Items filtered by date: November 2007

If you are one that finds ballet boring, you haven’t been to Joffrey Ballet. Kicking off their 70th season with Carmen, Joffrey once again proves it’s the ballet company for adults. Hot off the heels of his 2023 production of ‘Frankenstein’, Liam Scarlett returns to Chicago with his US premiere of Carmen.

Set to the iconic Georges Bizet opera score, Carmen is the classic tale of love and betrayal. Carmen works in the harsh conditions of a Spanish cigar factory. Her and the other factory women trade flirtations for preferential treatment from the guards, but it’s the sexy Carmen men all want. Soon she’s entangled in a love triangle between the guard Don Jose (Alberto Velazquez) and bullfighting champion Escamillo.

You can’t have a love triangle in a ballet without a little sex, or in this case, a lot of it. Joffrey has never been shy about putting eroticism into their work, even their Nutcracker has a little something for all ages. Scarlett’s choreography is red hot and his Carmen is even hotter. Victoria Jaiani dances the lead with such lithe dexterity. However, it’s Dylan Gutierrez dancing the role of Escamillo who becomes the focal point in the second act. The bullfight scene nearly commands a standing ovation, something typically reserved for the curtain call.

Carmen is the main character, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s the hero. Instead, another unrequited love story unfolds between Don Jose and a young woman from his past Micaëla. Micaëla is danced by Gayeon Jung who not only scorches the floor with her dancing but breaks hearts with her ability to convey emotion through facial expression.

Alberto Velazquez and Gayeon Jung in Carmen at Lyric Opera House.

Carmen begins a little slow, but by the second act, the audience is as seduced by her as Don Jose is. An even more seductive element are the settings created by Kristin McGarrity, Laura Morera and Lauren Strongin. The action plays out against a deepening red sky and concludes with the subtle symbolism of a dying bull. Costumes by Jon Bauser only add to the visual splendor of Carmen.

As Bizet’s beautiful score floats out from the orchestra pit, emotions run high. Carmen is a ballet that keeps its audience firmly in its grip. Opera and ballet are known for their melodrama, but few feel as suspenseful as Carmen. Scarlett’s vision for this new production is perfectly matched by the spectacle created by the innovative team at Joffrey Ballet. 

Through September 18 at Joffrey Ballet at Lyric Opera House. 20 N Wacker Dr. 312-827-5600

When a business closes, who mourns their loss? Lee Kirk’s new play Ashland Avenue, now running at Goodman Theatre, asks that very question. Kirk resides in LA, but he studied theatre at DePaul a few decades back and has a strong connection to the city of Chicago. On a recent visit, he remarked on how few of his college haunts were still open. Perhaps it wasn’t grief that inspired him, but rather a nostalgia for the places he spent formative years.

You can’t tell a Chicago story in Chicago without one of the city's most celebrated actors, Francis Guinan. As to be expected, he brings a certain hometown charm to the role of Pete, of Pete’s TVs–his time capsule of an electronic store. Ashland Avenue begins with Pete preparing to be honored by the mayor for being part of the community for over 40 years. His daughter Sam, played by Jenna Fischer of ‘The Office’, loyally helps him keep the shop running as the world marches into the future and threatens to leave her behind.

Ashland Avenue runs the length of Chicago, and each block tells a different story, but every city has its own version of changing neighborhoods and gentrification. Kirk’s use of objects as storytelling devices feels especially relevant as a parallel to Pete’s TV shop. Though TVs are still a staple of most households, their importance has significantly waned in an era in which you can stream network TV on your iPhone. Ashland Avenue is at its core a play about the tension between Pete’s sustained resistance to change and his daughter Sam’s yearning for a new beginning.

If you live anywhere long enough, you’ll see storefronts change, but how often do we think about the proprietors and what prompted them to close their doors? Ashland Avenue brings you behind the counter to share in both the victories and failures of small business. It’s a play that celebrates family owned and operated businesses in a world of Targets and Amazons. It’s weird to say a business becomes part of your own family but like an aging family member, once they’re gone, they’re gone.

The small cast is rounded out by Sam’s husband Mike (Chike Johnson), Pete’s former shop assistant, now roommate Jess (Cordelia Dewdney), and a mysterious late-night customer played by Will Allan. A whole world of emotional catharsis happens just within the shop walls, but big things come in small packages. The scene work between Fischer and Guinan is understated and heartrending, which is to say, human and honest. Both performances only add to the authenticity of the play.

