Melissa Veal News

Chicago Shakespeare Theater CST) presents an unprecedented pairing of productions that will illuminate the work of composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim: Gypsy (CST's Courtyard Theater, today, February 6-March 23) and Road Show (Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, March 13-May 4), both directed by CST Associate Artistic Director Gary Griffin.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces casting for Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream, a 75-minute abridged production of William Shakespeare's whimsical comedy of misplaced young passions and magical mischief. This new adaptation by Jeff Award-winning director David H. Bell provides a quality, family-friendly introduction to Shakespeare with special opportunities for audiences to interact with the actors at every performance. In addition to public performances each Saturday, this production will welcome 1,000 students each day to the Theater's home on Navy Pier during its five-week run in the Courtyard Theater, followed by a tour to schools across the Midwest. Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream will be performed for the public Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. from February 22 to March 22 in CST's Courtyard Theater. After each performance, the actors remain on stage for a brief question-and-answer session, before joining the audience in the Lobby for one-on-one conversations and photo opportunities.

Rehearsal begins today at Chicago Shakespeare Theater CST) for an unprecedented pairing of productions that will illuminate the work of composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim: Gypsy (CST's Courtyard Theater, February 6-March 23) and Road Show (Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, March 13-May 4), both directed by CST Associate Artistic Director Gary Griffin.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines. Embraced by audiences as one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, The Merry Wives of Windsor is an energetic romp with the lovable rogue Sir John Falstaff, performed by Scott Jaeck, as he charms and conspires against the townspeople of Windsor, only to be outsmarted by Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, performed by Kelli Fox and Heidi Kettenring. Chicago Shakespeare's production will transport audiences to post-war England in the late 1940s with a soundtrack of spirited dance music. The Merry Wives of Windsor will run in CST's Courtyard Theater now through January 19, 2014. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines. Embraced by audiences as one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, The Merry Wives of Windsor is an energetic romp with the loveable rouge Sir John Falstaff, performed by Scott Jaeck, as he charms and conspires against the townspeople of Windsor, only to be outsmarted by Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, performed by Kelli Foxand Heidi Kettenring. The Merry Wives of Windsor is nonw running in CST's Courtyard Theater through January 19, 2014. BroadwayWorld has a first look below!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) and hip-hop sensations the Q Brothers are back at it again turning up the volume with a fresh take on a beloved classic. The Q Brothers and CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton have come together to develop A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol-a hip-hop reinterpretation of the perennial holiday favorite by Charles Dickens. Now, alongside Chicago theaters' familiar renditions of this heartwarming tale, audiences will participate in the creation of an energized, reinvented tradition. Work-in-progress performances of A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol will run in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, now through December 22, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) and hip-hop sensations the Q Brothers are back at it again turning up the volume with a fresh take on a beloved classic. The Q Brothers and CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton have come together to develop A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol-a hip-hop reinterpretation of the perennial holiday favorite by Charles Dickens. Now, alongside Chicago theaters' familiar renditions of this heartwarming tale, audiences will participate in the creation of an energized, reinvented tradition. Work-in-progress performances of A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol will run in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, today, November 30-December 22, 2013.

