All stories by Jerald Pierce on BroadwayStars

Thursday, January 11, 2024

Comedy for spring 2024: Our top 10 picks, from Brett Goldstein to Ilana Glazer by Jerald Pierce

If you’re looking to enjoy some comedy, and perhaps see someone you haven’t caught live before, here are 10 comics stopping by the Chicago area.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 06:15AM
Friday, December 8, 2023

‘Hip Hop Nutcracker’ blends classical with hip hop, with MC Kurtis Blow helping build the energy by Jerald Pierce

"The movement allows you to hear the music in a new way, and the music allows you to see the movement in a new way.”

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 06:45AM
Monday, October 23, 2023

First-time 312 Comedy Festival opens this week: Our 5 picks from a lineup of dozens of comics at Zanies, the Chicago Theatre and beyond by Jerald Pierce

The first 312 Comedy Festival will include performers such as Hannibal Buress, Craig Robinson, Nicole Byer and Mary Lynn Rajskub.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 06:00AM
Friday, September 29, 2023

Review: In ‘Mesmerized’ at Chicago Children’s Theatre, Ben Franklin solves a science mystery by Jerald Pierce

There’s a wonderful goofiness to the production, directed by Tommy Rapley.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 06:00AM
Thursday, September 7, 2023

Comedy for fall 2023: Our top 10 picks, from Nikki Glaser to Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan by Jerald Pierce

In a fall season packed full of comedians, highlights include D.L. Hughley, Ben Schwartz, Gabriel Iglesias and Trevor Noah.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 06:15AM
Friday, July 28, 2023

Becoming Michael: ‘MJ the Musical’ will star Roman Banks as the king of pop as tour launches in Chicago by Jerald Pierce

“I want people who are fans of him to have a great time and I want people who never listen to Michael Jackson to have a great time."

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 06:00AM
Wednesday, July 12, 2023

7 outdoor theater options for summer 2023: Shakespeare dominates under the stars by Jerald Pierce

This list, with stops in Chicago and just beyond, should help those looking to experience theater in a way only summer can provide.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune Subscription at 06:00AM
Wednesday, May 31, 2023

7 Seattle arts events to put on your Pride month calendar by Jerald Pierce

If you're looking for more ways to celebrate Pride this June, these artsy options spanning theater, comedy, music and visual art are just the picks for you.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Thursday, May 25, 2023

Where to see Seattle-area outdoor theater and performances in summer 2023 by Jerald Pierce

Grab a lawn chair or blanket and head outside to catch these performances from companies offering everything from Shakespeare to contemporary dance.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, May 17, 2023

What to know about recent announcements in Seattle theater by Jerald Pierce

From season announcements and the Tony Awards to more leadership changes, there's plenty to look forward to as theater's 2023-24 season starts to take shape.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Monday, May 15, 2023

‘Wolf Play’ at ACT lovingly holds your heart in its hands by Jerald Pierce

Playwright Hansol Jung's captivating play receives a caring, heartfelt production in Seattle that will stay with you long after you've left the theater.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Review: ‘ZACH’ at ArtsWest, a nostalgic trip to a ’90s sitcom by Jerald Pierce

This world-premiere nostalgia trip quickly turns into a trap as playwright Christian St. Croix covers difficult topics with a teen sitcom sheen.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, May 3, 2023

5 Seattle theater shows you need to see in May 2023 by Jerald Pierce

From local playwrights to national names, these May productions feature writers who are trying to explore stories you may not have seen on stage before.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Review: ‘Sweeney Todd’ at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre by Jerald Pierce

Featuring stunning designs, this production of "Sweeney Todd" highlights the fantastic, the odd and everything in between in Sondheim's murderous musical.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, April 25, 2023

With a new musical at Seattle Rep, Justin Huertas is ready to level up by Jerald Pierce

Huertas premieres his musical "Lydia and the Troll" during a three-production stretch that sees him heading Off-Broadway and working with The Kennedy Center.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Monday, April 24, 2023

Intiman’s ‘The Niceties’ asks its audiences to choose a side by Jerald Pierce

The audience is placed in the middle of an ideological battle between a Black university student and a white professor in Eleanor Burgess's intense 2018 play.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, April 19, 2023

At Seattle Rep, delving into what made August Wilson an all-time great by Jerald Pierce

Two decades after the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright himself performed it at Seattle Rep, Wilson's autobiographical "How I Learned What I Learned" returns.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Billy Porter returns to his first love at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre by Jerald Pierce

The star of stage and screen has long considered music to be his original gift. He now marks a return to mainstream music with a tour kicking off in Seattle.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Thursday, April 13, 2023

Seattle Opera’s ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ and the need for more diverse stories onstage by Jerald Pierce

Seattle Opera's "A Thousand Splendid Suns" seemed like a smart step in offering more diverse stories. But local Afghan community leaders raised concerns.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Thursday, April 6, 2023

6 theater productions to add to your April calendar by Jerald Pierce

From new works to classics, adventurous takes on Shakespeare to open-hearted looks at Wilson, there's an abundance of theater options around Seattle this April.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Whose story do you listen to in Taproot’s ‘As It Is in Heaven’? by Jerald Pierce

Playwright Arlene Hutton takes you back to the 1800s to watch as a Shaker community is faced with newcomers bringing a new form of worship.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Highs and lows in Seattle Public Theater, Reboot’s ‘110 in the Shade’ by Jerald Pierce

In this co-production of a 1963 musical, clever directorial choices created opportunities for new meaning as well as new obstacles to overcome.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Seattle’s Sara Porkalob returns from Broadway, even more confident in her values by Jerald Pierce

As she returns home, Sara Porkalob reflects on her time on Broadway, the fallout from her "1776" interview and the projects she has yet to share with the world.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Friday, March 3, 2023

Manual Cinema stitches together ‘Frankenstein’ for Seattle’s Moore Theatre by Jerald Pierce

With its unique blend of puppetry, live music and film, Chicago-based Manual Cinema final brings its retelling of Mary Shelley's legendary story to Seattle.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Celebrating Sondheim and new works in Seattle theater by Jerald Pierce

This season, many theaters, including a couple in the Seattle area, are celebrating the works of legendary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, February 14, 2023

‘The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window’ needs a closer look at Intiman, Williams Project by Jerald Pierce

A disconnect between production and script prevents this version of Lorraine Hansberry's rarely produced play from reaching its full potential.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Looks may be deceiving in Seattle Rep’s ‘Metamorphoses’ by Jerald Pierce

Gather 'round as a talented quartet of storytellers take you through modern interpretations of Greek myths that may, or may not, leave you transformed.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Seattle artists guide new play looking at history of Black theatermakers by Jerald Pierce

In Reginald André Jackson's world-premiere play, audiences head back in time to meet Seattle's Negro Repertory Company and learn about the pioneers of Black theater.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Explore memories with shows from Seattle Public Theater, Dacha Theatre by Jerald Pierce

Nonlinear storytelling becomes a hurdle for both shows to overcome in their pursuit of proving the value of every moment we have on Earth.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Seattle theaters pull onstage an offstage conversation about race by Jerald Pierce

Conversations about the obstacles faced by Black artists within the theater industry grew over the last few years. Now, two productions bring that to the Seattle stage.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, January 10, 2023

‘Becoming Othello’: a powerful, electric play at Seattle Shakespeare Company by Jerald Pierce

Debra Ann Byrd's one-person, autobiographical show details the pain of a dream deferred and the inspiration of a dream realized.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards