If you haven't stopped by Petterino's Monday Night Live since its debut in September, 2007, here's what you've missed...

Co-host, Denise McGowan, introducing over 100 singers, some regulars and some one-time performance only, all accompanied by the incomparable Beckie Menzie with a line-up including some of Chicago's biggest names in theater and cabaret including:

• Ron Hawking, Mecury Theater, A Man and His Music
• Denise Tomasello, Chicago Tribune called her, "Chicago's queen of cabaret" 
• Sun Conway, Jefferson Award winning singer and long-time Pump Room star Alma Mendoza
• Jimmy Damon, A Chicago cabaret and nightclub legend who has crooned beautiful ballads and had the crowd raucously singing and laughing to "Those Were The Days..."
• Joyce "Peaches" Faison, Star of Goodman Theater productions
• Amy Cole
• Pat Musker aka "Roxy Bellow"
• Steve Wallem
• Ken Baker
• Joan Curto
• Robert Whorton
• Bob Salone
• Joel Barry
• Carla Gordon

Cast members from Wicked

As if that weren't enough, cast members from Wicked delighted the audience in December with two fully rehearsed 25 minute holiday music sets to help raise money for Season of Concern.

Cast members from My Fair Lady

Taking the audience by complete surprise in February, cast members of the touring production of My Fair Lady stopped in.  They stepped on to the stage and dazzled with their spectacular voices and, had lots of fun banter with Beckie and Denise causing the audience to roar with laughter.

Support of "Flowers from the Frontlines"

On a cold night in February, guests and singers came warmed our hearts as they came together in support of "Flowers from the Frontlines" to raise money to support this initiative by the USO of Illinois to send flowers from active-duty service personnel to a loved one at no cost to them.  The goal of 85 bouquets (approximately $ 3000) was raised in under two hours due to the generosity of everyone in attendance and the performances by singers including the vocal trio, Moonglow.

Petterino's staffers performing

Petterino's staffers who are working actors in Chicago have also performed regularly much to the surprise of diners at their tables.  They have cheered the loudest for the talented Darcy Nalepa, Edward Fraim, Katie Flynn, Cara Cusaso and Tim Amos.  Darcy has appeared in local productions of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Mystery of Edwin Drood since Monday Night Live began.

Cast members from Phantom of the Opera

Cast members Kem Stentell and Billy Dunn from Phantom of the Opera stopped in to sing as have Erika Mac, Natee Bragg Laura Taylor and Ian Liberto from The Producers at Marriott Lincolnshire.

Big Band singer Nancy Wood

Big Band singer Nancy Wood brought us back to the lush sounds of the 1940's, Frieda Lee brought us the sounds of jazz, Bernie Allen reminded us of the golden age of radio while reminiscing about his 40 year career in Chicago radio and then crooning the ballads of the day and Jimmy Odum took time off from singing opera at the Lyric to provide some musical humor with his ditties.

Students from Roosevelt University

And, to show us the future of cabaret and theater is safe, students from Roosevelt University including Alan Sledge, Vicki Delicath, Adam Molloy, Spencer Curnutt and John Finley have all stepped up to the microphone and caused quite a stir with their tremendous talent.

High school students brought the house down

Six high school students, in town with their teachers and chaperones to audition for the top music programs at colleges and universities, brought the house down especially when they cheered on their vocal teachers Mindy Rhone and Judy Harrison.  Eight Petterino's Monday Night Live t-shirts are now proudly on display on the campus in Michigan.

Supporting Co-host: Dan Stetzel and Denise Tomasello

Monday Night Live First Anniversay

 The first anniversary of Petterino's Monday Night Live was celebrated on Monday, September 21st with a spectacular evening of music provided by some of Chicago's most notable and celebrated singers.
 
Denise and Beckie opened the evening with a "wow" singing "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story and the music and mirth had just begun.  It was a dynamic evening of music in front of a standing room only crowd.  The capacity crowd enjoyed performances by Chicago favorites Denise Tomasello in typical dazzling dress and song, Jimmy Damon singing the songs of Sinatra and including the entire audience in song, Jeff-award winner Sue Conway and the incomparable Tom Michael.  As if that weren't enough, guests were treated to songs  songs by nearly two dozen other Chicago singers including the amazing Ken Baker, Carla Gordon, Carlo Chappelle, Sean Effinger-Dean, Meredith Freyer,  Rob Dorn, Laura Freeman and Robert Sims who brought a hush to the room with his dynamic and powerful rendition of "Old Man River".  And, as if that wasn't enough, (take a breath here because there's lots more), guests enjoyed the talented Erika Mac, Ann McGregor,  Bradford Thacker,  David Edelfeldt, Dave Gallagher, Kevin Barthell, Mary Ann Orland,  Bob Howell, Gunduz and Henry Meisels. Other highlights included newcomers to the MNL stage Tamora Rogers and Henry Pleas and, a unique treat,  the saxophone stylings of Michael Favro, .
 
All in all, a great start to a second season of tremendous entertainment at Petterino's.

Dirty Dancing Cast on stage at Monday Night Live

The magic of Monday Night Live continues in its second season.  On  Monday, November 3, the MNL audience at was treated to special guest appearances from cast members of Dirty Dancing- The Classic Story on Stage, currently in production at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. 

The crowd enjoyed Broadway and off-Broadway veterans E. Clayton Cornelious, Michael Lluberes and Erich McMillan-McCall and John Antony.  Michael's clever original song and John's side-splitting number had the audience in stitches while Clayton and Erich delighted the crowd with more traditional and equally well-received musical numbers.  

Chicago native Katlyn Carlson was lovely, sang beautifully and had the line of the night - believe me, you had to be there.  Those who were there will just nod and smile when remembering how she brought the house down.

Charles Logan was another stand-out with his song "Last One Picked" which closed the first half of the evening and Thea Brooks took a commanding lead in the popular poll with her hilarious original song sharing her feelings for Barack Obama.

It was a reunion, of sorts, for MNL co-host McGowan and cast member Molly Callinan,  In addition to her work in theater, Molly is a member of the fabulous rock band, Catfight, a band McGowan had booked in her former life as the Director of Entertainment for Navy Pier.  Another member of the band, Julie Duchek (who also appears with the Lt. Dan Band) whipped the crowd into a frenzy with her rendition 'Natural Woman".  Birthday boy Dave, joining MNL regular audience members Seymour and Barbara,  was the center of attention for Julie and for Katlyn and had a most memorable birthday.

MNL regular Carlo Chappelle and his brother Chris had the crowd in the palm of their hands, each singing a solo number, then teaming up for an a cappella performance of His Eye is On the Sparrow - dedicated to their father who was leaving directly from the show to travel home to the Phillipines.  The audience was visibly moved by this touching performance.

New to the MNL stage, but no stranger to the Chicago cabaret scene, Tracy Adams had a remarkable debut on the Petterino's stageas did regulars Ken Baker, Riley Thomas and "Trish".

As always, Beckie Menzie was amazing at the keyboard, remarkable when singing with musical partner Tom Michael and hilarious when trading barbs with co-host Denise McGowan.

It was another remarkable night in front of a capacity crowd.