Items filtered by date: November 2007

There is something timeless and lasting about 1920s and 1930s jazz. The lively tunes and sultry tempos defined an era and resonates throughout every aspect of our culture from movies and cinema, music and radio, and to literature and theatre. I jumped at the opportunity to revisit the art-deco, jazz-fueled era to see The Fats Waller Musical Show, Ain’t Misbehavin.’

The incomparable Drury Lane in Oakbrook transports us back to the 1930s to celebrate the music of Grammy Hall of Fame American jazz pianist Thomas “Fats” Waller and the vibrant spirit of the Harlem Renaissance. Set in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood in 1939 Ain’t Misbehavin’: The Fates Waller Musical Show is a non-stop party, featuring over 30 numbers with including “Honeysuckle Rose,” “The Joint is Jumping,” and “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” and of course “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” With a live pianist, a four-piece brass band, and an incredible cast of talented singers and dancers, you’ll lose yourself in the irresistible rhythms and soulful melodies that defined an era of musical brilliance. From sultry ballads to upbeat swing numbers, come to Ain’t Misbehavin’ for an evening of unparalleled entertainment where you’ll find yourself swaying and humming along to the enduring melodies from the legendary Fats Waller.

Coming into the play I was expecting one of two things. The first that this was going to be about the life of Fats Waller in the same way Tina Turner: The Musical or Beautiful: The Carol King Musical is. As the show started with the cast engaging the audience in the same style speakeasies and clubs allowed in the 1920s and 30s, I started to think the show was more like Choir of Man, more of a journey or a snapshot in time. But Ain’t Misbehavin’ takes a different approach entirely, one that this author hopes to see more theatre like it. Ain’t Misbehavin’ is an auditory and visual time capsule come to life. What it lacks in a narrative, it makes up for in pure enjoyment of the soulful music that defined an era and paved the way for modern jazz.  Director E. Faye Butler, a native Chicagoan and Southside resident surrounded by the beauty of the architecture and music of the Bronzeville neighborhood, says it best, “I wanted to bring a bit of history through the music of Fats Waller to the Drury Lane audience. Although Fats’ music was primarily written and performed in New York City during the Harlem Renaissance period, that same spirit and music was happening right here in Bronzeville at clubs where Fats performed, such as Club DeLisa, The Cabin Inn, The Regal Theatre, or The Palm Tavern. This was Chicago at its finest in 1939.”

With the exceptional talents of Sharriese Y. Hamilton, James T. Lane, Alanna Lovely, Alexis J. Roston, and Lorenzo Rush Jr., coupled with the music prowess of the Drury Lane Orchestra led by the incomparable William Foster McDaniel, this ensemble will have you jumping out of your seat and dancing in the aisles (or at least feel the urge to).

We’re brought into a world many people might not have experienced or heard about in every day experiences. To truly appreciate this piece you must not approach this show like others you have seen. It’s not a narrative. There is no great story arch. The actors and actresses need your engagement and enthusiasm (respectfully) and want you to interact with them when they signal you to. This is a club after all. Aren’t we all here to have a good time and listen to some incredible music? This is a show celebrating Fats Waller as much as it is celebrating incredible music that will stay with you long after the air raid sirens have gone off and we must once again be on our best behavior as we venture back to our lives. But for a short while, a brief moment in time, we can escape to 1939 Bronzeville where misbehaving is highly encouraged (respectfully).

The Tony-Award Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Fates Waller Musical Show revue is directed by E. Faye Butler and runs through Aug 18^th, 2024, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. Tickets are available at www.drurylanetheatre.com.

Katori Hall is an acclaimed American playwright, screenwriter, and director, known for her vivid portrayal of African American experiences and social issues. Her notable works include "The Mountaintop," which won an Olivier Award, "Hurt Village," and "Pussy Valley," which she adapted into the successful TV series "P-Valley." Hall's "The Hot Wing King" won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. A graduate of Columbia University, Harvard University, and Juilliard School, Hall's storytelling is celebrated for its authenticity and depth. Her work continues to shape contemporary theater and television, earning her a prominent place in the arts.

The Chicago premiere of "The Hot Wing King," directed by Lilli-Anne Brown, is a dramedy that serves up a heaping helping of laughter, family drama, and Black excellence – all sizzling with the promise of a fiery wing competition. Set in Memphis, Tennessee, the play follows Chef Cordell Crutchfield (Breon Arzell) and his boyfriend Dwayne (Jos A. Banks) as they prepare for the annual "Hot Wang Festival." Joined by their friends, the hilarious Isom (Joseph Anthony Byrd) and the stoic Big Charles (Thee Ricky Harris), their kitchen becomes a battleground of culinary creativity and personal challenges, both personal and relational.

