Have you ever fallen in love – or out of love? Have you ever lost the love of your life only to find the new love is waiting for you right around the corner at just the perfect moment? Have you ever found love when you weren’t even looking for it? In John Cariani’s play, Almost Maine, the audience follows a series of several vignettes that revolves around these questions, each taking place in a small out of the way Maine town that sits under the Northern Lights. Skillfully directed by Susan Gorman, the stories we are presented with are touching, charming and often very funny. While some scenes are more direct in their nature a few are intended for the audience to interpret – leaving myself in a healthy conversation on the way home on where we felt the writer was going. The nice thing about this play is that it relates to just about everyone who has been in a relationship in one way or another, so throughout the performance it was easy to say to myself on a few occasions, yep, I’ve been there…

To successfully pull off its nine heartfelt sketches, this talented cast of four take on the daunting task of playing five-plus roles each – and they absolutely nail it. Cast members, Eileen Dixon, Zach Kunde, Whitney Minarik and Rio Ragazzone each get to show off their wide ranges, particularly impressing with their spot-on comedic timing. The casting couldn’t have been more perfect as all four leave notable performances – and to be fair, I caught the final preview just before opening night.

The creative team does a fine job in staging this production. The set is simple – not much more than a few pine trees thoughtfully moved around a home or establishment entrance for each scene – but it works well thanks to an engaging script that really keeps our focus on each actor so that the set works more as a subtle background that leaves the actors with a wide open, nearly blank canvas, leaving the deeper details of its scenes up to the imagination of the audience.   

In all, I found Almost, Maine an irresistible collection of quaint love stories that touched on every end of the spectrum. Delightful and often laugh out loud funny, Oil Lamp Theater kicks off 2023 with a sure-fire winner that is sure to capture the hearts of so many. Almost, Maine runs through February 26^th. For tickets and/or more show information, click HERE.

Recommended!

*On a side note, it was my first time attending an Oil Lamp production in their Glenview home. Just a short (and easy) drive from Chicago, I found the theater space perfectly sized for an intimate, yet roomy, experience and there isn’t a bad seat in the house. I’d suggest arriving to a show early to check out the charming bar/lounge area that includes loads of comfy seating and the added nice touch of providing cookies for its guests. And with parking just next to the theater, it couldn’t have been a better all-around experience.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie 

is an absolutely fantastic seasonal Christmas show that pulls out all the stops!

I am a huge fan of the original film White Christmas and this talented cast, which was well-directed by Sasha Gerritson, brings so much of the magic of Irving Berlin's amazing music and the fun romantic storyline to colorful life from beginning to end. 

Tommy Thurston (Bob Wallace) and Jimmy Hogan (Phil Davis) play two World War II veterans with a successful song-and-dance act who meet and fall in love with two performing singers, Kelly Britt (Betty Haynes) and Anna Marie Abbate (Judy Haynes) who are sisters traveling by train to perform at what they are hoping will be a snow filled, vacationer packed holiday crowd at a quaint but flailing Vermont Inn owned by the two men's previous commanding officer. When the snow doesn’t arrive, they have to think fast if they want to draw that big holiday crowd.

All four leads are great singers and dancers! Wallace as Tommy Thurston really hits his stride with a deep note of romance with "How Deep Is the Ocean" in a call and answer number withKelly Britt (Betty Haynes) belting out “Love, You Didn’t Do Right by Me”.Britt is a delight and wows the audience in several numbers including the comical "Falling Out of Love Can be Fun". 

Alicia Berneche (Martha Watson, the inn’s concierge), is a mature actress who blows the audience out of the water when she transforms from what we think is an amateur wanting to join in on the show to a powerhouse singer and comedienne with her jaw-dropping and heart soaring performance of “Let Me Sing and I’m Happy”.

The stage is a holiday feast for the eyes. The costumes and large moving set are colorful, festive, and exciting. The huge Christmas trees are all lit magically and draw you into their warmth and glow. 

ALL of the dancers/ensembleare fantastic and positively wow the audience with a variety of dance forms including a spectacular tap dance to “Blue Skies”.

