All stories by Johnny Oleksinski on BroadwayStars

Monday, March 10, 2014

"Motown" tour has its Berry Gordy and Diana Ross by Johnny Oleksinski

The national tour of “Motown The Musical,” kicking off in Chicago on April 22, has found its Diana Ross and Berry Gordy, representatives for the tour announced on Monday. &n…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 11:45AM[SHARE]
Friday, March 7, 2014

Writers announces 'Days Like Today' casting by Johnny Oleksinski

Writers Theatre announced on Friday the cast of its upcoming new musical, “Days Like Today” inspired by the plays of Charles Mee, with music and lyrics by Alan Schmuckler and a b…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:37PM[SHARE]

Joyce Theater Foundation will honor two Chicagoans by Johnny Oleksinski

The Joyce Theater Foundation in New York City announced that it will honor Chicagoans David Herro and Jay Franke at its Spring Gala this year, a representative for the Foundation announced o…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:46PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Marriott announces 'Cats' casting by Johnny Oleksinski

Heidi Kettenring will lead the kitty cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, playing Grizabella, the “Memory”-crooning gla…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 05:01PM[SHARE]

Court announces 'M. Butterfly' casting by Johnny Oleksinski

On Tuesday, Court Theatre announced the cast of its spring production of David Henry Hwang’s ("Chinglish") “M. Butterfly,” directed by Charles Newell.   &nbs…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:59PM[SHARE]
Monday, March 3, 2014

Factory Theater announces 2014 season by Johnny Oleksinski

The Factory Theater has announced its 2014 season. The company’s 22nd season of original work features three productions.    

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 05:02PM[SHARE]

Remy Bumppo announces 2014-15 season by Johnny Oleksinski

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company announced its 2014-15 season on Monday. This is the company’s 18th season, which will once again be entirely performed upstairs at the Greenhouse Theater Ce…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 02:17PM[SHARE]

Drury Lane announces 'Les Miserables' cast by Johnny Oleksinski

Drury Lane Theatre announced the cast for its upcoming production of the musical “Les Miserables,” on Monday. In director Rachel Rockwell’s production, Ivan Rutherford, a l…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:30PM[SHARE]
Friday, February 28, 2014

Steinberg New Play Award finalists announced by Johnny Oleksinski

The six finalists for the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award were announced on Thursday. The award, which will be presented on April 5 as part of t…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:03PM[SHARE]
Thursday, February 27, 2014

Porchlight announces 'How To Succeed' cast by Johnny Oleksinski

Porchlight Music Theatre announced on Thursday the cast of its upcoming revival of “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,” the 1961 workplace musical with a score by …

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 10:23AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Video: Sting chats with Chris Jones by Johnny Oleksinski

While in Chicago on Tuesday, the Grammy Award-winning musician Sting stopped by Tribune Tower to have a chat with theater critic Chris Jones. In addition to Sting's many albums and internati…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 10:18AM[SHARE]
Monday, February 24, 2014

Photo Gallery: James Franco and 'Of Mice and Men' cast at 'Luna Gale' by Johnny Oleksinski

On Saturday Feb. 22, the starry cast of the upcoming Broadway revival of “Of Mice and Men,” currently rehearsing in Chicago, stopped by the Goodman Theatre to take in a performan…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:49PM[SHARE]
Thursday, February 20, 2014

Commercial Collective to remount 'Hit The Wall' and 'Quiche' by Johnny Oleksinski

The Chicago Commercial Collective, a young for-profit producing entity, announced on Thursday the next two local productions it will remount: The original Inconvenience staging of “Hit…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 02:12PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Fire at the Harris cancels Hamburg Ballet tonight by Johnny Oleksinski

An electrical fire at theHarris Theater for Music and Dance (205 E. Randolph St. at Millennium Park)  has prompted the cancellation of Wednesday night's performance of the Hamburg Ballet'…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 03:22PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Joffrey Ballet announces 2014-15 season by Johnny Oleksinski

