Items filtered by date: November 2007

In London Wall, Griffin Theater Company has mined a stage gem from the British theatrical vaults, giving John Van Druten's 1931 romantic comedy a serious treatment.

This production at The Den Theater also finds a well-written play, still fresh more than 85 years after its premiere - even with three acts and two intermissions that modern audiences supposedly won't tolerate.

But there is something about a well acted, skillfully directed, and very well cast production that keeps an audience in its seats, and returning after the breaks.

You might also be intrigued to see this play by the author of I Am a Camera -  the main source for he Broadway musical Cabaret. Van Druten also wrote the screenplay for a now-campy Bell, Book & Candle (James Stewart was the love interest for Kim Novak, a svelt 1960s Greenwich Village witch.)

Set in 1928, London Wall tracks the lives of law-firm stenographers in a London law firm. These poorly compensated women struggle to survive, and face a life shaped by the loss of so many men in the war, that young women cannot find a spouse, or a job that pays a decent wage.

That may seem like a downer, but the basic plot line - a young couple Pat Milligan (Rochelle Thierrien) and Hec Hammond (George Booker) feel their way around obstacles to find romance - buoys our interest. So do the actors, mainly very, very strong in their roles.

Uncertainty about what kind of British accent may be delivered in a Milwaukee Avenue storefront is immediately dispelled as young clerk Birkinshaw (Michael Saguto) answers calls at the switchboard in convincing dialect. Likewise for the rest of the troupe, whose dress and styling are spot-on. Whoever cast them found just faces that fit the period.

The backdrop also makes this play highly relevant to its time: women far outnumber men in the post WWI period. Employers and society at large still operate under the assumption that women will only remain on the job until they find a spouse. That model has disintegrated, and these women seeks careers, but owing to the times, dead-end jobs are their only option.

The play resonates, too, with the gender gap in compensation and glass ceilings - oh, and sexual harassment. The 1928 office of Windermere & Co. has its share of that, too, as  Brewer (Nick Freed) a despicable louse, puts the moves on every woman in the office. (Freed did such a good job I still don't like him.)

Central to the play is the world-weary and wise Miss Janus (Vanessa Greenway in a star turn). After 10 years in the office, when her ship does not come in (her beau sends a 'Dear Jane' letter and leaves the country) Miss Janus makes the best of it  by coaching the young women to make the best choices. She also challenges the office cad, Brewer - and in the script, Van Druten provides her with a wit to out-argue this lawyer.

Mr. Walker (Ed Dzialo), chief counsel at the firm, intervenes periodically as a voice of enlightened male reason - dispensing justice in the end - perhaps a stretch for the period, but a contemporary writer would have let the women settle the scores.

Playwright Van Druten reveals what these low-paid clerks must do for love or money. In one scene, the young Pat Milligan (Thierrien) reveals to a wealthy dowager client (Mary Poole is really pretty sensational in the role of Willesden) that her pay is just a pittance - only enough to rent a bed in someone's home. While Thierrien turns in a sensitive performance, she is surrounded by actors who take better charge of the stage. Two other clerks, Hooper, played by Ashley Neal  and Bufton played by Amanda Powell are bring gusto to their roles.

London Wall had its premiere in May of 1931 at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London, where it stood out for its realistic depiction of office life. Playwright Van Druten may be having another moment as this play was recently revived in London and in New York.
For those who love real theater and solid performances, London Wall is strongly recommended.

Marriott Theatre’s current production is chancy business. For a venue that theatre lovers have come to depend on for family entertainment over the years – wholesome G through PG rated shows such as “Mary Poppins”, “The King and I”, “9 to 5” and “Elf”, just to name a few, Executive Producer Terry James has decided to raunchy things up a bit by bringing in a much more adult-themed production in “Spring Awakening”. Not in Marriott’s subscription package, “Spring Awakening” is running for just over two weeks, and we have to wonder how receptive its normal crowd of theatre goers will be. Filled with f-bombs, simulated sex scenes and dark story lines, “Spring Awakening” will certainly take some of Marriott’s regular audience members by surprise if they attend without researching the play first. 

A rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Slater, the story takes place in Germany sometime during the late nineteenth century where a classroom of children are the focus as they learn about their own sexuality and question what they have been taught by authority figures, whether it be teachers or their own parents. Under rigid instruction from their teachers, the children often stand clad in school uniforms surrounded in a light fog in front of a large blackboard, giving one the feeling that stage band could break in to “Another Brick in the Wall” at any moment. Unfortunately, this show is not nearly as musically memorable as it strains to make any impact in that department, falling far short of shows one might suggest it is akin to as “Rent” or “American Idiot”.

Despite its less-than-charged or lack of unforgettable musical numbers barring a crowd pleasing, gut-punching “Totally Fucked”, the show is not without fine acting efforts and talented vocal performances, particularly by its two leads, Patrick Rooney and Eliza Palasz. Palasz quickly shows her aptitude as a singer in the show’s opening number “Mama Who Bore Me” and impresses along with Rooney in their first-act duet “The Word of Your Body”. There are also many well-choreographed and finely executed dance pieces by the ensemble throughout the show, which IS something that can be counted on in a Marriott Theatre production. Also featured in the show are Marriott favorites Brian Bohr, Nate Lewellyn and Kevin Gudahl, all of who performed wonderfully along with local talents Callie Johnson and Hollis Resnik. There is certainly no shortage of ability in this production. 

Based on Frank Wedekind’s 1891 play of the same name, this somewhat slow-moving production centers on confused youth, the questioning of what we are told as kids, the lack of what we are told and the great distance that can often be present between a parent and their child. It is about growing pains, being misunderstood and dealing with the choices we have made – or having parents deal with their children’s choices as depicted so grimly in the show’s center act when Wendla (Palasz) gets pregnant, partly in thanks to the poor information given to her by her mother on how children are conceived. But the musical also delves into the joys of trying things for the first time, like creating new relationships or having sex.  

Though certainly not the central point of this production, it was enjoyable to see the performing band as they surrounded each end of the stage as opposed to enjoying their musicianship while out of sight from the audience. 

“Spring Awakening” is being performed at Marriott Theatre through January 31st. For tickets and/or more show information visit www.MarriottTheatre.com.           

American Theater Company starts the year with a world premiere by author Dan LeFranc, directed by Joanie Schultz. "Bruise Easy" is a modern day retelling of Electra, set in the seemingly vapid world of southern California. 

When Tess (Kelly O'Sullivan) returns to her childhood home to find her estranged brother Alec (Matt Farabee) smoking weed on the driveway, she's mortified. In a series of somewhat unanswered questions, we're given a glimpse into a family torn apart by imperfect parents. Scenes are punctuated by a group of masked "neighborhood kids" who serve as the Greek chorus. With a short running time of 85 minutes, stand-up Tess and screw-up Alec trade barbs and acts of uncomfortable sexual tension. 

LeFranc's script is troubled though. While the gimmick of the Greek chorus is at first interesting, it ends up becoming a major distraction and overall pretty useless as a storytelling device. The author tries to communicate his heavy-handed message about suburban ambitions through this technique, which instead should be more apparent in the dialogue between Tess and Alec. 

"Bruise Easy" is missing a lot of crucial pieces and leaves viewers without any specific answers. LeFranc fails to develop his characters' narratives, which is a shame because O'Sullivan and Farabee are both really riveting performers to watch. 

The dialogue never quite gives us what we want. What happened to their mother? Why is Tess even there? What's the deal with the house? Why can't they go in? Instead, a lot of emphasis is placed on reminding us that it's 2005. Unfortunately many of the ways we're reminded come off as forced. Putting audiences in a certain time period involves more than dated pop culture references. 

LeFranc would certainly benefit from either adding more to the script or subtracting the elements that don't work, and clarifying the hazy details. There's just too much dead air here. It's apparent the author knows a lot more about these characters than he's letting on. He seems more concerned with the idea that it's a Greek tragedy set in California than he is the actual lives of the characters. 

Director Joanie Schultz's vision for this show also tends to stand in the way. There's an MTV circa-1995 aesthetic that really doesn't match the tone of the script. "Bruise Easy" has an anti-establishment theme running through it, but it's not as cheeky as the interlude graphics and pop music wants it to be. There's a lot going on here, and narrowing what exactly LeFranc wants his audience to leave with will benefit this play in subsequent productions. 

Through February 14th at American Theater Company. 1909 W Byron Street. 

The New Colony and Definition Theatre Company’s collaboration “Byhalia, Mississippi” opens up with a young white trash couple from the play’s titled town who are about to have their first child. The dialogue between the family is witty and sharp and you immediately feel like you are in the South. Overdue by two weeks, their baby is being stubborn as hell. Finally, he arrives – and he is black. With Byhalia’s racial narrow past, you can imagine that this is when the mood in the story drastically changes. 

"Byhalia Mississppi" highlights many issues in racial relations especially found in the underlying comments many of the characters made. The couple, played by Liz Sharpe and Evan Linder, are very powerful and work well together. Linder also wrote the play - and it is very well written. There were times in which I felt uncomfortable as an audience member not only because of the topics being discussed but also by the overly dramatic acting of Mr. Linder, which, in retrospect, may have been called for to make his character “Jim” more believable. Remember, it is the South so I imagine they were using his excessive animation as an angle. Regardless, it was still distracting at times. 

Besides bringing important racial and class issues to light, what I love about this play is that the theatre will be hosting a world premiere conversation on Monday, January 18th which is MLK day. The play will be premiering in seven cities across North America and the audiences will connect afterward to have a discussion. I have never heard of this before and I think it is well worth the two-hours of time to try and attend. 

When reflecting on this play, I can't help but realize how far we have to go in regards to racism in this country. As an aunt of biracial nieces, I wonder what their world will be like. Will they struggle with their identity in having to choose one race over another? Will it even matter? My hope is no, but what I do know is that we have the power to make a difference now. 

Catch the “Byhalia, Mississippi” at The Den Theatre now through February 14th. It is sure to strike up conversation about racism in America and, at the same time, leave you wanting to say "y'all." For tickets and/or more information visit www.thenewcolony.org.

Melissa Thodos the creator of Sono’s Journey and her designers, which premiered at the Auditorium Theatre Saturday, did a wonderful job telling the story of Sono Asato, a dancer who broke age and race barriers from the time she was just fourteen years old. At that same young age, Sono Asato was the first dancer of Japanese descent AND the first American to join the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. 

I loved the way Thodos chose to use a narrator to tell the story of Asato’s life and used real pictures from Sono's life. I overheard one audience member saying during intermission, the narration really helped the audience understand and empathize with Asato’s life journey without making us guess or make assumptions based solely on the dance and music for each vignette – a very correct observation. 

I loved the costumes and lighting, which created a dreamy effect. The dancers were superb in bringing Sono Asato’s unique and trademark hand gestures and delicate yet earthy and natural style of dance to life. Asato’s hands were especially beautiful and expressive resembling the grace and power of mudras of ancient meditation statues. 

I found it very interesting that when Osato was refused work abroad with her ballet company, it was a female theater company owner and old friend who welcomed her back to Broadway “dance shows" in order to keep making money dancing to survive. 

I also loved the vignette which included how her parent's originally met and fell immediately in love when her father Shoji was sent to photograph her beautiful mother for a performance portrait.   

Osato, now ninety-six-years-old, and still a delicate beauty, was brought onstage in a wheelchair and it was announced that Mayor Rahm Emanuel had declared that day, January 8th to be SONO ASATO DAY in Chicago. Sono Asato looked radiantly beautiful as she received her flowers and a roaring standing ovation for her groundbreaking, door opening bravery and exceptional dance performances in the classic works, Sleeping Beauty, Pillar of Fire and The Beloved.