It can be tough to write a play about Chicago when you are not really from Chicago. Too often we see out-of-town writers jam in the words “bean” and “Sears Tower” but Ashland Avenue has perfectly captured the spirit of what it means to be a Chicagoan. Perhaps it’s the reliably earnest Guinan’s performance or Kirk’s brilliant script but Ashland Avenue might just be the best Chicago play since Bruce Norris’ 2011 Pulitzer winner Clybourn Park. 

Through October 12 at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn St. 312-443-3800

Kimberly Dixon-Mays’ debut play Rabbits In Their Pockets, developed in the Lifeline BIPOC 2024 Workshop and now receiving a world premiere under the direction of Christopher Wayland, is a bold but uneven first effort. The play aspires to braid together family drama, Black folklore, and speculative Afrofuturism, but its script often buckles under its own ambition. Fortunately, Wayland’s staging and the committed, charismatic performances of his cast keep the production afloat, offering the audience enough vitality and resonance to stay engaged.

At the heart of the play are two sisters facing grief and legacy. Ash (Lakecia Harris), the elder, is a methodical aerospace engineer who believes joy can be engineered, even embedded into the walls of their late father’s home. Harley (Simmery Branch), younger, mercurial, and endlessly playful, sees improv as a distinctly Black technology—an art of survival through adaptability and wit. Together they clash over what to do with the family house: sell it, reinvent it, or transform it into something larger than themselves. Along the way, they are joined by Jasper (Marcus D. Moore), a friend and aspiring performer, and Inola (Felisha McNeal), an enigmatic elder who oscillates between investor, trickster, and perhaps even ancestor.

The script brims with ideas—sometimes too many for its own good. Dixon-Mays clearly has a fertile imagination and a keen sense of cultural inheritance. Br’er Rabbit folktales and the language of improvisation surface as recurring motifs, meant to show how Black families survive through cunning, resilience, and creativity. But rather than letting these motifs emerge organically, the dialogue often pauses to explain them at length. Ash’s “joy technology” speeches are dense with jargon, and Harley repeats her philosophy of improv as survival until the point is belabored. What should be vibrant metaphors instead risk feeling like lectures.

The dramatic stakes are also uneven. The decision to sell or keep the house is meant to stand in for deeper questions of legacy, cultural continuity, and grief. Yet too often the debate feels abstract, more a clash of ideas than a struggle rooted in palpable necessity. What happens if they don’t sell? If Ash’s joy system fails? If Harley’s dream fizzles? The play gestures toward these consequences without fully realizing them, softening the urgency.

Some characters suffer from this imbalance. Jasper, despite Marcus D. Moore’s affable performance, fades into the background as the sisters’ conflict escalates. Inola, wonderfully embodied by Felisha McNeal, is fascinating but underdefined: sometimes elder, sometimes ancestor, sometimes entrepreneur. This ambiguity could be powerful if sharpened, but as written, it feels more inconsistent than intentional.

Where Dixon-Mays overreaches, Christopher Wayland’s direction provides clarity. He keeps the pacing brisk, shapes the tonal shifts with care, and leans into the play’s improvisational spirit without letting it sprawl.

The performances are this production’s saving grace. Lakecia Harris gives Ash a flinty discipline that gradually reveals a woman undone by grief. Simmery Branch lights up the stage as Harley, balancing mischievous humor with aching vulnerability. Marcus D. Moore mines Jasper for humor and pathos, especially in his monologue about being both celebrated and consumed as a “rabbit.” And McNeal, magnetic and sly, grounds the play’s slipperiest role with commanding presence.

Rabbits In Their Pockets is not yet a fully realized play—it is a workshop bursting with possibility, weighed down by over-explanation and underdeveloped stakes. Yet as a debut, it reveals Dixon-Mays as a writer unafraid to ask large questions about joy, memory, and cultural survival. Thanks to Wayland’s sharp direction and the cast’s deeply felt performances, audiences can glimpse the vibrant play struggling to emerge.

