Season Announced: PARAMOUNT THEATRE'S 2022-23 BROADWAY SERIES

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

PARAMOUNT THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2022-23

BROADWAY SERIES: 

DREAMGIRLS, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, 

INTO THE WOODS AND SCHOOL OF ROCK

Aurora’s Paramount Theatre enters its second decade with today’s announcement of the four blockbuster musicals on tap for its 2022-23 Broadway Series:

Meet the Dreamgirls - Effie, Lorrell and Deena - three talented young Black singers in the turbulent 1960s whose rise to the top will test their friendships to the very limit. This Tony-winning musical spawned an Oscar-winning movie for a reason: Henry Krieger’s music and Tom Eyen’s lyrics and book are unstoppably excellent. Christopher Betts makes his Chicago directing debut with Dreamgirls. Performances are August 31-October 16, 2022. Opening Night is Friday, September 9, at 8 p.m.

Set in Austria 1938 on the brink of World War II, The Sound of Music is the unforgettable Rodgers and Hammerstein classic musical about Maria, a young woman who takes a job as governess of the von Trapp Family while deciding whether to become a nun. After falling in love with the children, and eventually, Captain von Trapp, a clever ruse leads to the family’s daring escape from the Nazis through the Austrian Alps. Paramount’s Amber Mak directs. Performances are November 9, 2022-January 8, 2023. Opening Night is Friday, November 18, at 8 p.m.

Into the Woods, a seminal work by the late Stephen Sondheim, reimagines Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella and other Brothers Grimm characters in one of the most astounding and original fairytale retellings the stage has ever seen. Artistic Director Jim Corti directs Paramount’s journey Into the Woods. Performances are February 1-March 19, 2023. Opening Night is Friday, February 10, at 8 p.m.

Now we’re rocking, because Paramount Theatre’s 11th season finale is School of Rock, the fun-loving musical based on the popular Jack Black movie, from the genius mind of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Trent Stork directs. Performances are April 12- May 28, 2023. Opening Night is Friday, April 21, at 8 p.m.

“The promise of Season Eleven is a theatrical panorama of magnificent orchestras and a rock ‘n’ roll romp telling tales of making music and family on the merits of some of the most popular Broadway shows ever written for the stage,” said Paramount Artistic Director Jim Corti. “At once classical and contemporary, there is something for everyone here gathering us together, laughing and loving in sync, discovering loss and joy and what perhaps we have most in common: 'No one is alone.'”

Just as it has since it launched its first Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount still offers the same “Buy Two Shows, Get Two Shows Free” subscription offer. Broadway Series packages start as low as $56. In fact, Paramount subscribers pay no more than $39.50 per show, and that’s the most expensive ticket. Fees not included.                                                                        

Renewals begin today, Tuesday, March 8 at 10 a.m. As always, current subscribers are given the first chance to secure their seats for all four shows. During this renewal process, new subscribers can also pre-order a subscription to queue up for the best seats available before subscriptions and single tickets go on sale to the general public in July. 

Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. For information, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or visit the Paramount Theatre box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora, Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m; or, Sunday, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Paramount’s 2022-23 Broadway Series:

Dreamgirls

August 31 – October 16, 2022

Opening Night: Friday, September 9, 8 p.m.

Book and lyrics by Tom Eyen

Music by Henry Krieger

Original Broadway production directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett

Orchestrations by Harold Wheeler

Produced on Broadway by Michael Bennett, Robert Avian, Geffen Records and The Shubert Organization

Directed by Christopher Betts

It’s the 1960s where the sound of Motown is on the rise. Meet the Dreamettes, Effie, Deena and Lorrell, three women trying to break their way onto the music scene. When car salesman Curtis Taylor Jr. signs the trio to a record label, he sets in motion a series of events that will forever change their lives, for better and for worse. Join the Dreamgirls as they navigate the highs and lows of life, love and fame. And remember, all you gotta do is dream.

Dreamgirls was nominated for 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Originally from Chicago, director Christopher Betts makes his hometown debut with Dreamgirls. He is a New York-based writer, director and professor, currently earning his MFA at Yale School of Drama. He was the 2017-18 Julie Taymor World Theater Fellow, and received his BFA in drama from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

 

The Sound of Music

November 9, 2022 – January 8, 2023

Opening Night: Friday, November 18, 8 p.m.

Music by Richard Rodgers

Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse

Directed by Amber Mak

When Maria, a prospective nun is sent to be the governess of seven children for a captain of the Navy, she finds herself unexpectedly questioning her life path as she falls in love with the entire family. Music is at the heart of what unites them as they face tough decisions as Austria, their homeland, is on the brink of World War II. Do they stay or do they leave? 

Director Amber Mak has staged so many unforgettable Paramount blockbusters, including Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, nominated for six Jeff Awards including Best Musical, The Wizard of Oz, which earned seven Jeff nominations including Best Musical and Best Director. Just wait until you experience Mak’s staging of The Sound of Music, a nine-time Tony Award nominee and winner of Best Musical. Bring the family for a holiday outing at Paramount Theatre, where the lobby will be decked out in Christmas decorations and a two-story Christmas tree.

Into The Woods

February 1 – March 19, 2023

Opening Night: Friday, February 10, 8 p.m.

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Book by James Lapine

Originally directed on Broadway by James Lapine

Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick

Original Broadway production by Heidi Landesman, Rocco Landesman, Rick Steiner, M. Anthony Fisher, Frederic H. Mayerson and Jujamcyn Theaters

Originally produced by The Globe Theater, San Diego, CA

Directed by Jim Corti

A red cape, a strand of yellow hair, a golden shoe and a white cow. It’s these four items that send a baker and his barren wife through the woods on a magical journey to reverse a spell cast by an evil witch. Throw in Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel and Cinderella and you have one of the most astounding and original fairytale retellings the stage has ever seen. If you’ve seen The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella on Paramount’s stage, then you know the spectacle and extravagance that awaits you in Stephen Sondheim’s brilliant reimagining, nominated for ten Tony Awards, and winner, Best Score.

Paramount’s trip Into the Woods will be staged by Artistic Director JIm Corti, Chicago’s only theater artist to have won Jeff Awards as an actor, choreographer and director, responsible for such Paramount past hits as Newsies, The Producers, Sweeney Todd and Les Misérables.

School of Rock

April 12–May 28, 2023

Opening Night: Friday, April 21, 8 p.m.