I felt very much honored to be there in Sono Asato's presence that night during the Mayor's announcement. I felt privileged to add my enthusiastic applause and shouts of "Bravo!" for her and the delightful show "Sono’s Journey".

Dance enthusiasts and appreciators will have two more opportunities to see Sono's Journey this winter: February 20th at the North Shore Center in Skokie, and March 5th at the Harris Theater in Chicago, as part of Thodos Dance Chicago's new "Chicago Revealed" Winter Concert series. This particular production is a beautiful piece of work that everyone should experience.

Thanks to events like that which I attended last night, the music of Elvis Presley will live on forever – and that’s important, as the King of Rock and Roll is more relevant than ever. In a most fitting way to celebrate the legendary entertainer’s birthday, Northshore Center for the Performing Arts played host to the annual Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular “Birthday Edition” during its tour of several dates around the Midwest. Unlike many Elvis tributes, we are not only treated to talented impersonators, but we are also met with history itself, that being musicians that actually performed with Presley at various junctures in his career. 

It’s no secret that Elvis was a huge gospel fan. After all he has recorded some of the most sensational gospel songs of all time. As history states, one of Elvis’ biggest gospel influences was the Blackwood Brothers Quartet, an outfit that has been around since 1934. Today, 81 years and generations of singers later, the now simpler named Blackwood Quartet are still touring the world spreading their inspirational music led by Blackwood royalty himself, Mark Blackwood. What better way to begin an Elvis tribute than with a handful of Blackwood Quartet songs of encouragement including a very inspired rendition of “He Touched Me”. The foursome then remained onstage to deliver backing vocals to many Elvis songs as only they could. 

Cody Ray Slaughter was the first of three Elvis tribute artists to take the stage and did so with a bang decked out in that ever so famous gold jacket to the tune of “Shake, Rattle and Roll”. Slaughter, the youngest performer to be awarded “Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist” by Elvis Presley Enterprises” had Elvis’ stage moves down pat, inducing screams, oohs and aahs, with just the simplest gyration or dance step. Mostly taking on Elvis earlier hits, he was not only able to harness the charm and subtle humor of The King, Slaughter was also able to deliver a vocal performance with uncanny likeness to Presley himself. Slaughter continued to wow the crowd with hits like “Don’t Be Cruel” (with amazing backups by the Blackwood’s), “Heartbreak Hotel”, “Jailhouse Rock” and “Return to Sender” humorously introduced as “Return My Blender”. At one point Slaughter called on the Blackwood Quartet to join him around the microphone center stage for a lovely version of “Peace in the Valley”, the moving gospel Hymn that Elvis performed for his mother on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1957, despite the reluctance of the network.   

Let me take a breather here to acknowledge to band – the rock solid Fabulous Ambassadors who were accompanied by a good part of the set by original Elis Presley drummer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, D.J. Fontana. Fontana, now 84 years old, played with Elvis for fourteen years, playing with him on over 460 cuts. This was an incredible thrill for the Elvis fans throughout the theatre, of which I should add were of ages ranging both younger and older. It was actually refreshing to see so many younger fans thoroughly enjoying the music of Elvis Presley. And why shouldn’t they? His music is timeless.      

Next up was Ryan Pelton who boldly conquered the stage within moments of making his grand entrance donned in the now-very-famously-known black leather jumpsuit that Elvis wore in the 1968 Comeback Special. For the most part the show stuck to an accurate chronological timeline barring a few exceptions. Pelton did a nice job in recreating some of the 1968 Comeback special, getting his biggest cheers for his performance of “Fever” thanks to his sultry vocals accompanied with a handful of strategic leg thrusts. After a number of memorable Elvis hits, Pelton ended on a high note with “Teddy Bear” where he joked with the crowd and tossed stuffed teddy bears to adorning fans. Slaughter then reclaimed the stage for a very emotional rendition of “If I Can Dream” one of Elvis’ most important songs of his time, a song of peace and understanding dedicated to the late Martin Luther King. 

