New Faces Sing Broadway NOW

Adrian Aguilar 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 come back to Chicago to start his career and family, rather than the typical path to New York City. He has been married to the woman of his dreams, Brianna Borger, for nearly 14 years, and they live a quiet life in Evanston with their perfect son, Ian, and their perfectly imperfect meatball of a pittie, Ahsoka Doggo. Adrian considers himself to be the luckiest person on the planet.

Frankie Leo Bennett is a Jeff award-nominated Chicago-based theatre multi-hyphenate. Directing: The Apple Tree (co-director), RENT (asst. director), multiple editions of New Faces Sing Broadway, Broadway in your Backyard and Chicago Sings (Porchlight Music Theatre); Out of Focus (CMTF/Kokandy/Steppenwolf): The Golden Girls: Meet the Skooby Gang and Save XMAS (Hell/Handbag); Acting: The SpongeBob Musical (Jeff nom – Best Principal Performer), Head Over Heels (Kokandy); Sweeney Todd, Altar Boyz (Theo); Cabaret, 1776, In The Heights (B’Way World Award – Best Actor) (Porchlight Music Theatre) among others. Writer: The Adventures of Ash (w/ David Lipschutz) and Resident Services – A Crossed-Up Animal Musical. Member: Dramatists Guild; Staff: Producing Artistic Associate – Porchlight. W: FrankieLeoBennett.com.

Carolyn Brady operates a multi-genre Chicago and national voice studio. Clients have performed with Almost Famous (Broadway) Book of Mormon (Broadway and Broadway in Chicago), Mean Girls, The Prom and School of Rock (National Tours), NBC’s “The Voice,” Walt Disney World, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Goodman, Paramount, Chicago Shakes, Drury Lane, Marriott, Mercury, Porchlight Music Theater, Music Theater Works, BOHO, Theo Ubique, American Blues, House, Metropolis, Southwest Indiana Symphony and Chicago Opera Theatre. Music Direction credits: A Chorus Line (Jeff Nom. Music Direction), Cinderella, Shrek, Christmas Carol at Drury Lane, Sondheim Tribute Review at Theo, Elephant & Piggie at Marriott, Bullets Over Broadway (Jeff Nom.) at Night Blue, Wedding Singer, The Who’s Tommy (Jeff Nom.) and Meet Me in St. Louis at Circle Theatre. Upcoming: Carole King’s Beautiful at Drury Lane and Secret Garden at Theo. Carolyn is a proud member of Chicago Federation of Musicians Union. W: CarolynJeanBrady.com.

Justin Kono is a percussionist, pianist, conductor, music director and orchestrator in the Chicagoland area. Other Porchlight credits include Broadway in your Backyard (2021-2024), drums for Anything Goes, Chicago Sings, Broadway Pop II, Cabaret, Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies and music direction for Spring Awakening. Recently, Justin was the drummer, associate conductor and electronic music designer on both Jeff nominated productions of Jersey Boys and Rock of Ages at the Mercury Theater Chicago. He can be heard this season at Music Theater Works in their productions of Carousel, Little Shop of Horrors and Legally Blonde: The Musical and is also a first call sub at Drury Lane Oakbrook. Justin’s electronic music design has been heard by thousands and will be newly featured next year for the Illinois Theater Association’s All-State production of The Prom. Amidst relentlessly gigging, Justin is also a music director at First Congregational Church in Downers Grove, IL. Justin does not endorse higher education, but rest assured he has endured many years of it. IG: @JamWithJustin

Diana Marilyn Alvarez (she/they) is delighted to be making her Porchlight debut! Chicago credits include: Milo Imagines the World (Chicago Children’s Theatre), The Brass Teapot (Steppenwolf LookOut/Kokandy Productions), That’s What She Sang, Disney Deep Dive, Bright Lights, Big City (The Beautiful City Project) , and CAVA (Commercial). Diana would like to thank her sweet boyfriend Callan, as well as her wonderful family, friends , and team at DDO Artists Agency for their love and support! IG: @DianaMarilynAlvarez  W:DianaMarilynAlvarez.com

Maddie Brunner is thrilled to be making her Porchlight Debut! Chicago credits include: “Caroler” & “Xmas Present U/S” A Christmas Carol and Beehive: the 60’s Musical (Metropolis), “The Witch” Big Fish (Harper Ensemble), Bullets Over Broadway (NightBlue), Promises, Promises (CCPA*), and more. Maddie holds a BFA from the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Special thanks to Frankie, Carolyn, Michael, and the entire Porchlight team; and to my friends and family for your support! IG: @maddie_brunner

Dakota Hughes (they/them) is thrilled to be making their Porchlight debut! Recent Chicago credits; “Martha,” Secret Garden (Theo Ubique), “Arnie,” Poor People (Hell in a Handbag), “Mr. Braithwaite,” Billy Elliot: The Musical, “The Steward,” Into the Woods, “Ensemble,” Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, School of Rock, Cinderella, Kinky Boots (Paramount Theatre), “Bev/Executive,” Queer Eye: The Parody Musical! (Second City) and “Hunchback,” Frankenstreisand (Hell in a Handbag, Jeff Award – Performer in a Supporting Role—Short Run). Represented by Gray Talent Group. 

