ACT OUT: BUZZ22 CHICAGO’S SHE KILLS MONSTERS GETS ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE

(left to right) Company member Sara Sawicki, Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary, Allie Long, Katherine Banks and Morgan Maher

BUZZ22 CHICAGO’S SHE KILLS MONSTERS GETS ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE AS PART OF STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY’S FOURTH ANNUAL GARAGE REP 

Buzz22 Chicago’s hit production of She Kills Monsters as part of Steppenwolf’s Garage Rep is getting one additional performance on April 16 at 8pm. 

We haven't made it over to She Kills Monsters yet, but it's high on our must see list.

 (left to right) Company member Ellie Reed and Jessica London-Shields with (background, left to right) Allie Long and Katherine Banks 

By popular demand, Buzz22 Chicago’s critically acclaimed production of

She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen, directed by Scott Weinstein, gets an additional performance as part of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s fourth annual Garage Rep. This “clever, funny, moving, lively and delightfully geeky” (Chicago Tribune) play now also performs on Tuesday, April 16 at 8pm; the ensemble cast of 11 remains intact. Garage Rep runs through April 21; tickets ($20) are on sale now through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org.

   

 (left to right) Morgan Maher, Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary, Katherine Banks, Jessica London-Shields and company member Sara Sawicki 

                                           

Agnes's life is turned upside down when she stumbles upon her late sister’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook. As she embarks on an action-packed quest to save her sister's soul, Agnes comes face to face with homicidal fairies, raunchy ogres and blood thirsty cheerleaders, and discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. Qui Nguyen's touching comedy combines real life, fantasy and 90s pop culture in the search for the badass in us all.

(top to bottom) Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary and Allie Long 

The cast of She Kills Monsters features Katherine Banks, Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary, Daeshawna Cook, Fred Geyer, Jessica London-Shields, Allie Long, Morgan Maher, Jose Nateras, Ellie Reed, Sara Sawicki and Richard Traub. The creative team includes William Boles (scenic design), Rachel Goldberg (costume design), Lee Keenan (lighting design), Daniel Carlyon (sound design), Matt Deitchman(composer), Chuck Coyl (fight director) and Lori Buchanan (dance choreography). Additional credits include Colleen Werle (puppetry design); Sarah Fornace, Drew Dir and Julia Miller of Manual Cinema (shadow puppet design); Alex Tey (gore design, assistant fight director); Jamie Karas (properties master); Mary Hungerford (production manager); and Christopher Leck (stage manager).

The fourth annual Garage Rep also features See What I Wanna See, words and music by Michael John LaChiusa, directed by Lili-Anne Brown, music direction by James Morehead, presented by Bailiwick Chicago; and BlackTop Sky by Christina Anderson, directed by Cassy Sanders, presented by Theatre Seven of Chicago. Tickets to all three Garage Rep productions ($20) are currently on sale through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org.

Credit for all production photos:   Michael Brosilow

Katherine Banks (front) with (background, left to right) company Member Sara Sawicki, Jessica London-Shields and Rinska Carrasco-Prestinary in Buzz22 Chicago’s Midwest-premiere production of She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen, directed by company member Scott Weinstein, presented as part of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Garage Rep 2013. Performance through April 21, 2013.

Support for Garage Rep is provided by the “Leading for the Future Initiative,” a program of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. OptionsHouse is the Garage Series Sponsor.

Buzz22 Chicago (Scott Weinstein and Sara Sawicki, Co-Artistic Directors; Philip de Guzman, Managing Director) was founded by seven Northwestern University graduates in 2010. Since then, Buzz22 has staged four productions, including the Midwest premiere of Residue by Joel Sinensky and Quake by Melanie Marnich, performed in repertory at Royal George Theatre. The company seeks to provide a home for up-and-coming artists in the Chicago area. Buzz22 stages stories to explore the constant coming of age: the ever-occurring moments that challenge who we are and who we want to be. buzz22chicago.com

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is America’s longest standing, most distinguished ensemble theater, producing nearly 700 performances and events annually in its three Chicago theater spaces—the 515-seatDownstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat Garage Theatre. Formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an ensemble of 43 actors, writers and directors. Artistic programming at Steppenwolf includes a five-play Subscription Season, a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season and three repertory series: First Look Repertory of New Work, Garage Rep and Next Up. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Off-Broadway, Broadway, London, Sydney and Dublin. Steppenwolf has the distinction of being the only theater to receive the National Medal of Arts, in addition to numerous other prestigious honors including an Illinois Arts Legend Award and nine Tony Awards. Martha Lavey is the Artistic Director and David Hawkanson is the Executive Director. Nora Daley is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org,facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre and twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr.

