PARAMOUNT ANNOUNCES CAST FOR SCHOOL OF ROCK APRIL 12-JUNE 4, 2023

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SCHOOL OF ROCK

BASED ON THE HIT JACK BLACK MOVIE 

WITH NEW MUSIC BY ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER 

APRIL 12-JUNE 4, 2023

“We pledge allegiance - to the band - of Mr. Schneebly”

 

Paramount Theatre's cast for School of Rock features (top, left) Nick Druzbanski (Dewey Finn), (row 2, from left) Julia Dale (Katie), Omi Lichtenstein (Summer Hathaway), David Mattle (Freddy Hamilton), Jaxon Mitchell (Billy Sanford), Kayla Norris (Tomika Spencer-Williams), Leighton Tantillo (Lawrence), (row 3) Julian Wanderer (Zack Mooneyham), Jackson Evans (Ned Schneebly), Veronica Garza (Rosalie Mullins), Lucy Godinez (Patti Di Marco), Mary Robin Roth (Ms. Sheinkopf), and 13 ensemble members: Alex Benoit, (row 4) Alley Ellis, Andrés Enriquez, Dakota Hughes, Greta Kleckner, Em Modaff, Timothy Michael Quinn, (row 5) Jason Richards, Andrew Sickel, Allison Sill, Ana Silva, Ryan Stajmiger and Christopher Wayland.

Paramount Theatre has announced its roster for School of Rock, the Chicago professional regional premiere of the good-time musical based on the hit Jack Black movie, featuring new music from the genius mind of Andrew Lloyd Webber, directed by Trent Stork. Performances are April 12-June 4. I'll be out for opening night, April 21st, so check back soon for my full review. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666.

Nick Druzbanski will play wannabe-rocker-Dewey Finn-turned-substitute teacher-Ned Schneebly. Druzbanski’s signature roles at Paramount to date include Franz in Rock of Ages, LeFou in Beauty and the Beast, and ensemble roles in Groundhog Day and Kinky Boots.

Nick Druzbanski (right) played LeFou in Paramount’s 2020 production of Beauty and the Beast, opposite Emmett O’Hanlon as Gaston. Photo by Liz Lauren

 

Nick Druzbanski played Franz and Michael Ehlers was Hertz in

Paramount’s Rock of Ages in 2022. Photo by Liz Lauren

Seven amazing lead young actor/singer/musicians have pledged allegiance to the band of Mr. Schneebly: Julia Dale (Katie), Omi Lichtenstein (Summer Hathaway), David Mattle (Freddy Hamilton), Jaxon Mitchell (Billy Sanford), Kayla Norris (Tomika Spencer-Williams), Leighton Tantillo (Lawrence) and Julian Wanderer (Zack Mooneyham). And yes, they will all play their own instruments live in the show.

Factor in four favorite Chicago actors in other adults roles: Jackson Evans (Ned Schneebly), Veronica Garza (Rosalie Mullins), Lucy Godinez (Patti Di Marco) and Mary Robin Roth (Ms. Sheinkopf), and 13 ensemble members: Alex Benoit, Alley Ellis, Andrés Enriquez, Dakota Hughes, Greta Kleckner, Em Modaff, Timothy Michael Quinn, Jason Richards, Andrew Sickel, Allison Sill, Ana Silva, Ryan Stajmiger and Christopher Wayland.

Young actors rotating on stage as schoolmates and roadies include (top, from left) Charlie Long and Savannah Lumar (AJ); Lily Martens and Roxy Salzman (Jamie), Gabriel Solis and Eli Vander Griend (Madison), (row 2) Maya Keane and Clare Wols (Marcy), Elias Totleben and Levi Merlo (Mason), Meena Sood and Genevieve Jane (Shonelle), and (row 3) Naya Rosalie James and Annabel Finch (Sophie).

Plus 14 more kids rotating on stage as schoolmates and roadies: Charlie Long and Savannah Lumar (AJ); Lily Martens and Roxy Salzman (Jamie), Gabriel Solis and Eli Vander Griend (Madison), Maya Keane and Clare Wols (Marcy), Elias Totleben and Levi Merlo (Mason), Meena Sood and Genevieve Jane (Shonelle), and Naya Rosalie James and Annabel Finch (Sophie).

And that’s a full 39-member cast for Paramount’s 11th Broadway Series finale, with a 7-member live band in the orchestra pit.

Enough math. Let’s rock!

Previews of School of Rock start April 12. Opening Night is Friday, April 21, at 8 p.m. Performances run through June 4: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. (exception: No 1:30 p.m. matinee on Wednesday, April 12). Single tickets are $28 to $79.  

Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until show time on show days. For group discounts, contact Melissa Striedl, melissas@paramountarts.com or (630) 723-2461. 

For the latest updates, visit ParamountAurora.com or follow @ParamountAurora on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, @paramountarts on Tik Tok, and on LinkedIn.  

Pay What You Can Performances

Paramount will offer two Pay What You Can performances of School of Rock: Thursday, April 13, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 15 at 3 p.m. Both days, starting at 10 a.m., visit the Paramount box office in-person to request tickets. Limit four per person. Subject to availability. See paramountaurora.com/pay-what-you-can for details. 

Access Services

Paramount will offer open and closed captioning on Wednesday, May 24, at 7 p.m.

The performance on Friday, May 26, at 8 p.m. will be interpreted in American Sign Language.

Paramount offers assistive listening devices free of charge at all performances. Check in at the coat room before the show to borrow a listening device.

If you require wheelchair or special seating or other assistance, please contact the box office at (630) 896-6666 or boxoffice@paramountarts.com in advance.

Paramount’s School of Rock study guide

Wannabe rocker Dewey Finn has just been kicked out of his band. He can’t pay rent and his life is falling apart. When Dewey scams his way into a teaching job at a prestigious prep school meant for his roommate, he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. Dewey’s love of music and rock soon inspires the kids to pursue what they love. 

