Items filtered by date: November 2007

In "Panther in the Sky," playwright Lani T. Montreal masterfully weaves a tapestry of grief, resilience, and redemption through the intertwined narratives of four culturally diverse mothers who have tragically lost their teenage sons to the relentless grip of gun violence on the streets of Chicago. With exquisite sensitivity and profound insight, Montreal crafts each character with depth and authenticity, allowing their voices to resonate with universal truths while honoring the specificity of their individual experiences.

What sets "Panther In The Sky" apart is Montreal's unwavering commitment to portraying the rich diversity of human experience. Through the characters of Mami (Aida Palma Carpio), Momma (Jamia Amira Taylor), Nanay (Nina Mae Vidal Howard), and Mother (Venice Averyheart), she explores the intersections of race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status, shining a spotlight on the unique challenges and triumphs faced by mothers from different cultural backgrounds. From Mami's fiery Latina spirit to Nanay's quiet strength rooted in her Asian heritage, Montreal celebrates the beauty of cultural diversity while highlighting the common thread of maternal love that binds these women together.

Director Mignon McPherson Stewart's masterful direction brings Montreal's characters to life with nuance and depth, drawing out the humanity in each of them with grace and sensitivity. Through subtle gestures, expressive movements, and evocative staging, Stewart invites the audience into the inner world of these grieving mothers and their spectral sons, allowing us to bear witness to their pain, their resilience, and their unwavering commitment to justice.

To convey the youthfulness of the sons, Stewart incorporates physicality and movement into the actors' performances, encouraging them to embody the exuberance and vitality of adolescence through expressive gestures, playful interactions, and dynamic stage presence. From Eddie's (Gustavo Duran) infectious laughter and James's (Kyle Johnson) irrepressible curiosity to David's (James Macapagal) endearing awkwardness and Michael's (Rashaad A. Bond) magnetic charisma, each actor infuses their portrayal with a sense of youthful energy that lights up the stage.

Stewart imbues these characters with a palpable sense of youthfulness, wonder, and promise, juxtaposing their ethereal presence with the stark reality of their untimely deaths. Through her insightful direction, Stewart captures the essence of adolescence—the boundless energy, the infectious enthusiasm, and the unbridled optimism that characterize this stage of life—while also infusing the characters with a sense of otherworldly wisdom and compassion beyond their years.

Stewart's genius lies in her ability to find the universal in the particular—to transcend the boundaries of race, culture, and identity to reveal the shared humanity that unites us all. Through her visionary direction, she guides her ensemble cast to deliver performances of breathtaking honesty and emotional resonance, leaving audiences spellbound and deeply moved.

The uncredited minimal set design, atmospheric soundscape by Rahsaan Nance, musical direction by Chip Payos, and evocative lighting design by Joshua Paul Weckesser seamlessly meld the two worlds of life and death, creating a hauntingly beautiful tapestry that transcends the boundaries of time and space. The minimal set, devoid of clutter and distraction, serves as a blank canvas upon which the emotional journey of the characters unfolds, reflecting the universality of the human experience. Rahsaan Nance's atmospheric soundscape, with its ethereal melodies and haunting echoes, envelops the audience in a world of emotion and atmosphere, blurring the lines between the earthly realm and the afterlife. Chip Payos's musical direction adds depth and resonance to the production, songs mourning lost potential were especially heart wrenching. Joshua Paul Weckesser's evocative lighting design, with its subtle shifts in color and intensity, underscores the interplay between light and shadow, life and death, guiding the audience on a journey through the depths of grief and the heights of hope. Together, these elements converge to create a transcendent theatrical experience.

"Panther in the Sky" marks the world premiere collaboration between Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble and Circa Pintig, following their successful partnership on "Daryo’s All-American Diner." While it may be tempting to label this as Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble's most ambitious work yet, such a statement would overlook the consistent trend of each production surpassing the last in both subject matter and execution. With a steadfast dedication to inspiring positive change through performance and social justice theatre, CDE, as articulated by its Executive Director Ellyzabeth Adler, remains committed to amplifying the voices of the marginalized and shedding light on important issues.

At its core, "Panther in the Sky" is a testament to the power of empathy, compassion, and solidarity in the face of unspeakable tragedy. It is a play that challenges us to confront the harsh realities of gun violence while inspiring us to act and make a difference in the world. In the hands of Montreal and Stewart, it becomes not just a piece of theater, but a profound and transformative experience—one that leaves an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of all who are fortunate enough to witness it.

Highly Recommended

When: May 3 to 18 Friday/Saturday @8pm

Where: The Auditorium at Ebenezer Lutheran Church

               1650 W. Foster Avenue

Running time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Tickets: $10 - $30 (middle and High School students free)

https://www.circapintig.org/events/

https://www.danztheatre.org/panther-in-the-sky.html

Blue in the Right Way audaciously chose for their inaugural production a 400-year-old play, WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN, written in 1621 by Thomas Middleton and adapted by the company’s co-founders Kevin Smith (Kevin/Kevin’s, also director) and Daiva Bhandari (she/her, also lead actor and choreographer). WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN was abstractly staged, accompanied by a pair of gender-bending commentators, with Spanish/English translation subtitles, original music, exotic projections … and as many other quirky devices as their extraordinary minds could devise.

