Curtain Call Chicago with Paul Lisnek

Misha Brown is a social media creator who took the country by storm and now has a massive following, with his sassy, heartfelt content that helps people talk to themselves more kindly. In his new book Be Your Own Bestie: A No-Nonsense Guide to Changing the Way You Treat Yourself, he takes that online energy and influence and creates a practical roadmap for self-love. The book is part memoir and pa...

Created by Shaina Taub, the first woman to ever independently win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in the same season, this new musical boldly explores the triumphs and failures of a struggle for equality that’s far from over. Laura Stracko appears in multiple roles as Alva Belmont and Phoebe Burn and talks to Paul about the show. SUFFS tells the story of the suffragist movement and the wo...

When a prodigal son returns to blue collar New England, his homecoming sets off a spiraling crisis for two families, threatening not only their relationships but their very identities. In Mia Chung’s wildly inventive Catch as Catch Can(directed by the incomparable Amy Morton) three actors take on six roles, bridging generation and gender, in a theatrical tour-de-force that upends the kitchen sink...

Damn Yankees blends romance, comedy, and classic songs like “Heart” and “Whatever Lola Wants” into a playful, fast-moving night at the theater Joining in the conversation are: Luke Nowakowski (Joe Boyd), Tommy Thurston (Mr. Applegate) and Jenny Couch (Lola). A thoughtful and deep conversation about the meaning of the show in which a devoted baseball fan makes a devilish deal to help the Washington...

The national tour of Water for Elephants is a high-energy musical set in the world of a traveling circus, following a young man who finds love, purpose, and a new home after jumping a moving train. It’s known for its big spectacle, acrobatics, and emotional story. Joining the conversation is Robert (Bob) Tully who plays the role of Mr. Jankowski.

Laurel and Hardy: After the Laughter is a deeply researched book that chronicles the final years of comedy legends Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, from their curtailed 1954 British tour through Hardy’s death in 1957 and Laurel’s quiet retirement in Santa Monica living at the Oceana. Drawing on letters, news reports, private documents, and rare photographs, it offers an intimate look at their declini...

'Theater of the Mind' is an interactive experience that bends the mind and bends the definition of theatre from the brilliant minds of Mala Gaonkar and David Byrne (frontman of Talking Heads) Exploring the mind and the science behind how it interacts with our memories, David and Mala, along with Director Andrew Scoville take you on a journey inside your mind that may or may not be differen...

Kinky Boots is a big-hearted musical about Charlie Price, who inherits his family’s failing shoe factory and gets an unlikely boost from Lola(played by Omari Collins), a fabulous drag performer with a bold idea. Together, they create a new line of boots and discover that acceptance, friendship, and being yourself can change everything.

On this podcast, Paul Lisnek dives deep into the world of entertainment, and it doesn't get more entertaining than the man known as the "King of Comedy." Jerry Lewis' career spanned 70 years of his life starting in his teens and with more stories than one could fit into a book, there is no one better to tell his story than his son Christopher. Christopher J. Lewis takes us behind t...

Champions of Magic is a high-energy touring illusion show that blends grand-scale magic, close-up tricks, mentalism, escapes, and theatrical spectacle into one family-friendly production. It features original illusions, interactive moments, and a big stage-show feel with humor and dramatic effects. The core stars are Young & Strange (Richard Young and Sam Strange), a duo who began performing t...

The Last Kings of Hollywood by Paul Fischer is a nonfiction account of how Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg rose from young, hungry filmmakers in the late 1960s to the dominant creative forces in the 1970s and early 1980s American film. Drawing on extensive research and interviews, the book follows their intertwined friendships, rivalries, and collaborations as they sought...

The national tour of Spamalot is a revival of Monty Python’s absurdist musical comedy, sending King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table on a gleefully ridiculous quest for the Holy Grail. It features the show’s signature mix of sharp satire, big musical numbers, and classic Python nonsense, including the Knights Who Say “Ni!” and other beloved bits. The original production tried out in Chica...

For nearly 70 years, Burt Bacharach supplied the soundtrack of the American experience working with some of the finest singers from Dionne Warwick to Luther Vandross. Directed by David Zippel, 'Going Bacharach: The Songs Of An Icon', is a musical revue featuring many of the classic Bacharach songs. Hilary Kole, Ta-Tynisa Wilson and John Pagano, best known for touring with Burt himself, all...

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, under the leadership of Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis and Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan, announced its 2026/27 Season, marking the next chapter of the company’s bold, visceral and muscular work, while celebrating a dynamic range of exciting new voices and Steppenwolf legends. Paul Lisnek chats with Audrey and Glenn in the Steppenwolf Theatre...

In this video, Paul steps away from the usual format to address the breaking news coming out of the recent Jeff Awards. He speaks to the Communications Chair for The Jeff Awards to hear their response. Then, the conversation shifts to Jeff Award recipient Brenda Didier and her reaction to the news but the conversation continues into her earliest successes on the stage and onward. As a dancer, chor...

Michael Longfellow is a comedian and stepson from Phoenix who completed three seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live where he appeared in the Weekend Update segments among others . Prior to SNL, Michael was just one of eight comedians chosen for the inaugural “Netflix Introducing….” Next stars of comedy showcase at the Netflix is a Joke Festival. Also seen on Conan, he was a favorite on N...

Hamilton changed what it means to even talk about a Broadway Production. It really shook things up and continues to bring people back over and over again to see the story of American founders and listen to the music that has strongly influenced Broadway forever. Joining the conversation is A.D. Weaver who plays George Washington. Weaver is no stranger to Chicago audiences having appeared at Goodma...

Ravinia President and CEO Jeff Haydon sat exclusively with Paul Lisnek to reveal the 2026 Festival Season. Lots of big stars, Orchestras covering Jazz, Classical, Broadway and Show and even a sing-a-long with the Movie Grease evening hosted by Paul Lisnek….an incredible variety. Beyond the programs, Jeff and Paul discuss all the different ways to enjoy the park, travel and parking and the best way...