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UPCOMING PRODUCTIONS

Billie Jean

Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces the world premiere of an electrifying new play about Billie Jean King. Following her path to becoming a sports icon, from her record-breaking victories to her relentless fight for equal pay and equal rights, Billie Jean explores the cost of public battles and private struggles—bringing us closer than ever before to a woman whose battle for identity and equality inspired and continues to inspire generations. Lauren Gunderson, one of the most-produced playwrights in America, and director Marc Bruni (The Great Gatsby, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) team up to stage this empowering new look at a living legend who shattered glass ceilings on and off the court.

Previews begin July 18th, Opening July 14th, Closing August 10th

Tickets available here

Brighella’s Bar (Pre-Production)

Written by Miles Borchard, this modern day retelling of “Servant of Two Masters” is set in a Chicago bar and immerses the audience in the play around them. Audience members can order drinks and food during the performance while Truffaldino does whatever he can to work for two masters at once and keep them apart at all costs. This hilarious and immersive comedy is in preproduction/workshops and is set for initial readthroughs in 2023.

More information available here.

PAST PRODUCTIONS

The Listeners

Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek, the renowned composer/librettist team, tell the story of Claire, who is driven nearly mad by an unending, low-frequency hum that she hears. In desperation, she joins a community organization, “The Listeners,” formed to discover the origin of the noise and destroy it. The group becomes frighteningly cult-like, ultimately leading to catastrophic consequences.

Show runs March 30th 2025 to April 11th 2025. Tickets are available here.

Champion

Based on a true story and featuring a libretto by Michael Cristofer; the drama unfolds in what composer Terence Blanchard calls “an opera in jazz.” Welterweight boxer Emile Griffith is tortured by the complex realities of his life: decades-long guilt from defeating a challenger in the ring, who died from Griffith’s blows; and desperately conflicted feelings regarding his own sexuality.

Performances run January 27th through February 11th, 2024. Tickets available here.

Villette

Charlotte Brontë’s undiscovered gem, Villette, offers a hero unlike any you’ve encountered before.

Suddenly without family, friends, or funds, Lucy travels alone to an unfamiliar land, determined to carve a path for herself.  An eclectic carousel of characters (and one mysterious ghost!) soon draws Lucy into a complicated maze of multiple doorways leading towards fulfillment or peril – which door should she choose? Produced by Lookingglass Theatre Company, shows run from Feb. 8th to April 23rd. Tickets available here.

Hansel and Gretel

Coming this January to the Lyric Opera of Chicago, this rivetingly modern, astonishingly inventive view of the Brothers Grimm’s fairytale features an eye-popping production that does full justice to Humperdinck’s glorious score. You’ll be rooting for Hansel and Gretel at every moment in their battle against the witch in the massive, industrial-strength kitchen, and you’ll be moved by the “Dream Ballet.” From the exquisite “Evening Prayer” to the uproarious “Witch’s Ride,” this ever-fresh, whimsical masterpiece is packed with musical gems that make it a wonderful introduction to opera for audiences of all ages.

Performances run from January 23rd through February 5th at the Lyric Opera House. Tickets available here.

American Greed

One of the longest running prime time tv shows on CNBC, American Greed is entering it’s 16th season in 2023. In the 220th episode, we follow to story of Paul Martino and Michael Pierce as they unravel a fraudulent producer that cost them millions. The episode will air some time in early February.

More information available here

Southern Gothic

In association with Goodman Theatre and Greg Schaffert, Windy City Play House presents Southern Gothic. Set in 1962 Ashford, Georgia, four couples gather to celebrate a friends birthday — old college buddies who’ve known one another for decades. But even best friends keep secrets, and over the course of this evening’s party, a few of those are bound to be revealed… This immersive production welcomes you to wander about the “set” at your own leisure. You’ll act as a fly on the wall, overseeing all the juicy drama unfold up close.

Shows run from August 31st to December 4th at Petterino’s in the South Loop. Tickets available here.

A Recipe for Disaster!

Written by Rick Bayless and produced by Windy City Playhouse, A Recipe for Disaster takes place at The Contumacious Pig, one of the city’s hottest restaurants. There’s only one problem: the head Chef just called in sick and the Sous Chef might have taken the wrong pill to calm his nerves. The health inspector showed up unannounced, there’s possibly a spy from CP’s biggest competition in tow, and oh yeah, the busboy is hiding a wild pig.

