Chris & David’s Top 40 Showtunes You’ve (Probably) Never Heard @ Davenport’s July 9-30
Terrific but little known musical theatre gems will be given the spotlight in Chris & David’s Top 40 Showtunes You’ve (Probably) Never Heard, performed at Davenport’s Piano Bar & Cabaret from July 9-30 on Mondays at 8 PM. Reservations can be placed at davenportspianobar.com.
Frequent collaborators and musical theater aficionados David Fiorello and Chris Pazdernik have combined their love and knowledge of musical theater to create a Billboard-style Top 40 packed with songs audiences haven’t heard in a long time, if at all! Whether a cut song from a popular musical or a stand-out from a rare musical, Chris and David have both compiled a list of their top 20 to share with Chicago audiences. Each evening will feature 10 songs (5 from each list), an all-star roster of guest performers along with lively debate and discussion from the two hosts. A fun ride for a summer evening, this is a do-not-miss event for all musical theater lovers!
David Fiorello is a musical theatre aficionado with credits as a director, music director, performer, composer & playwright who has worked extensively in NYC, Chicago, and across the country. Most recently here in Chicago he’s been collaborating with Porchlight Music Theatre, where in the past 2 years he’s Music Directed Do Re Mi, Woman of the Year, Chicago Sings: Sinatra & The Rat Pack, and the last 2 seasons of New Faces Sing Broadway. He was also seen on stage as “Joe Josephson” in Merrily We Roll Along, and presenting last year’s Equity Jeff Award for Music Direction. David has served as music director for the Off-Broadway hit Danny & Sylvia: The Danny Kaye Musical, and toured as music director with many productions, including John Doyle’s production of Sweeney Todd. He has also written and collaborated on several original pieces including The Language or the Kiss, featuring the music of The Indigo Girls, that he conceived, wrote the book, and starred in for multiple Off-Broadway Industry readings. Fiorello has worked in Chicago with Chicago Shakespeare, The Marriott, Steppenwolf, and many others. His next big project will be serving as Music Director for Porchlight’s Gypsy in the fall, starring the inimitable E. Faye Butler, and another 3 rounds of New Faces Sing Broadway, as well maintaining his busy coaching schedule. Visit fiorellostudios.com.
Christopher Pazdernik is a director/choreographer with “a near encyclopedic knowledge of musicals” (NewCity Stage). Christopher is best known for his critically acclaimed productions of High Fidelity (Jeff Awards, Best Director & Best Production of a Musical) and The Spitfire Grill with Refuge Theatre Project, where he serves as Artistic Director. Recent credits also include The 45th Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards, Merrily We Roll Along (Porchlight Music Theatre); Carrie (Ohio Northern University); Do Re Mi, The Rink, Anyone Can Whistle, City of Angels & Applause (Porchlight Revisits), Bette: Live at the Continental Baths (Hell in a Handbag), Wicked City (Chicago Theatre Workshop), & Story of A Story (The Untold Story) (Underscore Theater). His cabaret credits include Broadway’s Cult Classics, vol. I & II (Davenport’s), His & His (Pride Films & Plays), New Faces Sing Broadway (Porchlight Music Theatre), a two-year run co-hosting Option Up! at Stage 773 and producing an annual benefit concert for Howard Brown Health, Chris’ Birthday Belt Fest. An openly HIV+ artist, Christopher was also a 2016 Windy City Times 30-Under-30 honoree for his contributions to Chicago’s LGBTQ community. He is also the Company Manager & Casting Associate for Porchlight Music Theatre. Visit facebook.com/MTencyclopedia.
Chris & David’s Top 40 Showtunes You’ve (Probably) Never Heard runs July 9, 16, 23 & 30 at Davenport’s Piano Bar & Cabaret, 1383 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago. Showtimes are Mondays at 8 PM. Tickets are available by calling 773-278-1830 or by visiting davenportspianobar.com. Tickets are $20 with a 2 drink minimum. Davenport’s features $4 well drinks on Monday evenings as well as open mic in the front bar following the performance.