The 2003 hit movie School of Rock, credited for launching Jack Black’s career, was written by Mike White. White also played Dewey’s friend Ned Schneebly in the film, and more recently, created HBO’s The White Lotus.

The musical debuted on Broadway in 2015, was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and ran for 1,309 performances before closing in 2019. Andrew Lloyd Webber came on board to create new music for the musical version of School of Rock. Webber composed the scores of some of the world’s most famous musicals including The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Evita. Book is by Julian Fellowes and lyrics are by Glenn Slater.

Paramount’s School of Rock production team (at press time) is Trent Stork, director; Isaiah Silvia-Chandley, choreographer; Kory Danielson, music director, conductor and music supervisor; Michelle Lilly, scenic designer; Izumi Inaba, costume designer; Greg Hofmann, lighting designer; Adam Rosenthal, sound designer; Mike Tutaj, projection designer; Katie Cordts, wig, hair and makeup designer; Jesse Gaffney, properties designer; Ethan Deppe, electronic music designer; Max Fabian, intimacy director; Darren Patin, associate director; TJ Tapp, associate choreographer; Celia Villacres, associate music director and associate conductor; Cindy Moon, associate costume designer; Stark Winter, assistant lighting designer; Matthew Silar, stage manager; Lanita VanderSchaaf and Mary Zanger, assistant stage managers; and Bailey O’Neil and Katie Dreher, young performer supervisors.

Trent Stork, Paramount’s Associate Artistic Producer and Casting Director, won their first Jeff Award, Director-Musical-Large, for Paramount’s Kinky Boots in 2022. Stork’s Paramount directorial debut was in 2018 with Legally Blonde (Broadwayworld.com Award – Best Direction of a Musical.) Currently, Stork is busy co-directing Paramount’s Into the Woods with Artistic Director Jim Corti, running through March 19. 

Looking ahead:

Paramount announces 2023-24 Broadway and BOLD Series 

Light the marquee, roll out the red carpet and open the doors to the largest subscription theater in the nation, because downtown Aurora’s Paramount Theatre has announced four blockbuster musicals on tap for its 2023-24 Broadway Series: Little Shop of Horrors (August 30-October 15, 2023), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (November 8, 2023-January 14, 2024), Billy Elliot: The Musical (February 7-March 24, 2024), and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (April 24-June 16, 2024).

Just as it has since it launched its first Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount still offers the same “Buy Two Shows, Get Two Shows Free” offer, with Broadway subscriptions starting as low as $56. In fact, subscribers pay no more than $39.50 per show, and that’s the most expensive ticket. Fees not included.

In addition, Paramount will present three more fresh, fervent and emotionally intoxicating plays set in its second BOLD Series in 2023-2024 in Paramount’s sleek new Copley Theatre: the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal (July 26-September 3, 2023), the recent Off-Broadway sensation What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Shreck (October 4-November 12, 2023), and Tennessee Williams’s classic drama A Streetcar Named Desire (March 13-April 21, 2024). Three-show BOLD Series subscriptions start at $75.

To subscribe to either series, visit ParamountAurora.com, call

(630) 896-6666, or visit the Paramount box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until show time on show days. 

Paramount Theatre’s Covid-19 commitment to and safety and protocol

Paramount Theatre has followed, and will continue to follow, the requirements of the State of Illinois and the Kane County Health Department. Therefore, at press time, Paramount is following the guidance of the State of Illinois and recommends, but no longer requires masks, proof of vaccination or negative COVID test for patrons. Mask wearing is encouraged, but will be optional. For complete details, please read Paramount’s full Covid Policy. 

Sponsors

Old Second Bank is the sponsor of School of Rock. Paramount Theatre Broadway Season sponsors include the Dunham Foundation, the City of Aurora, BMO Harris Bank, ComEd and the Illinois Arts Council. Paramount’s BOLD Series is sponsored by Old National Bank.



About Paramount Theatre

Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is the center for performing arts in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. The beautiful, 1,843-seat theater, graced with a strong 1930s Art Deco influence and original Venetian décor, nationally known for its high-quality productions, superb acoustics and historic grandeur, has been downtown Aurora’s anchor attraction since 1931.

After launching its own Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount Theatre has rapidly grown to be the largest subscription house in the U.S. In 2022-23, more than 35,000 subscribers enjoyed Paramount’s critically acclaimed, Broadway-caliber productions, along with an array of internationally known comedians, musicians, dance troupes and family shows.

For over 50 years, the Joseph Jefferson Awards has recognized excellence in Chicago area theater. Last season, Paramount took home six Jeff Awards for Kinky Boots, including Best Musical-Large, Paramount’s fourth win in that category following Sweeney Todd (2017), West Side Story (2016) and Les Misérables (2015). Over the last 11 years, Paramount has been honored to earn 97 Jeff nominations and 27 wins.

Paramount Theatre is one of four live performance venues programmed and managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA). Paramount’s new “sister stage” is the newly renovated 165-seat Copley Theatre, home to Paramount’s new BOLD Series, across the street in the North Island Center. ACCA also oversees RiverEdge Park, the city’s 6,000-seat outdoor summer concert venue, Stolp Island Theatre, an immersive space opening in 2024, and the Paramount School of the Arts.

Movies On Our Radar: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES MARCH 31, 2023

 

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: 

HONOR AMONG THIEVES

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES 

SNEAK PREVIEW MARCH 26

EARLY ACCESS FAN EVENT MARCH 29

WIDE IN THEATRES MARCH 31, 2023

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!

A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure. 

I'll be out for an advance screening this Saturday, March 25th, so check back soon for my full review. Both my son and daughter play D & D, so we're pretty excited to check out this new release, out in theatres everywhere on my birthday, March 31st.

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGvv-Hhft3U 

WEBSITE: https://www.dungeonsanddragons.movie/

#DnDMovie

  CLICK TO WATCH THE NEW “TEAM VS. EVIL” FEATURETTE!

Paramount Pictures Presents

In Association with eOne

A Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley Film

Directed by:

Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley

 

Screenplay by:

Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley and Michael Gilio

 

Story by:

Chris McKay & Michael Gilio

 

Based on HASBRO’S DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

 

Produced by:

Jeremy Latcham, p.g.a., Brian Goldner, Nick Meyer

 

Executive Producers:

Denis L. Stewart, Jonathan Goldstein,

John Francis Daley, Chris Pine, Zev Foreman, Greg Mooradian

Cast:

Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head and Hugh Grant

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES Official Channels:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DungeonsandDragonsMovie/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dungeonsanddragonsmovie/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DnDMovie

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dungeonsanddragonsmovie

#DnDMovie

 

Disney’s ALADDIN TO PLAY BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S CADILLAC PALACE THEATRE MAY 17-28

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TICKETS WILL GO ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 17

Disney’s ALADDIN

TO PLAY

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S

CADILLAC PALACE THEATRE

FOR TWO WEEKS ONLY

MAY 17-28

Back in 2017, we covered Disney’s ALADDIN here in Chicago in a big way. It's a fabulously fun production for all ages and great for multigenerational memory making. The show's only playing Chicago for 2 weeks, before it disappears, so don't wait for the FOMO to set in. 

Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher, and Broadway In Chicago are delighted to announce that individual tickets for the long-awaited return engagement of Disney’s ALADDIN will go on sale to the public on Friday, March 17. The hit Broadway musical comedy will begin performances in Chicago at Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.) on May 17 for a limited two-week engagement through Sunday, May 28.

ALADDIN, the hit musical based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre to critical acclaim on March 20, 2014, and quickly established itself as one of the biggest new blockbusters, breaking 16 New Amsterdam Theatre house records and spawning nine productions on four continents. Worldwide it has welcomed more than 16 million people and can be seen currently on Broadway and on tour across North America, as well as in Tokyo, Mexico City and Madrid, with a UK tour slated to open later this year. The Broadway production recently played its 3,000th performance and joined the list of Top 20 longest Broadway runs. 

About ALADDIN

Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, ALADDIN features music by Tony Award and eight-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida) and six-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Prom, The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).   

ALADDIN, adapted from the animated Disney film and centuries-old folktales including “One Thousand and One Nights,” is brought to fresh theatrical life in this bold new musical. Aladdin’s journey sweeps audiences into an exciting world of daring adventure, classic comedy and timeless romance.  This new production features a full score, including the five cherished songs from the Academy Award-winning soundtrack and more written especially for the stage.

The animated film ALADDIN was released by Disney in 1992 and was a critical and box office smash, becoming the highest-grossing film of the year.

The film won the Oscar for Best Original Score and introduced the hit song “A Whole New World,” which won the second of the film’s two Academy Awards as Best Original Song.  The Peabo Bryson/Regina Belle recording of the tune soared to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

ALADDIN is designed by seven-time Tony-winning scenic designer Bob Crowley, seven-time Tony-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, two-time Tony-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes and sound designer Ken Travis.

The production team also includes illusion designers Jim Steinmeyer and Rob Lake, hair designer Josh Marquette and makeup designer Milagros Medina-Cerdeira.  The music team is headed by music supervisor and music director Michael Kosarin, who also created the vocal and incidental music arrangements, joined by orchestrator Danny Troob and dance music arranger Glen Kelly. John MacInnis is the associate choreographer, Jason Trubitt is the production supervisor and Myriah Bash is the general manager. 

Anne Quart serves as co-producer.

A previous North American tour of Casey Nicholaw’s Broadway production played 1,201 performances in 41 cities from April 11, 2017 to March 12, 2020, drawing more than 2.7 million people.

For more information, visit AladdinTheMusical.com/tour, Instagram and Facebook 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

In Chicago, ALADDIN will play Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with matinee performances at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Sunday performances will be at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. 

TICKET INFORMATION

Individual tickets for ALADDIN will go on-sale to the public on Friday, March 17. Tickets start at $33.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. For more  information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Ticket buyers are reminded that Broadway In Chicago is the only official retail ticket outlet for all performances at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. Ticket buyers who purchase tickets from a ticket broker or any third party should be aware that Broadway In Chicago is unable to reprint or replace lost or stolen tickets and is unable to contact patrons with information regarding time changes or other pertinent updates regarding the performance.

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 23 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the  Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, Auditorium Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway  Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Facebook @BroadwayInChicago ● Twitter @broadwaychicago ●

Instagram @broadwayinchicago ● TikTok @broadwayinchicago ● #broadwayinchicago

Chicago Premiere of What the Constitution Means to Me Via TimeLine Theatre Company May 10 – July 2, 2023

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BETH LACKE TO STAR IN 

TIMELINE THEATRE’S PRODUCTION OF 

WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME

MAY 10 – JULY 2

Raymond Fox, Sophie Ackerman, and Makalah Simpson

also featured in first Chicago staging of Heidi Schreck’s

Tony Award-nominated play, directed by Helen Young

TimeLine Theatre Company concludes its 2022-2023 season with the first Chicago-based production of the 2019 Broadway sensation, What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck.

Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and guttingly human debate-meets-play, Schreck resurrects her teenage self to trace the relationship between four generations of women—all while grappling with the founding document that, for better and worse, shapes their lives.

Helen Young, who staged TimeLine's Chicago debut of The Chinese Lady last season, returns to direct the first Chicago production of What the Constitution Means to Me. Beth Lacke plays “Heidi.” TimeLine's cast includes Raymond Fox, Sophie Ackerman, and Makalah Simpson.

With constitutional law and a woman's right to choose caught in political crosshairs, What the Constitution Means to Me has never been more timely. Don't miss TimeLine's first Chicago staging of this Pulitzer Prize finalist, and two-time Tony Award nominee, hailed as a “singularly charming, politically urgent and cathartically necessary play” (Los Angeles Times) that shows “how broad concepts of law and governance effect individual lives in the most intimate ways” (The Guardian). 

Beth Lacke stars in What the Constitution Means to Me. 

All Pre-production photos by Joe Mazza / brave lux, inc.

 

Pictured, from left: What the Constitution Means to Me playwright Heidi Schreck, director Helen Young, and cast members Beth Lacke, Raymond Fox, Sophie Ackerman, and Makalah Simpson. 

TimeLine Theatre Company announced today that Beth Lacke will return to the TimeLine stage to star as “Heidi” in the fourth production of the company’s 2022-2023 season—the first Chicago-based production of the “shattering, galvanizing, and very funny” (The Guardian) What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck. Directed by Helen Young, who most recently directed the acclaimed hit The Chinese Lady at TimeLine, What the Constitution Means to Me runs May 10 – July 2, 2023 at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Avenue in Chicago. I'll be out for the Press Night on May 17th, so check back shortly after for my full review. I had the pleasure of reviewing the Broadway tour a few years back, and I'm eager to see TimeLine Theatre's take on this thought provoking piece.

Tickets to What the Constitution Means to Me are now on sale. To purchase and for more information, visit timelinetheatre.com or call the TimeLine Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6. 

Beth Lacke (she/her) previously has been seen at TimeLine in Awake and Sing! and Frost/Nixon. A graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University, her other theatrical credits include Domesticated (Steppenwolf), God of Carnage (Goodman); Big Lake, Big City (Lookingglass); and a Jeff Award-winning turn in The Life and Times of Tulsa Lovechild: A Road Trip (Collaboraction). Recent television and film credits include Night Sky opposite Sissy Spacek (Amazon Prime), Christmas Again and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+) and Guess Who Died (Norman Lear/NBC). 

Beth Lacke

Joining Lacke in the cast will be Raymond Fox (he/him) as “Legionnaire.” Fox is also returning to TimeLine, where he previously appeared in Blood and Gifts, receiving an Equity Jeff Award for Actor in a Supporting Role, Play. A Lookingglass Theatre Ensemble Member, where he’s acted in numerous productions since 1989, Fox also has appeared at countless other theatres around Chicago and the United States, as well on Broadway in Metamorphoses.

Raymond Fox

Rounding out the cast are Sophie Ackerman and Makalah Simpson, who will alternate the role of “Debater.”

Sophie Ackerman (she/her) is returning to TimeLine, where she debuted in The Audience. Currently a freshman at Lane Tech High School, Ackerman’s theatre credits also include The Music Man (Goodman), Beauty and the Beast (Drury Lane), The King and I (Lyric Opera) and the Lookingglass Young Ensemble. On screen she can be seen in Saturdays (Disney+) and South Side (HBO Max).

Sophie Ackerman

Makalah Simpson (they/them) also is returning to TimeLine, where they have spent three summers as part of the TimeLine South Ensemble, creating and performing in devised pieces Fulmination, Flowers Grow On Trees, and Recidivism. Born and raised in Chicago, Simpson is an avid activist and artist and is currently a senior at Thornton Fractional South High School.

Makalah Simpson

The production team for What the Constitution Means to Me includes Jessica Kuehnau Wardell (Scenic Designer, she/her), Megan E. Pirtle (Costume Designer, she/her), Maggie Fullilove-Nugent (Lighting Designer, she/her), Amy Peter (Properties Designer, she/her), Forrest Gregor (Sound Designer, he/him), Maren Robinson (Dramaturg, she/her), and Miranda Anderson (Stage Manager, she/her).

BIOGRAPHIES

Heidi Schreck (Playwright) is a writer and performer living in Brooklyn. Her play What the Constitution Means to Me was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist and won the Obie Award and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best American Play in 2019. She also received two Tony Award nominations for Best Play and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play, and received the 2019 Benjamin Hadley Danks Award from the Academy of Arts and Letters. A filmed version of What the Constitution Means to Me, starring Schreck, premiered in 2020 exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, and was nominated for a Critics Choice Award, a PGA Award, and a DGA Award. Her other work includes Grand Concourse, which debuted at Playwrights Horizons and Steppenwolf Theatre in 2014-15 and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and her first play Backwards into China, produced by Printer's Devil at the Theater Off Jackson in 1997. Screenwriting credits include I Love Dick, Billions, Nurse Jackie, Dispatches from Elsewhere, and projects in development with Plan B, Amazon, and Imagine Television. Schreck has also taught playwriting and screenwriting at New York University, Columbia, and Kenyon College, and is the recipient of three Obie Awards, a Drama Desk, the Horton Foote Playwriting Award, and a Theatre World Award.

Helen Young (Director) returns to TimeLine, where she mostly recently directed the acclaimed hit production of Lloyd Suh’s The Chinese Lady. At TimeLine, she also directed the online event Setting the Stage: The Chinese Lady — Building a Bridge Toward Asian Visibility, the TimePieces readings of The Chinese Lady and The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin, and served as Associate Director of The Audience and Assistant Dramaturg of Chimerica. Chicago credits include directing Wild Boar and director lead for New China Festival (Silk Road Rising), directing American Hwangap (Jeff Recommended) and Tiny Dynamite (Halcyon/A-Squared), and directing Tea (Jeff Recommended, Prologue Theatre). Other directing credits include work with Chicago Dramatists, Remy Bumppo, Our Perspectives, Indie Boots (reading festival winner), Polarity Ensemble (reading festival winner), Artemisia, Artistic Home, Token Theatre, and Miranda Theatre's Liz Smith Reading Series at the Cherry Lane in New York City. Young is also an actor and serves on the boards of Token Theatre and Chicago Dramatists.

ABOUT WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME

Heidi Schreck's Pulitzer Prize finalist is a “slyly crafted piece of persuasion and a tangible contribution to the change it seeks” (The New York Times) and a “singularly charming, politically urgent and cathartically necessary play” (Los Angeles Times) that shows “how broad concepts of law and governance effect individual lives in the most intimate ways” (The Guardian). 

Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and guttingly human debate-meets-play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the relationship between four generations of women—all while grappling with the founding document that, for better and worse, shapes their lives.

What the Constitution Means to Me became a sensation upon its premiere at New York Theatre Workshop in 2018 and went on to a five-month Broadway run with Schreck in the leading role, garnering Tony Award nominations for Best Play and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play. A national tour—launched in 2020, paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and resumed in 2021—followed. The play has been filmed, again with Schreck performing, for Amazon Prime Video.

TimeOut New York declared: “Here is something that every citizen must see: It’s theater in the old sense, the Greek sense, a place where civic society can come together and do its thinking and fixing and planning.”

On the heels of the reversal of the foundational Roe v. Wade ruling, What the Constitution Means to Me is bound to feel even more relevant, profound, and searing than during its original run and Broadway debut. In the end, Shreck’s personal stories reflect our own, as does her passion, her laughter, and her outrage at a document that deserves to be challenged as much as it is upheld.

“TimeLine is thrilled to include Heidi Shreck’s profoundly moving play in our 26th season,” said Artistic Director PJ Powers. “We first encountered this script in 2018, amidst a national debate spurred by the Brett Kavanaugh hearings for the Supreme Court, and it was immediately clear that this wholly original piece of theatre was an ideal fit for TimeLine’s mission. While its resonance was palpable when it first premiered, its impact has only grown since then. Delving into the past through stories that are both personal and political, Heidi examines the flaws and fragility of our country’s founding document and shines a light on the ways in which the quest to form a more perfect union remains a work in progress, beset by steps forward and back.” 

“When I first encountered What the Constitution Means to Me, I was struck by how the play got me to realize I indeed have feelings about the Constitution (and our democratic process)!” said director Helen Young. “It energized me to want to talk to others who saw the play and debate about its topics, especially if others had differing interpretations. It reminded me that discourse, which includes listening, is an essential obligation of our democracy, and that the contents and interpretation of these living documents are woven into our everyday living, whether we realize it or not.”

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets to What the Constitution Means to Me are now on sale via timelinetheatre.com or by calling the TimeLine Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6.

Preview tickets are $25. Single tickets to regular performances start at $47 (Wednesday through Friday evenings), $54 (Saturday evenings and Thursday matinees) and $62 (Saturday and Sunday matinees). Student discount is 35% off regular price with valid ID. TimeLine is also a member of TCG’s Blue StarTheatre Program and is offering $25 tickets to U.S. military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their spouses and family.

Ticket buyers ages 18-35 may join TimeLine’s free MyLine program to obtain access to discounted tickets, special events and more. Discounted rates for groups of 10 or more are also available. Visit timelinetheatre.com/discounts for more about available discounts.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Previews for What the Constitution Means to Me are Wednesday, May 10 through Friday, May 12 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 13 at 4 p.m.; Sunday, May 14 at 2 p.m.; and Tuesday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. Press Night is Wednesday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. Opening Night is Thursday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. Regular performances continue through July 2: Wednesdays (May 24, June 7, and June 21 only) and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. Exceptions: No shows on Saturday, May 20 at 4 p.m. and Sunday, June 25; additional Thursday matinees on June 1, June 15, June 22, and June 29 at 2 p.m.

DISCUSSIONS

Post-Show Discussions: A brief, informal post-show discussion hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and featuring the dramaturg and members of the production team on Sunday, May 21; Wednesday, May 24; Thursday, June 8; and Thursday, June 15 at 2 p.m.

Pre-Show Discussions: Starting one hour before the performance, a 25-minute introductory conversation hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and the dramaturg before the matinee performance on Thursday, June 1 and the evening performance on Thursday, June 15.

Company Member Discussion: A post-show discussion with the collaborative team of artists who choose TimeLine’s programming and guide the company’s mission on Sunday, June 11.

Sunday Scholars Panel Discussion: A one-hour panel discussion featuring experts on the themes and issues of the play alongside a member of the production team in a moderated discussion, following the performance on Sunday, June 18.

All discussions are free and open to the public. For details, visit timelinetheatre.com.

 

ACCESSIBILITY

Distanced Performances: Performances on Sunday, May 28 and Wednesday, June 7 will have a capacity cap and seating chart so that patrons can sit with additional space allocated between parties.

Captioned Performances: Open-captioned performances with a text display of words and sounds heard during performances are Friday, June 16, and Saturday, June 17 at 4 p.m.

Audio-Described Performance: On Thursday, June 22, the performance will feature narration about visual elements of the production around the dialogue, available for individual patrons via headphones.

TimeLine Theatre is accessible to people with disabilities. Two wheelchair lifts provide access from street level to the theatre space and to lower-level restrooms. Audience members using wheelchairs or who need to avoid stairs, and others with special seating or accessibility needs, should contact the TimeLine Box Office in advance to confirm arrangements.

LOCATION/TRANSPORTATION/PARKING

What the Constitution Means to Me will take place at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood, near the corner of Wellington and Broadway, inside the former Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ building, now Chabad East Lakeview. TimeLine is served by multiple CTA trains and buses. There are multiple paid parking options nearby, plus limited free and metered street parking. Visit timelinetheatre.com/timeline-theatre for details and available discounts.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Currently, TimeLine will require mask-wearing only at selected performances of What the Constitution Means to Me each week, specifically all Thursday evening, Sunday matinee, and Distanced Seating performances (Sunday, May 28 at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m.). While masking is no longer required at most performances, TimeLine will support an individual’s choice to mask and will continue to make good quality masks available upon request. TimeLine’s health and safety protocols are subject to change. To learn more, visit timelinetheatre.com/health-and-safety.

ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY

TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. Currently celebrating its 26th season, TimeLine has presented 85 productions, including 12 world premieres and 39 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program, which brings the company's mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 60 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times.

The company has long been bursting at the seams of its current leased home located at 615 W. Wellington Avenue in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood, where the theatre has been in residence since 1999. In December 2018, TimeLine announced the purchase of property at 5033-35 North Broadway in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood to be the site of its new home. Plans feature an intimate black box theater seating up to 250 audience members, expanded area for the immersive lobby experiences that are a TimeLine hallmark, new opportunities for education and engagement, room to allow audience members to arrive early and stay late for theatergoing experiences that extend far beyond the stage, and more. TimeLine is working with HGA as architect for its new home project, which is expected to be completed in 2024.

TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Executive Director Mica Cole, and Board President John Sterling. TimeLine Company members are Tyla Abercrumbie, Will Allan, Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Behzad Dabu, Charles Andrew Gardner, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Anish Jethmalani, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, and Maren Robinson.

Major corporate, government and foundation donors providing season support via TimeLine’s Annual Fund include: Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation; Crown Family Philanthropies; Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation; Laughing Acres Family Foundation; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at Prince; National Endowment for the Arts; Polk Bros. Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; Van Dam Charitable Foundation; and Walder Foundation. TimeLine also acknowledges the support of a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

For more information, visit timelinetheatre.com or Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (@TimeLineTheatre).

FLASH GIVEAWAY: WIN Tickets to The 2nd Annual Chicago Circus and Performing Arts Festival March 9-12, 2023

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar   

Chicago Circus and Performing Arts Festival

FLASH GIVEAWAY: 

ENTER AT THE END OF THIS POST FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A Family 4 Pack of Tickets to Any Family Show and/or 

A Pair of Tickets to Any Adult Circus Act!

March 9-12 at Wicker Park’s Den Theatre, Opening Gala March 9

Chicago-Based Ensembles Offer Circus, Burlesque, Dance & Comedy

Chicago Circus & Performing Arts Festival, the Windy City’s newest multidisciplinary fest, will run March 9-12, 2023, at Wicker Park’s Den Theatre at 1331 N. Milwaukee. Thirteen unique performances from Chicago-based companies include traditional circus acts, avant-garde sideshow and burlesque offerings, family-friendly juggling and clowning shows, queer-themed work, plus several evening-length pieces that also include dance. Several shows are double features: twice the fun for the same price!

Single tickets are $15-40 and are available online or at 773-697-3830. The lobby features cashless cocktails from the newly renovated Haven Lounge before and after performances. The Opening Gala is on March 9, from 6-10 PM and includes vendor tables from local businesses and Chicago circus schools, door prize giveaways, and a silent auction. Exclusive previews for media and donors will be performed throughout the night. Metered street parking is available, and the apps ParkChicago, Spot Hero, Park Whiz, and Parq Ex are recommended to secure a spot. The venue is also accessible to the Blue Line (north of Division, south of Damen stops) and via various bus routes. The Festival’s media sponsors are The Actors Gymnasium and CircusTalk.

 

SCHEDULE

Thursday, March 9

Heath Mainstage & Lobby: 

6:00-10:00 pm Opening Gala: Show previews for media and donors, silent auction, local vendors.

 

Friday, March 10

Bookspan Stage: 

6:00-7:30 pm Creature Double Feature by Such Creatures (circus + dance fusion, queer-themed)

7:45-9:15 pm BIPOC Circus Alliance Midwest (classic circus cabaret, all BIPOC cast)

9:30-11:00pm the Back Side Show by Yes Ma’am Circus (side-show, burlesque, circus, ages 18+)

 

Saturday, March 11 

Bookspan Stage: 

12:45- 2:15 pm Distillations & Don't Try This At Home- Double Feature by Luther Bangert & Dinder Brothers’ Circus (juggling solo show, family circus troop, side-show, family friendly)

2:30- 4:00 pm Double Feature- Poised & The Reluctant Mind Reader by Raphael Entertainment (solo juggling + solo magic, family friendly)

4:15- 5:45 pm BIPOC Circus Alliance Midwest (classic circus cabaret, all BIPOC cast)

6:00- 7:30 pm Autobiography of a Late Bloomer by Lucid Banter Project (dance, queer-themed, ages 13+)

7:45- 9:15 pm Circus Dungeon Crawl by Yes Ma’am Circus (circus cabaret, burlesque, nerd-themed, ages 18+)

9:30- 11:00 pm Queer Double Feature: And They Were Shipmates, A Queer Pirate Romance Adventure & Queer Dance Freakout by Counterfeit Combat & Gender Fucked Productions

 

Sunday, March 12 

Heath Mainstage: 

10:30 am- 12:00 pm Serious Cirque by Duo Refraction+ (circus, clown, family friendly)

12:15- 1:45 pm Circus Cabaret of Wonder by the Amazing Prizzini Brothers (classic circus cabaret, clowning, family friendly)

 

Bookspan Stage: 

12:15- 1:45 pm Double Feature- Poised & The Reluctant Mind Reader by Raphael Entertainment (solo juggling + solo magic, family friendly)

2:00- 3:30 pm Distillations & Don't Try This At Home- Double Feature by Luther Bangert & Dinder Brothers’ Circus (juggling solo show, family circus troop, side-show, family friendly)

SHOWS/ENSEMBLES

The Amazing Prizzini Brothers’ Circus Cabinet of Wonder: The Amazing Prizzini Brothers’ classic circus cabaret features family-friendly circus acts and clowning. The goal is simple: to make the audience complicit in the mischief. 

Autobiography of a Late Bloomer: Lucid Banter Project presents Autobiography of a Late Bloomer, a collection of work created over a span of 15 years, following the choreographer's coming-out journey. Following Paula, Lucid Banter Project's director, through professional growth, family drama, religious realizations, sexual awakenings, relationship highs and lows, injury, and emotional abuse, the audience is brought along through the experiences, emotions, and growth of a late bloomer lesbian.

BIPOC Circus Alliance Midwest Showcase: This circus cabaret features circus artists of Color as they share individual stories that depict human emotions and unique challenges faced by POC in contemporary America. Disciplines will include rope, straps, aerial hammock, diabolo, and silks. For ages 13+. 

The Back Side Show: Produced by Yes Ma'am Circus, the Back Side Show features burlesque, sideshow, and variety acts from around Chicago. For ages 18+. 

Circus Dungeon Crawl: Yes Ma’am Circus’ longest running cabaret! Come see the Chicago debut of Circus Dungeon Crawl, previously only shown to the elite crowd of gamers at GenCon in Indianapolis! Journey with Marcus the Bard as they attempt to drink, seduce, and thieve their way through the Multiverse, along with a cast of aerialists, clowns, and burlesque dancers.

Creature Double Feature: Creature Double Feature brings you not one, but TWO new works by Such Creatures Co-Directors Luke Greeff & Ashaand Simone. Missile Kid by Luke Greeff shows a punk-rock apocalyptic horror movement suite on unmasking the Autistic soul within the confines of an Allistic world … or a dancey existential crisis to good tunes… you decide. intimate youniverse by Ashaand Simone transports the audience into an 8-bit arcade world where they’re in charge of helping the protagonist’s disparate parts work towards some amount of peace. In doing so, they will learn firsthand what it looks like to re-wire the brain away from the impacts of (Complex) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and towards acceptance of intimacy and connection.

Distillations & Don't Try This At Home- Double Feature: A family friendly double feature. A solo contemporary juggling show performed by Luther Bangert, Distillations takes the audience on a multimedia and multidimensional journey through the anatomy of a moment, investigating causality, and emerging into the ground state of the juggling universe. Dinder Brother's Circus is proud to present the "DONT TRY THIS AT HOME SHOW!!!" Seen across the midwest since 2015 this blend of circus, magic, and danger is sure to entertain anyone ages 4 and up!  With mystifying aerials, feats of death, and astounding illusions everyone will find something they enjoy.

Double Feature- Poised & The Reluctant Mind Reader: A funny and dazzling 1-man duo show! Welcome to an experience that aims to have you question the absolute limits of what is humanly possible. Brought to you by one of Chicago's top jugglers, Poised is a family friendly show full of laughs and amazing feats of balance and coordination. Then stay and watch as someone with the ability to read minds shows off his powers while talking about the pains and annoyances that come with always hearing what people are thinking. The Reluctant Mind Reader showcases how some gifts aren’t what they’re cracked up to be.

Serious Cirque: Serious Cirque is a not so serious deconstruction of contemporary circus performance. It transparently and unabashedly reveals the hilarity, failures, successes and discoveries that come out of circus creation. What happens when Siri tries to third wheel your adagio duet opener? What if the duo trapeze porter loses his flyer and must perform only with sock puppets?

Queer Double Feature- And They Were Shipmates, A Queer Pirate Romance Adventure & Queer Dance Freakout: First, Counterfeit Combat presents a gay pirate show full of fights and fun that you can’t miss! Join us onboard Calico Jack’s ship, The Ranger, as we follow the tale of the infamous female pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. This occasionally true story based on historical facts will have you laughing, sighing, and gasping, oh aye! Then stick around for Queer Dance Freakout, an interactive, choose your own adventure spectacle produced by Gender Fucked Productions. This company of queer, trans, and nonbinary choreographers and storytellers will perform up to 30 dances that will have audiences booty shaking, grooving, and connecting with the queer community.

*Click HERE for your chance to WIN a FREE Family 4 Pack of Tickets to your choice of any family friendly show at the 2nd Annual Chicago Circus and Performing Arts Festival!

**Click HERE for your chance to WIN a FREE Pair of Tickets to your choice of any Adult Show at the 2nd Annual Chicago Circus and Performing Arts Festival!

Winners announced at noon Thursday, March 9th.

ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows are thrilled to partner up with the 2nd Annual Chicago Circus and Performing Arts Festival to give away A Family 4 Pack of Tickets to Any Family Show and/or A Pair of Tickets to Any Adult Circus Act!

MUSIC THEATER WORKS ANNOUNCES CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR THE TONY AWARD-WINNING, AVENUE Q, MARCH 9 - APRIL 2 AT THE NORTH SHORE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Music Theater Works presents

Avenue Q

Hilarious, charming and a little profane, Avenue Q will turn your expectation of acceptable discourse on its head

Book by Jeff Whitty

Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx

Based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx

Directed and Choreogrpahed by Christopher Pazdernik

Assistant Directed by Ashley Keys

Music Directed by Eugene Dizon

Run time, including the intermission, is 2 hours and 30 minutes

Launch of Music Theater Works 43rd Season with the adult music comedy Avenue Q in the North Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts In Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie. The Tony Award-winning musical comedy with book by Jeff Whitty, music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and is directed and choreographed by Christopher Pazdernik, assistant directed by Ashley Keys and music directed by Eugene Dizon.

Music Theater Works’ 43rd Season Begins with the Musical Comedy That Won the Tony Award for Best Musical, Directed and Choreographed by Christopher Pazdernik, Assistant Directed by Ashley Keys and Music Directed by Eugene Dizon

Music Theater Works is proud to announce the cast and creative team for the first production in its 43rd season, Avenue Q in the North Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts In Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, March 9 - April 2. The Tony Award-winning musical comedy with book by Jeff Whitty, music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and is directed and choreographed by Christopher Pazdernik, assistant directed by Ashley Keys and music directed by Eugene Dizon. 

The performance schedule includes a preview performance Thursday, March 9 at 1 p.m.

I'll be out for the press opening March 10th, so check back soon for my full review. The performance schedule is Wednesdays at 1 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. with a Saturday matinee, March 18 at 2 p.m. and two Thursday performances on March 23 and 30 at 7:30 p.m. 

Tickets are now on sale from $39 to $106 with tickets for guests 25 years old and younger available at half-price at MusicTheaterWorks.com or by calling the Music Theater Works box office at the North Shore Center, 847.673.6300. Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by contacting 847.920.5360.

Join the irreverent denizens of Avenue Q - part flesh, part plushy, people, puppets and all fun. Hilarious, charming and a little profane, Avenue Q will turn your expectation of acceptable discourse on its head. Follow our hero Princeton, fresh out of college, to his shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q which, it soon becomes clear, is not your ordinary neighborhood. Laugh out loud, funny, toe-tappingly singable and full of warmth and humor, Avenue Q won the Tony for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book.

The cast of Avenue Q includes Jimmy Hogan (Princeton); Brandy Miller (Kate Monster); Adam Ross Brody (Rod); Andres J. DeLeon (Nicky/Trekkie Monster/Bad Idea Bear); Melissa Crabtree (Lucy/Mrs. Thistletwat/ Bad Idea Bear); Thomas E. Squires (Brian) and Mai Hartwich (Christmas Eve) and Whitney Dottery (Gary Coleman).

The Avenue Q understudies include Zoe Maroko (Kate Monster U/S); David Blakeman (Nicky/Trekkie/Bad Idea Bear U/S); Rachel Livingston (Lucy/Mrs. Thistletwat/Bad Idea Bear U/S); Mark Bartishell (Brian U/S) and Ashley Saul (Gary Coleman U/S).

The Avenue Q creative team currently includes Christopher Pazdernik  (director/choreographer); Ashley Keys (assistant director); Eugene Dizon (music director); Ben Lipinski (scenic designer); Justin LeBlanc (costume designer); Andrew Meyers (lighting designer); Rick Sims (sound designer); Bob Stilton (props designer); Nick Zabel (technical director); Kristi Martens (puppeteer); Peter Jacob Ruiz (dramaturg); Cameron Koniarski (master electrician); Will Hughes (scenic shop technical director); David Sajewich (media designer); Tony Churchill (associate media engineer); Alexis Lotspeich (assistant costume designer); Chelsea Lynn (lighting programmer); Elena Patterson (stage manager); MaK Cole (assistant stage manager); Jennifer King Russell (company manager); Chris Chase (production manager) and Kyle A. Dougan (producing artistic director). 

Health Safety Procedure:

All guests are recommended to wear face masks during the performance regardless of vaccination status.

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER PAZDERNIK, DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER

Christopher Pazdernik makes his Music Theater Works debut with Avenue Q. Pazdernik is best-known for his work as artistic director of Refuge Theatre Project (Jeff Awards, Best Director and Best Production of a Musical, High Fidelity); a long association with Porchlight Music Theatre, including directing eight Porchlight Revisits productions and his current role as producing director at Theo, where he directed Godspell earlier this year. Also an openly HIV+ artist, Pazdernik is the creator and producer of the annual benefit concert “Belting for Life” and co-captain of Team Option Up! for AIDS Run/Walk Chicago.

ABOUT EUGENE DIZON, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Eugene Dizon is currently the executive director at Mercury Theater Chicago with his husband L. Walter Stearns. He has been musical directing for over two decades garnering six Jeff Awards while at Porchlight Music Theatre (Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, Amadeus, Company, Into the Woods, Merrily We Roll Along), as well as Jeff nominations for A Grand Night for Singing (Mercury); Candide, Nine the Musical, Closer Than Ever, A Little Night Music, Passion, Colette Collage, and Falsettos; four After Dark Awards (Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, A New Brain, Merrily We Roll Along (Porchlight), a BroadwayWorld Award for Mercury’s Avenue Q and BroadwayWorld nominations for Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Little Shop of Horrors, Hair, Mary Poppins and The Color Purple, all at the Mercury. Additionally at the Mercury, he has musical directed Spamalot, Pippin, Company, The Producers and Barnum. He has been inducted into the Chicago Filipino Hall of Fame (class of 2004) and has co-produced six “Season of Carols” CDs for which Season of Concern awarded him the 2013 Larry Sloan Advocate Award and the Season of Concern 2018 Larry Sloan Legacy Award for “consistently and passionately being a trailblazer on behalf of Season of Concern.” Dizon most recent projects include TO BE (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) and Mr. Burns – a post-electric play (Theater Wit). Upcoming projects include The Producers at Music Theater Works and Young Frankenstein at Mercury.

ABOUT MUSIC THEATER WORKS

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

1980. During its 42-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. 

JOYCE SAXON is the 2023 Music Theater Works Season Sponsor.

Preview: Thursday, March 9 at 1 p.m.

Press Performance: Friday, March 10 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 11 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, March 12 at 2 p.m.

Wednesday, March 15 at 1 p.m.

Friday, March 17 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 18 at 2 and 8 p.m.

Sunday, March 19 at 2 p.m.

Wednesday, March 22 at 1 p.m.

Thursday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 24 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 25 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, March 26 at 2 p.m.

Wednesday, March 29 at 1 p.m.

Thursday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 31 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 1 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, April 2 at 2 p.m.

Tickets: $39 to $106, tickets for guests 25 years old and younger are available for half-price.

Music Theater Works Box Office: (847) 673-6300

Website: MusicTheaterWorks.com