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Displaying items by tag: Broadway in Chicago

The Groundhog Day musical debacle left me wary of movie-to-stage adaptations. I saw them as cash grabs, mere shadows of the beloved originals. So, I approached Mrs. Doubtfire with trepidation, fearing another corny, uninspired musical. Thankfully, Mrs. Doubtfire surprised me. It wasn't just enjoyable, but the refreshingly unapologetic old-fashioned style of musical theater was a welcome change.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the source material, Mrs. Doubtfire is based on the 1993 movie of the same name. It starred the late incomparable Robin Williams and Americas sweetheart Sally Fields, and yes, we really do love her. The musical faithfully captures the heart of the movie, while incorporating essential modernizations. The plot is straight forward, Daniel Hillard a fun-loving vocal actor, devoted father to his three children is having marital problems. His free-spirited personality and impulsive behavior often clash with his workaholic wife, Miranda. Their differences culminate in a divorce. Daniel loses custody of his children although he gets limited visitation rights. Meanwhile, as Miranda’s work as a gym-wear executive requires more of her time, she now requires a Nanny. The process of interviewing potentials is comedy driven, as is so much of what unfolds in this 2-1/2-hour show.

After securing an interview with Miranda, Daniel sets out to become the nanny. He visits his gay brother Frank and his equally gay brother-in-law Andre. Both are in the costume design business. The first production number of this show (Make Me a Woman) sets the bar extremely high for future production numbers. Frank and Andre give Daniel several options to choose from. They start out with glamorous ‘Jackie’, ‘Diana’, ‘Cher’ and ‘Donna Summer’ until they realize ‘Eleanor Roosevelt’, ‘Julia Childs’, ‘Margaret Thatcher’, ‘Janet Reno’ and ‘Oscar Wilde’(strange, but it works) is closer to the nanny Daniel is going for. Daniel becomes Mrs. Doubtfire right before our eyes.

The production updated the material by using modern devices to its benefit. In ‘Easy Peasy’ Mrs. Doubtfire uses Alexa to find recipes and suddenly chefs pop out of every corner of the kitchen to help create a chicken recipe, even Julia Child and Paula Deen, with extra butter, make an appearance.

‘Playing With Fire’ is a fever dream of Daniel where he questions everything he has done thus far and involves the entire company. It is a big production with excellent choreography bringing the whole company together.

The heart of this production is Rob McClure, a theatrical force seamlessly transitioning between Daniel and Doubtfire, McClure is giving a career defining performance that would surely make Robin Williams proud. The lovely Maggie Lakis as Miranda and their on-stage children Giselle Gutierrez as Lydia (what a voice), Cody Braverman as Christopher, and Kennedy Pitney as Natalie make up the Hillard family. 

The supporting cast includes Aaron Kaburick (hilarious as Frank), Nik Alexander (a dramatic Andre), Leo Roberts (a powerfully built Stuart Dunmire) and Jodi Kimura as stoic station manager Janet Lundy.

In the wrong hands this production would be a mess, in the hands of four-time Tony Award winner, Jerry Zaks it becomes gold. His illustrious career boasts triumphs like "Guys and Dolls," "Six Degrees of Separation." and “La Cage Aux Folles”.  His keen eye for talent, comedic timing, and the ability to draw out the best in his actors have cemented his place as a Broadway icon.

This heartwarming and delightful musical is a pure joyride. Unlike some shows with hidden agendas, its sole purpose is to make you laugh out loud. While it's a charmingly old-fashioned family-oriented production focused on pure entertainment, the underlying message is clear: love conquers all, family is everything.

When: Through March 10

Where: James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St.

Running time: 2 hours, 25 minutes

Tickets: $44-$116 at www.broadwayinchicago.com

Published in Theatre in Review
Wednesday, 28 February 2024 10:00

Message In A Bottle is now playing at Cadillac Palace

Audiences can now see Message In A Bottle, a new dance theatre production choregraphed by Sadler's Wells' Associate Artist Kate Prince at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre for a limited run, from February 28, 2024 to March 3, 2024. Produced by Sadler's Wells and Universal Music UK, Message In A Bottle is a dance theatre production set to the music of 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sting. Tickets are now available for this smashing production. Prices range from $32 to $95 with a select number of premium tickets available for all performances. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Current Broadway In Chicago subscribers can add to their subscription by calling (312) 977-1717.

Performance Schedule

Wednesday through Friday 7:00PM (Thursday, February 29 Matinee at 1:00PM)

Saturday at 2:00PM and 7:30PM

Sunday at 1:00PM and 6:30PM

Sadler's Wells and Universal Music UK present Message In A Bottle, a new dance theatre production by Sadler's Wells Associate Artist Kate Prince, set to the music of 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sting. Message In A Bottle made its world premiere at Sadler's Wells' West End venue, the Peacock Theatre, on Wednesday 19 February 2020. Gravity-defying lyrical hip hop dance and breath-taking music combine in a moving story of humanity and hope.

Message In A Bottle sees a village alive with joyous celebrations suddenly come under siege. In the chaos, three siblings - Leto, Mati and Tana - are separated from their parents. They undertake a perilous journey to new lands and set out on their own extraordinary adventures. Songs include Every Breath You Take, Roxanne, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Walking On The Moon, Englishman In New York, Shape Of My Heart and Fields Of Gold.

The soundtrack to Message In A Bottle also features new vocals by Sting and new arrangements by Grammy and Tony award winner Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton, The Greatest Showman), with guest vocals from award-winning actress and singer Beverley Knight MBE and Lynval Golding (The Specials).

About Kate Prince MBE

Director and Choreographer

Kate Prince is a director, writer and choreographer. She is also the Artistic Director of ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company which she founded in 2002. Kate is an Associate Artist at both The Old Vic and Sadler's Wells, where ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company is also a Resident Company.

In 2005 Sadler's Wells commissioned the company's first full-length work, Into the Hoods, conceived and directed by Kate. The show's premiere in 2006 met with widespread critical acclaim and Into the Hoods went on to become the first hip hop dance show to transfer to the West End in 2008, after two critically successful runs at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Kate's further work with ZooNation includes the Olivier-nominated Some Like It Hip Hop (The Peacock, 2011- 13, 2019 and two UK tours), Groove on Down the Road (Southbank Centre, 2013-14), ZooNation: Unplugged (Sadler's Wells, 2013), The Mad Hatter's Tea Party (Royal Opera House, Linbury Studio, 2014 and Roundhouse, 2016), Into the Hoods: Remixed (The Peacock, 2015-16 and UK tour), and SYLVIA (The Old Vic, 2018). The company created special performances for Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebrations and for the Laurence Olivier Awards in 2011, creating new choreography for West Side Story with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

For TV, Kate's credits include work for Strictly Come Dancing, So You Think You Can Dance, The Royal Variety Show, Top of the Pops, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Take Away, CD:UK, Blue Peter, Strictly Dance Fever, Sport Relief, The Album Chart Show, Discomania and PopWorld. Her film work includes choreography for Everybody's Talking About Jamie, StreetDance 3D and The Holloway Laundrette, which she wrote & directed for BAFTA/Channel 4.

Other theatre work includes Everybody's Talking About Jamie for Jonathan Butterell (Sheffield Crucible & West End, nominated for Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer), Enda Walsh's Ballyturk (National Theatre), Stephen Mear's Shoes (Sadler's Wells and The Peacock), I Can't Sing: The X-Factor Musical (London Palladium) and A Mad World My Masters (Royal Shakespeare Company), both for Sean Foley.

With ZooNation she has also created choreography for sporting events, including the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Handover Ceremonies (2008), the Opening Ceremony of the Tour de France (2007) and the IOC opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics at the Royal Opera House. In 2018, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company became an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and a registered charity, in recognition of its mission to inspire the next generation of theatregoers and theatremakers. In 2020, Kate was the subject of the BBC Imagine Documentary series presented by Alan Yentob entitled Kate Prince: Every Move She Makes.

Kate has been nominated for five Olivier Awards, a South Bank Sky Arts Award, a WhatsOnStage Award and two Critics' Circle National Dance Awards. Kate has an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Winchester and in 2019 Kate received an MBE for services to dance.

Most recently Kate co-wrote, directed and choreographed SYLVIA at the Old Vic, for which she was nominated for the Gillian Lynne Olivier Award for best theatre choreographer.

Kate's proudest achievement is being Leo's wife and Ella's mum.

About Sting

Music and Lyrics

Composer, singer-songwriter, actor, author, and activist Sting was born in Newcastle, England before moving to London in 1977 to form The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. The band released five studio albums, earned six GRAMMY Awards® and two Brits, and was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

One of the world's most distinctive solo artists, Sting has received an additional 11 GRAMMY Awards®, two Brits, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, four Oscar nominations, a TONY nomination and has sold 100 million albums from his combined work with The Police and as a solo artist. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has received the Kennedy Center Honors, as well as honorary Doctorate of Music degrees from Northumbria University (1992), Berklee College of Music (1994), University of Newcastle upon Tyne (2006) and Brown University (2018).

