Home

Tuesday, 08 January 2008 00:00

Happy New Year!

Written by

Geoff Tate and Kim KatzWell, 2007 flew by and had lots of amazing developments for us here at Buzz, including our brand new partnership with NBC5.com’s “Chi Town After Dark”. The New Year always makes me wonder what the numbers mean so I looked it up and it turns out the number seven is the number of investigation...

Geoff Tate and Kim Katz2008 is going to be great and I can’t wait!

Well, 2007 flew by and had lots of amazing developments for us here at Buzz, including our brand new partnership with NBC5.com’s “Chi Town After Dark”. The New Year always makes me wonder what the numbers mean so I looked it up and it turns out the number seven is the number of investigation while the number eight signifies problem solving or the outcome of all that of introspection and planning. The Number Eight becomes a carrier of dynamic power and the success of the seeds planted all the way back with the One. Its character, 8, reveals a perfect balance between the world of ideas and the world of action. It is closed off indicating the power that will bring ideas into fruition.

In Chinese astrology 2008 is a Rat year, a time of hard work, activity, and renewal. This is a good year to begin a new job, get married, launch a product or make a fresh start. Eight is also the number of Eternity, so the friendships you cultivate this year will most likely last forever! It is a time of renewal in so many ways. From New Year’s to Valentine's Day, to the arrival of spring, may all the blessings and delights of the New Year be yours!

“News is captured for the Queen to use!” Queensryche in Chicago.

Although this is a wrap up edition, we do have new coverage of the classic progressive metal band, Queensryche. I had a great conversation with lead singer and composer, Geoff Tate, from his home in Seattle, check out our phone interview at www.buzznews.net. Geoff is a rock and roll legend with a super sharp mind for politics and an opera worthy voice. Also we will be interviewing him and his band at their Chicago show February 2nd so fans of the Ryche should check back for our video “Postcard from the Road” with this very intelligent and beloved band.

Jesus Christ is still a Superstar!

Ted Neeley, star of film and stage is still performing his quintessential interpretation of the Jesus story all over the country. We were blown away by his voice and passion in portraying the passion of my favorite Heeb, so back off Braveheart!! Ted Neeley gave me the most awesome phone interview last year, it lasted over an hour and was full of great spiritual insights but at that time we were only able to post a few minutes of it, now you can hear almost the whole hour of this incredible conversation with the MAN. Ted will be doing his “Postcard from the Road” with us when “Jesus Christ Superstar” returns to Chicago this February. Ted has a lot of loyal fans and yet there is not much coverage about him, so be sure to check out our exclusives on Ted Neeley at www.buzznews.net and www.buzznews.tv. Talking to Ted Neeley in person is the closest you can get to feeling like you are chatting one on one with the holy one!

Once an Outlaw…Always an Outlaw!

Hughie Thomasson, may he rest in rock and roll peace.

Over the summer we went out to Aurora to interview the best southern rock band of all time, The Outlaws. Ken and I were invited onto their tour bus to shoot our video “Postcard from the Road” and these totally sweet and gifted guys treated us like rock royalty. We then went out into the street festival packed with over five thousand happy fans and witnessed one of the finest displays of rock and roll artistry we have ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

I was completely stunned a few weeks later when after sending them our photos and story we got the news that lead singer, guitarist and founding member Hughie Thomasson went out to dinner with his wife Mary on Sunday (Sept. 9), went home, got comfortable in his favorite chair to watch football and then passed away from a heart attack during a nap at the young age of 55 in his Florida home.

If this is news to you it is a perfect time to revisit our “Postcard from the Road” with The Outlaws, which will be on our front page again at www.buzznews.net. You’ll see there that Hughie was not only talented beyond belief but was one of the nicest, most down to earth and funny guys in the rock world. Hughie gave me the high five twice during our interview and I’m giving him the heavenly high five right now! Love you Hughie!

