Items filtered by date: November 2007

You can tell this was put together by the best in the business.

Executive Producer Don Foster knew what he was doing when he came back home from California to present reality as only Chicagoland can provide. Rantoul & Die was a major hit, and it was beyond expectations when it showcased in Victory Garden's perfect theater space.

They call it Victory Gardens for all the right reasons. It is absolutely an amazing place to see a play, both of this size, and of it's caliber of casting. You leave feeling so fullfilled and relieved. This was definitely a victory for the whole team.

There's those Broadway shows ( big, a little spaced out, a little untouchable and disneyesque, tinny, distant ) and then there's that Biograph Theater magic that Victory Gardens brings to life that makes Chicagoland and the American Blues Ensemble the best there could possibly be. This juicy ensemble is not only filled with people who, as you're sitting in the audience and don't realize, are all over the place, on television, just unbelievable caches of performances, and you get to sit right there, like a casting director yourself, so close, and just eat them up.

This is not a pitch by the way. Rantoul and Die was excellent!

Chicago theater does not get any more physical and stimulating than this. It actually got so real several times I felt like I was in my own family's kitchen in the 70's when all sorts of shit hit the fan.

( Francis Guinan )

All of the performances in Rantoul and Die were perfect for their scripting. According to that real dark comedy aesthetic that opitimizes Chicago and what's really going on inside our deep seeded mentalities of disappointment on any front, Francis Guinan had the part that really made you connect with the overall frustration of the story, the rah rah let's get down to business "bullshit", and setting itself. He said it; not me.

Don Foster is the Executive Producer of this great and sad poetic look at the unrequitted demise of many people in life. Don is also a Producer of Two and a Half Men. His witness of living in the far end of Illinois, along with passionate story-telling talent, led to this sordid muse of what a strange fk'd up group of losing souls might be going through in those otherwise left for ill standalone middle of nowhere scenes, of which Illinois most definitely has. I have witnessed such realities. Illinois is quite a world.

Francis plays a dragged down, bottled up, sexually enraged, lonely and ready for destruction man, and boy did he do it right. Throughout the play his physical and vocal projections couldn't really get any more real without somebody actually getting hurt. That's what we like to call a serious Chicago play.

Plays are supposed to make you feel and become part of the whirlwinds and dimensions it's stories aim to penetrate you with. Televisions can only produce a shy, one-dimensional cringe only for the weak and anti-social.......but the likes of Victory Gardens Theater and Francis' energy in Rantoul and Die make you want to eat your own teeth and chew off your fingers. Lucky enough to catch it at the end of it's run; I could've seen it several times. It just makes me want to see everything at Victory Gardens.

( Cheryl Graeff )

Now we get to the retention of this whole story. The muse. There are tones in this play; then, there are resonnant energies that serve to remind you just how active the whole story is. What level of quiet mad insanity is bubbling under the complete need to scream holy hell.  Cheryl happens to represent one of the most perverted reminders of what sex can do to violate the innocense of a far-removed culture that otherwise should never be affected by or represent the adulterated images of money and sex, and in this case also a lack there of.  When you start reading into Cheryl's character a little bit you discover that she plays both sides of the coin wonderfully. This is how you begin to appreciate the creative casting, amazing talent, and true genius of both play and player alike, not to mention the creators who had the genius to pull it all together at a level as strong as this.

When it's revealed that she has gone through something a lot of women happen to suffer, and her explosion of over-positive and endearing closeness starts falling into the darkness that is Rantoul and Die, you understand so much more about human nature, and just how fragile the balance is. Her performance was over-the-top fantastic on all fronts and charming beyond repair.

( Kate Buddeke )

This woman gives another meaning to the phrase "kiss me kate". She really portrayed what was at the center of Foster's topic of "behind closed doors" problems. Kate plays a woman who tries to make right by following her lost dream of a realtionship. She little tries to "settle down" with someone from her immediate surroundings, and only after being pitted between both of her dark sides does she have a revelation, that lasts all of about 20 minutes. If you don't know somebody like Kate's character, then you don't live in good old America, as it was, as it passed, as it was lost, you just don't know the human condition.

