OPENING: September 1 Clock Theater is Set To Open The Broadway in former Profiles Space

CLOCK THEATER TO OPEN THE BROADWAY 

   (FORMERLY PROFILES THEATRE)

    PART OF THE PRIDE ARTS CENTER

Clock Theater will be the first theater company to make use of The Broadway, (formerly Profiles Theatre) at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago, part of the Pride Arts Center

Artistic Director of Clock Theater, David Denman, was a company member of the National Pastime Theater which resided in the space for many years prior to Profiles moving in.  Says Denman, “ It is very ironic that as a former resident of the space with National Pastime, my theater is returning to the space once again.”

Clock’s production of “Irrational Tales” includes a number of vignettes based on stories of terror.  Included in the stories are “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Gorgon” by Aston Clarke Smith,  “A Diamond as Big as the Ritz” based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “Reflections.”

The production opens September 1 and runs to September 18 with performances on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm.  Tickets are $15.

Appearing in the production, which is produced and adapted by David Denman and directed by Lesley Fisher Chapman, are CJ Chapman, Jennifer Cheung, Amanda Forman, David Meldman, Sarah Mergener, Whitney Pipes and Mark West.   Stage Manager is Amber Mandley, Costume Design by Arin Mulvaney, Lighting  and Mask Design by Ben Dionysus, Sound Design by Sheri Tatar, Fight Choreography by Danielle Stahl and Scenic Design by David Denman. 

Tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2556728.

Review & Back Stage Photo Feature: Cirque du Soleil's TORUK in Chicago at The United Center

ChiIL Mama's Adventures 

Behind The Scenes at TORUK

It was my great pleasure to visit the United Center on the afternoon of opening night for rehearsal and a behind the scenes photo tour. The kids and I then went back for opening night that evening and loved it! Highly recommended. 

We were also thrilled to catch Australian puppeteer and father of two, Nick Barlow, for an exclusive video interview! Nick sets the bar high for world class puppetry on a massive, arena show scale, while balancing fatherhood. 





Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Nick studied Visual and Performing Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts, in addition to puppetry, dance, physical theatre, circus, voice, Chinese Lion dance, and Japanese 'taiko' drumming.

Prior to joining TORUK – The First Flight, Nick’s first show with Cirque du Soleil, he was working with the giant puppet company Snuff Puppets.  As part of the company he was performing, touring, and building puppets.  Most recently he worked as a physical performer with Polyglot Theatre, and was a puppeteer on the Australian tour of 'War Horse'.

Beyond performing, Nick trains in Chinese Lion Dance, which uses kung-fu, acrobatics, puppetry, dance and music.  

Avatar movie fans will adore this live, stage version of the first TORUK flight with a rider, long before humans discovered the planet Pandora. Even if you haven't seen Avatar, the show stands alone as a visual feast full of world class acro acts, tissue (silks) acts, Spanish web, and stunning costumes, lights, and sets. Don't miss this! The arena shows are in and out of town fast. This one's only here for a short 5 day run, so get your tickets today! 

Check out my full set of photos right here in the slideshow. More favorites are embedded below.

Cirque du Soleil's TORUK 

in Chicago at The United Center

I love to see the process behind productions. So much work goes into making the magic and I find it fascinating to see the costumes and props up close. Cirque du Soleil puts an incredible amount of thought into every detail, from the custom designed fabric choices to the shorts to cover harnesses. 












The yarn weaves on the wigs are detachable for easy cleaning and replacement when necessary. And all the wigs and costumes feature earthy, natural items that could be found in the wild or made from natural fibers and materials like seashells, beads, beetle shells, and wood. 








It's truly a treat to see the actors in action during rehearsals too. Many are learning new acts so they can be understudies in case of injury or illness. The whole cast is in every show so they have to shuffle actors around to cover any gaps since they don't travel with extra performers.

Tickets for TORUK can  be purchased at https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/toruk. 

The show

Inspired by James Cameron’s AVATAR, TORUK – The First Flight transports you to the world of Pandora in a visually stunning live setting. Experience a storytelling odyssey through a new world of imagination, discovery, and possibility.

