Items filtered by date: November 2007

Have you heard the “White Noise”? White Noise is a brand-new rock musical that opened yesterday at the Royal George Theater in Chicago. The show is about a major record label where a top-selling producer stirs up an explosive cocktail with two diametrically opposed groups-”White Noise,” an irresistible pop band that churns out catchy tunes of coded ratial rhetoric and “Bloodbrothas,” the hip-hop-turned-gangsta rap duo. The show is inspired by real life about the conventional challenges of free speech, media and the power of pop culture. Also, the band White Noise, consisting of the characters Eva and Eden, are loosely based on the real-life sister duo Prussian Blue. Brilliantly written by the young Matte O'Brien; music and lyrics by Robert Morris, Steven Morris and Joe Shane. The show is produced by Whoopi Goldberg, and what a perfect producer to have on board. They all made great effort to make this show rock!

The cast was led by MacKenzie Mauzy as Eva and Emily Padgett as Eden, both extremely talented playing the sisters that formed as White Noise. The band also included Eva's sadistic neo-nazi boyfriend Duke played by Patrick Murney, whose performance showed such strong emotion. The “Bloodbrothas” rap duo is played by incredible duo of Wallace Smith and Rodney Hicks. Then, we have the record producer, the crazy funny Douglas Sills, whose sarcasm and attitude worked really well, along with his assistant Jake played by Eric Morris. They worked great as a team.

As quoted by book writer Matte O' Brien, he said, "White Noise is a powerful and contemporary look at how language and music are used and misused as an influence in pop culture. We live in a world where rhetoric is carefully designed and targeted to sell. As such, it is oftentimes hard to know right from wrong, and we easily become desensitized to what words mean. We hear the noise around us, but we are not listening. This show encourages us to sharpen our awareness to what we're consuming-the words, the sounds, the media messaging-and reminds us that we always have the choice to decide what we take in, and what we let out.”

This show raises the bar for a rock musical. The lights, the set, the band, the cast, the story. It all works! The music and lyrics were very catchy. But watch out! Some of the lyrics in some songs and the language in this show may make some people cringe. Even though the show is very anti-Semitic, racial,  and controversial, it did make a very solid point. We should really listen and pay attention to the world around us and what we hear in music and in television, because people decide to take in what they want to hear, and are sometimes blinded by actual reality and the truth behind things. Matte O'Brien makes a very solid point above, talking about how everything is targeted to sell. The people that buy the music really should listen to what they're buying. Sometimes the truth is in the lyrics. Overall, despite a lot of the subject matter and being billed a "Cautionary Musical", please be cautioned because this show could be a solid hit on Broadway!

The production quality was magnificent! I definitely recommend this show to everyone! GO SEE IT! I think this show will make it a long way, especially when it goes to Broadway! Best of luck to the cast and crew to this show! I know I'll definitely be seeing this again.

Tickets are currently on sale for the 8-week limited engagement. April 1-June 5, 2011, at the Royal George box office, 1641 N. Halsted Street, by phone (312) 988-9000 through Ticketmaster or www.whitenoisetickets.com

Tickets for the regular run, on sale through June 5, 2011, are $54.50-$74.50. Student tickets are available at the Royal George box office for $20. Student tickets must be purchased in-person with a student I.D.

For more information, visit www.whitenoisebroadway.com. Follow White Noise on Twitter, http://twitter.com/wnbroadway and http://www.facebook.com/wnbroadway.

The Boys are back in Town! Thin Lizzy comes back to Chicago for the last leg of their tour, and man do they still sound good! Some old members, some new. But either way, they make up a great team! The band's comprised of new lead singer Ricky Warwick (The Almighty) who replaced original lead singer, the incredible and legendary Phil Lynott, original member Scott Gorham on guitar and vocals, Vivian Campbell (Dio, Def Leppard) on guitar and vocals, Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake) on bass guitar and vocals, original member Brian Downey on drums, and original member Darren Wharton on keyboards and backing vocals.

The band that opened for TL was a Chicago-based band called Marty Casey and Lovehammers. A great alternative rock band with a front man who acts like Freddie Mercury in my opinion. Marty Casey got claim to fame as runner-up to be new lead singer for INXS on the reality show “Rock Star: INXS”.

Despite the rest of the band's initial apprehension, they supported Casey and could occasionally be seen in the television crowd cheering him on during his performances. On September 6, 2005 Marty Casey debuted a different version of the pop-heavy Lovehammers song, "Trees", which had been previously available for download on the Lovehammers website. It became an instant hit with the audience and debuted on MSN.com as a #1 download. They played a great set of originals, along with a great cover of The Who's “Teenage Wasteland.”

As Thin Lizzy came out, the crowd roared with yells and applause. I'll tell you one thing, these guys really know how to get a crowd going. They played all their big hits that night. From “The Boys Are Back in Town,” “Jailbreak,” and “Still In Love With You.” Ricky was a great lead singer, and everybody showed off their stuff amazingly! They came out for 2 encores paying tribute to late TL guitarist Gary Moore who passed away not too long ago. Overall, a fantastic concert that was no to be missed!

Go to www.thinlizzyonline.com to see where they'll be playing next!

Also check out Marty Casey and the Lovehammers at www.lovehammers.com

I got a chance to catch up with new lead singer Ricky Warwick for a bit to talk about how it feels to be the new front man of Thin Lizzy.

Buzz: What drove you into performing?

Ricky: Well, I've seen a band called Stiff Little Fingers playing In Belfast when I was 14, and it was one of those moments of me knowing I wanted to play guitar. It was one of those shows that blew my mind. I knew right there and then that's what I wanted to do. It was life changing.

Buzz: How long have you been with Thin Lizzy?

Ricky: Well, I started last May, so it's coming up to be a year.

Buzz: Where did The Almighty start from?

Ricky: The Almighty started in a small town in Glasgow in Scotland. I moved to Scotland from Belfast when I was about 15. I met a couple of guys in my last year of high school, and we started playing in bands, and we stated rehearsing every week. We've been playing together for about 4 or 5 years, and we morphed into The Almighty. We started out very quick with that band. But it was basically born in Glasgow, Scotland.

Buzz: I know you're from Belfast. What do you think about Gary Moore and his passing recently? How has his death affected you and the rest of the band?

Ricky: Well, you know, it's awful. He was just an amazing guitar player. He played on my favorite Lizzy Album, which is “Black Rose.” I never knew Gary. That was probably because he's from the same part of Belfast as I'm from. But I never knew him. I always knew him as a fan, you know?Obviously Scott and Brian, who've played with him. It has a big effect on them. They've lost a friend and a fellow musician. It was very sad, you know. And he left at 58 years old which is awfully young. It's just sad when you lose a great talent like that, you know?

Buzz: Now I know Vivian Campbell is in the new lineup with you and he's in Def Leppard. Now, how long have you known Joe Elliott and how did you meet one another?

Ricky: Joe and I met back in Dublin, Ireland back in 1996 at a secret David Bowie concert. How cool is that? I was living in Dublin at the time, and I went to the David Bowie concert obviously. And I knew Joe was a big fan of The Almighty cause of the magazines and everything. But we've never met. I just walked in and he was standing at the bar and he said, “Ricky Warwick?'” and I said “Joe Elliott?” He bought me a drink and we hung out. We love going to see music and have a great love of soccer. And we've been best pals for going on 20 years now. I was the best man at his wedding, and you know he's just a great guy.

Buzz: Where did the name Thin Lizzy come from?

Ricky: It was Eric Bell, the original guitar player that came up with it. He got it from a comic. I think it was called The Dandy, which was a UK comic back in the day. And there was a character in there called Tin Lizzy, which I think was a robot. And it just became Thin Lizzy. I know when it first got around, Phil didn't like the name, and nobody could come up with anything better. So it just obviously stuck. It turned out to be the fantastic band name that it is.

Buzz: Can you tell me about the legend of Phil Lynott?

