ATW NewsClips - Mid-West, Southwest and Mountain Print

Chicago Tribune

Unvoiced thoughts come through loud and clear
The five solo performers in "A Dreadful Day" are among the best the in city, their monologues like short stories you want to clutch to your chest. If that sounds dorky, you have yet to encounter the pleasures herein.

Stage ticker
[theater notes]

Chicago Tribune Theater Loop Blog

'Hizzoner' cancelled for summer, Giuntoli in hospital
The July and August performances of the Prop Thtr Group's long-running hit "Hizzoner" at the Beverly Arts Center have been cancelled, due to the hospitalization of star Neil Giuntoli. According to a spokesman for the show, Giuntoli has a staph...

Robert Sella to play Salieri at Chicago Shakespeare
The high-profile New York actor Robert Sella is to play Salieri in Gary Griffin's upcoming production of Peter Shaffer's "Amadeus" at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. The show begins performances Sept. 6 on Navy Pier in the mainstage Courtyard Theatre. If you've...

Chicago Sun-Times

'Mamma Mia' leaves its actors a bit stranded
I saw the stage version of "Mamma Mia!" in London, where for all I know, it is now entering the second century of its run, and I was underwhelmed. The film version has the advantage of possessing Meryl Streep, ...

Writers get 'First Look' at their new plays
...that opportunity is the main objective of First Look Repertory of New Work, Steppenwolf Theater's summertime showcase of plays staged in rotating rep at the Merle Reskin Garage Theater.

Stage notes

Daily Herald

Merry 'Much Ado'
Just as pride can't frustrate the budding romance of loquacious lovers Beatrice and Benedick and a bit of slander can't divide

Noble Fool hosts two crowd pleasers

Flawed 'Mamma Mia' still fun
As a movie musical, "Mamma Mia!" is a mess. But a most amusing mess. It features

Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Give her an inch ...
Ann Michels returns to the role that launched her on a rocket ride in Twin Cities musical theater.

Putting some razzle-dazzle on Hennepin
Hennepin Avenue stars: Minnesota to get its own Walk of Fame

OnStage: 'Annie Get Your Gun'
Opening: Last year we were writing stories about Laura Osnes going from Minnesota community theater to Broadway

St. Paul Pioneer Press

Minneapolis / Theater copes with director's ouster
About 50 members of the area's dance and theater community gathered late Wednesday night in support of Jeff Bartlett, the longtime artistic director of the Southern Theater, whose ouster was made public earlier this week.

Give her an 'Inch,' and she'll take a smile
Actress/singer Ann Michels was drawn to "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" because of its messy, meaningful story.

Detroit Free Press

'Ladies of Harmony' opens at Broadway Onstage
The first show of the 15th season for Broadway Onstage opens at 8 p.m. This comedy by Ohio playwright Ron Hill is about a Harmony Church committee, reluctantly planning a funeral dinner for a man they all despise.

Louisville Courier-Journal

Cast shines in Bunbury's 'Moon'
What makes Bunbury Theatre's production of Ken Ludwig's ""Moon Over Buffalo" worth hearing and seeing is a cast committed to the wacky physicality and boundless energy needed to make the show funny

Cleveland Plain Dealer OnStage Blog

Newest photo tour of Great Lakes Theater Festival's $14.7 million renovation of Playhouse Square's historic Hanna Theatre

Sneak peek: 'Mamma Mia!' promotional video from PlayhouseSquare

Cleveland Scene

Bummer Summer
A time-share gets bloodied in Bang and Clatter's Betty's Summer Vacation

Capsule reviews of current area theater presentations

Cincinnati Enquirer

Meet 'West Side Story' gang
Jersey Productions moves to the Aronoff Center's Jarson-Kaplan Theater for a trio of shows, starting with a revival of "West Side Story."

'Edges' smoothes path to adulthood
The song cycle "Edges," a revue about the struggles of becoming an adult, gets its regional premiere at Contemporary Arts Center.

'Park' perfect for a stroll
"Barefoot in the Park," the Neil Simon comedy about newlyweds trying to start a new life together, opens this week at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.

CinStages.com

Remembering Jim Campbell
Essential member of the Playhouse family for more than ten years.

Dallas Morning News

Festival of Independent Theatres kicks off with weirdly wonderful double bill
The Festival of Independent Theatres celebrated the opening of its 10th season on Thursday with perhaps the weirdest double bill in a decade. Not that there's anything wrong with weird in the world of independent theaters.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

10th annual Festival of Independent Theatres
It's time for the 10th annual Festival of Independent Theatres, and if doesn't look like FIT has grown all that much in a decade, consider how important it has been to Dallas' fringe-theater scene, which is arguably bigger than ever.

TV, stage actor replaces Phillips in Casa production
Casa Mañana has announced a replacement [Richard Kind] for Lou Diamond Phillips in its upcoming production of the classic Richard Adler/Jerry Ross musical Damn Yankees.

Upcoming: Jersey Boys, Fort Worth Guitar Guild Festival, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
The national tour of the Tony-winning musical "Jersey Boys," about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, comes to Dallas for three weeks.

Houston Chronicle

Broadway class of 2008
Classic revivals, new voices share the New York stage in a strong year for the musical.

Austin American-Statesman

Review: "The Clean House"

Denver Post

"Hot L" comes back to life at Barth

"End Days" is a promising start

Rocky Mountain News

BORNSTEIN: 'End' finds a lost family feeling its way through dark days

Music takes center stage in Buddy Holly story

Daily Camera

Disney's 'High School Musical 'hits local stages
Jeff Calhoun didn't know what he was getting into when he took the job as director of the national tour of Disney's "High School Musical."

Review: 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'