Items filtered by date: November 2007

Do not believe the hype. AI will not replace the arts. By its very definition it is artificial, the antithesis of reality; false, an illusion, an imitator. Every day we are inundated with the advent of AI, how it will not only automate manual tasks, but how it will soon write our new favorite screenplays, comic strips, news articles and fantasy novels. But mark me: AI will never be able to imitate the feeling one gets by walking into a historic opera house and seeing the grandness and majesty of the venue. AI cannot replicate the incredible resonance of an aria or replace the crescendo of a live orchestra of talented musicians. Said succinctly, AI can never encapsulate the arts, the human experience personified. Don’t believe the hype. It’s just a buzzword. And since 2025 airport rules are in effect, let’s rebrand AI to what we should all seek and be lucky enough to be in our lives: AI=Awe Inspiring. Because those are the only words that could possibly come close to describing the experience that was Sandra Radvanovsky’s incredible performance of Puccini heroines at the Lyric Opera.

Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky is a globally celebrated artist. The depth and exquisite color of her voice are matched by her dramatic acting ability and versatility. She is widely regarded as one of the premiere Verdi sopranos alive today, as well as the leading interpreter of Bel Canto, Verismo, and many others. This February, the Lyric Opera welcomed Radvanovsky back to Chicagoland with open arms as she performed several arias from Puccini’s operas. In this tour-de-force premiere, the world-renowned diva brought her magnificent voice, stylistic command, and incandescent dramatic powers to arias that spanned Puccini’s vast repertoire; favorite leading lady moments from Tosca, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, interspersed with gorgeous melodies from Puccini's more rarely performed works, all supported by the magnificent sound of the Lyric Opera Orchestra led by Music Director Enrique Mazzola.

The moment the lights of the theatre dimmed and the conductor, Mazzola, took his place before the orchestra calling forth the first notes of classic operas, the audience was transported to another time, another world. Unhurried and unbothered by the outside world, for the briefest moment in time we were simply existing in this beautiful theatre, surrounded by lovers of music and the arts. History and art melded together and traveled to every corner of the historic opera house so not a single guest was denied the grandeur of the music. As the Chicago native took the stage, the audience was enraptured by the enchantress, captivated by Radvanovsky’s vocal prowess, and awestruck at the sheer magnitude of her performance. With light banter from the singer to segue between sets, beautiful interludes led by Mazzola, and a double-encore that left audiences wanting more, the Lyric Opera had truly set the tone for what its 2025 season promises to be, nothing short of awe-inspiring, the only true AI we should pursue in the world.

During her final performance in the limited run of Puccini’s Heroines, Radvanovsky alluded of her connection to the arias she chose to perform, remarking on the need for the arts, for love, for kindness and beauty, all the values the Lyric Opera represents through its performances, outreach, and inclusivity. In a year that attempts to erase history, eliminate the arts, and deny the exquisite pleasure of the humanities, let 2025 be the year to double down and embrace all that Chicago has to offer. With performances that celebrate poetry, music, history, and art, the Lyric Opera, located at 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago, promises an incredible 2025 year and a reprieve from this fast-paced world. For details and tickets to future performances, please visit www.lyricopera.org with your AI (Awe-Inspiring) heart today.

I’ve never seen Cirque and have always longed to. It was SO worth the wait! Here’s what I saw:

Color. And light. And color. And music (Berna Ceppas Composer and Musical Director) – or sound, any road -- Sound Designer Jonathan Deans says, “I need the audience to know they are entering a different world.”  Oh yeah.

It's difficult to find words for just what it is these unbelievably talented performers are doing:  Gymnastics? Yes. Acrobatics? Certainly. Pantomime? Oh yeah. Dance? Definitely … as well as trapeze, balancing, somersaulting, tightrope (and slackrope!), trampoline … oh my oh my!!  Still photos just can’t capture a contortionist pretzeling (how often can you use pretzel as a verb?)  herself til she’s smiling at us from between the soles of her feet. Oy vey.   

Costume Designer Liz Vandal says, “I try to make the body dynamic and reveal its intrinsic beauty.”  And these bodies have beaucoup intrinsic beauty! Limber and flexible is simply baseline; willowy and sleek are appropriate but inadequate; shapely and supple, certainly …  I’d say genderless (a look I’ve always loved) but I don’t want to target either Cirque or Buzz for investigation by the Federal Bureau for Rampant Incipience.

Beautiful.  Beautiful.  Beautiful.

