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Friday, November 30, 2018

NEW RELEASES: WHOLE NEW LIFE, REVEREND HORTON HEAT'S FIRST ALBUM IN NEARLY 5 YEARS OUT NOW!

REVEREND HORTON HEAT RELEASE
FIRST ALBUM IN NEARLY 5 YEARS 
WHOLE NEW LIFE

DEBUT NEW VIDEO “HOG TYIN’ WOMAN”
Midnight, Texas TV Performance Airs December 7
On Tour Now



Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we're celebrating the new album release. We got a press preview link and it's been in heavy rotation on our play list this week. I'm shooting live show photos at REVEREND HORTON HEAT'S Chicago Metro show as well as reviewing the new tunes, so check back soon for our full recap. 


Horton's Holiday Hayride is coming to a stage near YOU and features an amazing lineup! Including Reverend Horton HeatJunior Brown Fan PageThe Blasters and Big Sandy of Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys





The foot-stomping hellfire roots of REVEREND HORTON HEAT’s rock 'n' roll stylings are louder than ever with Whole New Life, the brand new album available worldwide today. The band also delivers the second video in the form of the sexy and sultry “Hog Tyin’ Woman.” 


As the album hits shelves, the Texas rebels have traveled thousands of miles, playing 13 countries in front of over one million people since the release of 2014’s Rev. Watch the band perform “Hog Tyin’ Woman” on the NBC thriller Midnight, Texas on December 7.

Watch “Hog Tyin’ Woman” Music Video:



“It’s the most positive album I’ve ever done, admits ringleader Jim ‘Reverend’ Heath. “Some of my stuff in the past was dark, maybe too dark. I guess I’m not the awful vindictive jerk I thought I was!”

Recording the album in their hometown of Dallas, Heath says that “Creating Whole New Life brought out something more positive in my storytelling and guitar playing. I also saw a vocal coach to reach notes unheard to the average fan. It's got some Southern feel to it, a bit of gruff and a crooning style to it. Write what you know, that’s what they tell ya in school, right?”

The artwork was created by a pair of rock ‘n’ roll sisters called The Mad Twins, Olya and Vira. These creative designers from the Ukraine also animated ‘Hardscrabble Woman,’ the bands final video from the previous album. “Jim Heath is a real old-school gentleman with a precise taste of 1950’s retro style and an excellent sense of humor,” Vira professes. “Jim gave us a good guide of the songs meanings lyrically and musically so we visualized a 1950’s color style from that era. Call it globalism but isn’t it wild that two Ukrainian female artists are doing American 50’s graphics for a Texas band thirty years into their career? The design, art and music of that time are so powerful because people were doing it all by hand - paintings, clothing, cars, instruments - there were simple and naïve emotions, less vulgarity, straight honesty and sincere love. All that makes up the musical tornado of REVEREND HORTON HEAT.”

Undoubtedly one of the most important and popular rockabilly artists of all time, the legendary Texas troop have genre-hopped their fan base in front of audiences from the Sex Pistols, Johnny Cash, Soundgarden, ZZ Top, Motorhead and tons of other heavy-hitters.

“This tour started around 1986,” Heath chuckles dryly. Performing nearly 200 shows a year, REVEREND HORTON HEAT officially kicked off the Horton’s Holiday Hayride Tour on November 27 in Omaha, NE and will wrap up the year in Birmingham, AL on December 22. As more riotous shows are booked for 2019, Heath cracks, “I’m afraid I’m on the Willie Nelson retirement program, which means I’ll never retire!”



All REVEREND HORTON HEAT Tour Dates.


“In your face, rip-snortin’ bust out the windows rock and roll” - NO DEPRESSION
“A throw-back, old-fashioned good time” - CBS
“Upbeat, optimistic spirited rockabilly” - BILLBOARD
“Great American rock & roll” - MUSIC CONNECTION
“Zesty, infectious and timeless” - BIG TAKEOVER
“RHH’s engine refuses to stay idle” - GOLDMINE
“An upbeat stomper” - NEW NOISE
“The pace of a race horse gallop and twang of cowboy campfire, a ball-busting, beer-swillin’ rocker - INNOCENT WORDS
“A solid stomp of blues with hillbilly, garage rock” - UK ROCK & ROLL
“Glorious wave of exuberant, tightly constructed, wonderful songs” - AMERICANA UK
“Authentic, upbeat rockabilly” - VIVE LE ROCK UK
“Powerful, cathartic and triumphant return of the godfathers” - HYSTERIA
“The best album of their career” - VOID REPORT
“Infectiously fun” - CRYPTIC ROCK
“Fun, twangy and vibrant. A memorable album with infectious singalongs” - ILLINOIS ENTERTAINER
“Colorful rockabilly with reliable pro chops” - DETROIT FREE PRESS
“High-octane tempos, mixing rock and classic R&B” - MILWAUKEE SHEPHERD EXPRESS
“RHH is the real deal when it comes to psychobilly blues and country” - CLEVELAND.COM
“Turbocharged pedal-to-the-metal rootsy cornucopia of rockabilly, feral country, hard-wired blues, honky-tonk and punk’n’roll” - MINNEAPOLIS CITY PAGES

Monday, November 26, 2018

REVIEW: Hell in a Handbag Productions' World Premiere of SnowGirls – The Musical Through December 30, 2018 at Mary’s Attic

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar:

World Premiere!
Hell in a Handbag Productions Presents 
SnowGirls – The Musical
Book by Derek Van Barham
Music by David Cerda, Scott Lamberty & Jeff Thomson
Directed by Jon Martinez
Music Direction by JD Caudill

(pictured) Harper Leander in Hell in a Handbag Productions’ world premiere of SnowGirls – The Musical. All Production Photos by Rick Aguilar Studios.

November 15 – December 30, 2018 
at Mary’s Attic



Guest Review:
by D'Arcy Mies

If you are looking for looking for an adult-themed holly-jolly good time this holiday season, Snowgirls will not disappoint!  Not your mama’s Christmas show, this raunchy, silly, and high-spirited musical features all your favorite yuletide characters:  pole-dancing reindeer, foul-mouthed elves, and a horny Santa.


(left to right) Amelia Bell, Harper Leander and Sharon Rae Ryan 


Mary’s Attic, aglow with pink and red lights, serves up hot toddies and other holiday spirits to a laughing and appreciative crowd. 

Photo Credit: D'Arcy Mies

Photo Credit: D'Arcy Mies

Photo Credit: D'Arcy Mies

The show opens with an energetic musical number introducing small-town reindeer Snowmi Malone. Snowmi hitchhikes her way to the North Pole to become a dancer, and sexy hilarity ensues!  Snowgirls delivers catchy musical numbers, clever one-liners, and a sexy villainess who wouldn’t be out of place as the wicked queen in a (very twisted) Disney movie.


(pictured) Erin Daly

Don’t expect any plot-twists as Snowgirls closely parodies the 1995 movie Showgirls, but do expect full-frontal reindeer nudity, theatre-in-jokes, and a scene-stealing Mrs. Claus. References to “Saved by the Bell:”, Rankin and Bass Christmas specials, and even a bit of puppetry round out this naughty-but-nice addition to the Holiday theatre season.


Photo Credit: D'Arcy Mies


Photo Credit: D'Arcy Mies


Photo Credit: D'Arcy Mies


D'Arcy Mies is a Montessori teacher, mom, and long time theater lover who lives in Chicago burb, Franklin Park. She drives a "Tardis Blue" car decked out like Dr. Who's time machine and can often be found at pop culture events.




(left to right) Brittani Yawn, Marissa Williams and Patrick Stengle

(left to right) Brittani Yawn, Harper Leander and Grant Drager 

Hell in a Handbag Productions rings in the holidays with the world premiere of SnowGirls – The Musical, a parody of the classic cult film Showgirls. Featuring a book by Derek Van Barham, music by Artistic Director David Cerda* with Scott Lamberty and Jeff Thomson, direction by Jon Martinez and music direction by JD Caudill. SnowGirls will play November 15 – December 30, 2018 at Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark St. in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. Tickets are currently available at brownpapertickets.com or by calling (800) 838-3006. 


(clockwise from left) Sharon Rae Ryan, Amelia Bell, Sydney Genco, Marissa Williams and Patrick Stengle 


SnowGirls – The Musicalfeatures Ensemble Members Sydney Genco*, Grant Drager* and Terry McCarthy* with Amelia Bell, Erin Daly, Harper Leander, Max McKune, Sharon Rae Ryan, Patrick Stengle, Marissa Williams and Brittani Yawn.

Snowmi Malone is a rebel who dreams of becoming a dancer. Her quest leads her to the cold cruel world of the North Pole, where she’ll stop at nothing to fulfill her fantasy. SnowGirls explores what happens at the North Pole the other 364 days of the year – and it isn't always pretty.


Harper Leander and Brittani Yawn 

The production team for SnowGirls – The Musical includes: Kate Setzer Kamphausen (costume design), Cat Wilson* (lighting design), Keith Ryan* (wig design) and Drew Donnelly (stage manager).

*Denotes Handbag ensemble member.

Cast (in alphabetical order): Amelia Bell (Ensemble, Dancer), Erin Daly (Mrs. Claus), Sydney Genco* (Ice Krystal), Grant Drager* (Zip), Harper Leander (Snowmi Malone), Terry McCarthy* (Santa, Tony), Max McKune (Rudolph, Ensemble), Sharon Rae Ryan (Ensemble, Dasher), Patrick Stengle (Ensemble, Herbie), Marissa Williams (Gay, Ensemble, Dance Captain) and Brittani Yawn (Jolly). 


(left to right) Sydney Genco, Brittani Yawn and Harper Leander


Location: Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark St., Chicago

Dates:Previews: Thursday, November 15 at 7:30 pm, Friday, November 16 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, November 17 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, November 18 at 6 pm.

Regular run: Sunday, November 25 – Sunday, December 30, 2018

Curtain Times: Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 6 pm. Please note: there will not be a 6 pm performance on Sunday, December 2 due to the Handbag Gala.

Tickets: Previews $17. Regular run $27 in advance, $30 at the door. Group rates $24 for 10 or more. $20 senior and student rates. 


About the Artists    

Derek Van Barham (Book) is the Associate Artistic Director of Pride Films & Plays and a member of the Red Tape Theatre ensemble. For PFP, he has directed Perfect Arrangement, Angry Fags (Steppenwolf Garage), Songs from an Unmade Bed (Jeff nomination), and (co-directing) PRISCILLA, Queen of the Desert: The Musical. He also wrote BITE: A Pucking Queer Cabaret and Kill Your Boyfriends. Other directing credits include The View Upstairs (Circle Theatre), Three Days of Rain (Boho), Miracle! by Dan Savage, Skooby Don't (Hell in a Handbag), and HOT PINK (New American Folk Theatre). Choreography credits include The CiviliTy of Albert Cashier (Permoveo/PFP), Nevermore, Shockheaded Peter, Coraline (Black Button Eyes) and Salonathon. He was named one of Windy City Times 30 Under 30, recognizing Chicago's LGBTQ+ community. Up next: directing When Adonis Calls and Poseidon! An Upside Down Musical and choreographing Evil Dead the Musical.   

David Cerda (Music) is the Artistic Director and co-founder of Hell in a Handbag Productions. Cerda has written or collaborated on POSEIDON! An Upside Down Musical, Caged Dames, Sexy Baby, Lady X: The Musical, Christmas Dearest, Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer, SCARRIE-The Musical, and many others. He has also worked as a songwriter with Amazon Studios and as an actor around Chicago. In 2016, Cerda was in inducted into the Chicago GLBT Hall of Fame and in 2017 he received a Lifetime Achievement Jeff Award for his contributions to the Chicago theater community and philanthropic efforts.

Jeff Thomson (Orchestrations) is a recipient of the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award as well as the Dramatist Guild Musical Theatre Writing Fellowship. Jeff’s original musical Trails was performed in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle and Tokyo, winning him the NYMF award for Best Music, as well as the Stage Entertainment Development Award. Other projects include Virtually Me for TheatreworksUSA, and a club musical adaptation of the cult film Jawbreaker, an arena rock musical adaptation of Allan Moyle's Pump Up the Volume (book and lyrics by Jeremy Desmon). He was commissioned by Broadway Across America to compose the music to the children’s musical Mad Libs Live!, which premiered Off-Broadway. Jeff was selected by Amazon Studios to write the music for the animated movie musical, Midnight with lyricist David Cerda. Most recently, Jeff was selected by Simon & Schuster to pen the score to a new Broadway musical based on the iconic and beloved sleuth, Nancy Drew. www.JeffThomsonMusic.com 

Scott Lamberty (Arrangements, Tracks) has collaborated with David Cerda on several Handbag musicals including Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer, POSEIDON! An Upside Down Musical, SCARRIE – The Musical, Sexy Baby and Lady X The Musical. Scott has also worked extensively with Corn Productions on the Tiff and Mom shows, The Bad Seed The Musical and Jesus Camp – The Musical, among many others.

Jon Martinez (Director) is excited to make his Handbag debut! Credits include: The Buddy Holly Story (American Blues Theatre), The View Upstairs (Circle Theater), In The Heights (Civic Theatre), On A Clear Day… (Porchlight Music Theater), It’s Only a Play, Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Joseph Jefferson Award nomination) (Pride Films & Plays), Rock of Ages (Timberlake Playhouse), Tonya & Nancy The Rock Opera (Chicago Premiere – Underscore); 3C (Red Orchid); We’re Gonna Die (Haven Theater/Steppenwolf). Jon also directed the Theater On The Lake remount of Bailiwick Chicago’s Jeff Award-winning production of Murder Ballad. He also has served as assistant/associate director/choreographer on LIZZIE (Firebrand), Xanadu (American Theater Company); Carrie, Murder Ballad (Bailiwick Chicago). His first ballet, Le Apache, premiered in 2016 at The Harris Theater in Chicago. Jon is a company member of Underscore and Firebrand Theatre. 

JD Caudill (Music Director) is a Chicago-based director, music director and performer. Since coming to Chicago in 2014, JD has performed onstage with The New Colony, Hell in a Handbag Productions, New American Folk Theatre, Forks and Hope and Hobo Junction, and directed for over 15 companies, including Broken Nose Theatre, The New Colony and Haven Theatre. JD is a company member of Hell in a Handbag and Haven Theatre (where they are also marketing director), and an associate company member of Broken Nose Theatre.


(left to right) Harper Leander and Grant Drager

About Hell in a Handbag Productions
Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of works ingrained in the realm of popular culture via theatrical productions through parody, music and homage. Handbag is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit.

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

REVIEW: “Il Trovatore” at Lyric Opera Through December 9, 2018

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

IL TROVATORE
by Giuseppe Verdi
Sung in Italian with projected English translations



Approximate Running Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes, including one 25-minute intermission.



Verdi’s IL TROVATORE Now Playing at Lyric Opera of Chicago November 17-30 & December 3-9





Review of Opera “Il Trovatore” at Lyric
By Catherine Hellmann, guest critic

Everyone remembers their first time...no, not that...at the opera. The adorable father-daughter duo seated next to us said her first opera was in Detroit. Her dad deliberately took her to see Puccini’s “La Boheme” in the Lincoln seats since it is such a classic and so lovely. Dad saw his first opera at the Lyric, being a Chicago native. His was “Mozart’s “Cosi fan Tutte.” Mine was at Cincinnati’s gorgeous Music Hall, courtesy of my father, a classical music fan. “The Student Prince” by Sigmund Romberg.

And so I was honored to bring my daughter to her first opera at the stunning Art Deco Lyric Opera House on Saturday night for Giuseppe Verdi’s “Il Trovatore.” I assured her that she could read the English subtitles above the stage since the opera would be sung in its native Italian.

“What’s it about?” she asked me on our way to Wacker Drive. “Not sure exactly,” I answered, “but someone will die in song.”  

Getting interested in an opera is kind of like what a professor told me about reading Grimm’s fairy tales: you have to suspend belief and just go with it. If a character has a magic mirror in a fairy tale, it makes no sense logically; just don’t question it, and enjoy the ridiculous premise. So if a mother in “Il Trovatore” gets confused at a bonfire and accidentally throws her own baby into the flames instead of the boy she is supposed to be avenging, oy, just accept this plot development.

As a former Lyric subscriber and opera major in college, I just expect this lack of logic. But to teen-ager Camelia, the plot was insanity.

“Okay, so the first half was great like, wow, but the second half, what even was that. You’ve got this woman for 30 minutes talking about how much she loves this guy, like okay, we get it, you miss him, and then she gives herself up for him, which is so sweet. AND THEN FOR 30 MORE MINUTES THIS DUDE IS SO UNGRATEFUL! Like, ‘I hate you! You’re giving your love to someone else!’ Dude. She’s giving up her virtue and her life for you and all you can do is complain. You literally throw away the key, why didn’t you release your mom. AND THEN IN THE LAST TWO SECONDS, she dies, he dies, and ‘Hey, surprise! You just killed your brother.’ ‘What? NOOOOOOOOOOO!’ And scene. Like, um okay, bitch.” - ------Camelia         


   
The Anvil Chorus from IL TROVATORE at Lyric Opera of Chicago. 
Photo by Michael Brosilow

While the plot is typical opera-crazy fare, the singing and performances are top-notch in this hot mess of a story. Tamara Wilson in the lead role of Leonora was divine. What a voice! Simply mesmerizing. Obviously, her acting was also effective, as Camelia was so upset by her generosity to the ungrateful Manrico, her lover.

Jamie Barton amazed us with her incredible range as Azucena, the daughter of the accused witch and adoptive mother of Manrico. Artur Rucinski was also noteworthy as the calculating, but sexy, Count di Luna with his marvelous voice and acting.

The Chicago Lyric Opera Chorus was fantastic, especially in the very-recognizable “anvil song” set in the Gypsy camp. (As an added bonus, some of the workers were swinging their anvils without any shirts on. Oh, I long for those days of Samuel Ramey playing a half-naked devil…)

The set design was cool, but at one point, the turntable spun slowly to switch scenes in a drawn-out silence. It seemed weird to not have any music or singing at that part. It is a credit to opera audiences that there was complete silence during this awkward scene change.

But that is a quibble. It is always a treat to see the Lyric in its fabulous home. The downstairs area has great framed photographs of past productions lining its walls as well as costume ball gowns. Coffee is available for sale throughout the lobby areas, if a three-hour opera tests your attention span.               