Recommended

When: Through October 5

Where: Lifeline Theatre,  6912 N. Glenwood

Running time: 90 minutes

Tickets: $25 - $45 at

773-761-4477 and www.lifelinetheatre.com

Opening Trap Door Theatre’s 32nd season as part of the Trap Open Series with its world premiere, Suz Evans’ Ghost Fetus is a rough-edged, bold original work that delivers a performance as both humorous and cathartic as it is unexpected.

With a small, five-person cast, the play centers on two queer teenage girls, Whitney and Sarah Jane, as they navigate their relationship and identities within their church community. While turning to Pastor Craig for guidance, the trio encounters a ghost fetus and must also confront the more personal “ghosts” within themselves.

The play, experimental and unpolished, tells a timeless coming-of-age story, creating space for the audience to laugh both with the characters and, at times, at them, and the absurdities that may accompany a strict religious upbringing. Evans’ script balances wry, biting humor with a keen sense of the dissonance between belief and lived experience. Sprinkled throughout are bursts of original music (by Laila Eskin) – hymn-like chants with absurd lyrics – that heighten the satire and draw frequent laughter from the audience.

Under the direction of Anna Klos, the 45-minute production radiates a raw, communal energy. It was clear that the full cast was committed to the show entirely: even without mics, the cast filled the theater with every line delivery, and took up the whole space with every movement, at times even invading the audience. Although not polished in the traditional sense, the acting aligned with the unvarnished vibe of the production perfectly. While Ghost Fetus is truly an ensemble show, Tia Pinson (playing Ghost Fetus) was a particular standout, with emotional delivery and physicality that feel almost otherworldly.

The production’s design further reflects the overall feeling of raw authenticity, with a modest but impressively constructed set mainly consisting of a scaled-up picnic basket full of surprises. The lighting (which includes one prolonged instance of heavy strobing, a fair warning to sensitive audience members) and sound were fitting and understated, tying the show together without being a primary focus. Adding to the spirit of the production, the program arrives in the form of a zine, an inventive touch that sets the playful, offbeat tone before the first line is spoken.

Ghost Fetus may not offer the polish of a mainstage production, but its rawness – feeling more like a communal act of introspection than a neatly packaged play – is precisely what makes it compelling. The audience responded in kind: laughter bubbled up at obvious jokes and, just as often, at the uncomfortable truths the characters voiced. That shared reaction—half amusement, half recognition—was part of the evening’s quiet power. It captures the messy, often contradictory feelings of grappling with faith, sexuality, and loss, and it does so with a mix of audacity and heart. For those willing to embrace its unvarnished energy, the play offers a uniquely personal – and unexpectedly healing – experience.

Ghost Fetus is running at Trap Door Theatre through October 27th. Tickets are available at https://trapdoortheatre.com/ghost-fetus/.

Something wicked is winding its way through the velvet curtains of Drury Lane Theatre—and it reeks of roses, red wine, and murder. Dial M for Murder, the classic thriller originally crafted by Frederick Knott in 1952 and immortalized on screen by Alfred Hitchcock in 1954, returns to the stage with a razor-sharp adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher that’s as stylish as it is sinister.

Set against the moody backdrop of 1950s London, the production invites us into the polished yet precarious world of Margot (Amanada Drinkall) and Tony Wendice (Erik Hellman) - a couple whose marriage gleams with charm but conceals a darker undercurrent. Beneath the tailored suits and cocktail-hour smiles lies a web of betrayal, manipulation, and a meticulously plotted murder that threatens to unravel with every twist of the telephone cord.

Hatcher’s adaptation breathes fresh life into the suspense, tightening the dialogue and sharpening the stakes while preserving the noir elegance of the original. The result is a theatrical experience that feels both vintage and vital - a slow burn that simmers into a full-blown psychological inferno.

Tony Wendice, a former tennis star turned calculating husband, discovers his wife Margot’s affair with mystery writer Maxine Hadley (Alexandra Silber). Rather than confront her, he plots her murder with chilling precision, believing one perfect move will reclaim his unraveling life.

But perfection proves elusive.

When the plan collapses, the story spirals into a maze of blackmail, disloyalty, and psychological warfare. Margot becomes both pawn and player, navigating a world where loyalties shift, truths blur, and every silence speaks volumes.

This isn’t just a thriller—it’s a taut exploration of control, vulnerability, and the artful menace of manipulation.

Alexandra Silber, Amanda Drinkall, Erik Hellman in Drury Lane Theatre's Dial M for Murder.

