Cast and Production Team Revealed For PrideArts' Chicago Premiere of GAY CARD

 PrideArts has announced its full cast for its Chicago premiere of the musical GAY CARD. PrideArts’ artistic director Jay Españo will direct the musical, with Robert Ollis providing musical direction and conducting a five-piece band. The choreographer is Britta Schicht, whose credits include choreography for productions with Blank Theatre, Jedlicka Performing Arts Center, and City Lit Theater. The score includes 21 lively songs blending pop, rock, and musical theatre styles as it tells the heartwarming story of Logan, a newly-out college freshman trying to determine where he fits in. He gets help from his long-time friend Melanie, his love-interest Graham, and various friends and bloggers.

GAY CARD will open to the press on Monday, August 28 at 7:30 pm at the Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago; following previews from August 24, 2023. It will play through September 24, 2023.
 
Leading Españo’s cast as Logan is Ben Ballmer, who appeared at Citadel Theatre last holiday season in the title of JUNIOR CLAUS. Logan’s love interest Graham will be played by Freddy Mauricio, who recently completed the role of “The Chosen One” to be sacrificed in the musical AZTEC HUMAN SACRIFICE, which Españo directed for City Lit Theater. Logan’s long-time friend Melanie will be played by Sophie Murk, a Chicago actor and teaching artist who is a co-founder of Chicago’s Olde School Shakespeare Collective and has appeared in TITANIC, AS YOU LIKE IT, and A CHRISTMAS CAROL with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Rachel Carreras will be Danielle, a snarky diva who loves to party, but hates to let people see beyond her surface. Nathaniel Thomas has been cast as Justin, a boy who becomes involved in different ways with Melanie and Danielle. Joseph Alvey will play Cory, an intensely sexual bisexual guy and Maya Radjenovich will take the role of July, a Lesbian who practices new age spirituality. Radjenovich will also understudy the role of Danielle. Completing the cast as bloggers and understudying principal roles are Michael Idalski (Blog Trio, u/s Logan), Elijah Warfield (Blog Trio, u/s/ Graham), and Adelina Marinello (Blog Trio, u/s Melanie). Additional understudies are Haven Denson (u/s July, Blog Trio), and Kyle Johnson (u/s Blog Trio and Cory).

The production team for GAY CARD, in addition to Españo, Ollis, and Schlicht, includes Jordan Ratliff (Assistant Director, Assistant Choreographer), Brett Baleskie (Scenic Design, Technical Director), Shawn Quinlan (Costume Design), Kyle Anderson (Lighting Design), Eme Ospina-López (Projections Design), Val Gardner (Sound Deign), Hannah Dains (Properties Design), Garrett McCann (Intimacy Director), MaK Eddins (Lead Electrician), Miriam Campbell (Production Coordinator, Intern), and Dakota Allen (Stage Manager).
 
GAY CARD was written by NYU Tisch graduates Ryan Korell (music) and Jonathan Keebler (book/lyrics) and has enjoyed successful productions across the United States. A studio album featuring Broadway’s Derek Klena (ANASTASIA, JAGGED LITTLE PILL, MOULIN ROUGE) has been released. TRIANGLE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT in Raleigh North Carolina said of it, “This show is for everyone, regardless of sexuality, who has ever had to find themselves. The message is ultimately one of hope and a continuing promise of self-discovery.”  More information on GAY CARD can be found at https://www.gaycardmusical.com/.
 
For PrideArts, Artistic Director Jay Españo has previously directed last season’s hit musical GIRLFRIEND, TOMMY ON TOP, 4000 DAYS, and THE THINGS I NEVER COULD TELL STEVEN. Elsewhere, Españo most recently directed the World Premiere musical AZTEC HUMAN SACRIFICE at City Lit Theater and BOEING-BOEING for the Dunes Summer Theater in Michigan City, Indiana. Robert Ollis, who has earned eight Jeff Award nominations and one win for his work with PrideArts and other Chicago companies, will return to Pride Arts as GAY CARD’s music director.
 
Performances will be at Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago
Tickets $35 for regular performances, $25 for previews. Seniors and students receive a $5 discount off all performance prices. Tickets are available at www.pridearts.org.

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