Morning Rehearsal: Chicago theater 6/13

Morning Rehearsal: Chicago theater 6/13

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1. It was the Tony’s last night! While some of you may have been watching the Heat become less than Hot, others of us watched an awards show that Neil Patrick Harris tried to claim was “not just for gays anymore” during a rousing opening number.

No big upsets, but the acceptance speeches of its leading ladies were especially dramatic. Sutton Foster (for Anything Goes) and Nikki M. James (for Book of Mormon) both gave emotional speeches, but they were bested by Frances McDormand (for Good People), who wore a jean jacket and a dress from Forever 21 and seemed to leave the next presenter, Daniel Radcliffe, speechless for a moment.

Antics weren’t just isolated to the ladies though; Mark Rylance (Jerusalemread a poem as thanks.

Read more on the actual substance of the show by Jonathan Abarbanel, who remarks both on Lookingglass theater’s exit to New York for the weekend, as well as the bulk of the Tony’s.

(Cheryl Mann)

2. About Face Theater‘s The Homosexuals opened in previews on Saturday at the Victory Gardens Theater, finishing the house’s 15th season, and kicking off Pride Month (look for the Chicago Pride Parade on June 26th). The Homosexuals is a coming of age tale about a young gay man who moves to the big city and falls for a new friend.

3. Stage Left‘s 30th season has been announced; they’ll be presenting Beau Willimon’s Farragut North, which “provides a behind the scenes look at the cynical back-stabbing that goes into electing our nation’s highest office, which is a valuable discussion as the country heads into the 2012 election season.”

Jayme McGahn’s The Fisherman, last seen at LeapFest 5, takes on union workers and “The Man” in Minnesota. They’ll also have a “late-night holiday comedy” that I’m assuming you won’t want to take the kids to.

(Photo by Emily Heist Moss)

4. Have you been missing the Fellowship of the Boobs?  Even so, you probably haven’t been missing their ads. Never fear, TimeOut dropped by their performance last Thursday and took some slightly NSFW photos of the action. Check them out if you have an office with a door.

5. And finally — Mayor Emanuel’s office weighed in on the celebration surrounding Lookingglass’ win for Best Regional Theater: “Congratulations to the Lookingglass Theatre Company for winning the 2011 Tony Award for Excellence in Regional Theater. The Lookingglass is an important Chicago cultural institution, having produced more than 50 original works since it was founded in 1988 in a Northwestern University dormitory. From an adaptation of Studs Terkel’s Race to a recent production of David Schwimmer’s Trust, Lookingglass has been the standard of artistic excellence in the city.

“On behalf of all Chicagoans, I commend the Company for its success in delivering quality, original theater for all to enjoy, and extend congratulations on this well-deserved honor.”

Questions? Tips? Email kdries@wbez.org.