The players are sensational in the dialogue heavy, quick witted, edge-of-your-seat mystery thriller. Erick Hellman delivers a diabolical and shrewd Tony, Amanda Drinkall is delightful as Margot and Alexandra Silber is a true force as Maxine. Johnathan Weir is also tremendous as sleuthing Inspector Hubbard while Ian Paul Custer is perfectly cast as the Tony’s patsy, Captain Lesgate.

Wonderfully directed by Adam Immerwahr in his Drury Lane debut, this production of Dial M for Murder masterfully marries vintage intrigue with a brisk, modern rhythm. It’s not just a revival - it’s a reinvention – and Drury Lane Theatre is the perfect venue to stage this mystery thriller. The bones of Frederick Knott’s original mystery remain intact, but the pacing has been sharpened, the humor dialed up, and the twists recalibrated for a contemporary audience.

Visually, the production luxuriates in noir-inspired elegance, its seductive precision shaped by a powerhouse design team: Paige Hathaway’s scenic work evokes shadow and intrigue, Joshua Schmidt’s sound design hums with tension, Emma Deane’s lighting casts drama in every corner, and Nicole Boylan’s costumes wrap the cast in mystery and allure. Shadow-drenched lighting carves out tension in every corner, while period costumes evoke mid-century elegance tinged with menace. The sound design - subtle yet insistent - acts as an invisible character, underscoring moments of dread, desire, and deception. It’s a production that doesn’t just tell a story; it envelops the audience in its atmosphere.

The result is a theatrical experience that feels both timeless and timely - a stylish homage to Hitchcockian suspense, reimagined with the velocity and wit of modern storytelling.

At its core, Dial M for Murder is a taut exploration of trust fractured by ambition, love corroded by suspicion, and appearances polished to mask peril. The play doesn’t simply flirt with deception - it dissects it. Every gesture, every line of dialogue, is laced with the question: how far will someone go to preserve their illusion of control, or to dismantle another’s?

Dial M for Murder is a psychological chess match where secrets are currency, gaslighting is taken to the extreme and duplicity is both weapon and wound. As the characters maneuver through layers of manipulation and moral ambiguity, the audience is left to ponder not just who’s guilty - but whether anyone is truly innocent.

Running through October 26^th, this is a highly recommended thriller that you won’t want to miss. For tickets and/or more show information visit https://drurylanetheatre.com/dial-m-for-murder/.

*This review is also featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/!  

Having followed JJ Niemann’s Broadway career on social media for years, I was especially eager to see him take the lead in Marriott Theatre’s revival of Catch Me If You Can. While social media offers curated glimpses – often in the form of brief, specially selected clips – Niemann proved from the very first moment that his talent extends far beyond a phone screen. As Frank Abagnale Jr (and all of his many alter egos), he delivered remarkable acting, vocals, dance, and charisma, captivating the audience every second of the 2.5-hour show. Put simply, he was flawless, stepping into a role once played by Leonardo DiCaprio on the big screen and making it entirely his own on the Marriott’s stage.

If anyone could have carried the entire production single-handedly, it would have been JJ Niemann – but fortunately, he didn’t have to. Every member of the cast shone on the stage in every aspect, truly making the show a shared success.

Though positioned as Frank’s pursuer and foil, Carl Hanratty (played by Nathaniel Stampley) was endearing in his own gruff way. Amplified by powerhouse vocals and his chemistry with Niemann, Stampley lent real emotional weight to the main character’s cat-and-mouse dynamic. He was supported by a trio of FBI agents (played by Justin Albinder, Alex Goodrich, and Karl Hamilton), each leaning into a distinct, delightfully caricatured 1960s-cop persona that balanced humor with crisp stage presence.

Frank Jr’s parents, Paula and Frank Sr Abagnale (played by Jessie Fisher and Sean Fortunato), were equally memorable, both pairing outstanding vocals with impressive dancing for numerous numbers throughout the production. Fortunato’s descent into drunkenness was one of the best that I’ve ever seen on stage, making it captivatingly painful to watch.

And then there was Brenda Strong (played by Mariah Lyttle), Frank’s love interest and an understated character who is introduced later in the story. In lesser hands, this role may very easily be overshadowed; however, she was unforgettable. With her soaring rendition of “Fly, Fly Away,” Lyttle transformed an incredible, but quiet, presence into one of the evening’s most breathtaking moments.

