Download History of Washington Heights

History of Washington Heights
By José Clair
Washington Heights (sometimes called “Quisqueya Heights” or the “Little
Dominican Republic”) is considered the area from 155th St to 190th St (the
bottom tip of Fort Tyron Park). It sits right above Harlem and below Inwood, which
stretches to northern most tip of Manhattan. While this is a rather large expanse, In
The Heights shows the kind of lives experienced by the predominantly Latino part
of the area between 181st and 185th St. Roughly half of the Washington Heights
population identify as foreign born, with two-thirds of that population coming from
the Dominican Republic. Prior to the 1960s, most of the neighborhood population
consisted of those of Irish descent or European Jews who fled the rise of Nazism
in the ’30s. The Dominican influx began in the late 1960s and spanned to the
early 2000s when the lower costs of rent spawned a major shift in gentrification,
and the cost of living steadily increased at a rate faster than income. Those most
affected by this change have been moving either further north to Inwood, or
across the river into the Bronx, where the cost of living is more manageable, with
an average household income of $37, 500 per year. A quarter of the Washington
Heights residents live below the federal poverty level in multigenerational housing.
Those working in the neighborhood are primarily involved in retail trade (bodegas
and small shops), as street vendors selling shaved ice, fruit and vegetables,
and barbecue, or other local businesses (restaurants, salons, etc.). Many other
residents travel further south into Manhattan, working as childcare providers or
housekeepers. In terms of education, students struggle to get a proper one. A third
of the schools are overcrowded, while also holding the highest number of English
Language Learners in New York City. Of the 11 high schools in the area, only two
meet the state standards for college readiness, while only 20% of the students are
considered college ready from the other nine schools; a quarter of residents aged
25+ do not have a high school diploma. It’s an area, much like Brooklyn (or Logan
Square), where gentrification continues to force residents out of their homes and
businesses, without the skills or education to rise out of poverty.
In The Heights
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Get to Know the Cast of
In The Heights !
IN THE HEIGHTS IS ABOUT…
STAN: People. Good people, bad people, struggling people, working people, loving
people. Real people.
LEAH: Being rich where it matters; in love, relationships, and in the people that make
up the two. It’s about finding your place in a home that doesn’t care where you were
before you came there.
YANDO: Patience, love and family.
KEELY: What it means to know when you’re truly home.
CISCO: Finding strength from your roots to empower your future.
I LOVE IN THE HEIGHTS BECAUSE…
LUCY: There is a never-ending wealth of accessibility and joy within this story, unlike
any musical and/or play I’ve ever seen.
MISSY: It speaks to my soul. Somewhere new each time I listen, sing or experience
it.
STEPHEN: You cannot be in this show and not feel love. It creates a sense of family
that is like no other.
TRAVIS: It’s the first musical where I heard influences from music that I grew up
listening to in the ‘hood!
DEMI: It’s a show where the people who think they don’t belong anywhere, they, we,
belong in this show.
WHEN I FIRST SAW IN THE HEIGHTS, I…
JACK: Couldn’t stop thinking about it. The music was on repeat for months
afterwards.
LEAH: I laughed, I cried, and I knew theatre was going to be changed forever.
LUCY: WAILED after “Carnaval del Barrio” - hearing “Alza la bandera cubana” had me
out. of. control. A major musical had just made me feel proud to be Cuban.
IF I WON 96,000 I WOULD SPEND IT ON…
TRAVIS: Student loans...real talk.
ELENA: Traveling around the world. And paying off my student loans.
FRANKIE: On my mom; she’s definitely getting half. The rest is student loans (YAY…).
JORDAN: Some loans and stuff, I guess. Please stop calling me. I’m broke.
CISCO: A few months in another country, then come back and invest the rest; make
my money work for me!
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Porchlight Music Theatre
Back Row (L to R): Stan DeCwikiel Jr., Jordan DeBose, Kristopher Knighton,
Leah Davis, Cisco Lopez, Jack DeCesare, Stephen Allen.
Second Row: Nicole Lambert, Frankie Leo Bennett, Isabel Quintero,
Keely Vasquez, Missy Aguilar, Demi Zaino, Lucy Godinez, Michelle Lauto.
Front Row: Travis Austin Wright, Yando Lopez, Elena Romanowski.
MY ABUELA TAUGHT ME…
JORDAN: To appreciate art, food, and family. She is truly missed. Love you, Mary
Marvel!
STAN: You don’t have to be blood to be family.
STEPHEN: To sing. She taught me to do what I love and to touch others while
doing it.
YANDO: That you’re never too old for anything.
MISSY: Not to put up with any bullshit, and never let anyone or anything stand in
my way.
ISABEL: That you can be in your 90’s and still have a major crush on an artist. (Her
crush was Venezuelan singer/actor El Puma!)
KEELY: To make my bed every day. Getting into a nicely made bed every night
brings me great comfort.
I’M REMINDED OF “PACIENCIA Y FE” WHEN…
ELENA: Trying to learn Brenda and Chris’ choreography.
FRANKIE: The Red Line gets delayed on my way to work. I’ll get there eventually!
ISABEL: I ride the CTA.
TRAVIS: I walk into an audition. I freak out way too much.
CISCO: Google Maps takes me through a construction zone.
I TAKE MY COFFEE…
DEMI: With cream, sugar and carmel. So, so sweet, just like our cast.
JACK: Many different ways, but my morning coffee is almost always straight up,
black and bold.
ISABEL: Ugh! I drink TEA!
FRANKIE: Iced, black and about three to four times a day.
YANDO: Con crema y azucar!
MICHELLE: Cream and two sugars!
CISCO: Iced, cold brew with a splash of milk.
In The Heights
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Que Lo Que
By José Clair
The dramaturgy is present. Lin Manuel-Miranda and Quiara Hudes have
seamlessly written in everything for a theatre artist or theater goer to understand
the world in which In The Heights is set. The show accurately portrays the
predominantly Dominican ethnic enclave in Manhattan, Washington Heights.
The complexity of the characters, the tastes and smells of the street vendor’s
foods, the love of café con leche, Latin machismo, and the sounds of the street,
ranging from hip hop to bachata to salsa to the cacophony car horns blaring at
all times of the day and night. They’ve woven in various ethnic identities that
exist around 181st St. from Dominican, Puerto Rican and Cuban, to Mexican and
Ecuadorian, and the incredible pride the community feels for their heritage, both
by their national ethnic identities and by being part of a larger Latin community
(“in the heights I hang my flag up on display”). At the heart of the show is the
daily struggle of the community members to make ends meet with low incomes
and rising costs of living. For example, Daniela’s hair salon can no longer afford
the rising costs and decreasing number of customers, so she is forced to
close shop and move across the river into the Bronx. This truly represents the
experience of many current and former Washington Heights residents. With an
average household income of $37, 500 and rent prices steadily increasing (“in
the heights it gets more expensive everyday”), the residents are being drivenout as the rent increases at a faster rate than income. Street vendors struggle
against big, franchised businesses (Piragua guy vs. Mister Softee). Bodegas, or
corner markets, struggle as larger grocery stores enter the neighborhood. And
community members struggle against further effects of gentrification, namely
moving from everything they’ve known into other parts of the city, thereby creating
an even greater Latin diaspora. In just a few brief hours In The Heights explores a
range of daily and cultural experiences for a specific ethnic enclave in NYC while
also brilliantly positioning itself to show the commonalities of a general human
experience and how every end leads to a new beginning. 4
Porchlight Music Theatre
Michael Weber, Artistic Director
Jeannie Lukow, Executive Director
Presents
Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes
Conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Direction and Co-Choreography by Brenda Didier
Co-Choreography by Christopher Carter
Music Direction by Diana Lawrence
Scenic Design................................................................................................................. Greg Pinsoneault
Costume Design............................................................................................Kate Setzer Kamphausen
Lighting Design............................................................................................................Denise Karczewski
Sound Design.............................................................................................................. Robert Hornbostel
Properties Design.................................................................................................... Mealah Heidenreich
Assistant Director/Dramaturg........................................................................... Adrian Abel Azevedo
Dramaturg.........................................................................................................................................José Clair
Artistic Advisor................................................................................................................... Diana Martinez
Stage Management.............................................................................................................Jessica Forella
Production Management...............................................................................................Aaron Shapiro+
Porchlight Music Theatre also acknowledges the generosity of
Bloomberg Philanthropies || MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at Prince
James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation
Porchlight Music Theatre gratefully recognizes the contributions of all
its donors and subscribers for making this production of IN THE HEIGHTS possible.