We can’t expect even these amazing bodies in Vandal’s mind-blowing costumes and breathtaking makeup (Julie Bégin is Make-up Designer) to wow us by just hanging out, right? Here’s where the phenomenal backstage crew comes in. Rigging and Acrobatic Equipment Designer Fred Gérard complains: “there’s always this troublemaker getting in the equipment designer’s way. His name is Newton” … with his pesky theory: gravity. But Gérard manages to do that irksome detail one in the eye repeatedly.

Says Set and Props Designer Gringo Cardia “I’m satisfied when the viewer enters another dimension, and all senses are engaged.” Oh, yeah! But the performers can’t do Cardia’s amazing sets justice without Deborah Colker, OVO’s Writer, Director and Choreographer [whew! Big job yeah?], madworking with Chantal Tremblay, the Director of Creation. Now ask yourself: how many productions of any sort have you seen that have a Staff Director of Creation? That kinda makes her a god, n’est ce pas? And you’d expect a god to begin creation with the lowest of creatures, right?

Oh! Didn’t I mention? OVO is about bugs.

That’s right, BUGS.  Beautiful, playful, frolicsome, mischievous, gleeful, coquettish bugs. FABULOUS bugs! Nothing is spoken in words but there is a great deal of communication: squeaks and chitters, twitters and yatter, wordless ska and pantomime –all lucid, even fluent.

The show’s lodestar is a humongous Egg. Picture it: this enormous mysterious thing suddenly appears, reminding us of the monolith from Kubrick’s 2001. Is it any wonder it’s venerated by the insectile population? The egg is, of course, a universal symbol of life and fertility, and in OVO it’s lugged here and there, reappearing in different places at different points in the show.  BTW, OVO is, of course, egg in Portuguese.  Not to mention that OVO hides an insect in its name: the two “Os” represent the eyes while the letter “V” forms the nose.  

The Voyager is a fly, constantly in buzzing motion, and he’s a bit of a dramaqueen, arriving onstage with that big ol’ enigma of an Egg strapped to his shoulders! But despite this  imposing laissez-passer, Voyager turns bashful the minute he lays eyes on LadyBug. [I’m glad he’s not  prone to blushing – the red with his green costume would make for a rather bizarre Christmas vibe.] Any road, it’s abundantly obvious that at his first glimpse of LadyBug he’s instantly twitterpated!   

Can’t say as I blame him – so was I, and I ain’t no cockchafer [just means beetle but I couldn’t resist]! Ladybug is quite the little cupcake; a true cutie patootie and full of life – literally! Dainty and dimpling, she just knows something wonderful is about to happen in her life… no mystery about that, as she’s visibly about sevenmonths pregnant. To my relief, Ladybug didn’t do a lot of death-defying acrobatics – I’m naturally conservative (a word not often used to describe me) with pregnant poppets, regardless of species.

Voyager’s little dalliance is gleefully championed by the entire coleopteran community, generated and galvanized by Master Flipo, the buoyant, irrepressible chief of the insect coterie. Everyone respects and likes Master Flipo, though he can be very silly at times – like when he and Voyager are getting high whiffing Raid!  He’s smart and wise – but unquestionably a queer duck as well. (oh dear. I seem determined to get Cirque and Buzz targeted.) ( Um … they’ll target me too! Uh oh. Better straighten up and fly right.) (Tries.) (Does about as well as Delta Flight 4819.)  

These three, Ladybug, Voyager, and Master Flipot, are the ringleaders of CIRQUE – a triumvirate toastmaster, and any time they take the stage one knows to expect something buzzworthy … like, just for instance, dozens of doyens dazzling us with virtually indescribable acrobatics. 

Crickets are the key insects in the show. At times they have detachable legs that break away from their bodies, giving the impression that there is an insect invasion going on. “I have a particular soft spot for these characters,” costumer Vandal admits, “because they’re so sexy, graphic and vibrant.” [Note, please, that the costumer views crickets as sexy, graphic and vibrant – descriptors I don’t often see applied to 6-legged folks.]

CIRQUE DU SOLIEL is a classic success story. Guide and founder Guy Laliberté, a young accordionist, stilt-walker and fire-eater, recognized and cultivated the talents of Quebec City’s street performers, molding them into Cirque du Soleil in 1984. Cirque now operates on five continents.  Eat your heart out, Horatio Alger.

Artistic Guide Gilles Ste-Croix also collaborated with street artists [I’m sensing a pattern here] to organize a street performance festival called the Fête foraine de Baie-Saint-Paul, which in 1984 would lead to the founding of Cirque du Soleil with Guy Laliberté. Nominated Senior Vice-President of Creative Content and New Project Development in 2006, Gilles currently focuses on his role as Cirque’s Creative Guide.  