Based on the Paramount movie by Mike White

Book by Julian Fellowes

Lyrics by Glenn Slater

New Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Directed by Trent Stork

From the genius mind of Andrew Lloyd Webber comes a rousing, feel good and inspirational story of kids at a prestigious prep school. Wannabe rocker, Dewey Finn, has just been kicked out of his band, he can’t pay rent and his life is falling apart. When he scams his way into a teaching job meant for his roommate, Dewey turns a class of straight-A pupils into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. Dewey’s love of music and rock soon inspires the kids to pursue what they love. 

Based on the hit movie starring Jack Black, School of Rock was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The director of School of Rock is Trent Stork, who staged Paramount’s hit productions of Kinky Boots and Legally Blonde.

Subscribe now to Paramount’s 2022-23 Broadway Series 

The rewards of subscribing to Paramount’s 2022-23 Broadway Series are ample – four amazing, Broadway-quality musicals at one of the most glamorous Art Deco theaters in the Midwest, all for less than the price and hassle of seeing just one show downtown.

In addition to the lowest major theater subscription prices in Illinois, exclusive benefits for Paramount Broadway subscribers are first choice of the same seats for all four shows, free ticket exchange privileges and first notice of added shows and special events. Broadway subscribers also receive first notice and exclusive pre-sale discounts of 10% off single tickets for Broadway performances and other select shows at Paramount, including concerts by internationally acclaimed music artists, comedy, dance, holiday shows, movies and family presentations. 

Paramount’s 2022-23 Broadway Series is sponsored by Dunham Foundation, BMO Harris Bank, ComEd, Illinois Arts Council and City of Aurora.

About Paramount Theatre

Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is the center for performing arts in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. The beautiful, 1,843-seat theater, graced with a strong 1930s Art Deco influence and original Venetian décor, nationally known for its high-quality productions, superb acoustics and historic grandeur, has been the anchor of downtown Aurora since 1931.

After launching its own Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount Theatre grew to be the second largest subscription house in the U.S. Before Covid, more than 41,000 subscribers from all over Chicagoland and the Midwest were enjoying Paramount’s critically acclaimed, 2019-20 Broadway-caliber productions. In addition, Paramount also presents an array of internationally known comedians, musicians, dance troupes and family shows annually.

Paramount Theatre is one of four live performance venues programmed and managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority. ACCA also oversees downtown Aurora’s newly renovated 165-seat Copley Theatre, home to Paramount’s new BOLD Series, along with the Paramount School of the Arts, RiverEdge Park, the city’s 6,000-seat outdoor summer concert venue, and Stolp Island Theatre, an immersive space opening in summer 2023.

Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals.

For the latest updates, visit ParamountAurora.com or follow @ParamountAurora on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Rock of Ages Still Rollin' in Aurora at Paramount Theatre Through MAY 29, 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar 

ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?

PARAMOUNT THEATRE HITS THE HIGH NOTES WITH 

ROCK OF AGES

ITS 10TH BROADWAY SEASON FINALE 

APRIL 13-MAY 29, 2022

Note: Rock of Ages is suggested for ages 14 and up due to adult language and sexual content.

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we've seen the Broadway touring company perform Rock of Ages at least three times in Chicago and we just can't get enough. We can't wait to see Paramount's take on this big hair, big dreams, big fun, hit. Relive the 80's, hairband era, with a LA love story that redefines success from fame and fortune to family. This is one of those musicals that you can bring straight men who hate musicals to. With hits from top ‘80s rock bands like Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Poison and more, Rock of Ages might even have them singing along! Break out your leopard and leather and dress the part. Rock of Ages is an epic 80's party you don't want to miss.

(top, from left) Kieran McCabe plays Drew, Taylor DiTola is Sherrie, (below) Melody A. Betts is Justice and Josh Scholl plays Stacee Jaxx. Credit: Amy Nelson

Are you ready to rock? Like, really rock?!

Nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Rock of Ages will take Paramount Theatre audiences back into the iconic music era of the ‘80s, where rock ‘n’ roll dreamers turn their fantasies into reality. 

Paramount Artistic Producer and New Works Director Amber Mak, known for staging Paramount’s smash hit blockbusters Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz and The Little Mermaid, directs Rock of Ages. Don’t miss Paramount’s 10th Anniversary Broadway Series finale, a trip back to when rock was king, and every song was a hitmaker.

Previews start April 13, 2022. Performances run through May 29 at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. Single tickets are $36-$79. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com, or call the box office, (630) 896-6666, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.



 

(from left) Kieran McCabe plays Drew, Taylor DiTola is Sherrie, Melody A. Betts plays Justice and Josh Scholl is Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages, Paramount Theatre’s 10th Anniversary Broadway Series finale. Credit: Amy Nelson

Rock of Ages is the story of a small-town girl with Hollywood dreams who meets a big-city boy chasing his rock-star fantasies on L.A.’s infamous Sunset Strip. With the historic Bourbon Room as the backdrop, their love story unfolds right where the biggest names in rock got their start – all told through the biggest, baddest, mind-blowing rock songs of the ‘80s including “Just Like Paradise,” “Sister Christian,” “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and a whole lot more.

Rock of Ages, book by Chris D’Arienzo, arrangements and orchestrations by Ethan Popp, premiered on Broadway April 7, 2009, at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre and later moved to the Helen Hayes Theatre where it closed on January 18, 2015 after 2,328 performances. With pulsating percussion, blazing guitar riffs, vocal gymnastics and glam 80’s rock hits, Rock of Ages earned five Tony Nominations, including Best Musical, spawned tours and productions worldwide, and was turned into a 2012 major motion picture starring Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough and Mary J. Blige.

“This show has been on my bucket list since I first saw it when I was living in New York City and would use my outdated student ID to snag a $25 ticket to the show,” said director Amber Mak. “As a self-proclaimed rule follower, this show allowed me to indulge in my fantasies of being a spontaneous, care-free rocker and groupie. So I invite you to leave the heaviness of the world and the crazy ride we have been on for the past two years behind. Get a drink and escape to the Sunset Strip of L.A. in the ‘80s where big hair and rock ruled. Let’s Rock Aurora!”

Principal cast members for Paramount’s new staging of Rock of Ages are Melody A. Betts (Justice/Mother), Shea Coffman (Lonny), Taylor DiTola (Sherrie), Nick Druzbanski (Franz), Carisa Gonzalez (Regina), Karl Hamilton (Dennis), Kieran McCabe (Drew) and Josh Scholl (Stacee Jax/Father). The ensemble includes Lexie Bailey, Max J. Cervantes, Maeve Cosgriffe, Shantel Cribbs, Andres J. DeLeon, Alley Ellis, Michael Ferraro (Drew at some performances), Paige Hauer, Christopher John Kelley, Maggie Malaney, Trey Mendlik, David Sajewich, Charlie Ward, Natalie Welch and Travis Austin Wright.