Sting, managed by Martin Kierszenbaum/Cherrytree Music Company, has appeared in more than 15 films, a variety of TV shows and authored two books, including The New York Times best-selling memoir, Broken Music. In 1989 he starred in The Threepenny Opera on Broadway.  His most recent theatre project is the Tony®-nominated musical The Last Ship, inspired by his memories of the shipbuilding community of Wallsend in the northeast of England where he was born and raised.

In 2019, an album entitled My Songs, featuring contemporary interpretations of his most celebrated hits, was released, and followed by a world tour and acclaimed Las Vegas residency of the same name. Sting's latest album, The Bridge, showcases his prolific and diverse songwriting prowess, representing various stages and styles from throughout his unrivaled career. Most recently, Sting produced Shaggy's album, Com Fly Wid Mi which finds the reggae icon performing the Sinatra songbook in a reggae style and earned a Grammy Award nomination for it.

Earlier this year, Sting became a Fellow of the Ivors Academy – the highest honor reserved for those who have reshaped and redefined the art and craft of music creation, while his hit song, "Every Breath You Take" was added to Spotify's 'Billions Club,' having amassed over 1 billion streams on the platform with the correlating music video surpassing 1 billion streams on YouTube. His critically acclaimed My Songs world tour is currently underway and finds the 17-time Grammy Award winning artist performing his most beloved songs with an electric rock ensemble. Full tour itinerary can be found here.

Sting's support for human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, and Live Aid mirrors his art in its universal outreach.  Along with wife Trudie Styler, Sting founded the Rainforest Fund in 1989 to protect both the world's rainforests and the indigenous people living there. Together they have held 19 benefit concerts to raise funds and awareness for our planet's endangered resources. Since its inception, the Rainforest Fund has expanded to a network of interconnected organizations working in more than 20 countries over three continents.

For the latest news, official fan club access and more, please visit: www.sting.com

About Sadler's Wells

Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance organisation. We strive to make and share dance that inspires us all. Our acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. 

We commission, produce and present more dance than any other organisation in the world. Since 2005, we have helped to bring more than 200 new dance works to the stage, embracing both the popular and the unknown. Our acclaimed productions tour the world. Since 2005 we've produced 64 new full-length works and performed to audiences of more than two million, touring to 51 countries. 

Each year, over half a million people visit our three London theatres - Sadler's Wells Theatre, Lilian Baylis Studio and Peacock Theatre. Millions more attend our touring productions nationally and internationally or explore our digital platforms, including Sadler's Wells Digital Stage.  

Sadler's Wells East  

In 2024 we're opening a fourth London venue in Stratford's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Sadler's Wells East will house a 550-seat mid-scale theatre, as well as facilities for the new Rose Choreographic School and the hip hop theatre training centre, Academy Breakin' Convention.  

Sadler's Wells East joins the rich cultural heritage of Stratford, opening in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as part of the East Bank development alongside the BBC, UAL's London College of Fashion, UCL and the V&A. Sadler's Wells East will support artist development and training, and the creation of new work. It will build the infrastructure for dance and make it accessible to more people. Sadler's Wells East will house a flexible theatre presenting a wide variety of dance performances. Community will be at the heart of Sadler's Wells East with a large open foyer that can be used by everyone as a meeting or performance space. There will also be dance studios and world-class dance facilities for dancemakers to train, create and rehearse productions. 

Supporting artists 

Supporting artists is at the heart of our work. We have associate artists and companies, which nurture some of the most exciting talent working in dance today. We host the National Youth Dance Company, which draws together some of the brightest young dancers from across the country. Sadler's Wells Breakin' Convention runs professional development programmes to champion and develop the world's best hip hop artists, as well as producing, programming and touring groundbreaking hip hop performances. 

Learning and community links 

Around 30,000 people take part in our learning and engagement programmes every year. We support schools local to our theatres in Islington and Stratford, designing experiences for children and young people to watch, explore and critically engage with the arts. We also run Company of Elders, a resident performance company of dancers aged over 60 who rehearse with renowned artists to make new work for public performances locally, nationally and internationally. 

Sadler's Wells is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. 

www.sadlerswells.com 

Stay up to date with everything Sadler's Wells on social media 

Facebook: @SadlersWells 

Twitter: @Sadlers_Wells 

Instagram: @sadlers_wells 

YouTube: Sadler's Wells Theatre 

About Broadway In Chicago

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com

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Published in Upcoming Theatre
Monday, 26 February 2024 11:55

THE SIMON AND GARFUNKEL STORY Returns to Chicago

Nostalgia-inducing unforgettable hits! Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce that the internationally acclaimed hit theater show, THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY will return to Chicago for a limited one-week engagement at the CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.), April 30 - May 5. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, March 4.

The immersive concert-style tribute show recreates the magic and authenticity of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel on stage and chronicles the amazing journey shared by the iconic, GRAMMY-award winning folk-rock duo. It tells the story from their humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry, to their incredible success as one of the best-selling music groups of the '60s, and to their dramatic split in 1970. THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY culminates with the pair's famous The Concert in Central Park reunion in 1981 which had more than half a million fans in attendance.

The show features a set list of nearly 30 songs and uses state-of-the-art video projection, photos, and original film footage. A full live band will perform all of the hits including "Mrs. Robinson," "Cecilia," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Homeward Bound," and many more complete with the unmistakably perfect harmonies that will transport audiences down memory lane.

With more than 100 million album sales since 1965, Simon & Garfunkel's unforgettable songs and poetic lyrics poignantly captured the times made them one of the most successful folk-rock duos of all time. Over the years, they won 10 GRAMMY Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1977, the Brit Awards honored their "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album with Best International Album. In 2003, Simon & Garfunkel were awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the following year saw their "The Sound of Silence" awarded a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.

More information about THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY can be found at http://www.thesimonandgarfunkelstory.com.

ABOUT RUCKUS ENTERTAINMENT (Producers): 

Ruckus Entertainment, based in Los Angeles and formed in 2022, brings together veteran entertainment producers Alison SpiritiJustin SuddsDean Elliott, and Ralph Schmidtke who are collectively responsible for producing over 100 touring productions seen by millions around the world. Their burgeoning production company brings audiences world-class concerts and live events and is focused on celebrating the history and music behind iconic, globally recognized musical artists. Current productions include THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORYRESPECT, The Life and Music of George Michael, and The British Invasion. For more information, visit www.thesimonandgarfunkelstory.com

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Tuesday, April 30 at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 1 at 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 2 at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 4 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 5 at 1:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION

Individual tickets for THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY will go on sale to the public on Monday, March 4 and range from $25.00 - $85.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more  information visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop including the  Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, Auditorium Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway  Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● TikTok @broadwayinchicago ● #broadwayinchicago

Published in Upcoming Theatre
Thursday, 22 February 2024 13:15

SOME LIKE IT HOT is Coming to Chicago

Broadway In Chicago is pleased to announce SOME LIKE IT HOT, the "Super-Sized, All-Out Song-And-Dance Spectacular!" (The New York Times), will be coming to Cadillac Palace Theatre for a limited two-week engagement, October 22 – November 3, 2024. Tickets will go on sale at a later date.

TICKET INFORMATION

Groups of 10+ are now on sale by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling (312) 977-1710. SOME LIKE IT HOT will be part of the next Broadway In Chicago subscription. Current subscribers can renew beginning on Monday, February 26, and the season will be available to new subscribers on Wednesday, March 20. Single tickets will be on sale at a later date. Ticket prices range from $30 - $125 with a select number of premium tickets available. For more details, visit BroadwayInChicago.com.

Set in Chicago when Prohibition has everyone thirsty for a little excitement, SOME LIKE IT HOT is the "glorious, big, high-kicking" (Associated Press) story of two musicians forced to flee the Windy City after witnessing a mob hit. With gangsters hot on their heels, they catch a cross-country train for the life-chasing, life-changing trip of a lifetime.

And what a trip it is! With its irresistible combination of heart and laughs, song and dance, SOME LIKE IT HOT won more theater awards than any show in its season, and was named Best Musical by the Drama Desk, The Drama League, and the Outer Critics Circle. No wonder Deadline calls it "a tap-dancing, razzle-dazzling embrace of everything you love about musical theater."

SOME LIKE IT HOT features a book by Matthew López (The Inheritance) & Amber Ruffin ("The Amber Ruffin Show"), music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman (Hairspray) and direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). The musical is based on the classic MGM film Some Like It Hot which has been named the "Funniest American Movie of All Time" by the American Film Institute.

The creative team also includes Scott Pask (Sets), Gregg Barnes (Costumes), Natasha Katz (Lights), Brian Ronan (Sound), Josh Marquette (Hair), Milagros Medina-Cerdeira (Makeup), Christian Borle & Joe Farrell (Additional Material), Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Music Supervisor), Kristy Norter (Music Coordinator), Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter (Orchestrations), Marc Shaiman (Vocal Arrangements), and Glen Kelly (Dance and Incidental Music Arrangements). The production team also includes Steve Bebout (Associate Director), John MacInnis (Associate Choreographer) and Juniper Street Productions (Production Management). 101 Productions, Ltd. serves as the general manager.

