Items filtered by date: November 2007

“The Birthday Party” at Steppenwolf’s new upstairs theatre, is theatre in the round at its best, with the living room set in the middle of the room amidst the audience, almost giving us the feeling that we are part of the play. With Chicago theatre heavyweights filling the cast, including John Mahoney, Ian Barford and Francis Guinan, we are treated to rich and passionate dialogue, making the show fiery and heartfelt. Harry Pinter’s “The Birthday Party” takes us from the dull times of daily living to a fast-paced, intriguing and often uncomfortable situation to which all hell breaks loose.

The story revolves around a boarding house in England run by Petey (Mahoney) and Meg (Moira Harris) where there single guest of nearly a year Stanley (Barford) has been hiding out from a past “organization”. Everything has been calm and relaxed until two mysterious guests arrive, members of this organization, to confront Stanley. Stanley, normally cocky and rather rude to his hosts, takes on a scared and fragile demeanor once confronted by the guests. But it’s Stanley’s birthday and Meg has a party planned, inviting the two guests, Goldberg and McCann. Goldberg and McCann are on their best behavior in front of Meg and Petey, while Stanley is obviously enveloped with impending doom. While Petey picks up the gravity of the situation, Meg is oblivious and is as overbearingly sweet as usual.

I enjoy watching John Mahoney in live theatre every chance I get, though I felt his tremendous gift of acting was a bit wasted here. While John Mahoney’s vast talent was harnessed by a less challenging role, Francis Guinan plays Goldberg and is just magnificent. He hammers his lines with the intensity of a wrecking ball making contact with a dilapidated building. Also to note that Sopia Sinese, daughter of actors Gary Sinese and Moira Harris, makes her Steppenwolf debut in strong fashion as “Lulu”.    

“The Birthday Party” is a dark comedy that may not get you in a birthday mood, but will get you to laugh at times and uncomfortably stir in your seat at others. Directed by ensemble member Austin Pendelton, “The Birthday Party” is playing at Steppenwolf Theatre through April 28^th.   For more information visit www.steppenwolf.org. 

In a small and unassuming theatre on a low traffic corner in Chicago rests a playhouse that offers some big surprises. We ventured into this playhouse to see, unbeknownst to us, a world premiere production. Southbridge, written by Reginald Edmund and directed by Russ Tutterow was as unassuming as the playhouse it was performed in and left this writer wanting to see what else the playwright and the theatre have in store.

Set in Athens, Ohio in 1881, Southbridge tells the story of a white, widowed woman who is brutally attacked and killed. An angry mob is at the jailhouse door demanding the sheriff lynch the accused murderer, a young black man called ‘Stranger,’ wonderfully played by Manny Buckley. The only way to untangle the truth is for the accused to relive the events that led him to the jailhouse. Stranger’s flashbacks weave a creative who-done-it web filled with surprises, subtlety, and just a touch of sorcery. The stories of the characters intertwine throughout the play and constantly surprise the audience. And while there is an underlying theme of racism throughout the play, as to be expected of a play set in 1881 America, it doesn’t throw it in the audience face. The story feeds off of that tension but is not eclipsed by it, allowing the audience to get fully engrossed in Stranger’s story. The wonderfully cast five person production featured Ashley Honore as Nadia, Stranger’s wife that gave up her dreams, Lance Newton as a slick African-American businessman, Edwin, Wendy Robie as the widow Lucinda, and Gene Cordon as the alcoholic Sheriff Ward, who looked as though he stepped right out of the 1800’s, complete with white handlebar mustache. The cast brought this American play to life and showed what a great group of people, from production to performance, can bring to the stage.

The play was performed at Chicago Dramatists, an organization in Chicago with a single mission: to find and nurture plays and playwrights that bring a new voice to the American stage. It’s a safe and encouraging environment where actors, playwrights, producers, and directors can come together to bring American features to life. It’s a refreshing concept in our oversharing, judgmental, sometimes overly critical society. And while Chicagoans have a plethora of playhouses and stages to choose from, Dramatists offers a raw originality that you can’t find at some of the larger production houses. And if Dramatists continues to have plays like Southbridge grace its stage, then you better reserve some permanent seats in the small theatre; you might just find yourself sitting in front of the next great American play. Southbridge runs through March 3^rd at Chicago Dramatists (1105 W Chicago Ave) Run Time: 2hr

It's 2004 and a violent war is raging in the desert. In Afghanistan, young, fatigued soldiers fight against terror, but in a secluded West Coast mansion, a war of word wages between a strained family. Brooke, the daughter of two prominent old-school Republicans - Ron and Nancy are among the dropped names - has just written a new book. This should be cause for celebration -- she's a brilliant writer who's just emerged from a 6-year depression-fueled writer's block, but it's not the novel Mom and Dad think it is. Her brother and aunt know it's a memoir, exposing a dark, family secret, sending the five-member family into a Christmas from hell in the humid desert heat.

