Porchlight Music Theatre Hires Jillian Abbinanti as First Education Director

Porchlight Music Theatre's Executive Director Jeannie Lukow is proud to announce the hiring of the organization's first education director, Jillian Abbinanti. Abbinanti begins Monday, Dec. 12 in this new position that is charged with creating and building integrated education offerings for children, teens, professionals and hobbyists. In addition to creating and directing the new Education Outreach program and Summer Camp program, she will oversee the established School at Porchlight's professional and hobbyist class offerings, ensuring all education activities align with Porchlight's strategic goals.

"We are pleased to welcome Jillian to our Porchlight family in this important new position," says Lukow. "While we have been making inroads into both educational outreach and professional training for a couple of years, we look forward to Jillian's leadership and knowledge in building our education efforts into a thriving, multi-faceted program of in-school outreach, summer camps, professional training and hobbyist classes that build skills and appreciation for the unique American art form of music theatre."

Abbinanti adds, "Joining Porchlight is an incredible opportunity for me. There are so many possibilities in developing the School at Porchlight and for youth outreach. I am very passionate about creating opportunities for students of all ages to learn about music theater. From children in schools to the fans, this position allows me to become an administrator, educator and mentor, much like the ones that influenced and inspired me growing up in Chicago."

Jillian Abbinanti is a product of arts education in Chicago Public Schools. She attended North Park University and obtained degrees in both Early Childhood Education and Theatre and Performing Arts. She has worked with Chicago Fringe Festival as their education manager and taught with Emerald City Theatre, Mudlark Theater, Barrel of Monkeys and as a classroom teacher in various schools. Abbinanti has performed with InGen Productions, Puppet Mechanics, Barrel of Monkeys, The New Colony and Corn Productions. She has also worked with Haven Theatre Company as their production coordinator.

ABOUT Porchlight Music Theatre

Porchlight Music Theatre, now in its 22nd 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 16 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and two 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.