SAVE THE DATES: 23rd Season Announced For Chicago's Porchlight Music Theatre

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

ANNOUNCES ITS 2017 – 2018 MAINSTAGE, PORCHLIGHT REVISITS AND NEW FACES SEASONS 

Porchlight’s 23^rd Season includes performances at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, as Artist In-Residence, Skokie Theatre and Uptown Underground

Michael Weber, artistic director of Porchlight Music Theatre, is proud to announce Porchlight Music Theatre’s 2017 – 2018 mainstage season which includes:

Billy Elliot, winner of both the Tony and the Olivier Awards for Best Musical with music by Elton John, tells the story of the boy who exchanges boxing gloves for ballet shoes, October 6 – November 19

Merrily We Roll Along, the landmark Stephen Sondheim musical charts the highs and lows of the turbulent relationship between three very close friends, January 26 – March 11, 2018

Memphis, the Tony Award winner for Best Musical bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love, April 19 – June 3, 2018.

All 2017 – 2018 Porchlight Mainstage and Porchlight Revisits productions take place at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. New Faces Sings Broadway is performed at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave in Skokie, and Uptown Underground, 4707 N. Broadway St. A variety of discounted subscriptions go on sale for the Mainstage, Porchlight Revisits and New Faces Sing Broadway series on March 1 at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by phone at 773.777.9884. Single tickets for all performances go on sale this July. 

Porchlight Music Theatre will also continue Porchlight Revisits in 2017 – 2018. This popular “lost musicals” in staged concert series celebrates classic productions that have been rarely seen in Chicago and includes a fun fact-filled “Behind the Scenes Backstory” before each performance. The fifth season of Porchlight Revisits includes: 

Woman of the Year (1981), this John Kander and Fred Ebb musical with book by Peter Stone was inspired by the 1942 film starring Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy and originally starred Lauren Bacall on Broadway, November 14 - 16, They’re Playing Our Song (1979), Neil Simon, Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager’s romantic musical comedy about the affair of a wisecracking composer and an aspiring, offbeat lyricist, March 6 – 9, 2018 and Do Re Mi (1960), originally created for the comic greats Phil Silvers and Nancy Walker, this Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green musical comedy about a con man trying to go straight by working in the juke box and music promotion industry,  May 22 – 24, 2018.

The third season of New Faces Sings Broadway, at the Skokie Theatre and Uptown Underground, celebrates the start to the finish of an entire musical season on Broadway, peppered with photos and films of the era in an exciting multimedia presentation with a favorite Chicago theatre veteran hosting and introducing the next generation of music theatre artists and acting as your guide through a past season on the Great White Way. The 2017 – 2018 season features:

New Faces Sing Broadway 1939 Includes The Boys from Syracuse, The Swing Mikado, Hellzapoppin and other, winter 2017 

New Faces Sing Broadway 1959 Includes Destry Rides Again, Flower Drum Song, Gypsy, The Sound of Music, Once Upon a Mattress and others, spring 2018

 New Faces Sing Broadway 1975 Includes A Chorus Line, Chicago, Doctor Jazz, The Wiz, Mack & Mabel and others, summer 2018

Full production artistic leadership and actors will be released at a future date. Productions are subject to change.

Porchlight Music Theatre’s 2017 – 2018 season includes:

MAINSTAGE

Billy Elliot

October 6 – November 19

Music by Elton John

Book and Lyrics by Lee Hall

Winner of both the Tony Award and Olivier Award for Best Musical, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of a young boy’s fight to make his dream come true as he journeys from the boxing ring to a ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that unites his family, inspires his community and changes his life forever.

Previews: Friday, Oct. 6 and Oct. 13 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7 and Oct. 14 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 8 at 2 p.m., Monday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Opening Night: Sunday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.

Regular Run: Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and, Sundays at 2 p.m.

Weekday Matinee: Thursday, Nov. 16 at 1:30 p.m.

There is no 7:30 p.m. performance Thursday, Nov. 16.

PORCHLIGHT REVISITS

Woman of the Year (1981)

November 14 – 16 at 7:15 p.m.          

Book by Peter Stone

Music by John Kander

Lyrics by Fred Ebb       

Based on the classic film starring Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, a television interviewer and a newspaper cartoonist get into a public battle over their respective professions, and, of course, fall in love, marry and experience more career conflicts. This Tony Award-winning musical starred Lauren Bacall in its original Broadway run.

Featuring the hits: One of the Boys, Sometimes a Day Goes By and The Grass is Always Greener.

All Porchlight Revisits, performances include “Behind the Show Backstory,” a multimedia presentation, hosted by Artistic Director Michael Weber, setting the stage on the creation of the featured Porchlight Revisits production, sharing all the juicy backstage stories and the state of the art on Broadway that season. 

New Faces Sing Broadway – 1939

WINTER, 2017 (Date TBA)  

Featuring The Boys from Syracuse, DuBarry was a Lady, The Girl from Wyoming, Helzapoppin, The Hot Mikado, Knickerbocker Holiday, Leave It to Me!, Stars in Your Eyes, The Swing Mikado, Swingin’ The Dream, Too Many Girls, Very Warm for May, Yokel Boy, You Never Know and others. 

New Faces Sings Broadway’s winter edition celebrates the start to the finish of the year 1939 on Broadway, peppered with photos and films of the era in an exciting multimedia presentation with a favorite Chicago theatre veteran hosting and introducing the next generation of music theatre artists and acting as your guide through a past season on the Great White Way.

MAINSTAGE

Merrily We Roll Along

January 26 – March 11, 2018

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Book by George Furth

Based on the play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart

Set over three decades of friendship and business, the landmark musical Merrily We Roll Along charts the highs and lows of the turbulent relationship between three very close friends. Travelling backwards in time from the stark reality of knowing adulthood to the idealistic intentions of inexperienced youth, this powerful and emotionally moving story of looking at your life from the vantage point of having lived it features some of Stephen Sondheim’s most beautiful songs including Good Thing Going, Not a Day Goes By and Old Friends.

Previews: Friday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Jan 28 at 2 p.m., Monday, Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Opening Night: Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Regular Run: Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and, Sundays at 2 p.m. (March 4 and March 11) or 6 p.m. (February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25)

Weekday Matinee: Thursday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m.

There is no 7:30 p.m. performance Thursday, March 8.

PORCHLIGHT REVISITS

They’re Playing Our Song (1979)

March 6 – 8, 2018 at 7:15 p.m.

Book by Neil Simon

Music by Marvin Hamlisch 

Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager  

A romantic musical comedy about the affair (both professional and romantic) of a wisecracking composer and an aspiring, offbeat lyricist. Creatively, their relationship works great, but personal trials and tribulations lead them toward finding a new way to make harmonious music together in this laugh-a-minute romantic charmer.

Featuring the hits: Fallin’, If He Really Knew Me and Just For Tonight

All Porchlight Revisits, performances include “Behind the Show Backstory,” a multimedia presentation, hosted by Artistic Director Michael Weber, setting the stage on the creation of the featured Porchlight Revisits production, sharing all the juicy backstage stories and the state of the art on Broadway that season. 

New Faces Sing Broadway – 1959

SPRING, 2018 (Date TBA)

Featuring Destry Rides Again, Fiorello!, First Impressions, Flower Drum Song, Goldilocks, Gypsy, Happy Town, Juno, The Nervous Set, Once Upon a Mattress, Redhead, Saratoga, The Sound of Music, Take Me Along, Whoop Up and others.

New Faces Sings Broadway’s spring edition celebrates the start to the finish of the year 1959 on Broadway, peppered with photos and films of the era in an exciting multimedia presentation with a favorite Chicago theatre veteran hosting and introducing the next generation of music theatre artists and acting as your guide through a past season on the Great White Way.

MAINSTAGE

Memphis

April 19 – June 3, 2018

Music and Lyrics by David Bryan

Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro

From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes the Tony Award winning Best Musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, Memphis is the story of a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break. Their incredible journey to the ends of the airwaves is filled with laughter, soaring emotion and a roof-raising musical score by David Bryan of the band Bon Jovi.

Previews: Thursday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 20 at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 21 at 8 p.m., Sunday, April 22 at 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Opening Night: Wednesday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Regular Run: Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and, Sundays at 2 p.m. (May 13, May 20 and May 27) or 6 p.m. (April 29 and May 6)

Weekday Matinee: Thursday, May 24 at 1:30 p.m.

There is no 7:30 p.m. performance Thursday, April 26 and May 24

There is no 4 p.m. performance Saturday, April 28

PORCHLIGHT REVISITS 

Do Re Mi (1960)

May 22 – 24, 2018 at 7:15 p.m.

Book by Jule Styne

Music by Garson Kanin 

Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green     

Originally created for the comic style of the great Phil Silvers and Nancy Walker, it’s the story of “Hubie Cram,” a minor-league con man endlessly scheming to win big who, at the urging of his long-suffering wife, “Kay,” decides to go (somewhat) straight by moving into the juke box and music promotion business as he concocts his biggest score ever. 