Thanks sooo much to everyone who reads our magazine and checks out our websites all year, we really appreciate it!

I have been a little lax over the holidays in updating my videos at www.youtube.com/kimkatzbuzznews but I resolve to post more often so check back Kitty Kat!

Love you, and I wish a Happy, Healthy New Year to all!

Kim Katz

The 37th annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival Returns September 20 – October 26 at Six Chicago venues

12 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Curious Theatre Branch, with co-producers Chicago Danztheater Ensemble, Chicago Dramatists and Labyrinth Club, are pleased to announce the 37th annual Rhinoceros Theater…

Collaboraction announces two major productions at its new House of Belonging in Humboldt Park in 2026-27

12 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Collaboraction Theatre Company announced today two major productions for its 2026-27 season: the world premiere of Chicago writer Willie Round’s…

A Red Orchid Theatre Opens 34th Season with Chicago Premiere of HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING October 29 – December 6, 2026

12 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

A Red Orchid Theatre is pleased open its 34th Season, exploring the theme of "world on fire," with the Chicago premiere of Will…

Open Space Arts to present THE SWALLOW, by Spain's Guillem Clua, September 11 - 27

12 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Open Space Arts has announced it will stage the Chicago Premiere of THE SWALLOW - the internationally acclaimed drama by…

CHICAGO HUMANITIES announces full Fall Festival 2026 programming

11 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago Humanities proudly announces the full lineup for its Fall Festival 2026, with conversations ranging from social justice, music, politics, literature, food,…

Tin Drum Theatre Company announces Chicago premiere of A Dark Wood by Eric Coble, Oct. 15–Nov. 1 at Greenhouse Theater Center

11 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Tin Drum Theatre Company is proud to announce the cast and creative team for Chicago premiere for A Dark Wood, October 15 -…

Young dancers and performers invited to audition for Joffrey Ballet's The Nutcracker, September 10 and 13

11 August 2026 in Theatre Buzz

The Joffrey Ballet holds open auditions for the Children's Cast of Christopher Wheeldon's The Nutcracker at its downtown studios in Joffrey Tower, 10 East…

Midsommer Flight to present staged reading of ADELINDA – an irreverent class comedy from 1796, at The Understudy on September 14

11 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Midsommer Flight will for the third year present a one-night-only staged reading of a play from the EXPAND THE CANON list,…

Oil Lamp Theater Presents DIAL M FOR MURDER, October 2 - November 1

11 August 2026 in Theatre Buzz

Oil Lamp Theater, presenting I Love You Because, August 14 - September 13, is proud to announce the cast and creative team…

Music Director/Conductor James Moore To Receive Sarah Siddons Society's "Leading Artist Award"

10 August 2026 in Theatre Buzz

The Sarah Siddons Society is honored to present its 2026 Leading Artist Award to James Moore, Music Director and Conductor of Lincoln Center Theatre's…

House of the Exquisite Corpse, Chicago’s only puppet haunted house, returns with the nightmare-inducing new theme LULLABIES, October 8-November 1 at Steppenwolf’s The Merle

10 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

House of the Exquisite Corpse, Chicago’s one and only puppet haunted house, returns for its sixth Halloween season with a…

Red Clay Dance Company announces Season 18 programming

10 August 2026 in Upcoming Dance

Red Clay Dance Company, Chicago's premier Afro-contemporary dance company, proudly announces its exciting Season 18: Spectrum programming, including Founding Artistic Director and…

Mean Girls, the hit Broadway musical getting a fierce Chicago premiere at Aurora’s Paramount Theatre, August 26-October 11

09 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Break out your Burn Book and mark these dates: Aurora’s Paramount Theatre is launching its 15th Broadway Series with the…

American Blues Theater names Nia Akilah Robinson the recipient of the 2026 Blue Ink Award for her play Overnight at the Museum and announces featured finalists Benjamin Benne and Claire Crowley