Just after a twenty or so minute long intermission, The Sweet Inspirations took center stage from their position off to the side where they had been providing additional backing vocals and performed a bluesy song named after their group “Sweet Inspiration” – and they sounded terrific! Sweet Inspiration original Estelle Brown sang with Elvis from 1969 until his death in 1977 witnessing the peak of the rock legend to his unfortunate decline. Brown did offer a story to the crowd, one of her favorite memories of Elvis, where he had found out one of the Sweet Inspirations had just been diagnosed with cancer. Heartbroken, he knelt beside her, put his hand on her stomach and prayed with her. A few days later no traces of cancer could be found. And whether you believe that the power of prayer healed her or not, one can’t help be moved by Elvis’s concern and intent. 

We’ve now gone through the early career of Elvis, to the movie years, to the ’68 Comeback Special. It was now time for Shawn Klush to take over to recreate the Vegas years – personally, one of my favorite eras. Spotlights raced around the audience as the band went into 2001: A Space Odyssey and right on cue Klush entered the stage in his white peacock jumpsuit to get things rolling with “CC Rider”. Klush’s spot on vocals paved the way as he powered through the set with live favorites “My Way”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, “Suspicious Minds”, “Always on My Mind” (a new edition to the set beautifully done) and “Polk Salad Annie” among others. It was already a set to remember before Klush ended strongly with a powerful version of “American Trilogy” and of course the song that Elvis ended his concerts with “Can’t Help Falling in Love”.

In all, the Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular is just that – spectacular. If you are already an Elvis fan you will love it, if you are new to Elvis it will win you over. Basically, the show is like several concerts in one creating three hours of Elvis bliss. Following the show fans are able to meet the performers who are all too happy to share their memories of The King. Brilliantly musically directed by James Johnson, The Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular has become a great tradition surrounding the birthday of Elvis and is something that can be enjoyed over and over again. For show updates and tour dates visit http://www.elvisbirthdaytribute.com/index.html. 

Thanks to shows like this and the other wonderful Elvis tributes that are being performed in Chicago, nationally and internationally, new generations will discover what we already know to be true – Elvis is the greatest entertainer of all time and his music is forever relevant. 

Crowdsourcing theater may be having its moment, as 500 script submissions competed for three slots in an evening of one-acts on the cozy stage at the Chicago Dramatists theater. Never mind this is the annual Pegasus Players high school competition. What they have wrought this time around is a delightful night in the theater by any standard.

Yes, there are a few uneven moments - I believe it a fundamental rule of theater not to leave the stage devoid of scenery and actors overly long (though it was opening night) - but these are strong first efforts.

The more sober drama, Our Little Secret, by Myka Buck, a senior at Kenwood Academy, opened the evening on a serious note. Two truly delightful comedies: The Adventures of FeRb by Brian Hayes of Taft High; and A Cup of Souls and One Grim Reaper, Please, by Keauna Piece, at Lane Tech, made the evening take flight.

The high caliber interpretation of the characters by a strong cast, and juiced up productions by energetic directors Ilesa Duncan, Lavina Jadhwani and Jason Fleece, mined the scripts for everything they had. Between cast and crew these three one acts were given the full treatment.

Myka Buck's Our Little Secret explores the ambivalence and guilt of teenage lesbian, Tommasina (Shadana Peterson), facing a moment of truth: the revelation to her mother (Danielle Rennalis) that her prom date is not only another girl, but has been her secret romantic steady for the past two years. The necessarily career-focused mother  is no caricature, but sympathetically drawn. (Dad, played by Chris Cinereski, is in jail, and won't be released until prom night.) When the truth comes out, Danielle is warmly embraced by Mom.

In the second show, Adventures of FeRb, director Jason Fleece's lively staging elicited loud guffaws for a stylized comedic piece. An ever-positive and positively determined high school Everyman, FeRb (Chris Acevedo), confronts the cliques (in their current flavors -  goths, B-boys, and nerds) only to find each dominated by a shape shifting nemesis, Bradly (played with abandon by Eric Gerard Walter). FeRb challenges, then vanquishes Bradly, freeing the students to just be friends.

