Aurora, IL- Throughout her amazing career, multi-talented megastar Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences and critics on stage, film and TV, in concert and on recordings. Best known for her work on stage, the vivacious songstress most recently wowed audiences in the title role in the smash hit Broadway musical Hello, Dolly!
On Saturday, August 17 at 8 p.m., Chicago-area residents will have just one chance to see Bernadette Peters live in concert at the beautiful Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. Tickets are $49-$99. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount Theatre box office, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
About Bernadette Peters
Bernadette Peters is one of Broadway’s most critically acclaimed performers. She has garnered numerous accolades including three Tony Awards, a Golden Globe, three Emmy and four Grammy Award nominations and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In addition to her star turn last year on Broadway as Dolly Gallagher Levi in Hello, Dolly!, her other recent theater credits include City Center’s Encores! Production, A Bed and a Chair: A New York Love Affair featuring the music of Stephen Sondheim and orchestrations by Wynton Marsalis and on Broadway, and Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music and Follies.
Peters received both the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for her performance in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Song and Dance. She also won a Tony Award for her performance in Annie Get Your Gun. She received Tony nominations for her outstanding performances in Sam Mendes’ critically acclaimed revival of Gypsy, in Neil Simon’s The Goodbye Girl, Stephen Sondheim’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Sunday in the Park with George, the Jerry Herman/Gower Champion ode to the movies, Mack and Mabel, and the Leonard Bernstein/Comden and Green musical On The Town. In addition, she earned a Drama Desk nomination for her unforgettable portrayal of the Witch in Sondheim’s Into the Woods.
Peters also boasts an impressive list of television credits, including Amazon Prime’s highly popular Mozart in the Jungle, which won the 2016 Golden Globe for Best TV Series – Comedy or Musical. She also appears in the CBS All-Access series, The Good Fight, a spin-off of the network’s popular series, The Good Wife. Other TV credits include NBC-TV’s Smash, ABC-TV’s Grey’s Anatomy and Ugly Betty, to name a few.
In addition to starring in the Lifetime TV movie Living Proof, Peters has lit up the silver screen in 17 films throughout her distinguished career. She received a Golden Globe Award for her memorable performance in Pennies From Heaven. Other film credits include The Jerk, The Longest Yard, Silent Movie, Annie, Pink Cadillac, Slaves of New York, Woody Allen’s Alice, Impromptu, It Runs in the Family and Coming Up Roses.
Peters has recorded six solo albums, including the Grammy-nominated I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight, Sondheim, Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall and Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers & Hammerstein, in addition to numerous original Broadway cast recordings.
Peters devotes her time and talents to numerous events that benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Her “pet project” Broadway Barks, co-founded with Mary Tyler Moore, is an annual, star-studded dog and cat adoption event that benefits shelter animals in the New York City area. She is a New York Times best-selling author who has penned three children’s books: Broadway Barks, Stella is a Star, and Stella and Charlie: Friends Forever. All proceeds from the sale of these books benefit Broadway Barks. She lives in New York with her rescue dogs, Charlie and Rosalia. For more, visit bernadettepeters.com.
More exciting shows already on sale at Paramount Theatre include:
The Happy Together Tour
Friday, August 16, 2019, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $59.50
An annual end-of-summer tradition at Paramount, this year featuring six headline artists responsible for many of the biggest hits of the 60s and 70s: The Turtles, Chuck Negron (formerly of Three Dog Night), Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Buckinghams, The Classics IV and The Cowsills.
Ruben Studdard Sings Luther Vandross
Friday, October 25, 2019, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $39-$49
There will never be another Luther Vandross, and no other voice comes closer to him than Ruben Studdard – the remarkable singer who was hailed as “The Next Luther Vandross” during his historic winning run on American Idol. Imagine the vocals and music performed like Vandross performed them live in concert, including hits like “A House is Not a Home,” “Never Too Much,” “Superstar” and so many more. Ruben Studdard Sings Luther Vandross is the closest you’ll get to a live Luther show.
Fastlove: A Tribute to George Michael
Saturday, October 26, 2019, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $37-$47
The U.K.’s finest George Michael tribute show is packed with crowd-pleasing anthems from Wham classics to the chart-topping success of the 80s album Faith, plus the awesome tunes of the 90s. Fastlove stars Andrew Browning, one of Europe’s leading and most accurate soundalike and lookalike to George Michael.
Eddie B “I’m Already Professionally Developed” Tour
Saturday, November 2, 2019, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $30-$50
America’s favorite teacher/stand-up comic is changing the comedy game, tapping into the minds of everyone who’s ever stepped foot inside a school and selling out major arenas throughout the country.
The Second City’s Holiday Revue: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Sweater
November 29-December 22, 2019: Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at
2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m.
At Copley Theatre in the North Island Center, 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora
Tickets: $37
Take a handful of The Second City’s best and brightest comedians. Roll ‘em around in some tinsel and eggnog. Throw in your ugliest holiday sweater and before you can say “Aunt Shirley is drunk and trying to put antlers on the dog again,” you’ve got a hilarious holiday revue ready to roast the chestnuts outta all the things we lovingly loathe about the holiday season.
Terry Fator
Saturday, January 25, 2020, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Tickets: $79-$99, VIP packages: $174-$249
Celebrity impressions, singing, comedy and ventriloquism, America’s Got Talent season two winner Terry Fator does it all with the help of his hilarious puppet pals Winston, the Impersonating Turtle, Maynard Thompkins, the Elvis Impersonator and many others.