Kate did an exceptional job of portraying a woman who uses adversity to fight herself out of a dead end that never ends. Tantamount to what I would imagine is a lifetime cocaine habit full of Saturn height highs that knows when the gravity drops the hell is going to melt your eyes out, so the carnage must go on...unfortunately is appears as if Kate's character has taken too many bumpy rides and the options are running out. She actually consoles herself against her angry trails by clinging to a vegetable, in this case her husband, who just so happens to shoot himself in the head after his insecurity becomes all too real.

( Alan Wilder )

Now here's the poor guy that gets to suck up all the carnage offered by Rantoul and Die. Meet the man who shoots himself in the head. Why? Well...he's the person in the middle of nowhere that would possibly never have a female companion in his world, and really you wonder if any talking bag of sympathetic flesh would do to satisfy his motivated need to sit around with doritos on the carpet, all the while recalling bizarre memberances of dead animals parts in the refrigerator.

When he is dumped on and left for trash he decides to end it all, but, as his character might as well have been, he ends up a bandage wrapped vegetable anyway, consciously or unconsciously witnessing the unraveling of a bunch of eventual truths that reveal the true grit of the story that is Rantoul and Die as a depiciton of such other lost distant small towns with dimming existences and dirty nail devilish circumstances.

The only thing he is really lucky about in the story is the otherworldly and oddly sexual connection Cheryl's character gives him as the mutilated innocense she is forced to carry under her rimmed glasses and insane happiness forces her to connect with the simplicity of his mortal injury.

Amercian Blues Theater Ensemble and Victory Gardens Theater in association with Don Foster really hit this one of the head. The casting of this idea was superb. And the room was beyond appropriate.

There are very few places you can embrace such an intimate and impactful setting as at Victory Gardens. And...you might find yourself sitting in the audience with television producers as this is the perfect way to digest, absorb, and enjoy any and every play.

This is where the serious people play.

For more information visit

http://www.americanbluestheater.com

Also go to:

http://www.victorygardens.org

When it comes to theaters in Chicagoland, there are the big, and the small, but there are very few that hold the magic that is the historic Biograph theater, and they all know it.

"Congratulations to Don Foster and this exceptional cast for what is certainly one of the most genuine pieces of human theater I have ever seen. Extraordinary!"

 Excellent!

Bravo.

Since it’s opening in 1994, the Porchlight Music Theatre has been entertaining thousands of excited theatregoers. They’ve staged forty-nine productions, including five world premieres. And in a now modern day, where most people rarely see or have maybe never seen a musical/play, I was thrilled to see this musical.

Based off of the 1944 novel, Anna and the King of Siam, by Margaret Landon the story portrays the experiences of a British schoolteacher (Anna), who is hired by the King of Siam as part of his drive to modernize the country of Siam. The relationship between the King and Anna is grossly conflicting; as well as by a love that neither of them are able to express. Anna and he king is a wonderful story about cultural differences and of forbidden love. The story of the King and I has been so popular that it was turned into a full motion picture in 1956 starring the great Yul Brynner and again in 1999.

After seeing the show, my first thought was that the show came off to a slow start. However, this musical production was a real treat and I did enjoy myself. It was humorous, fun and once the story picked up; my attention was completely diverted on stage.  Actress Brianna Borger, who plays Anna, really stood out in this musical. She was lively, excited, has a beautiful voice and she plays her role incredibly well.   Although all the actors and actresses have a wonderful singing voice, I enjoyed when she sang ”Hello, Young Lovers” the most.   Actor Wayne Hu, who plays the King of Siam however, was my favorite character of the show. Hu plays The King with plenty of enthusiasm and is also quite funny in parts of the play. His tone of voice and facial expressions throughout the play made his character quite enjoyable.   Over all, I think that all of the performers did a magnificent job; notably Kate Garassino who played Lady Thiang, and especially the young actors/actresses throughout the production.

It takes more than a few good actors/actresses to put on a great show and I think Porchlight threatre hit the nail on the head with this musical.   I would very much recommend seeing this wonder musical playing how through June 4^th at Stage 773 in Chicago, Il. Visit www.stage773.com or www.porchlighttheatre.com for show and ticket information.

