One-Night-Only Engagement Features Brigid Murphy as Host Milly May and Stars David Cale with Matthew Dean Marsh on Piano and Vocals, and More
( Chicago, IL ) Celebrating it's 30th year the variety show Milly's Orchid Show is thrilled to announce its "Summer Musical Spectacular"—a one-night-only event featuring award-winning solo artist David Cale with a sneak peek of his new musical memoir, We're Only Alive for A Short Amount of Time ( premieres at Goodman Theatre this fall, September 15 — October 21, 2018 ). Matthew Dean Marsh joins David on piano and vocals. The show will also star Black Bear Combo brass band; R.O.T.C. ( Righteously Outrageous Twirling Core ) and Chicago Pride Guard; Tango Dancing by Jennifer Sohn and Fabrizio LeNoir; Summer Stories by Lanie Wilson and Tom Reilly; the song stylings of Robert Cornelius; and Heather McAdams' "Archive of Musical Films." Plus a surprise musical guest, Milly's super star band, her always fabulous back-up dancers, the Coal Diggers, the Snack Seat—and much more.
Milly's Orchid Show "Summer Musical Spectacular" takes place at Park West ( 322 W. Armitage ) on Saturday, July 21 at 7:30pm ( doors at 6pm ). For tickets, call the Park West Box Office ( 773 ) 929-1322 or visit Ticketfly.comhttps://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1707991?utm_medium=bks
Milly's Orchid Show was born on December 16, 1987 in the small back room of Lounge Ax on Lincoln Avenue. In 1990, the show moved to Park West, where it has regularly played to sell-out crowds. Milly's Orchid Show was created and produced by Brigid Murphy, who also hosts the show as the wise-cracking country singer, Milly May Smithy.
Over the past three decades, Milly's Orchid Show has featured many artists in many genres over the years including David Sedaris, Poi Dog Pondering ( with whom Murphy also played saxophone ), Angela's Ashes author Frank McCourt, This American Life's Ira Glass, Michael Patrick King ( Sex and the City, Two Broke Girls ), Lisa Kron, ( Fun Home ) Eric Bogosian, Dael Orlandersmith, David Cale as well as the Chicago premiere of Blue Man Group. Also included in the mix are a variety of acts from dance and short films to fire eaters and marching bands. Brigid was commissioned by Lyric Opera of Chicago to create an opera-themed version of the show, and by the Chicago Theatre Group to inaugurate the opening of the Albert Theater at the new Goodman. It has also been reimagined in several locations for younger audiences and performers, and in June, 2016, Milly's Orchid Show was the center piece for Navy Pier's inaugural Pride on the Pier.
ABOUT DAVID CALE
Writer-performer David Cale's newest show, We're Only Alive for A Short Amount of Time, will premiere this fall at Goodman Theatre ( September 15 — October 21, 2018 ). Growing up in an industrial English town, David escaped his parents' fraught marriage by singing in his bedroom and tending to the tropical birds in the Bird And Animal Hospital he built in a garden shed—until a tragedy changed everything. Weaving together lushly arranged songs to render an intimately detailed portrait of his mother, a charismatic woman trapped by her circumstances, David embodies this vivid musical story of transcendence, of connecting to life when adversity is suddenly everywhere. With his "singular fusion of theater and performance art" ( Chicago Tribune ), David makes "reality and fantasy dissolve into stories as memorable as one's most vivid dreams" ( The New York Times ). Individual tickets go on sale Friday, July 27; visit GoodmanTheatre.org for tickets and information.
David previously appeared in Chicago at the Goodman Theatre in the premiere of his musical Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky, for which he wrote the book, lyrics, co-composed the music and played Floyd. David's additional Goodman shows include the premieres of the solos Lillian, Somebody Else's House, Deep in a Dream of You; and Smooch Music and The Redthroats. Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky went on to a run in New York at Playwrights Horizons receiving an Outer Critics Circle Nomination for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical. Lillian also ran at Playwrights Horizons, receiving an Obie Award, and Deep in a Dream of You ran at The Public Theater, receiving a Bessie Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement. David's other solo shows include The History of Kisses, Palomino and A Likely Story. His duet works include The Blue Album ( in collaboration with Dael Orlandersmith ) and Betwixt. He composed the songs for 600 Highwaymen's Employee of the Year ( Under the Radar Festival at The Public Theater, Bessie Award nomination ) and has written lyrics for songs sung by artists including Debbie Harry and Elvis Costello. A show of his songs, Songs for Charming Strangers, performed in collaboration with Matthew Dean Marsh, is ongoing. As an actor, David's film and television credits include The Slaughter Rule, Pollock and The Good Wife. He has performed in plays on Broadway and off, most recently The Total Bent ( Public Theater ). His new solo work Harry Clarke starring Billy Crudup premiered off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre, was recorded by Audible and then transferred to the Minetta Lane Theater. For Harry Clarke David received a 2018 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show.
