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Latest News

23 10, 2020

Accessibility & Inclusion On Stage and Off – An Interview with Brian Balcom

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:41:14-05:00October 23rd, 2020|Arts Advocacy, Chicago Theater, Interviews, Latest News|

(Brian Balcom photo by Alison Thvedt) October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). BTD spoke with Brian Balcom about his work in accessibility in theater shortly after [...]

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5 10, 2020

How You Can Advocate for the Arts in the Time of COVID

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:40:06-05:00October 5th, 2020|Arts Advocacy, Chicago Theater, Latest News|

Since the weekend of March 13, 2020, staged in Chicago all over the country have closed until further notice, and some, sadly, have closed forever.  The brutal reality is that these closures not only affect the artists and patrons that [...]

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16 09, 2020

2020 Equity Jeff Nominees in the BTD!

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:39:04-05:00September 16th, 2020|Chicago Theater, Latest News|

The 52nd Annual Equity Joseph Jefferson Award nominees were announced earlier this week, celebrating excellence in Chicago theater and hosting both Equity and Non-Equity award ceremonies each year. The Belmont Theater District extends its congratulations to all nominees and would [...]

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12 08, 2020
  • BTD

August is Hot in the BTD: 5 Shows You’ll Want To See

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:38:35-05:00August 12th, 2020|Latest News, Shows, Virtual Theater|

Someone turned up the heat in Chicago's 2020 summer, and the temperature is not the only thing that is hot around here. While the houses are still mostly dark in the Belmont Theater District, here are five theaters inviting you to [...]

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29 07, 2020

Otherworld Theatre premieres Of Dice and Men on YouTube

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:37:35-05:00July 29th, 2020|Latest News, Shows, Virtual Theater|

Fresh off their three-day streaming spectacular GENRETHON earlier this month, Otherworld Theatre debuts Of Dice and Men - A Play about Dungeons and Dragons, a heartwarming comedy by Cameron McNary. “Of Dice and Men is a heroic tale of friendship, [...]

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15 07, 2020

What is the Belmont Theater District?

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:37:06-05:00July 15th, 2020|BTD, Latest News|

Maybe you’ve seen shows at the Athenaeum or Stage 773, or watched your favorite comics at The Laugh Factory, or noticed the American Blues signs lining Belmont Ave. You might follow us on Twitter or receive our newsletter, but has [...]

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1 07, 2020

Chicago Theater Critics in the Time of COVID – Part 2

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:36:46-05:00July 1st, 2020|Chicago Theater, Interviews, Latest News|

(Pictured L to R: Colin Douglas, Regina Victor, Kerry Reid) (Editor's Note: These interviews were conducted in May 2020, prior to the murder of George Floyd and the protests that followed, so it is not included in the discussion of [...]

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17 06, 2020

Chicago Theater Critics in the Time of COVID – Part 1

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:36:04-05:00June 17th, 2020|Chicago Theater, Interviews, Latest News|

(Pictured L to R: Colin Douglas, Regina Victor, Kerry Reid) (Editor's Note: These interviews were conducted in May 2020, prior to the murder of George Floyd and the protests that followed, so it is not included in the discussion of [...]

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8 06, 2020

Chicago Playback Theatre Ensemble Tells You a Wicked Story

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:35:35-05:00June 8th, 2020|BTD Theaters, Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

Chicago Playback Theatre was founded in 2019 and is one of the youngest companies in the Belmont Theater District. In this video, you'll get a taste of their type of performance and how they're still able to perform during the [...]

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6 05, 2020

Scheming and Streaming: An Interview with Brian Balcom, Director of Teenage Dick

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:33:56-05:00May 6th, 2020|Interviews, Latest News, Shows, Virtual Theater|

BTD Skyped in with Teenage Dick director Brian Balcom to talk about what it took just to get the play produced, why the story is personal to him, and how streaming options helped give the show a run that almost [...]

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24 04, 2020

Pivoting Toward Digital Programming and Streaming Performances

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:32:54-05:00April 24th, 2020|Latest News, Shows, Virtual Theater|

The Spring is usually a busy time for most theater companies as they’re usually mounting and running shows and holding fundraisers. But when Broadway went dark on March 12 this year due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in New York, [...]

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29 10, 2019

Saint Sebastian Players Breathe Fresh Life into OUR TOWN

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:29:35-05:00October 29th, 2019|Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

This fall, Thornton Wilder's classic play OUR TOWN gets a fresh interpretation with the Saint Sebastian Players. Director Jim Masini shared why he felt drawn to retelling this foundational script right now. BTD: What has kept this classic play relevant [...]

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28 10, 2019

Annoyance’s SPLATTER Brings the Blood for Over 30 years

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:28:33-05:00October 28th, 2019|Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

Splatter is a staple of the Chicago Halloween season. I got the 4-11 from Annoyance's Managing Director Charley Carroll who told me all about the fascinating, messy history of this shocker of a show. BTD: Tell us the history of [...]

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15 10, 2019

Otherworld Theatre Brings the Chills with COUNTESS DRACULA

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:27:55-05:00October 15th, 2019|Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

We're well into #OctoberMonthOfTheater, and Otherworld Theatre couldn't be more in their element. I caught up with resident playwright Nick Izzo on his adaption Countess Dracula to learn more about how he updated the classic vampire tale for modern audiences. [...]

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19 09, 2019

Rebecca Jordan Plays a Conflicted Psyche in Shattered Globe’s BE HERE NOW

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:27:30-05:00September 19th, 2019|Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

Can a play show what it feels like to have a medical condition take over your mind? BE HERE NOW, Shattered Globe's season opener, tackles this daunting question. I spoke with lead actress and company member Rebecca Jordan to learn [...]

