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presents Celebrates Sondheim! Saturday, November 16 @ 8PM Director: Joan Curto Musical Director: Beckie Menzie With Heidi Kettenring, Paul Marinaro, Johnny Rodgers, and Robert Sims, joined by special guests Susan Werner and Rodrick Dixon Also featuring David Edelfelt, Laura Freeman, Sophie Grimm, Tom Michael, Marianne Murphy Orland, Jaymes Osborne, Alfreda Burke, and students from ’s Chicago College of Performing Arts (Maria Alexandra, Marta Bady, Faith Bas, Abrial Bonilla, Leah Brock, Sopia Dennis, Jack Dunham, Jacob Durso-Sabina, Amari Gamble, Alcee Jones, Jason Leach, Magaret McCall, Alexandria Neyhart, Emma Powell, Samantha Russell, Max Shingen, Nathaniel Thomas, Haley Wolf, Caeli Wu)

with

Conducted by Rich Daniels

Pre-show video: Steven Wright Orchestrations: Bob Ojeda Stage Manager: Erik Strebig

CHICAGO CELEBRATES SONDHEIM! AUDITORIUM 2019–20 SEASON SPONSORS PRESENTING SPONSOR

Official Hotel Partner Magazine Sponsor ABOUT CHICAGO CELEBRATES SONDHEIM!

Director’s Note: The City of Chicago named 2019 the “Year of .” Upon this announcement, the commissioner of the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Mark Kelly, said, “To truly fall in love with Chicago, you must go to our . This is where the city bares its fearless soul.” As part of that soul-baring, it seems essential that we celebrate one of our greatest composer/lyricists for the theatre, . Mr. Sondheim has always said he writes for the characters. And we, as devotees of his work, know that he doesn’t just write for them — he uncovers them and he delves deeply into them and the world around them, creating songs that allow us to see the souls they bare. And his canvas is , or, as he has said, “musical — the runt of the litter.”

On the cusp of Mr. Sondheim’s 90th birthday, we celebrate his , Chicago-style. We come from varying genres: , classical, folk, theatre, pop, and . We lend our voices to a lifetime of work, to songs that have been described as complex, layered, full of emotion, provocative, dark, and funny. Sondheim’s music uses “angular harmonies and intricate melodies,” while his lyrics reveal the human stories that we can all relate to. Most singers and actors I know just refer to him as the master, a genius — or even as a god! We are honored to sing his remarkable songs for you tonight, in this glorious theatre, in this wonderful theatre town. — Joan Curto Chicago Celebrates Sondheim! ACT I

Overture Everybody Says Don’t/Some People (/ Joan Curto †) Our Time/Something’s Coming (Merrily We Roll Along/ Beckie Menzie, Tom Michael *) Maria (West Side Story*) Robert Sims Marry Me a Little/Not Getting Married () Jaymes Osbone, Heidi Kettenring Johanna () Johnny Rodgers Could I Leave You? () Joan Curto (Company) Sophie Grimm, Laura Freeman, Marianne Murphy Orland No One Is Alone/Not While I’m Around (/ Beckie Menzie Sweeney Todd) Live Alone and Like It (Dick Tracy) Susan Werner Somewhere (West Side Story*) Rodrick Dixon

ACT II

Entr’acte Chicago Philharmonic Giants in the Sky (Into the Woods) Johnny Rodgers Pretty Women (Sweeney Todd) Robert Sims, David Edelfelt Glamorous Life () Beckie Menzie Anyone Can Whistle (Anyone Can Whistle) Susan Werner (Follies) Heidi Kettenring Weekend in the Country (A Little Night Music) Sophie Grimm, Laura Freeman, Jaymes Osborne, Marianne Murphy Orland, David Edelfelt, Tom Michael Send in the (A Little Night Music) Joan Curto Good Thing Going/Not a Day Goes By (Merrily We Roll Along) Paul Marinaro I’m Still Here (Follies) Joan Curto Sunday (Sunday in the Park with George) ALL