Killer Queen
Friday, April 3, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $38-$48
If you want to go back in time to see what a Queen concert looked and sounded like, then you want to get tickets to Killer Queen, the premier Queen tribute featuring Patrick Myers as Freddie Mercury.
Frank Caliendo
Saturday, April 4, 2020, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $52-$62
Comedian and celebrity impressionist Frank Caliendo is a comedy genius, famous for his countless, hilarious appearances on Frank TV, Fox NFL Sunday, MADtv, The Late Show with David Letterman and more. He’s also a favorite at Paramount Theatre, where his high-energy blend of observations, impressions, characters and anecdotal stories always start at a frenetic pace and never let up.
Jay Leno
Friday, April 17, 2020, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $89-$109
For more than two decades, Jay Leno was America’s favorite late-night comedy host, dominating the airwaves, winning an Emmy and a slew of other awards, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Known as “the hardest working man in show business,” Leno is synonymous with quality entertainment.
Fox Valley Orchestra Summer Pops Series
Rhapsody in Pops – Sunday, June 28, 2020, 3 p.m.
Cool Trumpet HOT! – Sunday, July 12, 2020, 3 p.m.
Broadway in Love – Sunday, July 26, 2020, 3 p.m.
Calypso Summer – Sunday, August 9, 2020, 3 p.m.
Tickets: $25-$30; multi-show discounts available – 10% off 3 shows, 15% off 4 shows
Unplug and enjoy live, high quality orchestra performances by the Fox Valley Orchestra, hailed the best in Chicago’s western suburbs, for four summer Sunday afternoons in the beautiful Paramount Theatre.
Paramount Theatre’s 2019-20 Broadway Series
Paramount four-play Broadway Series subscription packages are on sale now starting as low as $72.
Disney’s Newsies
September 4-October 20, 2019
The rousing, David versus Goliath, Disney family musical about newsboys who take on a greedy news tycoon, directed by Paramount Artistic Director Jim Corti.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
November 13, 2019-January 19, 2020
The family-friendly, enchanting Disney classic storybook musical fantasy that proves beauty isn’t always what it appears, in another holiday season spectacle staging by Paramount’s Amber Mak.
The Secret of My Success
February 12-March 29, 2020
A world premiere musical based on the hit Universal Pictures film starring Michael J. Fox, featuring a book by acclaimed writers Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, score by Chicago’s own Michael Mahler and Alan Schmuckler, directed by Gordon Greenberg.
Kinky Boots
April 29-June 14, 2020
Paramount presents the regional premiere of the high kicking musical, book by Harvey Fierstein, lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, directed by Paramount’s Trent Stork.
Paramount’s Broadway Series is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank, Dunham Fund, ComEd and City of Aurora.
About Paramount Theatre
Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora, is the center for performing arts, entertainment and arts education in the second largest city in Illinois. Paramount opened on September 3, 1931. It was designed by renowned theater architects C.W. and George L. Rapp and is graced with a beautiful Venetian decor with a strong 1930s Art Deco influence. It also was the first air-conditioned building outside of Chicago. From silent films to the first “Talkies,” from Vaudeville to Bobby Vinton, from Dionne to Donny and Marie, Paramount Theatre has provided Aurora and the Fox Valley the best of entertainment for generations.
In 1976, the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA) restored Paramount to its original grandeur. Paramount Arts Centre reopened in 1978, offering a variety of touring theatrical, musical, comedy, dance and family programming. In 2006, a 12,000-square-foot, two-story Grand Gallery lobby was added, including a grand staircase, new box office, café and art gallery.
In 2010, ACCA hired Tim Rater as President and CEO. His mission was to boost the theater’s programming and audience by transforming Paramount into one of Chicago’s top self- producing, professional Equity theaters. Rater hired award-winning Chicago director Jim Corti as Paramount’s first-ever artistic director. In 2011, Paramount introduced its inaugural four-play Broadway Series with Corti’s critically acclaimed production of My Fair Lady. In just eight blockbuster seasons since, Paramount has leapt to the top of Chicago’s musical theater scene, winning unanimous audience and critical acclaim, and an unprecedented number of Joseph Jefferson nominations and awards, including Best Musical-Large three years in a row.
Today, the 1,843-seat Paramount Theatre remains nationally renowned for the quality and caliber of its presentations, historic beauty and superb acoustics. More than 41,000 subscribers from throughout the city and suburbs enjoy Paramount’s Broadway-quality productions at highly affordable prices, making Paramount the second largest subscription house in the nation. In addition to its Broadway Series, Paramount continues to present an eclectic array of internationally known comedians, music stars, dance events and family shows, and on most Mondays, screens a classic movie for just $1.
Paramount is one of three live performance venues programmed and managed by the ACCA, which also oversees Paramount’s “sister” stage, the intimate 173-seat Copley Theatre located across the street from the Paramount at 8 E. Galena Blvd., as well as RiverEdge Park, downtown Aurora’s summer outdoor concert venue at 360 N. Broadway.
Rater and his team also celebrated the grand opening of the new Paramount School of the Arts on June 1, 2019. Paramount’s new school, which anchors the John C. Dunham Aurora Arts Center directly adjacent to the theater, is encouraging and training young actors, dancers and musicians for a culture-filled life, nurturing the arts in Chicago’s western suburbs and adding to the excitement, cultural and economic activity in downtown Aurora. Courses for children as young as six months are offered with opportunities for adults and seniors. Registration is now open for a full roster of classes, private lessons and camps in acting, music and dance. For more, visit ParamountSchoolofTheArts.com.
Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals. For more, visit ParamountAurora.com or call (630) 896-6666.
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