Kevin Anderson News

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and members of the Chicago City Council today  honored Steppenwolf Theatre Company's 40th Anniversary, recognizing the organization for its invaluable artistic contributions to Chicago. Additionally, in a separate resolution, Mayor Emanuel and the City Council paid special tribute to former Steppenwolf artistic director Martha Lavey on her two decades of transformational leadership from 1995 to 2015.

? Steppenwolf Theatre Company will to welcome Sandra Marquez and Caroline Neff to its world-renowned ensemble. Both have performed in multiple shows with the company and can currently be seen on Steppenwolf's stages in Mary Page Marlowe and The Flick respectively. Marquez and Neff are the first two members added under Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro.

The T.R.U.T.H Project (Telling Real Unapologetic Truths through Healing) hosts encore presentation of Dear HIV/ AIDS, an artistic collaboration about the human side of HIV/ AIDS and stigma, Sunday, February 27, 2016, 6:00p.m. at MATCH (Midtown Arts and Theatre Center Houston) 3400 Main St. Houston, TX 77002.

The Human Race launches its 2015-2016 Eichelberger Loft Season with the smash hit THE FULL MONTY: THE BROADWAY MUSICAL. With a book by Tony Award winnerTerrence McNally and music and lyrics by Drama Desk Award winner David Yazbek, the hilarious and heartwarming story follows six unemployed Buffalo steelworkers who, in need of quick cash and low on prospects, come up with the outrageous idea to put on a strip act after seeing the local women's wild enthusiasm for touring Chippendales dancers. Opening night is tomorrow, September 11. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

The global hit musical Sunset Boulevard based on the Billy Wilder film of the same name featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lyrics by Christopher Hampton and Don Black will run at the Bridewell Theatre on Fleet Street, central London from 6 to 12 October in a brand new production. NODA affiliated companies have been able to perform the musical for the first time in 2015, and Geoids Musical Theatre have been awarded the only license in central London.

The Human Race proudly launches its 2015-2016 Eichelberger Loft Season with the smash hit The Full Monty: The Broadway Musical. With a book by Tony Award winner Terrence McNally and music and lyrics by Drama Desk Award winner David Yazbek, the hilarious and heartwarming story follows six unemployed Buffalo steelworkers who, in need of quick cash and low on prospects, come up with the outrageous idea to put on a strip act after seeing the local women's wild enthusiasm for touring Chippendales dancers.

To celebrate the conclusion of its 40th Anniversary Season, Illusion Theater is excited to present a concert version of its beloved musical, ALWAYS AND FOREVER, for four performances only, September 24-27, at its downtown Minneapolis theater, located on the eighth floor of the Cowles Center, 528 Hennepin Ave.

The Human Race completes its 28th season of producing professional theatre for the Miami Valley with actress/playwright Regina Taylor's hit Crowns. Based on Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry's book by same name, the play begins as troubled Brooklyn teenager Yolanda is sent to live with her church-going grandmother down South after the death of her brother. There she finds healing in the personal stories of the ladies of the congregation and the hats that adorn their heads. Through time and space, their intimate histories create a soulful, joyous triumph of song, dance, culture and glorious 'hattitude' in this powerhouse gospel musical like no other. The Human Race Theatre Company's production runs June 11 - 28, 2015 at The Loft Theatre. It is co-directed by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Artistic Director Debbie Blunden-Diggs, who also serves as choreographer, and Human Race Theatre Founding Resident Artist Scott Stoney. Resident Artist Scot Woolley is the musical director.

After seeing the new INTO THE WOODS movie twice over the holidays, I posted on Twitter about how two of the songs had stuck with me. After a tweet conversation, my BWW colleague Jeff Walker and I decided to put our heads together to try and come up with a list of Sondheim's most hummable tunes. Despite not discussing it beforehand, Jeff ended up picking songs from the 1960s and 70s, and I filled in the gaps with numbers from the 80s and 90s.

Knife Thrower's Assistance is set for the Cutting Room, Friday, February 7th, doors at 9:30pm Show at 10pm. Tickets: $15 Advanced $20 Day of the show. The Cutting Room is located at 44 East 32nd Street.

