CHICAGO: Following their sold-out run of Come Rain or Come Shine: A Judy Garland Cabaret at Mary’s Attic, Brown Paper Box Co., “one of the most vital storefront theater groups in Chicago,” (HollywoodChicago.com) is proud to announce the cast, staff, and design team behind Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey’s Tony Award-nominated musical, If/Then. BPBCo.’s 2019/2020 season-closer runs Thursday, January 23-Sunday, February 16, 2020 at The Athenaeum – Studio Three (2936 N Southport Ave.) in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.
A city planner, Elizabeth (Jeff Award nominee Amanda Giles), moves back to New York to restart her life in the city of infinite possibilities. When her carefully designed plans collide with fate, Elizabeth’s life splits into two parallel paths. If/Then follows both stories, simultaneously, through the intersection of choice and chance.
With unforgettable songs and a deeply moving story by the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning creators of Next to Normal, If/Then paints a moving portrait of the lives we lead, as well as the lives we might have led. Brown Paper Box Co. is proud to present the Chicago storefront premiere of this new original musical. For performance dates & times, artists’ bios, and additional ticketing information, please visit www.BrownPaperBox.org.
“I was fortunate to see If/Then’s New York run and its songs and characters have stuck with me since,” says BPBCo. managing director Anna Schutz. “While the spectacle of a Broadway show is always exciting, I remember thinking how a more intimate setting would help audiences better connect to the story’s contemporary relationships.”
“Our director, Elyse, has created an extremely intimate version of Kitt and Yorkey’s show and I’m excited to see her vision come to life,” says music director Rachel Hoovler. “We have such a unique cast with such strong voices – they are absolutely going to blow the roof off this modern score. I am thrilled to be working with Brown Paper Box Co. on this local premiere!”
The cast for If/Then includes Amanda Giles (Elizabeth) she/her, Bridget Adams-King (Kate) she/her, Alanna Chavez (Anne) she/her, Darian J. Duah (Ensemble) he/him, Matthew Fayfer* (Stephen) he/him, Parker Guidry (Lucas) they/them, Michael Idalski (David) he/him, Will Kazda (Ensemble) he/him, Micah Kronlokken (Swing) he/him, Jennifer Ledesma (Elena) she/her, Grace McDonell (Swing) she/her, and Michael Peters (Josh) he/him.
The staff and design team includes Elyse Dolan (Director) she/her, Rachel Hoovler (Music Director) she/her, Eric Backus (Sound Designer) he/him, Arran Bowen* (Assistant Production Manager) she/her, Liz Cooper (Lighting Designer) she/her, Zach Dries* (Photographer/Videographer) he/him, Si Squires-Kasten (Assistant Director & Stage Manager) he/him, Kaitlyn Guerrieri* (Front of House Manager) she/her, Jeremy Hollis* (Set Designer & Production Manager) he/him, Charlie Sheets* (Graphic Designer) he/him, Paul Michael Thomson (Casting Associate) he/him, and Lily Grace Walls (Costume Designer) she/her.
About Brown Paper Box Co.
Based in Chicago, Brown Paper Box Co. produces theatre that connects audiences to the heart of the story and to our shared human experience. By combining smart, simple design with clear storytelling, we make traditional pieces relevant and new work accessible.
Elyse Dolan (Director) is thrilled to be collaborating with Brown Paper Box Co. for the first time! Most recently, she directed Blackbird at Blank Theatre Company, and she will be returning to Blank this spring to direct the musical NINE. Elyse is the Associate Producer at American Blues Theater, where she is also an Ensemble member. She is also the Director of New Work at The New Colony, where she will be directing Other Rockpools this summer. Her directing work has been seen across Chicago at American Blues Theater, The New Colony, Broken Nose Theatre, Prop Thtr, Babes with Blades, Commission Theatre, and more. She has also served as Assistant Director on several productions, including Six Corners (American Blues Theater; dir. Gary Griffin), Little Shop of Horrors (American Blues Theater; dir. Jonathan Berry), and The Play About my Dad (Raven Theatre; dir. Marti Lyons). Elyse holds a B.A. from Denison University.