In 1999, Acrobatic Performance Designer Philippe Aubertin was hired to train artists at the company’s international headquarters in Montréal. Philippe’s first engagement as a Creator came in 2007 with his appointment as Acrobatic Performance Designer of OVO. His dual creative principles are, “the safety of the artists can never be compromised, but I’m also determined they never forget the ‘fun factor’ on stage.”

Safety.

One expects Cirque to lose several artists annually, particularly the newbies. Certainly, there are dozens of injuries, significant or trivial, but since 2018 Cirque has suffered only four casualties, including 42-year-old set technician Olivier Rochette, son of Cirque du Soleil co-founder Gilles Ste-Croix. Knowing this magnifies my enjoyment of OVO.

Enough. Enough trying to describe the indescribable, enough acclamation for the inexpressible. I’ve virtually worn out my virtual thesaurus … Just GO SEE IT!

*You can also find this review featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is a captivating tribute to the extraordinary journey of Carole King, tracing her path from a teenage songwriter to an iconic solo artist. The production delves into her personal and professional evolution, highlighting the creation of timeless classics like "It Might As Well Rain Until September," "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," and "You've Got a Friend." Alongside showcasing her musical triumphs, the show explores her relationships with fellow songwriters, including her husband Gerry Goffin, and friends and competitors Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Currently on stage at Drury Lane Theatre, Beautiful celebrates Carole King's enduring talent and profound influence on the music world. This captivating musical whisked me away on a sentimental voyage, and I'm confident it will resonate deeply with many others as well.

Raised in a Jewish household, her father a firefighter and her mother a teacher, both parents supported King's musical interests early on. Her mother, Eugenia Klein, began teaching her daughter piano at the age of four. Before long, the young singer/songwriter really tapped into something special as she matured into a once in a generation talent. King stayed true to her musical self and believed in herself when it mattered most, deciding to sing her own songs at just the right time. Who knew the heights this little-known Jewish girl from Brooklyn would someday reach - and, wow, did she ever!

Samantha Gershman is AMAZING and offers an enthralling portrayal of Carole King in her Drury Lane debut. With a perfect blend of vulnerability and incredible strength, Gershman captures the essence of the iconic singer-songwriter, bringing her inspiring journey to life with genuine warmth and exceptional talent. Gershman, fantastic throughout, really showcases her King-like vocals and magnetic charisma in a climactic concert scene, delivering a powerful performance of the title track "Beautiful."

Drury Lane’s casting is as dependable as ever. Alex Benoit delivers a nuanced and captivating portrayal of Gerry Goffin, capturing both his charm and the intricacies of his relationship with Carole King. Alexandra Palkovic and Andrew MacNaughton form a dynamic duo as Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, infusing the stage with infectious energy and humor while showcasing their impressive songwriting talents. Rebekah Ward brings a grounding presence as Carole's mother, Genie, radiating warmth and wisdom, while Michael Lawrence Brown dazzles as the charismatic Don Kirshner. This well-cast, exceptionally talented ensemble elevates Beautiful, making it an unforgettable theatrical experience.

Jane Lanier's masterful direction of Beautiful illuminates Carole King's extraordinary journey, seamlessly blending the personal and professional milestones that shaped this legendary artist's career.

The choreography by Gerry McIntyre in Drury Lane's production of Beautiful with Carolyn Brady’s music direction is a perfect match for the show's infectious energy, bringing the musical numbers to life with dynamic and period-authentic movement. Their collective efforts enhance the storytelling beautifully, capturing both the spirit of the era and the emotional core of the characters.

I'll admit, I didn't know that Carole King wrote for some of the bands/performers that she did before her own singing  stardom. This show turned out to be quite educational for me. I was familiar with The Monkees' use of King's "Pleasant Valley Sunday" among other songs of hers, but I had no idea that King penned hits for The Shirelles ("Will You Love Me Tomorrow"), The Righteous Brothers ("You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"), and Neil Sedaka ("Oh Carol"). Once again, sincere kudos to the entire cast, including Alana Lovely, Maxwell J. DeTogne, Lydia Burke, and Ryan Michael Armstrong, just to name a few. Thanks to this entire team of exceptional actors bringing these performers to life, this production offers a delightful glimpse into the vibrant mid-late 1960s music scene. 

This musical is a true masterpiece from start to finish, making it absolutely impossible not to enjoy.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is being performed at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook through March 23rd. For the most current ticket pricing and show dates, it's recommended to visit the Drury Lane website (https://drurylanetheatre.com/beautiful/) or contact their box office directly, as prices vary depending on performance date, time, and seat location. The show runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission. This feel-good musical, a wonderful tribute to Carole King's incredible talent and enduring legacy, is highly recommended for audiences of all ages.

