All stories by Johnny Oleksinski on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

A Red Orchid adds three to ensemble by Johnny Oleksinski

As A Red Orchid Theatre begins its twenty-first season on Wells Street, the theater adds three members to its longstanding ensemble, the first such additions since playwright Craig Wright jo…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 02:00PM
Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Strawdog's Hugen Hall announces 2013-14 season by Johnny Oleksinski

Strawdog Theatre Company announced Hugen Hall's 2013-14 season on Tuesday.    

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 05:00PM
Monday, October 14, 2013

Music Theatre Company announces 2013-14 season by Johnny Oleksinski

The Music Theatre Company in Highland Park announced its 2013-14 season on Monday.    

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 11:41AM

New video: A song from 'Once' by Johnny Oleksinski

This week’s Theater Loop Showcase video is a song from the national tour of "Once," the Tony Award-winning musical that currently plays the Oriental Theatre. Guy is a vacuum cleaner re…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 07:30AM
Wednesday, October 9, 2013

The Gift announces 2014 season by Johnny Oleksinski

The Gift Theatre announced its 2014 season on Wednesday. Beginning with "Ten," the company's annual opener of new ten-minute plays, the season continues with three productions.  &n…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 11:25AM
Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Piven Theatre announces 2014 season by Johnny Oleksinski

Piven Theatre announced its 2014 season on Tuesday.    

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 10:56AM
Monday, October 7, 2013

New video: A song from Goodman's 'Pullman Porter Blues' by Johnny Oleksinski

This week's Theater Loop Showcase video is a song from Cheryl L. West's "Pullman Porter Blues," currently onstage at the Goodman Theatre. Set in 1937 on the Panama Limited Pullman Train from…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:00PM
Thursday, October 3, 2013

Eclipse announces a 2014 season of Nottage by Johnny Oleksinski

Eclipse Theatre Company, well-known for presenting the partial oeuvre of a single playwright per season, announced on Thursday that its 2014 lineup will focus on the work of Lynn Nottage.&nb…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 10:40AM
Tuesday, October 1, 2013

New video: A scene from Northlight's '4000 Miles' by Johnny Oleksinski

This week's Theater Loop Showcase video is a scene from Amy Herzog's "4000 Miles." Depicting an oft-ignored onstage relationship, that of a grandmother and her grandson, the play is set in m…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:10PM
Wednesday, September 25, 2013

New video: A song from 'Evita' by Johnny Oleksinski

In Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's 1976 musical, "Evita," the young Eva Duarte aspires to a life beyond her lowly upbringings only to become overtaken by her own ambition. The sung-throug…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 01:33PM
Monday, September 23, 2013

Route 66 announces 2014 season by Johnny Oleksinski

Route 66 Theatre Company announced on Monday that it will present two productions in 2014.    

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 03:21PM
Thursday, September 19, 2013

New video: A scene from 'Old Jews Telling Jokes' at the Royal George by Johnny Oleksinski

Based on the popular website of the same name, "Old Jews Telling Jokes" is exactly what its title says: An evening of old (and some young) Jewish comics being funny. Created by Peter Gethers…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 02:31PM
Wednesday, September 18, 2013

'Christmas Carol' auditions for kids by Johnny Oleksinski

The Goodman Theatre is seeking young performers ages 5 to 17 for its 36th annual production of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol.” Audition day is Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Goodm…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:29PM
Friday, September 13, 2013

New video: A scene from TimeLine's 'A Raisin in the Sun' by Johnny Oleksinski

In Lorraine Hansberry's classic Chicago drama, "A Raisin in the Sun," the African-American Younger family inhabits a worn-out apartment on the South Side. As Mama (Greta Oglesby), the family…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:37PM

Seinfeld to play the Chicago Theatre by Johnny Oleksinski

It was announced on Friday that legendary stand-up comedian and television star Jerry Seinfeld will return to the Chicago Theatre for two performances on Dec. 14. Set rather close together a…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:46PM
Wednesday, September 11, 2013

'Rascals' musical coming to Chicago by Johnny Oleksinski

Broadway In Chicago announced Wednesday that "Once Upon A Dream Starring The Rascals" will play the Cadillac Palace Theatre from Nov. 5 - 10 for five performances.    

