Displaying items by tag: Ben Page

I’m going to start with a bit of backstory.  In high school we all read (more or less voluntarily) The Iliad, Homer’s poetic exploration of a war that occurred during the Bronze Age yet continues to resonate with twenty-first century significance. Homer focuses (naturally!) on the guys:  heroic Greek Achilles and his lover Patroclus; Hector, prince and hero of Troy; Greek King Menelaus vs. Paris, Prince of Troy. The women are pretty much either pawns or plunder. The Iliad begins with Hector’s baby bro Paris swiping Helen, wife of Menelaus. Menelaus and Paris duel, intending Helen to be the prize, but when Paris is defeated, Aphrodite delivers him to Helen’s bed before Menelaus has a chance to kill him – a good example of the ambivalent outcomes when the gods and goddesses mix it up with mortals. THE TROJAN WOMEN actually begins with an introduction by Poseidon (Brian Weddington), god of the sea, and Rachel Sledd as Athena, goddess of war.

THE TROJAN WOMEN analyzes the costs of war through the trauma and grief of the Trojan women after their city has been sacked, their husbands killed, and their remaining families taken away as slaves. It’s set in a present-day hospital maternity ward that’s serving as confinement for troublesome females. The Chorus (Morgan Lavenstein), that hallmark of ancient Greek drama who provides insight into events both on- and offstage, appears as a woman vastly pregnant and chained to the bed.  She’s not best pleased at any of this, and no more tickled about rooming with Hecuba (Ashway Lawver), queen of vanquished Troy and vehemently unreconciled to its overthrow.

Ben Page is Talthybius, a Greek herald who pops in and out with news bulletins, each more hideous than the last. His is the task to reveal to the women their destinies: Hecuba will be given to the Greek king Odysseus, the widowed princess Andromache (Jazmine Mazique) is to be the concubine of Achilles’ son, and Cassandra (Liliana Mastroianni) is destined to become the conquering king Agamemnon’s doxy. Cassandra is clairvoyant, which one might assume to be an asset, but her mother has always dismissed her revelations as hysterical attention-seeking, especially as in such grievous times the future may not be something you really want to hear about.  Andromache, Princess of Troy, has just borne a son to her ex-husband ex-Prince Hector, and Talthybius must also break the news that her baby must die, as the Greeks fear he will grow up to avenge his father Hector. And Helen (Morgan Burkey), whose beauty launched a thousand playwrights, ends up back with her husband Menelaus (Marcus Castillo). There’s lots of babies around – we’re in a maternity ward, remember? – and babies are a natural outcome of the unbridled rape that is ubiquitous in wartime; in fact, it appears that the primary position of women in conquered Troy is prone. Plus, ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

OK, are you more or less caught up on characters and setting? cos I need to tell you about Eos Theatre Company. Their stated mission is ‘to shine light into the darkness of the human condition and to amplify women’s voices and stories’, and they’ve chosen THE TROJAN WOMEN as their inaugural presentation because it does both brilliantly. The four co-founders of Eos united at the first table read of The Trojan Women in February 2025. That production was not only fabulous but propagative as well: the four decided to remount the show and simultaneously create a brand-new, all-woman company, named EOS in honor of the Greek Goddess of the dawn who flies her chariot across the sky, pulling back the curtain of night to usher in the light of the sun.

Rachel Sledd is a born-and-bred Chicagoan who lived and acted between New York and Los Angeles until 2006, when she returned to her hometown. Ashway Lawver grew up in Los Angeles. Her passion for the art and study of Acting led her to Chicago to attend The School at Steppenwolf and she found in Chicago her true theatrical home. Morgan Lavenstein began acting in Baltimore at the ripe old age of 8. She attended The School at Steppenwolf and Chicago became her forever home. Morgan Burkey is originally from Texas. In 2017 she was accepted into School at Steppenwolf, where she met fellow co-founders Morgan Lavenstein and Ashway Lawver. Amazing, innit, how extraordinary people from far-flung origins are drawn together? Call it destiny, fate, or kismet, in this case it’s providential.

