Deann Bayless News

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 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.

To the long list of accomplishments of Chef Rick Bayless, add one more: benefactor of the performing arts.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company's world-renowned ensemble was joined by more than 550 members of Chicago's corporate, civic and cultural communities for Gala 2015 on Saturday, May 9, 2015, raising more than $1.2 million for Steppenwolf's artistic, educational and community programming. Scroll down for photos!

The 2011-2012 school year marks Chicago Academy for the Arts' 30th anniversary year, and a year-long series of events and activities celebrating the occasion will culminate with A Taste for the Arts/30th Anniversary Gala, tonight, May 10, 2012 at the Harris Theater and Millennium Park Terrace. This evening, hosted by Rick and Deann Bayless and Donna LaPietra and Bill Kurtis, and chaired by Stephen Flach and Chris Fryson, with honorary chair Mayor Rahm Emanuel, civic committee chair Barbara Levy Kipper and arts committee chair Jim Belushi, will highlight student and alumni art and performance alongside the dazzling cuisine of Chicago's top chefs, including Rick Bayless, Sarah Grueneberg, Tony Mantuano, Stephanie Izard, Chris Jones, Richie Farina, Dale Levitski, Amanda Rockman, Heather Terhune and Takashi Yagihashi.

The 2011-2012 school year marks CAA's 30th anniversary year, and a year-long series of events and activities celebrating the occasion will culminate with A Taste for the Arts/30th Anniversary Gala, May 10, 2012 at the Harris Theater and Millennium Park Terrace. This evening, hosted by Rick and Deann Bayless and Donna LaPietra and Bill Kurtis, and chaired by Stephen Flach and Chris Fryson, with honorary chair Mayor Rahm Emanuel, civic committee chair Barbara Levy Kipper and arts committee chair Jim Belushi, will highlight student and alumni art and performance alongside the dazzling cuisine of Chicago's top chefs, including Rick Bayless, Sarah Grueneberg, Tony Mantuano, Stephanie Izard, Chris Jones, Richie Farina, Dale Levitski, Amanda Rockman, Heather Terhune and Takashi Yagihashi.