The result had me asking other audience members, “Am I the only one who has no idea what’s going on here?” Unfortunately, the ones I asked simply looked at me pityingly, one saying, “It’ll all clear up with the second act.” Sadly, this did not transpire. In the first act actors wore sumptuous Jacobean garb, but in the second act costumer Alaina Moore (she/her) chose contemporary dress, and I had trouble even figuring out who was who, leave alone clarifying all that had gone before.

Smith added some notable supplements to Thomas Middleton’s original script. Most remarkable was the double act of Kidany Camilo (they/she/he, Solange) and Bree Perry (she/they, Clara) appearing throughout the show dressed as ‘maids from the Clue game’, with commentary and heart-rending narrative about Solange’s trans/femme childhood.

Also outstanding were Daiva Bhandari (she/her) as Livia, who ultimately gets embroiled in her own schemes and John Zhou Duncan (any with respect) as Ward, who romped exuberantly with Sordido (Shail Modi he/him). Ward is described as ‘immature’ – was this a euphemism for ‘camp as a row of pink tents’?

Kudos to intimacy consultant Leo Mock (they/them/he/him) and intimacy director Courtney Abbott (she/they); as well as and most particularly to violence designers R&D Choreography (Rick Gilbert (he/him) and Victor Bayona (he/him); the fights were marvelous, and the cataclysmic ending was spectacular.

The entire cast was extraordinary: Lynne Baker (she/her, Mother); Ryan Wright Cassidy (he/him, Hippolito); Johnny Moran (he/him, Fabritio); Huy Nguyen (he/him, Duke); Keenan Odenkirk (he/him, Guardiano); Christin Prince (she/her, Bianca); Mia Van De Mark (she/her, Isabella); and Brandon Wiman (he/him, Leantio). Cardinal was played by understudy Alex Amaya (he/him), who did a fine job with a suitably bizarre performance.

Sound engineer Chris Wood (he/they) gave us a lot of sound! though it sometimes overrode the actors’ voices. Likewise, Eme Ospina-López’s (they/them) videos and projections were powerful; sometimes overly so. The scenic design by Andersonville Scenic Studios was made particularly striking by a mirror on the ceiling so the action below was repeated above – striking, yes, but an additional confusing feature in a thoroughly bewildering show. The show ran more than 30 minutes longer than billed, and during the final scenes I kept wondering when it was going to end… and how would I tell when it did?

Also on the artistic and production team were Katie Mazzini (she/her, assistant director); Sonia Perelló (she/her, Spanish translator);  Tianxuan Chen (any with respect, scenic and lighting designer); Juan Contreras-Kirby (he/him, wig, hair and makeup designer); Sam Flipp (she/her, stage manager); Anna H. Gelman (she/her, production manager);  Lililo (Emma Ladji) (she/her, composer); Viviana Mendez (she/her, lip-sync choreographer); Catherine Miller (they/them, casting director);  Keith Parham (he/him, associate lighting designer);  Hayley E Wallenfeldt (any with respect, properties supervisor); Baylee Speer (any with respect, master electrician); Caitlyn Birmingham (she/her, assistant stage manager), and Claire Michalak (she/her, box office manager).  

WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN presented several problems for me, but these did not override its contributions: a stellar cast giving amazing performances and a wonderful production team. The flaw was that all this excellence exceeded itself – altogether too much of a good thing. Blue in the Right Way is unquestionably a theatre company to watch. Kevin Smith revealed himself as courageous and adventuresome; if Kevin can muster a soupçon of temperance Kevin can offer an invaluable addition to Chicago’s theatre scene.

WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN

at The Edge Theater

Running Wednesdays through Sundays through May 12

I think my favorite thing – well, one of my favorite things – about Wyatt Kent’s take on HAMLET is imagining just how much fun everyone must have been having with it! everyone except Hamlet, of course, but the entire play is about Prince Hamlet (Ashley Fox) having a Very. Bad. Day.

HAMLET is one of Shakespeare’s tragedies, no argument about that, and certainly the corpses littering the stage in the final act [I don’t have to worry about spoilers here, right?] cannot be anything but tragic. But Director Kent broadened the scope, extended our range of understanding HAMLET, by making us laugh.

Yes, I know Shakespeare injects touches of humor into every play – even Macbeth has a few chuckles – but I’m talking about a far more inclusive and deliberate thing here. Last summer I saw Midsommer Flight’s production of Cymbeline, billed as tragedy but staged as comedy. Director Beth Wolf created a totally brilliant comedy while staying true to the Bard’s script word for word. Kent worked the same magic on HAMLET, a categorically tragic work, with sensational results.

In retrospect I realize there was some humor evident as early as Act 1 Scene 1, where Horatio (Reginald Hemphill) sees the Ghost, but I had arrived at the theatre expecting to see HAMLET, a tragedy, so it took a minute to wrap my mind around what was happening up there. And that’s OK! – it worked really well for me to pick up on it only gradually ….

Act 1, Scene 3: Ophelia (Julia Rowley) was saying farewell to her brother Laertes (Ian Maryfield) and, OK, she did go a tad OTT what with leaping into his arms and knocking him to the floor, but I was still considering the desultory laughter misplaced, not to mention rude. Then Polonius (Zach Bloomfield) begins to deliver his loving, solicitous, concerned, pompous, long-winded, verbose, garrulous, interminable paternal speech to his son and at that point it was a no-brainer – the production was categorically comedic. In any production Polonius will be a garrulous guy, that’s who Polonius is, and Bloomfield skillfully played this bombastic buffoon with maximum drollery, making us chuckle all through ‘neither a borrower nor a lender be.…’ Laertes rolling his eyes at Dad’s balderdash was another unmistakable clue as to where Kent was taking us.

