CHICAGO ( November 23, 2015 ) — Bailiwick Chicago is pleased to present EASE ON DOWN, a dazzling, sizzling one-night-only concert packed with favorite tunes from The Wiz, Wicked, The Wizard of Oz and some fun surprises, performed by a talented line-up of award-winning Bailwick Chicago performers. Directed by Artistic Director Lili-Anne Brown ( Passing Strange, See What I Wanna See, Dessa Rose, Princess Mary Demands Your Attention ) with music direction by James Morehead ( Aida, Passing Strange, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, See What I Wanna See, Dessa Rose ), EASE ON DOWN will play Sunday, December 6 at 7:30 pm at Victory Gardens Theater ( Zacek-McVay Main Stage ), 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at bailiwickchicago.com .
EASE ON DOWN will feature: Jayson Brooks ( Passing Strange, Dessa Rose ), Sydney Charles ( Dessa Rose ), TJ Crawford ( Princess Mary Demands Your Attention ), Rashada Dawan ( Aida ), Gilbert Domally ( Dessa Rose, The Wild Party ), Harmony France ( Violet, Dessa Rose ), Christina Hall ( The Wild Party ), Sharriese Hamilton ( Passing Strange, See What I Wanna See, The Wild Party ), Aaron Holland ( Aida, Passing Strange, Princess Mary Demands Your Attention ), Varris Holmes ( Aida, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson ), Amanda Horvath ( Murder Ballad ), Jasondra Johnson ( Dessa Rose ), Jaymes Osbourne ( Dessa Rose ), Steven Perkins ( Passing Strange, Dessa Rose, The Wild Party ), Camille Robinson ( Murder Ballad ), David Schlumpf ( Dessa Rose ) and Sasha Smith ( Dessa Rose, The Wild Party ).
EVENT DETAILS:
Title: EASE ON DOWN
Director: Artistic Director Lili-Anne Brown
Music Director: James Morehead
Location: Victory Gardens Theater, Zacek-McVay Main Stage, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. Chicago
Date: Sunday, December 6 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $40. Industry tickets $20. Tickets are currently available at bailiwickchicago.com .
CREATIVE BIOGRAPHIES
Lili-Anne Brown ( Director ) is a native Chicagoan and the Artistic Director of Bailiwick Chicago. Previous directing credits for Bailiwick Chicago include Dessa Rose, for which she garnered a Joseph Jefferson Award for Direction of a Musical; Michael John LaChiusa's See What I Wanna See ( part of Steppenwolf Theatre's Garage Rep ), the critically acclaimed Chicago premiere of Passing Strange ( Black Theatre Alliance Award for Best Director of a Musical, Jeff Award nomination ) and Princess Mary Demands Your Attention. Other directing credits include On the Boards and Hearts of Darkness at Roosevelt University; American Idiot at Northwestern University; Unnecessary Farce, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story and Hairspray, all at Timber Lake Playhouse, where she is an Artistic Associate.
James Morehead ( Music Director ) is Artistic Director for the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, music director for VOX3, www.vox3.org, and choir master/organist at St. Helena's Episcopal Church in Burr Ridge, IL. He primarily works as a coach, accompanist and music director for the Theater Conservatory of Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. James received his MM in Piano Performance and Music Theory from Roosevelt University and his BM from Duquesne University. As a Music Director, James has worked on Dessa Rose ( Jeff Nominated: Music Direction ), bare ( Jeff Nominated: Music Direction ), Passing Strange ( Jeff Nominated: Music Direction ), See What I Wanna See with Steppenwolf's Garage Series 2013, Jerry Springer - the Opera, AIDA, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson among many others. Classically, James has performed at the Auditorium Theater, Harris Theater, WFMT 98.7 FM, Chicago Cultural Center, Navy Pier, Shedd Aquarium, Rockefeller Chapel, Chicago's Gospel Fest 2012 and Harold Washington Theater among many others.
Bailiwick Chicago is a non-profit professional company with a mission to produce contemporary musicals and plays, reinvent classic musicals and develop new work, while sharing a powerful, intimate theatrical experience. The company celebrates and engages our community through diverse programming, artistic partnerships and outreach opportunities. In its first five seasons Bailiwick Chicago has garnered 77 awards and nominations. For additional information, visit bailiwickchicago.com .
Bailiwick Chicago Staff:
Lili-Anne Brown —Artistic Director
Kate Garassino — Executive Director
Eric Martin — Creative Director
Jon Martinez — Administrative Coordinator