† Music by Jule Styne * Music by Leonard Bernstein

2 | CHICAGO CELEBRATES SONDHEIM! | NOVEMBER 16, 2019 BIOGRAPHIES

Joan Curto (Director) is honored to return to the for her third production, following 2016’s 125 and 2017’s Ella and Lena: The Ladies and Their Music. Curto has been called a “cabaret icon” by NBC-5 Chicago and “an artist with clout” by the Huffington Post. She has appeared across the nation in concerts and clubs, often celebrating the music of the Great American Songbook. As a Chicago- based performer, she is a familiar face to Chicago audiences, garnering a reputation for her thoughtful interpretations and powerful voice. She has performed at many Chicago venues, including the Auditorium Theatre, the , the Empire Room, Victory Gardens, Davenport’s, Drury Lane, , the Thorne Auditorium, and the Claudia Cassidy Theater at the . She has participated in numerous years of the Chicago Humanities Festival and appeared at many of the Mabel Mercer Foundation’s Cabaret Conventions. Nationally, Curto has performed in some of the top cabaret clubs and concert series, including Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Room in , NY; the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center in Milwaukee, WI; the Overture Center in Madison, WI; the Gardenia in Los Angeles, CA; and the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, FL. In 2016, Curto was recognized and awarded with the Gold Coast Award by Chicago Cabaret Professionals for her contributions to the art of cabaret and awarded the Chicago After Dark Award for Outstanding Cabaret Artist. She continues to explore the songs of both the Classic and the New American Songbook, and has developed and performed shows across the country featuring the music of Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, , Jerry Herman, and Stephen Sondheim. Howard Reich from the has praised Curto’s work, describing her as “a seasoned interpreter who makes every note count.” Her music can be found on CDBaby.com, at iTunes and Amazon, or through her website, JoanCurto.com.

Beckie Menzie (Musical Director) has appeared at the legendary , Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Birdland in New York; the Auditorium Theatre and Park West in Chicago; and concert halls and art series across the country. Hailed by WGN Radio as “indispensable to Chicago cabaret,” Menzie was featured in Michael Feinstein’s Now & Then Series for her Carnegie Hall debut. She has been featured at many Mabel Mercer Cabaret Conventions in New York, the Hamptons, and Chicago, and performed at the Chicago Humanities Festival numerous times, where she served as a performer, director, and musical director. Menzie serves as a Musical Director for Michael Feinstein’s Songbook Academy and performs regularly with Tom Michael. As a duo, they have toured their many concerts across the country. They performed at Carnegie Hall for Cole Porter’s 100th birthday celebration and appeared with Rich Daniels’ City Lights Orchestra and many other symphonies for their holiday show. Menzie is part of the group Girls Like Us with Laura Freeman and Marianne Murphy Orland, which entertains audiences across the Midwest. She is the co-host for Monday Night Live at Petterino’s and is an award-winning songwriter who coaches Chicago’s young musical talent. For more information, visit BeckieMenzie.com.

Rich Daniels (Conductor) has been creating and conducting memorable concerts and events since 1974, when he began his professional journey as a high school freshman on the South Side of Chicago. Music was always a for Daniels, as he realized at a very young age that it was possible to captivate an audience with a live performance while touching their hearts and minds in an indelible way. With the City Lights Orchestra, Daniels has been given a chance to participate in thousands of programs nationwide for associations, corporations, and non-profit organizations. Additionally, Daniels and his colleagues have had the chance to take the stage and perform in concert with some of the greatest musical artists of the past half-century, including Ray Charles, Garth Brooks, Mel Tormé, Rosemary Clooney, , Burt Bacharach, Michael Bublé, and David Foster. In recent years, Daniels has also been busy in the studio composing and producing recordings for a wide range of projects. He composed music for the of the Emmy Award- winning show Boss starring Kelsey Grammer, and served as the on-camera music supervisor for Empire on Fox, starring Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. He also conducted regional orchestras, including the Baltimore Symphony, the Berkeley Symphony, the Richmond Philharmonic, the Hartford Philharmonic, and others, performing a symphonic celebration of Jerry Garcia with legendary guitarist and vocalist Warren Haynes.