“Don Quixote of La Mancha” is considered the oldest European novel, but it gets a fresh and exciting new treatment in “Circus Quixote." This is Lookingglass Theatre’s inaugural reopening after a year off while it retooled its much loved Water Tower Pumping Station location at Michigan and Pearson in Chicago.

In “Circus Quixote,” Cervantes’ beloved novel and it’s timeless characters—the delusional knight errant Don Quixote; the farmer turned squire Sancho Panza; the target of Quixote's courtly services Dulcinea (Laura Murillo Hart); his niece Antonia (Andrea San Miguel) who burns the books on chivalry that led to his madness—all spring to life.

The script by David Catlin and Kerry Catlin, who share director credits, brings in Spanish and latin-inflected English, but holds to the core of the tale—updated with added visions of quests that are now ever more familiar in our age of the revitalized renderings of Lord of the Rings.

Unlike Broadway’s 1965 musical “Man of La Mancha,” this version incorporates acrobatics, courtesy Evanton’s Actors Gymnasium—circus and movement choreography by Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi— along with stunning puppetry (remarkable creatures large and small designed by Grace Neediman) and dashes of slapstick. The show includes sword fights aloft on ropes (kudos to Micah Figueroa as 
Quixote's frequent adversary Sansón Carrasco), members of the troupe "jousting" with windmills by climbing the blades in arial feats, and riding Don Quixote's famed Rocinante, an engineered baroque steam punk rocking chair which at one point holds seven of the troupe in motion.  

Eddie Martinez as Sancho Panza

The newly coined English word “quixotic” (for impractical or foolish causes) was drawn from the novel soon after its publication in 1605. And the cogent notes of this tale of the hopeless aspirations maintains the poignancy as eventually even taking those he loves on a fool's errand, jousting at windmills and battling an imaginary giant.
Eddie Martinez as the faithful but questioning Sancho Panza (and a stand-in for Cervantes) is remarkable.

But the highest accolades must be given to Laura Murillo Hart, an absolutely stunning performer on multiple levels. As Dulcinea, in whose service Quixote launches his quest, Hart casts a spell on the theater whenever she appears, vocalizing in haunting melodic strains (composer Kevin O’Donnell’s music is arresting), sometimes accompanying herself on guitar.

In Act II Hart is transformed into a mustachioed, hoop-skirted clergyman, her clerical garb becomes an elaborate puppet showcase, a half-dozen or more characters appearing variously in a mini stage at the skirt front, and from her billowing sleeves. It’s an endlessly entrancing performance, and Hart demonstrates an incredible range in her many roles. At Lookingglass, a star is born with Hart’s performance.

Laura Murillo Hart

The relaunch of Lookinglass Theatre has provided "Circus Quixote" a generous run through March 30, 2025 at 163 E. Pearson at Michigan Avenue. 

Founded in 1988, Lookingglass has been on hiatus for a year while it reset its business model. Founding member David Schimmer of “Friends” fame has joined the board, and appeared last month along with Governor JB Pritzger to dedicate the rejuvenated space, with a redesigned lobby, bar and cafe open for business at 163 N. Pearson. Funding by the Illinois Arts Council and Joan and Paul Rubschlager made possible the return of Chicago’s dreamiest theater that has years of memorable shows under its belt, including (to site just one) director Mary Zimmerman’s 1988 “Metamorphoses” which went on to win her a Tony in its 2002 Broadway transfer, and returned to Lookingglass multiple times.

Lookingglass has over the years offered a balance between inventively staged serious drama such as the 2009 Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” the Jackie Robinson story “Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting” (2012) or “Death Tax” (2014); and more energized spectacles like “The Little Prince” (2013)  and “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (2018)  Lookingglass also develops an in-between type of show embodied in 2016’s “Thaddeus and Slocum” (2016), and like all its work, presented with verve, powerful dramatics, and incisive illumination of our condition as humans.

(Updated Feb. 17, 2025.)

Love is often jokingly referred to as a socially acceptable form of insanity, but in Sam Shepard’s ‘Fool for Love’ – social acceptability is an afterthought. Steppenwolf is especially known for their revivals of Shepard’s plays, and under Jeremy Herrin’s direction, their revival of ‘Fool for Love’ is as good as you can get.

‘Fool for Love’ is a gripping drama about two unstable lovers battling for control in a seedy, desert motel. The fools, May and Eddie played by Caroline Neff and Nick Gehlfluss are an equal match, dancing over the thin line between love and hate.