IN THE HEIGHTS is presented through special arrangement with R & H Theatricals: www.rnh.com
Originally Produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller,
Jill Furman Willis, Sander Jacobs, Goodman/Grossman, Peter Fine, Everett/Skipper
Development of IN THE HEIGHTS was supported by the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center
during a residency at the Music Theater Conference of 2005.
Initially developed by Back House Productions
Cover designed by Jenifer Dorman
Please turn off all phones, pagers and chiming watches. Photographs and video recording are strictly prohibited.
In The Heights
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CAST (in
or der of appe ar ance)
Usnavi De La Vega..............................................................................................................JACK DeCESARE
Abuela Claudia................................................................................................................ISABEL QUINTERO
Kevin Rosario.....................................................................................................................JORDAN DeBOSE
Sonny........................................................................................................................ FRANKIE LEO BENNETT
Graffiti Pete........................................................................................................... KRISTOPHER KNIGHTON
Camila Rosario................................................................................................................... KEELY VASQUEZ*
El Piragüero ................................................................................................................ STAN DeCWIKIEL, JR.
Carla................................................................................................................................................ LEAH DAVIS
Daniela....................................................................................................................................MISSY AGUILAR
Vanessa............................................................................................................................... MICHELLE LAUTO
Benny......................................................................................................................................STEPHEN ALLEN
Nina Rosario......................................................................................................................... LUCIA GODINEZ
Ensemble...............................................................................................NICOLE LAMBERT, CISCO LOPEZ,
YANDO LOPEZ, ELENA ROMANOWSKI,
TRAVIS AUSTIN WRIGHT and DEMI ZAINO
UNDERSTUDIES
Usnavi De La Vega................................................................................................................. YANDO LOPEZ
Abuela Claudia.....................................................................................................................MISSY AGUILAR
Kevin Rosario.............................................................................................................................CISCO LOPEZ
Sonny............................................................................................................................................CISCO LOPEZ
Graffiti Pete............................................................................................................TRAVIS AUSTIN WRIGHT
Camila Rosario.................................................................................................................. NICOLE LAMBERT
El Piragüero ............................................................................................................................ YANDO LOPEZ
Carla............................................................................................................................................... DEMI ZAINO
Daniela................................................................................................................................ NICOLE LAMBERT
Vanessa.......................................................................................................................ELENA ROMANOWSKI
Benny.......................................................................................................................TRAVIS AUSTIN WRIGHT
Nina Rosario...................................................................................................................... MICHELLE LAUTO
MUSICIANS
Conductor/Pianist......................................................................................................... DIANA LAWRENCE
Percussion.......................................................................................................................... DANNY HOWARD
Guitars....................................................................................................................................CESAR ROMERO
Trumpet...................................................................................................................................DREW HANSEN
Reeds........................................................................................................................ ANTHONY RODRIGUEZ
Bass.................................................................................................................................................. JAKE SALEH
*Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association,
the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in America
+Denotes Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate
T I M E A N D P L AC E
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3 days in July, 2008 in Washington Height, New York City
Porchlight Music Theatre
D I R E C TO R ’ S N O T E
As a sophomore at Wesleyan University, Lin-Manuel Miranda put his pen to paper and
starting crafting what we now know as the 2008 Tony Award-Winning Best New Musical
- In The Heights.
In The Heights took New York City and the Broadway community by storm, opening at the
Richard Rodgers Theatre (now home to HAMILTON). Tony Winner of Best New Musical,
Best Original Score, Best Choreography, Best Orchestrations, Grammy Award Winner for
Best Musical Show Album and Pulitzer Prize finalist, In The Heights ran for a total of three
years on Broadway. We are humbled and grateful to bring this story to Porchlight Music
Theatre.
This heart-pounding story is about real life urban culture in a barrio of Washington
Heights and the many nuances to the survival and to the perseverance of a proud
people.
“Everybody’s stressed, yes, but they press through the mess. Bounce checks and wonder what’s
next….”
In The Heights shows us that sometimes you are only a street corner away from losing
your way in life or from finding the answers that have always been right in front of you.
Patience can be an overwhelming virtue that gets the best of us. It’s so easy to get lost to
the noise of the world and fall down the rabbit’s hole of uncertainty and lack of purpose.
Everyday is a fight to get to where we want to go. Until suddenly, you can make your way
back home and find the community that’s been there all along.
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes have created a show with so much love
and passion that traps your soul from the outside in. For the both of us, the first time
we saw this show it absolutely captivated us from beginning to end. It didn’t matter if
we were the stage manager, choreographer, assistant to the assistant lighting designer,
we each knew that this show would be in our future some way. We feel blessed to have
created this partnership and collaboration.
Without a doubt, we believe that we have assembled an immensely talented team of
caring human beings that have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for this
show. For all of us, this show hits us where it hurts in the best way possible.
Thank you to Chris Carter, Diana Lawrence, Josè Samuel Clair, Diana Martinez, the
creative team and everyone at Porchlight Music Theatre for being a part of this journey.
We love this cast. We love this crew. We love this story. Everything we’ve created comes
from love. Welcome to Washington Heights!
¡WEPA!
Brenda Didier, Director
Adrian Abel Azevedo, Assistant Director
In The Heights
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MUSICAL SYNOPSIS
ACT I
IN THE HEIGHTS..............................................................................................................Usnavi & Company
BREATHE...............................................................................................................................Nina & Company
BENNY’S DISPATCH................................................................................................................. Benny & Nina
IT WON’T BE LONG NOW................................................................................. Vanessa, Usnavi & Sonny
INÚTIL.......................................................................................................................................................... Kevin
NO ME DIGA..............................................................................................Daniela, Carla, Vanessa & Nina
96,000..................................................................................................................................................Company
PACIENCIA Y FE..............................................................................................Abuela Claudia & Company
WHEN YOU’RE HOME........................................................................................Nina, Benny & Company
PIRAGUA........................................................................................................................................ El Piragüero
THE CLUB............................................................................. Usnavi, Vanessa, Nina, Benny & Company
BLACKOUT..........................................................................................................................................Company
ACT II
SUNRISE.................................................................................................................Nina, Benny & Company
HUNDREDS OF STORIES...................................................................................Abuela Claudia & Usnavi
ENOUGH...................................................................................................................................................Camila
CARNAVAL DEL BARRIO................................................................................................................Company
ATENCIÓN.................................................................................................................................................. Kevin
ALABANZA........................................................................................................... Usnavi, Nina & Company
EVERYTHING I KNOW...............................................................................................................................Nina
NO ME DIGA (Reprise)............................................................................Carla, Nina, Vanessa & Daniela
PIRAGUA (Reprise)...................................................................................................................... El Piragüero
CHAMPAGNE......................................................................................................................Vanessa & Usnavi
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN............................................................................................. Nina & Benny
FINALE...............................................................................................................................Usnavi & Company
IN THE HEIGHTS
is presented with one fifteen-minute intermission
+ YOU
We can’t produce shows without support
from people like you. Please help us sing.
See how you can help: porchlightmusictheatre.org/donate/
8
Porchlight Music Theatre
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST
Missy
Aguilar
Stephen
Allen
Frankie Leo
Bennett
Leah
Davis
Jordan
DeBose
Jack
DeCesare
Stan
DeCwikiel Jr.