Lilli-Anne Brown is an acclaimed director celebrated for her contributions to theater. She has directed numerous productions, including "Passing Strange," "The Color Purple," and "The Nacirema Society." Brown's work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Director. A Chicago native, she has made significant impacts in regional theaters. Brown is celebrated for her commitment to diversity and her ability to bring complex, underrepresented stories to life on stage.

The play's greatest strength lies in its characters. Arzell embodies Cordell with a nuanced charm, capturing his self-doubt and his yearning to reconnect with his estranged sons. Banks provides a grounding presence as Dwayne, the supportive partner grappling with his own family drama involving his troubled nephew, Everett. Kevin Tre'von Patterson as TJ, Everett's father, brings a raw vulnerability to the character. The standout, however, is Jarbari Khaliq as Everett. Khaliq delivers a heartfelt performance as the teenager burdened by grief and resentment, looking for stability in an ever-changing world.  

The production itself is a feast for the senses. Lauren M. Nichols' scenic design transforms the stage into a believable and vibrant middle-class Memphis home, an open-floor plan kitchen/living room with overflowing spice racks and countertops. On the second level is a comfortable guest bedroom. There’s a patio next to the kitchen with a barbecue pit and basketball court.  Yvonne Miranda's costumes are equally evocative, reflecting the characters' personalities and the play's Memphis setting. Jason Lynch's lighting design seamlessly transitions between the jovial kitchen banter and moments of tender introspection, while Willow James' sound design adds a layer of authenticity with the sizzle of frying wings and the pulsating beat of soul music. There is even the smell of barbecue sauce wafting through the air.

However, the production is not without its shortcomings. While Isom undoubtedly provides comic relief with his flamboyant personality and penchant for flamboyant outfits, his portrayal occasionally veers into the realm of stereotypes. Isom's sole function seems to be the "outlandish gay friend," a tired trope that robs him of the complexity that other characters possess. More thought should have been given to this characterization. This reliance on stereotype undermines the play's attempt to celebrate Black LGBTQIA+ experiences, it undermines the story and feels like a missed opportunity for richer representation.

The plot itself, while heartwarming, occasionally feels predictable. The looming wing competition serves as a clear metaphor for Cordell's personal struggles, and the play's resolution, while satisfying, lacks the kind of surprise that would elevate the experience. While the humor is well-executed, some of the jokes rely on familiar tropes, leaving the audience wanting a bit more originality.

Despite these shortcomings, ‘The Hot Wing King’ remains an enjoyable and ultimately uplifting theatrical experience. The strong central performances, combined with the vibrant production design, create a world that is both humorous and relatable. The play’s exploration of family and brotherhood, masculinity and identity, and the importance of community creates a rich and layered exploration of contemporary life and relationships, one that is sure to resonate with audiences.

"The Hot Wing King" delivers a heartwarming dramedy that celebrates Black joy and resilience. It shines with its strong central performances and vibrant production design, creating a fun and relatable world.  Audiences seeking a feel-good story with a touch of Southern charm are sure to enjoy "The Hot Wing King."

Recommended

When: Through July 21
Where: Writers Theater, 325 Tudor Ct., Glencoe
Tickets: $35-$90
Info: writerstheatre.org
Running time: 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission

Steppenwolf’s Laurie Metcalf gives us a tour de force performance in playwright Samuel D. Hunter’s masterful “Little Bear Ridge Road.” But you might find this is a little different than the roles from Ibsen and Albee for which she won Tony’s on Broadway.

As Sarah, the 60ish cranky nurse living alone in backwater Idaho, she may remind you a bit of Roseanne Barr (whose sister Metcalf played on TV): brusque and sometimes mean, but her remarks are more reflective, less scattershot than the commedienne's.

Set in the outskirts of Troy, Idaho during COVID, the play opens with Sarah in rubber gloves cleaning around her three-seat, motorized recliner sofa - the only thing we’re given in the way of a set. But to what amazing use Metcalf and director Joe Mantello will put that recliner.

Soon Sarah’s nephew Ethan arrives, (Micah Stock is excellent), and after the briefest of pleasantries his aunt castigates him for arriving at eleven pm, three hours past her bedtime. “You should have started earlier,” she says. “I’m doing chores to keep myself awake.” Sarah finally offers condolences and we learn the reason he is visiting: to settle the affairs of his late father, a meth addict who died the week before.

Our sympathies go right to Ethan, but that will change. Hunter’s masterful and subtle script unfolds and unfolds these two, peeling back the layers of who they are and how they got that way.