The actors explored another side, as the casts from the first two plays turned ensemble (the cast also includes Erica Pezza and Brenann Stacker in multiple roles) for A Cup of Souls etc. Playwright Keauna Pierce suggests in a pre-show video that she was unfamiliar with live theater, and so wrote cinematically. . .challenging director Ilesa Duncan to change location from home, to hell, to heaven, and finally, a Paris cafe - but she did it. The glory of Chicago storefront staging!

This plot line follows a newly minted but reluctant Grim Reaper (Chris Cinereski) on his first day harvesting souls. He quickly goes astray, binge-watching the cable show  Supernaturals and befriending his first victim. After an iPad wielding Devil intervenes (Will Kiley dominates his scenes) that soul and its owner head straight to hell. I really enjoyed Shadana Patterson's turn as God who sends the Grim Reaper back to the inferno to win back his friend.

These three shows, running through January 23, are winners in every sense of the word.

A note about Pegasus Theatre Chicago: The Young Playwrights Festival is a citywide playwriting competition that gives voice to Chicago high schoolers by teaching them to craft one-act plays. The winning teens join with professional directors and actors to workshop and stage their scripts as part of Pegasus Theatre Chicago’s main stage season. The second oldest such festival in the country, the competition enhances language arts, encourages independent, high-level thinking and strong personal values and influences career development for area teens. This 29th festival runs through January 23, 2016 at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.PegasusTheatreChicago. org or by calling Ovation Tickets at (866) 811-4111.

"Gotta Dance" is a partly fictional partly true story based on the 2008 documentary film by Dori Bernestein about the New Jersey Nets and the basketball team’s efforts to boost flagging attendance by creating the first-ever hip-hop halftime dance team comprised only of those 60 and older. 

Georgia Engel, best known for her role on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, plays a school teacher who secretly loves, listens and dances to Tupac in her spare time. Engel steals the show with practically every line of hers getting huge laughs, showing that not only can she still sing and dance at the age of 67, Engle has lost NONE of her terrific comedic timing. 

Also, Stefanie Powers most famous for her role on TV's "Hart to Hart" looks, dances and sounds absolutely beautiful in her role as the slightly bitter divorcee. Once crowned Miss NY Subway, she refuses to let go of her youthful image holding on any way she can, including Botox and still taking three dance classes a week at the age of 73.

Two of the best songs in the show “Dorothy/Dottie” and “The Prince of Swing” are the work of Marvin Hamlisch (“A Chorus Line”), who worked on the show just before his death in 2012.

Dance team member Camilla is played by a tall, thin, gorgeous Broadway singer and dancer, Nancy Ticotin, who at age 58 engaged in a HOT, sexy affair with her 25-year-old salsa partner (Alexander Aguilar). Ticotin's excellent dancing and voice are really standouts in this show and her affair with a younger man is entirely believable as she looks and dances with the grace of a woman half her age. 

Mae, who is an adorable, well-meaning but slightly confused and off balance dancer is played by Lori Tan Chinn. Chinn gives heart wrenching but casually delivered rendering of “The Waters Rise”, a moving song about her husband’s deterioration from Alzheimer’s disease. 

The sole man in the dance group is Ron played adorably by Andre De Shields, a still mourning widower who has a fantastic mellowed out yet modern feel to his Jazzy dancing and delivery of straight forward encouragement to the ladies around him in the show. 

Like many of the characters in the show, I "used to be a dancer" until I was disabled in an accident so I really loved the fact that they showed that practically everyone has some of the ability to keep dancing at an advanced age, whether it's hip hop, swing, or tap if you like!

"Gotta Dance" also showed the ageism young dancers face when being "retired" forcibly from their dance squads at the ripe old age of 27. 

I highly recommend "Gotta Dance". This is a funny, fast paced, heartwarming and inspiring show every single person should see at some time in their life.

"Gotta Dance" reminds us all we are spirits living in bodies that may be slowly deteriorating, but we need never give up the JOY of DANCING our young or old bodies - in our living rooms at least! Playing at Bank of America Theatre through January 17th, tickets and more show info can be found at www.BroadwayInChicago.com. 

Here is a theater event that is so rich you cannot be disappointed. Anyone who attends Dynamite Divas: A Tribute to Women in Soul will be richly rewarded by the experience. In fact, it is so good, I would say run, don't walk, to the Black Ensemble theater to see it. (It runs through January 24.)

The premise of the play is self-admittedly thin: African-American multi-billionaire Mr. Maurice (Rueben D. Echoles, who directs, choreographs and designed costumes) has paid $2.5 million to each of four grande dames of soul - Nancy Wilson (Rhonda Preston), Gladys Knight (Rashada Dawan), Roberta Flack (Melanie McCullough), and Aretha Franklin (Shari Addison, a real show-stealer) - who are to spend the day preparing for and then performing in a television special. 

Why just these four? Well, Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross, and Tina Turner were considered - but schedule conflicts kept them away. Besides, these four personalities are probably the only compatible mix, as we discover in the course of the show.

Why put on such a show? Mr. Maurice, who claims to have earned his wealth through his inventions  (e-mail, texting, touch-screens, and Botox!), wants to celebrate the musical accomplishment of these remarkable singers.

These actresses' divas, as personified by these exceptional performers, capture not just the singing style, but also the personalities of their real-life counterparts. And they, too, are mystified by Mr. Maurice's circumstances and motive.  "A black billionaire we've never heard of?"

While the set-up is ridiculous, the music, and the performers, are anything but. In his performance as Mr. Maurice, Rueben Echoles sets the stage with such an abundance of energy, that he truly casts a spell across the audience, forcing the room into a complete suspension of disbelief. That is theater! (And I don't say that lightly, after four decades in the audience.)

Though well paid, these divas - in their 70's - need to be coaxed to sing at first. An extra $50,000 finally breaks the ice, and Gladys Knight lets loose with "I've Got to Use My Imagination," her 1973 hit with the Pips. This offers an inkling of what is to come: Rashada Dawan captures that teary edge to Gladys Knight's voice throughout the night, and replicates the original convincingly - with the added power of being there live.

Now that the audience knows what to listen for, the next plot turn packs a punch using the Assimilator, a kind of holographic transporter used to call up greats of the past. First a phantasm of Billie Holiday alights on the stage and performs, really channels, Holiday's "God Bless the Child" - followed by almost equally powerful impersonations of Dinah Washington ("The Bitter Earth") and Nina Simone ("Mississippi Goddam.")

As Mr. Maurice convinces each Diva to sing - beginning with first hits, and other career high points - the other three sing back-up. Music fills the 299-seat stage for what turns out to be a very short 2-1/2 hour run.

While each of these leading ladies is a powerful performer, and ably capture the singing style and phrasing of their diva, it is Shari Addison who most often seizes control of the stage - befitting her role as Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. As the most familiar personality, Franklin gives Addison more to work with. But in McCullough's Flack singing "Killing Me Softly;" or in Preston's Wilson doing the signature "Guess Who I Saw Today," to cite two examples, the stage, and the listeners, belong to those performers.

There are also live performances or video tributes to many other notables - Chaka Khan, Mary Wells, Patti Labelle - the list goes on. Beyonce Knowles also crashes the event, in person, asking why she isn't included in the diva pack, earning a dismissive retort from Aretha: "Do you think they will be singing 'Single Ladies' in 20 years? She also tells Beyonce, "We love your music, at least some of it."

With a rich supporting cast that includes Mr. Maurice's technicians Donald Craig Manuel (as Hubert) and Kyle Smith (as Youngblood), Dynamite Divas thrives on its six-man, all-star band: music director Robert Reddrick on drums, Justin Dillard on keyboard, Mark Miller on bass, Gary Baker on guitar, Dudley Owens on woodwinds, and Bill McFarland on trombone. These guys were versatile and solid as they ran through the years and genre of the divas. Backing Rhonda Preston's Nancy Wilson on "Guess Who I Saw," the performance was "live recording" quality.

