Latest news with #ChicagoStreetTheatre
Chicago Tribune
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Of Notoriety: ‘Titanic Survivor' play in Munster and ‘Anastasia' rules the stage at VU
Violet Jessop was a career woman rarity at the turn of the century, working as a female cabin maid crew member of luxury steamship liners crossing the Atlantic Ocean. At her death of age 83 in 1971, she also found later life fame and is best known as having survived both the sinking of the HMHS Britannic and her sister ship the RMS Titanic. As a first-class maid, just 20, she was one of the few female staff members to secure a lifeboat seat. Actor and historian Leslie Goddard has returned to the Theatre at the Center stage in Munster to share this true account of the twin nautical disasters Jessop survived in vivid and fascinating detail and facts with audiences in her one-woman play 'Violet Jessop: Titanic Survivor,' playing now through Sunday. Audiences learn the incredible accounts of Jessop as she tells her unforgettable stories of these terrifying disasters and gives a fascinating glimpse at life behind the scenes on the most glamorous luxury liners of their day. Tickets are $40 and available at the box office by calling 219-836-3255 or visiting For an additional $30, guests can add a pre-show Titanic-themed meal inspired by the final dinner served on that fateful night, as presented by 10Forty Banquets and Catering Inc. on Sunday before the matinee performance. This historic multi-course themed dinner includes Beef Barley Soup, Roast Chicken Breast, Lyonnaise Château Potatoes, Creamed Carrots and a dessert of French Custard Éclair with Berries. 'Killing Monsters' Chicago Street Theatre will take audiences on a quest to the farthest realms of the imagination April 4 through 19 in its production of Qui Nguyen's 'She Kills Monsters.' A stage face-to-face encounter with courageous heroes, dark villains, swords and dragons, it is inspired by the game series 'Dungeons and Dragons.' The story of 'She Kills Monsters' revolves around sisters Tilly and Agnes Evans who were never really close when Tilly was alive but after she died in a car crash, Agnes discovers her notebook and her love for D&D. Immersing herself in fantasy gaming, she finds a way to escape her real-life struggles of fitting in at school and bullying over her sexuality. Debuting off-Broadway in late 2011 and later winning the American Alliance for Theatre and Education's Distinguished Play award in 2013, 'She Kills Monsters' has grown enormously popular with teenagers and young adults and has been a favorite performed at many high schools and colleges in a version known as the 'Young Adventures Edition.' It runs for nine performances; Thursday, April 17, will be a costume night for audience members to wear their favorite Dungeons and Dragons attire. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors 62 and older and students under 21, as well as military members with ID, and $17 each for groups of 10 or more people. Chicago Street Theatre is located at 154 W. Chicago St. in Valparaiso. Call 219-464-1636 or visit A royal performance Valparaiso University's Department of Theatre has 'Anastasia' for the spring 2025 musical April 3 to April 5 at the Center for the Arts on campus. The historical nod and tale of adventure, identity and perseverance is directed by Keri Burman Castro with musical direction by Daniel Evan Castro. Based on the animated 1997 film by Tony Award winners Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty, and Lynn Ahrens, and adapted for the stage, 'Anastasia' follows a young woman searching for her past, set against the backdrop of post-revolutionary Russia and 1920s Paris. Along the way, she finds herself pursued by a Soviet officer while forming unexpected alliances with a dashing con man and an ex-aristocrat. Featuring a sweeping musical score and visually stunning design, the production captures the magic and emotion of Anya's journey. Tickets for the two-hour and one 15-minute musical are $15 for adults and $10 for senior citizens and $10 for non-VU students and are available online at or by calling 219-464-6950. Something funny George Wallace, J. Anthony Brown, Ted Carpenter, and Michael Colyar bring their trademark humor and timeless wit to the stage for one night only 7 p.m. March 29. It's an unforgettable night of laughter as four of the most iconic comedians in the industry come together for their 'Legends of Comedy' show playing center stage at Hard Rock Northern Indiana Casino at 5400 W. 29th Ave. on the Hard Rock Live main stage. Led by Colyar, the veteran comedian, actor, and motivational speaker, he boasts a career spanning more than three decades. Known for his unique blend of comedy, storytelling, and heartfelt messages, Colyar spans stand-up comedy, television and film. Tickets start at $55 by calling 219-228-2383;