Metcalf’s performance as Sarah is striking. Tony winning director Mantello, who partnered with the Steppenwolf actress to commission Hunter’s script, has Metcalf roaming the stage, exiting left and right but still shouting dialog back to Ethan. Stock is every bit as good, but his character is wounded, emotionally stunted, and ultimately less likable. His mother, we learn, ran away when he was young, probably because his father was an active addict throughout his upbringing.

Another wonderful thing about “Little Bear Ridge Road” is the freshness and immediacy of the dialog. The playwright, through Sarah, gives us the things we really talk about today: the grind of punishing jobs, details of medical conditions and attendant bills, and especially, picking apart streaming video series as we binge through meals ensconced in our recliners. The playwright (Hunter wrote the stage version of “The Whale” which won an Oscar in its film adaptation) indicates where actors’ lines overlap, the way we naturally talk over each other. And he gives the cast three volumes for delivery: explosive, normal speech, and implied lines in enduring silences. Oh does it work!

Metcalf’s Sarah, in particular, puts this guidance to amazing use, especially as we listen in on her side of phone conversations. When she dresses down a work scheduler, her voice is hellfire, like she flipped open the door of a blast furnace. As she abruptly ends the call, Sarah resumes a conversation with Ethan, all collected and nice as you please. At a few points she toggles back and forth between these voices quickly, and suggesting this is how she battles for survival with the outside world.

As the scenes advance, we advance in time, and to other locations, all portrayed with lighting (Heather Gilbert) and this simple set of a recliner sofa on a turntable. We’re at Ethan’s father’s house, where we watch as he flits through his late dad’s effects; a bar in Moscow, Idaho where men hook up with men and Ethan meets James, an astrophysicist grad student; a hillside where the two look up at the stars and James names and describes them.

A year after selling the house, Ethan somehow is still in that recliner with Sarah. In one remarkable scene Sarah and Ethan debate the merits of a streaming show— a particular preoccupation of our COVID sequestration that still endures. The two rise and fall in their individual seats, moving from supine to sitting, and back, leg rests rising and falling, one character ascending another descending, as they sallie and joust in the discussion. If barcaloungers have body language, this is surely it.

And James begins to appear on the sofa as well. Sarah and James forge their own relationship, and the gradual revelations—Ethan’s mother abandoned him to his father, who was addicted to methamphetamine (the drug in the streaming series “Breaking Bad”), Sarah had miscarriages, and daunting medical challenges.

The playwright’s smartphone voices in particular merit our consideration. They are Sarah’s lifelines to real relationships, two of them credited as Kenny and Vickie, whom we never see. But Sarah does, on Facetime. These voice characters recur, a kind of chorus of commentary that advances the action. Facetime Vickie (played by Meighan Gerachis) calls out Sarah’s co-dependency on her brother, and now with her clinging nephew Ethan. Gerachis is also onstage at the end in a spot-on performance as a nurse, Paulette.

A play that takes us along new paths into unexplored terrain, “Little Bear Ridge Road” comes highly recommended. Its run has been extended until August 4, 2024 at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.

The running joke in my family is that we’ll go to the opening of an envelope if it were being opened at a theatre in Chicago. Whatever the show, the restaurant, the experience, we’re in. The third largest metropolitan in the United States boasts never before seen shows, touring productions, and home-grown arts that rival the best. While choices are plentiful, money is not. When choosing said envelope, one must be judicious, using word of mouth, reviews across different platforms, or influencers to determine if the juice is worth the squeeze. When deciding whether or not to recommend CLUE: A Walking Mystery experience here in Chicago, I’ll use the following exchange from the cult classic 1985 film of the same name to describe the experience:

Mr. Green: Now there's one thing I don't understand.
Professor Plum: *One* thing?

CLUE: A Walking Mystery is an interactive, IRL game of the beloved board game. In this version, the murder was never solved, the mansion sold, and the furniture from all nine rooms has been auctioned off and scattered throughout a specified area. Players must find the furniture found at local businesses and solve puzzles within them to figure out who did where and with what.

The experience begins in the lower level of Block 37 mall in the heart of Chicago on State Street. An actor “immerses” you into the Clue world, helping you launch the first “room” at a real working business (in this case Magnolia bakery) and then you’re on your own to navigate the busy streets and locate the clues at other working businesses such as department stores, Chicago landmarks like Palmer House, bars, and restaurants. If you’re able to find the venues that pose as the mansion rooms in this city experience, you then need to dodge and weave through patrons, staff, and shoppers. There is an excessive amount of material to consume at each location and groups are often bumping into each other at the artifacts to explore.

