Displaying items by tag: CIBC Theatre

Brace yourself for the scare of a lifetime, as the world of Insidious jumps off the screen and directly into your theater seat with "INSIDIOUS: THE FURTHER YOU FEAR" – a live immersive horror experience that will bring your darkest fears to life right before your eyes, based on the box office hit horror film franchise from Blumhouse, director James Wan, and writer Leigh Whannell. GEA Live, Blumhouse, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and RoadCo Entertainment have joined forces to unveil a spine-tingling, live immersive show that will haunt 80+ seated theaters across North America in 2025 including Broadway In Chicago's CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe) on February 14 & 15, 2025 with performances at 7:30PM each.

Individual tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, October 25, 2024 at 10 AM, and will be available for purchase at BroadwayInChicago.com. Ticket prices range from $40.00 - $105.00, with a select number of premium seats available for all performances. Groups of 10+ can be purchased now by calling (312) 977-1710 or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Subscribers can add tickets to their package by logging onto their account. For more details, visit BroadwayInChicago.com.

"INSIDIOUS: THE FURTHER YOU FEAR" is a heart-pounding live theatrical experience where the lines between reality and fiction blur, constantly challenging what's real and what's imagined, what's safe and what's dangerous. This groundbreaking immersive experience is meticulously crafted to always keep the audience on edge, with no fourth wall to separate them -or protect them- from the unfolding terror. Each attendee will go face-to-face with the protagonists, making the audience an integral character in the chilling story as it unravels.

"We have brought some of the most respected names in the horror and entertainment industries together to make this groundbreaking show possible and ensure a hauntingly unforgettable experience for audiences everywhere," says Floris Douwes from GEA Live. "We're excited to bring the eerie and otherworldly thrills of 'Insidious' to cities around the country," says Co-Director Toby Park. Park, who is also composing the original music for the show, and Co-Director Aitor Basauri are artistic directors for Spymonkey, and serve as creative directors for "INSIDIOUS: THE FURTHER YOU FEAR."

"Bringing audiences deeper into The Further with this live experience has been an exciting challenge, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how they respond," said Jason Blum, Founder/CEO, Blumhouse. "Insidious is one of our most popular franchises, with a sixth installment premiering next year, and this is a fresh and frightening new way for fans to experience it."

"INSIDIOUS: THE FURTHER YOU FEAR" is an exciting new story conceived within the Insidious universe. Hosted as a live event by the "real" Specs and Tucker, the actual paranormal investigators who inspired the first movie, the "Spectral Sightings Road Show" soon takes a turn for the terrifying. As the infamous duo desperately try to prove they are legitimate ghost-hunters, things start to become very Insidious when a paranormal demonstration goes wrong and dark forces are inadvertently unleashed. Trapped in a genuinely haunted theatre, with something truly sinister lurking back-stage, the audience will find themselves under attack from such iconic characters as the Bride in Black, the Wheezing Man and, of course, the terrifying Lipstick Faced Demon. But what's real? What's the show? And who are you really sitting next to?

The house is full. The stage is set. And the Red Door is about to open.

The iconic "Insidious" franchise, consistently gaining momentum over the years, is a box office sensation generating more than $742 million in revenue across five highly successful films. The growing legion of fans includes an active community of five million social media followers. However, while the show is a must for Insidious fans, it's also created for those who don't know the films, particularly those who love a fun, thrill-filled night out at the theatre.

For tickets, tour dates, and more information, visit www.insidious-live.com and follow Insidious on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

About GEA Live

Since its inception in 2003, GEA Live has delivered innovative live entertainment projects in more than 40 countries, becoming a global leader in the location-based entertainment sector. GEA Live has closely cooperated with the legend Maestro Ennio Morricone (representing him exclusively for all live touring) as well as with icons of music film industry such as James Newton Howard, Giorgio Moroder and George Fenton. In addition to producing live cinematic experiences such as the Johnny Cash Official Concert Experience or Elvis Live On Screen, GEA Live has produced live screenings with orchestra and choir of major motion pictures such as Spider-Man, Dirty Dancing, The Godfather, Titanic, La La Land, Twilight, The Hunger Games, Paddington and Amadeus. This journey has led to fruitful collaborations with renowned studios and IP giants such as Lionsgate, Viacom, Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers, and other global leaders in the branded entertainment landscape, earning GEA Live its well-deserved position as the most reliable and trusted partner for location-based entertainment projects worldwide.

