Porchlight Music Theatre raised $169,000 supporting its artistic and education programming at its sold out fundraising concert celebrating Porchlight’s 30th anniversary, Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight held Monday, May 12 at the House of Blues Chicago, 329 N. Dearborn St. Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight was co-directed by Porchlight’s Artistic Director Michael Weber and Producing and Casting Associate Frankie Leo Bennett and music directed by David Fiorello with choreography by Morgan DiFonzo. This concert included live performances by Chicago music theatre’s best loved artists highlighting three decades of Porchlight productions, the presentation of the 2025 Guy Adkins Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Music Theatre in Chicago to Heidi Kettenring and more.
The evening began with a cocktail hour for the 250 attendees commemorating the three decades of Porchlight as Chicago’s home for music theatre. Once the guests were seated, Alexis J. Roston performed a song from Children of Eden and then Artistic Director Michael Weber welcomed all while sharing pieces of Porchlight’s history, including being founded by “a group of friends inspired by the warm recollection of being called home as a child as the streetlights came on to the conversations and comradery on a classic Chicago front porch launched one of the essential theatre companies in the artistic ecosystem of our city.” He then introduced the next songs, all from Porchlight’s first years as an organization including Closer than Ever, Promises, Promises and The Secret Garden performed by James Earl Jones II, Kelvin Roston Jr. and Lorenzo Rush Jr.; Adrian Aguilar with dancers Morgan DiFonzo, Emily Ling Mei and Nataki Rennie and Erica Stephan and Stephen Schellhardt, respectively.
Weber returned to the stage to thank the Board, Porchlight’s Young Professionals, donors and sponsors for supporting Porchlight for 30 years. He also thanked the sponsors of Porchlight’s 30th season sponsors, Elaine Cohen and Arlen Rubin and Brenda and James Grusecki, Chicago Sings Signature Sponsor, Art Garwin, Superstar sponsors, Michelle and Steve Cucchiaro and Chuck and Diane Laff and all other event sponsors. Weber then introduced a musical suite to one of Porchight’s audiences favorite composers, Stephen Sondheim, that featured songs from Company, performed by James Earl Jones II, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, featuring E. Faye Butler and David Girolmo, and Into The Woods performed by Juwon Tyrel Perry.
The Chicago Sings’ performances continued as Neala Barron, Lydia Burke, Clare Kennedy McLaughlin and Dancer Ivan Bracy Jr took to the stage to perform a song from A Chorus Line. This was followed by a number from The King and I featuring Angela Ingersoll, Genevieve Thiers and the Chicago Sings Company.
Weber then introduced the 2024 Guy Adkins Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Music Theatre in Chicago Roberta Duchak to present this year’s award.
Duchak began the presentation by saying, “Some of Chicago theatre’s leading actors seem to appear from seemingly out of nowhere fully formed and front and center on stages across the city and suburbs. Heidi Kettenring is an actor who grew up, professionally and personally, in front of our very eyes.” She continued sharing Kettenring’s history of performances beginning when past Guy Adkins Award-winner director Dominic Missimi cast her as the formidable role of “Fanny Brice” in Funny Girl at the Marriott Theatre and continued to mention Kettenring’s long list of credits performing all over Chicago and on television. Duchak also mentioned how Kettenring and her husband, Porchlight veteran David Girolmo, met when they played opposite each other in a Porchlight production of Follies and went on to star opposite each other in Hello, Dolly!, Annie Warbucks, The Irish and How They Got That Way and, currently, Titanic, among others.
Kettenring joined Duchak on the stage as Duchak closed the honors with “An inspiration to young performers and a generous philanthropist who gives of her time to support numerous worthy causes, Heidi Kettenring is the personification of the term leading lady and it is my honor to present her with the 2025 Guy Adkins Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Music Theatre in Chicago.”
Kettenring, fighting back tears, began her acceptance speech by stating “I love being a Chicago actor.” Continuing, she thanked those who performed tonight saying that it takes “a certain beautiful-type of person to make Chicago their theatrical home” and that they enrich Chicago by staying here and performing in this city. She also thanked all those who support live theatre. Kettenring then spoke about her friend Guy Adkins, for whom the award is named.
She said that Adkins, one of the first people she met in Chicago, was an “impish, mischievous, delightful, charming, soulful, kind, hilarious, huge talent.” Kettenring reflected that Adkins, who performed in musicals, plays, television and film, was the type of actor she wanted to be. She said he was an instrumental person in her life and added, “That is not lost on me, that 15 years ago, my dear friend Guy lost his battle with cancer. It is not lost on me that I am receiving this award, today.” She concluded with stories of Guy’s final days in Chicago and then read a passage from a book that Guy’s friend has put together that documented Guy’s journey going through this illness. It was the final entry before Guy passed that she felt sums up Guy and how Kettenring tries to apply to her personal and private life, “I still think this life we have is a gift and we have to try to be happy. I don’t know if it’s a right, or a privilege, an accident or a figment of our imaginations. It’s something everyone wants so much, it's everything, happiness. And I really have it, at least it seems like I do and if I’m deluded, don't tell me.”
The first act of Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight then concluded with E. Faye Butler, who gave the audience a rendition of “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from Gypsy, a role that won Butler a Jeff Award for her Porchlight produced performance.
Weber returned after the intermission to celebrate another anniversary coming next season. Porchlight’s signature series New Faces Sing Broadway will mark its 10th anniversary during the 2025 - 2026 season.
“For 10 years, inspired by the original showcase for new Broadway caliber talent that started way back in 1934, these fun evenings of trivia, audience participation, show tune sing-alongs and other musical theatre “nerdery” have showcased much of the best new talent that Chicago has to offer,” Weber said. He told the audience of the numerous actors who appeared in New Faces and have gone on to Broadway, national tours, television and film. He then thanked Elaine Cohen and Arlen Rubin who have been personally invested in these young performers and the New Faces Sing Broadway series.
The program then highlighted Porchlight’s educational programming, which is one of the beneficiaries of the evening. Porchlight Education gives young performers an opportunity to learn, hone and explore their skills with professional instructors in a fun environment. Weber then welcomed Porchlight students Ari Ratner and Leo Ratner, joined by their mother Genevieve Thiers, Neala Barron and the young performers of Porchlight’s recent Fun Home, Eli Vander Griend, Austin Hartung, Charlie Long, Hayes McCracken, Tessa Mae Pundsack and Meena Sood to perform “They’re Playing Our Song.”
David Girolmo and E. Faye Butler were joined by Greg Dellinger for the paddle raise portion of the evening. They went level by level, letting the audience know what each donation would allow Porchlight to continue to do and how each contribution builds on Porchlight’s 30 years of history.
After the paddle raise, Micheal introduced “Chicago’s own “Celine Dion”” and another veteran of New Faces Sing Broadway, Clare Kennedy McLaughlin, to perform with the company songs from Porchlight’s current hit, Titanique, presented in association with Broadway In Chicago, now playing through July 13 at the Broadway Playhouse.
Weber returned to the stage to introduce songs from shows that have become Porchlight audience favorites, including Lorenzo Rush Jr performing from Ain’t Misbehavin’, Lydia Burke singing from Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies and Alexis J. Roston and Kelvin Roston, Jr sharing a number from Dreamgirls.
“From the very beginning Porchlight has presented musicals that have tackled big and even important ideas that interrogate the world around us and the diversities found within the human condition itself. From A New Brain, Falsettos and Meet John Doe to The Scottsboro Boys, Far from Heaven and RENT, Porchlight is a company unafraid to tackle complex subject matter while staying true to our mission of illuminating the past, present and future of this American art form,” Weber said as the next musical selections presented were from Sideshow performed by Devin DeSantis and Stephen Schellhardt, Angella Ingersoll sharing a number from Sunset Boulevard and concluding with Jeff Award-winner Erica Stephan performing “Don’t Tell Mama” from Cabaret with Ivan Bracy Jr., Morgan DiFonzo, Emily Ling Mei and Nataki Rennie.
The sold-out celebration concluded with Weber thanking the audience, the board, the staff and others who have committed their time, guidance and support to Porchlight over the last thirty years and introduced the entire company for the grand finale from Spring Awakening.
The Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight cast included, in alphabetical order, Adrian Aguilar, Neala Barron, Lydia Burke, E. Faye Butler, Devin DeSantis, David Girolmo, Angela Ingersoll, James Earl Jones II, Clare Kennedy McLaughlin, Juwon Tyrel Perry, Alexis J. Roston, Kelvin Roston Jr., Lorenzo Rush Jr, Stephen Schellhardt, Erica Stephan and Genevieve Thiers. The young performers included Eli Vander Griend, Austin Hartung, Charlie Long, Hayes McCracken, Tessa Mae Pundsack, Ari Ratner, Leo Ratner and Meena Sood with the dance corps, Choreographer Morgan DiFonzo, Ivan Bracy Jr., Emily Ling Mei and Nataki Rennie.
The Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight band included David Fiorello, conductor and keys, Marcel Bonfim, bass, Greg Strauss, trumpet, Kelan M. Smith, guitar/cello, Ben Heppner, drums and Cara Strauss, reeds.
The Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight production team included Michael Weber, co-director, Frankie Leo Bennett, co-director, Morgan DiFonzo, choreographer, David Fiorello, music director, Majel Cuza, director of production, Heather Lynn Gervasi, assistant production manager, Drew Donnelly, production stage manager, Emily Szymanski, assistant stage manager, Elliot Foster, assistant stage manager and Morgan Dudaryk, audio/video director.
ABOUT THE GUY ADKINS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF MUSIC THEATRE IN CHICAGO
For more than 10 years, Porchlight Music Theatre celebrates an individual who has made an exceptional and lasting contribution to the state of the art of Chicago music theatre, with the prestigious Guy Adkins Award. Guy Adkins was an award-winning Chicago actor who passed away in 2010. Among his significant stage credits were Oklahoma! Windy City and A Funny Thing Happened… at Marriott Theatre; The Taming of the Shrew at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre; Pericles, Twelfth Night, The Invention of Love and the title role in Hamlet at Court Theatre; The Time of Your Life at Steppenwolf and the world premieres of the musicals The Return of Martin Guerre and The Visit, both at The Goodman Theatre. The Chicago Sun-Times called Adkins, “…a smart and invariably graceful actor” and The New York Times called him “outrageously talented” for his turn at “Puck” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the McCarter Theatre in New Jersey. Porchlight commemorates Adkins’ spirit and life with this annual award and celebrates the many gifts he shared with our theatre community and the world.
Past recipients include:
- Roberta Duchak, 2024
- Rick Boynton, 2023
- Jim Corti, 2022
- Felicia P. Fields, 202
- Gary Griffin, 2019
- Brenda Didier, 2018
- Rachel Rockwell, 2017
- E. Faye Butler, 2016
- Dominic Missimi, 2015
- Paula Scrofano, 2014
- Douglas Peck, 2013
- Hollis Resnik, 2012 and
- L. Walter Stearns, 2011.
ABOUT HEIDI KETTENRING, 2025 Guy Adkins Award Recipient
Heidi Kettenring has been a Chicago based actress and singer for over 25 years. Favorite Chicago credits include “Dolly” in Hello Dolly, “John Dickinson” in 1776, “Anna” in The King and I, (Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre); “Ann” in All My Sons, “Harper” in Angels In America (Court Theatre); “Ilona” in She Loves Me (Writer’s Theatre); “Eulalie Shinn” in The Music Man (Goodman Theatre) as well as countless shows at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre (Oakbrook and Evergreen Park), Theatre At The Center, American Theatre Company, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Fulton Theatre, Maine State Music Theatre, Clarence Brown Theatre, TheatreWorks Palo Alto and Peninsula Players. Ms Kettenring was “Nessarose” for three years in the Chicago sit down of Wicked. National Tours: Disney’s Beauty And The Beast. Film and television: “Man Of Steel,” “Chicago Fire” and “Cupid”. Ms. Kettenring has a Karen Carpenter Concert through Artists’ Lounge Live. She has received a Joseph Jefferson Award, 10 Jeff nominations, the Sarah Siddons’ Chicago Leading Lady Award, an After Dark Award, the Richard M. Kneeland Award and two Broadway World Awards. Heidi is a Northwestern University graduate and married to actor David Girolmo.
ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
Porchlight Music Theatre, in its 30th season, is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Through live performance, youth education and community outreach, we impact thousands of lives each season, bringing the magic of musicals to our theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate and powerful theatrical lens of the “Chicago Style.”
Porchlight's history over three decades includes more than 70 mainstage works with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres.
Porchlight's education and outreach programs serve schools, youth of all ages and skill levels and community organizations. Porchlight annually awards dozens of full scholarships and hundreds of free tickets to ensure accessibility and real engagement with this uniquely American art form.
The company’s many honors include 178 Joseph Jefferson Award (Jeff) nominations and 50 Jeff awards, as well as 44 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 15 BTA awards. In 2019, Porchlight graduated to the Large Theatre tier of the Equity Jeff Awards and has been honored with seven awards in this tier to date including Best Ensemble for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies (2019) and Best Production-Revue for Blues in the Night (2022).
Through the global pandemic, Porchlight emerged as one of Chicago’s leaders in virtual programming, quickly launching a host of free offerings like Sondheim @ 90 Roundtables, Movie Musical Mondays, Porchlight by Request: Command Performances and WPMT: Classic Musicals from the Golden Age of Radio. In 2021, Porchlight launched its annual summer series, Broadway in your Backyard, performing at parks and venues throughout the city.
The 30th Anniversary Season is Sponsored By Elaine Cohen & Arlen Rubin and Brenda & Jim Grusecki.
Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from Actors’ Equity Foundation; Allstate; Arlen and Elaine Cohen Rubin Charitable Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City; Bayless Family Foundation; Comcast/Xfinity; Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation; Free for All; Glimpse Vision; James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation; Hearty Boys; Uvae; the Pritzker Traubert Foundation; Ryan and Spaeth, Inc.; Daniel and Genevieve Ratner Foundation; The Saints; Dr. Scholl Foundation; Service Club of Chicago and The Shubert Foundation.
The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency.
Porchlight Music Theatre wishes to thank members of the Matching Gift Corporate Program including Allstate; BDO; Comcast; Google; Jackson National Life Insurance and The Saints.
Interim Executive Director Jenna Deja, David Girolmo, 2025 Guy Adkins Award Recipient Heidi Kettenring, 2024 Guy Adkins Award Recipient Roberta Duchak and Artistic Director Michael Weber at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
(L to R) Porchlight Founding Members Rhoda Reeling, Jeannie Lukow and Kim Shambrook at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues
The cast of Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
David Girolmo and E. Faye Butler hosted the paddle raise rat Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
(L to R) Ivan Bracy Jr., Nataki Rennie, Erica Stephan, Emily Ling Mei and Morgan DiFonzo at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
James Earl Jones II at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
E. Faye Butler at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
Juwon Tyrel Perry at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
Angela Ingersoll at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
Lorenzo Rush Jr. at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
(L to R) Neala Barron, Erica Stephan, Emily Ling Mei, Nataki Rennie, Clare Kennedy McLaughlin, Morgan DeFonzo, Ivan Bracy Jr. at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
(L to R) Devin DeSantis and Stephen Schellhardt at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
(L to R) Charlie Long, Eli Vander Griend, Aries Ratner, Leo Ratner, Genevieve Thiers, Neala Barron, Hayes McCracken, Austin Hartung, Meena Sood and Tessa Mae Pundsack at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
Adrian Aguilar at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.
Lydia Burke at Porchlight’s annual fundraising concert “Chicago Sings 30 Years of Porchlight” at the House of Blues.