Catherine Hellmann is a teacher, writer, and theater junkie. She has tried to inspire urban and rural middle schoolers for over twenty years. A mother of three, she is thrilled to once again claim Chicago as home.  



IL TROVATORE
by Giuseppe Verdi
Sung in Italian with projected English translations


FOR THIS HOT-BLOODED TALE OF LOVE, JEALOUSY, AND RETRIBUTION, VERDI CREATED MUSIC THAT TRULY BURSTS WITH EXCITEMENT!

And what wonderful characters—bold and courageous Manrico, his beloved Leonora, the vengeful Count di Luna, and the wild, obsessed gypsy Azucena. Each has thrilling music to sing as the drama unfolds in the smoldering atmosphere of darkly mysterious 15th-century Spain. The “Anvil Chorus,” Leonora’s “Miserere,” Manrico’s stirring call to arms—these are just a few of the fabulous highlights that make Il trovatore a feast of sumptuous singing.


PRODUCTION SPONSORS:
HENRY AND GILDA BUCHBINDER
FAMILY FOUNDATION
EARL AND BRENDA SHAPIRO
FOUNDATION

A coproduction of Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Metropolitan Opera, and the San Francisco Opera Association.

Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Verdi’s Il trovatore opens Saturday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m. There are seven performances November 17 - December 9 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago. Tickets start at $39 and are available now at lyricopera.org/Trovatore or at 312-827-5600.

Lyric’s Il trovatore boasts a terrific international cast of new and returning artists to play the vividly drawn characters in this hot-blooded tale of love, jealousy, and mistaken identity, and terrible retribution.

American tenor Russell Thomas is Manrico, the titular troubadour, while American soprano Tamara Wilson (Lyric debut) plays his love, Leonora. American mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton portrays the tortured gypsy Azucena, and Polish baritone Artur Ruciński (Lyric debut) sings the dastardly Count di Luna, who covets Leonora’s affections. Serving as narrator for this twisted tale is Ferrando, sung by Italian bass Roberto Tagliavini (Lyric debut). 

Conductor Marco Armiliato and the Lyric Opera Orchestra bring terrific collective experience to the thrilling blood-and-thunder score. The original director of this production, Sir David McVicar, has created a visually powerful production set in tumultuous early 19th-century Spain. Roy Rallo (Lyric debut) directs the revival, with set designs by Charles Edwards, costume designs by Brigitte Reiffenstuel, original lighting design by Jennifer Tipton, and revival lighting design by Chris Maravich.

The Lyric Opera Chorus, prepared by Lyric’s chorus master Michael Black, sings one of the most famous pieces of music, the stirring and hearty “Anvil Chorus.”

Performance dates for Il trovatore are Nov. 17, 21, 25, 30 and Dec. 3, 6, and 9. Performance times vary. For tickets and information call (312) 827-5600 or go to lyricopera.org/Trovatore.





Sunday, November 18, 2018

REVIEW: “Iolanta” at Chicago Opera Theater

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:


CHICAGO OPERA THEATER PRESENTS 
TCHAIKOVSKY’S “IOLANTA” 
IN SEASON-OPENING PERFORMANCES 
AT HISTORIC STUDEBAKER THEATER


Review of Opera “Iolanta” at Chicago Opera Theater
By Catherine Hellmann, guest critic

Chicago is blessed with two professional opera companies. Who knew? We are all familiar with the heralded Lyric Opera, and those accolades are very well deserved. But there is also a scrappy little opera company that has been around since 1973, Chicago Opera Theater. The singing of their principal players is just as exquisite, and their company is less pretentious and, therefore, more accessible.  

With a short season of three shows, there are still two more lesser-known shows to be produced by COT in the spring: The Scarlet Ibis on February 16, 21, and 24, 2019, and Moby-Dick on April 25 and 28, 2019. Chicago Opera Theater prides itself on featuring operas that are outside the traditional canon; they are to be commended for that. All three shows in their repertoire this season are Chicago premieres. The company brings in “new contemporary operas for a 21st century audience,” according to their website. The opening show of Iolanta was impressive.

It was a performance of “firsts,” as described by General Director Doug Clayton in his welcoming remarks. Iolanta marked the podium debut of Maestro Lidiya Yankovskaya, the only woman with the title Music Director at a top 50 opera company in the United States. (Wow. That is actually really impressive for COT, but sad throughout the music world.) Maestro Yankovskaya gave the pre-show talk, and her passion for this piece was evident. The performance marked the company debut of international stage director Paul Curran. And finally, Iolanta was the last operatic work by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, with a libretto by his brother Modest, and was being brought to life in our beloved Windy City 126 years after its debut.

With a mostly Chicago-based cast,  Iolanta is sung in the original Russian and stars Katherine Weber in the title role as a blind princess who isn’t aware that she’s blind. (Hey, it’s opera, which historically is goofy as hell in terms of plot.) Weber’s voice is stunning, as is Mikhail Svetlov as her father, King Rene, who has kept her blindness as a big secret. Chicago tenor John Irvin is wonderful as Duke Vaudemont who falls in love with Iolanta. She is betrothed to someone else, but fortunately, that dog Duke Robert, sung by Christopher Magiera, conveniently falls in love with another girl. Also of particular note is bass-baritone Bill McMurray as the physician Ibn-Hakia who advises the skeptical king that the only way to cure his daughter’s blindness is revealing to her that she is unable to see.

Chicago Opera Theater currently performs at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance at Michigan and Randolph. Iolanta was performed at the Studebaker Theater at Michigan and Congress in the old Fine Arts Building, built in 1898 to host vaudeville shows! (My pal Mary and I were amazed to discover this charming venue, recently restored, in such a historic facility.) Originally built in 1885 by architect Solon S. Beman (who designed Pullmantown for George Pullman) to house the Studebaker Corporation’s Midwest buggy sales and repair facility, the Fine Arts Building is worth the trip for exploring. And you can catch a great, under-appreciated opera in a fabulous setting as well.

This was my first Chicago Opera Theater performance. I was entranced. It won’t be my last.

Catherine Hellmann is a teacher, writer, and theater junkie. She has tried to inspire urban and rural middle schoolers for over twenty years. A mother of three, she is thrilled to once again claim Chicago as home.  



Conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya Leads Chicago Premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Final Opera

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) will kick off the 2018/2019 season with “Iolanta,” a Chicago premiere of legendary composer P.I. Tchaikovsky’s final opera. Internationally renowned and award-winning conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya will make her conducting debut as Chicago Opera Theater’s Staley Music Director and set the tone for the season to come. Acclaimed stage director Paul Curran, known for his work at Santa Fe Opera, Lyric Opera Chicago and more, will shape the retelling of this joyous love-story, featuring an almost entirely Chicago-based cast including soprano Katherine Weber as Iolanta, and renowned Russian bass Mikhail Svetlov as Rene. The opening night and press performance takes place on Saturday, November 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Studebaker Theater (410 S. Michigan Ave.) Additional performances will take place Thursday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 18 at 3 p.m.  

“After 18 months of planning and preparation behind the scenes, I’m thrilled to finally be jumping into the COT orchestra pit,” said COT’s Staley Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya. “I’m particularly gratified to have the opportunity to bring the sounds of my homeland to my new home, as this opera – Tchaikovsky’s last – has never before been staged in Chicago. ‘Iolanta’ is a very personal work, written by Tchaikovsky at the height of his compositional powers, alongside the person closest to him – his brother Modest. Perhaps because it examines the transformed worldviews of characters in dramatically different life stages, I find that the work resonates in a new way each time I conduct it.”

“Iolanta” tells the story of a princess, with Weber starring in the titular role, who has been blind since birth. She is unaware of her condition and her privileged social status thanks to the actions of her overprotective father, King Rene. When the well-meaning Duke Vaudemont falls in love with her, she learns of her blindness and true love offers her a chance at a cure. Iolanta must choose between the life built for her and one she’s never seen.

The opera is based on the Danish play “Kong René Datter” by Henrik Hertz, a romanticized take on the life of Yolande de Bar. The opera premiered on December 18, 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, sharing a double bill with Tchaikovsky’s last ballet, “The Nutcracker.”

In addition to Weber and Svetlov, the cast includes John Irvin as Vaudemont, Christopher Magiera as Robert, Bill McMurray as Ibn-Hakia, Emma Ritter as Marta, Katherine Peterson as Brigitta, Annie Rosen as Laura, David Govertsen as Bertrand, and Kyle Knapp as Almeric.

Creative Team for Iolanta
Composer: P.I. Tchaikovsky
Librettist: Modest Tchaikovsky
Conductor: Lidiya Yankovskaya
Stage Director: Paul Curran
Lighting & Projection Designer: Driscoll Otto
Scenic Design: Alan Muraoka
Costume Design: Jenny Mannis

Performance Schedule
Saturday, November 10, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 15, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 18, 3 p.m.

Subscriptions to the 2018/2019 season of Chicago Opera Theater are on sale now for $95 - $435. Single show tickets for “Iolanta” are on sale now at chicagooperatheater.org for $45 - $145.

