New Faces Sing Broadway 1960

Frankie Leo Bennett (he/him, Director) is a critically acclaimed, award-winning Chicago theatre artist. Frankie’s mutli-hyphenate career has found him working onstage as an actor and behind the table as director, producer, casting director, company manager and teaching artist with notable Chicago theatre companies including Porchlight Music Theatre (BroadwayWorld Chicago Award), Kokandy Productions, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, Hell in a Handbag Productions and Northwestern University’s The Waa-Mu Show, among many others. He is also a playwright/composer – Resident Services: A Crossed-Up Animal Musical and The Adventures of Ash (co-lyricist/composer). He is extremely grateful and honored to be able to share in the hard work and passion that make the Chicago Theatre Community one of the most vibrant and celebratory places to make theatre magic happen. W: .FrankieLeoBennett.com

Micky York (Music Director) – Porchlight credits: Call Me Madam, New Faces Sing Broadway 1984. Other Chicago credits include: Whisper House and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (Black Button Eyes Productions), Happy End (2007 After Dark Award – Outstanding Music Direction) and Jacques Brel (Brown Couch, RIP) and a variety of musicals over the past 20 years for other theatres that no longer exist. Micky is a music business professor at Columbia College Chicago and College of DuPage. He is also a current member of Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute and can likely be seen at a street festival near you.

Johanna McKenzie Miller (she/her, Host) is the artistic director at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. Select directing credits include directing at Drury Lane Theatre, Marriott Theatre and Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, PA. Select acting credits include work at Marriott Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and Court Theatre.

Lisa Buhelos (she/her, New Face) is thrilled to join Porchlight Music Theatre for New Faces Sing Broadway 1960! Known as a crossover performer, she has appeared in both opera and musical theatre with companies such as Opera Saratoga and Opera NEO. Previous roles include “Despina” (Così Fan Tutte), “Musetta” (La Bohème), “Woman 3/Phoebe u/s” (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder) and “Aldonza u/s” (Man of La Mancha). Other notable credits include “Deb” (Ordinary Days) and “Margie” (Crazy for You). She frequently performs alongside Nathan and Julie Gunn in their concert series A Stroll Down Broadway with Nathan Gunn. Lisa earned her MM in vocal performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.

Kaitlin Feely (New Face) is thrilled to be returning to Porchlight after her voyage on the Ship of Dreams with TITANIQUE! Most recent credits: Mary Poppins: A Staged Concert (Metropolis), It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Athenaeum Center Theatre), Avenue Q (Williams Street Repertory), “Audrey” in Little Shop of Horrors (Ramsey Theatre Company), “Kira” in Xanadu (Skylight Music Theatre), “Ilona” in She Loves Me (Citadel Theatre). Kaitlin has a BFA in music theatre and minor in mathematics from Illinois Wesleyan University. Many thanks to her wonderful cast and team and her exceptional family and friends. Kaitlin is proudly represented by DDO Artists Agency. IG: @KaitlinFeely

Mary Laura Godby  (New Face) is thrilled to be back home in Chicago making her Porchlight debut! International credits: Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure (Disney Cruise Line), A Crystal Promise and the Harry Potter World Frog Choir (Universal Studios Japan). Some recent credits include: ...Great Comet of 1812 (Seacoast Repertory Theatre), Into the Woods (Big Noise Theatre) and The Things…Steven (Pride Arts). Mary studied theatre and music education at Northwestern University and she is represented by Big Mouth Talent. Love and thanks to her family and friends!

Nicholas Ian (New Face) is just ecstatic to be a part of Porchlight Music Theater’s New Faces Sing Broadway 1960. Recent credits includes The Secret Garden (Jeff Nomination – Ensemble), Diana (Theo Ubique), Twihard: A Twilight Parody Musical (Apollo Theater), Mary Poppins (Metropolis Performing Arts Center) and On the Twentieth Century (Blank Theater). Post their studies in Lyric Theater from the U of I in Urbana, Champaign, Nicholas moved to Chicago after graduation to pursue both theatrical and drag performance. Later this fall, you can find them belting their life away in Music Theater Works’ upcoming production of Godspell! Thank you endlessly to the Porchlight team for this opportunity. Love to She, Moo, Binks and Doots. W:TheNicholasIan.com. IG: @TheNicholasIan.

Nathan is overjoyed to be making his Porchlight debut in New Faces Sing Broadway 1960! This production truly is a dream come true! Recent credits: Grease (Metropolis PAC), Fiddler on the Roof (Drury Lane, Beef and Boards, Music Theater Works), Annie (Milton Theatre), Dragons Love Tacos (Northbrook Theatre), Newsies, Hairspray (Skylight Music Theatre), You Can’t Take It With You, Ella Enchanted (First Stage). Upcoming credits: Joseph and the Amazing… (Milton Theatre). Special thanks to his friends, family, and partner Jacob who have always supported him. IG: @nathan.kabara

Jackson Mikkelsen (New Face) is delighted to make his Porchlight Music Theatre  debut in New Faces Sing Broadway 1960. Jackson hails from Lincoln, NE and is a graduate of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Selected Chicagoland credits include Diana (Theo), Into The Woods (Kokandy), The Snow Queen (Marriott), Ragtime (Metropolis) and The Wild Party (Blank). Jackson also works as the resident lighting assistant for CCPA/Roosevelt University and as a freelance lighting designer and technician around town. Catch him hanging lights, singing lil ditties and queening out in a storefront theater near you. Represented by Talent X Alexander. Love to Brian. W:JacksonMikkelsen.com

Z Moore (they/he, New Face) is a genderfluid actor-violinist-vocal coach most recently seen as “Angel” in RENT (Surging Films & Theatrics) and in the pit orchestra for Little Women (Bishop Knoll Institute). Some of Z Moore’s favorite roles: understudy in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Oil Lamp Theater), “Princeton/Rod” in Avenue Q (MadKap), and “Mr. D” in The Lightning Thief (MadKap), the latter of which summoned Z’s drag persona, Misha Linh Star: the cuisine queen. Z offers vocal coaching through their studio and is the vocal director of  A Funny Thing…Forum with Marian Theatre Guild, opening November 2025. W: SuddenlyZMmoore.com

Elonie Quick (she/her, New Face) is thrilled to be making her musical revue debut with Porchlight Music Theatre this fall. Elonie is a North Carolina native and relocated to Chicago in the summer of 2024. She graduated with a theatre performance B.A. from Appalachian State University. Her most recent credit was the role of “Jenna” in How to Transcend a Happy Marriage. Elonie would love to send a big shout-out to her close family and friends for being so loving and supportive as she pursues a life in the arts.

Nick Roman (New Face)  is ecstatic to be making his Porchlight debut and for his first theater credit since pre-Covid! Nick’s background is in both theater and classical voice, and is currently a member of the Apollo Chorus of Chicago. He was previously the section leader for Allegrezza for three years. Chicago theater credits include Hunchback and How to Succeed with Music Theater Works and several Big Noise Theatre productions for which he was music director. Nick has also performed with the Grant Park Music Festival, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre, Actors Theater of Indiana, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre and Bobdirex Productions. Offstage, Nick is on the senior leadership team at Center on Halsted. Thank you to all who made this production a success!

Janelle Sanabria (she/they, New Face) is a proud Boricua and actor in Chicago thrilled to be making her Porchlight debut! She holds her BFA in musical theatre from the Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA). Janelle was most recently seen as “Dr. Stephanie Castor” in Streamline Theatre’s Houston, YOU Have A Problem! Other favorite credits include: “Doralee Rhodes” in 9 To 5 (Metropolis PAC), “Alice Murphy” in Bright Star (CCPA) and “Gussie Carnegie” in Merrily We Roll Along (Capital City Theatre). As always, much love to her family, friends and her cat Pigeon!]  W: JanelleSanabria.com IG: @Janelle.Sanabria