Tickets now on sale for PORCHLIGHT ICONS: CELEBRATING BEN VEREEN AND PAUL LISNEK

Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre announces Porchlight ICONS: Celebrating Ben Vereen, Friday, Sept. 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Athenaeum Center, 2936 N. Southport Ave. This new fundraising event replaces the previously announced 2023 ICONS Gala. Porchlight ICONS: Celebrating Ben Vereen is a new special event featuring the presentation of the 2023 ICONS Award to the legendary Ben Vereen and the 2023 Luminary Award to WGN’s Paul M. Lisnek with live performances directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber highlighting Mr. Vereen’s incredible career along with an on stage interview between our award recipients.

Single tickets are $500 (which includes a cocktail reception with Mr. Vereen and priority reserved seating on the main floor), $250 for main floor seating and $100 for seating in the front balcony. Tickets are on sale now at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or 773.777.9884. Sponsorship opportunities are available now. Please contact Development Director Evin Rayford* at evin@porchlightmusictheatre.org for more information.

In 2020, the ICON Award was established at Porchlight Music Theatre to celebrate a notable artist who has made an indelible contribution to American entertainment and has since been presented to living legends Hal Prince, Joel Grey, Chita Rivera and in 2022, Donna McKechnie as well as historic music theatre greats Fred Astaire, Ethel Merman, Bob Fosse, Elaine Stritch, Frank Loesser, Michael Bennett and others. Porchlight will welcome the 2023 recipient of the ICON Award, Ben Vereen, to accept this award. 

The Luminary Award is bestowed annually and this year it is presented to Paul M. Lisnek. This honor recognizes an outstanding individual, family or family foundation with a history of philanthropic and volunteer leadership on behalf of Porchlight and music theater in Chicago, and whose generosity inspires others to philanthropic action. Past honorees include Rick and Deann Bayless and the Bayless Family Foundation, Elaine Cohen and Arlen D. Rubin, Jim Jensen, Jean Klingenstein, Dan Ratner and the Ratner Family Foundation.

“As organizations around the country look to offer its supporters new and unique offerings, Porchlight decided to change the idea of what a gala could be with this celebration concert fundraiser,” said Executive Director Jeannie Lukow. “We look forward to sharing an unforgettable night honoring Mr. Vereen and Mr. Lisnek that includes what our audiences love - music and dance performances from Hair, Sweet Charity, Pippin, Chicago, Wicked and more with the Broadway icon himself in attendance!”

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