The Joffrey Ballet announced its 2014-15 season on Tuesday. The company’s twentieth year in Chicago will feature eight premieres and some familiar Joffrey classics.   &n…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, February 13, 2014

The Lincoln Lodge has a new home by Johnny Oleksinski

"The Lincoln Lodge Comedy Showcase," the 14-year-old weekly stand-up show that was recently displaced by the shuttering of its longtime home, The Lincoln Restaurant, seven weeks ago, has fou…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 03:39PM[SHARE]

'Lilka' goes West by Johnny Oleksinski

The Falcon Theatre in Burbank, California — owned by Gary and Kathleen Marshall — will present the West Coast premiere of of “The Last Act of Lilka Kadison” in associ…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:13PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Second City e.t.c. announces casting for 38th revue by Johnny Oleksinski

The Second City e.t.c. announced the cast and creative team of its 38th revue on Wednesday. Second City Touring Company director Jen Ellison stages her first resident stage show, which will …

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 03:47PM[SHARE]

'Last Ship' casting announced by Johnny Oleksinski

Producers of “The Last Ship,” the new musical by Sting having its pre-Broadway tryout in Chicago this summer, announced casting and the show's future Broadway home on Wednesday. …

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 03:04PM[SHARE]

'Last Ship' tickets go on sale Friday by Johnny Oleksinski

Tickets for “The Last Ship,” the new Broadway-bound musical with an original score by Sting, will go on sale on Friday, Feb. 14, representatives for Broadway In Chicago announced…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:23PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, February 11, 2014

TimeLine announces new Playwrights Collective and associate artists by Johnny Oleksinski

TimeLine Theatre Company has announced eight playwrights for its inaugural Playwrights Collective, representatives for the theater said on Tuesday.    

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:18PM[SHARE]
Monday, February 10, 2014

Stage 773 announces 'Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival' line-up by Johnny Oleksinski

Stage 773 has announced the line-up for the second annual “Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival,” a festival dedicated to the geekier sect of the Chicago funny scene, representatives for…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:22PM[SHARE]
Thursday, February 6, 2014

Paramount announces 'Rent' cast by Johnny Oleksinski

The Paramount Theatre in Aurora announced the cast of its upcoming production of Jonathan Larson's 1996 musical “Rent” on Thursday.    

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 02:11PM[SHARE]

Collaboraction announces 'Sketchbook 14' by Johnny Oleksinski

Collaboraction announced the lineup for its 14th annual Sketchbook festival on Thursday. Titled “SKETCHBOOK 14: 2049,” the collection of 18 world-premiere performance pieces cura…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:24PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Northlight's 'Chapatti' will go to Galway by Johnny Oleksinski

Northlight Theatre’s upcoming world premiere of Christian O’Reilly’s “Chapatti” will travel to the Galway Arts Festival in Ireland in July 2014, the theater ann…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:45PM[SHARE]

'Hedda Gabler' extends at Writers by Johnny Oleksinski

Writers Theatre's acclaimed production of Henrik Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler" has been extended three weeks through April 6, the theater announced on Wednesday. Kimberly Senior directs the product…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 02:49PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Writers announces 'Dance of Death' cast by Johnny Oleksinski

On Monday Writers Theatre announced casting for its upcoming production of August Strindberg’s “The Dance of Death,” the American premiere of playwright Conor McPherson&rsq…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:21PM[SHARE]
Friday, January 31, 2014

There's a new theater district in Lakeview by Johnny Oleksinski

More than 20 theaters and 100 bars and restaurants in the Lakeview neighborhood have come together to form the Belmont Theater District, representatives for the Lakeview and Lakeview East Ch…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:12PM[SHARE]
Friday, January 24, 2014

Sting to appear in Steppenwolf benefit event by Johnny Oleksinski

The Grammy Award-winning musician Sting will appear at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in a benefit event to support the theater's Artistic Development Fund on Feb. 24, Steppenwolf announced on …

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 11:24AM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off