Through a riveting fusion of cutting-edge visuals, puppetry and stagecraft buoyed by a soaring cinematic score, Cirque du Soleil applies its unique signature style to James Cameron’s imaginary world and “makes the bond” between two kindred artistic visions that capture the imagination.

This live immersive experience also bears the distinct signature of directors and multimedia innovators Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon. It is a living ode to the Na’vi’s symbiotic coexistence with nature and their belief in the basic interconnectedness of all living things.

Narrated by a “Na’vi Storyteller” and populated by unforgettable characters, TORUK – The First Flight is a mythical tale set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film AVATAR, and before any humans ever set foot on Pandora.

When a natural catastrophe threatens to destroy the sacred Tree of Souls, Ralu and Entu, two Omaticaya boys on the brink of adulthood, fearlessly decide to take matters into their own hands. Upon learning that Toruk can help them save the Tree of Souls, they set out, together with their newfound

friend Tsyal, on a quest high up in the Floating Mountains to find the mighty red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky. Prophecy is fulfilled when a pure soul rises among the clans to ride Toruk for the first time and save the Na’vi from a terrible fate.

Creative team

TORUK – The First Flight comprises 13 creators under the artistic guidance of Guy Laliberté (Guide) and Jean-François Bouchard (Creative Guide) for Cirque du Soleil, and James Cameron, Jon Landau, Kathy Franklin and Richie Baneham for Lightstorm Entertainment:

Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon                Show Writers and Directors, Multimedia Directors

Neilson Vignola                                                 Director of Creation

Carl Fillion                                                           Set and Props Designer

Kym Barrett                                                        Costume and Makeup Designer

Tuan Le and Tan Loc                                        Choreographers

Bob & Bill                                                             Composers and Musical Directors

Jacques Boucher                                              Sound Designer

Alain Lortie                                                         Lighting Designer

Patrick Martel                                                    Puppet Designer

Germain Guillemot                                          Acrobatic Performance Designer

Pierre Masse                                                      Rigging and Acrobatic Equipment Designer

Sponsors and partners

TORUK – The First Flight in Chicago is proud to be presented by Visa Signature®, in association with United MileagePlus®. DHL is the official sponsor. The show is being created through a licensing arrangement with 20th Century Fox.

In an effort to bring audience members involvement to a whole new level, Cirque du Soleil will be launching a first-of-its-kind app for TORUK – The First Flight.  Working with long-time technology partner SAP, the app will enhance the overall show experience and enable audience members to be a part of the action before, during and after the performance! The app can be downloaded HERE. 

Here at ChiIL Mama, we did all try the app during the show with mixed results. It was somewhat distracting, and I felt a bit naughty, opening my phone during a show, but it was fun to be part of some key moments, and seeing large numbers of people in the stadium adding to the show's effects was empowering. My son's older android phone wouldn't run the app at all. The girls and I have iPhone 5s & 6s which worked, but were a bit glitchy. It may be that our T-Mobile signal wasn't stellar inside United Center or that too many people were on their phones simultaneously. Once we got in the fireflies part at the beginning, none of us could get out without shutting the app down altogether. Mine froze up at 2 points during the show and just gave me the welcome screen, not the action for the scene. Still, it was an interesting concept and I hope they improve and expand on it.

Follow us at www.facebook.com/torukthefirstflight, Twitter @cirque | Instagram @cirquedusoleil | Snapchat @CirqueSnap | #TORUK #Avatar #CirqueduSoleil

Cirque du Soleil

TORUK – The First Flight is Cirque du Soleil’s 37th production since 1984. The company has brought wonder and delight to more than 155 million spectators in more than 300 cities on six continents. Cirque du Soleil has close to 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 different countries.

For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit https://www.cirquedusoleil.com.

To find out more about the ONE DROP Foundation, visit https://www.onedrop.org.

More of ChiIL Mama's TORUK Photo Favs:

 

Aloft Set To Open Circus Arts Classes And Shows in 109 Year Old Logan Square Church

Nation's Third Largest School 

for Circus Arts 

Set to Open in 109 Year Old 

Logan Square Church

You're never too old to join the circus 
or get fit in an fabulously fun way!