SOME LIKE IT HOT was produced on Broadway by The Shubert Organization and Neil Meron and co-produced by MGM on Stage, Roy Furman, Robert Greenblatt, James L. Nederlander, Kenny Leon, Hunter Arnold, John Gore Organization, The Dalgleish Library Company Group, Sheboygan Conservatory Partners, Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Bob Boyett, Cue to Cue Productions, Janet and Marvin Rosen, The Araca Group, Concord Theatricals, Marc Howard, Independent Presenters Network, Juanita Jordan, Jujamcyn Theaters, Henry R. Muñoz III, Ostar and Mariah Carey; D. S. Moynihan, Executive Producer.

The North American tour is booked by The Booking Group (www.thebookinggroup.com) with casting by The Telsey Office.

Concord Theatricals Recordings released SOME LIKE IT HOT (Original Broadway Cast Recording) on streaming and digital platforms worldwide in March 2023 with CD and vinyl now available.

# # #

https://somelikeithotmusical.com/

Follow SOME LIKE IT HOT on TwitterInstagramFacebook, and TikTok.

Published in Upcoming Theatre

Direct from Broadway, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE, THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL will make its Chicago debut, November 12 – 24, 2024, at Broadway In Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre as part of multi-year North American Tour. 

TICKET INFORMATION

Groups of 10+ are now on sale by calling (312) 977-1710 or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.A BEAUTIFUL NOISE will be part of the next Broadway In Chicago subscription. Current subscribers can renewal beginning on Monday, February 26, and the season will be available to new subscribers on Wednesday, March 20. Single tickets will be on sale at a later date. Ticket prices range from $40 - $135 with a select number of premium tickets available. For more details, visit BroadwayInChicago.com.

"Some of my most thrilling nights have been while I was on tour, bringing my music to audiences across the world," said Neil Diamond. "Having A BEAUTIFUL NOISE go on tour is an honor and I can't wait for audiences across North America to experience this show. I hope they enjoy it as much as I have."

The tour will be lead produced by Ken Davenport, Bob Gaudio and NETworks Presentations.

Producer Ken Davenport said, "Neil is one of the best live entertainers the world has ever seen. In his fifty-year career, he's performed for millions of fans around the globe. I couldn't imagine a more perfect way to honor his legacy than having A BEAUTIFUL NOISE touring North America, visiting the same cities where he gave so many people so much joy."

Producer Bob Gaudio said, "When Neil and I first started talking about making a musical using his music, I knew how daunting that would be. With Jersey Boys, I learned how vital it is to have a first-rate creative team making sure everything weaves together. We have that on A BEAUTIFUL NOISE—an incisive book that tells Neil's story honestly, fantastic choreography, one of the best directors on Broadway guiding the entire production, and of course, Neil's iconic songs. Having the show go on tour is an exciting next step."

The Broadway production continues to play for cheering audiences nightly at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City.

A full tour route and casting will be announced at a later date. Please visit abeautifulnoisethemusical.com to sign up for the email newsletter and be among the first to receive tour news and updates.

"SO GOOD, SO GOOD, SO GOOD!"

CBS, CNN, GMA, Entertainment Weekly, Morning Joe

"DAZZLING! WE SAW HIS SHOW, NOW WE'RE A BELIEVER"

WBUR

"THE BIOGRAPHICAL DRAMA IS A HEARTWARMING CELEBRATION OF MR. DIAMOND'S UPLIFTING MUSIC AND INSPIRATIONAL LIFE."

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

ABOUT A BEAUTIFUL NOISE, THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL

This is the story of that Brooklyn kid who made it big and took us all along for the ride. From those exhilarating early days in New York to the sold-out spectacles that defined his career, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE, THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL explores the life of a rock icon through the music that made him "a national treasure" (Los Angeles Times).

The story of the legendary Neil Diamond comes to life on stage in an uplifting new Broadway musical, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE, featuring all his hit songs including "Sweet Caroline," "America," and "Cracklin' Rosie."

The grandson of Jewish and Polish immigrants, Brooklyn born and raised, Neil Diamond was a New York kid down to his boots, strumming his guitar on the steps of Erasmus High School on Flatbush Avenue. 1960s America was hungry for change and so was he. He landed a gig selling songs for fifty bucks a week in the legendary Tin Pan Alley's Brill Building. At night he honed his voice on stage at the Village's Bitter End, but knew he was destined for something greater. This was New York, after all. City of dreams. Full of life and opportunity where anyone could write their story. And so he did, in song after song.

10 Top 10 Hits. 140 million albums sold. His 1972 concert and live album Hot August Night sung in front of 5,000 screaming fans catapulted him to fame as the ultimate entertainer. He sang his way to a Grammy Award, into the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame, then topped it off with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy and the Kennedy Center Honors.

Directed by Tony Award® winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), choreographed by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett (Once, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), and written by four-time Academy Award nominee Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Two Popes), A BEAUTIFUL NOISE is a thrilling look at an artist's search for himself and a celebration of the enduring power of his music.

The design team for A BEAUTIFUL NOISE on Broadway features Tony Award winner David Rockwell (scenic design), Tony Award nominee Emilio Sosa (costume design), four-time Tony Award winner Kevin Adams (lighting design), Tony Award winner Jessica Paz (sound design), Jamie Harrison (Illusion consultant), and Luc Verschueren (hair and wig design). The production has music supervision and arrangements by Sonny Paladino, incidental music and dance music arrangements by Brian Usifer, vocal design by AnnMarie Milazzo, and orchestrations by Bob Gaudio, Sonny Paladino, and Brian Usifer. Casting is by Jim Carnahan, CSA & Jason Thinger, CSA. The A BEAUTIFUL NOISE tour will be directed by Austin Regan and choreographed by Yasmine Lee. The stage management team is led by production stage manager Stacy N. Taylor. The company management team is led by Erik Birkeland.

A BEAUTIFUL NOISE, THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL is produced on Broadway by Ken Davenport, Bob Gaudio, Sandi Moran, Hunter Arnold, Scott Abrams, Marco Santarelli, Jonathan and Rae Corr, Marguerite Steed Hoffman, Ron Kastner, Rob Kolson, Valli Family Group, Caiola Productions, Paul Dainty AM, Gaudio Family Group, Joseph J. Grano Jr., Starlight Theatre, Roy Putrino, James L. Nederlander, Tricia Blake, Mark E. Jacobs, Universal Music Group Theatrical, Deborah Green, Patty Baker, Sheri and Les Biller, H. Richard Hopper, Sharon Karmazin, NETworks Presentations, Adam Riemer, Matthew Salloway, BB Investments LLC, Universal Theatrical Group, Witz End Productions, Theatre Producers of Color, and Ryan Conway.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording of A BEAUTIFUL NOISE, THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL, produced by Bob Gaudio and released by UMe, is available now as a CD and to stream on all major platforms. To order the album or stream it, please visit www.abeautifulnoise.lnk.to/originalcastalbumpr

Follow the show online: abeautifulnoisethemusical.com

Facebook.com/abeautifulnoisemusical

@beautifulnoise on X

@abeautifulnoisemusical on Instagram

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Follow @broadwayinchicago on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok #broadwayinchicago

Published in Upcoming Theatre
Lead producer Colin Ingram together with Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the creators of the Back to the Future film trilogy, and Broadway In Chicago are thrilled to announce the 2022 Olivier Award-winning Best New Musical, BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical will come to Chicago as part of its upcoming season package. The Broadway and West End hit show based on the Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment film will play the Cadillac Palace Theatre from August 13 – September 1, 2024. Casting will be announced at a later date.
 
TICKET INFORMATION
Groups of 10+ are now on sale by calling (312) 977-1710 or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.BACK TO THE FUTURE will be part of the next Broadway In Chicago subscription. Current subscribers can renewal beginning on Monday, February 26, and the season will be available to new subscribers on Wednesday, March 20. Single tickets will be on sale at a later date. Ticket prices range from $40 - $135 with a select number of premium tickets available. For more details, visit BroadwayInChicago.com.
 
Following celebrated productions in London's West End and on Broadway, BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical will open its tour at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio, in June 2024 and continue to destinations across North America. The tour launches less than 12 months after the show's Broadway opening on August 3, 2023, at the Winter Garden Theatre. The critically acclaimed West End production of BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical officially opened in London on September 13, 2021, has been seen by more than 800,000 people to date, and broken multiple Adelphi Theatre box office records. The production won the Best New Musical Olivier Award as well as multiple WhatsOnStage Awards and a Broadway World Award for Best New Musical. BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical had its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House on March 11, 2020.
 
"BRINGS ALL THE MAGIC FROM THE SCREEN TO THE STAGE!" – Entertainment Weekly
 
Marty McFly is a rock 'n' roll teenager who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown. But before he can return to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents fall in love in order to save his own existence.
 