About Lidiya Yankovskaya
Russian-American conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya is a champion of Russian masterpieces, operatic rarities and contemporary works on the leading edge of classical music. This season, Yankovskaya conducts Heggie’s “Moby-Dick” at COT, Kamala Sankaram’s “Taking Up Serpents” at Washington National Opera, and Ricky Ian Gordon’s “Ellen West” at Opera Saratoga. She debuts with Mobile Symphony in “Carmina Burana,” leads Laura Schwendinger’s “Artemisia” at Trinity Wall Street, and returns to New York’s National Sawdust for its Hildegard Competition Concert.

As Music Director of Harvard’s Lowell House Opera, she conducted sold-out performances of repertoire rarely heard in Boston, including Tchaikovsky’s “Queen of Spades,” Britten’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and the U.S. Russian-language premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Snow Maiden.” Her commitment to exploring the breadth of symphonic and operatic repertoire has also been demonstrated in performances of Rachmaninoff’s “Aleko” and the American premieres of Donizetti’s “Pia de’ Tolomei,” Rubinshteyn’s “The Demon,” and Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Kashchej The Immortal” and Symphony No. 1. Yankovskaya is founder of the Refugee Orchestra Project, which performs this season at the United Nations. She has served as Artistic Director of the Boston New Music Festival and Juventas New Music Ensemble, where she led operatic experiments with puppetry, circus acts, and robotic instruments, as well as premieres by more than two dozen composers. A recipient of a 2018 Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award, Yankovskaya is also an alumna of the Dallas Opera’s Hart Institute for Women Conductors and Marin Alsop’s Taki Concordia Fellowship. She has been featured in the League of American Orchestras Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview and Cabrillo Festival for Contemporary Music, and will assist Vladimir Jurowski via a London Philharmonic fellowship this spring. Other future engagements include performances in Arizona, Chicago, New York, and Minneapolis.

About Paul Curran
Award winning Scottish director, Paul Curran, was born in Glasgow, Scotland and studied dance in London and Helsinki. After a serious injury stopped his career, he retrained as a director at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, graduating in 1992. His first job in opera was as assistant director to Baz Luhrmann, after which his own international career took off with productions at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Teatro Dell’Opera Rome and the Covent Garden Festival, then directing Borodin’s “Prince Igor” with Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Curran has directed productions in many of the world’s leading opera houses and concert halls including ROH Covent Garden, Metropolitan Opera, La Scala Milan, Teatro La Fenice, Kennedy Centre Washington DC and Berlin Philharmonic. In addition to opera, Curran has also directed several musicals including “My Fair Lady,” “Man of La Mancha,” “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and “A Little Night Music.” A keen linguist, Curran speaks 9 languages and has also translated several plays by Moliere, Chekhov and Ostrovsky.

About Katherine Weber
Described as “a confident singing actress with a magnetic stage presence” by Opera News, Katherine Weber is a rising star in the Chicago opera scene. She debuted for both the DuPage Opera and Boulder Symphony during the 2017/2018 season as Violetta in “La Traviata” and is set to return to DuPage Opera this season as Rosalinda in “Die Fledermaus.” She was a featured soloist with the Winona Oratorio Chorus and Orchestra in performances of Beethoven’s “Mass in C,” Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and Mozart’s “Requiem.” She also covered Nedda in Virginia Opera’s performance of “Pagliacci.” She has been a regional finalist at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2015 and 2017.



About Chicago Opera Theater

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) is a nationally recognized opera company based in Chicago, now in its 45th season. COT expands the tradition of opera as a living art form, with an emphasis on Chicago premieres, including new contemporary operas for a 21st century audience.

In addition to its programmed mainstage season, COT is devoted to the development and production of new opera in the United States through the Vanguard Initiative, launched in the Spring of 2018. The Vanguard Initiative mentors emerging opera composers, invests time and talent in new opera at various stages of the creative process and presents the Living Opera Series to showcase new and developing work.

Since its founding in 1973 by Alan Stone, COT has staged more than 125 operas, including 66 Chicago premieres and 36 operas by American composers.

COT is led by Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson General Director Douglas R. Clayton and Orli and Bill Staley Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya. As of fall 2017, Maestro Yankovskaya is the only woman with the title Music Director at any of the top 50 opera companies in the United States. COT currently performs at the Studebaker Theater (Michigan & Congress) and the Harris Theater for Music & Dance (Michigan & Randolph).

For more information on the Chicago Opera Theater and its programs please visit chicagooperatheater.org.

Saturday, November 17, 2018

REVIEW: Miss Saigon at Cadillac Palace Through Saturday, December 8, 2018

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar


THE NEW NATIONAL TOUR OF CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S
DYNAMITE BROADWAY REVIVAL OF BOUBLIL AND SCHÖNBERG’S LEGENDARY MUSICAL
MISS SAIGON
AT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S CADILLAC PALACE THEATRE


running time is 2 hour and 40 minutes with an intermission

Review 
by Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

I had the great pleasure of catching Miss Saigon's Chicago press opening and the special effects lived up to their reputation. The evacuation of Saigon, featuring a helicopter and gate storming desperation was impressive, and the massive scale dance numbers alone make this a must see. I particularly loved the reunification celebration with a dragon, masked dancers and plentiful acro moves.




EMILY BAUTISTA is a delight as Kim, and we were rooting for her till the bitter end. ANTHONY FESTA'S Chris is eye candy with talent, and we're not complaining. RED CONCEPCIÓN is also impressive as greed incarnate, The Engineer, a hustler as amusing as he is despicable.

The score is a tear jerker, with beautiful, power numbers, and the story telling is superb in this touring cast's capable hands. It's poignant and eye opening to see the multimedia incorporation of the baby byproducts of the Vietnam war, the rejected and orphaned half American/half Vietnamese children of soldiers. I do like that Miss Saigon doesn't glorify war, and brings up the still timely topics of children in cages, refugees desperate to flee their ravaged homelands, and women as victims of armed conflict. 

That said, this is likely one of the least feminist musicals I've seen in recent years. Part of me hates to see the same trite tale of a stripper with a heart of gold, women forced to choose between prostitution and starvation, the titillation of exploitation, and war victims as scantily entertainment. Furthermore, men need to stop thinking it's justifiable to threaten a woman's child to bully her into an unwanted relationship, no matter how powerful they are. At least Kim's response to this ploy was cathartic! Still, despite her strength, smarts, and fiercely protective love for her son, she ended up in a horrific position, in forced prostitution in brothels in Bangkok. 



I found it far fetched and depressing that we're still idealizing the storyline of a woman pining away for 3 years, waiting to be rescued by her baby daddy, a man she fell hopelessly in love with after knowing for literally one night. It also makes me a bit queasy that Kim is seen as a heroine for making the ultimate sacrifice for her son. Desperate single mothers need resources and choices, not more tragic, romantic figures. Still, Miss Saigon is a classic, and this production tells the story well. If you're fond of star crossed lovers, wrenching choices, tragic missed connections, and large scale Broadway style spectacle, Miss Saigon is an excellent choice. 





Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical MISS SAIGON is now playing a limited engagement at Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W Randolph St) through Saturday, December 8, 2018.

MISS SAIGON tells the story of a young Vietnamese woman named Kim, who is orphaned by war and forced to work in a bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American G.I. named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he's fathered a son. This new production features stunning spectacle and a sensational cast of 42 performing the soaring score, including Broadway hits like “The Heat is On in Saigon,” “The Movie in My Mind,” “Last Night of the World” and “American Dream.”

Cameron Mackintosh said “It’s hard to believe that it has been over 27 years since MISS SAIGON first opened in North America but, if anything, the tragic love story at the heart of the show has become even more relevant today with innocent people being torn apart by war all over the world. This brilliant new production, directed by Laurence Connor and featuring the original dazzling choreography by Bob Avian, takes a grittier, more realistic approach that magnifies the power and epic sweep of Boublil and Schönberg’s tremendous score. Of all my productions, despite its popularity, MISS SAIGON is the one that the public has had the least chance to see as it requires such a huge international cast of Asian and Western performers and a vast array of visually stunning sets.

Now, for the first time in 17 years, as it continues to wow audiences in major cities around the world, theatregoers across America will be able to see one of the most spectacular musicals ever written in all its glory, in a new production that critics in London and on Broadway have embraced.

MISS SAIGON has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, adapted from original French lyrics by Alain Boublil, with additional lyrics by Michael Mahler. The new production is directed by Laurence Connor with musical staging by Bob Avian and additional choreography by Geoffrey Garratt. Production design is by Totie Driver and Matt Kinley based on an original concept by Adrian Vaux; costume design by Andreane Neofitou; lighting design by Bruno Poet; projections by Luke Halls; sound design by Mick Potter; and orchestrations by William David Brohn. Music supervision is by Stephen Brooker and James Moore, with casting by Merri Sugarman for Tara Rubin Casting.

Since its London premiere in 1989, Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s epic musical MISS SAIGON has become one of the most successful musicals in history. The original Broadway production of MISS SAIGON opened on April 11, 1991 with what was the largest advance sale in Broadway history ($37 million). The show went on to play for nearly ten years with 4,111 performances and was seen by more than 5.9 million people. MISS SAIGON has been performed in 32 countries, over 350 cities, in 15 different languages, has won over 70 awards including 2 Olivier Awards, 3 Tony Awards and 4 Drama Desk Awards and been seen by over 36 million people worldwide.

