On January 18 and
19, the Auditorium Theatre celebrated the ninth engagement of one of our most
critically acclaimed and eagerly anticipated events of the year, “Too Hot to
Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah.”
This unique,
self-produced musical experience seamlessly fuses jazz, blues, and gospel with
Handel’s classic oratorio. Additionally,
“Too Hot to Handel” is a true celebration of diversity held each year in honor
of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, a production that features over 150
musicians and volunteer choir members and is exquisitely performed by Rodrick
Dixon, Alfreda Burke, and Karen Marie Richardson. Outreach
activities held in conjunction with this kinetic event include residency
programs, master classes, and a citywide poetry contest for students throughout
the Chicago Public School system. The
community involvement coupled with such exceptional talent easily makes “Too
Hot to Handel” one of the Auditorium Theatre’s most anticipated musical events
of the season.
Of course, none of
this production’s considerable success could be possible without the support of
some generous and treasured friends. We
are honored to thank Exelon, JP Morgan Chase, the Robert Thomas Bobins
Foundation, the PrivateBank, William and Shelley Farley, and the “Friends of
Too Hot to Handel” for their gracious sponsorship of this one-of-a-kind
performance. Their assistance helped
make this the most successful year of “Too Hot to Handel” yet—and we anxiously
await the opportunity to share this triumphant experience with new audience
members next season.
