Items filtered by date: November 2007

Prolific, and routinely recognized as being one of the most produced playwrights in the country, Lauren Gunderson’s range is as impressive as the quality and popularity of her work.  Inspiration for her plays often springs from things she loves, with history and science at the top of the list.  They can also arise from sheer curiosity or when she notices a subject matter void.  I and You can be said to fall in both latter categories.  Now playing in Lake Forest’s Citadel Theatre, it burrows into the lives of people we don’t see enough on the theatrical stage, the young.  By centering on youth, she gives us an opportunity to better understand ourselves from a rarely observed perspective. 

In I and You, a genetic condition diagnosed at birth has Caroline (Amia Korman), now 17, homebound.  She used to be able to go to school, but the progression of her illness now has her doing remote learning exclusively.  With a wonderful wall of photographs and images covering its back wall, a not too frilly bedroom and her stuffed turtle make up her universe.  The only human contact she has is with her mother; someone we never see.  Understandably, she’s both surprised and alarmed when Anthony (Jay Westbrook) bursts into her room after a perfunctory knock on the door looking for help with a homework assignment.  Directed by Scott Shallenbarger, it’s a tense encounter.  Anthony’s Black, and there’s a tinge of racial fear detectable in the scene.  But through it we get a baseline on the character of these two young people; or at least on how they relate to other people.

Caroline’s prickly, defensive and sharp-tongued.  We soon detect too that she’s angry about not having a normal teenage life and psychologically weary of waking up to the possibility of imminent death every morning of her life.  Anthony’s just a regular pleasant teenager intent on getting an assignment done.  Sports, other interests and procrastination have put him behind the eight ball and, with the assignment due the next day, he’s a little anxious.  When he lets slip that he volunteered to team with Caroline on this project, he’s compelled to admit he did so because she was a topic of curiosity at their school, and he wanted to meet her.  Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass is the assignment and, despite being an avid B-baller, Anthony’s a big fan of Whitman’s poetry.  Beautiful and still groundbreaking 170 years after it was originally published, Whitman’s classic looms large over the entire play.  So much so you might find yourself checking your bookshelves for a copy when you get home to reacquaint yourself with the poet’s seminal genius.

Gunderson’s writing and Shallenbarger’s direction perfectly capture the almost exasperatingly rapid speed and quirky fluidity of teenage-ese.  Well matched in its fluency, Caroline and Anthony also happen to be very intelligent and willing, once trust is gained, to speak candidly to one another.  Something not easily done with someone who’s accustomed to closing herself off from a world that hasn’t given her much to believe in.  What Caroline doesn’t want is pity, especially in the form of reflexive or obligatory niceness.  It’s the reason she initially closes the door to kindness of any type from Anthony. 

Picking up cues from the way Anthony talks about his father, his love of jazz and his interaction with girls, she feels he has it all.  It’s a notion he quickly disabuses her of by revealing personal flaws and confessing to missteps he’s taken that bring balance to her perception of him.  Flashes of vulnerability that they both share lead to frank, thoroughly absorbing dialogues about death.  When she confesses her dream of being a photographer and travelling the world, and then demurs saying she knows it’s all fantasy, it's Anthony’s turn to bristle by demanding she “stare it down and don’t give up”.   Both young actors display a natural and refined intuition for their craft. The deeper their roles take them, the greater their appeal as they invest an uncanny honesty into their characters.  As they disclose more and more about themselves, barriers between them begin to quietly tumble.  Something that they both notice, resist, slowly accept and finally embrace. 

As with so many who share her craft, displaying the universal need for connection between people was a conscious goal of the playwright in I and You.  That the two characters be of different races or ethnic backgrounds was a casting condition for Gunderson in this play as well.  As the playwright has noted, it’s reflective of the real world and doing so created a silent but constant reminder of the arbitrary boundaries we create between ourselves.   As Caroline and Anthony gain deeper insights into each other, and as they explore together the wonders and possibilities Whitman’s words engender, the barriers separating them, including that of race, fade like a mist.  They quite unconsciously begin to focus on what they have in common.  An affection that only deep understanding arouses begins to germinate, preceding an ending that’s so startling it makes some people gasp. A shock that prods us to take stock of ourselves and the world we live in through a more illuminating and expansive light. 

