Porchlight Music Theatre Announces Fall 2020 Virtual Programming

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced its schedule for fall 2020, offering a variety of free and pay-to-view options for virtual experiences. The new programs include original Porchlight productions of Broadway by the Decade, New Faces Sing Broadway 1987 and Happy Holidays from Porchlight! and musical audio broadcasts, with Chicago roots, from L.A. Theatre Works: Working and Zoot Suit. These offerings are in addition to Porchlight's continued free online programs: Sondheim @ 90 Roundtable with host Michael Weber, Porchlight by Request, Movie Musical Mondays and WPMT Presents: Classical Musicals from the Golden Age of Radio.

After purchasing a ticket to any of Porchlight's paid options, ticket holders will receive an email with a link and password to view the chosen performance for 72 hours. Information on each production is listed below and may be found at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org.

Broadway by the Decade

Available for viewing: September 25 - October 25

Debuts Friday, Sept. 25 at 12 p.m. Central

Director: Michael Weber

Music Director: Michael McBride

Cast: Blu, Neala Barron, Darilyn Burtley, Lucy Godinez, Donterrio Johnson, James Earl Jones II, Michelle Lauto and

Michael McBride

Production team: Eric Backus (audio engineer and sound mixing); Alex Rhyan (director of production); Christopher Pazdernik (casting & company manager); Ben Balmer (production assistant) and Austin Packard (videographer and video editing)

Ticket Price: $15-$50

Tickets on sale now.

Porchlight Music Theatre's Artistic Director Michael Weber takes the audience on a guided tour of Broadway's musical history from the late 1800s to the present day. Weber shares the story of how the American idiom, the musical, evolved decade by decade with musical performances designed especially for this production starring Porchlight favorites performing songs from Show Boat, Girl Crazy, Funny Girl, Chicago, Les Miserables, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Waitress and more.

Working

In collaboration with L.A. Theatre Works

Available for viewing: October 16 - November 8

Debuts Friday, Oct. 16 at 12 p.m. Central

By Studs Terkel

Adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso

Songs by Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Mary Rodgers, Susan Birkenhead, Stephen Schwartz and James Taylor

Director: Scott Shwartz

Original Music by Dave Ossman, on piano, and John Harvey, on percussion

Cast: Eileen Barnett, Orson Bean, Harry Groener, Kaitlin Hopkins, Michael Kostroff, Kenna Ramsey, Vickilyn Reynolds, Vincent Tumeo and B.J. Ward with the chorus including James Donato, Leilani Hays, Melissa Justin, Steve Kirwan, Linda Langford, Steve Lanter, Lynsey Shmukler Jones, Michael Shutt and Jodie Verdu

Original Music: Dave Ossman, on piano, and John Harvey, on percussion

Ticket Price: $15-$25

Tickets on sale: Friday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m.

In a special arrangement with L.A. Theatre Works, Porchlight will host the first revised and updated version of this 1970s cult classic based on the legendary book by Studs Terkel. With a cast of twenty Working is a rousing musical for anyone who has ever punched a clock, a cow or a supervisor-or wanted to.

This is the original radio broadcast recorded before a live audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles in March 1999.

New Faces Sing Broadway 1987

Available for viewing: November 6 - November 29

Debuts: Friday, Nov. 6 at 12 p.m. Central

Director: Christopher Pazdernik

Music Director: David Fiorello

Host: Larry Adams

Cast: Anna Marie Abbate, Isabella Andrews, Ciera Dawn, Taylor DiTola, Timothy Foszcz, Cameron Goode, Garrett Griffin, Parker Guidry, Devon Hayakawa and Kelan Smith

Production team: Christopher Pazdernik (director); David Fiorello (music director/accompanist); Alex Rhyan (director of production); CastleLight Productions (video, editing and audio services) and Michael Weber (artistic director)

Ticket Price: $15-$50

Tickets on sale: Friday, Oct. 16 at 10 a.m.

Filmed on-site at Chicago's historic Studebaker Theatre, the popular New Faces Sing Broadway cabaret series returns, virtually, this fall with host Larry Adams and a line up of up-and-coming performers from Chicago's music theatre scene. New Faces Sing Broadway 1987 is an entire Broadway season in 90 minutes and includes hit songs from Les Miserables, Into the Woods, Me and My Girl and other musicals from the 1987 Broadway season.

Zoot Suit

In collaboration with L.A. Theatre Works

Available for viewing: November 27 - December 20

Debuts: Friday, Nov. 27 at 12 p.m. Central

By Luis Valdez

Incidental Music by Daniel Valdez and Lalo Guerrero

Director: Luis Valdez

Music Director: Daniel Valdez

Cast: Marco Rodriguez, Kinan Valdez, Daniel Valdez, Alma Martinez, Primavera Flor-Valdez, Lakin Valdez, Gregory Itzin, Xochiquetzal Candelaria, Estrella Esparza, Ruben C. Gonzalez, Raul Cardona, Daniel Chacón, Katrina Valdez, Seth Millwood, Spencer Garrett and Al Ruscio

Ticket Price: $15-$25

Tickets on sale: Friday, Oct. 30 at 10 a.m.