About RoadCo

RoadCo Entertainment is a producing and distribution agency specializing in live entertainment experiences. Formed in 2020, RoadCo is a collaboration between Sony Music Entertainment and independent touring entrepreneurs Stephen Lindsay and Brett Sirota, co-founders of The Road Company, a leading independent theatrical booking agency. RoadCo represents a broad roster of live events based on popular brands and pre-existing intellectual properties, as well as all-new immersive, interactive attractions for viewers of all ages.

About Spymonkey

Spymonkey is the UK's leading physical comedy ensemble led by co-artistic directors Aitor Basauri and Toby Park. The have been making 'Theatre of the Funny' since 1998. With their dark, edgy physical comedy rooted 'somewhere between Monty Python, the Marx Brothers and Samuel Beckett' (The Houston Chronicle), Spymonkey have proved to be a truly international phenomenon, enjoyed by and accessible to, a wide range of international audiences from Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas to Sydney Opera House, from London's West End to Just For Laughs Montreal. Recent years have seen the company growing in new directions as their creative focus has shifted from performing to creating and producing Spymonkey shows, as well as an extensive international training programme. In 2023 they directed Orpheus in the Underworld, a first full-scale opera at the Volksoper in Vienna, and their first show for children, Hairy in London. Spymonkey also have an extensive programme of workshops and training opportunities in the UK and abroad, particularly through a thriving network in the USA.

Spymonkey's associate, theatre and screenwriter, and a self-confirmed horror film obsessive Carl Grose will be co-writing Insidious: The Further You Fear.

About Blumhouse

Blumhouse is the driving force in horror, producing over 200 movies and television series with theatrical grosses of almost $6 billion in global box office. Blumhouse is home to the highest number of ongoing franchises of any studio, including Halloween, The Purge, The Black Phone, Paranormal Activity, The Exorcist, Insidious, M3GAN, and Five Nights at Freddy's, along with iconic films from cinematic visionaries including Jordan Peele's Get Out, Damien Chazelle's Whiplash and Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman. In January 2024, Blumhouse merged with James Wan's Atomic Monster, which has produced its own successful film franchises including The Conjuring, Aquaman , Annabelle, The Nun and Saw.

In addition to film, Blumhouse produces provocative scripted and unscripted television series and documentaries, including the upcoming original series The Sticky, produced by Jamie Lee Curtis for Amazon; The Bondsman, starring Kevin Bacon and from creator Grainger David and showrunner Erik Oleson, also for Amazon; Worst Roommate Ever for Netflix; and The Jinx for HBO. The company also recently launched a games division.

Blumhouse was honored by Fast Company as one of its Most Innovative Companies in 2024 and one of its Brands That Matter in 2023. The company is investing in its brand development and connection with audiences through its consistent presence at Universal Studios' annual Halloween Horror Nights, its first Halfway to Halloween Film Festival with AMC and its upcoming transformation of an exhibit space at the iconic Stanley Hotel from The Shining.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. Sony Pictures Television operates dozens of wholly-owned or joint-venture production companies around the world. SPE's Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, Sony Pictures International Productions, and Sony Pictures Classics. 

About Broadway In Chicago

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 25 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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The Hip Hop Nutcracker returns to Broadway In Chicago, playing at the CIBC Theatre from December 10 to December 15, 2024. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, October 9, for the modern twist of Tchaikovsky's 130-year-old ballet.  Ticket information can be found below. Kurtis Blow is host and MC of the family-friendly holiday mash-up and contemporary holiday dance spectacle that has performed more than 250 times in 70 cities. Joining Blow on stage is the powerhouse cast of a dozen all-star dancers, an on-stage DJ, and an electric violinist.

Individual tickets are available at BroadwayInChicago.com. Ticket prices range from $38.00 - $116.00, with a select number of premium seats available for all performances. Groups of 10+ can be purchased by calling (312) 977-1710 or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Subscribers can add tickets to their package by logging onto their account. For more details, visit BroadwayInChicago.com.

