Christopher Pazdernik News

Today (April 30) in live streaming: Broadway Rocks the Who!, Stars in the House reunites The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and more!

Porchlight Music Theatre announces the slate of New Faces for its first live, in-person production of 2021, New Faces Sing Broadway 1979, with host multi-award winner Alexis J Roston*, directed by Brianna Borger* and music directed by Linda Madonia*. 

Porchlight Music Theatre will announce that the Chicago streaming premiere with KB Productions of Call Me Elizabeth, a one-woman show about the early life of Elizabeth Taylor, written by and starring Kayla Boye and directed by Erin Kraft, has been extended through Sunday, May 9.

Today (April 23) in live streaming: Lesli Margherita chats on Clubhouse, Romeo & Juliet premieres on PBS Great Performances, and more!

Porchlight Music Theatre announces its next virtual offering, the latest edition of its New Faces Sing Broadway series, New Faces Sing Broadway 1961 hosted by Kelvin Roston, Jr., directed by Brianna Borger and with music direction and arrangements by Tom Vendafreddo.

Jeff Award-winning director and HIV+ activist Christopher Pazdernik presents the 6th annual Belting for Life (formerly known as Chris' Birthday Belt Fest), an annual benefit concert for Howard Brown Health, one of the nation's largest LGBTQ organizations.

Porchlight Music Theatre of Call Me Elizabeth, a one-woman show about the early life of Elizabeth Taylor, written by and starring Kayla Boye and directed by Erin Kraft.

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced a line up including more than 50 Chicago artists performing, greetings and well wishes from Broadway stars including E. Faye Butler, Sean Allan Krill, Telly Leung, LaChanze, Susan Moniz and Kathy Voyto, a new raffle prize for a weekend in the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and more as a part of its annual Chicago Sings fundraising concert.

Written by Kayla Boye and directed by Erin Kraft, the production may be viewed on-demand March 19-28, 2021.

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced Chicago Sings Rock & Roll Broadway, premiering Saturday, March 20 at 7 p.m. CDT.

Tickets for each of the online events are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org. Links are available for viewing 72 hours after purchase.  Porchlight also announces the return of the popular series celebrating the 90th birthday of Stephen Sondheim, Sondheim@90 Roundtable with Michael Weber. The series returns Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. CST with a discussion on Road Show with guests Deanna Dunagan, Chris Jones and Michael Mahler.

Today (November 6) in live streaming: Laura Osnes visits Backstage Live, we reveal the Next On Stage Top 3, and so much more!

Porchlight Music Theatre announces its newest virtual offering, the first online production of its New Faces Sing Broadway series, New Faces Sing Broadway 1987, hosted by Larry Adams, directed by Christopher Pazdernik and with music direction and arrangements by David Fiorello. 

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced its newest virtual offering, the first online production of its New Faces Sing Broadway series, New Faces Sing Broadway 1987, hosted by Larry Adams, directed by Christopher Pazdernik and with music direction and arrangements by David Fiorello.

Today (September 25) in live streaming: Meet the Next On Stage: Dance Edition Top 5, Spelling Bee reunites on Stars in the House, and so much more!

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced its schedule for fall 2020, offering a variety of free and pay-to-view options for virtual experiences.

Porchlight Music Theatre held PorchlightPalooza, a three-day virtual festival Friday, Aug. 21 - Sunday, Aug. 23,  in lieu of its cancelled March 23 ICONS GALA.

Underscore Theatre Company will present its 6th annual CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL, created to showcase and support the growing field of musical theatre creators from Chicago and beyond. The 2020 Festival features full productions of eight new musicals, plus two pay-what-you-can staged readings and a showcase of 10-minute musicals. The Festival will be performed simultaneously on two stages from February 3 - 23, 2020 at The Edge Theater: the Broadway (5451 N. Broadway) and the Off Broadway (1133 W. Catalpa Ave.) in Chicago Edgewater neighborhood. Each full production will receive at least five performances during the Festival. Tickets are currently available at www.cmtf.org. The press 'Sneak Preview,' featuring a sampling of songs from the 2020 Festival, is Monday, February 3 at 8 pm.

Direct from hit engagements at the 2018 Atlanta Musical Theatre Festival and a 2019 workshop at Studio Tenn in Nashville, TN, Wonder Women: The Musical arrives in Chicago as part of Underscore Theatre Company's 2020 Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, running February 8-20, 2020 at The Edge Theatre, 5451 N. Broadway. Tickets available now at CMTF.org.

Porchlight Music Theatre continue its 25th Anniversary Season with its 'lost' musicals in staged concert series Porchlight Revisits. Porchlight Revisits Call Me Madam, with book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse and music and lyrics by Irving Berlin stars Donica Lynn as the titular socialite presented for three performances Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Nov. 21 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street.