The experience and website boasts itself as an immersive experience, but its difficult to immerse yourself in Clue when you are also having to navigate one of the most highly trafficked areas in the city; you will play Frogger navigating bike lanes, dodging commuters and buses, you’ll play Guess Who with city street names and a simplistic 2-dimensional map, and you’ll play Hide and Seek with the objects or game “artifacts” you are trying to find. Clue is a complex game in and of itself that requires the player to keep rapt attention, look at all the clues and also have the ability to talk and play off the other players. There was no immersion in this experience, the interaction based on how much you are willing to give to it as it is a great deal of work. There is a companion application which you will 100% for more descriptive directions to the venues spanning several city blocks in a 1.5-mile radius of Block 37, hints to locate the physical “clues” to explore within the venues, or just skip the stop entirely as the app provides the clue and details should you simply get fed up, frustrated, or quit. While it also says it’s a go-at-your-own-pace, that pace better be within the 90-minute window to meet the butler at an obscure location along the Chicago river.

This experience was akin to an urban walking tour without any interesting Chicago history or facts. It is confusing and convoluted and if you have questions you are on your own. Have questions along the way? So? Figure it out. Have requests to repeat the directions? Should have listened the first time. CLUE: A Walking Mystery lacks the charm and true immersion that other pop-up experiences like the Ice Cream Museum, an escape room, or even a history walking tour offers for roughly the same price point. Though we started off rocky, we tried to make the experience worthwhile. But try as we might, we could find nothing endearing about this offering.

And to make a long story short (Too late!) This experience is confusing, frustrating, and not just very fun or entertaining. While it’s a great idea in theory, the execution relies on the love of a board game or the cult classic. In short, it doesn’t really have a clue…

CLUE: A Walking Mystery experience runs through September 15th. Tickets are available for purchase at cluewalkingexperience.com/Chicago.   

My first impression was, naturally, of the set: a stunning mural by Sholo Beverly in shades of blues and grays, the only color the red white & blue of an American flag. A series of posters were hung from the ceiling, from an announcement of a slave auction through Emancipation, the Civil Rights era and up to a headline from Obama’s first election.

1619 is the story of a journey made by an entire people: embarked upon involuntarily, maintained brutally, perpetuated coercively, and endured bitterly. Portions of the journey became gradually more volitional and intentional, e.g. the Great Migration between 1910 and the 1970s. But even that movement, though Isabel Wilkerson calls it an act of individual and collective agency, was neither truly spontaneous nor discretionary, but in response to the horrors of Jim Crow.

The journey was narrated by three individuals: playwright Ted Williams III, choreographer Marchello Lee, and Shannon Stiles, with four additional actors performing simultaneous enactments: Nicole Ross, Vanessa Love, Lucy Maura, and Ozivell Eckford, who was even more amazing on the West African hand drum as with the contemporary drum set onstage.

1619 is titled for the date that the privateer ship White Lion landed at Point Comfort [sic], Virginia, bearing 20-30 enslaved African people, who were traded by the ship’s chandler for supplies. The agonizing first scenes depicted the arrival of these terrified and traumatized people, and their sale as chattel. Indentured servitude was common in the seventeenth century, largely indigent white Europeans who were enslaved for as long as their indenture proscribed and then returned to their lives as free men. Enslaved Africans held no such contract; they were chattel slaves – property of their owners, as were their children, thus assuring an ongoing and self-renewing (organic and 100% pure; not a speck of cereal) supply of workers on whose backs the American South would build its empire of cotton, tobacco, rice, and indigo.

Our interpreters lead us to Juneteenth 1865, heralding the Emancipation Proclamation which, though flawed and limited, offered putative freedom to enslaved African workers. However, as one freedman stated, “we colored people did not know how to be free, and white people did not know how to have free colored people around them.” The result, of course, was mutual hostility and widespread mistrust, which has persisted to this day – 400 years, as Stiles repeatedly emphasized in her laments.

Stiles was superb, representing the anger, iron will, and exhaustion of Black women throughout history. The other two chroniclers debated in the hip-hop song Booker T or W.E.B.:  Williams made Washington’s accommodationist arguments while Lee aligned himself with W.E.B. DuBois, arguing for activism and reparations. I must admit this is where I began parting company with 1619 myself; attempts were made throughout to represent the virtues of both schools of thought but … see, I was 8 when Reverend King, with Bayard Rustin, Philip Randolph and 249,997 of their closest friends, Marched on Washington. There was, naturally, an article in Newsweek about it, with a sidebar specifically about the “I have a dream” speech. My mother cut that page out of the magazine and gave it to me, saying, “Keep this and remember this man. He’s a great man; he’ll go far.”  I still have that clipping in my childhood scrapbook, with the report cards and other memorabilia. Just sayin’—I’ve reverenced Dr King all my life, but at heart I’m more of a Malcolm sort of girl. Takes all types, n’est ce pas? And 1619 was written to speak to all types.

