Displaying items by tag: Linda Madonia

Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce a third performance, Saturday, April 25 at 2 p.m., of its Porchlight in Concert production of Follies. Follies will now play Saturday, April 25 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 26 at 2 p.m. at the Studebaker Theater, 410 S. Michigan Ave. The star-studded cast includes Michelle Duffy (Broadway’s Leap of Faith, Drury Lane’s Sister Act) as “Phyllis Rogers Stone,” Angela Ingersoll (Jeff Award-winner for Porchlight’s End of the Rainbow) as “Sally Durant Plummer,” Anthony Rapp (Broadway’s Rent and If/Then) as “Benjamin Stone,” Stephen Wallem (Ravinia Festival Sondheim Series and TV’s “Nurse Jackie”) as “Buddy Plummer” and other notables. This staged concert performance features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman and is directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber and music directed by Linda Madonia. Single tickets are reserved seating and are on sale for $104.50 - $159.50 at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by phone with the Studebaker Theater box office at 312-753-3210. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the Studebaker Theater, 410 S. Michigan Ave., 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday - Sunday.

Porchlight in Concert debuted in 2024 with sold out performances of Sunday in the Park with George. In spring 2026, Porchlight returns to the Studebaker for a limited engagement of another Stephen Sondheim classic, Follies. 

Winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Score, Follies is a dazzling and bittersweet exploration of love, loss and the passage of time. Set at the reunion of the legendary “Weismann Follies” company on the eve of their crumbling theater’s demolition, former showgirls reunite one last time, reliving their heyday and confronting the choices that shaped their lives. With iconic songs like “Broadway Baby” “I’m Still Here” and “Losing My Mind,” this Sondheim gem blends haunting nostalgia with a show-stopping score in a moving celebration of dreams and regrets. 

Additional Follies cast members include Anastasia Arnold (Young Sally); John Cardone (Max Deems); John Concepcion (Roscoe); Teagan Earley (Young Phyllis); Felicia P. Fields (Hattie Walker); James Harms (Theodore Whitman); Beck Hokanson (Kevin); Cecilia Iole (Young Heidi); Will Koski (Young Buddy); John Marshall Jr. (Young Ben); Susie McMonagle (Carlotta Campion); Lauren Miller (Heidi Schiller); Mary Robin Roth (Emily Whitman); Genevieve Thiers (Christine Donovan); Sybyl Walker (Solange LaFitte); Honey West (Stella Deems) and Dennis Zacek (Dmitri Weismann).

The creative/production team includes Michael Weber (director); Linda Madonia (music director); Brenda Didier (assistant director); Eric Watkins (lighting designer); Matthew R. Chase (sound designer); Liviu Pasare (projections designer); Bill Walters (production stage manager); Drew Donnelly (assistant stage manager) and Frank Rose (production supervisor).

PORCHLIGHT IN CONCERT FOLLIES SPECIAL EVENT

The Creation and History of Follies with Chris Pazdernik

March 28 - April 18

Classes offered virtually

Fee: $200

Register at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org

As part of Porchlight’s Hobbyist programming, Jeff Award-winner Christopher Pazdernik, with their “near encyclopedic knowledge of musicals” (NewCity), takes participants on a guided tour behind-the-scenes of all things Follies. This four-week class covers the creation of the show and its original production along with major revivals and concerts, including changes made for the London production, which have never again been authorized for use. Guaranteed to be a one-of-a-kind opportunity to do a deep dive into one of the most revered works in the music theatre canon.

