Maks Chmerkovskiy to Join SAVOR AFTER HOURS Cast for Chicago Debut

The complete cast has been revealed for SAVOR After Hours with Maks Chmerkovskiy joining the previously announced cast on select dates, August 6 - 18. Crafted for Chicago audiences after electrifying audiences in Napa, California last summer, this one-of-a-kind theatrical experience entertains and tells a thrilling story through dance, passion and a zest for all of life’s moments. The limited six-week engagement will run July 9 – August 18 at Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

SAVOR After Hours is the creation of Director, Writer and Producer Mark “Swany” Swanhart, who started his extensive professional history in the Chicago area and became a River North Dance Company member under the direction of Sherry Zunker and Frank Chaves. He then became a member of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and toured the world. His choreography for Celine Dion's tour and Cirque Du Soleil is “100 percent Chicago-influenced,” says Swanhart. With an extensive entertainment career as an accomplished choreographer, writer, director and producer for stage, film and television, Swanhart’s endeavors also include the “Dancing with the Stars Live” Tour and Baz Luhrmann’s production of “Puccini’s La Boheme.”

Maks Chmerkovskiy is making waves again as he joins the cast of SAVOR After Hours for the Chicago debut after successfully premiering the show in Napa last year with his dancing sensation brother, Val Chmerkovskiy. “I’m so excited to join the Chicago SAVOR show in August. This show is a labor of love for my brother Val and I. We put our heart and soul into the creation and dancing in the show and look forward to Chicago audiences seeing this amazing production.”

World renowned “Dancing with the Stars” pro and Ukrainian activist Maks Chmerkovskiy began a busy 2024 with a turn on Peacock’s smash-hit reality competition series “Traitors,” which was followed up by his seat at the judges table for the venerable Fox hit series “So You Think You Can Dance,” alongside Allison Holker and Jojo Siwa. Chmerkovskiy is an internationally renowned ballroom dance champion, choreographer, and 17-time “Dancing with the Stars” pro that quickly became one of America’s most watched and most beloved cast members of the long-running series. The Ukranian-American heartthrob won the show’s coveted mirror ball trophy in 2014 and made it to the final round five times, with two runner-up and two third-place finishes. Not one to limit himself, Chmerkovskiy has also starred in the Broadway productions of dance shows Burn the Floor and Forever Tango and appeared on a number of hit television shows in the U.S. including a guest stint on “General Hospital” and the Netflix reboot “Fuller House.”

A major highlight for Chicago audiences will be when Maks joins his brother Val Chmerkovskiy, the reigning champion of “Dancing with the Star”, on stage for all performances August 6-18. The brothers' deep bond and dynamic chemistry promise to deliver an unforgettable experience, bringing a family element to this run that adds an extra layer of excitement and exclusivity to their performances, making it a must-see event for dance enthusiasts and fans of the Chmerkovskiy brothers alike.

Joining the Chmerkovskiy brothers for the Chicago production include Val’s wife Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy, Daniella Karagach and her partner Pasha Pashkov, and Artem Chigvintsev; all of whom are fellow professional dancers on “Dancing with the Stars.”

SAVOR After Hours is the creation of Director, Writer and Producer Mark “Swany” Swanhart, who started his extensive professional history in the Chicago area and became a River North Dance Company member under the direction of Sherry Zunker and Frank Chaves.  He then became a member of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and toured the world. His choreography for Celine Dion's tour and Cirque Du Soleil is “100 percent Chicago-influenced,” says Swanhart. With an extensive entertainment career as an accomplished choreographer, writer, director and producer for stage, film and television, Swanhart’s endeavors also include the “Dancing with the Stars Live” Tour and Baz Luhrmann’s production of “Puccini’s La Boheme.” 

For more information, visit savorafterhours.com.

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