Displaying items by tag: Christopher Pazdernik

CPA Theatricals and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre today announced casting for their co-production of the play with music SENTINELS, which imagines a secret society of women that supports and promotes each other’s talents in the same way secret societies have supported men.  The cast to be directed by Christopher Pazdernik (any pronouns with respect) includes a number of rising stars of the Chicago musical theater scene playing the five remarkable women of this play. Dani Pike (she/her), who recently earned raves as the star of  Theo’s one-woman musical TELL ME ON A SUNDAY, will play Maeve – the strong-willed and fiercely independent leader of the Sentinels. Joryhebel Ginorio (she/her), a Jeff Award nominee for her principal role in Theo’s THE SECRET GARDEN, has been cast as the idealistic and diplomatic Katie. Sophia G. Dennis (she/her), who recently played Audrey in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at the Beverly Arts Center will appear as the intellectual yet sensual Grace. Maliha Sayed (she/her) will be the visionary scientist Elizabeth. Sayed has appeared in both THE SECRET GARDEN and THE SONDHEIM TRIBUTE REVIEW at Theo, as well as playing Julie Jordan in Music Theater Works’ CAROUSEL. Arwen-Vira Marsh (she/her), whose recent credits include ARTHUR & FRIENDS MAKE A MUSICAL! at Marriott Theatre will play Ashley – a radical lesbian liberal looking to dismantle societal norms. Completing the cast as the President of the fictional university that is home to the Sentinels is Anne Sheridan Smith, a Jeff nominee for her Theo roles in THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS and ONCE UPON A MATTRESS.

The SENTINELS production team, in addition to Pazdernik as director, include Britta Schlicht (she/her, Assistant Director and Understudy), Brenden Marble (he/him, Lighting Designer), Satya Chavez (Sound Designer). The technical staff includes Erik Tylkowski (they/them, Production Manager), Nihan Baysal (she/her, Stage Manager), Ismael Garcia (they/her, Assistant Stage Manager/Understudy). Larry Little (he/him) is Lead Producer.

SENTINELS was written by Writers Theatre co-founder Marilyn Campbell-Lowe, with music by Kim D. Sherman and lyrics by Campbell-Lowe and Sherman. It was commissioned by CPA Theatricals, the non-profit corporation founded by Larry Little in 2002 that is dedicated to the development of new plays and musicals. This special limited engagement will play a two-weekend run from August 1 -10, 2025.  Press is invited to review SENTINELS at any of the three performances opening weekend: Friday August 1 and Saturday, August 2 at 7:30 pm, or Sunday, August 3 at 3 pm.

In this play with music, the Sentinels are an all-women secret society of five graduate students at the fictional “Joan of Arc University” in Milwaukee, where they have been meeting clandestinely in an abandoned university room since 1945. Over the years, the Sentinels have been secretly assisting Sentinel alumni who are key contributors to such monumental achievements as the NASA moon launch and the development of a polio vaccine. As the play begins, the present-day Sentinels are facing the dissolution of their society due to the impending razing of the building in which they’ve been meeting. Reviewing documents in their archives on what they fear will be their final evening together, they reflect on their society’s history, looking back on events from 1945, 1952, 1967 and 1973. These were years in which women made lasting contributions to scientific advancement but were also turning points in progress for women – moments when they gained greater agency and autonomy and moved closer to full equality with men. In flashbacks to those five years, we see the developing sisterhood among the Sentinels of each era as they experience the societal sea changes of those periods.

The inspirational story of SENTINELS will be enhanced by original musical underscoring. Sherman’s music will evoke the spirit of “ordinary women doing extraordinary things” and will also include an uplifting closing anthem with lyrics co-written by Sherman and Campbell-Lowe.

Performances for the two-weekend run from August 1 -10 will be Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3 pm. Tickets are  $30.00 and will be on sale beginning April 23 at www.theo-u.com.

