The Improvised Sondheim Project Performs in May at Stage 773

The Improvised Sondheim Project performs on Friday nights at 10:30pm in May at Stage 773.

The Improvised Sondheim Project is a theatre ensemble that performs completely improvised, spontaneous musicals in the style of composer Stephen Sondheim. The ensemble is comprised of veteran performers, including Joey Bland, Jeff Bouthiette, Kate Cohen, Katie Dufresne, Erica Elam, Aaron Graham, Rebecca Hanson, Nicole C. Hastings, Sarah Hoffman, Amanda Murphy, and Tiffani Swalley. Musical direction is by Aaron Benham and Stephanie McCullough Vicek. The ensemble is self-directed, and this performance run is produced by Jeff Bouthiette and Aaron Graham.

This performance run is the Improvised Sondheim Project's second run after very successful performances at Stage 773 in December of 2012 and a sold-out performance at the Chicago Improv Festival in April 2013.

The Improvised Sondheim Project's performances will be Friday nights at 10:30pm, May 3rd through May 31st, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets cost $15. Tickets are available at www.Stage773.com or by calling the box office at 773.327.5252.

About the Improvised Sondheim Project
The Improvised Sondheim Project performs completely improvised musicals in the style of Stephen Sondheim. No scripts. No sheet music. No pre-planning. Just a suggestion from the audience and the muse of Mr. Sondheim to guide them as they make up a brand new musical each night right before your eyes.

Having spent the past year rehearsing together and researching the work of Stephen Sondheim, the ensemble is able to create a completely new, spontaneous and hilarious show that sounds and feels like a show by Stephen Sondheim. Everything that the Improvised Sondheim Project creates on stage (including music, lyrics, dialogue, and "choreography") is completely spontaneous and based solely on the suggestion from that evening's audience.

The Improvised Sondheim Project began in the spring of 2012 when a handful of faculty members from the Music Program at The Second City Training Center in Chicago came together to explore the challenge of improvising musicals in the specific style of Stephen Sondheim. The founding members were Jeff Bouthiette, Erica Elam, Aaron Graham, Amanda Murphy, and Matthew Van Colton.

For more information on the Improvised Sondheim Project, please visit http://www.improvisedsondheim.com.