Chicago Musical Theatre Community to Benefit Season of Concern with SEASON OF CAROLS 2013 CD and 12/9 Concert

For the second year in a row, producers Eugene Dizon and Cory Goodrich have recorded a new album of holiday music, SEASON OF CAROLS 2013, which features nearly one hundred Chicago theatre artists, singers and musicians. This entirely new holiday CD was produced to raise funds for Season of Concern, which supports Chicago artists in need. SEASON OF CAROLS 2013 is available pre-order at www.seasonofcarols.com and will be kicked-off with a special concert on Monday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Mercury Theater Chicago.

SEASON OF CAROLS 2013 The CD:

Nearly one hundred Chicago artists have collaborated to record SEASON OF CAROLS 2013, the second annual holiday album benefiting Season of Concern. This unique collaboration brings together artists from all over the city representing Chicago's diverse musical theatre and cabaret scene.

Recording producer Cory Goodrich explained the origin of incredibly successful fundraiser: "Last year's SEASON OF CAROLS CD began as the tiniest seed of an idea: to raise money for Season of Concern by recording one holiday song. That tiny idea quickly blossomed to include 18 holiday songs recorded by some of the brightest stars of the Chicago theatre and music community. By year's end, SEASON OF CAROLS had raised over $35,000 for Season of Concern."

SEASON OF CAROLS 2013 features the Chicago casts of The Color Purple (Mercury Theater Chicago), Cymbeline (First Folio Theatre), James Joyce's The Dead (Court Theatre), Mary Poppins (Marriott Theatre), Old Jews Telling Jokes (Royal George Theatre), Shrek (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Theatre at the Center), and Larry Adams from the Chicago cast of A Christmas Carol (Theatre at the Center). It also includes Jazz artist Peter Eldridge, Chicago singer/songwriters Jess Godwin and Cory Goodrich, Chicago cabaret stars Beckie Menzie, Tom Michael, Kingsley Day, David Edelfelt, Roberta Duchak and Ann McMann, as well as Chicago's performers of tomorrow - - students from The Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts.

The sixteen songs represent a diverse range of holiday music. From the sublime Still, Still, Still / The First Noel medley to a unique and hilarious take on Baby, It's Cold Outside to the bittersweet River; this album is sure to appeal to everyone's musical tastes. The album also features a first-time premiere recording of original holiday music by Cory Goodrich.

Once again this year, all the artists on the album donated their talents, time and money to make this CD a gift for Chicago's Season of Concern charity. One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of these CDs will go directly to Season of Concern. Season of Carols the CD is available for pre-order now for a $20.00 donation at both www.seasonofcarols.com and www.seasonofconcern.org.

SEASON OF CAROLS 2013 The Concert:

To celebrate the holiday season and to kick-off sales of the SEASON OF CAROLS 2013 CD, there will be a special concert on Monday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Mercury Theater Chicago. Many of the artists from the SEASON OF CAROLS 2013 will be performing their songs from the album. Tickets are $30 each (2 for $50) and are available at www.mercurytheaterchicago.com or by calling the box office at 773-325-1700.

Season of Concern is the Chicagoland theatre community's fundraising effort in providing compassionate care to those in our community who are experiencing the effects of catastrophic illness. This effort supports the fight against AIDS, contributing to programs that provide direct-care support (funded programs provide personal financial support, housing care, meals, medications, legal assistance and a variety of other services for people living with HIV and AIDS) to members of the theatre community and others in Chicago and the Midwest; and emergency needs expressed by theatre community members as they fight against other life-threatening illnesses.

Since 1988, funds have been raised through generous gifts from theatre artists, staffs, boards and audiences. Funds supported include The Actors Fund and The Biscotto-Miller Fund.

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