By Judy Carmack Bross
2025 ICON Award Recipient Leslie Uggams and Porchlight Board Member and Co-Host of the gala Kenny Ingram at the 2025 ICONS Gala, Sept. 14, at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago at Water Tower Place
“Wow, I did a lot of stuff and am still going.”—Leslie Uggams on her 70-year career including recent performances in the Deadpool franchise, The Gilded Age and American Fiction told fans at the Porchlight ICONS GALA.
Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre launched its 31st season with the ICONS GALA: Celebrating Leslie Uggams at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago at Water Tower Place recently saluting a star forever incandescent whose career has taken her from The Ed Sullivan and Lawrence Welk Shows to join superheroes in the Deadpool franchise where she plays Blind Al and to Newport with The Gilded Age as Mrs. Ernestine Brown in equally blockbuster breakouts.
For those of a certain age, her performance as Kizzy in Alex Haley’s Roots, possibly the most important TV miniseries, is forever a poignant memory. Her Tony award-winning role in Hallelujah, Baby! made her a star in 1967. She was equally at home on The Love Boat as she was in 21 episodes of Empire which was filmed in Chicago. The TV variety show bearing her name which launched in 1969 was the first network show to be hosted by a black person since Nat King Cole’s show in the 1950s. An actress since childhood, she was Julliard trained. Uggams even won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1983 for hosting the NBC game show Fantasy.
She toured in concert with Peter Nero and Mel Torme, performed at the Hollywood Bowl and appeared as guest soloist with numerous orchestras. In addition, she sang before 300,000 people during the Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol which was also broadcast live by PBS to millions of viewers. June 1 is now considered “Leslie Uggams Day” from that performance.
(L to R) Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director and Co-Host of the gala Michael Weber, 2025 Luminary Award Recipient Brenda Grusecki, 2025 ICON Award Recipient Leslie Uggams, 2025 Luminary Award Recipient James Grusecki and Porchlight Music Theatre Interim Executive Director Jenna Deja at the 2025 ICONS Gala.
Leslie Uggams
The more than 135 guests of Porchlight’s ICON brunch, directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber, music directed by Linda Madonia and co-hosted by Weber and Broadway veteran Kenny Ingram, raised more than $200,000 which supports Porchlight’s mission of celebrating the past, present and future of music theatre through its artistic, educational and community programming. The 2025 Luminary Award for Exemplary Leadership and Support of Music Theatre was presented to philanthropists Brenda and James Grusecki who direct the James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation which funds education, the arts and housing and social services.
(L to R) Ava Stovall, Aerie Williams, Juwon Tyrel Perry and Bethany Thomas at the 2025 ICONS Gala
Tony Nominee Felicia P. Fields singing “Take Me for a Buggy Ride” from Blues in The Night, a show for which both Ms. Fields and Ms. Uggams received accolades
Board Chair Brandon John Harrington and Board Co-Treasurer Sue Suchy welcomed guests, and co-hosts Weber and Broadway’s Kenny Ingram shared stories of Uggams’ career followed by performances by leading music theater stars who paid tribute to her with Broadway, film and TV career highlights including the theme from The Leslie Uggams show, “Put a Little Love in Your Heart,” a selection from her Tony Award winning Broadway debut, Hallelujah Baby!, and others.
WGN’s Paul Lisnek and 2025 ICON Award Recipient Leslie Uggams at the 2025 ICONS Gala at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago at Water Tower Place
Uggams joined WGN’s Paul Lisnek on stage for a conversation spanning her life from her early inspirations to her recent roles in the “Deadpool” franchise with Ryan Reynolds. The interview began with Lisnek asking how she felt seeing the video tributes, performances and hearing Weber and Ingram share her life. She responded by saying she was touched by it all, especially the images from her childhood adding; “Wasn’t I cute!” Lisnek drew out little-known facts including that Lena Horne was to have played the Hallelujah part. Uggams told of her early years at the Apollo Theatre, performing with Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington’s card games and life lessons, her audition in an Atlantic City club for Jule Styne, Adolph Green and Betty Comden for her Tony award-winning Broadway debut and the launch of her TV program which included guests that were considered “not mainstream and even risky” including Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone and The Temptations.
She also shared with Lisnek the beginning of her 60-year marriage to Grahame Pratt. Ms. Uggams said that they were married years before interracial marriage was legalized in the United States and they did deal with societal pressures, yet their love endures to today. The interview also included how Uggams and Sandy Duncan were friends and Roots co-stars. She said their friendship grew stronger as Duncan was ostracized by some because of her portrayal of a villainous character. Ms. Uggams reflected fondly on the film American Fiction with Jeffrey Wright which she made in 2023 and the fun of having all those new Deadpool fans.
Leslie Uggams with members of Porchlight’s Young Professional group
Porchlight Board Member Tamara Sims and Porchlight’s Young Professional’s Vice Chair Gia Wunar thanked the day’s sponsors, table hosts and volunteers, as well as the dedicated board of directors, Porchlight Young Professionals, members of the Gala committee, and the staff team. In addition, they also added a special note of gratitude to Brenda and James Grusecki, for their pivotal support as season sponsor
Board Member Michelle Cucchiaro and 2025 Luminary Award Recipient Brenda Grusecki
Co-host and Board Member Kenny Ingram and Board Member Rhona Frazin
Through live performance, youth education and community outreach, Porchlight impacts thousands each season, bringing the magic of musicals to their theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate and powerful theatrical lens of the “Chicago Style.”
The audience at the 2025 ICONS Gala, Sept. 14, at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago at Water Tower Place
Genevieve Thiers
Porchlight’s history over nearly three decades includes more than 70 mainstage works with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Porchlight’s education and outreach programs serve schools, youth of all ages and skill levels and community organizations. Porchlight annually awards dozens of full scholarships and hundreds of free tickets to ensure accessibility and real engagement with this uniquely American art form.
The company’s many honors include 178 Joseph Jefferson Award (Jeff) nominations and 49 Jeff awards, as well as 44 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 15 BTA awards. In 2019, Porchlight graduated to the Large Theatre tier of the Equity Jeff Awards and has been honored with seven awards in this tier to date including Best Ensemble for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies (2019) and Best Production-Revue for Blues in the Night (2022).
Photos by Sarah Elizabeth Larsen Photography
For More information visit porchlightmusictheatre.org