The music was amazing, comingling hip-hop, jazz, blues, spirituals, wonderful West African drumming by Ozivell Eckford and eight original songs. Marchello Lee’s choreography was marvelous, and masterfully danced by all players: Williams, Lee, and Stiles, with Eckford, Nicole Ross, Vanessa Love, and Lucy Maura. I think it was cool to see the playwright and choreographer on stage with the others; and Williams showed himself to be the consummate multi-tasker by also co-directing, with Fleetwood-Jourdain’s Artistic Director Tim Rhoze.

What didn’t quite work for me was the story sequence, despite the raconteurs. I lost the linear coherence somewhere between Abraham Lincoln and Rosa Parks, and found it difficult to reconnect, though I knew the chronicle fairly well myself.

I applaud Williams’ optimism, but I honestly can’t share it. The final song, about I See the Chains are Gone, wasn’t so much inaccurate as precocious; what event or circumstances does Williams see, present or forthcoming, that will actualize this change? The groundswell following George Floyd’s murder was squelched by a virus, and the many many subsequent murders have failed to revive that spark. Personally, I fear Williams may need to write an epilogue after November.

I was disappointed (though not surprised) at the audience: gratifyingly numerous and responsive, but overwhelmingly pale. True, this is Evanston, but the production was co-sponsored by Evanston Public Library and Northwestern University which, last time I checked, had no race restrictions in their admissions policies.  One hopes the NU Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations (the entity actually collaborating with Fleetwood-Jourdain) will put out some fliers.

Williams states in his biographical blurb that he ‘lives to inspire’. I wouldn’t necessarily call 1619 inspirational, but … let’s say it’s a safe production to recommend to your more ‘un-woke’ friends with reasonable confidence that they will learn something without being scared away. And the show is worth the time simply for the singing and dancing!

1619: THE JOURNEY OF A PEOPLE plays at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons through June 30.

RECOMMENDED

We all can do with a little more magic in our lives. Myths and Gods, magic and fantasy, these are the foundations of the stories we’re drawn to. They have a way of pulling us in, making us believe, and letting us escape the world around us, even if it is for only a few short hours. Magic can be found all over Chicago, take it from any die-hard Cubs fan; though it may not happen often, when we see magic, it stays with us. A little bit of that same magic is alive and well on the North Shore as the Skokie Theatre takes on The Lightning Thief: a Percy Jackson Musical.

The Lightning Thief: a Percy Jackson Musical is based on the popular novel of the same name by Rick Riodan. The musical follows Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old boy who newly discovers that he is a demigod and goes on a quest to find Zeus' missing lightning bolt and prevent a war between the Greek gods. With the musical’s book written by Joe Tracz and music by Rob Rokicki, this production has something for people of all ages. The musical first premiered on Broadway in 2014 with a rewrite and expansion run in 2017 though it hasn’t been widely performed in Chicagoland and it’s a shame. The musical is funny, witty, and simply magical.

Skokie Theatre only added to the charm of The Lightning Thief, the intimate vintage theatre lending itself to the production. Do not be deceived. This was no local community or high school production. The talent that brought this mythical story to life could grace any musical stage in Chicago and hold their own. Chicagoans will no doubt know the name P-Jay Adams who portrayed Percy Jackson, their pitch and vocal prowess a slice of magic in plot-moving musical numbers like “The Day I Got Expelled,” “The Campfire Song,” and “Killer Quest!” Adams led the plucky, youthful, and inclusive ensemble cast from the East coast to Los Angeles where the underworld resides. Delivering witty one-liners, embodying the characters of Gods and their angsty half-blood children, The Lightning Thief ensemble cast brought the mystical story to life and made us believe in the magic of the theatre.

While a Chicago theatre goer might not put Skokie or the North Shore on the map by comparison to so many powerhouses within the city, there is some kind of nostalgic magic at Skokie Theatre. Given the opportunity, Adams and many members of the ensemble cast could easily step onto any Broadway in Chicago stage. If given the production budget of a show like Death Becomes Her, The Lightning Thief: A Percy Jackson Musical would have the potential to make a spectacular run in Chicago.

