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Posts Tagged ‘featured’

Broadway In Chicago announces next subscription season

Posted on: March 13th, 2023 by B.I. C.

Season Packages On Sale to the General Public Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce its next season line-up, which features the Tony®-winning Best Musical Revival COMPANY; Broadway smash-hit BEETLEJUICE, direct from Broadway; the highly anticipated pre-Broadway revival of THE WIZ; the Pre-Broadway A WONDERFUL WORLD; TimeLine Theatre’s Chicago premiere production of the Tony Award®-winning Best Play THE LEHMAN TRILOGY; and the World Premiere of BOOP! THE BETTY BOOP MUSICAL.

Renewals are available now to current subscribers by visiting BroadwayInChicago.com or calling 312-977-1717. The upcoming season will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, and the six-show packages begin at $150. Subscriber benefits include savings of up to 50% off ticket prices this season, discounts on both parking and suite service, free exchange privileges based on availability, access to off-season specials before the public, and more.

The Broadway In Chicago Season line-up, including venues and performance dates, is as follows:

COMPANY
Oct. 31 – Nov. 12, 2023
Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph)

PHONE RINGS, DOOR CHIMES, IN COMES COMPANY.

Winner of 5 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical, COMPANY “strikes like a lightning bolt. It’s brilliantly conceived and funny as hell” (Variety). Helmed by three-time Tony Award-winning director Marianne Elliott (War Horse, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Angels in America), this revelatory new production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s groundbreaking musical comedy is boldly sophisticated, deeply insightful and downright hilarious.

It’s Bobbie’s 35th birthday party, and all her friends keep asking, Why isn’t she married? Why can’t she find the right man and isn’t it time to settle down and start a family? As Bobbie searches for answers, she discovers why being single, being married, and being alive in the 21st-century could drive a person crazy.

COMPANY features Sondheim’s award-winning songs “You Could Drive a Person Crazy”, “The Ladies Who Lunch”, “Side by Side by Side” and the iconic “Being Alive”. Let’s all drink to that!

BEETLEJUICE
Nov. 7. – Nov. 19, 2023
Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive)

He earned his stripes on Broadway… now the ghost-with-the-most is coming to Chicago.

It’s showtime! Based on Tim Burton’s dearly beloved film, this hilarious musical tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes. With an irreverent book, an astonishing set, and a score that’s out of this Netherworld, BEETLEJUICE is “SCREAMINGLY GOOD FUN!” (Variety). And under its uproarious surface (six feet under, to be exact), it’s a remarkably touching show about family, love, and making the most of every Day-O!

THE WIZ – Pre-Broadway!
Nov. 28 – Dec. 10, 2023
Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph)

Producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, and Ambassador Theatre Group present an all-new production of the groundbreaking, Tony Award®-winning musical THE WIZ, adapted from The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The highly anticipated Broadway revival of THE WIZ returns “home” to stages across America in an all-new Pre-Broadway tour, the first one in 40 years. The tour begins in THE WIZ’s original home city of Baltimore, where the show made its world premiere 50 years ago.

This groundbreaking twist on The Wizard of Oz changed the face of Broadway—from its iconic score packed with soul, gospel, rock, and finger-snapping 70s funk to its stirring tale of Dorothy’s journey to find her place in a contemporary world. Audiences get to enjoy the epic grooves of such beloved, timeless hits as “Ease on Down the Road,” which became the show’s break-out single, and the bona fide classic “Home” in this spectacular revival.

Featuring a book by William F. Brown and a Tony Award®-winning score by Charlie Smalls (and others), director Schele Williams (The Notebook, revival of Disney’s Aida), choreographer JaQuel Knight (Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”), Amber Ruffin (additional material), and Joseph Joubert (music supervision, orchestrations, & music arrangements) conjure up an Oz unlike anything ever seen before.

THE WIZ design team will include scenic design by Academy Award-winning Hannah Beachler (Black Panther, Beyonce’s Black is King and Lemonade), costume design by Emmy Award-winning and two-time Academy Award-nominated Sharen Davis (Ray, Dreamgirls), lighting design by Barrymore Award-winning Ryan J. O’Gara (Thoughts of a Colored Man) and wig design by Academy Award-winning Mia Neal (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom).

A dynamite infusion of ballet, jazz, and modern pop brings a whole new groove to easing on down the road. So everybody rejoice!

