Michelle Lauto News

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced the star of Porchlight's spring production, the Chicago premiere of Disney's Freaky Friday, A New Musical Cory Goodrich as the host of New Faces Sing Broadway NOW, directed by Johanna McKenzie Miller and music directed by Tom Vendafreddo; at Evanston at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Monday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street, Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets to each New Faces are $37 at SPACE and $60 at The Arts Club. The Arts Club performances include a pre-performance cocktail hour starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

Marriott Theatre is proud to present the electrifying smash hit GREASE, previewing Wednesday, January 15th, at 7:30 p.m., opening on Wednesday, January 22nd at 7:30 p.m. and closing Sunday, March 15th.

Sunset Boulevard stars Hollis Resnik and is directed by Michael Weber, choreographed by Shanna VanDerwerker and music directed by Aaron Benham.  The regular run performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with additional performances Wednesday, Nov. 6; Nov. 13 and Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 24, Nov. 14 at 1:30 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 29 at 3:30 p.m. and an added performance Sunday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $39 - $66 and are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884. 

Porchlight Music Theatre presents Sunset Boulevard at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts. Featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics and books by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, Sunset Boulevard stars Hollis Resnik and is directed by Michael Weber, choreographed by Shanna VanDerwerker and music directed by Aaron Benham.

With direction by Michael Weber, Porchlight Music Theatre's production of Andrew Lloyd Weber's SUNSET BOULEVARD provides one wild ride of a musical evening. The musical's storyline itself vacillates between the predictable and the shockingly dark and twisted. It chronicles the story of former silent movie star Norma Desmond as she descends further and further into madness. Based upon the film of the same name, Don Black and Christopher Hampton's book paints a portrait of Norma as she continues to lose her grasp on reality (which was not all that firm to begin with) and as she plots an unrealistic comeback into the Hollywood spotlight. Hollis Resnik conveys all of Norma's mania and desperation in a star-worthy performance. Though Norma has long faded from the limelight by the time audiences meet her in SUNSET BOULEVARD, Resnik commands the stage with ease.

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce Sunset Boulevard at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street, has been extended through Sunday, Dec. 8.

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.

Porchlight Music Theatre's 25th Anniversary Mainstage season launches with Sunset Boulevard, October 11 - November 24

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce 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. Reception begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour and light appetizers. Performances, awards ceremony and paddle raising begins at 7 p.m. in the Edlis Neeson Theatre. Tickets are on sale for $125 at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling 773.777.9884. Tickets at the door will be $150. The event has reserved seating and supports Porchlight Music Theatre's educational and artistic programming.

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.

Jeff Award-winning director and HIV+ activist Christopher Pazdernik presents the 5th installment of Chris' Birthday Belt Fest, an annual benefit concert for Howard Brown Health, Monday, May 13 at 8 p.m. at Greenhouse Theatre Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.Tickets are $30, in advance; $40, at the door on the night of the performance, and are available at GreenHouseTheater.org or by calling 773.404.7336. The performance is suitable for all ages and runs two hours with one intermission.

Now in its 2nd year, Goodman Theatre selects five Chicagoland elementary schools to participate in the "Disney Musicals in Schools" program--an outreach initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Productions to create sustainable musical theater programs in under-resourced elementary schools. The selected schools include John C. Haines Elementary School (China Town) performing Aladdin KIDS; Jonathan Y. Scammon Elementary School (Logan Square) performing The Lion King KIDS; Richard Yates Elementary School (Humboldt Park) performing Aladdin KIDS; Belmont-Cragin Elementary School (Belmont Cragin) performing The Lion King KIDS; and Gerald Delgado Kanoon Magnet Elementary School (Little Village) performing Aladdin KIDS. Coordinated by Goodman Theatre artists Adrian Azevedo and Anna Gelman, under the leadership of Walter Director of Education and Engagement Willa J. Taylor, the five area public elementary schools received performance rights to a Disney KIDS musical of their choice, at no cost.

The fantastical, magical musical smash hit Seussical comes to life at Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences, 10 Marriott Drive in Lincolnshire, running February 8 through March 31, 2019 with a press opening on Saturday, February 16 at 10:00 a.m. Created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (the Tony Award-winning team behind the acclaimed musicals Ragtime and Once on this Island), the whimsical production is based on more than 14 beloved stories by children's author Dr. Seuss. Seussical is directed and choreographed by William Carlos Angulo, with musical direction by Patti Garwood.

The fantastical, magical musical smash hit Seussical comes to life at Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences, 10 Marriott Drive in Lincolnshire, running February 8 through March 31, 2019 with a press opening on Saturday, February 16 at 10:00 a.m. Created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (the Tony Award-winning team behind the acclaimed musicals Ragtime and Once on this Island), the whimsical production is based on more than 14 beloved stories by children's author Dr. Seuss. Seussical is directed and choreographed by William Carlos Angulo, with musical direction by Patti Garwood.

The fantastical, magical musical smash hit Seussical comes to life at Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences, 10 Marriott Drive in Lincolnshire, running February 8 through March 31, 2019 with a press opening on Saturday, February 16 at 10:00 a.m. Created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (the Tony Award-winning team behind the acclaimed musicals Ragtime and Once on this Island), the whimsical production is based on more than 14 beloved stories by children's author Dr. Seuss. Seussical is directed and choreographed by William Carlos Angulo, with musical direction by Patti Garwood.

The fantastical, magical musical smash hit Seussical comes to life at Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences, 10 Marriott Drive in Lincolnshire, running February 8 through March 31, 2019 with a press opening on Saturday, February 16 at 10:00 a.m. Created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (the Tony Award-winning team behind the acclaimed musicals Ragtime and Once on this Island), the whimsical production is based on more than 14 beloved stories by children's author Dr. Seuss. Seussical is directed and choreographed by William Carlos Angulo, with musical direction by Patti Garwood.

The fantastical, magical musical smash hit Seussical comes to life at Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences, 10 Marriott Drive in Lincolnshire, running February 8 through March 31, 2019 with a press opening on Saturday, February 16 at 10:00 a.m. Created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (the Tony Award-winning team behind the acclaimed musicals Ragtime and Once on this Island), the whimsical production is based on more than 14 beloved stories by children's author Dr. Seuss. Seussical is directed and choreographed by William Carlos Angulo, with musical direction by Patti Garwood.

Porchlight Music Theatre begins its sixth season of Chicago's "lost" musicals in staged concert series with Porchlight Revisits 1776, music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and book by Peter Stone with direction by Artistic Director Michael Weber, musical direction by Jeremy Ramey and musical staging by Michelle Lauto. Porchlight Revisits 1776 is presented for only three performances Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Nov. 15 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Tickets for 1776 are available now for $37, subscriptions to the three performance series including 1776, Can-Can, March 6 and 7, 2019 and Minnie's Boys, May 22 and 23, 2019 are $90/per person and available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office at 773.777.9884.

Porchlight Music Theatre begins its sixth season of Chicago's "lost" musicals in staged concert series with Porchlight Revisits 1776, music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and book by Peter Stone with direction by Artistic Director Michael Weber, musical direction by Jeremy Ramey and musical staging by Michelle Lauto.

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.