Items filtered by date: November 2007

When Steppenwolf calls themselves an ensemble theatre, they really mean it. Their newest production, ‘Another Marriage,’ is written by ensemble member Kate Arrington. Not only is this Arrington’s debut play, but it’s also Hollywood actress Judy Greer’s Steppenwolf debut. With casting rounded out by regular players Caroline Neff and Ian Barford, ‘Another Marriage’ shows much promise for Kate Arrington, who’s already quite an accomplished actress.

‘Another Marriage’ follows a couple from when they meet in college through the complexities of marriage and parenting. Nick (Ian Barford) and Sunny (Judy Greer) are both writers, but Nick is from a literary dynasty. Success comes easy to him, and Sunny begins to resent his ascent to fame. It’s implied that their teenage daughter is the one narrating the drama unfolding in Steppenwolf’s new theater in-the-round.

Arrington’s script speaks to the competitiveness that can manifest in romantic relationships. It also comments on how people change over time, and once common goals can start to feel one-sided. She also explores how flaws can be inherited and gives some optimism that maybe some generational cycles can be broken.

Chicagoans love to see celebrities on stage, and for the most part, it’s a worthwhile experience. Last year Sean Hayes starred in a show at Goodman. He went on to win the Tony for the same role when it opened on Broadway in 2023. This year, Steppenwolf puts Judy Greer on stage in a leading role. Greer did her theatrical training in Chicago, and it’s always been a dream of hers to work at Steppenwolf. Though more known for TV and movies, Greer is no stranger to the stage.

That said, she’s really good. It can be almost distracting when a major screen star is cast in a play, but Greer fits right in with Steppenwolf heavy hitters Ian Barford and Caroline Neff. Greer is particularly known for playing snarky sidekicks, and while there are some of her signature traits, this is mostly a side of her that hasn’t been shown in her numerous film and TV shows. She plays Sunny with a tough exterior, but in a scene she shares with Caroline Neff near the end reveals a character with a huge heart.

Caroline Neff plays Macassidy, a fan girl who ends up stealing Nick away from Sunny. Neff has a way of becoming the focal point of her scenes, even when she’s only a supporting character. There’s something incredibly watchable about her portrayal of a ditzy, unintentional homewrecker. The scene she shares with Judy Greer near the end is the highlight of the entire play. It also shows off some of Arrington’s best segments of dialogue.

‘Another Marriage’ still might need a little re-tooling in subsequent productions, but as is, it’s a pretty solid play. The tidy scenes and experimental structure keep the play unique. Arrington has a great voice, and her play is an enjoyable two hours. The cast, assembled by director Terry Kinney, is a playwright’s dream. They really bring a lot of heart to this play. You can feel the love radiating off the stage.

Through July 23 at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. 1650 N Halsted St. 312-335-1650. Steppenwolf.org

*Extended through July 30th

As a Buddy Holly obsessive—glasses tattooed around an arm, email handle for years, a novel and even a podcast someplace or the other—I was beyond thrilled when I learned the fine folks at the Marriott Theatre would be reviving Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, a show I’ve seen quite a few times over the years. About five years ago, I was privileged to review American Blues Theater’s Jeff Award-winning Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, still one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. And as I perused the playbill for the Marriott’s current revival, names from that 2018 show jumped off the page and assured me that this production would be in capable hands.

The capable hands of this Buddy Holly are attached to Kieran McCabe, who in 2018 played The Crickets’ drummer, Jerry Allison. Here’s the thing about Buddy Holly—he was young. His very short career—cut short by a fateful winter plane ride from Iowa bound for Fargo—ended when he was just 22 years old. So, while many Buddies have the look, have the guitar chops, have the West Texas drawl, and even have the hiccupping vocals, most of them are grownups wearing Buddy Holly glasses.

Not McCabe. He brings a fresh-faced, boyish energy to the role. He’s no adult cosplaying as a kid. He’s a young rock ‘n’ roller with a pair of dark-rimmed specs on his face, a Fender Stratocaster strapped to his chest, and a whole life of possibilities ahead of him, not a care in the world. As McCabe’s Buddy leads us through Holly’s catalog of songs—did I mention the brevity of the career during which these songs were created?! — with rockers like “Peggy Sue,” “Oh Boy,” and “Not Fade Away” getting us moving, and tender ballads like “True Love Waits” breaking our hearts since we how this story ends, he transports us not just to Buddy’s life in Texas and New Mexico and New York, but more importantly to a simpler, younger time of backbeats and rockabilly. Song after song after song, Kieran McCabe’s Buddy Holly rocks.