Andrew MacNaughton (he/him) is thrilled to make his Porchlight Music Theatre debut! A Jeff Award-nominee, his Chicago credits include “Bob Gaudio,”Jersey Boys and “The Monster,” Young Frankenstein, Clue (Mercury Theater Chicago). Shrek the Musical, An American in Paris, Matilda the Musical (Drury Lane Theatre), Groundhog Day (Paramount Theatre) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Originally from Canada, Andrew holds a BA from Sheridan College and an MA from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, both in Music Theatre Performance.

Lorenzo Shawn Parnell (he/him) is thrilled to be making his debut performance with Porchlight Music Theatre. Lorenzo Shawn was last seen as “Macy’s Manager/ Charlie” in Elf: The Musical (Drury Lane Theatre). Regional credits include “Lola” in Kinky Boots (Shea’s 710), “Mayor/Ja Keith” in Rock of Ages (Kavinoky Theatre), “Coalhouse Walker Jr” in Ragtime (Musicalfare), “Lt. Eddie Souther” in Sister Act: The Musical (Lancaster Opera House), and “Tom Robinson” in To Kill a Mockingbird (GEVA Theatre). He received his BA in Voice from SUNY Fredonia.

Kevin Parra (he/him) is thrilled to be making his Porchlight Music Theatre debut. CHICAGO: “Jack” in Into the Woods, “Swing” in Alice by Heart and “Sean Bateman” in American Psycho (Kokandy Productions), “Leaf and Chip U/S” in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Music Theater Works), “Judah” in Joseph… (Big Noise Theatre). REGIONAL: “Otto Ulbrecht” in Spring Awakening (Flint Repertory Theatre). 

Callan Roberts (he/him) is an actor and writer in Chicago. He’s thrilled to be making his Porchlight debut! Past credits: “Tom Sawyer” in Big River, “Village Idiot” in Young Frankenstein and “Joe Pesci U/S” in Jersey Boys (Mercury Theater Chicago); “Frank” in So… That Was Illegal… (Streamline Theatre); “Frankie” in Plaid Tidings (Timberlake Playhouse); He wants to thank his girlfriend Diana, his family and pals for their support! Much love! W:CallanRoberts.com, IG: @callan.roberts

Maliha Sayed (she/her) is thrilled to be singing in New Faces as her first collaboration with Porchlight. Chicago credits include “Julie Jordan” in Carousel (Music Theater Works), The Sondheim Tribute (Theo Ubique) , and “Narrator” in Arabia, Arabia! (The Plagiarists). You can also catch her as “Amina” in the penultimate episode of “Deli Boys,” streaming on Hulu soon. BFA Musical Theatre from Ithaca College, represented by Gray Talent Group. W: MalihaSayed.com, IG: @MalihaSayed

Peyton Schoenhofer (he/him) is ecstatic to be involved in his first production here at Porchlight. A graduate of Oklahoma City University, Peyton has just recently returned to his home of the Midwest. Previous credits include; “Bob Gaudio” in Jersey Boys (Norwegian Cruise Lines), “Danny Zuko” in Grease (Midtown Arts Center), “Norm Waxman” in Jersey Boys (Music Theatre Wichita), “Miguelon” in Palace of Lights (Norwegian Cruise Lines) and was recently featured as a “Vocalist” in The Forge Sings Disney at (Lemont Quarries). Enjoy the show!

Ava Stovall (she/her) will make her Porchlight debut in its “ICONS Gala: Celebrating Raúl Esparza!” She made her Chicago debut in Kokandy’s Alice by Heart. Highlighted credits include: “Jo March” (Little Women), “Emma Carew” (Jekyll and Hyde), “Ursula” (The Little Mermaid), “Miss Andrew” (Mary Poppins) and “Beatrice” (Much Ado About Nothing). Ava was the 2021 NATS (Chicago) champion in the musical theater treble category. She thanks Chicago for welcoming her with open arms and passionate hearts.