Chicago Sings Broadway’s British Invasion 

Our 2026 Guy Adkins Award Recipient is Mark David Kaplan!!

Mark David Kaplan is the recipient of three Joseph Jefferson Awards for Les Misérables, Ragtime and Forbidden Broadway the latter with which he has toured internationally and performed off-Broadway. Recent credits include: Cabaret (Porchlight Music Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof (Drury Lane/Lyric Opera), Titanic and Little Shop of Horrors (Marriott), First Lady of Television and Mr. Dicken’s Hat (Northlight), No Man’s Land and Noises Off (Steppenwolf), Clue (Mercury), The Band’s Visit (Theatre Squared), Kinky Boots (Paramount), Into the Woods (Writer’s Theatre) and premieres with Chicago Shakespeare, About Face, Goodman and Skylight Theatres. Concert appearances include She Loves Me (w/Bryce Pinkham) and Cabaret (Gulf Coast Symphony) and Ragtime, opposite Ashley Brown (Cincinnati Pops). Kaplan spent five years on the first and second national tours of The Lion King. Select screen credits include “Utopia” (Amazon), “Chicago Fire” (NBC), the film “Adult Children” (2025) the upcoming feature “Patient” and commercial spots for T-Mobile, the Chicago Cubs and others.As a union advocate (AEA, SAG/AFTRA, AGMA), Kaplan sits on the Central Board for Actors’ Equity Association and serves as a delegate to the Chicago Federation of Labor. He proudly serves as vice president of Season of Concern, Chicago’s primary fund raising organization, which focuses its efforts on the physical and mental wellness of those who share their gifts in the performing arts.

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:

2025 – Heidi Kettenring
2024 – Roberta Duchak
2023 – Rick Boynton
2022 – Jim Corti
2021 – Felicia P. Fields
2019 – Gary Griffin
2018 – Brenda Didier
2017 – Rachel Rockwell
2016 – E. Faye Butler
2015 – Dominic Missimi
2014 – Paula Scrofano
2013 – Douglas Peck
2012 – Hollis Resnik>
2011 – L. Walter Stearns

> (deceased)

CAST

ADRIAN AGUILAR

Previously at Porchlight: Pal Joey

Adrian has performed on stages and screens all over the country in his 20+ year career, but he will always call Chicago his home. Born and raised in the burbs, he chose to stay in Chicago to start his career and family, rather than the typical path to NYC. He has been married to the woman of his dreams, Brianna Borger, for 16 years, and they live a quiet life in Evanston with their perfect son, Ian, and their baked potato of a mini-pittie, Ahsoka Doggo. Adrian considers himself to be the luckiest person on the planet.

AJA ALCAZAR

Previously at Porchlight: Merrily We Roll Along

Aja (she/her) is excited to return to Porchlight where she was last seen as Beth in Merrily We Roll Along. Chicago credits: The Angel Next Door, The Heart Sellers (Northlight Theatre), The Penelopiad (Goodman Theatre), Always Patsy Cline, Ring of Fire (Drury Lane), Cambodian Rock Band (Victory Gardens), Aristophanesathon, Cinderella (Hypocrites), Hookman (Steep Theatre), Little Fish (Kokandy Productions). Regional credits: I Oughta Be in Pictures, The Angel Next Door (Peninsula Players), Million Dollar Quartet, A Christmas Carol (Milwaukee Repertory), Cambodian Rock Band (City Theatre, Merrimack Repertory), Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore (Olney Theatre Center), Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (South Coast Repertory). Aja is represented by Stewart Talent Chicago and Brave Artists LA.

