Michael Aaron Lindner News

Beginning Sunday December 15 and throughout the holiday season, PBS stations across the country will air A Christmas Carol: The Concert, the newest special from HMS Media, 17-time Emmy Award winners for arts and social issue programming for public television.

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year, when artist and artisan, newsman and newsmaker, singer and songwriter celebrate the holiday season with PBS. This year, Tony-winner Alfie Boe and veteran news anchor Tom Brokaw - along with 'Hal' Halvorsen, the 'candy bomber' who dropped chocolates into post-war Berlin in 1948 - join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for an inspirational concert at Temple Square. Harking back to WWI, PBS presents Silent Night, a poignant opera based on the Christmas Eve truce of 1914, when French, German and Scottish soldiers laid down their arms for one evening of peace.

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."

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. ChiShakes' 'Shrek,' BIC in Millennium Park, the casts of 'Flashdance' and 'We Will Rock You,' outdoor movies in Chicago and Aurora, classical music in the theater, a new 'Into The Woods' and a farewell to a friend of the Mosh Pit.

CST presents SHREK THE MUSICAL, based on the Dreamworks Animation Motion Picture and the book by William Steig, book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire | music by Jeanine Tesori, directed and choreographed by Rachel Rockwell in Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theater, July 13-September 1, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look of highlights below!

CST presents SHREK THE MUSICAL, based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture and the book by William Steig, book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire | music by Jeanine Tesori, directed and choreographed by Rachel Rockwell in Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theater, July 13-September 1, 2013. BroadwayWorld has a first look below!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Shrek The Musical, the Theater's annual summer family musical, directed and choreographed by Rachel Rockwell with music direction by Michael Mahler, today, July 13-September 1, 2013 in CST's Courtyard Theater.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) continues the Theater's annual summer family musical tradition with Shrek The Musical, directed and choreographed by Rachel Rockwell with music direction by Michael Mahler, July 13-September 1, 2013 in CST's Courtyard Theater.

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 Jungle Book' opens, Audra and Sondheim visit, Stephen Wallem's St. Louis 'Shrek,' Make Music Chicago, 'The Land Of Smiles,' the Auditorium's cabaret series, Idina in Aurora and more!

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 Tony Awards (aka New York thanks Chicago), 'Motown,' Cole and 'Kiss,' next season from BoHo, Marriott's latest, a new 'Rent,' The Second City and more!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announced today the acting company and creative team for 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 ofShrek 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."

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, begins its exciting 2013 season with a grand scale production of the Tony Award-winning musical OLIVER!, running through June 2, 2013. Click below to watch interviews with the cast and creative team on opening night!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'American Idiot' pays a visit, Circle's 'Death Takes A Holiday,' Porchlight's 'Pal Joey,' TMTC's 'Pajama Game,' plus a piano show, two children's shows, Seth Rudetsky and more, including an unbelievable roundup of current shows!

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 Jungle Book' heats up, 'Oklahoma!' and 'South Pacific,' 'Oliver!' and 'Barnum,' plus 'Stomp,' some interesting student productions and more!

Drury Lane Theatre begins its exciting 2013 season with a grand scale production of the Tony Award-winning musical OLIVER!, currently in previews and opening Thursday, April 11, running through June 2, 2013. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, begins its exciting 2013 season with a grand scale production of the Tony Award-winning musical OLIVER!, previewing April 4, opening Thursday, April 11, and running through June 2, 2013. OLIVER! features an all-star cast of 35, led by Heidi Kettenring as 'Nancy' (National Tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Broadway in Chicago's Wicked, the World Premiere of Hero at Marriott Theatre, and Sweeney Todd at Drury Lane Theatre); Jeff Award winner John Reeger as 'Fagin' (The Iceman Cometh and A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre, Amadeus at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Hamlet at Court Theatre, and Chicago at Marriott Theatre); J.D. Rodriguez as the 'Artful Dodger' (National Tour of A Christmas Story) and Brady Tutton as 'Oliver Twist' ('Tiny Tim' in A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane Theatre). The production is Directed and Choreographed by multi-Jeff Award winner Rachel Rockwell (Ragtime, The Sound of Music and Sweeney Todd at Drury Lane Theatre). Rockwell will direct both her mother, Glory Kissel, who stars as 'Mrs. Bedwin' (Pericles at the Goodman Theatre and Anyone Can Whistle at Ravinia), and her son, Jake Helm, who plays an orphan. Her husband, Garth Helm, provides Sound Design.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Catch Me' a 'Big Fish' in the Loop, 'Barnum' and 'Sweet Charity' keep Coleman in the spotlight, 'The Pajama Game' up north, 'Oliver! out west, two from Theo Ubique and more!

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, begins its exciting 2013 season with a grand scale production of the Tony Award-winning musical OLIVER!, previewing April 4, opening Thursday, April 11, and running through June 2, 2013.

In the Paramount's production, directed and choregraphed by Rachel Rockwell, the show lives and breathes in the very music that a con man and flim-flam artist, "Professor Harold Hill," uses to sell band instruments, uniforms and instruction booklets to the parents of young boys he knows he cannot really teach. Music is everywhere,...

One of the nation's most prominent of the many productions of "A Christmas Carol" that crop up like greenery this time of year is the one at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. Now in its 35th annual outing, it's a warm, thought-provoking and timeless tale of redemption and good will, humanity and universality that, surprisingly , shares with Jonathan Larson's "Rent" an immediate central theme. "No day but today" might very well be a line from Charles Dickens' short 1843 novel of the same name, as pithy and wise as the novel's, and this show's, ending line: "God bless us, everyone."