ABOUT MICHELLE DUFFY, PHYLLIS ROGERS STONE

Michelle Duffy is delighted beyond words to have returned to her beloved Chicago (after a 30+ year hiatus!) and deeply thrilled to be a part of this concert singing one of her all-time favorite Sondheim scores. Other recent Chicagoland appearances: “Mother Superior” in Sister Act at Drury Lane Oakbrook and “Bonnie” and others in Come From Away at Paramount. Broadway: OBC of Leap of Faith (OBCast album); OQ-Broadway: Originated “Ms. Fleming/Veronica’s Mom” in Heathers the Musical (Original Cast Album). Other recent regional: “Irene Adler” and others in Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson, Apt. 2B at Arizona Theatre Company and “Mrs. Dashwood/Anne” in Sense and Sensibility at Northern Stage. She has appeared in principal roles in theatres across the country and around the world such as The Guthrie, ACT, The Old Globe, The Goodman, Milwaukee Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Pittsburgh Public and The Barbican in London to name a few, and as a guest star in many television shows; most recently “Dark Matter,” “Law and Order,” “Chicago PD” and “Succession.” 

ABOUT ANGELA INGERSOLL, SALLY DURANT PLUMMER 

Angela Ingersoll is an Emmy-nominated and multi-award-winning actress, singer, producer, director and writer. She received an Emmy Award nomination for the PBS broadcast of her national concert tour “Get Happy: Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland.” She also won acclaim starring as Judy Garland in several productions of “End of the Rainbow,” receiving Chicago's Jeff Award, a BroadwayWorld Award and Los Angeles Times Woman of the Year in Theatre. Also: How to Succeed in Business... (“Hedy,” Jeff nomination), The Mistress Cycle (“Anais Nin,” Jeff nomination), The Secret Garden (“Martha,” Jeff nomination), South Pacific (“Nellie”), Carousel (“Julie”), Jekyll and Hyde (“Lucy,” Ostrander Award), Disney's Beauty and the Beast (“Belle,” Ostrander Award), Man of La Mancha (“Aldonza,” Ostrander nomination), Ragtime (“Evelyn Nesbit,” Ostrander nomination), Macbeth (“Lady Macbeth,” Ostrander Award), Much Ado About Nothing (“Beatrice”), Richard III (“Lady Anne”), The Wizard of Oz (“Dorothy”) and The Second City (Chicago and Hollywood). Other television: “Chicago PD.” Other concerts include her one-woman show “The 12 Dames of Christmas” and appearances alongside her husband, entertainer and producer Michael Ingersoll. Ingersoll is the artistic director of Artists Lounge Live, a Chicago-based production company presenting concerts nationwide. She writes and directs many of their offerings.

ABOUT ANTHONY RAPP, BENJAMIN STONE

Anthony Rapp is thrilled to return to live and work in the city of his birth. Chicago is also where he earned his Equity card 45 years ago, when he was nine years old. He has since appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in National Tours, at Regional Theatres and in films and on television. But his proudest work these days is as the father, with his husband Ken, of their two sons, Rai (aged 3) and Keony (aged 2).

ABOUT STEPHEN WALLEM, BUDDY PLUMMER 

Stephen Wallem is overjoyed to return to the Chicago stage after beginning his professional career here from 1986 to 2008. Born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, he is a SAG Award-nominated actor best known as “Thor Lundgren” on the Emmy-winning Showtime series “Nurse Jackie.” He also recurred as “Winston” on “The Resident” (Fox) and currently, “Rudy Syndergaard” on “Law and Order: SVU” (NBC). Other TV credits include “Difficult People” (Hulu), “Divorce” (HBO) and “Horace and Pete.” Wallem made his feature film debut in the hit romantic comedy “Marry Me” starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson. His relationship with Stephen Sondheim musicals began with the second national tour of Into the Woods (“Rapunzel’s Prince”), Sunday in the Park with George (New American Theater) and continued at the Ravinia Festival Sondheim Series, appearing with Patti LuPone, George Hearn, Michael Cerveris and Audra McDonald in A Little Night Music, Passion and Sunday in the Park with George. His most recent stage credit was as “The Beadle” in Sweeney Todd at The Muny, where he was previously seen as “Shrek” (Shrek the Musical), “Horton the Elephant” (Seussical) and “Cowardly Lion” (The Wizard of Oz). Other favorite Midwest credits include “Max Bialystock” in The Producers (Farmers Alley), “Buddy” in Elf (Wagon Wheel) and “Judas/Padre” in Court Theatre’s Man of La Mancha (After Dark

Award, Jeff Award). He is also a two-time winner of the After Dark Award for Outstanding Cabaret Artist and a Chicago Cabaret Professionals' National Honoree for 2014. He teamed up with Edie Falco for the original cabaret The Other Steve and Edie in NYC and spent 12 years and 2500 performances playing both “Jinx” and “Sparky” in multiple companies of Forever Plaid, including the first national tour and the long-running production at the dearly departed Royal George Cabaret Theatre.