The band members, performing live, on stage, are Kara Kesselring (conductor/keyboard), Dan Peters (guitar one), Scott Tipping (guitar two), Janis Wallin (bass) and Jim Widlowski (drums).

 The full production team is Amber Mak, director and co-choreographer; Annie Jo Fischer, co-choreographer; Kory Danielson, music director/supervisor; Kara Kesselring, conductor/associate music director; Jeffrey D. Kmiec, scenic designer; Theresa Ham, costume designer; Greg Hofmann, lighting designer; Adam Rosenthal, sound designer; Mike Tutaj, projection designer; Katie Cordts, wig, hair and makeup designer; Jesse Gaffney, properties designer; Ethan Deppe, electronic music designer; Jerry Galante, fight choreographer; Susan Gosdick, dialect coach; Sara Reinecke, associate director; Charlie Ward, associate choreographer; Kailey Rockwell, associate conductor; Sean McNeely, orchestra contractor; Maegan Burnell, stage manager; and Mary Zanger, assistant stage manager. 

Rock of Ages performance schedule and ticket information

Previews start Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at 7 p.m. Press opening is Friday, April 22, at 8 p.m. Rock of Ages runs through May 29. Show times are Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. (exception: No 1:30 p.m. matinee on Wednesday, April 13). Tickets are $36 to $79. 

Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. For tickets and information, visit paramountaurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Breaking down barriers to live theater: 

Paramount introduces Pay What You Can events

Paramount Theatre is offering two Pay What You Can performances of Rock of Ages on Thursday, April 14, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 16, at 3 p.m.

Both days, starting at 10 a.m., visit the Paramount Theatre box office in-person to request tickets. Customers will be asked how much they’d like to pay and will simply pay what they can. Limit four tickets per person. Offer not valid toward previous purchases. Online or phone purchases are not permitted. Paramount’s Pay What You Can program is part of the theater’s new program, REACH (Resources Expanding the Arts and Connecting Humanity).

Access Services

If you require wheelchair or special seating or other assistance, please contact the box office at (630) 896-6666 or boxoffice@paramountarts.com in advance

Paramount offers assistive listening devices free of charge at all performances. Check in at the coat room before the show to borrow a listening device.

For patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing, Rock of Ages will be presented on Friday, May 27, at 8 p.m. with two certified sign interpreters translating all dialogue and lyrics into American Sign Language. Patrons can purchase single tickets with special seating for this performance for $30 with the code ASLPARAMOUNT.

Paramount Theatre’s Covid-19 commitment to and safety and protocol

Paramount Theatre has followed, and will continue to follow, the requirements of the State of Illinois and the Kane County Health Department. Therefore, Paramount is following the guidance of the State of Illinois and recommends, but no longer requires, masks, proof of vaccination or negative COVID test for patrons effective February 28, 2022. Mask wearing is strongly encouraged, but will be optional. For complete details, please read Paramount’s full Covid Policy.

Paramount’s new BOLD Series, launched in March 

in the newly renovated Copley Theatre

After two years of waiting, Paramount Theatre is launching its new BOLD Series, bringing a new, four-show subscription series and a new type of live theater – fearless, unexpected and thought provoking – to the heart of Aurora’s downtown entertainment district.

Just as exciting, Paramount is lifting the curtain on its new home for its BOLD Series, the newly remodeled Copley Theatre, right across the street from Paramount at 8 E. Galena Blvd., in the North Island Center. Following a two-year, $2 million, top-to-bottom renovation, the Copley is an intimate, state-of-the-art theater with 165 comfortable new seats and a modern new lobby bar, ready to attract more audiences to downtown Aurora.

Paramount’s inaugural BOLD production is Sweat, winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play and a landmark achievement of American theater. Lynn Nottage’s acclaimed modern-day drama about life in an American Rust Belt town being battered by the constant threat of company shutdowns runs at the Copley March 9-April 24, 2022. Check out my full review here: http://chiilliveshows.com/2022/02/opening-lynn-nottages-pulitzer-prize.html

Following Sweat, Paramount’s BOLD Series continues with Hand to God by Robin Askins, a darkly humorous shocker told Sesame Street meets Exorcist style, puppets included, May 25-July 10; the Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home, book by Lisa Kron, music by Jeanine Tesori, based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel, August 3-September 18; and BULL: a love story, Nancy García Loza’s world premiere drama about a Mexican-American man who returns to Chicago to find a family who has moved on and a neighborhood he no longer recognizes, October 5-November 20.

Four-show subscriptions are on sale now from $134-$148. That’s buy two shows, get two shows free. Single tickets to individual performances are $67-$74. To purchase subscriptions, single tickets or for more information, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

About Paramount Theatre

Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is the center for performing arts and education in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. The beautiful,

1,843-seat theater, graced with a strong 1930s Art Deco influence and original Venetian décor, nationally known for its high-quality productions, superb acoustics and historic grandeur, has been downtown Aurora’s anchor attraction since 1931.

After launching its own Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount Theatre grew to be the second largest subscription house in the U.S. Before Covid, more than 41,000 subscribers from all over Chicagoland and the Midwest were enjoying Paramount’s critically acclaimed, 2019-20 Broadway-caliber productions. In addition, Paramount also presents an array of internationally known comedians, music stars, dance events and family shows annually.

Paramount Theatre is one of four live performance venues programmed and managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority. ACCA also oversees downtown Aurora’s newly renovated 165-seat Copley Theatre, home to Paramount’s new BOLD Series, along with the Paramount School of the Arts, RiverEdge Park, the city’s 6,000-seat outdoor summer concert venue, and Stolp Island Theatre, an immersive space opening in summer 2023. 

Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals.

For the latest updates, visit ParamountAurora.com or follow @ParamountAurora on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

KINKY BOOTS KICKS OFF PARAMOUNT THEATRE REOPENING NOW THROUGH OCTOBER 17, 2021

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar: 

FIRST REGIONAL PRODUCTION OF KINKY BOOTS

Cast, creative team embrace "the perfect show to reopen our doors"

 

 

Kinky Boots has been one of my favorite musicals since the Pre-Broadway opening right here in Chicago, that I reviewed for ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows. It was a joy to meet Cyndi Lauper, Harvey Fierstein and the original cast and creatives at that first press junket. I also reviewed the show again when the Broadway touring company came back through Chicago again. That time it was my pleasure to bring the whole family along and they loved it just as much as I did. Now that we're in a post quarantine time of social and economic upheaval, where many businesses need to pivot or go under, this show is as timely as ever. This wonderful tale of resilience, acceptance, and change is the perfect piece for a covid weary world. I'm thrilled to hear our regional theatre arts are rebounding and I can't wait to catch live theatre in person again, and check out Paramount Theatre's rendition of Kinky Boots. 