Aloft Circus Arts will teach classes to all ages 

Classes for adults and, for the first time in Aloft's history, children, begin Tuesday, Sept 6.

Here at ChiIL Mama & ChiIL Live Shows, we've adored Aloft Circus, El Circo Cheapo, and fearless leader, Shayna Swanson's various circus arts endeavors for years. I can't even express how excited and overjoyed we are to have Aloft Circus Arts as a near neighbor! My daughter is literally hanging by her heels in anticipation for the long awaited kids classes to begin. Check these guys out. Oh SO highly recommended!

Classes begin for all ages September 6 at 3324 W. Wrightwood, Chicago, IL in trapeze, aerial silks, pole, trampoline, hand-balancing, clowning, acrobatics, and more, including circus-based fitness classes. Aloft will offer 90-minute taster classes ($10) from August 29-Sept 4, giving people an opportunity to try out different classes before they enroll in an eight-week session. Taster classes are for students 18 years and older. Children will be permitted to take a free test class during our regularly scheduled class sessions. For more info, check out www.aloftloft.com.

For the last eight years, Aloft Circus Arts has been training amateur and professional circus artists in aerial and earth-bound acrobatics from a rented loft in a west-side industrial warehouse. And in those eight years Aloft has grown into one of the largest and most renowned circus schools in the United States, drawing 250 students per week. Now, with the purchase of a 109-year-old church in Logan Square, Aloft is poised to put down roots that will allow it to launch a new phase of growth. 

"When our landlords told us they wouldn't be renewing our lease, I was really scared for the future of circus arts in Chicago," says Aloft's founder Shayna Swanson, an internationally acclaimed performer with more than 20 years of circus experience. Swanson founded Aloft in 2005 in a small Humboldt Park garage. Since moving from the garage to a Fulton Street loft, the studio has expanded to include circus arts classes for adults at all levels of fitness and skill, as well as a rigorous and selective professional training program and a performing company. 

Aloft teachers are veterans of Cirque du Soleil and myriad other world-class troupes. Aloft's monthly El Circo Cheapo showcase performances routinely sell out, and in 2014 Aloft helped host the first-ever Chicago Contemporary Circus Festival. But last summer all they'd accomplished seemed in jeopardy -- until Swanson found the former First Evangelical Church at the corner of Kimball and Wrightwood.

"As soon as I walked in, I knew we had to move there," she says. "I'm really proud of the fact that a small arts organization was able to purchase this beautiful building and keep it active in the community." Now, after a successful crowdfunding campaign that raised $60,000 to go towards a state-of-the-art rigging system, the church is set to become Chicago's permanent home for contemporary circus.

Interest in contemporary circus is booming in the U.S., and across the globe. Aloft's classes are small and taught progressive manner, allowing students with no previous experience in circus or acrobatics to master challenging physical skills and experience the excitement of this joyful art form, which has been proven to boost self-esteem and fitness in both children and adults.

About Aloft Circus Arts

Aloft is a Chicago-based physical performance company dedicated to telling original stories through world-class circus arts. Aloft combines visual art, urban space, physical movement, modern dance, and aerial performance to build a cohesive emotional tale. In productions meant for theaters, the street, or the open sky, Aloft Circus Arts is changing the limits of what's physically possible in storytelling. 

Animal-free and accessible for all audiences, Aloft Circus Arts is at the forefront of what modern circus is growing into, pushing the limits and leaving old ideas of "circus" in the dust.

OPENING: Spartan Theatre Company's A Walk in the Woods September 30

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar: A Walk in the Woods  September 30-October 23

Spartan Theatre Company presents Lee Blessing's A Walk in the Woods. This Tony-nominated play follows one year of tumultuous arms negotiations between a young, hopeful American diplomat and a worldly Russian official who's seen it all before. Directed by Artistic Director Patrick Belics (Spartan productions of The Pillowman and Closer,) this show makes use of an unorthodox narrative structure to simultaneously illustrate the cold and impersonal nature of modern politics while putting a deeply human face on those who spend countless hours at the negotiation table.