"The Hip Hop Nutcracker" is directed, choreographed, and co-created by Jennifer Weber – an Emmy winner and two-time Tony and Olivier award-nominee who also choreographed the international hit musical, "& Juliet" currently playing on Broadway. Executive producing is three-time Tony winner and two-time Olivier award-winning producer Eva Price, whose productions have garnered six Olivier Awards, two GRAMMY Awards, two Emmy Awards, and 19 Tony Awards. The re-mixed and re-imagined version of the classic story turns the beloved Nutcracker score on its head. Hip hop dance and Tchaikovsky's timeless music blend together for a heart-stirring and inspirational holiday event that takes audiences on a journey celebrating love, community, and the magic of the holiday season.

"The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a magical journey where tradition meets innovation, offering families and friends a holiday experience like no other," says Blow, who paved the way for generations of hip hop artists and fans after scoring the first certified gold record rap song in 1980. Blow is also responsible for "Christmas Rappin," acclaimed for being the first rap holiday song. "This show is proof that the magic of the holidays can be found in the most unexpected places." Blow says the all-star cast, dynamic choreography, and stunning performances honor hip hop's rich history while celebrating a cherished holiday story.

Just like the original, Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker Prince go on a dream adventure battling a gang of mice, visiting the land of sweets, and learning the lessons of the holiday season. Innovative digital graffiti and visuals transform the landscape of E.T.A. Hoffmann's beloved story from traditional 19th century Germany to the vibrant, diverse sights and sounds of contemporary New York City.

Created in 2013 by Weber and writer Mike Fitelson, the production has evolved into a masterpiece due to the creators' never-ending commitment to enhancing the production, and dancers who continue to raise the bar each year.

For tour dates and more information about where to purchase tickets to "The Hip Hop Nutcracker," visit www.hiphopnutcracker.com. For the latest news and updates follow "The Hip Hop Nutcracker" on Facebook and Instagram; #HipHopNutcracker.

About Jennifer Weber (Director/Choreographer)

Jennifer Weber is the choreographer of the international hit musical, & Juliet currently playing on Broadway and in Germany as well as touring across the US and UK. The show previously played Australia, Singapore and London's West End. She received both Olivier & Tony Nominations for Best Choreography for her work on & Juliet. Broadway/Off Broadway KPOP (Tony Nomination, Best Choreography), American Idiot (CTG/Deaf West), Teenage Dick (The Public), Cruel Intentions (LPR/US Tour). Upcoming projects include Take the Lead (Papermill Playhouse) and Kane and Able (The Orb, Tokyo). Film: Disney Zombies 2, While You Were Gone (Emmy Win, short form entertainment) TV: The Tonight Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Tony Awards, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Good Morning America, America's Got Talent, Britain's Got Talent, Strictly Come Dancing and Blue Peter; Commissions: Tulsa Ballet, LA Music Center, Baryshnikov Arts Center, NY City Center. Weber is the co-creator, director, and choreographer of The Hip Hop Nutcracker, featuring rap legend Kurtis Blow, touring annually across the U.S. and recorded for an Emmy winning PBS All Arts special. In 2022, she collaborated with Disney as Executive Producer / Choreographer on a film version of The Hip Hop Nutcracker for Disney+.

About Eva Price (Executive Producer)

EVA PRICE (Producer) is an NYCLU/ACLU honoree and a three-time Tony award-winning, and two-time Olivier award-winning producer. Her productions have garnered 6 Olivier Awards, 2 Grammy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, and 19 Tony Awards. Current: & Juliet (Broadway, National Tour); Titanique (Off-Broadway, International Companies) The Hip Hop Nutcracker (Touring Live Show, Disney +). Upcoming: Redwood (Broadway); Take the Lead (Paper Mill Playhouse). Selected credits: Redwood (La Jolla Playhouse), A Transparent Musical (Center Theatre Group); Mindplay (Arena Stage & Geffen Playhouse); Jagged Little Pill (2 Tony Awards); Oklahoma! (2 Tony Awards, 2 Olivier Awards, Best Musical Revival, National Tour, West End); Tina - The Tina Turner Musical; What the Constitution Means to Me; Angels in America (Tony-winning Broadway Revival starring Nathan Lane and Andrew Garfield); Dear Evan Hansen (6 Tony Awards, 3 Olivier Awards); Peter and the Starcatcher (5 Tony Awards) along with several solo shows and critically acclaimed concerts starring The Temptations & The Four Tops; Kathy Griffin; Lewis Black; Colin Quinn; and Hershey Felder.

