Leslie Uggams Joins Porchlight Music Theatre’s Artistic Advisory Board

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced that Leslie Uggams, the multi-award-winning Broadway, film, TV, and recording star, has been appointed to its Artistic Advisory Board. Uggams was recently honored at the company’s 2025 ICONS Gala: Celebrating Leslie Uggams.

“After meeting Ms. Uggams and learning more about her dedication to the arts, I knew she would be a great addition to our Advisory Board,” said Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber. “Her incredible career and life experiences bring a knowledge and understanding that is unparalleled.”

“I was so impressed with Porchlight’s ICONS Gala—the moving presentations and performances. I loved every minute of it,” added Uggams. “I knew Porchlight shared with me a deep love and enthusiasm for theatre. I am honored to join the Advisory Board and assist in any way I can to promote its mission.”

The Artistic Advisory Board includes distinguished artists from Chicago and across the nation, among them Raúl Esparza, William Finn, Joel Grey, Donna McKechnie, Lonny Price, Ben Vereen, Bob Walton, Jim Walton, Maury Yeston, and the late Chita Rivera and Hollis Resnik.

About Leslie Uggams

Leslie Uggams is a Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress and singer whose seven-decade career has spanned Broadway (Hallelujah, Baby!, King Hedley II, Thoroughly Modern Millie), television (Roots, Empire, The Leslie Uggams Show), and film (American Fiction, Deadpool). She is a member of the Theater Hall of Fame, holds honorary doctorates from the University of Connecticut and the University of Michigan, and has received the Broadway League’s Juneteenth Legacy Award, Theatre World’s John Willis Lifetime Achievement Award, and the York Theatre’s Oscar Hammerstein Award.