Displaying items by tag: Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

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.

More jukebox than musical, Theo Ubique’s production of 8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s, conceived by Rick Seeber with musical arrangements by Michael Gribben, is a tribute to 70’s AM radio, performed by an ensemble of powerhouse vocalists, showcasing a range of tunes from Motown to the Bee Gees. There is no metal, punk, or hip-hop, but the range of pop sounds that provided the soundtrack for the decade is wide enough that, in the hands of the capable musicians who perform them in this lively rendition, there is something for everyone in the set-list. The actor/singers do a good job of creating distinct characters, but plumbing the depths of relationships or creating anything resembling a plot is an elusive quest when there are 50 songs to get through. Director/Choreographer Jamal Howard has done his best to pay tribute to the social movements of the 70’s, but this backdrop only makes one wish for a deeper dive; the production is more successful when the music guides the choreography and relationships are lighter. Music director/conductor/designer and keyboardist Jeremy Ramey keeps the tempos brisk and the harmonies tight, providing a musical setting that ensures one is not sucked into the morass of the more saccharin or outdated numbers. The cast is respectful of the material but does not allow their reverence to try to sell numbers whose expiration date is past—though they still have fun with them. Billed as a holiday production, this is a light-weight but entertaining option for people who loved even some of the music of the 70’s or those whose pop music education began in later decades and want a quick primer.

Performed by a stellar eight-person cast led by four lead singers, Jamal Howard’s production pays tribute to the social movements that defined the decade, especially the post-Stonewall gay rights movement. Several characters explore their sexual orientation, questioning and fearing their feelings of attraction until finally embracing them with the advent of disco at the end of the decade.  The Vietnam War was nearing its end at the beginning of the 70’s, but the draft was still claiming the lives of young men without the means of it, and the music and Howard, with assistant director/choreographer J Alan, honors those who were forced to take up arms. Feminists were starting to demand equality of pay and opportunities for women, which was reflected in the music of the time (Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman” being a more obvious example), though there were plenty of songs that countered that narrative as well (the Commodore’s “Brick House” being a rousing but egregious example). In trying to bring these narratives into a musical without a book, Howard occasionally creates frustratingly mercurial relationships that leave one wanting some dialogue to flesh things out, but the historical framework offers insights into the decade that younger viewers will not have. Howard’s choreography is serviceable throughout, but shines when he draws on the dances of the time period.

The design elements also help transport the audience to the era. Mara Ishihara Zinky’s scenic design combines elements of wood-paneled basement and music club. Costume designer Jasmine Aurora Medina’s first act designs seem to be a year-by-year march through the Sears catalogue, though characters become more consistent as they “find themselves” and the disco looks are truly fabulous. Lighting designer Piper Kirchhofer brings a concert-like feel to the evening, relying on super-saturated colors to provide shifts in mood. Sound designer Stefanie M. Senior adds additional period context, and audio engineers Isaac Mandel and Max Cichon provide invaluable support.

The eight cast members all create distinct characters and bring both acting chops and vocal expertise to the experience. There is a lot of music, and the arrangements are complicated by the addition of voices to the core cast of four, but all the performers flawlessly execute the vocal journey and choreography. The four lead singers, Wesly Anthony Clergé, Mia Nevarez, Patrick O’Keefe and Jasmine Lacy Young all bring confidence and exuberance to their performances, capturing the emotions of their characters’ relationships and the songs that provide the vehicles. Jasmine Lacy Young brings soaring vocals to the anthem “I Am Woman,” and more meditative songs like “Just the Way You Are.” Wesly Anthony Clergé brings out the anger in “War” as the veteran who could not avoid the draft. Clergé’s well-modulated voice and ingratiating smile are a highlight of the show. Mia Nevarez, a relative newcomer, has a beautiful, smooth soprano that manages to make even “You Light Up My Life” rise above its schmalzy mediocrity. Navarez and Clergé join forces for a beautiful rendition of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” Patrick O’Keefe rounds out the quartet of principals; he ends up having to sell some of the less sturdy music of the decade and his character takes a while to come into his own, but he brings a nice longing to songs like “I’m Not in Love” and “Desperado.” The remaining members of the ensemble provide become love interests and swell the sounds of the music. Chamaya Moody distinguishes herself with her dance moves, but all the actors, Moody, Alli Atkenson, Matt Patrick and Roy Samra find ways to create characters that remain consistent while changing with the decade. The show is at its most joyful and fun when the eight-member ensemble joins together for “tracks” (the show is divided into eight of these, appropriately), including a raucous party in the first act, and a road trip and disco tribute in the second. With a versatile band consisting of Jeremy Ramey on keyboards, Perry Crowder on guitar, Egan Franke on bass and Carlos Mendoza on drums backing up the vocals and rocking out on their own, the production more than does justice to the artists that created the sounds of 70’s.

