Items filtered by date: June 2026

The Second City e.t.c. is proud to announce its next hit show Improv Supernova, a fully improvised explosion of comedy starting January 22. While Second City is legendary for both razor-sharp sketch comedy and world-class improv, Improv Supernova is all about the latter: no pre-written material, no scripts, and no safety net. Fueled by audience suggestions and inspired by the world we're living in, this show is created live by seasoned Second City artists. Every performance is entirely in the moment and never repeated - pure, high-wire improv from first laugh to final curtain call.

Directed by legendary Chicago comedy thought leader Anne Libera, Improv Supernova's electric cast features Kennedy Baldwin, Anna Bortnick, Chas Lilly, Annie Sullivan, Max Thomas, and Riley Woollen. Musical direction by John Love and stage managed by Abby Beggs.

"Chicago has always been the heart of innovative improvisation," notes director Anne Libera. "The Second City e.t.c.'s Improv Supernova takes that legacy to a new level, featuring some of the best the city has to offer, creating a different performance every night - with improvisation that's deeply human, wildly funny, and built to surprise."

Improv Supernova represents an exciting pivot for the e.t.c. stage. This production redefines the e.t.c. as the professional home for hilarious, story-driven improvisation. Unscripted, unpredictable, and unhinged. The Second City Mainstage has always been known for top-shelf satirical sketch comedy, and now The Second City e.t.c. is home to the best improv show in Chicago. No two performances are the same, and nothing is ever repeated.

Performances start January 22, 2026, and run Thursdays at 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., and Sundays at 7 p.m. In honor of The Second City's founding year, Thursday tickets are $19.59.

Located at 230 W. North Avenue Chicago, IL 60610. Tickets are available at The Second City Box office, by phone at 312-337-3992 or online at www.secondcity.com. 

The producing team includes Ed Wells (CEO), Elizabeth Howard (Executive Producer), Jen Ellison (VP, Creative), Jeremy Smith (General Manager), Thomas J. Troup II (Producer, Resident Stages), and Nick Solideo (Senior Producer).

About the Artists
Kennedy Baldwin (Ensemble)(She/They) is a performer born and raised in Chicago, IL. They started taking improv classes in 2016 at The Second City, CIC, iO and The Chicago Improv Den. They toured with The Second City Touring Company for 2.5 years where they had some of the best times of their life. In 2018, they became a founding member of Logan Square Improv where they produce shows and perform with their best friends.

Abby Beggs (Stage Manager & Lighting Designer) (She/Her) is happy to be back working with the Second City again! Originally hailing from Boston, she moved to Chicago in 2015 to pursue design, production management, and stage management. Her past credits include: Legendary Laughs, She the People, Deck the Hallmark. Gaslight District (The Second City); Bagatelle, Cunning Little Vixen, L'Enfant et les Sortileges, L'incoronazione diPoppea (Roosevelt University); Blue Window (Brown Box Theatre Project); Gallo (Guerilla Opera), Boeing Boeing, Barefoot in the Park, Good People, The Scene (Dorset Theatre Festival), and Fen (Whistler in the Dark,) among others.

Anna Bortnick (Ensemble) (She/Her) is so excited to join The Second City ETC ensemble! She has performed across the country with The Second City National Touring Company. Anna is also a member of the musical improv company, BABY WANTS CANDY and SHAMILTON (Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Second City.) She received her B.F.A. from Boston University and has trained at the Eugene O'Neill National Theater Institute. She is represented by Grossman & Jack Talent.

Anne Libera (Director) (She, her) is Director of Comedy Studies at The Second City where she also serves as Artistic Consultant. She is an Associate Professor at Columbia College Chicago where she created and coordinates the Comedy Writing and Performance BA. She served as the Executive Artistic Director of The Second City Training Centers from 2001 to 2009. Directing credits include Stephen Colbert's one man show Describing a Circle, Arrivals and Departures, The Madness of Curious George, Computer Chips and Salsa, The Second City Goes to War as well as Second City multiple Second City touring productions all over the world. Her recent book Funnier: A New Theory for the Practice of Comedy is published by Northwestern University Press who also published her first book The Second City Almanac of Improvisation. She served as Director of Improv Pedagogy for the Second Science Project (Second City and UC Chicago CDR) which married the studies of improvisation and behavioral science and co-created the Improvisation for Caregivers program with Caring Across Generations. The long list of her former students who have gone on to success in improvisation and comedy includes (just to name a few): Ashley Nicole Black, Aidy Bryant, Kay Cannon, Chelsea Devantez, Jordan Klepper, Amy Poehler, Kristen Schaal, Asha Ward and Steven Yeun. Anne has presented on topics in improvisation and comedy at the Aspen Ideas Festival, Chicago Ideas Week, Twitter, Code Conference, and guest lectured at the Stanford Business School.

Chas Lilly (Ensemble) (He/Him) is originally from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but has been living and performing in Chicago for over a decade. When not on the e.t.c. stage, you'll find him playing music with his band (@KidCopter) or improvising with his friends at Logan Square Improv.

John Love (Musical Director, Original Music & Sound Design) (He/Him) plays music. An alumnus of The Second City's National Touring Company, he has played pianos (mostly good, some bad) all across the country and Chicago. He pursues original musical endeavors available on Spotify/social media- working as a studio musician for Ersatz Records and a bandmate for the groups Kid Copter and Vienna.