About Mike Fitelson (Writer/Co-Creator)

Mike Fitelson is the CEO of the United Palace, the 94-year-old Wonder Theatre in Washington Heights, Manhattan's 4th largest theatre. In 2014 as the executive director of the nonprofit United Palace of Cultural Arts (UPCA) he co-created "The Hip Hop Nutcracker" with Jennifer Weber, adapting the story and supplying the images for the scenery, and produced its premiere. Fitelson has worked to build the Northern Manhattan arts community for 22 years. He co-founded the annual arts festival, the Uptown Arts Stroll, in 2003; served in every capacity of the Manhattan Times, the bilingual community newspaper of Washington Heights and Inwood, from 2002-2011; and helped found the nonprofit Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance in 2006. 

About New Jersey Performing Arts Center/NJPAC (Producer)

NJPAC, located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States. It is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey — where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. As New Jersey's anchor cultural institution, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State's and the world's best artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 11 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. www.njpac.org

About Maximum Entertainment Productions (MEP)

MEP (General Management) is a producing, developing, and management company founded by Avram Freedberg, Mary Beth Dale, and Eva Price; and is joined by Managing Director/General Manager Carl Flanigan. Select credits include Titanique, Redwood, Small Mouth Sounds; Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical; Verso; Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on Broadway!; The Lion; The Hip Hop Nutcracker; and Colin Quinn: Long Story Short. www.maximumcompany.com

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 25 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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Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the Tony Award®-winning musical, PARADE, will play the CIBC Theatre (18 w. Monroe St.) for a limited two-week engagement, August 5 -17, 2025.

The producers of the acclaimed Broadway revival of PARADE, winner of the 2023 Tony Award® for Best Revival of a Musical, are proud to announce that Max Chernin and Talia Suskauer will play Leo Frank and Lucille Frank on the National Tour.

PARADE's Tony Award®-winning director Michael Arden said, "Max and Talia are extraordinary artists who bring an incredible sense of identity and empathy to their work, rooted in their Jewish heritage. I can't wait for audiences across the country to witness the remarkable depth, passion, and grace they will bring to their portrayals of Leo and Lucille Frank."

Max Chernin is thrilled to reunite with his PARADE family after being a part of the show's award-winning runs on Broadway and at New York City Center. Hailing from Shaker Heights, Ohio, Max is recognized for playing "Samuel Strong" on Seasons 2 and 3 of the Apple TV+ comedy "Dickinson," and co-starred opposite Adam Sandler and Chris Rock in the Netflix/Happy Madison comedy feature film The Week Of, directed by Robert Smigel. On Broadway, he created the role of "Max" in Steve Martin & Edie Brickell's Bright Star, and starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford in the 2017 revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George. Max has appeared on New York stages in Brooklynite at Vineyard Theatre, Bernstein's Mass at Lincoln Center, and The Golden Apple at New York City Center. Recent stage credits include the lead role of "Andrew" in the world premiere of Passing Through at Goodspeed Opera House, Motel in Fiddler on the Roof at The Muny, Buddy in Elf at PTC and NCT), and Jervis in Daddy Long Legs at Theatre Raleigh. On television, Max has guest starred on "The Blacklist," "The Family," and "Mozart in the Jungle." He holds a BFA from Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and won the American Traditions Competition's Silver Medal and the Lotte Lenya Foundation's Carolyn Weber Award.

