MICHAEL WEBER Artistic Director
JONATHAN HEURING Managing Director
Words & Music by STEPHEN SONDHEIM Devised by STEPHEN SONDHEIM & JULIA McKENZIE Original Orchestrations by JONATHAN TUNICK Director/Musical Staging BRENDA DIDIER Scenic Design JOHN ZUIKER Sound Design JOSEPH FOSCO
Musical Director AUSTIN COOK
Lighting Design JULIE BALLARD
Costume Design MATTHEW GUTHIER
Production Stage Manager DAVID A LORANCA, AEA
Putting It Together, 1999 Broadway Version is presented through special arrangement with: Music Theatre International (MTI) 421 W 54th St., New York, NY www.MTIShows.com Porchlight Music Theatre 1
CAST Man #1.........................................................................................................................ADAM PELTY* Woman #1.......................................................................................................McKINLEY CARTER* Man #2.............................................................................................................MICHAEL RECKLING Woman #2..........................................................................................................................AJA GOES Man #3..................................................................................................................... ALEX WEISMAN UNDERSTUDIES Man #1 – David Sajewich, Woman #1 – Sara Stern, Man #2 – Luis Herrera Jr., Woman #2 – Jill Sesso, Man #3 – Tom McGunn Understudy performances will occur only with an announcement to the audience prior to the show. MUSICIANS Conductor/Piano.................................................................................................... AUSTIN COOK Bass.......................................................................................................................................SAM FILIP Percussion............................................................................................................. MATTHEW SITZ *Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association. PLEASE NOTE: PUTTING IT TOGETHER IS PERFORMED WITH ONE 15 MINUTE INTERMISSION
P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Director/Musical Staging...................................................................................BRENDA DIDIER Musical Director...................................................................................................... AUSTIN COOK Scenic Design..............................................................................................................JOHN ZUIKER Lighting Design.....................................................................................................JULIE BALLARD Costume Design............................................................................................MATTHEW GUTHIER Sound Design........................................................................................................JOSEPH FOSCO Production Stage Manager........................................................................DAVID A LORANCA* Assistant Director....................................................................................................BIL INGRAHAM Technical Director...................................................................................................... IAN ZYWICA Dramaturg.................................................................................................................KELLI MARINO Scenic Artist..................................................................................................LAUREN EARNSHAW Sound Engineer......................................................................................................ROBERT GROVE House Manager........................................................................................GERALD RICHARDSON Wardrobe Supervisor...................................................................................... BRIANNA BORGER Press Representative........................................SHOUT MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS: JAMES JULIANO & JILL EVANS Promotional Photographer......................................................................................JEREMY RILL Website & Graphic Design..................................... JON RUNNFELDT, LAB OF LIFE DESIGN
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M A N AG E M E N T S TA F F Artistic Director.................................................................................................... MICHAEL WEBER Managing Director.................................................................................... JONATHAN HEURING Marketing & Development Associate............................................................. RICHARD RUBIO Development Coordinator & Grant Officer............................................. DONALD SPRAGUE MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT ONE INVOCATION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO THE AUDIENCE (The Frogs).......Man #3, Man #4 PUTTING IT TOGETHER (Sunday In The Park With George)......................................The Company RICH AND HAPPY (Merrily We Roll Along).................................................................The Company DO I HEAR A WALTZ? (Do I Hear A Waltz?)....................................................Woman #1, Man #1 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG #1 (Merrily)............................................................................Man #3 LOVELY (A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum).................... Woman #2, Woman #1 HELLO LITTLE GIRL (Into The Woods)............................................................ Man #1, Woman #2 MY HUSBAND THE PIG (A Little Night Music)................................................................ Woman #1 EVERYDAY A LITTLE DEATH (A Little Night Music)................................Woman #1, Woman #2 EVERYBODY OUGHT TO HAVE A MAID (Forum)........ Man #1, Man #2, Man #3, Man #4 HAVE I GOT A GIRL FOR YOU (Company).........................................................Man #2, Man #1 PRETTY WOMEN (Sweeny Todd)...........................................................................Man #2, Man #1 SOONER OR LATER (Dick Tracy).....................................................................................Woman #2 BANG! (A Little Night Music).............................................................. Man #2, Man #3, Woman #2 UNWORTHY OF YOUR LOVE (Assassins)................................................... Man #2, Woman #2 COUNTRY HOUSE (Follies).............................................................................Woman #1, Man #1 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG #2 (Merrily)............................................................................Man #3 COULD I LEAVE YOU? (Follies)...................................................................................... Woman #1 ACT TWO BACK IN BUSINESS (Dick Tracy).............................................................................................Man #4 IT’S HOT UP HERE (Sunday).....................................................................................The Company THE LADIES WHO LUNCH (Company)........................................................................ Woman #1 THE ROAD YOU DIDN’T TAKE (Follies)..............................................................................Man #1 LIVE ALONE AND LIKE IT (Dick Tracy).................................................................................Man #2 MORE (Dick Tracy)..............................................................................................................Woman #2 THERE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN (Anyone Can Whistle)............................Woman #1, Woman #2 RICH AND HAPPY REPRISE (Merrily)..................................................................................Man #3 GOOD THING GOING (Merrily)............................................................................................Man #1 MARRY ME A LITTLE (Company)..........................................................................................Man #2 NOT GETTING MARRIED TODAY (Company)............................................................Woman #2 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG #3 (Merrily)...............................................................The Company BEING ALIVE (Company) ...........................................................................................The Company LIKE IT WAS (Merrily)........................................................................................................ Woman #1 OLD FRIENDS (Merrily)..............................................................................................The Company
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SPECIAL THANKS Porchlight Music Theatre would like to thank the staff at Theater Wit, and our subscribers and audience members who maintain a continuing commitment to our work. Our special dining partner is Cooper’s—A Neighborhood Eatery, critically acclaimed for their good food, extensive beer list, and good value. Located across the street from the theatre, Coopers offers 10% off the food bill to Porchlight patrons, and if you dine there and stay for our show, you can use their parking lot for free. We are grateful to Coopers for their food donation for the opening reception of each show. Please patronize them! 1232 West Belmont / Chicago, IL 60657 / 773.929.COOP (2667)
Porchlight Music Theatre is a proud member of the League of Chicago Theatres, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Producing Area Chicago Theatres and the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce.
A M E S S AG E F R O M T H E A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R This past July, Porchlight Music Theatre celebrated our annual gala, entitled Journey On. No sentiment more aptly describes this moment in our history, even as you are about to enjoy Stephen Sondheim’s cumulative song celebration, Putting it Together. For it was Sondheim’s glorious music that we have performed more than any other composer and it is his music, here from almost his entire canon, that provides a bridge to this new era. The production itself offers a number of firsts, including an entire cast making their Porchlight Music Theatre debuts, our first collaboration with the brilliant, young Music Director, Austin Cook, and the first occasion with our dear and endlessly gifted friend, Brenda Didier, in the Director’s chair. But then the season continues to bring you the new and the different, with the Chicago premiere of Harvey Fierstein and John Bucchino’s sublime, A Catered Affair, based on the beloved Bette Davis film, followed by tick, tick…BOOM!, our first occasion to bring you the celebrated music of Jonathan Larson. As many of you know, this is my inaugural year as Artistic Director of this, deservedly, esteemed Chicago institution. I look forward to getting to know you, our valued audience, and for you to get to know me as we journey together through the next league of the storied life of Porchlight Music Theatre. And, oh, what stories we have to tell you…all in magnificent song. Here we go!… Michael Weber Artistic Director
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P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .) McKINLEY CARTER (Woman #1) is pleased be joining Porchlight for the first time to sing some Sondheim! Chicago credits include: Ragtime, Drury Lane Oakbrook, John and Jen, Apple Tree Theatre (Joseph Jefferson nomination); Turn Of The Century, The Mamet Festival, The Visit, Floyd Collins, Goodman Theatre; Forbidden Broadway, Royal George Theatre; Winesburg Ohio, Steppenwolf Theatre; Into the Woods, A Christmas Carol, Marriott Theatre; James Joyce’s The Dead, Cymbeline and Pericles, Court Theatre. Outside Chicagoland, she has worked with First Stage Milwaukee Children’s Theatre and spent several seasons with Peninsula Players in Door County, WI. She most recently performed her one-woman cabaret Traveling Solo, a celebration of the single traveler. AJA GOES (Woman #2 ) is absolutely thrilled to be a part of this production of Sondheim’s Putting It Together. She is currently pursuing her BFA in Musical Theatre from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. Some favorite roles include Maureen in RENT, Rose in Caroline or Change, and Sally in Cabaret. Aja can be heard on two reference recordings for Music Theatre International including RENT School Edition and Forever Plaid: The Sound of Plaid. She would like to thank Marilyn Cardello, Holly Stanfield, and all of her professor’s at CCPA for their patience, faith, and guidance. And she is so grateful to have the endless love and support of her family and friends.
