U.S. and abroad, is delighted to announce the company's annual Spotlight Ball at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park on Monday, May 19, 2014.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, under the artistic leadership of Glenn Edgerton, is pleased to again offer two full-time, four-week training sessions for pre-professional and early-career dancers in summer 2014. Hubbard Street's Summer Intensive in Iowa City is for advanced dance students ages 14-17, and runs June 16-July 11, 2014. Hubbard Street's Summer Intensive in Chicago is for advanced and professional dancers ages 18-24 and runs June 30-July 25, 2014.

Chicago Fringe Festival Executive Director Vinnie Lacey announces the Chicago Fringe Festival 2013, held August 29 - September 8, its first time in the new location of Jefferson Park was a success and the Festival will return in 2014. Attendance was up over the previous two years with 3887 attendees. The Festival had more than 25 sold out performances and the number of Fringe Festival passes was at an all time high. Fringe artists and performers receive 100% of the ticket sales generated by their appearance and in 2013, more than $28,000 was returned to artists. The Chicago Fringe Festival is a member of the Fringe Festival movement and is one of many festivals held throughout the world. The Chicago Fringe Festival unites daring theatergoers with emerging and boundary-pushing local, national and international performing artists while seeking to engage nontraditional audiences through a commitment to low ticket prices and outreach into artistically underserved communities.

Million Dollar Quartet, now the longest-running Broadway musical production in Chicago's history, has extended through March 30, 2014. With over 2,000 performances and 5 smash years in Chicago, the Tony Award-winning rock 'n' roll musical has set a new record for the longest-running Broadway musical in Chicago.

3Arts is honored to announce the ten recipients of its 6th annual 3Arts Awards, presented to women artists, artists of color and artists with disabilities working in the performing, teaching and visual arts. The awards will be presented tonight, Monday, Oct. 21, by the 3Arts Board of Directors and Awards Host Committee in a celebratory gathering at the Museum of Contemporary Art. 3Arts has awarded over $1 million in total grants to more than 100 Chicago artists in the past six years.

Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch announced touring plans for both the professional company and Houston Ballet II, the second company, for the 2013-2014 season today. During Mr. Welch's tenth anniversary as artistic director, touring engagements will take Houston Ballet to New York City, Paris, Montreal, and Chicago.

Lookingglass Theatre, Frontera Grill and Silverguy Entertainment present the return of Rick Bayless in Cascabel: Dinner - Daring - Desire, the unforgettable theatrical adventure featuring a sumptuous feast, world-class circus acts, and a tantalizing love story starring celebrity chef Rick Bayless that had Chicago audiences spellbound when it premiered in spring 2011. The extremely limited engagement is co-created by Rick Bayless,Artistic Associate and founder of Silverguy Entertainment Tony Hernandez (Hephaestus, Lookingglass Alice), and Lookingglass Ensemble Member Heidi Stillman (Hephaestus, The Brothers Karamazov, Hard Times). The culinary and theatrical experience of the year runs at the Goodman Theatre's Owen Bruner Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, for four weeks only, July 30 -August 24, 2014.

The Chicago Philharmonic continues its season with Romantic Serenade on Sunday, November 10, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston.

The Gift Theatre artistic director and co-founder Michael Patrick Thornton proudly announces its 2014 season featuring two Chicago premieres and the theater's first staging of Shakespeare. The season includes Bethany, reuniting the writer and director of the 2013 Gift Theatre hit Mine. Bethany premiered Off-Broadway in January to raves with America Ferrara in the title role. The Gift Season Subscriptions, starting at $75, offer theatergoers the opportunity to be part of the exciting revolution of The Gift and Chicago's Northwest Side; Jefferson Park was recently recognized by the Chicago Sun-Times and Nadig Press as 'Chicago's newest theater district.'

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Cathay Pacific Airways today announced that it will add a fourth daily direct flight from Los Angeles to Hong Kong on June 1, 2014 and three additional direct flights from Chicago to Hong Kong on August 2, 2014, bringing the number of flights from the Windy City to 10 per week (subject to government approval).

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents The Merry Wives of Windsor directed by Artistic Director Barbara Gaines from December 3, 2013 to January 19, 2014 in CST's Courtyard Theater. Embraced by audiences as one of Shakespeare's most delightful comedies-and often called the first "situation comedy"-this high-spirited romp centers on the lovable rogue Sir John Falstaff, a character Shakespeare first brought to life in Henry IV. Now we find Sir John hard up for money, seeking to repair his depleted fortunes by wooing the two most prominent women in town. But his plans go awry with disastrous consequences, as the wooed Windsor wives see through Falstaff's schemes, and dupe him repeatedly. The musicality of Shakespeare's language will be underscored with the melodies of the post-war 1940s-evoking a yearning for the simple, country life. The production features Scott Jaeck as Sir John Falstaff, Kelli Fox as Mistress Page and Heidi Kettenring as Mistress Ford. Chicago Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor plays in CST's Courtyard Theater December 3, 2013 - January 19, 2014.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the upcoming 2014 spring season line-up. Supporting Broadway In Chicago's commitment to Chicagoans seeing shows first, the season features four premieres. Coming to Chicago first is the World Premiere Pre-Broadway production of THE LAST SHIP, the U.S. Tour Premiere of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL and the North American Premiere ofHEARTBEAT OF HOME, as well as the U.S. Tour Premiere of BUYER AND CELLAR as an off-season special. Also included in the season is GHOST THE MUSICAL, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, PETER & THE STARCATCHERand THE WIZARD OF OZ. The 2014 spring off-season includes: ONCE UPON A DREAM STARRING THE RASCALS, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, ALTON BROWN LIVE!, CHICAGO, ROCK OF AGES, ERTH'S DINOSAUR ZOO and MAMMA MIA!.

