'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 30th, 2013

THE LATEST IN UNAUTHORIZED GOSSIP AND BUZZ

FROM THE HEART OF CHICAGO'S SHOWTUNE VIDEO BARS,

AND MUSICAL THEATER NEWS FROM CHICAGO TO BROADWAY

by Paul W. Thompson

Overheard last weekend under the showtune

video screens at Sidetrack and The Call:

This week's Mosh Pit falls neatly into three categories! We've got big hits opening for the late fall season at our most prominent suburban Equity musical houses, Christmas shows already setting up shop, and season announcements for 2014. So let's get to it!

Boublil and Schonberg's "Miss Saigon," the team's follow-up to "Les Miserables" and based on Puccini's "Madame Butterfly" (now at Lyric Opera Of Chicago, btw) begins performances tonight, October 30 and plays through November 24 at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Aurora, Kane County, Illinois. Jim Corti directs role veteran Joseph Anthony Foronda as the Engineer (he's played the role on tour in the original staging and at the well-received Drury Lane Theatre production in 2009), Shawna Haeji Shin as Kim and Brandon Moorhead as Chris, with Elliot Greer as John, W. Blaine Brown as Thuy, Emilie Lynn as Ellen and Zachary Uzarraga as Tam. It's a large and diverse cast overall, put through its paces by choreographer Jeffrey Hancock and musical director Shawn Stengel. Think that the Vietnam War is fading into distant memory? Think again.

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Speaking of the Drury Lane, "Hello, Dolly!" opened at the Dupage County venue last week, starring Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba as Mrs. Levi, Chicago veteran David Lively as Horace, Emily Rohm as Irene, Jeff Diebold as Cornelius, Lee Slobotkin as Barnaby, Maggie Portman as Minnie Fay, Laura Savage as Ermengarde and Skyler Adams as Ambrose. Rachel Rockwell directs and choreographs the Jerry Herman tuner, which will run until January 5, 2014.

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One of the most highly anticipated productions of the fall is up in Lake County, as "Mary Poppins" opens at the Marriott Theatre tonight, and also running through January 5, 2014. Gary Griffin directs the regional premiere of the long-running London and Broadway musical, based on the beloved Walt Disney film and P. L.Travers' stories. (Griffin also directed the show at the Muny in St. Louis this past summer.) Alex Sanchez choreographs, with musical direction by Michael Mahler. And who is Chicago's Mary? Two-time Jeff Award winner Summer Naomi Smart, that's who. A local gal! Bernie Yvon is Bert, and Broadway veteran Johnny Rabe alternates with Brady Tutton as young Michael Banks. Rod Thomas is Mr. Banks, Susan Moniz is the Mrs., and Caroline Heffernan and Madison Gloria Olszewski alternate as Jane.

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Over in Lake County, Indiana, is what I think to be the Chicagoland premiere of legendary composer Alan Menken's musical version of "A Christmas Carol," written with Lynn Ahrens ("Ragtime") and original director Mike Ockrent. A show with a score that's a personal favorite of mine, and a hit in New York for a decade, it will play over in Munster at the Theatre At The Center from November 14-December 22, starring Larry Adams as Scrooge. Matthias Austin is Bob Cratchit, with Patrick Tierney as Young Scrooge. The three ghosts are Megan Long, Jonathan Butler-Duplessis and Jen Donohoo. Kristin O'Connell is Emily, and Ron Keaton shakes things up as Marley's Ghost. William Pullinsi directs, with choreography by Linda Fortunato.

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Also at the Marriott Theatre is a musical for children at Christmastime, a musical version of "The Nutcracker," playing November 8-December 28. Director-choreographer Marc Robin has written music and lyrics to work alongside Tchaikovsky's immortal ballet music for the folk tale, and Matt Raftery will direct and choreograph it for Marriott's young audiences. Dara Cameron stars as Marie, with Devin DeSantis as the Nutcracker and Rob Rahn as Drosselmeyer. The cast also includes Stephen Schellhardt, George Keating, Sam Rogers, Amanda Tanguay, Norm Boucher, Holly Stauder and Zach Grey. The show will run November 8-December 28.

