REVIEW: The National Ballet Theatre of Odessa's Romeo and Juliet at Harris Theater

THE NATIONAL BALLET THEATRE OF ODESSA BRINGS BALLET MASTERPIECES “SWAN LAKE” AND “ROMEO & JULIET” TO CHICAGOLAND THIS JANUARY

Guest Review: 
by Flo Mano

The National Ballet of Odessa, is recognized as one of the most prestigious institutions of classical ballet and boasts an extremely varied repertoire, carrying the honor and the task to preserve the precious heritage of the great Russian ballets.

‘Romeo and Juliet’ was performed at Chicago's Harris Theater this past Sunday, with 55 of Ukraine's most talented and brightest ballet stars, presenting the most passionate and romantic love story of our time. With the music of Sergei Prokofiev, composed in 1935, this ballet is based on William Shakespeare's timeless tale of tragic love. This ballet has been conquering the hearts of viewers around the world. This full-length, lavish production included costumes and sets brought from the Ukraine.

The main disappointment lies in Mikhail Lavrovsky's choreography, which is mostly monotonous. The various characters swaying and flailing their arms isn't enticing. The contrast was stark between dancers' high emotion and threadbare moves, even if performed nicely by high-level dancers. 

Olena Dobrianska, as the beautiful, princess Juliet and Sergeii Dotsenko, as the handsome, towering Romeo were visually striking. Yet, Lavrovsky's various duets for the couple lacked originality, often structurally a repetitious pattern of the two dancers starting widely apart, racing together and embracing, racing back apart, and then repeating the movement, with a few dramatic lifts. These frailties are all the more obvious given the soaring qualities of Sergei Prokofiev's great score, one of the most hypnotic in all of ballet. 

There are some virtues. The sword fighting and stage combat was strategically on point with theatrical and artistic blocking. The dancers are also attractive and sharp. The cast is buoyant and energetic, though most of the secondary players are given little to do. 

While Lavrovsky fails to deliver in key scenes, he deserves credit for tinkering with the ensemble dancing, injecting echoes of brisk, lively folk dance into the crowd festivities and crafting an especially eerie spectral corps of mourners.

Since 2017, the Artistic Director of The National Ballet Theatre of Odessa, Ukraine is the People’s Artist of Ukraine, Elena Baranovskaya. Production is by Garri Sevoian.

The ballet company consists of the best performers, all graduates of prestigious Ukrainian and Russian choreography schools. Many talented artists have danced with the Odessa National Opera Company in its different periods and many of them have been soloists in major international companies.

Flo Mano is a CPS elementary teacher/librarian, hairdresser, and theater/film fanatic who catches hundreds of Chicago shows annually. She volunteers at numerous film venues and theaters.

THE NATIONAL BALLET THEATRE OF ODESSA BRINGS BALLET MASTERPIECES “SWAN LAKE” AND “ROMEO & JULIET” TO CHICAGOLAND THIS JANUARY

Acclaimed Ukrainian Ballet Company To Perform “Romeo & Juliet” at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, January 19, 2020 and “Swan Lake” at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, January 21, 2020

The National Ballet Theatre of Odessa, is proud to announce two performances coming to Chicagoland in January 2020.  Featuring 55 of Ukraine’s top performers, “Romeo & Juliet” will be performed at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St. in Chicago, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020 at 3 p.m., and “Swan Lake” will be performed at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.. “Romeo & Juliet” tickets are $55 - $85 , and are available by calling the box office at 312-334-7777 or through www.harristheaterchicago.org. “Swan Lake” tickets are $38 - $68 and are available by calling 847-673-6300 or by visiting www.northshorecenter.org. 

“Romeo & Juliet” is a ballet performed in two acts, set to the music of composer Sergei Prokofiev, choreographed by Michael Lavrovsky, directed by Elena Baranovskaya and produced by Garri Sevoian. The fullscale production is based on the WIlliam Shakespeare’s tragedy of the two doomed young lovers. The principal dancers are Olena Dobrianska as “Juliet” and Sergii Dotsenko as “Romeo.” 

Drury Lane Cabaret Room Hosts For the Love of Broadway: An Evening with Klea Blackhurst February 14-15, 2020

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The Cabaret Room at Drury Lane welcomes 

New York theatre and cabaret star in

For the Love of Broadway: 

An Evening with Klea Blackhurst 

February 14-15, 2020

Celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend with New York musical theatre and cabaret star Klea Blackhurst as she returns to Drury Lane for her Cabaret Room debut in  For the Love of Broadway: An Evening with Klea Blackhurst. For the Love of Broadway runs for two performances: Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15 at 7:30pm in Drury Lane’s elegant and intimate Cabaret Room located at 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace.

Tickets, priced $75-$85, are now on sale through the box office at (630) 530-0111 or online at www.DruryLane.com.

Celebrate the season of love with Broadway tunes and stories in the romantic Cabaret Room at Drury Lane! Listen and laugh along to the lyrics of Cole Porter, Ira Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein, Dorothy Fields, and a few contemporary surprises, too. After starring in several Drury Lane productions (the title role in Hazel and Mama Rose in Gypsy), Klea makes her Cabaret Room debut in celebration of love and Broadway. Don’t miss this leading lady whose “pipes belt out…with enough force, mastery and sheer force of will to blow half the traffic on the Eisenhower Expressway back to the city.” –Chicago Tribune

The Cabaret Room at Drury Lane offers a special small plates menu including a shareable charcuterie and cheese platter, bacon wrapped dates, specialty cocktails, and desserts. Doors open one hour prior to performance time, leaving plenty of time for guests to take advantage of this delectable menu. Gold Circle tickets include front row table seating at $85, and General Admission table seating is $75. There is a $25 food and beverage minimum per person.

For more information or to make a reservation, call the Drury Lane Theatre box office at (630) 530-0111 or visit www.DruryLane.com. 

Klea Blackhurst is an actress, singer, and comedienne known for her award-winning tribute to Ethel Merman, Everything The Traffic Will Allow. Most recently, she appeared Off-Broadway with Hayley Mills in the comedy Party Face at City Center Stage 2. She starred in Hazel during its world premiere production at Drury Lane in Chicago, as Dolly Levi in the highly acclaimed Fiftieth Anniversary production of Hello, Dolly! at The Goodspeed Opera House, and as Miss Lemon in The Nutty Professor, which premiered in Nashville, directed by legendary comedian Jerry Lewis and featuring a score by Marvin Hamlisch and Rupert Holmes. Klea also played Rose in Drury Lane Chicago’s production of Gypsy, garnishing rave reviews in 2012. 

On television, she has appeared in Ryan Murphy’s Pose and The Knick on Showtime. She spent two seasons as former prosecutor Shelby Cross on the IFC Channel comedy series Onion News Network. She’s done the requisite Law and Order: SVU, spent a week on Sesame Street, and was a musical guest on The Rosie O’Donnell Show. Theatre credits include: in New York – A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, Bingo, By Jupiter, Radio Gals, Oil City Symphony; Regionally – Ragtime, Call Me Madam, Chicago, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Red Hot and Blue, and Anything Goes. Klea’s albums are on the Ghostlight Records label. She’s featured on “Jule Styne in Hollywood” on PS Classics; the original cast recordings of Bingo and Radio Gals; “Lost in Boston IV,” “Unsung Irving Berlin,” and “The Best of Off Broadway.” Klea is a Distinguished Alumna of The University of Utah and created the 4-week master class Klea Blackhurst’s Old School, a practical application of the American Musical Theatre.

Also playing at Drury Lane
Now playing on the Drury Lane stage is the magical musical for all ages Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins  (November 15, 2019 – January 19, 2020) followed by the Regional Premiere of the beautifully captivating Gershwin musical An American  in Paris  (January 31 – March 29, 2020).   

Drury Lane Theatre’s 2020/2021 Season runs April 2020-March 2021 and includes two Tony Award-winning musicals—the unforgettable Evita, based on the life of Argentinian First Lady Eva Perón, and the treasured Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I. Drury Lane’s 66th season also includes the empowering tale of female friendship Steel Magnolias; Forever Plaid, an ode to the best of the 1950’s; and the family-friendly dance spectacular Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn. Subscription packages including all five spectacular productions start at only $170 and are on sale now. Subscribers also receive priority seating, dedicated theatre entrances, and a discount at the onsite Lucille Restaurant. For more information, visit DruryLaneTheatre.com/Subscribe. 

The performance schedule for all productions during the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 Seasons is as follows: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Student group tickets start as low as $40 and Senior Citizens start at $55 for matinees. Dining and show packages are also available. For individual ticket on-sale dates and ticket reservations, call the Drury Lane Theatre box office at (630) 530-0111 or Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or visit www.DruryLane.com. 

About Drury Lane Theatre   
Built from scratch. Built in Oakbrook. Built for you. 

Founded by Anthony DeSantis over 60 years ago, Drury Lane remains a family-run organization under the leadership of President Kyle DeSantis. Drury Lane Theatre continues as a major force in the Chicagoland theatre scene, producing world-class theatre in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading actors, directors, and creative minds. Drury Lane Theatre produces the highest quality theatrical experience that immerses and supports our artists and audiences in the exploration of what it means to be human and to experience the transcending power of the performing and visual arts. Drury Lane strives to create an environment in which every individual or group is welcomed, respected, supported, valued and able to fully experience and participate in this transformative art form. 

The theatre has staged more than 2,000 productions and has been nominated for over 360 Joseph Jefferson Awards. Drury Lane proudly employs thousands of professional actors, musicians, designers, and crew members to entertain upwards of nine million audience members and counting. 

OPENING: DUKE ELLINGTON’S SOPHISTICATED LADIES AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, JANUARY 24 – MARCH 6, 2020

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PORCHLIGHT STARS DONICA LYNN, DONTERRIO JOHNSON, LORENZO RUSH JR. AND MORE CELEBRATE ONE OF AMERICAN MUSIC’S MOST IMPORTANT COMPOSERS IN 

DUKE ELLINGTON’S 

SOPHISTICATED LADIES 

AT THE RUTH PAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 

JANUARY 24 – MARCH 6, 2020

Tony Award-Nominated Entertainment Featuring Music by Duke Ellington, Direction and Choreography by Brenda Didier and Florence Walker Harris 

and Music Direction by Jermaine Hill

Porchlight Music Theatre’s 25th Anniversary Mainstage season continues with Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, January 24 – March 6, 2020 at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St. Featuring music by Duke Ellington, concept by Donald McKayle, direction and choreography by Brenda Didier and Florence Walker Harris, and music direction by Jermaine Hill. Previews are Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. and Industry Night, Monday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Press Opening Night is Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. The regular run performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3:30 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with weekday matinees Thursday, Feb. 6 and 13 at 1:30 p.m. and added performances Tuesday, March 3  – Thursday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, March 6 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $39 - $66 and are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

A celebration of the artist many consider one of the most important composers in the history of American music, this stylish salute to “the Duke,” Duke Ellington, will transport audiences on a high-stepping, dynamic journey through the life and times of this great showman. From his early days at Harlem’s legendary Cotton Club through growing successes at Carnegie Hall, on Broadway, in Hollywood and around the world, this elegant, Tony 

Award-nominated entertainment features a treasure trove of Ellington’s biggest hits, including  "Mood Indigo,” "Take the "A" Train,” "I'm Beginning to See the Light,” "Hit Me With a Hot Note and Watch Me Bounce,” "Perdido,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” "In a Sentimental Mood,” "Satin Doll” among many others. 

The cast of Porchlight Music Theatre’s Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies includes: Lorenzo Rush, Jr^, “The Raconteur;” Lydia Burke+, “The Danseuse;” Donterrio Johnson^, “The Jazzbo” Donica Lynn+, “The Chanteuse;”  Eustace J. Williams^,“The Danseur;” Molly Kral+,“The Soubrette;” John Marshall, Jr^,“The Hipster” with Shantel Cribbs +, Madison Piner+, Jenna Schoppe+ and Terri K. Woodall+;“Sophisticated Ladies” and Chuckie Benson^, Tristan Bruns^, Kaimana Neil^ and Joey Stone^;“Sophisticated Gentlemen” and Ariel Dorsey+, “swing/Sophisticated Lady.” 

The Sophisticated Ladies band includes Jermaine Hill^, conductor/keyboard; Marcel Bonfim^, bass; Jonathan Golko^, reeds 2; bass; Darius Hampton^, reeds 1; Justin Kono^, percussion; Stephanie Lebens+, trombone and Sam Wolsk^, trumpet.

Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies’ production team includes:  Brenda Didier+ and Florence Walker Harris+, co-director and co-choreographer; Jermaine Hill^, music director; Angela Weber Miller+, scenic designer; Denise Karczewski+, lighting designer; Robert Hornbostel^, sound designer; Caitlin McCarthy+, properties designer; Theresa Ham+, costume designer; Kevin Barthel^, wig designer; Matthew McMullen^, stage manager;  Jackie Robinson+, assistant stage manager; Mary Zanger+, assistant stage manager; Joaquin Gomez^, assistant stage; Sean Michael Mohler^, assistant stage manager; Austin Kopsa^, assistant stage manager swing; Samantha Treible+, wardrobe supervisor; Rachel West+, master electrician; Matthew Chase^, sound design assistant; Jamie Davis+, soundboard engineer and Catherine Allen+, production manager. 

Cast and crew key:
^ he/him/his      + she/her/hers     * they/them/theirs

ABOUT BRENDA DIDIER, director and choreographer
Brenda Didierreturns to Porchlight where she recently directed A Chorus Line and has directed and choreographed Billy Elliot, The Musical, In The Heights and Dreamgirls among others. Didier is a multiple Jeff Award recipient in both direction and choreography, and the recipient of After Dark Awards, BroadwayWorld awards and the National Youth Theatre award. She is the proud owner and artistic director of the Lincolnshire Academy of Dance, celebrating its 20th season. Other credits include work at the Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Second City, Marriott Theatre, The Paramount, Theatre at the Center, BoHo, Mercury Theatre Chicago, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, Stage Left, Six Flags Great America, Busch Gardens Virginia, Cirque Shanghai at Navy Pier, T-Mobile’s national commercial “Home for the Holidays,” The Kenny Rogers Christmas Tour and the University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin and Carthage College.

ABOUT FLORENCE WALKER HARRIS, director and choreographer
Florence Walker-Harris made her Porchlight Music Theatre debut with The Scottsboro Boys and Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies marks her Porchlight directorial debut. Walker-Harris is the artistic director at Studio One Dance Theatre and trained in a variety of dance disciplines including Classical Ballet, the modern technique of Lester Horton, Kather, the Dunham technique, Jazz (strongly influenced by Mr. Frank Hatchet,) traditional Haitian folklore, African, Tap and Hip-Hop. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology & Black and Latino Studies from the State University College at Oneonta in New York, and a Masters degree in Human Services Administration from National Louis University.

ABOUT JERMAINE HILL, music director 
Jermaine Hill is a Jeff Award-nominated music director, actor, singer and arranger.  At Porchlight, most recently, he was the music director for the critically acclaimed Memphis. Other credits include Too Heavy for Your Pocket (TimeLine Theatre), The Music Man (Goodman Theatre), The Total Bent (Haven Theatre), Nell Gwynn (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), and Ragtime (Griffin Theatre). He has performed with Haven Theatre, Erasing the Distance, Onion Labs and appeared in an episode of Chicago Med. He is an assistant professor of theatre and music director at Columbia College Chicago, an ensemble member of Griffin Theatre and a graduate of Ithaca College and the New England Conservatory of Music.

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 25th 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 marked a milestone for Porchlight as the company became 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 70 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 30 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and 12 awards, as well as a total of 167 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).

The 2019 – 2020 25th Anniversary Season is dedicated to the memory of long-time Board Member George K. “Kim” Sargent. 

Allstate is the principal sponsor for community outreach for Sophisticated Ladies. 

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation, Actors’ Equity Foundation, Allstate, Bayless Family Foundation, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Chapman | Spingola, Attorneys at Law, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Elegant Event Lighting, Elevate Energy, James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, Harris Family Foundation, Hearty Boys, Hopsmith, A.L. and Jennie L. Luria Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Prince Foundation, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation, Daniel and Genevieve Ratner Foundation, The Saints, the Stuart Family Foundation, 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. 

CLUTCH SPECIAL GUEST ON THE US DATES OF VOLBEAT’S REWIND REPLAY REBOUND WORLD TOUR APRIL/ MAY 2020

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CLUTCH SPECIAL GUEST ON THE US DATES OF 

VOLBEAT’S

REWIND REPLAY REBOUND WORLD TOUR

April 4th to the 15th and May 5th to the 13th 2020

Clutch announce April and May 2020 US tour dates as Special Guest of Volbeat’s Rewind Replay Rebound World Tour. The first leg of the tour starts on April 4th in Tempe, AZ at 98KUPDUFest and finishes April 15th in Atlanta, GA. The second leg of the tour starts May 5th in Youngstown, OH and ends in New York, NY on May 13th. The Picturebooks open each show.

Clutch has some interesting history with Volbeat. Back in 2011 Clutch successfully supported Volbeat on their mainland European dates. Most recently Neil Fallon was invited by Michael Poulson to share vocal duties on Volbeat’s recording of the track “Die To Live” and to join the band at the video shoot for the song in Boston, MA. 

“It’s a catchy straight-ahead rocker of a song and I am flattered to have been asked to participate” says Neil Fallon. Tim Sult very favorably remembers the 2011 tour with the band. “We had such a great time touring Europe with both Volbeat and The Picturebooks, it was only natural that we do it in the US.”

Tickets go on sale Friday, January 17th at 10 AM EST via www.pro-rock.com.

April 04 | Tempe, AZ | 98KUPD UFest
April 05 | Las Vegas, NV | The Pearl
April 07 | Denver, CO | Mission Ballroom
April 08 | Independence, MO | Silverstein Eye Centers Arena
April 10 | Irving, TX | Toyota Music Factory
April 11 | Beaumont, TX | Ford Arena
April 13 | Nashville, TN | Municipal Auditorium
April 14 | Knoxville, TN | Civic Coliseum
April 15 | Atlanta, GA | Coca-Cola Roxy
May 02 | Hershey, PA | Giant Center ^
May 05 | Youngstown, OH | Covelli Center
May 06 | Columbus, OH | Schottenstein Center
May 09 | Milwaukee, WI | Eagles Ballroom
May 10 | Grand Rapids, MI | Deltaplex
May 12 | Baltimore, MD | UMBC Event Center
May 13 | New York, NY | Pier 17

^ Special guests Gojira & The Picturebooks; Clutch will not be supporting on this date 

Follow and listen to Clutch’s Spotify playlist HERE.

CLUTCH:
Neil Fallon - Vocals/Guitar
Tim Sult - Guitar
Dan Maines - Bass
Jean-Paul Gaster - Drums/Percussion
 
For more information, check out the band’s website:
www.pro-rock.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/clutchband
Instagram: www.instagram.com/clutchofficial
Twitter: www.twitter.com/clutchofficial
Official: www.pro-rock.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/officialclutch

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE'S NEW FACES SING BROADWAY NOW MONDAY, FEB. 24 AT EVANSTON SPACE AND TUESDAY, FEB. 25 AT THE ARTS CLUB OF CHICAGO

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PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE 

ANNOUNCES HOST AND CAST FOR 

NEW FACES SING BROADWAY NOW, 

MONDAY, FEB. 24 AT EVANSTON SPACE AND 

TUESDAY, FEB. 25 AT THE ARTS CLUB OF CHICAGO 

The Star of Freaky Friday The Musical Cory Goodrich Takes Audiences on A Tour of Broadway’s Current Season with a Cast of New Talent

First Row (L to R) Emily Agy, Alli Atkenson and Barry DeBois

Second Row (L to R) Laz Estrada, Nina Jayashankar, Becky Keeshin and Christopher Kelley

Third Row (L to R) Michael E. Martin, Sam Shankman and Jayla Wlliams-Craig

Porchlight Music Theatre announces the star of Porchlight’s spring production, the Chicago premiere of Disney’s Freaky Friday, A New Musical Cory Goodrich as the host of New Faces Sing Broadway NOW, directed by Johanna McKenzie Miller and music directed by Tom Vendafreddo; at Evanston at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Monday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street, Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets to each New Faces are $37 at SPACE and $60 at The Arts Club. The Arts Club performances include a pre-performance cocktail hour starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

Porchlight Music Theatre’s hugely popular New Faces Sing Broadway series takes audiences on a musical journey from start to finish of an entire Broadway season. Peppered with photos and films of that theatrical year in an exciting multimedia presentation, trivia games with prizes, sing-alongs and more, in this edition, New Faces Sing Broadway NOW, host Goodrich introduces the audience to the next generation of Chicago music theatre artists while serving as a guide to the stars, songs and stories of this current season on Broadway including songs from Hadestown, Moulin Rouge, Jagged Little Pill, TINA - The Tina Turner Musical and more. 

The cast of New Faces Sing Broadway NOW is  Emily Agy, Alli Atkenson, Barry DeBois, Laz Estrada, Nina Jayashankar, Becky Keeshin, Christopher Kelley, Michael E. Martin,  Sam Shankman and Jayla Wlliams-Craig. The stage manager is Sean Michael Mohler and sound board operator at The Arts Club is Warren “Levon” Jackson.

Goodrich hosts the latest New Faces Sing Broadway and was recently announced as the lead in Porchlight Music Theatre’s spring Mainstage production, the Chicago premiere of Disney’s Freaky Friday, April 10 - May 24, 2020 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. Disney’s Freaky Friday is the newest musical comedy for the whole family and is based on the hit book and beloved films. Freaky Friday comes from the combined talents who created Once Upon a Mattress, Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, Next to Normal, American Idiot, High Fidelity, If/Then and Bring it On.

Many artists who have been part of the New Faces Sing Broadway series have continued their careers on television and local and national stages including Dawn Bless (Waitress-national tour), Katherine Bourne (Heartbreak Hotel), Kyrie Courter (Jeff nominee-Next to Normal), Gilbert Domally (Jeff nominee-The Total Bent), Andres Enriquez (Jeff nominee-A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), Theo Germaine (Showtime’s “Work in Progress”), Lucy Godinez (Marriott Theatre’s Oliver), Emily Goldberg (Jeff nominee-A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), Nicole Michelle Haskins (The Goodman’s The Music Man), Michelle Lauto (Jeff winner-Spamilton), Yando Lopez (Jeff nominee-Spamilton), Henry McGinniss (Book of Mormon-national tour), Anthony Norman (The Prom-Broadway), Patrick Rooney (Les Miserables-national tour), Aalon Smith (Porchlight’s Gypsy), Katherine Thomas (Jeff winner-Ragtime), Aeriel Williams (Court’s Oedipus Rex) and Nicole Lambert, Courtney Mack, Mallory Maedke and Samantha Pauly (all heading to Broadway with Six).

ABOUT CORY GOODRICH, New Faces Sing Broadway NOW, host 
Cory Goodrich is making her Porchlight Music Theatre debut in Freaky Friday, A New Musical. Goodrich is a Jeff Award-winning actress for her roles as “Mother” in Ragtime (Drury Lane Oakbrook) and as “June Carter Cash” in Ring of Fire, (Mercury Theater Chicago). A five-time Jeff nominee, Goodrich is also a writer, artist and mother of two, a children’s composer with her two award-winning CDs, “Hush” and “Wiggly Toes,” and singer/songwriter with two albums: “W.O.M.A.N” and “Wildwood Flower” and producer of six volumes of “Season of Carols, Holiday Music to Benefit Season of Concern.”

ABOUT JOHANNA MCKENZIE MILLER, New Faces Sing Broadway NOW, director
Since directing last years New Faces Sing Broadway 1941 with Porchlight Music Theatre, Johanna McKenzie Miller has directed both Junie B. Jones and Madagascar-A Musical Adventure for The Marriott Theatres TYA series. In addition to directing, she also appeared as “Vi” in Footloose at The Marriott Theatre, and in Mamma Mia and Mary Poppins at Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace. This year, Miller will be directing Kiss Me Kate at The Marriott Theatre and Steel Magnolias at Drury Lane Oakbrook.  

ABOUT TOM VENDAFREDDO, New Faces Sing Broadway NOW, music director
Tom Vendafreddo has music directed most of the Paramount Theatre’s Broadway Series since the fall of 2013, including Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, for which he won the 2017 Joseph Jefferson Award for outstanding music direction. Other Chicago credits include productions at Writers Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Marriott Theatre and Bohemian Ensemble (Jeff Nominee for The Spitfire Grill and A Little Night Music). Select regional credits include Billy Elliott (Signature Theatre, DC), The Who’s Tommy (Music Theatre Heritage), Murder for Two (Mason Street Warehouse) and Rent (San Diego Musical Theatre). He received his Bachelor of Music degree from Eastman School of Music and his Master of Fine Arts degree from San Diego State University.

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 25th 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 marked a milestone for Porchlight as the company became 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 70 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 30 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and 12 awards, as well as a total of 167 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 announces the star of Porchlight’s spring production, the Chicago premiere of Disney’s Freaky Friday, A New Musical Cory Goodrich as the host of New Faces Sing Broadway NOW, directed by Johanna McKenzie Miller and music directed by Tom Vendafreddo; at Evanston at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Monday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street, Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets to each New Faces are $37 at SPACE and $60 at The Arts Club. The Arts Club performances include a pre-performance cocktail hour starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

The 2019 – 2020 25th Anniversary Season is dedicated to the memory of long-time Board Member George K. “Kim” Sargent. 

The Bayless Family Foundation is a 2019 – 2020 25th Anniversary Season Sponsor.

The New Faces Sing Broadway series is generously sponsored by Elaine Cohen and Arlen D. Rubin.

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation, Actors’ Equity Foundation, Allstate, Bayless Family Foundation, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Chapman | Spingola, Attorneys at Law, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Elegant Event Lighting, Elevate Energy, James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, Hearty Boys, Hopsmith, A.L. and Jennie L. Luria Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at Prince, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation, Daniel and Genevieve Ratner Foundation, The Saints, Dr. Scholl Foundation, the Stuart Family Foundation,  the Topfer Family Foundation and Walton Street Kitchen. 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. 

REVIEW: Trent James’ Pure Lies at Chicago Magic Lounge Wednesdays Through March 25, 2020

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago’s home for close-up magic, continues its Artist-In-Residence series with 

Trent James in Pure Lies, 

Wednesdays at 7:30pm Through March 25, 2020

Review:

by Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Have you ever wished you could walk through walls and find secret rooms behind bookcases? Sometimes the daily onslaught of politics, work, winter weather, and life in general can be a bit daunting. Chicago Magic Lounge is here to provide a little respite and take you back to an era of childlike wonder and world class illusion. We love the secret, unmarked location and the hidden entry through what looks like the world's smallest laundromat. 

Once inside the Chicago Magic Lounge on a given night, you can enjoy a triple treat of magic, if you're early enough. There's bar magic at the front bar, where you can be wowed with card tricks and more, while you order drinks and appetizers. Once inside, strolling prestidigitators entertain with close up magic as an opening act. Then there's the main show to look forward to. 

We love the high ceilings, vintage show posters of magicians and art deco decor. You're even likely to see the future famous on staff. A familiar storefront actor, rocking an evening gown, directed us into the classy main theatre through a hidden bookcase. Once inside we saw several more recognizable faces from local stages hosting and on waitstaff.

I've been to The Chicago Magic Lounge now numerous times, from their initial groundbreaking and grand opening, to many shows. With 7 nights of magic to choose from there's always something compelling on tap. Most recently, I caught the current resident act, with my son, Dugan, a Northwestern acting student, who had never been before. It's always fun to introduce someone to a great venue for the first time. We had a thoroughly enjoyable night. 




Trent James’ Pure Lies is now playing at Chicago Magic Lounge every Wednesday through March 25, 2020. Don't let that baby face fool you. He's young, but already an accomplished magician and consummate showman. His act is best experienced fresh, so no spoilers. I don't want to give away anything, but I will say he does magic I've never seen before. For a memorable evening, don't miss Pure Lies. That's the truth. 

Bonnie Kenaz-Mara is a Chicago based writer-theater critic-photographer-videographer-actress-artist-general creatrix and Mama to two terrific teens. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

Artist-in-Residence series

Trent James presents Pure Lies

Wednesdays at 7:30pm

Over the course of this 60-minute modern-day magic show, audiences will witness astounding sleight of hand combined with gut-busting humor. Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge shows are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com.

Comedy magician Trent James is bringing a fresh feel to the classic magic show! Trent combines mindboggling magic and offbeat comedy for a new generation. He is the winner of over twenty awards, including The Society of American Magicians International Stage Contest (People’s Choice Winner), International Brotherhood of Magicians Stage Contest (Silver Medal), and was named The Most Promising Young Magician by the Milbourne Christopher Foundation (Past winners include David Copperfield and Penn & Teller). Trent’s performances have left audiences raving from Las Vegas to New York. His unique sleight of hand magic and hip vibe come together to form an unforgettable thrill ride.

Pure Lies will be presented on Wednesdays at 7:30pm, January 8 – March 25, 2020.  Tickets are priced $35 (Main Floor) and $45 (Front Row).

Chicago Magic Lounge will also hold special shows for Valentine’s Day and CML’s 2 Year Anniversary (the weekend of February 20-23, 2020). 

Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Ages 16+ allowed to ticketed shows with a legal guardian. Ages 5+ allowed for The Family Show only. 

Ongoing Events and Performances are as follows:
Music & Magic 
Mondays at 7:30pm
Tickets: $15 (General Admission) 
Unwind at the beginning of the week with magic, jazz, and a cocktail. Music & Magic is the only performance of its kind in the city. We feature live jazz on stage and close-up magic at your table performed by our resident house magicians. When the band takes a break, a magician takes the stage. 

The Signature Show
Thursdays and Sundays at 7pm; Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm & 10pm
Tickets: $45-$60
The Signature Show was conceived in 2015 as an homage to the historic, Chicago magic bar scene. Experience close-up magic right at your table during the cocktail hour, followed by an hour of stage magic featuring two masters of their craft performing feats of prestidigitation and sleight of hand. Guests who purchase Mezzanine, Front Row and Premium Main Floor tickets are invited to an exclusive performance of close-up magic directly after the show in our 43-seat close-up gallery, The 654 Club. *Please visit chicagomagiclounge.com for a complete schedule of performers.

The Family Show
Sundays at 3pm
Tickets: $27.50, $17.50 (children 5-16)
We take the bar scene out of Chicago Magic and open our Blackstone Cabaret for a 45-minute magic matinee suitable for younger ages. Our mission is to bring back the era of bar magic, bringing out the child in every adult; however, on Sundays, we feature a family-friendly magician that will fill both the adults and children full of wonder. The Family Show makes a great post-brunch activity with many restaurants nearby. The Family Show is suitable for ages 5 and up.

The Performance Bar
Mondays-Wednesdays, 5:30pm-11pm; Thursdays, 5:30pm-12am; Fridays-Saturdays, 5:30pm-2am; and Sundays, 5:30pm-11pm
Open from 5:30pm to close Mondays thru Saturdays, The Performance Bar features signature cocktails, luxurious seating and magicians behind the bar to challenge your imagination. The Performance Bar is open to the public and does not require a ticket to the show. Please note that The Performance Bar is 21+ only.

Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Ages 16+ allowed to ticketed shows with a legal guardian. Ages 5+ allowed for The Family Show only.

For a complete schedule of performances and more information about Chicago Magic Lounge, as well as resident and guest performers, Chicago Magic College classes, the Chicago Magic Round Table, and more, please visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

About Chicago Magic Lounge
Chicago Magic Lounge reinvents the classic "magic bar" that once dotted Chicago's nightlife landscape, bringing cocktails and card tricks back together again. Shows include magic performance at the bar, on the stage and in true Chicago-style Magic form, at the tables of the guests, providing the classic "Close-Up" tradition Chicago-style Magic is known for. Chicago Magic Lounge is also the home of the Chicagoland magic community, showcasing over 30 local professionals, and serving as a networking hub for working magicians from all over the world. 