The little-seen small screen adaptation of Tennessee Williams's drama ORPHEUS DESCENDING starring Hollywood, Broadway and West End legend Vanessa Redgrave is now available to order on DVD for the first time.

Knife Thrower's Assistance is an experiment in merging creative forces. A project which began by combining the folk rock work of songstress Eve Blackwater and the experimental chamber folk songs of Heidi Harris. They pooled together musicians of different backgrounds to create a collective which would bring the music to new and dynamic platforms, creating an experience where the Assistant becomes the Thrower and the Thrower becomes the Assistant.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago's only Equity theatre devoted to the work of women theatre artists, announces the world premiere of Joel Drake Johnson's Rasheeda Speaking, directed by Sandy Shinner. Rasheeda Speaking features RTE Artistic Director Tara Mallen and Steppenwolf Ensemble member Ora Jones and runs today, January 9 - February 15, 2014 at Rivendell's performance venue, 5779 N. Ridge.

Warner Archive Collection announces new releases including Bad Boys & Sad Gals!

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago's only Equity theatre devoted to the work of women theatre artists, announces the world premiere of Joel Drake Johnson's Rasheeda Speaking, directed by Sandy Shinner. Rasheeda Speaking features RTE Artistic Director Tara Mallen and Steppenwolf Ensemble member Ora Jones and runs January 9 - February 15, 2014 at Rivendell's performance venue, 5779 N. Ridge. Previews are Thursday, Jan. 9 - Saturday, Jan. 11 and Wednesday, Jan. 15 -Friday Jan. 17, 2014 at 8 p.m. Press Opening is Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014 at 7 p.m. with Opening Night Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014 at 6 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. There are additional Wednesday performances January 22 and 29 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 for previews and $30 for all other performances and may be purchased online at www.RivendellTheatre.org or by phone, 773.334.7728.

McDaniel College celebrates the holiday season with an original British panto performance of the beloved fairy tale 'Jack and the Beanstalk.'

BWW TV Los Angeles correspondents Michael Sterling and Jerry Evans visit with the cast of Musical Theatre West's (MTW) much anticipated Southern California 20th Anniversary revival of Sunset Boulevard on stage now through July 28, 2013 at the 1,070-seat Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, CA. The production previewed for one performance only on July 12, 2013 exactly 20 years to the day after the show's world premiere. Valerie Perri and David Burnham star, with Norman Large and Ashley Fox Linton are interviewed along with MTW Executive Director/Producer Paul Garman. The critically acclaimed revival is directed by Larry Raben with Musical Direction by David Lamoureux and Staging by John Todd. Check out the video below!

Casting for Musical Theatre West's (MTW) production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's international hit musical Sunset Boulevard , has been announced by MTW Executive Director/Producer Paul Garman and Director Larry Raben. The 1950 Oscar-winning motion picture of the same title first starred screen legends Gloria Swanson (as Norma Desmond) and William Holden (as Joe Gillis) before it opened as a musical in London's West End starring Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson at the Adelphi Theatre July 12, 1993 where it ultimately ran for 1529 performances.

Porchlight Music Theatre presents Pal Joey, book by John O'Hara, music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, April 20 - May 26, at Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave. Directed by Porchlight Music Theatre's Artistic Director, Michael Weber with music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Doug Peck (reuniting with Weber for the first time since their collaboration on Porchlight's triumphant production of Assassins) and choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier, Pal Joey stars Adrian Aguliar, 'Joey Evans,' Susie McMonagle, 'Vera Simpson,' Laura Savage, 'Linda English,' Matt Orlando, 'Ludlow Lowell' and Sharriese Hamilton, 'Gladys Bumps.'

InFusion Theatre Company has announced its second collaboration with award-winning playwright Qui Nguyen with the Midwest premiere of Fight Girl Battle World, directed by InFusion Artistic Director Mitch Golob, now through June 16, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Opening night is tonight, May 17 at 8 p.m. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!