LYDIA BURKE

Previously at Porchlight: Sophisticated Ladies

Lydia is elated to be back on the Porchlight Stage! She was last seen in Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies. Her Chicago credits include Little Shop of Horrors, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Damn Yankees, Big Fish and The Sound of Music (Marriott Theatre), White Christmas, Come From Away, Frozen, The Full Monty, Beautiful, Billy Elliot, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Little Shop of Horrors, Groundhog Day and Kinky Boots (Paramount Theatre), Elf, Beautiful and Matilda: The Musical (Drury Lane Theatre), Sister Act and Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Mercury Theater). @lydialburke

MADDISON DENAULT

Previously at Porchlight: Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree

Maddison (she/they) is a queer singer, actor and musician. They were recently seen in Sister Act at Drury Lane. Notable credits include: Cruel Intentions: The 90’s Musical (Kokandy Productions), Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree (Porchlight Music Theatre), Shrek the Musical (Music Theatre Works), The Marriage of Figaro (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Spongebob (Kokandy Productions). Maddison is a founding team member of and often performs with The Beautiful City Project. Repped by Talent X Alexander. MaddisonDenault.com

DEVIN DeSANTIS

Previously at Porchlight: Side Show

Devin is thrilled to be here to support Porchlight, where he was last seen in Sunday in the Park with George, and years ago in Side Show. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Music, as well as a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association. Among his many stage credits over the last 20 years here in Chicago, New York and many other wonderfully essential Equity houses around the country, he is a regular guest artist with the Colorado Symphony and San Diego Symphony, where you can find him every holiday season. In between concerts and shows, he is a lead singer with the Bluewater Kings Band and a member of The Four C Notes, a tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Above all, he is a loving husband and proud father. Have courage and be kind.

MORGAN DiFONZO

Previously at Porchlight: Cabaret

Morgan is so excited to be back performing with Porchlight for their Chicago Sings Broadway British Invasion show! Previous Porchlight credits include: choreographing and performing for their 2025 Chicago Sings fundraiser and playing Texas in their production of Cabaret back in 2023! Previous professional theatre credits include performing for Paramount Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Fireside Theatre, Shakespeare Project of Chicago and Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. When not performing, you can find Morgan choreographing, previous choreography credits include productions for Paramount Theatre and the Fireside Theatre. She is also adjunct faculty for the musical theatre dance department at Roosevelt University and teaches at Visceral Dance Center and Gus Giordano Dance School. Proudly repped by Gray Talent Group! IG: @morgandifonzo

MICHELLE DUFFY

Previously at Porchlight: Follies

Michelle is delighted beyond words to have returned to her beloved Chicago (after a 30+ year hiatus!) Other recent Chicagoland appearances: “Mother Superior” in Sister Act at Drury Lane Oakbrook and “Bonnie” and others in Come From Away at Paramount. Broadway: OBC of Leap of Faith (OBCast album); OQ-Broadway: Originated “Ms. Fleming/Veronica’s Mom” in Heathers the Musical (Original Cast Album). Other recent regional: “Irene Adler” and others in Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson, Apt. 2B at Arizona Theatre Company and “Mrs. Dashwood/Anne” in Sense and Sensibility at Northern Stage. She has appeared in principal roles in theaters across the country and around the world such as The Guthrie, ACT, The Old Globe, The Goodman, Milwaukee Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Pittsburgh Public and The Barbican in London to name a few, and as a guest star in many television shows; most recently “Dark Matter,” “Law and Order,” “Chicago PD” and “Succession.” Many thanks to this amazing Chicago theatre community and gratitude to DDO Artists and JMason Entertainment for being her amazing team!! W: TheMichelleDuffy.com

ADAM FANE

Previously at Porchlight: Billy Elliot

Adam is simply chuffed to return to Porchlight! While his 23&Me™ claims he’s exactly 11.7% English (and a sturdy 45.2% Irish), he’s ready to let Britannia rule the stage. Porchlight credits: Jack Dawson in Titanique! and Tony Elliot in Billy Elliot. Other credits include: Disney’s The Little Mermaid (MUNY); Rock of Ages (National Tour); Salome & Medea (Lyric Opera); Frozen, The Full Monty, Into The Woods and The Producers (Paramount Theatre) Jim Hensen’s Emmet Otter (Studebaker); Ms. Blakk for President (Steppenwolf); Shrek the Musical, Gypsy and Ride the Cyclone (Chicago Shakes); First Date (Royal George); Sex Tips (Chicago & Edinburgh Fringe); Jersey Boys, Spamalot, Pippin, and Avenue Q (Mercury Theater). Film: “Canal Street” TV: “Chicago PD”. IG: @almostfanemous

NICK JOHNSON

Previously at Porchlight: Rent

Nick is a dancer, singer and performer who moved to the city less than 5 years ago. His favorite productions he’s been a part of across the city include Music Theater Works’ Cats and Ragtime, Mercury Theater’s Young Frankenstein and  Jersey Boys, as well as Porchlight’s Rent! Nick has performed on Carnival Cruise Lines as a dancer/singer in 2025 and is so happy to be back in the city and performing with Porchlight!