Reprising her part from the 2018 production as Buddy’s young wife Maria Elena, Molly Hernandez joins McCabe in bringing confident familiarity to the show. Besides her role as Buddy’s muse, Hernandez also adds to the cast’s musical prowess—providing close harmonies in western girl group numbers, backing vocals throughout, and some really good trumpet playing during the show’s final concert.

Also returning to a role he’d played before is Shaun Whitley as Crickets bassist Joe B. Mauldin. Whitley leads the cast—not just the Crickets, filled out here by Jed Feder as drummer Allison and Michael Kurowski as the “4^th Cricket” (the show’s stand-in for Buddy’s real-life rhythm guitarists Niki Sullivan and Tommy Allsup), but everyone else, too—through a setlist of rock ‘n’ roll classics, from Buddy’s songs to others the audience knew and loved.

Kieran McCabe as Buddy Holly. Photo by Liz Lauren.

The rest of the cast is rounded out by musical ringers, too. Ellie Kahn as Vi Petty sprinkles angelic charm onto Buddy’s ballad, “Everyday,” as she tinkles the celesta, and plays keyboards and piano throughout, as does Cory Goodrich. Alex Goodrich’s Norman Petty and various other old-timey music industry fellows are as vital to the story as his musical contributions are to the show. Marcus Terell and Christopher Wren fill out the cast and the band, while Jordan Arredondo’s Ritchie Valens gets the crowd on their feet with a rousing “La Bamba.”

Valens, of course, died in the same crash that took Buddy’s life, as did J.P. Richardson, known to the world as The Big Bopper. David Stobbe, most recently seen stealing scenes—and his son Huck’s nest egg—in Mercury Theater’s Big River, fills out the Bopper’s flashy period suit and plays the role to the hilt. Another local favorite, Melanie Brezill—who has amazed in every show I’ve seen her in, from Chicago Children’s Theatre to a play about Nina Simone—dazzles, especially during the Apollo Theater scene in which she duets with Terell on “Shout.”

But, again, it’s the music that’s the point of this show, from Buddy Holly’s songs to Valens’ and Richardson’s and all of the other oldies the audience enjoys. And it’s this cast, directed by Amber Mak, who put the songs center stage. Because while Holly and Valens and Richardson and so many other rock ‘n’ rollers might have died far too soon, their music will always be alive, so long as there are youthful and talented singers and musicians to keep them that way. Sing and dance along, from now through August 13, to Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story at The Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, to this music that will never die.

Whenever I review a theatre company for the first time I get a bit of "first date nerves", especially when a suburban company (unabashed City snob, c’est moi) is doing such an iconic show. The stakes were even higher cos this was my first time seeing HAIR – I was a little too young in 1968 and somehow never got a chance in the intervening years (never mind how many).

Skokie Theatre Company proved I was in good hands. The cast members greeting guests on the street set the mood, and I was charmed when Woof (Sam Hook) blew me a kiss from the stage. And then Dionne (Niki-Charisse Franco) began to croon the opening bars of ‘Aquarius’ and I relaxed. I knew I could sit back and enjoy the show.

HAIR includes copious profanity, overt drug use and full-frontal nudity, but there was so much MORE to love! Let’s start with the music: several of the songs, from ‘Easy to be Hard’ and ‘Good Morning Starshine’ to the iconic title song are still around today, but I hadn’t realized how very many songs are in Hair: 27 in Act One alone, and all wonderful: ‘Donna’, ‘Hashish’, ‘Colored Spade’, ‘Air’, and the fabulous ‘Initials’. And who knew HAIR had an actual plot? The cast was enormous: nine principals plus five in The Tribe – and each better than the last.

I could say HAIR was flawless, but that would set you wondering just how much of the Kool-Aid I drank; besides, there were a couple of teensy flaws. Sound Designer Chris Cook needs to make some small adjustments with the microphones -- for the most part the soloists came through, but I missed much of Crissy’s (Bridgett Martinez) solo. Mind, this sort of readjustment is routine for first-weekend performances, and my sitting in the front row may have been part of the problem.

Scenic Designer Scott Richardson and Props/Set Decorator Barry Norton wisely kept it simple: the tie-dye background effectively recalled the era, and multiple levels gave Director Derek Van Barham (with Asst. Directors Miranda Coble and Brennan Urbi) plenty of options for staging. Urbi, as Movement Asst, did a hell of a job with nearly continuous dancing and cavorting; good job he had the aisles to expand into. Beth Laske-Miller’s costumes were spot-on, evoking the flower-child tie-dyed-hippie-freak symbols of protest. She accentuated the principals just enough to distinguish them without dissociating them from the Tribe as a whole. And I loved the pansexual vibe that Intimacy Director Christa Retka achieved. Overall, the mood was effervescent, unselfconsciously joyous and totally infectious: we were all drawn into the Tribe.

I love seeing shows with this companion cos I learn so much from them. In one of my early I reviews I asked them, “Just what does a Stage Manager do?” Their reply: “Make certain every person and every prop is in exactly the right place at precisely the right time.” Their guidance let me appreciate what a phenomenal job Stage Manager Amanda Coble did with HAIR. Keeping a cast of 14 on cue through every moment of a 90-minute first act (and the 2^nd act as well); staging, with Musical Director Jeremy Ramey, a total of forty songs, at least 36 of them ensemble pieces … she pulled it off without a bobble.

My companion’s standard for Light Design is ‘if you notice the lighting, they’re doing it wrong.’ Lighting Designer Pat Henderson met, even surpassed this standard with a basic kit used to full advantage. She utilized every possible source of illumination, stage lights, house lights and spotlights, using one particular center-stage spot super-effectively. I loved Musical Director/Conductor Jeremy Ramey’s brilliant idea of placing Shraga Wasserman (Berger) and Joey Chelius (Claude) in the band during Sheila’s (Alexandria Neyhart) solo ‘Easy to be Hard’, bringing the men into the scene and the song without choreography or lines.

Okay, what am I forgetting? Director … stage manager … music … intimacy … aha! The cast!

In a word, ridiculously talented. Okay, that’s two words, and they aren’t mine but Julie Peterson’s (Jeanie), but I’m totally with her on this, for both cast and crew. There was not one single weak voice in the cast, not one. I saw Shraga D Wasserman play Roger in RENT and, though I wrote a ‘Highly Recommended’ review, I remember that Wasserman’s talent outshone the rest of the cast, making for a slightly unbalanced production. No such problem here! Wasserman’s Berger was as good or better than their Roger in RENT, but the cast of HAIR was so stellar that their genius fit in seamlessly. That face of theirs! like living Silly Putty, so incredibly mobile.

I already mentioned that Sam Hook (Woof) stole my heart when he threw me a kiss, and my infatuation grew with his every appearance on stage. It’s hard to believe he’s still a student; I hope he stays in Chicago so I can follow his career.

Claude (Joey Chelius) had perhaps the heaviest dramatic role and his acting was most definitely up to it during the hallucination sequence and the finale. Hud (Justice Largin) was gorgeous and ‘I’m Black’ was a brilliant piece. I already mentioned that Niki-Charisse Franco as Dionne wowed me with her opening performance of ‘Aquarius’, singing with near-operatic potency. The other three principal women, Sheila (Alexandria Neyhart), Jeannie (Julie Peterson), and Crissy (Bridgett Martinez) had equally powerful voices. Ben Isabel was absolutely hilarious as Margaret Meade.

Which leaves The Tribe: Jonah Cochin, Jack Chylinski, Cristian Moreno, Chevy Dixon Saul, and Hannah Silverman. I reiterate: there was not a single weak performer! Jonah Cochin stood out for his delightfully bawdy contribution to ‘Black Boys’.

HAIR revived a lot of old memories for me, both good (dyeing my own love beads) and not-so-great (nightly body counts on TV). The rebellions of the 60’s/70’s shaped what American culture is to this day, and HAIR captured it all: peace and protest, music and drugs, love and fury. In 1969 HAIR was the counterculture’s manifesto. Today it’s a documentary, and a must-see!

MadKap Production's HAIR is being performed at Skokie Theatre through July 30^th. For tickets and/or more information, click here.

For those who love theater, “Being Seen” is a delicious window into the heart of the actors’ world. Written and directed by Richard Gustin, with excellent performances by Will Clinger as a sinister director, and Kelly Anne Clark as an auditioning actor, this show at the Den Theatre offers 90 minutes of tension and humor that at its best moments reminded me of Tom Stoppard, with notes of Pinter.

The action opens with the actor (Clark) on stage under the spotlight, readying for what seems to have been an impromptu audition. The happenstance brought her to try out for an unspecified role in an unknown play being developed by a highly acclaimed director (Clinger), who emanates as a disembodied British voice somewhere in the shadows. Gustin has placed him midway up with the audience, where we slowly locate the origin of his voice.

Adding to the tone of mystery are the series of enigmatic questions he poses to the actor, none of which help us identify which play, or even what type of play, he may have in mind. Rather, they seemed designed to establish his authority and preeminence, at least in the mind of the actor.
Periodically the director holds forth on one acting theory or another.