ABOUT MICHAEL WEBER, director 

Michael Weber is a nationally recognized, award-winning director, producer, actor and educator. Previous Porchlight productions include Sunday in the Park with George, Anything Goes, Cabaret, Sunset Boulevard, Gypsy and Merrily We Roll Along. He recently directed the Off-Broadway and European premieres of both Shake it Away: The Ann Miller Story and Call Me Elizabeth, written by and starring Kayla Boye. Under his artistic leadership, Porchlight Music Theatre was awarded Chicago’s Jeff Award for “Best Production” six times. He previously served as artistic director for the inaugural season of Chicago’s Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place (now Broadway in Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse) and at Theatre at the Center in Munster, Indiana. The recipient of two Joseph Jefferson Awards, he has been nominated for nine awards and he wrote and directed 14 Joseph Jefferson Awards ceremonies (2006-2018). Weber’s regional acting credits include The Merry Widow (starring Renée Fleming) at Lyric Opera, Annie Get Your Gun and Gypsy (both starring Patti LuPone) at Ravinia Festival, The Winter’s Tale and Henry V at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and more. A board member of The League of Chicago Theatres, he is author of the play WAR of the WELLeS (about Orson Welles’ infamous radio broadcast) and he is a longtime pledge host for PBS station WTTW channel 11.

ABOUT LINDA MADONIA, music director

Linda Madonia is thrilled to be back at Porchlight where she recently music directed the ICONS Gala Celebrating Leslie Uggams and previously worked on Titanique, Broadway in your Backyard, Anything Goes, Cabaret and A Chorus Line. Other recent projects include Legally Blonde: The Musical, Shrek the Musical, Mamma Mia! and Camelot at Music Theater Works and Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages and Sister Act at Mercury Theater Chicago. Linda also serves as the contractor for the Chicago Federation of Musicians for Porchlight Music Theatre, Music Theater Works and Teatro Zinzanni. She is the vocal coach for the master’s degree program in music theatre pedagogy at Carthage College and owns American Eagle Productions, which has been at the forefront of theatre education in the Chicago area for the past 35 years.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

Porchlight Music Theatre, now in its 31st season, is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Through live performance, youth education and community outreach, we impact thousands of lives each season, bringing the magic of musicals to our theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate and powerful theatrical lens of the “Chicago Style.” 

Porchlight's history over nearly three decades includes more than 70 mainstage works with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. 

Porchlight's education and outreach programs serve schools, youth of all ages and skill levels and community organizations. Porchlight annually awards dozens of full scholarships and hundreds of free tickets to ensure accessibility and real engagement with this uniquely American art form. 

The company’s many honors include 178 Joseph Jefferson Award (Jeff) nominations and 49 Jeff awards, as well as 44 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 15 BTA awards. In 2019, Porchlight graduated to the Large Theatre tier of the Equity Jeff Awards and has been honored with seven awards in this tier to date including Best Ensemble for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies (2019) and Best Production-Revue for Blues in the Night (2022). 

Through the global pandemic, Porchlight emerged as one of Chicago’s leaders in virtual programming, quickly launching a host of free offerings like Sondheim @ 90 Roundtables, Movie Musical Mondays, Porchlight by Request: Command Performances and WPMT: Classic Musicals from the Golden Age of Radio. In 2021, Porchlight launched its annual summer series, Broadway in your Backyard, performing at parks and venues throughout the city which continues this summer. 