Based on the Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment film, BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical has a book by Bob Gale, new music and lyrics by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning Alan Silvestri and six-time Grammy Award-winning Glen Ballard, with additional songs from the film including "The Power of Love" and "Johnny B. Goode." Bob Gale is the co-creator and co-writer of the Back to the Future film trilogy and Alan Silvestri composed the iconic film score for the series.
 
BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical is directed by Tony Award® winner John Rando and features a multi-Tony and Olivier Award-winning design team that includes Tim Hatley (set and costume design), Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone (lighting), Gareth Owen (sound) and Finn Ross (video), with choreography by Chris Bailey, musical supervision and arrangements by Nick Finlow, illusions by Chris Fisher, orchestrations by Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook, dance arrangements by David Chase, and casting by Tara RubinBespoke Theatricals serves as General Manager.
 
"THE AUDIENCE GOES WILD!" – The New York Times
 
Bob Gale said, "To paraphrase Marty McFly, you guys are ready for this, and your kids are gonna love it (too)! If Bob Zemeckis and I time traveled back to 1980 and told our younger selves that the script they were struggling to write would become a Broadway musical 43 years later, they'd kick us out of their office and call us crazy. Well, sometimes, crazy ideas give birth to great entertainment, and now Bob and I are eager to share our musical vision with New York audiences. The London production exceeded our original expectations on every level, and we're certain the Broadway version, along with the fantastic songs by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard, will be even better. Regardless of whether you've seen the original film, BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical, with its outstanding performances and incredible stagecraft, will delight and enthrall you, your kids, your parents, and everyone you know!"
 
Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard said, "It all began for us with the story and characters that made Back To The Future a much beloved, cinematic classic. The magic of musical theatre presented us with the possibility of adding new dimension and depth to our familiar Hill Valley residents. Through song and dance their innermost thoughts, hopes, and dreams are now revealed. It's a story first told in 1985, that traveled back to 1955, and will now be told in 2023 in New York City and, starting in 2024, across North America. We are thrilled and excited to invite you to join us on this epic journey through time."
 
Lead Producer Colin Ingram said, "Following London and Broadway, we are delighted to take BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical on the road. We look forward to entertaining and thrilling audiences, who have cherished this story for decades, with the moving and spectacular musical version."
 
The Original Cast Recording of BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical is available now from Sony Masterworks Broadway in all formats, including vinyl. (https://soundtracks.lnk.to/BTTFAlbum) A deluxe 2-disc edition of the Original Cast Recording featuring never heard before demos of the songs from the musical was released by Sony Masterworks Broadway on June 30, 2023.
 
A 240-page hardcover book, Creating Back to the Future The Musical by Michael Klastorin, the official behind-the-scenes companion to the stage musical adaptation of Back to the Future, published by Abrams Books, was released on July 3, 2023.
 
Back to the Future the film was released in 1985, starring Michael J. Fox as "Marty McFly" and Christopher Lloyd as "Dr. Emmett Brown." The film grossed $360.6 million at the box office worldwide and the total box office for all three films in the Back to the Future franchise was $936.6 million (over $1.8 billion in today's money).
 
Follow BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICIAL at @bttfbway on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram.
 
For more information visit www.BackToTheFutureMusical.com.
 
BIOGRAPHIES
COLIN INGRAM (Lead Producer). Olivier Award-winning producer Colin Ingram has worked in the theatre industry for 27 years with some of the world's leading producers, directors, designers and writers. He currently produces Back To The Future – The Musical and Grease on the West End and has just premiered Time Traveller's Wife – The Musical in Chester prior to a West End transfer. Back To The Future won Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards (after 7 nominations), What's On Stage Award and Broadwayworld.com and the London Lifestyle Award for Best Theatre Show. Colin produced Ghost the Musical which has been staged in 22 countries in 14 languages in over 30 productions including West End and Broadway. It was nominated for five Olivier Awards and three Tony Awards and won Best Musical at the Manchester Theatre Awards. He was Executive Producer of the multi-Tony and Olivier-Award winning Billy Elliot the Musical in the West End and consulted on the Broadway and Australian productions. He also lead-produced Breakfast at Tiffany's on Broadway and twice in the West End, and on the UK tour starring Emilia Clarke ("Game of Thrones"), Anna Friel and Pixie Lott. It won a Broadway.com award for Best Play. Prior to becoming an independent producer, Colin worked for Cameron Mackintosh for six years, general-managing Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Oklahoma! (starring Hugh Jackman), The Witches of Eastwick and the Les Misérables 10th anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall. He then joined Disney Theatrical Productions to be UK Managing Director overseeing the London office and the productions of The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and other shows in development. Colin then joined the Old Vic as Executive Producer and produced Hamlet starring Ben Whishaw, Aladdin starring Ian McKellen, and Richard IIThe Philadelphia Story and National Anthems. He then produced the Billy Joel/Twyla Tharp musical Movin' Out in the West End, and co-produced Gone With the Wind directed by Trevor Nunn. In 2016, Colin joined Madison Square Gardens Entertainment as Executive Vice President of Productions. At Radio City, he produced the New York Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes – a major undertaking involving over 350 cast, crew and musicians – and produced the 2016 Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes, achieving the highest revenue in its 85-year history. coliningramltd.com
 
BOB GALE (Book, Co-Creator, Producer) is an Oscar-nominated Screenwriter-Producer-Director, best known as co-creator, co-writer and co-producer of Back to the Future and its sequels. Gale was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Cinema from the University of Southern California in 1973, where he met and began his association with his longtime collaborator, Robert Zemeckis. Gale has written or co-written over 30 screenplays and his other film credits include 1941, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Used Cars, Trespass and Interstate 60, the latter which he directed. In addition to his film and television work, and being the "Gatekeeper" for the BTTF Franchise, Gale has written comic books including Spider-Man, Batman, Daredevil and IDW's Back to the Future series, thus proving to his father that he did not waste hours and hours reading comics in his youth. He has given talks on screenwriting in colleges across the USA, and enjoys meeting fans at Comic Conventions and Back to the Future events. He has also served as an Expert Witness in over 25 plagiarism lawsuits, even though this has occasionally required him to wear a suit and tie. When he's not in production, writing, or wasting time on the internet, he actually does take out the trash, even when his wife doesn't ask (well, sometimes he does). Gale lives in California with his wife and dog. Back to the Future the Musical is his first foray into writing for the stage.
 
ROBERT ZEMECKIS (Co-Creator, Producer) won an Academy Award©, a Golden Globe and a Director's Guild of American Award for Best Director for the hugely successful and popular Forrest Gump. The film's numerous honors also included a Best Picture Oscar and for Tom Hanks, a Best Actor Oscar. Early in his career, he co-wrote with Bob Gale and directed Back to the Future, which was the top-grossing release of 1985, and for which Zemeckis shared Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Original Screenplay. He then went on to helm Back to the Future, Part II and Part III, completing one of the most successful film franchises in Motion Picture history. Zemeckis has continued to bring an impressive number of popular films to the screen including the comedies Used Cars and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, the romantic adventure Romancing The Stone starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner and the macabre comedy hit Death Becomes Her starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. He also directed Who Framed Roger Rabbit, cleverly blending live action and animation in a feature film, resulting in a worldwide box office smash. Zemeckis re-teamed with Hanks directing and producing the contemporary drama Cast Away which opened to critical and audience acclaim. He directed and produced Contact, starring Jodie Foster, based on the best-selling novel by Carl Sagan. He also co-wrote and directed the motion capture film The Polar Express, starring Tom Hanks as a charming train conductor taking children on a magical adventure to the North Pole. Zemeckis produced and directed his second motion capture film, Beowulf which starred Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie, based on one of the oldest surviving pieces of Anglo-Saxon literature, written before the 10th Century A.D. He released another advanced motion-capture film: A Christmas Carol, based on the celebrated and beloved classic story by Charles Dickens which he both wrote and directed for The Disney Studios. Zemeckis returned to live action direction with the critically-acclaimed dramatic feature film Flight, for Paramount Pictures starring Denzel Washington. Under the direction of Zemeckis, Washington received an Academy Award nomination for the role. For The Walk, he directed Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ben Kingsley in the story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's 1974 attempt to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. He then directed the romantic thriller Allied starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, telling the compelling story of the relationship between a Canadian Intelligence Officer and a French Resistance Fighter against the backdrop of WWII in North Africa in 1942. Along with Caroline Thompson Zemeckis wrote the screenplay for Welcome to Marwen, which he directed for Universal Pictures. The film starred Steve Carell as artist Mark Hogancamp who created a miniature WWII-era village as a way to recover from a violent assault. He then directed The Witches for Warner Bros. Studios. Zemeckis produced such films as The Frighteners, Monster House, Last Holiday, and as a producer brought the true life story of The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio starring Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson to the big screen. Along with Bob Gale, Zemeckis co-wrote Trespass. He and Gale previously wrote 1941, which began a long-time association with Steven Spielberg. For his present directorial effort, Zemeckis has completed Pinocchio which he co-wrote for the Disney Studios. The film is currently on Disney+. In 1998 Zemeckis, Steve Starkey and Jack Rapke partnered to form the ImageMovers, a production company dedicated to telling character-driven stories across many genres for film and television incorporating into their both cutting-edge and innovative digital technology. For the small screen, his television directing credits include episodes of Spielberg's Amazing Stores and HBO's Tales From the Crypt. He serves as Executive Producer on Medal of Honor, for Netflix and also Executive Produces on Blue Book for the History Channel and Executive Produces on Manifest for NBC and Warner Bros. Studios. In March 2001, the USC School of Cinema-Television celebrated the opening of the Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts. This state-of-the-art center is the country's first and only fully digital training center and houses the latest in non-linear production and post-production equipment as well as stages, a 50-seat screening room and USC student-run television station, Trojan Vision.
 