The Lightning Thief: a Percy Jackson Musical is now playing on select dates at the Skokie Theatre located at 7924 Lincoln Ave in Skokie, IL through July 28th. Tickets are now available for purchase here. Lightning might not strike twice so don’t miss your chance to add a little magic to your evening and mock The Gods with your favorite demi-godlike hero.

First on the stage was Tabla artist Salar Nader, considered Afghanistan’s premier virtuoso on the tabla. His unceasing accompaniment was at times almost subliminal, then bursting out with intentional significance, but ever present, keeping us firmly rooted in Afghani culture … though I hadn’t been aware that in August 2021 the Taliban banned music in Afghanistan. Welcome to the States, Salar!

THE KITE RUNNER is based on the book by Khaled Hosseini, adapted for the stage by Matthew Spangler. Be warned that THE KITE RUNNER is not a light-hearted tale of boys frolicking in fields; many scenes in THE KITE RUNNER will be triggering to many people. These duplicities and complexities are what make THE KITE RUNNER a superb story.

Amir is the protagonist and narrator of the story, splendidly played by Ramzi Khalaf.  Fitting, as Amir’s talent for writing and storytelling is a key factor in his relationship with his father Baba (Haythem Noor), who is bitterly disappointed that his son is not interested in the games of ‘real men’, like soccer.

One game that Amir is enthusiastic about is Kabul’s annual Kite Fighting contest. Kite fighting is a two-man team sport: Amir directs and steers the kite while the glass-edged line is reeled out by kite runner Hassan, ardently played by Shahzeb Zahid Hussain. This relationship between Amir and Hassan is a central and enduring theme throughout THE KITE RUNNER.  

In Kabul kite fighting the kite strings are sharp and the sole objective is to use the tension of your string to cut all your opponent’s kite strings: the game is over when there is but one kite remaining in the sky. The runner’s role is to keep continual fixity on the line: just enough traction to make the string a weapon. There are no other rules … except, of course, that only boys can play.

Salar Nadar in The Kite Runner National Tour 

Amir and Hassan are closer than brothers: born into the same house, they nurse at the same (wetnurse’) breast, they take their first step together, and they speak their first words the same day: Amir’s first word is “Baba”, while Hassan’s is “Amir”. Though they live in the same estate, Amir and Baba sleep in the palatial house, all marble walls and crystal chandeliers, while Hassan and his father Ali (Hassan Nazari-Robati) live in a mud hut against the wall of the compound. The bonds of loyalty, Baba to his servant Ali and Amir to Hassan, are strong despite Baba and Amir being Pashtun, practicing Sunni Islam, while Ali and Hassan are ethnic Hazara and Shi’a Muslims. Throughout the story Amir struggles to navigate his feelings of ethnic superiority over the natural bonds of friendship: ‘But he’s not my friend! I almost blurted. He’s my servant!’ … and ‘Why did I play with Hassan only when no one else was around?’  

The Pashtun’s genetic elitism manifests in their relationships: meek, humble Ali would never dream of sullying his fealty to his lifelong master, any more than Hassan would renege on his allegiance to Amir. Both Pashtun men, however, deceive and betray the Hazara men they love dearly. Prejudice against Hazara is widespread: Hassan is often bullied by Assef (Wiley Naman Strasser) and his brutish cronies; Amir usually defends him… usually.

BTW: Any of this sound familiar? THE KITE RUNNER is totally relevant to 2024.

The production was splendidly directed by Giles Croft, with the able assistance of Cultural Advisor and Dialect Coach Humaira Ghilzai, who has meticulously crafted every detail to accurately reflect the glory of Afghan culture, particularly the Nikah (wedding) ceremony and the sparkling Afghan national dance, attan; I’ll wager Movement Director Kitty Winter had real fun with this!

The production crew was outstanding. The minimalist sets by Barney George were perfect to contain the complexities of the script. I loved how the curtains were triangular, like kites, and how their color changed via Lighting Designer Charles Balfour. The work of Musical Supervisor Jonathan Girling, Sound Designer Drew Baumohl and Projection Designer William Simpson allowed us to differentiate our location as the story moved from Kabul to San Francisco, from the kite-fighting fields to the cramped and sterile offices at Immigration. I need to give a shoutout to Fight Consultant Thomas Schall; he had a lot of work in this production and the fights came off flawlessly.

I always make sure to praise the Stage Manager. I once asked my friend and Thespian oracle, “so what does a Stage Manager do?” to which they replied: “Everything.” So, thanks, Giles T Horne, for doing Everything and doing it Well.

What makes THE KITE RUNNER truly remarkable is its complexity. The characters are multi-dimensional and expertly crafted out. The hostile Russian occupation of Afghanistan leaves deep scars; when the only oncologist Amir can find to care for Baba has Russian parents, Baba refuses, preferring death to fraternization.