Ricky: Yeah, well I grew up on Lizzy. They're one of my all-time favorite bands. And being Irish, they were a huge impact on my life when I was a kid. And Phil, he was just so enigmatic. He was a rock star. His lyrics were phenomenal. He wrote about stuff. It's almost poetry. It's so beautiful the way he writes. He's a great front man, a great bass player. He's just God. You know to the kids that are just starting bands, just go on YouTube and look at Phil onstage. Look at his moves. Look at the way he delivers songs, because you want to be a rock and roller, that's what you need to aspire to. That guy right there. And he was a comic back in the day. You gotta understand, back in Ireland, there was very few black people in Ireland. I mean, you see a black guy, you know, fronting a rock and roll band. It was just so unusual, and so fantastic. I mean I worshiped all the guys in the band. And the fact that you think, these guys are all Irish, that just makes it even cooler, you know? And you know the world now, it's such a multicultural place now. And in Ireland with the very very few black people back in the day, Phil was very unique. You know? Just the way he looked. Such a strong look. And he was just a great songwriter. Such a great front fan. He's probably the greatest front man in the world in my opinion.

Buzz: How did you join Thin Lizzy?

Ricky: Very simple. I know Scott. I've known Scott for a while. Scott asked me to join the band, and I couldn't wait a second to say yes.

Buzz: How do you feel performing with these Rock Legends?

Ricky: It's a dream come true. I'm living a dream. When somebody says to you as a kid, “Would you like to front one of your favorite bands?”, you think that would be so great. And it's happened for me, so it's very surreal. I'm very honored. I'm very proud. I'm very aware of Thin Lizzy, and I want to do my best for Lizzy fans. For Phil, for myself. And it's just like Christmas every day man, it's fantastic.

Buzz: How has Thin Lizzy's music, and performing with them, aspired you in being a better musician and singer?

Ricky: Well, just be learning a lot about the way Phil would write songs and his sense of melodies. They're such great songs. And you gotta play them with some passion and intensity. And you gotta be just as tuned into Phil, and you gotta play them the way people know them and love them as well. You know, you can't just screw with greatness. You shouldn't screw with greatness. So I like to deliver the songs, where people recognize them straight away, and in the end Ricky Warwick's singing this song. There's a balancing act you gotta do to get that Phil created, and you're putting your own personality into it as well. I would never dream of trying to clone Phil. I think that would be the biggest insult you can give the guy. There's only one Phil Lynott, and that's it.

Buzz: What advice would you give aspiring rock singers and musicians?

Ricky: Obviously play from your heart. Learn from greatness. Check out amazing front men and singer, and watch what they do. And try to incorporate that into your own technique and your own style. Play from your heart and follow your gut.

The night is still young and the fun is about to begin.  The energy of the Cubby Bear is bouncing off the walls, and fans are excited.  Lords of Acid take the stage, lead by Praga Khan, and the enthusiasm is higher than an ADHD child without medication.  The announcement of a new lead singer makes the crowd even happier.  DJ Mea comes to the stage with a confidence of a performer that has definitely been on a stage for more than a few performances.  She is like the hot girl that every guy wants, but can never take home.  She interacts with the crowd as though they are her friend, but they will never be good enough to walk down the aisle.

DJ Mea is able to talk with the crowd and share in their enthusiasm.  She enjoys singing all of the greatest hits just as much as the fans love hearing them.  They played everything from their Lust album, including the song “Pussy.”  The band plays as fully charged as they want their crowd to be.  Khan keeps the crowd going better then any hip-hop hype man, and DJ Mea keeps the crowd intrigued.  The people in the crowd are able to enjoy the hits that cover an entire lifetime of an average of five bands.  They’ve been around for a long time and consistently show us why; their drive for always being fresh and new in unmatched.  Don’t miss this band on tour—you would miss one great show!

Oh, what a night it was! A night full of laughter fun, and the great sound of 4 guys blending in harmony. They are Under the Streetlamp. Under the Streetlamp consists of Michael Ingersoll, Michael Cunio, Shonn Wiley, and Christopher Kale Jones. Since Jersey Boys closed a while back, these guys decided they wanted to form a show where they still can sing the songs they want to sing, tell fun stories, and joke around with each other and the audience. The guys met because they were all in Jersey Boys. Under the Streetlamp is an original show that was self-produced by Michael Ingersoll.

 They started out the night singing old songs from the 50s, with songs like “I Wonder Why,” “Blue Moon,” and “Sh-Boom.” Then they each took turns showing the audience their own stuff. Shonn started with “Fools Fall in Love/L.O.V.E.,” then Cunio told the story about how he got started with Jersey Boys. He then went on to sing “At Last” in the original key. That's amazing for a male vocalist. It was then time for Ingersoll to show off his stuff with “Save the Last Dance/Cupid.” After they took their turns, they payed tribute to the Beach Boys. Then Shonn payed tribute to late Johnny Ray with “Cry.” A beautiful song that belongs in the book as one of the greatest songs of all time. Shonn agreed. Then they closed the first act with a nice Soul Medley.

The Paramount Theatre in Aurora holds about 1,800 seats. Almost every one of them was filled for the concert. The house was packed. The guys said that this the most tickets they've ever sold for a concert of theirs. It's well worth it. I've seen these guys 6 times and they never cease to amaze me. Fans of the show Jersey Boys were in for a treat for the second act. The boys started with “December '63 (Oh What A Night)” then went into a “Stay Medley”. After the audience roared with applause, they talked about bands and artists that influenced them. Cunio started off with his tribute to the Beatles with “Twist and Shout”. Then Ingersoll payed tribute to Elvis Presley with “Devil in Disguise.”As the tributes went on, Cunio payed tribute to Van Morrison, singing “Moondance”. Shonn then proceeded to tell the story about how his father influenced him as a performer. He explained to the audience how his father was a dancer, and how he followed in his father's footsteps and became one too. Then, he proved to us what he can do, and boy can that boy tap. He tapped incredibly as he sang “When You're Smiling.” Ingersoll came up right after him with a tribute to his grandfather who was a jazz pianist, with a great arrangement of “That's All.” Next up, it was Christopher Jones' turn with his signature song from Jersey boys, “Can't Take My Eyes Off of You.” Before the song, he explained what it was like playing Frankie Valli and what it was like meeting him. After the song, the audience cheered with applause for the song they all knew and loved. The boys closed out the show with a Rock Medley. For the encore, they came back out with “Workin' My Way Back to You” from Jersey Boys.

 Overall, it was a very enjoyable concert. If you like music from the classic era, but also love the contemporary sound, you will LOVE these guys! One thing I really appreciate that these guys do, is they always try to raise money for awareness at every concert. Tonight, it was for the local food pantry. At every concert, they always auction off a framed copy of “Can't Take My Eyes off of You” signed by Frankie Valli himself. Tonight, it was bought for $5,000. I highly recommend this show to everyone. I'm not just saying that to say that. You really will appreciate what these guys have to offer, and they seemed to make all of us happy in the audience. At the end of the night, we were all humming their songs coming out of the theatre. If you can make your audience remember you coming out of the theatre, then you really did your job as a performer. Congrats on everything guys, and keep on rockin'!

 Be sure to check out their website, and see when these guys will be coming to a city near you! www.underthestreetlamp.com

7 WALKERS

FEATURING BILL KREUTZMANN, PAPA MALI

GEORGE PORTER JR. AND MATT HUBBARD

ON TOUR NOW

SELF TITLED DEBUT ALBUM RELEASED

TO RAVE REVIEWS

Saturday, March 26 @ 9:00PM (Doors @ 8:00PM)

Double Door

1573 N. Milwaukee Chicago, IL

Tickets $20.00 Adv, $22.00 Dos / Ages 21+

For more information, please contact 773-489-3160 or visit www.doubledoor.com

The Merchant of Venice is not one of Shakespeare's most well known plays, in fact few of the people sitting around me in the theater had even read it let alone seen it. But the play is a gem, portraying cultural and religious stereotypes that are still prominent in today's society. The central themes in the play are simple: tolerance/prejudice, justice, mercy, and revenge.