Dynamite Divas: A Tribute to Women of Soul at the Black Ensemble Theater comes very highly recommended.

The Apollo Chorus has been performing Handel's Messiah since 1879 and they have it nailed. Singing through the 53 Bible passages Handel set to a Baroque score 250 years ago, it becomes quickly clear - three numbers in - as the choir sings its first part, who owns this performance: it's the Apollo Chorus. Performing and recording steadily through the years, this volunteer singing body is professional caliber. And largely as a result, this is a very satisfying Messiah - just right to kick off the holiday season. 

By the time the Apollo Chorus goes at it, we have heard the opening Sinfonia by the 28-piece orchestra assembled for the performance. The orchestra has all the essentials required for a strong Handel's Messiah: trumpeters ("A Trumpet Shall Sound"), timpani (essential to the Hallelujah Chorus), an organist (a fundamental underlay for the majesty of Handel's masterpiece); a harpsichord (like the organ, this is the house instrument at the Harris, built for Barbara Gaine's Music of the Baroque ensemble); and 20 string players, with Jeri-Lou Zike leading as concertmaster among the five first violinists. 

At this point we have also heard from tenor, William Hite (a Senior Lecturer in Voice at U. Mass in Amherst and frequent opera performer), the first of the soloists (in the recitative, "Comfort ye my people" and the air "Every valley shall be exalted.") He knows how to sing the part. 

The 120-member chorus then rises to its feet for "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed.") It is signature Handel, and signals to the audience these singers both know the music, and know how to they want to deliver: purposeful and strong, with tightly controlled volume, and clear expression and phrasing. They are consistent throughout 

For those who have listened often to the Messiah, there are markers for style and quality: the tempo (is the Messiah to run fast or slow); soloists: will the basic trio of bass, tenor and soprano by joined by a mezzo-soprano, contralto, alto, or the increasingly popular countertenor? Will they use 18th century period instruments?

Messiah geeks go further, for example, stressing over the expression by singers and players of the ornamental grace notes that bring the trilling associated with baroque music in general. These free-form music indicators are subject to interpretation. 

The Apollo Chorus has made the choices that provide its audience with an accessible, enjoyable and up tempo Messiah, crisply delivered in a rapid 2 hours and 50 minutes including one intermission (and a five minute delay about 20 minutes in as latecomers were seated.)

Conducted last night by Steven Alltop, this Messiah also saves the fidgety members of audience from what can seem an interminable sitting for those who aren't regular baroque listeners.) It's fitting considering Handel wrote the piece from a libretto by Charles Jennens in just 22 days. 

We'll note that once in a while the spaces between passages seemed a bit too short. At certain points the silence between airs and recitative functions like a palate cleanser for the ear.  

The chorus sings with clarity - bring to mind the 300-member Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Apollo Choristers enunciate the language.   

The prominence of the chorus contrasts with the soloists, each skillful, but not making for a natural ensemble. Bass singer Sam Handley, a graduate of Lyric Opera's school, whose background indicates he is trending as an opera performer, warmed as the evening progressed. In his opening with "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts" he seemed a bit tenative - the Harris is a space that takes some adjustment for performers -  but by the time we reached the air "The trumpet shall sound," Handley's individual sections were generating excitement for this listener. (They say he leaves audiences "panting for more.")

Amanda Majeski has the volume and baroque technique down cold, and presented the soprano role in the Messiah with great strength. (She is a frequent performer at Chicago's Lyric Opera, where Majeski's work is described as  "shattering, star-making performance."

Likewise, Elisa Sutherland sang very well, in fact, with more warmth perhaps than Amanda Majeski. But she was certainly struggling with volume - and as a consequence the audience could not hear her well. Owing to this, when concertmaster Sikes accompanied her, the violin performance was in danger of overshadowing Sutherland. Being close up I can attest that she sang wonderfully, if too quietly for the space.