A play-within-a-play requires double duty for a reviewer.  “One Last Kiss,” the play-within-the-play in this theatrical Russian nesting doll, is a painful 1930s melodrama with cartoonish characters and outdated dialogue. (As one character quips, you know a play will be bad when three people wrote it.) “Stage Kiss," however, is a smart new comedy from the poetic pen of Sarah Ruhl, a play with the heart of a poem about the logistics of love and that sloppy, slobbery line between performance and reality.

A mid-career actress known only as "She" arrives unpreprared to an audition.  She spills open her purse and hasn't read up about the show, but the director doesn't seem to mind.  Theater doesn't boast a lot of jobs for women too old to play Juliet and too young for Lady Macbeth, so they're both grateful to have found one another.  She arrives at the first rehearsal to learn the role requires considerable stage kissing (nothing out of the ordinary), and that the leading man is a former lover of hers (not ordinary).  Both or the actors are now partnered - She with a husband in finance and He with a girlfriend in kindergarten (teachin in kindergarten) – so the pair begin to professionally navigate the tricky terrain of pretending to be in love all the while remembering when they were first in love. Soon, the mechanical motions of the kiss trigger the biological emotions of the forgotten flame. Scientists have long shown that the upper lip is one of the most sensitive parts of the body – second only to a lower piece of anatomy – so it’s no surprise that 288 kisses (9 kisses a show, 8 shows a week, and a 4-week run, math courtesy of She’s financial husband) sends the pair into a stroll down Lovers and Memory Lanes.

Todd Rosenthal’s proscenium-stage-within-a-proscenium-stage perfectly illustrates the shifting worlds of performance and reality our star-crossed lovers exist in . Backstage at an unnamed theater, the wooden tiles of the floor intersect reddened brick that bears the faded letters “THEATER.” As the rehearsal process begins, wall pieces descend (and occasionally wobble) to construct the pastelled parlor of the play-within-a-play. When the leading lady and man leave the stage and head to an apartment, hidden windows in the brick illuminate. Reality and performance become just a matter of lighting. While most of his recent designs have been expert domestic sites (i.e. Martha and George’s book-filled home in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and the transparent tiers of the Weston estate in “August: Osage County”), he proves he can handle what lies out of sight for an audience - backstage rehearsals with yoga mats and high-rise apartments with pull-out sofas.

Kevin, the understudy, is next in the pecking order to lock lips with the actress.  He manhandles her, staring into her eyes like a tiger ready to eat its prey.  His inability to perfect the kiss is attributed to him being “not straight.” In a role that could easily be played as a flamboyant gay light on his feet, Jeffrey Carlson exists rather on stage like a boulder, heavy and clunky with each step. Lightness is left to the Director (expertly played by Ross Lehman), who bounces between his chair and the actor’s sides like a miniature Robert Falls. His fierce encouragement of the actor’s choices and suggestions - hold the cigarette like this, kiss her like this, shake her like this – sent laughs of recognition throughout the opening night crowd.

One thing the director can’t show the cast is the key to a healthy, long-term relationship. In a play with many roles, there is no clear role model for a healthy relationship. A passive-aggressive Midwestern kindergarten teacher can’t find her soulmate, the daughter of an actress and a finance worker walks in on mom schtupping the leading man. Romantic pairings seem to be made at random. X with Y, Y with Z, and Z with QRST. Eventually, one should be work...right?

“Marriage is about repetition,” the husband says to his wife, She. “Romance isn’t about repetition.” Just as an actor must go through the motions each night – whether with the thrill of opening night or the still of an undersold Saturday afternoon matinee – what shines through is there commitment. The rush of an opening night and of a first kiss fade quickly, and the steady rhythms of a four-week engagement or forty-year marriage take center stage.  Whether passion or commitment will rule our lives is a choice left up to each actor on this terrestial stage, but the playwright does reveal one pair that are true soulmates: Sarah Ruhl and the Stage.

"Stage Kiss" plays at the Goodman Theatre through June 5.  Tickets available at: http://www.goodmantheatre.org/

Filled with anger, love, confusion, despair, and what makes you happy, Spring Awakening goes through all that. With music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater, this rock musical is an adaptation of the controversial 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind. The play deals with teenagers in Germany discovering their sexuality. The original play was banned in Germany due to its portrayal of abortion, homosexuality, rape, child abuse and suicide.