Unobtrusive yet discreetly distinctive, David Solotke’s set design held insinuating touches that added notes of mystery to the play and Jodi Williams’ lighting during pivotal moments amplified its drama in hugely rewarding ways.  Paired with an exemplary story, very fine acting and discerning sure direction, Citadel’s production of I and You is a delight that can be savored long after the lights come up. 

I and You

Through March 23, 2025

Citadel Theatre

300 S. Waukegan Road

Lake Forest, IL  60045

https://www.citadeltheatre.org/

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

Do not bring the kids to TITUS ANDRONICUS; it has 14 killings, 9 of them on stage, 6 severed members, 1 rape (or 2 or 3, depending on how you count), 1 live burial, 1 case of insanity and 1 of cannibalism – an average of 5.2 atrocities per act. We’re talking kung-fu, sword-fu, spear-fu, dagger-fu, arrow-fu, pie-fu … heads roll, hands roll, tongues roll, nine and a half quarts of blood flow – pretty gruesome, even for Shakespeare. We were offered seats within or outside the ‘splash zone’; we chose the former (of course) and were duly splashed.

TITUS ANDRONICUS, Shakespeare's bloodiest script, brings prejudice and the politics of revenge to the forefront – timely and apt, yeah? TITUS ANDRONICUS is one of the Bard’s lesser-known plays; co-adaptors Dusty Brown, Caroline Kidwell and Jordan Gleaves showed courage and foresight in bringing this controversial story to the stage and are rewarded by the aptness of this story to 2025 America. Prejudice and revenge? Yeah.

Redtwist Theatre is one of Chicago’s signature black box venues; its mission is to ‘create searing hot drama that builds empathy, dissects cruelty, and reveals broader truths.’ Their tiny black box venue becomes a thematic asset (TITUS ANDRONICUS seated 20), every show tailored to close the gap between actor and audience – literally and figuratively – adding ‘a little red twist’ to every production by exploring the violence inherent in our humanity.

Fine aspirations but challenging to realize. Redtwist was recently renovated, though We aim to create brave spaces, where listening and learning can take place.

The cast was phenomenal, as is to be expected in Chicago’s rich thespian environs.  Anne Sheridan Smith in the title role maintained their martial dynamism through a score of brutal spectacles, as did Sabine Wan as their sister Marcus. Caroline Kidwell personified the heroism of their mutilated daughter Lavinia while Philip C. Matthews was a compelling Lucius, sole surviving progeny of the Andronicus line.

On the other side of the conflict, Laura Sturm was redoubtable as Titus Andronicus’ captive Tamora, Queen of the Goths; the Emperor Saturninus (Joshua Servantez) is sufficiently impressed to marry and make her Empress, abjuring his engagement to Titus’ daughter Lavinia. This delights his brother Bassianus (Madelyn Loehr), who is in love with and betrothed to Lavinia.

Are you still following this? Iambic pentameter is challenging enough without so convoluted a plotline. The talents of Text Coach Meredith Ernst Maryfield were absolutely vital!

Meanwhile, back at the Emperor’s palace, Empress Tamora gives birth to a baby whose dark skin proves he was fathered, not by the Emperor but by the lowborn (not to mention Black) Aaron (James Lewis). Aaron is devoted to the infant, in stark contrast to his unrelenting inclination for inciting evil. He helps Tamora’s sons Chiron (Elijah Newman) and Demetrius (Quinn Leary) foil their brother Bassianus by capturing Lavinia, gang-raping her, and cutting away her tongue and hands to prevent her identifying them.

Tamora arrays herself as Vengeance and appears to Titus Andronicus with her sons, disguised as Murder and Rapine. Undeceived (and understandably, vexed by their pillage of Lavinia), Titus sends ‘Vengeance’ away, retaining ‘Murder’ and ‘Rapine’, both of whom he kills. He invites Tamora and Saturninus to a banquet and, after they’ve scarfed down every bite, reveals that the pie he served was made with the hearts of Demetrius and Chiron.