The new production of MISS SAIGON opened in London in May 2014 to record-breaking advance sales and critical acclaim. The Daily Telegraph wrote, “This thrilling new production spills out beyond theatre and speaks directly to the times we live in—magnificent performances.” The Daily Mail said, “The greatest musical of all-time just got even better!” The London Times called the production “thrilling, soaring and spectacular.” NY1 proclaimed “the new Miss Saigon soars to the rafters!” And The New Yorker called Miss Saigon “a dynamite Broadway revival!”

Cameron Mackintosh announced in 2015 that the production would transfer for a limited Broadway run from March 1, 2017 to January 14, 2018 before launching its national tour at the Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence, RI in September 2018.

The new production of MISS SAIGON, currently on tour around the UK, will also play at venues in Germany and Switzerland over the next year. New productions will also open during the next few years in Asia.

The full backstage story of how the new production was created, The Heat Is Back On, is now available on DVD by Universal and is one of the most comprehensive insights into how a big musical is put together that has ever been filmed.



Official show site: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram:
https://www.miss-saigon.com/ https://www.facebook.com/MissSaigonUS/ https://twitter.com/MissSaigonUS https://www.instagram.com/MissSaigonUS/
    
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesdays at 7:30PM
Wednesdays at 2:00PM & 7:30PM
Thursdays at 7:30PM (no performance on Nov. 22)
Fridays at 7:30PM (added 2:00PM matinee on Nov. 23)
Saturdays at 2:00PM & 8:00PM
Sundays at 2:00PM (added 7:30PM evening performance on Nov. 18)

TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets are currently on-sale to the public and range in price from $35-$120 with a select number of premium seats available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 18 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining more than 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, Oriental Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Twitter @broadwaychicago ● Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● #broadwayinchicago

CAST BIOGRAPHIES
NOVEMBER 2018

RED CONCEPCIÓN (The Engineer). Credits: Miss Saigon (U.K./Ireland Tour), The Secret Garden, Equus, Sleeping Beauty, Sweeney Todd, The Fantasticks, Mulan Jr., Altar Boyz, Hamlet, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Godspell, A Grand Night for Singing, West Side Story, Hairspray, Into the Woods. Film/TV: Incredible Tales: The Hex, The Boston: The Kitchen Musical, All Things New. Aliw Award – Best Actor in a Musical; Gawad Buhay! Award – Outstanding Male Performance in a Musical. @red_concepcion

EMILY BAUTISTA (Kim) is so thrilled to be playing the role of Kim out on the road. She recently understudied the part in the 2017 Broadway revival of Miss Saigon before joining the North American touring company of Les Misérables as Éponine. She is so grateful to the whole creative team, everyone at Tara Rubin casting, her agents at Avalon Artists, as well as her family and friends for all of their support. Instagram: @em_bautista

ANTHONY FESTA (Chris). National tours: Wicked, Finding Neverland. West End/International/U.K. tour: West Side Story (Tony). NYC: Bare (New World Stages), Desperate Measures (York, New World Stages), I Am Harvey Milk (Avery Fisher Hall), How Deep Is the Ocean (NYMF). Regional: Rent, Rock of Ages, Billy Elliot, South Pacific, Hairspray. Thanks to NETworks, Merri Sugarman at Tara Rubin Casting and David Krasner at Nani Saperstein Management. To my Mother, Sister, Mila/Daniel. For Dad. Instagram: @Festafied; Twitter: @anthonylfesta

STACIE BONO (Ellen). Off-Broadway: Sweeney Todd (Beggar Woman/Pirelli), Avenue Q (Kate Monster/Lucy T. Slut). Regional highlights: Guthrie Theater: The Music Man (Marian); Tuacahn: Les Misérables (Fantine); Denver Center: Sense and Sensibility (Lucy); Flat Rock Playhouse: My Fair Lady (Eliza). Awards: NHTA Award (Best Actress in a Musical, The Apple Tree). Training: MA in Acting – Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, BFA from NYU Tisch. This one’s for you, DSR. Twitter/Instagram: @stacie_bono

J. DAUGHTRY (John). Broadway: The Color Purple, Beautiful. Backup singer: Anthony Brown and Group TherAPy, Patti LaBelle, Donald Lawrence, Bobby Jones Gospel, Kirk Franklin. Tours: Cirque Dreams Holidaze, Motown: The Musical. TV: Boardwalk Empire, Law & Order SVU, Elementary, Orange is the New Black. Universal Studios Japan, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Recipient of the Grady- Rayam Prize. His mother is his inspiration and influence, along with pastors and motivational speakers who have seeded his faith and vision.

JINWOO JUNG (Thuy). Off-Broadway: K-Pop (A.R.T/NY, Oracle). Regional: La Cage Aux Folles (East West Players, Jean Michel) and The Christians (Mark Taper Forum, Choir). Film/TV: Glass. MFA Acting: University of Southern California. Many thanks to team Miss Saigon, Merri Sugarman/Tara
 Rubin Casting and team Mcgowan/Rodriguez. Endless love to Bumindong/Jeju family, Mom, Dad and my amazing wife, Hosoo Lee. @jinu108

CHRISTINE BUNUAN (Gigi). National tour: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Regional: Writers Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, Marriott Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre and more. Visit christinebunuan.com for more information. Special thanks to this incredible artistic team, her family and husband, Sean. Dedicated to Mom and Dad.

EYMARD CABLING (Ensemble, The Engineer at certain performances, u/s Thuy). Tours: Miss Saigon in North America and the international tour of The King and I in Asia. Regional: Allegiance (Frankie Suzuki/Mr. Maruyama), The King and I (Lun Tha), Once on This Island (Daniel), Me...Jane at the Kennedy Center and She Loves Me (Arpad) at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Carnegie Mellon University B.F.A. My love, Veronica, thank you for being my balance and my light. I love you.

MYRA MOLLOY (Ensemble, Kim at certain performances) is a songwriting major at Berklee College of Music. Theatrical credits: Reya – The Musical (young Reya), Dracula: Blood is Life (Lucy). In 2016, Myra performed the songs and voice for Disney’s Thai version of Moana (Moana) and starred in HBO’s Halfworlds 2 (Wish). In 2011, at age 13, Myra won the premiere season of Thailand’s Got Talent, and in 2014 she made the final six on ABC’s Rising Star. @myramolloy

ALEXANDER AGUILAR (Ensemble). Broadway: Miss Saigon, Lysistrata Jones. National tour: Memphis. CCM Graduate. Many thanks to this team for giving me this opportunity.

ERIC BADIQUÉ (Ensemble, u/s The Engineer). Regional: Mary Poppins, Starlight Express, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Miss Saigon, White Christmas, Anything Goes, The King and I and 1776 (Oguma Playhouse). BFA Musical Theatre from AMDA LA. Big thanks to the Company, ATB Talent and Tara Rubin Casting. Love to Mom, Dad, Arlene, Elissa, Sarah and Lisa. Mabuhay! @ericbdk

BRANDON BLOCK (Swing, Dance Captain) is thrilled to be with Miss Saigon. He has been seen in the pre-Broadway tryout of Roman Holiday (Golden Gate Theatre), in the upcoming feature film Isn’t It Romantic and as Jake in Oklahoma! (Muny, St. Louis). Love to blocNYC, his OUMT family, and his beautiful mother, Maria, and sister, Tiffany. Boomer!

JOVEN CALLOWAY (Swing). National/International Tours: Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan, The Aluminum Show. Regional: Damn Yankees (Goodspeed), Miss Saigon (TUTS, Riverside Theater), Evita, Carousel, Guys and Dolls, Yankee Doodle Dandy (Musical Theater West), Frozen, Aladdin (Disney’s California Adventure). Huge thanks to the creative team, Tara Rubin, DDO, his family, Brian, Mayla and Gus! @jkabobs

RAE LEIGH CASE (Swing) first saw Miss Saigon when she was 8 and has been in love ever since. Credits: Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, White Christmas, Saturday Night Fever, Curtains, Shrek, Swing, The Color Purple, Spamalot, Mary Poppins, Cats, Peter Pan, Sweet Charity. Love to the best TEAM! TERRY!

