Brenda Didier News

Porchlight Music Theatre will present the exotic musical Pacific Overtures at Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 West Belmont. This touching and witty musical tells the story of the painful westernization of Japan through the eyes of two friends. Pacific Overtures begins previews on March 15 with a Press Opening on March 18 at 7:30 p.m. and runs through May 2, 2009. A ground-breaking musical, Pacific Overtures examines the transformation of Japan beginning when U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry brought four black ships into 'a land of changeless order.' Many of the events and characters portrayed in the show- Japan's self-imposed isolation from the world, the fisherman Manjiro, the Tokugawa shogunate, the Meiji revolution and its consequences - are as familiar to an Japanese schoolchild as George Washington and the Revolutionary war are to Americans. This rarely produced show mixes elements of traditional Japanese theatre with the Broadway musical. The original 1976 production was nominated for a whopping ten Tony Awards including best musical, book and score.

Porchlight Music Theatre will present the exotic musical Pacific Overtures at Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 West Belmont. This touching and witty musical tells the story of the painful westernization of Japan through the eyes of two friends. Pacific Overtures begins previews on March 15 with a Press Opening on March 18 at 7:30pm and runs through May 2, 2009. A ground-breaking musical, Pacific Overtures examines the transformation of Japan beginning when U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry brought four black ships into 'a land of changeless order.' Many of the events and characters portrayed in the show- Japan's self-imposed isolation from the world, the fisherman Manjiro, the Tokugawa shogunate, the Meiji revolution and its consequences - are as familiar to an Japanese schoolchild as George Washington and the Revolutionary war are to Americans. This rarely produced show mixes elements of traditional Japanese theatre with the Broadway musical. The original 1976 production was nominated for a whopping ten Tony Awards including best musical, book and score. With a book by John Weidman (Assassins), Pacific Overtures features music and lyrics by Broadway legend, Stephen Sondheim. Many of the songs in the show rank among the most admired compositions in Broadway history. Sondheim himself recognizes 'Someone in a Tree' and 'A Bowler Hat' as personal favorites.

THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER, the much-beloved musical returns by popular demand to the Bailiwick Mainstage with new orchestrations and designs. This humorous, poignant musical was inspired by the historical story of the German and Swiss immigrants who sailed on ships like the Rouse Simmons, 'The Christmas Tree Ship', which crossed Lake Michigan to Chicago to deliver fir Christmas trees for many years before it sank it an icy storm on November 22, 1912.

The Christmas Schooner, the much-beloved musical returns by popular demand to the Bailiwick Mainstage with new orchestrations and designs. This humorous, poignant musical was inspired by the historical story of the German and Swiss immigrants who sailed on ships like the Rouse Simmons, 'The Christmas Tree Ship', which crossed Lake Michigan to Chicago to deliver fir Christmas trees for many years before it sank it an icy storm on November 22, 1912.

Soon to be a feature film, see it first at Porchlight Music Theatre!

Porchlight Music Theatre, Chicago presents the season finale, the sexy and sophisticated Broadway musical, Nine. This Tony-Award Winning Best Musical is now in development with Rob Marshall to become a major motion picture. Chicago audiences can catch this musical live at Theatre Building Chicago from April 4 to May 18, 2007. The Press Opening is Sunday, April 6 at 2:30PM.

The cast and director of the new hit production of The Rocky Horror Show have a rocking good time in this hilarious interview direct from the Mercury Theatre.

Scott Allen Jones and Amy Armstrong give the performances of their lifetime in this new production of a cult favorite.

The rock n' roll musical, The Rocky Horror Show, will be whipping Chicago audiences into a frenzy when the production previews Friday, October 12, opens Wednesday, October 17 and runs through Sunday, December 2 at the Mercury Theater.

The 34th Annual Jefferson Awards presented seven trophies to House Theatre of Chicago's production of 'The Sparrow.' 'Side Show,' 'Fiorello!' and 'Blues for an Alabama Sky' also took top honors.