I repeat - not one syllable was altered in the script of HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK; it was the artistry of Kent’s vision and the genius of the actors that transmogrified HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK from dramatic tragedy to black comedy. Brilliant!

More giggles in store in Act 2, when Harrison Lampert (Rosencrantz) bumbled, fumbled, and stumbled his way onstage, befriended and ballyhooed by Mary Townsend Cahoon as Guildenstern. Every scene with these two was L.O.L. funny! And again, it was the actors’ postures, expressions and intonation – in a word, their acting – that morphed Shakespeare’s lines into one-liners.

Polonius again exercises his loquacious and circumlocutory logorrhea to alert King Claudius (Robert Koon) and Queen Gertrude (Kelly Levander) that Prince Hamlet has gone mad. Furthermore, Polonius posits the pathogenesis of Hamlet’s madness is none other than that enigmatic enchantment that oft-times doth drive strong men nuts … love.

Right then, that covers the major players. Others included Josh Razavi (Gravedigger et al), Tatiana Pavela (Player etc.) and Tulsi McDaniels (Osric and others) and all did colossal justice to their multiple roles in many scenes.

I can’t leave the cast without some shout-outs to my favorites – you all know I unapologetically play favorites in my reviews! First is Ashley Fox as Hamlet; he is the sole character who doesn’t participate in the farcical variation, and I imagine it was a challenge for Fox to retain that bleak and gloomy aspect amidst the hilarity of her fellows. She truly did a stellar job! 

I already mentioned Lampert and Cahoon’s (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s) wonderful waggery – by their third or fourth appearance we were laughing in anticipation as soon as they took the stage! Likewise, Zack Bloomfield’s Polonius – even his mustache was weirdly chucklesome.

Alarum: I had a bag of Skittles and (probably channeling Rosencrantz) dropped it! Losing the Skittles was oh-so-what, but they rolled like BB’s into the aisles where actors were dashing about. Just my luck if an actor slipped on my sweets and the evening relapsed back into tragedy! From my seat I couldn’t reach to sweep ‘em away, but Ian Maryfield, lovely Laertes, stepped off the stage [and, more difficult, out of character!], to scrape the treacherous little treats out of harm’s way. Gratitude galore to the gallant Laertes! And, just BTW, his performance was every bit as striking as his chivalry. Ian, if you’re reading this: 

I’ll begin my production plaudits with Casting Director Becca Holloway for assembling this phenomenal team. I’ve seen lots of gender-bending casting, particularly in this PC (post-Covid) era, but it seemed that Holloway was simply gender- as well as color-blind, selecting the actor best suited for each role without regard to anything but their talent. I don’t know if that really was her strategy, but it certainly was the outcome.  

And naturally the finest cast won’t deliver the finest production without the finest Direction, which Wyatt Kent delivered, assisted by Sean William Kelly (Assistant Director) and Technical Director Andy Cahoon – who also collaborated on Props with Mary Townsend Cahoon – who also sparkled as Guildenstern. This production was all about multi-tasking, yeah? For Fight and Intimacy Design, I just last week saw Babes With Blades do The S Paradox, so my bar was set really high, but Jamie MacPherson and Fight Captain Ian Maryfield cleared that bar with room to spare!

Pictured left to right - Kelly Levander as Gertrude, Ian Maryfield as Laertes, Ashley Fox as Hamlet

Dr Lexi Signor’s Music was flawlessly selected, and Text Coach Meredith Ernst conveyed excellent translations of iambic pentameter. Sebby Woldt (Sound), Derryl (Lighting) and Rose Johnson (Scenic Design) generated an impeccable environment to sustain both the indigenous tragedy of HAMLET as well as Kent’s comic interpretation – no mean feat, that! In addition, have I mentioned that HAMLET was performed in the round?!  I felt smug at having got a seat in the perfect spot – until several people seated elsewhere said the same thing. How did dey do dat?

No, I haven’t forgotten Costume Designer Madeline Felauer, I was just saving the best for last. Felauer chose to bedizen the characters with a surrealistic thread. Hamlet wore a shapeless moth-eaten sweater, while Queen Gertrude was in a dress Jackie Kennedy might have worn, a mink stole, and 3” pumps. For Ophelia, picture an exceptionally odd floor-length orange fishnet … um, thing … over a miniskirt. Other characters ran the gamut from ugly plaid business suit to crisp, scarlet-trimmed military-style jacket, and blue jeans abounded. Overall, the effect coordinated perfectly with the mind-f*ck tragedy cum farce aspect of the production.

And of course, nothing gets to the box office without the guidance and oversight of a good Stage Manager. I once asked a friend with lots of theatre experience, “Just what does a Stage Manager do, anyway?” to which they replied, “Everything.” So … Tessa Huber did Everything, with a lil’ help from Assistant Junipero “Juni” Cruz.