Chicago Tribune
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Of Notoriety: NWI Comic Con in Crown Point, Kenny G to the north and ‘Rules for Living' in Valparaiso for Valentine's weekend
It's a parade of personalities saluting pop culture for the perfect reason to 'people watch' this weekend at the 2025 Northwest Indiana Comic Convention now in its 11th year. Established in 2014, the event is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point. Tickets are $14 and more than 100 vendor booths and exhibitors await. Parking is free. There will also be cosplay contests, food concessions and a 'meet and greet' with comic book artists. Billed as 'the Region's Premier Pop Culture Show,' guests can purchase tickets at the door or online at Following 'Rules' It's the opening weekend of performances of 'Rules for Living' written by Same Holcroft, playing 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, and Saturday, Feb. 15, and the same schedule Feb. 21 to March 2 with the addition of 2:30 p.m. matinees on Sundays and a special 7:30 p.m. performance on Thursday, Feb. 28, at Chicago Street Theatre in Valparaiso. This dark comedy details what happens when an extended family gathers in the kitchen for a traditional Christmas and they each follow rules rigidly yet their long-held mechanisms for survival are laid bare. Resentments and accusations fly and relationships teeter out of balance. Tickets are $22 for adults and $20 for students under age 21 and seniors 62 and older. There is a $17 discount ticket group rate for 10 or more. For reservations, call 219-464-1636 or visit A jazzy idea Kenny G ranks as the biggest-selling instrumental musician of the modern era, and one of the best-selling artists of all time. With global sales totaling more than 75 million records and 1.5 billion streams, the jazz icon is spending Valentine's Day 2025 in concerts at Silver Creek Event Center at Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo with one performance at 8 p.m. CST. He has accumulated a staggering 24 award nominations throughout his 50-year career and has taken home a Grammy Award, American Music Award, two NAACP Awards, and two Soul Train Music Awards. With classic, top-selling studio albums, Kenny, now 68, has maintained a prominent level of creative excellence through decades of unprecedented commercial success. In December 2023, Kenny G released his 20th studio album, 'Innocence,' which features 12 tracks, all of which embrace the theme of lullabies, a cultural and familial tradition that is incredibly special to Kenny as shared during this Friday night special concert at Four Winds Silver Creek Event Center, 11111 Wilson Road, New Buffalo, Michigan. Tickets start at $109 at 866-494-6371 or Music of soul Caifanes is a Mexican rock band which formed in Mexico City in 1987. The group achieved international fame during the late 1980s and early 1990s with their unique blend of British new wave, progressive rock, and Latin-influenced sound. Led by vocalist Saúl Hernández, they will play two concerts at 9 p.m. both Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14 and 15, at The Venue at Hammond Horseshoe Casino at 777 Casino Center Drive in Hammond. Tickets are $49.50 and available by calling 866-711-7463 or go to Caifanes' dark, somber lyrics and style has led to hits like 'Afuera,' 'La Célula Que Explota,' and 'Viento.' The band has also toured extensively in the U.S. and Mexico, and once even opened for The Rolling Stones. Perfect pairing Marsha Ambrosius is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and producer best known for her work as one-half of the groundbreaking duo Floetry. Rahsaan Patterson Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and producer known for his soulful voice, captivating stage presence, and genre-blending approach to R&B. In the spotlight together, the standing ovation result is Soul Experience: Marsha Ambrosius & Rahsaan Patterson in concert for one night only 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15. Known for her emotional depth and powerful stage presence, Marsha Ambrosius' career includes collaboration with a range of iconic artists, including Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys, and 50 Cent, contributing to their projects and sharing her artistry with the world. Her ability to blend raw emotion with evocative storytelling, Marsha has captivated audiences worldwide with her music, earning critical acclaim and a devoted fan base. The pair play centerstage at Hard Rock Northern Indiana Casino at 5400 W. 29th Ave. on the Hard Rock Live main stage. Tickets start at $59 by calling 219-228-2383;
