All stories by Robert Loerzel on BroadwayStars

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Why Theresa Rebeck’s Bernhardt/Hamlet Keeps Getting More Relevant by Robert Loerzel

With the Chicago premiere of the play, the Smash writer questions how far we’ve come since the days of Sarah Bernhardt.

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:00AM
Monday, September 9, 2019

How Oslo Playwright J.T. Rogers Chose the Theatre for His Tony-Winning Play’s Chicago Debut by Robert Loerzel

When it came to choosing a playhouse, Rogers looked back to the place that knocked down walls for his early work Blood and Gifts.

SOURCE: Playbill at 08:00AM
Tuesday, February 26, 2019

How Lorraine Hansberry Turned Her Family’s Story Into A Raisin in the Sun by Robert Loerzel

Biographer Imani Perry uncovers lesser known facts of the playwright’s legacy, her impact on the Civil Rights Act, and how her Chicago upbringing led to a classic.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00PM
Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Tony-Winning Once Makes Music in Illinois by Robert Loerzel

Once—a story of art and life—comes to Aurora’s Paramount Theatre

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:10PM
Monday, April 9, 2018

They Were Rock Stars 100 Years Before Rock 'n' Roll by Robert Loerzel

From Liszt to Lang Lang, here are the classical musicians who whipped audiences into a frenzy.

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:05PM
Saturday, March 10, 2018

Lorin Latarro’s A Taste of Things to Come Captures the Inception of Feminism by Robert Loerzel

A fresh production of the female-led original musical hits Chicago.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Sunday, March 4, 2018

Why This Chicago Theatre Put a Modern Spin on The Emperor’s New Clothes—With the Help of Ahrens and Flaherty by Robert Loerzel

The Marriott Theatre kicks off its 2018 family programming with a contemporary take on the fable.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, November 9, 2017

Why Escape to Margaritaville Won’t Be Just Another Juke-Box Musical by Robert Loerzel

Christopher Ashley, Greg Garcia, and Kelly Devine explain how they found the emotional depth in Jimmy Buffet’s songs to create an organic story and character-driven show.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Sunday, October 22, 2017

Why Newsies Regional Premiere Is Unlike Any Other Staging of the Tony-Winning Musical by Robert Loerzel

The Chicago-area production features an immersive setting in the round.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Wednesday, September 13, 2017

What to Expect from Paramount Theatre’s Million Dollar Quartet by Robert Loerzel

The production about Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis opens at the Illinois theatre September 13.

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:46PM
Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Why Machinal Should Be Revived More Often by Robert Loerzel

In the true-crime era, Chicago’s Greenhouse Theatre presents the groundbreaking story of a woman who lashes out under societal pressures.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, July 6, 2017

How a Government Agency Ended Up Responsible for Swing Mikado, Among Others by Robert Loerzel

With the NEA under threat of elimination, a look back at a time when the Federal Theatre Project was a shot the arm for artists and audiences in the dark days of the Depression.

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:39PM
Thursday, June 22, 2017

A Couple Onstage and Off Takes on The Gin Game in Chicago by Robert Loerzel

Paula Scrofano and John Reeger are finally living out their dream of starring together in The Gin Game, at Drury Lane.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, June 15, 2017

Good Fences Don’t Necessarily Make Good Neighbors in Native Gardens by Robert Loerzel

Karen Zacarias’ play presents Latino characters as “full-bodied members of American society.”

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:18PM
Monday, January 23, 2017

Why More Plays Should be Set in Chicago by Robert Loerzel

Playwright Ike Holter believes his adopted home town needs more attention.

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:29PM
Sunday, December 11, 2016

Brandishing the Bard by Robert Loerzel

For any Shakespeare fan, Chicago’s Newberry Library exhibit is a must-see.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 15, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 01, 2025: Glengarry Glen Ross
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic