'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 13th, 2010

THE LATEST IN UNAUTHORIZED GOSSIP AND BUZZ

FROM THE HEART OF CHICAGO'S SHOWTUNE VIDEO BARS,

AND MUSICAL THEATER NEWS FROM CHICAGO TO BROADWAY

by Paul W. Thompson

Overheard last weekend under the showtune

video screens at Sidetrack and the Call: 

The Mosh Pit was hopping on Monday night with lots of news regarding Porchlight Music Theatre. Even as cast members from its benefit concert "By Popular Demand" (held at the lovely Mayne Stage venue) streamed into Sidetrack, show people in the know were already wondering about the effect of the departure of artistic director L. Walter Stearns (and the not-clear future of musical director Eugene Dizon) on the artistic vision and success of the important company. While the impending reopening of the Mercury Theater on Southport Avenue (empty since the serious illness of owner Michael Cullen) under Stearns's direction is undoubtedly a good thing, and will reportedly include some sort of synergistic programming and scheduling between Porchlight (presumably still at Stage 773) and the Mercury, all of this will make the 2010-2011 season a transitional one for both operations. No one yet knows what 2011-2012 will look like for either one! But stay tuned, to the Mosh Pit and to your own private sources of information. 

Porchlight Music Theatre, Chicago 

At Stage 773, even more changes are afoot than who is at the helm of Porchlight. At a benefit held there on Sunday afternoon, artistic director Brian Posen announced plans (not really a surprise) for renovating the 33 year-old facility. Beginning next July, a new façade and new bathrooms will be the most obvious changes to be made at the former Theatre Building Chicago. Unless you count them dividing the West Theater into two performing spaces: a cabaret and a black box space. There will be other changes to the building as well. Sounds exciting! We do hope they get it right. 

Here are some renderings of the new design for Stage 773 

It must be theatrical benefit season, but here's one with a twist: Chicago House, the social service agency with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS programs, is teaming with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (and perhaps Broadway In Chicago as well?) in order to present cast members from the current Loop musicals "Billy Elliot" and "The Lion King" in a one-night only potpourri-style benefit on Monday night, October 25, 2010, at 7:00 pm. Called "City Of Hope: Chicago Cares," the concert will take place at the Royal George Theatre in Lincoln Park, and $40 will get you in. I don't think there's been an event quite like this one in recent memory, has there?  Good job, you guys...... 

City of Hope: Broadway Cares 

It being mid-October, the thoughts of Mosh Pit peeps everywhere turn to our favorite Halloween musical, "The Rocky Horror Show." (Name another one. "Dance Of The Vampires?" No. "Carrie?" Maybe!) We will be able to get our fill of Richard O'Brien's rock musical masterpiece of sex and shock in several ways this month. The actual show will be revived by NightBlue Performing Arts Company for three weekends only, beginning now and going through the end of the month, at the aforementioned Stage 773 (speciAl Halloween performance at the Elbo Room). Michael Buonincontro's Frank N. Furter is reputedly not to be believed. 

The Rocky Horror Show 

The movie version of the stage show (as if I have to tell you it's called "The Rocky Horror Picture Show") will be screened at the Wilmette Theatre in........ Wilmette ......on Saturday, October 23rd, at 9:30 pm, complete with audience participation--just like the good old days of the late 1970s and 80s, and 90s. If you've not been to such a screening, it really is just like theater. Grassroots performance art, if you will. 

Live Events at Wilmette Theatre 

And "Glee," the TV show some of us have tired of, but which apparently hit it WAY out of the ballpark this week, will have a "Rocky Horror" episode next week, October 19th, at 7:00 pm. And why not? (Maybe next season, they will have a "Bat Boy" episode. Or maybe one inspired by Elton John's short-lived "Lestat." One never knows, do one?) 

Glee 

The casts for two significant upcoming productions were announced last week. Previewing on October 28 and running through December 12 will be the U.S. premiere of the new musical "Departure Lounge," produced by Bailiwick Chicago and some commercial producers at the Royal George Cabaret Theatre. Emerging from the 2008 Edinburgh (Scotland) Festival, the show's London premiere was just two weeks ago. Tom Mullen will direct and choreograph the show (book, music and lyrics by Dougal Irvine), with a cast including Devin Archer, Dan Beno, Jay W. Cullen, Erik Kaiko, Andrea Larson, Rus Rainear, Abby Sammons and Brittany Townsley. It's a coming of age story, and I think it's coming of age right here in Chi-town. 

Bailiwick Chicago Presents DEPARTURE LOUNGE 

And the next significant musical production from the artistic hands of Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, Fred Anzevino and Brenda Didier at the No Exit Café is Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cats," the super-long running "Memory" show, now seemingly stuck in the early 1980s. We now know that this production will have a cast of 13, surely one of the smallest it has ever had. It is scheduled November 18 through January 2, and will star Sydney Charles as Grizabella, Brian-Alwyn Newland as Gus/Growltiger as well as Bustopher Jones and Matt McNabb as Old Deuteronomy. Tommy Rivera-Vega will take on Rum Tum Tugger, with Maggie Portman as Rumpleteaser and Demeter and Elliot Burton as Mungojerrie and Skimbleshanks. This pocket-sized and multi-racial production (musical direction by percussionist Ethan Deppe) is one of the most highly anticipated and discussed productions of the upcoming holiday season, and I believe rehearsals are underway! I'm pretty sure you don't want to miss this, one way or the other! It's a 60 seat theater.... 

Home « Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre 

In a fascinating twist, two area universities are presenting "The Secret Garden" this fall. But only one of them is the Lucy Simon/Marsha Norman musical: that would be Northwestern University's Theatre And Interpretation Center. The show will be performed November 12-21 in Evanston. At the Merle Reskin Theatre in the Loop, The Theatre School of DePaul University is presenting a non-musical version of the classic children's book, adapted for younger audiences by Pamela Stirling, from October 26--December 4. 

TIC at Northwestern 

The Theatre School at DePaul 

And please remember, nominations for BroadwayWorld.com's new Theatre Fans' Choice Awards for the Chicagoland area close after this Friday, October 15, 2010. If you haven't already done so, follow the link to the nominations screen, and get the names of your favorite shows and artists into the running! The final slate of nominees will be announced before the end of the month, so that online voting can commence on November 1st. And congratulations to everyone who made last year's theater season in Chicago such a great one! 

BroadwayWorld Chicago's Award Announcement 

So, I hope everyone has had time to savor the excitement that Super September has brought us, and as great productions close, others are prepped to open. Maybe I'll see you at a theater soon! At any rate, I know I'll see you under the video screens.....--PWT

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