Lucia
Godinez
Kristopher
Knighton
Nicole
Lambert
Michelle
Lauto
Cisco
Lopez
Yando
Lopez
Isabel
Quintero
Elena
Romanowski
Keely
Vasquez
Travis Austin
Wright
Demi
Zaino
In The Heights
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BIOGR APHIES
MISSY AGUILAR (Daniela) is eager to be
back with Porchlight Music Theatre where
she was seen in Porchlight Revisits Babes
in Arms as “Baby Rose” and Porchlight
Revisits City of Angels as “Oolie/Donna.”
Most recently Missy appeared as “Calliope”
in Xanadu at ATC, and “Ivy u/s” (performed)
in The Man Who Murdered Sherlock Holmes
with Mercury Theatre, “Atina/ Ursula
u/s” in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and
“Mrs. Jennings/Fanny u/s” (performed)
in Sense and Sensibility: A New Musical
both with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.
Missy’s other recent Chicago area credits
include: Women on the Verge of a Nervous
Breakdown and The Beverly Hillbillies with
Theatre at the Center, Les Miserables with
Drury Lane, Nunsense with Fox Valley
Repertory, and her primera vez In The
Heights with Paramount Theatre con Yando
y Keely ~ no lo habría hecho sin ti tanto.
Unlimited love & gratitude for his endless
patience to my husband Matt, my mentor
Bill, and always, with all my heart, to my
Mom who is busy “saying funny things to
the stars.” Para mi Papi: sin lo que me ha
enseñado sobre el hogar y trabajo duro,
yo no estaría aquí. No puedo esperar para
compartir esto con ustedes. ¡pura vida!
www.missyaguilar.com
STEPHEN ALLEN (Benny) is very excited
to be a part of the cast of In The Heights at
Porchlight Music Theatre. Playing “Benny”
has always been a dream of his. He has
been performing in theatrical productions
for the past five years. Favorite roles
include “Seymour” in Little Shop of Horrors,
“Donkey” in Shrek The Musical and “Arthur
Patterson” in Bronzeville. He has enjoyed
every moment he has spent with this cast
and can’t wait to share this story.
FRANKIE LEO BENNETT (Sonny) is
honored to be joining the Porchlight Music
Theatre family for In The Heights. Favorite
credits include: Hit The Wall, Lippa’s The
Wild Party, Cabaret, The Pirates of Penzance
(Northwestern University). Workshops/
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Porchlight Music Theatre
Readings: The Legend of New York and
Scrooge in Love! (American Music Theatre
Project); PrOne (Chicago Music Theatre
Festival). Bennett was most recently seen
as “Christina Crawford” in Christmas Dearest
(Hell In A Handbag Productions). Much
love to the entire cast of characters in his
life who support his career.
www.frankieleobennett.com
LEAH DAVIS (Carla) is ecstatic to be
making her professional debut with
Porchlight Music Theatre! Leah is a recent
graduate of Eastern Illinois University
and the 2015 Broadway World Chicago
recipient for “Best Actress in a Resident
Non-Equity Musical” for her performance
in American Idiot. She would like to thank
her friends and family for their support,
the amazing cast and crew, and finally, the
members of this community for keeping
the love alive.
JORDAN DeBOSE (Kevin Rosario) is excited
to be making his Chicago theatrical
debut with Porchlight Music Theatre!
From Tulsa, OK, he has been seen in roles
such as “Collins” in Rent, “Horse” in The
Full Monty, “The Engineer” in Miss Saigon
and more. He’d like to thank his family for
being his everything, his friends for their
constant support and the cast and crew for
welcoming him into their family.
JACK DeCESARE (Usnavi De La Vega) is
excited to be making his professional
debut - fresh out of school - with Porchlight
Music Theatre. Born and raised in New
Castle, Pennsylvania he found theatre by
way of little league sports, playing in a
band and martial arts. Deciding to pursue
performance as a career he moved to
Chicago and graduated from the Theatre
School at DePaul University. He continues
to play guitar, piano and bass alongside his
brother who continues to be a source of
inspiration and artistry. Jack thanks his very
musical family for always supporting him
and encouraging his creative energy.
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
STAN DeCWIKIEL JR. (El Piragüero) is
proud to make his Porchlight Music Theatre
debut, bringing El Piragüero to life once
again. Past roles include “Beadle Bamford”
in Sweeney Todd, “The Governor and
Vanderdendur” in Candide, “Pinkerton” in
Madame Butterfly, “Florestan” in Fidelio and
“Laurie” in Little Women. He participated in
the Des Moines Metro Opera Apprentice
Artist Program and sang with the Grant
Park Festival Chorus. He dedicates his
performance in memory of his father and
in honor of his mother.
LUCIA GODINEZ (Nina Rosario) is a junior
at Northwestern University, majoring
in Theatre/Musical Theatre Certificate
program with a double major in Latino
Studies, and she is beyond thrilled to
be making her Porchlight Music Theatre
debut! Favorite Northwestern credits
include Green Day’s American Idiot, The
Drowsy Chaperone, Anna In The Tropics
and Hair. Por su propia abuela cubana,
Mamamá.
KRISTOPHER KNIGHTON (Graffiti Pete)
is delighted to be performing in his first
theatrical production. He is a Hip Hop
dance instructor and performer with Hip
Hop ConnXion and Wings Dance Studio.
NICOLE LAMBERT (Ensemble) is excited to
be making her debut with Porchlight Music
Theatre. After spending a few years away to
dance with Boom Crack Dance Company,
she is delighted to be returning to the
theater. Prior to her dance career, Nicole’s
favorite credits include “Mimi” in Rent with
BrightSide Theater, “Carmen” in Fame with
Real Clear Theater Company, and “Peggy”
in Godspell with Saint Sebastian Players.
She has a degree in Music Education with
an emphasis on classical and jazz voice and
currently teaches music at Bell Elementary
In The Heights
11
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
and Lookingglass Theater. Nicole is very
grateful to be a part of such an amazing
cast and is thankful to all those involved for
bringing such an important story to life.
MICHELLE LAUTO (Vanessa) is so excited
to be making her Porchlight Music
Theatre debut in one of her all-time
favorite shows. Recent credits include the
Chicago premieres of The Boy From Oz (Jeff
Nominated-Best Supporting Actress, Pride
Films & Plays), 35mm: A Song Exhibition
(Circle Theatre) and Murder Ballad (Bailiwick
Chicago). Michelle is a proud graduate
of The Second City Training Center
Conservatory. ¡Viva Puerto Rico! Thank you
to everyone at Porchlight, my beautiful
family back home on the other side of the
GWB and to Nick and our puppy, Otto.
Check her out online at
www.michellelauto.com
CISCO LOPEZ (Ensemble) is thrilled to be
working with Porchlight Music Theatre.
Chicago credits include Planted (Rogue
Elephant Productions) Dead Man Walking
(Piven Theatre), Mutt (Stage Left & Red Tape
Theatre), Macbeth (Midsommer Flight),
Take Me Out (Eclectic Theatre), Fiddler
on the Roof, Damn Yankees (Light Opera
Works) and Letters Home (Griffin Theatre
Company). He holds a BFA in Theatre
Performance from Baylor University.
YANDO LOPEZ (Ensemble) is thrilled
to be back at Porchlight Music Theatre
doing one of his favorite shows. He was
last seen at Porchlight in the Jeff Awardwinning Sondheim on Sondheim, Porchlight
Revisits Bells are Ringing and New Faces
Sing Broadway 1972. Yando was most
recently seen in American Blues Theatre’s
production of Little Shop of Horrors. He
has worked with the Paramount Theatre,
Chicago Children’s Theatre, Black Ensemble
Theatre, the Other Theatre Company,
Brown Paper Box and Court Theatre. He
is a proud Northwestern graduate. Many
thanks to his family, Adrian, Brenda, Chris
and Michael. Paciencia y fe!
12
Porchlight Music Theatre
ISABEL QUINTERO (Abuela Claudia) is
very pleased to be making her Porchlight
Music Theatre debut. Previous credits
include the play/musical Sarita by Maria
Irene Fornes with Halcyon Theater, as well
as Goodman Theater concert readings
of Sarita and Let The Eagle Fly - the story
of Cesar Chavez. Other Goodman credits
include The Sins of Sor Juana, Boleros for
the Disenchanted and Esperanza Rising. A
favorite role was playing “Mother/Madre”
in Al Son Que Me Toques, Lorca a musical
adaptation of Lorca’s Blood Wedding,
and more recently, The Adventures of
Don Chipotle at Storefont Theater. Other
companies include: Steppenwolf, Teatro
Luna, American Theater Company, Lifeline,
Adventure Stage and Victory Gardens.
She has appeared in various roles on film,
television and radio commercials. Later this
year she will release the CD La Osa Menor a
compilation of her father’s original Spanish
poetry, sung to original Latin American
music by Gonzalo Cordova.
www.facebook.com/LaOsaMenorAlbum.
ELENA ROMANOWSKI (Ensemble) is
thrilled to be making her Porchlight Music
Theatre debut! Recent credits include:
West Side Story (Paramount, Drury Lane),
“Rosalia” in West Side Story (The Fireside)
and Guys and Dolls, South Pacific (Light
Opera Works). She has her BFA in Musical
Theatre from Millikin University. Many
thanks to Brenda and PMT for allowing this
Sorta Rican to live her dreams on stage
telling this story. All my love to Mom, Dad,
Seester and Cody.
www.elenaromanowski.com
KEELY VASQUEZ* (Camila Rosario) is
thrilled to make her Porchlight Music
Theatre debut! Her theatrical credits
include: Dee Snider’s Rock and Roll
Christmas Tale at the Broadway Playhouse,
In The Heights at the Paramount Theatre,
Hairspray and Seussical at Drury Lane
Oakbrook, as well as roles at Theatre at the
Center, The Mercury Theatre, Goodman
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Theatre, Beef and Boards Theatre (IN) and
The New Theatre (KS). Keely spent eight
years performing in Las Vegas with Barry
Manilow and touring with him to over
50 US cities, several countries and more
than 25 television shows such as Ellen,
The Today Show, Good Morning America,
The Emmy Awards, The American Music
Awards, Dancing With The Stars, PBS’ A
Capitol Fourth as well six DVD concert
specials. Endless thanks and love to this
beautiful cast, production team and crew.
For my Mom. Alabanza.
TRAVIS AUSTIN WRIGHT (Ensemble) is
ECSTATIC to make his Porchlight Music
Theatre mainstage debut. He was last
featured in Porchlight’s New Faces Sing
Broadway 1949. Travis has more recently
appeared in The Producers with Mercury
Theater and Dogfight with BoHo Theatre.
He has also worked with Light Opera
Works, Underscore Theatre, Raven Theatre,
Mercy Street Theatre and Pride Films &
Plays. Travis is a proud graduate of the
Music Conservatory at The Second City
Training Center. Follow him on Instagram
@IAmTravieAustin.
www.TravisAustinWright.com
DEMI ZAINO (Ensemble) is a Chicagobased actress and is elated to be
making her debut in In The Heights with
Porchlight Music Theatre! Theatre credits
include: “Karen” in Fugitive Songs (BoHo
Theatre), “Cheryl” in Evil Dead the Musical
(Starvox National Touring Company),
Seussical (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre)
and Hairspray (Marriott Lincolnshire).
Educational credits include: “Emma
Goldman” in Ragtime, “Radio” in Caroline or
Change, “Dr. Scott” in Rocky Horror Picture
Show, “Tracy Turnblad” in Hairspray, “Mrs.
Lovett” in Sweeney Todd, “Lorna Moon”
in Golden Boy and “Bee-Bee” in Suburbia.
Demi would like to say thank you for the
unconditional love and support from her
family. A huge thank you to her voice
teacher Chris Misik for always believing in
her. Demi dedicates each performance to
Billy Misik. In love and song, CARPE DIEM!
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA (Music & Lyrics)
Broadway: Book-Music Lyricist-Alexander
Hamilton in Hamilton (11 Tony Awards
including Best Musical, Grammy Award,
Pulitzer Prize), Composer-Lyricist-Usnavi
of In The Heights (4 Tony Awards, including
Best Musical and Best Score, Grammy
Award, Pulitizer Prize finalist), Bring It On:
The Musical (Co-Composer-Co-Lyricist, Tony
nomination for Best Musical), West Side
Story (2009 revival, Spanish translations).
Off-Broadway: Hamilton (10 Lortel Awards,
3 Outer Critic Circle Awards, 8 Drama Desk
Awards, 2015 New York Drama Critics Circle
Award for Best New Musical and the 2015
Obie Award for Best New American Play);
Merrily We Roll Along and tick, tick…BOOM!
(both City Center Encores!). Lin-Manuel
received an Emmy Award with Tom Kitt for
“Bigger” from the “The 67th Annual Tony
Awards.” TV/film: “Freestyle Love Supreme,”
“How I Met Your Mother,” “Smash,” “Do
No Harm,” “Modern Family,” “House,” “The
Electric Company,” “Sesame Street,” “The
Sopranos,” The Odd Life of Timothy Green
and 200 Cartas. Proud council member of
the Dramatists Guild. www.linmanuel.com.
QUIARA ALEGRÍA HUDES (Book) is the
author of a trilogy of plays including Elliot,
A Soldier?s Fugue(a 2007 Pulitzer finalist);
Water by the Spoonful (winner of the
2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama); and The
Happiest Song Plays Last, which premiered
at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre in April
2013 and is now playing Off-Broadway
in New York. Hudes wrote the book for
the Broadway musical In The Heights,
which received the 2008 Tony Award for
Best Musical, a Tony nomination for Best
Book of a Musical, and was a 2009 Pulitzer
Prize finalist. In its original Off-Broadway
incarnation In The Heights received the
Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle
Awards for Best Musical. Hudes’ honors
include a United States Artists Fontanals
In The Heights
13
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Fellowship, the Aetna New Voices
Fellowship at Hartford Stage Company,
a Joyce Foundation Award, a residency
at New Dramatists, and a resolution from
the City of Philadelphia. Hudes sits on the
Dramatists Guild Council and serves on the
board of Philadelphia Young Playwrights,
which produced her first play in the tenth
grade. She lives in New York with her
husband, daughter and son.
BRENDA DIDIER+ (Director/CoChoreographer) is honored and humbled
to tell this beautiful story. Ms. Didier is
a multiple Jeff Award recipient in both
direction and choreography. Her previous
Porchlight Music Theatre credits include
the recent Dreamgirls-for which she
is nominated for a Jeff Award for Best
Direction of a Musical-and Porchlight
Revisits Chess. She is the owner and artistic
director of the Lincolnshire Academy
of Dance now in its 19th season. She is
most proud of the academy’s scholarship
program which helps struggling families,
select charities and LAD’s outreach
program for inner city schools and dance
studios. These scholarships are in memory
of many people most notably Matthew
Gunnels and Harlan Haimes. Much
gratitude to this gifted cast, creative team,
band, Chris, Adrian, Diana L., Jessica, Diana
M., Isabel, Elena, Travis, Jeannie, Michael,
Porchlight and my Mike and mom! Keep
lovingone another. Paciencia y Fe!
CHRIS CARTER (Co-Choreographer) is
excited to be back working with Porchlight
Music Theatre after choreographing
the smash hit Dreamgirls, assistantchoreographing Porchlight Revisits Chess
and directing New Faces Sing Broadway
1949. He is a graduate of Grand Valley
State University with a liberal arts degree
in dance. A former scholarship student
of The Debbie Allen Dance Academy in
California, he moved to Chicago in 2009.