Following a string of successful shows, Music Theater Works has once again hit the jackpot with their 2025 season opener, Guys and Dolls. This delightful production is currently wowing audiences at the North Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. With infectious tunes and clever lyrics by Frank Loesser, and a sharp script by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, the show is skillfully directed by Sasha Gerritson. Add to that the vibrant choreography by Clayton Cross and the expert musical direction by Linda Madonia, and you've got a performance that's guaranteed to keep you coming back for more!

Guys and Dolls is a timeless musical comedy that transports audiences to the bustling streets of 1950s New York City. The plot centers around the dynamic lives of several characters, particularly Nathan Detroit, a gambler running an underground dice game, and his enduring fiancée, Miss Adelaide, a nightclub singer longing for Nathan to finally marry her. To fund his next game, Nathan bets Sky Masterson, a high-stakes gambler, that he can't charm Sarah Brown, a virtuous mission worker. Sky takes up the challenge, and through a series of delightful and engaging interactions, he gradually wins Sarah's heart.

As the story unfolds, the characters become woven into a rich tapestry of love, deceit, and redemption. Sarah uncovers Sky's original motives but forgives him as they both realize their deepening love for each other. Meanwhile, Nathan's efforts to keep his dice game hidden lead to a blend of comedic and thrilling situations. The musical reaches a heartwarming and joyous climax, with Nathan marrying Adelaide and Sky and Sarah starting a promising new chapter together. Featuring memorable songs, lively dance routines, and a touching storyline, Guys and Dolls remains a beloved and timeless treasure in the world of musical theatre.

This well-cast ensemble driven production has an array of bright and talented actors that make this such a memorable adventure. Callen Roberts finesses the role of Nathan Detroit to perfection - a gambler who runs an illegal dice game and is engaged to Miss Adelaide. Roberts truly embraces his fast-talking, hustling persona, transforming the character into one of the show's key anchors and a standout presence. Jeffrey Charles is spot on as Sky Masterson, the suave gambler who wagers he can charm Sarah Brown, while Kristin Brintnall steals the spotlight as Miss Adelaide, Nathan's fiancée. Her blend of comedic timing and stellar vocals brings the nightclub singer's longing for a settled life to life brilliantly. Cecilia Iole shines Sarah Brown, a mission worker who becomes the object of Sky's bet but eventually falls for him. Iole’s vocals are nothing short of spectacular. A round of applause also goes out to the rest of the ensemble, who contribute to making this musical the delightful experience it is meant to be. Andrew Freeland brings down the house as Big Julie, serving up some of the show’s biggest belly laughs. Shoutouts are also well-earned by Ian Reed, Carey Lovett, Caron Buinis, Bob Sanders, and Peter Ruger, who each bring their own flair to the stage. And let’s not forget the dazzling Hot Box Girls—Jenny Couch, Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor, Emily Holland, and Emma Jean Eastland—who light up the stage with their sensational moves. These ladies can really dance! The entire cast? Absolutely top-notch.

(L to R) Jenny Couch, Catherine Rodriguez O’Connor, Kristin Brintnall, Emily Holland and Emma Jean Eastland in GUYS AND DOLLS, from Music Theater Works.

One of my absolute favorite things about the show was its incredible Times Square neighborhood set—it felt like you were right in the heart of the action! But what truly stole the spotlight was the eight-piece band playing up above for everyone to admire. Talk about a show-stopping touch! Equally impressive was how choreographer Clayton Cross utilized the stage space to accommodate such a large cast, creating a busy New York feel with heavy people traffic and such elaborate dance numbers.

Guys and Dolls is a must-see production that brings the vibrant streets of 1950s New York City to life with its captivating characters and delightful musical numbers. With unforgettable songs like "Luck Be a Lady," “A Bushel and a Peck,” and "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," this show is guaranteed to have you tapping your toes and humming along. Don't miss the chance to experience the magic, humor, and heart of this timeless classic—it's a theatrical gem that promises an evening of pure entertainment!