Talia Suskauer has played Elphaba in both the Broadway and the National Tour productions of Wicked. Her other New York credits include Be More Chill, both on Broadway and at Signature Theater. Regionally, Talia has starred as Dot in Sunday in the Park with George at Axelrod Arts Performing Arts Center, Louise in Gypsy at Goodspeed Opera House, Jo in Little Women, and Lily in The Secret Garden. Her film and television credits include "FBI: Most Wanted" and 31 Candles to be released next year. Most recently, she is currently playing Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors at Ogunquit Playhouse. Talia has performed at Carnegie Hall and performs solo shows around the country. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Penn State University.

As previously announced, the production will run technical rehearsals and have its first public performances at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady from January 11-17, 2025, followed by its official tour premiere at Hennepin Art's historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis from January 21-26, 2025.

The 32-week National Tour of PARADE will then play Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City (January 21 – February 2, 2025), Playhouse Square in Cleveland (February 4-23, 2025), Fisher Theatre in Detroit (February 25 – March 9, 2025), the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston (March 11-23, 2025), the Belk Theater in Charlotte (March 25-30, 2025), the Fox Theatre in Atlanta (April 1-6, 2025), The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle (April 16 – May 4, 2025), Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center in Sacramento (May 6-11, 2025), the Curran Theatre in San Francisco (May 13 – June 8, 2025), The Smith Center in Las Vegas (June 10-15), the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles (June 17 – July 12, 2025), The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Houston (July 15-20, 2025), Des Moines Civic Center in Des Moines (July 29 – August 3, 2025), CIBC Theatre in Chicago (August 5 – 17, 2025) and The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC (August 19 – September 7, 2025).

Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks.

PARADE is directed by Tony Award® winner Michael Arden, with book by two-time Tony Award® winner, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Academy Award® winner Alfred Uhry, music and lyrics by three-time Tony Award® winner Jason Robert Brown, and co-conceived by 21-time Tony Award®-winning legend Harold Prince.

The production has received overwhelming acclaim since its debut. The New York Times said, "this revival, filled with deft flourishes by director Michael Arden, recalls an era of big casts, big stories, and big talent – a time when musicals actually felt like events." Entertainment Weekly called Parade "the most gorgeous production on Broadway."  Deadline proclaimed that Parade is "a work of art! As commanding as any musical revival to hit Broadway in years." Time Out New York stated that "Parade will echo for a long time to come. See it before the parade passes by."

Leo and Lucille Frank are a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in the old red hills of Georgia. When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and devotion. Riveting and gloriously hopeful, PARADE reminds us that to love, we must truly see one another.

PARADE played its final performance of its strictly limited Broadway engagement on Sunday, August 6, 2023. This production first premiered at New York City Center where it was instantly sold out, playing November 1-6, 2022.

The Parade (2023 Broadway Cast Recording), which was nominated for a 2023 Grammy Award® for Best Musical Theater Album, is available on all digital platforms.

The creative team for PARADE includes Lauren Yalango-Grant & Christopher Cree Grant (choreography), Tony Award® nominee Dane Laffrey (scenic design), Tony Award® winner Susan Hilferty (costume design), Tony Award® nominee Heather Gilbert (lighting design), Drama Desk Award nominee Jon Weston (sound design), Tony Award® nominee Sven Ortel (projection design) and Tom Watson (hair and wig design). Justin Scribner is the Production Supervisor, Veronica Aglow is the Production Stage Manager, Tom Murray is the Music Supervisor, Charlie Alterman is the Music Director, Kimberlee Wertz is the Music Coordinator, Telsey + Co/Craig Burns, CSA is the Casting Director and Samuel Dallas/ShowTown Theatricals is the General Manager. PARADE was originally directed on Broadway by Harold Prince.

The National Tour of PARADE is produced by Seaview, Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, New York City Center, Erica Lynn Schwartz, Pencil Factory Productions, Eric & Marsi Gardiner, Chutzpah Productions, Robin Merrie, Cynthia Stroum, Julie Cohen, Marcia Goldberg, John Gore Organization, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, Roth-Manella Productions, Runyonland Sussman, ShowTown Productions, Rachel Styne, Tom Tuft, Benjamin Simpson, Nathan Vernon, Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson and Bee Carrozzini.

www.paradebroadway.com

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ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 25 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.