ADAM PELTY (Man #1) is thrilled to be making his Porchlight debut. Recent Chicago area credits include 42nd Street and The Drowsy Chaperone (Jeff nomination) at the Marriott, as well as Spamalot at Drury Lane. Broadway credits include: The Scarlet Pimpernel (original choreographer/Elton) Cyrano – The Musical (Valvert), Steel Pier, Joseph (Simeon), A Christmas Carol (Fred), and Titanic (Fleet). He has performed nationally and internationally in over 100 productions, including Syncopation for Capital Rep, the world premier of Frank Wildhorn’s Waiting For The Moon (off-Broadway) and Hello Dolly! in Paris, France. Adam has served on the faculties of NYU, Ithaca College and Interlochen Center for the Arts, and can be found occasionally teaching dance classes at Hubbard Street. He is also the founder of Moveable Arts, a Broadway education company. Adam is the son of legendary Chicago performer Lee Pelty. Most notable achievement: 14-year-old son, Noah. MICHAEL RECKLING (Man #2) Regional Credits include performing alongside Tony Winner Donna McKechnie in No, No, Nanette (Reagle Players, Boston), Lucky in Dames At Sea (Turtle Lane Playhouse, Boston). Chicago credits include Henrik in A Little Night Music (Light Opera Works) Leonard in The Yeoman Of The Guard (Light Opera Works) My Fair Lady and Carousel (Light Opera Works). Some favorite roles include Pirelli in Sweeney Todd and Oscar Lindquist in Sweet Charity. Michael is a proud graduate of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.
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P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .) ALEX WEISMAN (Man #3) is thrilled to be making his Porchlight Music Theatre debut with Putting It Together. Previous Chicago credits include Mary and A Christmas Carol at the Goodman, Peter Pan (A Play) at Lookinglass Theatre, The Madness of George III at Chicago Shakespeare, Status: A 48-Hour Musical at The Music Theatre Company (Artistic Associate), and The History Boys at TimeLine Theatre (Jeff Award, Supporting Actor in a Play). He is a proud graduate of Northwestern University. Thanks to his family, Scrippsy, Melissa Foster, and Michael Weber as well the whole PIT team! BRENDA DIDIER (Director/Musical Staging) is excited to be collaborating with Porchlight Music Theatre again and is proud to be making her Porchlight directing debut with this production! Ms. Didier is the founder, director and president of the Lincolnshire Academy of Dance and its award winning dance companies, “Expressions”. Ms. Didier is a multiple Jeff Award and After Dark Award recipient and has choreographed numerous Chicago productions from Second City’s mainstage to 5 years of Cirque Shanghai at Navy Pier’s Skyline Stage. Much gratitude to Michael Weber, Jon Heuring, Bil Ingraham, Austin Cook and this incredible design team and cast! AUSTIN COOK (Music Director/Pianist) is the most recent recipient of the Non-Equity Jeff Award for Best Music Direction (Theo Ubique’s Some Enchanted Evening-The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein) and was recently the Music Director of their Theatre on the Lake transfer of Sweet and Hot-The Songs of Harold Arlen. Before moving to Chicago in 2009, Austin worked for Walt Disney Entertainment in Lake 6 Porchlight Music Theatre
Buena Vista, Florida collaborating on such projects as the musicals of Finding Nemo and Toy Story. JOHN ZUIKER (Scenic Design) is very excited to be working with Porchlight for the first time. John received the 2010 Non-Eq. Jeff for his set design for BoHo’s I Am My Own Wife. Some of his other Chicago credits include: Jekyll and Hyde, M. Butterfly, Songs for a New World, The Life and SIDESHOW for Bohemian Theatre Ensemble where he is an artistic associate, Smoke on the Mountain, The Time of Your Life, C.S. Lewis on Stage and Beast on the Moon for Provision Theatre, The Beauty Queen of Leenane and The Glass Menagerie for The Gift Theatre, and autobahn for Profiles Theatre. Upcoming projects include Violet for Bailiwick Chicago and Pippin for BoHo. He holds an MFA from Carnegie Mellon University. www.johnzuiker.com. JULIE BALLARD (Lighting Design) Some of her favorite dance designs include 5 Characteristics of Brother (Marquez Dance), Rhapsody (Shapiro & Smith) and Falling on Lobsters in the Dark (Stephanie Carter). She has worked for Hedwig Dance, Breakbone Dance, Mordine & Co., Dance COLEctive, The Seldoms and Same Planet Different World. Ms. Ballard