At the gala 45th Annual Equity Jeff Awards held at Drury Lane Oakbrook on Monday, November 4, Steppenwolf Theatre Company's 'Good People' received the award for Production-Play in a large tier theatre. Principal Actress Mariann Mayberry was also honored for her role in this David Lindsey-Abaire play, which considers the dangerous consequences of holding on to the past or leaving it behind. William Brown received Best Director of a play for Writers Theatre's production of the French farce 'The Liar', adapted by David Ives.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) and hip-hop sensations the Q Brothers are back at it again turning up the volume with a fresh take on a beloved classic. The Q Brothers and CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton have come together to develop A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol-a hip-hop reinterpretation of the perennial holiday favorite by Charles Dickens. Now, alongside Chicago theaters' familiar renditions of this heartwarming tale, audiences will participate in the creation of an energized, reinvented tradition. Work-in-progress performances of A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol will run in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare, November 30-December 22, 2013.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announced today casting for William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines. Embraced by audiences as one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, The Merry Wives of Windsor is an energetic romp with the loveable rouge Sir John Falstaff, performed by Scott Jaeck, as he charms and conspires against the townspeople of Windsor, only to be outsmarted by Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, performed by Kelli Fox and Heidi Kettenring. Chicago Shakespeare's production will transport audiences to post-war England in the late 1940s with a soundtrack of spirited dance music. The Merry Wives of Windsor will run in CST's Courtyard Theater December 3, 2013 through January 19, 2014.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents CPS Shakespeare! Othello, a citywide ensemble of 29 students and teachers from eleven Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high schools who develop and stage a fully realized production of William Shakespeare's Othello on CST's Courtyard Stage.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Cyrano de Bergerac, launching the Theater's 2013-2014 Season. CST's new production of Edmond Rostand's timeless classic, adapted and translated by Anthony Burgess, marks the return to CST of director Penny Metropulos and film and stage actor Harry Groener, the duo behind the Theater's award-winning 2011 production of The Madness of George III. Featuring some of the most romantic and witty verse written for the stage, Cyrano de Bergerac is a poignant and entertaining homage to poetry, love and panache which will run in CST's Courtyard Theater now through November 10, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at highlights below!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Cyrano de Bergerac, launching the Theater's 2013-2014 Season. CST's new production of Edmond Rostand's timeless classic, adapted and translated by Anthony Burgess, marks the return to CST of director Penny Metropulos and film and stage actor Harry Groener, the duo behind the Theater's award-winning 2011 production of The Madness of George III. Featuring some of the most romantic and witty verse written for the stage, Cyrano de Bergerac is a poignant and entertaining homage to poetry, love and panache which will run in CST's Courtyard Theater now through November 10, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents Cyrano de Bergerac, launching the Theater's 2013-2014 Season. CST's new production of Edmond Rostand's timeless classic, adapted and translated by Anthony Burgess, marks the return to CST of director Penny Metropulos and film and stage actor Harry Groener, the duo behind the Theater's award-winning 2011 production of The Madness of George III. Featuring some of the most romantic and witty verse written for the stage, Cyrano de Bergerac is a poignant and entertaining homage to poetry, love and panache which will run in CST's Courtyard Theater tonight, September 24 through November 10, 2013.

Five world premiere plays and three new adaptations seen first by Chicago audiences received Jeff nominations by the Jeff Awards Committee and are among the 166 nominations in 36 categories announced for Chicago Equity theatrical productions opened between August 1, 2012 and July 31, 2013.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announced today casting for Cyrano de Bergerac, launching the Theater's 2013-2014 Season. CST's new production of Edmond Rostand's timeless classic, adapted and translated by Anthony Burgess, marks the return to CST of director Penny Metropulos and film and stage actor Harry Groener, the duo behind the Theater's award-winning 2011 production of The Madness of George III. Featuring some of the most romantic and witty verse written for the stage, Cyrano de Bergerac is a poignant and entertaining homage to poetry, love and panache which will run in CST's Courtyard Theater September 24 through November 10, 2013.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents Shrek The Musical, the Theater's annual summer family musical, directed and choreographed by Rachel Rockwell with music direction by Michael Mahler, July 13-September 1, 2013 in CST's Courtyard Theater. Based on the Academy Award-winning DreamWorks film and the book by William Steig, CST's 75-minute production of Shrek The Musical will take audiences on an unconventional fairy-tale adventure with everyone's favorite ogre. The production features two Jeff Award-winning actors: Michael Aaron Lindner as the lovable ogre Shrek and Summer Naomi Smart in her CST debut as the spunky Princess Fiona. In support of Mayor Emanuel's Summer of Learning Program, special activities will be offered in conjunction with Shrek The Musical for students to earn a "Bard Badge."

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) launches today its 2013 citywide tour of Chicago Park District neighborhood parks at Eckhart Park (1330 West Chicago Avenue), following two preview performances at Navy Pier's Gateway Park. The Comedy of Errors, this summer's Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks production, is touring FREE FOR ALL to neighborhood parks across Chicago, now through August 25, 2013. Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District and leaders of Chicago's corporate community have partnered to expand the Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks program, after its inaugural success in 2012. This summer, Chicagoans will have direct access to their City's cultural resources with a choice of 26 free Shakespeare performances presented in 18 different neighborhood parks.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, this summer's Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks production touring FREE FOR ALL to neighborhood parks across Chicago, today, July 26-August 25, 2013.