Whether Brooke's new work is an expose for profit or her therapeutic life's work is a question that hangs like smoke in the Chicago premier of "Other Desert Cities" at Goodman Theatre. Lauded during its Broadway debut in the fall of 2011, Jon Robin Baitz's Pulitzer Prize finalist "Other Desert Cities" is a strong exploration of the modern blurring of the public and the private lives and how money complicates the matter even further. But this blurring has become faded in its translation to the Goodman's Albert Theatre. Perhaps the bi-coastal themes (East Coast academics versus West Coast relaxers) resonate more strongly on the coasts, or perhaps the cast doesn't quite carry the firecracker power of the NYC debut, but the Chicago show doesn’t live up to the potential the script holds.

Tracy Michelle Arnold's depressed Brooke is a bit one-dimensional, and not until the final scene does it really feel as if she has fallen into her character. Deanna Dunagan and Chelcie Ross Lyman, both connected with August: Osage County (a similar family drama fueled by heat) are strongly suited to play the aging GOP matriarch and patriarch of the family. John Hoogenakker is delightful as the brother trapped in the familial crossfire. A Los Angeles reality TV producer, he is on the front lines of profiting off a family's fights, and Linda Kimbrough's eccentric substance-abusing Aunt Silda provides much needed comedic relief in the tense family drama.

But Henry Wishcamper's direction has the cast swimming around the stage throughout the one-setting play - aimless, often lacking purpose, which seems to spill over into other character choices. Further, at the opening of the play, I felt something I'd never before in a theatre: I couldn't quite hear the actors. Whether it was a technical amplification question or not, it felt like it symbolized a soft understanding of the characters rather than fully inhabiting them and sharing them with the audience. Jon Robin Baitz's script is funny and smart, and his jokes are able to overcome their sometimes soft delivery in the Chicago premier, but I couldn’t help but imagine what New York audiences saw and responded so passionately to.

Other Desert Cities is through February 17, 2013. More information at http://www.goodmantheatre.org

Simply put, Christine Sherrill puts on one of the best all around performances I’ve seen in some time. Playing “Norma Desmond” in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard”, Sherrill clearly shows why she is a top stage talent with her brilliant use of dramatics, comedic timing and, maybe most of all, her commanding range of vocal finesse. Sung with power and Flair, Sherrill is beyond perfection in numbers “Salome”, “As if We Never Said Goodbye” and “Phone Call”. If for nothing else, “Sunset Boulevard” is worth seeing on Sherrill’s performance alone, but a well-rounded cast and blazing orchestra make this a show that runs on all cylinders.

Taking place in the 1940’s, this film noir-to-stage classic is the story of how Joe, a young writer waiting for his break, meets up with Norma Desmond, an ultra rich silent film star who has been out of the scene for some time, but has delusions of making a strong comeback.  As Joe (who initially stopped by because of car trouble) helps Norma rewrite her script, the two become close and in many ways dependent on each other. Norma is controlling and Joe desperately needs work and though the two are worlds apart emotionally and physically a strange romantic relationship occurs between the two to benefit each other’s needs.

With a slew of songs, mystery romance and even murder, “Sunset Boulevard” is a fully functional musical that evokes emotions of anger, sadness and pity, as the characters are well-defined and the story nothing less than tragic.

Will Ray is fantastic as “Joe”, both acting and singing his way into the hearts of audience members, while Don Richard deserves kudos for handling his role as “Max”, Norma’s loyal, pride and true butler.

Sunset Boulevard is playing at Drury Lane in Oakbrook through March 24^th. For tickets and/or more information, visit www.drurylaneoakbrook.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company kicks in the 2013 season with a dark comedy that is both engaging and compelling from the opening scene that has “Jackie” finding the hat of his girlfriend “Veronica’s” alleged lover. Just out of prison, “Jackie” takes a big step towards starting his new life by getting himself a job. However, everything takes a turn once “Jackie” is convinced “Veronica” is seeing someone on the side and his “new life” is no longer his priority. Jackie finds solace in talking things through with his sponsor “Ralph D. and “Cousin Julio”.