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First on the stage was Tabla artist Salar Nader, considered Afghanistan’s premier virtuoso on the tabla. His unceasing accompaniment was at times almost subliminal, then bursting out with intentional significance, but ever present, keeping us firmly rooted in Afghani culture … though I hadn’t been aware that in August 2021 the Taliban banned music in Afghanistan. Welcome to the States, Salar!

THE KITE RUNNER is based on the book by Khaled Hosseini, adapted for the stage by Matthew Spangler. Be warned that THE KITE RUNNER is not a light-hearted tale of boys frolicking in fields; many scenes in THE KITE RUNNER will be triggering to many people. These duplicities and complexities are what make THE KITE RUNNER a superb story.

Amir is the protagonist and narrator of the story, splendidly played by Ramzi Khalaf.  Fitting, as Amir’s talent for writing and storytelling is a key factor in his relationship with his father Baba (Haythem Noor), who is bitterly disappointed that his son is not interested in the games of ‘real men’, like soccer.

One game that Amir is enthusiastic about is Kabul’s annual Kite Fighting contest. Kite fighting is a two-man team sport: Amir directs and steers the kite while the glass-edged line is reeled out by kite runner Hassan, ardently played by Shahzeb Zahid Hussain. This relationship between Amir and Hassan is a central and enduring theme throughout THE KITE RUNNER.  

In Kabul kite fighting the kite strings are sharp and the sole objective is to use the tension of your string to cut all your opponent’s kite strings: the game is over when there is but one kite remaining in the sky. The runner’s role is to keep continual fixity on the line: just enough traction to make the string a weapon. There are no other rules … except, of course, that only boys can play.

Salar Nadar in The Kite Runner National Tour 

Amir and Hassan are closer than brothers: born into the same house, they nurse at the same (wetnurse’) breast, they take their first step together, and they speak their first words the same day: Amir’s first word is “Baba”, while Hassan’s is “Amir”. Though they live in the same estate, Amir and Baba sleep in the palatial house, all marble walls and crystal chandeliers, while Hassan and his father Ali (Hassan Nazari-Robati) live in a mud hut against the wall of the compound. The bonds of loyalty, Baba to his servant Ali and Amir to Hassan, are strong despite Baba and Amir being Pashtun, practicing Sunni Islam, while Ali and Hassan are ethnic Hazara and Shi’a Muslims. Throughout the story Amir struggles to navigate his feelings of ethnic superiority over the natural bonds of friendship: ‘But he’s not my friend! I almost blurted. He’s my servant!’ … and ‘Why did I play with Hassan only when no one else was around?’  

The Pashtun’s genetic elitism manifests in their relationships: meek, humble Ali would never dream of sullying his fealty to his lifelong master, any more than Hassan would renege on his allegiance to Amir. Both Pashtun men, however, deceive and betray the Hazara men they love dearly. Prejudice against Hazara is widespread: Hassan is often bullied by Assef (Wiley Naman Strasser) and his brutish cronies; Amir usually defends him… usually.

BTW: Any of this sound familiar? THE KITE RUNNER is totally relevant to 2024.

The production was splendidly directed by Giles Croft, with the able assistance of Cultural Advisor and Dialect Coach Humaira Ghilzai, who has meticulously crafted every detail to accurately reflect the glory of Afghan culture, particularly the Nikah (wedding) ceremony and the sparkling Afghan national dance, attan; I’ll wager Movement Director Kitty Winter had real fun with this!

The production crew was outstanding. The minimalist sets by Barney George were perfect to contain the complexities of the script. I loved how the curtains were triangular, like kites, and how their color changed via Lighting Designer Charles Balfour. The work of Musical Supervisor Jonathan Girling, Sound Designer Drew Baumohl and Projection Designer William Simpson allowed us to differentiate our location as the story moved from Kabul to San Francisco, from the kite-fighting fields to the cramped and sterile offices at Immigration. I need to give a shoutout to Fight Consultant Thomas Schall; he had a lot of work in this production and the fights came off flawlessly.

I always make sure to praise the Stage Manager. I once asked my friend and Thespian oracle, “so what does a Stage Manager do?” to which they replied: “Everything.” So, thanks, Giles T Horne, for doing Everything and doing it Well.

