Chicago a cappella (CAC), Chicago’s premier unaccompanied vocal ensemble, continues its 2025/26 season with Building American Pop, a musical time capsule revisiting the irresistible pop classics that evoke the songwriting genius of the Brill Building era of the 1950s and ’60s, with WTTW’s Geoffrey Baer. Touring throughout Chicagoland April 19-26, 2026, the Building American Pop concert series kicks off on April 19 at the Studebaker Theater in the historic Fine Arts Building, Chicago’s own hotbed of artistic activity. The ensemble then returns to Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston on April 25, where they are an Ensemble in Residence, and to the McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn on April 26 after a sold-out show there in 2024. Building American Pop is a full-length concert program (110 mins including an intermission) recommended for ages 10+, and tickets for all performances are on sale now at chicagoacappella.org.
Building American Pop features a rare live appearance by special guest Geoffrey Baer from WTTW Channel 11, who co-wrote the script for the program and joins the ensemble on stage to tell stories and lore around the Brill Building – located in the heart of New York's music district, where American songs were written and dominated the pop charts in the 1950s and ’60s. The Building American Pop song list includes great hits from the Brill Building, including familiar favorites like “Stand by Me,” “On Broadway,” “Hound Dog,” and many others.
Chicago a cappella presents 15 arrangements created for the ensemble in Building American Pop, including 12 brand new arrangements for this production by longtime Chicago a cappella ensemble member, program creator, singer, and arranger Joe Labozetta. The production also features projections by Jeff Award-winning projection designer Anthony Churchill.
Source material for the Building American Pop narrative elements came from the book “Always Magic in the Air: The Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era” by Ken Emerson, an author who has written widely about popular music and culture since the 1960s (the former articles editor of The New York Times Magazine, appears in Rolling Stone and The Wall Street Journal). Emerson will join Joe Labozetta for a free online conversation on the Brill Building Era on YouTube & Facebook March 10, 2026 at 7 PM. The conversation will also be available for rewatch on CAC’s YouTube and social media channels.
“We are so thrilled to bring this fun program of familiar favorites to new and longtime Chicago a cappella audiences,” shares CAC Executive Director Matt Greenberg, who co-wrote the program’s script alongside Geoffrey Baer. “We are especially delighted to collaborate on this program with Chicago’s favorite cultural tour guide, Geoffrey Baer. He brings an upbeat and charismatic presence, as well as a deep understanding of the architectural, historical, and musical contexts of this fascinating story.”
Building American Pop singers include Sopranos Megan Bell, Katelyn Lee and Cari Plachy; Mezzo-sopranos Chelsea Lyons and Emily Price; Tenors Ace Gangoso and Alan Taylor; and Basses Matthew Brennan, Adam Kosberg and Joe Labozetta.
The Music Director is Benjamin Rivera, and the Guest Artist is Geoffrey Baer.
Tickets and Performances:
The performance schedule for Building American Pop is as follows:
- Sunday, April 19 at 3:00 PM at the Studebaker Theater at the historic Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago
- Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 PM at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue in Evanston
- Sunday, April 26 at 3:00 PM at McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Boulevard in Glen Ellyn
Tickets are $30-$60, with a limited number of $10 Student tickets and Pay-What-You-Can tickets available at select performances. Additionally, audiences have the opportunity to purchase a ticket to receive a link to a digital version of the performance for $40 with a Pay-What-You-Can $20 minimum option as well, available to stream from home beginning the week of May 11. Further discounts are available for members and groups of ten or more. Tickets are available now at chicagoacappella.org.
About CAC:
Chicago a cappella is a dynamic ensemble comprising ten exceptionally talented singers who passionately celebrate every music genre. With remarkable voices, charismatic personalities, and an unwavering commitment to ensemble singing, their creative concert experiences forge deep connections with audiences, inspiring both awe and laughter. Founded in the early '90s, Chicago a cappella has traversed the nation, collaborated with esteemed guest artists, and earned accolades for their concerts and recordings.