07 August 2026 in Theatre Buzz

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the recipient of the 2026 Blue Ink Award is Nia Akilah…

Love and Time On Our Side: The Notebook: The Musical at Broadway in Chicago

06 August 2026 in Theatre in Review

In times of stress, we often turn to familiar and comforting things: a favorite song, a dog-eared book, a movie…

9th NEXUS Chamber Music Festival - Guarneri Hall - Through August 14

06 August 2026 in Now Playing

Chamber music may be one of music’s most misunderstood children.  An early form of classical music, it has always been…

Otherworld Theatre's Starship Edsel - Second City’s De Maat Theatre - Through September 13

05 August 2026 in Now Playing

This summer, the Starship Edsel boldly goes where they maybe shouldn’t go as Otherworld Theatre, Chicago’s premier destination for Science…

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Announces Mud Row October 15 - November 15 at Theater Wit

05 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company is pleased to announce the cast, creative and production teams for the first production in its 2026…

Victory Gardens Theater presents the World Premiere of Zayd Ayers Dohrn's The Humanities beginning September 10th

05 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Victory Gardens Theater (2433 N. Lincoln Avenue), an historic incubator for new play development, proudly announces the World Premiere staging of The…

Goodman Theatre Presents Dead Girl's Quinceañera September 26th Through November 1st

05 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Secrets, sisterhood and solving crime take center stage this fall in the world premiere co-production of Dead Girl's Quinceañera by Miami native…

Steppenwolf Theatre Presents ADIRONDACK CHAIR CIRCLE – October 22 – December 6, 2026 – World Premiere!

04 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to continue its 51st Season with the world premiere of Chicago playwright Stephanie…

Writers Theatre celebrates record-breaking 2025/26 Season with artistic growth and unprecedented ticket sales

04 August 2026 in Theatre Buzz

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham, concluded its 2025/26…

Chicago City Opera presents a Mozart double feature of The Impresario and Bastien and Bastienne August 15th & 16th

04 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago City Opera (CCO) presents an evening of two one act Mozart operas The Impresario and Bastien and Bastienne combined…

The Notebook - James M. Nederlander Theatre - Through August 16th

04 August 2026 in Now Playing

Producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch, along with Broadway In Chicago are thrilled to announce THE NOTEBOOK, a new musical based…

Harris Theater Presents return of Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project, Aug. 28

04 August 2026 in Upcoming Dance

Following last year’s smashing sold-out engagement, the Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance proudly presents the return…

Chicago Magic Lounge Welcomes Back David Parr as Fall Artist in Residence with Time Traveler October 7 – December 16

04 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago Magic Lounge welcomes back acclaimed magician David Parr as its Fall Artist in Residence with David Parr: Time Traveler, a new theatrical experience…

ETA’s for colored girls Honors the Enduring Power of Ntozake Shange

04 August 2026 in Theatre in Review

Nearly fifty years after its groundbreaking premiere, Ntozake Shange's for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow…

yo ho. Delivers Queer Pirate Chaos, Big Laughs, and Fierce Swordplay

03 August 2026 in Theatre in Review

A quick history lesson: Anne Bonny and Mary Read are two of history’s most famous female pirates. Both women disguised…

PrideArts' WINDOWS - Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Center on Halsted - Through August 23rd

03 August 2026 in Now Playing

PrideArts' 2026-27 season will open in August with the world premiere of Chicago-based playwright Matt Schutz's WINDOWS, a comedy of LGBT…

The Outsiders - Cadillac Palace - Through August 16th

03 August 2026 in Now Playing

The Tony Award® winning Best Musical, THE OUTSIDERS, based on the seminal novel by S.E. Hinton and Francis Ford Coppola’s landmark motion picture, returns to Chicago…

 

         20 Years and counting!

Register

     

Latest Articles

Guests Online

We have 1210 guests and no members online

Buzz Chicago on Facebook Buzz Chicago on Twitter 

Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.