The ensemble as a whole was excellent, but the women of the cast especially stood out. They cycled through what felt like countless costumes, each one helping chart Frank’s quick pivots from one setting to the next. With every lightning-fast change of outfit and role, they embodied entirely new characters with sharp precision, bringing fresh energy to each scene.

For those unfamiliar with Marriott Theatre, its productions are staged in the round, with the audience on all sides. This format can pose real challenges, from sightline issues to spacing constraints, and often risks making the stage feel cluttered. Layer on top of that a show like Catch Me If You Can, which demands constant shifts in setting, and this could easily be a recipe for disaster. Yet here, the design choices were ingenious.

The main scenic elements were just two benches – retro enough to scream 1960s airport or that could have been pulled from The Jetsons – sitting on a circular track that rotated around the stage. Paired with set pieces that came and went through the aisles, the transitions felt effortless and kept up with the naturally fast pace of the show. When combined with the lighting, costumes, and hair and makeup, everything came together into a strikingly cohesive and thoughtfully designed production. Much credit is due to director Jessica Fisch, whose vision kept all of these moving parts balanced and unified.

It was clear that every detail of this production was carefully planned and executed, and paired with a cast this talented, the result was something truly special. Catch Me If You Can is an absolute must-see, running at Marriott Theatre through October 19th. Tickets are available at https://www.marriotttheatre.com/show/catch-me-if-you-can.

*This review is also featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/!  

As someone who has worked on dozens of productions, both producing and technical directing, before committing to a project, I ask myself: “Why this show? Why now?” 

With 44 The Musical, written, directed, and co-produced by Eli Bauman, I struggled to answer those questions. The show, based on Bauman’s “experience” with Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, largely came across at best nostalgia and at worst a cash grab, rather than a meaningful theatrical retelling of history.

It’s telling that this production is the vision of a lone, first-time writer-composer-director. The end result did not feel like the product of collaborative creative voices or one that received (or followed) constructive feedback. The musical does have potential. But it feels like it lacked revisions and, more importantly, experienced outside eyes to transform it from a draft into a polished piece of theater.

Satire can be a powerful tool in art, but only when it pairs humor with meaning. 44 The Musical certainly delivers laughs, but too often without a clear purpose, leaving its comedy feeling flat rather than insightful.

A Disjointed Story

The structure of the show is one of its weakest points. Act I offers little resembling a plot, instead playing like a loosely political cabaret. By Act II, the show insists that a story had been there all along: this story centers on Obama’s struggle to pass the Affordable Care Act, being opposed by a cohort of absurd Republicans. This narrative also features a brief detour into the aftermath of Sandy Hook. Much like real life conversations around gun control, this segment led to no change – and in theatrical terms, added little beyond unnecessary emotional whiplash. It left me asking “Why did we go there?” and felt more like an exploitation of an all-too-real issue than rich political commentary.

The finale, which I won’t spoil in detail, invents a moment of self doubt for Barack which, if it had actually happened, would have surely been used to discredit Obama and prevent his second term. Although creative liberties can be necessary, and often successfully entice audiences into historical events, 44’s second act plot largely lacks any grounding in truth and relies on being merely entertaining and outrageous to keep the audience from holding it to fact and actual history.

Missteps in Representation

Perhaps most concerning is the way minority characters – mainly the female and black figures – are written. Satirizing Sarah Palin is predictable and surely not anything new for the audience of an Obama musical. The only other major female characters in the show, however, were also largely satirized, reducing their very real political achievements. Rather than being Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton is reduced to a bitter also-ran, only deviating from this archetype to be the Bill Clinton-wrangler. Most egregious was Michelle Obama’s representation, stripping her of her intelligence, accomplishments, and public persona. Instead, she is framed as a foil – the blacker counterpart to her husband – whose primary motivation is sex with Barack. Although the script does Michelle a disservice, Shanice’s vocals and presence were exceptional, bringing depth and charisma even with so little to work with, compared to the real woman she was portraying.

Credit where credit is due, the musical did justice in representing the very real struggle of Barack’s struggle to balance embracing his racial identity while combating stereotypes that could have squashed his political career. While one can ask whether Bauman was the right voice to write that struggle, the number “How Black Is Too Black?” certainly brought that struggle to the stage.

The Cast Shines

If there is one reason to see 44, it’s the cast. Every performer brought talent, humor, and physicality to the material, truly making the show.

Barack Obama (T.J. Wilkins) embodied the president’s cadence, lanky charm, and understated humor without resorting to mimicry. His rendition of “Remembering Me” was a rare moment of genuine emotional depth in a show otherwise driven by parody.

Joe Biden (Chad Doreck) anchored the show as both narrator and Obama’s loyal sidekick, delivering physical comedy that energized the stage. The Voice of the People (Summer Nicole Greer) also offered powerhouse vocals.

The cohort of Republican antagonists (Mitch McConnell, Sarah Palin, Herman Cain, Lindsey Graham, and Ted Cruz, played by Larry Cedar, Summer Collins, Dino Shorté, Jeff Sumner, and Michael Uribes, respectively), referred to as W.H.A.M. – White Hetero Affluent Men – were also particular standouts. Their performances struck the balance between over-the-top caricature and recognizable reality, making them consistently hilarious and surprisingly sharp. They gave the show some of its most effective satire.

Joy Amid Flaws

Before the curtain rose, co-producers Eli Bauman and Monica Saunders-Weinberg addressed the audience, asking only that we leave having felt “something in short supply these days: joy.” And despite my criticisms, I can honestly say I did feel joy watching this cast at work.

Still, joy alone can’t sustain a new musical. Satire can be a powerful tool in theater, but only when it pairs humor with meaning. 44 The Musical certainly delivers laughs, but too often lacks direction, leaving its comedy feeling shallow rather than resonant. To have a life beyond its current run, the show will need sharper writing, stronger dramaturgy, and above all a clearer purpose — without meaning, satire risks becoming little more than noise.

44 The Musical will be at the Studebaker Theater through September 21st. Tickets are available at https://buytickets.44theobamamusical.com/.

There are several new things about PrideArts’ production of A NEW BRAIN, the most obvious being its new venue at the Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Center on Halsted. PrideArts made the most of its former location at 4139 N. Broadway, but this new venue is a boon in many ways. Its location in the Center on Halsted puts PrideArts in the center of the Gayborhood, and the theatre itself is definitely more accessible and comfortable (though last night it was freezing cold!). The spacious lobby provided plenty of room for the Lakeside Pride Woodwind Quintet, part of Chicago's LGBTQ+ music organization, to contribute a lovely prelude.

A NEW BRAIN is a musical whose story was inspired by events in choreographer William Finn’s life. It follows Gordon Schwinn (Dakotta Hagar), a songwriter who collapses suddenly and learns he must undergo brain surgery. Gordon is well attended by nurses Nancy (Britain Shutters) and Richard (Cordaro Johnson), Dr. Berensteiner (Elijah Warfield), and his bestie Rhoda (Caitlin Preuss). His mom, (Michelle McKenzie-Voight) is (naturally) in attendance, but her less-than-therapeutic attitude is made clear in Mother’s Gonna Make Things Fine. Even more abrasive is Gordon’s boss Mr. Bungee (Taylor Bailey), whose demands that Gordon finish writing a song are not conducive to the tranquility prescribed for pre-operative repose. The Minister (Jonas Davidow) is indifferent to Gordon’s being Jewish and simply continues forking out his conventional devotions. Meantime, Gordon’s boyfriend Roger (Beck Hokanson) would rather be Sailing.

And oh yes, for reasons not readily apparent to me, we’re introduced to another major character, one of my favorites: the homeless lady Lisa (Lena Simone).  

I think that’s everyone. Big cast, yeah? And even bigger Production staff, so I’ll just mention the highlights. Jay Espano is Director and Robert Ollis Music Director. Choreographer Britta Schlicht did amazing work, as everyone spent a good deal of their onstage time dancing, and Shawn Quinlan’s costumes were terrific. Gordon’s standard hospital gown was balanced by Mr. Bungee’s brilliant multichromatic garb.  Think about it: how would you dress a six-foot, 250-pound frog? The obvious answer: a gaudy bodysuit striped with every color imaginable.

The first half of A NEW BRAIN provided a clue as to why the theatre was so chilly – the actors were continually running, hopping, and generally cavorting about. A climate comfortable for the audience would have steamed the cast like a pan of broccoli; I just wish I’d brought a jacket!  