Featuring the hits: Make Someone Happy, Fireworks and I Know About Love

All Porchlight Revisits, performances include “Behind the Show Backstory,” a multimedia presentation, hosted by Artistic Director Michael Weber, setting the stage on the creation of the featured Porchlight Revisits production, sharing all the juicy backstage stories and the state of the art on Broadway that season. 

New Faces Sing Broadway – 1975

SUMMER, 2018 (Date TBA)

Featuring 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, A Chorus Line, Chicago, Doctor Jazz, Goodtime Charley, The Lieutenant, Mack & Mabel, Man on the Moon, Shenandoah, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Wiz and others.

New Faces Sings Broadway season concludes with the start to the finish of the year 1975 on Broadway, peppered with photos and films of the era in an exciting multimedia presentation with a favorite Chicago theatre veteran hosting and introducing the next generation of music theatre artists and acting as your guide through a past season on the Great White Way.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

Porchlight Music Theatre, now in its 22^nd season, is nationally recognized for developing innovative new works, reimagining classic productions and showcasing musical theatre’s noted veterans and rising stars. Porchlight elevates the genre in Chicago by providing intimate and powerful theatrical experiences for its growing and diverse audiences. With the vision of Artistic Director Michael Weber, Porchlight builds on its role as Chicago’s only Equity not-for-profit company exclusively specializing in music theatre. Porchlight’s rich history includes the staging of more than 60 productions with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Through Porchlight’s “Off the Porch” new works program, the musicals of the next generation are developed and given a first audience. The School at Porchlight is Chicago’s new center for music theatre training in the areas of performance, writing and appreciation. The company’s many accolades include 17 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and three awards, as well as a total of 126 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations resulting in 39 Jeff Awards including four consecutive Best Production awards for Dreamgirls (2016),  Sondheim on Sondheim (2015), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (2014) and A Class Act (2013).

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the Actors’ Equity Foundation, the Arts Work Fund at the Chicago Community Trust, the Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, Cooper’s: A Neighborhood Eatery, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Prince Foundation, the National Association of Realtors, The Saints and the Service Club of Chicago. The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency.

OPENING: 10 Tony Winner Billy Elliot Is Family Friendly Fun At Drury Lane Theatre APRIL 10

Tickets On Sale Now For The Regional Premiere of the Critically Acclaimed Musical 

Several years back, we had the great pleasure of reviewing the Broadway touring production of Billy Elliot and it remains one of our favorites. We can't wait to see Drury Lane's take on this extraordinary musical. Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows we've been wowed in the past by Drury Lane's high production values and professionalism. Get your tickets as soon as possible for best seats and range of dates.

The International smash-hit musical BILLY ELLIOT makes its regional premiere at Drury Lane Theatre on April 10 – June 7, 2015. Opening night is scheduled for April 16, 2015 at 8 p.m.  Heralded as “A triumph! The #1 show of the year!" by Time Magazine and “Thrilling! Impossible to resist!" by The New York Times, BILLY ELLIOT follows a young boy as he trades in his boxing gloves for dancing shoes. In an unforgettable story set in a small mining town in the English countryside, a dance teacher finds a diamond in the rough when she discovers Billy—a young boy with a passion for dance who inspires the entire community. The musical phenomenon is set to an explosive score by Elton John, celebrating Billy’s journey against the odds to make his dreams come true.

BILLY ELLIOT is directed by multiple Jeff Award-winner Rachel Rockwell (Ragtime, West Side Story, at Drury Lane Theatre, Brigadoon at The Goodman Theatre), with Musical Direction by Jeff Award-winner Roberta Duchak (Les Miserables and Sweeney Todd at Drury Lane Theatre, vocal coach for Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman for the Academy Award-winning film Les Miserables). One of the most celebrated musicals on stage today, BILLY ELLIOT has been dazzling London's West End since 2005. The production is the winner of 10 Tony Awards and 10 Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical. The production features a score by Elton John (The Lion King, Aida) with book and lyrics by Lee Hall, who wrote the screenplay for the Academy Award-nominated film that inspired the musical.

“BILLY ELLIOT is an incredibly emotional journey of a struggling community, a shifting country and, most importantly, a father and son relationship and my role is to tell this story in the most truthful way possible,” says Director Rachel Rockwell. “One of my main goals is to showcase this cast, in particular our two young actors playing Billy, by nurturing their raw talent to help them transform into this multi-dimensional character.”

