It's Showtime with Rikki Lee

Kaity Paschetto earned rave reviews for her performance as Morticia Addams in the big-budget musical comedy The Addams Family at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre - one of Chicago's top theatrical institutions. Susan Lillis of Splash Magazine called Paschetto “stunning” and “mesmerizing”. Alan Bresloff of Around the Town echoes the sentiment saying, “the sultry and sexy Morticia is played to p...

On a new, enticing episode of It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee , Quiet Riot axe man Alex Grossi joins host Rikki Lee Travolta to discuss his time playing alongside Kevin DuBrow and Frankie Banali with the first heavy metal band to score a Billboard #1 Album. Grossi has been hammering out the notes of Quiet Riot’s biggest hits for 20 years, thrilling audiences with his dizzying display of guitar wizard...

On a new episode of radio show and podcast It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee , legendary Quiet Riot bass player Rudy Sarzo shares about his experiences playing with late guitar master Randy Rhoads and what it's like being back in the fold with the iconic band again. During the interview, Sarzo relates what it is about heavy metal and rock n’ roll that has seen him embrace a career that includes pla...

The world of theater involves people with many diverse talents coming together to create art. One of the most important things about a stage production or a film, or a television show is the costuming. What the characters wear is part of the story, part of the characterization. How those costumes are brought to fruition – either by sewing them, or buying them, or renting them – is the job of the c...

Super Brick is a band that combines multiple influences ranging from Memphis Blues to jazz to create an alternative rock sound that is taking the greater Chicagoland area by storm. Based out of Rockford, IL and thrilling audiences throughout the Midwest, Super Brick consists of guitarist Kyle Roberts , drummer Gabriel Brown , and singer and bass player Bethany Fichthorn . On this episode of It’s S...

Writer and actress April Noel is the featured guest on this exciting episode of It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee . She is on hand to promote the September 17th premiere stage reading of Shutter Speed – her newest full-length dramatic play. As host Rikki Lee Travolta points out in the interview, the talented writer has multiple stage plays and film scripts to her credit. Shutter Speed is a heartfelt st...

Author James Patrick Heatherly is the guest on this week’s episode of radio show and podcast It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee to promote his new book Sherlock Holmes: The Coronet Conspiracy . The shutdown of the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic inspired a lot of people to embark on a lot of new hobbies. In the case of James Patrick Heatherly, he decided to write his first fiction novel.  What Heat...

Tony Calzaretta has been a part of Chicagoland theater for decades. He’s an incredibly talented performer who balances a successful law career with his enjoyment for being on stage. After a start in musical theater as a child, as an adult, Calzaretta became a favorite of Chicago audiences for years as a regular at Pheasant Run Dinner Theatre in St. Charles, IL. Over the ensuing years, he has achie...

Triple threat actress Erica Stephan is the talk of Chicago for her stunning interpretation of the iconic character Sally Bowles in Porchlight Music Theatre’s mounting of Cabaret . On this episode of It's Showtime with Rikki Lee , Erica joins host Rikki Lee Travolta to talk about her starring role in Cabaret , how she developed her character, the background and training that got her to this poi...

Skokie Theatre is a gem of a performing arts company on Chicago’s North Shore. It has a historic outside façade and a fully renovated, state-of-the-art performance space inside. The theatre puts on great shows. Sometimes they produce internally through MadKap Productions like their recent smash hit production of the rock musical HAIR and other times they bring in works from other companies that th...

Music Theater Works will be presenting it’s 150th production – THE PRODUCERS: A Mel Brooks Musical – at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts with a press opening on Friday, August 11th. Gearing up for the landmark event, director L. Walter Stearns , choreographer Darryl K. Clark , and Thomas M. Shea who plays the starring role “Max Bialystock” sit down with host Rikki Lee Travolta on thi...

Ron Onesti is proud of his Italian heritage, as evidenced by his position as President of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. He is also proud of his growing entertainment empire of Chicago-area restaurants and concert venues. On this episode of It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee , the president of Onesti Entertainment talks to host Rikki Lee Travolta about his many entertainment ventures in...