TimeLine Theatre’s Chicago premiere production of
THE LEHMAN TRILOGY
Sep. 19 – Oct. 29, 2023
Broadway Playhouse (175 E. Chestnut)

Told in three parts over one evening, THE LEHMAN TRILOGY by Stefano Massini, adapted by Ben Power, is the quintessential story of western capitalism, rendered through the lens of a single immigrant family. On a cold September morning in 1844, a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is soon joined by his two brothers, and an American epic begins. 163 years later, the firm they establish—Lehman Brothers—spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, triggering the largest financial crisis in history. Weaving together nearly two centuries of family history, this theatrical event charts the humble beginnings, outrageous successes, and devastating failure of the financial institution that would ultimately bring the global economy to its knees.

TimeLine Theatre’s production of THE LEHMAN TRILOGY, co-directed by Nick Bowling and Vanessa Stalling, is its Chicago premiere. Throughout its production history, THE LEHMAN TRILOGY has been met with extraordinary international acclaim. The Guardian proclaimed it “a kaleidoscopic social and political metaphor” and “an intimate epic about the shifting definition of the American Dream.” The Chicago Tribune praised it as “a masterwork” and The New York Times as “a vivid tale of profit and pain.” Vanity Fair raved that it is “true blockbuster theatre that will hold you captive until the final curtain call,” with Time Out New York saying “it leaves you dazzled.” And the Wall Street Journal declared that THE LEHMAN TRILOGY “surpasses all praise.”

THE LEHMAN TRILOGY received five 2022 Tony Awards®, including Best Play, plus Drama League and Outer Critics Circle awards, and was nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards, including Best New Play.

TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of 60 Jeff Awards as well as the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today’s social and political issues. TimeLine previously presented the acclaimed Midwest premiere production of J.T. Rogers’ Oslo in partnership with Broadway In Chicago in 2019.

A WONDERFUL WORLD – Pre-Broadway!
Oct. 11 – Oct. 29, 2023
Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph)

A Broadway-bound new musical about jazz legend and singular American icon Louis Armstrong, starring Tony Award® winner James Monroe Iglehart. Told from the perspective of the women in Armstrong’s life, A WONDERFUL WORLD charts Armstrong’s journey from the birth of jazz in his native New Orleans through his international stardom, featuring beloved songs recorded and made popular by him.

Conceived by Drama Desk Award winner and Tony Award® nominee, Christopher Renshaw (Broadway’s The King and I, Taboo), and novelist Andrew Delaplaine, A WONDERFUL WORLD has an original book by author Aurin Squire (This is Us, The Good Fight, Evil) and features songs recorded and made popular by Armstrong. Wife and husband team Annastasia Victory (Caroline, or Change; Once on This Island) and Michael O. Mitchell (MJ the Musical, Motown) provide original music, arrangements, orchestrations, and music direction. Renshaw directs the production, with choreography by Rickey Tripp (Associate Choreographer for Broadway’s Once on This Island and Choir Boy). Christina Sajous serves as Associate Director and Aurelia Michael as Associate Choreographer.

BOOP! THE BETTY BOOP MUSICAL –
World Premiere!
Nov. 19 – Dec. 31, 2023
CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe)

Please welcome to the stage – LIVE and at the CIBC Theatre for the first time ever: Betty Boop! That sassy-sweet champion of empowerment, that spit-curled icon of joy, that songstress of strength comes alive in BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical, the new Broadway-bound musical comedy extravaganza.

Tony® Award-winning director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, La Cage Aux Folles, Hairspray) brings the Queen of the Animated Screen to the theater with celebrated multiple Grammy®-winning composer David Foster (“I Have Nothing,” “After The Love Is Gone,” “The Prayer”), Tony-nominated lyricist Susan Birkenhead (Working, Jelly’s Last Jam), and Tony-winning book writer Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone, The Prom).

For almost a century, Betty Boop has won hearts and inspired fans around the world with her trademark looks, voice, and style. Now, in BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical, Betty’s dream of an ordinary day off from the super-celebrity in her black-and-white world leads to an extraordinary adventure of color, music, and love in New York City — one that reminds her and the world, “You are capable of amazing things.” Boop-oop-a-doop!

 

Tickets for Chicago Theatre Week Feb 16 – 26 are now on sale!

Posted on: January 10th, 2023 by B.I. C.

Tickets are only $30 or less!

Broadway In Chicago is delighted to celebrate Chicago Theatre Week with four fantastic shows, Cabaret Zazou, CATS, Les Misérables, and Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus – LIVE!. Chicago Theatre Week is an annual celebration that features value-priced tickets to musicals, improv, dramas, and beyond. This highly anticipated event allows visitors and residents to sample the extraordinary range of theatrical offerings throughout the Chicago area.

How to buy tickets: You can purchase Chicago Theatre Week tickets at ChicagoTheatreWeek.com for all specially priced shows. Tickets are first-come, first-served. There will be limited quantities available for some shows, so it is strongly recommended that you purchase tickets early.