First of all, one thing that bothered me going into the theatre with this show is it’s not as intimate as it is on Broadway. Spring Awakening was meant for a small theatre to add the intimacy for the audience to appreciate with this show, and the Cadillac Palace didn’t really do it. One thing I did like was that the audience can sit on both sides of the stage during the show. I thought that’s really cool, since you can see everything up close, and feel like you’re in the show. The set design was really cool and the lighting as well. The band, though, really rocked it under the music direction of Casey RT Graham.

The story is about teenagers discovering their sexuality. The character of Melchior, played by Christopher Wood, I felt was very weak. I didn’t feel he had the energy and the passion that Melchior should have. Coby Getzug, who played Moritz was phenomenal. He was actually my favorite person in the show. Moritz is confused about his feelings and doesn’t understand them, so he goes crazy, and tries to kill himself. Elizabeth Good was a great Wendla, as was Courtney Markowitz who was a nice Ilse. Other notable performances were from Devon Stone (who played Hanschen) and Daniel Plimpton (Ernst).

There were a couple things that I liked about this show having never seen it or read the story. I liked the characters, especially the relationship between Melchior and Moritz, and Melchior and Wendla. There were a couple scenes, though, that were rough to watch, like Wendla asking Melchior to beat her, both of them simulating sex on stage, and Hanschen’s onstage masturbation scene. By the events going on in this show, this is not one to bring your children to. I would recommend 17 years and up, because of the subject matter, it can be a little rough.

The love story of Melchior and Wendla is a bit odd, along with the character relationships with the adults, and the mixed emotions between the male students and the immature adolescent behavior. Though when Wendla asks her mother how babies are made, the mother hesitates and can’t tell her. Well that’s stupid to do, knowing she could get pregnant and have an abortion. The parents should have been more aware of their children’s activities and behaviors.

Spring Awakening is a great show overall. The music and lyrics are fantastic. If you think you can take the material, definitely see it. If not, then this is not the show for you. If this show was in another theatre, I think it would be a lot for enjoyable. But for what it was, it was a good show.

If there's one thing that I can say about J M Barrie's Peter Pan at the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center North, is WOW!  Having grown up with this all too familiar story, I was quite pleased to see that the threesixty theater company was able to bring this timeless classic out of the movies/books and onto a stage in way that both adults and children can enjoy.  Having been my first assignment with buzznews.net I was slightly nervous to be writing about what is virtually considered a children's story. Never the less, I was excited as a child myself; to head downtown to see Peter Pan live, in a way I have never seen. The show takes place in an unassuming looking tent just next to the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center North building, however the tent itself is actually custom built and must travel where ever the production may go.  The reason for this? The inside of the tent houses the biggest spectacular of the show; a 360-degree, thirty-three foot convex video screen that virtually makes up the ceiling of the tent.  This incredible screen projects beautiful animated backgrounds and scenery that are integrated into the show.   It's like living in an animated film!  This, along with the actors being able to  "fly" above our heads throughout the play, made this play a truly unique experience.  This was not just a play, but an “awfully big adventure,” as Peter Pan would say.  In my complete amazement of this show, I could only imaging how special this was in the eyes of all the children there that night.

Actor Ciaran Joyce, who plays Peter Pan, was to me the most memorable character of the night. Ciaran Joyce does a fantastic job portraying what has been a traditionally female role in theater and it is clear to see why he was chosen for this role.  Joyce plays Peter Pan with such enthusiasm and he really knows how to make Peter Pan come alive. All the wonderful actors and actresses in this show however, are what really made this play a great experience.  Joshua Holden, who is the lead puppeteer in this show, brings an unexpected twist to the show by bringing to life the animal roles of the story.  Like all the actors and actresses of this show, he is a very talented man! If you’re looking for a great night out, in a beautiful city to see a play unlike you’ve ever seen before, I highly recommend seeing this show. I enjoyed it more than I had even expected! Visit http://www.peterpantheshow.com/venues/chicago for ticket prices and information. The show runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes including a 20 minute intermission and ticket prices range from $35-$125 depending on if you are purchasing children or adult tickets. Catch this show before it moves on to another city!

