The long-awaited Performing Arts Venue (PAV) license now is law. The Chicago City Council passed the ordinance (sponsored by 46th Ward Ald. Helen Shiller) at the Nov. 30th Council meeting, and it was published as part of the Council record on Dec. 7. Technically, it goes into effect 30 days following publication, or just days after the New Year's weekend. The new PAV license is applicable to all theatres up to 500 seats that do not sell alcohol. Ya' gotta' have one.

David New has been named associate artistic director of Steppenwolf Theatre Company, succeeding Curt Columbus who is moving to Providence, Rhode Island, as artistic director of Trinity Repertory Company. New has performed with Steppenwolf in The Royal Family, The Ballad of Little Jo, Valparaiso, Morningstar, The Glass Menagerie and Slaughterhouse Five. He's known principally as an actor, but over the last several years quietly has extended his career into directing and education; a reach reflected in Steppenwolf's surprise choice. A 1987 graduate of The Theatre School, DePaul University, New is an adjunct professor at The University of Chicago, where he teaches classes in acting and oral interpretation of literature. New's acting credits span the classical and contemporary repertory at major regional houses across the country, and at the Stratford Festival where he was a Chicago/Stratford Associates Fellow.

The reviews are in for The Color Purple and a decidedly mixed lot they are, but the show will have a run and probably will recoup. There are a few pans (most notably John Lahr in The New Yorker) and no unqualified raves; however, the bulk of the reviews are in the B-/C+ range, including that of Ben Brantley in the New York Times. Whether intentionally or not, Brantley did the show a service by reserving his qualifications for the back half of his notice. Those perusing just the first two or three paragraphs will think it's a money review.

As predicted in this column two weeks ago, Felicia Fields has emerged as a new Broadway star, receiving high praise from all quarters, with many writers declaring her an odds-on favorite to win a Tony Award. Predictions for director Gary Griffin are far more cautious, although he's likely at least to earn a Tony Award nomination. Those who liked the show cited Griffin's swift pacing and the overall look (scenic, lighting), while others called him a traffic cop or damned him with faint praise by calling his efforts workmanlike. No one laid the show's problems at Griffin's feet, so he should emerge with a career boost.

 The Broadway in Chicago folks were delighted to announce that Wicked set a new box office record over Thanksgiving. For the week ending Nov. 27, the show grossed $1,242,072 at the Ford Center for Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre. The New York original also set a new record at the Gershwin Theatre the same week, grossing $1,521,159. 

 The Oak Park Festival Theatre is taking a cue from First Folio Shakespeare Festival by presenting its first-ever indoor show to launch its 2006 season. Oak Park Festival will offer Moliere's Tartuffe March 30-April 30 at Pleasant Home, 217 Oak Park Ave. The Festival also announced a summer season of Julius Caesar and Picnic plus a show for young audiences.

Speaking of Theatre for Young Audiences, such programs often have been little more than cash cows for large Equity companies, operating with second-tier talent and performing on the sets of whatever the "real" show is for theatre X, Y or Z. We've noticed, however, that several of our leadership theatres have set the bar considerably higher, and more power to them for doing so. Steppenwolf's matinee programs for what it calls Young Adults have been exceptional for quite some time, offering both classic American plays and outstanding new work. In February, Steppenwolf will debut a musical version of Poe's short story The Fall of the House of Usher, under the title Lady Madeline. We are particularly impressed with the high caliber of the creative team: book and lyrics by Mickle Maher, music and additional lyrics by the championship team of Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman and direction by Jessica Thebus. Meanwhile, down at Navy Pier, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre is bringing in David H. Bell--who usually works on the mainstage--to direct CST's next Short Shakespeare piece.

Speaking of Bell, he (and musical director Patti Garwood) has put together a production of Oliver! at the Marriott Theatre that should be on everyone's must-see list. The talent roster--even in the secondary roles--is among Chicago's finest, and a child will lead them: one Michael Notardonato in the title role, a 7th grader from Naperville. I rarely am seduced by the frequently-too-eager charms of child performers, but this triple-threat young man is different. Notardonato has a pure, sweet and pitch-perfect voice with a lovely vibrato, he dances well and acts convincingly. Best of all, he's never precious, not even for an instant. If he doesn't give up theatre for, say, chemical engineering when his voice changes, Notardonato will have a big, bright future.

Speaking of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, founder/artistic director Barbara Gaines participated early last month in a high-powered panel discussion in New York that put her on stage with directors Anne Bogart, Bartlett Sher and Mark Lamos. They discussed staging the classics at a forum presented by the American Theatre Wing at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. If Gaines' national stature is measured by the company she keeps, then it is very high indeed; something we may not always appreciate here in Ms. Gaines' home town.

Chicago Dramatists has named Margaret Lewis and Lisa Rosenthal to its roster of resident playwrights. Lewis has a thing going with Stage Left Theatre, which had a hit last year with her Burying the Bones and will stage her Fellow Travelers this winter. Rosenthal is the founder of the Playwrights' Collective and is author of such works as Under Our Clothes, Just the Sweet Stuff and Retreat, among other plays.

Tracy Letts' play Killer Joe still is knocking 'em dead, as it were. The West Coast premiere of the play, at the shoestring-budget Lost Angels Theatre Company, won four Ovation Awards at the Nov. 14 ceremonies of the Los Angeles Stage Alliance. Killer Joe copped Ovations for best play, ensemble, direction and sound design. Actor and author Letts is a member of the Steppenwolf Ensemble.

The Madison Repertory is proving to be a small treasure trove of work for Chicago actors under new artistic director Richard Corley. John Mossman and Richard Henzel recently completed a run of Lee Blessing's A Walk in the Woods up in woodsy Mad City, and Henzel will return in the spring to appear in Arthur Miller's The Price opposite Rick Peeples and Peggy Roeder. The Mad Rep moves in February into a purpose-built theatre in the city's shining new arts complex, Overture Center (largely financed by the founders of the American Girl empire).

In the football game of federal arts funding, the Senate has kicked the latest field goal. In late October, the Senate approved $35.7 million for the Dept. of Education's Arts in Education programs. It's the same $36 million (rounded up) that President Bush cut from the Fiscal 2006 budget, in part to justify his proposed $18 million increase in the budget for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The House and Senate both whittled down the NEA request to what will be $125-$130 million when House and Senate resolve their differing appropriations bills. The legislative bodies also will have to compromise on Arts in Education funding, which the House did not approve at all.

We've observed with mild interest the return of two holiday-season shows: the second year of Congo Square's Black Nativity and the fourth year of Quest Ensemble's little traveling pageant, Blue Nativity. Perhaps next year they will merge their endeavors into a single show that demonstrates what a bruising time of year this is, Black and Blue Nativity.

Meretricious to all, and to all a Good Night!