This might be the first production of the year, but plenty of action lies ahead for Music Theater Works. The 45th season lineup also features the following upcoming shows: Fiddler on the Roof from August 7 to 17, Godspell from October 23 to November 16, and Annie from December 18, 2025, to January 4, 2026.

Guys and Dolls is currently being performed at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie and runs through March 30^th. For tickets and/or more show information, visit www.MusicTheaterWorks.com.

Highly Recommended!

Featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/

The first time I saw ‘A Chorus Line’ was when I worked backstage for a touring production while I was in college. Perhaps it was my youth, or perhaps it was the fact that I was in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the fit and fabulous cast, but at the time, the show struck me as one of optimism and youthful energy. But all these years later, Porchlight Theatre’s current — and fantastic — production Michael Bennett’s classic look at the often-anonymous dancers on Broadway’s stages held a much different meaning for me. Instead of just being wowed by the performers’ talents, I really understood their pain and the lives they’ve lived on said stages — in the words of the number “At the Ballet”: “It wasn’t paradise, but it was home.”

I realized that part of that is the brilliance of the show, itself — that it acts every bit as its famed mirror backdrop, reflecting the audience members’ experiences and baggage back at them. But this depth also comes from this brilliant cast and their brilliant performances brilliantly directed by Brenda Didier. Of course, the talent is youthful and top-notch, as it must be for such a classic show. Christopher Chase Carter’s choreography populates the stage and pleases the eye, while the music propels things, thanks to Linda Madonia’s direction. Matthew Weidenbener gets things going with Mike’s Vaudevillian number, “I Can Do That.” Ayana Strutz’s Connie Wong confidently struts and fills the stage despite her diminutive stature. Terrell Armstrong’s Richie wows with his acrobatic dancing. While the show’s one about dancers, not singers, much of the cast has pipes aplenty — Taylor Lane and Aalon Smith’s vocals stood out, and Grant Carriker’s and Chloe Nadon-Enriquez’s married duet “Sing!” was flawless (although Nadon-Enriquez’s Kristine is not supposed to be able to sing). As far as vocals go, Adrienne Velasco-Storrs’ Diana got the show’s two big opportunities to sing — Marvin Hamlisch’s standards “Nothing” and “What I Did for Love” showed that she can sing and brought the house down, as they’re supposed to do.

But, again, it was the sadness, the weariness, and the experience that shone through to this weary and experienced version of me who attended this version of ‘A Chorus Line,’ and that was as much thanks to the performers’ take on the material as the material itself. Of course, Paul’s iconic monologue, here delivered with all the feeling one would expect by Alejandro Fonseca, manufactures emotion. But Erica Evans’ world-weary Sheila, looking for one last shot on the line, provides those same feels from start to finish; I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Natalie Welch’s Val also draws the eye, even before her showstopper “Dance: Ten; Looks: Three,” although Welch’s age is a bit on the young side for the veteran Val. But while Val’s at last got the “it” she needed to succeed and Sheila laments the “it” that once made her successful, both of these actresses definitely have “it.”

But the real It Girl in this show is Laura Savage’s Cassie. The red dress draws the eye, of course, as does her constant backstory back-and-forth with director Zach, given both authority and empathy by Richard Strimer. But it’s the mix of confidence and brokenness that Savage brings to the role that did it. Only after the show did I learn that Savage, during last year’s Marriott Theatre production of Newsies in which she dazzled with her dancing, seriously injured herself, and has only at last recovered enough to lead this production. But lead it she does, shining as the starlet who’s looking to start back at the beginning, and who’s looking at herself in that mirror she sings about. And it is Savage’s Cassie, I guess, that spoke to me the loudest and most longingly, that gave this show the depth it was meant to have, and that most brightly shined, to myself and the rest of the audience, during this breathless, breathtaking, and unbeatable take on a timeless Broadway tale.

Through May 31st at Ruth Page Center for the Arts.