LISTING INFORMATION

SENTINELS

A new play with music

WORLD PREMIERE

A co-production of CPA Theatricals (Larry Little, lead producer and Nicholas Reinhart, Assistant Producer) and Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Written by Marilyn Campbell-Lowe, Music by Kim D. Sherman, Lyrics by Marilyn Campbell-Lowe and Kim D. Sherman

Story created for the stage by CPA Theatricals

Directed by Christopher Pazdernik

August 1 -10, 2025

Performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm

Performances at Howard Street Theatre, 721 Howard Street, Evanston

Tickets $30.00, on sale April 23 at www.theo-u.com

We've all heard about the all-male "secret society" at Yale.  But, what if there was an all-female secret society that makes its home out of an abandoned dome room at a university in Milwaukee?  Since 1945, this group of brilliant, courageous college women have made it their goal to ensure women are at every table where important stuff happens. From their refuge overlooking the campus, they've been involved with such monumental events such as the first Black woman to star at the Met Opera, the election of the first female leader of a Muslim country, and the discovery of polio vaccine. This is their story. The Sentinels.

BIOS

Marilyn Campbell-Lowe (Author, Co-Lyricist) is a co-founder of both the Writers Theatre-New York and the Writers Theatre in Glencoe . She is also an Original Core Founder of New Classics Collective, (Paul Oakley Stovall, Artistic Director). Her co-adaptation with Curt Columbus of Dostoyevsky’s CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (Joseph Jefferson Award for New Adaptation) has enjoyed over 100 productions across the country and internationally from London, Greece and Hungary to Australia and Indonesia.  It has been produced at such distinguished US theaters as Berkeley Rep, Intiman Theater, 59E59th Street Theater, Cleveland Playhouse, Actors Theater of Louisville, Indiana Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Baltimore’s Center Stage, Trinity Rep, and numerous productions on the West Coast where in 2009 the play won an  L.A. Backstage Garland Award and a nomination from the L.A. Drama Critics Circle for Best New Adaptation.  Other plays include THE BEATS (based on the writings of the 1950 beat writers) first produced at Writers Theater in 1997, starring David Cromer and named one of the best productions of the 1997 Chicago theater season by the Chicago Sun-Times. Its revival in 2011 at 16th Street Theater was named one of the best shows of the season by Kelly Kleiman  of WBEZ radio. MY OWN STRANGER a co-adaptation with Linda Laundra, based on the writings of Pulitzer Prize winning poet Anne Sexton, was first produced off Broadway in 1981 and won a Villager Downtown Theater Award for “Best Production.”

Kim D. Sherman (Music, Co-Lyricist) composes for the theater, opera, the concert stage, and film. Her music-theater works include LOVE’S COMEDY (a chamber opera based on the play by Henrik Ibsen with libretto by Rick Davis,) and several musicals, among them: HEARTLAND (book and lyrics by Darrah Cloud) O PIONEERS! (book and lyrics by Darrah Cloud) HONOR SONG FOR CRAZY HORSE (book and lyrics by Darrah Cloud) and THE TWO ORPHANS (book by Theresa Rebeck and lyrics by Theresa Rebeck and John Sheehy) On Broadway, she wrote incidental music for Paul Rudnick’s hilarious play I HATE HAMLET. She has written incidental music for many plays in regional theaters throughout the United States. Her many  compositions for piano, solo vocalists, choruses, and chamber music can be found at www.kdsherman.com/bio.

Christopher Pazdernik (any, Director) is a Jeff Award winning director and producer who has been active in Chicago theatre since 2007. Described as having “a near encyclopedic knowledge of musicals,” they were recently named to New City Stage’s Players 2024: The Fifty People Who Really Perform for Chicago. In addition to their creative pursuits, Christopher has held staff positions at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Porchlight Music Theatre, Refuge Theatre Project, and most recently, Producing Director at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. An openly HIV+ artist, Christopher is also active in AIDS advocacy work, producing the annual benefit concert ‘Belting for Life,’ leading a team at AIDS Run/Walk Chicago, and volunteering on committees with both AIDS Foundation Chicago and Howard Brown Health. He is currently the Managing Director for Season of Concern.