has been a part of numerous festivals as well as American Dance Festival, and has toured nationally and internationally with David Dorfman Dance and The Seldoms. Ms. Ballard is full time staff and adjunct faculty at the Dance Center of Columbia College. Ms. Ballard is no stranger to theatre either, working with Signal Ensemble as an Artistic Associate designing both lights and media. She has also worked with Irish Rep Theatre, Grey Zelda and Whitehorse Theatre Company. Some of her favorite theatre designs include Cabaret (University of Florida), 1776 (Signal Ensemble Theatre) and I Sing (Whitehorse Theatre). Ms. Ballard earned her MFA from the University of Florida. www.overlaplighting.com.
P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .) MATTHEW GUTHIER (Costume Design) is very pleased to be working on his first production at Porchlight Music Theatre. He was honored this past year with a non-equity Jeff Award for Cats at Theo Ubique. This will be his second time to work with the talented Brenda Didier as director, but hopefully not the last. Matt was resident costumer at Pheasant Run Resort’s Theater for 10 years, designing over 30 shows during his tenure. Other credits include Second City Theater, Silk Road Theater Project, the Amercian Country Music Awards, and designing tours for Kenny Rogers and The Eurythmics. He would like to gives special thanks to Brenda and Diana Martinez for their continual love and support. JOSEPH FOSCO (Sound Design) is a Chicago based composer and sound designer. He has been nominated for a New York Drama Desk award, 7 Jeff awards receiving 3; he has received 2 After Dark awards and an Orgie Theatre
Award. Joseph is a company member of A Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago; he has also designed shows at The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Marriott’s Theatre in Lincolnshire, Noble Fool Theatricals/Fox Valley Rep., Theater Wit, and many others. Regionally he has composed music and designed sound at Barrow Street Theatre (NY), 29th Street Rep.(NY) and theatres in Seattle, Madison, and Milwaukee. In England Joseph has designed in London, Edinburgh, Brighton, and Manchester. Joseph has composed music for film, video and dance, and currently performs with the Chicago Scratch Orchestra. Visit www.josephfosco.com for more information. DAVID A LORANCA (Production Stage Manager) is thrilled to be a part of Putting It Together—his first production with Porchlight. Other Chicago credits include: Faith Healer, The Mystery of
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P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .) Irma Vep and Moonlight and Magnolias (Buffalo Theatre Ensemble); Dot and Ziggy (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Merrily We Roll Along (The Music Theatre Company); Dawn’s Light at the Pritzker Pavilion (Silk Road Theatre Project); The Hiding Place (Provision Theater Company); The Screwtape Letters at The Mercury Theater (Fellowship for the Performing Arts); Hedwig and the Angry Inch, True West and Topdog/Underdog (American Theatre Company); The Passion of Dracula (First Folio Theatre); The Talented Tenth (Congo Square); Every Christmas Story Ever Told (Noble Fool Theatricals); The Frogs and tick, tick, Boom! (Pegasus Players); Side Show at Theatre on the Lake (Bohemian Theatre Ensemble); No Way to Treat a Lady (Light Opera Works) and over four seasons at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. David also stage managed the 1st national tour of C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters with Max McLean. David is a proud graduate of Western Illinois University and member of Actors’ Equity Association. www.DavidLoranca.com. KELLI MARINO (Dramaturg) has worked as a dramaturg with American Blues Theater, A Red Orchid, Court Theatre, TimeLine, Porchlight Music Theatre, Eclipse, Stage Left, and Remy Bumppo Theatre Company. Kelli holds an M.A. from the University of Arizona and a B.A. from the University of Northern Colorado. She is the literary associate/resident dramaturg and artistic affiliate at American Blues Theater and literary manager/dramaturg at Porchlight Music Theatre. Kelli is also the Regional Vice President of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of America—Chicago, and the proud coordinator of Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Artistic and Technical Team. MICHAEL WEBER (Artistic Director) joined Porchlight in June as the company’s new Artistic Director. Weber has won two Jeff Awards and has been nominated for seven. He directed the past five Joseph 8 Porchlight Music Theatre