In a special arrangement with L.A. Theatre Works, playwright Luis Valdez masterfully uses the Sleepy Lagoon murder case and the unrest in Los Angeles following 12 Latino youths being unjustly convicted by a biased judge to examine the zoot suit culture of the 40s. Passionate and provocative, Zoot Suit pulses with the beat of big band music and traditional Latin songs.

This is the original radio broadcast recorded before a live audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles in July 2001.

Happy Holidays from Porchlight!

Available for viewing: December 11 - January 3, 2021

Debuts: Friday, Dec. 11 at 12 p.m. Central

Director Artistic Director Michael Weber

Ticket Price: $15-$50

Tickets on sale: Friday, Nov. 13 at 10 a.m.

Porchlight Music Theatre debuts a holiday "get together," virtually, to celebrate the start of the winter season. This holiday special features Porchlight favorites performing holiday classics and winter-themed songs from a variety of music theatre productions.

This fall, Porchlight continues to offer free programming via its social media channels including Youtube.com. The continuing online Porchlight programming is:

Sondheim @ 90 Roundtable with host Artistic Director Michael Weber

Every other Saturday at 7 p.m. Central

FREE

Stephen Sondheim's storied career is discussed show by show every other Saturday at 7 p.m. Central with special guests from the worlds of Chicago's theater scene, Broadway and national music theatre presenters.

Dates TBA

The fall season launches with Weber talking with Deanna Dunagan (Tony Award-winning actor for August: Osage County, who appeared in the world premiere of Bounce at the Goodman, directed by Hal Prince), Chris Jones (Chicago Tribune chief theater critic and culture columnist, New York Daily News Broadway and WBBM-TV critic) and Michael Mahler (Jeff Award-winning actor, music director, composer/lyricist whose credits include creating additional lyrics for the Broadway revival of Miss Saigon as well as music direction for Road Show at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) about Sondheim's Road Show. Previously titled Bounce and before that Wise Guys and Gold!, Road Show, with music and lyrics by Sondheim and book by John Weidman has a fascinating history, a complex evolution and has never appeared on the Great White Way but had productions in Chicago, Washington D.C. and off-Broadway.

Porchlight presents some complementary content, with a cocktail: I'll Drink to That. A new episode of this series hosted by Porchlight Board Member and Hearty Boy Steve McDonagh debuts each Friday before a Sondheim episode. McDonagh, in his own original way, shares a cocktail recipe, pairing it with that week's Sondheim @ 90 Roundtable with host Michael Weber's episode.

Movie Musical Monday

Every Monday at 7 p.m. Central

FREE

Each week a noteworthy host and special guest join in a ZOOM conversation about a musical movie with musical and movie fans. It's like a book club for movies where attendees are asked to watch the movie before the chat and come prepared for an hour of conversation, fun facts and more.

Monday, Sept. 21: Fiddler on the Roof with host WGN's Paul Lisnek (New Faces Sing Broadway 1964) and special guest Iris Lieberman (Billy Elliot the Musical, How to Succeed..., Paramount Theatre's Fiddler on the Roof.).

WPMT PRESENTS: Classic Musicals from the Golden Age of Radio

Every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Central

FREE

Debuting this past summer and continuing into fall is Porchlight's WPMT PRESENTS: Classic Musicals from the Golden Age of Radio. Artistic Director Michael Weber introduces musicals from the early to mid 20th century as they were heard on network radio programs such as The Lux Radio Theatre and The Theatre Guild on the Air, often featuring members of the original Broadway casts. A bonus feature to some of the series' episodes are special guests joining Weber in conversation about that day's broadcast. Past guests have included Mitchell J. Fain (discussing Strike Up the Band) and Christie Chiles Twillie (discussing Carmen Jones).

Tuesday, Sept. 22: WPMT PRESENTS: High Button Shoes

Tuesday, Sept. 29: WPMT PRESENTS: Girl Crazy with special guest playwright/lyricist Stephen Cole

Tuesday, Oct. 6: WPMT PRESENTS: A Connecticut Yankee

Tuesday, Oct. 13: WPMT PRESENTS: This is the Army

Tuesday, Oct. 20: WPMT PRESENTS: Lady Be Good

Tuesday, Oct. 27: WPMT PRESENTS: Phantom of the Opera with special guest, Chicago actor/playwright/teacher Tom Mula

Tuesday, Nov 10: WPMT PRESENTS: The Student Prince
Tuesday, Nov 17: WPMT PRESENTS: Allegro
Tuesday, Nov 24: WPMT PRESENTS: Holiday Inn

Tuesday, Dec 1: WPMT PRESENTS: Maytime
Tuesday, Dec 8: WPMT PRESENTS: The Lemon Drop Kid
Tuesday, Dec 15: WPMT PRESENTS: Babes in Toyland

Tuesday, Dec 22: WPMT PRESENTS: Meet Me in St. Louis

Tuesday, Dec 29: WPMT PRESENTS: On Your Toes

PORCHLIGHT BY REQUEST

via Facebook, debut times vary

Fans of music theatre and others may request a show tune with a dedication and, in a "Command Performance," a favorite Porchlight artist customizes this song. Past Porchlight By Request videos have been dedicated to family members, front line responders, teachers and others.

Porchlight may change any of the above information for productions, artists, etc, due to new updates from the CDC or local government regarding up-to-date COVID-19 precautions and instructions.

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