Porchlight Revisits... "Lost" Musicals Concert Series Kicks Off With Babes in Arms, October 6-8

CHICAGO – Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the first production in the third season of Chicago’s smash “lost” musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits… Babes In Arms, featuring book by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, music by Rodgers and lyrics by Hart, with direction by Jess McLeod, music direction by Alex Newkirk and musical staging by James Beaudry. Babes In Arms is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, Oct. 6 through Thursday, Oct. 8 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight’s Side Show (September 11 - October 25) on nights when there are no performances at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets for Babes In Arms are $30 and include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multi-media presentation, hosted by Artistic Director Michael Weber, that discusses that evening’s production including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage gossip and more. Single tickets to Babes In Arms are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252. Season subscriptions to Porchlight Revisits… include Babes in Arms, Applause and Chess are also available at porchlightmusictheatre.org.

Babes in Arms is the quintessential ‘Hey, kids, let’s put on a show!’ musical that became best known as part of a series of films starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, and features the popular songs “Where or When,” “My Funny Valentine,” “Johnny One-Note” and “The Lady is a Tramp.” A group of teenagers are left without adult supervision when their parents hit the vaudeville summer circuit much to the local lawman’s dismay. He threatens the kids with sending them to a work farm for the summer, but the determined teens talk the sheriff into a two-week reprieve, just enough time to produce their own show and prove their mettle.

“Porchlight Revisits… has been a phenomenal success in its first two seasons with unforgettable performances, standing ovations and sold out houses,” says Weber.
“We look forward to seeing all the fans of past productions and new audiences as we expand the series to three nights. The demand has been strong for the added performances as audiences have loved the Behind the Story Backstory and the opportunity to see and hear many of their favorite musicals, not seen on stage for a long time, live with some of Chicago’s favorite performers and new talent.”

The cast for Babes in Arms includes: Missy Aguilar (Baby Rose/ensemble), Elya Faye Bottiger (Dolores Reynolds/ensemble), Tommy Bullington (Lee Calhoun), Kyrie Courter (Iva de Quincy), Aaron M. Davidson (Peter), Javier Ferreira (Val LaMar), Chris Logan (Rene Flambeau/ensemble), Anthony Norman (Beauregard Calhoun/ensemble), Jaymes Osbourne (Irving de Quincy/ensemble), Frank Roberts (Sherrif Reynolds), Will Skrip* (Marshall Blackstone), Dana Tretta* (Billie Smith) and Greg Zawada (Gus Fielding). The Babes in Arms musicians include Ben Dillinger (bass) and Tony Scandora (percussion).

The production team includes: Amanda Davis* (stage manager), Robert Hombostel (production manager/sound board operator) and Aaron Shapiro (production manager).

*denotes members of the Actors’ Equity Association

ABOUT RICHARD RODGERS, music and book

Rodgers was an American composer for more than 900 songs and 43 Broadway musicals, as well as composing music for films and television. Rodgers was the first person to win all of the top show business awards— an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony. He also won a Pulitzer Prize. He collaborated with Oscar Hammerstein II on various successful Broadway shows, including Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and the Sound of Music.

ABOUT LORENZ HART, lyrics and book

Hart was the lyricist of many popular American jazz standards, including “The Lady is a Tramp,” “My Funny Valentine,” and “I Could Write A Book.” Once Rodgers and Hart found success with their debut show, The Garrick Gaieties, in 1925, the pair collaborated on musicals that premiered both on Broadway and London’s West End.

ABOUT PORCHLIGHT REVISITS…

Continuing to forge its role as “Chicago’s Music Theatre,” Porchlight launched the exciting new series, Porchlight Revisits… in 2013 especially created for the die-hard music theatre aficionado. Each season, Porchlight Music Theatre shares with audiences the rare opportunity to visit three musicals that opened on the Great White Way but have since gone “unsung.” The finest music theatre artists in Chicago dust off these neglected treasures and, with script in hand and minimal staging, escort audiences to a world of Broadway long past.

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).

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the first production in the third season of Chicago’s hit “lost” musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits… Babes In Arms, featuring book by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, music by Rodgers and lyrics by Hart, with direction by Jess McLeod, music direction by Alex Newkirk and musical staging by James Beaudry. Babes In Arms is presented for three-nights-only Tuesday, Oct. 6 through Thursday, Oct. 8 at 7:15 p.m. and is performed on the set of Porchlight’s Side Show (September 11 - October 25) on nights when there are no performances at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. Tickets for Babes In Arms are $30 and include access to the popular pre-performance event, Behind the Show Backstory, a multi-media presentation, hosted by Artistic Director Michael Weber, that discusses that

evening’s production including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage gossip and more. Single tickets to Babes In Arms are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by calling the Stage 773 box office, 773.327.5252. Season subscriptions to Porchlight Revisits… include Babes in Arms, Applause and Chess are also available at porchlightmusictheatre.org.

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Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from the Arts Work Fund at the Chicago Community Trust, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley 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.