Porchlight Music Theatre’s “Rock & Roll Broadway”

Highly Recommended ***** The building on Dearborn that houses the Porchlight Music Theatre productions may be closed due to the Covid “pandemic”, but the creativity of the leadership and the vast array of talent in Chicago keeps bringing entertainment to us. Yes, through the power of ZOOM and the genius of people like Michael Weber, Porchlight’s  annual fundraiser and award show ( The Guy Adkins Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Music Theatre in Chicago) is available for all to see,

For tickets you can contact www.porchlightmusictheatre.org

Tickets start at $25 ( tax deductable)

What you will find is a well produced video production that will take you through some of the amazing Broadway productions from the 1960’s up to the current shows of today.

A great deal of the show includes some of the area’s highest regarded talents, some just speaking to us and asking for help in raising funds for Porchlight, which as we know has had their doors closed for over a year. Names like E. Faye Butler, Sean Allan Krill, Susan Munoz and Kathy Voyto. Other will perform and bring musical numbers to life. The lsit is amazing: Andrew Mueller, Billy Rude, Laura Savage, Heidi Kettenring, Lucy Gotinez, Sawyer Smith, Michelle Lauto, Bethany Thomas and a host of others. Over 50 talented performers putting on a solid two hours of chemistry for any lover of musical theater.

They start with the 60’s and “Bye Bye Birdie” and go through the different cycles of musical theater with the 70’s bringing us more variety with  shows like “Promises, Promises”, “Hair” and “Don’t Bother Me , I Can’t Cope”, moving along to shows such as “The Wiz”, “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, “Godspell” and then on to the shows of the 80’s , “Hairspray”, “Dream Girls” and “Little Shop of Horrors”. They talk about the programs that they offer for kids in Chicago and the amazing scholarship program they offer. It is the fund raising that helps these young talented kids get into the arts and they show us a bit of what they have been able to do- they are terrific.

We move forward with numbers from “Rent”, “Hedwig and The Angry Inch” and “Spring Awakening” and then on to “Waitress”, “Kinky Boots” and more. Biographical plays are also included: “Buddy”, “Jersey Boys”, “Tina”, “Beautiful”, “Million Dollar Quartet and then on to some of the newer works , “Passing Strange”, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” and one of my all time favs “Next To Normal”. What a delighful show.

It is available thru Sunday April 18th

Part of the evening s a special award- The Guy Adkins Award. Last year, Director Gary Griffin was the honoree and this year, the Award is presented to Felicia P. Fields. Felicia has appeared on just about every stage in Chicago as well as doing Broadway and regional theater all over. Winner of the Tony Award for her portrayal of Sofia in “The Color Purple”  as well as many Jeff Awards. She has been seen on all the local “Chicago” tv shows and Chicago is lucky to have her as a Chicagoan. After the award presentation, the amazing cast and musicians do another 15 minutes of  what can be called a “Broadway Mega Mix”. Find the two hours, pour a drink and get comfy ( turn off your phone as well). Yes, pretend you are watching this show “live” because Michael Weber and his crew have created a true masterpiece. Oh yes, If you can, GIVE! It will help others!

For info on other productions that Porchlight will present SOON, visit www.porchlightmusictheatre.org