ACT OUT ENDING: There Is A Happiness That Morning Is #review

Catch it while you can.  Happiness is fleeting and Theatre Oobleck's remount is ending this weekend after an extension through April 7th.   The show's upstairs at The Biograph Theatre-Victory Gardens.   

We'll be back at The Biograph for the press opening of The Whale on the 15th--not to be confused with The Elephant and The Whale (at CST-Chicago Children's Theatre).   We're covering their opening Friday the 12th and have some sweet video interviews and a 4 ticket giveaway in the works!

We sat in on an early rehearsal of The Whale, just 3 days in and had an excellent talk back with the actors.   I love to see a piece evolve.   This show has a Mormon (who has friends who went to serve in Africa... like a certain hit Broadway musical), a snarky teenage girl, school papers by an estranged child (like Dream of the Burning Boy), and a gay, obese protagonist who is already a challenge to play in an authentic, truthful way that won't evoke ire.   I'm so intrigued to see where they go with this show!

Back to There is a Happiness, it was an interesting segue to go from Completeness at The Wit on Friday to this show on Saturday.   It was a nerd love fest of a weekend.   This show's a bit more intellectual and esoteric, so less accessible unless you're a true disciple of William Blake's works.   The scenario is a hoot and the characters' responses provide an interesting dynamic, and lend fresh eyes to staid literary staples.  It's certainly worth a look.

Of course Dillinger didn't experience much happiness after seeing a show at The Biograph with The Woman in Red (Ana Sage)  that infamous day in 1934, so my husband and I left our daughter, Sage Ani, at home and had a great time with another woman in red, our long time friend, Cath.

No theatre goers were harmed in the making of this feature.

 

More Happiness!

There Is a Happiness That Morning Is

  "a not-to-be-missed remount" - "soul shaking" - "Killer."
Yes, that one, has been extended until April 7th!
Tickets available here
More info here

There Is a Happiness That Morning Is

by Mickle Maher

“. . . richer, funnier, and more heartbreaking than ever… If the American theater harbors a precedent for Mickle Maher’s astonishing 2011 play There Is a Happiness That Morning Is, I’ve never found it . . .”

–Chicago Reader

“The most remarkable mix of poetry and drama you are ever likely to see.”

-WBEZ

“MAHER’S MOST POWERFUL PLAY TO DATE… SOUL SHAKING”

–Chicago Reader

“an enjoyably lunatic endeavor”

–Chicago Tribune

“Goosed by precise, masterful performances, Maher’s text is almost endlessly engaging and frequently hilarious.”

–Time Out Chicago

“FUNNY, WITTY, LITERATE, and PROFOUND… It’s the actors who make it a slam-dunk”

–Windy City Times

JANUARY 31-MARCH 10, 2013
EXTENDED THROUGH APRIL 7
Thursday-Saturday at 8pm
Sunday at 3pm
(no shows Thursdays March 28 & April 4)
INDUSTRY NIGHT: MONDAY APRIL 1st at 8pm

VICTORY GARDENS BIOGRAPH THEATER
2433 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago
773.871.3000

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

$15 suggested donation*
More if you got it,
free if you’re broke.

Theater Oobleck revives Mickle Maher’s comedy in rhymed verse told via two lectures on the poetry of William Blake: one given in the morning by Bernard, a middle-aged, barely published poet of scant scholarship, on the Songs of Innocence, and the other in the afternoon by his lover, Ellen, a reputable Ph.D., on the Songs of Experience.

Having engaged the evening before in a highly inappropriate display of public affection on the main lawn of their rural New England campus, the two undergraduate lecturers must now, in class, either apologize for their behavior or effectively justify it if they want to keep their jobs.

Featuring Diana Slickman, Colm O’Reilly, and Kirk Anderson.

The script of There Is A Happiness That Morning Is is also available as part of the book of Oobleck plays More If You’ve Got It. Purchase it directly from us.

*Quick ticket explanation: You can get your “more if you’ve got it, free if you’re broke” tickets (as per Theater Oobleck tradition) by calling the box office 773-871-3000. For on-line tickets, click on the link above, then click on the day you want. Then in the next screen you indicate how many tickets you want. Then in the NEXT screen you are given the option of a “Regular Price” (that would be $15), a $10, or a $1 ticket.

