ECC show showcases the life, work and music of Stephen Sondheim
Elgin Community College Musical Theatre will explore the life and music of Stephen Sondheim during its summer production of "Sondheim on Sondheim."
The production opens Friday, July 24, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 2, in the SecondSpace Theatre, located in the ECC Arts Center in Building H on ECC's Spartan Drive Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.
Performances start at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. ECC professor John G. Slawson, DMA, is the artistic and musical director. The musical is directed and choreographed by Konnie Kay.
"Sondheim on Sondheim" is a multimedia musical experience focused on the life, work, and artistic process of legendary musical theater composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim.
Conceived and originally directed on Broadway by longtime Sondheim collaborator James Lapine, "Sondheim on Sondheim" features a cast of eight performing carefully selected Sondheim songs, ranging from the beloved to the obscure, with corresponding video interviews of Sondheim reflecting on his childhood, career, relationships, and, of course, his music.
Featuring songs from "Into the Woods," "West Side Story," "Sunday in the Park with George" and many more, "Sondheim on Sondheim" celebrates and explores the life and work of this musical great.
"It's a very different show, because really one of the actors is Stephen Sondheim - he really ends up being one of the performers in the show through the video that is played," says director/choreographer Konnie Kay. "It's also a really fun show for our actors because they get to play numerous characters. They sing so many songs from different Sondheim shows which is really fun. They're fantastic musicians and actors."
Members of the cast hail from Des Plaines, Geneva, Gilberts, Naperville, Streamwood and St. Charles. The cast includes Mary Luckritz, Charlie Perry, Erin Minogue, Walt Westlake, Amy Wolski, Kevin Chlapecka, Brett Baleskie and Carrie Dabelow.
Tickets are $20 or $18 for seniors and students. Tickets for all performances in the ECC Arts Center are available online at tickets.elgin.edu or at the ECC Arts Center box office.
Box office hours are noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. To purchase tickets by phone, call (847) 622-0300. All major credit cards are accepted.
Visit elgin.edu/arts for more information about the ECC Arts Center, including links to the Arts Center's Twitter and Facebook pages.