The Irish… and How They Got That Way

FRANK McCOURT (PLAYWRIGHT)

Frank McCourt was an American author and teacher who was perhaps best known for the memoir Angela’s Ashes (1996), for which he won a Pulitzer Prize.

Frank was the first child of Irish immigrants Malachy and Angela McCourt. The Great Depression and his father’s alcoholism kept the family destitute, and, when Frank was four years old, the McCourts left New York to join relatives in Limerick, Ireland. The family’s situation failed to improve, however. The title Angela’s Ashes refers to McCourt’s memory of his mother staring into the unlit fireplace. At age 10 he nearly died of typhoid fever. During 14 weeks in the hospital, he read voraciously while confined to his bed. In 1941 his father left for England, supposedly to work in a wartime munitions factory, but the family never received the money he had promised to send.

At age 13 McCourt dropped out of school. With money saved from delivering telegrams, he returned to New York City in 1949. He worked on loading docks and later served in the Korean War. After military service, he studied English at New York University (B.A., 1957) on the G.I. Bill of Rights. He subsequently taught public school for 27 years, first in vocational schools and then at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan from 1972 to 1988. His brother Malachy was an actor and author, and in the 1980s they wrote and performed an autobiographical cabaret revue, A Couple of Blaguards.

After retiring from teaching in 1988, McCourt concentrated on writing his memoirs. Angela’s Ashes, which was published eight years later, was a critical and commercial success. In addition to earning a Pulitzer, the book also won the National Book Critics Circle award, and in 1999 it was adapted into a well-received film. McCourt also wrote the memoirs ’Tis (2000) and Teacher Man (2005).

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DAVID GIROLMO (DIRECTOR)

Previously at Porchlight: Sweeney Todd, Candide, Chicago Sings, New Faces Sing Broadway 1951 (host), and others

David Girolmo is a veteran of hundreds of productions here in Chicago and around the United States and Canada. He made his Broadway debut in Candide directed by Hal Prince and was recently seen on Broadway in War Paint starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole, directed by Michael Greif. He is a multiple Jeff nominee and Jeff Award winner and a multiple Broadway World Award winner. Among his TV and Film credits are: “Crisis” (Congressman Langston Wirth), “Chicago P.D.” (Jim Varney), “Empire” (Dr. Sirak), “Chicago Fire” (Chief Grimes), “E.R.” (Officer Gaines), “Death of a President” (Hospital Spokesperson Dr. Peralto). He is married to Heidi Kettenring, who hung the moon and stars.

DAVID FIORELLO (MUSIC DIRECTOR AND ADDITIONAL MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS)

Previously at Porchlight: Porchlight Sings the Season, Gypsy, Porchlight in Concert Sunday in the Park with George, Porchlight Revisits and others

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 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.

ELLEON DOBIAS (ASSISTANT MUSIC DIRECTOR)

Porchlight Debut

Elleon’s career as an actor, musician and writer has kept her traveling for a handful of years and she is happy to have found a creative home in Chicago. Elleon is especially fond of collaborative and developmental works, with many of her proudest projects centered in instrumental improvisation. She is always humbled by the opportunity to engage her background in music with her passion for stories and how we choose to tell them. Aside from performing, Elleon is a lover of long walks, fountain pens, backpacking, anything homemade and everything spread on toast.

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RACHEL WEST (PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR)

Previously at Porchlight: Porchlight in Concert Sunday in the Park With George, Numerous Porchlight Revisits and others

Rachel West is excited to be working with Porchlight again in a new role! She has served as the lighting supervisor from 2016 until the 2024/25 season and has designed lighting for past Porchlight Revisits productions and concerts including Sunday in the Park with George, I Am A Camera, Passing Strange, Nunsense and others. Rachel is also currently the master electrician and lighting assistant for the Black Ensemble Theater. She has worked in various roles over the years with American Blues Theater, The Mercury Theater, The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and the Marriott Lincolnshire Theater, to name a few. Rachel is a Chicago area native and a graduate of The Boston University School of Theatre. Thanks to her partner and parents for supporting this dream!

