Theatre By The Sea's 85th Celebration Concludes With CHICAGO

In celebration of 85 Years of Theatre By The Sea (TBTS), owner and producer Bill Hanney is proud to announce the opening of Kander and Ebb's Tony Award-winning musical Chicago, which will be presented from August 15 - September 9, 2018.

"Chicago has been on the list of shows I've wanted to produce at Theatre By The Sea for over a decade now," said Theatre By The Sea owner and producer Bill Hanney. "What better way to wrap up the 85th season then with the longest running American musical in Broadway history!"

Murder. Greed. Corruption. Violence. Exploitation. Adultery. Treachery. Set amidst the decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago's slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today's tabloids. Filled with one show-stopping song after another, and sexy, Bob Fosse style dance numbers, Chicago will "razzle dazzle" you ... and all that jazz!

Theatre By The Sea welcomes back director Bob Richard and choreographer Diane Laurenson, who directed and choreographed previous TBTS productions of Beauty and The Beast and West Side Story. They will be joined by music director Peter Leigh-Nilsen, whose most recent credits include National/International Tours of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, My Fair Lady, The Producers, Guys and Dolls, Bring It On: The Musical, and Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida. Michelle Alves, who most recently made her Broadway debut in On Your Feet!, and Jessica Wockenfuss, who began her relationship with TBTS as an intern in 2008, will portray the roles of Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart. The role of Billy Flynn will be played by Matthew J. Taylor, who will be making his Theatre By The Sea debut and Kevin Loreque returns to TBTS, after appearing as George in The Drowsy Chaperone (2011), in the role of Amos Hart. Tarra Conner jones, who won rave reviews earlier this season in Ain't Misbehavin', returns in the role of Matron Mama Morton. Rounding out the cast are Jane Abbott, Marlina Brown, Justin Campbell, Julia Feeley, Maverick Hiu, Matthew Hougland, Austin Iovanna, Brian Cedric Jones, Melissa Jones, Jared Scott Miller, Matthew Pashley-Roland, Gracie Phillips, Lindsay Poulis, Kristen Schoen-Rene, Adam Winer and Janelle Yull.

The creative team includes resident scenic designer Kyle Dixon and resident lighting designer Jose Santiago, along with Michael Hyde (Sound Design), Emily Christoffersen (Wig Design), Kate L. Ferdinandi (Production Stage Manager), and Sara Sheets (Assistant Stage Manager). Chicago is being produced for Theatre By The Sea by Bill Hanney (Owner/Producer), Kevin P. Hill (Producing Artistic Director), and Thom Warren (Associate Producer).

Audiences are invited to enhance their theatre experience by dining in the casual, contemporary and creative atmosphere of Bistro by the Sea, just a short stroll down the arbor walk adjacent to the theatre. Following performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, theatergoers can enjoy fun, food and drinks at the popular Late Night Cabaret, beginning August 24. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made via Table Up or by calling (401) 789-3030. Before or after the meal theatergoers can enjoy the lush seaside gardens, which contain over 300 varieties of perennials, grasses, shrubs and climbing plants, which offer a magical environment for flower lovers of all ages.

Chicago will be presented from August 15 - September 9, with preview performances on August 15 and 16 and opening night scheduled for August 17. Performances are scheduled for Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm, Thursdays at 2:00 pm, Saturdays at 3:00 and Sundays at 5:00 pm, with special performance times on Sunday, August 19 at 2:00 & 7:00 pm. The theatre is located at 364 Cards Pond Road, Wakefield. Tickets for preview performances, Wednesday, August 15 and Thursday, August 16 are $49. Tickets for all other performances are $52 - $75 (additional fees may apply). Discount rates are available for groups of 10 or more by calling (401) 782-TKTS (8587). Tickets are on sale at the box office Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am - 6:00 pm, Sundays from 12 noon - 5:00 pm and performance days until curtain, online 24-hours-a-day at www.theatrebythesea.com and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (866) 811-4111 or (401) 782-TKTS (8587).

Located on Rhode Island's South Shore, Theatre By The Sea celebrates 85 years of summer theatre at its best!

Theatre By The Sea has had many incarnations since opening on August 7, 1933. Tommy Brent saved the theatre from demolition in 1967 and ran it successfully until FourQuest Entertainment took over the lease in 1988. Following extensive renovations, FourQuest reopened the theatre in the spring of 1989 and continued producing high quality entertainment at the seaside playhouse until the fall of 2003. Bill Hanney purchased the property in 2007 and, with producing partners, successfully mounted a production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, just six weeks later, reopening the historic theatre on August 8, 2007. Since then, Theatre By The Sea has continued to produce a four-musical subscription season, a late-night cabaret series, a children's theatre festival, and a children's summer theatre camp.

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