I LOVE a huge cast and seeing this many dancers onstage at once is a holiday treat for the eyes and ears that every single member of your family will be dazzled by. 

I highly recommend seeing this Joyful Christmas extravaganza in cozy comfort with all your family and friends. This great production show will make you appreciate the season as we ourselves are snowed in by our own freezing cold White Christmas! 

Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley now playing at the Northlight Theatre in Skokie offers the third and final installment of Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon’s trilogy which follows some of the most cherished characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. 

For those who enjoy the Jane Austen themed material but have not seen the first two installments, have no fear, this play stands just fine on its own and is a lighthearted delight from beginning to end.

Janyce Caraballo takes on the role of Georgiana Darcy, the younger sister of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, who is a feminist musician before her time. Janyce Caraballo is a beautiful ingenue who plays the role with charm and grace. Kitty Bennet (played by Samantha Newcomb), the younger sister of Mr. Darcy’s wife Elizabeth, is her best friend and supporter. Mr. Henry Gray, played by Erik Hellman, makes a nervous but inwardly passionate admirer - and the chemistry between Caraballo and Hellman is the romantic cement that holds the whole show together as the audience is really rooting for them to succeed as a couple. 

Gray has met Darcy at one of her concerts and the two flirt with each other using the language of love in obscure musical terms that only they both fully appreciate which is a delight and shows how much he loves her despite the times being unwelcoming to female musicians and songwriters of any kind. 

The entire cast, that also includes Yousof Sultani, Amanda Drinkall, Emma Jo Boyden, Andrea San Miguel, Preeti Thaker and Nate Santana, is full of both newcomers to the Northlight stage and mature actors who do a great job in all the supporting roles keeping the pace and humor of the piece moving along nicely. 

There is a wonderful message about women, music as a career and freedom of human rights for women to publish music when the two friends create a society to help budding female musicians that gives the entire play a decidedly feminist bend while not detracting at all from the love story unfolding. 

The costumes designed by Raquel Adorno are very colorful and lush and give each scene a lovely period feel. Richard and Jacqueline Penrod designed the set, which is simple but effective, although I would have liked to see some movement in the set, and some change between the first and second act which occurs on Christmas day in their home that celebrates the lights and colors of the holiday. The only set decoration that indicates this wealthy home has been decorated for the Christmas day concert event are three little poinsettia plants set gingerly on the edge of the stage. A fully pre-lit Christmas tree or even a projection of Christmas lights and colors would have given the second act the Christmas joy that the title implies will be included. 

Marti Lyons directs this very talented cast well and moves the large cast aptly around the beautiful, if static, set design in a way that shows off the best lines of each character. The intimate theater setting at Northlight is a three-sided thrust stage, wherein every seat is a great seat is perfect for this romantic and cheerful holiday offering. 

I highly recommend this cheerful, funny, romantic show for audiences of all ages who would like to enjoy a pleasant evening revisiting some of the most beloved Jane Austen characters in a classic yet freshly presented production set in turn of the century London. 

Wonderfully directed by Marti Lyons, Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley is being performed at Northlight Theatre through December 24^th. For tickets and/or more show information, visit northlight.org.

From the moment the sisters along with Mother Abbess sang “Maria” in one of the show’s earliest numbers, I knew I was in for a special performance. Their voices soared through the theater with a magnificence beyond what I had hoped. And when Mother Abbess (so richly performed by Susan Moniz) sang the final line in the song, “How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand”, it nearly brought tears to my eyes – just the beauty in her voice and the compassion within her words.

Paramount Theatre is currently taking on one of the most timeless musicals ever created in stage history in Rogers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music”. And though many excellent renderings of this musical have come through Chicago over the past several decades, I can only imagine that this production would join the others among the best produced, casted and performed. From its majestic sets that seamlessly change from scene to scene to its large catalog of masterpiece musical theater numbers, this production wows the audience one scene after another.

