John Olson Communications

12/14/2025

Congratulations to John Weagly, who today has the World Premiere opening of his play SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CHRISTMAS CLOWNS at City Lit Theater in Chicago on the same day his SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE CHRISTMAS GOOSE finishes a sold-out run some 3000 miles south in Cuenca, Ecuador!

12/11/2025

Congratulations to my client Invictus Theatre Co - Charles Askenaizer and the cast and artistic team of Angels in America, for Chris Jones' pick for top Chicago theater show of the year. They had the guts to take a big risk, fully commit to it and as a result have it pay off in a big way. Very proud to have been a part if this!

Our list of the best on Chicago stages in the past year also visits Writers Theatre in Glencoe and Sam Shepard’s desert by way of Aurora.

08/07/2024

Congrats to my clients on their Jeff Awards nominations! Citadel Theatre for their four nominations - SILENT SKY for Midsize Play, Beth Wolf for directing SILENT SKY, SHE LOVES ME for Midsize Musical, and Matthew Silar for directing SHE LOVES M; and Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre's Tim Rhoze for Performer in a Supporting Role - Play for the Goodman Theatre's JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE. Beth Wolf photo by Joe Mazza/ Brave Lux.

03/05/2022

How cool is it to see posters for three shows I'm repping all on the same window! Once Upon a Mattress by Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, When There Are Nine by PrideArtsChicago , and Laced by About Face Theatre. Direction Tour Marketing, how did you know I like Jet's Pizza?

10/06/2021

Seats to PrideArtsChicago's production of 4000 DAYS this weekend - Thursday, Oct. 7 through Sunday, Oct. 10 - are just $10.00 with the code 4000industry.

4000 DAYS a comedy drama by the author of END OF THE RAINBOW in which Michael (played by Marc Prince) wakes up from a coma to find he has no memory of the past 11 years, or of the partner Paul (Michael Penick) he's been with for the past 10 years. His mother Carol sees this as the perfect opportunity to get Michael out of Paul's clutches. Directed by Jay Españo. Even more info and tickets at

This is the second show of our season. In 4000 DAYS, Michael awakens from a three week long coma that has affected his memory. Michael...

05/05/2021

Here's a look at The Performer's School - Highwood's upcoming productions of LES MISERABLES and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and the innovative way Peter Marston Sullivan's Marston McCoy Media is shooting full-scale, large cast productions while shooting each performer individually and socially distanced. Stacey Flaster and Liz Fauntleroy were guests on Good Day Chicago on Fox 32 Chicago this morning.

Stacey Flaster, Liz Fauntleroy and Matt Angelaccio talk about how The Performer's School has made the most out of the restrictions brought on by the pandemic.

11/15/2020

Attending the TheaterMakers Summit this weekend. Here are some great thoughts from Christopher Jackson's closing remarks:

"Theatre holds up a mirror to the world and says, 'This is who we are, how can we do it better?'

and

'The world needs what we're doing....so desperately."

10/12/2020

The Martians are coming -- take a look at this Chicago Tribune story about Theatre in The Dark's upcoming live virtual audio drama of A WAR OF THE WORLDS, opening Thursday, October 15 - and other Halloween-theme programs including GHOST STORIES by The Artistic Home Ensemble.

Halloween has gone shut-in-and-be-scared for 2020 ... these virtual shows from Chicago theater, from H.G. Wells to Edgar Allen Poe, are designed to play on your fears in the best kind of way.

07/04/2020

For those looking for their fix of musicals in these days of COVID, you may want to check out this festival of new musicals by Richard Allen and Taran Gray, Tuesday, July 7 through Friday, July 10. a new musical @ 7 pm each night --

Tues, - LEGENDARY, about the 70s band Gypsy, directed by Rachel Elise Johnson
Weds - BAYARD, about civil rights pioneer Bayard Rustin
Thurs - WALT AND ROY, about the Disney brothers
Friday - FREEDOM RIDERS (about John Lewis and other civil rights leaders, featuring Anthony Chatmon II of HADESTOWN.

Curtain is 7 PM Chicago time each night. More info below.

06/23/2020

Congratulations to BoHo Theatre, Stephen Schellhardt, Kyrie Anderson, Jeff Pierpoint and Michael McBride for their big wins on BIG FISH in this year's Jeff Awards.Congrats to Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, Will Lidke and Keith Ryan for their HEDWIG wins, to Pride Films and Plays and Scott Gryder for Scott's one-man performance of BUYER & CELLAR; to The Artistic Home Ensemble and Brookelyn Hebert for ADA AND THE ENGINE and to City Lit Theater and Ben Chang for Ben 's original musical score for THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES.