Allison Sill, Colte Julian & More to Lead Paramount Theatre's OKLAHOMA!

Everything's up to date in Aurora, where nearly 27,000 subscribers (and still counting) have already signed up for the Paramount Theatre's 2015-16 four-show Broadway Musical Series.

That's just one reason why Paramount's Broadway opener Oklahoma, directed by Artistic Director Jim Corti, promises to be the musical everyone will be talking about this fall.

Wower of Chicagoland audiences and critics alike since launching its own, self-produced Broadway series four years ago, the Paramount's fifth consecutive Broadway Series kicks off with the epic, much-loved debut collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein about turn of the century American pioneers.

Previews start September 16. Press opening is Saturday, September 19 at
8 p.m. Regular performances continue through October 18.

Show times are Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $41 to $56.

The Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd., in the heart of downtown Aurora. For tickets and information, go to ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or visit the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and two hours prior to evening performances. Oklahoma is rated PG.

Oklahoma set the standard for all future musicals by incorporating music, lyrics and dance into a well-crafted, serious story. Set in the Oklahoma Territory in 1906, tensions are mounting between the local farmers and cowboys over the use of land. In the midst of it all is the rugged cowboy Curly, who's fallen for the strong-headed farm girl, Laurey. Despite their fiery spirits and at times tumultuous relationship, the two are destined to start a new life together in the soon-to-be state called Oklahoma.

Nominated for seven Tony Awards and winner of a Pulitzer Prize, Oklahoma! sets the standard for Paramount's 2015-16 Broadway season. It's filled with some of the most recognized songs in theater like "Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'," "The Surrey with the Fringe On Top," "People Will Say We're in Love," and of course, the resounding "Ok-la-hom-a!"

Artistic Director Corti is taking the directorial reins of Oklahoma right on the heels of his back-to-back smash hits for Paramount last spring, The Who's Tommy and LES MISERABLES. Today on his blog, Corti announced his "all-star cast for Oklahoma, many playing the Paramount stage for the first time! I couldn't be more thrilled directing this A-list cast of actors led by rising stars Colte Julian as Curly McLain, Allison Sill as Laurey Williams, and Peter Saide as Jud Fry, all three making their Paramount debut."

Julian, whose credits include Jerry Lee Lewis in the Chicago production and national tour of Million Dollar Quartet, will draw from his southwest Oklahoman upbringing as Curly. Sill, who turned heads as Inga in Drury Lane's Young Frankenstein, will play the conflicted farm girl Laurey. Saide (Jud), fresh from his Chicago debut in Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Sense and Sensibility, has a long, impressive list of off Broadway, regional and even international credits.

Oklahoma also stars Kareem Bandealy (Ali Hakim), Caron Buinis (Aunt Eller Murphy), Lillie Cummings (Ado Annie Carnes), Carl Draper (Will Parker), Don Forston (Andrew Carnes), Allyson Graves (Gertie Cummings), Don Richard (Cord Elam), and ensemble members Aubrey Adams, William Carlos Angulo, Annelise Baker, Larry Baldacci, Aaron Conklin, Courtney Cerny, Erica Evans, Sam Gardner, Alana Grossman, Matt Holzfeind, Kristina Larson-Hauk, James Lee, Chelsea Morgan, Holly Stauder, James Stevko, Monica Thomas, J Tyler Whitmer and Phil Young.

As always, Paramount has tapped only the highest caliber talent in every aspect of production to create a revelatory new look at one of America's favorite, classic musicals. To start, and in true Paramount tradition, the
18-member Paramount Orchestra will play the full, original Broadway orchestrations for Oklahoma.

Like director Jim Corti, Chicago musical theater wunderkind Tom Vendafreddo, Music Director and Conductor for Oklahoma, is following up his excellent work on Tommy and Les Mis in Paramount's orchestra pit.

Paramount's production team also includes Katie Spelman, choreographer; Scott Davis, set; Theresa Ham, costumes; Greg Hofmann, lights; Mike Stanfill, projections; Adam Rosenthal, sound; Katie Cordts, wigs; and Sarah Ross, props. Trent Stork is assistant director; Sara Gammage is Stage Manager; Amber Johnson is Assistant Stage Manager.

Jim Corti (director) was hired in 2011 to be the first-ever Artistic Director in the Paramount's 80+ year history. He was instrumental in launching Paramount's inaugural Broadway Series and directed and choreographed Paramount's first self-produced Broadway show, My Fair Lady, which played to rave reviews. His 2013 Paramount production of Fiddler on the Roof was a smash hit. More recently, Corti's Miss Saigon was the only musical to make the Chicago Tribune's Top Ten Shows of 2013, while his RENT in 2014, and consecutive productions of The Who's Tommy and LES MISERABLES last spring underscored Paramount's rise to the top of Chicago's musical theater landscape. He is a seasoned Broadway veteran, appearing in the New York casts of Ragtime, A Chorus Line and Candide and the national tours of Urinetown, Cabaret and Bob Fosse's Dancin'. Highlights from his body of work over three decades include being the only director in Chicago to have two productions at the same time in the Chicago Tribune's list of 10 Best Shows in 2009 - Drury Lane's Cabaret and Writers Theatre's Oh, Coward! He remains the sole honoree to have garnered a Jeff Award as an actor (in Marriott's Grand Hotel), a choreographer (Drury Lane's Singin' in the Rain) and director (Northlight's Blues in the Night and Drury Lane's Sweet Charity).

Tom Vendafreddo (music director/conductor) is a music director, conductor and actor with an eclectic career nationally and internationally. At the Paramount, he has music directed and conducted productions of In the Heights, Mary Poppins, The Who's Tommy and LES MISERABLES. Other recent credits include On the Town and Godspell (Marriott Lincolnshire); Road Show and Shrek: The Musical (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Sweet Charity (Writers Theatre); The Spitfire Grill (BoHo Theatre - Jeff Nomination for Music Direction); and Pump Boys and Dinettes (Metropolis Performing Arts Center). Select regional credits include RENT (San Diego Musical Theatre), Odyssey (Old Globe Theatre), Forever Plaid (Chestnut Fine Arts) and It's a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play (Cygnet Theatre). As a cabaret artist, Tom has performed in Chicago, New York, San Diego and Melbourne, Australia. In 2014, he became the founding artistic director of the Chicago Artists Chorale, a choral ensemble comprised of working professionals in the Chicago theatre community. Vendafreddo received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Eastman School of Music and a Master of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University. tomvendafreddo.com

Oklahoma, based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs, boasts music by Richard Rodgers, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and original dances by Agnes de Mille. It opened on Broadway on March 31, 1943. It was a box-office smash and ran for an unprecedented 2,212 performances, later enjoying award-winning revivals, national tours and foreign productions. The Academy Award-winning 1955 film adaptation starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones.

Paramount's 2014-15 Broadway Series is sponsored by the Dunham Fund, BMO Harris Bank and Paramount Arts Centre Endowment (PACE). Broadway Series Orchestra Sponsor is Rush-Copley. Broadway Series LIghting Sponsor is ComEd. Broadway Series Costume Sponsor is Gerald Subaru.

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