JACE CHEN (Tam) is thrilled to reprise the role of Tam, which he played throughout the 2017 Broadway revival of Miss Saigon. Jace is in first grade and loves dancing, skiing and swimming. Many thanks to family, CP Talent Management, JGD Agency and Tara Rubin Casting for this amazing opportunity. @mrjacechen

KAI AN CHEE (Ensemble, u/s Kim, u/s Gigi). Professional debut! Third culture kid from Penang, Malaysia. BFA NYU Tisch (Fall ’17). Educational Credits: Xanadu (Thetis, Dance Captain), Medusa (Steno). Thanks to cast, creatives and Tara Rubin Casting. To Mum, Dad, Kai Qi and Josiah for their love and support. Look what God has done. Philippians 4:7. kaianchee.com

MAX B. EHRLICH (Ensemble, Acrobat). National Tours: The King and I, Mamma Mia!. Regional: Seven Brides... (Nu Puppis), Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike (Company of Fools). Education: BFA Virginia Commonwealth University. Interests: Martial Arts, Chocolate, Space Jam. Thanks to ATG, my family and loved ones! @ikaika.ehrlich

JULIE EICHER (Ensemble, u/s Ellen). National Tour: The Phantom of the Opera (Corps de Ballet, Meg u/s). Regional: Lise in An American in Paris (Ogunquit Playhouse), Rob Ashford’s Carousel (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Theatre by the Sea, Houston Grand Opera. Ballet Companies: Nashville Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Ballet Neo, Artisan Dance Co. Proud graduate of CCM (Ballet), Interlochen. @julie.eicher

MATTHEW DAILEY (Ensemble) is thrilled to join Miss Saigon! National Tour: Jersey Boys (Tommy). Regional: Viva Vegas (Elvis), A Chorus Line (Mike), Singin’ in the Rain (Don Lockwood), Cats (Rum Tum Tugger). From Denver, CO. Thanks to the Miss Saigon team, family and friends, as well as Paul and Alann. “This is for you, Dad.” @matthewdailey88

NOAH GOULDSMITH (Ensemble, Acrobat). Favorite Credits: Isn’t it Romantic, Saturday Night Live, Flashdance (First National Tour), Bad Boys of Dance, Radio City Summer Spectacular, Disney’s Newsies (Fulton Theatre), Oklahoma! (Marriott Theatre). Endless love to my family, friends and everyone at Bloc NYC. @noahgouldsmith

ADAM KAOKEPT (Ensemble). Broadway credits: Miss Saigon (The Engineer/Thuy u/s), Aladdin (Original Broadway Cast). Off-Broadway: Radiant Baby, Zanna, Don’t!. National Tours: Mamma Mia! (Pepper), Flower Drum Song, Bye Bye Birdie. Regional: Pacific Overtures, Cloudlands, Jesus Christ Superstar. TV: Master of None, General Hospital. Love to my tribe! adamkaokept.com

RYDER KHATIWALA (Tam) is delighted to be making his national tour debut on Miss Saigon. He is in Pre-K, and loved ballet, hip hop, and soccer. You will often find Ryder singing, while cooking dinner for his dinosaurs.

MADOKA KOGUCHI (Ensemble) couldn’t be more thrilled to be living in the Dreamland! Credits: Night Beats Revamped, A Chorus Line, Rent, MOTHER-A mother of Kamikaze, Tome Torihama. Recent graduate of AMDA NY. Proud native Tokyoite. Thanks Danny at Hudson Artist Agency! For my incredible husband, mom, brother and family in Japan and the U.S.

NANCY LAM (Swing) is overjoyed to be living this dream. Some favorites: Miss Saigon (Macau, China), Frozen: Live at the Hyperion (Disney California Adventure), Beijing Spring (East West Players), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Madison Square Garden). Love, Respect, and Gratitude to the Saigon team, DDO, family and friends, Terence. @nancylam

BRIAN SHIMASAKI LIEBSON (Swing). National Tour: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (The Footman). Select Regional: Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (The Muny), A.R.T., Ogunquit, MSMT, Gateway. Proud graduate of Olin College with a BS in Robotic Engineering. All my love to this team, cast, Tara Rubin and Mom. Thrilled to be a part of Miss Saigon. @LiebsonBounds

GARRICK MACATANGAY (Ensemble). First National Tour: Bombay Dreams. Regional: The King and I (Sacramento Music Circus), Sweet Charity (Center Rep), White Christmas (FCLO), Guys and Dolls (AMTSJ). Thanks to Bloc! Much love to my family and friends with their abundant love and support. Love you Mom, Dad, Glenda, Gio, Maui and Cruz!

JONELLE MARGALLO (Ensemble, u/s Ellen, u/s Gigi). Broadway: Miss Saigon (Dominique). Other favorite credits include: Here Lies Love, West Side Story, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, A Chorus Line, Women on Fire and Imelda, The Musical!. BFA, Boston Conservatory. Endless gratitude and love to family, friends and Jackson! For Mom and Dad. Love you! @jonellemargallo

FIN MOULDING (Tam) is thrilled to be on tour with Miss Saigon, which is her first tour and first show ever. Fin is four years old and lives with her mommy in New York City and sometimes Los Angeles. Fin loves dancing, singing and books. Thank you to grandparents, family, friends who are like family, and mommy. https://backstage.com/finmoulding

JACKIE NGUYEN (Ensemble) is proud to be a Vietnamese American actor telling this story. National/International Tours: Miss Saigon (Kim), My Fair Lady (Swing), Hair, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Swing, Asst. Choreographer/Director). Dedicated to my family who escaped Vietnam over 30 years ago. Con thuong me nhieu. Thanks to Craig, creatives and my husband, Nate. @jackienguyenhuntley

MATTHEW OVERBERG (Ensemble). Originally from Australia, Matthew graduated with a BFA (Dance) in 2014. He has since danced with Royal Caribbean International and appeared in the Australian company of The King and I (Ensemble) and U.S. national tour of Cabaret (Swing). Sending love to my friends, family and husband, Ryan. @dearmatt

MELANIE RAMIREZ (Tam) is making her national tour debut alongside her twin sister, with the support of her parents, big brother Jay and Shirley Grant Management. The girls were recently in a Hyundai commercial that aired during the Superbowl. She is very excited to be on stage with this amazing cast! @ramirez_twins1017

SARAH RAMIREZ (Tam). With the support of her parents, her big brother Jay and Shirley Grant Management, Sarah is making her national tour debut alongside her twin sister. The girls were recently in a Hyundai commercial. She is thrilled to be joining such an amazing cast! @ramirez_twins1017

EMILIO RAMOS (Ensemble). Broadway: The King and I (Lincoln Center). Off-Broadway: West Side Story (Carnegie Hall). Tours: The King and I (First National), West Side Story. Regional: The Muny, Houston Grand Opera, Ogunquit Playhouse, The Ordway, ZACH Theatre. Big love to Lucille, the Saigon team and my family. For Lusiya, Gabriella and my Mum. @lilporkbunz

ADAM ROBERTS (Ensemble, u/s Chris) is elated to be a part of this beautiful show! Broadway: Spider- Man: Turn Off The Dark and Pippin. He has been seen in the national tour of Dirty Dancing, Off- Broadway in Standard Time and as Cornelius in Ozark Actors Theatre’s Hello, Dolly!. He just finished associate directing and choreographing Broadway Backwards.

CASEY LEE ROSS (Ensemble, Acrobat). Broadway: Miss Saigon. Theater: Wicked, Chess, Children of Eden (w/ Jon Jon Briones). Film: Step Up, The Other Guys. TV: Lip Sync Battle. Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Flight of the Conchords, America’s Got Talent. Dance double for Josh Groban, Bill Gates, Mark Wahlberg and Brad Pitt.

MICHAEL RUSSELL (Ensemble). National tour debut! Regional: Rocky Mountain Repertory: West Side Story (Riff), Mamma Mia! (Pepper); Uptown Players: A Chorus Line (Mike Costa); The Arvada Center: Joseph (Napthalie/Apache Dancer); Cortland Repertory: Saturday Night Fever (Tony Manero); Casa Mañana: Spamalot. Much love and thanks to my family, Rob, Mike and Ginner. IG: @itsm_russell itsmichaelrussell.com

PAUL SCHWENSEN (Ensemble, u/s Chris). Regional: All Shook Up (The Muny), Joseph...Dreamcoat (Arvada Center), Mamma Mia! (ACT of Connecticut), Footloose (Porthouse Theatre). Concerts: West Side Story, Guys and Dolls (Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Guangzhou, China). BFA from CCM. Thanks to Mom and Dad, the Tara Rubin team and CGF! @paul_schwensen

JULIUS SERMONIA (Ensemble, u/s Thuy, Fight Captain). Broadway: Miss Saigon (u/s Club Owner), The King and I (u/s Lun Tha), Doctor Zhivago (Dance Captain), Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats (Mistoffelees). National Tours: The King and I, Contact, Cats. Selected: Yoshimi (La Jolla), Miss Saigon (PCLO), Funny Thing...Forum (Mirvish), Seven seasons with Stratford Festival. @JuliusSermonia

EMILY STILLINGS (Ensemble). Broadway: Lincoln Center Theater’s The King and I. LA: David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori’s Soft Power. TV: Saturday Night Live (Lin-Manuel Miranda, Saoirse Ronan, Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Hart), Lip Sync Battle (LL Cool J, John Krasinski). So much love for you, Mom. Thank you for being my biggest supporter always. @emilystillings

TIFFANY TOH (Ensemble). Broadway: Miss Saigon (OBC). National/International Tours: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast. Other: Legally Blonde (Pilar), South Pacific (Liat), The King and I, Lil’ Kim Australia Tour (backup dancer). SUNY Buffalo graduate in Political Science. Proud Malaysian. For Mum, Jie and Mark! @littletoh

NICHOLAS WALTERS (Ensemble, u/s John) is thrilled to be joining the cast of Miss Saigon. Credits: Lusty Lil’s Wild West Revue (Cedar Point Live Entertainment), Hair (Three Rivers Music Theatre). Proud graduate of Ball State University’s BFA Musical Theatre program. Much love to my wonderful friends and family.

