TV Characters Come to Life in CHEERS LIVE ON STAGE Tour, Hitting Chicago Tonight

Broadway In Chicago, Stageworks Media and Troika Entertainment present the National Touring production of CHEERS LIVE ON STAGE.

The show stars Grayson Powell as "Sam Malone," Jillian Louis as "Diane Chambers," Barry Pearl as "Ernie 'Coach' Pantusso," Buzz Roddy as "Cliff Clavin," Sarah Sirota as "Carla Tortelli," and Paul Vogt as "Norm Peterson."

The national tour also features Jeff Applegate, Jen Burleigh-Bentz, Justin R. G. Holcomb, Erin Mosher, Jed Peterson, Andrew Sellon, Richard B. Watson, and Laura Woyasz.

Based on the best and most memorable moments from the Emmy Award-winning classic hit TV series, CHEERS LIVE ON STAGE plays the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut) tonight, September 20, through October 23, 2016.

CHEERS LIVE ON STAGE is under license by CBS Consumer Products. The two-act comedy is being adapted for the stage by theatre, television, and film veteran Erik Forrest Jackson and directed by award-winning director Matt Lenz. The creative team includes Michael Carnahan (Scenic Designer), Michael McDonald (Costume Designer), and Philip S. Rosenberg (Lighting Designer). The live show adaptation will be brought to life by Stageworks Media and Troika Entertainment. CHEERS LIVE ON STAGE was cast by Joy Dewing of Joy Dewing Casting.

"Cheers," ranked one of TV Guide's "50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time," aired for 11 seasons between 1982 and 1993. It garnered top 10 ratings for seven of its 11 seasons and often earned the No. 1 ranking in the weekly Nielsens ratings. The show won 26 Emmy Awards and 4 Golden Globe Awards.

Tickets for CHEERS LIVE ON STAGE at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place are on sale now. Group tickets for 10 or more are available by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. Tickets are available at all Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St., 151 W. Randolph St., 18 W. Monroe St. and 175 E. Chestnut), the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (800) 775-2000, all Ticketmaster retail locations and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 16 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 well 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 PrivateBank Theatre, Oriental Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.

For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com or www.CheersLiveonStage.com.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Jeff Applegate (Ensemble, Walter, u/s Sam). Tours: Mamma Mia! (All Three 'Dads'); Regional: Lend Me a Tenor (Max), West Side Story (Tony), Rocky Horror Show (Rocky), Knight Life (Sir Hansom), Threepenny Opera (Crookfingered Jake), Evita (Magaldi); Film: The Good Shepherd (Michael Johnson), An Englishman in New York, Veronika Decides to Die. www.jeffapplegate.com.

Jen Burleigh-Bentz (Ensemble, Miss Gilda, u/s Carla). Grew up in a small town in WI where everybody knew her name...Broadway: Tanya, Mamma Mia. National tours: Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. Regional: Music Man, Winter's Tale, Guthrie Theatre; Bingo! the Musical, Into the Woods, Ordway Theater; Disenchanted, Casting Spells; Christmas of Swing, Beyond the Rainbow, History Theatre; Wild Party (Lippa), Fitzgerald Theatre; Annie Get your Gun, Hello Dolly!, Sound of Music.

Justin R. G. Holcomb (Ensemble, u/s Norm, u/s Cliff). Off-Broadway: Channeling Kevin Spacey; Monster; Sayonara; Honor Bound. REGIONAL: Actors Theatre of Louisville, PICT Classic Theatre, Gulfshore Playhouse, Westchester Broadway, Mill Mountain. TV: Unforgettable. Col. Holcomb is an alumnus of the University of Oklahoma, and a Kentucky Colonel. Much appreciation to Ann & Gene. www.justinrgholcomb.com

Jillian Louis (Diane Chambers), is thrilled to join the cast of Cheers! Broadway: It Shoulda Been You; Off-Broadway: Soul Doctor; NYC: NYMF, Symphony Space, City Center/NYGASP, 54 Below, The York, Ars Nova, etc. Regional: Lots! TV/Film: Show Me A Hero, Mount Joy, a cheeky scene cut from Louie.. Family: Polish, wonderful. Love: Keith Varney. Drink Order: IPA. Thanks: Joy Dewing Casting and the team! JillianLouis.com

Erin Mosher (Ensemble), is thrilled to be joining the Cheers company!! New York: Soul Doctor, 101 Dalmatians directed by Jerry Zaks. Tours/Vegas: 101 Dalmatians, Jekyll and Hyde, Mamma Mia! Regional: Miss Saigon, A Grand Night for Singing, Christmas Story, Les Miserables, AIDA, The 39 Steps. Film/TV: Outsiders, The Mighty Macs, Mr. ID. Love to my family.

Barry Pearl (Ernie "Coach" Pantusso), is honored to be part of this classic and iconic hit. 55+ year career highlights include: Broadway: Bye Bye Birdie, Oliver!, The Producers, Baby It's You! Tour & Regional: Happy Days: A New Musical (National, "Arnold"), Grease (1st National, "Sonny"),Twelve Angry Men (Pasadena, Juror #7), Hairspray (3D, "Wilbur Turnblad"), and All Shook Up (MTW, Jim Haller), Anything Goes (Moonlight, "Moonface"). TV: "Stan Weaver" in FOX's Grease: Live, Criminal Minds, General Hospital, House, ER; FILM: "Doody" in Paramount's hit, Grease, The Newest Pledge, My Favorite Martian, Avenging Angel. Cindy and Gracie, ILY! www.barrypearl.com