The horror, however, was well balanced. Just when I thought I couldn’t take another barbarity, a word or a skillful mannerism would make me chuckle … and thank Whoever for that! cos there’s plenty of barbarity. THE KITE RUNNER is unquestionably a tragedy, but not irretrievable; Hassan’s final message to Amir said: ‘There is a way to be good again.’ *

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Playing through June 23; two shows on Saturday 6/15 at CIBC Theatre

*BTW, you can get a t-shirt printed with that legend in the lobby

When we think of summertime in Chicago, we probably wouldn’t associate it an existential play set in a small Russian town filled with woe and dread and longing. That style of play would fit better with the dark winter days. But like a required literature course in high school, or a classic novel from another century we had to read, it’s often later that we realize why we took that course, why we read that book Like Chicago itself, with its long dark winters, there is a beautiful tapestry of people with thriving, complex lives, with dreams and desires sometimes unrealized or just out of reach. That is at the theme at the heart of Anton Chekhov’s classic Three Sisters, now playing at Invictus Theatre for a limited time.

Anton Chekhov was a Russian playwright and short-story writer. Chekhov is often referred to as one of the three seminal figures in the birth of early modernism in the theatre. Chekhov was a physician by profession. "Medicine is my lawful wife," he once said, "and literature is my mistress." The playwright penned Three Sisters in 1900 and the four-part play was first performed in 1901. This seminal classic chronicles three and a half years in the falling fortunes of the four children of a recently deceased Colonel in the Russian army, notably three sisters: Olga (played by Maria Stephens), Masha (played by Katherine Schwartz), and Irina (played by Ellie Duffey). They have been living in a small town in Russia for the past 11 years and yearn to return to the excitement of Moscow. Their dreary provincial life is enlivened only by the arrival of the Imperial Army. The sisters' dreams of a new life are crushed when their brother marries a woman they consider ill-bred and mortgages the house.

Like the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, the eventuality of a courtship in Netflix’s One Day, like a Bears dynasty, the three sisters within the play long for something more than their lives. Throughout the first act they long to work, to contribute to society if only to fight the boredom a privileged life affords them. In the second act, they loathe work and long for a life of elegance and ease. Throughout the play they and others put Moscow on a pedestal, often whispering the name with reverence, like a prayer, as though the city would hold the promise to their happiness, the end to their misery. Juxtaposed against minor characters who are happy and contented, the stark contrast forces the audience to determine if the protagonists are justified in their woes or drowning in their self-made misery.

Chekhov’s Three Sisters has a timeless staying power that still resonates in the modern world and is a perfect existential piece to juxtapose against the beautiful Chicago summer evenings. Invictus Theatre Company took on the lofty goal of putting on the production as the first run in its new home at The Windy City Playhouse in Irving Park. Paul Schmidt’s translation and condensation of the four-part play into two acts highlights all the key points and themes. Set against an intimate and enchanting set by Kevin Rolfs, Director Charles Askenaizer transports us to the small Russian town filled with existential woe, philosophical debates on life and love, and bridges the centuries with this timeless classic.

As summer kicks off in Chicagoland, don’t pine for an evening out or promise yourself you’ll see this play one day. Seize your Moscow and see Three Sisters. Three Sisters is playing in a limited run at Invictus Theatre at The Windy City Playhouse at 3014 W Irving Park Rd through July 14th. Tickets are available at www.invictustheatreco.com. ваше здоровье.

I was thoroughly captivated by the remarkable dancers and musicians brought together by Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater’s Artistic Director, Irma Suarez Ruiz, and Executive Director, Jorge Perez in their latest production Flamenco Passion at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. 

The entire company of dancers were of the highest quality and training and the three 2024 guest stars, Raquel Gomez, La Lupi and Antonio Najarro proved that mature dance professionals in their prime (not just in their 20’s) can deliver dance delights that wow an audience and leave them breathless. 

Raquel Gomez was a towering vision of strength and drama in her solo piece, the world premiere of “Resilience.” Antonio Najarro turns up the steam heat with the most spectacular solo display of dance and wildly complicated castanets playing I have ever seen in the world premiere of “Flamenco Tango”.  The entire company came to life in the sexy, smokey and modern “Aries/Flamenco Tango” and company dancers Sammi Micklewright and Jonathan Pacheco shone as the sexiest, most fluid pair of lovers.

Raquel Gomez performing her work Resiliencia. 

