{"id":60241,"date":"2025-05-30T15:17:23","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T20:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/?p=60241"},"modified":"2025-05-30T15:18:06","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T20:18:06","slug":"first-look-at-kokandy-productions-chicago-premiere-of-amelie-july-17-september-28-2025-at-the-chopin-theatre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/?p=60241","title":{"rendered":"First Look at Kokandy Productions’ Chicago Premiere of AM\u00c9LIE \u2013 July 17 \u2013 September 28, 2025 at The Chopin Theatre"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kokandy Productions<\/strong>\u00a0invites you to spend the summer in Paris\u00a0(Montmartre, to be exact), as it kicks off its 2025 Season with the Chicago premiere of\u00a0Am\u00e9lie<\/em><\/strong>, the\u00a0charming tale of young woman and the fantastical world of whimsy and romance that surrounds her.\u00a0Am\u00e9lie<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0will play\u00a0July 17 \u2013 September 28, 2025\u00a0<\/strong>in the\u00a0Chopin Downstairs Studio<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/strong>1543 W. Division St. in Chicago.\u00a0The entire Chopin basement, including the lobby, bar and cafe, will envelop audiences in Am\u00e9lie\u2019s journey.\u00a0Tickets are currently on sale at\u00a0kokandyproductions.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0bit.ly\/AmelieChicago<\/a>.\u00a0The press opening is Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 7 pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on the 2001 film of the same name, Am\u00e9lie<\/em><\/strong> is directed by Artistic Director Derek Van Barham<\/strong>, with music direction by T.J. Anderson <\/strong>and Anna Wegener<\/strong>, book by Craig Lucas<\/strong>, <\/strong>music by Daniel Mess\u00e9<\/strong> and lyrics by Nathan Tysen<\/strong> and Daniel Mess\u00e9<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chicago premiere of this whimsical romance will be led by Aurora Penepacker<\/strong> as Am\u00e9lie Poulain. The eccentric world that swirls around her includes Todd Aulwurm<\/strong> (Hipolito Jeunet, Elton John), Lucas Burr<\/strong> (Blind Beggar), Rachel Carreras <\/strong>(Amandine Poulain, Philomene de Noirpois), Sonia Goldberg<\/strong> (Gina Wells), Sam Hook<\/strong> (Lucien Villeparisis), Mizha Lee Overn <\/strong>(Georgette Cornuel, Sylvie Legrandin), Jon Patrick Penick<\/strong> (Collignon, Julien Dufayel), Quinn Rigg<\/strong> (Joseph Cottard, Fluffy Poulain), Samantha Ringor<\/strong> (Suzanne Sacripant), Kelan M. Smith<\/strong>(Raphael Poulain, Bretodeau) and Peter Stielstra<\/strong> (Nino Quincampoix). This talented ensemble will also portray a range of Parisians, tourists, customers and reporters who frequent the streets, cafes, sex shops and photo booths of Montmartre. Swings include Joel Arreola<\/strong>, Hailey Brisard<\/strong>, Elliot Esquivel<\/strong>, Neill Kelly<\/strong>, Andrew Lund<\/strong> and Melanie Vitaterna<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Production<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Am\u00e9lie is an extraordinary young woman who lives quietly in the world but loudly in her mind. She covertly improvises small but surprising acts of kindness that bring joy and mayhem. But when a chance at love comes her way, Am\u00e9lie realizes that to find happiness she\u2019ll have to risk everything and say what\u2019s in her heart. Be inspired by this imaginative dreamer who finds her voice, discovers the power of connection, and sees possibility around every corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director Derek Van Barham comments, \u201cGet ready to fall head over heels for this charming jewel box of a musical! The world of this show is just so much fun, and so perfect for our eccentric and idiosyncratic space. Am\u00e9lie Poulain reminds us to focus on goodness and to look for love wherever we can. Whether a fan of the beloved cult movie or coming to this whimsical tale for the first time, there’s something tasty, touching and tantalizing for everyone in this wild and whimsical show.