I hope you have gleaned from this that I really reeeeeeally liked Red Theater’s HAMLET. This gig as a reviewer has certainly broadened my artistic horizons, particularly of The Bard. Everyone knows Shakespeare was a magnificent playwright, but I suggest that one can’t truly appreciate his works until you’ve seen them produced on Chicago’s iconic storefront stages with cast from Chicago’s wicked assemblage of outstanding actors.

I leave you with two take-home messages: (1) keep your skittles in your pocket; and (2) SEE HAMLET!!!

Playing at The Edge Off Broadway Theater Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30, and Sundays at 3

Running through Sunday May 19.

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!  

And with more than a dozen performances coming up you have no excuse not to go!

Frolicking season is upon us once again and Joffrey Ballet welcomes summer with the return of Alexander Ekman’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream”. This production was last seen in Chicago in 2018. Told through a mix of ballet and modern dance, this striking and original show nods at both the Swedish holiday and the Shakespeare play.

Joffrey’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” asks what makes a dream and whether they ever truly end. In two vivid acts, the ballet explores one man’s dreams on the eve of the summer equinox. Much like “The Nutcracker”, the protagonist is whisked away to a fantastical dance party in his sleep.

The ballet opens with a rather literal roll in the hay that elicits the feeling of young love. Much of the first act takes place in this pastoral setting as the young lovers prepare for the Midsummer holiday. The visual spectacle created by flying hay paired with the original score by Mikael Karlsson is immediately mesmerizing. Though haunting live vocals provided by Swedish pop superstar Anna von Hausswolff really help the music soar to the Christmas light-adorned rafters. The first act’s peaceful feeling billows right off the stage as the protagonist, and the audience are jarred back to reality, left craving just a few more minutes of beauty sleep.

Act II is decidedly more mature. If the first act is about first love, the second act is about erotic love. The triumphant music of Act One is replaced with a stucco, semi-industrial sound. Elements of danger and dread are introduced through nightmarish imagery and shadowing. The dance is harsher, dispensing with the feathery ballet movements and going for a more tribal aesthetic.

Perhaps nothing is as transfixing however as the all-nude ballet complete with simulated sex and giant fish. Dreams don’t have to make sense. In the psychosexual nightmare, time is elastic, and after its eventual climax, we’re looped back to the ballet’s first image, showing the perpetuity of our dream cycles.

As an internationally acclaimed dance institution, expectations are always high for Joffrey Ballet, and in turn they do not disappoint. “Midsummer Night’s Dream” is stylish and sexy. Joffrey has a way of pushing the envelope, and their work feels daring. Though this is a revival, “Midsummer” feels as fresh as the first love depicted in the first act. The forthrightly erotic imagery and choreography and at times intense scoring are as alluring as they are unsettling. Throw in Anna von Hausswolff’s siren call and you’ll be sucked right into this magical work.

Through May 5 at Joffrey Ballet at Lyric Opera House. 20 N Wacker. (312) 332-2244.

As the audience takes its seats we are greeted by an atmosphere of foreboding, a trestle bridge girder to the left, and in the evening air, foggy wisps drift about the stage. Already something is up, but we don’t know what. Just something in Charly Evon Simpson’s captivating and mysterious “Jump.”

Soon enough Fay (Jazzma Pryor is dazzling) takes to the bridge and vapes, her smoke blending into the foggy night. Her vaping becomes ritualistic. Squat, in a high tops and jeans jacket, her braided rows tipped in blonde, Fay takes a drag, then tosses her vape into the gorge like a discarded cigarette butt, then reaches skyward and another vape appears, and she repeats this sleight of hand multiple times. Periodically lights flicker, then the stage goes dark.

Running 90 minutes with no intermission, “Jump” relies on a slow (perhaps too slow) and steady build to a climactic reveal for its forward momentum. And in the next scene, action begins. The porch of a white clapboard house is now the focus. This is Fay’s childhood home, and we learn that her mother passed away some weeks ago. She is to meet her family here to dispose of the household possessions, Dad (Alfred Wilson) is due to arrive soon, but is reliably late.

Then Fay’s older sister Judy (Jennifer Glasse) appears. The two check-in with each other, in a verbal joust that suggests years of tension and a different outlook on life. Judy is polished and well groomed. But they are here for the same purpose, wondering aloud what surprising news Dad will have for them when he arrives.

Oddly, the lights flicker now and then. Fay remarks on it but Judy, oddly, doesn’t register the phenomenon or even respond to Fay’s question about it. Judy disappears into the house, and Fay awaits the arrival of her father, alone.

In later scenes, Judy and Fay explore their shared bedroom from girlhood—Fay is more wistful, Judy less engaged in looking back at their time together, and the loss of their mother and home. When Dad does arrive, he lays out the news alone to Fay on the porch: he is planning on selling the house.

Later, Fay is back on the bridge, alone, vaping again and perhaps meditating on these moments of loss, when we meet the most significant character, the long-haired slacker Hopkins (Jeff Kurysz). A cigarette smoker, Hopkins and Fay find a chemistry in smoking and feeling blue on the bridge. We learn that Hopkins was contemplating a jump from the bridge but Fay’s presence thwarted his plan.

Scenes of these two on the bridge are the best part of the play: a natural engagement of two people, each in their own grief, and the mutual support they glean from knowing at least we are not alone. Kurysz is quite perfect, and Pryor’s performance is exceptional.

