'Even Stephens' to open at Summer Place

The works of two musical geniuses, best-known for their Broadway hits, will be featured in a cabaret-style show presented by Summer Place Theatre in Naperville.

"Even Stephens" is a compilation of showstoppers composed by Stephen Schwartz, of "Wicked," "Godspell" and "Pippin" fame, coupled with works written by composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, whose credits include "Company," "Sunday in the Park with George" and "Into the Woods."

The idea to put to the two top composers' works together evolved during a brainstorming session. The result debuts Friday in a show that continues through March 21.

"A couple of us on the board who are more musically inclined were trying to think of an original idea for a cabaret," director Heather Hutchison said. "They're composers I've admired for years."

Hutchison, a longtime musical theater teacher, said she had the opportunity to work with Schwartz years ago, shortly after he'd written the score for "Children of Eden."

"He previewed it in London. I was living in London at the time. I was working at an American school and I was head of the theater department," Hutchison said.

When she returned to her native Connecticut, she brought along Schwartz' permission to mount a production of the show with her students.

"He was willing to let a bunch of kids sort of tackle it a little bit," she said.

Hutchison said Sondheim's works, known for their complexity and sophistication, work well with Schwartz' compositions.

"We marinate them together," she said, adding that "Even Stephens" removes the songs from their original context and instead threads common themes through them, such as "relationships" and "urban life."

"It's a true cabaret. It's song after song after song, with a montage of themes," she said. "It's fun. It's for all ages. You don't have to know the shows or know the music to enjoy the show. The music stands on its own. The songs are beautiful in their own context."

After the show's five performances this weekend and next at Wesley United Methodist Church, Hutchison said the theater company will take the show on the road for an additional performance at a senior community in Elgin.

Producer Lynda Christopher said the two-act show features a 17-member cast and is about two hours long, with a 15-minute intermission.

The Summer Place marks its return to Wesley United Methodist Church with "Even Stephens." The theater troupe used the church as a performance space last year to present "Some Enchanted Evening."

"We don't have to use mics," Christopher said. "There is wonderful sound."

If you go

What: "Even Stephens," staged by Summer Place Theatre

When: 8 p.m. March 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21

Where: Wesley United Methodist Church, 21 E. Franklin St., Naperville

Tickets: $17 for adults, $14 for students and seniors

Info: (630) 355-7969 or summerplacetheatre.org

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