Collegiate Paranormal

Two professional Ghost Hunters make their way from college to college, investigating paranormal activity in student housing. You can see Collegiate Paranormal on M & G Burgers facebook page or here.

Literally Just a Cinder Block

In his first acting role with the company M & G Burgers. Miles will play a fitness professional in this funny infomercial spoof. You can see Literally Just a Cinder Block here.

The Library Book

Coming out in October, Miles will be acting in “The Library Book”, a comedic action short about a man who forgets to return his  library book may have to pay for it with his life. Watch The Library Book here, or at M & G Burgers on Youtube.

CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 – The Country Girl

Miles Borchard will be performing role of Unger in Redtwist Theatre Company‘s upcoming show, The Country Girl. Popularized by the film starring Grace Kelly, this play takes you behind the scenes to follow the journey of an actor’s wife. Frank, an actor whose long periods of idleness are punctuated by despair and drink, is offered a major role in an important new Broadway play. Frank is all in, but only his wife, Georgie, knows the struggle it will be to boost Frank’s self-esteem. The “country girl” will once again have to prove herself for what she is—a faithful, forgiving woman whose long years of devotion have almost obliterated her own personality. Performances run May 13th through June 21st.

Dead Man Walking

Coming this November, 2019, Miles Borchard will be performing in The Lyric Operas production of “Dead Man Walking“. Miles is very excited to be making his Lyric Opera debut and hopes to see you there! In the show, a young couple is brutally killed, and the convicted murderer, Joseph De Rocher, sits on death row. Sister Helen Prejean agrees to be his spiritual adviser. As she meets his family, and the families of his victims, she begins questioning every attitude she has about how human beings treat each other Performances run from November 2nd to November 22nd.

 

Cabaret Nights!

Coming up soon, Miles will be performing in two cabaret nights this fall. Pieus Productions hosts a monthly cabaret for variety acts at Theater Wit called AfterParty. This months theme on for the September 21st show is “Pumpkin Spice Latte Party: A Tribute to the Basic Bitch”. The show starts at 11PM and Miles will be doing a juggling act later in the night.

Later in the Fall on November 17th, Miles will be performing again with Pieus Productions on their special cabaret titled “Everything Sucks”. The show will run from 2pm to 5pm at The Martin.

Sons and Lovers

Miles will  play the role of Paul Morel in the upcoming production of Sons and Lovers by On The Spot Theatre Company. Adapted from the famous D.H. Lawrence book of the same name, Sons and Lovers follows the story of Paul Morel, a young painter, as he grows up in midlands England at the turn of the 20th century. After his brothers death, Paul finds himself split between his love for women, his mother, and his art. See SONS AND LOVERS at the Greenhouse Theater Center from August 29th to September 29th.

The Venetian Twins

Miles has wrapped his production of The Venetian Twins directed by Jim Iorio and performed at the O’Malley Theatre on Michigan Avenue. The performances ran from April 4th to April 6th. The play was adapted from a 16th century comedia d’el arte piece by Carlo Goldoni to be performed at the Guthrie Theatre in Minnesota in 1997 by Kevin Kling. The piece has been changed for Chicago audiences. Miles played the two titular roles of the show, Tonino and Zanetto, a pair of twins that were separated at birth and are now both on different quests for love that have brought them to the same city. Trouble begins to emerge when no one can tell them apart and the locals descend into chaos.

Stage Door

Playing the role of David Kingsley, Miles performs in Steve Scott’s production of Stage Door  at the O’Malley Theatre. The plot follows the courageous Terry Randall, a young actress in New York during the 1920’s, as fights against discouragement to a position in the theater where we are sure she will conquer. One of her fellow aspirants gives up in despair, one gets married, and one goes into pictures, but Terry, with the help of idealistic David Kingsley, sticks to her guns. The production runs on select dates in November, 2018.

Summer & Smoke

Staring in Tennessee Williams famous play Summer and Smoke, Miles plays the role of Johnny Buchanan, a young doctor that is drawn to the darker sides of society. The play is set in Mississippi during the 1910’s and explores the conflict between the hedonistic body and the lofty spirit by following the relationship of Alma Winemiller and her childhood neighbor Johnny Buchanan. Directed by The Goodman’s Steve Scott, the show runs for select dates in February, 2018.