A NEW BRAIN is a musical, and all dialogue is sung rather than spoken. I was particularly tickled by Gordo’s Law of Genetics and Poor, Unsuccessful and Fat. The story got more serious with M.R.I. Day and Craniotomy. This was somewhat disorienting, as the production had hitherto been lighthearted comedy, which I believe was its natural métier; it was difficult converting to the gloominess of Brain Dead and A Really Lousy Day in the Universe.  

The high point of the latter half was Lena Simone as the homeless lady. Her signature song, Change, was a brilliant showcase for her marvelous voice. Which is not to dispute the musical caliber of the rest of the cast! One of the things I treasure about these small storefront theaters is how effectively they display Chicago’s extraordinary wealth of theatrical talent. At the major stages of the downtown Theater District – the Goodman or the Nederlander – one  anticipates distinction, but the splendid acting one encounters in the more humble venues is truly remarkable. We are very fortunate here in the Second City!

Incidentally, I feel called to point out (particularly in this context) that “Second City” does not refer to Chicago’s theatrical offerings as ‘second to’ those of New York. Rather, the appellation refers to the ‘second city’ that materialized from the ruins left after the Great Fire of 1871 levelled roughly a third of the city. A fortunate corollary is that the postfire rebuilding opportunities attracted a host of great architects— Louis Sullivan, Dankmar Adler, William Holabird, Daniel H. Burnham, John Wellborn Root, William Le Baron Jenney – whose work still defines the architecture of our lovely Second City.

End of historical circumbendibus – back to A NEW BRAIN.

The entire production, from the masterly actors, accomplished direction, first-rate music … wait a minute, I haven’t even mentioned the band! The A NEW BRAIN band was conducted by Robert Ollis, with Justus Wright on Synthesizer, Eric Grunkemeyer on French Horn, Adam Nigh on Reeds, and Percussion by Benjamin Heppner.

As I was saying (before I so rudely interrupted myself), though the play itself was not, IMHO, worthy of the creator of Into the Woods, the production was top-notch and totally worthy of the occasion. This is high praise indeed from me, as I’m not particularly fond of either musicals or comedies. I chose this show largely to support PrideArts in its splendid new home, and I hope you’ll do the same!

Recommended

*This review is also featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/! 

Hershey Felder has made a significant part of his life’s work playing the roles of piano prodigies, and at Writers Theatre he takes on the role of Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), considered the last of the romantic Russian composers, and a virtuosic pianist. Felder, a very good actor (he received a Jefferson award in his role of Chopin last spring) and remarkable pianist, is perfect in the role, for which he has developed an extensively researched script. The Writers Theatre production, directed by Trevor Hay, is the Midwest premiere of the rolling national debut of “Rachmaninoff and the Tsar.”

Felder has mined this territory for decades, developing shows centered on musical luminaries including historic figures—Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Mozart , Beethoven—as well as modern figures like Bernstein, Irving Berlin and Gershwin. (He has also produced film versions of some of these stagings.)

Ordinarily performing solo, for “Rachmaninoff and the Tsar,” Felder has for the first time incorporated into the script a second character—Tsar Nicholas II (Jonathan Silvestri), the last Romanoff to rule Russia, until the Bolshevik revolution forced him to abdicate in 1917. Rachmaninoff fled Russia for New York City. This allows for a more robust script, with two characters playing against each other, and sharing the burden of exposition, which can be a downside for story-telling plays. Many other characters are incorporated in silent films shown periodically as a backdrop to what’s on stage.

Jonathan Silvestri as Tsar Nicholas II and Hershey Felder (right) as Sergei Rachmaninoff

The disruption that the Russian Revolution brought to Rachmaninoff’s career meant there were lengthy gaps in his work as a composer. Rachmaninoff was a favorite of the royal family and celebrated across Russia for capturing timeless slavic themes. Felder livens up the story with a creative conceit, set in 1943 as Rachmaninoff lays dying in his Beverley Hills home. On a morphine drip, Rachmaninoff conjures up visions of conversing with Tsar Nicholas II, and the play covers wide terrain as the two converse, and recall their intersecting history.

