Jeff Awards Announces 2016 Equity Nominations
Six world premiere plays and four new adaptations were among those receiving nominations by The Jeff Awards Committee today.
Doing Too Much
I am recently back from vacation and under the spell cast by days of few interruptions and simple choices. I am, in short—relaxed. And as sometimes happens after a period of decompressing and unplugging, I wonder how I can’t do a better job of holding on to this feeling upon my return.
Inside The New Colony’s Unique and Effective Devising Process
“Our process can feel mysterious,” says Stephanie Shum, Managing Director, “It can manifest in so many different ways—this crazy musical, this weird comedy, this drama.” With their education programs, The New Colony aims to open up their process.
Edgewater Theatre District Announces “Passport”
Like a coffee shop punch card, the Passport can be stamped each time the bearer sees a play at a participating Edgewater theater.
Actors’ Equity Rolls Out Major Changes to Audition Process
In an email to its members, Actor’s Equity Association announced that effective immediately, the process will be handled online through the re-vamped member portal
Harding/Kerrigan Ice Skating Scandal Musical Coming to Underscore Theatre
(left to right) Amanda Horvath and Courtney Mack will play the title roles of Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, respectively, in Underscore Theatre Company’s Chicago premiere of TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA. Underscore Theatre Company, in association with Harborside Films, will present the Chicago premiere of TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA, a dark musical comedy based...
10 Things We Learned Buying HAMILTON Chicago Tickets
We, like many others, stood by our computers at 10am today, prepared for the rush to buy tickets for HAMILTON in its Chicago incarnation. Lessons were learned.
Jonathan Berry—The Epitome of a Chicago Director
I’d like to take you back to 2008. Eight years ago, 34-year-old director Johnathan Berry had major profiles in both Time Out Chicago and the Chicago Tribune, heralding him as the epitome of a Chicago theater director. Time Out called that upcoming season “A Berry Year,” and for good reason. The soft-voiced, genial craftsman was about to embark on four Chicago premieres, including his first Equity production at Remy Bumppo, The Marriage of Figaro. On the Shore of the Wide World at Griffin would mark the first of several plays by Olivier and Tony Award-winning British playwright Simon Stephens directed by Berry.
What’s With Those Reviews?
When we started planning the new PerformInk, it was very clear to us that not only did we want to critique work, we wanted to examine work that isn’t getting reviewed often. To serve the underserved. We want to be considering children’s theater, burlesque, sketch comedy, magic—if it’s performed in front of an audience, we’ll try to send a critic to it.
Keeping Magic Relevant in the 21st Century
Wonder and amazement through secrecy, surprise, and trickery are difficult to pull off these days. We may not know how a magic trick works, but we comprehend enough about how magicians dupe us not to be surprised by another version of sawing a lady in half or the cups and balls.