Porchlight Music Theatre: Oh What a Night!

By Judy Carmack Bross

^{(L to R) Nik Kmiecik, David Moreland and Devin DeSantis perform at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

Porchlight Music Theatre’s “Chicago Sings Broadway Pop II” brought down the House of Blues recently with music that has appeared on Broadway and crossed over to pop charts and pop songs now found in musical theatre’s canon. Kicking it off with “Pinball Wizard” from The Who’s Tommy, Porchlight’s Artistic Director Michael Weber and Producing Artistic Associate Frankie Leo Bennett co-directed the incredible evening, choreographed by Clayton Cross with David Fiorello as music director, which raised $175,000 for Chicago’s topnotch music theater.

^{Evan Tyrone Martin performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{Juwon Tyrell Martin performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{Neala Barron performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

Featuring an all new program for the yearly fundraiser attended by 250 guests, the night included live performances by many of Chicago music theatre’s best loved artists, the presentation of the 2024 Guy Adkins Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Music Theatre in Chicago to Roberta Duchak by last year’s recipient Rick Boynton and a performance of “The Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie by Porchlight students.

Behind the Scenes – The production team of “Chicago Sings Broadway Pop II.” Photo by Jenny Couch.

Arlen and Elaine Cohen Rubin. Photo by Jenny Couch

Boynton saluted Duchak saying: “She is a award-winning musical director, vocal coach and consultant, producer and performer, and a major force in musical theatre in Chicago and across the country,” noting that she appeared in Broadway’s Ragtime, was music supervisor on Six: The Musical and on-set music vocal coach for the film Les Miserables.

^{(L to R) Jerod Turner, Nataki Rennie, Clayton Cross, and Emily Ling Mei perform at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{(L to R) Kelly Felthous, and Billy Rude perform at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{Darilyn Burley performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

For more than 10 years, Porchlight Music Theatre has presented the Guy Adkins Award to an individual who has made an exceptional and lasting contribution to the state of the art of Chicago music theatre. Guy Adkins was an award-winning Chicago actor who passed away in 2010.

Before the successful night concluded with the full Chicago Sings company and “You Learn” from Jagged Little Pill, Jeannie Lukow thanked the crowd for their continued support of Porchlight Music Theatre and invited them at Porchlight’s free summer concert series, “Broadway in your Backyard”.

^{The 2024 Guy Adkins Award Recipient Roberta Duchak speaks at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{Bethany Thomas performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

Porchlight Music Theatre, now in its 29th season, is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Through live performance, youth education and community outreach, it impacts thousands of lives each season, bringing the magic of musicals to its 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 music theatre artists.

^{Eric Lewis performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{David Moreland performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{The company performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{Desiree Gonzalez performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{Billy Rude and Becky Keeshin with Porchlight Education students perform at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{Aerial Williams performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

Porchlight’s education and outreach programs serve schools, youth of all ages and skill levels and community organizations. Porchlight annually awards 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 Jeff Award nominations and 49 Jeff awards, as well as 44 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 15 BTA awards.

^{(L to R) Darilyn Burtley, Tafadzwa Diener and Desiree Gonzalez perform at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{Nik Kmicek performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{Missy Wise Vanderzee performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{(L to R) Neala Barron and Bethany Thomas perform at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

^{Kelly Felthous performs at CHICAGO SINGS BROADWAY POP II, the annual fundraising concert for Porchlight Music Theatre, April 15, 2024, at the House of Blues}

Photos by Liz Lauren and Jenny Coach.

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