Chris has traveled all over performing,
directing and choreographing. Some of
14
Porchlight Music Theatre
his credits include: Godspell, The Secret
Garden, Pirates of Penzance (GVSU); Show
Boat and Oklahoma (Lyric Opera Chicago);
Show Boat (San Francisco and Houston
Grand Opera); Hairspray (Drury Lane
Oakbrook); Joseph…(Paramount Theater);
Duke Ellington’s Queenie Pie (Chicago Opera
Theater); Oliver, Carousel and Brigadoon
(Light Opera Works); The Wiz, 42nd Street
and Guys and Dolls (Theater at the Center);
Smokey Joe’s Café (Circle Theater); Wild
Party (Actor’s Theater) and choreographer
for the Grand Rapids Civic’s SRT the past
four years. Other credits include: national
tours, commercial, industrial and concert
work.
DIANA LAWRENCE (Music Director) is
thrilled to be returning to Porchlight
Music Theatre, where she served as music
director for tick, tick…BOOM! in 2012.
Diana has worked as a music director,
performer and teaching artist with
organizations such as The Music Theatre
Company, BoHo Theatre, Albany Park
Theater Project, The Second City, Barrel
of Monkeys, The Chicago Children’s Choir
and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. As a
composer and lyricist, Diana has written
for The Second City, Steppenwolf Theatre
Company (Tracy Lett’s Mary Page Marlowe)
and Storycatchers Theatre, a company
that creates musical theatre pieces with
incarcerated youth. This summer, her band,
Diana & the Dishes, begins work on their
new recording project with producer Rob
Kleiner (Sia, Cee Lo, Andra Day).
GREG PINSONEAULT (Scenic Designer) is
a Chicago-based designer who recently
received a BFA in Scenic Design from The
Theatre School at DePaul University. Select
Chicago credits include The Nutcracker, The
Velveteen Rabbit (Marriott Theatre); True
West (Shattered Globe); Dreamgirls – co
design (Porchlight Music Theatre); Bat Boy
– co design, The Birds (Griffin Theatre); Diary
of a…Fly (Emerald City) Still, The North Pool,
Recent Tragic Events, Katrina (Interrobang);
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Truth in Context, At the Center (The Agency);
Voyage (Cock and Bull); and the upcoming
production of My Way at Theatre at the
Center. He has assisted on productions at
The Cort Theatre (NYC), The Broadhurst
Theatre, Glimmerglass Opera, The
Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare
Theatre, The Old Globe, The Paramount
Theatre, and Drury Lane Oakbrook. Greg
was the recipient of The 2014 Theatre
School Michael Merritt Award and the 2015
USITT W Oren Parker Undergraduate Scene
Design Award. Examples of his work can be
found at GPScenic.com.
and Brenda for the opportunity and Daryl
for all of his love and support. Maya,
mommy loves you!
DENISE KARCZEWSKI (Lighting Designer)
is thrilled to return to Porchlight Music
Theatre with this production of In The
Heights after designing Dreamgirls last
season. Denise is the resident lighting
designer at Black Ensemble Theatre where
she received BTAA awards for her designs
of Indigo Blues and One Name Only as
well as an African American Arts Alliance
Award for her set and lighting design
of Ella: the First Lady of Song. Upcoming
shows include Helldrivers of Daytona! at
The Royal George Theatre and I Am Who I
Am: The Story of Teddy Pendergrass at BET.
Denise is one of the technical directors
and designers at New Trier Township High
School. She would like to thank Michael
show with these powerful talents. Some
of her previous designs include: A Funny
Thing Happened…Forum and Dreamgirls
with Porchlight Music Theatre; Caged
Dames and Miracle! with Hell in a Handbag
Productions; The House That Will Not Stand
with Victory Gardens Theater; Really, Really
and Recent Tragic Events with Interrobang
Theatre Project; Chalk and Mai Dang Lao
with Sideshow Theater Company. Mealah
is an ensemble member with Hell in a
Handbag Productions and owes most of
her success to her bestie, Isaac and wife,
Debbie.
ROBERT HORNBOSTEL (Sound Designer)
is excited to be back again for his sixth
production with Porchlight Music Theatre
and this amazing team! Recent Porchlight
credits include Dreamgirls, Porchlight
Revisits Chess, Far From Heaven, Ain’t
Misbehavin’, Side Show, Porchlight Revisits
Babes in Arms, and A Funny Thing Happened
on the Way to the Forum. Robert is a
freelance composer, designer and engineer
in Chicago. He has worked with New
KATE SETZER KAMPHAUSEN (Costume
Millennium Theater, Raven Theater, Eclectic
Designer) is tickled to design for Porchlight Theater, First Floor Theater, Roosevelt
Music Theatre for the first time! She is a
University, and many others. Robert is
Jeff Award-winning costume designer and returning from his second summer with
company member of Hell in a Handbag.
Music Theatre of Wichita where he was the
Her recent designs include Beautiful Autistic Audio Systems Supervisor for the season,
with Chicago Dramatists; Trash at New
and Sound Designer for Oklahoma! Robert
American Folk Theater; and Kinfolk with
would like to thank his fellow designers,
The New Colony. Upcoming productions
friends, and family for their continued
include a Halloween show Skooby Don’t
support. Selections of his previous work
with Hell in a Handbag; The Heidi Chronicles can be found at
with the Cuckoos Theater Project; and
www.TechmagicDesigns.com.
Seussical with the Beverly Performing Arts
Enjoy the show!
Guild. Kate has pink dreadlocks and four
MEALAH HEIDENREICH (Properties
sewing machines and loves gin (even in
Designer) is excited to be returning to
winter).
Porchlight Music Theatre to prop her fifth
ADRIAN ABEL AZEVEDO (Assistant
Director/Dramaturg) is a California native
turned honorary Chicagoan making his
In The Heights
15
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Porchlight Music Theatre debut on the
creative team of In The Heights. He has
previously assisted on various Chicago
productions including: POSH with Steep
Theatre (dir. Jonathan Berry) Vanya
and Sonia and Masha and Spike with
Goodman Theatre (dir. Steve Scott), My
Mañana Comes with Teatro Vista (dir.
Sandra Marquez). This past summer
Adrian collaborated with funny lady
Caitlyn Looney and directed her solo
piece F*CKBOYS for the Chicago Women’s
Funny Festival at Stage 773. Later this
year, he will be the Associate Director with
Underscore Theatre for Tonya and Nancy:
The Rock Opera. Adrian is on staff for the
Education and Engagement Department
at the Goodman Theatre. He also tweets
and instagrams (Twitter: @CafeConLin
Instagram: adrian_abels_album). To Lin,
thank you for changing my life and to you,
welcome to In The Heights.
JOSÉ CLAIR (Dramaturg) is a playwright,
dramaturg, actor and stage manager. He
is delighted to be making his Chicago
dramaturgical debut with Porchlight Music
Theatre. Past dramaturgical credits include
El Grito del Bronx, In the Next Room (or The
Vibrator Play), Next to Normal, and The
Bluest Eye, all at Brown University. Other
theatre credits include assistant directing
and stage managing Crescendo at Stage
773, stage managing The Body which is
the Town for the Writing is Live festival at
Trinity Rep., writing and performing his
one-man show En El Nombre del Padre,
and playing “Aman/Ghost/Policeman” in
Water by the Spoonful at Brown University.
He is a graduate of Brown University
and the University of Chicago and has
trained with the Brown/Trinity Rep Theatre
Apprenticeship and The Second City. He
currently works in purchasing at McMasterCarr Supply Company.
DIANA MARTINEZ (Artistic Advisor) is
the Director of The McAninch Arts Center
at the College of DuPage where she re16
Porchlight Music Theatre
opened the performing arts center with a
record-breaking sell-out season. She can
also be seen as the host of Short and Sweet
an online audience review show featured
on The Daily Herald. Previously, Martinez
was the President of The Second City
where she led the planning of a three-day
50th anniversary reunion for the luminaries
of comedy, created a project sponsored
by PUMA to award 20 students a yearlong scholarship to develop ethnic and
diverse talent, and developed a strategic
plan to develop UP Comedy Club. Prior
to that she was the Executive Director of
The Paramount Theatre in Aurora for eight
years, where she led a $6.5 million addition
and renovation to the historic landmark
theatre and re-branded the organization.
