Our friend Mira Temkin forwarded this story to us. Mira currently writes for tripvine.com and “writes about theater, arts and culture in Chicago, not as a critic, but just to let you know what’s going on.”
Ageless saw The Music Theatre Company (before their name change) and wrote about them in August. Click here for the story. This show was based on last words of famous people and four 15-minute musicals were written, choreographed, rehearsed and then performed 48 hours later. Here’s what we said at the time:
“Even if our minds hadn’t been boggled by the speed of this process, we would have been delighted by the results: witty, sweet, poignant, funny stories, sung and acted with professional prowess by a talented cast of singer/dancer/actors, backed up by Keith Harrison on piano and music by six composers. Imagine a very short Broadway musical, a cast of one (or two or three) with the bare-boards aesthetic of a Chicago storefront theater, and you start to get the flavor of La Red’s Famous Last Words.”
Here’s what’s happening now:
The Music Theatre Company (formerly La Red Music Theatre) presents A HOLIDAY CONCERT OF NEW WORKS, on Monday, December 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Gabe’s Backstage Lounge. The evening’s material will showcase the work of cutting-edge composers artistically associated with The Music Theatre Company, and performances by some of Chicago’s most exciting talent. The company will also present three new works slated for their summer of 2010 season.
Jessica Redish
“We are championing new composers of music theater and this concert is a wonderful opportunity to hear what’s on the forefront of the musical Theatre World,” states Jessica Redish, founder and Artistic Director of The Music Theatre Company. “If you love musicals, this is a not to be missed event!”
Featured in the evening are: Company Members Aléna Watters of Addams Family, Keith Harrison of Million Dollar Quartet, Elana Ernst, recently of Chicago Children’s Theatre’s The Hundred Dresses, Laura Scheinbaum of The Marriott Theatre’s Hairspray, Emily Thompson of The Marriott Theatre’s My Fair Lady, Andrew Keltz of American Theatre Company’s Yeast Nation, Alan Schmuckler, composer of
L to R: Justin Stein, Laura Scheinbaum and Elana Ernst in "Last Word/"
TMTC’s 2009 presentation of Summertime, Michael Mahler, composer of TMTC’s production of The 9/11 Report: a Bipartisan Musical Fantasia, Jarrod Zimmerman of Penninsula Players’ Hollywood/Ukraine, Johanna Mckenzie Miller of Marriott Theatre’s Hairspray and Jeff Award-winner Alex Weisman of The Goodman’s Christmas Carol. The evening will be music directed by Keith Harrison and directed by TMTC Artistic Director Jessica Redish.
(editor’s note, click here to get excellent bios of the company from their own web site)
Jessica Redish, Founding Artistic Director of The Music Theatre Company, is a Chicago-based director/choreographer and a Highland Park native. With The Music Theatre Company she directed, choreographed and conceived The 9/11 Report: a Bipartisan Musical Fantasia; directed and choreographed B.R.A.T.T. Camp as well as Famous Last Words: The 48-hour Musicals.
The Music Theater Company’s inaugural season last summer was received by rave reviews, and has created a strong following of music theatre-lovers who are patiently waiting to see what next season’s creativity will bring to the stage.
The Music Theater Company views the musical as a cathartic, communal, enlightening and entertaining experience and strives to contribute new works to the canon of one of the greatest American art forms: the musical. TMTC is a not-for-profit organization sponsored, in part, by The Highland Park Cultural Arts Commission.
Gabe’s Backstage Lounge is located at 214 Green Bay Road in Highwood, steps from the Highwood Metra stop. Tickets are $20, plus food and drink. Proceeds benefit The Music Theatre Company. Help support live theatre in your community!
For reservations click here.