ALAN SILVESTRI (Music & Lyrics). In his ongoing, decades-long career as a composer, Alan Silvestri has blazed an innovative trail with his exciting and melodic scores, winning the applause of Hollywood and movie audiences the world over. With a credit list of over 100 films, Silvestri has composed some of the most recognisable and beloved themes in movie history. His efforts have been recognised with two Oscar® nominations, two Golden Globe nominations, two Emmy® awards, eight Grammy award nominations leading to three Grammy® awards and numerous International Film Music Critics Awards, Saturn Awards, and Hollywood Music In Media Awards. Born in New York City and raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, Silvestri first dreamed of becoming a jazz guitar player. After attending the Berklee School of Music in Boston, he hit the road as a performer and arranger. Landing in Hollywood at the age of 22, he found himself successfully composing the music for 1972's The Doberman Gang which established his place in the world of film composing. The 1970s witnessed the rise of energetic synth-pop scores, establishing Silvestri as the action rhythmatist for TV's highway patrol hit "CHiPs." This action-driven score caught the ear of a young filmmaker named Robert Zemeckis, whose 1984 hit film, Romancing the Stone, was the perfect first date for the composer and director. Its success became the basis of a decades- long relationship that continues to this day. Their numerous collaborations have taken them through fascinating landscapes and stylistic variations, from the Back to the Future trilogy to Toontown in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, the tension of What Lies Beneath and Death Becomes Her, to the cosmic wonder of Contact; the emotional isolation of Castaway , to the magic of The Polar Express, to Zemeckis' 1994 Best Picture winner, Forrest Gump, for which Silvestri's gift for melodically beautiful themes earned him an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination. This 39-year, 22-film collaboration includes such recent films as Flight, Allied, The Witches and Walt Disney's Pinocchio starring Tom Hanks. Zemeckis and Silvestri are currently working on Here starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright which is scheduled for release in 2023. Though the Zemeckis/Silvestri collaboration is legendary, Silvestri has scored films of every imaginable style and genre. His energy has brought excitement and emotion to the hard-hitting orchestral scores for Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, James Cameron's The Abyss as well as Predator 1 and 2 and The Mummy Returns. Alan's diversity is on full display in family entertainment films such as The Father of the Bride 1 and 2The Parent Trap, Stuart Little 1 and 2, Disney's Lilo and Stitch, The Croods as well as Night at the Museum 1, 2 and 3 while his passion for melody fuels the romantic emotion of films like The Bodyguard and What Women Want. In 2018-19 Alan composed the music for Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. These films are the culmination of a partnership with Marvel that began in 2011 with his dynamically heroic score for Captain America: The First Avenger followed by The Avengers in 2012. Alan's collaboration with Marvel helped propel The Avengers: Infinity Saga to spectacular worldwide success. Silvestri's success has also crossed into the world of songwriting for film and stage. His partnership with six-time Grammy Award-winner Glen Ballard has produced movie hits such as the Grammy-winning and Oscar- nominated song 'Believe' (Josh Groban) for The Polar Express, 'Butterfly Fly Away' (Miley Cyrus) for Hannah Montana The Movie, 'God Bless Us Everyone' (Andrea Bocelli) for A Christmas Carol and 'A Hero Comes Home' (Idina Menzel) for Beowulf. Silvestri and Ballard's newest venture is the phenomenally successful Back to the Future: The Musical. Silvestri and Ballard cowrote the songs and Silvestri adapted his iconic score for the stage. This collaboration proved to be irresistible to audiences and critics alike as Back to the Future: The Musical was honored with the prestigious Olivier Award for Best New Musical of 2022
 
GLEN BALLARD (Music & Lyrics). Six-time Grammy Award winner Glen Ballard is one of popular music's most accomplished producers and songwriters, whose records have sold more than one hundred and fifty million copies worldwide. Through his Los Angeles-based production company, Augury, Ballard is developing a diverse slate of projects in which music plays a central role. His most recent project is the Netflix Original series "The Eddy": a music-driven multicultural drama about a jazz band trying to survive in chaotic modern-day Paris which debuted in May 2020. Ballard wrote and composed original songs and music for the limited series and served as an executive producer alongside Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle, BAFTA and Tony award winning writer Jack Thorne, and Emmy winning producer/director Alan Poul. Ballard wrote original lyrics and music for GHOST the Musical which debuted in 2011 and has since been touring worldwide. Ballard's international production company, Augury is a producer of the stage adaptation of 1985's Back to the Future having worked on the project's development for more than 14 years. In collaboration with Grammy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated film composer Alan Silvestri, Ballard created original music and lyrics for the production which includes 17 new original songs and is directed by John Rando. Ballard is also writing songs for the stage version of the 1979 movie The Rose, to be produced by Gail Berman (The Jackal Group) and Michael Gorfaine and Sam Schwartz in association with Augury. Ballard produced and co-wrote Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill" (33 million worldwide, four Grammys, and named Best Album of the Decade by Billboard Magazine), and in 2019 a musical called Jagged Little Pill featuring all the songs from the album debuted on Broadway. Directed by Diane Paulus with a book by Diablo Cody, Jagged Little Pill the Musical was nominated for 15 Tony Awards in 2020. Ballard has written and produced songs for Quincy Jones, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Dave Matthews, Shakira, Katy Perry, Idina Menzel, George Benson, Ringo Starr, George Strait, Wilson Phillips, Van Halen, Chaka Khan, Patti Austin, Al Jarreau, Andrea Bocelli and many others. His production credits include producing and arranging records for Annie Lennox, No Doubt and POD. Ballard co-wrote and arranged "Man in the Mirror" for Michael Jackson and co-wrote and produced the Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated song "Believe" (Josh Groban) for the feature film The Polar Express. His work in film includes writing original songs for Charlotte's Web, Beowulf, A Christmas Carol, The Croods, The Mummy's Return, Valentine's Day and Disney's live-action retelling of Pinocchio which premiered on Disney+ on September 8, 2022.
 
JOHN RANDO (Director) won the Best Director Tony Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for Urinetown. His hit production of Back to the Future is currently on London's West End. Other Broadway credits include Mr. Saturday Night, On the Town (Tony nomination), A Christmas Story, The Wedding Singer, Penn & Teller, A Thousand Clowns, and Neil Simon's The Dinner Party. For City Center Encores! he directed The New Yorkers, High Button Shoes, It's a Bird... It's a Plane...It's Superman, Annie Get Your Gun, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Damn Yankees, Face the Music, Of Thee I Sing, The Pajama Game, Do Re Mi and Strike Up the Band. At the New York Philharmonic, Carousel. Off-Broadway credits include Jerry Springer the Opera, David Ives' The Heir Apparent (SDCF Callaway Award) and All in the Timing (Obie Award). John's work can be seen in China in two original musicals: Jay Chou's The Secret and Spirit of Life – The Jonathan Lee Musical.
 
TIM HATLEY (Set and Costume Design). Double nominations at the 2022 Olivier Awards - Best Set Design for Back to the Future and Life of Pi. (Winner) Tim has designed extensively for The National Theatre, West End and Broadway, and is the winner of 2 Tony Awards, 3 Olivier Awards, & 4 Drama Desk Awards, including the 2022 Olivier Award for Best Set Design for Life of Pi. Recent theatre credits include: Life of Pi (West End); Back to the Future (West End & UK Tour); Dreamgirls (West End & UK Tour); Travesties (Menier/West End/ Broadway); Ghosts (Almeida Theatre/West End/Brooklyn Academy of Music); Little Eyolf (Almeida Theatre); Temple (Donmar Warehouse); Enemy of the People, Pajama Game (Chichester Festival Theatre); The Slaves of Solitude & Drawing The Line (Hampstead Theatre); Mr. Foote's Other Leg (Hampstead Theatre/West End), The Bodyguard (West End/International Tours); Shrek (West End/ Broadway/UK Tour/US Tour); Spamalot (West End/Broadway/US Tour/Las Vegas); Singin' in the Rain, My Fair Lady (Chatelet Paris) and Carmen & Don Quixote (The Royal Ballet). Film credits include Production Design for: Closer, Notes on a Scandal and Stage Beauty.
 