Tom Kitt (Music) received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama as well as two Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Orchestrations for Next to Normal. Next to Normal also received the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Score. He is also the composer of If/Then (Tony Nom., Outer Critics Nom.); High Fidelity (Broadway); Bring it On, The Musical (co-composer with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Broadway); Superhero (2nd Stage); Disney’s Freaky Friday (Stage Production and Original Disney Channel Movie Musical); Dave (Arena Stage); The Winter’s Tale, All’s Well That Ends Well, and Cymbeline (The Public’s NYSF); From Up Here & The Madrid (MTC); Orphans (Broadway) The Retributionists (Playwrights Horizons) and As You Like It (Toho Co., Japan). As a music supervisor, arranger, and orchestrator, credits include SpongeBob Squarepants, The Musical (Tony Nom., Outer Critics Nom, Drama Desk Nom.); Head Over Heels; Jagged Little Pill; Grease Live!; Rise (NBC); and American Idiot. His work with Green Day also includes additional arrangements for their Grammy Award-winning album 21st Century Breakdown and their album trilogy, ¡Uno! ¡Dos! ¡Tré! Tom received an Emmy Award as co-writer (with Lin-Manuel Miranda) for the 2013 Tony Award opening number, Bigger. Other Television Songwriting credits include a musical episode of Royal Pains, and songs for Penny Dreadful, Sesame Street, and Julie’s Greenroom. As a musical director, conductor, arranger and orchestrator, credits include the Pitch Perfect films, 2Cellos featuring Lang Lang (Live and Let Die), The Kennedy Center Honors, 13, Debbie Does Dallas, Everyday Rapture, Hair, Laugh Whore, Pippin (Deaf West), and These Paper Bullets. Upcoming projects include musical adaptations of the films Almost Famous and The Visitor.
Brian Yorkey (Lyrics & Book) received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well as the 2009 Tony Award for Best Score, for Next to Normal and is currently the Executive Producer and Showrunner of 13 Reasons Why for Netflix, Paramount Television and Anonymous Content. He was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical for Next to Normal, and his work on the show earned him the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Score. He partnered again with the Next to Normal team on If/Then (Tony Award Nominee for Best Score) starring Idina Menzel. Brian co-wrote the libretto for The Last Ship (Outer Critic’s Nomination, with John Logan), with a score by Sting. His musical adaptation of Freaky Friday for Disney Theatricals enjoyed a National Tour before being adapted into a Disney Channel Original Movie. Current theatrical projects in development include the original musical Jesus in My Bedroom, with composer Tim Symons. He’s a graduate of Columbia University, where he was artistic director of the Varsity Show, an alum of the BMI/Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop and a proud member of the Dramatists Guild and the WGA.
* denotes Brown Paper Box Co. members
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Who: Brown Paper Box Co.
What: Chicago Premiere of IF/THEN
When: Thursday, January 23-Sunday, February 16, 2020
Where: The Athenaeum, Studio Three, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Chicago, IL 60657
Previews: Thursday, January 23, 2020 @ 7:30PM and Friday, January 24 @ 7:30PM
Opening Performance: Saturday, January 25, 2020 @ 7:30PM
Press Performances: Sunday, January 26, 2020 @ 2PM and Monday, January 27, 2020 @ 7:30PM
Regular Run: Friday, January 31 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, February 1 @ 2PM (matinee)
Saturday, February 1 @ 7:30PM
Sunday, February 2 @ 2PM (matinee)
Monday, February 3 @ 7:30PM
Thursday, February 6 @ 7:30PM
Friday, February 7 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, February 8 @ 2PM (matinee)
Saturday, February 8 @ 7:30PM
Sunday, February 9 @ 2PM (matinee)
Thursday, February 13 @ 7:30PM
Friday, February 14 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, February 15 @ 2PM (matinee)
Saturday, February 15 @ 7:30PM
Sunday, February 16 @ 2PM (matinee)
Tickets: On sale soon at www.BrownPaperBox.org
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