CAST BIOS

Joryhebel Ginorio (she/her, Katie) THEO: THE SECRET GARDEN (Jeff Nomination in a Principal Role). CHICAGO: ARTHUR (Marriott Theatre), 9 to 5 (Metropolis), SNOW QUEEN (Marriott Theatre). As a proud Boricua, Joryhebel is passionate about honoring her Latinae community through everything she does. She feels beyond blessed to be doing what she loves most with the support of God, her family, friends, Elliot, the Gray Talent Group family, and of course, her sweet pup Matcha. ¡Wepa! IG: @joryhebelginorio

Maliha Sayed (she/her, Elizabeth) is excited to be returning to Theo alongside CPA! CHICAGO: CAROUSEL (Julie Jordan) at Music Theater Works, THE SONDHEIM TRIBUTE REVUE (Principal) and THE SECRET GARDEN (Ayah; u/s Lily/Rose) at Theo Ubique, DHABA ON DEVON AVENUE (u/s Rita/Sindhu) at Writers Theatre, A LIE OF THE MIND (u/s Beth) at Raven Theatre, ARABIA, ARABIA! (Narrator) with The Plagiarists. REGIONAL: POLKADOTS: THE COOL KIDS MUSICAL (Lily Polkadot) at Constellation Stage. TV: DELI BOYS (Amina) on Hulu. malihasayed.com

Sophia Dennis (she/her, Grace) is honored to be a part of SENTINELS at Theo! Sophia moved to Chicago from bright and sunny Cleveland, Ohio to earn her BFA in Musical Theatre from CCPA at Roosevelt University (2021). Her recent Chicago credits include SCARY TOWN (Trixie/ Betsey Bunny, HIAHB),  LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Audrey, Beverly Arts Center), and THE POLAR EXPRESS (Steward, Chicago Union Station). Represented by Big Mouth Talent. Instagram: @sophioph

Arwen-Vira Marsh (she/her, Ashley)! Recent credits: ARTHUR & FRIENDS MAKE A MUSICAL! (Muffy, Marriott Theatre), ANTIGONE (Antigone, Wirtz Center), and FEBRUARY HOUSE (Gypsy Rose Lee, Wirtz). NYC-born and story-obsessed, she has a soft spot for characters like Ashley—sharp-tongued, big-hearted, and always in just a bit over their head! More at arwenviramarsh.com & @hazykiid. Ashay!

Dani Pike (she/her, Maeve). Dani was born and raised in Houston, Texas and received her BFA in Acting and minor in directing from Oklahoma City University. Chicago credits include Emma in TELL ME ON A SUNDAY (Theo Ubique), Sherrie in ROCK OF AGES (Metropolis),  Casey in FIRST DATE (Oil Lamp), Fiona in SHREK THE MUSICAL (Music Theater Works), Audrey in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Citadel). Dani is beyond grateful for her extraordinary support system. Represented by Talent x Alexander. danipike.com // @danipike77

Anne Sheridan Smith (she/they, President Sureham) is thrilled to help introduce this new play. She recently workshopped a new musical with Court Theatre and appeared as Titus in TITUS ANDRONICUS (Redtwist). Other credits: LONDON ROAD (Shattered Globe) THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (Theo, Jeff Nomination); ONCE UPON A MATTRESS (Theo, Jeff Nomination); and SOUTHERN GOTHIC (Windy City Playhouse). This fall, she returns to understudy A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Goodman Theatre.

ABOUT CPA THEATRICALS, INC. 

Creative Productions and Theatricals is a non-profit corporation, founded by Larry Little in 2002. Our shows have been performed hundreds of times all over the world. A major focus of our shows has been to feature female performers, writers, and characters.  Our shows include 57th NATIONAL MATHLETE SUM-IT, which premiered Off Broadway at the New York Musical Festival and was subsequently licensed by Theatrical Rights Worldwide; THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS, GIRLHOOD, THE MYSTERY OF CUSTODIA; and MILEY CHASE THE SCIENCE ACE, now licensed by Broadway Licensing. Shows in development include THE MOMENT and SENTINELS. The Leadership Team of CPA Theatricals includes Timothy O’Connell (Associate Producer), Julie Bossidy (Associate Producer), Nicholas Reinhart (Assistant Producer), and Sarah Wilkinson (Assistant Producer).  Also collaborating in pursuing our mission is LCG Entertainment, LLC.