MICHAEL WORDLY (Ensemble, u/s John). Off-Broadway: Spamilton. Tours: The Color Purple (First Revival National Tour), The Little Mermaid (u/s Sebastian, 5th Avenue Theatre). Regional: Memphis (Gator), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Adrian) and Hairspray (Seaweed). Giving honor and thanks to God for all His blessings! Many thanks to my family, Gregg Baker Management and Tara Rubin Casting. WakandaForever.

ANNA-LEE WRIGHT (Ensemble, Assistant Dance Captain). Broadway: Miss Saigon. Tours/International: Miss Saigon (u/s Gigi), The Venetian, Macau (opera singer). TV/Film: MTV’s Ladylike (series regular), Love is a Broadway Hit (Bridgette Wu). Love to Eddie at Take3, TR Casting, T and the entire creative team.



CREATIVE TEAM BIOGRAPHIES
NOVEMBER 2018

ALAIN BOUBLIL (Book & Lyrics). Librettist/original lyricist of the musicals La Révolution Française, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre and The Pirate Queen with Claude-Michel Schönberg, and Marguerite with Michel Legrand. Co-wrote the screenplay and co-produced the movie soundtrack of Golden Globe–winning Les Misérables (Academy Award nomination, Best Song). Author: plays The Diary of Adam and Eve and Manhattan Parisienne, prize-winning novel Les Dessous de Soi. Awards: two Tony, Grammy and Victoires de la Musique awards; Molière, Evening Standard and Olivier awards; special Grammy honor; honoree of NY Pops at Carnegie Hall (2016). Producer: Boublil/Schönberg Do You Hear the People Sing worldwide symphonic concerts. Member, Board of Directors, NY Pops.

CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG (Concept, Book & Music). Co-book writer and composer of La Révolution Française, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre and The Pirate Queen. Co-wrote Marguerite in collaboration with Alain Boublil, Michel Legrand, Herbert Kretzmer. Supervised overseas productions and co-produced international cast albums of his shows. Composed the ballet scores for Wuthering Heights and Cleopatra for Northern Ballet. Co-wrote the screenplay and reconceived the music for the Les Misérables musical movie. Golden Globe and several times Tony and Grammy winner, Oscar nominee, 2016 honoree of the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall with Alain Boublil. Appointed visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University.

CAMERON MACKINTOSH (Producer). For over 50 years, Cameron has been producing more musicals than anyone else in history, including the three longest-running musicals of all time: Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Cats. His co-production with Disney of Mary Poppins continues to sprinkle its magic worldwide. He, with Working Title, enjoyed huge success with the film of Les Misérables. He owns eight London theatres, including the Victoria Palace, which after a major rebuild and refurbishment, has re-opened with the award-winning musical Hamilton, co-produced with Jeffrey Seller. This year, Cameron will have 22 productions running around the world, including 5 in London’s West End. His new productions of Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon are currently touring North America to great acclaim. Cats will also launch a U.S. tour in early 2019. Cameron was knighted in 1996 and is the first British producer to be elected to the Theater Hall of Fame; and the recipient of the 2017 Stephen Sondheim Award.

RICHARD MALTBY, JR. (Lyrics). Broadway: conceived and directed two Tony Award Best Musicals: Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1978, also Best Director); Fosse (1999). Ring of Fire (2006). With composer David Shire: director/lyricist: Baby (1983); lyricist: Big (1996). Co-lyricist: Miss Saigon (1989); The Pirate Queen (2007). Director/co-lyricist: Song & Dance (1986). Director: The Story of My Life (2009). Off- Broadway: director/lyricist: Starting Here, Starting Now (1977); Closer Than Ever (1989). Director: Just Jim Dale, Roundabout (2014), London (2015). Regional: lyricist: Take Flight, Chocolate Factory (2010), McCarter (2012); book/lyrics, Waterfall, Pasadena, Seattle (2015). Film: screenplay, Miss Potter. Contributes cryptic crossword puzzles to Harper’s. Son of well-known orchestra leader. Children: Nicholas, David, Jordan, Emily, Charlotte.
MICHAEL MAHLER (Additional Lyrics) is the Chicago-based composer/lyricist of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, October Sky, Hero, Something in the Game, Painted Alice and others. He served as premiere English lyricist for Boublil & Schönberg’s La Revolution Française and contributed lyrics to Russell Watson’s album Only One Man. Projects in development include Secret of My Success and Gravediggers’ Hamlet. michaelmahler.com

WILLIAM DAVID BROHN, 1933–2017 (Orchestrations). For Cameron Mackintosh: Miss Saigon; Mary Poppins; Oliver!; Barnum; Half a Sixpence; Betty Blue Eyes; My Fair Lady; Carousel; Hey, Mr. Producer!; Witches of Eastwick and Oklahoma. Further commissions included: Wicked, South Pacific, Crazy for You, Porgy and Bess, The Secret Garden and Show Boat. Bill Brohn was a respected collaborator for many productions and celebrated a thirty-year history alongside Cameron Mackintosh and his creative teams.

LAURENCE CONNOR (Director). Theatre: School of Rock (Broadway, West End, U.S. tour), Les Misérables (Broadway, West End, worldwide, U.S. tour), Miss Saigon (West End, U.S and U.K. tours, worldwide), Jesus Christ Superstar (U.K. arena tour, Australia), the entirely new stage production of The Phantom of the Opera (U.S., U.K. tours), Oliver! (U.K. tour). Concerts: The Phantom of the Opera 25th anniversary (Royal Albert Hall, worldwide cinema streaming, DVD), Les Misérables 25th anniversary (O2 Arena, worldwide cinema streaming, DVD), Miss Saigon 25th anniversary (cinema release, DVD). Awards: Miss Saigon West End (Best Direction – WhatsOnStage, Broadway World awards), Miss Saigon Australia (Best Director of a Musical – Green Room Awards), Les Misérables Korea (Best Director of a Musical).

BOB AVIAN (Musical Staging) began his career as a dancer in more than a dozen Broadway shows including West Side Story and Funny Girl. He then became an integral part of every Michael Bennett production for the next 20 years, working as associate choreographer and/or assistant director on Company, Follies, Twigs, Seesaw and God’s Favorite; co-choreographer of A Chorus Line (Tony Award); co-choreographer/co-producer of Ballroom (Tony Award); and producer of Dreamgirls. London: Follies, Miss Saigon and Sunset Boulevard (both also Broadway), Martin Guerre (Olivier Award), The Witches of Eastwick. Additional Broadway: Putting It Together, A Chorus Line (director, revival, also at London’s Palladium).

GEOFFREY GARRATT (Additional Choreography). Musical staging: Les Misérables (Broadway). Assoc./Additional Choreography: Broadway: Mary Poppins. West End: Miss Saigon; Mary Poppins; The Witches of Eastwick; Betty Blue Eyes; Oliver!; Hey, Mr. Producer!; South Pacific. Dance Captain: Martin Guerre, Cats. U.K. tours/international: Les Misérables, Mary Poppins, The Witches of Eastwick, Oliver!, Miss Saigon. Choreography: Jack and the Beanstalk, Blues in the Night, Fascinating Aïda, A Doll’s House, Little Shop.

TOTIE DRIVER (Set Design) has 25 years’ experience working on the stage designs for the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Donmar Warehouse, Theatre de Complicite, Glynedebourne and London’s West End. She is a visiting lecturer on Stage Design at Nottingham Trent University. For Cameron Mackintosh: stage designer for Oliver! U.K. tour, Ghent and Antwerp; Miss Saigon U.K. tour 2002 and subsequently Korea, Australia, Japan, Brazil and Utrecht. For the 2014 return to the West End, she collaborated with Matt Kinley, winning 2015 WhatsOnStage Best Set Design.

MATT KINLEY (Set Design) graduated from the Motley course in 1994 and spent the next decade working in The National Theatre and West End. As part of a long working partnership with Cameron Mackintosh, he has adapted and designed productions of My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, Phantom and Les Misérables all over the world amongst the design of numerous other international shows. In 2013, Matt worked alongside Totie Driver to redevelop Miss Saigon ahead of its London revival. They have continued their relationship to bring you this new version.

ADRIAN VAUX, 1936–2012 (Design Concept), studied design at the Slade School. London: house designer at Mermaid Theatre (1964–1970), Leicester Phoenix/Haymarket (1971–1980), Old Vic (1980– 1982); West End credits including My Fair Lady, Cause Célèbre, Tomfoolery. He began working in Israel in 1968, amassing extensive credits including the original production of Ghetto. Recent work: international tours of Miss Saigon and Oliver!; August: Osage County for Habimah in Israel.

ANDREANE NEOFITOU (Costume Design). Theatre includes Les Misérables (Tony nomination) and Miss Saigon (worldwide); Once in a Lifetime, Nicholas Nickleby, Hedda Gabler, The Merchant of Venice, Fair Maid of the West, The Changeling (all Royal Shakespeare Company); Peter Pan (National Theatre); Grease (West End); Miss Julie (Athens); Carmen (Royal Albert Hall); Timon of Athens with David Suchet (Old Vic); Martin Guerre (Guthrie); Nabucco (The Met); Jane Eyre (Broadway, Outer Critics Circle nomination). Film includes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, directed by Tom Stoppard.