Nearly 16 months after dimming its famous marquee due to COVID-19, Aurora’s Paramount Theatre has started rehearsals for its 10th Anniversary Broadway Series season opener, Kinky Boots, marking a pivotal moment for the second largest subscription house in the nation as it returns to live performances next month. 

“It’s my great pleasure to say: We look forward to being one of the first major theaters in Chicago to welcome audiences back, starting August 18! We appreciate our patrons for staying with us. We couldn’t do any of it without you,” said Tim Rater, President and CEO of Paramount Theatre.

Kinky Boots – the flashy, sassy, sexy story of big heels invading a small town – shook Broadway and was adored by critics and audiences, winning every major Best Musical Award including the Tony, the Grammy and London’s Olivier Award. The now mega-popular musical features high-kicking music and lyrics by Grammy-winner Cyndi Lauper, and a book rooted in fun, love and acceptance by Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein.

Paramount Theatre’s Kinky Boots is directed by (from left) Trent Stork. The cast features Devin DeSantis as Charlie, Michael Wordly as Lola, Mark Lancaster as Don, Emilie Lynn as Nicola and Sara Reinecke as Lauren.

Now it’s Paramount’s turn to try Lola’s red, thigh-high stilettos on for size with the first regional production of Kinky Boots, fiercely directed by Paramount’s Associate Artistic Producer and Casting Director Trent Stork.

Meet Charlie, a reluctant shoemaker, and Lola, a fierce drag queen. Charlie and Lola could not be more different. But when they find common ground in shoes, they see a whole new world of possibilities that will turn their small town upside down, and just might save Charlie’s failing shoe factory. Inspired by true events, this huge-hearted hit tells the story of two people with nothing in common – or so they think. From its glorious costumes, to its dizzyingly tall heels and songs that will leave audiences humming for days, no show captures what it means to do what you love and love what you do more than Kinky Boots. 

 

Michael Wordly plays Lola in Kinky Boots.

“Kinky Boots is the perfect show to reopen our doors,” said Stork. “Kinky Boots has moments that feel like a rock show and tender-hearted moments that make you lean in. It expands from killer dance numbers to a book that is as humorous as it is heartening. It’s a show that makes audiences want to connect with their fellow humans. I think we can all use that right now!”

Kinky Boots runs August 18 to October 17, 2021. Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd. in Aurora. Single tickets, $36-$74, are on sale now. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com, or call the box office, (630) 896-6666, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

(Top) Set rendering for Kinky Boots "Land of Lola" scene by Kevin Depinet and Christopher Rhoton. (Bottom) Kinky Boots costume renderings for Lola and Angel by costumer designer Ryan Park

Paramount’s 33-member Kinky Boots cast starts with one of Chicago’s most distinguished leading men, Devin DeSantis, as Charlie the shoemaker. DeSantis’s Paramount credits include Tommy in The Who’s Tommy, Corny Collins in Hairspray and Prince Eric in Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

Lola will be played by Michael Wordly in his Paramount debut. Wordly is a veteran of Spamilton Off-Broadway, national tours of Miss Saigon, The Color Purple and The Little Mermaid, and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella at Paper Mill Playhouse.

The principal cast also features Mark Lancaster as Don. Lancaster has performed for Goodman Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Oak Park Festival Theatre and Babes With Blades. Emilie Lynn will play Nicola. Lynn recently starred as Mary Poppins at Drury Lane Oakbrook. Her Paramount credits include My Fair Lady, Miss Saigon and Hair. Lauren is played by Sara Reinecke, a stand out performer in many Paramount musicals including Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Producers, Legally Blonde and Mamma Mia! Young actor Daniel Font-Wilets plays Young Lola. Patrick Scott McDermott and Nolan Maddox will alternate as Young Charlie.

Completing the cast are ensemble members Terrell Armstrong, Anthony Avino, Brian Bandura, Matthew Bettencourt, Lydia Burke, Jack Cahill-Lemme, Barry DeBois, Vasily Deris, Neil Friedman, Carisa Gonzalez, Christina Hall, Luke Halpern, Immanuel Houston, Dakota Hughes, De’Jah Jervai, Mark David Kaplan, Christopher John Kelley, Bernell Lassai III, Ken Singleton, Anthony Sullivan Jr., Dana Tretta, Shelbi Voss, J Tyler Whitmer and Missy Wise.

The full production team is Trent Stork, director; Michael George and Isaiah Silvia-Chandley, co-choreographers; Kory Danielson, music director, conductor and music supervisor; Kevin Depinet and Christopher Rhoton,

co-scenic designers; Ryan Park, costume designer; Greg Hofmann, lighting designer; Adam Rosenthal, sound designer; Joe Burke, projection designer; Katie Cordts, wig, hair and makeup designer; Jesse Gaffney, properties designer; Ethan Deppe, electronic music designer; Catherine Miller, dramaturg and gender consultant; Susan Gosdick, dialect coach; John A. Tovar, fight director; Gaby Labotka, intimacy director; Max J. Cervantes, associate director; Darren Patin, associate director; TJ Tapp, assistant choreographer; Celia Villacres, associate music director/associate conductor; Jinni Pike, stage manager; Luci Kersting, assistant stage manager; Natalie Cohen; production assistant; and Bailey O’Neill, young performer supervisor.

Trent Stork (director), promoted in spring 2021 to Associate Artistic Producer and Casting Director at Paramount, has worked on the directing team for 19 productions at the theater, 13 of those alongside Paramount Artistic Director Jim Corti. In 2018, Stork made his Paramount directorial debut at the helm of Legally Blonde (Broadwayworld.com Award – Best Direction of a Musical.) Outside of Paramount, Stork has worked at the Kaufman Center in New York City, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Angels Theatre Company and The Nebraska Repertory Theatre among others. They also started his own casting company, Trent Stork Casting, and was the Chicago casting director for the new West Side Story adaptation, directed by Steven Spielberg.

The original Broadway production of Kinky Boots, music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, book by Harvey Fierstein, was directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, The musical is based on the Miramax motion picture Kinky Boots written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth.

Kinky Boots performance schedule and ticket information

Kinky Boots runs through October 17. Show times are Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. (exception: No 1:30 p.m. matinee on August 18). Tickets are $36 to $74. 

For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com,  call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Covid 19 protocols

Paramount Theatre will be adhering to all COVID-19 safety guidelines as mandated by the state of Illinois. Paramount anticipates updated guidelines by the state for indoor theater gatherings, and will communicate any updates and changes to policies with all ticket buyers. If Phase 5 gatherings require COVID-19 vaccinations for attendees, patrons will be required to show proof of vaccination to attend this performance. By purchasing tickets patrons are agreeing to adhere to the guidelines put in place at the time of their performance.

