Porchlight Music Theatre Announces the Premiere of the Newly Revised Side Show

CHICAGO – Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the first production in its 2015 - 2016 season: Side Show, September 11 - October 18, directed by Porchlight Music Theatre artistic director Michael Weber, music direction by Aaron Benham, choreography by Andrew Waters, music by Henry Krieger, book and lyrics by Bill Russell, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Previews will run Friday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m., and Monday, Sept. 14 7:30 p.m. The opening night is Friday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There is an added matinee performance Thursday, Oct. 8 at 1:30 p.m. NOTE: *There are no Thursday 7:30 p.m. performances September 17 and October 8. Tickets are $35 for preview performances, $50 for the opening night performance and reception, $39 for Thursday performances and $45 for all other performances. Subscriptions to the entire season, including the holiday return of Porchlight’s smash hit Ain’t Misbehavin’, the Chicago premiere of Far From Heaven starring Summer Naomi Smart and the audience-favorite Dreamgirls are currently on sale as well as single tickets for the entire season. Subscriptions are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling 773.777.9884. Single tickets are available at the Stage773 box office, 773.327.5252.

The recipient of Tony Award-nominations for both “Best Score” and “Book of a Musical,” Side Show is inspired by the true-life story of the legendary conjoined twin circus, vaudeville and movie stars The Hilton Sisters, Daisy and Violet, and their search for love and acceptance amidst the spectacle of fame and scrutiny while under the spotlight of public opinion. Set against the backdrop of 1930’s show business, Side Show seamlessly blends the worlds of carnival, vaudeville, and Hollywood glamour in a haunting and sympathetic story of extraordinary humanity.

CHICAGO – Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the first production in its 2015 - 2016 season: Side Show, September 11 - October 18, directed by Porchlight Music Theatre artistic director Michael Weber, music direction by Aaron Benham, choreography by Andrew Waters, music by Henry Krieger, book and lyrics by Bill Russell, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Previews will run Friday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m., and Monday, Sept. 14 7:30 p.m. The opening night is Friday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There is an added matinee performance Thursday, Oct. 8 at 1:30 p.m. NOTE: *There are no Thursday 7:30 p.m. performances September 17 and October 8. Tickets are $35 for preview performances, $50 for the opening night performance and reception, $39 for Thursday performances and $45 for all other performances. Subscriptions to the entire season, including the holiday return of Porchlight’s smash hit Ain’t Misbehavin’, the Chicago premiere of Far From Heaven starring Summer Naomi Smart and the audience-favorite Dreamgirls are currently on sale as well as single tickets for the entire season. Subscriptions are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling 773.777.9884. Single tickets are available at the Stage773 box office, 773.327.5252.

The recipient of Tony Award-nominations for both “Best Score” and “Book of a Musical,” Side Show is inspired by the true-life story of the legendary conjoined twin circus, vaudeville and movie stars The Hilton Sisters, Daisy and Violet, and their search for love and acceptance amidst the spectacle of fame and scrutiny while under the spotlight of public opinion. Set against the backdrop of 1930’s show business, Side Show seamlessly blends the worlds of carnival, vaudeville, and Hollywood glamour in a haunting and sympathetic story of extraordinary humanity.

Porchlight Music Theatre was personally contacted and invited by the authors to present the exclusive first post-Broadway production of their newly revised version that debuted in 2014 here in Chicago. Featuring news songs, characters and additional details of the Hilton twins’ true-life story, this presentation will be still further refined through the intimate vision of the Porchlight lens to create a newly conceived experience in the telling of the lives of these two astonishing women.

Porchlight is proud to introduce to Chicago audiences Colleen Fee and Britt-Marie Sivertsen starring as “Daisy and Violet Hilton.” Also starring in the production are recent Best Actor in a Musical Jeff Award-winner Matthew Keffer as “Terry Connor”, Devin DeSantis as “Buddy Foster” and Evan Tyrone Martin as “Jake.” The cast of Side Show also includes Matthias Austin (Sir), Johnson Brock (The Human Pin Cushion/Ray), Colin Funk (The Dog Boy/Harry Houdini), Veronica Garza (The Fortune Teller), Amanda Hartley (The Bearded Lady/Auntie), Peter Eli Johnson (The Roustabout), Ben Kay (The Geek), Courtney Mack (The Tattoo Girl), John Marshall Jr. (The Three-Legged Man), Deanna Meyers (The Half Man-Half Woman), Kristen Noonan (Venus de Milo) and Ben Saylor (The Cossack) and Jeremy Sonkin (The Lizard Man).

The Production team includes: Megan Truscott (scenic designer), Greg Freeman (lighting designer), Artistic Associate Bill Morey (costume designer), Ross Hoppe (projection designer),
Robert Hornbostel (sound designer), Jay Tollefsen (properties designer), Kevin Barthel (wig designer), Kimberly Morris (make-up designer), Jessica Forella (stage manager), Alexandra Garfinkle (dramaturg), and Artistic Associate Aaron Shapiro (production manager).

About Colleen Fee (Daisy Hilton)

Colleen Fee makes her Porchlight Music Theatre debut with this production. Her Chicago debut was in The Sound of Music at Lyric Opera direct by Mark Bruni and Off-Broadway she appeared as “Mrs. Pink” in Pinkalicious at New World Stages. Credits include “Belle” in A Christmas Carol at Syracuse Stage, “Kate Harris” in Never Too Late at The New Theatre, and starring as the title character in the national tour of Junie B. Jones with Theatreworks USA.

About BRITT-MARIE SIVERTSEN (Violet Hilton)

Britt-Marie Sivertsen returns to Porchlight Music Theatre where she made her debut as “Vibrata” in the recent hit, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Previous credits include The Glass Protege (Giant Cherry Productions w/ Glitterati Productions), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Theo Ubique), Legally Blonde (Big Noise Theatre), web series Easy Abby Season 1, Episode 5 (Juicy Planet Pictures), and ensemble member of Some Guys I Know on YouTube.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

Porchlight Music Theatre, now in its 21st season, is nationally recognized for developing innovative new works, reimagining classic productions and showcasing musical theatre’s noted veterans and rising stars. Porchlight elevates the genre in Chicago by providing intimate and powerful theatrical experiences for its growing and diverse audience. With the vision of Artistic Director Michael Weber, Porchlight builds on its role as Chicago’s only Equity not-for-profit company exclusively specializing in music theatre. Porchlight’s rich history includes the staging of more than 60 productions with 13 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Through Porchlight’s “Off the Porch” new works program, the musicals of the next generation are developed and given a first audience. The School at Porchlight is Chicago’s new center for music theatre training in the areas of performance, writing and appreciation. The company’s many accolades include 11 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and two awards, as well as a total of 103 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations resulting in 31 Jeff Awards, recently garnering back to back Best Production awards for A Class Act (2103) and Ain’t Misbehavin’ (2014).

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Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the Actors’ Equity Foundation, the Arts and Business Council of Chicago, the Arts Work Fund at the Chicago Community Trust, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the National Association of Realtors, Peoples Gas and The Saints. The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

All photos by Brandon Dahlquist.