The play is a tragic comedy centered on the wealthy, Christian merchant Antonio. Bassanio, a friend of Antonio asks for money in order to woo Portia, a rich heiress whom he is in love with. Antonio cannot afford the sum, but asks the Jewish moneylender, Shylock, for the funds. Shylock agrees, but only under the condition that if Antonio does not repay him, Shylock will take a pound of flesh from Antonio for payment. The story plays out, culminating in a trial that decides where fault lies, questions justice and fairness, tests forgiveness and ultimately determines right and wrong in the religiously one sided city of Venice.

With multiple storylines and minor characters, The Merchant of Venice can be difficult to follow on paper, but the cast of the Shakespeare for a New Audience company seamlessly bring to life the play for a new generation. The play is acted out on a single, industrial, technology-enabled set that even incorporates Mac computers and graphic designs. Similar to the styling of “Ten Things I Hate About You” (a modernized portrayal of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew), the company takes the Merchant of Venice and puts the modern, relatable twist on the play. The masquerade in which Leonardo and Jessica, the daughter of Shylock, steal away with her father’s riches is turned into a wild rave featuring techno music, Bassanio’s friends: Solanio, Salarino, and Salerio, work on the stock exchange. Lancelot, the foolish man in the service of Shylock, is a pot smoking delivery-boy who tells it like it is and is hilariously portrayed by Jacob Ming-Trent. Ming-Trent stole the show each and every time he was on stage with his adaptation of the goof Lancelot, from his facial expressions and subtle nuances, to his live delivery. But the true standout performances came from the female powerhouses of Portia and Nerissa, played by Kate MacCluggage and Christen Simon Marabate (respectively). Portia and Nerissa play smart, strong, sharp witted women.

The big highlight of the play and the company was watching F. Murray Abraham (Scarface, Amadeus) play the Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Shakespeare often made Jews the evil characters in his stories, pitting them against good Christians. In this case, Shylock is the “evil” Jew, who demands flesh in lieu of payment from the good and kind Antonio. We learn about his pains of living in Christian Venice, how others spit on him, cut him down, steal his goods, treat him like an alien. He wants fairness in Venice, and famously beseeches Bassanio’s friends with the heartfelt plea;

"If you prick us do we not bleed?

If you tickle us do we not laugh?

If you poison us do we not die?

And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"

But as much as we can empathize with his character, we also despise him. He is a man seeking revenge from Antonio but refuses even greater sums than he was owed, viciously demanding blood and flesh. He is also despised by his daughter Jessica, who runs away to escape her father’s household and further betrays and enrages him by running away with Lorenzo and converting to Christianity. It isn’t easy to balance this on the stage, but Abraham beautifully brings the two sides together in his portrayal of Shylock. Abraham brings an art to Shakespeare’s signature character and leaves the audience wanting more.

Chicago is filled with amazing theater, and we’re lucky to have an amazing choice of Broadway productions. The Shakespeare for a New Audience company, along with Broadway in Chicago, put on an incredible performance in the Merchant of Venice that any theater lover will not want to miss. The Merchant of Venice is plays through March 27th, 2011. For tickets and more information visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

It was Hamlet who said “the play’s the thing”, and Yasmina Reza’s play has won so many awards, it feels almost impossible to say anything critical about it. It’s a light, frothy modern-day farce, which lifts the audience up, before pushing them out into the spring Chicago air.

When Alan (David Pasquesi) and Annette (Beth Lacke)’s son hits Veronica (Mary Beth Fisher) and Michael (Keith Kupferer)’s son with a stick while playing, the two couples meet to discuss the issue. The evening starts well enough, with some clafoutis and coffee, but quickly descends into farce, as people’s social masks begin to slip.

The play is a modern-day comedy of manners, asking questions about parenting, relationships, and the correct way to dispose of a cell-phone that won’t stop ringing. All of the actors put in solid performances, the highlight being Pasquesi as an oleaginous lawyer, looking to bury a story about his pharmaceutical client. His wife, Lacke, is suitably neurotic, given her workaholic husband and apparently feral child.

In most farces, all is at is seems, and Reza’s play doesn’t deviate too far from the norm. The biggest laughs come from the physical comedy, but if were being picky, I’d complain that it’s the play itself that really just doesn’t deliver quite the replete number of laughs per minute. It’s an enjoyable enough 73 minutes, that means everyone’s at home in time for the babysitter.