After an extensive search, Drury Lane is pleased to announce that the title role of “Billy” will be played by two very talented Chicago natives, Nicholas Dantes and Kyle Halford. "When the casting process began we asked ourselves: are Billy Elliot's found or made?” says Artistic Director William Osetek. "After months of auditions it was clear that one must be created. The search required a young actor who brought incredible raw talent, but needed to be cultivated to stand up to the impossible task of performing the role of a young boy whose dance ability leaves one breathless.”  The two boys playing Billy have worked for months, honing skills in ballet, acrobatics and tap (not to mention acting and vocal lessons).

Nicholas Dantes                                                        Kyle Halford

Also starring is Jeff Award-winner Susie McMonagle as “Mrs. Wilksinson” (Broadway: Les Miserables at the Imperial Theatre, National Tours: Billy Elliot and Mamma Mia! and Next to Normal at Drury Lane), Ron E. Rains as “Dad” (BIG, The Musical and 1776 at Drury Lane, Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol), Maureen Gallagher as “Grandma” (Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The Goodman Theatre), and Liam Quealy as “Tony” (My Fair Lady at Paramount Theatre, Pirates of Penzance at Marriott Theatre). The cast also features Michael Harp as “Michael” (The Sound of Music at Lyric Opera, Chicago, Billy Elliot in St. Louis), Brooke MacDougal (Member of The Performer’s School ensemble, professional debut) and Peyton Schaffer (Les Miserables and Seussical at Drury Lane,) as “Debbie Wilkinson,” Terry Hamilton as “George” (Airline Highway at Steppenwolf Theatre), Brianna Borger as “Mum” (The King and I and Into The Woods at Porchlight Theater), Rhett Gutter as “Older Billy” (West Side Story at Drury Lane, Brigadoon at The Goodman Theatre) and Bret Tuomi as “Mr. Braithwaite” (West Side Story at Drury Lane, A Christmas Carol at The Goodman Theatre).

Rounding out the cast are William Carlos Angulo, Julia Baker, Cody Bolithon, Johnson Brock, Grier Burke, Gary Carlson, Michael Di Leo, Abigail Dudich, Samantha Erne, Allison Graves, Sage Harper, Hannah Clare Horner, Raymond Interior, Amelia Grace Kuhlman, Princess Isis Z. Lang, Emily Leahy, Iris Lieberman, Ingrid Clare Lowery, Katie Malchow, Mia Moore, Ava Morse, Ashton Schaffer, Peter Scharbrough, Steven Spanapoulos, Brandon Springman, Holly Stauder, Zachary Uzarraga, Jonathan Weir, and Fred Zimmerman.

As the first regional production, an incredible artistic team has been assembled to bring this story to life, led by Artistic Director William Osetek (Next to Normal, Young Frankenstein and Spamalot at Drury Lane). Scenic design for BILLY ELIOTT was created by Kevin Depinet (Associate Designer for Tony Award winning August Osage County on Broadway, Camelot at Drury Lane) with Lee Fiskness as Lighting Designer (Resident lighting director Santa Fe Opera, Young Frankenstein at Drury Lane), Costume Coordination by Maggie Hofmann (Camelot, The Game's Afoot, and Young Frankenstein [Co-design with Erika Senase] at Drury Lane), Garth Helm as Sound Designer (Tony nomination for Pippin on Broadway, West Side Story at Drury Lane), Nick Heggestad as Properties Designer (Resident properties designer at Drury Lane) and Penny Lane Studios (Samantha Umstead and Coral Gable) as Wig and Hair Designer (Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, Writers Theatre). Additionally, Christine Adair is the Dialect Coach (Broadway and First North American Tour productions of Mary Poppins) and Matt Hawkins is the Fight Choreographer (Les Miserables at Drury Lane Theatre and The Wheel and Belleville at Steppenwolf Theatre Company).

Tickets for BILLY ELLIOT are on sale now and available by calling the Drury Lane Theatre box office at 630.530.0111, TicketMaster at 800.745.3000 or visiting www.drurylane.com. The performance schedule is as follows: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. ($45), Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. ($45) and 8 p.m. ($55), Fridays at 8 p.m. ($60), Saturdays at 5 p.m. ($60), and 8:30 p.m. ($60), and Sundays at 2 p.m. ($60), and 6 p.m. ($55). Student group tickets start as low as $30 and Senior Citizens start at $40 for matinees. Dinner and show packages are also available.

For more information on BILLY ELLIOT and the rest of the 2015-2016 theatrical season, please visit www.drurylane.com.

About Drury Lane Theatre

Drury Lane is a beautiful, unique and versatile facility that combines ideal location, functionality and elegance to make it one of Chicagoland's finest facilities. As the premier destination for dining, theatre and events, Drury Lane is home to the nation’s most spectacular Broadway – quality theatre productions. For more information about Drury Lane, please visit its website or Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest pages.