BrightSide Theatre puts on 'City of Angels' musical comedy Jan. 13-21
BrightSide Theatre, Naperville's only professional theater performing in the historic downtown district, continues with their "Season 10 Again" to fully celebrate its 10th anniversary with this "killer" Hollywood musical comedy.
Performed in the Madden Theatre, they will transform the space into an intimate cabaret room with a live orchestra and a cast of talented actors performing a concert version of "City of Angels."
Performances will be at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 13-21, in the Madden Theatre at North Central College's Fine Arts Center at 171 E. Chicago Ave. in Naperville. There will be an additional matinee at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21.
Tickets are on sale now at www.brightsidetheatre.com, or by phone at (630) 447-TIXS (8497).
"City of Angels" is a witty detective thriller and glorious celebration of film noir set in the late 1940s. Stine, a bookish writer of detective stories, struggles to adapt his crime novel into a workable screenplay. As Stine tries to maintain some integrity in the backstabbing world of Hollywood, his protagonist, a hard-boiled private eye named Stone, fights for survival in a city full of criminals and opportunists. In a clever design choice, the stories are told on a split stage: Stine's world is in full color, while Stone's appears in black and white.
It features a sensational jazz score by Cy Coleman ("Sweet Charity"), sizzling lyrics from David Zippel (Disney films "Hercules" and "Mulan") and book by acclaimed screenwriter Larry Gelbart ("M*A*S*H"and "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum").
Jon Cunningham of Schaumburg will play the fictional detective Stone and the author Stine by Brady McNeil of Wheaton.
A talented ensemble of actors makes up the cast of "City of Angels in Concert": Jim Heatherly of Bloomingdale as Buddy/Irvine; Christine Ronna of Wilmington as Donna/Oolie; Jamie Marie DePaolo of Northlake as Carla/Alaura; Laura Sportiello of Chicago as Gabby/Bobbi; Nick Arceo of Chicago as Munoz/Pancho; Parker Stancato of Buffalo Grove as Jimmy Powers/Ensemble; Bella Blackshaw of Chicago as Mallory/Avril; Craig Zeller of Oak Park as Luther/Werner; and Dean Zaverdas Jr. of Downers Grove as Peter/Ensemble.
The Angel City 4 features Chicagoans Dana Clouser and Meghan Kessel, Derek Zinke of Orland Park, and Sean Rhead of Tinley Park.
The production is directed by Jeffrey Cass, a Joseph Jefferson Award nominee who has directed over 20 productions for BrightSide Theatre, most recently this season's "She Loves Me," the hit "Mamma Mia!," "Disney's the Descendants" and "Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play" last season.
Sara Cate Langham is the music director and vocal director. Her credits include "My Fair Lady" and "The Fantasticks" as musical director and onstage in "A Piece of My Heart" (Maryjo), as well as numerous productions as keyboardist with BrightSide, Wheaton Drama, and other local companies.
Tickets are $33 or $28 for students and seniors. Subscriptions are on sale as well. Tickets are on sale now at www.brightsidetheatre.com, by phone (630) 447-TIXS (8497) or the night of the performance at the box office at the Madden Theatre.
BrightSide Theatre, led by executive director Julie Ann Kornak and artistic director Jeffrey Cass, celebrates its "Season 10 AGAIN" as Naperville's only professional theater performing in the historic downtown district. BrightSide Theatre is committed to enlighten, educate, and entertain through comedies and inspirational stories from across the globe. BrightSide's shows are selected to be a blend of award winners, premieres, modern works and timeless classics meant to reflect upon and inform our community. For more information on BrightSide Theatre, visit www.brightsidetheatre.com.
This production is sponsored in part by CM Stage Photography, DuPage Foundation, Round Hill Wealth Management and SECA Grant, The Saints.