What makes THE KITE RUNNER truly remarkable is its complexity. The characters are multi-dimensional and expertly crafted out. The hostile Russian occupation of Afghanistan leaves deep scars; when the only oncologist Amir can find to care for Baba has Russian parents, Baba refuses, preferring death to fraternization.

The horror, however, was well balanced. Just when I thought I couldn’t take another barbarity, a word or a skillful mannerism would make me chuckle … and thank Whoever for that! cos there’s plenty of barbarity. THE KITE RUNNER is unquestionably a tragedy, but not irretrievable; Hassan’s final message to Amir said: ‘There is a way to be good again.’ *

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Playing through June 23; two shows on Saturday 6/15 at CIBC Theatre

*BTW, you can get a t-shirt printed with that legend in the lobby

“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.

I remember Betty Boop the cartoon character because she was my mom's favorite female cartoon as the sexy, saucy 1930's flapper who had men chasing her around town in her voluptuous, tight-fitting dresses - and this wonderfully staged musical does a brilliant job in bringing her to life! Jasmine Amy Rogers as Betty Boop is a star on her way to Broadway with her outstanding vocals, solid dancing skills and an air of innocence mixed with womanly wisdom that gives the entire story a warm grounded presence despite the cartoon's previously conceived air head version of her. 

In BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical, Betty gets to time travel from the black and white cartoon world she lives in to 2023 real world New York city in full color where she feels herself to be both "Real and Free!" There is a slight resemblance in plot there to the Barbie movie when a fictional character from a sexist TV or toy world becomes "real” in today's much different, progressing world - and this plot is also very well executed. People of all ages will identify with that feeling of having their lives go from blah, gray days to bright rainbow colors with one exciting leap of faith! 

When arriving in New York via time travel Boop lands at Comic Con and luckily meets her mate, Dwayne, played with flair by Ainsley Anthony Melham, a struggling young jazz musician with whom she falls in love. Together they perform some fantastic duets like "Why Look Around the Corner" in which the two lovers decide to stop waiting for what "might be around the corner" and decide to love each other in that very moment before their worlds are separated forever. Melham also sings the passionate and exuberant “She Knocks Me Out!" a song that describes how falling in love with Boop at first sight has knocked him off his feet with love for her and all her lively energy and sexual beauty causing him to fall hopelessly in love.

The exciting score by composer David Foster and lyricist Susan Birkenhead includes several hit songs, some of which include "Something to Shout About" sung by Rogers. In the well-performed number, Boop describes that after experiencing both her cartoon world and unrequited love in the real world that she is still waiting to find something really thrilling in life to really live her life to its fullest and not for other "human causes" like that of the politician Raymond Demarest played with great humor and jazz style by Erich Bergen. Demarest, a former sanitation worker now running for office, tries to use Boop’s popularity to con citizens of New York into voting for him so he can con them into using his "Doo Doo Solid Waste System". Nor is Boop looking to find more fame or money in the real world. In fact, from the beginning of the show her character expresses her deep desire to be somewhere, anywhere where she is "not famous" and is free to be her own unique self. But guess what, she's still as famous as ever in 2023, ninety years later - a true Comic Con star. 

This show has everything we’d hope to see in a big stage production. In Boop! The Betty Boop Musical aka The Boop-Oop-A Doosical, the full stage of excellent dancers, singers, and actors swirl to life with brilliant color. The creative costume design is credited to Gregg Barnes while David Rockwell has designed a huge and constantly changing set that dazzles the eye and enhances the storytelling, with equally colorful dynamic and complex lighting by Philip S. Rosenberg. The show also includes some real eye-popping New York-style hoofing comprising of full cast tap dancing numbers by the talented director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell that rival the Rockettes. This fast-paced, musical, and visual gem also gets a lift thanks to wonderful performances by Angelica Hale as Trisha, Boop’s newfound teenage friend in the real world, Tony Award Winner Faith Prince as Valentina and Stephen DeRosa as the highly and overly animated, Grampy.