Throughout, Rachmaninoff takes to the gleaming ebony Steinway concert grand piano, playing 15 works, mostly the musicians own works with one piece by Tchaikovsky, and one by Lvov. At times Felder’s Rachmaninoff plays live against recorded orchestral arrangements, most times he solos. One particularly notable piece was an arrangement Rachmaninoff did of “The Star Spangled Banner.” In open question and answer period at the show, Felder explained the arrangement had been taken from a paper piano scroll recorded by Rachmaninoff himself. It was quite lovely.

Felder also took the time to expound on the reason he added a second character for “Rachmaninoff and the Tsar.” It alleviated the burden of telling the back story and history all by himself. “It gets lonely on the stage,” Felder said. The addition of Tsar Nicholas II also allowed for a divergence into the story of Anastasia, the Tsar’s youngest daughter who for decades was theorized to have survived. Ultimately DNA science dispelled this as myth.

Silvestri as Tsar Nicholas II adopted a growling Russian accented delivery. We learn during the question and answer period that his daughter in real life plays Anastasia in those film reels shown during the performance.

The performances are great overall, and the show is entertaining and engaging, though there is little dramatic tension, and I found my interest lagging in the storyline. Still, “Hershey Felder’s Rachmaninoff and the Tsar” comes recommended, and runs through September 21 at Writers Theatre in Glencoe, IL.

*This review is also featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/! 

Is there a harder emotion to define than love? Its forms are various and seemingly subjective, something you can only know when you feel it. Sarah Ruhl takes on the topic in her 2017 play How to Transcend a Happy Marriage now playing at Redtwist Theatre. Directed by Elizabeth Swanson, this quirky comedy drops audiences right into the dinner party conversation of two married couples discussing polyamory.

Jane (Monique Marshaun) has a new coworker involved in a polycule with two other men. After dinner, she regales her husband Michael (Joe Zarrow) and friends with this titillating tale. George (Tatiana Pavela) and her husband Paul (Carlos Travino) are fascinated by polyamorous Pip (Shaina Toledo). For George, this anecdote is nearly life changing. Though both couples laugh it off as some sort of fad, they hatch a plan to host the throuple–Pip and her two lovers Freddie (William Delforge) and David (Joshua Servantez) for New Year’s Eve.

Pip and her lovers are exactly the free spirits you’d assume they’d be. Ruhl sets up the classic old versus young divide on traditionalism and politics. The first act plays like a good episode of “And Just Like That”, (if that’s been your bag). Characters feel familiar because what they’re very politely discussing in person are the same things we see endlessly dissected online by think pieces. While Pip, Freddie and David are prodded with questions about their lifestyle, the sexual tension between Jane, Michael, George and Paul starts to heat up.

The evening has a profound effect on both couples. In typical Sarah Ruhl style, there’s a flirtation with the fantastic. Reality has a lot of constraints when it comes to storytelling and while a sitcom has to play by the rules, Sarah Ruhl does not. That’s what makes her plays such a sensory feast. One moment both feet are grounded in the reality of these two ordinary couples and the next, a fantastical twist that adds a bit of poetry to their unraveling.

How to Transcend a Happy Marriage feels like Sarah Ruhl’s version of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, only in this version, it’s the younger set who win the “get the guests” game. Ruhl’s play is much gentler in its messaging but both plays explore enduring love from the perspectives of new love and worn in love. Ruhl adds in an extra layer of what feels like “kink” that asks its middle-aged audience “what’s the big deal if you like it and it’s not hurting anyone?”

Redtwist’s production is seductive in its presentation. The performance space is fittingly very intimate as this is a play about romantic and platonic intimacy. At times audiences feel like they could just grab an olive off the coffee table and join in the lively discussion. However, the barrier between audience and cast is clearly defined by stellar performances. Particularly Tatiana Pavela as George. Shaina Toledo also really embodies her counterculture character in a way that exudes both confidence and sexuality.

How to Transcend a Happy Marriage is a humorous but deep look at the ways in which we love and categorize love. Though mostly a play about heterosexual love, this feels like a queer play in that it asks a presumably straight audience to open their minds about sexuality and gender norms. Ruhl makes an elevated commentary on non-monogamous relationships from a place of curiosity instead of shlock, which is also how audiences should approach this work. Whatever your inclinations are, this play asks important questions about what it means to love and be loved, even if it looks different than you imagined.

Through September 21 at Redtwist Theatre. 1044 W Bryn Mawr Avenue. 773-728-7529 https://www.redtwisttheatre.org/ 

*This review is also featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/!