Bemoaning a dearth of great scripts, the director ostentatiously declared, “What I’d give for another Aristotle, another Sophocles, Sophocles, as well as a few minor female playwrights,.” And the actor—a supplicant seeking to be cast—readily agrees to his point of view on this and matters small and large, even abandoning her position if she inadvertently contradicts the director’s point of view.

So desperate for a role th auditioning actor will do anything the director asks. We learn that she has been an understudy in a number of significant roles, but the leads made all the performances in the runs. She also provides more information than the director requests, demonstrating her ability in dance, and volunteering a dramatic reading that she always has at the ready. The questions seem to grow increasingly off-base, too penetrating, overbearing, even abusive. She’s asked to sum up outlandish numerical totals in her head, for example. But seemingly no matter what she does, it doesn’t seem to please the director. At one point, he asks about her shoe size.

“Five and a half, but I can wear smaller,” she says.“We were looking for a seven,” the director replies dismissively. “Well I can do that,” she responds hopefully, claiming she actually did some of her best work wearing a size eight. But no matter what she does, she doesn’t seem to be able to curry the director’s favor.

The audition moves toward inquisition, heightening the edginess. Her obsequiousness against the pretentiousness and self-infatuation of the director’s views are the basis for much of the humor, which is continuous during the show. At one point, she is asked “How do you spell “theater,” and pausing after the second t—to big laughs and great comic effect—makes the 50-50 guess on which is the director’s preference.

Finally, after an hour, the actor cracks, declaring she is tired of being “on.” And for the last 30 minutes of the show, the plot thickens, and we are led to an unexpected ending. Will Clinger will be familiar to Chicago audiences as the host of the former Public Television show Wild Chicago and frequent parts in locally filmed television dramas. He proves himself a good stage actor. Clark is among the most regularly cast actors for Chicago’s musical theater scene,and starred in the U.S. premiere at Goodman Theater of “The Return of Martin Guerre.”

This show was well received in New York, with sold out performances and was voted a fan favorite at the New York Fringe Festival. The Den Theatre production benefits from having the author as director. But I often felt in “Being Seen” that we were continuously being lead-up to a really big laugh, but never quite getting there—titters, not quite guffaws. But for actors and theater geeks like me, this is an entertaining 90 minutes. “Being Seen” runs through July 2, 2023 at Den Theatre in Chicago. .

There is something bittersweet of a one-time performance. The single moment in time displaying artistic excellence, be it music, dance, or art, retreats as quickly as it appears. The audience is often left reeling and wrestling with their emotions, reflecting on the performance, and recalling the beautiful moments they witnessed, as if trying to convert the fleetingness of the art to memory and make sense of their emotions. There is no better venue in all of Chicagoland suited to those brief artistic moments than Ravinia. 

This June, Ravinia was the backdrop for the Ruth Page Civic Ballet and Friends showcase featuring four talented dance companies (Ruth Page Civic Ballet, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Hedwig Dances, and Jumaane Taylor) performing classical and contemporary dance pieces that explored human nature and our emotions. More notably, the companies featured trainees of the dance companies, young burgeoning Chicago talent looking to launch their careers as professional dancers. Many of the young artists had offers in hand to prestigious programs and companies around the country with many more offers hopefully to follow.  

The showcase featured eight beautiful pieces roughly ten to twenty minutes in length. Deeply Rooted Dance Theater’s piece “Aisantnaf” featuring Ahmad Hill was a standout performance with intricate lighting highlighting the dancer’s body and movement in intricate detail, making the slow burning performance entrancing to watch. Hedwig Dances featured a single contemporary piece “Syzygy” featuring H. Meneses, Rigo Suara, and Paula Sousa that explored the power of three as both humans and something more cellular. The piece had an odd track that made it almost uncomfortable to watch and the musical accompaniment played almost too loud, distracting from the interlacing of the dancers on the stage. It would be worth a second watch and a possible track change to see the piece performed again. 

The absolute crowd favorite of the showcase was Jumaane Taylor and Kayana Latimer of Jumaane Taylor and Stone Soup Rhythms performing “Cheap Suites 1-5.” The tap dancers play in these five short lived rhythmic minutes-long wonders, scratching deep into the floor until they decide to "check-out." The ensemble taps into a determination to morph the strategi rthymic patterns of Karriem Riggins (Detroit master drummer and producer), using detailed tap steps to particularly collaborate with these intrumental vibrations. The tap number was high energy and showcased the incredible skill, speed, and mastery the craft requires. Each small tap or pounding step resonated with the stage and the music in perfect lock step. It brought a smile to every face in the audience and was a difficult act to follow within the showcase.