Written by Stephen Adly Guirgia, fast dialogue and lots of cursing make this story move quickly and with realism. The story has plenty of on edge moments, but also rounds out well with a good amount of funny lines and sexy scenes. The story flows smoothly and never threatens to lose audience interest. Fun twists and turns await around every corner in this witty show directed by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro.

John Ortiz (“Jackie”) and Jimmy Smits (“Ralph D.”) put forth the dazzling performances that one would expect in a Steppenwolf production. Both are able to take command of the stage in each scene performed, as well as get good laughs from the audience. Ortiz and Smits roll with “Motherf**ker”, have fun with it and kick its ass. “Dynamite” would be the word of choice regarding both of their performances.    

Sandra Delgado, Sandra Marquez and Gary Perez round out the talented cast and each are excellent in their own right. Perez as “Cousin Julio” had some very funny scenes. The cast shows great chemistry together and the story is rich in displaying the different behaviors in humans incited by the circumstances that surround the characters – both good and bad.

The thoroughly entertaining “The Motherf**ker With The Hat” is well worth seeing and is playing through March 3^rd in the downstairs theatre of Steppenwolf (1650 N Halsted St). For tickets and/or more information on “The Motherf**ker With The Hat”, visit www.steppenwolf.org. 

The highly anticipated musical theatre production, “The Book of Mormon”, winner of nine Tony Awards, has made its way to Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe) amidst its second national tour. With a humorous story revolving around young Mormons spreading the word of “Heavenly Father” according to The Book of Mormon, the production is filled with hilarious dialogue and silly musical numbers.

Nic Rouleau, who comes directly from the Broadway production, leads the mega-talented cast as the over zealous, overly ambitious Mormon advocate, “Elder Price” , along with Ben Platt who plays his bumbling partner, “Elder Cunningham”. Price’s dream is to be sent to Orlando to spread the word, but the pair is sent to Uganda, much to his chagrin. A compulsive liar, Cunningham, stumbles his way into a “successful” mission by reinventing The Book of Mormon to the locals, outshining Price and the other existing Mormons sent by the church who have not found any success by preaching the true word of Mormons.

Keep in mind this show was written by South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, so humor that pushes boundaries should be expected. There is plenty of R-Rated cursing and, like their famous cartoon, no topic is safe from jabs. Matt Stone and Trey Parker were on hand for the opening night performance in Chicago and were greeted to a standing ovation when they took the stage following the show. “The Book of Mormon” feeds the audience with a steady stream of solid laugh material and is as funny as advertised.

Though high demand for the performance has the show sold out through March 3^rd, “The Book of Mormon” is set to run through June 2^nd. Tickets run from $45-$115 and are available through Ticketmaster retail locations or online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.     

I do love all the standard holidays shows and music that come with the season but there comes a point where I feel overloaded by all the sticky sweet extravaganzas and tearjerkers and just want to  laugh my ass off. That is when I head straight to Mary's Attic for a good dose of the campy, mind-opening fare that director/composer David Cerda always serves up in style.

2012 is the fifteenth anniversary of Cerda's camp classic that Chicago audiences have come to know and love that spoofs the 1964 “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” TV special. This prancy Rudolph is a reindeer who wears red hose under his coveralls and is picked on for being neither gay enough for the other gay vogue-ing reindeer, nor straight enough for the bucks who pull Santa’s sleigh. With hilarious yet meaningful songs like "They'll Hate You If You're Different", "Christmas Makes Me Bitter" and "If You Want To Catch A Man, Don't be Yourself! (You've got to HO HO HO it.)" “Red Hosed Reindeer” successfully conveys the message, and makes everyone in the audience feel, that "Being Normal - isn't normal at all!"

Ed Jones steals the show as a sex starved, drunken, Mrs. Claus, desperately eating pills out of Santa's hand and then again later in the show in a mind-blowingly funny Cher impersonation as “The Drag Beast”.  Wide-eyed and lithe dancer/singer Alex Grelle as “Rudolph” is also fantastically funny. The audience never knows whether “Rudolph” is just a cross dressing reindeer or gay, which I like because it shows that there is a lot of hyper-criticism in the gay community, too - pressure from all sides to be "normal". I also loved Santa’s mournful, lusty rendition of “(God) I Miss Her So" when Mrs. Claus finally makes her escape from Santa’s verbal abuse and philandering with female reindeer.

As always, Cerda’s productions comes complete with a large, tremendously funny cast, well-dressed in outrageous costumes, and show stopping musical numbers.