Access Services

To request wheelchair, special seating or other assistance, please contact the box office at (630) 896-6666 or boxoffice@paramountarts.com in advance

Paramount offers assistive listening devices free of charge at all performances. Check in at the coat room before the show to borrow a listening device.

For patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing, Kinky Boots will be presented on Friday, October 1 at 8 p.m. with two certified sign interpreters translating all dialogue and lyrics into American Sign Language. Patrons can purchase single tickets with special seating for this performance for $30 with the code ASLPARAMOUNT.

Or, ask for a sign-interpreted subscription to enjoy all four 2021-22 Paramount Broadway Series productions with live ASL interpretation for just $22.50 each.

What’s next in Paramount’s 10th Anniversary Broadway Series?

Cinderella, the classic musical from the genius minds of Rodgers and Hammerstein, is an enchanting story that will make entire families wish fairy godmothers and glass slippers weren’t just for fairy tales. Paramount is planning a mesmerizing new production that gives parents and children a familiar yet reimagined take on the story families have returned to over and over across generations. Brenda Didier, a multiple Jeff Award-winning director and choreographer, including a win for her choreography for Paramount’s 2019 staging of The Producers, will direct. Previews start November 10. Opening Night is Friday, November 19, at 8 p.m. Performances run through January 9, 2022.



 

Groundhog Day, based on the classic Bill Murray film comedy, will be the second Midwest regional premiere produced by Paramount Theatre in the span of one year. Imagine being stuck in a time loop, waking up and realizing you’re living the same day over and over and over and over again. Set your alarm to make sure you see this uproariously funny, surprisingly touching and simply inspirational musical comedy, nominated for seven Tony Awards. Paramount Theatre Artistic Director Jim Corti will direct. Previews start January 26, 2022. Opening Night is Friday, February 4, at 8 p.m. Performances run through March 13.

Are you ready to rock? Rock of Ages will take audiences back into the iconic music era of the ‘80s, where rock ‘n’ roll dreamers turn their fantasies into reality. Nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Rock of Ages is a Hollywood love story told through the mind-blowing hits of top ‘80s rock bands like Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Poison and more. Paramount Theatre Artistic Producer and New Works Director Amber Mak will direct. Previews start April 13. Press opening is Friday, April 22, at 8 p.m. Performances run through May 29, 2022.

Join the growing ranks of more than 41,000 Broadway Series subscribers at downtown Aurora’s Paramount Theatre. New three--play subscriptions including Cinderella, Groundhog Day and Rock of Ages are on sale now, ranging from $54 to $118.50 (without fees).

To subscribe or purchase single tickets, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora.

About Paramount Theatre

 Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in Aurora, is the center for performing arts and education in the second largest city in Illinois. Designed by renowned theater architects C.W. and George L. Rapp,

Paramount opened on September 3, 1931. Today, Paramount remains downtown Aurora’s anchor attraction, a beautiful, 1,843-seat theater graced with a 1930s Art Deco influence and original Venetian décor, nationally known for its high-quality productions, superb acoustics and historic grandeur.

Since Paramount Theatre launched its own Broadway Series in 2011, it has grown to be the second largest subscription house in the U.S. More than 41,000 subscribers signed up from all over Chicagoland and the Midwest in 2019-20 to enjoy Paramount’s affordable, critically acclaimed, Broadway-quality productions.

In addition to its Broadway Series, Paramount presents an array of internationally known comedians, music stars, dance events and family shows.

Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals.

Paramount is one of five live venues programmed and managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority. ACCA also oversees the newly-renovated, 165-seat Copley Theatre, right across the street from Paramount; RiverEdge Park, the city’s outdoor concert venue; Stolp Island Theatre, slated to open in summer 2022 as a 99-seat immersive theater space, and the new Paramount School of the Arts.

For the latest updates, visit ParamountAurora.com or follow @ParamountAurora on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

OPENING: Million Dollar Quartet To Rock Paramount Theatre 9/13-10/29

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! 

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET 

OPENS PARAMOUNT THEATRE’S 2017-18 SEASON, 

SEPT. 13–OCT. 29, 2017

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're elated to hear that the Million Dollar Quartet will be rockin' the Paramount this fall! We reviewed this show in Chicago during their epic run of 2,500 performances, and loved it. This is a true multigenerational crowd pleaser full of instantly recognizable classics and larger than life personas. Don't miss this! 

Paramount Theatre is excited to tune up for its rollicking 2017-18 Broadway Series opener Million Dollar Quartet, the wildly popular rock and roll musical.
Travel back in time to Memphis’s Sun Records recording studio on December 4, 1956, when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins played together their first and only time and created an explosive album that has yet to be matched. Million Dollar Quartet tells that story with all the raw energy and monumental talent everyone has come to expect from these music giants.

Paramount Artistic Director Jim Corti, the man responsible for the past two Jeff Award-winning Best Musicals (Large), Les Misérables and West Side Story, will stage Paramount’s rockin’ opener.

Playing the Quartet are Adam Wesley Brown as Carl Perkins, Kavan Hashemian as Elvis Presley, Gavin Rohrer as Jerry Lee Lewis and Bill Scott Sheets as Johnny Cash, with Nicholas Harazin as Sam Phillips, Zach Lentino as Brother Jay, Courtney Mack as Dyanne and Scott Simon as Fluke.

The production team is Kory Danielson, music director; Trent Stork, associate director; Ethan Deppe, associate music director; Kevin Depinet, scenic design; Sally Dolembo, costume design; Jesse Klug, lighting design; Adam Rosenthal, sound designer; Katie Cordts, wig, hair and makeup design; Amanda Relaford, properties design; Susan Gosdick, dialect coach; Maggie O’Donnell, stage manager; and Matthew McMullen, assistant stage manager. 

Don’t miss Paramount’s high-spirited, nostalgic new take on the three-time Tony Award nominated musical, featuring some of the biggest and best songs of all time like “Peace in the Valley,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “I Walk the Line,” “Hound Dog” and “Great Balls of Fire.”

Previews start September 13. Press opening is Saturday, September 16 at 8 p.m. Performances continue through October 29: Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Single tickets are $36 to $64. Million Dollar Quartet is rated PG.

But hold on, there’s still time to include Million Dollar Quartet in Paramount’s “Buy Two Shows, Get Two Shows Free” 2017-18 Broadway subscription offer. For less than the cost of a ticket to one show downtown, patrons can see three more Broadway-quality musicals: Elf The Musical (November 22-January 7), Cabaret (February 7–March 18) and Once (April 25-June 3). Four-play packages start as low as $72. The rewards are ample – four amazing, Broadway-quality musicals, at one of the most majestic theaters in the Midwest. 

The Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora, is surrounded by affordable parking and a variety of restaurants for pre- or post-show dining. For subscriptions and single tickets, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and two hours prior to evening performances. 


Behind the scenes: 
Paramount’s Million Dollar Quartet
There was no plan for Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins to record together on December 4, 1956. But as fate would have it, their impromptu jam session left behind a historic and mind-blowing album. The evening begins in the Sun Records recording studio in Memphis. Up and comer Jerry Lee Lewis is recording songs with rockabilly king Carl Perkins when the iconic Elvis Presley stops by with his girlfriend. The not-quite-yet-guitar-god Johnny Cash is there to pay a visit to music manager Sam Phillips. Throw them all together, and you have one of the most unexpected, unprecedented and unforgettable musical moments in history. It was the first and only time they played together and, through their musical genius, created an explosive album that has yet to be matched.   

Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux wrote the book for Million Dollar Quartet based on Mutrux’s original concept and direction. The Chicago production ran from 2008 to 2016 and became the third longest-running show in Chicago theater history. Critics called it “the most exuberant theatrical event,” “dazzling from first beat to last” and “the best live rock ‘n’ roll show I have ever seen.” 

Fast forward to the kick off of Chicago’s 2017-18 theater season, featuring Paramount’s talented lead cast for Million Dollar Quartet. Adam Wesley Brown (Jerry Lee Lewis) played Eamon in Once on Broadway, has numerous regional credits and has been seen on local stages including Lookingglass and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Kavan Hashemian (Elvis Presley) began performing his Elvis tribute at age three. Today he performs all over the world, including in London where he won the title of "The World's #1 Rock N Roll Elvis” on BBC-TV. Gavin Rohrer (Jerry Lee Lewis) is fresh from playing the role at Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City, where Broadwayworld.com raved “his piano skills are unrivaled, and his brash certainty provides some of the funniest moments of the night.” Bill Scott Sheets (Johnny Cash) just played the “Man in Black” at Berkshire Theatre Group in Massachusetts. Berkshire Fine Arts wrote “particularly strong was Bill Sheets, whose voice and delivery were sublime.” 

"Icons Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash were southern, rockabilly country boys before they were discovered by Sam Phillips, the young, upstart record producer and owner of Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Their purely by chance meeting for the first and only time on Dec. 4, 1956, is a seminal moment in the birth of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” said Paramount Artistic Director Jim Corti. 

“The show, exploring the connections of these four to their music and each other, is full of intriguing surprises and is not only a fascinating, short history but a full scale, no holds barred, in-your-face jam session of the kind of music that grabbed hold of our youth culture back then and hasn’t let go ever since,” Corti added. “From our Chicago and national talent pool, we’ve assembled a dynamite cast; you won’t believe your eyes and ears! There’ll be a whole lot of shakin’ goin’ on, all live, all on the Paramount stage, all made in Aurora!”

Jim Corti (director) was hired in 2011 to be the first-ever artistic director in the Paramount’s 80+ year history. He was instrumental in launching Paramount’s inaugural Broadway Series and directed and choreographed Paramount’s first self-produced Broadway Series show My Fair Lady, which played to rave reviews. Corti’s 2013 Paramount production of Fiddler on the Roof was a smash hit, and his Miss Saigon was the only musical to make the Chicago Tribune’s Top Ten Shows of 2013. Rent in 2014 was a critical and box office success, followed by consecutive productions of The Who’s Tommy and Les Misérables, which collectively garnered five Jeff Awards for Paramount in its first year of eligibility, including Best Production – Musical - Large for Les Misérables and Best Director - Musical for Corti. He also staged Paramount’s 2015-16 opener Oklahoma! and closer West Side Story, Paramount’s second-consecutive Jeff Award winning Best Musical. Last season, Corti directed memorable productions of Mamma Mia! and Sweeney Todd. Before Paramount, Corti was a seasoned Broadway veteran, appearing in the New York casts of Ragtime, A Chorus Line and Candide and national tours of Urinetown, Cabaret and Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. Career highlights over three decades include being the only director in Chicago to have two productions at the same time in the Chicago Tribune’s list of 10 Best Shows in 2009 – Drury Lane’s Cabaret and Writers Theatre’s Oh, Coward!. He remains the sole honoree to have garnered a Jeff Award as an actor (in Marriott’s Grand Hotel), a choreographer (Drury Lane’s Singin’ in the Rain) and director (Paramount’s Les Misérables, Drury Lane’s Sweet Charity and Northlight’s Blues in the Night).

Kory Danielson (music director) is coming back for his 11th consecutive musical at the Paramount, after serving as co-music director and associate conductor with Tom Vendafreddo on Jesus Christ Superstar, and assistant music director and associate conductor for Sweeney Todd-The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Mamma Mia!, West Side Story, Hairspray – The Broadway Musical, A Christmas Story - The Musical, Oklahoma!, Les Misérables and The Who's Tommy. Other Chicago credits include Assassins, The Full Monty, Loving Repeating, Heathers, Tomorrow Morning (Kokandy Productions); Passion (2014 Jeff Award for Outstanding Music Direction), Smokey Joe's Cafe (Theo Ubique); How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Porchlight Music Theatre); Hedwig, Wedding Singer (Haven Theatre); and Zanna, Don't!, Lucky Stiff, Triumph of Love (The Music Theatre Company). Danielson has also worked with Drury Lane, Broadway in Chicago, Chicago Children's Theatre, Bailiwick and Hell in a Handbag.

Paramount’s 2017-18 Broadway Series is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank and The Dunham Fund. Broadway Series Orchestra Sponsor is Rush-Copley Medical Center. Broadway Series Lighting Sponsor is ComEd. Broadway Series Costume Sponsor is Gerald Kia. Million Dollar Quartet is also sponsored by Asbury Gardens.


More about Paramount Theatre’s 2017-18 Season
In addition to Paramount’s Broadway Series, Paramount’s 2017-18 season also includes Tim Allen (August 18), 60s music favorite The Happy Together Tour (August 25), Unforgettable: Falling in Love with Nat King Cole (November 5) featuring Evan Tyrone Martin (Jesus in Paramount’s 2017 smash hit Jesus Christ Superstar), comedian and impersonator Frank Caliendo (November 10), The Second City’s Non-Denominational Christmas Show (December 1-23 in the Copley Theatre), Las Vegas’s #1 ventriloquist Terry Fator (January 20), the incredible magic of Penn & Teller (March 23), Chicago’s own Jersey boys Under the Streetlamp (March 24), country star and American Idol winner Scotty McCreery (March 25), late night comedy legend Jay Leno (April 13), Judy Garland: Come Rain or Come Shine featuring Angela Ingersoll (June 10) and the world’s #1 Bee Gees tribute band Stayin’ Alive (June 15).