God of Carnage is playing at Goodman Theatre thru April 17th. For more information visit www.goodmantheatre.org.

What can I say about “Johnny Boy's Graduation” other than it's INCREDIBLE! This show had to have been the BEST time I've ever had! The show, an interactive comedy by Mark Nassar, co-creator of “Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding,” and by Kevin Alexander, Denise Fennell and Justine Rossi, takes place at Boni Vino Restaurant on Van Buren Street in Chicago. From the moment you walk into this restaurant, you're family. Johnny's mom greeted me at the door, and the rest of the family started hugging me as I'm walking in. When you walk in, it looks like an Italian restaurant. Everyone was waiting in the lobby by the bar, as members of the family were walking up to people and making small talk. As everyone was talking, the wonderful Tiffany Turner, who plays Stella was singing songs until everyone went in the dining room. And man, can she sing! I was talking to a buddy of mine when sweet Little Mary came by, played by the funny and talented Sarah Bockel. She was telling us how she doesn't like to sing in front of crowds, then everyone forced her to sing. She sang Patsy Cline's “Crazy”, and WOW! One of the best versions I've heard. After Mary sang, we all entered into the dining room. Everyone was assigned to different tables. I was lucky enough to sit with the family. The main host for the evening was Dommie Spits, played brilliantly by creator Mark Nassar. He cracked me up all night. What I love about this show, is that everyone in the show interacts with the audience. The Chairman (George Hambach), assisted by The Saint (Johnny Rickert), went up to make speeches, along with Suds (Ron Cooper), Max Golden (Marty Shannon) and Willie Whacko (Bato Postran). The speeches leading up to Johnny Boy's arrival were hilarious, with the video screens showing Johnny Boy's release from prison. As we were waiting for Johnny Boy to arrive, we were the invited friends and family, throwing him a surprise party. Then, the arrival. Everyone went crazy, and the honoring began. The ever so funny Franny, played by the hilarious Jane Allyson, went up on behalf of her husband The Chairman to make a speech for Johnny. There were other members of the family too that were making speeches for Johnny. The ever so lovely Camille, played beautifully by Samantha Gold, and her husband Mickey Mouth, played by the brutus John Bellon. There was Little Mary, and her wise-ass/filmmaker husband Nicky Nerves, played by the hilarious Peter Parilli. The part where he brought his new “star,” played by Jan Godshaw, was hysterical. Along with filmmaker Dante (David Gigante), these two are a good team. But most importantly, we can't forget Johnny Boy's one true love Angie, played by the wonderful Jamie Brouillette.

As the getting-out-of jail-party commenced, all the family and friends are trying to figure out where the diamonds are. See, the reason Johnny Boy got thrown in the slammer for years, was for participating in a jewel heist. He was the only member of the gang that got caught and had to do time. But Johnny Boy is also the only one who knows where the diamonds are. Throughout the whole show, that's what's on everyone's minds. But, anyway, back to the party. Before we eat the elegant food that's served to us, Father Mike (James Grana) says a prayer for us with a plastic light up Jesus. The food was great. They were serving mostaccoli, ravioli, sausage and chicken. Don't complain about the food, or you'll get whacked. As the night goes on, there's more comedy, more fun, and more laughter. The party continues into the lobby room with dancing and singing. Father Mike was playing guitar, while everyone was partying it up. Throughout the evening we also had the smooth-voiced crooner, Mr. Bobby Boni (Joe Bonadonna). He entertained the crowds with sing-a-longs and a “Sinatra Battle.” Then, finally, by the end of the show, we have Det. Gus Tedakis, played by the brilliant Peter Buckley, raising all the commotion. As the show came to an end, we find out where the diamonds are, and a couple other surprises you have to see to check out! After the show, you can meet everyone out of character, and do karaoke.

Overall, this was the best theater experience I've ever had. And I HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend everyone should see this show! You'll have a blast! If you've gone to “Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding,” you will love this! A wonderful interactive experience, where you'll leave never wanting it to end. I recently caught up with Creator and Producer Mark Nassar, who told me a little about how this show came to be, and about its origins. Thanks Mark for creating a FANTASTIC show!

