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.
Women’s Voices in Storefront Theater
Are we creating a culture where men working in the arts are encouraged to dream and build things and women working in the arts are encouraged to straighten up the house and make sure the electric bill is paid on time?
Archive of Filmed Chicago-Area Theater Productions Launches
Through agreements with Chicago Public Library and Actors’ Equity, the Chicago Film Archive of Performance, or C-FAP, announced its permanent home in Chicago Public Library’s Special Collections and Preservation Division.
Bring Your Own Theater – Creating with the Community
Photo: Best Of BYOT (L-R) Lisa VanAusdall, Vinny Greco, Laura Rupert, Rachel Silvert By Abigail Trabue Bring Your Own Theater (BYOT) is a small group of artists that every month put a show together, comprised of strangers. For 24 hours anyone—artists, construction worker, CEOs, bus drivers, full-time stay-at-home parents—anyone who’s interested...
Off-Broadway Hit THE BARDY BUNCH is Headed to Chicago
THE BARDY BUNCH: The War of the Families Partridge and Brady, a musical parody by Stephen Garvey that gained cult status during its Off-Broadway run in 2014, is coming to Chicago, beginning a limited engagement September 15th at the Mercury Theater in Chicago’s Southport neighborhood. A mash-up of Shakespeare and...
VIDEO: First Look – The Design of THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
Scenic and Costume Designer David Zinn takes us inside the making of THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL, along with Director Tina Landau and Choreographer Christopher Gattelli.
INSIDE LITTLE SHOP Part 4: Opening the Shop
Going into our first preview, I think we were all a little nervous about putting the show in front of an audience for the first time, especially with so many tech elements involved. And the first preview being completely sold out—mostly to a huge group of high school students, no less—added even more pressure. However, the audience was enthralled and delighted, and the responsive crowd brought the show to life in a whole new way. After curtain call, as the house lights came up, I overheard the teenagers in front of me chattering about how it was one of the weirdest and funniest things they had ever seen. And that audience was just the beginning of a hugely successful preview week. One patron on Goldstar said “This was a great show! The singers were exceptional and the music was rousing.”
Kimberly Senior to Receive Special Jeff Award
“The theatre world is full of creative people with lots of conflicting ideas. When three agree on something, it’s a breakthrough. When 73 do, it’s almost a miracle,” says Jeff Awards Committee Chair David Liesse, “Yet 73 members of the Chicago theatre community co-signed a letter nominating Kimberly Senior to...
Steppenwolf Adds Sandra Marquez and Caroline Neff to Ensemble
Caroline Neff. Photo by Chris Popio. Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced the addition of Sandra Marquez and Caroline Neff to its world-renowned ensemble. Both have performed in multiple shows with the company and can currently be seen on Steppenwolf’s stages in Mary Page Marlowe and The Flick respectively. Marquez and Neff are...
Steep Theatre Commissions New Calamity West Play
Steep Theatre recently announced the commission of a new play by Chicago-based playwright Calamity West. The commission is a first for the 15-year-old theater and will mark the first time West and Steep have worked together. This partnership, according to Steep, “will be an exciting next step, as will Steep’s 16th season, scheduled to be announced in June, a season which will include the ensemble’s second world premiere in as many seasons.”