The newly constructed theater at 5050 N. Clark St., designed by Morris Architects Planners, has ushered in a new wave of entertainment, bringing back “Chicago-style Magic” under the leadership of Donald C Clark, Jr. and Joseph (Joey) Cranford. Converted from a 1930s-era, commercial laundry building, the Chicago Magic Lounge is a 7,200 square-foot, Art Deco, state-of-the-art theater and lounge complete with secret doors, elegant performance areas and a magic bar – all dedicated to the art of sleight of hand, prestidigitation and Chicago's contribution to the magical arts. From magicians to mind readers, Chicago Magic Lounge provides guests the unique, one-of-a-kind experience of seeing wonders up-close and personal in a venue unlike anything else offered throughout the country.

Almost Heaven: John Denver’s America at Theatre at the Center in Munster February 13 Through March 22, 2020

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar:

Theatre at the Center in Munster 

Opens Its 30th Anniversary Season with Chicago-area Premiere of  

Almost Heaven: John Denver’s America

Photos by Guy Rhodes from left to right:  Steven Romero Schaeffer, Tommy Malouf and Sara Geist

ChiIL Live Shows will be out for opening night on February 16, so check back soon for our full review.

Theatre at the Center Artistic Director Linda Fortunato has cast Shannon McEldowney, Steven Romero Schaeffer, Andrew Mueller, Sara Geist and Tommy Malouf in the musical revue Almost Heaven: John Denver’s America to open its 30th Anniversary Season.   The cast will be joined on stage by musicians William Underwood, Malcolm Ruhl and Alison Tatum.   Fortunato will direct and William Underwood is the Music Director.   Previews begin on February 13 with an Opening Night on February 16 and a continued run through March 22.



According to Variety, “The show pays tribute to an artist who remains great at making people feel good.”

Almost Heaven: John Denver’s America, written and adapted by Peter Glazer and directed by Linda Fortunato, is a musical tribute and intimate celebration of John Denver’s life and career.   From growing up in a military family to his emergence on the 1960s folk scene, the climb to ‘70s superstardom and his later career of the 1980s and 1990s, John Denver’s story is brought to life in this Chicago-area premiere through hits such as “Country Roads,” Rocky Mountain High,” Annie’s Song,” and “Sunshine on My Shoulders.”

Shannon McEldowney returns to TATC after her work swinging in The Pajama Game.   Other credits include Elf and Young Frankenstein at Little Theatre on the Square, Mama Mia at Drury Lane Oakbrook and Disaster at Chicago Theatre Workshop.

Steven Romero Shaeffer returns to TATC after performing in Big River in 2017.   His Chicago credits include roles in Always, Patsy Cline at Firebrand Theatre and Into the Woods at Writer’s Theatre.   He has also toured with Troupe America in Pump Boys and Dinettes.

Andrew Mueller is making his TATC debut.   Other Chicagoland credits include Jesus Christ Superstar at Lyric Opera, Rent at Paramount Theatre, Shakespeare In Love and As You Like It at Chicago Shakespeare, Man of La Mancha at Marriott Theatre and Big River at BoHo Theatre.   Off Broadway roles include Peter and The Starcatcher and Alice By Heart.

Sara Geist, making her debut at TATC, began her professional career at age 12 in The American Girl Revue.   Since then she has performed with Mason Street Warehouse, Emerald City Theatre, Intrinsic Theatre Co., Windy City Performs, Next Theatre and on TV in Chicago Fire.

Tommy Malouf returns to TATC where he last appeared as Johnny Cash in Million Dollar Quartet.   Other Chicago credits include work with Remy Bumppo, The House Theatre of Chicago, Jackalope and Steep.

The creative team for Almost Heaven: John Denver’s America includes Scenic Designer and Head of Production Ann Davis, Lighting Designer G. “Max” Maxin IV, Sound Designer Joe Palermo, Costume Designer Brenda Winstead and Prop Designer Melissa Geel.   Stage manager is Jessica Banaszak.   Linda Fortunato is teamed with TATC General Manager Richard Friedman.

Founded in 1991, the 410-seat TATC is a year-round professional theater at its home: The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road in Munster, Indiana.   TATC is an accessible venue with plenty of free parking and is located off I-80/94, just 35 minutes from downtown Chicago.

Performances are 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 7:30 p.m. Fridays; 3p.m and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.   Individual tickets prices range from $42 - $46.   To purchase individual tickets, call the Box Office at 219-836-3255.   Group discounts are available for groups of 11 or more.   Student tickets are $20 and gift certificates are also available.   For more information on Theatre at the Center, visit www.TheatreAtTheCenter.com.