YOU’D BE PSYCHO TO MISS THIS
American Psycho is a ruthless and daring musical from Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale, The Picture of Dorian Gray). Based on the electrifying novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the musical tells the story of Patrick Bateman, a young and handsome Wall Street banker with impeccable taste and unquenchable desires. Patrick and his elite group of friends spend their days in chic restaurants, exclusive clubs and designer labels. But at night, Patrick takes part in a darker indulgence, and his mask of sanity is starting to slip…
Indulge in 1980s excess and “pure, decadent pleasure” as Kokandy Productions concludes its 2023 season with the Chicago premiere of American Psycho: The Musical, directed by Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham, with music direction by Heidi Joosten and choreography by Breon Arzell. Playing just in time for Halloween, the Chopin Theatre will be dressed to kill for a carnal carnival of song and dance.
American Psycho: The Musical
Kokandy Productions
The Chopin Studio Theatre, 1543 W Division St. in Chicago
Thurs-Sat at 7 (dark Nov 23); Sun at 5; Wed at 7 (Nov 22 only)
previews September 14-28, 2023 ($25 with code PREVIEW)
runs September 29 – November 26, 2023
for tickets ($15-$50), visit eventbrite or Kokandy
Kyle Patrick as Patrick Bateman,
the stylish and sadistic center of American Psycho
Comments Van Barham, “American Psycho is slick and sexy. It’s also highly disturbing and sickeningly upbeat, so… let’s get into it! Set against a backdrop of cinematic ‘80s excess, the show fills our ears with a throbbing EDM-fueled sound unlike any musical I’ve heard before. It’s horror, it’s satire, it goes for the guts and gets into your head. And it’s all tinged with that David Lynchian unease of ‘What is actually happening?’ Extending that question of uncertainty into the live experience, we’re playing with what we show vs. what we don’t show, what you see vs. what you think you saw. A lot is going to be left up to the audience, and I can’t wait to have those conversations.”
The cast portraying the world of executives, fashionistas, waiters,
bartenders, club kids, trainers and neighbors that frequent the tables
at Dorsia, the dance floor at Tunnel and the late-night streets of NYC.
(top row) Jonathan Allsop, Ryan Armstrong, Hailey Brisard, Amber Dow
(2nd row) John Drea, Sonia Goldberg, Emily Holland, Quinn Kelch
(3rd row) Will Lidke, Caleigh Pan-Kita, Kevin Parra, Kyle Patrick
(4th row) Anna Seibert, Quinn Simmons, Danielle Smith, Evan B. Smith.The production team includes: G “Max” Maxin IV (Scenic and Lighting Designer), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Designer), Michael J. Patrick (Sound Designer), Kirsten Baity (Intimacy Director), Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager), Brennan Urbi (Casting Associate), Lynsy Folckomer (Sound Engineer) Jeff Meyer (Graphic Designer) and Kendyl Meyer (Stage Manager).
About Kokandy Productions
Founded in 2010, Kokandy Productions seeks to leverage the heightened reality of musical theatre to tell complex and challenging stories, with a focus on contributing to the development of Chicago-based musical theatre artists, and raising the profile of Chicago’s non-Equity musical theatre community. See Stage and Cinema‘s review of Heathers, Head over Heels, Grand Hotel, Bonnie and Clyde, and The Full Monty,
for more shows, visit Theatre in Chicago