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Showing posts with label Porchlight Revisits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Porchlight Revisits. Show all posts

Monday, March 5, 2018

CASTING UPDATE: Lorenzo Rush Jr To Replace James Earl Jones II in Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

LORENZO RUSH JR. JOINS SHARRIESE HAMILTON IN PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE’S PORCHLIGHT REVISITS,“LOST” MUSICALS IN STAGED CONCERT SERIES,THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONGAT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 
MARCH 6 - 8



The Tony Award-nominated Musical Features Book by Neil Simon, Music by Marvin Hamlisch and Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager and the Production is Directed and Choreographed by Christopher Carter and Musical Direction by Andra Velis Simon 

This Tuesday ChiIL Live Shows will be ChiILin' at opening night of Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song. I've caught Lorenzo Rush Jr in Five Guys Named Moe (Court Theater) and Little Shop of Horrors (American Blues Theater), and Sharriese Hamilton in Rock of Ages (Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre); Wonderful Town (Goodman Theatre),Thaddeus and Slocum (Lookingglass Theatre) Pericles (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); and We Three Lizas (About Face Theatre), so I'm looking forward to this. Check back soon for my full review.

Porchlight Music Theatre announced that Lorenzo Rush Jr has replaced James Earl Jones II in Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song, music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager and book by Neil Simon, with direction and choreography by Christopher Carter and musical direction by Andra Velis Simon. Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing our Song is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, March 6 through Thursday, March 8 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight’s Merrily We Roll Along (previews begin January 26) at Porchlight’s new home, The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Tickets for They’re Playing Our Song are $35. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multimedia presentation, created and hosted by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber that discusses the evening’s production including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage gossip and the state of the art on Broadway that season. Single tickets to They’re Playing Our Song and subscriptions for the entire series are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office at 773.777.9884. 

Due to a scheduling conflict, James Earl Jones II is unable to perform in this production. Rush assumes the role of “Vernon Gersch” and joins Sharriese Hamilton in Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song, a romantic musical comedy about the affair (both professional and romantic) of a wisecracking composer and an aspiring, offbeat lyricist. Creatively, their relationship works great, but personal trials and tribulations lead them toward finding a new way to make harmonious music together in this laugh-a-minute romantic charmer. The show features musical hits “Fallin’,” “If He Really Knew Me” and “Just For Tonight.”

The cast of Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song includes: Sharriese Hamilton (Sonia Walsk), Lorenzo Rush Jr. (Vernon Gersch) and Anastasia Arnold, (voice of Sonia Walsk); Kiersten Frumkin, (voice of Sonia Walsk); Yando Lopez,  (voice of Vernon Gersch); Billy Rude, (voice of Vernon Gersch); Tyler Symone, (voice of Sonia Walsk) and Koray Tarhan, (voice of Vernon Gersch).

The production team includes Christopher Carter, director; Andra Velis Simon, music director; Lucia Lombardi, stage manager; Joaquin Gomez, assistant stage manager and Samantha Treible, wardrobe supervisor.

The musicians are Chel Hernandez, bass; Tony Scandora, drums and Page Kallop, guitar.

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER CARTER, director and choreographer
Christopher Carter is a graduate of Grand Valley State University with a liberal arts degree in dance. Carter has traveled all over performing/directing and choreographing. Some of his credits include Dreamgirls and In The Heights at Porchlight Music Theatre; as well as Sweeney Todd, Godspell, Secret Garden and Pirates Of Penzance (Grand Valley State University); Show Boat and Oklahoma (Lyric Opera Chicago); Show Boat (San Francisco and Houston Grand Opera); Hairspray (Drury Lane Oakbrook), Joseph… (Paramount Theater); Duke Ellington’s Queenie Pie (Chicago Opera Theater); Oliver, Carousel and Brigadoon (Light Opera Works); The Wiz, 42nd Street and Guys and Dolls (Theatre at the Center); Smokey Joe’s Café (Circle Theatre); The Wild Party (Actor’s Theater). Carter has been the choreographer for the Grand Rapids Civic’s SRT the past four years. Other credits include national tours, commercial, industrial and concert work. As a scholarship student of The Debbie Allen Dance Academy in California, he moved to Chicago in 2009 to expand his mind and resume.  

ABOUT ANDRA VELIS SIMON, music director
Andra Velis Simon returns to Porchlight, where she music directed last year’s Porchlight Revisits On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. Most recently she was the music director for the Firebrand production Lizzie. Regional credits include: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, A.R.T. in Cambridge, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Skirball at NYU, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Berkeley Rep and Olney Theatre Center in Maryland. In Chicago, her credits include Chicago Children’s Theatre, Firebrand, The Goodman, The Hypocrites, Theater Wit and many others. Velis Simon is an adjunct faculty member at Columbia College Chicago, where she has taught musical theatre performance since 2008.

ABOUT SHARRIESE HAMILTON, “Sonia Walsk”
Sharriese Hamilton returns to Porchlight Revisits where she last starred in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. She hails from Okemos Michigan with a BA in Theatre from Michigan State University and has been seen at Porchlight Music Theatre in How To Succeed, Ain’t Misbehavin, Pal Joey and A Class Act. Her Chicago credits include Sleeping Beauty, Madagascar, The Velveteen Rabbit, Sister Act (Marriott Theatre); Rock of Ages, James and the Giant Peach (Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre); Wonderful Town (Goodman Theatre),Thaddeus and Slocum (Lookingglass Theatre) Pericles (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); The Wild Party, See What I What I Wanna See and Passing Strange (Bailiwick Chicago); All Shook Up (Theatre at the Center) Jesus Christ Superstar (Theo Ubique), and We Three Lizas (About Face Theatre). Regional credits include HAIR (McLeod Summer Playhouse) SpamalotWorkingThe 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee, and Buddy:The Buddy Holly Story (Timber Lake Playhouse).

ABOUT LORENZO RUSH JR., “Vernon Gersch”
Lorenzo Rush Jr returns to Porchlight Music Theatre where he appeared in Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Jeff Award Nomination) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He has also performed in Five Guys Named Moe (Court Theater) Jesus Christ Superstar (Paramount Theater), Dreamgirls, City of Angels (Marriott Theater), Little Shop of Horrors (American Blues Theater), and Parade (BoHo Theater). Rush’s TV/Film credits include: “Sirens” on USA Network. Rush received his BFA in Musical Theater at Western Illinois University.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT REVISITS
Continuing to forge its role as “Chicago’s Music Theatre,” Porchlight launched the exciting new series Porchlight Revisits in 2013; especially created for the die-hard music theatre aficionado. Each season, Porchlight Music Theatre shares with audiences the rare opportunity to visit three musicals that opened on the Great White Way but have since gone “unsung.” The finest music theatre artists in Chicago dust off these neglected treasures and, with script in hand and minimal staging, escort audiences to a world of Broadway long past. Previous Porchlight Revisits productions include: (2016/17) The Rink, Little Me, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever; (2015/16) Chess, Applause, Babes in Arms; (2014/15) Bells Are Ringing, City of Angels, Mack & Mabel and (2013/14) Anyone Can Whistle, Golden Boy, Fade Out-Fade In.


Future Porchlight Revisits Final Performance in its 2017 – 2018 Series:


Do Re Mi 
May 22 – 24
Book by Garson Kanin
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Direction and Choreography by Christopher Pazdernik
Music Direction by David Fiorello
Starring Nancy Voigts and Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber
Originally created for the comic style of the great Phil Silvers and Nancy Walker, this is the story of “Hubie Cram,” a minor-league conman endlessly scheming to win big who, at the urging of his long-suffering wife, “Kay,” decides to go (somewhat) straight by moving into the jukebox and music promotion business as he concocts his biggest score ever. Featuring the hits: “Make Someone Happy,” “Fireworks” and “I Know About Love.”

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE AS RUTH PAGE ARTIST IN-RESIDENCE
Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to be a member of the vibrant Ruth Page Center for the Arts community and an Artist In-Residence. Central to the Ruth Page Center for the Arts’ programming is the Artists In-Residence program, which is designed to serve organizations looking for a home base while they grow or expand their artistic and organizational capabilities. The Center is committed to nurturing and assisting 
dance and other performing artists, allowing for exchange and collaborative relationships to develop within the artistic community. The Ruth Page Center for the Arts is a destination for quality performing arts, accessible to a wide community regardless of race, gender, age, education or disability. An incubator of artistic energy and excellence, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts carries forward the vision of its founder, legendary dance icon Ruth Page, to be a platform for developing great artists and connecting them with audiences and community.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
As the home for music theatre in Chicago now in its 23rd season, Porchlight Music Theatre is nationally recognized for reimagining classic productions, developing new works and showcasing musical theatre’s noted Chicago veterans and rising stars. Porchlight elevates the genre by providing intimate and powerful theatrical experiences of music theatre through the lens of the “Chicago Style.” The 2017–2018 year marks a milestone for Porchlight as the company becomes an Artist In-Residence at the historic Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago’s Gold Coast. Porchlight’s rich history includes the staging of more than 60 productions with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Through Porchlight’s “Off the Porch” new works program, the musicals of the next generation are developed and given a first audience. The School at Porchlight is Chicago’s center for music theatre training in the areas of performance, writing and appreciation including the launch of a youth summer “Make Your Own Musical” Camp in 2017. The company’s many accolades include 22 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and seven awards, as well as a total of 139 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations resulting in 42 Jeff Awards including five consecutive Best Production awards for The Scottsboro Boys (2017), Dreamgirls (2016),Sondheim on Sondheim (2015), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (2014) and A Class Act (2013).

Porchlight Music Theatre continues its fifth season of Chicago’s “lost” musicals in staged concert series with Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing Our Song, starring Sharriese Hamilton and Lorenzo Rush Jr., music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager and book by Neil Simon, with direction and choreography by Christopher Carter and musical direction by Andra Velis Simon. Porchlight Revisits They’re Playing our Song is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, March 6 through Thursday, March 8 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight’s Merrily We Roll Along (previews begin January 26) at Porchlight’s new home, The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Tickets for They’re Playing Our Song are $35. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multimedia presentation, created and hosted by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber that discusses the evening’s production including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage gossip and the state of the art on Broadway that season. Single tickets to They’re Playing Our Song and subscriptions for the entire series are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office at 773.777.9884.

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the  Bayless Family Foundation, Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation, Actors’ Equity Foundation, Chapman | Spingola, Attorneys at Law, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Prince Foundation, The Saints and the Topfer Family Foundation. The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency and by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events. 

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

OPENING: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Via PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS Through March 11th, 2018P

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE ANNOUNCES FIRST PRODUCTION AND SPECIAL EVENTS OF 2018, 
STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S 
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, 
JANUARY 26 – MARCH 11, 
AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS


The Landmark Sondheim Musical that Charts the Highs and Lows of a Relationship Among Three Very Close Friends is Directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber with Artistic Associate Christopher Pazdernik as Associate Director and Music Direction by Aaron Benham

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the next mainstage production it its 2017 – 2018 season Merrily We Roll Along, January 26 – March 11,  2018, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, with direction by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber, associate direction and musical staging by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by Aaron Benham at Porchlght’s home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Merrily We Roll Along is based on the play by the same name written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. 

Previews are Friday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. and  Monday, Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Opening night is Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. The regular run performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. (March 4 and March 11) and 6 p.m. (February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25) with a weekday matinee Thursday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m. There is no 4 p.m. performance Saturday, Feb. 3 and no 7:30 p.m. performance on Thursday, March 8. Tickets are $33 - $60 and are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

Set over two decades of friendship and business, the landmark musical Merrily We Roll Along charts the highs and lows of a relationship among three very close friends. Starting from adulthood and traveling back in time to the idealistic intentions of youth, this powerful and emotionally moving story of looking at your life from the vantage point of having lived it features some of Stephen Sondheim’s best known songs including “Good Thing Going,” “Not a Day Goes By” and “Old Friends.”


MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG SPECIAL EVENTS

Film Screening: “Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened” Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Porchlight Music Theatre and members of its Merrily cast host a screening of "Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened.” The screening includes pre-film performances of musical numbers from the Porchlight Music Theatre production and post-film discussion with audience and Porchlight cast members.