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30 08, 2019

Director Nick Bowling Talks OSLO, TimeLine Theatre’s Exciting Season

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:27:11-05:00August 30th, 2019|Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

For the first time, TimeLine Theatre takes the stage in the Loop. With a Tony-winning play and a Chicago premiere on the horizon, I asked Associate Artistic Director and director of OSLO Nick Bowling what he's looking forward to this [...]

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8 08, 2019

Newport Theater Revamps Chicago Landmark for Fresh New Fringe

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:26:19-05:00August 8th, 2019|Interviews, Latest News|

A theater that once served as a staple in Chicago comedy gets a fresh start, thanks to Program Director Megan Hartmann and the team behind the Newport Theater. This week on the blog, Megan shares her thoughts on working to [...]

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2 08, 2019

Double the Fun: Director Derek Van Barham Talks Multiple BTD Shows

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:24:20-05:00August 2nd, 2019|Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

As anyone working in the industry knows, theater people often juggle more than one show at once. Kokandy's new Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham is doing just that. This summer, he split his time between the larger-than-life HEAD OVER [...]

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26 07, 2019

19/20 Season Announcement Round-Up

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:23:17-05:00July 26th, 2019|Latest News, Shows|

While we try to make the summer last as long as possible, we are already excited about the treasure trove of shows lined up in BTD's 19/20 season. Below are just a sample of the productions coming our way very [...]

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12 07, 2019

Kids Take Center Stage at Emerald City’s Summer Camp

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:22:21-05:00July 12th, 2019|Interviews, Latest News|

Summer vacation in Chicago means it's time for camp! Emerald City Theatre continues their support of Chicago's young artists through their summer theatre camp program, running now. I caught up with Education Coordinator Jessica Smoot and Summer Camp Coordinator Tyra [...]

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2 07, 2019

The Syndicate’s First Read Amplifies Queer Voices

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:21:07-05:00July 2nd, 2019|Chicago Theater, Interviews, Latest News|

Editor's note: On occasion, BTD shifts their blog's attention to the self produced companies, DIY projects, and emerging artists that make up the next generation of theatre. This month, we focus on The Syndicate, an ensemble theater company that produces [...]

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18 06, 2019

Meet Margaret Kellas, Remy Bumppo’s Wonderstudy in BLOOMSDAY

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:19:48-05:00June 18th, 2019|Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

Behind every great performance on stage, there is a huge team of support. Part of that team for Remy Bumppo's current run of Steven Dietz's Bloomsday is actress Margaret Kellas who took on the challenge of understudying the role of Caithleen. [...]

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13 06, 2019

5 BTD Shows to See This Summer

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:19:06-05:00June 13th, 2019|Latest News, Shows|

Things are heating up in the Belmont Theater District! From storytelling to improv to musicals and more, here are just five of many BTD shows to fill your summer nights. For a complete listing of shows playing now and coming [...]

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23 05, 2019

A “Free” Set: José Manuel Díaz-Soto Talks TOO HEAVY FOR YOUR POCKET

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:18:15-05:00May 23rd, 2019|Interviews, Latest News|

From the moment the audience enters TimeLine Theatre to see Jiréh Breon Holder's Too Heavy For Your Pocket, they are in two worlds at once. They walk softly over grass that slopes up a small hill and right into a kitchen. [...]

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17 05, 2019

Two Medusas: Using Myth to Discuss Womanhood on Stage

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:15:55-05:00May 17th, 2019|Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

Classic myths often find their way onto the contemporary stage. Two Chicago companies are in the midst of examining the story of Medusa through new work. Otherworld Theatre closes a double-header of Bella Poynton’s Medusa Undone and Elizabeth Ann Michaela [...]

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10 05, 2019

Hannah and Christina: A Conversation with Shattered Globe’s Christina Gorman

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:16:36-05:00May 10th, 2019|Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

Our world moves at an alarming rate in the 21st century. With so much happening every minute, it can be hard to argue for looking back. With its current production of Kate Fodor's Hannah and Martin, Shattered Globe Theatre is doing [...]

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2 05, 2019

Stefanie M. Senior Builds Worlds with Sound in NON-PLAYER CHARACTER

Melissa Schmitz2021-08-05T13:17:10-05:00May 2nd, 2019|Chicago Theater, Interviews, Latest News, Shows|

How do you put the internet on stage? For as long as our emotional lives have existed online, playwrights have answered the call to explore what that means. In Walt McGough's Non-Player Character, directed by Beth Wolf for Red Theater [...]

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15 04, 2019

Welcome to the New BTDChicago.com

mcotten2021-08-05T13:11:43-05:00April 15th, 2019|BTD, Latest News|

The new home for the BTD is BTDChicago.com, which now proudly serves as a one-stop-shop for Lakeview theatergoers, showcasing the latest news, show listings, and things to do.

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Latest News

  • Halloween Happenings at the Music Box Theatre
  • Playwright Profile: Hallie Palladino
  • Walk the Red Carpet at the ChiFilmFest Block Party!
  • Celebrate Women’s History Month by Seeing Women of Soul
  • A Little More About Music Box Chicago’s Highs & Lows Series

Featured Shows

  • Albert Herring
  • Hot Clown Sex
  • Radial Gradient

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Homepage Photo Credits  /  World Class Theater: Shattered Globe Theatre’s CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. Photo by Michael Brosilow.  /  Chicago Style Comedy: Jordan Wilson, Brittany Flynn, Mary Catherine Curran, Kyle Ryan, Evan Mills and Adam Levin in The Annoyance Theatre & Bar’s BITE SIZE BROADWAY. Photo by Smart Yeti Creative Agency.  /  All in Lakeview: Daniel Desmarais and Sheldon Brown in About Face Theatre’s Chicago premiere of THIS BITTER EARTH, directed by Mikael Burke. Photo by Liz Lauren.

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