Martinez has over 25 years of experience
as an entertainment executive and director
including directing for Kenny Rogers for 10
years and seven original productions. She
began her professional career directing
and producing musical theatre at Pheasant
Run Dinner theatre where she was at
the helm for 13 years. Combined she has
been involved as a producer/presenter
or director in over 400 live theatre
productions and concerts. Martinez was
the original director and co-creator of
Stand Up Change Teen Statistic a prevention
theatre program that toured to inner city
high schools in the Midwest from 20092013. She currently serves on the boards
for: DuPage Arts Council and the League
of Chicago Theatres and was appointed to
the Cultural Council for the City of Chicago
for two terms.
JESSICA FORELLA* (Stage Manager) is
delighted to return for another season at
Porchlight Music Theatre where she has
previously stage managed Ain’t Misbehavin’,
Side Show, and Sondheim on Sondheim.
Additional recent credits include: A Small
Oak Tree Runs Red (Congo Square Theatre),
New Country (Fair Trade Productions),
Melancholy Play: a chamber musical, Tusk
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Tusk, The Language Archive (Piven Theatre
Workshop); Under a Rainbow Flag, At the
Flash (Pride Films and Plays); Our City,
Ourselves (A Red Orchid Theatre); Loving
Repeating, Sweet Smell of Success (Kokandy
Productions).
AARON SHAPIRO+ (Production Manager)
is the resident Production Manager at
Victory Gardens Theater. He has worked
throughout Chicago as a freelance
production manager. His recent credits
include DISENCHANTED and UNSPEAKABLE
at the Broadway Playhouse, commercial
productions of Splintered Soul and Twisted
Knots with the Chicago Commercial
Collective, Jeff-nominated productions
of Heathers and Tomorrow Morning with
Kokandy Productions, The Rainmaker with
American Blues Theatre, Stupid Fucking
Bird and Caught with Sideshow Theatre,
Dreamgirls, Far From Heaven, Sweeney
Todd, A Funny Thing…Forum, Side Show,
and Jeff Award-winning productions
of Ain’t MisBehavin’ and Sondheim on
Sondheim with Porchlight Music Theatre
where he is an artistic associate. Aaron
was the founding Artistic Director for
Oracle where he served for four years.
He is also the co-founder of Studio BE/
MCL Chicago in Lakeview where served
as Executive Director for five years.
Aaron has worked for over 100 different
theatre and production companies, and
educational institutions as an electrician,
carpenter, sound engineer, designer, tech
director, director, production manager, and
producer.
MICHAEL WEBER (Artistic Director)
most recently directed Side Show for
Porchlight as well as the Porchlight Revisits
productions of Chess, Mack & Mabel,
Bells Are Ringing and Fade Out – Fade In.
His productions of Slide Show, Sweeney
Todd, Pal Joey and Assassins at Porchlight
“EXQUISITE. AN–Chris
EMOTIONAL
POWERHOUSE.”
Jones, Chicago Tribune
®
NOVEMBER 2–13
800-775-2000 •
Tickets available at all Broadway In Chicago box offices and Ticketmaster retail locations. Groups 10 + call 312.977.1710
In The Heights
17
BIOGR APHIES
c o n t.
Music Theatre, Grand Hotel at Drury Lane
Theatre Water Tower Place and She Loves
Me at Theatre at the Center were each
nominated for the Equity Joseph Jefferson
Award for Best Production-Musical.
Other directing credits include Living the
History-125 Years of the Auditorium Theatre
starring Patti Lupone, John Mahoney and
stars of Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Joffrey
Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre
and more, Fifth of July and Talley’s Folly at
the Oak Park Festival Theatre, The Petrified
Forest at Theatre at the Center, Beauty and
the Beast at Marriott Theatre, Over the River
and Through the Woods at The Mercury
Theater and Cirque du Symphony at Sears
Center Arena. The recipient of two Joseph
Jefferson Awards, he has written and
directed the past nine Joseph Jefferson
Awards ceremonies. Weber’s regional
acting credits include The Merry Widow
and The Sound of Music at Lyric Opera, 42nd
Street at Paramount, Annie Get Your Gun
and Gypsy (both starring Patti LuPone)
at Ravinia, Disney’s My Son Pinocchio at
First Stage Milwaukee, Around the World
in 80 Days at Cleveland Playhouse, The
Winter’s Tale and Henry V at Chicago
Shakespeare Theatre, Angel Street at First
Folio Shakespeare, and The Gifts of the
Magi at Indiana Repertory. Having served
previously as artistic director of Drury
Lane Theatre Water Tower Place (now
The Broadway Playhouse) and Theatre at
the Center, Michael is proud to serve as a
pledge host on WTTW, Channel 11, and is
author of the play, WAR of the WELLeS.
JEANNIE LUKOW (Executive Director) is
a founding member of Porchlight Music
Theatre’s board of directors and served
for six years as its president. She was
thrilled to join the staff in September
2014 as the company’s first Executive
Director. Prior to taking the helm at
Porchlight, Jeannie ran Bespoke Cuisine,
one of Chicago’s leading cooking party
venues, which she co-founded/owned
for 12 years. Before the hospitality/food
business, Jeannie built a 15-year career
in marketing communications, much of
it spent in association management. Her
most recent position was as Managing
Director of Marketing Communications for
the National Association of Realtors, one of
the nation’s largest trade associations. She
is a native Michigander and graduate of
Michigan State University.
SPECIAL THANKS
Our special dining partner is Cooper’s, critically acclaimed for their
delicious food, extensive beer list, and good value. Located across the
street from the theatre, Coopers offers 10% off the food bill to Porchlight
patrons, and complimentary parking for those who dine and stay for the
show. Cooper’s is the generous sponsor for Porchlight’s opening night receptions.
Please patronize them! 1232 West Belmont / Chicago, IL 60657 / 773.929.COOP (2667)
18
Porchlight Music Theatre
S TA F F
ARTISTIC STAFF
Artistic Director..................................................................................................................MICHAEL WEBER
Director/Co-Choreographer.........................................................................................BRENDA DIDIER+
Co-Choreographer................................................................................................................ CHRIS CARTER
Music Director ............................................................................................................... DIANA LAWRENCE
Assistant Director/Dramaturg........................................................................ ADRIAN ABEL AZEVEDO
Dramaturg.......................................................................................................................................JOSÉ CLAIR
Artistic Advisor.................................................................................................................DIANA MARTINEZ
Dialect Coach...................................................................................................................ISABEL QUINTERO
Co-Dance Captains............................................ ELENA ROMANOWSKI & TRAVIS AUSTIN WRIGHT
Scenic Designer..........................................................................................................GREG PINSONEAULT
Costume Designer..................................................................................... KATE SETZER KAMPHAUSEN
Lighting Designer..................................................................................................... DENISE KARCZEWSKI
Sound Designer......................................................................................................ROBERT HORNBOSTEL
Properties Designer............................................................................................. MEALAH HEIDENREICH
Salsa Workshop Instructors........................................................... ITZA RIEDAS & CELSO A. SUAREZ
Promotional Event Accompanist............................................................................ JIMMY MOREHEAD
Audition Pianist..............................................................................................................................NICK SULA
PRODUCTION STAFF
Production Manager.................................................................................................... AARON SHAPIRO+
Technical Director.........................................................................................................ALAN WEUSTHOFF
Assistant Technical Director.................................................................................... NIKOLAJ SORENSEN
Stage Manager............................................................................................................... JESSICA FORELLA*
Assistant Stage Managers....................................ASHLEE RUTH WISEMAN*, MATTHEW NADLER
and LAURA GRAY
Master Electrician................................................................................................................... RACHEL WEST
Scenic Artist................................................................................................................................ MARISSA GIL
Grafiti Artist................................................................................................................................. JOSÉ ARCEO
Wardrobe Supervisor......................................................................................................... SHELBY BRAND
Hair Consultation..............................................................................................................SCOTT SOWINSKI
Sound Board Engineer...................................................................................................KEEGAN BRADAC
Group Sales...................................................................................................................GROUP THEATER TIX
AUDIENCE SERVICES
House Manager...............................................................................................................JORDAN FLEMING
Assistant House Manager.......................................................................................................LAURA GRAY
MARKETING STAFF
Marketing & Press Representative..................................................... SHOUT MARKETING & PUBLIC
RELATIONS: JAMES JULIANO & JILL EVANS
Marketing Manager............................................................................................... MICHELLE LEATHERBY
Promotional Photographer......................................................................................... KELSEY JORISSEN
Promotional Video Producers..............................................................................THE STAGE CHANNEL
Graphic Design ............................................................................................................... JENIFER DORMAN
Season Brochure Design.......................................................................................................TERRY JULIEN
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Executive Director............................................................................................................. JEANNIE LUKOW
Development Director................................................................................................DONALD SPRAGUE
Audience & Development Manager...........................................................................DANA MROCZEK
Facilities Manager.........................................................................................................THOM VAN ERMEN
Administrative Intern........................................................................................................GREG ALBRIGHT
In The Heights
19
A B O U T P O R C H L I G H T M U S I C T H E AT R E
MISSION STATEMENT
Porchlight is Chicago’s home for music theatre, providing performance, education and
appreciation opportunities to inspire audiences and students of the art form. With
focused artistic vision and fiscal stewardship, we nurture young artists, develop new
works, and redefine the classic music theatre genre in our intimate signature style.