ELLEN MARKUS (PROPS DESIGNER)

Porchlight Debut

Ellen Markus is thrilled to be making her Porchlight debut. Her recent credits include Miracle on South Division St, Jukebox for the Algonquin (Citadel); Gaslight, Lifespan of a Fact, Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged, First Date, Cry It Out, Gift of the magi, Ripcord, Rooted, The Revolutionists, Now and Then, Murder on the Nile, Tally’s Folly (Oil Lamp Theater); Midwest premiere of Diana, Secret Garden (Theo); Little Shop of Horrors, Pippin, Ragtime, The Little Mermaid (Music Theater Works); the world premiere of Gods and Monsters (Theater Wit) and Young Frankenstein (Mercury Theater Chicago). Enjoy the show!

ALEXIS J ROSTON (COSTUME DESIGNER)

Previously at Porchlight: Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, Porchlight ICONS Gala, Off the Porch: Clear, and numerous Chicago Sings

Alexis J Roston is a Chicago native and proud member of Congo Square Theatre Ensemble. She naturally gravitates toward the world of costume being a lover of a ‘lewk.’ She credits Rueben D Echols for mentoring her and Black Ensemble Theater for granting the playground to learn in. It was there she assisted on many main stage and theatre for young audiences shows including two of her favs, Women Of Soul and Last Dancer Standing. But her awakening was being able to take the lead as designer on “The Sex and The City Summer Series” production of Divine Destiny. The bug had bitten. Her design credits go on to include several episodes of the WTTW series “Chicago Stories: The Race To Reverse The River;” “Pullman and the Railroad Rebellion” and “The Rise And Fall Of The Mail Order Giants,” “Denise Jones’ Beyond The Door” and Alexis was also wardrobe supervisor on Collaboraction’s NBC televised “The Lost Story Of Emmett Till: Trial In The Delta,” which won a Regional Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Human Interest – Long Form.

G. “MAX” MAXIN IV (LIGHTING & MEDIA/DIGITAL DESIGNER)

Previously at Porchlight: Anything Goes and Ernest Shackleton Loves Me

After over a decade in Chicago, G. “Max” Maxin IV has created over 300 designs on over 200 professional and educational productions. He is a teaching artist/resident lighting designer for the Theatre Conservatory at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts and was an instructor at Northeastern Illinois University for seven years (Instructor Excellence Award, 2019). Max won a Lou Award for lighting on Into the Woods (Big Noise), has three Equity and eight Non-Equity Jeff nominations, and designed one Equity and four Non-Equity Jeff Award Winning Best Musicals. A founding member of Another Door Theatre Project, he worked for three years as head of production/resident scenographer. Max spent two summers designing lighting for the touring opera company La Musica Lirica (Novafeltria, Italy). Favorite projects at Porchlight Music Theatre, Kokandy, Invictus, Paramount, Black Ensemble Theater, American Blues, Handbag, Cincinnati Shakespeare, Mercury Theater Chicago, TATC, Black Button Eyes, BoHo, Steppenwolf Garage, City Lit, ADTP, CCPA, NEIU, Northwestern and DePaul. W: ivMaxin.com

MATTHEW R. CHASE (SOUND DESIGNER)

Previously at Porchlight: Fun Home, Porchlight in Concert Sunday in the Park with George, Anything Goes and others