The one-act play opens on a hauntingly abandoned motel room somewhere in the Mojave Desert. May and Eddie cling to one another like feral animals. As the play barrels along they reveal the perverse intertwining that led them to this moment. Caroline Neff gives a wrenching and gritty performance that’s nothing short of electrifying. Nick Gehlfuss’ hulking appearance is hard to ignore, but in this version, his character is almost goofier than threatening. For that reason, their desire feels more understandable.

‘Fool for Love’ is said to live in the same universe as Shepard’s ‘True West’ and ‘Buried Child’. This play is certainly the most straightforward of the three. Here Shepard refined his exploration of brutality with a more universal central question: what makes a relationship toxic? And of course, there’s a touch of the mystic. Tim Hopper is nearly unrecognizable as The Old Man but makes for some of the most intense moments of the show.

Steppenwolf’s revival of this erotic thriller feels perfectly timed considering the success of last year’s ‘Babygirl’ and ‘Challengers’. If there’s any truth to the old adage ‘sex sells’ then the current pop culture landscape is only proving it. For years the erotic thriller seemed all but extinct as a genre which once dominated the 80s and 90s. Today there seems to be a renewed hunger for stories with sexual taboos as their subject matter.

Part of what makes this play so engrossing is the production itself. The thoughtfully designed set by Todd Rosenthal paired with Raquel Adorno’s perfect costume styling, achieve Jeremy Herrin’s vision. Every small detail tells part of the story and provides context otherwise not in the short script.

Steppenwolf’s first show of 2025 is going to be hard to top. Between the cast and the shocking script, ‘Fool for Love’ is sure to leave a lasting impression on those who see it. In confident hands, Sam Shepard’s romantic dark comedy continues to unsettle audiences even 40 years later. 

Extended through March 23 at Steppenwolf Theatre Co. 1650 N Halsted St. 312-335-1650

Like the dream deferred in Langston Hughes' poem that inspired its title, Court Theatre's latest production of "A Raisin in the Sun" simmers, sags, and occasionally explodes with raw intensity. Director Gabrielle Randel-Bent's contemporary vision crackles with urgency, even as it wrestles with the delicate balance between modern resonance and historical authenticity.

Andrew Boyce's masterful set design emerges as the production's crowning achievement. His deconstructed Chicago kitchenette apartment becomes a character itself – a cramped urban cage where privacy is as scarce as hope. The shared bathroom, visible just beyond the family's domain, serves as a constant reminder of the Youngers' station in life. Outside the city of Chicago pushing its way in threatening to devour the inhabitants in grit and grime.

The stellar ensemble breathes fierce life into Hansberry's beloved characters. Shanesia Davis anchors the production as family matriarch Lena Younger, while Brian Keys brings explosive energy to Walter Lee – though his visible tattoos create an unfortunate distraction that pulls us from the 1950s setting. Martasia Jones commands the stage as Beneatha, imbuing the aspiring doctor with a perfect blend of youthful idealism and sharp intellect. Her scenes of intellectual sparring sizzle with wit and passion, though the choice to smoke cigarettes in Mama's apartment strikes an implausible note in an otherwise masterful performance.

Kierra Bunch brings a quiet strength to Ruth Younger, crafting a deeply nuanced portrait of a woman stretched to her breaking point. Her scenes with Walter Lee pulse with complicated history – love and resentment, hope and exhaustion all tangled together. When she finally breaks down over her pregnancy, the moment is devastating in its restraint. Her joy is unbridled when she learns of the family's plan to buy a home.

Charles Andrew Gardner brings the perfect presence to George Murchison, making the most of his limited stage time. His polished demeanor and cutting wit provide the perfect foil for Beneatha's revolutionary spirit, while hints of vulnerability beneath his assured exterior add welcome complexity to what could have been a one-note character.

J. Nicole Brooks steals her scene as the nosy neighbor Mrs. Johnson, delivering gossip and judgment with such gleeful spite that you can't help but love to hate her. Her brief appearance provides crucial comic relief while underlining the community's complicated relationship with social mobility.

Julian Parker's Bobo's locs hairstyle is out of place for the time. It's distracting and makes it hard to believe Walter Lee would trust him with his dream of business ownership.

While the performances ground the production in emotional truth, Randel-Bent's modernizing choices create an intriguing tension between past and present, sometimes to the detriment of Hansberry's carefully crafted world.