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Daniels is proud of the various charitable organizations he has worked with throughout his career, especially the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago (former board chairman), the DePaul University School of Music (current board chairman), and the Archdiocese of Immigrant Affairs (treasurer). He is also a board member of the Chicago Federation of Musicians and a delegate to the Chicago Federation of Labor. He was appointed to the board of the Arts Council for a four-year term by Illinois governor Pat Quinn in 2013. Daniels and his lovely wife Kathy have four beautiful children: Rich, Mary Kate, Emily, and Maggie.

Heidi Kettenring is best known for her performance as Nessa in ’s . She has worked with , Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Northlight Theatre, , , Drury Lane Theatre, , American Theatre Company, , Chicago Commercial Collective, and Porchlight Theatre. She performed in the national tour of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Film and work includes Man of Steel, Chicago Fire, and Cupid. She received a Joseph Jefferson Award for her performance as Anna in Marriott Theatre’s and has garnered eight Jeff nominations. She is also the recipient of the Sarah Siddons Award, an After Dark Award, the Richard M. Kneeland Award, and two Broadway World Awards. She is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association and is a Northwestern University graduate.

Paul Marinaro is a jazz vocalist who has performed at venues including the Green Mill, Andy’s Jazz Club, and the in . Marinaro’s performances have been named among the best of the year in the Chicago Tribune numerous times. He is a featured vocalist with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra and was the sole vocalist in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2019 production of The Oscar Peterson Story. The Chicago Tribune called his voice “one of the most beautiful vocal instruments in the business today” and he has become one of the most in-demand and respected male vocalists on the scene today. He has released two albums, Without a Song (2013) and the live album One Night in Chicago (2015). He appeared in various Nat King Cole centennial concerts throughout 2019.

Johnny Rodgers is an internationally celebrated singer-songwriter, pianist, Broadway veteran, and recording artist who has been described by Stephen Holden of as an entertainer “who has show business in his bones.” He tours for the State Department of the to places including the Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands, and has toured Russia and performed with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra. He doubled as a piano player and music director for Liza Minelli performances and tours and wrote the song “I Would Never Leave You” for her Tony Award-winning production Liza’s at the Palace. He has earned Nightlife, Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), and Bistro awards for his performances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and other venues. His songwriting has been recognized with Billboard and ASCAP Foundation Awards.

Robert Sims is a vocalist who has been highly praised for his moving interpretations of African American spirituals. He has given numerous recitals of these spirituals throughout the United States, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. He has appeared with many orchestras in the United States, and toured Japan with the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra, where he was featured in a nationally televised performance of Leonard Bernstein’s Opening Prayer. In 2005, Sims made his recital debut at Carnegie Hall and was invited by Jessye Norman to participate in Honor! A Celebration of the African American Cultural Legacy at Carnegie Hall in 2009. He has appeared with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in two international telecasts and has appeared at Lincoln Center, the , , the Auditorium Theatre, the Harris Theater, and the Goodman Theatre. Sims is a Professor of Voice at Northeastern Illinois University in Dekalb, IL.