Phillip Huber operates the one puppet in the show, Pudgy, Boop’s chubby, white Maltese puppy with adorable huge black eyes who time travels as well. This is a very cute bit of comic relief and the whole audience enjoys this little treat of excellently done puppetry.

Though a fan favorite for decades, let’s face it, the Betty Boop cartoon was littered with discriminatory, narrow-minded views of women. But, thankfully, the problem of the sexist subtext of the times when this black and white cartoon was written in originally, which has survived in cult pop culture, is finally resolved in this fantastic new musical. Upon returning to her own world, Boop’s eyes, now opened from her visit to today’s real world, the 1930’s cartoon starlet tells the director of her "talkie shorts" that she will NOT allow those plotlines to ever be shot again if they include leering men chasing her around desks only to be hit by her with a frying pan. 

BOOP! is based on an old cartoon yes, but its cast and producers combine new ideas about love and womanhood with modern and classic dance numbers that fill the stage with constant movement. Boop’s show stopping and catchy songs, belted out with great range, power and joy by the fabulous Jasmine Amy Rogers, are the Boop oop a doop! 

I highly recommend this sparkling, upbeat World Premiere production for audiences of all ages! 

BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical runs through December 24th at the CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St. For tickets and/or more show information, visit broadwayinchicago.com.

By the time Charles Fuller’s “A Soldier’s Play” debuted on Broadway in January 2020 it was already a classic in American theatre. It premiered with the Negro Ensemble Company in 1981, winning the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1982. It was adapted to film and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for the Late Great Adolph Caesar at the 1985 Academy Awards. After 40 years it finally graced the Broadway stage just before the death of its playwright. According to Fuller, his refusal to change the line “You’ll have to get used to Black people being in charge.” at the producer’s demand, prevented the show from going to Broadway sooner. I personally believe the universe was waiting for just the right director to bring the majesty of this play to Broadway. The only director filling that role is the talented Kenny Leon.

The play opens on an U.S.  army base in Louisiana in 1944 during World War II. Tech Sergeant Vernon C. Waters, (an excellent Eugene Lee) drunk and staggering out of his mind, has been brutally murdered.. Waters is a self-hating, sadistic evil man. He takes out his anger on his men. He hates his white comrades for who they are and his Black comrades for who they are not.

To investigate this crime, the Provost Marshal General’s office in Washington sends Capt. Richard Davenport (the debonair Norm Lewis), a Black lawyer. The white officers are shocked at the sight of a Black officer they may have to answer to. The Black recruits are bursting with pride to see one of their own in a position of leadership.

Davenport, despite roadblocks to his investigation prides himself on following the clues and getting to the truth of the murder. He meticulously interviews enlisted men both Black and white to understand why Waters would be a victim of murder. Based on interrogations and flashbacks we learn the murderer can be anyone even the very men in his charge.

Director Leon gets the best from this uniformly stellar cast.  Among the standout performances are the exuberant Alex Michael Givens as Corporal Ellis, our very own Sheldon D. Brown as Private C.J. Memphis, a simple guitar playing man and William Connell as the skeptical Captain Charles Taylor.

The two-level scaffolding set with bunks and footlockers works well, showing present action up front while when necessary showing what’s happening in the background. Scene changes were effortless and clean. The flashback effects were greatly assisted by Lighting designer Allen Lee Hughes lights. World War II military attire were realistic thanks to Costume Designer Dede Ayite.

Although it did not affect my enjoyment or enthusiasm for “A Soldiers Play “it must be stated, one of the major themes in this play is COLORISM.  “A Soldiers Play” is not just a murder mystery as Roundabout Theatre Company’s production would have you believe. Omitting colorism does a disservice to the script.  Fuller was extremely clear about casting. “A Soldiers Play” is Fuller’s exploration of Blacks’ attitudes toward each other as well as toward the white military community he was once a part of.   Rule of thumb, if you must ask a playwright is it alright to do something, you probably shouldn’t be doing it.

“A Soldiers Play” is a classic from the Negro Ensemble Company demonstrating fearless writing, professional execution and top notch acting, for that it should not be missed.

When: Through April 16

Where: CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St.

Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Tickets: $35-105 at 800-775-2000 

www.broadwayinchicago.com