Merrily We Roll Along opened to enormous fanfare in 1981, and closed after sixteen performances.  For the first time, "Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened" draws back the curtain on the extraordinary drama of the show's creation—and tells the stories of the hopeful young performers whose lives were transformed by it. Directed by Porchlight Advisory Board Member Lonny Price, who played “Charley” in the original cast, the film is a bittersweet meditation on the choices we all make, and the often unexpected consequences of those choices—through success and failure. Featuring exclusive appearances by Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, Jason Alexander, Mandy Patinkin, Adam Guettel, Frank Rich and the original Broadway cast of Merrily We Roll Along.

Tickets: FREE TO THE PUBLIC
RSVP by calling Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884 or sending an email to BoxOffice@PorchlightMusicTheatre.org

Porchlight Revisits Merrily We Roll Along, the 1934 play
Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
For one night only, Porchlight Music Theatre’s Porchlight Revisits staged concert series will present the original 1934 Broadway play Merrily We Roll Along by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart that inspired the Stephen Sondheim musical. Written by the team that created You Can't Take it With You, The Man Who Came to Dinner and Once in a Lifetime, and originally featuring a cast of over 90 actors, this is an extraordinary opportunity to experience this very rarely seen classic. Join Artistic Director Michael Weber and Porchlight’s Merrily cast with a “Behind the Show Backstory” look at the production that has never been revived on Broadway followed by a fully staged reading of Kaufman and Hart’s play.

Tickets: $20 
Purchase tickets at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org 

Post-Performance Conversation 
Thursday, Feb. 22 - following the 7:30 p.m. performance

Immediate following the performance, Thursday, Feb 22, Porchlight and Merrily cast members share their experiences from this Sondheim production and answer audience questions. 

The Post-Performance Conversation is free and open to the public.
All special events take place at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts.

The cast of Merrily We Roll Along includes Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate Matt Crowle (Charley Kringas), Jim DeSelm (Franklin Shephard), Neala Barron (Mary Flynn), Keely Vasquez (Gussie Carnegie), David Fiorello (Joe Josephson), Aja Wiltshire (Beth), and ensemble including Kyrie Anderson (Make-up Artist), Larry Baldacci (Mr. Spencer), Katherine Condit (Scotty), Christopher Davis (Terry), Andres Enriquez (Tyler), Frederick Harris (Jerome), Michelle Jasso (K.T.), Bernell Lassai (Bunker / TV Newsman), Cisco Lopez (Floor Monitor / Minister), Alana Lovely (Meg / TV Newswoman), Liz Norton (Mrs. Spencer), Khaki Pixley (Dory / Girl Auditioning), Jonathan Stombres (Ru/ Nightclub Pianist) and Zachary Fewkes and Asher Schenk alternating the role of Franklin Shepard, Jr.

Musicians for Merrily We Roll Along include Tony Scandora (percussion), Ben Dillinger (bass), Mike Matlock (reeds #1: flute, oboe, clarinet, alto sax), Lara Regan (reeds #2: clarinet, alto sax, tenor sax, bass clarinet), Jered Montgomery (trumpet) and Matt Kowalski (trombone).

Members of the creative/production team of Merrily We Roll Along include Michael Weber (director), Christopher Pazdernik (associate director/musical staging), Aaron Benham (music Director, conductor, pianist), Bill Morey (costume designer), Tony Churchill (projection designer),  Jeff Kmiec (co-scenic designer), Greg Pinsoneault (co-scenic designer), Robert Hornbostel (sound designer), Rachel West (master electrician), Alex Rhyan (production manager), Johnnie Schleyer (technical director) and Matt McMullen (stage manager).

