Kokandy Productions Reveals Cast for AMERICAN PSYCHO: The Musical

Indulge in ‘80s excess and “pure, decadent pleasure” as Kokandy Productions concludes its 2023 season with the Chicago premiere of American Psycho: The Musical, directed by Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham, with music direction by Heidi Joosten and choreography by Breon Arzell, playing September 14 – November 26, 2023. Just in time for Halloween, The Chopin Studio Theatre (1543 W. Division St., Chicago) will be dressed to kill for a carnal carnival of song and dance. Tickets are now on sale at bit.ly/AmericanPsychoChicago. The press opening is Friday, September 29 at 7 pm.

 

The cast will be led by Kyle Patrick as Patrick Bateman, the stylish and sadistic center of American Psycho. The circles around him include Jonathan Allsop(Craig McDermott), Ryan Armstrong (Detective Kimball), Hailey Brisard (Vanden), Amber Dow (Mrs. Bateman), John Drea (Paul Owen), Sonia Goldberg(Jean), Emily Holland (Sabrina), Quinn Kelch (Luis Carruthers), Will Lidke (Tim Price), Caleigh Pan-Kita (Evelyn Williams), Kevin Parra (Sean Bateman),Anna Seibert (Victoria), Quinn Simmons (Christine), Danielle Smith (Courtney Lawrence) and Evan B. Smith (David Van Patten), portraying the world of executives, fashionistas, waiters, bartenders, club kids, trainers and neighbors that frequent the tables at Dorsia, the dance floor at Tunnel and the late-night streets of NYC. Swings and understudies include Ben Harmon, Beck Hokanson, David Moreland, Maddie Mossner and Madison Sheward. 

 

American Psycho is a ruthless and daring musical from Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale, The Picture of Dorian Gray). Based on the electrifying novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the musical tells the story of Patrick Bateman, a young and handsome Wall Street banker with impeccable taste and unquenchable desires. Patrick and his elite group of friends spend their days in chic restaurants, exclusive clubs and designer labels. But at night, Patrick takes part in a darker indulgence, and his mask of sanity is starting to slip…

 

Comments Director Derek Van Barham, “American Psycho is slick and sexy. It’s also highly disturbing and sickeningly upbeat, so… let’s get into it! Set against a backdrop of cinematic ‘80s excess, the show fills our ears with a throbbing EDM-fueled sound unlike any musical I’ve heard before. It’s horror, it’s satire, it goes for the guts and gets into your head. And it’s all tinged with that David Lynchian unease of ‘What is actually happening?’ Extending that question of uncertainty into the live experience, we’re playing with what we show vs. what we don’t show, what you see vs. what you think you saw. A lot is going to be left up to the audience, and I can’t wait to have those conversations.”

 

The production team includes: G “Max” Maxin IV (Scenic and Lighting Designer, he/him), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Designer, she/her), Michael J. Patrick (Sound Designer, he/him), Kirsten Baity (Intimacy Director, they/them), Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager, he/him), Brennan Urbi (Casting Associate, he/they), Lynsy Folckomer (Sound Engineer, she/her) Jeff Meyer (Graphic Designer, he/him) and Kendyl Meyer (Stage Manager, they/them). Additional team members to be announced.

 

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

 

Title: American Psycho: The Musical

Book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

Music and Lyrics by Duncan Sheik

Based on the Novel by Bret Easton Ellis

Directed by Derek Van Barham

Music Direction by Heidi Joosten

Choreography by Breon Arzell

 

Cast (in alphabetical order): Jonathan Allsop (Craig McDermott, he/him), Ryan Armstrong (Detective Kimball, he/him), Hailey Brisard (Vanden, she/her),Amber Dow (Mrs. Bateman, she/her), John Drea (Paul Owen, he/him), Sonia Goldberg (Jean she/they), Emily Holland (Sabrina, she/her), Quinn Kelch(Luis Carruthers, he/him), Will Lidke (Tim Price, he/him), Caleigh Pan-Kita (Evelyn Williams, she/her), Kevin Parra (Sean Bateman, he/him), Kyle Patrick(Patrick Bateman, he/him), Anna Seibert (Victoria, she/her), Quinn Simmons (Christine, they/them), Danielle Smith (Courtney Lawrence, she/her) andEvan B. Smith (David Van Patten, he/him).

