Gene Weygandt News

Now in its fifth month at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted Street, the hit comedy, OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES continues to make news, by eliminating winter parking woes and offering free valet parking at the theater on weeknights!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Gypsy' at CST and 'Into The Woods' from The Hypocrites begin, Paula Scrofano honored, Bernadette performs, another out-of-town tryout announced, a Barrel Of Monkeys revue, casting news from the Paramount and the Lyric, the Sarah Siddons Society show and more!

Author, humorist and panelist on National Public Radio's Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me program Roy Blount, Jr., plus Chicago media personalities Janet Davies (ABC7) and Steve Downes (WDRV-FM, The Drive) are the latest not-so-old, not-necessarily-Jewish joke tellers making one-night-only appearances in the hit comedy, OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted Street, to raise funds for the charities of their choice. A popular addition to the hit comedy production since launching in mid-December, celebrities are making a cameo appearance with their own comedic shtick during the OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES show, with a portion of proceeds from that performance donated to the non-profit charity of the celebrity's choice.

Nationally acclaimed authors Scott Turow and Sara Paretsky, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton (6th District), Illinois State Representative (12th District) Sara Feigenholtz and Chicago society scribe "Candid Candace" Jordan are among some of Chicago's favorite not-so-old, not-necessarily-Jewish joke tellers making one-night-only appearances in the hit comedy, OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted Street, to raise funds for the charities of their choice. Officially launching on Tuesday evening, Dec. 17, and continuing at various performances through the coming months, a local celebrity will make a cameo appearance with their own comedic shtick during the OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES show, and a portion of proceeds from that performance will be donated to the non-profit charity of the celebrity's choice.

The laughs will keep emanating from the Royal George Theatre for an additional 12 weeks as OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES announces a new block of tickets on sale for performances through Sunday, February 16, 2014. The hit off-Broadway comedy, now playing on the Main Stage of the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted Street, features a quintet of Chicago favorites: Dara Cameron, Alex Goodrich, Tim Kazurinsky, Renee Matthews and Gene Weygandt.

Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership proudly presents an evening of storytelling and laughs with Peter Gethers and Dan Okrent, the creators of the off-Broadway hit comedy, OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES, at Spertus, 610 S. Michigan Avenue, Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7pm. The program will be moderated by Chicago's own humorist Mike Leiderman, and will feature video excerpts from the Chicago stage production which begins performances here at the Royal George Theatre, Sept. 24, and officially opens Oct. 2.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. It's the TOP TEN HOT TOPIX in the Mosh Pit for January through June, 2013! And our 203rd weekly column. Check out what YOU've been talking about!

Here's a listing of the top ten places that are really burning it up in theater this summer, in Chicago and the region nearby. Seek them out, and enjoy!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. It's our annual Summer Musical Theater Guide! This week, Part One: Chicagoland. Check out 'The Jungle Book,' 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman,' 'Next To Normal,' 'The Color Purple,' 'Spelling Bee,' 'Cabaret' and a whole lot more!

Kids aged 7 to 14 will receive a free ticket with the purchase of each adult ticket for weekday performances of the circus musical BARNUM at Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport, running through June 16, 2013. To redeem, visit the box office or call 773-325-1700. Throughout the toe-tapping musical, the glitz and grandeur of the circus is brought to life on Mercury Theater Chicago's intimate stage. 14 actors entertain the audience with 24 rapid-fire costume changes and perform over 14 breathtaking head-over-heels acrobatic tricks featuring 18 juggling balls, 12 juggling scarves, 9 juggling balls, 2 Spanish webs and 1 circus lyra. 6 musicians create the rousing sound of the Big Top with 12 instruments, and 2 stilt walkers tower over the audience. 100 bricks are used to construct the historic American Museum. 3 sassy wooden poodles parade across the stage, along with 1 magnificent tiger and 1 larger-than-life elephant puppet.

Forget about gloomy April Showers and receive $10 off tickets to see the cheerful circus musical BARNUM at Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport, on any rainy day through the end of the month. To purchase tickets, call the box office at 773-325-1700 or visit MercuryTheaterChicago.com and reference the code APRIL. The musical is running through June 16, 2013.

If you haven't had the chance to catch up on your theater news, look no further than today's recap of all things theater - exclusive features, interviews, reviews and more! - around the Broadway World for the week of April 15!

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport, welcomes an all-star cast of award-winning actors for the circus-themed musical BARNUM, running now through June 16, 2013. Click below to watch opening night interviews with the cast and creative team!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'The Jungle Book' heats up, 'Oklahoma!' and 'South Pacific,' 'Oliver!' and 'Barnum,' plus 'Stomp,' some interesting student productions and more!

The producers of the hit Off-Broadway show OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES have announced that the upcoming engagement at Chicago's Royal George Theatre will feature a quintet of familiar (and not-so-old) faces: Dara Cameron, Alex Goodrich, Tim Kazurinsky, Renee Matthews and Gene Weygandt. OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES begins performances on the Main Stage of the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted Street, Tuesday, September 24, and officially opens Wednesday, October 2, at 7:30p.m.

Mercury Theater Chicago welcomes an all-star cast of award-winning actors for the circus-themed musical BARNUM, which opened on Thursday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. and runs through June 16, 2013. The cast is led by Chicago native and Broadway, TV, and film actor Gene Weygandt as legendary showman P.T. Barnum, with Cory Goodrich as his wife Charity, and Summer Naomi Smart as the 'Swedish Nightingale' Jenny Lind. Check out photos of the cast and creative team on opening night below!

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport, announces an all-star cast of award-winning actors for the circus-themed musical BARNUM, opening on Thursday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. and running through June 16, 2013. The cast is led by Chicago native and Broadway, TV, and film actor Gene Weygandt as legendary showman P.T. Barnum, with Cory Goodrich as his wife Charity, and Summer Naomi Smart as the 'Swedish Nightingale' Jenny Lind. The Mercury's production is the first major Chicago revival of the show in over 20 years, led by multiple Jeff Award winners L. Walter Stearns (Director) Eugene Dizon (Musical Director), Brenda Didier and Andrew Waters (Co-Choreographers) and Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi of the Actor's Gymnasium (Circus Director).

Today, we feature actor, writer, director, choreographer and part-time clown Kevin McKillip who also wrote and performs in his one-man show 'Will Rogers: An American Original.'

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Catch Me' a 'Big Fish' in the Loop, 'Barnum' and 'Sweet Charity' keep Coleman in the spotlight, 'The Pajama Game' up north, 'Oliver! out west, two from Theo Ubique and more!

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport, presents circus-themed musical BARNUM, previewing tonight, March 27, opening on Thursday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m., and running through June 16, 2013. The cast is led by Chicago native and Broadway, TV, and film actor Gene Weygandt as legendary showman P.T. Barnum.