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The production team includes G \u201cMax\u201d Maxin IV <\/strong>(Lighting Design), Rachel Sypniewski <\/strong>(Costume Design), Matt Reich <\/strong>(Sound Design), Syd Genco<\/strong> (Make-up Design), Keith Ryan <\/strong>(Wig Design), Kirsten Baity<\/strong> (Intimacy Coordinator), Carrie Hardin <\/strong>(Dialect Coach), Quinn Simmons<\/strong>(Associate Choreographer), Nicholas Reinhart <\/strong>(Production Manager), Lynsy Folckomer<\/strong> (Sound Engineer), Kendyl Meyer<\/strong> (Stage Manager) and Ethan Colish <\/strong>(Assistant Stage Manager).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PRODUCTION DETAILS<\/u><\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Title: Am\u00e9lie<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Book by Craig Lucas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music by Daniel Mess\u00e9<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lyrics by Nathan Tysen & Daniel Mess\u00e9<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Directed by Artistic Director Derek Van Barham<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music Direction by T.J. Anderson <\/strong>and Anna Wegener<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cast<\/strong> (in alphabetical order): Todd Aulwurm<\/strong> (Hipolito Jeunet, Elton John), Lucas Burr<\/strong> (Blind Beggar), Rachel Carreras <\/strong>(Amandine Poulain, Philomene de Noirpois), Sonia Goldberg <\/strong>(Gina Wells), Sam Hook<\/strong> (Lucien Villeparisis), Mizha Lee Overn <\/strong>(Georgette Cornuel, Sylvie Legrandin), Aurora Penepacker<\/strong> (Am\u00e9lie Poulain), Jon Patrick Penick<\/strong> (Collignon, Julien Dufayel), Quinn Rigg<\/strong> (Joseph Cottard, Fluffy Poulain), Samantha Ringor<\/strong> (Suzanne Sacripant), Kelan M. Smith <\/strong>(Raphael Poulain, Bretodeau) and Peter Stielstra<\/strong> (Nino Quincampoix).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swings: Joel Arreola<\/strong>, Hailey Brisard<\/strong>, Elliot Esquivel<\/strong>, Neill Kelly<\/strong>, Andrew Lund<\/strong> and Melanie Vitaterna<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location: The Chopin Studio Theatre<\/strong>, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dates: Previews<\/u>:<\/strong> Thursday, July 17 \u2013 Friday, August 1, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Press performance<\/u><\/strong>: Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 7 pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regular run<\/u><\/strong>: Sunday, August 3 \u2013 Sunday, September 28, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 5 pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tickets: Previews $25 general admission, $33 reserved seating. Regular run $45 general admission, $55 reserved seating. Students\/Seniors $35. There will be a limited number of $15 tickets (with code ARTIST) available to artists for each performance. Tickets are currently on sale at kokandyproductions.com<\/a> or bit.ly\/AmelieChicago<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Artists<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Derek Van Barham<\/strong> (Director\/Choreographer, he\/him) is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions. Directing credits include Children of Eden in Concert <\/em>(Broadway In Chicago), Into the Woods,<\/em> Alice by Heart, Sweeney Todd<\/em>, American Psycho, Head Over Heels<\/em> (3 Jeff Awards and 2 Jeff nominations, Kokandy); Spring Awakening <\/em>(Flint Rep); The View Upstairs <\/em>(Circle Theatre); Miracle <\/em>by Dan Savage, Poseidon <\/em>(Hell in a Handbag). Choreography credits include Evil Dead <\/em>(Jeff nomination), Ghost Quartet<\/em>, Shockheaded Peter<\/em> and Coraline the Musical<\/em> (Black Button Eyes). He was previously named one of Windy City Times\u2019 30 Under 30<\/em>, and one of Newcity Magazine’s 50 Players 2024. <\/em>MFA: CCPA\/Roosevelt University. | derekvanbarham.com<\/a> | IG @dvbarham<\/p>\n\n\n\n

T.J. Anderson <\/strong>(Music Director, he\/him) is a Chicago-based actor, music director and musician. Recent productions he has music directed include The Hunchback of Notre Dame<\/em>, Ragtime in Concert<\/em> and Kinky Boots<\/em> (Highland Park Players); Little Women<\/em> and [title of show]<\/em> (Brown Paper Box Co); Night Tide<\/em> (Towle Theater); and Shockheaded Peter<\/em> (Black Button Eyes Productions). As an actor, he recently appeared inWhisper House<\/em> and Ghost Quartet<\/em> (Black Button Eyes Productions); as well as Haymarket <\/em>(Underscore Theater). He would like to thank all his friends, family, and you, kind audience member, for supporting live theater!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anna Wegener <\/strong>(Music Director, she\/her) returns to Kokandy after last season\u2019s Alice By Heart<\/em> as Associate Music Director\/Conductor. She is a performer and educator in the Chicago area, often acting as orchestrator and sound designer. Recently, she music directed, orchestrated and conducted Into the Woods <\/em>with CCPA\/Roosevelt University, directed by Heather Currie. Last summer, she joined Chicago Musical Theater Festival with Eric Matthew Richardson\u2019s ei hytte (the cabin): an a capella musical, <\/em>directed by Noah Watkins, as well as performing with the band for The Brass Teapot: A New Musical<\/em>, words and music by Chaz Cardigan and directed by Landree Fleming. <\/em>Other notable shows as music director and conductor: Young Frankenstein <\/em>(Wheaton Drama, Lou Nomination), Sleeping With Beauty<\/em> (Pride Arts), Assassins<\/em> (Wee Productions), Xanadu! <\/em>(Metropolis Performing Arts Centre). A proud collaborator, Anna plays piano throughout the year in musical pits, alongside school choirs, and for cabarets and auditions while maintaining a studio of over 25 students with Piano Power. www.88keysacc.com<\/a> | IG @88keysacc<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quinn Simmons<\/strong> (Associate Choreographer, they\/he\/she) <\/strong>is a Chicago-based musical theatre performer and choreographer. Recent choreography credits include 9 to 5<\/em> and Rock of Ages <\/em>(Metropolis, Associate Choreographer). Recently onstage: Spring Awakening<\/em> (Flint Repertory), The<\/em> SpongeBob Musical<\/em> and American Psycho<\/em> (Kokandy), You\u2019re a Good Man Charlie Brown<\/em> (Marriott), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas<\/em> and Godspell<\/em> (Theo Ubique). Quinn is a proud Filipino-American, a graduate of Chicago College of Performing Arts\u2019 (BFA Musical Theatre) and a 2024 Windy City Times<\/em> 30 Under 30 honoree. Huge thanks to my family, always. Mahal ko kayo!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Kokandy Productions<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions<\/strong> seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories,with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago’s non-Equity musical theatre community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company’s artistic staff is comprised of Derek Van Barham (Producing Artistic Director), Scot T. Kokandy (Executive Producer) and Adrian Abel Azevedo & Leda Hoffman (Artistic Associates). The Board of Directors includes Preston Cropp, Scot T. Kokandy, Danielle Sparklin and Katie Svaicer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For additional information, visit www.kokandyproductions.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kokandy Productions\u00a0invites you to spend the summer in Paris\u00a0(Montmartre, to be exact), as it kicks off its 2025 Season with the Chicago premiere of\u00a0Am\u00e9lie, the\u00a0charming tale of young woman and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":60242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1432,1433,1438,199,1440,1435,1439,1431],"class_list":["post-60241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-amelie","tag-amelie-2","tag-anna-wegener","tag-chicago-music-news-live-venue-interviews-reviews","tag-chicago-premier","tag-chopin-downstairs-studio","tag-craig-lucas","tag-kokandy-productions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=60241"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60241\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/60242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=60241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=60241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=60241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}