Jefferson Awards ceremonies and previously served as Artistic Director for the inaugural season of Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place (2005) and Theatre at the Center (1998-2004). He has also been a successful actor at venues including Ravinia, Chicago Shakespeare and Marriott Theatre. His directing credits include Fifth of July and Talley’s Folly at the Oak Park Festival Theatre, The Petrified Forest at Theatre at the Center, Over the River and Through the Woods at The Mercury Theater, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Pheasant Run Theatre, and Cirque du Symphony at Sears Center Arena. His productions of Assassins at Porchlight Music Theatre, Grand Hotel at Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place and She Loves Me at Theatre at the Center were each nominated for a Jeff Award for Best Production-Musical. Weber’s regional acting credits include Annie Get Your Gun and Gypsy (starring Patti LuPone) at Ravinia, Disney’s My Son Pinocchio at First Stage Milwaukee, Around the World in 80 Days at Cleveland Playhouse, The Winter’s Tale and Henry V at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, It Had To Be You (starring Cindy Williams and Eddie Mekka) at Little Theatre on the Square, Angel Street at First Folio Shakespeare, and The Gifts of the Magi at Indiana Repertory. Weber is author of the new play, WAR of the WELLeS. JONATHAN HEURING (Managing Director) is in his 3rd season as Porchlight’s Managing Director. He has been an active member of the Chicago theatre community, having worked in all aspects of theatrical production in the Chicago area for the past 17 years. The majority of that time was 9 years at Victory Gardens Theater, where he helped produce over 60 world or regional premiere productions. He was also an integral part of the multi-year renovation of the historic Biograph Theater into the 299 seat Zacek-McVay mainstage and 120 seat Richard Christiansen Theatre. He has worked with countless other
P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .) companies in the Midwest, including Indiana Repertory, Emerald City, TimeLine, Famous Door, Lifeline, Center Theatre Ensemble, Jam Theatricals and Oak Park Festival, and has worked as a consultant for non-profit software development and theatrical facility
renovation. He is a proud graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, is an artistic advisor to Premiere Theatre and Performance, and is an original member of the Joseph Jefferson Awards Arts & Technical Committee.
G R E AT O F F E R S F O R T H E 2 011-12 S E A S O N Come join us for the rest of our 2011-2012 season, and if you subscribe today to the final 2 shows, you’ll get the best seats in the house reserved for you! You’ll also be able to exchange your tickets for other performance dates in the run, and will get exclusive invites and information on upcoming events at Porchlight. All of this for just $65 for the remaining 2 shows! Chicago Premiere! Music and Lyrics by John Bucchino Book by Harvey Fierstein Directed by Nick Bowling Musical Direction by Doug Peck Starring Rebecca Finnegan and Craig Spidle February 17 thru April 1, 2012 At Stage 773, 1225 W Belmont Ave. A Catered Affair is a bittersweet reflection on the complexities of relationships between husbands and wives and parents and children. A couple must decide whether to spend their life savings on a family business or to celebrate their only daughter’s marriage with a lavish catered affair, providing her with the joyful wedding they never had for themselves. A beautiful exploration of the resilience of love, A Catered Affair features a melodious, 50s-inspired score. The production received three Tony Award nominations, eleven Drama Desk Award Nominations as well as the Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Musical. Porchlight veteran and Jeff Award winning actress Rebecca Finnegan makes her return to the Porchlight stage in this Chicago premiere! Music, Lyrics and Book by Jonathan Larson Script Consultation by David Auburn Directed by Adam Pelty Musical Direction by Diana Lawrence April 27 thru June 10, 2012 At Stage 773, 1225 W Belmont Ave tick, tick... BOOM! is Larson’s semi-autobiographical story of Jon, an aspiring composer anxiously approaching his 30th birthday. Jon’s girlfriend wants to get married and leave New York for a more conventional life, his best friend is earning a fortune on Madison Avenue, and Jon is still waiting on tables while trying to create the great American musical. An inspiring story of a struggling artist who chooses to follow his dreams, tick, tick... BOOM! features a dynamic pop-rock score blended with traditional musical theater styles, in what many believe to be Larson’s homage to Stephen Sondheim. Porchlight Music Theatre 9