Ticket prices are $25. Discounts include $10 for industry and students (with I.D.).  

Performing at the Den Theatre (1333 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622).

Tickets may be purchased online by visiting spartantheatre.org.

Monday: Oct. 3 at 6:00 PM (Dinner)/7:30 PM (VIP/Industry Performance)

Thursdays: Oct. 6, Oct. 13, Oct. 20 at 7:30 PM

Fridays: Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21 at 7:30 PM

Saturdays: Oct. 1, Oct. 22 at 7:30 PM; Oct. 8, Oct. 15 at 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM

Sundays: Oct. 2, Oct. 9, Oct. 16, Oct. 23 at 3:00 PM

The cast and production team for A Walk in the Woods includes:

CAST:             

Vincent Mahler (Botvinnik), Sara Pavlak McGuire (Honeyman)

CREW:           

Patrick Belics (Director), Joe Burke (Lighting Designer), Yeaji Kim (Set Designer), Tim Bickel (Sound Designer), and Amy Chmielewski (Costume Designer).

Now in it's 4th season, Spartan Theatre Company uses minimalism to change minds and promote discussion in Chicago. By distilling specific elements, we enhance the most essential themes and moments in relevant new works and reinvigorated classics.

Artistic Director: Patrick Belics

Associate Artistic Director: Andy Monson

Managing Director: Cody Nicoletti

Marketing Director: Sarah Jordan

Production Manager: Jeff Newman

Audio/Video Engineer: Tim Bickel

Production Associate: Robert Alan

Photographer: Amanda de la Guardia

Artistic Associate: Joseph Galizia.

OPENING: RED THEATER'S The Feast Comes To The Den Theatre Sept 17 - Oct 15

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar: The Feast by Celine Song

Chicago Premiere Directed by Gage Wallace* Sept. 17 – Oct. 15, 2016 (corrected) Location: The Den Theatre 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622 Welcome to The Feast- where no meat is served. To fill the void, we reach for whatever is in our grasp – scientific facts, routines, memories, words and even each other. Red Theater presents this urgently consuming Chicago Premiere set in a post-meat apocalypse that asks just how far civilized people will go to fill their hunger.

Cast Announcement:

Wendy- Alejandra Vivanco  Rhett- Carl Wisniewski  Sam- Shelby Garrett  Francis- Brandon Boler  Xander- Henry Greenberg  Butler- Pavi Proczko * *indicates Red Theater Associate or Company Member

Janette Bauer, Managing Director Production Team Stage Manager........Becky Warner  Scenic Designer........Mike Mroch  Costume Designer........Jerica Hucke  Lighting Designer........John "Smooch" Medina  Props Designer........Devon Green  Composer........ Pavi Proczko * Artistic Director........Aaron Sawyer *  Managing Director/Producer........Janette Bauer  Technical Director........Liam Fitzgerald  Casting Coordinator........Kanome Jones *  Director of Accessibility........Kira Meskin

Ticket Information:

Tickets will be made available to Comrade Card holders in August and the general public on September 1st, 2016

Visit redtheater.org/tickets

JAMES M. NEDERLANDER Remembered and Honored by Dimming of Marquee Lights This Wednesday 8/3 at 7:15pm

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

ALONG WITH THEATRES AROUND THE WORLD

TO DIM MARQUEE LIGHTS ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3 

IN MEMORY OF LEGENDARY THEATRE OWNER AND PRODUCER

JAMES M. NEDERLANDER

Broadway In Chicago and the Broadway community mourn the loss of Chairman of the Nederlander Organization, theatre owner/operator, producer and presenter James M. Nederlander, who passed away on July 25 at age 94 by honoring the Broadway tradition of dimming the marquee lights. James M. Nederlander, “Jimmy,” was a visionary theatrical impresario who built one of the largest private live entertainment companies in the world that now encompasses venue ownership and management, theatrical producing and concert presentation, merchandising, concessions and patron services, including Broadway In Chicago.

Lou Raizin, President of Broadway In Chicago, said, “James Nederlander was a true titan of the theater industry, believing in Chicago, opening and operating theatres in the Loop since 1954.  He left his impact on our city through the creation of Broadway In Chicago as well as his commitment to making Chicago a long-run town.”