CHRIS BAILEY (Choreography) is a choreographer and director whose recent credits include Back To The Future (London, West End), Gettin' The Band Back Together (Broadway), Jerry Springer The Opera (The New Group, Chita Rivera Award Nominee), The New Yorkers (NY City Center Encores!), 1776 (NY City Center Encores!), The Entertainer with Kenneth Branagh (West End), Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory), Cyrano De Bergerac (Broadway), A Little Night Music (Stratford), and Because Of Winn Dixie (Goodspeed). Chris choreographed the historic opening number 'Bigger' with Neil Patrick Harris of the 2013 Tony Awards (CBS) and served as associate choreographer numerous times for the Academy Awards. Feature films he has worked on include: Cinderella, Ted 2, A Million Ways To Die In The West and Beyond The Sea. Chris has worked closely with Charlize Theron, Channing Tatum, Seth MacFarlane, Neil Patrick Harris, Daniel Radcliffe, Kenneth Branagh, and Hugh Jackman. Chris is originally from Leicestershire, UK and now lives in New York City.
 
NICK FINLOW (Musical Supervision and Arrangements) is the Musical Supervisor, Additional Music & Vocal Arranger for the New Musical, The Time Traveller's Wife, Musical Supervisor, Vocal & Additional Music Arranger for Back to The Future London and Musical Supervisor for Dreamgirls UK Tour. He is UK Musical Supervisor for The Book of Mormon London and UK Tour and Associate Musical Supervisor for Mamma Mia! London. Previous work includes: Musical Supervisor and Conductor for Dreamgirls – London, Musical Supervisor: Memphis – London, Avenue Q UK Tour, Les Misérables UK Tour. Musical Director roles include: The Book Of Mormon, Jersey Boys, Avenue Q, Acorn Antiques, Mamma Mia!, Tonight's The Night, Tell Me on a Sunday & Rent. Recordings: Co-Producer & Musical Supervisor – Back To The Future Original London cast album, Musical Supervisor: Dreamgirls London cast album, Memphis London cast album. He graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and has a postgraduate diploma in Advanced Piano studies.
 
TIM LUTKIN (Lighting Design). London West End: Life Of Pi (Wyndhams Theatre) (Laurence Olivier Award - Won); Back To The Future - The Musical (Adelphi Theatre) (Laurence Olivier Award - Nomination); Four Quartets starring Ralph Fiennes (Harold Pinter Theatre); Chimerica (Harold Pinter Theatre and Almeida) (Laurence Olivier Award - Won); Fiddler On The Roof (Playhouse Theatre); Big - The Musical (Dominion Theatre & National Tour); Noises Off (Garrick Theatre); Elf - The Musical (Dominion Theatre & National Tour); Quiz (Noël Coward Theatre); The Girls - The Musical (Phoenix Theatre); The Go Between starring Michael Crawford (Apollo Theatre); Close To You Bacharach Reimagined (Criterion Theatre); Impossible (Noël Coward Theatre); Strangers On A Train (Gielgud Theatre) (WhatsOnStage Award - Nomination); The Full Monty (Noël Coward Theatre & National Tours); A Number (Old Vic Theatre); Lungs (Old Vic Theatre); Present Laughter (Old Vic Theatre) (WhatsOnStage Award - Nomination); The Crucible (Old Vic Theatre); David Blaine Live (Hammersmith Apollo and National Arena Tour); Dynamo Live - Seeing Is Believing (Hammersmith Apollo and World Arena Tour).
 
HUGH VANSTONE (Lighting Design) has designed lighting for over 200 productions worldwide and received many accolades for his work including two Tonys and three Olivier Awards for best lighting. Broadway credits include A Christmas Carol (2019 Tony award), The Boys in the Band, Groundhog Day, An Act of God, I'll Eat You Last..., Matilda (2013 Tony Award), Ghost (Tony nom), La Bête, Mary Stuart (Tony nom), A Steady Rain, God of Carnage, Shrek, Boeing-Boeing, Spamalot (Tony nom), Bombay DreamsLife x3, The Graduate, Blast!, Follies, The Unexpected Man, Closer, The Blue Room, ART . Hugh is based in London where he has won three Olivier Awards for Best Lighting. More at hughvanstone.com
 
FINN ROSS (Video Design). He has won two Oliviers, a Tony and three Drama Desks & four What's on Stage Awards. Recent work...Theatre: Tammy Fey, Spring Awakening (Almeida); My Neighbour Totoro (RSC); Dancin (Broadway); Back to the Future (West End); Frozen (West End) Les Misérables (West End); Sweet Charity (Donmar); Mean Girls (Broadway), Bat out of Hell (West End and International), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (West End & Broadway), Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Broadway/West End/Tour); Jagged Little Pill, In the Body of the World (American Reparatory Theatre & Broadway); American Psycho (Broadway & Almeida); Betrayal (Broadway); Chimerica (Almeida & West End); The Tempest (The RSC & Barbican); Master and Margarita, All My Sons, Shunkin (Complicite) Opera: The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahogany (Royal Opera House); Missa Solemnis (LA Phil); Benvenuto Cellini, Death of Klinghoffer, Death in Venice, Damnation of Faust, Don Giovanni, (ENO); Hänsel und Gretel, Zäuberflote, A Dog's Heart (DNO, Amsterdam); La clemenza di Tito, Mr Brouček (Opera North); Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Béatrice et Bénédict, Turn of the Screw (Theatre an der Wien); Rinaldo (Glyndebourne); Dance: Anna Karenina (The Joffrey Ballet); The Nutcracker (Atlanta Ballet); The Feeling of Going (Skånes Dansteater and Malmö Opera) Music: Cold Play (Music of the Spheres); Sam Fender (17 Going Under); Foals (Life is Yours); Herbert Grönemayer (20th Anniversary Concert); Mark Ronson (Midnight Feeling), J Balvin Fornightmares (Fortnight), W Hotel Instillation (Guangzhou, China); Rolling Stones Exhibitionism (International).
 
GARETH OWEN (Sound Design). Sound Design Award highlights: Tony Award & Drama Desk Award for MJ: The Musical; Olivier Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Broadway World Award, Green Room Award, Dora Award, Craig Noel Award and the WhatsOnStage Award for Come From Away; Olivier Award for Memphis; Olivier Award for Merrily We Roll Along; Tony nomination for A Little Night Music; Tony nomination for End Of The Rainbow; Olivier nomination for Back To The Future; Olivier nomination for Bat Out Of Hell; Olivier nomination for Top Hat; Olivier nomination for End Of The Rainbow and Pro Sound Award for Sound Engineer Of The Year. Broadway highlights: MJ: The Musical, & Juliet, Diana, Summer, Come From Away, A Bronx Tale, Spring Awakening, End Of The Rainbow, Bat Out Of Hell, Secret Garden and A Little Night Music. West End Highlights: Back To The Future, ALW's Cinderella, Prince Of Egypt, & Juliet, Come From Away, Bat Out Of Hell, Strictly Ballroom, 42nd Street, Wind In The Willows, Memphis, I Can't Sing, In The Heights, La Cage Aux Folles and Top Hat. International highlights: Starlight Express (Bochum, Germany), Disney's Hunchback Of Notre Dame (Worldwide), Disney's Little Mermaid (Worldwide).
 
CHRIS FISHER (Illusions) is a member of The Magic Circle. He works worldwide as International Illusions & Magic Associate for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Theatre as Illusion Consultant in New York includes; Company (Bernard B Jacobs Theatre), Angels in America (Neil Simon Theatre), Superhero (Tony Kiser Theatre). Illusion Consultant in London and UK: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Leeds Playhouse), The Time Traveller's Wife (Chester Storyhouse), Back to the Future: The Musical (Adelphi); 2:22 - A Ghost Story (Criterion, Gielgud and Noel Coward). The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Gillian Lynne and UK tour); Bedknobs and Broomsticks (UK Tour), Wicked (NeueFlora Theatre, Hamburg); Merlin (Northern Ballet); The Prince of Egypt (Dominion); Big the Musical (Dominion); Company (Gielgud), Peter Gynt (National Theatre); Julie (National Theatre); Angels in America (National Theatre); Macbeth (RSC, Swan Theatre and Barbican); Titus Andronicus (RSC), Barnum (Menier Chocolate Factory); The Hypocrite (Hull Truck Theatre/RSC, Swan Theatre); No Man's Land (Wyndham's); Into the Woods (Royal Exchange); Here We Go, Treasure Island (National Theatre); The Skriker (Royal Exchange).
 