PMT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Keith Olenik – Chair
Tony Gibson – Vice Chair
Tamara Sims – Secretary
Ron Zoromski – Treasurer
Stephen G. Baime, John Belom, Jacqueline Shim Bryant, Michelle Cucchiaro,
Brenda Didier, Bil Ingraham, James Jensen, George K. Sargent III,
Sara Siegall, Jeannie Lukow and Michael Weber – ex officio
PMT ADVISORY BOARD
Wm. Eric Bramlett, John Bucchino, E. Faye Butler, Cheri Coons, Kevin Depinet,
William Finn, Linda Kline, Jesse Klug, Sean Allan Krill, Jill Moore, Lonny Price,
Hollis Resnik, Bill Russell, Chuck Smith, L. Walter Stearns, Maury Yeston
PMT ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES
Nick Belley, Christin Boulette, Austin Cook, Matt Crowle,
Brandon Dahlquist, Dina DiCostanzo, Brenda Didier, Rebecca Finnegan, Patrick Fries,
David Girolmo, Sarah Hayes, Greg Hofmann, Bil Ingraham, Jeffrey D. Kmiec, Rob Lindley,
Linda Madonia, Beckie Menzie, Jenna Moran, Bill Morey, Doug Peck,
Christopher Pazdernik, Gerald Richardson, Jonny Runnfeldt,
Aaron Shapiro, Heather Townsend, Thom Van Ermen
A N N UA L S U P P O R T
Porchlight Music Theatre relies on the support of many individuals whose annual
donations help the company meet the more than 50% gap between actual production
costs and ticket sales revenue. These donors help Porchlight produce award-winning
productions—American Musicals. Chicago Style.
Porchlight Music Theatre gratefully acknowledges the following individuals,
corporations, and foundations who generously gave gifts of $100 or more to the Annual
Fund between September 1, 2016 and August 18, 2016. For a full list of all contributions
for the same period, please consult our website—www.porchlightmusictheatre.org. The
website also salutes in-kind donations made to the Icons Gala and to Chicago Sings: The
Beatles. We encourage you to patronize these businesses that support Porchlight’s work.
For information about the multiple ways of supporting Porchlight, please contact
Don Sprague, Development Director, at [email protected] or call
773.777.9884. We endeavor to make this listing as accurate as possible. Should you
detect an error, please contact us.
20
Porchlight Music Theatre
A N N UA L S U P P O R T
c o n t.
FOUNDATION/CORPORATE SPONSORS
BLOOMBERG
PHILANTHROPIES
FOUNDATION/CORPORATE SPONSORS cont.
Brenda and Jim Grusecki Foundation
Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation
Greg & Anne Taubeneck Family Foundation at the Chicago Community Trust
The Michael and Mona Heath Fund
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
This program is partially supported by a Grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency
CORPORATE MATCHING GIFTS
MORGAN STANLEY
DONORS
Visionary
$10,000 and above
Timothy & Jacqueline
Bryant
Brenda Didier & Mike
Seiler
James Jensen
Jean Klingenstein
Producer
$5,000-$9,999
Anonymous
John F. Belom
Joyce Chelberg
Keith & Barbara Clayton
Keith Olenik & Jonathan
Van Der Kuyl
The Daniel & Genevieve
Ratner Foundation
George K. Sargent III
Tamara & Jay Sims
Mary Alice Wheeler
Principal
$2,500-$4,999
Stephen & Eileen Baime
Elaine Cohen & Arlen
Rubin
Mary Kay Conley
The Susan Klingenstein
Fund
Greg & Anne Taubeneck
Family Fund
Ron & Judie Zoromski
Player
$1,000-$2,499
Anonymous
Michael Camp & Mark
David Kaplan
Abe & Ida Cooper
Foundation
Cheryl Coons
Michelle & Steven
Cucchiaro
Andrew & Lisa Daniels
Tony Gibson & Tom
Perry
In The Heights
21
DONORS
c o n t.
Patron
$250-$499
Peggy Bagley & Rabbi
Douglas Goldhamer
The Honorable Francis
& Mrs. Mona Barth
Lisa Bierly Reulbach &
William Reulbach
Richard Boyum & Louie
Chua
Richard Brannegan
John & Eileen Breslin
Karen Coleman
Maureen B. Daw, PhD
Lee Dickson & Joe
Quartana
Michael Elkow Jr.
Eileen & Larry Frederick
Barbara Gaines
Bill & Ethel Gofen
Associate
Mary Pat & William Hay
$500-$999
Brent Hoffmann
Bryan Anderson & Dr.
