Photo Flash: First Look at Porchlight Music Theatre's BURNING BLUEBEARD
By: Stephi Wild Dec. 15, 2019
Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to present The Ruffians' Burning Bluebeard, making its downtown debut at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street, December 13 - 27. Now in its eighth year, this annual tradition for many is a fantastical tale inspired by Chicago's 1903 Iroquois Theatre fire, written by Jay Torrence and directed by Halena Kays. Previews are Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. Opening Night is Sunday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. with the performance schedule Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 20 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 21 at 3:30 and 8 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 22 at 2 and 6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 26 at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Friday, Dec 27 at 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $45 and are on sale now at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.
Burning Bluebeard, created and performed by the critically acclaimed theatre troupe The Ruffians, has been touted as "a show you won't quickly forget and that you could only see in Chicago" by the Chicago Tribune and New City says the production is "filled to the brim with irreverent humor, riveting dance sequences and enough charm to fill a bucket..." Told with music, clowning, tumbling, acrobatics and dance, Burning Bluebeard is a physical-performance phenomena inspired by the true story of Chicago's former Iroquois Theatre and the unforgettable events that resulted in tragedy for 600 theatergoers at Christmas time in 1903.
A Chicago holiday tradition for many since its debut in 2011, each performance is a vaudevillian musical delight with a story that excavates the poetic and poignant remains of a piece of our city's rich history and leaves the audience with an unforgettable experience.
The 2019 cast of Burning Bluebeard includes original performers Pamela Chermansky (Fancy Clown); Anthony Courser (Henry Gilfoil); Jay Torrence (Robert Murray); Leah Urzendowski (Nellie Reed); Ryan Walters (Eddie Foy) with Crosby Sandoval (Faerie Queen).
The Burning Bluebeard production team includes Maggie Fullilove-Nugent (lighting design); Robert Hornbostel (associate sound design); Jeffrey D. Kmiec (set design); Bill Morey (costume coordination); Mike Tutaj (original sound design); Sam Moryoussef (production manager); Justine Palmisano (stage manager) and Alex Rhyan (production and operations director).
Photo Credit: Michael Courier
Pamela Chermansky
Jay Torrence as Robert Murray; Anthony Courser as Henry Gilfoil; Leah Urzendowski as Nellie Reed; Ryan Walters as Eddie Foy and Crosby Sandoval as Faerie Queen
Jay Torrence as Robert Murray; Anthony Courser as Henry Gilfoil; Pamela Chermansky as Fancy Clown; Leah Urzendowski as Nellie Reed; Ryan Walters as Eddie Foy and Crosby Sandoval as Faerie Queen
Jay Torrence as Robert Murray; Leah Urzendowski as Nellie Reed; Ryan Walters as Eddie Foy and Anthony Courser as Henry Gilfoil
Jay Torrence as Robert Murray; Ryan Walters as Eddie Foy and Anthony Courser as Henry Gilfoil
Anthony Courser as Henry Gilfoil, Leah Urzendowski as Nellie Reed; Jay Torrence as Robert Murray and Pamela Chermansky as Fancy Clown
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