Porchlight, in fact, was contacted and invited by the authors to present the first post-Broadway production of their newly revised version; this presentation will be still further refined through the "intimate vision of the Porchlight lens to create a newly conceived experience in the telling of the lives of these two astonishing women," according to a press statement.
Side Show has a score by Tony nominee Henry Krieger, book and lyrics by Tony nominee Bill Russell and additional book material by Bill Condon, who directed the revival.
Porchlight artistic director Michael Weber will helm the Chicago staging, which will be presented Sept. 11-Oct. 18. Aaron Benham is the musical director, and the choreographer is Andrew Waters.
Colleen Fee and Britt-Marie Sivertsen will star as Daisy and Violet Hilton, respectively, with Matthew Keffer (Terry Connor), Devin DeSantis (Buddy Foster), Evan Tyrone Martin (Jake), Matthias Austin (Sir), Johnson Brock (The Human Pin Cushion/Ray), Colin Funk (The Dog Boy/Harry Houdini), Veronica Garza (The Fortune Teller), Amanda Hartley (The Bearded Lady/Auntie), Peter Eli Johnson (The Roustabout), Ben Kay (The Geek), Courtney Mack (The Tattoo Girl), Michael Mejia (The Lizard Man), Deanna Meyers (The Half Man-Half Woman), Kristen Noonan (Venus de Milo) and Creg Scliavi (The 3-Legged Man).
The production team also includes Megan Truscott (scenic designer), Porchlight artistic associate Bill Morey (costume designer), Greg Freeman (lighting designer), Ross Hoppe (projection designer), Robert Hornbostel (sound designer), Jay Tollefsen (properties designer), Kevin Barthel (wig designer), Alexandra Garfinkle (dramaturg), Jessica Forella (stage manager) and Porchlight artistic associate Aaron Shapiro (production manager). Side Show, according to press notes, "is inspired by the true-life story of the legendary conjoined twin circus, vaudeville and movie stars The Hilton Sisters, Daisy and Violet, and their search for love and acceptance amidst the spectacle of fame and scrutiny while under the spotlight of public opinion. Set against the backdrop of 1920s and ‘30s show business, Side Show seamlessly blends the worlds of carnival, vaudeville, and Hollywood glamour in a haunting and sympathetic story of extraordinary humanity."
Additional details of the upcoming Porchlight season follow:
