Porchlight Music Theatre announces the creation of the 1st Annual Guy Adkins Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Music Theatre in Chicago to be presented at Journey On - A Brunch Benefit for Porchlight Music Theatre on Sunday, July 17 from 11:30 a.m. at The University Club of Chicago - Cathedral Hall, 76 East Monroe Street. The Guy Adkins Award celebrates an individual who has made an exceptional and lasting contribution to the state of the art of Chicago musical theater.
Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber commented that "Guy was one of the shining lights of Chicago stages, essaying leading roles in both musicals and plays where he never failed to set a standard for unparalleled excellence."
Guy Adkins excelled in musical roles with local companies, appearing as
Leo Bloom in The Producers and Pseudolous in Forum at
Marriott Theatre, J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed... and the title role in Peter Pan at Drury Lane Theatre, Hello Again and The Secret Garden at Apple Tree Theatre and Martin Guerre and The Visit, both at The
Goodman Theatre. Occasionally, he journeyed away from Chicago, including starring with
Molly Ringwald in the national tour of Sweet Charity. The New York Times called him "outrageously talented" for his turn at Puck in a
Tina Landau-directed A Midsummer Night's Dream at the
McCarter Theatre in New Jersey.
Adkins was born in Lansing, Michigan and raised in Wisconsin, where he graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and arrived in Chicago in the early 1990s. He died May 12, 2010 in his West Andersonville apartment at the age of 41.
Of the conception of the award, Guy's longtime partner, Sean Alan Krill said, "Guy loved theatre, and he loved music. He had a profound respect and admiration for any individual who strived to achieve their very best to create great art, and to share it passionately, proudly and wholeheartedly with an audience. I can't think of a better way to honor his indubitable spirit than to encourage Chicago music theatre artists to continue to strive for excellence in their field, and to commend them for the advancement of this great art form."
ABOUT
Porchlight Music TheatrePorchlight Music Theatre has staged 49 shows including five world premieres, among them, The Teapot Scandals, its first work developed through Off the Porch, Porchlight's new works program, as well as seven Chicago premieres. An Equity theater since 2004, the company has already received a total of 34
Joseph Jefferson Award nominations resulting in 11 Jeff Awards.
Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the A.R.T League, the Arts Work Fund at the Chicago Community Trust, a City Arts Grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, the Shen Family Foundation, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Illinois
Arts Council (a state agency), the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the National Association of Realtors, Peoples Energy and The Saints.
Journey On - A Brunch Benefit for
Porchlight Music Theatre will take place Sunday, July 17, 2011, from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at The University Club of Chicago - Cathedral Hall, 76 East Monroe Street, Chicago. This elegant brunch will feature entertainment by some of Chicago's favorite performers. Guests are invited to bid on fabulous getaways, local attractions and more in live and silent auctions. The event includes complimentary wine and a cash bar. Valet parking is available. Advance reservations: $100 per person, $25 per child 5-12 years, and children four years and under are free. To order tickets, visit
www.porchlighttheatre.com or call 773-325-9884.
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