BRUNO POET (Lighting Design) works extensively across theatre, opera, dance, music and live events. He won the Olivier Award for his lighting on Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein at the National Theatre and a Knight of Illumination Award for his lighting on Sigur Ros’ 2012–2013 world tour. He subsequently designed the lighting for their current 2016–2017 world tour. His international work includes productions for the National, RSC, Royal Opera House, Los Angeles Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Bregenz Festival, English National Opera, Royal Danish Opera, The Royal Ballet and in the West End.

LUKE HALLS (Projections) is a video designer for theatre, opera, dance and music. He has received a Knight of Illumination Award for Don Giovanni at the Royal Opera House and a BAFTA for his work on ITV’s The Cube. Luke has designed internationally for music artists including, most recently, Beyoncé (Formation world tour), Adele (2016 world tour) and U2 (2015 world tour). His theatre work includes Half a Sixpence (West End), Man and Superman (National Theatre) and Hamlet (Barbican) starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

MICK POTTER (Sound Designer) has designed the sound for over 100 musicals worldwide including Broadway and West End productions of School of Rock (Drama Desk Award nominee), Les Misérables (Tony Award nominee, Helpmann Award), The Phantom of the Opera (Parneli Award), Miss Saigon, Evita, The Woman in White (Olivier Award), Bombay Dreams, Saturday Night Fever, Sunset Boulevard, From Here to Eternity, Betty Blue Eyes, The Wizard of Oz, Love Never Dies (Green Room Award), Sister Act, Joseph..., Zorro, The Sound of Music, Half a Sixpence and Cats.

STEPHEN BROOKER (Musical Supervisor). Conductor/Musical Director: Les Misérables film. Supervisor: Les Misérables (NY, London, Tokyo), Half a Sixpence, Barnum, Oliver!, Mary Poppins, Miss Saigon, Cats, My Fair Lady, The Secret Garden, South Pacific, Chess, The Woman in White, Saturday Night Fever, The Phantom of the Opera. Conductor: symphonies and choirs worldwide including Royal Choral Society for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Composer: Walt Disney, Coca-Cola, Ford Motors, BMW Motor, Jaguar Cars. Produced recordings of Les Misérables, Oliver!, Mary Poppins, South Pacific. Conducted the 85th Academy Awards.

JAMES MOORE (U.S. Musical Supervisor). Broadway: On the Town, Gigi, Follies, South Pacific, Ragtime, Steel Pier, Company. National tours: The Producers; Kiss Me, Kate; Crazy for You; And the World Goes ‘Round—The Songs of Kander and Ebb. Regional: Signature Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Paper Mill, The Muny. Symphonic: National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, The Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, The Santa Barbara Symphony. Recordings: On the Town, Follies. Education: Master and Bachelor of Music degrees from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

SETH SKLAR-HEYN (Associate Director/Executive Producer). Broadway: Miss Saigon, Les Misérables (Executive Producer); The Phantom of the Opera (Production Supervisor); Miss Saigon,
Evita, A Little Night Music, Finian’s Rainbow, Good Vibrations (Associate Director); Mary Stuart, Rock’n’Roll, Frost/Nixon (Assistant Director); The Coast of Utopia (Assistant to the Director). National Tours: Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera (Executive Producer and Associate Director); Billy Elliot (Resident Director). Seth directed the national tours of Frost/Nixon and Evita (2012 revival). Seth serves as Executive Producer for Cameron Mackintosh Inc. in NY. Graduate of Vassar College.

JESSE ROBB (Associate Choreographer). Broadway: 2017 Revival of Miss Saigon (Associate Choreographer) and The Cher Show (Associate Choreographer). Toronto: We Will Rock You (Resident Choreographer), Dirty Dancing (Resident Choreographer), The Lord of The Rings (Dance Captain). Vegas: Cirque Du Soleil’s Zumanity (Dance Captain). Jesse recently choreographed Elizabeth Cree for Opera Philadelphia and Ragtime at the Ogunquit Playhouse. He has served as associate director/choreographer at 5th Avenue Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, and Berkshire Theatre Group, among others.

WILL CURRY (Music Director/Conductor). Broadway: My Fair Lady (LCT), Miss Saigon, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Misérables. National Tours: Les Misérables. Cast Albums: My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, John & Jen. Education: Northwestern University Bienen School of Music. For my family and Sebastian. @wjcurry.

RYAN EMMONS (Resident Director) is the founding co-artistic director of No.11 Productions. Directing credits with No.11 include Quest for the West, Coosje and Friends Call Me Albert. Broadway resident/assistant credits: Ghost, Matilda the Musical and Groundhog Day. Ryan was also the resident director for the 1st National Tour of Matilda the Musical. Thanks Jane! www.ryanemmonsdirects.com

TARA RUBIN CASTING (Casting). Selected Broadway: King Kong, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, The Band’s Visit, Prince of Broadway, Indecent, Bandstand, Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon, Dear Evan Hansen, A Bronx Tale, Cats, Falsettos, Disaster!, School of Rock, Les Misérables, The Heiress, The Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliot, Shrek, Spamalot, ...Spelling Bee, The Producers, Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys. Off-Broadway: Smokey Joe’s Café; Jersey Boys; Here Lies Love; Love, Loss and What I Wore. Selected Regional: Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, Asolo Rep. www.tararubincasting.com

JOHN MILLER (Music Coordinator). Over 100 Broadway shows. Recent: Hello, Dolly!; Indecent; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; A Bronx Tale; The Great Comet of 1812; Waitress; Something Rotten!; Beautiful; Jersey Boys. Musician (bass): Leonard Cohen, Eric Clapton, Bette Midler. His album Stage Door Johnny—John Miller: Takes on Broadway is available on PS Classics. johnmillerbass.com

JACK STEPHENS (Company Manager) has hit the road with many great touring productions, including The Magic of David Copperfield, Blue Man Group (North America and Latin America), Into the Woods, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, A Chorus Line (North America and Tokyo), Finding Neverland, Shrek The Musical (Asia) and Rent, among others. He resides in Denver and Las Vegas.

JUSTIN T. SCHOLL (Associate Company Manager) is proud to be joining the Saigon family. Broadway: Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill (Assistant to CM). Tours: Gentleman’s Guide, R&H’s Cinderella, Shrek The Musical (International), Beauty and the Beast (International), Elf, Flashdance, and Broadway Rox. Thanks for everything Mom, Dad, Sydney, my Human and Cookie.

JOVON E. SHUCK (Production Stage Manager). A proud member of AEA and graduate of Michigan State University, Jovon’s credits include the national tours of: Waitress, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King and Monty Python’s Spamalot. Much love to Sheila Marie, always.

MICHELLE DUNN (Stage Manager). Broadway: The Lion King, Jumpers, Bridge and Tunnel, Dance of the Vampires. National Tours: The Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Dreamgirls, Hairspray. Other credits include: Houston Ballet and Disney Cruise Line. Love and thanks to my family for your never-ending support. For Dad.

STEPHANIE HALBEDEL (Assistant Stage Manager). Credits include the most recent national tours of Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Dirty Dancing and Blue Man Group, as well as shows throughout the Northeast and New York. All love and thanks to my dear family.

RACHAEL WILKIN (Assistant Stage Manager). National Tours: Waitress, Fiasco Theater’s Into the Woods, Pippin. Regional: Edinburgh and NY Fringe Festival, RWCMD. Scenic fabrication/painting: The Humans (Broadway).

BROADWAY BOOKING OFFICE NYC (Tour Booking, Engagement Management, Press and Marketing) is a leading theatrical tour booking, marketing and press company representing award- winning musicals and plays. Currently: Jersey Boys, Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, A Bronx Tale, Falsettos, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, The Sound of Music, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King and I and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies. bbonyc.com

NICHOLAS ALLOTT (Executive Producer) joined Cameron Mackintosh in 1981 as Executive Producer for Cats and subsequently Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, Oliver! and Mary Poppins, amongst others. Executive Producer of the feature film of Les Misérables. Since 2000, Managing Director of Cameron Mackintosh Ltd. Chairman of Soho Theatre, Trustee of the Roundhouse, Patron of Shakespeare Schools Festival and U.K. Business Ambassador for the Prime Minister’s Office. Awarded an OBE for services to theatre and charity by the Queen in 2014.

SETH WENIG (Executive Producer) has been with NETworks since its inception in 1995. He spearheaded the international tours of Fosse starring Ben Vereen and Ruthie Henshall. Seth has produced the Lincoln Center Theater production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific and the National Theatre production of War Horse. Together with Cameron Mackintosh, Seth served as Executive Producer for both the U.S. and U.K. tours of the National Theatre’s My Fair Lady, the 25th Anniversary U.S. Tour of Les Misérables, the new The Phantom of the Opera tour, Miss Saigon and A Bronx Tale. He is most proud of his greatest productions – Marlo and Camden.

NETWORKS PRESENTATIONS (Producer), from its inception over 20 years ago, has been an industry leading producer and manager of touring musical theatre productions and remains committed to delivering quality entertainment to audiences worldwide. Having toured over 70 productions internationally, NETworks’ current and upcoming touring productions include Cameron Mackintosh’s The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Elf the Musical, Finding Neverland, The Sound of Music, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King and I, The Band’s Visit, A Bronx Tale, Falsettos, Fiddler on the Roof and Cameron Mackintosh’s Miss Saigon.


ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION (“Equity”), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 50,000 actors and stage managers. Equity seeks to foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. #EquityWorks



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