Jeannie Lukow

Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre announced last night at Chicago Sings Broadway Pop that the 2023 ICONS Gala, Porchlight’s signature fundraising event, will be held Friday, Sept. 8 at 5:30 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago at Water Tower Place, 160 E. Pearson St.

Porchlight Music Theatre was joined by nearly 200 people to launch its 28th season, honor the 2022 ICON Award recipient, one of Broadway’s foremost singing and dancing leading ladies, Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie,  present The Luminary Award to Dan Ratner and The Genevieve and Daniel Ratner Foundation and raise funds for its artistic and educational programs. Check out photos!

Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre has announced this year’s recipient of the ICON Award is one of Broadway’s foremost singing and dancing leading ladies, Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie.

Porchlight Music Theatre’s annual fundraising concert Chicago Sings celebrated the American theatre titan Stephen Sondheim at Chicago Sings Stephen Sondheim, held Monday, May 23 at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Check out photos from the event here!

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced Chicago Sings Stephen Sondheim, its annual fundraising concert,  Monday, May 23, 2022 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave. 

Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre celebrated 26 years as the center for music theatre in Chicago, honored actor, singer, dancer Chita Rivera with The ICON Award, Rick and Deann Bayless and the Bayless Family Foundation with the Luminary Award and Latino business and civic leaders as 2021 Scene Changers at its 2021 ICONS Gala.

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced that actor, singer, dancer Chita Rivera will be honored with The ICON Award and Rick and Deann Bayless and the Bayless Family Foundation will be presented with the Luminary Award at the 2021 ICONS Gala celebrating 26 years of Porchlight as the center for music theatre in Chicago.

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced that Carmen J. Gonzalez has joined the Porchlight staff as development director. In this role Gonzalez will refine a structure for effective fundraising and relationship-building to help meet the organization’s current and future contributed needs in a sustainable and engaging way. 

Porchlight Music Theatre held PorchlightPalooza, a three-day virtual festival Friday, Aug. 21 - Sunday, Aug. 23,  in lieu of its cancelled March 23 ICONS GALA.

Porchlight Music Theatre announced today that its 2020 - 2021 season has been postponed to 2021 - 2022. Due to the unknowns that currently exist concerning the pandemic and reopening guidelines, Porchlight will be moving its scheduled 2020 - 2021 season productions to the 2021 - 2022 season. 

Porchlight Music Theatre announced today that its 25th Anniversary ICONS Gala honoring Broadway legend Joel Grey scheduled for Monday, March 23, at the Ritz-Carlton, 160 E. Pearson St. has been postponed.

Porchlight Music Theatre announced today that its 25th Anniversary ICONS Gala honoring Broadway legend Joel Grey scheduled for Monday, March 23, at the Ritz-Carlton, 160 E. Pearson St. has been postponed. 

Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre has announced that Arlen and Elaine Cohen Rubin will be honored with The Luminary Award at the ICONS Gala celebrating 25 years of Porchlight as the center for music theatre in Chicago, Monday, March 23, at the Ritz-Carlton, 160 E. Pearson St. The Chicago-based couple will join Broadway legend Joel Grey who will be in attendance to receive the ICON Award at the 2020 ICONS Gala with proceeds benefiting Porchlight's artistic and youth education programs.

Porchlight Music Theatre is pleased to announce the appointment of Rebeccah Singer as the company's first full-time education director. Singer begins immediately overseeing Porchlight's education, intern and outreach programs. These programs offer an educational and personal growth environment where youth, professionals and fans from across Chicago may create, practice, perform and appreciate the unique music theatre art form. 

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced that actor, singer, dancer, director and photographer Joel Grey will be honored at the 2020 ICONS Gala celebrating 25 years of Porchlight as the center for music theatre in Chicago, Monday, March 23, at the Ritz-Carlton, 160 E. Pearson St. The ICONS Gala's 25th Anniversary co-chairs are Rick and Deann Bayless and Bill Kurtis and Donna La Pietra.

Porchlight Music Theatre's 25th anniversary season began with the 14th Annual Chicago Sings concert: Chicago Sings 25 Years of Porchlight, Monday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m., at The Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave, directed by Christopher Pazdernik and Artistic Director Michael Weber with music direction by David Fiorello and a band featuring Kelsey Boltz, Cara Hartz, John McCreary, Greg Strauss, Celeste Park and Jake Saleh.

As Porchlight Music Theatre is set to launch its 25th Anniversary Season as Chicago's center for music theatre, it celebrated 24 years and announced its 25th Anniversary co-chairs at the 2019 ICONS Gala Sunday, March 31 at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago, 160 E. Pearson. The 2019 ICONS GALA set a new attendance record with 300 guests in attendance and raised more funds that directly benefit Porchlight's artistic and educational programs than previous events. The elegant Gala Brunch, chaired by Tamara Sims, included performances from Chicago's leading talents celebrating the legendary career of Jerome Robbins, the presentation of The Luminary Award to Jean Klingenstein, introduced the 25th Anniversary chairs: RIck and Deann Bayless and Bill Kurtis and Donna La Pietra and silent and live auctions.

Porchlight Music Theatre and its Board Member and Artistic Associate Brenda Didier hosted a luncheon at Gibson's Bar and Steakhouse, 1028 N. Rush Street, on International Women's Day, Friday, March 8 celebrating women in theatre and announced the launch of The Rachel Rockwell Memorial Fund supporting fierce women behind the table at Porchlight Music Theatre and the 2019 honorees  of the Fund: Denise Karczewski, Shanna Vanderwerker and Christie Chiles Twillie.

Porchlight Music Theatre welcomed a sold out crowd at the 13th Annual Chicago Sings concert fundraiser; Chicago Sings The MGM Musicals, held Monday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m., at Second City's UP Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave, direction by Keely Vasquez, music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Beckie Menzie, stage management by Jake Allen Miller and sound design Robert Hornbostel. Monday's event was the company's most successful Chicago Sings to date. Sales from this one-night-only performance benefit Porchlight Music Theatre's youth educational and community outreach programming raising more than $54,000.

Porchlight Music Theatre annouces that its 2017 ICONS Gala celebrating the career of Broadway legend Hal Prince held Sunday, April 30 in the Atlantic Ballroom at the Radisson Blu Aqua Chicago, 221 N. Columbus Drive, broke its records for number of attendees and funds raised, making it the most succesful gala in the organization's 22-year history. The Gala, with honorary chair Paul Lisnek, included special guest Lonny Price and performances from Chicago's leading talents celebrating the career of Hal Prince, the presentation of the 2017 Guy Adkins Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Music Theatre in Chicago to Rachel Rockwell and silent and live auctions. Proceeds from the event and its accompanying auctions benefit Porchlight's educational programs and productions.