ABOUT THEO UBIQUE CABARET THEATRE
Theo was founded in 1997 by Fred Anzevino, who passed away this past April. Productions were first staged at the Heartland Studio Theatre, and from 2004 to May 2018, at No Exit Café, where the company began focusing on musicals and revues, reigniting the cabaret theatre trend in Chicago. The  company moved to the Howard Street Theatre, a venue owned and developed for Theo by the City of Evanston, in fall of 2018. Theo has produced more than 60 shows and won 68 Jeff Awards, having received nearly 200 nominations. Learn more at www.theo-u.com.

Who will the best speller be? Who will be able to withstand the pressures of competition? Who wants it the most? I’m sure these are among the questions you must be asking yourselves once the play begins. Well, without giving the ending of the story away, I’ll just say that it’s the audience that has the most F-U-N, FUN. 

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this bright, funny and talented cast in Music Theater Works’ brand new production of the Tony Award-Winning musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, now being performed in the North Theatre at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. The hit musical, conceived by the mind of Rebecca Feldman is superbly executed thanks to its fine direction and choreography by Christopher Pazdernik, Keeley Vasquez who assists in both said areas, and with music direction by Michal McBride. 

The Putnam County Spelling Bee is exactly what you would imagine happens every year when a collection of the nerdiest, most sensitive and intelligent students from the local county schools come together to face their fears on the big stage to take home the first place trophy for best speller. And, to add a little more fun to this particular spelling bee, it also requires a good amount of improvisational participation from audience members who might just be called down to compete with the students. Even if you’ve seen this play before, there will always be new “cast members“ chosen from the crowd that create unpredictable comedy performed on the spot each night making every experience unique.

The musical, while on one hand provides so many humorous moments, also brings to light the very real pressures of student competition. We see the occasional tears and panic attacks while students compete against each other for a small prize (literally a 12” high trophy and $200 that goes toward future education). We see that winning or not can have big consequences at home and/or in their own psyche. But we also see how competition can bring people together and how it can help us learn about ourselves.

Neala Barron who plays the zealous, rule-following spelling bee supervisor (and one-time winner), Rona Lisa Perretti, pairs up with Zach Kunde who takes on the role of Vice Principal Douglas Panch to conduct the competition. Kunde and Barron have great chemistry together and draw lots of laughs from the audience as they provide the words for the students to spell, along with their definitions, use in a sentence and countries of origin. Michael Davis Arnold plays Mitch Mahoney, the assigned “comfort counselor” who is ready with both a hug and a juice box for the next eliminated student. Arnold and Barron both have tremendous singing voices that stun the audience with their solos in this mostly ensemble piece.  

Will Koski, who plays William Barfee’ has stand-out comic and physical timing comedy as his character finds it necessary to spell out each word with his “magic foot” on the floor. Jamie Dillon Grossman is terrific in her role as the adorable, super intelligent, activist, future Congress-bound Logainne Schwartzandgrubeniere, who is under a tremendous amount of pressure to win because her dads “hate losers”. 

Mai Hartwich is a perfect fit as Marcy Park, the student who is capable of speaking “six languages” but is under a great deal of inner pressure to be perfect in everything she does, which includes winning every spelling bee she enters. Hartwich has a great aha moment during the song “Marcy’s Epiphany,” where Marcy realizes that by deliberately spelling a word wrong and losing the spelling bee on purpose, she’s, in many ways, actually taking back her own power so she relax, have fun and return to pursuing what she really wants to wants to do with her life. 