James Huttenhower &
Allen Gustin
Phillip Tommey
Alice Anson & Robert
Yvette Ingraham
Nadler
Tom & Kathy Lengacher
Ed & Marcia Buchanan Meredith Manni
Jonathan & Trudy
Meserow
Bunge
Aaron Marcu & Mary
Jim & Ellen Dalton
Lu Bilek
Gerald & Eileen
Jim & Andrea
Eisenstein
Maremont
William Gilmer & John Barry & Mary Ellen
Blackburn
Masek
John Gustafson
Bob Mason
Lois & Martin
Bill Melamed & Jamey
Hauselman
Lundblad
Ed Jeske & John Hern
Kathryn Michael
Charles & Fran Licht
Walter & Arlene Mikol
Larry Little & Timothy
Karin Mullins
O`Connell
Steve & Karen Multer
Jeannie Lukow
Elizabeth & David Noll
Jill Moore-Pancrazi
Michael Pauken & Marc
Bill Morey &
Harshbarger
Christopher Tisone
Barbara Provus & Fred
Jon Niehus & Richard
Wackerle
Campbell
Rondi Reed
Jerry Proffit
Donna Rodriguez
Charles & Cathy Ripp
Laura Sachs
Leslie & Walter Schmid Anthony Salas & Dave
Donald Sprague & Ray
Hoemann
Grant
Susan Samson
Ed Tracy & Denise
Julie & William Sargent
McGowan Tracy
Rosalind & Craig
Richard B. Turner
Schwartz
James & Margaret Zagel Stanley & Sandra Sklar
Seymour Zitomersky & Brian Smith & Geyer
Barbara LaSpesa
Morford
Diane Graham Henry &
Tom Hall
Jim & Brenda Grusecki
Michael & Mona Heath
William Ingraham &
Brad McCormick
Cheri Lawrence
Dr. Paul M. Lisnek
Don Nolan
Rhoda Reeling
Kim Shambrook
Diane & Jim Sheehan
Sara Siegall & Taron
Tachman
Walter Stearns &
Eugene Dizon
Avy & Marcie Stein
Greg & Susan Viti
Marco & Joan Weiss
22
Porchlight Music Theatre
Myron & Gail Sonkin
Richard & Madeline
Terrett
Bruce & Jan Tranen
Paul & Lynne Wellen
Roberta Zabel
Rebekah & Frank Zhao
Charles & Alison Giglio
Joseph Glaser
Cindy Gold
Alvin Goldfarb
Robert & Mardee
Gramen
Susan Grosch
Tom Guerra
Supporter
Susan Haimes
$100-$249
Deborah Haimes
Jennifer Aguilar
Tom Hartman
Barbara Baer
Betty Hill
Nicholas Baker
Alan & Karen Hoffman
Frank & Kathleen
Kevin & Jan Holland
Ballantine
Laura Holtz
James & Sandra
Edward Howe
Barnett-White
Mark Hudson & Russell
James Barrett
Johnson
Regina Berg
Barbra Josephson
William Bergfalk &
Steve & Lori Kaufman
Roland Hansen
Louis Kersten
Harriet Bertsche & John Roberta & Dennis
Paige
Kmiec
Robert & Nancy Bloom Karen Kozlow
Donald Breitfelder
Stevan & Patricia Krkljes
Julie Brown
Kasey Larson & David
Michael & Amy Brown
Ast
Noreen Burke & Julio
Patricia Latkin
Padilla
John Levine & Merril
Janet Burroway
Prager
Linda Calandra
Michael & Jacqueline
Bob & Emily Carroll
Lewis
David Chinitz
Jeff Levine & Pam
Constance Clark
Matsch
Lynn Cohn
David Marker &
Ray Coronado & John
Georgann Joseph
Albrecht
Henry & Florine Marks
Robin DaSilva
Sonia Marschak
Major George F.
Jerry Maurer
Dempsey
Richard & Marilyn
Louise Dieterle
Maxen
Robert Drinan &
Miriam Merrill
Mitchell Brown
Dominic & Nancy
Sara & Herb Drower
Missimi
Fred Drucker & Rhoda Carol Mitchel
Davis Sweeney
Michael Moreno & Greg
Carol Eastin
Walters
Philip Eickhoff
Karen Muth
Richard Eisenhardt
Charlotte Newfeld
Jonathan & Sarah Fiala Gus & Karen
Donald Flayton
Nicolopoulos
Cardi Fleck
Margery Nieder
Judith Friedman
Joan Novick
William & Maureen
Eamon O`Dowd
Gallagher
Deborah Oestreicher &
Jeff & Heather
Victor Magar
Gallenbeck
Gary R. Paaren &
Virginia Gerst
Michael V. Roman
DONORS
c o n t.
Meade Palidofsky &
Alan Neff
Susan & Pat Pastin
Patricia Penn
Ken Peterson
Laurie Pfiffner
Angela & Charlie Platt
Victoria Quade
Rachel Rockwell
Susan Roberston
Anne Rodia
Sonya Rosenberg
Lynda Savage
Paula Scheiwe
Rosemary Schnell
Stephen Schroeder
John & Suzanne
Shambrook
Bruce & Sarane
Siewerth
Anne Smith
Larry & Margaret
Sondler
Kristin & Josh Spraggins
Anne & Scott Springer
Dariel Stack
Gardnar & Janis Stevens
Lauren Taslitz & William
Blommer
Jay & Betsy Tharp
Carl & Karen Tisone
Heather & Jake
Townsend
Theodore & Michelle
Waltmire
Dorothy Whittenberger
Gifts were made
in honor of
Steve & Michelle
Cucchiaro
James Jensen
Jeannie Lukow
Mary Marling
Dana Mroczek
Chris Pazdernik
Donald Sprague
Thom Van Ermen
Bill Whitney
Kristi Zimmermann
Gifts were made
in memory of
ArLene Gembala
Harvey Friedman
Harlan Haimes
Bea Hasenohrl
Roy Hine
Robert J. Pasquesi
David L. Riley
Patricia Walsh
The following
individuals have
made gifts to honor
Rhoda Reeling for her
22 years of service on
the Porchlight Board,
her many years as
president, and most
recent service as vice
president.
Richard Boyum & Louie
The following
Chua
individuals have
Wm. Eric & Kristi
made gifts to honor
Bramlett
Mary Kay Conley for
Julie Brown
her 17 years of service Noreen Burke & Julio
on the Porchlight
Padilla
Board and her service Martin & Myrtis Cohen
as secretary, vice
Cheri Coons
president, and most
Lee Dickson & Joe
recently president
Quartana
Cheri Coons
Jonathan & Sarah Fiala
Maureen Daw
Ray Grant & Don
Ray Grant & Don
Sprague
Sprague
Tom & Kathy Lengacher
Linda Keating
Kathryn Michael
Tom & Kathy Lengacher Kim Shambrook
S TAG E 77 3
Welcome–
Thank you for joining us at Stage 773, the vibrant anchor of the Belmont Theatre District
and home to Chicago’s finest off-Loop talent.
There’s always something to see at Stage 773! In the course of a month, over 30 different
performances are presented on our stages. Our four stages provide entertainment for
everyone: comedy, theatre, dance, musicals and more.
We are art makers who provide a home that fosters great performers and inspired
audiences. As a not-for-profit we connect and catalyze the theater community, while
showcasing established artists and incubating up-and-coming talent.
7 nights. 4 stages. 1 place to be.
For more information on performances,
space rental and special events visits us at www.stage773.com
In The Heights
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S TAG E 77 3 B OA R D O F D I R E C TO R S
Laura Michaud, President
Alex Meyer, Treasurer
Brian Posen, Secretary
Steven Beauchem, David Biller, Charles H. Jesser, Kristin Larsen, Steve Miller
Stage 773 is looking for individuals who first and foremost love Chicago theatre.
Additionally, we are seeking individuals who have experience in the fields of finance/
accounting, human resources, and legal. Ideal candidates have diverse networks and/
or ties to art-supporting companies in the Chicago area. Is this you?
Volunteers contribute, on average, about 4-6 hours a month attending board and
committee meetings as well as board-related events. In exchange for your service,
you have the opportunity to interact with a truly dynamic group of people and play
a vital role in Chicago’s cultural community. From the members on our Board to our
patrons, Stage 773 attracts an exciting and extraordinary group of creative and diverse
personalities. Contact Executive Director, Kristin Larsen at [email protected] for more
information.
S TAG E 77 3 S TA F F
Creative Director..........................................................................................................................Brian Posen
Executive Director................................................................................................................... Kristin Larsen
Director of Facilities & IT........................................................................................................Brian Peterlin
Director of Theatre Management........................................................................................ Jill Valentine
Director of Tenant Services.........................................................................................................Jack Short
Director of Marketing.................................................................................................Amanda Jane Long
Production Manager....................................................................................................................John Craig
Development Manager......................................................................................................Nicole Meunier
Bookkeeper............................................................................................................................ Travis Barnhart
Front of House Manager.........................................................................................................Chris Chapin
Box Office........................................................................................Zach Abel, Susan Delphine Bratton,
Ian McCullouch, Bob Prescott, Rosie Schultz
Bar....................................................... Amy Alfultis, Katie Faris, Chante Keller, Andrew McDermott
Technical Staff..............................Sam Cannata, Chris Chapin, Robert Hoffman, Candice Opper
Intern Staff ................................................................................................. Nash Sanderson, Molly Pease
Public Relations.......................................................................................................................Heron Agency
Ushering services are provided by The Saints.
Stage 773 is a member of the League of
Chicago Theatres and the Belmont Theatre District.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency
and the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.
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Porchlight Music Theatre