Richard Friedman

Watch the original team of the world premiere production of Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS recently reunited for the 20th year anniversary! The online event featured never-before-told stories and two new performances of the musical's hit songs.

Northlight Theatre will present a special 20th Anniversary reunion event for Northlight Theatre’s world premiere of The Last Five Years. The event features performances and conversation with BJ Jones, playwright Jason Robert Brown, director Daisy Prince, and original cast members Norbert Leo Butz and Lauren Kennedy.

The Chicagoland premiere of Almost Heaven: John Denver's America opened Sunday night February 16 to an enthusiastic crowd. Theatre at the Center Artistic Director Linda Fortunato cast Shannon McEldowney, Steven Romero Schaeffer, Andrew Mueller, Sara Geist and Tommy Malouf in the musical revue Almost Heaven: John Denver's America to kick off its 30th Anniversary Season. The cast was joined on stage by musicians William Underwood, Malcolm Ruhl and Alison Tatum. Fortunato is the director and William Underwood is the music director. The now Jeff Recommended production continues through March 22.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas opened Sunday night November 17 to a packed house at Theatre at the Center in Munster.  The cast gave a thrilling performance for an audience that was teeming with the holiday spirit.  Theatre at the Center Artistic Director Linda Fortunato directed and choreographed the show. 

Over the Tavern opened to a full house Sunday at Theatre at the Center in Munster. The play by Tom Dudzick is directed by Ericka Mac with Janet Ulrich Brooks as Sister Clarissa, Logan Baffico as Rudy, Cory Goodrich as Ellen, Isabelle Roberts as Annie, Eric Slater as Chet, Julian Solis as Georgie and Seth Steinberg as Eddie. Over the Tavern offers a hilarious look at family life in the 1950s.  Over the Tavern continues its run through August 11.

Dames at Sea opened at Theatre at the Center in Munster on Sunday night, May 5. Director and Artistic Director Linda Fortunato cast Kelly Felthous as Ruby, Todd Aulwurm as Dick, Colette Todd as Mona Kent, Sierra Schnack as Joan, Sam Shankman as Lucky, and Steven Strafford as Hennesey and The Captain in the spring musical production.  Dames at Sea and continues through June 2.

Million Dollar Quartet opened Sunday, February 17 at Theatre at the Center in Munster. The show stars Zach Sorrow as Elvis Presley, Michael Kurowski as Jerry Lee Lewis, Tommy Malouf as Johnny Cash, Zachary Stevenson as Carl Perkins, Sean Fortunato as record producer Sam Phillips and Aeriel Williams as singer Dyanne.  Directed by Daryl Brooks, Million Dollar Quartet's cast also includes musicians Michael Sinclair as Jay and Nick Anderson as Fluke.  The show continues its extended run through March 31.  This production is sponsored by Pat Binkley.

Director Linda Fortunato has cast Neil Friedman as Kris Kringle, Stella Rose Hoyt as Susan, Courtney Jones as Doris and Christopher Kale Jones as Fred for Theatre at the Center's Miracle On 34th Street: The Musical. Previews began November 15 with Opening Night on November 18 and a continued run through December 23. This production is sponsored in part by American Community Bank.

Ghost The Musical opened to a full house on Sunday, September 16 for its Opening Night performance. Linda Fortunato directed and choreographed the production which stars Garrett Lutz in the role of ghostly hero Sam, Donica Lynn as psychic Oda Mae and Courtney Mack in the role of Molly Jensen. This is Chicagoland's first regional production of the newly imagined Ghost The Musical. Performances continue through October 14.

Theatre at the Center (TATC) and Director and Choreographer Linda Fortunato have cast Garrett Lutz in the role of ghostly hero Sam, Donica Lynn as psychic Oda Mae and Courtney Mack in the role of Molly Jensen for Chicagoland's first regional production of the newly imagined Ghost The Musical.  Previews begin September 13 with an Opening Night on September 16 and performances continuing through October 14.

Janet Ulrich Brooks, making her Theatre at the Center (TATC) debut, is cast as advice columnist Ann Landers in the TATC production of The Lady With All the Answers. Opening Night was on July 15.  Performances continuing through August 12.

Theatre fans and critics were all in attendance for the Opening Night  of Forever Plaid on Sunday, May 6 at Theatre at the Center in Munster.  Matt Edmonds, in the role of Sparky, Adam LaSalle as Francis, Yando Lopez as Jinx and Christopher Ratliff as Smudge star in Theatre at the Center's spring musical. Performances continue through June 3.

The red carpet was full of beauty and style at the Opening Night of Steel Magnolias at Theatre at the Center on Sunday, February 25.  Cory Goodrich, in the role of M'Lynn, Landree Fleming, as Shelby, and Heidi Kettenring as Truvy, lead the cast of Theatre at the Center's Steel Magnolias with Joslyn Yvonne Jones as Ouiser, Jeannie Affelder as Clairee and Myesha-Tiara as Annelle.  The show continues through March 25.

Cory Goodrich, in the role of M'Lynn, Landree Fleming, as Shelby, and Heidi Kettenring as Truvy, lead the cast of Theatre at the Center's Steel Magnolias with Joslyn Yvonne Jones as Ouiser, Jeannie Affelder as Clairee and Myesha-Tiara as Annelle. Previews begin February 22 with Opening Night on February 25 for the run through March 25.

Actors David Sajewich, in the role of George Bailey, and Allison Sill in the role of his wife Mary, lead the cast of Theatre at the Center's A Wonderful Life: The Musical with James Harms as Mr. Potter, David Perkovich as Clarence, Jim Heatherly as Uncle Billy and Jason Richards as Mr. Martini. Previews began November 16 with an Opening Night on November 19 and a run through December 23. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening festivities below!

Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn opened to a packed house at Theatre at the Center on Sunday night. Audience members leapt to their feet at the end of the performance of the now Jeff-Recommended production. Actors James Romney in the role of Huck and Jonathan Butler-Duplessis in the role of Jim lead the cast in the musical that continues through October 15.

Actors James Romney in the role of Huck and Jonathan Butler-Duplessis in the role of Jim lead the cast of Theatre at the Center's Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The musical begins previews Sept. 14 with opening night on September 17 for a run that continues through Oct. 15.  

Cabaret, one of the great Broadway musicals of all time, opened to a packed house at Theatre at the Center (TATC) in Munster on opening night on May 7. The show continues through June 4. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening festivities below!

In the cynical justice system, comedically-based and socially unacceptable offenses are considered especially hilarious. The dedicated and talented performers who instigate these absurdities are members of an elite squad, made up of

Theatre at the Center's production of Annie Warbucks, the sequel to Annie, the 1977 Tony Award-winning smash Broadway hit, opened to a packed house Sunday, November 20. Based on Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie comic strip, the book is by Thomas Meehan with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin. Annie Warbucks opened Off Broadway in 1993 and broke records for the time with 200 performances.  The Jeff Recommended production will continue through December 18. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening festivities below!