In every showcase there is one performance that leaves you wanting more. For me it was a Ruth Page piece. While “Pasajera La Lluvia” featuring Kaelen Gouveia and Oscar Uribe Zapata was a beautiful contemporary piece, the standout was the finale performance of “Abscission” by Adrián Marcelo Sáenz. The number featured all the Ruth Page trainees within their ballet company; Keely Clark, Kaelen Gouveia, Hannah Gonzalez, Mian Hirasawa, Alicia Rene Kenefic, and Oscar Uribe Zapata. The contemporary performance was an exploration of the most intimate and dark places of ourselves; a self-imposed chain, a toxic past, a double edged decision, are we free or lost without them? It was an intimate, technical, and passionate performance by all the dancers and truly was a culmination of their years of hard work and talent. The entire piece could be expanded on to be a standalone show.

While a single performance can leave one bittersweet, it can also be the culmination of years of training displaying the years of hard work and talent put into the artform. The young talent on display at Ravinia for Ruth Page Civic Ballet and Friends was beautiful in its fleetingness. Chicago and Ravinia should expect to see these talented artists soon as they embark on the next chapters of their careers. To learn more about the Ruth Page Center of the Arts’ programs and initiatives, please visit www.ruthpage.org. To view Ravinia’s 2023 and lineup and purchase tickets visit www.ravinia.org.

OBAMA-OLOGY is about privilege, as experienced and explored by Warren, a young gay Black man, recently graduated from college who takes a job with the 2008 Obama campaign. He arrives in a near-frenzy of excitement, but his ardor rapidly shrivels in the bleak streets of East Cleveland. Warren, ably played by David Guiden, is bewildered at the other volunteers’ indifference – even hostility – to his college education.

Warren is mystified at his volunteer peers’ indifference to his accomplishments, and only gradually does he become aware of the hierarchy he unconsciously assumes – with himself, naturally, at the top of the food chain. Guidan’s depiction of Warren’s grossly overblown excitement when one of his recruits shows up at volunteer headquarters is brilliantly acted. Still, we fully understand Cece’s hesitancy. Warren’s shock at finding her ‘functionally illiterate’ further alienates her; we’re impressed that she hangs in so long, and almost relieved when she drops out after Warren’s offer to fix her with adult literacy classes.

Scenic Designers Tim Rhoze and Evan Sposato choose bright colors for a seemingly simple set design that is surprisingly versatile. Stage/House Managers Barbara Reeder and Lexx Dyer use it very effectively to punctuate the brief, rapidly moving scenes, assisted by Lighting and Sound Designers Michael Rourke and Daniel Etti-Williams. Simple announcements, (e.g., “campaign headquarters”) keep us grounded in time and space. Casting director Lynn Baber selects a small (and excellent) cast: David Guiden is Warren, with all other characters beautifully played by Chris Jensen, Tuesdai B. Perry and Em Demaio. Baber’s costumes help us tell one character from another, but this differentiation is largely accomplished by the actors’ skill and the excellent direction by Fleetwood-Jourdain’s Artistic Associate Bria Walker. I admit I arrived at the theatre ten minutes late (damn the Red/Purple Line Howard Station balls-up!); still, I very quickly caught up with what character(s) were currently onstage.

OBAMA-OLOGY is billed as a comedy and there were indeed some hilarious moments: the local volunteer trainee whose idea of outreach runs along the lines of ‘Yo! Niggah! Git yer black ass to the polls!’, and the aggressively ‘woke’ couple who address other volunteers as ‘sistah soldier’. Excellent acting makes these scenarios truly droll without descent into slapstick. OBAMA-OLOGY is also advertised as drama; there are definitely some dramatic scenes, particularly those involving Warren’s parents exiling their queer son. My companion is into neologisms and called OBAMA-OLOGY a ‘dramedy’, but I would have liked it better if it had been one or the other.

OBAMA-OLOGY’s primary appeal for me was its portrayal of how easy it is to oversimplify the deeply complex phenomenon of privilege in our society. Wikipedia says of playwright Aurin Squire: Many of Squire's plays revolve around multiracial societies in transition or America's changing cultural make-up. His work reflects the Latino, African, Caribbean, African American, and Jewish cultures he grew up around in South Florida. Given this heritage, I’m disappointed at how superficially Squire (through Warren) approaches the critical issue of racial hierarchy in America.