ETHAN POPP (Orchestrations) is a Grammy Award nominated music producer as well as an Olivier Award and two-time Tony Award nominated orchestrator. With a career spanning over the last twenty years, his work as a music supervisor, arranger, orchestrator and music producer has been seen and heard worldwide. Theatre: Back To The Future (2022 Olivier Award Nomination – Best Original Score Or Orchestrations), Mrs. Doubtfire, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (2021 Tony Award Nomination – Best Orchestrations), School of Rock (2016 Tony Award Nomination – Best New Musical), Hedwig And The Angry Inch (2015 Tony Award Winner – Best Revival of a Musical), Motown The Musical (2013 Tony Award Nomination – Best Orchestrations & 2014 Grammy Award Nomination – Best Musical Theatre Album), Rock of Ages (2008 Tony Award Nomination – Best New Musical), Disney's Tarzan, We Will Rock You, Disney's Aida, Disney's The Lion King, Mamma Mia! and more. Television: Ethan has served as a composer, music producer, arranger and orchestrator on works from NBC/Universal's "Smash" and HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver." Film: His work on the big screen can be heard most notably as Music Director and Music Production Supervisor for 20th Century Fox's The Greatest Showman starring Hugh Jackman, and as vocal and piano coach to Academy Award winner Rami Malek in his starring role in Bohemian Rhapsody. www.ethanpopp.com
 
BRYAN CROOK (Orchestrations) is a Tony and Olivier-nominated orchestrator, songwriter, producer, composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist. He has performed on and contributed to several Grammy-winning albums and his career has been full of varied collaborations, from orchestral, Broadway, film, and television to jazz, pop, rock, EDM, and heavy metal. Credits include Ice Age 4 (Fox), The Emmy Awards, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Universal Studios), The Billboard Music Awards, The Tony Awards, Motown the Musical, The Book of Mormon, Back to the Future: The Musical, "Smash" (NBC), Legally Blonde, West Side Story, First Date, In the Heights, and Doubtfire among many others. He has played woodwinds in over 25 Broadway pit orchestras and touring shows around the world. Bryan maintains a busy studio schedule, composing, songwriting, recording, and producing music for film, TV, and commercial projects. He works with an amazing team of artists and producers through his production and publishing company Mana Music & Media with his best friends and partners Michael and Sarah Surprenant. Bryan's work can currently be heard in worldwide companies of Back to the Future: The Musical, Book of Mormon and Doubtfire. Bryan's most important credits will always be a husband to Hilary and father to Liam, Ethan, and Henry. I love you all dearly.
 
DAVID CHASE (Dance Arrangements). Music director, supervisor and/or arranger for over 40 Broadway productions. Many arrangements and orchestrations for the Boston Pops (including their signature Twelve Days of Christmas), The Kennedy Center Honors, Radio City Music Hall, and TV's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Love and Death" and "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." Music director and arranger for NBC's "Sound of Music Live!" and "Peter Pan Live!" (Emmy nominations for both), and Apple TV's "Schmigadoon!." Choral works recorded by Judith Clurman's EssentialVoicesUSA and published by Hal Leonard. Grammy and Olivier nominations. David lives in NYC with his wife, actress and Drama Desk nominee Paula Leggett Chase, and their two sons, Kyler and Dashiell. 
 
TARA RUBIN (Casting). Selected Broadway and National Tours: KPOP, Mr. Saturday Night, Six, Ain't Too Proud, King Kong, The Band's Visit, Prince of Broadway, Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon, Dear Evan Hansen, Cats, Falsettos, School of Rock, Bullets Over Broadway, Big Fish, Billy Elliot, Shrek, Spamalot, ...Spelling Bee, The Producers, Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera. Selected Off-Broadway: Sing Street, Trevor, Between the Lines, Clueless, Gloria: A Life, Smokey Joe's Café, Here Lies Love.
 
ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.
 
For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Follow @broadwayinchicago on FacebookInstagram, and TikTok #broadwayinchicago
Published in Upcoming Theatre
Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that individual tickets for the Chicago premiere of Congo Square Theatre Company's HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED, August Wilson's autobiographical show will go on sale tomorrow, Friday, February 16. Ticket prices will range from $45.00 to $65.00 with a select number of premium seats available. Tickets are available by visiting www.BroadwayInChicago.com or going to any Broadway In Chicago venue box office. Directed by Ken-Matt Martin and featuring Chicago's own Harry Lennix, this limited engagement will run from April 20 – May 5, 2024 at Broadway In Chicago's Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut St). Additional ticket information and the performance schedule are below.
 
"We are thrilled to celebrate our 25th anniversary season with the production of August Wilson's incredibly intimate memoir HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED," Ericka Ratcliff, Artistic Director, Congo Square Theatre Company said. "Congo Square was founded on a commitment to create and produce works by and for people of color. Honoring one of our greatest playwrights alongside this unique partnership with Broadway in Chicago allows Congo Square to connect August Wilson's work to a whole new generation of audiences."
 
"Broadway In Chicago is proud to work with Congo Square Theatre Company to present HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED," Lou Raizin, President, Broadway In Chicago said. "It is important to have the opportunities to showcase our local companies on a larger scale enriching a broader audience with their artistry."
 
HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED follows Wilson's journey as a young Black writer from Pittsburgh to one of the most celebrated American playwrights of the 20th century. Written three years before his death, the one-man show recounts numerous stories from the author's long career and the lessons they taught about what it means to be a Black artist in America.
 
TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets for HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED will go on sale tomorrow February 16 and will range in price from $45.00 to $65.00 with a select number of premium seats available. Individual tickets are available by visiting www.BroadwayInChicago.com or going to any Broadway In Chicago venue box office. Groups of 10 or more may book now by calling (312) 977-1710 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please visit BroadwayInChicago.com for more details and schedule. 
 
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
WEEK ONE
Saturday, Apr. 20 at 7:30 pm
 
WEEK TWO
Tuesday, Apr. 23 at 7:00 pm
Wednesday, Apr. 24 at 7:00 pm
Thursday, Apr. 25 at 7:00 pm
Friday, Apr. 26 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, Apr. 27 at 2:00 pm
Saturday, Apr. 27 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, Apr. 28 at 1:00 pm
Sunday, Apr. 28 at 6:30 pm
 
WEEK THREE
Tuesday, Apr. 30 at 7:00 pm
Wednesday, May 1 at 1:00 pm
Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00 pm
Thursday, May 2 at 7:00 pm
Friday, May 3 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 4 at 2:00 pm
Saturday, May 4 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, May 5 at 1:00 pm
The final performance is on Sunday, May 5 at 2:00 p.m.
For more information visit BroadwayInChicago.com.
 
ABOUT CONGO SQUARE THEATRE COMPANY
Congo Square Theatre Company is an ensemble dedicated to producing transformative work rooted in the African Diaspora. Congo Square is a haven for artists of color to challenge and redefine the theatrical canon by amplifying and creating stories that reflect the reach and complexities of Black Culture and is one of only two African American Actors' Equity theater companies in Chicago. Founded in 1999 with a mission to provide a platform for Black artists to present work that exemplified the majesty, diversity, and intersectionality of stories from the African Diaspora, Congo Square's guiding principles are radical generosity, radical community, and radical expansion.
 
Congo Square has risen to become one of the most well-respected African American theaters in the nation. Previously mentored by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson, Congo Square's August Wilson New Play Initiative has cultivated talents such as playwright Chadwick Boseman (Marvel Studio's Black Panther), who penned the 2006 Jeff nominated play Deep Azure, Lisa Langford who's play How Blood Go was premiered by Congo Square in 2023, and playwright Lydia Diamond, who penned the massively successful Stick Fly, a critically acclaimed play that explores race, class, and familial friction. Stick Fly ultimately ran on Broadway and is currently being developed into a full-length series for HBO with Alicia Keys serving as a producer. Congo Square also produced the widely praised Seven Guitars, which won top honors for best ensemble, best direction, and best production at the 2005 Joseph Jefferson Awards. This would earn the theater company the distinction of being the first African American theater company to receive such an honor.
 
Congo Square's Samuel G. Roberson Next Up Fellowship celebrates young playwrights by providing resources for college and high school aged students to enhance their writing and identity as a playwright. Each selected fellow not only has their ten-minute play workshopped into a full-length play with Congo Square, but they also receive a yearlong writing mentorship with playwright, Kristiana Rae Colón. The 2023-24 Fellow is Maria D. Smith.
 
Congo Square's Community Engagement and Education programs bring the impact of theater to young audiences. Its outreach programs, CORE (Curriculum Objectives Residency Enrichment), and CAST (Congo After School Theater), present and teach theater arts by providing classroom and after-school residencies that provide Teaching Artists to build upon already established Chicago Public Schools literature and art curriculums. CORE and CAST impact students, schools, and community organizations located on the South and West sides of Chicago.
 
For more information on Congo Square's 2023-24 Season, visit www.congosquaretheatre.org.
 
ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop, including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, Auditorium Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.
 
For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
 
Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● TikTok @broadwayinchicago   #broadwayinchicago
 
Published in Upcoming Theatre

“May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
May you stay forever young”

For many, if they are unfamiliar with the music of Bob Dylan, they have at least heard the one. As the opening cords of “Forever Young” start to play, Elizabeth (Jennifer Blood) takes center stage. She sits on the bench and sings – backlit by a screen of light blue. Aside from her husband, Nick (John Schiappa), who sits frozen by her side – the stage is empty. The room is silent save for her stunning vibrato. We are left with nothing but her and the lyrics on which to focus, allowing us to join in her somber, reflective journey.  

