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Paul W. Thompson - Page 4

Paul W. Thompson Paul W. Thompson, a contributor to BroadwayWorld.com since 2007, is a Chicago-based singer, actor, musical director, pianist, vocal coach, composer and commentator. His career as a performer, teacher and writer is centered at Paul W. Thompson Music, located in Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building, where he teaches the great songs of Broadway to the next generation of musical theater performers. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Paul was raised in a family of professional musicians and teachers, steeped in classical, gospel, country, pop, sacred and show music. Dubbed a “thin, winsome lad” at the age of 13 by a critic for the Nashville Banner, he earned two degrees in musical theater (a B.F.A. with Honors from Baylor University and an M.M. from the University of Miami, Florida), plus an M.B.A. with Distinction from DePaul University. Paul’s memberships include Actors’ Equity Association, the American Guild of Musical Artists, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (proud voter for the Grammy Awards!), the National Association of Teachers of Singing and New York’s Drama League.

Moving easily between the worlds of classical music, religious music, classic pop and musical theater, Paul has appeared onstage or in the orchestra pit in concerts, musicals, operettas and operas in 30 states and in Europe, in a career spanning more than 35 years. His Chicagoland stage credits include “Forever Plaid” at the Royal George Theater and twenty mainstage productions at Light Opera Works. Paul joined the Chicago Symphony Chorus in 1995 (he was Tenor I Section Leader for four years and sings on two Grammy-winning recordings), and is one of Chicago’s foremost liturgical singers, marking 20 years as a member of the choir at St. James Cathedral (Episcopal) in 2011.He has composed and arranged a number of anthems, hymns and songs for worship and concert use, and collaborates on the creation of new works of musical theater. Paul can be found on Monday nights watching showtune videos at the world-famous Sidetrack nightclub, the inspiration for his weekly column, “The Showtune Mosh Pit.” His proudest achievement is that he has seen the original Broadway production of every Tony Award-winning Best Musical since “Cats.” No, really. Since “Cats!”





'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for January 7th, 2015
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for January 7th, 2015
January 7, 2015

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 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration is tonight! Plus Drury Lane's 'West Side,' Mercury's 'Addams' and Theo's 'JCS,' premieres of 'Next Thing You Know' and 'Plastic Revolution,' a Barrel Of Monkeys musical and a staged reading from FWD, plus TV's 'Galavant' and 'Glee,' and more!

Details Announced for This Year's BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration on Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Details Announced for This Year's BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration on Wednesday, January 7, 2015
January 1, 2015

The BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration will take place for the 5th year in a row at The Call Bar in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. This year's Celebration will be on Wednesday, January 7, 2015. from 8 pm to midnight.

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for December 31st, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for December 31st, 2014
December 31, 2014

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Braodway. It's the Top Ten Hot Topix for the last half of 2014, and the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration on Wednesday, January 7th, 2015!

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for December 24th, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for December 24th, 2014
December 24, 2014

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Into The Woods' finally opens tomorrow! Plus Porchlight's Sondheim season continues, TMTC's 'Allegro' at Ravinia, Laura Osnes is coming to town, 'Galavant' and the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards arrive in early January, followed by 'Tommy' in Aurora, 'First Date' at the Royal George, 'The Full Monty' at Theater Wit and more!

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for December 17th, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for December 17th, 2014
December 17, 2014

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Two weeks of voting left for the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards! The 'Annie' film and 'The Merry Widow' open, 'Patsy Cline' extends, 'Sherlock Holmes' sings, 'Cupid' has a heart, and MCL Chicago, Drury Lane Oakbrook and Black Ensemble Theater plan new works for 2015, including 'Beaches' and a tribute to Roger Ebert!

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for December 10th, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for December 10th, 2014
December 10, 2014

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Cinderella' and 'Lucy' hit town, 'Hansel And Gretel' play on the Mag Mile, a BC/EFA benefit at Sidetrack, 'Porgy' and Redmoon make splashes, two shows named 'Nativity' ready to open, and 'Rudolph' and Big Red return!

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for December 3rd, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for December 3rd, 2014
December 3, 2014

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. December is here, and 'Peter Pan' is finally live! Plus Light Opera Works and The Hyprocrites tackle operettas, 'Newsies' and 'Mary Poppins' have significant holiday runs, 'Stomp' and 'Schooner' return, Billy Corgan and Patti Lupone strut their stuff, and the community schedules a tribute to Sheldon Patinkin.

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for November 26th, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for November 26th, 2014
November 26, 2014

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Five different musicalized adaptations of 'A Christmas Carol' will put holiday cheer into your playgoing! Also 'Plaid Tidings,' a new 'Hansel And Gretel,' our first touch of 'Hands On A Hardbody,' the cast of the upcoming 'La Cage Aux Folles' at the Marriott, and Idina Menzel schedules an appearance in the Loop!

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for November 19th, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for November 19th, 2014
November 19, 2014

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 Grinch' opens, Fox Valley bookends Christmas, new shows 'A Christmas Memory' and 'Christmas On The Air,' 'It's A Wonderful Life' times three, plus 'Nutcracker,' 'Nut Cracking,' 'Mary Poppins' and the latest on 'Peter Pan Live!'