The sets by Regina Garcia and Lindsay Mummert are beautifully done, and the lighting by Levi Wilkins and sound by Christopher Kriz are perfectly synched: the flickering lights and crackle of electrical shorts are almost another character in this play.

The acting and sets are really good, the climax gives a surprising and satisfying resolution. But with so little real action, the pace given “Jump” by director AmBer Montgomery leads up to the resolve much too slow. And while “Jump” is about grief, the playwright doesn't register the internal emotional suffering of these grieving individuals. We’re only given the outward effects.

Still, “Jump” is a good theater experience. “Jump” runs through June 1, 2024 at Theater Wit in Chicago.

Director Chuck Smith returns to Goodman with another major August Wilson revival–“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”. This is the second play in Wilson’s 10-play “American Century Cycle”. Goodman produced the first play in the series, “Gem of the Ocean” in 2022 as well as “Two Trains Running” in 2015. Both directed by Chuck Smith. Returning also is A.C. Smith, a staple of any August Wilson production in Chicago.

“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” takes place in 1911, in Pittsburgh, where most of August Wilson’s work is set. Staged in a boarding house respectably kept by Seth (Dexter Zollicoffer) and Betha (TayLar) Holly, where their regular lodgers Bynum Walker (Tim Rhoze) and Jeremy Furlow (Anthony Flemming III) keep them busy. When a mysterious man and his young daughter arrive looking for a room strange things begin happening.

Wilson has a gift for turning vernacular into poetry. His world-weary characters speak with a sort of casual beauty that rivals Tennessee Williams. That much is never clearer than when Molly Cunningham saunters into the boarding house. Krystel V McNeil captivates as Molly, delivering every line with seductive authority. The purpose of her character is somewhat ambiguous but she’s a welcomed presence nonetheless.

The mysterious man, Herald Loomis, is in search of his wife Martha who is also the mother of this daughter. Bynum and Seth are skeptical but when supernatural things begin happening, a revelation is exposed that calls into question how free the nation really was in the early part of last century.

As always, A.C. Smith’s commanding performance showcases not only a true talent for reinvention, but a deep understanding of August Wilson’s intentions. The chemistry between director Chuck Smith and A.C. Smith is palpable in everything they work on together.

Wilson wrote epics. And this production feels epic. Though there are thematic overlaps in his play cycle, each are distinct masterpieces in themselves. “Joe Turner” like all of Wilson’s plays feels like classic theater. It combines so many elements from lore to magical realism, but on a Goodman-scale backdrop. What a treat it is to see these works produced to impeccable, if not gold standards complete with dream casting.

Thanks to a special relationship between Chuck Smith and August Wilson, Chicago is a mecca for August Wilson’s plays. Between the Court Theater in Hyde Park and Goodman, you’re likely to see all of them if you stay in Chicago long enough. While each has been presented on Broadway at one time or another, his plays aren’t produced nearly as often as they should. Thankfully Denzel Washington is committed to getting each of the plays in the cycle adapted into a film–so far, also to impeccable standards. 

Wilson wrote essential plays that speak for more than just the African American experience, but rather the entire American experience and where it might be headed. Though the last century was full of strife, Wilson finds triumph in every era. His plays certainly don’t shy from the truth, but they always offer a road to hope. 

Through May 19 at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn. 312-443-3800.

David Williamson, regarded as one of the top magicians in the world today, makes his Rhapsody Theater debut with Ridiculous! Known for his tours with Circus 1903 and The Illusionists on Broadway, Williamson’s Ridiculous! is a brand new solo full-length magic production created for The Rhapsody Theater. Mixing mind-bending illusions, side-splitting comedy, and a dash of anarchy, the show is an uproarious evening of controlled chaos ruminating on the meaning of the word ridiculous. Ridiculous! is performed at The Rhapsody Theater, 1328 W. Morse Ave. in Rogers Park, May 16 - June 30.

“Ridiculous! transcends the boundaries of a mere theatrical performance; it serves as a one-man rebellion against the monotony of a life too often bogged down by seriousness. This show is not just an escape, but a full-on revolt against the mundane, offering a sanctuary of laughter, wonder, and awe. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this unforgettable experience!” said Ricardo Rosenkranz, MD, Rhapsody Theater LLC managing partner and resident performer as the Physician Magician.

More about David Williamson

A born showman and accomplished sleight-of-hand artist, David Williamson dazzles audiences with a blend of heart-stopping magic and sidesplitting hilarity. He has been featured on ABC’s “Champions of Magic,” where he appeared with Princess Stephanie as he performed his miracles at various locations in and around Monaco. Williamson has also co-starred in several top-rated prime-time network specials, including CBS’ “Magicians’ Favorite Magicians,” NBC’s “Houdini: Unlocking His Mysteries” and NBC’s “World’s Greatest Magic III.” He was seen recently on The CW’s “Masters of Illusion” TV series as well as “America’s Got Talent.” Williamson has developed TV shows for Walt Disney Productions and ABC, as well as consulting on TV specials for illusionists David Copperfield and David Blaine. His bestselling magic book, Williamson’s Wonders, has been translated into three languages.

