Michael Kingston News

Underscore Theatre Company is pleased to present its third annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL, featuring 14 new musical productions. Created to showcase and support Chicago's burgeoning field of musical theatre creators, this year's festival will be held August 9 - 28, 2016 at Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Each production will receive four performances during the Festival. The full schedule (Tuesdays - Sundays) and can be found at www.cmtf.org, with tickets currently on sale ($20 per show, $200 all-festival rush passes). The press "sneak preview," featuring a sampling of songs from the 2016 Festival, is Monday, August 8 at 7:30 pm.

Griffin Theatre Company concludes its 2015-16 season with the Chicago premiere of the off-Broadway hit BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL, with book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming, music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe (Legally Blonde, Heathers: The Musical), direction by Scott Weinstein, music direction by Charlotte Rivard-Hoster and choreography by Rhett Guter. BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL will play June 4 - July 24, 2016 at The Den Theatre's Heath Main Stage, 1329 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.griffintheatre.com. The press opening is Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 3 pm.

 Griffin Theatre Company has announced casting for the Chicago premiere of the off-Broadway hit BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL, with book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming, music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe (Legally Blonde, Heathers: The Musical), direction by Scott Weinstein, music direction by Charlotte Rivard-Hoster and choreography by Rhett Guter. 

Porchlight Music Theatre presents the second production in the third smash season of Chicago's 'lost' musicals in staged concert series, PORCHLIGHT REVISTS...APPLAUSE, featuring book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, music by Charles Strouseand lyrics by Lee Adams, with direction and choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Christopher Pazdernik, music direction by Nick Sula. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Tours of 'Persuasion,' 'Pippin' and '42nd Street,' dueling productions of 'American Idiot,' Michael Kingston and Jane Lynch solo out, 'Bette' adds a date, Theo Ubique announced 'Blood Brothers,' Porchlight sets the season, and 'The Wiz Live!' gets movin' down the road!

FLASHDANCE THE MUSICAL: The season opener for The Morrison Center's BROADWAY In BOISE.

Last night was the first night party for Michael Frayn's Here at Rose Theatre Kingston. In attendance were the cast (Alison Steadman, Zawe Ashton and Alex Beckett) and guests including Philip Glenister, Michael Frayn and Jacqueline Wilson. Check out the photographs below.

Rose Theatre Kingston's revival of Michael Frayn's Here is set to star Alison Steadman.

The Chicago classic THE FRONT PAGE by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, directed by Nick Bowling, will close on July 17 at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago.

In response to strong ticket demand and with the initial 9-week run already substantially sold out, TimeLine Theatre Company announces a 5-week extension of its critically acclaimed revival of the Chicago classic The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, directed by Nick Bowling.

TimeLine Theatre Company to remount its award-winning production of the Musical 'FIORELLO!'