AMERICAN IDOL’s Rayvon Owen joins SIMPLY SENSATIONAL from Pride Films & Plays

Headliner for the evening is Broadway’s Capathia Jenkins, and Emcee is WGNs Dean Richards.
Others featured in the cast are Honey West, Kevin Webb, Michelle McKenzie-Voigt and Nancy Hays
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Chicago – The entertainment line-up for PFP’s Simply Sensational Benefit gets more and more sensational each day, with American Idol’s Rayvon Owen joining in. Other performers include Nancy Hays, Honey West, Kevin Webb, Michelle McKenzie Voigt, and others from the Pride Films and Plays Company and cast of the upcoming musicalPriscilla: Queen of the Desert. Music Director for the evening is PFP’s Jeff Award-winning Robert Ollis.

Simply Sensational is Monday, November 7.  Mr. Owen entertains during the pre-show reception downstairs in the private room from 6 to 7 pm. The regular program will continue at 7:15 pm, and again feature Rayvon along with the other performers, with Broadway’s Capathia Jenkins headlining. The program will celebrate the greatest songs written for women in the Broadway canon, performed by the best women – and men – in Chicago’s musical theater scene.
Capathia Jenkins was featured in the record setting NBC LIVE telecast of The Wiz. On Broadway she has appeared inNewsies, Martin Short-Fame Becomes Me, Caroline, or Change, The Look of Love, The Civil War. Off-Broadway she was seen in Nora Ephron’s Love, Loss and What I Wore, (mis)Understanding Mammy-The Hattie McDaniel Story, (Drama Desk Nomination) Caroline, or Change and Godspell.

​She has appeared in 30 Rock, The Sopranos, Law & Order and much more. She also has performed with many symphony orchestras around the world, including the Cincinnati Pops and the Hong Kong Philharmonic."  www.capathiajenkins.com
For as long as he can remember, pop/soul singer, Rayvon Owen has dreamed of a life dedicated to music.  Born to be on stage, the Richmond, VA., native began his music career at a very young age – singing in choirs, touring with gospel musicians and performing in local musicals. By the age of 18, he relocated to Nashville, TN., to study Commercial Music at Belmont University. Shortly after graduation, Rayvon made his way from Nashville to Los Angeles, CA., where he continued to write and craft his sound. In 2014, he released his debut EP, Cycles, which includes the hit single “Sweatshirt.” In the past year, Rayvon took his talent on the road – performing at over 60 colleges across the United States.
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Already having a fan base across the U.S., he became a household name and “Twitter Save” champion as a Top 4 finalist on season 14 of American Idol.  While on “Idol,” Rayvon performed with the likes of Jamie Foxx, Ricky Martin, Boy George and many others. He is noted not only for his star quality and beautiful vocal tone, but for his ability to bring authenticity and emotion to his performances.
 
Following his journey on American Idol and performing on the 38-city American Idols LIVE! tour, Rayvon shared his new creative direction and collaborative spirit with the September 2015 release of his “Air EP.” The 2015 L.A. Music Award’s “Rising Star” recipient recently wrapped recording on his new EP — set to release late 2016. His lead single, “Can’t Fight It,” premiered exclusively on Huffington Post Feb. 12. The music video was released on Valentine’s Day through Billboard, along with an exclusive interview that shared a part of Rayvon’s story publicly for the first time. Rayvon continues to strive to entertain his listeners and create an immersive and inspirational experience.

Honey West’s Chicago credits include Dirty Dreams of a Clean Cut Kid, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Diva Diaries, Jerry’s Girls and Tony and Tony’s Wedding. She won BroadwayWorld.com Award for Pussy on the House and will soon be seen in PFP’s  Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
 
Kevin Webb is a Jeff nominated company member with Pride Films and Plays and was most recently seen in their productions of  Bite and Design for Living. He has worked with Court, Porchlight, BoHo, Trap Door, Sideshow and many other Chicago area theatre companies.
 
Cabaret singer  Nancy Hays has opened for celebrities including Tommy Tune, George Burns and many others. Nancy was also recently seen in critically acclaimed performances as  Mame at Light Opera Works and Judy Garland in Pride Films and Plays’  Boy from Oz and Judy and Liza--Once in a Lifetime-- the Palladium Concert, A Tribute. 

Simply Sensational features musical direction by Robert Ollis, and is directed by David Zak.
 
The evening benefits the programming of Pride Films and Plays, and the renovation of the Pride Arts Center in January 2017.
 
LISTING INFORMATION
 
Simply Sensational
Pride Films and Plays’ Annual Fall Benefit
Featuring Broadway’s Capathia Jenkins and American Idol’s Rayvon Owen
Monday, November 7
VIP Reception begins at  6 pm,
Program begins at 7:15 pm with dessert reception following.
Uptown Underground
4707 N. Broadway
VIP Tickets $150.00 (includes pre-show VIP reception)
General Admission $75.00 (includes program and post-show dessert reception)
For tickets call 1 800 737 0984 or purchase on line at  www.pridefilmsandplays.com .
 
About Pride Films and Plays 
 
Pride Films and Plays changes lives through the generation of diverse new work (or work that is new to Chicago) with LGBTQ+ characters or themes that are essential viewing for all audiences. We accomplish this mission through fully-staged productions, writing contests and staged readings, film screenings, and special events. We foster long term relationships with artists to create programming that is as diverse, unique, and complex as the community we represent. In 2015, Huffington Post called PFP “A powerful and empowering entity.” The company acquired its two performance spaces at 4139 and 4147 N, Broadway in July 2016, renaming the spaces the Pride Arts Center.
                                                                                                  
Pride Films and Plays is supported by The MacArthur Fund for Arts & Culture at The Richard Driehaus Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council, City of Chicago’s City Arts Fund, the Elliott Fredland Charitable Trust, Proud to Run, the AmazonSmile Foundation, Arts and Business Foundation, Tap Root Foundation and Alphawood Foundation.

PFP is a member of the Smart Growth Program of the Chicago Community Trust. Pride Films and Plays is a member of the LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois and The League of Chicago Theatres.

For more information, visit  www.pridefilmsandplays.com or call 1.800.737.0984.