Porchlight Announces 2013 - 2014 Season

Michael Weber, managing artistic director of Porchlight Music Theatre, is proud to announce Porchlight's 19^th season. The 2013 - 2014 season includes the Chicago premiere of the new musical farce Double Trouble, August 31 - October 6; the "Fats" Waller revue Ain't Misbehavin', February 1 - March 9, 2014, the Broadway classic How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, April 26 - June 1, 2014 and a new "Lost Musicals" series Porchlight Revisits... taking audiences to a particular time and place in Broadway musical history. All Porchlight Main Stage and Porchlight Revisits... productions take place at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. "Early Bird" discount Season Subscriptions are on sale through July 1. Single tickets for all performances go on sale July 1 at stage773.com or by calling the Stage 773 box office at 773.327.5252. All subscriptions are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by phone at 773.777.9884. Group discounts are available for groups of ten or more by calling Peggy at 773.282.7427.

The Porchlight Music Theatre 2013 - 2014 Main Stage Season includes:

Double Trouble

A Musical Tour de Farce

Chicago Premiere

Book, Music and Lyrics by Bob Walton and Jim Walton

Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave.

August 31 - October 6

Previews: Saturday, Aug. 31 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 1 at 2 p.m and 6 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Opening Night: Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Performance schedule: Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

In 1940's Hollywood, two song and dance brothers get the career making opportunity to write a song for a major motion picture company. The challenge is they only have a few hours to do it. Two actors play more than ten characters (and musical instruments) in this new, hilarious, quick change, tap-dancing comedy musical that celebrates the crazy days of making movie musicals with the likes of Gene Kelly, Danny Kaye and Donald O'Connor.

Ain't Misbehavin'

A Black History Month Presentation

Conceived by Murray Horwitz and Richard Matlby, Jr.

Music by Thomas "Fats" Waller

Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave.

February 1 - March 9, 2014

Previews: Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 3, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.

Opening Night: Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.

Performance schedule: Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

The Tony Award-winning revue Ain't Misbehavin' has had audiences' toes tapping and fingers snapping for more than 30 years with its sometimes sassy, sometimes sultry and always unforgettable peek at the Golden Age of the Cotton Club during the height of the Harlem Renaissance. Featuring 30 of those high energy tunes that the Swing era is known for including "Ain't Misbehavin," "Honeysuckle Rose" and "This Joint is Jumpin'."

How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying

Book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert

Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont

April 26 - June 1, 2014

Previews: Saturday, April 26, 2014 at 8 p.m., Sunday, April 27, 2014 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. and Monday, April 28, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.

Opening Night: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.

Performance schedule: Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Power, sex, ambition, greed... it's just another day at the office. It's the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical satire of big business and all it holds sacred that follows the rise of one "J. Pierrepont Finch," who uses a little "How to..." handbook to climb the corporate ladder from lowly window washer to high-powered executive, tackling such familiar but potent dangers as the aggressively compliant "company man," the office party, backstabbing co-workers, caffeine addiction and, of course, true love.

PORCHLIGHT REVISITS...

Continuing to forge its role as "Chicago's Music Theatre," Porchlight launches an exciting new series created for the Die-Hard Music Theatre aficionado: Porchlight Revisits...

Porchlight Music Theatre selects a single year in the life of America's unique artistic creation, "The Broadway Musical." With that year on the "Great White Way" in focus, on three different evenings audiences get a rare opportunity to visit three musicals that opened that year but have since gone "Unsung." No longer "lost" or "forgotten," the finest music theatre artists in Chicago will dust off these neglected treasures and, with script in hand and minimal staging, escort you to a world of Broadway long past. The inaugural Porchlight Revisits... year in focus is 1964.

Each performance begins at 8 p.m. Starting at 7:15 p.m., before every Porchlight Revisits... production, a "behind the scenes" multi-media presentation sets the stage on the creation of the focus production, revels in all the juicy backstage stories and the reveals the state of the art on Broadway that season. The 1964 productions that will be performed at Stage 773 include:

Anyone Can Whistle

Book by Arthur Laurents (Gypsy, West Side Story)

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (Follies, Sweeney Todd)

Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave.

One performance only, Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m., pre-performance presentation begins at 7:15 p.m.

A legendary "cult" show, this wacky, intelligent, highly unconventional musical satire tells the story of a corrupt mayoress who fakes a miracle to revitalize her bankrupt town (through the resulting pilgrim trade) and the ill-fated romance between the rational nurse out to expose the fraud and the easy-going doctor determined to enjoy the chaos it brings. In the end, the show delivers a poignant message about the importance of the individual in a conformist society-but not before aiming its still-relevant barbs at government, religion, science and anything else that stands in its way. Anyone Can Whistle originally opened at The Majestic Theatre, April 4, 1964 and played nine total performances.

Golden Boy

Book by Clifford Odets (Awake and Sing!) and William Gibson (The Miracle Worker)

Lyrics by Lee Adams (Bye, Bye Birdie, Applause)

Music by Charles Strouse (Annie, Rags)

Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave.

One performance only, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014 at 8 p.m., pre-performance presentation begins at 7:15 p.m.

Created for the great Sammy Davis Jr. and based on the play of the same name by Odets, it is the story of "Joe Wellington," a young man from Harlem who, despite his family's objections, turns to prizefighting as a means of escaping his ghetto roots and finding fame and fortune. He crosses paths with Mephistopheles-like promoter "Eddie Satin" and eventually betrays his manager "Tom Moody" when he romantically becomes involved with his girlfriend "Lorna Moon." Golden Boy originally opened at the Majestic Theatre, October 20, 1964 and played 568 total performances.

Fade Out - Fade In

Book & Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (On the Town, Singin' in the Rain)
Music by Jule Styne (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Funny Girl)

Stage 773, 1225 West Belmont Ave.

One performance only, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014 at 8 p.m., pre-performance presentation begins at 7:15 p.m.

Originally starring Carol Burnett, this hilarious musical spoofs the Hollywood film industry during the 1930s, when silent movies diminished to make way for 'talkies'. The story centers on "Hope Springfield," an actress who makes up in talent what she lacks in 'beauty.' Accidentally given the lead role in a brand new 'talkie', the final film is shelved. The producer's nephew, however, manages to arrange a sneak viewing, which results in the film becoming a huge success. Fade Out - Fade In opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, May 26, 1964 and played 271 total performances.

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