A B O U T P O R C H L I G H T M U S I C T H E AT R E Mission Statement Porchlight is Chicago’s music theatre. By uniting the arts of music, drama dance, and design we transform stories into passionate and relevant events, which affect the lives of artists and audiences alike. As professionals and leaders in this field, we nurture and develop new artists and works, expanding and redefining the music theatre genre while matching artistic vision with fiscal responsibility. PMT Staff Michael Weber • Artistic Director Jonathan Heuring • Managing Director Richard Rubio • Marketing and Development Associate Donald Sprague • Development Coordinator & Grant Officer PMT Board of Directors Jeannie Lukow/President • Mary Kay Conley/Vice President/Secretary • Ron Zoromski/Treasurer • Kyle Burke • Cheryl Coons • Diane Hires • William Ingraham James Jensen • Kathryn Michael • Rhoda Reeling PMT Artistic Associates Charissa Armon • Danny Bernardo • Brianna Borger • Eric Bramlett • Christa Buck Carrie Beth Dean • Eugene Dizon • Kristen Freilich • Lara Filip • Sarah Hayes Bil Ingraham • Sean Kelly • Jenn Kincaid • Rob Lindley • Sarah Morello Chris Pazdernik• Doug Peck • Gerald Richardson • Jon Runnfeldt • Jon Steinhagen Jennifer Tjepkema • Heather Townsend • Abigail Trabue • Thom Van Ermen PMT Advisory Board Brenda Didier • William Finn • Pat and Laura Lederer • Jill Moore Rob Oberwise • Maury Yeston • Kristi Zimmermann PMT Benefit Committee Danny Bernardo • Christin Boulette • Eugene Dizon • David Dorton • Jon Heuring Jenn Kincaid • Elizabeth McKevitt Knollman • Kathryn Michael* PMT Finance Committee Kyle Burke • Cheryl Coons • Jon Heuring • Diane Hires • James Jensen Jeannie Lukow • Rhoda Reeling • Ron Zoromski* PMT Marketing Committee Danny Bernardo • Eric Bramlett • Brianna Borger • Kristen Freilich • Jon Heuring Bil Ingraham* • James Jensen • Jeannie Lukow • Brad McCormick • Kathryn Michael Jon Runnfeldt • Ron Zoromski * denotes chair
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A N N UA L S U P P O R T Porchlight Music Theatre gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the following individuals, businesses, foundations, and corporations. This list includes individual donor gifts received January 1 through August 1, 2011. We apologize to donors whose commitment is secured after the printing of this program and we regret any errors in the listing of contributors’ names. If you would like your name to appear differently or prefer to remain anonymous, please contact us at info@ porchlighttheatre.com or phone 773.325.9884. Porchlight is most grateful to those individuals who not only subscribe to the season but who honor us with donations, so necessary for us to succeed. Individuals can support Porchlight with gifts to the annual fund and with ticket purchases to the benefit concerts and the annual auction gala. 72% of all donations in America come from individuals. Please consider making a gift to Chicago’s leader in music theatre, the company acclaimed for nurturing young talent and talent new to Chicagoland. Porchlight appreciates the grants from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Porchlight encourages its audience members to thank their alderman, state representative, and state senator for supporting such vital government funding for the arts. Foundation/Corporate Sponsors A.R.T. League Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development Bespoke Cuisine CityArts Program/City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Illinois Arts Council - A State Agency The MacArthur Fund for Art & Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Association of Realtors Peoples Energy Shen Family Foundation