Williamson is also featured as the Ringmaster in the exciting show “Circus 1903” currently touring the world and returning to the UK for a holiday tour and is currently starring with fellow magicians in “The Illusionists” at the acclaimed Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, following its Broadway run. He is also a frequent favorite Guest Entertainer on Disney Cruise Lines. Recently, Williamson was honored with the Performance Fellowship by the Academy of Magical Arts and Sciences at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. In 2017, Williamson was named The Magic Castle’s Magician of the Year. He was also recently awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership by the UK’s Magic Circle, the world’s premier magical society.

Performance schedule & tickets

Ridiculous! with David Williamson will be performed at The Rhapsody Theater May 16 to June 30: Thursdays at 7:30pm; Fridays at 7:30 PM; and Saturdays at 2:00 PM, and 7:30 PM.  There are no performances on May 31 or June 1, instead there are special Sunday matinees on June 2 and June 30 at 2:00 PM. The run time is approximately 90 minutes with one intermission. Tickets starting at $20.00, are now on sale, online at https://rhapsodytheater.thundertix.com/events/218941 or at The Rhapsody Theater box office.

About The Rhapsody Theater

Built in 1912 as the Morse Theater, this destination at 1328 W. Morse Avenue has long-been a source of arts and entertainment (formerly operating as the Co-Ed Theater and the Mayne Stage). Since its reopening in 2022 by Ricardo Rosenkranz, MD, Chicago’s own Physician Magician, The Rhapsody Theater has brought a Vegas-style entertainment experience to Rogers Park. This includes a newly developed, full-service restaurant and three bars throughout providing a welcoming spot for both patrons and community members to enjoy year-round. The multi-faceted theater is perfectly primed for its world-class performances. With state-of-the-art acoustics and versatile seating arrangements, the space allows for enhanced, intimate, and large format experiences. In addition to magic arts talent, The Rhapsody Theater also presents cabaret and other live music concert programming.

The Rhapsody Theater is conveniently located steps away from the Morse Red line ‘El’ station in Rogers Park. Complimentary parking is available in an adjacent lot (subject to availability) in addition to plentiful nearby street parking.

In advance of Ridiculous!, the Mexico City-born Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz, MD, Chicago’s own Physician Magician, celebrates the festive Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend by performing a feat never before seen on Chicago stages: performing back-to-back magic shows in two different languages, Spanish and English, the weekend of May 4 & 5, 2024.  For more information about The Rhapsody Theater or to purchase tickets, please visit https://rhapsodytheater.com/

It’s often said that in the workplace you should refrain from talking about politics and religion; too personal, too easy to offend someone. Throughout my working years the only topic of conversation that has caused controversy is that around children; Do you have any? Are you trying for one? You’re having another? Well why don’t you want a kid? They’re the best thing. They’re the worst thing. In my experience, there is no topic more invasive or sensitive topic to bring up in the workplace than pregnancy and childbirth. Oscar Wilde once said that ‘Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.’ While there is no greater culturally universal experience than pregnancy and childbirth, the way we approach these conversations has changed and should continue to change. In the artistic medium of Theatre, BABY the musical, now playing at the Citadel Theatre, neither helps to change these conversations nor helps us view our lives in a different way.

BABY the musical follows three couples on a university campus deal with the painful, rewarding and agonizingly funny consequences of the universal experience of pregnancy and upcoming parenthood. There are the college students, Danny and Lizzie (played by Ben Ballmer and Madison Jaffe-Richter), in their junior year of college barely at the beginning of their adult lives facing an unplanned pregnancy; Pam and Nick (played by Katie Engler and Mark Yacullo) the thirty-somethings, having trouble conceiving but determined to try, Alan and Arlene (played by Joe Lehman and Julie Bayer) and the middle-aged parents, looking forward to seeing their last child graduate from college when a night of unexpected passion lands them back where they started.

Originally written and premiering on Broadway in 1983, BABY was updated in 2004. Twenty years later, the play needs another revision if not retired entirely. While pregnancy and birthing is an integral part of life and universal across all cultures, this musical performing in 2024 is as dated as Hello, Dolly or The Music Man; time capsules of a bygone era that simply doesn’t resonate with audiences today as they did in the eras they premiered. The musical is predictable, filled with overplayed tropes and stereotypical cliches, but the musical is really a love letter to pregnancy which for many is not possible and not a walk in the park. There are incredible plays that look at pregnancy, birthing, and parenthood through satirical, dramatic, or humorous lenses. BABY the musical’s only lens is that pregnancy is wonderful and everyone should do it regardless of the circumstances they find themselves in, broke college student, infertility troubles, unhappy older couple, everyone should want a baby. This type of art doesn’t reflect life as it’s viewed today.

Citadel Theatre’s ensemble cast performed beautifully with the material they had to work with. The trouble is not in their musical talents or acting abilities, the trouble with BABY is it simply is outdated and can’t stand on a modern stage. The way we as a society approach pregnancy nowadays has changed. More modern musicals such as Mom! The Musical or MotherFreakingHood! approach the same conversation in a way that resonates with audiences today, steering away from tropes to tell real, raw, stories of the pitfalls, trials, and highs of pregnancy. Even with an update in 2004, it’s been 20 years since it’s been revised and 40 since it was created. Watching the play, despite the exceptional cast, staging, and direction at Citadel, it simply felt tired and outdated, and at times downright cringy. Life can be cringe but art shouldn’t be.