Raquel Adorna's costume choices prove particularly puzzling: Joseph Asagai (Eliott Johnson) appears more Wall Street than West Africa when we first meet him in his Brooks Brothers-esque suit. At the same time, Karl Lindner (Vincent Teninty) inexplicably dons plumber's attire instead of the more historically and dramatically appropriate business suit of a "welcoming committee" representative. Young Travis (Jeremias Darville) sports an out-of-place cowboy ensemble, making him seem too old for both the outfit and the role as well as being an unlikely splurge for a family counting pennies.

Willow James' sound design walks a delicate tightrope between past and present, largely succeeding until a jarringly anachronistic moment when Walter Lee and Ruth dance to Chaka Khan's "Sweet Thing" – a choice that catapults us decades ahead of the play's setting.

“A Raisin in the Sun" hits different today than it did in 1959, but its truths cut just as deep. Sure, the Younger family's dream of owning a home in a white neighborhood might look different in 2025, but their story - fighting against systemic barriers, sacrificing for family, and refusing to let hope die - that's as real now as ever. The play nails something timeless about the American Dream: how it promises everything but keeps moving the goalposts for some folks. When Mama tends to that struggling plant, she's not just growing a flower. She's showing us how Black families keep pushing forward, generation after generation, despite the odds. Whether it's redlining in the '50s or today's housing discrimination Hansberry's message rings true: dreams don't come easy, but they're worth fighting for. That's why this play still packs theaters - it's not just history, it's tomorrow's headlines.

RECOMMENDED

When: Through March 9   *Extended through March 23rd

Where: Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave.

Running time: 2 hours, 50 minutes

Tickets: $58 - $100.00 Student, Group and military discounts available

773-753-4472

www.Courttheatre.org

It’s still fairly early in the evening. At this point, the turkey is in the oven, and Jane and Luna are each a couple sips into their bottle of wine. Conversation is nervous. The two women still do not know each other too well, and while Luna is ready with her conversation starters, Jane remains more hesitant. They don’t quite know where to sit, and while they can tell the other feels awkward, neither knows how to comfort the other.

Then, the subject of music comes up. Not only do they both enjoy disco, but it becomes clear that they both love to dance. Luna runs to get the radio and upon finding the right station, the entire mood shifts. Luna begins a dance step – inviting Jane to follow. Then it’s Jane’s turn to lead, and the two continue to switch off – each inviting the other to meet their level of silliness and joy. As the two laugh and dance, it becomes clear they finally found the push they needed. Now that the ice is broken, a friendship can truly blossom. The audience at this performance was laughing right alongside the actors – making it clear that the fun was spreading and we as witnesses were ready to see this friendship succeed.

Written by Lloyd Suh, The Heart Sellers takes place on Thanksgiving of 1973 – inspired by the Immigration Act of 1965 (or the Hart-Celler Act). Luna (Aja Alcazar) and Jane (Seoyoung Park) are recent immigrants, having moved to the United States with their husbands who are forever busy with their residencies at the hospital. Alone on this holiday, Luna invites Jane on a whim to her apartment – where they share a bottle of wine and attempt to cook a frozen turkey. Over the course of the story, we witness these strangers begin to bond. While the conversations begin hesitantly, the two slowly open up. As they slowly transition from conversations about their workaholic husbands to deeper reveals of dreams and hopes for the future, you might just find it’s impossible not to lean in and share that joy alongside them.

Skillfully directed by Helen Young, the production is intimate and full of good humor. Young’s artistic team does a stellar job extending that charming energy throughout the theater. Scenic Designer John Culbert welcomes the audience into Luna’s small, colorful apartment. With the close-knit feel of Northlight’s space, it’s hard not to feel like you are in the apartment alongside the women – which is certainly ideal for a two-hander like Suh’s play.

At its heart, this is a story about a blossoming friendship, and the artistic team focuses their designs on highlighting the women at the center – making it easy to enjoy the genuine chemistry between these two talented actors. As much as this production is full of warmth, the story carries its heavier moments – particularly as the women discuss their challenges around coming to a new country and leaving their families behind. Alcazar and Park move through these ups and downs with grace, creating an emotional roller coaster that you might find sneaks up on you as you realize how invested you are in the story. 

Standout performances and a moving script alone make The Heart Sellers an enjoyable evening at the theater. Given the current backdrop that currently lives in our country, you might also find that this Suh’s exploration of an important moment for immigration also makes the production a potent and relevant one.

RECOMMENDED

The Heart Sellers runs through February 23 at Northlight Theatre – 9501 Skokie Boulevard. See the Northlight Theatre website for more information regarding tickets.