Juke-box musicals can often run into challenges. In trying to fit an entire score of pre-made material, it can become tough to craft a story that flows and feels authentic. Girl from the North Country is a Bob Dylan juke-box musical, and you may just find that the creators found the perfect balance of storytelling to match his folk/rock genre.

Written and directed by Conor McPherson, Girl from the North Country centers on a group of wayward travelers in Duluth, Minnesota in 1934. When these characters meet at Nick’s old guesthouse, we catch glimpses into their lives – past relationships, hopes for the future, and all of the regrets leading them to this moment. Much of McPherson’s musical is told in a vignette style – moments in which we see these characters briefly interact before moving on to their rooms for the evening. Scenic and Costume Designer Rae Smith heightens the theatricality with her design. Rather than featuring a full house on stage, we see the structure in segments – with walls dropping in various places as a way to highlight the characters’ interactions before moving to a different space in the house. 

The musical showcases a list of famous songs by Bob Dylan including “Forever Young,” “All Along the Watch Tower,” “Hurricane,” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” With the story moving so quickly, Dylan’s slower musical style allows the audience to catch up as the songs unfold – giving us just enough pause to catch a window into the characters’ true feelings before speeding back up again. This especially rings true in the more heartbreaking, romantic storylines of the show.

“Tight Connection to my Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love)” appears early in Act One and features Marianne Laine (Sharaé Moultrie) – the adopted daughter of the innkeeper. We learn that she is pregnant but refuses to let anyone know the identity of the father – including her parents. As we see her break away after guest after guest pushes for that answer, the music starts to play. The lights shift. Moultrie is backlit by a bright green screen as she begins to sing – creating a haunting presence as her powerful belt rings throughout the theater. After seeing so many characters move in and out of the space, you may find that Marianne’s isolation on stage almost feels like a shock, but also offers a much-needed moment of backstory before quickly moving on to the next.

A moving story and jaw-dropping vocalists alone make Girl from the North Country a night to remember Conor McPherson and his artistic team celebrate Bob Dylan’s music in a way that I can only imagine is exciting for long-time fans to experience first-hand.

RECOMMENDED

Running through February 25, 2024 at the CIBC Theatre – 18 Monroe Street.

Published in Theatre in Review

CHICAGO (February 12, 2024) – Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce that LESLIE ODOM, JR. will be returning to Chicago for one night only in concert at the CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe) on Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 pm. Ticket prices will range from $60 - $115, with a select number of premium tickets available. Groups of 10+ are now available for purchase by calling 312-977-1710 and current subscribers may add tickets to the show by calling (312) 977-1717. Single tickets for this event will go on sale this Friday, February 16. 

Leslie Odom, Jr. is a multifaceted Tony and Grammy Award-winning, three-time Emmy and two-time Academy Award-nominated vocalist, songwriter, actor, and New York Times bestselling author. With a career that spans all performance genres, Odom has received recognition for his excellence and achievements in Broadway, television, film, and music. Most recently, Odom made his long-awaited return to Broadway starring in, and co-producing, the new Broadway production of the classic American comedy Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch by the legendary Ossie Davis, which opened in September 2023 to widespread critical acclaim. Additionally, he stars in the highly anticipated sequel to the original iconic film The Exorcist for Blumhouse and Universal Pictures out October 6, 2023. Odom recently starred in Rian Johnson's 2022 Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which broke records for Netflix and is currently streaming worldwide. In 2020, he starred as legendary singer Sam Cooke in the award-winning Amazon film adaptation of One Night in Miami..., directed by Regina King. His critically acclaimed and highly lauded portrayal of the soul icon and musical performance of original song "Speak Now" earned him multiple awards and nominations. He also starred in The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to David Chase's award-winning HBO series The Sopranos, released in October 2021. Well known for his breakout role as 'Aaron Burr' in the smash hit Broadway musical Hamilton, Odom hosted "The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back!" on CBS in September 2021 (2022 Emmy nomination). Additional film and television credits include Apple TV+'s Central Park (2020 Emmy nomination), Hamilton on Disney+ (2021 Emmy nomination), Abbott ElementaryThe Proud Family: Louder and ProuderLove in the Time of CoronaHarriet, and many more. Co-written with Nicolette Robinson, Odom's first children's book, I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know, was published by Feiwel & Friends on March 28, 2023. The book debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at #7 in its first week. Odom is a BMG recording artist and has released five full-length albums. Released in November 2023, Odom's fifth full-length album and his first of all-new original music since 2019, When A Crooner Dies, features a collection of 10 newly penned, original tracks that mark his most personal body of music to date.

TICKET INFORMATION

Individual tickets will go on sale this Friday, February 16. Ticket prices will range from $60 - $115, with a select number of premium tickets available. Groups of 10+ are now available for purchase by calling 312-977-1710 and current subscribers may add tickets to the show by calling (312) 977-1717. Please visit BroadwayInChicago.com for more details and schedule. 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 7:30 PM (CT)

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 24 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Follow @broadwayinchicago on FacebookInstagram, and TikTok

Published in Upcoming Theatre

I absolutely adored Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue directed by Eric Swanson, now playing at Broadway Playhouse. Having grown up in Miami, Florida with my working single mom when the show actually began airing, the Golden Girls have always been a nostalgic favorite for me. The only stage creations I've seen of Golden Girls have all been done in drag by some of the best drag actors and actresses in Chicago, so I was pleasantly surprised with this beautifully casted production to see the fantastic accuracy and sense of humor that came alive in this very funny and fast paced take on our four golden heroes. 

“It’s not an old episode, it’s a brand-new show,” said Vince Kelley, who plays Blanche said in an interview with WTTW. “Sophia is out on bail looking to make money. Rose and Blanche have started a new hookup app for seniors to meet. Through the app, Dorothy finds a younger man and experiences a new romance.” Kelley continued, “Did you watch Sex and the City or Girlfriends? They wouldn’t even exist. There wouldn’t even be that four-character type show without the Golden Girls.”

This new play is based on Golden Girls, the mega-popular TV series about four retired women living together that ran from the mid-eighties through the early nineties. The show helped pave the way for women in leading roles and has gained more and more popularity with generation after generation. The wonderful thing about the original TV show created by the brilliant writers Susan Harris and Paul Junger Witt, is the way it brought to light the problems, pitfalls and joys of aging in ways that were insightful, touching and hilarious. This production which is set in 2023 written by Robert Leleux takes the time to illustrate several important issues facing seniors today.

In this story, Sophia has been arrested for selling marijuana brownies and LSD laced cakes to her fellow senior citizens at the nearby senior assisted living facility and gives a wonderful speech about why she should not be sent to jail for "rolling a few joints for those of her friends who have glaucoma" or selling LSD cakes to otherwise terminally bored and serious seniors who want to get over their fear of death.

Rose and Blanche have created a hugely successful app for "horny seniors" called “Creakin’” because the alert sound is hysterically the sound of creaking bones. The girls hope to pay Sophia’s legal fees with the money they make from the app. Blanche declares with a sexy sigh, "You have no idea how many of them there ARE!!" It's a sound idea, actually. My mother spent eighteen years in various senior facilities and dating of any kind let alone sexual contact within each facility was very difficult and limited by their tiny community and inability to meet new people.

Dorothy just happens to use the app and swipes right on a younger man, Burt, who falls in love with her and offers her a whole new life as a star if she moves to New York with him! Dorothy’s younger love interest’s sincere sexual and intellectual attraction to her is not played off as a joke. It is played as a very exciting and mutually fulfilling meeting of minds and bodies in late life.  

This cast is downright stellar. Vince Kelley as Blanche is mind-blowing. Kelley is an absolute scene stealer with all of Blanche's overt sex appeal and unabashed libertine wildness. Adam Graber is an unbelievably beautiful and adorable Rose recreating with seeming ease and beauty the glorious comic timing of Betty White. Ryan Bernier, as Dorothy, has all of Bea Arthur's dry humor and intelligence and wisdom and even her subtle sexiness down pat while Christopher Kamm as Sophie hits on one-liner after one-liner. The transformation Kamm goes through to take on the role of Sophia in incredible in itself. Also commanding a good number of hearty laughs is Jason Bowen who plays dual roles of both Stanley, Dorothy’s ex-husband, and Burt, her new lover. The entire cast should be awarded for their performances which go beyond camp and into sincere tribute to each of the wonderful actresses who created these evergreen characters, Betty White, Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty and Rue McClanahan.

Yes, it takes great writers to create a show with this kind of universal and lasting appeal, but actresses are so often made to feel that they are replaceable, interchangeable and downright un-castable after the age of 35, and Arthur, White, McClanahan and Getty helped change that.

The degree to which these talented actors have recreated and brought back to life the work of four of the  greatest comediennes of ANY generation moved me so much because it demonstrated that the huge and long lasting success of this show hinged not just on the greatness of its writers, it absolutely was the result of the outstanding work of four actresses, who were always irreplaceable, never interchangeable and eminently castable well into their golden years. 

I highly recommend this production.

Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue is being performed at Broadway Playhouse at Water Place through May 26th. For tickets and/or more show information, click here.   

Published in Theatre in Review
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