In this episode of It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee , host Rikki Lee Travolta visits with one of the treasures of Chicago’s suburban music scene: Tim Paul - musician, businessman, and creator of smiles. Tim is the owner of Piano Trends Music Co ., the board president of Raue Center for the Arts , and an annual presenter at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California – one of the premier events of the music i...

On this episode of the It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee radio show and podcast, host Rikki Lee Travolta sets fun and games aside to focus on real issues. Travolta's guest is 2022 TIME Magazine Next Generation Leader Daria Kolomiec – a Ukrainian DJ, producer, and activist who is using her prominence in the entertainment field to give a voice to life in her country since Russia’s full-scale invasion...

The Pajama Game won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1955 and then claimed the Award for Best Revival over half a century later. That is a testament to the popularity of the lively score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross and the fun and entertaining script and energetic dance numbers. Summer Place Theatre in Naperville, IL is presenting The Pajama Game Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through June...

Amber Mak , one of Chicago’s most sought-after and respected musical theatre directors, discusses the upcoming production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story at Marriott Theater . The award-winning regional theater is known for the top-level talent it secures for each of its productions. Mak is both directing and choreographing this premier of an original interpretation of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story...

Music Theater Work s producing artistic director Kyle A. Dougan guests on  It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee  to discuss the company’s new, innovative mounting of the Broadway gem  Pippin . Music Theatre Works is a resident professional, not-for-profit music theatre company operating out of the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, IL just outside of Chicago. Dougan it the ultimate full...

Let’s face it. If you live in the suburbs of Chicago or even just the outskirts, the prospect of traveling into the heart of the city can be daunting. Even those who love the brilliant theater that you can only experience downtown are sometimes wary of making the trip because of things like distance, traffic, and parking. Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles has the solution – importing smash theater...

The Princess Strikes Back is an incredible one-woman show starring Victoria Montalbano that deals with love, relationships, and the maturing process – all linked together with creative and entertaining Star Wars references. May is Star Wars Month. To celebrate, Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles, IL is bringing the hit touring theatrical comedy The Princess Strikes Back to the suburbs as a part of...

Everyone has a story to tell. Some are happy. Some are sad. Some are inspirational. And, some incorporate all those elements. Felicity Nicole has lived a harrowing life going from a dysfunctional childhood into a toxic marriage, but she is a survivor. She faced her demons and proved that there is no point of no return and that you can survive, recover, and thrive. On this episode of I t’s Showtime...

On this episode of It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee , host Rikki Lee Travolta is joined by singer/songwriter Susannah B who has had success in multiple musical genres. Her album Girl Gone Wilder! was named one of the best jazz releases of 2020 by LA Jazz Scene . She has also had success with pop, rock, and funk. A celebrated vocalist and songwriter, Susannah B comes by her musical talents naturally. S...

Most people are aware of Adam Pascal from his Tony-nominated performance as Roger in the Jonathan Larson musical RENT and his reprisal of the role in the 2005 film adaptation by director Chris Columbus. Broadway fans will also recognize Adam from his starring roles in Aida , Cabaret , Chicago , Disaster! , Memphis , Something Rotten , and Pretty Woman . In the 1990s, Rikki Lee Travolta had seven c...

H ost Rikki Lee Travolta was 25 when he first heard the Broadway cast recording of  Jekyll & Hyde  featuring the iconic Robert Cuccioli in the dual lead roles. Complimenting him on the recording are the stunning Linda Eder and the equally gifted Christiane Noll. Cuccioli has been one of Travolta’s idols ever since. In this episode of It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee that originally aired in Februa...

The musical Chicago is known throughout the world. It has won Tony awards on Broadway and Academy Awards for its film adaptation starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, and Richard Gere. Now, writer/director Julie Price brings a new adaptation of the story to life for Elgin Theatre Company: Chicago – The Play . In this episode of It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee , host Rikki Lee Travolta is jo...

Chicago is known as a theater town, but it has also given birth to some of Hollywood’s most important and creative players. Anthony Sparks is a highly respected television writer and producer who got his start in theater in Chicago, then went on to five years in the cast of Broadway’s STOMP . Now Anthony is the executive producer and writer of NBC Peacock’s Bel Air . His other credits include OWN&...