Once Tamora has eaten her fill of scion pie, he kills both her and (for some reason) his own daughter Lavinia. A rash of killings ensues, leaving alive only Marcus, Lucius, Young Lucius, and Aaron. Lucius has Aaron buried alive and Tamora's corpse thrown to the beasts and having thus demonstrated his fitness for office, he becomes the new Emperor, promising to Make Rome Great Again. The people of Rome refuse to accept it and march en-mass on the nation’s Capital … oops, sorry; that’s 2025; Lucius Andronicus took the throne in … well, TITUS ANDRONICUS is fictional so we can’t be sure, but we can be sure that history repeats itself.

Redtwist’s creative team makes all of this work, from Director Dusty Brown with Assistant Andie Dae to Stage Managers Eliot Colin, Raine DeDominici, and Ashley O’Neill.  I was deeply impressed with Scenic Designer Eric Luchen’s set: austere, even spartan, it accommodated the script’s complex depredations and treated most spectators to contact with a corpse if not baptism in blood. I loved Costume Designer kClare McKellaston’s fusion of modern and bling. Michael Dias’ gruesomely convincing stage combat was perfectly balanced by Intimacy Director Erin Sheets; powerful even at very close contact.

If you’d like to follow (another) depraved empire crumble from within, TITUS ANDRONICUS is for you. But let me repeat:  do not bring the kids!

TITUS ANDRONICUS plays at Redtwist Theatre through March 30.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!  By Sarz Maxwell

*Extended through April 6th

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

‘Hedda Gabler’ has mystified audiences for generations, as this was certainly Ibsen’s intention when creating this endlessly fascinating character. The Artistic Home transforms the Den Theatre into 1890s Norway for their production of Irish playwright Mark O’Rowe’s 2015 adaptation of ‘Hedda Gabler’. Under Monica Payne’s direction, this contemporary-voiced retelling is diabolically humorous.

Any production of ‘Hedda Gabler’ is only as good as their Hedda. In Brookelyn Hebert, Monica Payne has a frighteningly self-assured Hedda who is insatiably fun to watch. Flanked by Todd Wocjik as Jorge Tesman and John Mossman as Judge Brack, Hebert plays both the conqueror and conquered with hot tempered fluidity.

Ibsen, like Chekhov, helped usher in a new era of modern theatre that would inspire 20th century playwrights like Arthur Miller and Eugene O’Neill. With focus on the doldrums of a waning aristocracy, Ibsen captures the everyday hopes and disappointments of his characters in scenes that feel as relevant today as when they were written.

What makes ‘Hedda Gabler’ unique is the myriads of ways a director and an actress can approach the title role. Ibsen’s play is somewhat vague so that audiences and theater makers are free to go with their own interpretation of what motivates Hedda.

In this new version by Mark O’Rowe, many of the Easter eggs Ibsen drops throughout the play are further expanded upon so that audiences have even more context for Hedda’s past and present. In Rowe’s version, Hedda is quicker to anger and more self-aware than in previous iterations. An angrier Hedda shows the brewing hostility of a woman trapped by society, which makes her downfall all the more tragic.

Time seems to fly with O’Rowe’s modern language. Instead of literary innuendo, characters are free to discuss sexuality and substance abuse with more directness. Two and a half hours can feel long for a classic melodrama, but this script has a lot of juicy scene work to keep audiences on the edge of their seat, even if they know what’s going to happen next.

Plays like ‘Hedda Gabler’ do exactly what good plays should, and that is to ask why. As mentioned before, Ibsen purposefully did not provide just one reason for Hedda’s actions, rather he planted many seeds so that nobody can really be sure, opening the door for riveting conversations.

The Artistic Home’s production of ‘Hedda Gabler’ is a good reminder of why classics should be seen every so often. Though the modernized script takes some interesting liberties, and can become a bit meandering in parts, overall Ibsen’s points are well preserved. However, it’s fairly unlikely that high society folks would speak in expletives the way they are in O’Rowe’s script. Still, this production is faithful in its interpretation of the limits of courage. In the end, despite Ibsen’s Easter eggs, this is a play about one woman’s courage to go against the grain of society.

