'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for November 6th, 2013

THE LATEST IN UNAUTHORIZED GOSSIP AND BUZZ

FROM THE HEART OF CHICAGO'S SHOWTUNE VIDEO BARS,

AND MUSICAL THEATER NEWS FROM CHICAGO TO BROADWAY

by Paul W. Thompson

Overheard last weekend under the showtune

video screens at Sidetrack and The Call:

Monday night, November 4, 2013, the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee hosted the Equity Jeff Awards at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. And the big winner of the night was the Chicago Shakespeare Theater production of "Sunday In The Park With George," which took home three awards, for Production - Musical - Large, for director Gary Griffin and for projections designer Mike Tutaj. Well, Mosh Pit peeps and readers of BroadwayWorld Chicago already knew that show was good, as it took home two awards at last January's BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards. Nice to know the Jeffs are finally onboard (lol). And Chicago Shakespeare was the most-honored theater of the evening, with seven awards in all.

Congratulations to all the SITPWG folks, along with the other big musical winner, Porchlight Music Theatre's "A Class Act," the winner of Production - Musical - Midsize and for Bill Larkin as Actor in a Principal Role - Musical. ChiShakes' "Othello: The Remix" also won twice (for Ensemble and for James Savage's Sound Design - Large). "The Second City Guide To The Opera" from Lyric Opera Of Chicago and The Second City, similarly took home two awards (Production - Revue and Director - Revue for Billy Bungeroth), as did the Goodman Theatre's "The Jungle Book," honored for work by Andre De Shields (Actor in a Supporting Role - Musical) and Doug Peck (Music Direction).

Christine Sherrill was named the best Actress in a Principal Role - Musical for "Sunset Boulevard" at the Drury Lane Theatre, David M. Lutken was the best Actor or Actress in a Revue for "Woody Sez: The Life And Music Of Woody Guthrie" at Northlight Theatre, and Bethany Thomas was named best Actress in a Supporting Role - Musical for her performance as Bloody Mary in "South Pacific" at the Marriott Theatre. Two actresses were honored for their work at Porchlight Music Theatre (the second most honored company of the night), Alexis J. Rogers for Solo Performance in "Lady Day At Emerson's Bar And Grill" and Callie Johnson for her Cameo Performance in "Pal Joey." Linda Fortunato won the Choreography award for "42nd Street" at the Theatre At The Center, and Dale Benson received a Special Award for his lifetime of work as a Chicago actor, making innumerable musical appearances.

And, oh yes, there were awards to non-musicals too! Steppenwolf Theatre Company's "Good People" by David Lindsay-Abaire and TimeLine Theatre Company's "33 Variations" by Moises Kaufman were the big winners there, along with the new adaptation of "Cymbeline" at First Folio Theatre. And, as usual, it was a grand love feast for Chicago theater, because that's what it's all about, right? Well, gear up for another one, because the nominations for the 2013 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards will be announced before this time next week, all leading up the Awards Celebration at The Call Bar on Wednesday night, January 8, 2014. Mark your calendars now!

GOOD-PEOPLE-SUNDAY-IN-THE-PARK-and-More-Top-2013-Jeff-Awards-Winners

The Q Brothers, the hip-hop sensations behind "Othello: The Remix," is at it again, and at Chicago Shakespeare, to boot. The Tony Award-winning theater announced last week that "work in progress performances" of "A Q Brothers Christmas Carol" will take place in the Upstairs theater at ChiShakes from November 30-December 22, 2013. Written by GQ, JQ, Jackson Doran and Postell Pringle, the show will feature Ebenezer Scrooge and a Jamaican Marley, with DJ Super Nova at the turntables. Oh, and the smallest Cratchit? Lil' Tim. Didn't see that coming, did you?

CST-to-Present-A-Q-BROTHERS-CHRISTMAS-CAROL

We had two shows open last week to rave reviews from critics, "Miss Saigon" at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Aurora, and the return tour of "Wicked" at the Oriental Theatre in downtown Chicago. These are two of the longest running shows in Broadway history, one reinterpreted by a leading suburban Equity house, and the other in a tour replicating its still-running Broadway sibling. And they're here for a limited time (through November 21 and December 21, respectively. Both have full orchestras, and both feature a role veteran (Joseph Anthony Foronda and Jenn Gambatese) opposite a relative neophyte (Shawna Haeji Shin and Allison Luff). What more needs be said? I mean, really, why are you still home, reading this? Get thee to the theaters!