Open Space Arts presents a premiere performance of Michael McKeever’s MR PARKER. Like everything I’ve seen at Open Space Arts (OSA), the acting was superlative: kudos to Andrew Kain Miller (Terry), Riley Capp (Justin), and Mary Ann Bowman (Cassie)! and their maneuverability in the confined space displayed expert blocking by Director/Producer/(EverythingElse-Er) David G. Zak.

The story of a widow just beginning to emerge from mourning is a familiar shared experience, bringing us immediately into rapport with Terry (Andrew Kain Miller). The complications of his journey are just as classical: his ambivalence toward accepting what the far-younger Justin (Riley Capp) is offering, and the affirmation of his doubts by Cassie (Mary Ann Bowman), his sister-in-law and sole remaining family.

It bears repetition: the cast as a whole was amazing. As usual however, I have a favorite: Riley Capp was singularly convincing as young Justin. From his first appearance Capp was compelling, maintaining Justin’s manic energy to the end – a fairly difficult bit of stagecraft, at that. Honestly, I loved his work – this isn’t simply faghag inclination toward a perfectly adorable faggot (Justin – I’ve no clue about Riley).

I have a special affection for Chicago’s small storefront theatres. I love being engulfed in the performers’ pheromone cloud. More significantly, I am consistently awestruck at the excellence of the casts and production crews in these presumably insignificant venues, rivalling – even surpassing – the large professional productions in the Loop and other glittering venues. I applaud David G. Zak for bringing his long mastery to work with the Second City’s abundance of unsung prodigies.

MR PARKER explores many universal questions and themes: how do love and sexuality interact? how, when, and for how long should grief be expressed? how does personal loss affect one’s other relationships? what are the ‘acceptable’ age boundaries for couples? And, most importantly (to me, any road), how do unspoken mandates and exigencies prevent our aging with joy?

I’m always amazed at how skillfully Open Space Arts’ production crew utilizes the restricted and compromised (6” pipe through centre stage? 6.5’ ceiling?) space. But clearly Set Designer Anna Burke and Lighting Designer Lex Newmane see these not as flaws but as creative challenges, which they most assuredly rise to. Stage Manager Lauren Littlejohn, with Assistant Kate Schnetzer, keep the company focused, despite three (three!) entrances and a ceiling that brushes heads. Open Space Arts is a classic Chicago storefront theater; one isn’t just seeing a play but enjoying a unique theatrical experience. Oh yeah! Angela Joy Baldasare managed Sound Design, and Intimacy Coordinator Greta Zandstra artfully demonstrated the complexity of emotional relationships.

It's my opinion that MR PARKER would benefit from a bit of judicious editing. Much of the script flowed evenly but some transitions were more ragged.  In particular I found some of Terry’s (Andrew Kain Miller) solo scenes superfluous – though my companion was most moved by Terry’s soliloquies… de gustibus non disputandum, n’est-ce pas? Personally, I would have liked to see more of and about Cassie (Mary Ann Bowman) … or maybe I just lusted after her wardrobe! especially that luscious black blouse with pave-set rhinestones at the neckline and cuffs. Can I have it when you’re done with it, Costume Designer Benjamin Mills??

Overall, I recommend MR PARKER as an excellent theatrical experience. I think perhaps my enjoyment was enhanced by events immediately preceding and following the play – repeated instances of the kindness of strangers. Certainly, that is welcome in today’s political zeitgeist.

MR PARKER is playing at Open Space Arts through March 2nd – plenty of time to get a ticket, and a wonderful choice for Valentine’s Day!

Some 60 years ago black intellectual and littérateur James Baldwin met with the leading conservative spokesman and author of his day, William F. Buckley, Jr., to debate what seemed a startling proposition in 1965: “Is the American Dream at the Expense of the American Negro?”

Held at the University of Cambridge in the UK, the debate was televised on BBC, then rebroadcast to U.S. audiences on public television.

Now adapted for the stage and directed by Christopher McElroen, audiences can witness the heart of this historic event in the Chicago premiere of american vicarious’ “Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley” at the DePaul University Chicago campus. It's an immersive experience, in the sense it is staged in a former gathering hall of McCormick Theological Seminary, with architectural similarities to the Cambridge setting. The show has also run in New York and London prior to its Chicago arrival.

At DePaul, McElroen, who has been developing this production for the past four years, uses original footage from the debate to provide context, leading in with large screen projections of the introductions of Buckley and Baldwin before the original audience—700 students and guests seated in the debate hall at Cambridge. This approach not only provides historic context, but melds the original event with the experience of the live debate being re-enacted for audiences at DePaul.

And as if on cue, this live audience applauds along with the Cambridge attendees of 60 years ago to welcome the live speakers.