Season Major In-Kind Donors & Sponsors Bespoke Cuisine Cooper’s - A Neighborhood Eatery JDM Consulting Jon Runnfeldt – Lab of Life Design Producer $2,500+ Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation Mary Kay Conley Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Illinois Arts Council - A State Agency The MacArthur Fund for Art & Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Kathryn Michael Peoples Energy Shen Family Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Avy & Marcie Stein
Director $1,000+ Brenda Didier City Arts 2 Program IBM Corporation Matching Grants Program Kevin & Jan Holland William Ingraham & Brad McCormick James Jensen Patrick & Laura Lederer Jeannie Lukow Eddie Sugarman Ron & Judie Zoromski Choreographer $500-$999 Kyle Burke Cheryl Coons Jean Klingenstein Andrew Pollis Jerry Proffit Rhoda Reeling
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A N N UA L S U P P O R T ( c o n t .) Stage Manager $250-$499 David Crabbe Rich Dilts Jonathan Fiala Judith Friedman Jonathan & Darcy Heuring Gitta Jacobs Lindsey Pearlman Kim Shambrook & Angela Johnson Susan Wishnick & Allen Steinberg Artist $100-$249 Jil Adamczyk A.R.T. League Miriam Armstrong Richard Boyum & Louie Chua Eric Bramlett Richard Brannegan Fred & Charlotte Broitman Jay Cook Maureen B. Daw Leonora Dickson David Dorton & Christin Boulette Thomas & Helen Fanning Larry & Eileen Frederick Freda Friedman Elizabeth Gelman Jeffrey Glenn Jack Hakman Rosalie Kaplan Pat Kapsalis Jerry McCann Elizabeth McKevitt & Phillip Knollman Sean Allan Krill Therese Kozlowski
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Henry & Florine Marks Mary Ellen Masek Charlotte Newfeld Laurie Pfiffner Jane Purdy Donald E Sprague Peter & Therese Thursby Joan Werhane Roberta Zabel Kristi Zimmermann Patron $50-$99 Frank & Joan Adkins Elizabeth Auman Sandra Barnett-White Michael & Margaret Blecha Carol Bowler John Breslin Jordan Brown Jessica Chakos Susan & Frank Di Costanzo Michael Elkow Jr. Ray & Patt Fiala John & Judith Figliuolo Edward Flaherty George Green Tom Guerra Susan Haimes William & Winfred Heuring Brooke Jaeky Heidi Juiris Jenn Kincaid Joanne Kraft Joan Lovell Julian Magdaleno John & Linda Michael Madeline Moon Susan Newman & Michael Lowenstein
Tom O`Connor Kate Oczkowski Keith Olenik Michael Pauken Pepsico Foundation Ronald & Kathy Primeau Victoria Quade William Raffeld Rosemary Schnell & Russ Bruzek Steven & Janice Schoneman Steven & Janis Schroeder Sarah Simpson Jay & Tamara Sims Michael Sloan Christa & Thom Van Ermen Kristine Vanko Claudia Winkler Friend $25-$49 Jeanne Berkowitz Kathleen Breski Lucinda Burkhardt Inara Bundza David Chinitz Gerald & Donna Cody Magdalyn Cohn Marcia & Thomas Fritz Tom & Mary Gibbons Linda Grear Mary Ann Greco Bobbie & Bob Heiman Michele Howard Iga Ksiazek Sue Ravenscraft Susan Samson Ronald Sarbieski & Stephen Blackwell D.J. & Kathy Shinkle Helen G. Stopek
GIF T RECOGNITION PROGR A M The Porchlight Music Theatre Gift Recognition Program affords donors the opportunity to remember their beloved deceased with a memorial gift or to honor a friend on a special occasion with a gift in their name. Acknowledgements are sent to those memorialized or honored. Gifts in Memory of: Ruth Ann Andrew Robert Andrews Pat Flanagan Harvey Friedman Connie King Marge Maurer Gifts to Honor the Following Individuals: Christin Boulette Dorton Jenn A. Kincaid Jeannie Lukow & Kathryn Michael on their birthdays Becca Sheehan Walter Stearns & Eugene Dizon on their years of service to Porchlight
Donations are the lifeblood of a theater organization. Porchlight welcomes donations to the Annual Fund which supports the operating budget and to the Endowment Fund. We are happy to complete paperwork for matching gift programs. Please contact: Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago Business Office, 2814 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago IL 60657-4202, 773.325.9884 or info@porchlighttheatre.com As a 501-C-3 not-for-profit organization, all gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Porchlight acknowledges gifts with a letter recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as an appropriate record for donations.
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Mission: sMart art
Theater Wit dedicates itself to producing plays that address contemporary issues with humor and intelligence. With groundbreaking new plays and classic works, Theater Wit seeks to engage its audiences with wit and wisdom. Now a year at our newly renovated 3 theater complex, Theater Wit strives to create a welcoming and professional home for the neighborhood to experience Chicago’s diversely talented theater scene.
