Northwestern University News

It’s a brand new season of love this summer when The 5th Avenue Theatre brings a bold and innovative production of RENT to the stage. Fresh from his smash success with First Date, Bill Berry directs this electrifying new staging of Jonathan Larson’s modern rock-opera classic. A cast of Seattle’s young rising theater stars, featuring Daniel Berryman, Aaron C. Finley, Naomi Morgan, Jerick Hoffer, Ryah Nixon, and Andi Alhadeff will take center stage, belting hits including “La Vie Boheme,” “Take Me or Leave Me,” “One Song Glory,” and “Rent.” Based on the Puccini opera La bohème, the hit musical premiered in 1996 to instant acclaim, and swept a host of theater awards — the Tony, the Obie, and the Pulitzer. (more...)

Route 66 Theatre Company has announced the details of their newest world premiere collaboration, a one-of-a-kind original musical by local sensation Diana Lawrence (of Diana and the Dishes, and currently musical director of TICK, TICK, BOOM at Porchlight Music Theatre). NEXT STOP runs Monday and Tuesday nights at 7:30pm, June 18-26, at Theater Wit, 1229 West Belmont Ave, Chicago IL. (more...)

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Three shows make a PR appearance at Sidetrack, ATC plans a "Hair" re-do, "Camelot," "Floyd Collins," three new mainstage musicals, a reading, a benefit and more! (more...)

Barrington Stage Company will present the New England premiere of British playwright’s Duncan Macmillan’s acclaimed new drama Lungs. Lungs opens the newly named St. Germain Stage (formerly Stage 2) from May 23 through June 10, and the press opening is Sunday, May 27 at 3pm. St. Germain Stage is located on the upper level of the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. (more...)

Raymond J. Lee, rising Broadway actor, co-star of Broadway’s Anything Goes and director of YouTube video “You Don’t Know You’re Beautiful” featuring the cast of Anything Goes, will host Making Books Sing's May 25th Education Celebration. (more...)

According to the weather forecasters, it's going to be a long, hot summer in Tennessee and if you're looking to cool off at the theatre, you could probably use some help in making the right selections, right? Here are our top five picks for the theater offerings that are sure to satisfy your hankering for good entertainment...ranging from the revival of a comedy hit from Street Theatre Company's 2009 season, new takes on two classic Broadway musicals, the 25th annual Shakespeare in the Park presentation of the internationally known Nashville Shakespeare Festival and the Broadway-bound debut of a new musical comedy based on a classic film comedy, directed by the legendary Jerry Lewis and featuring the music of Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics of Rupert Holmes... (more...)

TimeLine Theatre Company will offer three special events connected to its world premiere production of My Kind of Town by John Conroy, directed by Nick Bowling. My Kind of Town is now playing through July 29, 2012 at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. (more...)

Chicago Dramatists will present the final production of their 2011 - 2012 Season, I Am Going to Change the World by Resident Playwright Andrew Hinderaker and directed by Jonathan Berry from May 24 – July 1 at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 West Chicago Ave. Opening nights are Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2 at 8 p.m. Previews are May 24 - 26 and May 31 at 8 p.m. Regular performance times (June 3 – July 1) are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. (more...)

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announces 15 awards granted from their National Fund for New Musicals, a major funding program to support NAMT member not-for-profit theatres in their collaborations with writers to create, develop and produce new musicals. Now in its fourth year, the Fund will provide grants totaling $48,000 to 14 organizations across the country. (more...)

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld’s ongoing interview series with the stars and creative team of NBC’s hit musical drama series SMASH with a Broadway/Hollywood leading man who first made his mark on the stage creating a role in the Tony Award-winning TITANIC after having appeared in BLOOD BROTHERS and CAROUSEL and who has since starred in productions as diverse as SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, NEXT TO NORMAL, SHREK and many more - the jovial and multi-talented Brian d'Arcy James. Discussing all aspects of his role on SMASH as well as cluing us in on what we can expect from Monday’s highly awaited season finale, d'Arcy James and I also take a look back at his career onstage thus far and he shares fond recollections of working on TITANIC, SWEET SMELL, SHREK, NEXT TO NORMAL, TIME STANDS STILL and THE WILD PARTY Off-Broadway as well as offers his observations of his collaborators and co-stars in each endeavor. Plus, Brian also reveals his other current TV project: his character arc on Showtime’s dramedy THE BIG C, starring his TIME STANDS STILL co-star Laura Linney and previous John Benjamin Hickey, that begins this Sunday and continues through the rest of this month. Additionally, we also discuss his upcoming 54 Below concerts June 26-30 - as well as his thoughtful and candid opinions on some of his favorite songwriters and his own songs. Plus, comments on his film roles in HBO's GAME CHANGE, FRIENDS WITH KIDS, an upcoming short film - and much, much more! (more...)

