Tom Vendafreddo News

What began as a 1970s rock opera concept album became a global stage phenomenon that captured seven Tony Award nominations and countless awards overseas in its 40-plus years. Jesus Christ Superstar, the beloved rock opera that explores the story and internal struggles of the last seven days of the greatest idol in history - Jesus - is the 2016-17 Broadway Series finale, now through May 28, 2017 at the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. BroadwayWorld has highlights from the show below!

Aurora's Paramount Theatre, home to more than 33,000 subscribers for its Broadway Musical Series, continues its growth as one of the nation's preeminent regional theater powerhouses with today's announcement of four must-see, blockbuster musicals slated for its 2017-18 season: Million Dollar Quartet, Elf: The Musical, Cabaret and Once.

bloody well everyone needs to strap themselves in for Paramount Theatre's bold new production of Sweeney Todd-The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Click below to watch scenes from the show!

Some, others, many and bloody well everyone need to strap themselves in for Paramount Theatre's bold new production of Sweeney Todd-The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Directors Scott Weinstein and Hannah Dawe and Music Director Jermaine Hill will lead a Valentine's Day themed event, LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE: A concert benefiting Planned Parenthood, the Trevor Project and the Southern Poverty Law Center. The concert is set to take place at 8PM on Monday, February 13, at Windy City Playhouse (3014 W Irving Park Rd) and will feature several of Chicago's most beloved theater artists including Donica Lynn, Alex Weisman and Jonathan Butler-Duplessis.

Votes are cast; polls are closed; and results have been tabulated! This was our biggest year yet! After a record number of voters in more than 75 regions worldwide, BroadwayWorld is very excited to announce the 2016 Chicago winners! Thanks to all who voted, and huge congratulations to all the winners!

Some, others, many and bloody well everyone need to strap themselves in for Paramount Theatre's bold new production of Sweeney Todd-The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

No matter your age, no matter your experience with the story, no matter if you believe in mermaids or not, you and your family will want to be front and center when the curtain goes up on the Paramount Theatre's magical new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid, November 23, 2016 through January 8, 2017.

The unquestioned immortality of Mamma Mia! took a hit last year when its Broadway run came to an end after playing fourteen years, two theatres and 5,773 performances. Now comes the question of its unavoidability. Somehow, I've managed to - okay, maybe not avoid it, which implies snobbishness on my part - but Mamma Mia! has just never been on my radar. It'll be around forever - or at least as long as Boomer nostalgia sells - so that leaves plenty of time to catch up on other things, my thought process went. But now begins what will presumably turn into a licensing blitz, and Aurora's Paramount Theatre leads the bell-bottomed charge into Chicagoland. So here we go again for the first time, I guess.

More than 60 million people in 40 countries on six different continents have reveled in Mamma Mia!, the iconic musical about love and friendship, of lost dreams and that last chance to make it right, all set to the music of ABBA, one of the most popular bands in the world. 

Six world premiere plays and four new adaptations seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving nominations by The Jeff Awards Committee. 178 nominations in 32 categories honor Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2015 and July 31, 2016.

More than 60 million people in 40 countries on six different continents have reveled in Mamma Mia!, the iconic musical about love and friendship, of lost dreams and that last chance to make it right, all set to the music of ABBA, one of the most popular bands in the world. 

Join us for a "Night of Broadway" as seasoned Equity actors Tom Vendafreddo and Marya Grandy perform Broadway classics during a "bonus" performance at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts' (400 Culver Street) Summer in the Studio concert series on August 1 at 8:00 p.m. 

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, announces a one-week extension to Company, featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth. The production is directed by William Brown. Company features original orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, Orchestral Reductions by Ian Weinberger, music direction by Tom Vendafreddo and choreography by Brock Clawson. The show, originally slated to run through July 31, 2016, will add an additional week, through August 7, in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe.

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, announces a one-week extension to Company, featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth. The production is directed by William Brown. Company features original orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, Orchestral Reductions by Ian Weinberger, music direction by Tom Vendafreddo and choreography by Brock Clawson. The show, originally slated to run through July 31, 2016, will add an additional week, through August 7, in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe.

To be or not to be … married. That is the question facing Robert throughout COMPANY, the Stephen Sondheim/George Furth musical that concludes Writers Theatre's current season at its spiffy new venue in Glencoe.

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, concludes its 2015/16 season with Company, featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth. The production is directed by William Brown. Company features original orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, Orchestral Reductions by Ian Weinberger, music direction by Tom Vendafreddo and choreography by Brock Clawson. The show runs June 15 - July 31, 2016 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Wednesday, June 22, at 7:30 pm.

Writers Theatre concludes its 2015/16 season with Company, featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth. The production is directed by William Brown. Company was originally produced and directed on Broadway by Harold Prince, and features original orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, music direction by Tom Vendafreddo, and choreography by Brock Clawson. The show runs June 15, 2016 - July 31, 2016 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre: 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Wednesday, June 22 at 7:30 p.m.

The Chicago Artists Chorale, a group of 60 singers drawn together from across Chicago's professional arts communities, wraps up its second season on May 10 with SONGS OF LOVE AND LIGHT, a concert of resonant, powerful choral music spanning from the late Romantic period through the present day. The performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Church, at 1010 W. Webster Ave. in Chicago.