MORE THEATER. MORE!!! Take full advantage of all the productions and companies at Theater Wit
MeMbership
With a Theater Wit Membership, you can see as many plays as you want, year round, for $36/month: » Reserve a seat at any production in our facility. Do it in advance or just drop by on impulse. » Free ticket exchanges and replacement tickets. » Attend as many different shows as you want each month. Come once, twice or five times a week at no additional charge. » No initiation or startup fee, but members must agree to a threemonth minimum. » Twice a year, bring a friend for free.
Flexpass
Theater Wit’s FlexPass allows you see anything in the building at a dramatically reduced price: » Your FlexPass gives you 10 tickets for any shows at Theater Wit to be used any way you want for only $200. See 10 shows, go on 5 dates or just bring your 9 closest friends with you to a show. » After ordering, you get a card in the mail within a week with your FlexPass code which can be used online, over the phone or at the box office.
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RESIDENT AND VISITING SHOWS THIS FAll AT THEATER WIT timeline theatre Company A Walk in the Woods August – November
griffin theatre ensemble Spring Awakening November – December
porchlight Music theatre Putting It Together September 6 – October 16
theater Wit The Santaland Diaries November – December
stage left Farragut North September 7 – October 9
Call the Theater Wit Box Office for tickets 773-975-8150 or visit us online at theaterwit.org
bohemian theatre ensemble Pippin October 13 – November 13
THEATER WIT STAFF Jeremy Wechsler........ Artistic Director David Wechsler.....Company Manager Mercedes Rohlfs ............ Grant Director Mikey Laird .......... Box Office Manager Tamara Berkover ............ Bar Manager Jay Kelly, L.C. Williams & Assocs Press Relations Michelle D. Miller and John D. Neumann, Jones Day......................Legal Richard Kasemsarn ...................Architect David Trent Zilmer General Contractor board oF direCtors
Kathryn Stieber .......................... President Paul Danao ........................ Vice-President Charles Hornewer .....................Treasurer Todd Goldberg Ashley Nelson Neal Smyth Bruce Wechsler
With so much going on at theater Wit, we recommend you get our e-newsletter to keep up. get updated news on our resident companies, pre-production insights, interviews and photos. You can also be our bestest ever e-pals by visting us at facebook. com/theaterwit. Fill out a mailing list insert and give to any bartender, usher or house manager to get a free piece of chocolate, or sign up online at theaterwit.org/join.
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WitRESIDENCE providing a hoMe to ChiCago’s theaters
Each season, Theater Wit offers its space to one or more companies to produce in year round. The WitRESIDENCE program combines the principles of a cooperative and a traditional rental house to create a more cohesive, professional, and efficient nonprofit environment. In its facility, Theater Wit will play host to other Chicago theater companies on a minimum two-year basis. The resident companies will volunteer their time for space maintenance, share audience development initiatives, and gain a home under one roof. Meet our resident companies for 2011-2012!
BOHEMIAN THEATRE ENSEMBlE BoHo Theatre’s mission is to create theatre that incorporates the arts as a whole — Art for art’s sake. BoHo’s vision is to challenge convention through literary originality and eclectic expression while fostering an ever-evolving artistic environment in which people are inspired to learn, think, dream, and feel. To teach others and ourselves how to expand, create, and present art through theatre while reveling not only in the process, but also in the journey. BoHo’s season is chosen to highlight and explore the four bohemian pillars of Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love. Four shows, four pillars (and maybe a holiday musical thrown in for good measure!)
STAGE lEFT THEATRE Stage Left Theatre’s mission is to develop and produce plays that inspire debate about political and social topics. We focus on presenting complicated issues in the context of an engaging story, without prescribing a single point of view. We attempt to spark respectful debate about the issues most relevant to our community, and activate audiences to continue those conversations beyond the walls of the theatre. Stage Left also works to inspire playwrights to address political and social themes through our Downstage Left new work development program.
NEW MIllENNIuM THEATRE COMpANy New Millennium produces a varied season which focuses on new and non-traditional approaches to theater. They create plays geared to audiences who have been reluctant to attend traditional theatre offerings, producing shows that are fun and relevant to today’s complex audiences.
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