The upcoming season will feature the original Broadway production of the cult favorite musical Side Show, which runs Sept. 11-Oct. 18; the return of the Jeff Award-winning Ain’t Misbehavin’, Nov. 14-Dec. 20; the Chicago premiere of the new musical Far From Heaven, Feb. 5-March 13, 2016; and the Tony-winning Dreamgirls, April 8-May 15, 2016. In a statement artistic director Weber said, “Building on the successes of our past, including back-to-back Equity Jeff Awards for Best Production in 2013 and 2014, record-breaking audience attendance and an ever-growing list of in-demand special events, including our annual Chicago Sings concert and sold-out Porchlight Revisits… 'lost' musicals in staged concert series, our 2015-2016 mainstage season promises audiences what Porchlight does best – boldly reinventing music theatre with our signature intimate 'Chicago style' approach featuring the finest local talent both on stage and behind the scenes."
The 2015-16 mainstage season includes:
Side Show
Book and Lyrics by Bill Russell
Music by Henry Krieger
"Tony Award-nominated for both Best Score and Book of a Musical, Side Show is based on the true-life stories of the legendary Hilton twins, Daisy and Violet, and their search for love and acceptance amidst the spectacle of fame and scrutiny under the spotlight of public opinion. Set against the backdrop of 1920s and 30s show business, Side Show seamlessly blends the worlds of carnival, vaudeville and Hollywood glamour in a haunting and sympathetic story of extraordinary humanity."
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Book by Murray Horwitz and Richard Matlby, Jr.
Music by Fats Waller
Direction and Choreography by Brenda Didier
Conducted by Austin Cook
"Set in the jazz age when nightspots like the Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom were the playgrounds of high society, this tribute to the Harlem Renaissance, an era of exploding creativity and social changes, is an evening of rowdy, raunchy and humorous songs that encapsulate the moods of an era and reflects Fats Waller’s view of life as a journey meant for pleasure and play."
Far From Heaven
Book by Richard Greenberg
Music by Scott Frankel
Lyrics by Michael Korie
"Porchlight presents the critically acclaimed new musical based on the 2002 film hit starring Julianne Moore. Set in 1957 suburban Connecticut, Cathy Whitaker seems to be the picture-perfect wife and mother. But boiling beneath the surface, secret longings and forbidden desires cause her world to unravel, with incendiary consequences."
Dreamgirls
Lyrics and Book by Tom Eyen
Music by Henry Krieger
"Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, Dreamgirls is the story of an up-and-coming 1960s all-female singing group from Chicago and the triumphs and tribulations that come on the road to fame and fortune. A story that lives through the journey of popular music in America, with Porchlight’s signature intimate and up-close approach, this Tony and Academy Award-winning musical will receive an intense and illuminating interpretation of all the legendary scenes and unforgettable song hits."
All Porchlight mainstage productions take place at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. A variety of discounted subscriptions are available starting April 13 at porchlightmusictheatre.org or by phone at (773) 777-9884. Single tickets for all performances go on sale June 1.
