The Beverly Theatre Guild has a new concept for its summer revue thanks to members Katie Regalado and Matt Walsh, who came up with “Make ‘Em Laugh.”
The musical and comedy showcase, which is rated PG-13, runs Aug. 26 to 28 at Morgan Park Academy Arts Center’s art gallery in Chicago. Tickets include an appetizer buffet, dessert and refreshments.
“We have a variety of comedy sketches and musical comedy songs from the 1970s all through present day,” said Susan Kosvick-Andrews, who is directing “Make ‘Em Laugh” with Tom Fagan.
“We have some classics from ‘The Carol Burnett Show’ and ‘I Love Lucy.’ Then we have a musical number from ‘Hamilton’ so we just have yesterday, today and everything in between.”
Included in that mix is “Substitute Teacher,” a sketch from Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele’s TV show “Key & Peele.”
“I just think it’s hilarious. We have the perfect person playing the substitute teacher. If we hadn’t had this person available to play the substitute teacher we wouldn’t have done the sketch. His name is Sterlin Johnson,” said Kosvick-Andrews about the actor from Chicago’s Austin community.
Performers in “Make ‘Em Laugh” also include residents of Bolingbrook, Chicago’s Lincoln Park community and Scottsdale neighborhood, Oak Lawn, Oak Park, Orland Hills and Tinley Park.
“The cast is excellent, funny, hardworking and dedicated to this. It is a fundraiser. We’re not even putting their bios in the program. They’re not getting paid. They’re doing this of their own fruition and it’s going great,” said Kosvick-Andrews of Tinley Park.
The fundraiser for The Beverly Theatre Guild, which is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, includes raffle baskets coordinated by Oak Lawn residents Barb Lenihan; her husband, Dan Lenihan; and daughter Jen Lenihan, who also performs in “Make ”Em Laugh.”
“They work hard on putting the baskets together and asking the people for donations,” Kosvick-Andrews said.
“The funds are hopefully going to be used to upgrade and maintain and all those things it takes to keep a community theater running.”
Produced by Regalado, “Make ‘Em Laugh” features Bill Brady, who previously presented Bill Brady’s Comedy Capers at the former Senese’s Barrel of Laughs in Oak Lawn, as emcee for the Aug. 26 and 28 performances, and Dave Nolan as emcee for the Aug. 27 performance.
“Bill Brady’s got a very great following,” said Kosvick-Andrews, who assistant directed and stage managed a production of “All Together Now!” in November for Spotlight Theater.
She noted that it was Oak Forest resident Fagan, whom she first met in 1995 when she assistant directed and he was a cast member in “The Fantasticks” at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, who recruited her for “Make ‘Em Laugh.”
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“He volunteered to direct the show. He actually asked me if I would like to codirect with him. He was going to direct all the choreography and singing along with musical director Sharon Mason so he asked me to take over the comedy portion of the sketches,” Kosvick-Andrews said.
“I’ve always been told that I am quick-witted and have a great sense of humor so when I saw that this was going to be happening, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. I know the sketches I would choose. I know how I would direct them so I really wanted in on that.”
Mason is a teacher at Benjamin E. Mays Elementary Academy on Chicago’s South Side.
“I worked with her on several shows. She’s just wonderful at what she does. She teaches music in Englewood so this is just an extension of her abilities,” said Kosvick-Andrews, who has been a full-time substitute teacher for three years for Arbor Park School District 145 in Oak Forest and Tinley Park.
She became involved with The Beverly Theatre Guild more than 20 years ago as an ensemble member in “Death of a Salesman,” which Errol McLendon directed. He previously directed “Mousetrap” in which she played Miss Casewell for the former Southwest Theatre & Arts Resources Inc.
“The Beverly Theatre Guild views itself as a big family and is always looking for new people to join in that family. We do everything together,” said Kosvick-Andrews, who noted that members pitch in for duties including set building and set moving.
“Everyone in the guild volunteers and participates willingly, and it’s a wonderful thing.”
‘Make ‘Em Laugh’
When: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26-27; 2 p.m. Aug. 28
Where: Morgan Park Academy Arts Center’s art gallery, 2153 W. 111th St., Chicago
Tickets: $35 in advance; $40 at the door
Information: 773-284-8497; beverlytheatreguild.org
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.