If one has musical memories of the 70s, 8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s will provide a joyful trip to the past, with the talented cast breathing life into even the most moribund hits of the decade. If one is too young to recollect the times, many of the hits may still ring a bell, and the show will provide an energetic introduction to those that don’t. If you are looking for complex plots and characters, this is not your show, but director Jamal Howard and the exuberant ensemble have created a respectful but not too reverent time capsule that provides a nice break from the winter weather as well as a reminder that every decade has its own struggles and celebrations.

8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s runs through January 23 at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre at 721 Howard Street, Evanston. Tickets are on sale at www.theo-u.com or 773-939-4101. Prices are Thurs. & Sun. $42 bar seats, $45 riser seats, $50 table seats; Fri & Sat: $46 bar seats, $49 riser seats, $54 table seats, except ticket prices for the New Year’s Eve show (including a champagne toast) are $70 for the show only. No performances Christmas week Thursday, December 23 through Sunday, December 26. Optional three course prix fixe dinners catered by Good To Go Jamaican Cuisine are available for $29.00 per person, per show. Dinner reservations must be placed one week in advance of the desired performance date. Theo Ubique will be requiring all audience members to be fully vaccinated from COVID-19 this season. Photo ID and proof of vaccination (photos or photocopies are acceptable) will be required at the door. (Starting one hour before curtain, all unsold seats will be released for $20.)

If you haven’t already made plans to see 'Hello Again' at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, don’t wait another minute! Director/Choreographer Brenda Didlier’s reimagination of this 1993 off-Broadway musical.

The story is composed of 10 interwoven vignettes focusing on 10 love affairs portrayed in a frolicking, whimsical, lighthearted tone and yet layered in the heaviness of sadness, loneliness, and emotional emptiness.

Performed in the intimate cabaret setting where the cast and audience were close enough to touch added another layer of depth to the characters as they were able to perform in normal voice levels and eye level, making the connection between the characters and the audience members more real, intimate, and believable.

The love affairs take place throughout the 20th century, so the scenes and the musical numbers cover 100 year of musical styles, wardrobes and fashion, and historical events and lifestyles. Music Director/Conductor Jeremy Ramey and the orchestra produced the perfect mood as he helped us travel from New York City in 1900 to present with stop offs in a 1930’s movie house, a 1970’s disco, and even a stop on a luxury liner in 1912. The five-piece orchestra produced a full sound to fill the room when required but never drew us away from the characters. Costumes and sets were fast-changing and minimalist, but eye catching and definitely transformative with the changing timeline.

As for the stars of the show, I was delighted that the entire cast are the stars together. While each brought their strengths to their characters, they all complemented each other perfectly and each of the love affairs played an equally important part in the overarching story. Neala Barron’s (The Actress) and Christopher Ratiff’s (The Soldier), both Jeff Award nominees for 110 in the Shade (Boho), lend their strong vocals and acting skills to a very talented cast.

I certainly felt an emotional connection to several of the characters, specifically the Husband (Royen Kent), the Writer (Max J. Cervantes) and the Senator (Courtney Jones). All of the characters were very honest and relatable.

While all the scenes and numbers were exceptional as well, a couple of my favorites include the opening number “Hello Again” featuring the Whore (Megan Elk) and the Soldier (Ratliff), “The One I love” featuring the Young Thing (Marco Tzunux) and the Writer (Cervantes)and “The Bed Was Not My Own” featuring the Senator (Jones) and the Whore (Elk).

'Hello Again' continues at Theo Ubique through November 3, 2019. This is an excellent show which I highly recommend.