Auditorium Theatre 2019-2020 Between River and Rim

2 | AUDITORIUM THEATRE 2019-20 | September 21 - November 16, 2019 Welcome to the Auditorium’s 2019-20 Season! Thank you for joining us as we begin our 130 th anniversary season at this National Historic Landmark. In August, I was honored to accept the position of Chief Executive Officer of this legendary venue. I previously had the privilege of working at the theatre from 1999 to 2006 as General Manager, and I am thrilled to return to the place that ignited my passion for historic restoration and solidified my dedication to the performing arts. And I am certainly not the only one to be inspired by the Auditorium — in July, the theatre was recognized as the Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres , a national distinction awarded for excellence in programming, restoration, and community engagement. I’m honored to work at a place that understands the impact that the performing arts can have on our lives on a daily basis. Hearts to Art , the theatre’s performing arts summer camp for young people who have experienced the death of a parent, celebrated its 15 th anniversary over the summer. Another summer highlight included the return of Dance for Life , which brought Chicago’s dance companies together to raise money for the Chicago Dancers United Dancers’ Fund, which supports dancers facing critical health issues. To kick off our 2019-20 Season, we’re excited to be partnering with the Chicago Sinfonietta in September as they give the Midwest premiere to the live concert experience of Jordan Peele’s Get Out . Just a few days later, we welcome Grand Canyon hikers Kevin Fedarko and Pete McBride in our first National Geographic Live event of the season. In October, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater and Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre , two celebrated local companies that explore identity and culture through dance and music. For two nights, starting on Halloween, the Chicago Philharmonic performs the music for Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas live to film – come dressed in your Halloween best and arrive early for trick-or-treating and other Halloween activities in the Auditorium’s lobby! We end 2019 with a salute to one of the greatest living composers and lyricists, Stephen Sondheim . In this one-night-only show on November 16, directed and produced by cabaret icon Joan Curto , performers from across Chicago put their own spin on classic songs like “Sunday in the Park with George” and “Send in the Clowns.” The performance is preceded by our Annual Fall Gala, honoring Patti Eylar and Charlie Gardner with the fourth annual Adler and Sullivan Award for their continued dedication to the Auditorium Theatre and the arts in Chicago. We have an incredible 2019-20 Season ahead of us, and I am thrilled to be here as we begin this next chapter in the Auditorium Theatre’s 130-year history. I encourage you to join us as a Subscriber — it’s the best way to experience everything this beautiful theatre has to offer! For more information, please see page 17 of this program or visit AuditoriumTheatre.org. It is my hope that you are just as amazed and inspired by the Auditorium as I am during your visit to the theatre today. Enjoy the performance! Sincerely, Rich Regan Chief Executive Officer Rich Regan