Jesse Dean Stanford

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'The Wiz Live!' has arrived, as have the casts of three tours to the Loop. 'Bridges' is in Iowa, though. The Marriott takes on 'Spring Awakening,' and the Piccolo Theatre, Congo Square and Theo Ubique do December in their own ways. The Second City opens another revue, and in Milwaukee, 'My Fair Lady!'

The Broadway smash hit musical THE WIZ, with book by William F. Brown and music by Charlie Smalls, will close August 7, 2011 at Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana.

The Broadway smash hit musical THE WIZ, with book by William F. Brown and music by Charlie Smalls, will blow audiences away July 7 through August 7, 2011 at Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. The production will open Sunday, July 10 at 7 p.m. Stacey Flaster will direct and choreograph. THE WIZ first opened on Broadway in 1975 and ran for four years (1600 performances). It made a historic footprint as the first large-scale big-budget musical featuring an all-African American cast. THE WIZ won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and was produced in 1978 by Motown/Universal as a film starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Lena Horne, and Richard Pryor.

The Broadway smash hit musical THE WIZ, with book by William F. Brown and music by Charlie Smalls, will blow audiences away July 7 through August 7, 2011 at Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana. The production will open Sunday, July 10 at 7 p.m. Stacey Flaster will direct and choreograph. THE WIZ first opened on Broadway in 1975 and ran for four years (1600 performances). It made a historic footprint as the first large-scale big-budget musical featuring an all-African American cast. THE WIZ won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and was produced in 1978 by Motown/Universal as a film starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Lena Horne, and Richard Pryor.

The Broadway smash hit musical THE WIZ, with book by William F. Brown and music by Charlie Smalls, will blow audiences away July 7 through August 7, 2011 at Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana.

The Broadway smash hit musical THE WIZ, with book by William F. Brown and music by Charlie Smalls, will blow audiences away July 7 through August 7, 2011 at Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana.

The Broadway smash hit musical THE WIZ, with book by William F. Brown and music by Charlie Smalls, will blow audiences away July 7 through August 7, 2011 at Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, Indiana.