SILENCE! THE MUSICAL Parody Extends in San Francisco
by BWW News Desk - Feb 3, 2017
Due to overwhelming audience response, Cloud 9 Theatricals, in association with Lang Entertainment Group and Ray of Light Theatre, announced today the extension of the San Francisco premiere of SILENCE! The Musical - the "subversively funny and deliciously tasty" award-winning musical parody of "The Silence of the Lambs." Originally scheduled to close on Saturday, February 25, tickets are now on-sale through Saturday, March 18.
Casting Announced For Terence Rattigan's LOVE IN IDLENESS at Menier Chocolate Factory
by BWW News Desk - Jan 31, 2017
With She Loves Me currently running at its home base, Travesties and David Baddiel: My Family Not the Sitcom to open shortly in the West End, and Funny Girl in rehearsals ahead of a major national tour, the Menier Chocolate Factory today announces principal casting for their major new revival of Terence Rattigan's Love in Idleness.
Photo Flash: HAMILTON's Brandon Victor Dixon Visits Chess in the Schools MLK Day Chess Tournament
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 16, 2017
Today, January 16, Brandon Victor Dixon, currently starring as Aaron Burr in Hamilton on Broadway, celebrated Martin Luther King Day with hundreds of NYC public school children at the Chess in the Schools Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Chess Tournament at PS 11 in Chelsea. Dixon, who played chess as a student himself, addressed the kids at the tournament's awards presentation.
Custom Made Theatre Co. Opens 2016-2017 Season with CHESS
by Ashlee Latimer - Aug 7, 2016
Custom Made Theatre Company opens its 18th season in San Francisco with Chess, the legendary rock opera from Tim Rice ("Evita","Jesus Christ Superstar") and Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, members of the celebrated pop group, ABBA. Set towards the end of the cold war, Chess uses politics and sport as metaphor for a love triangle between an enfant-terrible American superstar (loosely modeled on Bobby Fisher), his Hungarian-born lover/second, and a Soviet player looking to start a new life.
Photo Flash: Inside Opening Night of Porchlight's CHESS
by Tyler Peterson - May 5, 2016
Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final production in the third smash season of Chicago's 'lost' musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits Chess, music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, lyrics by Tim Rice and Bjorn Ulvaeus and book by Tim Rice, with direction by Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber, choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier and music direction by Jimmy Morehead. Porchlight Revisits Chess is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, May 3 through Thursday, May 5 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight's Dreamgirls (previews begin April 8) on nights when there are no performances at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets for Chess are $30 in advance and $35 at the door the night of the performance. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multi-media presentation, created and hosted by Weber, that discusses that evening's production including the show's creative history, juicy backstage gossip and more. Single tickets to Chess are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252.
Photo Flash: First Look at Porchlight Revisits CHESS, Opening Tonight
by BWW News Desk - May 3, 2016
Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber present the final production in the third smash season of Chicago's 'lost' musicals in staged concert series, PORCHLIGHT REVISITS CHESS, music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, lyrics by Tim Rice and Bjorn Ulvaeus and book by Tim Rice, with direction by Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber, choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier and music direction by Jimmy Morehead. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!
Porchlight Music Theatre to Revisit CHESS as Part of Ongoing Series, 5/3-5
by Tyler Peterson - Apr 12, 2016
Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final production in the third smash season of Chicago's "lost" musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits Chess, music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, lyrics by Tim Rice and Bjorn Ulvaeus and book by Tim Rice, with direction by Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber, choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier and music direction by Jimmy Morehead. Porchlight Revisits Chess is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, May 3 through Thursday, May 5 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight's Dreamgirls (previews begin April 8) on nights when there are no performances at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets for Chess are $30 in advance and $35 at the door the night of the performance. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multi-media presentation, created and hosted by Weber, that discusses that evening's production including the show's creative history, juicy backstage gossip and more. Single tickets to Chess are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252. The 2016 - 2017 season subscriptions to Porchlight Revisits includes The Rink (October 4 - 6), Little Me (February 28 - March 2, 2017) and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (May 9 - 11, 2017) are also available at porchlightmusictheatre.org.
Porchlight Revisits Staged Concert Series to Close with CHESS
by Tyler Peterson - Mar 30, 2016
Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final production in the third smash season of Chicago's "lost" musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits Chess, music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, lyrics by Tim Rice and Bjorn Ulvaeus and book by Tim Rice, with direction by Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber, choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier and music direction by Jimmy Morehead. Porchlight Revisits Chess is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, May 3 through Thursday, May 5 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight's Dreamgirls (previews begin April 8) on nights when there are no performances at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets for Chess are $30 in advance and $35 at the door the night of the performance. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multi-media presentation, created and hosted by Weber, that discusses that evening's production including the show's creative history, juicy backstage gossip and more. Single tickets to Chess are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252.
