Contact Information
The Rising Stars Theatre Company
P.O. Box 34197
Chicago, IL 60634
(773) 736-2490
info@risingstarstc.org
Board of Directors
- Judy Sheehan - President
- Betty Shipan - Treasurer
- Staci Singer Kelley - Secretary
- Scott Kelley - Board Member
- Val Stroud - Board Member
- Dan Rocha - Board Member
- Patty Henning - Board Member
History
The Rising Stars Theatre Company was founded by the late Ann Dunn in 1979 as an Explorer post, a co-educational division of the Boy Scouts of America. It encompassed the ages of 14-21 and its special interest was musical theatre. It began as an ensemble of students who had been in Ann's chorus at Portage Park School. The students wanted to continue performing after graduation, hence the formation of the Explorer post.
As the years progressed, the Company branched out to include more and more high school and later college-age students. The major emphasis of the group was performances at hospitals, nursing homes, churches, and civic organizations looking for entertainment. Some of the young people who performed with the Company went on to professional careers in the arts, while others went on to college, marriage, family, etc. Some performers also remained active in the Company after reaching adulthood, serving in advisory capacities as well as performing with the younger members. It was a great blend of actors, singers, and dancers from many age groups, and the younger members learned a lot from the more experienced performers. One year, the Company performed over 50 traveling shows!
In 1987, the Company produced its first full-length musical: My Fair Lady. The cast was a mixture of high school students and young adults. The production was a success and set the direction for the future of the Company. Many other productions followed—Broadway standards, as well as lesser-known shows—all of them successful. See the list of past productions below.
Later, the group officially became The Rising Stars Theatre Company with an all-adult Board of Directors and production staff. It was headed by Ann Dunn until her death on February 2, 2005. Several years ago, the company was invited to take up residence at Martin Luther Church. The Rising Stars Theatre Company gratefully acknowledges Martin Luther Church for its commitment to community theatre in Chicagoland by allowing the use of its theatrical facilities. In fall of 2006, The Rising Stars moved their perormances to the Stahl Family Theater at Saint Patrick Performing Arts Centre, 5900 W. Belmont, Chicago. We gratefully acknowledge Chet Kondratowicz, Karl Sullivan and Brother Konrad Diebold, FSC for their support with our new partnership.
Productions
Click here to see photos from recent productions
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1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1994 1995 1995 1996 1996 1997 |
My Fair Lady Bye Bye Birdie Godspell Patent Leather Shoes Once Upon a Mattress Fiddler on the Roof The King and I Little Shop of Horrors Puttin’ on the Ritz (Revue) The Sound of Music Sunset Boulevard (Revue) Nunsense Into the Woods The Music Man | |
1998 1998 1999 1999 2000 2000 2001 2001 2002 2002 2003 2003 2004 2004 |
Carousel Hello, Dolly! Annie Get Your Gun Annie Oklahoma! Joseph...Dreamcoat Cinderella Fiddler on the Roof South Pacific My Fair Lady Mame Guys & Dolls Nunsense Anything Goes | |
2005 2005 2006 2006 2007 2007 2008 2008 2009 2009 |