Welcome!
Welcome to the website of Ed Rutherford, a Chicago-based theater artist!
LATEST NEWS:
2024-07-01: Ed’s company, Black Button Eyes Productions, has announced their next show: Ed’s adaptation of the Jessica Cluess fantasy novel A Shadow Bright and Burning, with performances starting in Chicago on August 23, 2024! For more information, visit the Black Button Eyes website!
2024-05-01: The Murder, ReWrote original cast recording has been released on all major digital and streaming platforms! Check it out! For a nifty digital booklet accompanying the album, download the album from iTunes.
2024-02-06: Murder, ReWrote has been nominated for Outstanding New Work for the 2023 season’s Chicago Joseph Jefferson (Jeff) Awards! Here’s a link to one of the articles announcing the nominations.
2024-01-05: Materials for Murder ReWrote are ready for licensing! To inquire about doing a production, please use the “Contact” form in the menu.
2023-11-26: Ed is putting his actor hat back on for the first time in a while, performing as Mr. Dobitch in Blank Theatre Company’s production of the Bacharach musical Promises, Promises throughout December 2023. More information on the show and how to get tickets here!
2023-09-05: Murder, ReWrote has been such a smash hit that it has been extended! You can now get tickets through Monday September 18 (sadly, that’s the absolute longest it can go for now due to venue rental scheduling). If your preferred showtimes were sold out, check out the alternative showtimes! Get your tickets here!
2023-08-19: Reviews from critics who adore Murder, ReWrote just keep piling up this week! Here are links to the latest: Chicago Reader, and Buzz Center Stage!
2023-08-17: Enjoy two more rave reviews of Murder, ReWrote: one from Julia Rath of Around the Town Chicago, and one from Kathy D. Hey with Third Coast Review!
2023-08-15: Rave reviews are starting to come in for Murder, ReWrote in Chicago! Here’s one from Colin Douglas at Chicago Theatre Review!
2023-08-14: The world premiere production of Murder, ReWrote has been Jeff Recommended by the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee!
2023-08-06: Ed Rutherford and the Director of Murder, ReWrote, Anthony Whitaker, participated in a live interview about the show during the Sunday, August 6 episode of Out Chicago, on WCPT 820 AM. Here’s a recording of the interview!
2023-08-03: Check out the recent feature article in the Chicago Reader interviewing both Ed and co-writer George Howe on Murder, ReWrote! Link here.
2023-06-19: Tickets are now on sale for the world premiere production of Ed’s musical “Murder, Re Wrote” with Hell in a Handbag Productions! Aug 10 through Sep 16 2023 at the Den Theater in Chicago! Tickets Link Here.
2023-01-31: Ed’s theatre company, Black Button Eyes Productions, was nominated for four of Chicago’s Jeff Awards for the 2021-2022 season, including for “Best New Work” for his musical adaptation of Mary Rose! Full list of nominees here.
2022-09-18: The Murder, She Wrote parody musical Ed co-wrote with George Howe, “Murder, Re Wrote,” will officially have its world premiere production in Chicago in 2023 with Hell in a Handbag Productions! More details here.
2022-07-01: The original cast recording of Ed’s musical Mary Rose is now available on all major streaming platforms! Download your copy now!
2022-02-15: After a hit live run, Ed’s musical Mary Rose is now available worldwide on-demand via Vimeo through March 31, 2022 only! To stream this show digitally, click here.
2022-01-15: Initial press is in for Mary Rose and the critics are raving! Review round-up for the show (unanimously recommended as of this writing!) available here.
2022-01-10: Mary Rose is open and is Jeff Recommended (recognized for excellence and eligible for Chicago theater awards at the end of the season)!
2021-12-07: Ed’s world premiere musical, Mary Rose, is in rehearsal with Black Button Eyes Productions, with performances beginning January 2021! Tickets are already on sale at this link!
2021-10-17: Dr. Horrible is Jeff Recommended and beloved by critic and fans alike! Here are some recent rave reviews from Chicagoland Musical Theatre and Chicago Theatre Review! The show runs through November 6.
2021-10-04: Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog live on stage in Chicago, the authorized fan production to benefit Season of Concern, starts performances this Friday. Don’t miss out- get your tickets!
2021-07-01: Tickets to Ed’s next directing project, an authorized fan production of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog to benefit Season of Concern, are on sale now!
2021-06-27: This summer Ed will get back to his performing roots by lending his voice to characters in the 3rd season of the Hoofbeats in My Heart podcast!
2021-05-04: Ed’s company Black Button Eyes Productions has announced its 2021-2022 season, including an authorized fan production of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and Ed’s musical adaptation of the J.M. Barrie play Mary Rose!
2020-06-22: Amanda Raquel Martinez took home the Jeff Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Musical) for her turn in Ed’s production of Ghost Quartet!
2020-04-28: Ed’s production of Ghost Quartet has been nominated for six non-Equity Jeff Awards for the 2019-2020 season, including Best Production-Musical and Best Director-Musical!
2020-04-14: Ed’s latest very short play, The Masque of the Red Coronavirus, has been posted on the Black Button Eyes Productions website as a script-and-video experience! You can read it for free here.
A positive review of the piece appears in the Windy City Times! Link here.
Click here for another review by Picture This Post!
Click here to read a feature on the work in the Daily Herald.