Top Rated Plays In Chicago

If traditional contemporary (see what I did there?) pop-rock musical theater isn't your bag, you have this week only to catch "Once Upon A Dream: Starring The Rascals." (I think that's the official name.). This show, which I believe has been to Broadway once and is on its way back there, is at the Cadillac Palace Theatre from November 5-10 only. Produced and directed in part by rock legend Steven Van Zandt, the show tells the story of the rock group The Rascals ("Good Lovin'") and stars them in a narrative/archival reenactment of the 1960s and the band's history. Um, ok.

http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/showtag=onceuponadream13v

A new musical is set to open here, presented by The Strange Tree Group, in association with the Chicago Department Of Cultural Affairs And Special Events. It's "The Dead Prince," with book, music and lyrics by Emily Schwartz (how many times do you see a woman as the sole writer of a musical? Awesome!) and directed by Paul Holmquist. It's described as a "rambunctious, fairly-family-friendly, fairy tale muzikal." Got it. And it plays at the DCASE Storefront Theater on Randolph Street from November 17-December 22, with a cast including Cory Aiello, Elizabeth Bagby, Dan Behrendt, Scott Cupper, Michael Thomas Downey, Kate Nawrocki, Stuart Ritter, Amber Vaughn Robinson, Sarah Scanlon, Zachary Sigelko, Ann Sonneville, Jen Starewich and Thomas Zeitner.

Photo-Flash-Strange-Trees-THE-DEAD-PRINCE

Three popular shows hereabouts have proven so popular (it's all about "popular") that they've been extended. Of course, "Million Dollar Quartet" at the Apollo Theater has been extended upteen times, and it has been thus again, through March 30, 2014. It's now Chicago's longest running Broadway musical in history, and stars Brandon Bennett, Shaun Whitley, Lance Lipinsky, Adam Lee, Jason Bradley, Aja Goes, Marc Edelstein and Dan Leali. Chicago loves its MDQ.

MILLION-DOLLAR-QUARTET-Extends-Through-March-30-2014-at-Apollo-Theater

And two shows which opened this fall at local non-profit theaters have been extended as well. The Black Ensemble Theater production of "The Story Of Curtis Mayfield: It's All-Right To Have A Good Time," originally set to run through October 20, 2013, will now run through December 29 (at least!) at the theater on NortH Clark Street in Uptown.

http://www.blackensembletheater.org/it-s-alright-to-have-a-good-time

And "The Old Man And The Old Moon" at Writers' Theatre in Glencoe, a new play with music by PigPen Theater Co., has been extended for two weeks beyond its original schedule, and will play through December 1.

Writers-Theatre-Extends-THE-OLD-MAN-THE-OLD-MOON

There's a lot going on at the Kiss Kiss Cabaret, including the scheduling of "The Kiss Kiss Cabaret Holiday Spectacular!" burlesque show (November 22-December 20) and "The Kiss Kiss Cabaret New Year's Eve Hullabaloo" (December 31). These are in addition to the regular late-night Friday shows of "The Kiss Kiss Cabaret" itself, a rotating act open run. And don't forget the early Thursday night "micro shows" on the first Thursday of each month. All performances are at the Greenhouse Theater Center on Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. That's a lot of vaudevillian burlesque! Or it is burlesquian vaudeville?

Kiss-Kiss-Cabaret-to-Host-HOLIDAY-SPECTACULAR

Broadway ingénue soprano Christine Andreas (from the late 1970s and early 80s revivals of "My Fair Lady," "Oklahoma!" and "On Your Toes") isn't an ingénue anymore, but she's been on Broadway recently in "La Cage Aux Folles" and toured in "The Light In the Piazza." And she's performing in Indianapolis, just three hours down the road past Munster and Lafayette, on November 15 and 16 at The Cabaret at the Columbia Club, on Monument Circle in the heart of downtown Indy. And why isn't she performing here? No idea. But she should! Indy isn't THAT close. But at least it isn't Fargo.

Christine-Andreas-to-Bring-LOVE-IS-GOOD-to-The-Cabaret-at-the-Columbia-Club

There is one star, of a sort, who is coming here. Writer, comedian and actor ("Hairspray") Bruce Vilanch will be at Sidetrack next Monday evening, November 11th, hosting a sing-along of the film "Victoria/Victoria" as a benefit for Reeling, the Chicago LGBT International Film Festival (it starts tomorrow, through November 14). Tickets are $15. You did read that right. Watch Julie Andrews in "Victor/Victoria," hear Bruce Vilanch's commentary on the film, and sing along to the songs. At Sidetrack. And of course, you will stay for Showtunes, won't you? I thought as much.

http://reelingfilmfestival.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=608654

So it's November. Got your shopping list drawn up yet? Well, you have seven weeks for that. In the meantime, I'll see you under the video screens.....-PWT

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