CABARET ZAZOU
Open Run
Valid Theatre Week Performances: February 17, 19 (Both Performances), 22, 23, 26 (Both Performances)
14th floor of the Cambria Hotel
The intimate cabaret dinner show takes place in a vintage Belgian Spiegeltent on the 14th floor of the Cambria Hotel in the heart of Chicago’s Theatre District. CABARET ZAZOU’S Luminaire is designed to dazzle and delight audiences with stunning cirque acts, interactive comedy, captivating vocalists, and a stellar band, complimented by a delicious multi-course meal provided by Blue Plate.

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus – LIVE!
February 14- 19, 2023
Valid Theatre Week Performances: February 16, 17, 18 (Matinee/Evening),19 (Matinee/Evening)
Broadway Playhouse (175 E. Chestnut)
After beginning in Paris in 2007, Men are From Mars–Women are From Venus LIVE! has been seen by more than one million people around Europe. It debuted in the United States in February 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina and will be playing to audiences around the United States and Canada throughout the year. This hysterical show will have couples elbowing each other all evening as they see themselves on stage. Sexy and fast paced, this show is definitely for adults, but will leave audiences laughing and giggling like little kids! When Mars and Venus collide, the adventures are earth-shatteringly hysterical. It’s a great recipe for a night out: a little storytelling blended with some comedy and a dash of sage wisdom from the book. A delicious evening of entertainment!

LES MISÉRABLES
February 15, 2023 – March 5, 2023
Valid Theatre Week Performances: February 15, 16 (Matinee/Evening), 19 (Evening), 21 and 22 (Matinee/Evening)
Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.)
Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, LES MISÉRABLES tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. This epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages, LES MISÉRABLES is undisputedly still one of the world’s most popular musicals.

CATS
February 21-26, 2023
Valid Theatre Week Performances: February 21, 22 (Matinee/Evening), 23, 24, 25 (Evening)
Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.)
Since its world premiere, CATS has been seen by more than 75 million people worldwide. Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the record-breaking musical spectacular has captivated audiences in over 30 countries and 15 languages, and is now on tour across North America! Featuring new sound design, direction and choreography for a new generation — experience CATS for the first time as it begins a new life, or let it thrill you all over again!

Chicago Theatre Week is an annual celebration of the rich tradition of theatre-going in Chicago during which visitors and residents can access value-priced tickets. As a program of the League of Chicago Theatres, in partnership with Choose Chicago, Chicago Theatre Week takes place February 16-26, 2023. Find more information at ChicagoTheatreWeek.com.

 

Find Best Available Seating for Upcoming Shows

Posted on: November 22nd, 2022 by B.I. C.

Looking for tickets for an in-demand show? Here are some of the best ways to secure your seats with these money saving tips!

WEEKDAYS ARE YOUR BEST BET FOR BEST AVAILABILITY

For most shows, Fridays and weekends are the most popular! As a result, these will be the shows that will typically sell out the quickest. Take a look at weekday performances (Tue, Wed, Thur) and Sunday evenings to have the best chance of the most available seats if you’re buying closer to when the show starts or during their run.

“TICKETS START AT ____”

When shows are advertised with a starting price, these will be the seats that are most likely in the rear balcony on weekdays and not on a holiday week. These tickets are very popular for price-conscious patrons, so don’t wait too long to purchase your tickets!

RUSH AND LOTTERY

With almost all of our shows, we also offer a digital $25 lottery and in-person rush tickets. If rush and lottery are available, they’ll be announced on our social media and put on our website the week a show begins performances. For both lottery and rush, a maximum of 2 tickets can be purchased per person.

We utilize Broadway Direct for our digital lottery. Entries open at 9 a.m. CT the day before each performance and close at 5 p.m. CT. Winners will be contacted via email shortly after entries close and have 1 hour to purchase their winning tickets. Winning seat locations may vary per performance. A limited number of lottery tickets are set aside for each performance even if the show is sold out.

At times an in-person lottery will be made available for shows, like for our current engagement of WICKED. In-person lotteries would be announced alongside the digital lottery and rush ticket announcements. In-person lotteries include entering a raffle, being present to win, and purchasing your ticket(s) 2 hours before the start of a show at the box office of the theatre it’s playing at. View WICKED in-person lottery details and rules here. 

Rush tickets are usually either $49 or $39. Rush tickets are available to purchase only at the box office of the theatre where the show is playing on the day of the performance when the box office opens. Tickets are first come, first served. Limit of 2 tickets per valid ID. Seats may be single seats and/or limited view. A limited number of rush tickets are set aside for each performance even if the show is sold out.