Benny Andersson und Björn Ulvaeus Musical CHESS erlebt Neuinzenierung an der Oper Chemnitz
by Iris Moebius - Sep 15, 2015
„One Night in Bangkok" gehort zu den großten Hits der Achtziger, aber wahrscheinlich wissen nur wenige, dass er aus dem Musical „Chess" stammt und dass dieser Rap wie auch alle weiteren Songs von den beiden Mannern der Popgruppe ABBA geschrieben wurde. „Chess" („Schach") erzahlt vom Schachspiel der Supermachte: 1972 trafen im islandischen Reykjavik der amerikanische Schachweltmeister Bobby Fischer und der sowjetrussische Herausforderer Boris Spassky aufeinander. Bis dahin ein Nischensport, stand Schach plotzlich im Rampenlicht der Weltoffentlichkeit - dank des vorherrschenden Kalten Krieges, der dieses Ereignis zum Stellvertreter-Krieg zwischen der USA und der UdSSR machte. Knapp neun Jahre spater setzte der Songwriter und Textdichter Tim Rice seinen Plan in die Tat um, anhand dieses Schachwettkampfes ein Musical zu kreieren, das nach einem uralten Theatertrick die politische mit der sportlichen sowie einer sehr privaten Ebene verband. Herausgekommen ist 1984 das Konzeptalbum „Chess" und 1986 die erste Buhnenfassung am Londoner Westend, inszeniert von Trevor Nunn.
SOUND OFF Special Edition: Top 10 Raddest & Baddest Rap Songs In Broadway History
by Pat Cerasaro - Aug 5, 2015
Musical theatre is not generally known for being an early adopter of up-to-the-minute trends in popular music, particularly since the advent of rock n roll and the great divide between popular music and theatre music began in the 1950s. Nevertheless, the presence of modern music idioms in contemporary musicals is a fascinating and often wildly entertaining element to assess when analyzing the great pantheon of scores that have graced the Great White Way. With the predominance of rap music in popular music for the majority of the last 30 years, it comes as no surprise that many musicals have employed the genre in the storytelling and song styling designed specifically for the shows, but the level of success as storytelling devices, character showpieces and as authentic rap music itself varies. Of course, with HAMILTON set to open on Broadway later this month, all of New York City is talking about the persuasive power of the scores of Lin-Manuel Miranda, he who was responsible for multiple rap showstoppers in his self-penned Tony Award-winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS as well as the hip hop tunes in the screen-to-stage adaptation of BRING IT ON, so now is a perfect time to take a look back at some of the most memorable and revolutionary uses of rap music on Broadway to date.
Attic Theater Stages THE DREAMER EXAMINES HIS PILLOW, Beginning Tonight at The Flea
by BWW News Desk - Jul 30, 2015
The Attic Theater Company presents John Patrick Shanley's (pictured, left) the dreamer examines his pillow, directed by Laura Braza. The first official revival of the play since its premiere in 1986, the dreamer examines his pillow will play a strictly-limited Off-Broadway engagement at The Flea Theater (41 White Street, Tribeca) Saturday, July 25th through Saturday, August 15th. The Opening Night is tonight, July 30th at 7 PM.
Attic Theater to Stage John Patrick Shanley's THE DREAMER EXAMINES HIS PILLOW This Summer at The Flea
by BWW News Desk - Jun 9, 2015
The Attic Theater Company presents John Patrick Shanley's the dreamer examines his pillow, directed by Laura Braza. The first official revival of the play since its premiere in 1986, the dreamer examines his pillow will play a strictly-limited Off-Broadway engagement at The Flea Theater (41 White Street, Tribeca) Saturday, July 25th through Saturday, August 15th. The Opening Night is Thursday, July 30th at 7 PM.
BWW Reviews: Leads Shine in Kensington Arts Theatre's CHESS
by Benjamin Tomchik - May 11, 2015
While certain design elements detract from the production, the performance of its leads, Teresa Danskey as Florence and Ward Ferguson as Anatoly, will remind you why Chess has endeared itself to generations of audiences.
Griffin Theatre Company to Present THE HOUSE ON THE LAKE in May
by Tyler Peterson - Apr 13, 2015
Razor sharp and tourniquet tight, The House on the Lake is a psychological thriller, so crafty it's criminal. Mired deep in layers of deception, it's a puzzle of a play certain to engage the intellect and assault the nervous system.