The production team was as superb as the cast. Co-founder Rachel Sledd was Director and Michael Lesko Stage Manager. Shayna Patel’s Set Design portrayed the ambience before the actors took the stage.  The story was encompassed by Mason Absher’s Sound; his choices of music interlocked perfectly and toward the end the impassioned sound pulled the storyline together, as did Garrett Bell’s breathtaking lighting effects.

Seeing THE TROJAN WOMEN was thrilling not only for the splendid play itself, but for the chance to witness the emergence of Eos, a feminist company whose development is sure to beguile and invigorate Chicago for years to come.

Running through April 18^th at Bramble Arts Loft

RECOMMENDED

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

What was meant to be a run somewhere in the neighborhood of four to eight weeks, became a resident show for Windy City Playhouse, so popular in fact, a new home was created nearly a year later to hold the run indefinitely. The new venue, Windy City Playhouse South (2229 S. Michigan) is now the home for ‘Southern Gothic’ the smash hit play that shows no signs of slowing down. The immersive theater experience co-created by Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein is truly unique and it’s not at all beyond the possibility that this show could become Chicago’s next Million Dollar Quartet, as far as a show that went on an open run for several years.

The show centers around a house party containing four couples in Ashford Georgia on June 30th, 1961. Ellie and Beau Couttier (Sarah Grant and Michael McKeogh) are hosting Suzanne Wellington’s 40th birthday party and it doesn’t start off very well after the caterer doesn’t show up, and the Couttier’s are forced to throw together appetizers and desserts. Scrambling through their refrigerator and cabinets, the two throw together frosting on graham crackers, Cheez-it on crackers and other fun creations. As guests arrive, the party starts off on a light note but quickly goes off the rails as secrets come out and Tucker Alsworth (Ben Page) shows up with Cassie Smith (Arielle Leverett), a woman of color – in 1961 Georgia, where, for many, it was acceptable to enjoy Harry Belafonte on the radio but not socially acceptable to have him over for dinner. As the play progresses, multiple story lines take shape - each fascinating in their own right, with everything eventually coming together quite nicely.

So…the dialogue is riveting and the performances outstanding. Sounds like a solid production, but why all the fuss?

Because, you – the audience, are invited to the party – like, really. And, if you’re like me – someone who enjoys going out but prefers to avoid mundane small talk with acquaintances or strangers, this party is for you.

Audience members can gather in the front yard area of the mid-century modern home or choose to travel from room to room in its interior. There’s not a bad seat in the house (literally). The story moves from room to room (even the bathroom) and you, as the “invited guest” can choose to follow whichever story line you like. There are benches along the walls of the home if you prefer to sit for a bit, but chances are you’ll be moving back and forth a fair amount of the time to collect as much action as possible. And don’t be shy. Feel free to grab any of the snacks that the Couttier’s provide for the guests. Tom Collins are also served (non-alcoholic version available upon prior request). It’s a party! And all you have to do is sit back (and/or walk around) and soak in a hilarious party gone wrong.

Of course, the audience (limited to 30 guests for obvious space reasons) is asked to do their best to stay along the walls and not interact with the actors, who by the way are spectacular at focusing on each other despite the distraction of a moving crowd. Yes, each finely-tuned actor is dialed into their character and the others as though the audience did not exist.

Superbly directed by David H. Bell and wonderfully written by Leslie Liataud, the play includes a great amount of humor, comes with a handful of intriguing story lines, includes eight stand out performances and a set that will certainly make many reminisce about their childhood home (depending on how old one is) or maybe their grandparents house thanks to the fine attention to detail by the talented Windy City Playhouse design team.

Victor Holstein as Charles Lyon, Erin Barlow as Lauren Lyon, Paul Fage as Jackson Wellington and Amy Malcom as birthday girl, Suzanne Wellington round out a splendid cast, that, along with the other actors already mentioned, create a most memorable night for audience members in this very special production.

Do not be deterred by the $90-$100 ticket prices – steep at first glance – but it’s really not. This brilliantly put together show is well worth the cost of admission as it is something you cannot experience anywhere else. In fact, you might even opt to see the play more than once just so you can follow a different story line or see it from a different perspective. There’s a reason this play is a hit and is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Highest recommendation.

‘Southern Gothic’ is being performed at Windy City Playhouse South indefinitely. For tickets and/or more show information, visit windycityplayhouse.com.

*Extended through October 27th