Check out this audio link to an interview with Mickle Maher about how he wrote the play.   Then go already.   This weekend is your last shot at Happiness!   

Happiness playwright Mickle Maher talks about the power of public sex, the actor’s prerogative, and why the play was almost about mummies in this half-hour podcast from Talk Theatre in Chicago. Includes bonus stale bread metaphors!

How does a play get written? In particular, how does a verse play about two college English teachers lecturing on the poetry of William Blake to save their jobs after having public sex on the campus green get written? Mickle Maher joins Anne Nicholson Weber to talk about the genesis of his play, There Is A Happiness That Morning Is, which is currently being remounted by Theater Oobleck at Victory Gardens; and about drafts and redrafts, writing in verse, and finding one's voice as a writer. Listen: (MP3) Time: 31:53

ACT OUT EXTENDED: Completeness at Theater Wit Now Through May 4 #review

LONG LIVE GEEK LOVE! 

THEATER WIT ANNOUNCES  SIX WEEK EXTENSION OF 

HIT SHOW  COMPLETENESS;  SMART, SEXY NEW ROM-COM 

NOW RUNNING THROUGH MAY 4

ChiIL Live Shows finally caught Completeness last Friday, and we are elated to share that their run has been extended yet again!   The reasons are exponential.  Completeness gives emotional baggage it's own algorithm!   It's laugh out loud funny, painful, poignant and real.   The actors' adept portrayal of socially awkward, brilliantly flawed lovers is a joy to watch.  Catch this must see.   If you haven't gone yet, what are you waiting for?   Go already.  

We also completely geeked out on the set design.   The simple set pieces evoke student housing while serving as a giant computer.  This provides a visual and effective emersion in modern love, loss, and exploration, from the classroom to the bedroom...through break ups and break downs.

Theater Wit has announced a six-week extension of its current hit play, Completeness.  Wit's "Highly Recommended...knockout Chicago premiere" (Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times) of Itamar Moses's smart, sexy new romantic comedy will now run through May 4, 2013.

Jeff Recommended

*The designation of "Jeff Recommended" is given to a production when at least ONE ELEMENT of the show was deemed outstanding by the opening night judges of The Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee. The entire production is then eligible for nomination for awards at the end of the season.

Completeness "celebrates the seductive power of smarts!" (Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune), while Kris Vire, Time Out Chicago assures  "If you don't find math and science sexy, Completeness might change your mind."  

And audiences agree, geek love is "in." Wits' easily relatable play about two brainy grad students toggling in and out of love has become a fast box office success for Theater Wit, located in the heart of Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood at 1229 W. Belmont Avenue. Performances continue Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; and Sunday at 2 pm, through May 4. Tickets are $15-$36. For tickets and information, visit TheaterWit.org or call 773.975.8150. Note: Completeness contains adult situations and nudity.

Wit's Midwest premiere of Completeness, staged by artistic director Jeremy Wechsler, features universally acclaimed performances by Matt Holzfeind as computer science grad Elliot, who discovers a cerebral, physical and mutual attraction with molecular biologist Molly, played Kristina Valada-Viars. When Elliot and Molly strike up a conversation in the university library, they agree to collaborate on a cross-departmental experiment. But while unraveling the complexities of math and science, Elliot and Molly get tangled up in each other, and the unsolvable problems of love.

Fellow actors Rae Gray and Andrew Jessop equally shine in multiple roles in Wit's new rom-com about the surprisingly sexy intersection of passion and programming. Kudos also to the Completeness design team for the sleek, high tech set and rich, colorful multimedia effects: Joe Schermoly (set), Michael Rourke (lights), Janice Pytel(costumes), Joseph Fosco (sound/original music), Michael Stanfill (projections) andKaren LaCoursiere (props). Sarah J. Luse is stage manager. 

A romantic comedy so rich it can do without "I love you." Don't miss!

- Kelly Kleiman, WBEZ

RECOMMENDED! Sweet and universal!

- Lisa Buscani, New City 

Utterly compelling! Pointed and funny

- Clint May, Chicago Theatre Beat

Critic's Choice! Amazing! Enrapturing

- Tyler Gillespie, Gaper's Block

A Must See! Wechsler's winning production makes for a gripping spectacle

- Centerstage Chicago

More about Theater Wit

In addition to presenting its own productions in 2012-2013, including Completeness, Theater Wit's three 99-seat theaters are always booked with an eclectic slate of new plays and musicals by Chicago's most popular and accomplished off-Loop theater companies.