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 12:34PM
Wednesday, September 4, 2013

New video: Trisha Jeffrey performs 'I'm Here' from 'The Color Purple' by Johnny Oleksinski

In "The Color Purple," a musical based on Alice Walker's novel, four decades of a woman's life in the South are powerfully chronicled. Set in 1909 Georgia, the meek Celie (Trisha Jeffrey) i…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 08:20PM
Monday, August 26, 2013

New video: New Colony offers up 'The Hunt' by Johnny Oleksinski

Introducing our new video series, Theater Loop: Funny , with "The Hunt."    

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 05:15PM
Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Nora Dunn does a scene from 'Mythical Proportions' by Johnny Oleksinski

In Nora Dunn's autobiographical solo show, "Mythical Proportions," the actress and "Saturday Night Live" alumna muses on a life spent in the fast-moving world of   show business, forever p…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 05:23PM
Monday, August 19, 2013

New video: PigPen performs a song from 'Old Man and the Old Moon' at Writers by Johnny Oleksinski

In the music-driven folktale, "The Old Man and The Old Moon," the title character, whose life’s work is nothing short of filling up the moon with light, pursues his wife after she take…

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 04:09PM
Sunday, August 4, 2013

Review: Dickens in America/American Players Theatre by Johnny Oleksinski

Two sides of “Dickens in America” at American Players Theatre are very much at odds with one another. At one is an edutainment script fit for a literature-class trip. Although imparting …

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 11:23AM
Saturday, August 3, 2013

Review: ROOMS: a rock romance/Broken Nose Theatre by Johnny Oleksinski

“Sittin’ in a room,” goes the chorus of the opening song of “Rooms: a rock romance,” receiving its Chicago premiere by Broken Nose Theatre. Awfully vague, don’t you think? From A…

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 10:55AM
Thursday, August 1, 2013

Developing Story: This Year’s Playwrights Unit Comes To A Close at Goodman by Johnny Oleksinski

By Johnny Oleksinski Play readings are pretty commonplace events. Theater companies put them up to try a dusty old script on for size or to aid in developing a resident playwright’s wo…

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 07:00AM
Monday, July 29, 2013

Review: Slowgirl/Steppenwolf Theatre by Johnny Oleksinski

RECOMMENDED When does a wrongdoing become the past? More narrowly, how long does it take for a wrongdoing to transition into a mistake? Is the difference between a mistake and an accident an…

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 05:32PM
Thursday, July 25, 2013

Review: Mojada/Victory Gardens Theater by Johnny Oleksinski

RECOMMENDED Last summer at Victory Gardens, the intense “Oedipus el Rey” uncovered parallels between King Oedipus’ dark road to blind incest and Los Angeles’ treacherous gang life. N…

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 01:37PM
Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Review: Hedwig and The Angry Inch/Haven Theatre by Johnny Oleksinski

RECOMMENDED The glam-rock bio-concert, “Hedwig and The Angry Inch,” boasts a fervent cult following, to say the least. But the show about a transgender East German expat rocker inspires …

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 11:34PM
Monday, July 22, 2013

Review: Shrek The Musical/Chicago Shakespeare Theater by Johnny Oleksinski

RECOMMENDED In the summer, while just about every other theater company is busy celebrating William Shakespeare, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the bard’s local namesake, packs its Court…

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 01:45PM
Thursday, July 18, 2013

Review: The Casuals/Jackalope Theatre by Johnny Oleksinski

Theater is sharing its wardrobe with television these days. Some of our best playwrights have day jobs on TV shows such as “Mad Men” and the fallen “Smash.” Additionally, those stage…

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 04:33PM
Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Rehearsing for Life: Albany Park Theater Project Is Back at The Goodman by Johnny Oleksinski

By Johnny Oleksinski A man stands alone at the end of a long runway, unable to move. On the other side are his three children and, in the middle, perch two threatening immigration officers. …

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 07:00AM
Thursday, July 11, 2013

Review: Hamlet/American Players Theatre by Johnny Oleksinski

Despite its reputation as Shakespeare’s longest play, you won’t come across too many four-hour “Hamlet”’s anymore, unless Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 unabridged film version pops up l…

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 12:13PM

Review: Big Lake Big City/Lookingglass Theatre Company by Johnny Oleksinski

“A Steady Rain”-playwright Keith Huff’s newest caper, “Big Lake Big City” at Lookingglass Theatre Company, is a total bust. A wannabe satire of already what’s probably the mo…

SOURCE: Newcity Stage at 12:08PM