The Sound of Music is based on the 1949 memoir penned by Maria von Trapp The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. The story was first staged on November 16^th, 1959 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre before being released as a film in March of 1965 where it won just about every award imaginable, taking off internationally thanks in part to memorable performances by Julie Andrew and the late, great Christopher Plummer. Taking place in 1938 Salzburg, Austria, its story revolves around Maria, a wannabe nun that might not be quite ready for life in The Abbey. Wanting her explore life again on the outside before committing to sisterhood, the Mother Abbess sends free-spirited Maria to serve as a governess for the widowed Captain Georg von Trapp, a retired naval officer, where she would care for his seven children. Georg is strict and has distanced himself from his children since his wife’s passing. His children now answer to whistles and march as though they were in the military. Maria becomes intent on not only breaking through to the children (who are now on their seventh governess) but also connecting them once again with their father whom they once knew much more closely. While doing so, unexpected feelings emerge between Maria and Georg. At the same time, Nazi Germany is spreading throughout Europe, Austria being no exception. The beloved country was being annexed by Hitler’s dark empire. But Georg is a devout Austrian and refuses to serve under the Third Reich. So, then the story also becomes one of escape.

For a Sound of Music production to work well, Maria must be cast well. And in Paramount’s production, they have done just that. Alicia Kaori is extraordinary. She gives us a Maria who is playful, warm, understanding, loyal, devoted, brave and adventurous. She brims with confidence when needed yet occasionally wrestles with her doubts. Kaori’s vocals are also impressive - her range is remarkable.

The remainder of the cast is superb.  As mentioned prior, Susan Moziz excels as Mother Abbess though excellence is also found in Christopher Kale Jones’ portrayal of Captain Georg von Trapp. He does a great vocally but also in capturing the captain’s exacting behavior while showing his vulnerability and his need for love again. With a cast so large, the standouts are plentiful. Included in that group would be Julia Aragon as the eldest von Trapp sibling, Liesl – one of the show’s highlights being her and Rolf’s (Michael Harp) rendition of “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”. Stephen Schellhardt as Max Detweiler and Nellie Shuford as Baroness Elberfeld are both quality additions and take on their roles with much aplomb. The children are fun to watch as their talent should not be overlooked, as well as the production’s ensemble roles.

Every aspect seems to have been taken in consideration while creating this production. The sets, massive and detailed, take us inside the von Trapp home so much that we, the audience, almost feel we are invited guests during the party scene and concert goers during the Sazburg Music Festival. The costumes are rich and painstakingly precise, giving the production an element of authenticity at every turn.

If you are already familiar with the story and are looking forward to hearing to hearing such classics as “Do-Re-Mi”, “Edelweiss”, “So Long Farewell”, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” or its exhilarating title track, “The Sound of Music”, you will not be disappointed. If you’ve never seen the film or staged production before, you will undoubtedly become a fan.

Adeptly directed and choreographed by Amber Mak, this incredible production of The Sound of Music is being performed at the Paramount Theatre through January 14^th. For tickets and/or more show information click here.

Highly Recommended!

The Twenty-Sided Tavern is a funny, lively, and very interactive theater experience based on the game Dungeons & Dragons that was first published in 1974 and soared in popularity in the 1980s. And thanks to its devoted following, the fantasy role playing game that takes its players on epic journeys through multiple worlds is still popular today and has countless versions available. In fact, the game has even developed its own culture – thus, the Adventurers. Nerd heaven indeed.

But alas, I am one of the people who never played Dungeons & Dragons and wondered if The Twenty-Sided Tavern would be enjoyable to me or even comprehensible given the complexity of the rules. Well, as an outsider, I am happy to say that even though I didn’t have the thrills that most of the diehard D&D fans in the audience clearly had throughout the night with every roll of the die, I did find myself caught up in the excitement and was able to catch most of the great improv humor that cast member/creators were putting out. 

Thanks to Gamiotics software that combines with live theater, audience members are summoned to roll the die and/or choose a character either of which can change the direction of the show. The play, co-created by Sarah Davis Reynolds and David Andrew Greener Laws (DAGL), brilliantly (and often hilariously) takes audience members on various voyages based on audience participation. The fact that the show is different every night definitely adds to its drama, and I love that show goers are encouraged to keep their smart phones on to vote to figure out word puzzles and play along with the cast! 

Head writer DAGL has along with Reynolds come up with an idea that has met its time to blossom. That idea is now manifested on Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse Stage.  