Theatres dimming their lights in honor of James M. Nederlander include Broadway In Chicago’s Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph), Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph), The PrivateBank Theatre (18 W. Monroe) and the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut).  In addition, the League of Chicago Theatres will be inviting all other theatres in Chicago to join with the Nederlander venues in Chicago, on Broadway, in the West End, and in cities across the country who will all be dimming their lights on Wednesday, August 3, 2016.  Lights will be dimmed for one minute prior to show time  - in Chicago at 7:15 PM CT, prior to The Book of Mormon and Disney's Newsies performances and appropriate to show times for all other theatres around the world.

“Jimmy Nederlander’s name has been synonymous with quality theatrical productions in New York City, Chicago and throughout the United States during his career, and in recent years his name has also come to symbolize excellence and achievement when “The Jimmy™ Award” is presented annually at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, a tribute to his passion for arts education, his legacy will help to inspire the next generation of performers and enthusiasts,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League. “Beloved by the industry, Jimmy was a loyal and trusted collaborator and a guiding mentor to so many. He was “one of a kind” and his indomitable spirit lives on throughout this country in the people he nurtured who are helping to make Broadway what it has become today. He will be sorely missed, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.” In Illinois, The Jimmy's regional competition is Broadway In Chicago's Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards.

During a career that spans 70 years, he has amassed a network of premier legitimate theatres including nine on Broadway: the Brooks Atkinson, Gershwin, Lunt-Fontanne, Marquis, Minskoff, Nederlander, Neil Simon, Richard Rodgers, and the world-renowned Palace; in Chicago: The PrivateBank Theatre, Broadway Playhouse, Cadillac Palace and Oriental Theatre; in Los Angeles, the magnificent Pantages Theatre; and in London, the Adelphi, Aldwych, and Dominion Theatres.

He has produced over one hundred of the most acclaimed Broadway musicals and plays including Annie, Applause, La Cage aux Folles, Me and My Girl, Nine, Noises Off, Peter Pan, Sweet Charity, The Will Rogers Follies, Woman of the Year, and many more.

Mr. Nederlander’s name is forever linked to some of the world’s most distinguished performing companies whose work he produced and presented on Broadway including the Royal Shakespeare Company’s acclaimed productions of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Cyrano and Sherlock Holmes; Rudolf Nureyev and Friends, The Bolshoi Ballet, and the Virsky’s Ukranian State Dance Company.

He is credited with developing the outdoor amphitheatre concept as the developer of several premier venues including the New Jersey Garden State Arts Center, Pine Knob Music Theatre, the Merriweather Post Pavilion, the Pacific Amphitheatre, and as the decades-long operator of the Greek Theatre where he has presented headline artists including Tony Bennett, Judy Garland, Lena Horne, Jackie Mason, Liza Minnelli, Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, and a legion of others.

In 1972, Mr. Nederlander and his pals Earl Blackwell, Gerard Oestricher and Arnold Weissberg founded the Theatre Hall of Fame, which is still housed in the lobby of the Gershwin Theatre. In 1973, he partnered with George Steinbrenner to purchase the New York Yankee Baseball Club.

Mr. Nederlander is the recipient of many distinguished honors including the United Nations Foundation Champion Award (2012), The Broadway League’s Schoenfeld Vision for Arts Education Award (2010), the New York Pop’s Man of the Year (2008), the Special Tony Award^® for Lifetime Achievement (2004), The Actors’ Fund Medal of Honor (2002), The Broadway League’s Distinguished Lifetime Service Award (2002), United Jewish Appeal-New York Federations’ Bernard B. Jacobs Excellence in the Theatre Award (1997) and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located outside the Pantages Theatre at 6233 Hollywood Blvd. In 2009, the National High School Musical Theatre Award was established and named the Jimmy^® to celebrate his career-long dedication to supporting young talent.

He received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts at the forty-third Commencement exercises at The University of Connecticut School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine and Graduate School on Monday, May 12, 2014.