This is a production where truly the entire cast delivers. Joe Lewis is well cast as cape-wearing Leaf Coneybear while Brandon Acosta tackles his role as Chip Tolentino and shines in his performance of “Chip’s Lament,” a whimsical number about how he was distracted by his “unfortunate erection”. Rachel Guth is a pleasure to watch as she plays the sweet and anxious Olive Ostrosky, an only child whose father does not show up for the spelling bee. With her parents on the go so often, Olive has spent most of her lonely childhood at home alone reading the ancient family dictionary because there was no one around to talk to. During the competition she repeatedly looks to row eight to see if her father has arrived to take the seat she reserves for him. Guth has a strong singing voice and especially displays her vocal talent, along with Barron and Arnold, when they team up for the number “The I Love You Song.”      

Director, Christopher Pazdernik does a great job with the pacing and movement of this bright and breezy production. Pazdernik mentions in the program the life lessons that this play should remind us of - to work hard and be proud of ourselves, but that winning isn’t everything! Also, be kind to others and don’t take life so seriously! The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee points out that as children and adults we put way too much pressure on ourselves to be perfect - to WIN first place and to impress ourselves and others in our family, and by doing so miss out on the joy of the moments completely.

I wasn’t a spelling bee kid, but I was a thespian competitor in high school and, as one spelling bee student after another had to be eliminated, I couldn’t help but relive my own memories of intense anxiety arising before, after, and during our national thespian competitions - which had no cash prize at all. That being the case, I really related to Michael Davis Arnold’s “Prayer of the Comfort Counselor,” which he knocks out of the park vocally.

I highly recommend this Music Theater Works production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee staged in the lovely and intimate North Stage in the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts for audiences of all ages. 

After stuffing myself with a fat plate of Thanksgiving leftovers, I made my way over to Theater Wit for the Who’s Holiday! opening show. The show kicks off with a grand entrance of a much older Cindy Lou Who in a dinky trailer home. Cindy gets comfortable with the crowd and even offers a famous Chicago drink as she takes you back in time. She retells the childhood story of her and the Grinch, and also shares the untold stories of her adult life with R-rated commentary and endless rhyme.

After her introduction and drinks are poured, Cindy shares her plans for hosting a Christmas party that evening with some famous Dr. Seuss friends. As her friends flake out on her party, she takes you back in time with her life’s stories. Cindy’s monologue carries you beyond her childhood as you journey through her memories of her bizarre relationship with the Grinch, her struggles with her family, and her adjustment to a not-so cheery lifestyle. Her life story takes a turn for the worst when cops are called, and she finds herself behind bars. Something none of our inner-child selves could have imagined.

Who’s Holiday! directed by Christopher Pazdernik is now in its third outing and continues to draw in large crowds. The comedy by Matthew Lombardo is bawdy and full of holiday and Grinch themed references. Many people in the crowd were filled with laughter and enjoyed the twists and turns of Cindy’s life story.

The show has just one actress, Veronica Garza who plays the 40-year-old Cindy Lou Who. Garza does an outstanding job playing Cindy and never misses a beat. She is captivating, hilarious and has fun engaging with the crowd. She brings the character to life with unclassy mannerisms and a trailer park twang in her speech. She captures her emotions as they rollercoaster through eagerness, sadness, and Christmas cheer. Trailer park Cindy feels like your long lost childhood friend, someone you can totally let loose with.

Despite having a rough life and a few more years under her belt, Cindy still has amazing hair. The wig, makeup and costume design were all on point. Her blonde hair is fabulous and is pinned up with Christmas colored bows that match her red dress. She also has beautiful makeup that aligned with the holiday theme. Not to mention the eye-catching sparkly Crocs and ruffled white ankle socks.

The first thing I noticed when entering the theater was the decked-out trailer home covered in Christmas decor. It looked like an old 70s shack on wheels with red, green, and white accents along with twinkling lights and tinsel garland. The set was perfect for the show. It was cozy and gave an intimate look into Cindy’s trailer park life.

