Ben Tajnai to Join A JOLLY HOLIDAY: CELEBRATING DISNEY'S BROADWAY HITS at Skylight Music Theatre

Skylight Music Theatre has announced that Ben Tajnai will join the cast of A Jolly Holiday: Celebrating Disney's Broadway Hits. Tajnai recently stepped in as a guest star and will now continue through December 31, 2022, except for performances on Dec. 13 (sensory friendly), Dec. 17 and Dec. 23.

Tajnai is an award-winning singer who earned the nicknames, "The Voice of the Milwaukee Bucks" and the "Bucks' Lucky Charm" after his memorable performances during the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks championship-winning season. He was the first person to have sung the National Anthem for every playoff game in an NBA team's world championship run, with his rendition seen by millions of people in over 200 countries. Tajnai received nationwide attention for his legendary Deer District performance of "We are the Champions" at the Bucks' celebration parade, performing for more than 500,000 people. He was the first performer to sing the National Anthem at Fiserv Forum, and has performed it before Packers games at Lambeau Field and Brewers Games at American Family Field. Tajnai even has a limited-edition bobble-head made of his likeness.

Previously Tajnai performed as Beadle Bamford in Skylight Music Theatre's production of Sweeney Todd, which earned him a BroadwayWorld Regional Award nomination. His other credits include singing backup for The Rolling Stones 50th Anniversary tour and opening for Shaquille O'Neal (known as DJ Diesel) at Milwaukee's Summerfest.

Tajnai joins current cast members of A Jolly Holiday: Celebrating Disney's Broadway Hits: Daryn Alexus, making her Skylight debut; Joey Chelius (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Full Monty); Shawn Holmes (Raisin, La Cage Aux Folles); and Samantha Sostarich (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Hairspray). The show also features a youth company with two rotating casts. The "Jolly" cast includes Sydney Alexander-Brown, Vivian Beeghly, Max Chelius, Sophia Furshpan, Evie Patrick, Shale Schroeder. The "Holiday" cast includes Taylor Arnstein, Bristol Beasley, Ella Caglin, Naima Gaines, Bennett Schoonover, and Grant Schoonover.

A Jolly Holiday: Celebrating Disney's Broadway Hits is directed by Skylight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Unger. The new musical revue features 33 beloved songs from 13 of Disney's biggest Broadway hits including such favorite tunes as "Be Our Guest" (Beauty and the Beast), "Under the Sea" (The Little Mermaid), "Santa Fe" (Newsies), "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," (Mary Poppins), "Circle of Life" (The Lion King), "Bare Necessities" (The Jungle Book), "Let it Go" (Frozen) and more from shows like Aladdin, High School Musical, Tarzan, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida among many others.

The show weaves together music from such acclaimed composers as Alan Menken, Elton John, Stephen Schwartz, Tim Rice, Phil Collins, and Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, during a festive holiday party with family and friends.

Skylight's production marks a regional premiere and is only the second time the show has been staged anywhere. A Jolly Holiday had its world premiere in December 2021 at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey and is being presented at Skylight by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions.

A Jolly Holiday: Celebrating Disney's Broadway Hits runs through December 31, 2022. The performance schedule features numerous family friendly show times, including two early curtain times (1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.) for the show's closing on New Year's Eve.

Performances take place in the beautiful Cabot Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway, in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward. Skylight is Milwaukee's professional Equity music theatre company.

Regional Premiere

A Jolly Holiday: Celebrating Disney's Broadway Hits

Nov. 18, 2022 - Dec. 31, 2022

Book by Sandy Rustin

Music & Lyrics by (in alphabetical order) Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, Howard Ashman, Chad Beguelin, Phil Collins, Anthony Drewe, Jack Feldman, Matthew Gerrard, Terry Gilkyson Elton John, Alan Menken, Robbie Nevil, Tim Rice, Stephen Schwartz, Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman, George Stiles, David Zippel

Orchestrations and Additional Arrangements by Jim Abbott

Directed by Artistic Director Michael Unger

Presented by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions

Box Office

Purchase tickets at the Broadway Theatre Center Box Office. Call (414) 291-7800 or visit 158 N. Broadway, Monday - Saturday, from Noon - 6 p.m. or email tickets@skylightmusictheatre.org. Please let the Box Office know if accessible seating is needed, or if patrons will have a wheelchair or walker.

· Box Office hours Mon. - Sat., Noon -6 p.m. The Box Office window is also open two hours prior to performances.
· Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more by calling (414) 291-7800
· If you have ADA needs, please contact the Box Office (414) 291-7800 or tickets@skylightmusictheatre.org.
· Skylight offers a risk-free guarantee to exchange, credit, or refund tickets for any canceled performances.
· For more information visit www.skylightmusictheatre.org or email info@skylightmusictheatre.org

Special Events

Skylight Insights. In-depth discussions with Artistic Director, Michael Unger and special guests take place one hour before all Wednesday and Sunday performances.

ASL Performance. A Jolly Holiday will be interpreted in American Sign Language (ASL) on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. To purchase tickets for this performance, email tickets@skylightmusictheatre.org or call Skylight Music Theatre's Box Office at (414) 291-7800. Mention ASL performance for seating in the appropriate section. Supported by UPAF Connect.

Sensory Friendly Performance. A sensory-friendly performance of A Jolly Holiday: Celebrating Disney's Broadway Hits will take place on Tuesday, December 13 at 6 p.m. Support for Sensory Friendly performance provided by UPAF Connect. For more information visit www.skylightmusictheatre.org, email info@skylightmusictheatre.org or call the Box Office at (414) 291-7800.

Skylight Bar & Bistro

Skylight Bar & Bistro, operated by Noble Catering and located on the second floor of the Broadway Theatre Center, is open two hours prior to curtain and during intermission for beverages, including beer, wine, soda and bottled water, and assorted light snacks. Currently, there is no full-service restaurant. Skylight Bar & Bistro is not open after the show.

Parking

Purchase $5 parking vouchers from the Broadway Theatre Center Box office for use in the Historic Third Ward parking garage at 212 N. Milwaukee Street (one block east and one block north). Vouchers are valid between 5 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. for evening performances. Matinee vouchers are valid 12-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Not valid for Wednesday matinees. Voucher sales stop 30 minutes before showtime. Advance purchase recommended so that vouchers can be mailed with tickets. No refunds.

Meter parking is available on the street (free after 6 p.m. and on Sundays).

About Skylight Music Theatre

Founded in 1959, Skylight is Milwaukee's professional Equity music theatre company and the largest employer of Wisconsin actors in the state. Skylight produces the full spectrum of music theatre ranging from blockbuster Broadway musicals to reimagined operas, and from exciting world premieres to contemporary off-Broadway hits. Skylight's mainstage home is the Cabot Theatre in the Broadway Theatre Center, which was built by Skylight in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward in 1992. Considered to be one of Milwaukee's most beautiful theatres, the Cabot Theatre is based on the design of an 18th-century French opera house. With just 350 seats it offers audiences great views of the action onstage. Skylight Music Theatre marks its 63rd season in 2022-2023. Skylight Music Theatre is a proud Cornerstone Member of the United Performing Arts Fund.