ABOUT MICHAEL WEBER, DIRECTOR
Michael Weber is the artistic director of Porchlight Music Theatre where, under his leadership, the company has received the Best Production Equity Jeff Award for the past five years. He previously served as artistic director for the inaugural season of Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place (now The Broadway Playhouse) and at Theatre at the Center (1998-2004). His productions of End of the Rainbow, Sweeney Todd, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Pal Joey, Assassins and Side Show at Porchlight Music Theatre, Grand Hotel at Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place and She Loves Me at Theatre at the Center were each nominated for the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Production. Directing credits include Living the History-125 Years of The Auditorium Theatre starring Patti LuPone and John Mahoney, Fifth of July and Talley’s Folly at the Oak Park Festival Theatre, The Petrified Forest at Theatre at the Center, Beauty and the Beast at Marriott Theatre, Over the River and Through the Woods at The Mercury Theater, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Pheasant Run Theatre and Cirque du Symphony at Sears Center Arena. The recipient of two Joseph Jefferson Awards, he has written and directed the past twelve Joseph Jefferson Awards ceremonies. Weber’s regional acting credits include Annie Get Your Gun and Gypsy (both starring Patti LuPone) at Ravinia, Disney’s My Son Pinocchio at First Stage Milwaukee, Around the World in 80 Days at Cleveland Playhouse, The Winter’s Tale and Henry V at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, It Had To Be You (starring Cindy Williams and Eddie Mekka) at Little Theatre on the Square, Angel Street at First Folio Shakespeare and The Gifts of the Magi at Indiana Repertory. Weber is proud to serve as a pledge host on WTTW, Channel 11.

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER PAZDERNIK, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR/MUSICAL STAGING
Christopher Pazdernik is a director/choreographer with "a near encyclopedic knowledge of musicals" (Newcity). At Porchlight Music Theatre, Pazdernik is a proud artistic associate and has directed and choreographed numerous Porchlight Revisits including The Rink, Anyone Can Whistle, City of Angels and Applause and co-curated the Porchlight New Faces Sing Broadway series.  He is best known for the critically acclaimed production of High Fidelity (Jeff Awards for Best Director and Best Production of a Musical) at Refuge Theatre Project, where he also serves as artistic director. Recent credits include Carrie (Ohio Northern University), Wicked City (Chicago Theatre Workshop), Planted (Chicago Musical Theatre Festival), Make Me a Song (Eclectic Theatre Co.) and Story of A Story (The Untold Story) (Underscore 

Theater Co.). He is also a frequent cabaret director and curator, including Broadway's Cult Classics at Davenport's Piano Bar and the His & His series at Pride Films & Plays. An openly HIV+ artist, Pazdernik was also a 2016 Windy City Times 30-Under-30 honoree for his contributions to Chicago's LGBTQ community and currently serves on the Ambassador Committee for the AIDS Run/Walk Chicago and as chairperson on the Community Advisory Board for Howard Brown Health, one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ organizations.

ABOUT AARON BENHAM, MUSIC DIRECTOR/CONDUCTOR/PIANIST
Aaron Benham is a local music director, conductor, arranger and composer and has previously worked with Porchlight as music director for Side Show and Putting it Together. Other Chicago credits include The Sweet Smell of Success (Kokandy Productions), The Wild Party (Jeff Award), Carrie, Dessa Rose (Bailiwick Chicago); Melancholy Play (Piven); We Three Lizas (About Face); Always Patsy Cline, revues of Marvin Hamlisch, the Andrews Sisters (Jeff Award), Cole Porter, Jule Styne (Theo-Ubique); Parade, Gypsy (Harper College); as well as work with American Theatre Company, Chicago Opera Theatre, the New Colony, Northlight, Timeline and Writers Theatre.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE AS RUTH PAGE ARTIST IN-RESIDENCE
Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to be a member of the vibrant Ruth Page Center for the Arts community and an Artist In-Residence. Central to the Ruth Page Center for the Arts’ programming is the Artists In-Residence program, which is designed to serve organizations looking for a home base while they grow or expand their artistic and organizational capabilities. The Center is committed to nurturing and assisting dance and other performing artists, allowing for exchange and collaborative relationships to develop within the artistic community. The Ruth Page Center for the Arts is a destination for quality performing arts, accessible to a wide community regardless of race, gender, age, education or disability. An incubator of artistic energy and excellence, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts carries forward the vision of its founder, legendary dance icon Ruth Page, to be a platform for developing great artists and connecting them with audiences and community.



ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
As the home for music theatre in Chicago now in its 23rd season, Porchlight Music Theatre is nationally recognized for reimagining classic productions, developing new works and showcasing musical theatre’s noted Chicago veterans and rising stars. Porchlight elevates the genre by providing intimate and powerful theatrical experiences of music theatre through the lens of the “Chicago Style.” The 2017–2018 year marks a milestone for Porchlight as the company becomes an Artist In-Residence at the historic Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago’s Gold Coast. Porchlight’s rich history includes the staging of more than 60 productions with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Through Porchlight’s “Off the Porch” new works program, the musicals of the next generation are developed and given a first audience. The School at Porchlight is Chicago’s center for music theatre training in the areas of performance, writing and appreciation including the launch of a youth “Write Your Own Musical” Summer Camp in 2017. The company’s many accolades include 22 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and seven awards, as well as a total of 139 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations resulting in 42 Jeff Awards including five consecutive Best Production awards for The Scottsboro Boys (2017), Dreamgirls (2016),  Sondheim on Sondheim (2015), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (2014) and A Class Act (2013).

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the Actors’ Equity Foundation, the Bloomberg Philanthropies, Chapman | Spingola, Attorneys at Law, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Prince Foundation, The Saints and the Topfer Family Foundation. The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency and by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE’S CHESS IS OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE’S PORCHLIGHT REVISITS,  
“LOST” MUSICALS IN STAGED CONCERT SERIES, 
2015 – 2016 SEASON CONCLUDES WITH THE 
CHICAGO PREMIERE OF 
THE ORIGINAL LONDON VERSION OF CHESS,
MAY 3 - 5 AT 7:15 P.M., AT STAGE 773


Cold War Aggressions, Treason, Trust and Competition on a Global Scale Clash in this Music Theatre Cult Classic Directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber with Choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier and Music Direction by Jimmy Morehead, Starring Adrian Aguilar, Danni Smith and Justin Adair in Porchlight’s first-ever collaboration with the VOX 3 Collective

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final production in the third smash season of Chicago’s “lost” musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits Chess, music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, lyrics by Tim Rice and Björn Ulvaeus and book by Tim Rice, with direction by Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber, choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier and music direction by Jimmy Morehead. Porchlight Revisits Chess is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, May 3 through Thursday, May 5 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight’s Dreamgirls (previews begin April 8) on nights when there are no performances at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets for Chess are $30 in advance and $35 at the door the night of the performance. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multi-media presentation, created and hosted by Weber, that discusses that evening’s production including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage gossip and more. Single tickets to Chess are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252. 

The 2016 – 2017 season subscriptions to Porchlight Revisits includes The Rink (October 4 – 6), Little Me (February 28 – March 2, 2017) and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (May 9 – 11, 2017) are also available at porchlightmusictheatre.org.

Never before seen live in Chicago, this Porchlight Revisits production by the creators of Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita and Mamma Mia will be the original stage version of Chess that debuted in London in May 1986 following the hugely successful 1984 concept album. The later 1988 Broadway production was completely reimagined from the top down with considerable differences from this original British version in both plot and music.

One of the best loved "cult" musicals, featuring the hits "One Night in Bangkok," "I Know Him So Well" and "Anthem," Chess is set during the Cold War in the world of 1980s international chess competition where a romantic triangle develops among the defending American champion (Adrian Aguilar), his lover (Danni Smith) and a possible defecting Russian opponent (Justin Adair). 
The cast of Porchlight Revisits Chess also includes: John B. Leen (Alexander Molokov), Brandon Moorehead (The Arbiter), Daniel Riley (Walter de Courcey), Britt-Marie Sivertsen (Svetlana Sergievsky), Max DeTogne (Quartet), Sierra Naomi Nibbe (Quartet), Andy Robinson (Quartet) and Genevieve Thiers (Quartet). 

For this production, Porchlight is collaborating with the noted vocal music ensemble, VOX 3 Collective to add a group of accomplished classical crossover singers to support the thrilling demands of this complex and varied pop scoreVOX 3 is a collective of artists who educate both performers and audience through varied presentations of vocal music. Chicago's voice for a living art music tradition, VOX 3 regularly showcases a mix of art song recitals, rare operatic repertoire, and genre-bending classical cabarets.