That's why Theater Wit has introduced Chicago's first live theater, Netflix-like membership program, to encourage cross-pollination among its own productions and those presented by resident and visiting companies. With a Theater Wit Membership, you can see as many plays as you want at Theater Wit, year round, for one low monthly fee of $36 ($22 for students). Traditional multi-play flex passes are also available. To purchase a Membership Program, flex pass, single tickets or for information about current and upcoming productions at Theater Wit, call 773.975.8150 or visit TheaterWit.org.

Theater Wit inaugurated its newly renovated, $1.3 million venue at 1229 W. Belmont Ave., the former home of the Bailiwick Arts Centre, in June 2010. The Chicago Tribunecalled the new Theater Wit "A thrilling addition to Chicago's roster of theaters"(Chicago Tribune) and New City agreed Wit is "a terrific place to see a show."

Today, Theater Wit boasts three intimate 99-seat performance spaces - the only theater in Chicago with such a configuration - plus a new box office, administrative offices, a beer, wine, spirits and coffee bar, and a cool, casual lobby.

In 2012, Theater Wit hosted 593 performances of 42 productions presented by 25 of Chicago's best small companies, entertaining a total audience of more than 33,000. Resident companies presenting their full seasons at Wit in 2012-2013 are New Millennium Theatre Company and Stage Left Theatre. Visiting companies include Book and Lyrics Theatricals, Griffin Theatre, Hell in a Handbag Productions, Pinebox Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Shattered Globe and Steep Theatre.

Founded in 2004, Theater Wit's mission is to explore contemporary issues with wit and wisdom through new works and Chicago premieres.  For more information, visit TheaterWit.org.

                                                                                                    

#   #  #

About the Playwright

  

Itamar Moses is the author of The Four of Us, which like Completeness had its Midwest debut under Jeremy Wechsler's direction at Theater Wit in 2011.  That production earned three-and-a-half stars from the Chicago Tribune, four stars from Time Out Chicago, and for Moses, the new designation "one hell of a playwright" from the Chicago Reader. His subsequent play Completeness has received east and west coast premieres at Playwrights Horizons and South Coast Repertory respectively. Moses' other plays include Bach at Leipzig, Outrage, Celebrity Row, Yellowjackets, Back Back Back,and an adaptation of Jonathan Lethem's The Fortress Of Solitude. 

His work has appeared Off-Broadway and elsewhere in New York, at regional theaters across the U.S. and Canada, and has been published by Faber & Faber, Vintage Heinemann Press, Playscripts Inc., and Samuel French, Inc. He has received commissions from The McCarter Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Wilma Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, and South Coast Rep. Moses holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU and has taught playwriting at Yale and NYU. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, MCC Playwrights Coalition, Naked Angels Mag 7, and is a New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect. Moses has written for HBO's hit series Boardwalk Empire and he was just featured in New York Magazine's "Reasons to Love New York 2012" issue. He was born in Berkeley, California, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

All Production Photos Credit: Charles Osgood

WICKED IS FLYING BACK TO CHICAGO OCTOBER 30, 2013 #BroadwayinChicago

BY STEPHEN SCHWARTZ AND WINNIE HOLZMAN

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY GREGORY MAGUIRE

Broadway In Chicago is pleased to announce WICKED, Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, will return to Chicago in celebration of its 10^th anniversary on Broadway and play the Oriental Theatre (24 West Randolph) for a limited eight-week engagement, Oct. 30 to Dec. 21, 2013.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Academy Award®-winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”), WICKED, the untold story of the witches of Oz, is directed by two-time Tony® Award winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Vagina Monologues) and features musical staging by Tony® Award winner Wayne Cilento (Aida, The Who’s Tommy, How To Succeed…).

Based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED, winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy® and three Tony® Awards, is the untold story of the witches of Oz.  It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

“We are thrilled to bring WICKED back home to Chicago,” said Lou Raizin, President of Broadway In Chicago. “To be part of WICKED’s 10^th anniversary celebration and once again share WICKED with Chicago audiences is a great honor.”

Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz.  One – born with emerald-green skin – is smart, fiery and misunderstood.  The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular.  WICKED tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

WICKED has “cast quite a spell” (Washington Post) throughout North America, breaking box office records in every city that it has played, including Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and Boston to name a few.

WICKED has been declared “A Cultural Phenomenon” by Variety and “The Best Musical of the Decade” by Entertainment Weekly.  There are currently 7 productions worldwide: New York, London, Holland, Japan, Australia/New Zealand, and two concurrent North American Tours.  Globally, WICKED has amassed nearly $2.9 billion in ticket sales and has been seen by 36 million people worldwide in its 9-year history.

