'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for April 6th, 2011

 

THE LATEST IN UNAUTHORIZED GOSSIP AND BUZZ

FROM THE HEART OF CHICAGO'S SHOWTUNE VIDEO BARS,

AND MUSICAL THEATER NEWS FROM CHICAGO TO BROADWAY

by Paul W. Thompson

Overheard last weekend under the showtune

video screens at Sidetrack and The Call:

It's tonight! Broadway star Gavin Creel ("Hair," "La Cage Aux Folles" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie") appears in concert tonight, April 6, 2011, at SPACE in Evanston. I can't believe I didn't mention this event before! Sorry about that. On the other hand, nobody's been gossiping about it, either! So, we're even, peeps. :-/  The Society for the Preservation of Art and Culture, on Evanston's Chicago Avenue, has developed quite a reputation lately, and we're sure that Gavin (the founder of Broadway Impact, by the way) and his collaborator Robbie Roth will put on quite a show. I would expect an intimate pop/folk/blues/standards experience. But what do I know? And I wonder if Jonathan Groff will be in the audience.... 

Gavin Creel at Evanston SPACE | Calendar of Events 

Speaking of "Glee," ... there's another Broadway star who'll be performing in a Chicago suburb. Matthew Morrison ("Hairspray," "The Light In The Piazza" and "South Pacific") will be in concert on June 21 at the Rosemont Theatre in that tony town. His first album is out now. I wonder if he'll have backup dancers! And I wonder what material he will perform? And which audience he will court the heaviest, in that rather large space. This young man has a lot of decisions to make! 

Matthew Morrison : Home 

Like SPACE, the Mayne Stage is a fairly new music performance spot north of downtown Chicago that has made a big impact. And I can't imagine a bigger impact than the "Chicago Sings" fundraiser for Porchlight Music Theatre that took place this past Monday, April 4th, at the Rogers Park venue. Subtitled, "Rodgers, Rodgers & Guettel," it was quite simply an astonishing parade of Chicago's top musical theater talent, performing songs by that three-generation musical theater family (first names: Richard, Mary and Adam), all under the tutelage and joy of Chicago's new First Couple of Musical Theater, Rob Lindley and Doug Peck. I was there, as were many of you, and we witnessed sixteen women and six men singing their hearts out in an extremely impressive demonstration of (1) support for Porchlight, (2) our local talent pool and (3) the oeuvre of the Rodgers family. 

It's hard to single out only a few performers as highlights. Imagine, if you will, veterans and newcomers, acting singers and singing actors, mostly in solos, but with one husband and wife duet (Michael Aaron Lindner and Bethany Dawn Lindner) and one astonishing girl trio (Brianna Borger, Christine Mild and Bethany Thomas, who also did their own impressive solo numbers), with Doug Peck on piano throughout (sometimes assisted by Heather Boehm on violin and Adam DeGroot on woodwinds). There were straight-forward musical theater interpretations, jazz interpretations, cabaret interpretations. E. Faye Butler and Mary Ernster brought the old school. Christine Sherrill spilled ice cream on her pregnant tummy. Cory Goodrich and Rebecca Finnegan dug deep, Jess Godwin reinterpreted, and Tom Michael stunned. Peggy Roeder charmed us, and remembered every single damn lyric of "To Keep My Love Alive." Susie McMonagle and Nicholas Foster lovingly reversed the gender of their songs, Colleen McHugh hit the high notes more than once, Jeff Parker dazzled our brains, and Ross Lehman could probably sing and act the phone book. Emily Rohm was thrilling on Guettel's "The Beauty Is," Anne Sheridan Smith haunting on his "Life Is But A Dream," and Lara Filip intriguing on his "Through The Mountain." Host Rob Lindley was hilarious on Mary Rodgers' little-known "William's Doll" from "Free To Be You And Me." And I hope I didn't miss anybody! It was a great, great evening of musical theater for the Chicago community, and one that its audience will remember for a very long time. Thank you, Porchlight! 

Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago 

As Mondays have a habit of bringing such showtune-based cabaret performances to local audiences, we note that next week is no exception! E. Faye Butler will be busy again, as we understand that the cast of "Working" at the Broadway Playhouse will be holding forth in performances at Petterino's on Randolph Street on April 11. Speaking of "Working," we now know that Rebecca Finnegan will be replacing Barbara Robertson in the cast of the hit show sometime soon, as Robertson moves on to another commitment. And that later in the summer, Butler will be heading back to Washington, DC, to reprise her Helen Hayes-nominated performance as Aunt Eller in "Oklahoma!" (yes, you read that correctly) for Arena Stage. Awesome. 

