Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces plans for outdoor musical events this summer, including Felicia P. Fields and E. Faye Butler in Lettin' the Good Times Roll with Fe and Faye! on July 9 and 10, 2021 at the NorthShore Center for the Performing Arts. The Summer Nights with Northlight benefit cabaret series will be held at Evanston restaurants and include performances by Alexis J. Roston, Kelvin Roston, Jr., Linda Solotaire, and Heidi Kettenring.
Lettin' the Good Times Roll with Fe and Faye!
Starring Felicia P. Fields and E. Faye Butler
July 9 and 10 at 7:30pm
Tickets, $35-$45, now available
Box office: https://northlight.org/events/lettin-the-good-times-roll/ or 847-673-6300
Lettin’ the Good Times Roll with Fe and Faye! is part of the Out Back Summer Sessions concert series presented by the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.
Dynamic stage divas Felicia P. Fields and E. Faye Butler star in a cabaret concert of jazz, blues, gospel, and show tunes. These two powerhouse performers, supported by a stellar band, will have you rocking, reeling, laughing, and shouting your troubles away.
The performance will be in the 31,000 sq-ft back parking lot of the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. General admission ticket reservations are sold to groups of persons in the same accepted health safety bubble. Like a restaurant, upon arrival, groups are escorted to designated spots. Each group seating location is based on date of purchase and at the full discretion of management. If you would like to be seated nearby another attending group, contact the Box Office at (847) 673-6300.
Patrons should bring their own chairs and blankets. The Out Back Summer Sessions are not drive-in style concerts. A concessions area with pre-packaged food, soft drinks, beer and wine will be available, and patrons may bring their own food and drink, but outside alcohol is prohibited. Restrooms located inside the North Shore Center will be available.
Face coverings and social distancing measures will be required. The North Shore Center has taken enhanced health safety and cleaning measures to protect artists and patrons, and to reduce risk of virus transmission. For full health and safety measures, visit www.NorthShoreCenter.org/SummerSessions.
Felicia P. Fields earned a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Sofia in The Color Purple on Broadway and a 2006 Theatre World Award, two Broadway.com awards, an NAACP nomination and the award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Sophisticated Ladies. Other theatre credits include productions at Northlight Theatre (It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues, Low Down Dirty Blues), Writers Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace, Theatre at the Center, Milwaukee Rep, The Broadway Playhouse and the Goodman Theatre.
She has performed throughout the country in the musical Low Down Dirty Blues. Television/film credits include Slice with Chance the Rapper, Save the Last Dance, Who Gets the Dog, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Bad Judge (NBC), Sense 8 (Netflix), Early Edition (CBS), The Knights of Prosperity (ABC) and many commercials/voice-overs to date. She is the recipient of a Clarence Dewitt Award, many Joseph Jefferson nominations, and won the Jeff award for her performances in Sophisticated Ladies.
E. Faye Butler is an accomplished and decorated theater actress and singer who is proud to call Chicago her home. She has performed around the globe to international acclaim. National tours include Mamma Mia!, Dinah Was, Ain’t Misbehavin, and Nunsense. Theatre appearances in Chicago include productions at Northlight (Ella, Dinah Was, Black Pearl Sings!), Goodman, Drury Lane, Court, Marriott, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, and more.
Her many awards include 7 Joseph Jefferson Awards, A 2016 Guy Adkins Award Excellence in Advancement of Music Theatre, A 2016 Rosetta Le Noire Award, 2 Helen Hayes Awards, a Barrymore Award, 4 Black Theatre Alliance Awards, an Excellence in the Arts Award, an Ovation Award, a RAMI Award, After Dark Award, Kathryne V. Lampkey Award, Black Excellence Award and the 2011 Sarah Siddons Award. In 2012, she was inducted into the National Museum of Women in the Arts. She is also a recipient of the Lunt-Fontaine Fellowship. She has her own CD called “Circle of Firsts” and performs her own cabaret concerts and theaters across the country and internationally. E. Faye is a member of Northlight’s Board of Trustees.
Summer Nights with Northlight
Each event takes place at the outdoor area of a different restaurant, showcasing selections from their menu along with a dynamic featured performance.
Alexis J. Roston and Kelvin Roston, Jr.
Thursday, June 10 at 6:00pm
Good to Go Jamaican
711 W Howard St, Evanston
Linda Solotaire
Tuesday, July 27 at 6:00pm
Sketchbook Brewing Company
4901 Main St, Skokie
Heidi Kettenring
Tuesday, August 24 at 6:00pm
Peckish Pig
623 W Howard, Evanston
Tickets for each Summer Nights with Northlight event are $60 and will be available soon at https://northlight.org/events/summer-nights/.
Ticket price includes light dinner and select drinks. Additional drinks/cocktails are available for purchase.
The Summer Nights concerts are benefit events that will include information about Northlight’s ongoing education and community engagement programs.
Northlight Theatre aspires to promote change of perspective and encourage compassion by exploring the depth of our humanity across a bold spectrum of theatrical experiences, reflecting our community to the world and the world to our community.
Founded in 1974, the organization has mounted over 220 productions, including more than 40 world premieres. Northlight has earned 208 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations and 36 Awards, as well as ten Edgerton Foundation for New Play Awards. As one of the area’s premier theatre companies, Northlight is a regional magnet for critical and professional acclaim, as well as talent of the highest quality.
Northlight is supported in part by generous contributions from Allstate Insurance; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; BMO Harris Bank; Bulley and Andrews; The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; ComEd, An Exelon Company; The Davee Foundation; Evanston Arts Council; Evanston Community Foundation; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Full Circle Foundation; John R. Halligan Fund; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; Illinois Humanities; Katten Muchin Roseman LLP; Kirkland & Ellis Foundation; Margaret and Paul Lurie; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Jackie Mack and More; Colonel Stanley R. McNeil Foundation; Modestus Bauer Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Niles Township; NorthShore University HealthSystems; Northwestern University; The Offield Family Foundation; The Pauls Foundation; PNC Bank; Polsinelli; Ralla Klepak Trust for the Performing Arts; Room & Board; Sanborn Family Foundation; Dr. Scholl Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; Skokie Community Foundation; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; The Sullivan Family Foundation; and Tom Stringer Design Partners.