When Warren is told, he must speak to people on their level, he not only cheapens that to speaking in Ebonics but, more importantly, clearly views it as a descent for him. His reaction to Cece’s literacy – the urge to ‘fix’ her – is so very white! Only near the end, when he and his partner endure a traffic stop, does Warren begin to get the memo about black and white in East Cleveland. That vignette could have been crucial, but it’s demeaned by its vanilla outcome. True, OBAMA-OLOGY was written in 2014, pre-George Floyd, but not pre-Rodney King! The play’s ending is equally classic white fairy tale: Cece has (1) gotten her GED, (2) gotten a job, and (3) gotten pregnant – and this is meant to be a happy ending! There a thousand far more interesting things Squire could have done with Cece.

I don’t much care for comedy; I chose OBAMA-OLOGY because shows I’ve previously seen at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre were exceptional, and I will continue to watch the Fleetwood-Jourdain’s seasons hoping for more. OBAMA-OLOGY was light, pleasant, and fairly funny, but definitely not thought-provoking.

Through June 25th at Fleetwood-Jourdain at the Noyes Cultural Center. For tickets and/or more show information, click here. 

 As part of Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks series, Nejla Yatkin, dancer and choreographer is offering a series of FREE pop-up performances at parks throughout the City. I just saw her at West Ridge Park; there are fourteen more pop-ups between now and July 8 (I’ll get to July 8 in a minute).

Nejla has traveled the globe creating more than simply dance – she generates meaningful experiences for her audiences. She has devoted her long and complex career to exploring questions of freedom and equality, pushing the boundaries of traditional dance forms to explore the beauty and complexity of being human.  

She brings all this passion and insight to ‘Firebird’, but even more evident is her warmth and the rapport she weaves round the audience, enclosing and including all of us in the performance. The Park District venue is perfect for this: a small clearing with various stumps and boulders to sit on, and the bells mingle with the songs of resident birds. I was concerned at first about finding the right place (I’m a city girl; tracking is not one of my skills) but I needn’t have been – a trail of ‘breadcrumbs’ (bright flyers taped to the path) was laid to guide me.

Chicago’s motto, “City in a Garden”, is actualized by the Park District’s 600 facilities. Did you know there were so many parks? Me neither! This guide from Time Out Chicago, ‘The 28 Most Beautiful Chicago Parks’ will help introduce you to the wealth of beauty within our city. In the meantime, choose a park to see Nejla dance!

She started about 15 minutes early, drifting around the enclosure with Patrick behind her softly playing the bells. As more people arrived Nejla began distributing feathers, paying special attention to the kids, who ranged in age from twelve months to twelve years.

Then she danced.

The Firebird appears in Slavic folklore as a magical and prophetic bird from a faraway land which turns out to be both a blessing and a harbinger of doom to its captor. Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird portrays the creature as half-woman, half-bird.

Nejla’s dance begins on the small stage, with the bird emerging from its egg. The fledgling becomes stronger and more confident, finally leaving the stage to visit every audience member in turn. Some people – particularly those with children – she enfolds in a cocoon of red silk wings (designed by costumer Katrin Schnab). The dance moves out of sight behind a little rise, remaining long enough that some of the smaller kids begin to worry. She reappears with 3-foot extension poles, expanding her wings enormously and closing the dance with great sweeps and billows of red silk.

But that’s not the end of the performance! Nejla invites the audience to join her, and one by one people move out into the clearing. Ultimately a dozen people, all ages and sizes, are swooping joyously about.

The pop-up performances will continue through June, and on Sunday July 8 there will be a Firebird parade (I told you I’d get back to July 8!). Everyone is welcome to participate in the parade and are encouraged to wear their very own Firebird costume. For any whose couturiere skills have gotten rusty, Nejla is offering a costume workshop on June 14 at Indian Boundary Park, AND a workshop June 28^th on Firebird Sound and Movement – in case you need a refresher course in squacks and screeches.

All of this – pop-up performances, workshops, and Parade – is FREE to Firebird-wannabes of all ages and persuasions.

More information, including a schedule of performances, HERE.

What’s the line between faith and reason? That’s the question at the center of playwright John Pielmeier’s contemporary classic ‘Agnes of God’. The reliable ensemble at Redtwist Theatre creates an atmospheric production that leaves an indelible impression.

‘Agnes of God’ tells the story of a young, mentally impaired nun who is charged with infanticide after a strangled baby is found in her room. Inspired by a true story, Pielmeier digs deeper, past the tabloid shlock, and finds meaning in tragedy. Though nothing of divine intervention was determined in the real case, this play asks, what if there had been? Is the age of miracles definitively in the past?

In Pielmeier’s version, Agnes is written as a true innocent who the Mother Superior of the convent believes might really be talking to God. When atheist psychiatrist Dr. Livingstone is assigned by the court to evaluate Agnes’ mental health, her scientific certainties are put to the test.