7 pm on Saturdays Open-ended run, Boni Vino Ristorante, 111 W. Van Buren St., Chicago. $60, includes dinner except for drinks. Tickets are available on the website: www.johnnyboysgraduation.com If you enter the code BUZZ, you'll get $5 off tickets.

Buzz: I heard that there's a prison across the street from the restaurant. Does that have any significance to the show?

Mark: There is a prison on the corner about a half block away. The MCC. metropolitan correctional center. federal prison. mostly a hold for people waiting to go on trial. I was visiting a friend who had a stay there. walked down the street and there was Boni Vino's like a gift from heaven -perfect location. plus it gives us the opportunity to show a video of johnny getting out of jail and walking to the party in one shot. i don't think we'll ever find a better location. a guys getting out of jail and it's only a hundred yards away. plus the place didn't need any design or decoration. it was better than a designer could do.

Buzz: Where did you come up with the idea for this family?

Mark: In this case I created characters for actors I already new and wanted to use. mostly TNT vets in NY. the parts evolved from rewrites and they went from being mob to being a family of thieves. They are a little of both now.

Buzz: What prompted you to come up with Johnny Boy's Graduation?

Mark: I always wanted to do an interactive show about gangsters. then an opportunity arose when I needed money for a video project. I got together with some TNT vets (Kevin Alexander, Justine Rossi, Denise fennell) wrote a timeline with some characters. Kevin, also a writer of TNT came up with the idea a party for a guy getting out of jail. bingo! we threw up a very loose improv gangster party for only one night and it was a huge success. we raised a good amount of money. we did it again as a fundraiser for a theater company. Yonkers fireman played the gangsters. it was a riot. I thought it would be a success in chicago because of the gangster mythology there and with the success of TNT in Chicago, I thought it would be a no-brainer. I looked for for years for the right space here and finally found it in Boni Vino's. (of course when I found it I had no money but that's another story and a good one.)

Buzz: How is this show different from Tony and Tina's Wedding?

Mark: The basic difference of course, is that one is a wedding and the other is a gangster coming home party. The party itself is the most similar aspect of the two pieces. I think where they diverge is that "Johnny Boy's" is more scripted. It's still more event driven than lot driven because we want to avoid it being a murder mystery, but the actors have far more lines than they do in TnT.

Buzz: Will this show eventually go to New York?

Mark: The original producer of TnT has shown a lot of interest in bringing it to NY. I also have interest in Vegas. For now though, I am focusing on Chicago, solidifying it here, before I move it to another city.

Buzz: What made you want to write this show?

Mark: On the interactive side I have written, in addition to JB's and TnT, I wrote a show called "Birdy's Bachelorette Party", which is a spoof on "Chip n' Dales" and a big ole girl's night out. Ran for five years at the Culture Club in NY. As far as standard plays, I wrote a play called "The Mayor's Limo", about a guy who pisses on The Mayor's Limo and lands in a squad room. It had a successful off- broadway run, is published by Samuel French and was made into an Indie film called, "A Line in the Sand", which I also wrote. It won a good amount of awards on the festival circuit. (The film has won awards from: Bridge Fest (Audience Award), Santa Monica International Film Festival (Best Feature and Audience Award), Montana Independent Film Festival (Best Feature), Naperville Independent Film Festival (Best Actor - Jon Bernthal), Canada International Film Festival (Best Feature and Grand Jury Award), George Lindsey UNA Film Festival (Golden Lion Award). As a result of this success I have been hired to write about 4 screenplays in the last couple of years by various producers. I have a play, called "Shouting in the Wilderness", which had a workshop in Aiken South Carolina. www.shoutinginthewilderness.com

I would like to add the most important part of Johnny Boy's, I think is the casting. I was so lucky to get the types and talent that I did. I wanted authentic working class Chicago types. I have people with a ton of experience and some with little or none. This cast has gone above and beyond just acting. They have helped in all aspects of production and sold a ton of tickets to keep this thing floating in the beginning. With no money down this was surely a very trying, yet rewarding organic theater experience. Also people like Vic P, and dear friends in Chicagoland took care of me, helped me and allowed this thing to happen.

