Last stop on Market Street

Chicago Youth Theater

present

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Randy White – Artistic Director
[email protected] • 773 404 7336 (o) • 812 272 4511 (c)

CHICAGO – After the joyous production to launch the season of Junie B. Jones and the Chicago premiere of the new TYA Diary of Anne FrankTHE Chicago Youth Theater concludes its second season in May with the second Chicago production of the hip-hop, soul, gospel and Motown-infused musical adaptation of the Newberry Award-winning film. Last stop on Market Street.

Adapted by Cheryl L. West Since Matt de la Peña bestselling picture book, Last stop’The glorious score is Paris Ray Dozier and his father Lamont Dozierauthor of Motown hits like “How Sweet It Is” and “You Can’t Hurry Love.”

Last stop short May 11-June 2 At Greenhouse Theater Center2257 N. Lincoln Avenue.

For tickets or informationvisit www.yptchi.org or call the Greenhouse Theater Center box office @ 773 404 7336.

THE STORY
Six-year-old CJ and his imperturbable Nana embark on an extraordinary bus journey to the very last stop on Market Street. With each passing moment, CJ discovers that things in the big city are not what they seem. Throughout, CJ finds friendship, joy, and understanding in the most unexpected places.

Considered an “artistic tour de force” (Kirkus Reviews), Matt de la Peña’s New York Times bestselling picture book was named the best children’s book of 2015 by the Wall Street Journal and awarded the Caldecott, the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator, and 2015 Newberry Medal, the most prestigious prize in children’s literature. Matt de la Peña was the first Spanish-American author to win the Newberry Medal.

THE GAME
The stage adaptation is produced by Cheryl L. West, an accomplished and award-winning playwright whose work has appeared on Broadway and in theaters across the country, composers Lamont and Paris Dozier draw on many styles, including Motown, hip hop, R&B, soul, gospel and jazz. Co-composer Paris Ray Dozier has written songs for Disney Music Group’s Hollywood Records and Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels’ Above Average Productions, among others. Father and co-composer Lamont Dozier is an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and one of the most prolific songwriters and composers of the late 20th century. As a member of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting and production team, Dozier played an integral role in creating the sounds of artists such as The Supremes, The Four Tops and Martha and the Vandellas. He has co-written and produced 14 US Billboard #1 hits.

The musical was co-developed by the Chicago Children’s Theater and the Children’s theater company in Minneapolis. YPT is proud to present the second Chicago production of Last stop on Market Street.

MAY 11 – JUNE 2, 2023

by Matt de la PeñaIllustrated by Christian Robinson
Adapted for the stage by Cheryl L. West
Music and lyrics by Lamont Dozier & Paris Ray Dozier

Directed by Randy White And Tuesday B. Perry
Choreographed by Tuesday B. Perry
Scenography by Shayna Patel
Costume design by Janelle Smith
Lighting design by Kevin Rechner

Last Stop on Market Street is best enjoyed by those ages 4 and up.

Tickets: $25/$19 (under 12)
www.yptchi.org / 773 404 7336
@ The Greenhouse Theater Center
2257 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago

PERFORMANCES

Saturday May 11 at 10:00 a.m. (preview) and 1:30 p.m. (opening)
Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Sundays at 1:30 p.m.

CREATIVE TEAM
Matt de la Peña(author)is the bestselling author of seven novels for young adults (including Mexican white boy, We were here And Superman: Dawnbreaker) and six picture books (including Milo imagines the world And Last stop on Market Street). In 2016, he received the NCTE Intellectual Freedom Award. Matt received his MFA in Creative Writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific, where he attended school on a full basketball scholarship. In 2019, Matt received an honorary doctorate from UOP. de la Peña currently lives in Southern California. He teaches creative writing and visits schools and colleges across the country.