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Susan Werner has written 12 Tom Michael has performed albums in a range of styles, on stages including Carnegie from folk and rock to gospel, Hall and Lincoln Center, the country, and chamber music. Auditorium Theatre, and the She is renowned as a charismatic Empire Room. He regularly performer and has appeared on performs in cabaret, symphony, NPR’s World Café and Mountain and orchestra concerts with his Stage. Her songs have been musical partner Beckie Menzie. recorded by Tom Jones, Michael Feinstein, Betty Buckley, and Christine Ebersole, among others. Jaymes Osborne is a local Chicago performer who has Rodrick Dixon is a powerful appeared in and tenor who stars in the at the Auditorium Theatre’s annual Paramount Theatre, A Funny production of Too Hot to Thing Happened on the Way to Handel. He has performed with the Forum at Porchlight Music the Orchestra, the Theatre, and Avenue Q at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Mercury Theater. and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, among others. He recently performed at the inauguration of Mayor Marianne Murphy Orland is Lori Lightfoot with his wife Alfreda Burke. a big band singer, a cabaret artist, and a voice actor who has David Edelfelt is a voice teacher, vocal coach, composer, performed at Victory Gardens, arranger, and accompanist, Park West, and countless other as well as a talented choral venues. She is known for her conductor. He has performed tributes to Karen Carpenter, at the Mabel Mercer Cabaret Petula Clark, and Dolly Parton. Convention, Park West, and others. Recently, he presented his solo show Broadway Bob Ojeda (Orchestrator) Baritones at Davenport’s. started his career in his teens. He studied harmony and Laura Freeman has toured composition with prominent the United States and Europe Chicago composer William extensively in productions Russo and was discovered by including Into the Woods band leader Stan Kenton. Ojeda’s and Joseph and the Amazing experience varies widely, from Technicolor Dreamcoat. As a movie and symphonic work cabaret performer, she has to staff arranger for Johnny created tributes to Doris Day, Carson’s Tonight Show in the 1980s. He was the Julie Andrews, and others, and chief arranger and composer for the Count Basie performed as a soloist at the Auditorium Theatre, Orchestra throughout the 1990s. Ojeda’s credits Park West, and the Acorn Theatre. include orchestrating and arranging for Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Rita Moreno, , Diane Sophie Grimm is a lifelong Schuur, Carmen McRae, and George Benson. He is vocalist and actor who has currently busy with composing and arranging, and appeared as Paulette in his compositions have been published worldwide. Paramount Theater’s , Mom in Trevor at Writers Theatre, and Desdemona in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Othello: The Remix.

NOVEMBER 16, 2019 | CHICAGO CELEBRATES SONDHEIM! | 5 ABOUT THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC

About The Chicago Philharmonic The Chicago Philharmonic has been called “one of the country’s fi nest symphonic orchestras” by the Chicago Tribune. The Chicago Philharmonic Society is a collaboration of over 200 of the highest-level classical musicians performing in the Chicago metropolitan area. Governed under a groundbreaking structure of musician leadership, the Society presents concerts at venues throughout the Chicago area that cover the full spectrum of classical music, from Bach to Bernstein and beyond. Founded nearly 30 years ago, the Chicago Philharmonic currently serves as the offi cial orchestra of The , continues its 25-year association with the Ravinia Festival, is a resident company of Harris Theater for Music and Dance, and performs regularly at the Auditorium Theatre, Symphony Center, and other great concert halls of the Chicago and North Shore area. In 2018, the Illinois Council of Orchestras honored the Chicago Philharmonic with the “Orchestra of the Year” award.

Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra Roster Scott Speck, Artistic Director James Berkenstock, Artistic Advisor Thomas Manning, Board Chairman Donna Milanovich, Executive Director

Violin Baritone Saxophone/ Florentina Ramniceanu, Bass Clarinet Concertmaster Peter Brusen Stephen Boe, Principal Second Jennifer Cappelli Trumpet/Flugelhorn Carmen Kissinger Mark Olen, Principal Jeff Kang Joe Lill Art Davis Viola Benton Wedge, Principal Trombone Loretta Gillespie Andy Baker, Principal Michael Lieberman Bass Trombone Tom Matta Cello Barbara Haffner, Principal Drumset Margaret Daly Phil Gratteau, Principal

Bass Percussion Jim Cox, Principal Joel Cohen, Principal

Alto Saxophone/Flute/Piccolo Piano Jerry DiMuzio, Principal Dennis Luxion, Principal

Tenor Saxophone/Clarinet Guitar John Wojciechowski, Principal Andy Brown, Principal Scott Burns

6 | CHICAGO CELEBRATES SONDHEIM! | NOVEMBER 16, 2019 AUDITORIUM2019 THEATRE ANNUAL FALL GALA

HONORING PATTI EYLAR & CHARLIE GARDNER | WELCOMING RICH REGAN

THANK YOU TO OUR GALA SPONSORS!

GALA CO-CHAIRS SULLIVAN SPONSORS Pamela Crutchfield Deborah & Bruce Crown Helen Hall Melchior Dia S. & Edward S. Weil, Jr. Dia S. & Edward S. Weil, Jr. WRIGHT SPONSORS GALA HOST COMMITTEE Kathleen & Nicholas* Amatangelo Thomas R. Baryl Pamela Crutchfield Veronica & Brett Batterson The Joffrey Ballet Bill Friese Ann & Tom Nash Nora Ligurotis & Doug Vaughan Sue & Bob Wieseneck Kevin McGirr Linda Mitchell PECK SPONSORS Harriet & Irwin Ross The Baryl Family Melissa Thodos The Colmar Foundation Dana Shepard Treister & Michael Roy Treister Bill Friese Sue & Bob Wieseneck David D. Hiller IATSE ADLER SPONSORS Renee & Mel Katten Patti Eylar & Charlie Gardner Nora Ligurotis & Doug Vaughan Denise Littlefield Sobel Kevin McGirr Helen Hall Melchior Linda Mitchell

*Our Friends Remembered | Sponsors as of 11.1.19 | Auditorium Theatre, photo by Lucio Vergara. THANK YOU TO OUR GALA SUPPORTERS! GALA SUPPORTERS Carol & Andy Hays, Jan & Warren Rouse Rochelle Allen In honor of Patti Eylar & Amy & Michael Rubin Charlie Gardner Veronica & Brett Batterson, Dave Samber & Darrell Windle Gina & Richard Heise, In honor of Patti Eylar & Karen & Ron Schaffner Charlie Gardner In honor of Patti Eylar & Charlie Gardner Pat & Chris Seyer Geneva & Robert Calloway The John Buck Company Cindy & Nat Soper Crowe LLP Graziela & John Kaufman Janice & Peter Steil Michael F. Csar, Allan R. Tenorio & In honor of Patti Eylar & Rudy Marcozzi & the Chicago Joseph G. Schroeder Charlie Gardner College of Performing Arts, In honor of Patti Eylar & Melissa Thodos Judy & Phil Curley Charlie Gardner Dana Shepard Treister & Cynthia & Jonathan Darling, Elizabeth & Matt McNicholas Dr. Michael Roy Treister In honor of Patti Eylar & Charlie Gardner Bill Melamed & Nancy & Yung Wong Jamey Lundblad, Marsha & Philip Dowd In honor of Patti Eylar & IN-KIND SUPPORT Lois & Stephen J. Eisen, Charlie Gardner PROVIDED BY: In honor of Dia S. & Anne & Keith Moffat Chirp Design, Inc. Edward S. Weil, Jr. Joseph W. A. Myers HMS Media Sondra Berman Epstein Marsha Neece & Ronald Stone Loop Auto Parks Kristin & P. Matthew Glavin Linda C. O’Bannon Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel Diana E. Harris Roosevelt University Voveti Prosecco Sandi & Barry Hartstein Harriet & Irwin Ross Supporters as of 11.1.19

SONDHEIM PRODUCER’S CIRCLE Thank you to the members of the Sondheim Producer’s Circle for their generous support of tonight’s production.

SILVER PRODUCERS BRONZE PRODUCERS Kate Breski and Don Richardson Jay Cook Marcia and Tom Fritz Iga Ksiazek Barbara LaSpesa and Seymour Zitomersky Francine Pepitone and Stephen Erenburg Bobbi Zabel

Additional support provided by Rita Dragonette

Supporters as of 11.1.19 | Stephen Sondheim, photo by Yousuf Karsh.