PrideArts to Present Adult Holiday Panto SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY in November

​
Full cast and creative team have been announced for PrideArts' US premiere of the sexy, irreverent and adult British panto SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY, by playwright Tom Whalley. Following PrideArts' 2022 production of Whalley's JACK OFF THE BEANSTALK, the company is returning to Whalley's catalog of ribald takes on the British theatrical genre of panto with his SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY. This fairy tale for adults 18+ has titillated audiences all across the United Kingdom. Like JACK OFF THE BEANSTALK, SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY will include songs, dances and audience participation along with a nonstop barrage of some of the most clever and shameless puns imaginable. Bryan McCaffrey, who directed last year's JACK OFF THE BEANSTALK for PrideArts, returns to direct. SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY will open on to the press on Monday, November 20, 2023, following previews November 16-19; and play Wednesdays through Sundays to December 17, 2023. Performances will be at the Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. Tickets to SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY are priced at $35 for regular performances November 20-December 17 and $25 for previews November 16-19. Seniors and students will receive a $5 discount for all performances. Tickets are on sale at www.pridearts.org or by phone  773-857-0222.
 
McCaffrey's cast will include Emma Robie as the eventual sleeping beauty Princess A'Whora. Her nemesis, the wicked fairy Malefic*nt, will be played by Korinne Yonan. Neill Kelly will play A'Whora's mother, the Queen. Muddles, the court jester who pines for the princess, will be played by Jeremy Cox; while the handsome Prince Albert who sweeps her away will be played by Joe Lewis. Danelle Jean is the resident Fairy, who comments on the action. Understudies and swings are Tyler Meyer (u/s Albert), Joey Pretty (u/s Queen), Autumn Tehlander (u/s Witch), Bryan Fowler (u/s Muddles), Mari Duckler (u/s A'Whora), Anna Seibert (u/s Fairy), and Peter Moeller (u/s Go-Go).

 The production team will include, in addition to McCaffrey as stage director, Anna Wegener (Music Director), Kristine Burdi (Choreographer), Victoria Jablonski (Costume Designer), Brett Baleskie (Scenic Designer), Val Gardner (Sound Designer), Emma Ferguson (Props Designer), Isabel Gable (Sound Engineer), Santana Ross (Stage Manager), and Elijah McTiernan (Assistant Stage Manager).
 
Exhibition of the art of George Berlin in the lobby
 
In continuing PrideArts' practice of featuring the work of Chicago-based visual artists, an exhibition of works by George Berlin will be displayed in the Pride Arts Center theater lobby during the run of SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY. Berlin describes himself as an “immersive experience artist” as well as an illustrator and painter and has created installations of animated projections all over the world. He may be best known to Chicago area residents for his “Art on theMart” projections on the 2.5 acre south wall of the Merchandise Mart, but he has wowed millions with his heartwarming musical projections in such far-flung locations as Taiwan; Sydney, Australia; Berlin, Germany; and Romania as well as many cities in the United States. Join the adventure at www.georgeberlin.com.  "Frida Kahlo: Timeless" at Art on theMart. 

To post a comment, you must register and login.