Reynolds and DAGL not only created this funny production, but they also participate as key players on the stage – Reynolds as the Tavern Keeper and the latter as the Gamemaster. DAGL is extremely funny in his role as headmaster and really is the heartbeat of the entire show. He's got great comic timing and can riff with the audience without skipping a beat. The entire revolving cast has a good lively energy, some clearly a bit more experienced at comedic improv than others. 

The well-designed set puts experienced gamers and curiosity-seekers like me right smack in the middle of a fantasy world, adding to the whole other realm experience. The glowing colorful digital backdrops lend to an inviting ambience that helps pull attendees into an adventure like none other.

Filled with riddles, puzzles and a sorcery and sword-laden adventure that is steered by audience participation, the production not only keeps one intrigued, but it also keeps one laughing and laughing and laughing. As one not at all familiar with the fantasy role playing game, The Twenty-Sided Tavern also offers a glimpse of the D&D phenomenon and why it has garnered so much appeal throughout the years.    

By the end of the show, I truly understood what makes this game so fun and that is the experience of community and at the fun of self-expression and role playing combined with friendship and imagination. Dungeons & Dragons is all about being yourself and unapologetically showing all your wonderful nerdy sides – and The Twenty-Sided Tavern captures that so very well. Although this is not your usual theater experience and it is not a play per say with the usual scripted plotline and established characters, it is a unique and fast-moving night of wonderful entertainment that D&D enthusiasts will probably want to experience more than once. 

Whether you are a seasoned D&D participant or someone who is familiar with the game’s name but has no idea what it is really about, this show is sure to entertain. 

The Twenty-Sided Tavern is being performed at Broadway Playhouse through January 15^th. For tickets and/or more show information, click here.   

Ken Ludwig has adapted the beloved Agath Christie whodunit 'Murder on the Orient Express' in a rich and wonderful way. The play revolves around the murder of a wealthy businessman aboard a luxurious train. Detective Hurcule Poirot is on the case and there is no shortage of suspects aboard the Orient Express. 

I know a murder mystery by Christie is done really well when I can not remember how it ends even though I may have seen the play countless times, and that is exactly how Drury Lane's production had me - on the edge of my seat desperately trying to guess who the murderer was the entire time!

Going in, I had concerns about how the train and its movement would be represented, but all were dismissed the minute Andrew Boyce’s scenic design was revealed in a series of spectacularly luxurious and well lit projections by Anthony Churchill in train compartments that started revolving on the stage. The audience gasped and applauded for each one and the projections of snow and other movement in the windows of the train was really a fun and exciting way to recreate the movement and style of the sumptuous Orient Express for a live audience. 

This was a true ensemble cast with solid performances all around. 

Of course Larry Yando (Poirot), a mainstay of Chicago theater, was the heartbeat of this classic production and the audience hung on his every word. Yando's parting speech wherein he ponders the  philosophical correctness of his part in solving the mystery was Tony worthy, and though brief, really ended the play on a genuine note of sympathy with all of the depth and emotional honesty one would expect from such an accomplished actor. 

Janet Ulrich Brooks as Helen Hubbard was pure delight in this show as she plays a brassy American with such great physical comedy and impeccable comedic timing that every scene she appears in draws laughs and comparisons to great comedians like Lucille Ball and Phyllis Diller. 

I also thought Sean Blake as the young lover with a thick scottish brogue was very funny and got laughs out of lines that otherwise would have been throwaways to a less talented actor. 

Yes, there was a bit of a slow start in getting the action and dialogue moving but I think the actors were trying to wring every bit of humor out of each moment onstage and the whole flow of the show got going at a nice pace once the opening night jitters were quelled by the enthusiastic audience response.

I can highly recommend this exciting and suspenseful production to audiences of all ages to enjoy a real night at the theater with beautiful costumes, ingenius stage settings and the ensemble of mature and very gifted actors all giving their best performances at the lovely Drury Lane Theater.  

‘Murder on the Orient Express’ is being performed at Drury Lane Theater in Oakbrook through October 23rd. For tickets and/or more show information, click here.  