The three-woman cast in director Clare Brennan’s production feature two Redtwist ensemble members: Jacqueline Grandt, Debra Rodkin, and regular player Soleil Perez in meaty roles. And the immersive black box performance space heightens the sense of intimacy to that of a confessional booth.

Jacqueline Grandt as Dr. Livingstone has several spans of direct conversation with the audience, as if she’s a lawyer giving her opening and closing statements. The uneasiness with which Dr. Livingstone’s conversations go with the Mother Superior (Debra Rodkin) are visually represented by one of the show’s minimal set pieces—a slanted desk. Through the frankincense fog, we see that Mother Superior might not be telling the entire truth. Soleil Perez plays a wild, and untamed Agnes whose stage presence makes you wonder if maybe she is a heretic after all.

Unique stage lighting and taught scenes give this production an edge. Jacqueline Grandt is captivating and her transformation from harsh chain-smoking criminal psychiatrist to vulnerable sceptic brings more nuance to the stage than perhaps what’s in the script. It’s on her performance this play really hinges. Grandt is an actress with confidence that she has the audience firmly in her grasp and this performance really showcases her range. She’s on stage for all two hours of the show’s running time and her intensity only builds from scene to scene.

Many contemporary writers in recent years have grappled with issues involving the Catholic church, John Patrick Shanley’s Broadway hit ‘Doubt’ comes to mind—but in that regard ‘Agnes of God’ was ahead of its time. Written in the late 70s, at a time where ‘The Exorcist’ had just electrified a mostly religious American audience a few years earlier, a film whose scares rely on an audience of believers. ‘Agnes of God’ tells a story of concealed abuse and religious conspiracy, in an era when people were less likely to question the church. Sadly, the more disturbing elements of the play remain as timely and relevant now as ever. However, scandals aside, what this play universally offers to both non-believers and believers alike is the opportunity to ask, can everything be answered by science and fact?

Through July 9 at Redtwist Theatre. 1044 Bryn Mawr Ave. http://www.redtwisttheatre.org

*Extended through July 16th

Second City’s Don’t Quit Your Daydream is a dream you won’t want to wake up from. I gotta say this show brought me to tears… of laughter. Once the lights dim, you are welcomed with a groovy dance opening and then dive into back-to-back comedy sketches. This show captures all those ridiculous thoughts one could have in a daydream and conveys them in a series of hilarious skits.

Don’t Quit Your Daydream is written and performed by Andy Bolduc, Kiley Fitzgerald, Claire McFadden, Evan Mills, Julia Morales, and Jordan Stafford and directed by Carisa Barreca. This brilliant six-member ensemble plays a variety of characters throughout the show. Some characters include high school students, an angel, a loofa, imaginary friends, a “cool” nun, and an evil villain named Snakewart. All the comedians are amazing performers and are able to radically change their persona from skit to skit. The cast is perfect for this show and has some major wow moments in their execution.

One stand-out performer is Evan Mills who has been working at Second City since 2018. Mills keeps you on your toes as you wait for him to deliver his clever punchlines and funny reactions. He brings a multi-talented performance that includes singing a song about the thoughts that keep him up at night, dancing with his gay crush at prom, and improv as a not-so-famous background actor. During the show, I heard one crowd member say, “Oh my god, he’s hilarious!”

Another comedian that kept the crowd rolling was Andy Bolduc. Bolduc is a natural on the stage and often plays as the privileged white guy or bizarre characters like a brother who is dating his imaginary friend, Flip Flop. He’s convincing in his act and often reminds you of that one weird kid from school. His lines, delivery, and body language fully embrace each role and leave you wanting more.

 Don’t Quit Your Day Dream’s production was flawless. The lights, music, sound effects, and stage setup were seamlessly pieced together. The transitions between sketches happened in the blink of an eye and kept the audience fully engaged throughout the duration of the show. All the seats in the club offered a great viewing experience and a chance to get picked on by the cast.

Each skit in Don’t Quit Your Daydream is unique with a comedic twist. The dream-like storylines take you on a journey to the gates of Black Heaven, an awkward high school prom, a flawed murder mystery scene, and many more. Each sketch has a sense of silly magic, leaving you with childlike wonder. Plus, you get to hear a few corny dad jokes sprinkled throughout the show. But it’s not all jokes. You also get to hear the comedians sing their original songs, watch them show off their moves in a synchronized dance, and test their skills with improv as they engage the crowd. It’s safe to say this Second City show takes sketch comedy to a whole new level.

The Second City comedy club is conveniently located in the Old Town neighborhood inside Piper’s Alley Mall. This area offers many great restaurants that are superb for grabbing a bite to eat before the show. Don’t Quit Your Daydream is held in the mainstage theater with small tables and chairs and a large stage. Second City offers in-theater dining that includes small bites and a wide selection of drinks.