Annie Sullivan (Ensemble) (she/they) is a writer, performer, and all-around sweetheart originally from Kansas City and an alum of Columbia College Chicago. She's absolutely stoked to be performing with The Second City's E.T.C. cast. Annie is also a former ensemble member of The Second City's National Touring Company (GreenCo forever!). Other comedy credits include Blast! (iO Theatre), Devil's Daughter (iO Theatre), HOLY F*CK (The Annoyance Theatre), and Hot Reads (Logan Square Improv). Annie is currently represented by BMGTalent.

Max Thomas (Ensemble) (He, Him) has been featured on Comedy Central,The Comedy Store West Hollywood, The NBC Break Out Comedy Festival at The Second City Chicago & Hollywood, Zanies Chicago & Rosemont, Tiny Cupboard Brooklyn, Laugh Factory Chicago, Steppenwolf Theater:1919, Black & Funny Festival, Chicago Shakespeare Theater: Othello, Berkeley Rep: Comedian Rhapsody, Woolly Mammoth Theatre: Dance Like There's Black People Watching, Kenan Thompson: The Ultimate Comedy Experience and Lollapalooza Music Festival. He is The Chicago Reader Best Stage Actor 2022.

Riley Woollen (Ensemble) (he/him) is thrilled to be joining The Second City ETC!  He is a comedian and playwright from Brooklyn, New York. Beyond Second City, he's also a founding producer and ensemble member of "The Orbit," Chicago's only improvised show in the round.

About The Second City

The Second City opened its doors in 1959 as a small comedy cabaret and has since grown to become the world's most influential name in improvisation and comedy, celebrating its 65th year in business. The Second City's stages, Touring Companies, and Training Centers across North America have proudly been the launch pad and artistic home for many of the funniest performers, writers, directors, and comedic minds on the planet. As well, for decades The Second City's corporate education and entertainment arm, Second City Works, has supported global businesses using the same methods pioneered on its stages to drive individual growth and organizational improvement.

For more information on The Second City, visit www.secondcity.com and follow The Second City on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook

Invictus Theatre Company, whose summer 2025 production of the two-part epic, ANGELS IN AMERICA, was named top Chicago theatre production of the year and "the best non-Equity production here since before the pandemic" by the CHICAGO TRIBUNE's Chris Jones, has announced programming for its 2026 season. All performances will be at the Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park Road. Consistent with Jones's assertion (in his review of the company's THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND) that Invictus "is cementing a reputation as the home of epic American drama," the company will continue its tradition of presenting classic and contemporary American plays along with innovative stagings of Shakespeare. Founding Artistic Director Charles Askenaizer announced the company's 2026 season today, which will open with Tennessee Williams's 1955 drama, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. Askenaizer will direct the play, which will open to the press on February 24, 2026; following previews from February 17. It will play through March 29.
 
Following its success with Tony Kushner's ANGELS IN AMERICA, Invictus will again tap into Kushner's canon with CAROLINE, OR CHANGE – the company's first musical. Kushner penned both book and lyrics for the semi-autobiographical musical. The story was inspired by his childhood growing up as a young Jewish boy in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and his interactions with the Black woman who worked as the family's maid. The music is by Jeanine Tesori, a Tony Award winner for her scores for KIMBERLY AKIMBO and FUN HOME, and a nominee for her scores for CAROLINE, OR CHANGE and THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE. CAROLINE, OR CHANGE will open to the press on June 1, 2026, following previews from May 26; and will play through July 10. The show will be directed by frequent Invictus collaborator, Aaron Reese Boseman.  Creative team to be named. Invictus's production of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE is licensed by Music Theatre International.
 
In August, Askenaizer will direct Paula Vogel's 2015 drama INDECENT, which recounts the controversy surrounding the 1923 play GOD OF VENGEANCE by Sholem Asch. When GOD OF VENGANCE was produced on Broadway, its producer and cast were arrested and convicted on the grounds of obscenity because the play depicted a Lesbian relationship with an onstage kiss between two women. NEWSDAY's Linda Winer said of INDECENT's 2017 Broadway production, "Has there ever been anything quite like INDECENT, a play that touches — I mean deeply touches — so much rich emotion about history and the theater, anti-Semitism, homophobia, censorship, world wars, red-baiting and, oh, yes, joyful human passion?..." INDECENT will open to the press on August 17, following previews from August 14, and will play through September 22.
 
The 2026 season will close with Shakespeare's ever-popular story of young love thwarted by hate and prejudice, ROMEO AND JULIET, which will be directed by Louis Contey, a Jeff Award winning Chicago theater veteran. The tragedy, which has enjoyed numerous film adaptations and was updated for the musical WEST SIDE STORY, will open on November 2, 2026, following previews from October 30. It will play through December 13. 

Tickets and season subscriptions for the 2026 season are on sale now at www.invictustheatreco.com.

As a lifelong Phantom of the Opera devotee in every form it takes, I was genuinely delighted to see BrightSide Theatre tackling Phantom in Concert. As the title promises, this version reimagines Gaston Leroux’s classic novel as a sweeping musical experience.

With actors reading from scripts accompanied by a full orchestra, Maury Yeston & Arthur Kopit’s Phantom in Concert reframes the tale as a lush, emotional melodrama centered on Eric, a brilliant but disfigured musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opera House. In contrast to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s darker, gothic interpretation, this musical leans into Eric’s tragic origins, his yearning for genuine affection, and the profound musical bond he shares with Christine - the voice that has captured his heart completely.

Despite living in the shadow of Lloyd Webber’s megahit, the Yeston–Kopit Phantom has enjoyed more than a thousand productions worldwide and earned a devoted following for its sweeping score and heartfelt storytelling. Signature numbers such as “Without Your Music,” “Home,” “My True Love,” and “This Place Is Mine” are often cited among Yeston’s finest compositions.

In this telling, Eric - the Phantom - haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera, a reclusive genius consumed by music and beauty. When he discovers Christine, a gifted young soprano, he becomes her unseen mentor, shaping her talent from the shadows. Turmoil erupts when longtime manager Gerard is dismissed and replaced by the imperious diva Carlotta and her husband, Cholet – the new owners of the theater. Driven by jealousy, Carlotta deliberately ruins Christine’s voice, Eric retaliates, sending the Opera into panic and prompting a relentless police pursuit. Eric’s fury ripples through the opera house like a living thing. What begins as confusion quickly curdles into fear, the company realizing that someone with both brilliance and rage is pulling the strings. All of it builds toward that moment when the truth about Gerard comes crashing in, reframing the chaos not just as vengeance, but as the desperate thrashing of a man who has been wounded far deeper than anyone understood. Gerard’s secret casts a long, quiet shadow over those final moments, turning them into something more intimate - a reckoning shaped as much by vulnerability as by the haunting beauty of Eric’s music.

Under the finely tuned direction of Artistic Director Jeffery Cass, Phantom unfolds with a sense of fluidity and imagination. Cass uses the entire venue as his canvas, sending cast members weaving through the seating area so the story seems to breathe around the audience rather than simply play out in front of them. It’s an approach that keeps the energy alive and the tension palpable.

Leading the production is Caden Cole, ideally cast as The Phantom/Eric, the enigmatic and tormented musical prodigy. He brings a striking blend of vulnerability and command to the role, and his vocal power is undeniable - soaring in the big moments, simmering in the quieter ones, and always grounded in emotional truth. Cole doesn’t just sing the Phantom; he inhabits him, giving the production its beating heart. Emily Lewis meets Cole’s fire with equal force, matching his intensity note for note in the role of Christine. She brings a luminous clarity to the character - wide‑eyed innocence layered with a growing emotional strength - and her voice carries both the sweetness and steel the role demands. Lewis’s chemistry with Cole heightens every duet, creating a dynamic that feels electric from the moment they share the stage.

Julie Ann Kornak commands the stage with a lavish, full-throttle diva presence that renders her Carlotta utterly unmissable. Each line and note - and every sly, well‑placed comic nuance - lands with the assurance of a performer who knows the spotlight belongs to her the moment she steps into it. She balances grandeur with just the right touch of comedic sparkle, turning Carlotta into a character who is not only vocally formidable but irresistibly fun to watch. Phillipe - Christine’s steadfast admirer and emotional counterweight to the Phantom - is brought to life with admirable warmth by Joe Moerschel. He plays the role with an earnest sincerity that grounds the love triangle, offering a gentler, more human alternative to the Phantom’s tortured brilliance.

The production is further elevated by standout supporting work. Among other outstanding players, Stan Austin delivers a crisp, comedic take on Cholet, cutting through the surrounding chaos with razor‑sharp timing, while Michael Rivera brings a grounded, steady warmth to Gerard, his voice blooming with striking clarity and power, especially throughout the second act. Phantom in Concert is bolstered by a remarkably cohesive ensemble whose vocal strength and fluid movement enrich every scene. This is a company that works in true harmony, elevating the production at every turn.

BrightSide’s Phantom in Concert emerges as a genuine musical‑theatre treasure, the kind of production that reminds you why this story endures. It marries lush orchestration, expressive performances, and a palpable sense of passion into an experience that feels both intimate and grand. This is the sort of evening that rewards longtime fans and newcomers alike, making it not just worth seeing, but worth savoring.

Phantom in Concert is being performed on a limited run from January 9^th-18^th. For tickets and/or more show information, visit https://brightsidetheatre.com/.

Black Ensemble Theater celebrates 50 years of its mission-based theater with a full season of musicals and special events. The season opens with the return of one of its biggest national hits The Jackie Wilson Story, followed by Muddy Waters: The Hoochie Coochie Man, the celebration of You Can't Fake the Funk: A Journey Through Funk Music and the holiday-time favorite The Other Cinderella.

Information and tickets are available at www.blackensemble.org, (773) 769-4451 and at the Black Ensemble Theater Box Office, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago.

"Throughout the past 50 years, Black Ensemble Theater has welcomed audiences to celebrate Black excellence, history, and artistry through music and storytelling," said Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor. "As we honor this milestone season, we reflect on the legacy we've built while continuing our mission to eradicate racism through education, inspiration and communication.  We continue to inspire future generations through powerful, purpose driven theater.

The company will continue with the Plays With A Purpose series for school groups, Black Playwrights Initiative, Soul of a Powerful Woman on June 14, 2026, the annual Gala on October 15, 2026, and the free summer concert series Fridays on the Green.

The 50^th Anniversary includes:

The Jackie Wilson Story
Written and directed by Founder & CEO Jackie Taylor
March 7-April 26, 2026
Opening: Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 3pm

Originally premiering at Black Ensemble Theater in 2000, this outstanding production began a highly successful national tour in 2002, including a record-breaking run at the legendary Apollo Theater in New York. In 2012, The Jackie Wilson Story made history once again by opening the new Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center.

This award-winning production continues its remarkable legacy as it opens the 50th Anniversary Season. Experience this thrilling tribute to the most dynamic and electrifying entertainer of all time—Mr. Excitement, Jackie Wilson.

Muddy Waters: The Hoochie Coochie Man
Directed by Producing Managing Director Daryl D. Brooks

Written by Founder & CEO Jackie Taylor and Jimmy Tillman

June 20-July 26, 2026

Opening: Sunday, June 28 at 3pm

Muddy Waters: The Hoochie Coochie Man is a soul-stirring celebration of the man who popularized the blues and carried its sound around the world. Follow McKinley "Muddy Waters" Morganfield from his humble beginnings in the Mississippi Delta to his groundbreaking success as the Father of Chicago Blues.

Packed with electrifying performances of his iconic hits, Mannish Boy," "Got My Mojo Working," and "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man", this exhilarating production explodes with the grit, power, and genius of a true musical revolutionary. Muddy Waters' influence shaped rock, soul, and rhythm and blues, leaving a legacy that continues to pulse through generations of artists and audiences alike.

 "Hey, hey—the blues is alright."

You Can't Fake the Funk: A Journey Through Funk Music

Written and directed by Producing Managing Director Daryl D. Brooks

September 5-October 25, 2026

Opening: Sunday, September 13 at 3pm

Hop aboard the Mothership and take a groovy ride back to the era when Afros were high, bell-bottoms were tight, and the music was truly out of sight! You Can't Fake the Funk: A Journey Through Funk Music is a high-energy, feel-good celebration of the sound that defined a generation.

From Sly and the Family Stone to Parliament-Funkadelic to Earth, Wind & Fire, this electrifying production will have you dancing in the aisles and testifying to the unstoppable power of the Funk.

Ya dig?!

Jackie Taylor's The Other Cinderella

Written and directed by Founder & CEO Jackie Taylor

Music by Jackie Taylor and Michael Ward
December 12, 2026-January 24, 2027

Opening: Sunday, December 20, 2025

Jackie Taylor's The Other Cinderella is a beloved Black Ensemble Theater classic that has delighted audiences for decades. This joyful African American version of the timeless fairy tale is filled with laughter, soul, and heart. In this story, Cinderella is from the projects, the Stepmamma works at the post office, the Fairygodmama hails from Jamaica, and the Brothers from the Hood keep the kingdom jumpin'!

Overflowing with show-stopping songs, vibrant dancing, and unforgettable characters, The Other Cinderella is a treasured family tradition, and the perfect way to close our 50th Anniversary Season, reminding us to embrace our greatness and follow our spirit!

Performances are Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $69 (fees included). Valet parking is available for $13 (cash only).

The 5-Play Card

Black Ensemble Theatre's 5-Play Card is a digital ticket package unlike any other. At a cost of $280 (including fees), it offers a savings of $65 over regular ticket prices. One of the greatest perks of the 5-Play Card is its flexibility – use the five tickets any way you want! You can: bring five people to one show, treat yourself to five different shows, or use the 5-Play Card in any ticket number combination until all five tickets are spent.

The 5-Play Card is good for 18 months and becomes active immediately after purchasing. If you buy multiple 5-Play Card packages, please note that a maximum of five tickets can be redeemed on a single show date.

Black Ensemble Theater   

Founded in 1976, by the phenomenal producer, playwright and actress Jackie Taylor, Black Ensemble Theater is the only African American theater located in the culturally, racially, and ethnically diverse north side Uptown community. Through its Four Play Season of Excellence, The Black Ensemble Theater dazzles audiences locally, nationally, and internationally with outstanding original musicals that are entertaining, educational, and uplifting. The Black Ensemble Theater has produced more than 100 productions and employed over 5,000 artists.  

The mission of the Black Ensemble Theater Company is to eradicate racism and its devastating effects upon society through the theater arts and community engagement.  For more information on the Black Ensemble Theater Company, visit www.BlackEnsembleTheater.org or call 773-769-4451.  

Hot off their record-breaking runs of Jekyll & Hyde and Amélie the Musical, Kokandy Productions is back in 2026 with three full productions, including their first play with music. The season begins with the revolutionary "love-rock" musical HAIR, taking over the Chopin Theater Mainstage for an exhilarating summer of hope and fury. Splashes of tie dye give way to dots of color and light as Sunday in the Park with George comes into focus in the Chopin Downstairs Studio following in the footsteps of Kokandy's award-winning productions of Sondheim's Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd. The season concludes with A Clockwork Orange: A Play with Music, a live adaptation of Anthony Burgess' dystopian novel that brings the cult-classic "horrorshow" to visceral, pulsing, terrifying life on the Chopin Theater Mainstage.

Single tickets for Kokandy's 2026 Season will go on sale Monday, February 2, 2026 at kokandyproductions.com. The Chopin Theater is located at 1543 W. Division St. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

In addition to three full productions, Kokandy is excited to continue stewarding the annual Chicago Musical Theatre Festival in 2026. Submission details and performance dates for this celebration of new work and musical theatre writers will be announced in early 2026.

