OFFBEAT: Chesterton actress ready for return of 'Glass Menagerie' in Chicago

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: League of Chicago Theatres celebrates 175 years of Windy City stage greats

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Lip Service: Actress Sally Kellerman, with some help from Munster High grad, busy promoting new autobiography

Hollywood actress Sally Kellerman admits of all her show biz stories from a 50-year-plus career, it's her tale with Marlon Brando, in his bedroom, that people want to hear about the most.

OFFBEAT: Actor from Hammond ready to play NYC in 'Peter Pan' stage sequel

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Profiles Theatre in Chicago launches summer with stage thriller 'In the Company of Men'

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Sunday ends Chicago Lyric Opera fun run for 70th Anniversary 'Oklahoma!'

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Author Kate Collins ready for character Abby's August wedding

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

New Products for Thursday, May 16, 2013

Rings a bell

FROM the FARM: Velvety chicken pate a taste of luxury

Phil Potempa's weekly farm column recipe.

OFFBEAT: Dr. Joyce Brothers, a famed brain, dies at age 85

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Drury Lane and Rachel Rockwell's 'Oliver!' all the more entertaining

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Theatre at the Center's 'Glorious Feeling' a toe-tapping tribute

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: PBS Lakeshore TV celebrating 25, 'Streetlamp' ready for new special

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum presents Rolling Stones '50 Years' exhibit

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Pat Boone ready to celebrate early birthday with Drury Lane audiences

With a nearly 60-year career performing, entertainer Pat Boone said he's not sure how he managed to never be booked for a concert at any of the Drury Lane theaters in Chicagoland.

OFFBEAT: Chicago Shakespeare Theater's 'Henry VIII' by Gaines a crowning performance

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Director Baz Luhrmann captures opulence in latest 'Great Gatsby'

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

New Products for Thursday, May 9, 2013

Stem sensation

FROM THE FARM: Gov. Otis Bowen and wife Beth were Hoosier famed names

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Rising son: Every day is Mother's Day in the kitchen for Paula Deen and her boys

There's nothing wrong with brothers being competitive for a mother's attention, as long as the rivalry is in the kitchen.

OFFBEAT: 'Still Alice' a brilliant, mindful journey at Lookingglass

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Civil War Chicago stage story includes VU grad

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Lana Turner is latest stage sendup for Hammond grad

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Valpo reader looking for 'new' film 'Quartet' with Maggie Smith

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Stealing the Show: Stage veterans paired with 11-year-old for Drury Lane's 'Oliver!'

Actress Heidi Kettenring is enjoying being part of the stage family for favorite family-friendly audience productions.

As Seen on TV! Ronco kitchen line reaching new generation with new face guiding consumers

"Even when I'm shopping in a store and I see that little 'As seen on TV' sign, I get pulled in," Engel said. "I love the gadgets."

OFFBEAT: Game show hosting legend Monty Hall honored at June Emmy Awards

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: May wine luncheon as fine as Jane Wyman's 'Falcon Crest'

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Chicago premiere of 'Pianist' a key stage ticket

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

New Products for Thursday, May 2, 2013

Touch of pink

OFFBEAT: Reader trying to find WLS Radio's Larry Lujack

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

FROM the FARM: Reader buys soap for her squirrels

Phil Potempa's weekly farm column recipe.

OFFBEAT: Steppenwolf's 'Head of Passes' eases into summer

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Country music king George Jones dead at age 81

Country music icon George Jones died Friday at 81 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, according to his publicist Kirt Webster. He was hospitalized with fever and irregular blood pressure, forcing him to postpone two shows.

OFFBEAT: Region readers recognize vintage Chuck Berry Hammond poster

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

New trail and learning center open at National Lakeshore

GARY | John Lawicki, of Portage, is helping his late father's love of the Indiana Dunes grow and spread to future generations.

OFFBEAT: Macy's looking for everyday folks to follow Florence Henderson as next TV commercial star

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Cole Porter's 'Anything Goes' still making waves

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

'Rain' check: New stage musical in Munster explores Gene Kelly film classic

Choreographer Danny Herman admits he was "a little intimidated" tackling the musical numbers for a stage production paying homage to "Singin' in the Rain," one of the greatest movie musicals of all time.

OFFBEAT: Star Plaza's 'Streetlamp' singer Shonn Wiley ready for Broadway

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

New Products for Thursday, April 25, 2013

Mom knows best

OFFBEAT: Lassie's Timmy and Blackhawk Denis Savard here this week

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

FROM the FARM: Raccoon up to mischief in farm chicken coop

Phil Potempa's weekly farm column recipe.

OFFBEAT: VU Theater producing short fun run of 'Spelling Bee' this week

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Actor Josh Franklin happy for Chicago run in Cole Porter's 'Anything Goes'

Even though creative musical genius Cole Porter hailed from Peru, Ind., there aren't any Hoosier city stops on the new national Broadway tour of his revived hit "Anything Goes."

OFFBEAT: 'Big Fish' almost ready to swim on to Broadway

I haven't read "Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions" by Daniel Wallace, first printed in 1998, nor seen the now cult status 2003 film directed by Tim Burton, starring Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange and Helena Bonham Carter.

OFFBEAT: Time is right for the return of Superman

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Chicago Lyric Opera ready to celebrate 70th Anniversary of 'Oklahoma!'

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Right 'Price': Stage version of classic CBS game show returns to Star Plaza Theatre

Last year, CBS game show staple "The Price Is Right" celebrated a 40th anniversary to mark its debut on Sept. 4, 1972.

Go 'Fish' : World premiere new musical 'Big Fish' gets Chicago launch

Broadway actress Kate Baldwin has been living in the fantasy world of "Big Fish" for more than two years, watching words and musical numbers bring the selection of vivid characters to life.