Something that totally shocked me was the music. A Christmas show isn’t complete without a few Christmas songs, and I have to say this Cindy Lou Who delivered. In one of her songs, she breaks out into a hilarious rap about her parents’ disapproval of their “Green Son-in-Law”. It was an impressive performance with a smooth holiday flow. Later on, Cindy wowed the crowd with a beautiful performance of a sad song of her past traumas. After each song she sang, the crowd filled the air with clapping, cheering, and even snapping.

Following this show, I will probably never look at The Grinch Story the same. However, I did enjoy a good laugh and holiday cheer. If you’re looking for some raunchy comedy, a Christmas-themed cocktail and love the Grinch, I recommend checking out Who’s Holiday. Just make sure to leave the kids at home. The show is playing at Theater Wit located in the Lakeview Neighborhood at 1229 W Belmont Ave. Showtimes continue from November 25-December 30th, at 7 p.m. The show runs for about 60 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $39-$48. Purchase tickets at theaterwit.org or call the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150.

Refuge Theatre Project likes to pick up what it calls under-appreciated musicals and put them on in non-traditional settings.

They hit that mark with The Last Session, an off-off-Broadway musical from 1997 that ran for about 20 weeks off-Broadway. Set in a 1990s Los Angeles recording studio, this production takes place in a real-life commercial music recording studio, Atlas Arts Studio at 4809 N. Ravenswood – giving complete realism to the setting and excellent sound quality for the performances.

Directed by Christopher Pazdernik, The Last Session tells the story of Gideon, a 1990s songwriter, who is tiring in his battle against AIDS. (In the early years of the epidemic, the treatments for the disease were much more intrusive than today’s refined drugs, with brutal after-effects like those associated with powerful cancer chemotherapies.)

Gideon’s medical weariness has led him to a decision to end his life – but he wants to do it after recording one last album. This concept album-in-the-making is to capture Gideon's life journey, from son of a Texas preacher, to married religious musician (the "Baptist Barry Manilow"), then to a man living in an openly gay relationship and penning pop-music hits. It also will capture his battle with AIDS. 

The Last Session is largely autobiographical, with music and lyrics by Steve Schalchlin – the real life Gideon - with book by Jim Brochu, his lover. Brochu encouraged Schalchlin (who was, like Gideon, suffering with AIDS) to channel his angst into a creative work. Thus, The Last Session stage musical. 

It's a workable dramatic piece, with interesting characters (all of them in the music business) and motivations for the encounters on stage – though the plot is contrived, e.g., no one knows it’s his last session - they only know that they must sing in a cold read from the sheet music, and each take is to be the final track recording.

As the play opens, we meet two back-up singers for this session who are also sworn enemies: Schalchlin’s ex-wife Vicki (a zestful performance a tad overplayed by Elizabeth Bollar); and a dishing-but-wise diva, Tryshia (Darilyn Butler’s excellent performance is on another plane from the show). And then there is Buddy (Ryan Armstrong is surely Broadway bound), a fundamentalist fan-boy musician who has tracked Gideon down, hoping to apprentice to him. Jim gets hired for The Last Session recording too, discovering to his horror that his Christian idol has veered from the path of righteousness, to put it mildly.

Putting in a striking performance as the star, Gideon, is Erik Pearson – who plays and sings affectingly and with deep conviction - performing pretty much continuously through the two acts. Pearson is mesmerizingly good. This demanding role has him at the piano, singing or speaking, almost non-stop. Brochu and Schalchlin modeled Gideon from real life, and Pearson inhabits that role.

What about the music? It’s good, even very good. The songs run the gamut from comical ditties, sensitive ballads, and lots of blues-inflected tunes. There are a several memorable pieces – Going It Alone is a standout. (You can hear The Last Session soundtrack through Spotify). http://www.thelastsession.com

As a gay-themed play, The Last Session is much more personal and focused than, say, Torch Song Trilogy or Angels in America. It’s a personal story and a good showcase of Schalchlin’s range as a songwriter. See The Last Session through December 2, 2019 at Atlas Art Studio.