As the projected moderator from Cambridge footage introduces them, we meet a live James Baldwin (played by Teagle F. Bougere) and William F. Buckley, Jr. (Eric T. Miller). The projection disappears and we are in the throes of the debate. As at Cambridge, live student moderators introduced core aspects of the arguments for and against the proposition. In the live DePaul theater, acting students take these roles in rotation at each performance.

Baldwin lays out key points in a speech that is methodically plotted out, but intuitively driven: that one must realize that there are different realities experienced by Blacks and whites, and so even the framing of the question is unbalanced:

I have to put it that way – ones sense, ones system of reality. It would seem to me the proposition before the House, and I would put it that way, is the American Dream at the expense of the American Negro, or the American Dream *is* at the expense of the American Negro. Is the question hideously loaded, and then ones response to that question – ones reaction to that question – has to depend on effect and, in effect, where you find yourself in the world, what your sense of reality is, what your system of reality is. That is, it depends on assumptions which we hold so deeply so as to be scarcely aware of them.

Eric T. Miller as William F. Buckley, Jr.

Buckley acknowledges the truth to Baldwin’s contention that Blacks live with less than whites, earn less, and fewer have achieved wealth and accomplishment within U.S. society. But Buckley asserts that Blacks must try harder; that as a people they have not advanced themselves, and once they do, they will live in equality. Buckley doesn't want to upset the applecart and believes that America supports Black equality.

The fundamental friend of the Negroe people in the United States is the good nature and is the generosity and is the good wishes and is the decency, the fundamental decency, that do lie at the reserves of the spirit of the American people.

Well the road to hell, as they say, is paved with such good intentions. Baldwin identifies for the Cambridge audience that Western cultural imperialism as the root of the issue.

A white South African or Mississippi sharecropper, or Mississippi sheriff, or a Frenchman driven out of Algeria, all have, at bottom, a system of reality which compels them to, for example, in the case of the French exile from Algeria, to offend French reasons from having ruled Algeria. The Mississippi or Alabama sheriff, who really does believe, when he’s facing a Negro boy or girl, that this woman, this man, this child must be insane to attack the system to which he owes his entire identity.

Of course, to such a person, the proposition which we are trying to discuss here tonight does not exist. And on the other hand, I have to speak as one of the people who’ve been most attacked by what we now must here call the Western or European system of reality. What white people in the world, what we call white supremacy – I hate to say it here – comes from Europe. It’s how it got to America. Beneath then, whatever one’s reaction to this proposition is, has to be the question of whether or not civilizations can be considered, as such, equal, or whether one’s civilization has the right to overtake and subjugate, and, in fact, to destroy another.

The production at DePaul illuminates the tremendous courage, and intellectual self-possession of Baldwin, who likens himself to the Biblical prophet Jeremiah, speaking unwelcome truths.

How does this simulation differ from the original debate? In the historic footage, Baldwin spoke as the only Black in a sea of white faces. Seated in the round, the live audience at DePaul was predominantly white, but now people of color are present as well, heightening the witness to the shamefulness of Buckley’s serious argument that Blacks needn’t complain, as their lives have measurably improved.

As with the original, Baldwin here is poetic and theatrical, and Bougere’s rendering of him is quite excellent. While the show’s setting at DePaul’s gothic wood trussed Cortelyou Commons hall is visually in keeping with its Cambridge cousin, the acoustics present challenges for the cast. Bougere, working with Baldwin’s clear language, works the room, projecting powerfully to the ceiling and pacing the stage in measured strides.

The historic Buckley, with his mid-Atlantic accent and overblown vocabulary, cannot help but come across as condescending in the original. Miller’s rendition of Buckley carries off with the same air of entitlement, jettisoning the Mid-Atlantic drawl, but still mired in Buckley’s sometimes convoluted sentences, and a occasionally obscure vocabulary that makes him sound like he is speaking with a mouthful of mutton.

Likewise sound quality is a challenge in displaying the spotty footage from the original broadcast. But the essence comes across directly and powerfully.

In an after-show audience comments session led by director McElreon, a common lament expressed is that we are still struggling with the issues of racism in our theoretically more enlightened times. Frankly, racism can only be addressed by a societal willingness for systemic change. And in truth, the only difference between what Buckley had to say in 1965, is that we can hear, and understand him, just a little better now.

TimeLine’s Chicago premiere production of the american vicarious’ “Debate: Baldwin Vs. Buckley,” is presented in partnership with the american vicarious and The Theatre School at DePaul University runs through March 2 at DePaul’s Cortelyou Commons, 2324 N. Fremont Street, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.