Dean Richards

The art of theater is a miraculous thing, but when you present it in an outdoor setting that complements the scene perfectly, it doesn’t get much better than that.  Dean was joined in studio by a handful of cast members from A Midsummer Night’s Dream of Shakespeare Under The Stars in Oak Brook presented by First Folio Theater. The cast gave WGN listeners a small preview of one of the most revered plays in history.  

Dane Neal filled in for Dean Richards and covered the food time segment, an area he is very familiar with, and talked about a project Ben Sargent is conducting involving a lobster motorcycle, periscope, and the elusive Dr. Klaw. Dane also took the time to chat with Chef Sara Moulton to talk about some of her favorite recipes, her new book, and what’s on the horizon with her great career.  

Believe it or not, Dick Van Dyke is 90 years old, but  you wouldn’t guess that he’s a day over 60. Dean Richards was lucky enough to talk with the classic cinema star about what he is doing back in his home town, Danville, IL, and what he is seeing in the field of comedy these days. Dick also shared with Dean the two places he will be meeting people before his sold-out show at the Tivoli Theater.  

After the massive box office opening this weekend of “Finding Dory”, Dean shared his A-List interview with the cast of the sequel to the Pixar classic, “Finding Nemo”. Dean talked with Ellen DeGeneres, Ed O’Neil, and 11-year-old Aurora native, Hayden Rolence.  

Kristin Chenoweth has most definitely made her mark on Chicago, and she is on her way back to the windy city, this time with The Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Dean talked with Kristin about her upcoming show, previewing her favorite songs she has performed over the span of her career and what to look forward to at her upcoming performance. The two also touched on her experience with the Tonys, her response to the Pulse shooting and much more.  

Malik Gillani woke up last week to the Pulse Night Club news and was immediately taken over by guilt, simply because he is gay, and Muslim. Malik is the Executive Director at the theater company, Silk Road Rising and his husband, Jamil Khoury, also works there as the Founding Artistic Director. Dean invited Malik and his husband Jamil in studio to reflect on the political, social, and religious commentary that has stemmed from the terrorist attack and how it has […]

Tina Landau is the director and co-creator of “The Spongebob Musical” has created a spectacle for all audiences young to old. With songs from The Plain White T’s, T.I., Davie Bowie, and much more, Dean talked with Tina about what to expect at tonight’s opening at The Oriental Theater.  

It’s farmer’s market season and Dale Hazelwood (Farmer’s Market Manager at Aurora’s Farmer’s Market) talked with Dean about Illinois’s oldest farmers market with 104 seasons under its belt. Dean also took the chance to pick the brain of the expert about what is in season and some of Dale’s favorite farmer’s markets such as Green City Farmer’s Market, Logan Square Farmer’s Market and more.   Find a Farmer’s Market nearest to you!  

Legendary Phil Donahue of “Donahue” featured Muhammad Ali on his show many a time, and Dean Richards talked with Phil to remember the most memorable times with “The Champ” on and off air. The eight years Phil spent at WGN were remembered well, from visiting the Cubs in Wrigleyville, working with Tom Skilling, and pioneering day time television.    

If you’re lucky enough to see one of the last performances of Hamilton in New York, that’s how much you might pay per ticket. Michael Reidel joined Dean to boast about all the times he has seen Hamilton already, but also to preview the Tony Awards next week. There are some underdogs such as The Family, and Blackbird and many more that are on Michael’s radar for this year’s ceremony.  

It’s summer time and eating Al Fresco is the best way to go. Caroline Potter, Chief Dining Officer at OpenTable, chatted with Dean about her “Top 100 Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America” spots in the country. The Al Fresco experience is a great way to take in the food, architecture, and cultural experience that a city has to offer.  

WGN Gardening Specialist, Jim Fizzell is excited about the good gardening weather he have right now and he talked with Dean and listeners about all his tips and tricks to get ready for the season. The Gardening expert answered everything from which soil is good for pots to how ants effect your plants.  

Dean got to sit down with the legendary brother, sister duo, Donnie and Marie Osmond to check in with their Chicago area show, their careers and what’s ahead for them both.  

Elton Jim stopped by to hang out with Dean, chat with listeners, enjoy the Memorial Day Weekend. Elton Jim also updated Dean on the most recent Elton John show and the new theater production Elton Jim will be a part of.  

The fantastic rock comedy, Little Shop of Horrors is currently playing at the Greenhouse Theater, and few of the actors, Michael Mahler, Dara Cameron, and Matthew Sitz stopped by studio. They talked about what it’s like to be performing the theater classic and they blew the roof off the studio previewing a couple songs.