Jed Peterson (Ensemble, Harry, u/s Sam). Rudolf Nureyev in Nureyev's Eyes (World Premier); Stephen Foster in Hard Times: An American Musical (World Premier); The 39 Steps (American Stage); Zorro (East Lynne); 3 Seasons with Utah Shakespeare Festival. International: He Who Gets Slapped (Moscow Art Theatre). Film/TV: Madam Secretary; Futurestates; Training: Moscow Art Theatre; Princeton University

Grayson Powell (Sam Malone), hails from South Carolina and lives in NYC. He received his M.F.A. in Acting from Columbia University and has worked in regional theatre as well as in television and film. Fun fact: Grayson worked at Cheers in Boston during the summer of 2010. He also likes to home brew beer. graysonpowellactor.com

Buzz Roddy (Cliff Clavin), has been an actor since last millennium. Some NYC credits: Cymbeline; Perfect Crime. Outside NYC: A Christmas Carol (Hartford Stage); Oxford Roof Climber's Rebellion (Capital Rep); Red (New Century); 33 Variations (Majestic); Midlife: The Crisis Musical (Seven Angels). He's in movies: The Music Never Stopped; 8:46; Quick Change; On RV: Various Law & Order; Flight of the Conchords; 30 Rock. www.buzzroddy.com

Andrew Sellon (Finch, u/s Coach) - NY/Regional credits include: Charlie in The Foreigner (Matt Lenz, director; Carbonell Nomination), Vanya in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Jim Casy in The Grapes of Wrath, Fool in King Lear, Vladimir in Waiting for Godot, Clown in The 39 Steps, I Am My Own Wife. Film/TV: Begin Again, Smurfs, Mamarosh, Blacklist, Mysteries of Laura, Divorce, Emily2410. MFA (Acting): UNC-Chapel Hill; BA cum laude (English): Harvard. For my husband Tim and our family. www.andrewsellon.com

Sarah Sirota (Carla Tortelli). NY/Regional Theatre: Abingdon, Theater Row, the Flea, Cherry Lane, O'Neill Theatre Center, among others. Film/TV: A Scientist's Guide...(with Jay O. Sanders), Small Miracles (with Judd Hirsch), several award-winning comedy shorts. Sarah earned her BA at Dartmouth and MFA at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, where she now teaches. Thanks to Joy Dewing, Lexie Pregosin, the entire Cheers team, her family and James (quack!). www.sarahsirota.com

Paul Vogt (Norm Peterson). Broadway: Hairspray, Chicago. Regional: Chicago. Nat.Tour 2016, Hairspray replaced Harvey Fierstein/ Vegas, (NSMT, Sacramento, MUNY,PCLO, TUTs). Little Mermaid, Ursula, (MUNY), Laurel and Hardy (Falcon Theater) Oliver! (Arena Stage), Idaho! (Smith Center Vegas, Forestburgh, WP), Forum (Paper Mill), Minsky's (Ahmanson, WP). LA Opera: The Grand Duchess Of Gerolstein. Film: Mother's Day, Valentines Day, Princess Diaries 2, Good Boy, Secrets of the Masters. TV: MADtv, ReRUN Show, Raising Hope, Glee, Grey's Anatomy, Hannah Montana, Arrested Development, Reno 911, Maximum Bob. Twitter:@Therealpaulvogt / Web: www.paulcvogt.com./Instagram:Paul Vogt

Richard B. Watson (Sumner, u/s Coach) NYC: Irish Rep, Ensemble Studio Theater, Flux, Active. Regional: Orlando Shakespeare, Sacramento Music Circus, Asolo, Pioneer, Arkansas Rep. Film/TV: PS, I Love You; Law & Order CI; Delocated; Onion Sports Network; Art=(Love)²; and a pilot, Powerless. He was born and raised in Wilmington, NC. He was awarded his MFA from the Academy for Classical Acting at the George Washington University / Shakespeare Theatre Company. Proud union member of Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.

Laura Woyasz (Ensemble, Cindy, u/s Diane, u/s Carla). Broadway: Wicked (Glinda Standby) Off Broadway: The Marvelous Wonderettes, My Life with Albertine at Playwrights Horizons, and Come Blow Your Horn at TACT. Some favorites: Venus In Fur, Little Shop of Horrors, Noises Off, James Joyce's The Dead, Sex With Strangers, The Odd Couple, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Boeing Boeing, Anything Goes, The Who's Tommy. Tours: Wicked, Thoroughly Modern Mille and Hello Dolly! Laura is a huge Red Sox fan & does a bunch of other cool stuff!! Visit www.laura-woyasz.com

STAGEWORKS MEDIA (Producer) is a New York-based theatrical Production Company specializing in bringing iconic characters, stories and music from across pop culture to the stage. Partners include major Hollywood studios, music publishers, and other content owning companies. The company also develops original plays and musicals for distributors, customized for their audience ranging from youth to the traditional theatergoer. Past projects include: Emma! a Pop Musical (featuring the music of Cyndi Lauper, Sara Bareilles, Salt-n-Pepa and others) and Cyrano De BurgerShack (featuring the music of Katy Perry, Pink, John Mayer and others). For more information visit www.stageworksmedia.com.

Troika Entertainment (Producer) has been the innovator in touring musical Theater Productions for over threedecades, producing and managing shows throughout North, Central, and South America, Europe and Asia.Additionally, the company is experienced in casino and leisure markets having produced for the Wynn, Caesars, Grand Casino, Hilton, Eldorado and Harrah's. Current and upcoming productions include An American in Paris, TheBodyguard, Love Never Dies, 42nd Street, Annie, Cheers Live on Stage, Wine Lovers, The Wizard of Oz, Slate and TheSecond City's Unelectable You. With strong ties to the Broadway community, TROIKA prides itself on delivering topquality productions to audiences worldwide. Please visit us at www.troika.com.

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