Christian Robinson (illustrator) is an Oakland-based illustrator, author, animator, and designer. He was born in Los Angeles and grew up in a small one-bedroom apartment with his brother, two cousins, aunt, and grandmother. Drawing became a way to make space for himself and create the kind of world he wanted to see. He studied animation at the California Institute of the Arts and would later work with Sesame Workshop and Pixar Animation Studios before becoming a children’s book illustrator. The Christian Robinson for Target collection, released in August 2021, includes more than 70 home items and clothing for kids and babies.

Robinson’s books include the #1 New York Times bestseller Last stop on Market Street and the #1 New York Times bestseller The bench, written by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. His solo projects include Anotherwhich was named a New York Times Best Picture Book of 2019 and a New York Times Bestseller You count. His latest collaboration with Matt de la Peña, Milo imagines the worldreceived six starred reviews and was a #1 indie bestseller and a New York TImes bestseller.

Cheryl L. West (playwright) His plays include, FANNIE: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer, Last Stop on Market Street, Shout Sister Shout, Akeelah and the Bee, Pullman Porter Blues, And Jar the ground. His plays have been produced in England, off-Broadway, on Broadway (Play On!) and in many regional theaters across the country, including Seattle Rep, Arena Stage, Old Globe, The Goodman, Williamstown Theater Festival, Minneapolis Children’s Theater, Seattle. Children’s Theater, Chicago Children’s Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Indiana Rep, Manhattan Theater Club, Second Stage, etc. She has written television and film projects for Disney, Paramount, MTV Films, Showtime, TNT, HBO, CBS, BET and is the Webby Nominated Writer for Original Web Series Diary of a Single Mother.

Lamont Dozier (composer) wrote and delivered more than 54 #1 hits for The Supremes, Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and a host of others, crediting Lamont as one of the primary architects of the Motown Sound. He is inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Tuesday B. Perry (co-director/choreographer) is excited to stop by here at YPTChi! She actively works as a director, choreographer, dance coach, performer, educator and teaching artist, teaching dance, singing, acting and more throughout Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. She holds a bachelor’s degree in directing and writing from Western Illinois University. Previous YPTC Credits: Rabbit Knuffle; Peabody.

Randy White (co-director) was founding artistic director of the Cardinal Stage Company in Bloomington, Indiana. where he inaugurated the extraordinarily successful series “Cardinal for Kids”. In New York, Randy directed the off-Broadway/national tour of the musical TYA. Max and Ruby, Glen Berger’s 15-month journey Under the lintel, helped with Disney The Lion King, and was resident director of New Dramatists. Regionally, Randy has directed Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Portland Center Stage, Actors Theater of Louisville, and more. As an educator, Randy has led and/or taught at Yale, Penn, IU, University of Minn/Guthrie, Fordham, and NYU Tisch. .

In Chicago, Randy performed numerous shows and was nominated for an Equity Jeff Award for his critically acclaimed production of Solicitude (a play with songs). He also directed YPT’s inaugural production of Rabbit Knuffle, the world premieres of Peabody (the science musical) And Dory Phantasmagie, the out-of-print series Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus, Junie B. Jones, and the Chicago premiere of the new one-act film Diary of Anne Frank. Randy holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Alberta in his native Canada.

THE CHICAGO YOUTH THEATER

Young People’s Theater of Chicago is a professional children’s theater company offering Theater for Young Audiences (TYA) productions and performance and educational opportunities for children of all ages and backgrounds.

Housed in Lincoln Park’s historic Greenhouse Theater Center, YPT launched in fall 2021 with Mo Willems’ Rabbit Knuffle. YPT inaugural 3-play season 2022-2023 included Peabody, a world premiere of STEM-themed music for primary school students, a sold-out series by Mo Willems Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus! and the world premiere adaptation of the very popular Dory Fantasy. The second season of YPT is included Junie B. Jones, the musical and the inaugural production of the series “Tweens & Teens” of The Diary of Anne Frank.

Artistic Director White noted that “the company is excited to partner with community organizations, parents, passionate educators and local business leaders to enable local children of all ages and backgrounds to live and play.” participate in a wide range of transformative theater experiences! ” He added that these include “in particular established children’s educational establishments classics, new commissioned works from famous American playwrights, and extraordinary performances and educational opportunities.