Xanax, Prozac, depression chatrooms, and electroshock therapy aren’t topics traditionally associated with musical theater; but “Next to Normal,” a new musical from Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, addresses these ignored psychiatric struggles that hide behind upper-middle class’ suburban addresses.

Diana, a middle-aged mother of two, gets ready for “Just Another Day”: she unenthusiastically sleeps with her husband, neglects her ambitious and angsty daughter, and pulls out two loaves of bread to make sandwiches for lunches. As the opening song builds to a crescendo, she puts several slices of bread on the table. Then on the chair. Then the floor. The trail of bread stretches from the wooden table to her worried husband’s feet. The singing stops and the music clunks into a cacophony, as if the musicians themselves weren’t expecting this episode. It's clear this story will not be a slice of normal life.

The power of "Next to Normal," and part of why it earned the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, is that its music follows the story. A traditional verse-chorus song structure isn’t imposed on a topic of choice; instead, the mother’s mental illness disrupts the very flow of the songs. Like  the characters within it, the musical is not normal: Diana’s doctors, played by Jeremy Kushnier (the original Ren in Footloose and Roger in Rent), slip into fantasy sequences where they belt out rock ballads; her son, who died as an infant, is given a teenage body, skillfully swinging about the stage like a demonic sprite; her home, a scaffold-like set, shifts like an unsolved Rubik’s cube to demonstrate the ordered chaos of her busy, mentally-ill life. This perfect marriage of content with form – the only marriage that works in the story – makes "Next to Normal" an iconoclastic work that will (hopefully) serve as a model for future Broadway musicals.

Alice Rippley, who earned a Tony for her performance, whole-heartedly attacks the role of Diana, but eight shows a week for almost two years has done considerable damage her voice. One could argue her raspy, untraditional approach sets her character apart, demonstrating the struggle of living in the aftermath of a trauma.  One could also argue her voice distracts from that story when she strains to hold a note.  Her next-to-normal voice becomes even more apparent against the backdrop of talented performers: Emma Hunton (the driven Natalie), Preston Sadlier (the dweeby Henry), and Jeremy Kushnier (the dynamic Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine).

The Great White Way has traditionally been a bit too white, and to be honest, I went into “Next to Normal” expecting “White People’s Problems: The Musical.” While it doesn’t make any advances regarding racial representation, the musical does push a medium toward tackling darker issues using a traditionally light-hearted medium. Musical theater is no longer just care-free romps like “Seventy-six Trombones” and “Oklahoma;” it can be harnessed to address the internal, existential, twenty-first century problems of anxiety, mental illness, and depression. Now, the tiny daily troubles hidden in your home just might be discussed at a different address: the Bank of America Theater, 18 West Monroe.

In 1971 the original production of "Grease" was performed right here in Chicago at what was the Kingston Mines Theatre, located in an old trolley barn in a Lincoln Park neighborhood. We all know what happened from there. Broadway made it a sensation and Hollywood made it one of the most famous movies in history. After all, who doesn’t know a song or two from "Grease"? Now, 40 years after it first hit the stage, "The Original Grease" returns to the city in which it was based, bringing its slicked back hair and leather jackets to the American Theatre Company.

Though the story line is basically the same as the familiar Hollywood version, the original production is much raunchier, proudly taking on an R-rating, making "fuck" the word of the night. Much of its humor is crude, but positively funny, and sexual innuendo is found at the right moment with great consistency.

"The Original Grease" takes the audience to the 50^{th reunion of Rydell High (loosely based on Taft High School) - the class of 1960. We are taken back in time for a stroll down memory lane by the aged alumni to witness the time of their youth firsthand. Though the high school name is fictional, the play takes place in Chicago’s Northwest Side in which many references are made to nostalgic city locations such as Foster Beach, Polk Bros and Carson’s. Director PJ Paparelli and co-creator of "Grease", Jim Jacobs, do a terrific job in reconstructing the pop culture giant, making it more specific to Chicago as it was originally intended to be. The era is beautifully depicted through thoughtful costume design, hairstyles and the good use of period slang and phrases. Captured also, so brilliantly in this production, is the youthful rebellion - and innocence - of the iconic era.}

The play’s cast is as energetic as they are talented. The dancing is fun and there is no shortage of catchy songs. The show also includes new songs made specifically for this production "how Big I’m Gonna Be", "Tattoo Song" and "Comin’ at Ya". But worry not, while "Foster Beach", the original version of "Summer Nights" is played, classics like "Greased Lighting", "Beauty School Drop Out" and "Look at Me I’m Sandra Dee" are also heard.