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for November 12th, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for November 12th, 2014
November 12, 2014

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 2014 BroadwayWorld Chicago Award nominations are announced, Lyric presents 'Porgy' and 'Carousel,' 'Camelot' opens, 'Ring Of Fire' and 'Annie' return, 'Annie' and 'Ani' hit screens, parodies of 'Guffman,' the Merman/Mormon thing, Rudolph and Tupperware, and a suburban 'Garden!'

The BroadwayWorld Chicago Award Nominations for 2014 Are Announced: CST's ROAD SHOW, Hypocrites' ALL OUR TRAGIC, Big Noise's RAGTIME, Goodman and More Lead the Way!
The BroadwayWorld Chicago Award Nominations for 2014 Are Announced: CST's ROAD SHOW, Hypocrites' ALL OUR TRAGIC, Big Noise's RAGTIME, Goodman and More Lead the Way!
November 10, 2014

BroadwayWorld.com is proud once again to announce the nominations for the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, Chicago's only comprehensive, fan-voted theater awards, now in our 5th fantastic year.

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for November 5th, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for November 5th, 2014
November 5, 2014

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Dee Snider's Christmas show starts, and 'First Wives Club' and 'N' get their stars. Patsy Cline comes round again, as do the Q Brothers and 'Christmas Schooner.' Peeps gear up for 'Into The Woods,' 'Phantom' inspires television, and 'Billy Elliot' dances into movie theaters and into the Drury Lane Oakbrook!

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 29th, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 29th, 2014
October 29, 2014

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Major productions of 'The King And I' and 'Camelot,' two versions of 'Titanic,' season announcements from Light Opera Works and The Music Theatre Company, JRB in Skokie, three G&S shows in rep, the new musicals 'Frederick' and 'The Guide To Being Single,' and more!

Nominations Close at Midnight Friday: The BWW Chicago Awards Are Underway! Vote from early November until New Year's Eve, and Celebrate at The Call on January 7, 2015
Nominations Close at Midnight Friday: The BWW Chicago Awards Are Underway! Vote from early November until New Year's Eve, and Celebrate at The Call on January 7, 2015
October 26, 2014

Nominations for the 5th Annual BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards opened on October 6th, and will close at midnight on Halloween, October 31st. One of the oldest and largest regional awards in the entire international BroadwayWorld system, the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards are Chicagoland's only comprehensive, fan-voted theater awards, covering plays and musicals, Equity and non-Equity, resident and touring productions.

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 22nd, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 22nd, 2014
October 22, 2014

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. We've got Halloween offerings 'Musical Of The Living Dead,' 'Witches Among Us,' 'Bewildered!' and more, 'The Wild Party' and 'Parade,' plus brief appearaces by'Bells Are Ringing' and 'The Color Purple,' Duncan Sheik in concert and a review of 'Edges' at Davenport's!

BWW REVIEWS: AMAZING GRACE's World Premiere in Chicago: Sweet Sounds, Heavy Themes Close to Completion
BWW REVIEWS: AMAZING GRACE's World Premiere in Chicago: Sweet Sounds, Heavy Themes Close to Completion
October 20, 2014

Can a new musical be 'pre-Broadway' without having a New York theater booked, or without even announcing a timetable for said booking? How about a musical largely penned by a previously unknown writer, one who worked as a Pennsylvania policeman, and never formally studied music composition? Well, AMAZING GRACE is that show, and this expensive-looking, high-aiming show that's been in development since 2007, with book, music and lyrics by Christopher Smith (the book is co-written with the veteran playwright Arthur Giron) opened on Sunday night. So far, so good!

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 15th, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 15th, 2014
October 15, 2014

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Monday night's Jeff Awards at the Drury Lane, and 'Amazing Grace' at the BOAT! Plus 2014's other Broadway In Chicago shows, The Grinch at the Chicago Theatre, local productions of 'Parade,' 'Camelot' and 'Mary Poppins,' the new 'A Christmas Memory,' and the sold-out Humanities Festival tribute to the Tonys!

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 8th, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 8th, 2014
October 8, 2014

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 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards are back with nominations open now! Plus the Jeff Awards on Monday night, three acclaimed recent openings, two shows proudly closing, three local shows that may never end, and NBC's live 'Peter Pan' is ready to fly!

'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 1st, 2014
'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 1st, 2014
October 1, 2014

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 Super October! Local productions of 'Sweeney Todd,' 'Titanic,' 'Parade' and 'The Wild Party' have folks excited! 'At Last' and 'Cole Porter's Greatest Hits' honor past artists, the Savoyaires mount 'The Grand Duke,' and Des Plaines goes 'Legally Blonde.' Colleges produce 'Into The Woods' and 'In The Heights, 'Amazing Grace' arrives downtown and more!

BWW REVIEWS: World Regional Premiere of WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN Is Expertly Done, Coolly Received
BWW REVIEWS: World Regional Premiere of WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN Is Expertly Done, Coolly Received
September 28, 2014

David Yazbek has shown himself to be a Broadway composer-lyricist to be reckoned with, after a splashy debut with 2000's "The Full Monty," and a meaningful follow-up with 2005's "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." Both film adaptations, they won Drama Desk Awards for him, as well as Tony nominations. 2010's "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown", also a film adaptation, was Tony-nominated for its score as well, though it suffered a truncated run of only 69 performances. Theatre at the Center in the Chicago suburb of Munster, Indiana, is the location for the show's world regional premiere.



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