If you are a little tired of all the shows and commercials endlessly pushing the perfect family and picture postcard presentations down your throat - then run, skip or sashay - don't walk - to catch one of the performances of “Rudolph The Red Hosed Reindeer” at Mary's Attic in Andersonville  this year. You will leave feeling like a million “bucks”… have just helped you with your makeup and hair and declared you fabulously ab-normal!!

For tickets and information visit www.handbagproductions.org.              

Merry Christmasukah!

Looking for a fun way to get you and your family into the Christmas spirit?  Look no further – The Radio City Spectacular at Rosemont’s Akoo Theatre featuring the Rockettes pulls out all the stops. From singing Christmas favorites to the dazzling famed  New York chorus line, this show has your Christmas fun covered.

The show begins with the classic holiday hit, “Sleigh Ride”, as the Rockettes are dressed in reindeer leggings and antlers as they prepare to pull Santa’s sleigh. Jumping from one festive scene to another, the show also features the Radio Hall Singers and of course, Santa Claus himself.

The production includes incredibly original and unique versions of many Christmas favorites including “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, “Here Comes Santa Claus”, “The Nutcracker” and “Joy to the World”. Numbers are complimented with magnificent screen displays in the background, amazing costumes and imaginative choreography including “The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” where the Rockettes incredible dancing concludes with the illusion of the full line soldiers all collapsing in perfect slow motion into each others arms after a silent cannon blast.

There was a great slide show presentation with the full illustrious history of the Rockettes and how the Radio City Music Hall was saved from destruction by their unwavering popularity with audiences. The current lineup of Rockettes are all amazingly gifted dancers, the caliber of their dancing ability in all forms including tap and ballet is still unmatched par none.

My favorite number was  “New York at Christmas”, which featured a marvelous moving double-decker bus and I Max screen illusion wherein the audience and Rockettes are driven around a  romantic and snowy white New York City at Christmas time. I used to live in Manhattan and it really brought back such beautiful stunning memories of ice skating in Central Park and watching the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center, pure magic!

Also, “The Living Nativity”, which created the illusion of a vast star lit, celestial night sky above the stage while the audience watch the three wise astrologers cross the desert following the brightest star to Jesus birth was brilliantly and reverently performed.

It was also a special delight for me to observe the many little girls in the audience watching these fantastic dancers with awe,  obviously studying dance themselves. I saw the show the same day as the tragic shooting of schoolchildren in Connecticut and found this incredibly entertaining and joyous performance the perfect way to be reminded of the beauty of humanity and the power of dance, singing and  theatre to give  real hope to our nation's children for a safe and peaceful future.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular will be playing at The Akoo Theatre through December 30^th. Be sure to check it out if you can!

With the Christmas season comes the good guys we’ve come to love so dearly like Charlie Brown, Rudolph, George Bailey and of course Santa Claus, but it’s also the time for holiday nemesis’s such as Ebenezer Scrooge, Mr. Potter, Burgermeister and the Whoville hater himself, The Grinch. Well, the famous Dr. Suess character, along with the Whos, can be seen at Cadillac Palace through December 16^th in “How The Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical”.

Certainly far more suited for children, “The Grinch” is full of cartoon-like humor, silly songs with redundant choruses, rhyming dialogue, colorful costumes that are colorful and of course, a big, furry green Grinch. Bob Lauder narrates the story as “Old Max”, the Grinch’s faithful dog, and gets to display his powerful baritone pipes in the favorite “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch”.

Though most songs aren’t very memorable, the couple that were are sure to stick in your head such as the case with “Who Likes Christmas?”. “The Grinch”, played by Stefan Karl, was as boisterous, hateful and conniving as one would expect him to be. An instant attraction once he took the stage, kids faces throughout the crowd lit up, showing awe and excitement, especially during a sequence when The Grinch appeared to be flying on his sled across the snowy banks to snatch Christmas from the Whos.

Though I am not sure which “Cindy-Lou Who” was performing the night I attended since two actors alternate performances, I will mention both names as having been outstanding in the role, Jenna Iacono and Georgia Kay Wise. Kudos of course to Stefan Karl, as well, for the great job he did in bringing The Grinch character to life.

“How The Grinch stole Christmas” is exactly what you would think it is – a big, vibrant show with lots of songs, childish jokes and lovable characters that stays true to the holiday classic that Dr. Suess created. It is a story of change in someone due to an unconditional good that squashes hatefulness.  

For more information on “How The Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical”, visit www.broadwayinchicago.org.