WICKED features set design by Tony® Award winner Eugene Lee (Ragtime, Show Boat, Candide, Sweeney Todd), costume design by Tony® winner Susan Hilferty (Into the Woods, Assassins), lighting design by Tony® nominee Kenneth Posner (The Coast of Utopia, Hairspray) and sound design by Tony Meola (The Lion King).  Stephen Oremus is the show’s musical director.  Orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott.

Grammy Award-Winning Cast recording available on Decca Broadway.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are now available for groups of 15 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. Individual tickets for WICKED will go on-sale at a later date.  

For more information about WICKED, please visit www.wickedthemusical.com or www.BroadwayInChicago.com

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE 2013 FALL SEASON: BUDDY, FLASHDANCE, TO MASTER THE ART, EVITA, ONCE and ELF

ACT OUT INCOMING:   ChiIL Live Shows is excited about Broadway in Chicago's upcoming lineup.   Come chiIL out with us at world class touring shows.   As always, we'll give you the heads up, and the low down with theatre news and original reviews.   Check back with us like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often for photo and video filled features.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the upcoming 2013 fall season line-up.  Broadway In Chicago’s 2013 fall season will include BUDDY, FLASHDANCE, TO MASTER THE ART, EVITA, ONCE and ELF.  The 2013 fall off-season specials include Emerald City Theatre’s production of THE CAT IN THE HAT, WE WILL ROCK YOU and the return of Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, WICKED.

Off-season specials include: THE CAT IN THE HAT, WE WILL ROCK YOU and WICKED

The complete fall season line-up, including performances dates and venues, is as follows:

BUDDY

(Ah, Buddy Holly.   This is a great bet for multigenerational appeal.) 

June 18 – 30, 2013

Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 West Randolph St.)

Before The Beatles, The Beach Boys or The Rolling Stones ever played a note, Rock ’n’ Roll was forever changed by Buddy Holly, a 19-year-old kid from Texas.  BUDDY – The Buddy Holly Story tells the true story of Buddy’s meteoric rise to fame, from the moment in 1957 when “That’ll Be the Day” hit the airwaves until his tragic death less than two years later.  The show features more than 20 hits including “That'll Be The Day,” “Peggy Sue,” and “Oh, Boy!”   Buddy will have you on your feet and “send you out of the theater on an unstoppable high” (The Boston Globe)!

FLASHDANCE

(This one takes me back to my own teen years...am I dating myself?!   Wonder if the audience will eschew opera dress up for leg warmers and torn tee's over leo's?!   Flashdance fashion was all the rage back in the day.)

   

August 6 – 18, 2013

Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 West Randolph St.)

Celebrating its 30th Anniversary, the pop culture phenomenon of FLASHDANCE is now live on stage. With electrifying dance at its core, FLASHDANCE-THE MUSICAL tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel mill welder by day and a bar dancer by night with dreams of one day becoming a professional performer. When romance with her steel mill boss threatens to complicate her ambitions, Alex learns the meaning of love and its power to fuel the pursuit of her dream.

FLASHDANCE-THE MUSICAL features a score that includes the biggest hit songs from the movie, including the Academy Award-winning title song "Flashdance - What a Feeling," "Maniac," "Gloria," "Manhunt," and "I Love Rock & Roll." In addition to these hits, 16 brand new songs have been written for the musical with music by Robbie Roth and lyrics by Robert Cary and Robbie Roth.  FLASHDANCE-THE MUSICAL features a book by Tom Hedley (co-writer of the original screenplay), and Robert Cary with direction and choreography by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, Memphis).

TO MASTER THE ART                                                                                   

Sep. 10 – Oct. 6, 2013                                                                    

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 East Chestnut)

TimeLine Theatre Company’s 2008 World Premiere hit, receiving more than 20 rave reviews and five Jeff Award nominations, including New Work and Production, TO MASTER THE ART by William Brown and Doug Frew comes to the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.  The play recalls the adventure and romance of Julia and Paul Child’s journey of discovery to Paris during the 1950s.  From the bistro where Julia fell in love with food, to the kitchen table where she recreated everything learned during cooking class, to a room where Paul was grilled by U.S. agents about alleged Communist contact, this is the story of a larger-than-life culinary icon and her remarkable husband as they struggle to find themselves as Americans abroad.  The Chicago Tribune raved that TO MASTER THE ART was one of the “toughest tickets in Chicago” and called the show “an excellent, intimate, foodie-friendly staging, resonant with atmosphere.” And Talkin’ Broadway called it “a total delight—funny, touching, charming and as enjoyable as an exquisite meal enjoyed together with good company.” TO MASTER THE ART will be produced by Chicago Commercial Collective.