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A hit last season, "We Three Lizas" is back this year for About Face Theatre. Formerly at the Steppenwolf Garage space, the show this year moves into Stage 773 for a run from November 27-January 5. The "sparkly, queer holiday hit" has a new book (by Scott Bradley) and expanded score (music by Alan Schmuckler, lyrics by Bradley and Schmuckler) to tell the tale of Conrad Ticklebottom and his three holiday visitors. Cast members include the Jeff-nominated Danielle Plisz, along with returning actors Scott Duff, John Fransisco, Sharriese Hamilton, Dana Tretta and Andrew Swan, with newcomers-to-the-production Mark David Kaplan, James Nedrud and Bethany Thomas.

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On the north lakefront, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre is halfway through the run of the play with music, "Master Class," starring Kelli Harrington as Maria Callas (through November 24). But the company is already readying its holiday offering, a new concoction called "A Very Merry Madrigal," conceived by David Heimann and Fred Anzevino. The popular musical director Aaron Benham has arranged yuletide folk music of the last seven centuries to mix in between poems by Shakespeare, Dante and Frost, etc. The cast includes Missy Aguilar, Tom Chiola, Robert Dietz, Greg Foster, Sarah Grant, Molly Kral and Andrew Sickel. And there will be mandolins! And more. It sounds like an interesting and unique entertainment. Maybe it's like an indoor, intimate, winter Renaissance Faire, with better music....

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Speaking of the holidays, there is a CD you might want to check out and buy! For the second year, Chicago's Season Of Concern charity is benefitting from sales of music sung by Chicago theater stars. "Season Of Carols 2013" was recorded just a few weeks ago, as Facebook lit up with posts and pictures of the casts of "The Color Purple" (Mercury Theater Chicago), "Cymbeline" (First Folio Theatre), "The Dead" (Court Theatre), "Mary Poppins" (Marriott Theatre), and more, cabaret stars Beckie Menzie, Tom Michael, Kingsley Day and more, plus students from the Chicago Academy For The Performing Arts. All (over 100 artists in all) went in and recorded holiday songs old and new, under the direction of producers and Jeff Award winners Eugene Dizon and Cory Goodrich, hoping to beat last year's total of $35,000 raised to help artists in need (including those with AIDS and other types of crises and emergencies). Not only will discs be available for purchase, but there is a benefit concert at the Mercury Theater Chicago on Monday, December 9th. Aw, go on and do it. You know you'll like it!

http://www.seasonofcarols.com/

The north shore's Music Theatre Company has announced its upcoming season. The Highland Park troupe will launch a Chamber Musicals Series in December with the little-seen Broadway musical "The Triumph Of Love," directed by Jim Beaudry, to be followed in the winter by "Do I Hear A Waltz?" by Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim, directed by Dominic Missimi. And in June of 2014, the company will present the world premiere of "Without Conversation: A New Dance Musical" by artistic director and founder Jessica Redish. Adventurous programming!

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Also on the north shore, Light Opera Works, performing in Evanston but based in downtown Wilmette, has also announced its upcoming season. After the season-ending "Annie Get Your Gun," running December 21-31, 2013, the company will start off 2014 with "Damn Yankees," starring artistic director Rudy Hogenmiller as Mr. Applegate (June 7-15). Then will come the beloved "Fiddler On The Roof" (August 9-24) and, in concert, "Cole Porter's Greatest Hits" (October 3-12). In December of 2014, the company will revisit its operetta roots with Franz Lehar's "The Merry Widow," in a new translation by Gregg Opelka and Jack Helbig (December 19-31, 2014). I'd say that's a balanced season.

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So that's the Mosh Pit for this week, peeps! And of course, you only have a few more days to get your nominations in for the 2013 BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards! You didn't forget, did you! You only have through Thursday, October 31. We have 36 categories this year, and we need nominees! Go to the link to add in your favorites from the last twelve months, and check back next week to begin voting for the final round. And mark your calendars for the BroadwayWorld Chicago Award Celebration at The Call in Andersonville on Wednesday night, January 8, 2014. All those shows that close on the 5th can hold their cast parties with us! So nominate, vote and celebrate with BroadwayWorld Chicago, as we honor the best of Chicago theater, with you in the driver's seat. Thanks for participating!

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See you soon, right? I'm pretty sure I'll see you under the video screens.....-PWT

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