BFF ‘Divas’ in concert at Northlight

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Heidi Kettenring, Susie McMonagle and Christine Sherrill are The 3 Divas, in their first concert at Northlight Theatre. | Photos by Mclaren Soriano at chicagoemergingartists.com

Updated: February 7, 2012 7:54PM

The best of friends off stage, “The 3 Divas” have finally found a way to put their chemistry to work for an audience.

Don’t let the name fool you, though.

“The diva thing is tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek,” said Susie McMonagle, who will share the stage with her pals Heidi Kettenring and Christine Sherrill during the threesome’s concert performance Valentine’s Day evening at Northlight Theatre in Skokie. “It’s
kind of funny that we’re calling ourselves the divas, because we’re so not. We’re going to be singing some really hard songs and just belting them out, so that qualifies — but there’s no attitude going on.”

Local favorites

All three of these divas are familiar faces on Chicago stages, as well as veterans of Broadway and Broadway tours, and they have paired off from time to time: Evanston residents McMonagle and Kettenring have performed together and so have Kettenring and St. Charles resident Sherrill. Yet they never had the opportunity to join forces until McMonagle’s agent, Sam Samuelson of Wilmette, suggested teaming up for concert and cabaret performances.

The Valentine’s Day concert at Northlight will be the first in a series of bookings over the next few months for the trio, who will appear with pianist/cabaret artist Becky Menzies, who has helped them shape their show. This Northlight concert will naturally focus on romantic songs from the Great American Songbook and, in classic cabaret fashion, the divas will introduce numbers with stories from their lives and their friendship.

Shake-up

The show won’t be all hearts and flowers, however. While there will be plenty of sigh-inducing tunes, such as a medley of love songs from shows by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the general idea is that the divas are performing songs they love to sing. Kettenring will be singing Stevie Wonder’s “For Once in My Life,” for example, while McMonagle sings “Electricity,” a tune from the Broadway musical “Billy Elliot” that’s sung by the title character. (McMonagle performed in the first national tour of “Billy Elliot” and always admired that Elton John song.) She will also be performing “Some Enchanted Evening” from “South Pacific,” which is usually sung by a man.

“We’ll be shaking things up like that,” she said.

In short, McMonagle said, the idea is to have a good time — for them and the audience.

“We’re not looking at this as a formal evening of concert music,” she concluded. “It’s going to be more like three best-girlfriends hanging out and singing beautiful songs. Although we will be wearing pretty dresses and high heels.

“You never know; I might even put on makeup.”