Give my regards to Broadway…a famous phrase which embodies our forever love of the Great White Way where musical theater has thrived for over a century. Now, the history of Broadway Musical theater is exhaustively documented in a new book by David Armstrong: “Broadway Nation: how Immigrant, Jewish, Queer, and Black Artists Invented the Broadway Musical.” But just how did Broadway become Broadway? What […]

Improv takes some really special skills. Actor/comedian and improv talent Connor Ratliff is the son of a veteran improv performer and now he returns to the very theater in which his dad performed. Connor will be in Chicago to present two different shows at two different venues. “The Acting Class” is Ratliff’s fully-improvised one-person show in which he […]

HBO’s popular and heartfelt show “Somebody Somewhere” gained a huge following and continues to find more fans as more people find it on HBO. Among the breakout stars is long time comedian and larger than life personality Murray Hill! Long known as an event emcee, Hill is amazing in performing stand-up. Song, rimshots, ad-libbing and […]

“Ugly Lies the Bone” is a moving and powerful comedy, both darkly funny and heartfelt….with special impact as we are in the season of Veterans’ Day…when we should both honor and give thought to those who have served our country…many who return with serious challenges as a result of their experiences in war. The story is […]

It’s hard to define the type of entertainment that is presented at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) on the Campus of the College of DuPage because it is SO varied and full, that there’s something for everyone. In this interview with Director of the MAC, Diana Martinez, the upcoming calendar for October through December is […]

Everyone loves Lucy! I Love Lucy and its stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz remain legends some 70 years after the classic TV comedy premiered. Fans of this show have likely read many books about Lucy or Desi and Lucy, or the show itself. But no book has been written that focuses on the life […]

Are you a member of Club Edward or Club Jacob? If you are a Twilight fan, and a diehard Twilight fan, you know exactly what that means! Based on the Twilight set of books and movies (at least the first one), Tiffany Keane Schaefer has written (and directs) a very fun parody and tribute to […]

The Sound of Music is one of the most beloved musicals of all time. Making its debut on Broadway 65 years ago and its glorious movie debut over 60 years ago, the story of the Von Trapp family in the late 1930’s is beautifully told and resonates powerfully today. Some shows don’t age well, but […]

On a special Behind the Curtain, Paul introduces us to the extremely talented Sharpe Family Singers, known for their incredible vocal talents and massive following across all social media! The Sharpe Family consists of Ron, Barbra, Samantha, Logan, Connor and Aidan. We learn all about the early days of when parents Ron and Barbra met […]

On this special episode of Behind the Curtain, Paul sits down with the cast of Lee Kirk’s “Ashland Avenue” on the stage of the show itself! Taking center stage with Paul in first part of the interview is Jenna Fischer (yes, THAT Jenna Fischer of The Office fame) playing Sam, and in the second part are […]

Sandy Rustin was raised in Chicago, attended New Trier and Northwestern University. Soon the success began for this Chicagoan whose talents include acting, voiceover and most critically, award winning playwrighting. As an actor, she toured as Sandy in the national tour of Grease and also appeared in “I Love you, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” along […]

Chicago Humanities has, for more than 36 years, been presenting live events that bring the world to Chicago. Centered on culture, creativity and connection, the program brings the most provocative thinkers and authors, in a celebration of new perspectives and ways of thinking. The programs take place in many neighborhoods around Chicago and vary from […]

One of Shakespeare’s most classic works, “Hamlet” has been performed through the centuries and with notable figures playing him such as Laurence Olivier, Daniel Day Lewis, Mel Gibson and Richard Burton. Now Chicago’s very own Daniel Kyri (Darren Ritter on Chicago Fire) tackles the role in a very different format. The production is now in […]

JJ Niemann is a rising star, or perhaps a shooting star in the Broadway and theater world. With a meteoric rise with roles in Back to the Future and Hamilton, JJ has come to Chicagoland and the Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre to star in ‘Catch Me if You Can.” And truthfully, the show is a great one, but people […]

The film is about a weekend during which Walter and Grace meet through an on-line app, meet up for coffee, and well…the dynamics seem to work between them. The conversation includes the film’s writer, director and editor: Noah Bashore, and the lead actors: Kyle Patrick (American Psycho, Godspell) as Walter and Jessie Carl (multiple musical theater productions […]

The classic game Dungeons & Dragons is back and called “The Twenty-Sided Tavern.” It’s the game you may have played and still play, or perhaps you’ve never played it. Either way, this show is a great night out for the family. You don’t turn your phone off when the show starts. In fact, you will […]

Sondheim reigns larger in death, arguably, than he did in life. He changed the landscape of what a theatrical production could do. Taking this a step further, author and professor Richard Schoch recognized that nearly every Sondheim show has a message to teach all of us something in our own lives. His new book: “How Sondheim Can […]

“44 – The Musical” is a satirical look at the rise and first term of the presidency of Barack Obama along with the myriad of characters who were part of that story. As told from the memory of Veep Joe Biden, we get Michelle Obama, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Sarah Palin, Ted Cruise and others. […]

Pippin is one of the great fun musicals, the work of the magnificent Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked,” “Godspell”) and now a new production presented by MadKap Productions at the Skokie Theatre, a nicely rehabbed venue perfect for intimate musical productions. Joining in the conversation is Pippin himself (played by Connor Hensley Schroeder) and an interesting twist on the role […]

The legendary Icon Leslie Uggams will be honored with the ICON Award from Porchlight Music Theatre on September 14th at Ritz Carlton. Ms Uggams was most recently seen in Season 3, Ep 7 of The Guilded Age, but she is legendary for playing Kizzy in Roots, Blind Al in the Deadpool movies, her Tony Award winning performance in “Hallelujah, Baby,” […]