Kokandy Book Club also returns next season, with the first scheduled "meet" on Monday, January 26. This community cabaret is an ongoing collaboration with The Understudy Coffee and Books, 5531 N. Clark St. in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. 

"2025 was a year of risks for Kokandy, venturing upstairs for the first time and trying styles and scale we had not yet attempted," says Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham. "We're continuing to push in 2026 with a season of color and light. Pulling inspiration from Sondheim's gorgeous lyric, our 2026 season is about the brightness of life, about youth in revolt, about individuals challenging the system, facing the sensory overload of overwhelming obstacles. From tribe members at a protest and an artist at an easel to a disaffected youth strapped to a chair forced to watch the worst of the world, these are stories of souls at a crossroads: to resist or conform, to create or destroy, to build it up or burn it down."

Kokandy Productions' 2026 Season includes:

July 2 – October 18, 2026

HAIR

The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical

Book and Lyrics by Gerome Ragni & James Rado

Music by Galt MacDermot

Directed by Brennan Urbi

on the Chopin Theater Mainstage

Press opening: Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 7 pm

The American tribal love rock musical HAIR celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bell-bottomed, beaded and fringed glory. To an infectiously energetic rock beat, the show wows audiences with songs like "Aquarius," "Good Morning, Starshine," "Hair," "I Got Life" and "Let The Sunshine In." Exploring ideas of identity, community, global responsibility and peace, HAIR remains relevant as ever as it examines what it means to be a young person in a changing world.

August 13 – November 11, 2026

Sunday in the Park with George

Book by James Lapine

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Directed by Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham

in the Chopin Downstairs Studio

Press opening: Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 7 pm

Inspired by the painting, "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat, Sunday in the Park with George, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's stunning masterpiece, merges past and present into beautiful, poignant truths about life, love and the creation of art. One of the most acclaimed musicals of our time, this moving study of the enigmatic painter, Georges Seurat, won a Pulitzer Prize and was nominated for an astounding ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

November 5, 2026 – January 10, 2027

A Clockwork Orange: A Play with Music

By Anthony Burgess, adapted from his novel

on the Chopin Theater Mainstage

Press opening: Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 7 pm

A Clockwork Orange lures audiences into a glass-edged, testosterone-filled underworld of a dystopian future. The explosive story of little Alex and his rebellious gang of Droogs is a groundbreaking and twisted tale teeming with sexuality and "a bit of the old ultra-violence". As hauntingly relevant today as when Burgess's book first published in 1962 and when Stanley Kubrick's cult classic film caused a stir in 1971, A Clockwork Orange is an unapologetic celebration of the human condition. And Beethoven.

About Kokandy Productions

Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theatre community.

The company's artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot T. Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot T. Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin and Katie Svaicer. 

For additional information, visit kokandyproductions.com. 

Producing Artistic Director Kyle Dougan-LeBlanc and Music Theater Works are proud to announce that Mrs. Kasha Davis will star as “Edna Turnblad” in the upcoming production of Hairspray, Dec. 17, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027, directed by Keely Vasquez, choreographed by Reneisha Jenkins and music directed by Linda Madonia, in the George Van Dusen Theatre, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie. Mrs. Kasha Davis is known for her work on two seasons of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Season 7 and Season 8: All Stars and is an internationally recognized drag artist, performer, educator and advocate. For priority seating at Hairspray become a member for the 2026 season, with two, three and four show memberships available now and single tickets for all the 2026 productions going on sale Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 at 12 p.m. For more information on the 46th season go toMusicTheaterWorks.com. 

“When I received the call from Music Theater Works offering me the role of “Edna” in Hairspray, I was overjoyed, it was truly a dream moment, and one I immediately celebrated with Mr. Davis. This is exactly the kind of work I hoped my drag career would make possible, especially following my time on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” said Mrs. Kasha Davis.

She continued, “Mrs. Kasha Davis was created as a tribute to my mother and grandmother, and I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to honor their legacy by stepping into such an iconic role. To join a cast dedicated to sharing messages of inclusion, acceptance and love, values they instilled in me long ago, is deeply meaningful. I look forward to the creative journey ahead: the rehearsal process, the collaboration, and the friendships and laughter that will undoubtedly unfold with the team at Music Theater Works and the audiences we serve.”

“The announcement of the incredible Mrs. Kasha Davis joining our 2026 season in this unforgettable role is a great way to kick off our 46th season and the new year,” says Producing Artistic Director Kyle Dougan-LeBlanc. “We look forward to what promises to be a thoughtful, heartfelt and hilarious take on this role that speaks to so many of the values she embodies herself… kindness, joy, acceptance and standing up for what is right.”

Full of heart and 1960s flair, Hairspray follows Tracy Turnblad, a big-dreaming teen who lands a spot on “The Corny Collins Show.” But when she sees injustice in Baltimore, she sets out to integrate the dance floor, proving one girl can make a difference. With infectious songs like “Good Morning Baltimore” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” this musical makes the perfect closer to Music Theater Work’s 46th season.

Music Theater Works’ 46th season opens with CATS, March 5 - 29, 2026 and is followed by West Side Story, August 3 - 30, 2026. The season will continue with Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville, October 8 - November 1, 2026 and concludes with Hairspray, starring Mrs. Kasha Davis, December 17, 2026 - January 3, 2027. Memberships are now available for the 2026 season with single tickets for all the 2026 productions going on sale Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 at 12 p.m. For more information on the 46th season go to MusicTheaterWorks.com. 

ABOUT MRS. KASHA DAVIS

Mrs. Kasha Davis is a cornerstone of the Upstate New York drag scene and an internationally recognized drag artist, performer, educator and advocate. Together with her husband Steve Levins and their business partner Tim Evanicki, she co-founded the production company DRAG ME TO THE STAGE, which has become a leading platform for drag performance in their region and beyond.

After competing on “RuPaul's Drag Race” Season 7 and “RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars” Season 8, Mrs. Kasha Davis embarked on successful national and international tours, bringing her solo shows, speaking engagements and drag appearances to diverse audiences around the world.

Sober since 2015, she has used her personal journey to become an outspoken advocate for addiction recovery and mental-health awareness, frequently booked as a speaker on those issues. In recognition of her artistry and activism, she was named to Out magazine’s Out100 list in 2023, honored as an artist, trailblazer and storyteller making a difference for the LGBTQIA+ community. In November 2024, she received the “Visibility Award” from Human Rights Campaign (New England Chapter) for her work promoting drag and inclusivity through initiatives like Drag Story Hour.

In 2024, Mrs. Kasha Davis added educator to her résumé, joining SUNY Brockport as an adjunct professor teaching a full course on drag, covering its history, theory and performance.

Bold, compassionate, and committed to community, Mrs. Kasha Davis brings authenticity, joy and insight to every stage, lecture hall and performance space she steps into.

Her press kit may be found here: MrsKashaDavis.net/epk

ABOUT MUSIC THEATER WORKS

Music Theater Works is a resident professional not-for-profit music theater founded in

1980. During its 46-year history it has presented more than 150 productions and intimate presentations. Music Theater Works is a professional theater company whose mission is to present works for the musical stage including historic repertoire, revitalizing the Golden Age of Broadway and earlier works, celebrating the Great American Songbook and introducing modern classics. The company uses collaborations among theaters, other artistic disciplines, social service agencies, local business, educational institutions and others to create music theater for the 21st century.

A quick disclaimer for this review: Couch Penny Ensemble's Everybody, by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, is written with a caveat for anyone who dares to perform it. At the start of each performance, the actors are randomly assigned their roles by lottery, creating 120 possible cast combinations. In other words, the Everybody I saw will likely not be the Everybody you see. This structure demands something borderline absurd from its cast: each actor must memorize the entire script, remain flexible until the show closes, and sacrifice the comfort of traditional rehearsals.

What’s more astonishing is that the performance I saw was effectively unrehearsed yet never unprepared. It was incredible, and knowing it was done only once, just for this audience, is an experience you can’t get anywhere else. Rather than feeling unpolished or improvisational, the production felt confident, precise, and alive—a balance that speaks not only to the performers’ skills but also to the steady hand of director Greta Mae Geiser. It is the kind of theatrical gamble that only Jacobs-Jenkins would demand—and that only the right creative team could successfully meet.

For my production, the role of Everybody was played by Renzo Vincente. As the main character, Vincente was nothing short of phenomenal. His facial expressions, genuine tears, and overall emotional execution gave me goosebumps. There was an openness to his performance that made Everybody’s fear, confusion, and longing feel immediate and shared, and he truly left every part of himself on the stage, perfectly portraying everybody.

The rest of the cast – Caitlin Frazier, Jessica Posey, Ellie Duffey, and Dryden Zurawski, the other “Everybodies” – were randomly assigned one of four other roles, each encompassing three distinct characters. These twelve figures function less as traditional “characters” and more as personified concepts, broad, sometimes exaggerated reflections of the forces and relationships that shape everybody’s life. The actors who were not selected to play Everybody must step into their assigned parts with no prior expectation of fit. The result is an entertaining inconsistency that works entirely in the production’s favor: across the twelve roles, there ends up being a spontaneous mix of uncannily fitting performances alongside equally impressive but parodic ones. At any given moment, there is no way to predict who will enter the stage with manic sincerity or with hilariously inflated vanity, but it is clear throughout that each of the five actors possesses the range and control to deliver any role with intention and impact.

An unspecified role is not a prerequisite for a great performance, however, as Everybody also features four additional, standardly cast roles. Even with a fixed assignment, the demands of the show are formidable. The amount of memorization required for Usher (Jodianne Loyd), who establishes the world of the play with omniscient authority, is no easy task. A final shoutout goes to Zay Alexander, who not only delivered a personable performance as Death but also sang and played guitar hauntingly.

By rejecting conventional polish altogether, Everybody makes room for humor, heart, and an unmistakable dedication from its incredible cast.

Everybody is running at Greenhouse Theater Center through December 21st. Tickets are available at https://ci.ovationtix.com/36644/production/1258591.

As someone who is ever the cynic about telling the same old stories every year under the guise of tradition, A Christmas Carol rarely draws me in. Manual Cinema’s latest production, however, takes a Christmas classic and makes it new again. Told through the eyes of a narrator who shares my skepticism, Dickens’ nearly 200-year-old tale becomes something modern and accessible, shaped by humor and a perspective that understands both the fatigue of repetition and the value of returning to the story.

The first Christmas following the loss of her husband, Aunt Trudy finds herself celebrating on Zoom, begrudgingly carrying on his tradition of performing a one-man puppet show of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol for his family. Throughout the night, Trudy experiences every stage of grief, struggling to complete the classic story, and is joined by three ghosts (Lizi Breit, Julia Miller, and Jeffery Paschal) who transform the puppetry from a faltering solo obligation into a fluid, ensemble-driven act of storytelling.