All rush and lottery details and entry information can be found here. 

PURCHASE IN PERSON AT THE BOX OFFICE

If you find yourself in The Loop, stop by one of our theatres’ box offices to purchase your tickets in person! By doing so, you’ll be saving yourself in Ticketmaster fees that can add up quickly. Box office hours vary each week so make sure you check our website before heading to our theatres. You do not have to purchase at the venue where the show you are buying tickets for will be playing – any BIC theatre can sell tickets for shows that are currently on sale.

 

 

WICKED announces TWO lottery drawings for $25 tickets

Posted on: September 22nd, 2022 by B.I. C.

IN-PERSON AND DIGITAL LOTTERIES TO TAKE PLACE FOR ALL PERFORMANCES
AT THE JAMES M. NEDERLANDER THEATRE

Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce two opportunities to purchase $25 tickets for WICKED at the James M. Nederlander Theatre, playing a limited engagement, September 28 – December 4, 2022.

Two lotteries will be available for patrons to enter:

The day prior to all performances of WICKED, a digital lottery will be held through Broadway Direct for a limited number of $25 seats. Entries are accepted and drawn the day prior to the performance. If selected, winners will have 60 minutes to pay for their tickets online. Tickets will be available for pick up the day of the performance at the James M. Nederlander Theatre.

An in-person lottery will take place in the James M. Nederlander Theatre lobby at 24 W. Randolph St on the day of the performance for a limited number of $25 FRONT ROW seats for all performances of WICKED. Entry forms are available at the Nederlander Theatre box office only, and names are drawn two hours prior to the performance in the lobby. Must be present to win, and tickets are cash only. For weekly box office hours, click here.

Both lotteries require photo ID. One or two tickets may be requested. You may only win the opportunity to purchase $25 tickets once per performance. Seats are at the discretion of the box office and cannot be transferred to other people or performances.

Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 7:30 PM (with Wednesday matinees at 2:00 PM). Saturday performances are at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Sunday performances are at 2:00 PM with an additional performance on Sunday, October 2 at 7:30 PM. There will be no 2:00 PM performance on Wednesday, September 28. There will be no performances on Thursday, November 24. There will be an additional performance on Friday, November 25 at 2:00 PM.

 

Applications now open for 2023 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards

Posted on: September 7th, 2022 by B.I. C.

Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce that applications are now being accepted for participation in the 12th Annual Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards. IHSMTA celebrates excellence in high school theatre throughout the State of Illinois. In a commitment to reaching communities with schools that do not have the resources to produce full musicals, IHSMTA will be the first Jimmy Awards® Regional Awards Program (RAP) to pilot a hybrid model to offer talented students the opportunity to experience IHSMTA and potentially The Jimmy Awards®.

Broadway In Chicago encourages all Illinois Public and Private High Schools to apply. The deadline to submit School Applications for the 2023 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards is Tuesday, September 14, 2022. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Application and details can be found at www.BroadwayInChicago.com/IHSMTA.

PARTICIPATION CRITERIA
Eligible high schools must be located in the State of Illinois; Musical productions must take place between September 29, 2022 and April 23, 2023 to be considered; a musical production qualifies only if it is a full-length musical listed on The Jimmy Awards® (National High School Musical Theatre Awards®) Qualifying Show List.

For more information on our Hybrid Model, please click here.

This year’s categories include Best Performance in an Actor Role, Best Performance in an Actress Role, Best Production, Best Direction, and Best Ensemble. The twenty-four nominees in the Best Performance categories will each receive tickets to a Broadway In Chicago show, perform on stage at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) and compete in front of Chicago casting agents and theater professionals.

From the twenty-four nominees, two Illinois award recipients will travel to New York City on an all-expense paid trip where they will represent the State of Illinois at The Jimmy Awards® and participate in a week-long theatre intensive of coaching and rehearsals with industry professionals in preparation for a one-night-only showcase on a Broadway stage, where a panel of judges will crown the nation’s top performers. The Jimmy Awards® are named after legendary Broadway theater owner and producer James M. Nederlander. Broadway In Chicago is a Nederlander presentation and is excited to join the network of theatres across the country participating in The Jimmy Awards®.

Important Program Dates

School Applications Due: Tuesday, September 14, 2022, at 11:59 PM (CT)

Tentative IHSMTA Program Date: Monday, May 22, 2023

The Jimmy Awards®: Summer 2023 (exact date to be announced)

The 2022 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards recipients were Joseph Kotze of Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort, IL (Best Actor) and Regan Wright of York Community High School in Elmhurst, IL (Best Actress).