They call themselves The Pink Floyd Experience, and what an experience it was. From the moment you step into the theater, you can see the haziness on the stage, as if it were a Pink Floyd concert. I have seen The Australian Pink Floyd Show and Think Floyd USA, and in my opinion, these guys did what those other two tribute bands can't do. The Pink Floyd Experience is made up of 6 guys. Tom Quinn on lead guitars and vocals, Howard Pattow on lead vocals and guitars, Gus Beaudoin on bass and vocals, Jesse Molloy on saxaphone, keyboards and vocals, John Cox on keyboards and vocals, and John Staten on drums. Wait, there's no female backup vocalists? That's right. These 6 guys did all the vocals themselves. These guys showed those other Pink Floyd tribute bands what you can do when you have 6 guys doing everything. Besides, less is more. The only drawback I had was I was waiting for the lasers, but they had a cool light show, and the videos were phenomenal. They started off the night playing the entire album of “Animals” from front to back. Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of that album. I've always been a “Dark Side of the Moon” fan. But the guys really pulled it off. The best song they performed off that album in my opinion was “Dogs”. There's just so much emotion in that song. After they performed the entire album, they took a 15 minute intermission.

The second set was unbelievable. The guys played all sorts of Pink Floyd songs from their catalog. They were playing everything from “Time” and “Money” to “Run Like Hell”. The performances of each of these players was very unique. Howard Pattow on lead vocals was a pleasure to listen to. His vocal range is unbelievable! He was able to mimic Roger Waters perfectly. To be honest, it's hard to find good vocalists who can sound like Gilmour and Waters. But these guys were able to do it really well. Jesse Molloy on saxaphone really blew me away! I've seen other sax players playing Floyd, but this guy outdid them all. He blasted through “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and “Money”. The lead guitarist Tom Quinn looked and sounded like Dave Gilmour. The biggest highlight of the night was “Comfortably Numb”. These guys rocked the hell out of that song! With the disco ball whirling and the dazzling light show, everyone was cheering, because they knew the words. There were about 1,500 people at this concert. All Pink Floyd fans. It felt like you were at a Floyd concert. There was the stench of marijuana and alcohol everywhere, screaming fans and audience sing-a-longs. It was like being at a huge party. By the end of the night, they closed with “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2” from “The Wall”. All topped off by a giant inflatable pig being thrown into the audience, which was very cool. Overall, The Pink Floyd Experience lived up to its name and was a great experience.

To find out more, check out their website: www.thepinkfloydexperience.net

Annie Baker’s acclaimed play "Circle Mirror Transformation" won the 2010 Obie Award for Best New American play and for good reason – the production is funny, moving, well-crafted, includes characters that are easy to identify with and is refreshingly simple. Effectively directed by Dexter Bullard, "Circle Mirror" projects a warmth and familiarity from its five cast members that is essential to the play’s success.

"Circle Mirror Transformation" takes the audience to a six-week community acting class that brings together a somber teenager, a former actress, a divorced carpenter, and an upbeat teacher along with her hippie husband. From a series of extroverted acting exercises in which some students take to with an over zealous nature while others perform on the opposite, more timid, end of the spectrum, to the general interactions between characters, this is a play that has audience members laughing out loud – and often.

Each cast member deserves kudos. Carmen Roman delivers a splendid well-rounded performance as acting teacher "Marty", while Steve Key ("Schultz") and Joe D. Lauck ("James") display their big time abilities to draw laughs. Rae Gray ("Lauren") nails her character’s downtrodden humor while Lori Myers ("Theresa") is nothing less than outstanding, delivering demanding physical comedy and punchlines in a seemingly effortless effort.

"Circle Mirror Transformation" is the prefect play to see if you are looking to stay away from the heavy or complicated and take in something light and funny that doesn’t make you think too much. The humor, though simple, is smart and the message, though simple, is endearing.

"Circle Mirror Transformation" is currently playing at Victory Gardens Theatre through April 10^{th. For more information visit www.victorygardens.org.}