EMILY LING MEI

Previously at Porchlight: Anything Goes

Emily (she/her) is a Chicago-based actor/multi-instrumentalist and is thrilled to be returning to Porchlight for another Chicago Sings! Recent credits include: Jekyll and Hyde (Emma U/S) and Alice By Heart (Young Alice) at Kokandy Productions, Rock of Ages (Constance Sack) at Metropolis PAC, Next to Normal (Natalie US) at Paramount Theatre, Frozen (Bulda) and Annie at Encore Musical Theatre Company, Anything Goes (Chastity) at Porchlight Music Theatre, and R+H’s Cinderella (Ella) at The Barn Theatre. BFA MTD at CCPA. Repped by Stewart Talent. Endless thanks to her family and friends! emilylingmei.com IG: @emily.lingmei 

DAVID MORELAND

Previously at Porchlight: Sunday in the Park with George

David is a Chicago based performer and carpenter. Recent onstage credits include: Jekyll and Hyde, American Psycho, Cruel Intentions (Kokandy Productions) Waitress, The Full Monty (Paramount Theater), Rock of Ages (Mercury Theater Chicago) Rent, Sunday in the Park With George (Porchlight Music Theatre) Thank you for coming, enjoy the show!

LUKE NOWAKOWSKI

Previously at Porchlight: The Irish… and How They Got That Way

Luke is over the moon to be singing tunes back at Porchlight. CHICAGO: “Bobby Strong” in Urinetown (Theo); 42 Balloons, Lord of the Rings, A Musical Tale (Chicago Shakespeare), Titanique (Porchlight Music Theatre/Broadway In Chicago); Anything Goes (Porchlight Music Theatre), Fun Home, The Sound of Music, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Paramount Theatre). REGIONAL: Dear Jack, Dear Louise, Little Women (Peninsula Players). INTERNATIONAL: Lord of the Rings, A Musical Tale (The Civic, Auckland, NZ). Luke has also performed at Ravinia and with The Beautiful City Project. He was a national finalist in the NATS Musical Theater Competition in New York City. Luke studied vocal performance at Elmhurst University with minors in theatre and dance and is represented by Gray Talent. Beyond performing, Luke is an active writer, director and podcaster—stay tuned for new work this spring. Endless love to my constants! IG: @_LukeNowakowski_

NATAKI RENNIE

Previously at Porchlight: Anything Goes

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Nataki is a graduate of the musical theatre dance concentration program at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Recent Chicagoland theatre credits include Beautiful the Carole King Musical at Drury Lane Theater, and White Christmas at the Marriott Theatre. She was previously seen on the Porchlight stage in Anything Goes, and in previous Chicago Sings productions. In her free time she enjoys thrift shopping, creative writing and laughing with loved ones. Nataki would like to thank all of her family, friends, and teachers for their love and support. IG: @nataki__

KELAN M. SMITH

Previously at Porchlight: Spring Awakening

Kelan is thrilled to return for another Chicago Sings! Chicago credits include Spring Awakening, Pump Boys and Dinettes (Porchlight Music Theatre); Jekyll and Hyde, Amélie (Kokandy Productions); Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (Marriott Theatre); Sunny Afternoon, The Lord of the Rings (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Ring of Fire (Drury Lane Theatre); The Choir of Man (Apollo Theatre Chicago); The Porch on Windy Hill (Northlight Theatre); Camp Rock (The Beautiful City Project); The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (Metropolis Performing Arts); Bright Star (Boho Theatre); Haymarket (Underscore Theatre). Regional/International credits include The Lord of the Rings (Auckland Civic Theatre); Plaid Tidings, Lost Highway, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (Timber Lake Playhouse); Once (Bristol Valley Theatre); Moonshine and Mistletoe (The Garden Theatre). Kelan can also be found playing bass for his band The Real Time. Love to Kara, and his late brother Riley. www.kelanmsmith.com

BETHANY THOMAS

Previously at Porchlight: Marry Me a Little

Bethany (she/her) is an award-winning actor, singer and writer who’s been appearing on Porchlight’s stages for over 20 years (including Trousers, Nine, Ragtime and Marry Me A Little). She garnered recent acclaim for portraying rock guitar icon Sister Rosetta Tharpe in the play Marie and Rosetta; also Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday and Maria Callas in the one-woman show Songs For Nobodies. Bethany has worked at The Goodman Theater, Northlight Theater, Writers Theater, Milwaukee Rep, Second City, Court Theater and Chicago Shakespeare; with performance artist Grelley Duvall, musician Jon Langford, at The Metro, The Hideout, The Green Mill, The Lyric, Steppenwolf, Millennium Park and Ravinia; with the queer af dance troupe The Fly Honeys, and a season as “Madame Z” in Teatro ZinZanni Chicago. BT has released several collections of original music- the EP, “First;” and albums “BT/She/Her” and “Material Flats” (available on Apple Music, Bandcamp, Spotify, and everywhere else). IG: @BethanyT80

TOMMY THURSTON 

Previously at Porchlight: Porchlight Revisits Mack & Mabel

Tommy (he/him) is so excited to be returning to Porchlight where he was last seen in Porchlight Revisits: Mack & Mabel & New Faces Sing Broadway 1961. Recent credits: “Fagin” in Oliver! (Metropolis Performing Arts), “Dan” in Next to Normal (Madison Street Theater), The Lord of the Rings, A Musical Tale (Chicago Shakespeare Theater & Auckland, NZ), James and the Giant Peach, The Sound of Music (Marriott Theatre), “Pretty Rich Boy” in Poor People! The Parody Musical (Hell in a Handbag Productions), Reasons: a Tribute to Earth, Wind, and Fire (Black Ensemble Theater), “Bob Wallace” in White Christmas, “Pharaoh” in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, “Sir Lionel” in Camelot (Music Theater Works), “Edward Bloom” in Big Fish (BoHo Theatre, Jeff Nomination for Leading Actor in a Musical), “Robert Kincaid” in The Bridges of Madison County (Theo Ubique, Jeff Nomination for Leading Actor in a Musical), “Starbuck” in 110 in the Shade (BoHo Theatre). Lots of love to Ryan & the kitties. IG: @t_h_u_r_s_t_o_n

BAND

DAVID FIORELLO

Conductor / Keyboard

BEN HEPPNER

Drums / Guitar

SACHIO NANG

Guitar / Keyboard

KARA OLANDER

Bass / Keyboard

KELAN M. SMITH

Guitars / Banjo / Bass

*All performers and crew subject to change.

Michael Weber

Director/Artistic Director

Michael is a nationally recognized, award-winning director, producer, actor, and educator. He currently serves as Artistic Director of Chicago’s Porchlight Music Theatre where he recently directed Follies and served as the Resident Director of the Chicago premiere of Titanique . Recently he directed the Off-Broadway and European premieres of Shake It Away: The Ann Miller Story and Call Me Elizabeth written by and starring Kayla Boye. Under his artistic leadership, Porchlight was awarded Chicago’s Jeff Award for “Best Production” six times for A Class Act, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Sondheim on Sondheim, The Scottsboro Boys, Dreamgirls and Blues in the Night. Porchlight productions that he directed, including Cabaret, Gypsy, End of the Rainbow, Sweeney Todd, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Pal Joey, Assassins and Side Show, as well as Grand Hotel at Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place and She Loves Me at Theatre at the Center were each nominated for the Jeff Award Award for Best Production. He previously served as Artistic Director of Chicago’s Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place (now Broadway in Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse) as well as at Theatre at the Center in Munster, Indiana. Directing credits include Living the History-125 Years of The Auditorium Theatre starring Patti LuPone and John Mahoney, Fifth of July and Talley’s Folly at the Oak Park Festival Theatre, The Petrified Forest at Theatre at the Center, Beauty and the Beast at Marriott Theatre, Over the River and Through the Woods at Mercury Theater, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Pheasant Run Theatre, and Cirque du Symphony at Sears Center Arena featuring stars of Cirque du Soleil with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. The recipient of two Joseph Jefferson Awards, he has been nominated for nine awards and he wrote and directed 14 Joseph Jefferson Awards ceremonies. Weber’s regional acting credits include The Merry Widow (starring Renée Fleming) at Lyric Opera, Annie Get Your Gun and Gypsy (both starring Patti LuPone) at Ravinia Festival, The Winter’s Tale and Henry V at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Around the World in 80 Days at Cleveland Playhouse, Disney’s My Son Pinocchio at First Stage Milwaukee, It Had To Be You (starring Cindy Williams and Eddie Mekka) at Little Theatre on the Square, Angel Street at First Folio Shakespeare, and The Gifts of the Magi at Indiana Repertory. Michael is the author of the play, WAR of the WELLeS (about Orson Welles’ infamous radio broadcast.) and he supports the community as a longtime pledge host for PBS station WTTW channel 11 and as a Board Member of the League of Chicago Theatres.

David Fiorello

Music Director

David Fiorello is an Equity Jeff award-winning music director, director, performer, orchestrator and playwright that’s had his work featured across the globe. His most recent Porchlight credits include serving as music director for The Irish… and How They Got That Way, Porchlight in Concert: Sunday in the Park With George, Blues in the Night (starring Tony-Nominee Felicia P. Fields), Gypsy (starring E. Faye Butler), Woman of the Year, Do Re Mi, The Apple Tree, the New Faces Sing Broadway series, as well as several editions of Chicago Sings, and the upcoming mainstage production of The Irish … and How They Got That Way. He served as music director for the John Doyle Sweeney Todd national tour, as well as Off-Broadway’s Danny & Sylvia: The Danny Kaye Musical. Internationally, he’s the head of the Musical Theatre Program as part of the International Lyric Academy in Vicenza, Italy. Fiorello is also the founder of The Beautiful City Project and CEO of Fiorello Studios. He is continually inspired by the love of his life.

Tommy Novak

Director

Tommy (they/them) is a non-binary Chicago-based theater artist, vocal coach (M.M. in Music Theater Vocal Pedagogy, Carthage College) and director who has performed and directed in the U.S. and abroad. Tommy was most recently an assistant director for the Grammy Award Winning Terence Blanchard Opera Champion at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Tommy has also directed the critically acclaimed production Rock of Ages at the Mercury Theater Chicago. They have worked on several productions at Mercury, including as assistant director for Young Frankenstein, Clue and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, make-up designer for Young Frankenstein and  Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill. Other directing credits include the Midwest TYA premiere of The Spongebob Musical (First Stage), Romeo & Juliet educational tour (Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre), Songs for a New World (First Stage Young Company), Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (Coastline Theater), Skylight (Shawnee Summer Theater), Love, Loss, and Other Nonsense and On My Way (original devised cabarets that toured Shanghai, Beijing, and Xi’an). Tommy is currently the Super Captain for Lyric Opera Of Chicago. Follow Tommy on Instagram for current theatrical endeavors @tommy.j.novak. www.tommynovakactor.com

Nataki Rennie

Choreographer

is beyond excited to be making her professional choreographic debut with the company of Chicago Sings! Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Nataki is a graduate of the musical theatre dance concentration program at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Recent Chicagoland theatre credits include Beautiful the Carole King Musical at Drury Lane Theater, and White Christmas at the Marriott Theatre. She was previously seen on the Porchlight stage in Anything Goes, and in previous Chicago Sings productions. In her free time she enjoys thrift shopping, creative writing and laughing with loved ones. Nataki would like to thank all of her family, friends, and teachers for their love and support. IG: @nataki__

CREW

DREW DONNELLY

Production Stage Manager

AARON SHAPIRO

Production Manager