Don’t Quit Your Daydream has a two-hour run time with a quick 15-minute intermission. This summer show runs Tuesdays-Thursdays at 8pm; Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and 10pm; Sundays at 7pm starting June 7, 2023. Tickets range from $39-$94. Doors open 45 minutes prior to showtime.

I definitely recommend seeing this show, just leave the kids at home since this one is Rated R. Make sure to buy your tickets fast, many shows are selling out! Purchase your tickets online today.

West Side Story is just as exciting, vibrant, and moving today as it was when it was first created in 1957. Filled with timeless songs and choreographed dance numbers that are as original as they are visually stunning, West Side Story continues to delight audiences old and new, and Lyric Opera House’s latest offering of this musical masterpiece checks all the boxes. Conceived by Jerome Robbins with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Leonard Bernstein and book by Arthur Laurents, West Side Story is considered to be one of the best musicals ever created. One cannot help but be pulled in by the production’s engaging story, astounding vocal performances and original dance scenes that incorporate a fusion of ballet and modern dance.

Inspired by William Shakespeare’s tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story turns the feuding Monague and Capulet families and love-stricken teens, Romeo and Juliet, into a New York setting that has the white kid Jets fighting to keep the Puerto Rican Sharks out of their neighborhood. Romeo is replaced by Tony, the former leader of the Jets and Juliet becomes Maria, the sister of Sharks leader Bernardo. When Tony and Maria fall hopelessly in love at a neighborhood dance social, the two are immediately thrust beyond the racial barrier that has caused hate between the rivaling gangs and breaking free from their past will be nothing less than challenging.

The cast of West Side Story. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

In Lyric Opera House’s production of West Side Story we are met with stunning sets designed by Peter J. Davison that take us to a New York City neighborhood that gives us the feel of the musical’s late 1950’s era while implementing many touches of today’s world, as evidenced by the Bad Bunny poster hung on the wall of Maria’s room. Costume Designer Jessica Jahn also sprinkled in a mix of yesterday and today combining the white t-shirts, cuffed jeans, Converse All-Stars and flashy dresses that represented the late 1950’s with today’s skinny jeans, striped basketball pants and hairstyles that include shaved line designs and manbuns. I found the blended sets and costumes a bit confusing at first, but it does work. Perhaps the modern-esque makeover is done to remind theatergoers that racism didn’t just take place way back when but is also present in today’s world and that there is still plenty of work to do.

Brett Thiele as Riff and Yurel Echezarreta as Bernardo in West Side Story at Lyric Opera House. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

This production has a special cast. Audience members are treated to sensational vocal performances by Ryan McCartan as Tony, Kanisha Feliciano as Maria. Both McCartan and Feliciana have show-stopping moments during their vocal performances and their chemistry feels natural. Lyric hits the jackpot with both and McCartan and Feliciano’s performances. While McCartan’s beautiful rendering of “Maria” is vocally superb and heartfelt, Feliciano’s captivating performance of “Somewhere” also delivers in grand fashion. Both have tremendous range and seem to effortlessly take their voices wherever they need to go.

Maria!
I've just met a girl named Maria,
And suddenly that name
Will never be the same to me
Maria!
I've just kissed a girl named Maria,
And suddenly I found
How wonderful a sound can be
Maria!
Say it loud and there's music playing,
Say it soft and it's almost like praying

Amanda Castro thoroughly embodies the strength of Anita, Bernardo’s girlfriend, and wows us with both her voice and her skilled dancing ability, particularly when leading the Shark Girls in a colorful rendition of “America”. Brett Reile as Jets leader Riff and Yurel Echezarreta as Bernardo also play key roles in making this production as great as it is. Reile’s Riff is edgy and street tough perfectly personifying the “When you’re a Jet you’re a Jet all the way” modus operandi, while Echezarreta gives us a Bernardo who can go toe-to-toe with anyone. Of course, the ensemble is pivotal to the show’s success and this ensemble is just incredible and awes the crowd in one huge dance number after another.

Conducted by James Lowe and directed by Francesca Zambello, Lyric gives us a fresh take on the classic smash hit that audiences have been enjoying for the 60-plus years. West Side Story is a production for everyone. Its message of coming together still resonates today, and its fulgurous dance numbers and song performances will never become dated.

This brilliant production of West Side Story is being performed at the Lyric Opera House (20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago) through June 25^th. The running time is 2 hours and 30 minutes, which includes one intermission. For tickets and/or more show information, click here.

Highly recommended.