Everyone knows that for every moment that appears effortlessly onstage, there’s ten times as much unseen labor happening behind the scenes. In Manual Cinema’s production, however, much of the typically unshown work takes place on stage. Rather than hiding the mechanics of either the puppetry or music, the show invites the audience to watch its intricate systems at work, transforming the process itself into part of the performance.

The immediate set is Aunt Trudy’s half-packed house, allowing us to watch her in the behind-the-scenes reality of her puppet show. Above this is a projector screen that displays Trudy's show from the other perspective of the video call, allowing us to also watch the show as a member of the Zoom. On one side of Trudy’s space is a projection set-up where the three ghost/puppeteers perform what almost looks like a choreographed dance while creating some of the most intricate and beautifully animated visuals I’ve seen – not only are the puppeteers creating these images LIVE, but also while physically performing themselves. On the other side is the pit orchestra, playing live on stage and dressed in typical performance blacks, who feel almost like esemplastic shadow puppets who also provided beautiful instrumental and stunning vocals throughout the show.

At the center of it all – a smart adaptation of a classic, stunning puppetry, and haunting music – is everyone’s new favorite aunt, Aunt Trudy, played by LaKecia Harris. Truly incredible on every level, Harris portrays a grieving widow and beginner puppeteer on the big screen while simultaneously operating as a vital part of the onstage puppeteering machine, grounding the production with warmth, humor, and emotional clarity.

If you’re a fan of A Christmas Carol, then you have to see this show. And, if you’re a bit tired of the old story, this may be exactly what changes your mind.

Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol is running at Studebaker Theater through December 28th, as well as live streaming the production on select dates. Tickets are available at

https://manualcinema.com/work/christmas-carol-live.

Steppenwolf Theatre is pleased to present five-time Emmy Award winner Jane Lynch, the hilariously charming Kate Flannery and The Tony Guerrero Quartet in The Trouble With Angels, a raucous night of comedy, song and unapologetic mischief playing four performances only, April 9 – 11, 2026 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St in Chicago. Tickets cost $79 - $149*. A special Steppenwolf member pre-sale begins Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 12 pm. Tickets go on sale to the general public Thursday, December 11, 2025 at steppenwolf.org/angels or by calling the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. *Prices include a $10 processing fee.

With powerhouse vocals, razor-sharp wit and more than a few surprises, these two beloved stars serve up a cocktail of classic tunes, campy banter and devilish charm. It's part cabaret, part stand-up and all sass – because when these angels get together, heaven can wait.

Performance Schedule

Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Friday, April 10, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 3 pm & 7:30 pm

Artist Biographies

Jane Lynch is a five-time Emmy winner known for her portrayal of Sue Sylvester on Glee. She currently hosts NBC's Weakest Link and appears in Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. Additional television credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Good Fight and Two and a Half Men. Lynch's film credits include The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Julie & Julia and Best In Show. Along with Kate Flannery, Tim Davis and The Tony Guerrero Quintet, Jane tours the country with their annual holiday show, A Swingin' Little Christmas. The album is available on all music platforms.

Kate Flannery is best known for her nine seasons as Meredith the drunk on NBC's The Office. Kate was a fan favorite on Season 28 of ABC's Dancing With The Stars, touring live at Radio City Musical Hall and 40 cities. Television guest star appearances include Magnum P. I., Young Sheldon and Brooklyn Nine Nine. She can be seen in dozens of indie films including The Prank with Rita Moreno. 

The Tony Guerrero Quartet has been a staple of the Southern California jazz scene for many years. Featuring Tony Guerrero (trumpet/piano), Matt Johnson (drums), Mark Visher (sax/flute), Dave Siebels (keyboards) and David Miller (bass). Along with Jane Lynch, Kate Flannery and Tim Davis, the quintet tours the country with their annual holiday show, A Swingin' Little Christmas. In 2016, they released the holiday album "A Swingin' Little Christmas Time," that landed a spot in the Top Ten of the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. The title track, an original Tony Guerrero composition, went to #6 on the Billboard charts. The Tony Guerrero Quintet's own recordings have been a staple on jazz radio for over thirty years. 

Accessibility

Steppenwolf is committed to making the theatergoing experience accessible to everyone. Assistive listening devices are available for every performance and all our spaces are equipped with an induction hearing loop. Our building features wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms, push-button entrances, a courtesy wheelchair and all-gender restrooms, with accessible counter and table spaces at our bars. For additional information regarding accessibility, visit steppenwolf.org/access. If you have questions or would like to make a specific request, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call our box office at 312-335-1650.

Sponsor Information

United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from lead sponsors Allstate Insurance Company, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Julius Frankel Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, John Hart and Carol Prins, Shubert Foundation, Inc, Walder  Foundation, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors Anonymous, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Michael and Cathy Brennan, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Steven and Nancy Crown, Conagra Brands Foundation, Rich and Margery Feitler, FROST CHICAGO, Joyce Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, The Orlebeke Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Bryan Traubert and Penny Pritzker, Sacks Family Foundation, Smart Family Foundation of Illinois, Thoma Bravo, and Vinci Restaurant. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier Ensemble Theater with 49 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions have made this theatre legendary. From the 1980 phenomenon of Balm in Gilead, to The Grapes of Wrath, August: Osage County, Downstate, The Brother/Sister Plays, and now, the 2025 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Purpose, Steppenwolf Theatre has had a long-running and undeniable impact on American Theater and Chicago's cultural landscape. Founded in 1976, Steppenwolf started as a group of teens performing in the basement of a church. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 14 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair Keating Crown — Steppenwolf continually redefines the boundaries of live theater and pushes the limits of acting and performance.

Steppenwolf's Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the cast for Porchlight in Concert production Follies, starring (in alphabetical order) Michelle Duffy (Broadway's Leap of Faith, Drury Lane's Sister Act) as "Phyllis Rogers Stone," Alexander Gemignani (Broadway's Assassins and Sweeney Todd) as "Buddy Plummer," Angela Ingersoll (Jeff Award winner for Porchlight's End of the Rainbow) as "Sally Plummer" and Anthony Rapp (Broadway's Rent and If/Then) as "Benjamin Stone," Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 26 at 2 p.m. at the Studebaker Theater, 410 S. Michigan Ave. 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 $24 - $110 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. 

Additional Porchlight in Concert production of Follies cast members include Anastasia Arnold (Young Sally); Dale Benson (Dmitri Weismann); 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) and Honey West (Stella Deems). 

The full creative team and additional artists will be announced soon.

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.

PORCHLIGHT IN CONCERT FOLLIES SPECIAL EVENT

The Creation and History of Follies with Chris Pazdernik

March 28 -  April 18, 2026

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 ALEXANDER GEMIGNANI, BUDDY PLUMMER

Alexander Gemignani is an actor, artistic director, music supervisor/music director, orchestrator, arranger, conductor, composer/lyricist and educator. 

As an actor on Broadway: My Fair Lady ("Doolittle"), Carousel ("Enoch Snow" - Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Grammy nominations), Violet ("Father"), Chicago ("Billy"), Les Misérables ("Valjean" - Drama League nomination), Sweeney Todd (Beadle - Drama Desk nomination), Assassins ("Hinckley" - Theatre World Award), The People In The Picture ("Moishe") and Sunday in the Park With George ("Boatman/Dennis"). 

Off- Broadway: Road Show at the Public ("Addison Mizner" - Drama League nomination), Headstrong at EST ("Nick"), and Avenue Q at the Vineyard Theatre ("Brian"). Favorite Regional: Inherit the Wind ("Brady") at the Goodman,  Hamilton in Chicago ("King George III," original cast), Big Fish ("Edward Bloom") at The Marriott Lincolnshire, The Three Sisters ("Andrei") at Cincinnati Playhouse, The Boys From Syracuse ("Sergeant") at The Shakespeare Theatre of D.C. and the title character in the world premiere musical Saint-Ex at The Weston Playhouse. T.V./Film: "Étoile" (AMAZON), "Servant" (APPLE TV), "Empire" (FOX - Recurring), "Chicago Fire" (NBC), "Homeland" (SHOWTIME - Recurring), "The Good Wife" (CBS), "Empire State" (ABC pilot), the film "The Producers" (UNIVERSAL), three appearances on "The Tony Awards" (CBS) and season 5 of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" as "Janusz" (AMAZON - recurring). 

Concerts: The N.Y. Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall, The N.Y. Pops at Carnegie Hall, The L.A. Philharmonic at The Hollywood Bowl and the American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center. His solo show, All At Once, premiered at the Kennedy Center as a part of Barbara Cook's Spotlight Series. He served as music supervisor, arranger and conductor for Here We Are, Sondheim's final musical (book by David Ives, directed by Joe Mantello). 

As a music supervisor, he was represented Off-Broadway with Fiasco Theatre's production of Merrily We Roll Along at the Roundabout (also penned new orchestrations) and also served as music supervisor/music director and conductor for the 2019/2020 revival of West Side Story. Additionally, he conducted the New York Philharmonic on New Year's Eve 2019 with the concert, Celebrating Sondheim, featuring symphonic suites, which aired on Live From Lincoln Center. 

Other projects include an upcoming new production of john & jen (music supervision and arrangements), Whiskeyland (orchestrations and arrangements) and My Ántonia (orchestrations and co-arrangements), premiering at Theatre Latté Da, spring 2026. 

As a composer/lyricist, he is developing three new musicals, Diamond Alice (music/lyrics) swingset/moon (music and co-lyrics) and Broken Eggs (lyrics) and has composed the incidental music for several plays. 

He is an associate professor of Instruction at Northwestern University and has also served on the faculty of the National Theatre Institute at The O'Neill, NYU Steinhardt and CAP21. He has been guest faculty for the University Of Michigan, Texas State University, Syracuse University (Tepper) and NYU Tisch School Of The Arts. 

He is a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing Workshop, holds a certificate in Orchestration for Film and TV from Berklee College of Music and holds a BFA in musical theatre from The University of Michigan. 

He is a member of Actor's Equity, SAG/AFTRA and Local 802 AFM. 2018 marked the beginning of his tenure as artistic director for the National Music Theater Conference at The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, where he has helped shepherd over 30 new musicals. He is also the artistic director of the National Music Theater Institute at the O'Neill, a semester-long intensive Music Theatre performance training program. 

His greatest joys are his incredible wife, Erin Ortman, and their beautiful daughter.

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 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.