Ava Stovall

Porchlight Music Thetare’s ICONS Gala – Ritz-Carlton – September 14, 2025

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Another year, another great Porchlight season-opening event. Where to start. I was able to have a short, one-on-one conversation with the honoree, Leslie Uggams. Lovely woman, strong handshake.

For those not so lucky, local TV celebrity Paul Lisnek interviewed her from the stage. Afterward I told Paul I would mention his name. So there. I did. Paul did his usual well-prepared, informative job. And you can see more by watching his interview of Uggams on his show, Behind the Curtain.

Some tidbits. During her acceptance speech prior to the interview, Uggams gave us a little treat with her Carol Channing and Chita Rivera impressions, while recalling her interactions with them.

After seeing the tribute to her via commentary; photos; and songs performed by talented Porchlight pros Juwon Tyrel Perry, Ava Stovall, Bethany Thomas and Aerie Williams, Uggams proclaimed “Wow, I did a lot of stuff . . . and I’m still going.”

No kidding! She had a regular 20-minute act at New York’s famous Apollo Theater when she was nine years old and at 82 is appearing in movies and TV shows on regular basis, while acknowledging that ‘Everything is not a success. Every decision is not a good one.” (referencing, in particular a musical she had long wanted to appear in, only to be stuck in an awful production over a decade ago) .

The gala is, of course, a fundraiser (insert subliminal message here – “send Porchlight a donation”). This year Patrick Desmond took over auctioneer duties and, in addition to his excellent job, had, perhaps, the best joke for the day, poking good-natured fun at an earlier mispronunciation by someone else of the word philanthropy.

Also of note, the brunch provided by the Ritz-Carlton again justified my day-before starvation diet. I feel confident in this appraisal, as one of Chicago’s top chefs, sitting at my table, cleaned his plate, as did his wife.

Porchlight Music Theatre’s ICONS Gala – Ritz Carlton – September 22, 2024

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If you get invited to a brunch event at the Ritz, go. The food is great.

This was my 5th in-person Porchlight ICONS Gala (plus one online during the height of Covid), but only the second one that was a Sunday brunch. As honoree Raúl Esparza might have heard said when he played Fagin in last year’s New York City Center Encores! production of Oliver! (please excuse all the exclamation marks – they’re not mine), “please . . . , I want some more.

And, as usual, I can say the same about the entertainment Porchlight provided, a dozen songs from shows in which Esparza has appeared, flawlessly performed, if you ignore, as everyone chose to except those of us required to faithfully journal the event, the problems with a microphone that plagued one of the artists throughout, despite repeated attempts by hotel staff to replace the offending device. Rest assured, the problems didn’t detract from the audience’s enjoyment, as the performers efficiently dealt with the issues.

While all four singers brought talent and joy to the stage, I want single (double?) out two of them. First, Adrian Aguilar, whom I last saw as Tommy DeVito in Jersey Boys, for not taking even a moment off, displaying his showmanship at all times, in every little movement and facial expression, whether he was singing or reacting to others.

Second, Ava Stovall, for her rendition of Maybe This Time (Cabaret), which, justifiably, brought the biggest round of applause from the audience.

My only complaint is that I would have liked to have seen a full-out dance version of Let’s Do the Time Warp Again (Rocky Horror Picture Show), because the song is just not the same without the choreography.

During his interview by Paul Lisnek, Esparza was down-to-earth, engaging and humorous, treating us to his voice and mannerism impressions of Stephen Sondheim; his memories of starting out in Chicago in the worst production he’s ever been in; and his opinion about the movie Evita (not a high one) and what he went through in the context of playing Che (Evita) in the national tour his own way.