Jordan Reinwald

Teatro Vista, Chicago’s premier Latine theater, today announced the cast of upcoming silent musical THE DREAM KING, created by ensemble member Marvin Quijada and co-directed by ensemble member Sandra Marquez and Alice da Cunha. 

Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival (HCCDF), produced by Nicole Gifford Dance and ology danceMelissa Mallinson, celebrates 10 years of showcasing contemporary dance with a diverse roster of 19 local, regional and national artists and companies-half performing September 20 and 21 and the other half performing September 27 and 28, all at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn, Chicago.

Tonight, December 14 at 8:30pm, Red Tape Theatre presents Bizarre Bazaar: A Holiday Special, curated by Philip Elson, Melissa Ganser & Cristina Tadeo. Bizarre Bazaar is an evening of dance, theater, music, and improvisation with traditional treats and drinks. Red Tape Theatre invites patrons to stick around and avoid last minute shopping stress by browsing handmade goods crafted by local artisans.

On Friday, December 14 at 8:30pm, Red Tape Theatre presents Bizarre Bazaar: A Holiday Special, curated by Philip Elson, Melissa Ganser & Cristina Tadeo. Bizarre Bazaar is an evening of dance, theater, music, and improvisation with traditional treats and drinks. Red Tape Theatre invites patrons to stick around and avoid last minute shopping stress by browsing handmade goods crafted by local artisans.

In what can be labeled a 'First,' the New Jewish Theatre is proud to boast that the director for the upcoming production of Clifford Odet's 1935 classic AWAKE AND SING! is Steve Woolf, Artistic Director of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. While Woolf does direct outside of the Rep, he does not direct for other theatres in the St. Louis area. So this is a genuine First for both Woolf and the New Jewish Theatre. Most recently outside of the Rep, Mr. Woolf directed THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre (and then went on to direct the Rep's production of the same show). But the upcoming production at NJT was a show that he could not resist. Its realism and grittiness and the strength of the characters appealed to him.

Though playwright Clifford Odets wrote AWAKE AND SING! in 1933, it still has the power to resonate with an audience over 70 years later, not only due to the fact that our country is currently struggling with its own economic uncertainties, but also because the theme of pursuing your dream under undeniably dire circumstance is a timeless one. Revived in 2006, but rarely staged otherwise, this is a rare opportunity to see an American masterpiece. The New Jewish Theatre's current production is a real stunner, chock-full of drama and humor, and brimming with electric performances.

In what can be labeled a 'First,' the New Jewish Theatre is proud to boast that the director for the upcoming production of Clifford Odet's 1935 classic AWAKE AND SING! is Steve Woolf, Artistic Director of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. While Woolf does direct outside of the Rep, he does not direct for other theatres in the St. Louis area. So this is a genuine First for both Woolf and the New Jewish Theatre. Most recently outside of the Rep, Mr. Woolf directed THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre (and then went on to direct the Rep's production of the same show). But the upcoming production at NJT was a show that he could not resist. Its realism and grittiness and the strength of the characters appealed to him.

With TRAIL OF TEARS celebrated playwright Kathryn Schultz Miller once again brings history to life in this gripping drama. View 1800s America through the eyes of youthful and determined Chosen One as his people are forced to abandon their homeland in the Smoky Mountains. With his wife, Snow Owl, and his father, Walking Bear, he fights valiantly to save his people, but is overcome time and again by the attractive empty promises of the new settlers. This dramatic tale of one man's heartbreaking struggle to hold on to his Cherokee heritage is a fresh look at a painful chapter in American history.

Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC), the young audiences touring ensemble of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, will present Trail of Tears by Kathryn Schultz Miller. This powerful play will be performed in the E. Desmond Lee Auditorium at the Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Boulevard in Forest Park, March 25-April 3, 2011.

The basic story of Chanticleer can supposedly be traced back to Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, and a particular story titled 'The Nun's Priest's Tale', but you'd be hard pressed to find any resemblance between that work and most adaptations which focus instead on the conflict between a sly fox and an vain rooster. Hollywood even took a stab at the material with the 1991 animated film Rock- A-Doodle, an adaptation of the comedic play Chantecler by Edmond Rostand, which featured Glen Campbell's voice in the lead role. Playwright and composer Brian Hohlfeld has come up with his own spin on the idea with CHANTICLEER!, a country flavored musical version that's perfectly suited for young people. The Imaginary Theatre Company has assembled a cute and funny production of this charming classic, and happily I was able to catch a performance this past weekend (March 19, 2011) with my wife and son in tow.

Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC), the young audiences touring ensemble of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, will present Chanticleer! by Brian Hohlfeld.

With TRAIL OF TEARS celebrated playwright Kathryn Schultz Miller once again brings history to life in this gripping drama. View 1800s America through the eyes of youthful and determined Chosen One as his people are forced to abandon their homeland in the Smoky Mountains. With his wife, Snow Owl, and his father, Walking Bear, he fights valiantly to save his people, but is overcome time and again by the attractive empty promises of the new settlers. This dramatic tale of one man's heartbreaking struggle to hold on to his Cherokee heritage is a fresh look at a painful chapter in American history.

Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC), the young audiences touring ensemble of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, will present Trail of Tears by Kathryn Schultz Miller. This powerful play will be performed in the E. Desmond Lee Auditorium at the Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Boulevard in Forest Park, March 25-April 3, 2011.

Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC), the young audiences touring ensemble of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, will present Chanticleer! by Brian Hohlfeld.

The Imaginary Theatre Company provided a very fitting offering for the holiday season with their delightful and amusing take on THE NUTCRACKER. This version is cleverly scripted by playwright Sarah Brandt, with original music and lyrics by Neal Richardson, and though it differs somewhat from E.T.A. Hoffman's original story, 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King', it brings that Christmas classic to life in fine fashion, with Richardson's score utilizing tuneful original compositions as well as arrangements of Tchaikovsky's familiar music from the ballet version of the tale. This blending of traditional and new elements produces a pleasant and engaging show that children and their families can enjoy together.

The Imaginary Theatre Company, the young audiences touring ensemble of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, will present its own original version of The Nutcracker this holiday season.

The Imaginary Theatre Company, the young audiences touring ensemble of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, will present its own original version of The Nutcracker this holiday season.

The Imaginary Theatre Company, the young audiences touring ensemble of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, will present its own original version of The Nutcracker this holiday season.

MAN OF LA MANCHA has become a community theatre staple, and as such, gets staged with some degree of regularity. While some of these are uneven affairs at best, the Insight Theatre Company's current production is an exception, combining the talents of a splendid cast with sharp direction and choreography to produce an engaging and compelling evening of entertainment.

What do Lucille Kallen, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Woody Allen, Michael Stewart, Mel Tolkin, Larry Gelbart, Carl Reiner and Selma Diamond have in common? Most are Jewish, and all were denizens of the famed 'Writer's Room' where they labored to create the comedy sketches for the live 90 minute weekly variety series, 'Your Show of Shows' starring the legendary Sid Caesar. Composites of these writers make up the characters in Neil Simon's raucous comedy,LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR, set in 1953 during television's golden age.