I've seen a lot of Elvis Tribute Artist shows over the years and have enjoyed them all. They’re nostalgic and fun and, while some are better than others, they are always a good time. And I really love the fact that there always seems something unique in each artist that makes them special in their own way. Brandon Bennett (of Chicago's MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET) is no exception when he wowed audiences for two nights at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire in ‘Elvis My Way’ where the headliner performed sweet, charming and soulful versions of Elvis's classic hits in chronological order. Bennett was accompanied by two excellent backing singers and a terrific four-piece band. 

From “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” "That's Alright Mama," and 
“Suspicious Minds”, the talented Elvis Tribute Artist (ETA) performed many fan favorites and a few that were a bit more personal to Bennet himself.

Every artist has their own take on Elvis and often chooses one of the Elvis age ranges to play based on their own looks and age, but this was the first time I really felt the sweetness and calm comforting side of Elvis performed for an entire show. Bennet connected with the audience and often told interesting stories between songs – a few I’ve never heard, like the fact “Kentucky Rain” almost became an Eddie Rabbit (author) song instead of the well-known Presley anthem we’ve all come to love.

Bennett, who has made featured television appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, NBC Nightly News, and was named "Ultimate Elvis tribute Artist by Elvis Presley Enterprises at Graceland,” mentioned that he had personally suffered through the death of a child and made the audience feel they were really sitting in on a private, intimate performance with The King. The song he sang to his late son to get him to fall asleep was none other than “I Can’t Help Falling in Love (with You)”. His performance of that number was extremely heartfelt, and it while it was hard not to feel what he must have gone through, we also got a glimpse of how the music of Elvis has touched so many.    

Brandon apologized on a couple of occasion for unforeseen vocal issues, but I thought he sounded amazing regardless and would not have guessed his voice was not up to Bennet’s usual standards. In all, Bennet puts on one hell of a show that we can take home with us in our memories for some time.   

With the new Elvis biopic stirring up new interest in Elvis's genius for a whole new generation, this is a great time for Brandon Bennett to be in the prime of his life with a wonderful, funny, heartfelt show that I highly recommend for all ages. 

You can learn more about Brandon Bennet in "Elvis My Way' here. 

As a reviewer I've attended many productions of Rock of Ages and Paramount Theatre’s current production with its talented cast, wide-ranging set and rockin’ hair band rates right up there with some of the best I've seen.

For me, it was especially exciting to return to the gorgeous and comfortable Paramount Theatre after the long pandemic-based hiatus. And just like with most productions at this classic theatre, I was not disappointed.

Rock of Ages, also made into a movie starring Tom Cruise, Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin (to name a few) is a tongue-in-cheek love story about two Hollywood hopefuls, Drew (Kieran McCabe) and Sherrie (Taylor DiTola), one a rock singer and one an actress, who hope to make it to the big time in the 1980's. Multiple story lines also surround its main love story as The Bourbon, a long-time staple in the rock scene, is in danger of being shut down to make way for a modern chain store. The Bourbon is a gritty rock club (and really looks the part) that is run by Dennis (Karl Hamilton) the stereotypical club owner who only lives to rock another day, along with his animated sidekick Lonnie (Shea Coffman), who also narrates the story – and is hilarious doing so. The blend of humor and music is weaved together flawlessly. 80’s rock hits are showcased throughout by the show’s talented cast takes us from one scene to the other. From Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take it” to Nightranger’s “Sister Christian” to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” to Warrant’s “Heaven” the timeless classics seem endless. Each number is uniquely arranged and tremendously choreographed on the show’s super colorful and brightly lit set.

Taylor Ditola as Sherrie has a great voice and displays a fine sense of humor in her role and Kieran McaCabe, as the lead rock singer Drew, really stands out with his remarkable vocal range and delightful stage presence. Both really look the part and have a nice chemistry together. Though excellent performances in this production were many, I’d like to specifically point out the absolutely outstanding dancing of Christopher John Kelly, who is also the understudy for Franz. I simply could not take my eyes off his amazing dancing whether he was soloing or in the ensemble.  