BABY the musical is now playing at the Citadel Theatre (300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest) through Sunday May 19, 2024. Tickets are available on the company’s website at www.citadeltheatre.org.

BALLET 5:8 is a female - and minority-led ballet company resident at Harris Theatre in Millenium Park. Under the leadership of co-founder, Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager the company is ‘dedicated to engaging communities in conversations of life and faith through innovative storytelling and breathtaking dance’.  Last February I saw BALLET 5:8 perform Butterfly, inspired by the diary of Helga Weiss. Each dancer depicted an actual person Helga had known during her years at the Nazi concentration camp Terezin, where Jews of special prominence and talent were sent. Helga made many paintings of the camp, which Rubio Slager projected onto the background as the terrible story evolved in dance.

I’m fascinated by Julianna Rubio Slager. She’s created more than 50 works in the past dozen years, each inspired by real people, real events, real situations that Rubio Slager feels compelled to chronicle and demonstrate, often so as to build public awareness of unknown circumstances and predicaments. Me, I’m a wordsmith –I record people and events that I see in writing; thus, my brain is always sifting words, formulating sentences as I walk through my day. One need not be a writer for this of course; I imagine many people see and experience the world around them with words, or see them as photographs, etc. But I have to wonder: what must it be like inside the brain of this woman who depicts the world around her as dance? Through BALLET 5:8 Rubio Slager gives us a glimpse of just what it’s like in there, and last Saturday night she revealed the most amazing things!

LOST WOMEN OF JUAREZ was accompanied by three additional compositions, Counterpart, Wind, and The Sea is Flat, and I’ll discuss them first.

I saw the premiere performance of Counterpart last February with Butterfly, and it was just as lovely this time. A pas de deux performed by Samuel Opsal and Elizabeth Marlin, Counterpoint explores partnership and equality to the music of genre-bending string trio Time for Three. As one might expect in a dance that celebrates the thrill of equality, Wardrobe Head Lorianne Robertson’s male and female costumes were not identical but definitely like. 

Natalie Chinn and Christian English in 'Counterpart'

WIND is aptly named; dancers in flowing skirts partner with Alfonso Peduto’s music, and we can see – can feel – the leaves dancing in the spring breeze, and whipped by the furious barrage of a stormy gale. Dancers in the first and third movements included Lorianne Robertson, Caedence Sajdowitz, Savannah Stach, Jonathan Bostelman, Ellington Nichols, Rachel Walker, Alessia Braggiato, Katrina Clarke, Ford Tackett, Christian English and Samuel Opsal. In the second movement Bostelman, Tackett, and English performed a pas de trois  [I do so love all-male pas de deux and trois!).

The Sea is Flat was an incredibly evocative piece, capturing the sea’s capricious nature while simultaneously depicting its tumultuous essence to the music of Ezio Bosso. One sees chaos and tranquility juxtaposed was the male dancers portray Poseidon, while the female principals bring peace, transformation, and faith, drawing the audience as well as dancers toward serene silence. The cast included Caedence Sajdowitz, Jonathan Bostelman, Ellington Nichols, Katrina Clarke, Valerie Linsner, Sarah Clarke, Libby Dennen, Elizabeth Marlin, Melanie Rodriguez, Lezlie Gray, Sophia Snider, Natalie Chinn, Kayla Kowach, Christian English, Sam Opsal, Jenni Richards, Maggie DeGroote, and John Szwast.

OK, now to LOST WOMEN OF JUÁREZ. Julianna would definitely want me to tell you the story behind the ballet:

El Paso is a factory town, and the factories maximize profit by hiring poor Mexican women for paltry pay.  As non-citizens – and, of course, as women – they have no leverage to demand fair wages and must take any work available to feed their families. These impoverished women live in Mexico, in Ciudad Juárez, and must take public transportation through rough areas to reach El Paso.  In the borderlands between and El Paso and home women are mysteriously disappearing, their corpses later found in the desert but never fully investigated. I’m reminded of MMIW and the thousands of Indigenous Women and girls who are Missing or Murdered yet never effectively investigated. MMIW Task Force attributes these grim matters to historical trauma, racism, and sexual objectification of women … and the same applies in Juárez. The ballet employs the music of Oscar Lopez, Vico C, Antonio Garcia Isaac, Stefan, and Cortando Troncos to tell the story tenderly and with compelling urgency, as this femicide must not continue! 

Change can’t begin until there is widespread awareness of the need for change. The Transtheoretical Stages of Change model describes the process of change beginning at the precontemplation stage, in which there is not yet an awareness that a problem and a need for change even exists. Obviously, with the public at large still unaware of the femicide in Juárez, there is scant impetus for change.  

Taking the first step towards change is the same for an individual or a society: advancement from precontemplation to contemplation requires education. This is what Julianna Rubio Slager is doing with LOST WOMEN OF JUÁREZ – she is instructing the world of this issue to bring justice for the dead women, to alert other women of their peril and, most crucially, to enlighten the public that there is indeed a problem – a calamity! – that urgently needs to be changed.  And she does all this through the medium of dance. Wow.