The Fred Ebb Foundation (Mitchell Bernard, Trustee) in association with the York Theatre (James Morgan, Artistic Director) is pleased to present an invitation-only showcase presentation entitled Trunk and Disorderly: Songs from the Deep Dark Trunk of Jeff Blumenkrantz, who received the 2011 Fred Ebb Award. The presentation will feature Drew Gehling, Dee Hoty, Dee Roscioli, and Sarah Stiles. (more...)

Lookingglass Theatre Company presents the world premiere of EASTLAND: A NEW MUSICAL, written by Artistic Director Andrew White with music by Ben Sussman and Artistic Associate Andre Pluess and directed by Amanda Dehnert. The production runs June 6 – July 29, 2012 at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. The Press Opening is Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. (more...)

The Chicago Commercial Collective today announced the return of the Chicago and Broadway hit drama, A Steady Rain, with its original cast and crew to the Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave. (more...)

The Marriott Theatre (10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire) presents HERO, a new musical written by Aaron Thielen with music and lyrics by Michael Mahler, previewing June 20, opening June 27 at 8 p.m. and running through August 19, 2012. Eleven-time Jeff award-winner David H. Bell directs and choreographs. Erich Bergen (JERSEY BOYS, Nat’l Tour) stars as Hero Batowski. (more...)

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company will announce the hire of Jocelyn Prince as the theatre’s new Connectivity Director. (more...)

Barrington Stage Company will present the New England premiere of British playwright’s Duncan Macmillan’s acclaimed new drama Lungs. Lungs opens the newly named St. Germain Stage (formerly Stage 2) from May 23 through June 10, and the press opening is Sunday, May 27 at 3pm. St. Germain Stage is located on the upper level of the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield. (more...)

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Aaron Jay Kernis has been selected as the 2012 winner of the Michael Ludwig Nemmers Prize in Music Composition at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University, Dean Toni-Marie Montgomery announced today. In connection with the Nemmers Prize, Kernis will be in residence at Northwestern for four weeks each throughout the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, during which time he will undertake various educational activities. The prize will be formally awarded to Kernis in a ceremony to take place during his final weeks at the University. (more...)

Mirror Stage continues reflecting the diversity of the community on stage in high quality, progressive productions that play it smart without always playing it safe with West Coast premiere reading of The Anatomy of Pain on Saturday, May 19 at 8pm and Sunday, May 20 at 2pm at the Ethnic Cultural Theatre in Seattle. Feed Your Mind: The Anatomy of Pain will be directed by Suzanne M. Cohen and feature McKenzie Clifford (Maty), Ryan Dominguez (Detective Gutierrez), Macall Gordon (Grace), Troy Johnson (Lt. Burch/Bruce), Eleanor Moseley (Nancy) and Kevin Tighe (Fredrik). (more...)

Mirror Stage will present the West Coast premiere reading of Mia McCullough's The Anatomy of Pain on Saturday, May 19 at 8pm and Sunday, May 20 at 2pm at the Ethnic Cultural Theatre in Seattle. Feed Your Mind: The Anatomy of Pain will be directed by Suzanne M. Cohen and feature McKenzie Clifford (Maty), Ryan Dominguez (Detective Gutierrez), Macall Gordon (Grace), Troy Johnson (Lt. Burch/Bruce), Eleanor Moseley (Nancy) and John Wray(Fredrik). (more...)

Today, Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Jennifer Bielstein announce the appointment of Meredith McDonough as the Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director. (more...)