The entire cast does a great job and occasionally a character bursts out with a voice that startles with its power and intensity as Melody Betts, for one, succeeds to do as Justice/ Mother.

Even if you've seen Rock of Ages before you will absolutely be blown away by the huge amount of ability and energy in every member of this seasoned cast and the spectacular presentation created by director/co-choreographer, Amber Mak, co-choreographer, Annie Jo Fischer and the entire production team. In the opening night performance, the audience was filled with people of all ages, and many hard-core fans of the show gleefully held up the flameless lighters and sang along with their favorite hits, screaming with laughter, as this is first and foremost a musical comedy. 

I highly recommend this production to everyone who has been eagerly waiting to return to seeing live theater as this tragic pandemic wore on. Rock of Ages at Paramount Theatre has all the raucous humor, big stage numbers, eye catching costumes and joyous energy that only live theater done right can provide. This Jeff Recommended production runs through May 29^th. For tickets and/or more information visit https://paramountaurora.com/events/rock-of-ages/.

On a final note, as one who appreciates having dinner before a show, I was very thankful to be invited to discover the offerings at Stolp Island Social Kitchen and Steakhouse. The experience was as impressive as it was convenient and cozy thanks to its tasty seasonal cuisine, super friendly service, and proximity to the theater - right next door to the Paramount. It was such a pleasure to be able to park once, and then enjoy a perfectly timed and delicious pre-show dinner in this lively atmosphere with lots of comfortable booth seating. Just like the Poison song says, “It don’t get better than this.” 

I was really impressed by the new Shakespearean send-up Out, Darn Spot! starring Tyler Anthony Smith as Lady Marcia Macbeth. Smith is a very talented actor and writer to have pulled off what is essentially a one-man show that never fails to elicit all kinds of emotions, from the deepest, darkest depression to high campy humor throughout. The play is in essence an episode of Macbeth’s late 1960s lifestyle show but done in Handbag style. Also featured within the production are a handful of hilarious throwback commercials that perfectly poke fun of the era.

David Cerda, Hell in a Handbag Artistic Director, makes a delightful appearance as writer Jacquline Susan and is as funny as ever. Caitlin Jackson also puts in some great scenes as kidnapped singer, Leslie Gore. Jackson has such an amazing singing voice, 

I still recall her portrayal of Bette Midler and I was hoping that she would be allowed to sing a portion of one of Leslie Gore's songs like "These Boots Are Made for Walking" or "You Don't Own Me" but perhaps the licensing of those songs was prohibited. 

Stephanie Shaw who directed, shot and edited this video performance did an amazing job capturing Tyler Smith's many moods and looks. Shaw also nails the colorful and psychedelic special effects common to TV and video of that period for all the supporting characters and interior scenes. In one particularly disturbing and haunting section Smith appears to be in a film similar to "The Shining" at the top of a very scary staircase which evolves into a "broken mirror" image of Smith, sans his beautiful period wig, in which he appears to deconstruct his entire character in order to show how deep the layers of depression, pathos and repression of 

sexuality affected housewives back in the 60's.  

This is a particularly timely piece right now as so many of us are trapped at home alone for extended periods of time, like the housewives of the 1960’s. Tyler Anthony Smith conveys with a single piercing  look directly into the camera - just how very lonely and distressing this situation is,  especially when your spouse is not providing you with the sexual or even platonic affection that every human being needs to survive this kind of home lockdown.

Although I sincerely miss the wonderful live shows from Hell in A Handbag, that I've enjoyed for so many years, I am pleased to see this great quality of absurdist, even avant-garde, theater created in a video format for audiences to discover and watch time and time again. The show has so many twists and turns and the monologues are so richly written, I would need to watch it again to absorb it all. 

Although the dark comedy and multilayered Out, Darn Spot! might be a slight break from the pure camp stage comedy that one usually sees from HIAH, it is a successful and important production that could be used as Tyler Anthony Smith's calling card for years to come. 

Out, Darn Spot! will stream through March 21, 2021 (Thursdays, Fridays & Saturday at 8 pm; Sundays at 3 pm) via Vimeo. Tickets ($17) are currently available at handbagproductions.org or directly through Eventbrite.