Rubio Slager lost a family member, Yolanda Soto Rubio, to this mass murder, and Rubio Slager writes herself into the production, danced by Valerie Lisner; Elizabeth Marlin dances the part of the murdered Yolanda Soto Rubio. The dancers represent real women, the dead and the mourners: Lily Alejandra Garcia (Sarah Clarke), Luz Angelica Mena Flores (Libby Dennen), Jessica Ivone Padilla Cuellar (Melanie Rodriguez), Maria Guadalupe Perez Montes (Lezlie Gray), Gabriella Espinoza Ibarra (Jenni Richards), Esmerelda Castillo Rincon (Natalie Chinn), Ingrid Escamilla (Sophia Snider), Adriana Sarmiento Enríquez (Rachel Walker), Griselda Murua Lopez (Kayla Kowach), and Danna Jaqueline Reyes Lopez (Darissy Matias). The LOST WOMEN OF JUÁREZ trace patterns of grief across the stage, against background projections showing glimpses of Juárez and fields of crosses scattered over the desert sands. The slain women have become one with the sand, and their devastated family and friends bring grains of sand to their mouths to incorporate and embrace their lost loved ones.

Lighting, designed by Julianna Rubio Slager and Mike Goebel, was vital to every performance. Rubio Slager has a long-standing interest in stage design, evident in every piece. Lorianne Robertson designed all costumes to be eloquent while remaining as simple as possible.

BALLET 5:8 habitually follows the production with Talkback, where Rubio Slager and a selection of the dancers are available to discuss their experiences of the dances and answer questions. The dancers are gallantly open and frank about how they embody their roles and how that embodiment affects and changes them, while Julianna Rubio Slager candidly reveals her motivations and processes. In a touching coda Rubio Slager announced the promotion of Jonathan Bostelman and Lezlie Gray from Company Artists to Soloists.

A spectator remarked that the cast of LOST WOMEN OF JUÁREZ is all female, which Rubio Slager acknowledged was a conscious decision: the work is about the victims, and she has no inclination to give attention and salience to the villains. Another attender asked about the music, which Rubio Slager admitted was a complex issue – for every composition she must acquire consent to use the piece. Luckily, she adores music and listens to it constantly; if she finds a piece intriguing, she may seek proprietary rights even before knowing exactly where or how she will employ it.

The entire program is performed with intense passion and fervor, depicting ecstasy and anguish, fury and tranquility, with such intensity and authenticity that the cast undertakes but a single performance of each production. Very sad!! But I strongly recommend you join BALLET 5:8’s emailing list so you won’t miss the next production of a Julianna Rubio Slager’s masterpiece!

When life’s chaos is full of impossible choices, how are we possibly meant to move forward?

Brooklyn Laundry is about a lot of things. There’s love. There’s heartbreak. There’s family, and there’s grief. However, at its center, you might find that the play boils down to the central question above. Playwright John Patrick Shanley may not offer the answer, but he certainly invites a conversation.

Brooklyn Laundry follows Fran (Cassidy Slaughter-Mason) - a young woman who meets business owner Owen (Mark Montgomery) upon dropping off her laundry at his dry cleaners. By chance they meet, and Owen ask her out for dinner. Fran is touched, and ultimately says yes. However, life is rarely as it seems, and Fran is navigating far more than a recent breakup. With one sister, Trish (Marika Mashburn), suffering from cancer and her other sister, Susie (Sandra Delgado), battling her own health challenges, Fran finds herself drowning in the middle – unsure of how to proceed.

Directed by Northlight Artistic Director BJ Jones, the production features a stellar ensemble as a whole. Mashburn and Delgado may only have one scene each, but the emotional depth they bring into these moments is enough to make them stand out. Delgado in particular gives a heartbreaking performance as Susie and certainly does not hold back. The character’s high-strung tendencies are likely to feel relatable to the older siblings in the audience, as well as the devastating blow when we see her pushed too far, and the true feelings beneath simply have to bubble over.  

Slaughter-Mason and Montgomery fill the blooming relationship at the center of the story with charm and if you’re anything like this writer, you may find yourself leaning in – hoping they succeed.

Fran and Owen’s first date is full of that awkward energy that so many audience members will recognize. From the moment that Fran walks into the restaurant, it’s clear that nothing will quite go as expected. At the surprising realization that she is completely high, Owen offers to take some of the drugs alongside her to even the playing field. As the effects settle in, the two embark on a conversation around intimacy that completely changes the tone around the evening.

The stage is empty except for the couple, allowing us as an audience to fully absorb the moment. Slaughter-Mason and Montgomery fill this scene with empathy and relatability. Laughter and gasps from the Opening Night audience filled the theater at the beginning of the date; however, as the scene moved along, pure silence took over. The shift in mood made it clear that this writer was not alone in her feeling that Slaughter-Mason and Montgomery certainly knew how to win over the crowd.

Shanley’s script is fast-paced and strong. Fran’s journey as a whole is far from easy, and Shanley smartly includes a mix of fun, light-hearted romantic scenes to break up the larger, heavier trajectory of the character’s arc. If anything, you might find that the script is too short. This 80-minute play is packed from beginning to end, and I personally found myself surprised when the lights came down at the end.

Stand-out performances and a gut-wrenching (yet at times comedic) story make Brooklyn Laundry an emotional roller coaster from start to finish. Modern-day romances rarely follow the path of a romantic comedy, and Shanley offers a window into the nuances that can hopefully lead to something stronger on the other side.

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Brooklyn Laundry runs through May 12, 2024 at Northlight Theatre - 9501 Skokie Boulevard.