REGIONAL/SOUND DESIGN: Assassins (Capital City Theatre); Strangers On A Train (Meadow Brook Theatre). CHICAGO/SOUND DESIGN: Diana, Tell Me On A Sunday, The Secret Garden, Never Better, The Sondheim Tribute Revue, Assassins, Baked: A New Musical! (Theo); Rock of Ages (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre); Fun Home, Sunday in the Park with George, Anything Goes, Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, Cabaret, Rent, Spring Awakening (Porchlight Music Theatre); Legally Blonde: The Musical, Little Shop of Horrors, Shrek the Musical, Mel Brooks’ The Producers, Pippin (Music Theater Works); Who’s Holiday (Theater Wit); The House Without a Christmas Tree (Griffin Theatre Company); Elephant And Piggie’s We Are in a Play (Marriott Theatre). CHICAGO/PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT: The House Without a Christmas Tree, Marys Seacole, Heisenberg (Griffin Theatre Company); The Secret Garden, Never Better, A Little Night Music, The Sondheim Tribute Revue, Assassins, Baked!: A New Musical, Passing Strange, The Threepenny Opera (Theo); Inanimate, Who’s Holiday!, Household Spirits, The Whistleblower, Hurricane Diane, Mr. Burns a post electric play (Theater Wit); Spring Awakening (Porchlight Music Theatre). W: MatthewRChaseDesign.com

ALI WESTENDORF (COSTUME/WARDROBE SUPERVISOR)

Previously at Porchlight: Titanique, Fun Home and Anything Goes

Ali Westendorf is thrilled to make their costume director debut with Porchlight Music Theatre, continuing their work with the company as wardrobe supervisor since 2024. Previous Porchlight credits include Titanique: The Musical, Fun Home and Anything Goes. Other recent work includes Coronation with Refracted Theatre Company (wig and wardrobe crew) and Jersey Boys with Mercury Theater Chicago (Wardrobe). Before moving to Chicago, Ali worked with the Utah Shakespeare Festival, serving on the wardrobe team for productions of Timon of Athens, Coriolanus, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Green Show. A proud graduate of Northern Illinois University, they are excited to share this production with you and hope you enjoy the show!

DREW DONNELLY (PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER)*

Previously at Porchlight: Titanique, Fun Home, Cabaret and others

Drew Donnelly has previously had the pleasure of working on Porchlight’s Titanique (with Broadway In Chicago), Fun Home, Cabaret, Anything Goes and Sunday in the Park with George. Originally from the panhandle of Texas, Drew got his Chicago start with Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company where work included The Glass Menagerie and Superior Donuts. Recent work includes The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale, Islander, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) and The Lehman Trilogy (TimeLine Theatre Company).

CARLI SHAPIRO (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER)

Previously at Porchlight: Fun Home

Carli Shapiro is thrilled to be returning to Porchlight after ASMing last season’s Fun Home! Originally from New York and a graduate of Elon University, Carli is a proud Chicago based stage manager. Recent credits include Dial M for Murder (Drury Lane); Little Shop of Horrors (Music Theater Works) and select productions with The Factory Theater and Refracted Theatre Company. IG: CarliXTheatre

*denotes a member of Actor’s Equity

LEAH MORROW (WOMAN 1)*

Previously at Porchlight: Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree

Last seen on the Porchlight stage in the Porchlight Revisits production of The Apple Tree, Leah Morrow is delighted to share in a bit of explanation about the Irish!  Most recently, she has been swimming around the Marriott Theatre as “Dory” in their production of Finding Nemo.  Other credits include productions at: Drury Lane Theater, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Mercury Theater Chicago, Paramount Theatre, Venus Cabaret Theater and Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas at The Studebaker Theater.  TV: “Somebody Somewhere” (HBO), “neXt” (FOX); FILM: “The Doula” and various commercials.  Union Proud, repped by DDO!  Thank you to the whole PMT team, to the Davids and to YOU for supporting the arts!  God bless you! For my family, especially my Da. Love you, Dad! Sláinte!

MICHAEL MAHLER (MAN 1)*

Previously at Porchlight: Assassins, Chicago Sings

Michael Mahler is thrilled to return to Porchlight, where he once played The Balladeer in Michael Weber’s production of Assassins. Most recently he served as music director/arrangement adaptor of As You Like It (Writers). Recent acting credits include The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Northlight), The Last Wide Open and It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago (American Blues), The Music Man (Marriott) and Into the Woods (Writers). Michael is the composer/lyricist of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Secret of My Success, October Sky, Hero, The Man who Murdered Sherlock Holmes, Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure, My Little Pony: A New Generation and others. He made his Broadway debut penning additional lyrics for Cameron Mackintosh’s most recent revival of Miss Saigon. Michael is a company member of American Blues Theatre and a proud husband to Dara Cameron and father to Ezra Mahler. 

EMILY GOLDBERG (WOMAN 2)

Previously at Porchlight: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Porchlight Revisits City of Angels and New Faces Sing Broadway 1991

It is grand craic to be acting the maggot with this deadly team! Emily Goldberg previously performed with Porchlight Music Theatre in A Gentleman’s Guide… (Jeff Nom-Performer), City of Angels and the New Faces series. Other select credits include: Beautiful at Drury Lane; Emma, Nell Gwynn at Chicago Shakespeare; You’re A Good Man… at Marriott; Into The Woods at Writers; Sweeney Todd at Paramount; Into The Woods (Jeff Award-Ensemble), Loving Repeating (Jeff Nom-Performer) at Kokandy; Songs for A New World at Theo Ubique; Dogfight (Jeff Nom-Performer) at Boho; The Spitfire Grill (Jeff Nom-Performer) at Refuge; South Pacific in Concert at The Orpheum, Guys & Dolls at Williams Street; Schoolhouse Rock at The Broadway Playhouse; Into The Woods at Reagle Music Theatre. Emily is represented by Big Mouth Talent.

LUKE NOWAKOWSKI (MAN 2)

Previously at Porchlight: Titanique, Anything Goes and New Faces Sing Broadway 1951

Luke Nowakowski is over the moon to be telling stories and 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_

ELLEON DOBIAS (Musician)

Porchlight Debut

Elleon’s career as an actor, musician and writer has kept her traveling for a handful of years and she is happy to have found a creative home in Chicago. Elleon is especially fond of collaborative and developmental works, with many of her proudest projects centered in instrumental improvisation. She is always humbled by the opportunity to engage her background in music with her passion for stories and how we choose to tell them. Aside from performing, Elleon is a lover of long walks, fountain pens, backpacking, anything homemade and everything spread on toast.

DAVID FIORELLO (Conductor, Musician)

Previously at Porchlight: Porchlight Sings the Season, Gypsy, Porchlight in Concert Sunday in the Park with George, Porchlight Revisits and others

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 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.

CAROLINE LYELL (WOMAN 1 & WOMAN 2 UNDERSTUDY)

Previously at Porchlight: Titanique, New Faces Sing Broadway NOW (2025)

Caroline Lyell is a Chicago based actor. Favorite credits include Titanique (Broadway in Chicago and Porchlight Music Theatre); Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Ragtime (Music Theatre Works); Waistwatchers: The Musical (Royal George Theater); In to America (Griffin Theatre); Atlantic (AMTP/Edinburgh Fringe Festival). Repped by Shirley Hamilton. Much love to all of her friends and family for their support throughout the years. Sláinte!

KEVIN WEBB (MAN 1 & MAN 2 UNDERSTUDY)

Previously at Porchlight: Sweeney Todd

Kevin Webb has previously been seen with Porchlight as “Pirelli” in Sweeney Todd. Chicago Credits: Titanic the Musical (Marriott Theatre); Sweeney Todd – Jeff Award/Principal, Into the Woods and Jekyll & Hyde (Kokandy Productions); Mother Courage and her Children, The Killer, The Pragmatists and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Trap Door Theatre); The Secret Garden (Court Theatre); Shockheaded Peter, Mary Rose and Coraline (Black Button Eyes Productions); A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd (Theo); Marie Christine and Myths & Hymns (BoHo Theatre); The Pitchfork Disney (Interrobang Theatre Project); WOZ (Victory Gardens); The View UpStairs (Circle Theatre); Songs from an Unmade Bed, Angry Fags, Design for Living and Under A Rainbow Flag (PrideArts); Stupid Fucking Bird (Sideshow Theatre Company) and Assassins (The Viaduct).

*denotes a member of Actor’s Equity

Production Photos by Anthony Robert La Penna

Pre-production photos by jbernphoto