EVITA

Sep. 17 – Oct. 6, 2013

Oriental Theatre (24 West Randolph)

TIM RICE and ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER's Tony Award®-winning musical returns at last!

Eva Perón used her beauty and charisma to rise meteorically from the slums of Argentina to the presidential mansion as First Lady. Adored by her people as a champion for the poor, she became one of the most powerful women in the world — while her greed, outsized ambition and fragile health made her one of the most tragic. EVITA tells Eva's passionate and unforgettable true story, and features some of theater's most beautiful songs, including "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" and "High Flying, Adored."  Don't miss the stunning new production of EVITA, directed by MICHAEL GRANDAGE and choreographed by ROB ASHFORD, that Channel 4 New York calls “THE HOTTEST TICKET IN TOWN!” 

ONCE

Oct. 9 – 27, 2013

Oriental Theatre (24 West Randolph)

Winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards® including BEST MUSICAL, ONCE is a truly original Broadway experience. Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, ONCE tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who's about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights... but their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance. Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, ONCE draws you in from the very first note and never lets go. It's an unforgettable story about going for your dreams... not living in fear... and the power of music to connect all of us. 

ELF the Musical

Nov. 26 – Dec. 15, 2013

Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 West Randolph)                    

 ELF is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern day Christmas classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner ELF. The New York Times says that ELF is “SPLASHY, PEPPY, SUGAR-SPRINKLED HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT!” USA Today calls ELF, “ENDEARINGLY GOOFY!” Variety proclaims, “ELF is happy enough for families, savvy enough for city kids and plenty smart for adults!”

OFF-SEASON SPECIALS:

THE CAT IN THE HAT

(You can't beat Theodor Seuss Geisel...AKA:  Dr.  Seuss, for fanciful fam friendly fun.) 

June 15 – Sep. 1, 2013

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 East Chestnut)

Emerald City Theatre’s production of THE CAT IN THE HAT, based on the book by Dr. Seuss and adaptation by Katie Mitchell, is the perfect friend for a boring rainy afternoon. From games and mischief to Thing One and Thing Two, The Cat brings all sorts of trouble to this grey day— but will Sally and her brother be able to explain the mess to Mother? This Dr. Seuss classic leaps onto the stage with chaotic exuberance in this adaptation from the National Theatre in London. Best suited for ages 3+.

WE WILL ROCK YOU

(Both of my kids are completely obsessed with Queen as their all time favorite band, so we're super stoked for this one!!)

Oct. 22 – 27, 2013

Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 West Randolph)                    

From London’s West End, the worldwide smash hit musical by Queen and Ben Elton comes to Chicago for a limited engagement! WE WILL ROCK YOU features the greatest hits of the legendary British rock group, Queen. Now in its 11th year in London and seen by a staggering 15 million people worldwide, this hilarious, multi-award-winning and record-breaking phenomenon boasts a fantastic score of killer Queen tunes that you just can't resist singing along to, such as Another One Bites The Dust, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, We Are The Champions, Bohemian Rhapsody and of course, We Will Rock You.  It's the world champion of musicals and the show that rocks harder than any other, so don't miss the party – book your tickets now!

WICKED

(I caught Wicked years ago, but my 10 & 12 year olds have never seen it and would dig it.  Highly recommended...and particularly timely with all the Oz mania)

Oct. 30 – Dec. 21, 2013

Oriental Theatre (24 West Randolph)

Back by “Popular” demand in celebration of its 10^th anniversary on Broadway. Variety calls WICKED "a cultural phenomenon.” Winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards, WICKED is “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster” (The New York Times).  Long before that girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkinland, two girls meet in the land of Oz. One - born with emerald green skin - is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good makes for "the most complete - and completely satisfying - new musical in a long time" (USA Today).

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are now available for groups of 15 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. Current Broadway In Chicago subscribers can renew now at BroadwayInChicago.com.  New subscribers will be able to purchase the 2013 Fall Season on March 22, 2013. Individual tickets will go on sale at a later date.  

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO                                                                                                                                                                            

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 13 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country.  A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining well up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Bank of America Theatre, Oriental Theatre, Palace Theatre, the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.