Broadway In Chicago has confirmed that the hit off-Broadway comedy BUYER & CELLAR, starring Michael Urie, written by Jonathan Tolins and directed by Stephen Brackett, will play Chicago for a limited engagement beginning April 29, 2014 at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut). Daryl Roth, Producer of Tony Award-winning "Kinky Boots" along with Darren Bagert, Dan Shaheen and Ted Snowdon, bring this hilarious new comedy to Chicago.

Bailiwick Chicago Theater has just announced its 2013-14 Season, featuring two stunning musicals in their Chicago premieres. In March 2014, Artistic Director Lili-Anne Brown directs an intimate production of the stirring musical drama DESSA ROSE by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning team behind Ragtime, Once on This Island and Seussical!, with music direction by Collective Member James Morehead. Immediately following in May 2014 comes a unique resurrection of the 1988 musical CARRIE with book by original screenwriter Lawrence D. Cohen, lyrics by Academy Award-winner Dean Pitchford, music by Academy Award-winner Michael Gore, directed by Collective Member Christopher Pazdernik with music direction by Collective Member Aaron Benham. The 2013-14 Season also marks Bailiwick Chicago's participation in Victory Gardens Theater's inaugural Resident Theater Program. Tickets for the 2013-14 Season will go on sale at a later date.

Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch announced touring plans for both the professional company and Houston Ballet II, the second company, for the 2013-2014 season today. During Mr. Welch's tenth anniversary as artistic director, touring engagements will take Houston Ballet to New York City, Paris, Montreal, and Chicago.

United Airlines today announced plans to launch new nonstop service from its Chicago hub at O'Hare International Airport to Elmira, N.Y., and State College, Pa. The airline also plans to begin new service from Chicago to Topeka, Kan., subject to government approval. ExpressJet Airlines will operate the United Express flights using 50-seat regional jet aircraft. The State College and Topeka flights will begin on Jan. 7, 2014, and the Elmira service will begin on Feb. 13, 2014.

Building on their reputation for presenting quality theatrical productions that are simultaneously entertaining and enlightening, Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN announced today their exciting 2014 season, an unprecedented season full of never before seen Chicagoland premieres. The area premiere of RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH, a unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and home and family runs February 20 to March 30. Another Chicago area premiere, MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET, a warm and humorous play about a working class family living in Buffalo, New York runs May 1 to June 1. Fans of the television hit The Beverly Hillbillies should mark their calendars for the World Premiere of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, THE MUSICAL. Featuring many well-known and beloved characters from the series, the production runs from July 10 to August 10. In the first North American production since its Broadway debut at the Lincoln Center, the madcap musical WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWNbased on the Spanish film of the same name runs September 11 to October 19. For the holidays, the Chicago area premiere musical A CHRISTMAS MEMORY, based on Truman Capote's famous short story, runs November 13 to December 14.

The Apollo Chorus celebrates 142 years of making music as Chicago's oldest premier volunteer chorus with its 2013-2014 season, which features a lineup of classical and contemporary concerts. The season begins with a free "Music in the Neighborhood" Concert on Sunday, November 3 at 3:00 p.m. at The Apostolic Church of God, 6320 S. Dorchester. The music continues in December with two performances of Apollo Chorus's signature rendition of Handel's Messiahon Saturday, December 7 at 3:00 p.m. at Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., and Saturday, December 21 at 3:00 p.m. at Harris Theater for Music & Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive. Choral Classics-Mozart's Great Mass in C & Dvorak'sTe Deum will be performed Saturday, February 22 at 7:30 p.m. at University of Chicago's Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave.; and the season finale Spring Concert, The Beatles & Friends, will be performed Friday, May 2 at 8:00 p.m. at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut Street; and again Sunday, May 4 at 3:00 p.m. at First United Church, 848 Lake Street in Oak Park.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is pleased to announce the three Chicago companies selected for the fifth annual Garage Rep: The New Colony, Prologue Theatre Company and Walkabout Theater Company. These innovative storefront companies present three productions in rotating repertory for a ten-week run February - April, 2014 in the Garage Theatre (1624 N Halsted St). Tickets go on sale at a later date.

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, presents the Tony Award-winning musical sensation HELLO, DOLLY!, previewing October 17, opening October 24 at 8 p.m., and running through January 5, 2014. HELLO, DOLLY! stars Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba as "Dolly Levi." She received the Tony Award, the Drama Desk Award, and the Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance in Lincoln Center Theatre's Contact. Ziemba also received Tony Award nominations for her roles in Steel Pier, Never Gonna Dance, and Curtains and the Drama Desk Award for And the World Goes 'Round, as well as the Outer Critics Circle Awards for both Never Gonna Dance and Curtains. She has starred in productions at The New York City Opera, Carnegie Hall for PBS' Great Performances, and NY City Center Encores. Other Broadway roles include "Diana Morales" in A Chorus Line, "Peggy Sawyer" in the original production of 42nd Street, "Polly Baker" in Crazy for You, and "Roxie Hart" in Chicago.