Adrian Aguilar and Jessica Diaz brightly shine in the leading roles of "Danny Zuko" and "Rizzo" nailing both characters to perfection, while also getting a major boost from the incredibly strong supporting cast including stand out performances by Patrick De Nicola "Sonny", Tony Clarno "Kenickie", Sadieh Rifai "Jan" and Jessie Fisher "Frenchy". Great casting here, as it was easy to believe the tight bonds of friendship that existed amongst this group of friends.

"The Original Grease" should be seen by all "Grease" enthusiasts and would also be fully enjoyed by those who had never seen the live production or film. Playing through June 26th at the American Theatre Company, "The Original Grease" returns to its Chicago origin triumphantly. For tickets or more information, visit wwwACTWEB.org or call 773-409-4125.

If it’s one thing to appreciate in this world, it would be Sondheim. Stephen Sondheim has written some of the best scores in musical theatre. From his countless melodies to the beautiful lyrics, A Little Night Music has grown to be one of my favorites of his that he’s written. Based on Ingmar Bergman’s film “Smiles of a Summer Night,” the story is about love, liaisons, and where your true passion lies.

Having this been my first show I’ve seen with Circle Theatre and in their new performing space, the show was such a great experience. Bob knuth’s direction was fantastic, making the show’s mood mellow at points, but hard on the edges where they should be. Kevin Bellie’s marvelous choreography shines through the performers. Mostly, with all the waltzing that’s done in this show, I can only imagine how dizzy it might get. The beautiful white set was designed by Bob Knuth as well. Wow, I can only imagine how crazy it must be to design the set AND direct the show. Either way, the direction was very well-on for this production.  The lights flowed softly onto the set. The orchestra, musically directed by Josh Walker, sounded beautiful. They really sounded perfect with the actors. Especially since the music in this show is very tricky, because all the music in this show is in waltz time.

It starts with Fredrik (played by Kirk Swenk), an older gentleman, who marries Ann (played by Stephanie Stockstill), who’s a lot younger than him. Meanwhile we have Henrik (played very strong and powerful by Patrick Tierney), who is their son, and who’s in love with Ann. We have the maid, played brilliantly by Khaki Pixley (who sang a great version of “The Miller’s Son”). Then, of course, there’s Desiree and Madame Armfeldt (played by Anita Hoffman and Patti Roeder; both played flawlessly), the actress, who Fredrik is infatuated with, and her mother.

Now when I saw the show, Kevin Bellie came out before the show and made an announcement saying one of the performers was sick, and if anyone had a problem with the performance, they can get a full refund. I appreciate a theatre that would do that, especially since in some performances, there are no understudies, like this one. Well, the actress who was sick was Desiree. Now her acting was wonderful, but when she sang, you can tell something was up. But that didn’t bother me at all. Her rendition of “Send in the Clowns” had me in tears. Another great number was “Weekend in the Country.”

Other great notable performances came from Jeremy Rill (playing a fantastic powering Carl-Magnus) and Deanna Boyd (playing a funny, yet, strong-minded Charlotte). Rounding out the great performances were the Lieberslieder Singers (Kristine Burdi, Elizabeth Hope Morgan, Anna Hickey, Matt Edmonds, and Jonathan Landvick), who narrated the story. Each singer represents a character in the show, and they do a wonderful job painting the story for you.

Overall, A Little Night Music is a brilliant piece of theatre, and Circle Theatre does a great job of interpreting it! Although, the show can be long, it’s well worth it. Props to Bob Knuth, Kevin Bellie, Josh Walker and the cast and crew for putting on a beautiful production!

Location:   1010 Madison Street in Oak Park

Runs:   April 29-June 5, 2011 Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm & Sundays at 3pm.

