Request your favorite showtune and a Chicago actor will perform it

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Porchlight is one of Chicago's premiere theatres, singing out our favorites from musicals both old and new. They're keeping a social distance while letting you get a virtual performance of your choice from a local actor.

It's simple: ask for a show tune, say why, and get your own command performance with Porchlight by Request - no strings attached.

"Porchlight Music Theatre is in its 25th year in Chicago as Chicago's music theatre," artistic director Michel Weber said. "We do musicals, from Broadway and all around the world. We've got a great audience base and they love musical songs, but we can't bring them into the theater now with social distancing so we're bringing the artists to them."

The theatre is hoping essential workers get in on the act.

"We would love to hear the song 'Over the Rainbow' from the musical 'The Wizard of Oz' and we picked that because of the message of hope for better days," Weber said.

"We are asking nurses and doctors and teachers and policemen and firemen what's your favorite musical and we match them up with the Chicago musical theater artist who delivers for them a customized song, a command performance," he explained.

And if you've got an obscure song in mind, they're up for it.

"Oh no we love the challenges," Weber said. "At Porchlight we love musical theater that goes all the way back to the very beginnings in the 1920s, in the teens, so you can ask for any song. It could be something from one of the Golden Age classics."

For your ask, go to porchlightmusictheatre.org. And break a leg!