 

Swings and understudies: Ben Harmon (he/they), Beck Hokanson (he/him), David Moreland (he/him, u/s Patrick Bateman), Maddie Mossner (she/they) and Madison Sheward (she/her).

 

Location: The Chopin Studio Theatre, 1543 W Division St. in Chicago

Dates: Previews: Thursday, September 14 at 7 pm, Friday, September 15 at 7 pm, Saturday, September 16 at 7 pm, Sunday, September 17 at 5 pm, Thursday, September 21 at 7 pm, Friday, September 22 at 7 pm, Saturday, September 23 at 7 pm, Sunday, September 24 at 5 pm and Thursday, September 28 at 7 pm.
Press performance: Friday, September 29 at 7 pm.

Regular run: Saturday, September 30 – Sunday, November 26, 2023.

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 5 pm. Please note: there will be an added performance on Wednesday, November 22 at 7 pm; there will not be a performance on Thursday, November 23 (Thanksgiving).

Tickets: Previews $25 (with code PREVIEW). Regular run $40 general admission, $50 reserved seating. Students/senior $30. There will be a limited number of $15 tickets available for students and artists for each performance. Tickets are now on sale at bit.ly/AmericanPsychoChicago.

 

About the Artists

 

Derek Van Barham (Director, he/him) is a queer director and choreographer based in Chicago. He is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions. Directing credits include Children of Eden in Concert (Broadway In Chicago), Sweeney Todd and Head Over Heels (Jeff Award and Jeff nomination, Kokandy); The View Upstairs (Circle Theatre); Three Days of Rain (BoHo Theatre); Baby with the Bathwater (Eclipse); Miracle by Dan Savage, Poseidon, Skooby Don’t (Hell in a Handbag); Hot Pink, TRASH (New American Folk); Taylor Mac’s A Walk Across America for Mother Earth (CCPA); From These Fatal Loins (The Ruckus); Homos, or Everyone in America, Perfect Arrangement, Angry Fags in Steppenwolf Garage Rep, Songs from an Unmade Bed (Jeff nomination) and PRISCILLA, Queen of the Desert (PFP). He was named one of Windy City Times 30 Under 30, recognizing individuals from Chicago's LGBTQ community. @dvbarham | www.derekvanbarham.com

 

Heidi Joosten (Music Director, she/her) is a Chicago-based composer, lyricist, pianist, harpist, orchestrator, music director, vocal coach and conductor. Since 2014, Heidi has collaborated on over 100 new theatrical, comedic and concert productions in the Chicagoland area. Most recently, she has orchestrated for Drury Lane Theatre (Grease) and Chicago Shakespeare Theater (Beauty and the Beast), music directed and conducted the concert production of Children of Eden at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, and is an understudy music director with the Mainstage company at The Second City for their production of Don’t Quit Your Daydream. Notable theatrical writing collaborations include: The Bone Harp, Queer Eye: The Musical Parody, Saint Hildegard: The Rupertsberg Tourand Micro. Heidi is also a highly prolific classical composer, and her award-winning music has been performed across the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. She holds composition degrees from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Heidi is a proud member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild. @heidijoosten | www.heidijoosten.com

 

Breon Arzell (Choreographer, he/him) is a dedicated teaching artist from Detroit, specializing in hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, lyrical and body percussion, and serves as mentor to several universities, studios and theaters. Chicago: How Blood Go (Congo Square Theatre), Dance Like Black People are Watching(Second City), Kill Move Paradise* (TimeLine Theatre), The Color Purple (Drury Lane), The Wiz and Head Over Heels* (Kokandy Productions), The Total Bent* (Haven Theatre), The House That Will Not Stand (Victory Gardens), Marie Christine, The Scottsboro Boys, Little Shop of Horrors, The Hairy Ape* and more. Regional: RENT & The Color Purple (MUNY), FELA! & Miss You Like Hell (Olney Theatre), Once on This Island (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Acoustic Rooster (Kennedy Center). TV: South Side, The 4400. While working internationally, he is listed among the ‘50 Players for Chicago’ (2018, 2020, 2023), and recipient of 6 Jeff Awards*. Along with developing original works, he is restoring and reviving a historical black musical. @breonarzell |www.breonarzell.com

 

About Kokandy Productions

 

Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago's non-Equity musical theatre community.

 

The company's artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot T. Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot T. Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin and Katie Svaicer. 

 

For additional information, visit www.kokandyproductions.com. 

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