The production team includes: Brennan Jones (assistant director/dramaturg),  Keegan Bradac (sound design/board operator),  Bill Walters (stage manager,) and Aaron Shapiro (production manager). 
ABOUT ADRIAN AGUILAR (Frederick Trumper, The American)
Adrian Aguilar was recently seen on Broadway in Rocky, made his Porchlight Music Theatre debut in tick, tick…BOOM! (Jeff Award-nomination) followed by the title role in Pal Joey and starred opposite his brother Alexander Aguilar in the Chicago premiere of Double Trouble. Other credits include October Sky at Marriott Theatre, Follies at Chicago Shakespeare and as “Agent Freddie Castillo” on Chicago PD.

ABOUT DANNI SMITH (Florence Vassy)
Danni Smith makes her Porchlight debut with Porchlight Revisits Chess. Recent credits include A Christmas Story at Paramount, City of Angels at Marriott Theatre, The Wild Party at Bailiwick Chicago, Jesus Christ Superstar and Passion with Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre and Harold and the Purple Crayon at Chicago Children’s Theatre. Smith has received two Joseph Jefferson Awards and seven nominations.
JUSTIN ADAIR (Anatoly Sergievsky, The Russian)
Justin Adair makes his Porchlight debut with Porchlight Revisits Chess. Credits include Fugitive Songs at Boho Theatre, South Pacific with Light Opera WorksTitanic (Jeff Nominated) at Griffin TheatreJuno with TimeLine TheatreLes Misérables at Drury LaneCyrano de Bergerac at Chicago Shakespeare and The Light in the Piazza (Jeff Award) at Theo Ubique.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT REVISITS
Continuing to forge its role as “Chicago’s Music Theatre,” Porchlight launched the exciting new series, Porchlight Revisits in 2013 especially created for the die-hard music theatre aficionadoEach season, Porchlight Music Theatre shares with audiences the rare opportunity to visit three musicals that opened on the Great White Way but have since gone “unsung.” The finest music theatre artists in Chicago dustoff these neglected treasures and, with script in hand and minimal staging, escort audiences to a world of Broadway long past. Previous Porchlight Revisits productions include: (2015/16) Applause, Babes in Arms, (2014/15) Bells Are Ringing, City of Angels, Mack & Mabel, (2013/14) Anyone Can Whistle, Golden Boy, Fade Out-Fade In.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
Porchlight Music Theatre, now in its 21st season, is nationally recognized for developing innovative new works, reimagining classic productions and showcasing musical theatre’s noted veterans and rising stars. Porchlight elevates the genre in Chicago by providing intimate and powerful theatrical experiences for its growing and diverse audiences. With the vision of Artistic Director Michael Weber, Porchlight builds on its role as Chicago’s only Equity not-for-profit company exclusively specializing in music theatre. Porchlight’s rich history includes the staging of more than 65 productions with 13 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Through Porchlight’s “Off the Porch” new works program, the musicals of the next generation are developed and given a first audience. The School at Porchlight is Chicago’s new center for music theatre training in the areas of performance, writing and appreciation. The company’s many accolades include 11 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and two awards, as well as a total of 126 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations resulting in 35 Jeff Awards, garnering three consecutive Best Production awards for Sondheim on Sondheim (2015), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (2014) and A Class Act (2013)

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final production in the third smash season of Chicago’s “lost” musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits Chess, music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, lyrics by Tim Rice and Björn Ulvaeus and book by Tim Rice, with direction by Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber, choreography by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier and music direction by Jimmy Morehead. Porchlight Revisits Chess is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, May 3 through Thursday, May 5 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight’s Dreamgirls (previews begin April 8) on nights when there are no performances at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets for Chess are $30 in advance and $35 at the door the night of the performance. All tickets include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multi-media presentation, hosted by Weber, that discusses that evening’s production including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage gossip and more. Single tickets to Chess are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252.

The 2016 – 2017 season subscriptions to Porchlight Revisits includes The Rink (October 4 – 6), Little Me (February 28 – March 2, 2017) and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (May 9 – 11, 2017) are also available at porchlightmusictheatre.org.

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the Actors’ Equity Foundation, the Arts Work Fund at the Chicago Community Trust, Bloomberg Philanthropies,  the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Prince Foundation, the National Association of Realtors, and The Saints. The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

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