Items filtered by date: Monday, 11 July 2011

I remember watching old movies as a child in awe with great ladies like Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Bette Davis and Barbara Stanwyck and thinking one day I will be a great business woman slinging out dry witticisms just like them. I also loved watching the "Beach Blanket Bingo" movies and being slightly turned on by all the clean cut kids dancing on the beach around a bonfire in bikinis.

Well, in Trogg! A Musical! I got everything I wanted from those movies plus the absolutely fabulous campy laughs and gender bending ironic twist on those themes that I’ve come to expect from a David Cerda production. Who else can take a 1970 cult classic about a misunderstood caveman and turn it into a clever laugh riot?

David also has a knack for writing genuinely funny and catchy tunes for his musicals and casting equally talented comedic singers and dancers in his shows like his costar, Ed Jones, who plays the hysterically funny Carol Ann to David Cerda’s classic and deliciously powerful and wry, "Joan Crawford". Alex Grelle who plays "Peanut" is also unbelievably funny in his every gesture and has a real knack for physical comedy.

I really enjoyed the entire cast in this, and Julie Bert Nichols, Megan Keach, Elizabeth Lesinski and Andrew Swan also deserve special mention for their great dance skills and comic turns. Props also to the cast choreographer who kept the theatre hopping with choreography that was highly entertaining, making you feel there was something different and interesting to watch on every inch of the stage. Directed by Scott Ferguson, the deadpan, campy and deliciously visual is perfectly blended together, making "Trogg" a fun-filled experience.

Just like it’s well dressed and coiffed predecessors, "Lady X", "Poseidon! An Upside Down Musical" and "Rudolph the Red Hose Reindeer", "Trogg A Musical" may have a few adorable kitschy and skimpy costumes but it is not skimpy on laughs or great music, so you really can’t find a better way to get real bang out of your theatre buck this summer!

"Trogg! A Musical", written by David Cerda with Cherly Snodgrass and Taylor E. Ross, is currently playing at Chopin Theatre (1543 W. Division) through July 16th. For tickets and more information check out Hell in a Handbag Productions website at www.handbagproductions.org or call 800-838-3006.

Eye on India is a 10 day festival comprised of cinema, music, dance, theatre, literature and food, which was created "to promote the theme of universality in today's increasingly polarizing context” (Sanjoy Roy 2011.)

I attended Day One of the festival, and the pre-show shindig, at the Harris Theater in Chicago's Millennium Park. The duds worn by the party-goers were the first thing that caught my eye. The traditional Indian gowns that many of the ladies wore were fashion masterpieces for sure! Joan Rivers, the Barney Fife of The Fashion Police, better not shoot her mouth off, and tear traditional Indian gown designers a new asshole. Or, perhaps I will protest she give up her Fashion Police badge and Plastic Surgery addiction immediately.

The hors d'oeuvres served were amazing and the conversations I had with some men and women from India in regard to their culture were highly intellectually stimulating, titillating, and straight up, out-of-this-world in every meaning of the idiom.

Two glasses of Heinekens later, the Eye on India performances began in the wee-bit nippy Harris Theatre. The opening act began, which was The Chicago Children's Choir and The Natya Dance Theater. The Natya dancers were a joy to see. They were all beautiful, healthy-sized young ladies and were, refreshingly, not put in Hootchie-Mama costumes!

The Chicago Children's Choir and Natya Dance Theatre had such easy-to-see talent that was intriguing and invigorating to watch and listen to minute by minute. Plus, the lyrics of the song The Chicago Children's Choir opened with called for world peace, and the lead singer sang with infectious, gospel music-like passion.

India's Violin Icon, Dr. L. Subramaniam's performed with Ambi Subramaniam on violin and T.A.S. Mani on Mridangam the entire time. They performed one of Dr. L. Subramaniam's own compositions, which was in the kriti format, and allowed the musicians to improvise at certain times. With that said, the music was suspenseful, and there were exciting and fulfilling climaxes throughout the composition.

I periodically looked around during the show to see most of the audience's faces gave me the impression they were thoroughly enjoying the performance from its start to finish.

Dr. L. Subramaniam is a world renowned performer, producer, conductor and composer who has 150 recordings, some of which were for movies like "Little Buddha". He is clearly adored by many.

There will be different performers and acts, than the ones I critiqued, at Eye on India until the festival's last day on July 17th. For information please go to: www.EYEonINDIA.com. Each of the new upcoming Eye on India events I read about sound like they will be culturally eye-opening and fully satisfying.