But the night was brought to glorious fulfillment by the life changing talents of guest star La Lupi (Susana Lupiañez Pinto). La Lupi, a mature virtuoso of the art form, takes the stage with the fury of a tornado, and at times bends that fury into the grace of a bouquet of modest pink flowers bending in the wind. 

The interchange of these talented musicians on stage with the dancers was electric. Their wonderful soaring, and sometimes moaning voices, their rhythmically clapping hands and incredible guitar work was the impetus and background of La Lupi movements in particular. We were shown how live music literally creates and motivates the great flamenco dancer La Lupi the way stars in the sky affect the tides of the ocean. 

I was completely inspired by La Lupi’s amazing strength as a dancer. La Lupi’s dancing is acting, and dance combined, and the audience was able to see all of the pain and joy of life itself in her movements.  All of a woman’s life, her sex, birth, death, marriages and betrayals are clearly visible in her face and body - something that one normally only sees in a Broadway stage actor.  In La Lupi, these emotions extend to every move of her agile fingertips, every slap of her hands against her own body and every stomp of her heels - precise and exacting as knives. 

The lighting and costumes were fantastic as well throughout the show. In “Hidden Passion” for example, the female dancers appear in a smokey blue light, their beautiful faces hidden, wrapped in sheer blue material hoods, as they drape themselves around the bodies of their lovers who are dressed all in black. 

In another piece, the shawls or wraps that the female dancers traditionally wear are taken over by the male dancers and used as expressions of male sensuality and seduction in a joyous turnabout. 

I don’t often label a production as “must see” but this collection of dancers and musicians is without a doubt THE “must see” Chicago dance production of the entire 2024 season! With just a short three-day run at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts as part of the American Spanish Dance and Music Festival (June 7^th-15^th), we can only hope this production will be mounted again in the near future, perhaps at the company’s resident home at Northeastern Illinois University – so keep an eye open!

I highly recommend Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater’s Flamenco Passion for audiences of all ages who want to experience the true ballet of Spanish dance in its most exquisite and breathtakingly difficult expression.  

“Die Hard 4 Your Luv” by Kirk Pynchon and Mike Beyer at The Factory Theater is a great send-up of boy bands, those popular generators of light-pop ear worms that drew masses of devoted followers for the music, or the sexy styling. Groups like Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, One Direction and the like.

Tracing their roots to the Jackson 5, and now evolved into K-pop, these boy bands (and the parallel girl groups) were largely manufactured by recording studios or promoters, and come and go in every decade. They also launched individual star careers—Justin Timberlake, Nick Carter, Harry Styles—perhaps a testament to the quality of the talent recruited.

An amalgam of these bands forms the basis of the fictional Boyz Will B Boyz, the band at the center of “Die Hard 4 Your Luv,” also the name of a mock pop song that opens the show and gives a credible representation of what boy band music is like.
The band, replete with vacuous, venal personalities, is almost one character in the action, and like the real boy bands, there is a selection of looks and styling. all of them false: Jeffrey David Thomas plays J Swizzle, the “handsome one” and ostensibly the leader; Liam Ryan plays Chuckie Bones, the thuggish bad boy of the group; Matt Chester is Authentic, the sensitive loving one. 

And then there is Todd (Chase Wheaton-Werle) whose character rises apart from the rest, who consider him untalented and unrelatable, and relentlessly pick on him and relegate him to errand boy. We learn later Todd had been studying engineering and was forced into the band (by unlikely circumstances) when a predecessor quit in the middle of an album recording. Research had shown four boys out-pulls three.

The album was a hit, and now they were playing the big New Years Eve show in 1999—as the expected Y2K computer meltdown looms. This brought another unlikely scenario and the crux of the plot. The band is taken hostage by terrorists who hold them ransom, in exchange for the Y2K code fixes developed around the world. All except for Todd, who had been sent to get ice just before the terrorists struck. Unlikely as the story reads, all is in the effective service of a successful comedy and parody—not just of boy bands, but also thriller action films, as Todd teams with a security guard to save the day. Brittany Ellis plays to the hilt Yana Petrovian, the leader of the terrorists; Brandy Miller as Alyssa Tattinger, the band’s manager, is relentlessly scheming and manipulative; and Marissa Macella is marvelous as Meg, the security guard and real hero of the action.

It’s admittedly lighthearted, and there are many funny moments. Directed by Becca Holloway, with inventive staging by Spencer Gjerde+ (scenic design), there are a few rough edges, and one or two extended action battles (Jillian Leff is fight director) that may have been superfluous, but on the whole, a lot of fun and a good way to while away an evening.

“Die Hard 4 Your Luv” runs through July 13, 2024 at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St. in Chicago.