For subscriptions, single tickets or more information, go to ParamountAurora.com, call
(630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in Aurora.



About the Paramount Theatre
The Paramount Theatre (ParamountAurora.com) is the center for performing arts, entertainment and arts education in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. Named "One of Chicago's Top 10 Attended Theatres" by the League of Chicago Theatres, the 1,888-seat Paramount, located in downtown Aurora at 23 E. Galena Blvd., is nationally renowned for the quality and caliber of its presentations, superb acoustics and historic beauty.

The Paramount opened on September 3, 1931. Designed by renowned theater architects C.W. and George L. Rapp, the theater captures a unique Venetian setting with a 1930s art deco influence. The first air-conditioned building outside of Chicago, the Paramount offered a variety of entertainment, including "talking pictures," vaudeville, concerts and circus performances for over 40 years. In 1976, the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA) purchased the Paramount, closed the theater for restoration and returned the Paramount to its original grandeur. The Paramount Arts Centre reopened in 1978, offering a variety of theatrical, musical, comedy, dance and family programming. In 2006, a 12,000-square-foot, two-story Grand Gallery lobby was added, with a new, state-of-the-art box office, café and art gallery.

Today, the Paramount self-produces its own Broadway Series, presents an eclectic array of comedy, music, dance and family shows, and on most Mondays, screens a classic movie. 

The Paramount Theatre is one of three live performance venues programmed and managed by the ACCA, which also oversees the Paramount’s “sister” stage, the intimate, 173-seat Copley Theatre located directly across the street from the Paramount at 8 E. Galena Blvd., as well as RiverEdge Park, downtown Aurora’s summer outdoor concert venue. 
                                                                             
The Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theatre and music professionals. For tickets and information, go to ParamountAurora.com or call (630) 896-6666.

OPENING: Sondheim's Sweeney Todd Begins Making Meat Pies and Music This February at Paramount Theatre in Aurora

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

PARAMOUNT TO MINE BEAUTY FROM SONDHEIM'S 

DARK TALE OF BLOODTHIRSTY BARBER SWEENEY TODD, FEBRUARY 8-MARCH 19 

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we've always had a taste for the macabre, and dark musicals are a delightful paradox. We'll be "road tripping" a bit south west of Chicago to Aurora, IL for the press opening, so check back shortly for our full review.

Some call Sweeney Todd Stephen Sondheim's most perfect score, filled with ravishing beauty. Others describe this Victorian melodrama as a pitch-black comedy, filled with thrills and terrors. Many herald this musical about an English barber, who murders his customers with a straight razor and, with his accomplice Mrs. Lovett, processes their corpses into meat pies, one of the single greatest achievements of American theater in the last 50 years.

Some, others, many and bloody well everyone need to strap themselves in for Paramount Theatre's bold new production of Sweeney Todd-The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. 

Artistic Director Jim Corti - who staged last season's Jeff winning best musical West Side Story, winner of 2015 Jeff Awards for director and musical for Les Misérables, and the only Chicago theater artist to win Jeffs for directing, choreography and acting, will stage and choreograph Paramount's new take on Sondheim's beautiful, yet terror-filled musical. Paramount favorite Tom Vendafreddo returns for his tenth consecutive Paramount production as music director and conductor.

Previews start February 8. Press opening is Saturday, February 11 at 8 p.m.

Performances run through March 19: Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Single tickets are $44 to $59. Sweeney Todd is rated PG-13.

The Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora, is surrounded by affordable parking and new restaurants for pre- or post-show dining. Click HERE to purchase tickets or call (630) 896-6666, or visit the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and two hours prior to evening performances. 

Behind-the-scenes of Paramount's  Sweeney Todd

It's just another day in 19^th Century England. Benjamin Barker has returned home. The only thing is, it's been 15 years since the once fresh-faced barber has seen his family. Barker was unjustly imprisoned on trumped up charges by the corrupt Judge Turpin, who had his leering eyes on the barber's beautiful wife. Upon his arrival to the pie shop where he and his family once lived above, Barker's old friend and confidant Mrs. Lovett unravels the events of the past decade. She explains about the seduction of his wife by the Judge, which led her to take her own life. And to sharpen the pain, she breaks the news that the Judge adopted and is raising Barker's daughter as his own. Barker vows revenge and turns to the tools with which he'll exact his plan: a razor and a barber chair. While the ensuing events are unfortunate for some, others - including Mrs. Lovett, her struggling pie shop and her customers - quickly prosper from the body count.

"Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece resonates powerfully and creepily with penny dreadful gallows humor not unlike today's political satire," said director Jim Corti. "The leads, Todd and Lovett, are examples of how ordinary humans can become monsters capable of atrocity when vengeance and survival are forced upon perfectly good, wholesome people. Poisoned and toxic, they approach us to tell their tale. It's all perfectly, grotesquely beautiful. Perfectly human."

Paul-Jorden Jansen (Sweeney Todd) 

and 

Bri Sudia (Mrs. Lovett) 

Paramount's principal cast members are Paul-Jordan Jansen as Sweeney Todd,

Bri Sudia as Mrs. Lovett, Matt Deitchman as Adolfo Pirelli, John Herrera as Judge Turpin, Cecilia Iole as Johanna, Anthony Norman as Tobias Ragg, Emily Rohm as Beggar Woman, Patrick Rooney as Anthony Hope and Craig W. Underwood as Beadle.

Ensemble members are Julie Bayer, Harter Clingman, Nathan Maurice Cooper, Evan C. Dolan, Thomas Forde, Emily Glick, Emily Goldberg, Alana Grossman, Teressa LaGamba, Harriet Nzinga Plumpp, Matthew Thomas Provencal, Rob Riddle, Dan Riley, Will Skrip, Jason Slattery and Abby Murray Vachon.

The Sweeney Todd production team includes Trent Stork, associate director; Kory Danielson, assistant music director/associate conductor; Jeff Kmiec, scenic designer; Theresa Ham, costume designer; Nick Belley and Jesse Klug, co-lighting designers; Adam Rosenthal, sound designer; Ethan Deppe, electronic music designer; Katie Cordts, wig, hair and make-up designer; Amanda Relaford, properties designer; Patrick Ham, special effects designer; Ryan Bourque, fight choreographer; Jinni Pike, stage manager; and Nora Mally, assistant stage manager. 

Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the Victorian penny dreadful "The String of Pearls" (1846-47). Claims that Sweeney Todd was a historical person are strongly disputed by scholars, although his tale became a staple of London urban legend. 

His story has been retold many times since, including in Sweeney Todd-The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, Sweeney Todd has been nominated for Tony Awards in three different decades. The original 1979 production received nine Tony nominations and brought home eight including best musical, score and book. A 1990 remount saw four more Tony nominations. Tim Burton directed Johnny Depp in the lead role in the acclaimed 2007 musical fantasy horror film. Back on Broadway, a 2016 New York revival landed six more Tony nods. Popular musical numbers include "A Little Priest," "My Friends," "Epiphany," "Worst Pies in London" and "Pretty Women."

                                                                       

Jim Corti (director) was hired in 2011 to be the first-ever artistic director in the Paramount's 80+ year history. He was instrumental in launching Paramount's inaugural Broadway Series and directed and choreographed Paramount's first self-produced Broadway Series show My Fair Lady, which played to rave reviews. Corti's 2013 Paramount production of Fiddler on the Roof was a smash hit, and his Miss Saigon was the only musical to make the Chicago Tribune's Top Ten Shows of 2013. RENT in 2014 was a critical and box office success, followed by consecutive productions of The Who's Tommy and Les Misérables ,  which collectively garnered five Jeff Awards for Paramount in its first year of eligibility, including Best Production - Musical - Large for Les Misérables and Best Director - Musical for Corti. He also staged Paramount's 2015-16 opener Oklahoma! and closer West Side Story, Paramount's second-consecutive Jeff Award winning Best Musical. Earlier this season Corti directed Mamma Mia!. Before Paramount, Corti was a seasoned Broadway veteran, appearing in the New York casts of Ragtime, A Chorus Line and Candide and national tours of Urinetown, Cabaret and Bob Fosse's Dancin'. Career highlights over three decades include being the only director in Chicago to have two productions at the same time in the Chicago Tribune's list of 10 Best Shows in 2009 - Drury Lane's Cabaret and Writers Theatre's Oh, Coward!. He remains the sole honoree to have garnered a Jeff Award as an actor (in Marriott's Grand Hotel), a choreographer (Drury Lane's Singin' in the Rain) and director (Paramount's Les Misérables, Drury Lane's Sweet Charity and Northlight's Blues in the Night).

Tom Vendafreddo (music director and conductor) is helming his tenth consecutive musical at Paramount, preceded by In the Heights, Mary Poppins, The Who's Tommy, Les Misérables (Jeff Nomination, Music Direction), Oklahoma! (Jeff Nomination, Music Direction), A Christmas Story - The Musical (Jeff Nomination, Music Direction), Hairspray - The Broadway Musical, West Side Story (Jeff Nomination, Music Direction), Mamma Mia! and Disney's The Little Mermaid. Other credits include Company and Sweet Charity (Writers Theatre); On the Town and Godspell (Marriott Lincolnshire); Road Show and Shrek: The Musical (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); The Spitfire Grill (BoHo Theatre - Jeff Nomination for Music Direction); and Pump Boys and Dinettes (Metropolis Performing Arts Center). Regional credits include RENT (San Diego Musical Theatre), Odyssey (Old Globe Theatre), Forever Plaid (Chestnut Fine Arts) and It's a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play (Cygnet Theatre). As a cabaret artist, he has performed in Chicago, New York, San Diego and Melbourne. In 2014, he became the Founding Artistic Director of the Chicago Artists Chorale, a choral ensemble of working professionals in the Chicago theatre community. He received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Eastman School of Music and a Master of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University. tomvendafreddo.com

Paramount's 2016-17 Broadway Series is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank and The Dunham Fund. Broadway Series Orchestra Sponsor is Rush-Copley Medical Center. Broadway Series Lighting Sponsor is ComEd. Broadway Series Costume Sponsor is Gerald Kia.

More about Paramount's 2016-17 Season

 Paramount's 2016-17 season line-up is anchored by its acclaimed Broadway musical series. Following Sweeney Todd is Jesus Christ Superstar, Apr. 19-May 28, 2017. 

In addition, Paramount's 2016-17 season also includes Defending the Caveman (Jan. 20), God Save The Queen (Jan. 21), Home Free (Mar. 24), Madeleine Peyroux and Rickie Lee Jones (Mar. 25), Golden Dragon Acrobats (Mar. 26), Riverdance: 20 Years (Mar. 31-Apr. 2, five shows), Piano Men: A Tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel (Jun. 10, two shows) and Barbra and Frank: The Concert That Never Was... (Jun. 11).

Back in 2016-17 is Paramount's popular Classic Movie Monday series, presenting everyone's favorite flicks in one of Chicago's top former movie palaces on a two-story screen, for just $1. Paramount also serves the community with low-cost children's shows designed to entertain while they educate: Miss Nelson is Missing (Mar. 22) and Laura Ingalls Wilder (Mar. 23). 

For subscriptions, single tickets or more information, go to ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in Aurora.

About The Paramount Theatre 

Inside the historic Paramount Theatre

The Paramount Theatre (ParamountAurora.com) is the center for performing arts, entertainment and arts education in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. Named "One of Chicago's Top 10 Attended Theatres" by the League of Chicago Theatres, the 1,888-seat Paramount, located in downtown Aurora at 

23 E. Galena Blvd., is nationally recognized for the quality and caliber of its presentations, superb acoustics and historic beauty.   

The Paramount opened on September 3, 1931. Designed by renowned theater architects C.W. and George L. Rapp, the theater captures a unique Venetian setting portrayed in the art deco influence of the 1930s. The first air-conditioned building outside of Chicago, the Paramount offered the public a variety of entertainment, including "talking pictures," vaudeville, concerts and circus performances for more than 40 years. 

In 1976, Aurora Civic Center Authority purchased the Paramount and closed the theater for restoration. The $1.5 million project restored the Paramount to its original grandeur. On April 29, 1978, the Paramount Arts Center opened, offering a variety of theatrical, musical, comedy, dance and family programming. In 2006, a 12,000-square-foot, two-story Grand Gallery lobby was added, with a new, state-of-the-art box office, café and art gallery.

Today, the Paramount self-produces its own Broadway Musical Series, presents an eclectic array of comedy, music, dance and family shows, and on most Mondays, screens a classic movie.

The Paramount Theatre is one of three live performance venues programmed and managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA). ACCA also oversees the Paramount's "sister" stage, the intimate, 173-seat Copley Theatre located directly across the street from the Paramount at 8 E. Galena Blvd., as well as RiverEdge Park, downtown Aurora's summer outdoor concert venue.

The Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals.