Ciarra Stroud to Star in Porchlight’s “Broadway In Your Backyard”

Ciarra Stroud will star with a rotating cast of performers including Adrian Aguilar, Bryce Ancil, Lydia Burke, Desiree Gonzalez, and Lorenzo Rush Jr. with conductors/keyboards Kevin Disch and Justin Akira Kono. “Broadway in your Backyard” is co-directed by Frankie Leo Bennett and Michael Weber and music directed by Linda Madonia. Porchlight Music Theatre’s free summer concert series, “Broadway in your Backyard,” is running from June 27 - August 8, as part of Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks series. This 60-minute, outdoor concert includes favorite Chicago music theatre performers singing some of the best loved hits from the Broadway songbook including songs from Funny Girl, Guys and Dolls, Mary Poppins, Grease, RENT, Hairspray, Aladdin and others. Each performance will take place in a different park across the city starting at 6 p.m. Broadway in your Backyard is supported by the Mayor’s Office and Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and Comcast and Xfinity.

Porchlight Music Theatre is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Through live performance, youth education and community outreach, they impact thousands of lives each season, bringing the magic of musicals to our theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists.

The 2023 performance schedule is:
Unity Park, 2636 N. Kimball Ave.
Tuesday, June 27 at 6 p.m.

Wicker Park, 1425 N. Damen Ave.
Thursday, June 29 at 6 p.m.

Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.
Thursday, July 6 at 6 p.m.

Seneca Playlot Park, 220 E. Chicago Ave.
Tuesday, July 11 at 6 p.m.

Gill Park, 825 W. Sheridan Rd.
Thursday, July 13 at 6 p.m.

South Shore Cultural Center/Fieldhouse, 7059 S. Shore Dr.
Tuesday, July 18 at 6 p.m.

Riis Park, 6100 W. Fullerton Ave.
Thursday, July 20 at 6 p.m.

Washington Park, 5531 S. King Dr.
Tuesday, July 25 at 6 p.m.

Munroe Park, 2617 W. 105th St.
Thursday, July 27 at 6 p.m.

Stout Park, 5446 S. Greenwood Ave.
Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 6 p.m.

Schreiber Playground Park, 1552 W. Schreiber Ave.
Thursday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m.

Washington Square Park, 901 N. Clark St.
Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 6 p.m.

“Broadway in your Backyard” is FREE and suitable for all ages. Audiences are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to enjoy the outdoor concerts. For more information go to PorchlightMusicTheatre.org.