“New Faces Sing Broadway 1987”

Many of us are used to Porchlight Music Theatre’s “New Faces” program, a cabaret production, that allows us, the viewing audience to watch some of the new , young talent of Chicago, show off their talent. Under normal circumstances, the show is done in a VERY cabaret setting, where with drinks in hand, we bear witness to about 90 minutes of great musical numbers, performed by the talent that we will be seeing on our stages for years to come!

With the Pandemic upon us, everything has changed. Michael Weber, the genius Artistic Director of Porchlight has found a great way to use the internet to make this year’s edition a reality. Porchlight is presenting “New Faces Sing Broadway 1987” on U-Tube and I must say, in addition to an amazing and talented group of singers, the production staff has put together 80 minutes of pure Broadway magic for those hungry for great entertainment.

1987! Thirty-Three years ago ( some of the shows opened in late 1986) the Broadway stages were graced with musicals that we great successes ( “Les Miserables”, “Phantom of the Opera”, Into The Woods” and “Starlight Express”) and a few failures ( “Smile”, “Honky Tonk Blues” and “Don’t Get God Started”).

Your host for this powerful cabaret is Larry Adams, a very important member of the Chicago theater scene. We have seen and heard him at just about every local area theater in town. His voice is one of power and his stage presence amazing. FYI- In this show, he brings that voice to life with “Stars” from “Les Miz” to “Music of the Night” from “Phantom”, making the event one that I know you will never forget!

But, he is not the show! It is the youthful and very talented cast, Anna Marie Abbate, Isabella Andrews ( who is an adorable comic singer and handles the flute to perfection), Ciera Dawn, Taylor Ditola, Tim Foszcz, Cameron Goode, Garrett Griffin, Parker Guidry ( who has been around, but mostly in an ensemble capacity), Devon Hayakawa and Kelan M. Smith.

Directed by Christopher Pazdernik, on the stage and in the building that we all know as The Studebaker Theatre ( once a classic venue for musical theater) with musical direction by David Fiorello, this is 80 plus minutes of pure pleasure.

I am somewhat prejudice due to the three numbers from my favorite composer ( Stephen Sondheim) and “Into The Woods”, which opened in 1987 on my birthday, November 5^th, but having numbers sung by Larry Adams and the solid talent that Weber has found make for a wonderful piece of entertainment in these days of sparse theater.

The production is available thru November 29^th

Tickets are $25-$50 and are available by calling 773-777-9884 or online at www.PorchlightMusicTheatre.org.

Gather your family and or friends ( social distancing of cource) and pour a drink, sit back and enjoy. This is a winner!!

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “New Faces Sing Broadway 1987”