Mr. Nederlander is survived by his wife Charlene S. Nederlander, his son James L. Nederlander and daughter-in-law Margo M. Nederlander, his grandchildren James M. Nederlander II and Kathleen M. Nederlander, his stepdaughter Kristina Gustafson and her children Gunnar Gustafson and Krisanna Gustafson.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 16 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 PrivateBank Theatre, Oriental Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Twitter @broadwaychicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● #broadwayinchicago

HAMILTON Chicago Casts Two-time Tony Nominee JOSHUA HENRY as Aaron Burr

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:



HAMILTON CASTING NEWS

Two-time Tony Award Nominee

JOSHUA HENRY

to lead Chicago company of HAMILTON

as Aaron Burr

Producer Jeffrey Seller and Broadway In Chicago are thrilled to announce two-time Tony Award nominee JOSHUA HENRY will lead the Chicago company of HAMILTON as Aaron Burr. Henry, who made his Broadway debut in IN THE HEIGHTS, received Tony Award nominations for his roles in VIOLET and THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS and just concluded the Broadway run of SHUFFLE ALONG where he created the role of “Noble Sissle.”

JONATHAN KIRKLAND, who recently appeared in the Encores production of Cabin in Sky and NBC “Shade of Blue,” will play George Washington.  The Chicago company will also include SAM ABERMAN, JOSE AMORE, AMBER ARDOLINO, REMMIE BOURGEOIS, CHLOË CAMPBELL, JOSEPH CHAIKIN, CARL CLEMONS-HOPKINS, JOHN MICHAEL FIUMARA, JEAN GODSEND FLORADIN, AARON GORDON, JIN HA, HOLLY JAMES, MALIK KITCHEN, COLBY LEWIS, DASHI MITCHELL, JUSTICE MOORE, SAMANTHA POLLINO, EMMY RAVER-LAMPMAN, GABRIELLA SORRENTINO and AUBIN WISE.

As previously announced, other principal roles in HAMILTON in Chicago will be played by ARI AFSAR as Eliza Hamilton; MIGUEL CERVANTES as Alexander Hamilton; ALEXANDER GEMIGNANI as King George III, CHRIS LEE as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson; JOSEPH MORALES as Mr. Cervantes’ alternate; Tony Award-winner KAREN OLIVO as Angelica Schuyler, JOSE RAMOS as John Laurens/Phillip Hamilton; WALLACE SMITH as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison, and SAMANTHA MARIE WARE as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds.

Performances begin September 27 at The PrivateBank Theatre in Chicago (18 W. Monroe).  For more information, visit www.BroadwayinChicago.com.

Joshua Henry recently filmed a starring role in the Luc Besson action-thriller The Lake opposite J.K. Simmons and Sullivan Stapleton which will premiere worldwide in January of 2017. His other film and television credits include Sex and the City the Movie, Winter's Tale and season 7 of “Army Wives.” With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, music direction/orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.  The musical won eleven 2016 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Score, Book of a Musical, Direction of a Musical, Choreography and Orchestrations.  Mr. Miranda received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for HAMILTON. HAMILTON is the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War, and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary.  Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. The musical is produced by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman and The Public Theater. The HAMILTON Original Broadway Cast Recording – recipient of the 2016 Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album and a regular on numerous Billboard top 10 lists – is available everywhere nationwide. HAMILTON: The Revolution, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter’s book about the making of the musical, is on sale and has been a selection on The New York Times Best Seller List. The musical celebrates its 1st anniversary on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on August 6.  A touring production begins a 21-week run in San Francisco in March 2017, followed by a 21-week engagement in Los Angeles.  A London production will be mounted, also in 2017.  For further information about the Chicago production which begins September 27 at The PrivateBank Theatre, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com. For information on HAMILTON, visit: www.HamiltonOnBroadway.com, www.Facebook.com/HamiltonMusical, www.Instagram.com/HamiltonMusical and www.Twitter.com/HamiltonMusical. ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 16 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 its newly named The PrivateBank Theatre, the Oriental Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theatre, the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place. Get Social: For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Twitter @broadwaychicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● #broadwayinchicago