Working, the Musical 

Also next Monday, as well as the following one (the 11th and the 18th) is the cabaret show "April Showers Bring..." at Davenport's, starring the musical theater performers Sarah Kinsey, Elizabeth Haley and Karl Hamilton, with Jason Krumwiede singing from the piano. It's at 7:30, and features a variety of material. And beginning this Saturday, for the Saturdays in April at Davenport's, the above-mentioned Tom Michael will appear with partner Beckie Menzie in "Isn't It Iconic?," their new show, directed by the above-mentioned Rob Lindley. 

Davenport's Piano Bar 

At yet another venue, Stage 773, there is one more chance this month to catch the group that calls itself "Catalyst Cabaret." They will be performing their show "Bittersweet" on Sunday, April 17, at 8:30 pm. It's a winter-into-spring show about pain and new beginnings, with seven talented folks involved, the best known of whom may be pianist-teacher-singer Matthew Ellenwood, along with Shaun Nathan Baer, Raymond Havey, Hillary Marren, Aimee Radics, Teresa Scalise and Daniel Spagnuolo. Tickets are $14, but bringing a headshot and resume gets you $2 off! 

Now Playing at Stage 773 

In local shows, we all know by now that "Aida" is open and running at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace, starring a trio of fantastic New York-based singers, Stephanie Umoh, Jared Zirilli and Erin Mosher. What is less well known in the Mosh Pit is that a concurrent children's theater production opens at the Drury Lane this week, starring a cast of well-known Chicago performers, including among their number Brandon Dahlquist, Jackson Evans, the above-mentioned Karl Hamilton, Nicole Hren, Sean Michael Hunt, Johanna Mckenzie Miller and Richard Strimer. The show that deserves all this talent? It's "Charlotte's Web," with music and lyrics by none other than Charles Strouse, the composer of "Annie" and "Bye, Bye, Birdie." Who even knew he had written this? I sure didn't! The book is by Joseph Robinette (adapting E. B. White's award-winning children's classic), and Tammy Mader directs and choreographs. The show runs until May 28, 2011. 

Drury Lane Oakbrook - Childrens Theatre 

From the wholesome to the not-quite-so-wholesome (but still involving young people), we find that the Theatre Conservatory of Roosevelt University's College of Performing Arts is presenting "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas," the Carol Hall romp through the 1970s. It's April 14-17 down on Wabash Avenue, directed and choreographed by Luis Perez, and starring Brianna Schumacher and David Sajewich. Go, Aggies! 

The Theatre Conservatory 

Also that same weekend, but one day earlier (April 13-16), Northeastern Illinois University's Department of Music will be presenting "The Secret Garden" up on Bryn Mawr Avenue, directed by Sasha Gerritson, conducted by R. Shayne Cofer. 

Northeastern Illinois University : Department of Music 

The Marsha Norman/Lucy Simon tuner is hitting the boards twice this year, as it will also round out Light Opera Works's 2011 season this coming December. That production will be directed and choreographed by Stacey Flaster, who handled the same chores for LOW's successful "Carousel" last year. (I believe Roger L. Bingaman will be conducting.) The earlier shows for the Evanston company this year are, in reverse order, "Rodgers And Hart: A Celebration" (October 2-November 6), "The Student Prince" (August 20-28) and, starting things off, "Brigadoon," the classic Golden Age hit by Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe (June 4-12). 

Light Opera Works 

Even thought it seems that "Brigadoon," like its namesake town, hasn't appeared around here very often lately, there will be two productions of it this summer! The second one will be up on the shores of Lake Geneva, at Williams Bay, Wisconsin, on July 30-31, produced by Music By The Lake. It will be performed at the Ferro Pavillion, constructed in 2008, in a production directed by Dorothy Danner and music directed by Christine Flasch. Lots of Chicago types are in the cast, I believe, along with performers from Milwaukee and Madison. I think. 

Music by the Lake - "Brigadoon" 

Who knew all this? Well, you did, at least you did when your knowledge and enthusiasm is put together with that of the other denizens of this particular Showtune Mosh Pit! It's our collective interests that fuel this column, and I thank you for your part in it. So, I bet I will see you at some performance venue or other this week! And next week, if not sooner, I'll see you under the video screens.....-PWT 

BroadwayWorld photo of Gavin Creel by Peter James Zielinski 

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