Tickets:   All seats $22; Sat/Sun: $26 for adults, $24 for students/seniors;

Group rates are available.

For more information or to order tickets visit www.circle-theatre.org or call 708-660-9540.

Hairstyles are a quick way to get a read for the age of an audience. “The Zoo Story” at Victory Gardens late last year boasted mostly grayed combovers; “God of Carnage” at the Goodman had shoulder-length cuts and shaved necklines; even “Sex with Strangers” was mostly a salt-and-pepper type of crowd. But at Monday’s opening night of Passing Strange, the 2008 Tony-Award winning rock musical-memoir conceived by musician Stew, the audience was filled with locks of a different color: died porcupine perms and spiked, jet-black up-dos. This was a young crowd.

Youth, rather appropriately, is also the name of the protagonist of Passing Strange; the Black teenage musician, raised in Los Angeles, struggles to find his creative voice and fears becoming too comfortable artistically. So the young artist trips – geographically and psychedelically – from Amsterdam to Berlin, from weed to speed. Watching over Youth’s juvenile delinquencies is the Narrator, peering down like an omniscient father, supplying exposition and exposing cracks (both logical and wise) in the boy’s life. Played on Broadway by Stew, the Narrator here is J.C. Brooks, lead singer of Chicago-based post-punk soul band The Uptown Sound, who energetically supplies all the show’s sound from upstage.

Passing Strange was a critical and commercial success on Broadway, and its Midwest reincarnation by Bailiwick Chicago demonstrates just how universal this story of a young artist is. In short, the dish works without Stew. Brooks is a commanding yet tender narrator; his voice, warm like a wool blanket, channels the pain and longing of an older, wiser artist. Despite his impeccable performance, though, he looks young for the role. A shiny, wide-shouldered black blazer ages him slightly, but weathered nostalgia does not come with only a costume. A younger Narrator does allow Brooks to be more actively engaged with the narrative than Stew was on Broadway. Perched on a stool with a wireless mic rather than cut off by a desk and micstand, Brook’s Narrator intervenes in the story, sitting on the set and occupying the same space as his younger self. He speaks swiftly and carries a wireless stick.

The show is smart, dealing with issues of class, race, gender, sexuality, art, reality, identity, and all their messy and magical intersections. Osiris Khepera stands out amongst the ensemble, embodying shameless commitment and raising all these themes in a speech as the son of a preacher man that that reaches everyone.  Beneath these intellectual themes, though, smashed PBR cans and Heinekens remind us this is a rock show. The director’s note quotes Shakespeare, while the playbill is shaped like an album track list. Through its own shifting identities, Passing Strange emerges as a complicated, emotional, and entertaining work of art. Whether it is a rock concert passing as a musical or a musical passing as a rock concert is still up for debate, but both performance forms are challenged though this blurring of the lines, like a streak of red tearing through heaven-pointed, spiked black hair.

Dangerous stunts and rubber-like contortionists are only part of the fun when it comes to the most recent version of Cirque Eloize, but as the phrase goes, "there’s so much more". And there is. Directed by Jeannot Painchaud, Cirque Eloize iD grabs artists from all over the world to bring to life a unique reality consisting of urban street dancing to electronic and hip hop music, aerial acrobatics, romantic themed choreography, stunning bicycle feats, in-line skating, stilts, juggling, hypnotic lighting effects and an exclusively designed trampoline display using their "trampowall".

There are no language barriers present at Cirque Eloize iD, as everything is carefully set to music, body language and human emotion, making words an unnecessary function – yet each message is precisely conveyed to the audience.

Cirque Eloize is energetic and youthful, and, above all, is mind-blowing. From the show’s beginning to its end, "oohs" and "aahs" are heard throughout the theatre with regularity along with the more enthusiastic outbursts of "Cmon!", "I don’t believe it!" and "Did you see that?" Still, as high energy and exciting as Cirque Eloize iD is, there is also a fair share of beautifully executed romantic acts comprised of graceful dance movements, soft lighting and other variations of skillfully dangerous stunts, giving the show a balanced flow from sequence to sequence.

Cirque Eloize iD is playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre at 151 W. Randolph in Chicago through Sunday, May 8^{th. For tickets or more information visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com or call (312) 977-1710}