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Music everywhere this fall with Steve Biossat's Sway Chicago on Friday and the Flat Cats on Saturday at the Drake and a full slate at Davenport's
Read MoreASHLEY WHEATER: DREAMING BIG AT JOFFREY BALLET
The excitement you feel these days in Joffrey Tower is kinetic energy. It has been steadily pulsing for ten years, since the company moved into their new home, under the artistic direction of Ashley Wheater, who took over the role held only by Robert Joffrey and co-founder Gerald Arpino before him. If that was a pivotal moment in the evolving story of the Joffrey Ballet – a seismic shift of sorts that rumbled across the performing arts world - then the announcement a few weeks ago that the Joffrey Ballet was forming a partnership with Lyric Opera was a bolt of lightning.
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Ashley Wheater joins the conversation this week to talk about his ten years at the Joffrey Ballet, the recently announced partnership with Lyric Opera and the upcoming opening of Giselle.
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The week that was included the opening of the not-to-be-missed Chicago premiere of FUN HOME at Victory Gardens, an all-woman cast in Barbara Gaines re-imagined The Taming of the Shrew at Chicago Shakes, Five Guys Named Moe at Court Theatre and the gripping production of A View From the Bridge at Goodman Theatre. And this is just the beginning!
Read MoreBRENDA DIDIER - PORCHLIGHT'S BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL
For Brenda Didier, directing Porchlight Music Theatre's production of Billy Elliot The Musical is like coming home again. The show opens the company's 23rd season in their new digs at the Ruth Page Center in Chicago a place that is very familiar to Didier. She has vivid memories as a young dance student. And perhaps most helpful, particularly to the story of Billy Elliot, is rekindling the excitement she experienced realizing her own dream that began when she was eight years old.
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New theatrical productions, music and entertainment all over Chicago are in full swing . Dozens of shows are currently running, in previews, opening soon or deep into rehearsals - a schedule jam-packed with something for everyone!
Read MoreE. FAYE BUTLER - A National Treasure
There's a little motto that the amazing E. Faye Butler saved until the end of our delightful conversation between rehearsals on September 8th at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
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Rock of Ages rocks and rolls into Drury Lane Oakbrook this week. But first, Hurricane Harvey.
Read MoreGREAT PERFORMANCES II
This week, more conversations with artist's whose work this year has been recognized with a 2016-2017 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award nomination.
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Cody Proctor and Heather Chrisler in Greenhouse Theater Center’s production of MACHINAL, by Sophie Treadwell, directed Jacob Harvey with movement by Elizabeth Margolius. Photo by Evan Hanover.
With the announcement of the 2016-2017 Equity Jeff Awards nominations, we look back at some of the wonderful conversations we had about theatre in and around Chicago. Up this week: Angela Ingersoll, James Earl Jones II, Matt Crowle and a memorable 2013 conversation with Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones. The music spotlight is on Winter's Jazz Club and our conversation's with Tammy McCann, Elaine Dame and this week's PicksInSix, Paul Marinaro.
Read MoreGREAT PERFORMANCES
The 2016-2017 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award nominations were announced this week. There were 158 nominations in 33 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions during the period August 1, 2016 through July 31, 2017.
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Two very important conversations this week: Imerman Angels CEO and Executive Director Benjamin Bornstein joined the conversation to discuss the connections being made between cancer fighters and Mentor Angels in all 50 states and 60 countries. Our FTA-Conversation with Arnie Bernstein is a new Q & A revisiting Fritz Kuhn and the 1930s German-American Bund movement as it relates to Charlottesville.
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