Through March 23 at The Artistic Home at The Den. 1331 N Milwaukee Ave. 773-697-3830

Sugar, butter, flour…beneath the flaky layers and buttery crusts of pies lay these three simple ingredients. They’re mixed and blended together to form the foundation of endless possibilities to what it could become, pecan, blueberry, or apple pies, cutie pies, sweetie pies, or humble pies. It’s nice to remember that it’s often the simplest things that can bring us so much joy. Like a simple story of a humble pie maker dreaming of a better life, like the story of Waitress, now playing at Paramount Theatre.

Sugar, butter, flour. These aren’t the only ingredients Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker, uses to make her famous pies. Stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage, Jenna unexpectedly becomes pregnant and then finds acceptance and love in the most unexpected place. Hoping to bake her way out of her troubles, she puts her heart and soul into her unique pies, winning over anyone who tastes them. But while battling expectations and self-esteem issues, Jenna’s delicious pies reflect her state of mind with names like I Don’t Want Earl’s Baby Pie and Where There’s A Whisk There’s A Way Pie. Each of us will find something relatable in Jenna’s struggles and triumphs. Full of romance and the joy of an uninhibited fling, Waitress challenges the story of a pregnant woman trapped in a small town between the life she’s living and the life she wants. Her customers, co-workers, and the town’s handsome new doctor may all offer her conflicting recipes for happiness, but only Jenna can do the soul-searching to decide for herself what the right ingredients are for her own happiness.

Story, talent, heart…those are the three ingredients at the heart of Paramount’s production of Waitress. The musical is based on the 2007 film of the same name with lyrics and music by Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee (and millennial icon) Sara Bareilles. Waitress made its debut in 2016, garnering four Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score with a playlist that includes “Sugar, Butter, Flour,” “What Baking Can Do,” “Club Knocked Up” and romantic tunes such as “It Only Takes a Taste” and “When He Sees Me.”

Within moments of the musical’s Chicagoland debut, it was clear why Waitress is such a cult classic. Like a pie, the storyline has multiple sweet and wholesome layers, but also rocky layers that, for some, are difficult to digest. Like life, sometimes the messiest things are the sweetest at its core. Despite some of the more sensitive material of the play, the incredible talent of the Paramount cast members balanced the sweet and the messy through their portrayal of hard working, tired dreamers. Featuring Michelle Lauto as Jenna, Teressa LaGamba as Becky, and Kelly Felthous as Dawn, the three performers are the production’s sugar, butter, and flour, the heart and soul of the musical blending humor with heart and soul. Jackson Evans as Ogie Jonah D. Winston as Cal, and David Moreland as Dr. Pomatter add flavor and spice to the mix to make this a delectable musical. In an era of movie and film dominated by wealth and flash and big-action, it’s refreshing to know there are productions that still center on the simple things in life. At its core, Waitress is about heart. It kneads, and rolls, and blends the simplest ingredients into a story that is both relatable and sweet, however messy the appearance might be. It’s no surprise to this theatre lover why Paramount theatre was sold out on a Friday evening.

Waitress is now playing at Paramount Theatre in Aurora (23 East Galena Boulevard Aurora, IL) through March 30^th, 2025. So grab your tickets and be sure to snag a seat in Joe’s diner before all the good slices (seats) are gone!

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

I’m not a fan of board games. I’ve never finished a full game of Monopoly. Risk? No, thanks. But Clue? I’ve loved it since I saw the ‘80s film version as a kid. And ever since, the movie and the game have been inseparable and intertwined in my mind.

The first time I brought my youngest child to a theater production of Clue, she was also transfixed—with the show and the game—and so we were both eager to see Broadway in Chicago’s current touring production of Clue—Live on Stage!, directed by Casey Hushion and playing at the CIBC Theatre until March 2.

First off, I forget how cozy the CIBC Theatre is. I adore each of the 1920s Rapp & Rapp palaces, and I love the much-older Auditorium the most of any Chicago venue, but the turn-of-the-century-ish Vaudevillian vibe of the once-Majestic CIBC is its own thing altogether. And it sure bundled us all in and enveloped us for an evening of murder, mystery, and maniacal merriment—just like the movie and just like the game, but playing out live.

In the film, Tim Curry is Tim Curry—the thief of any scene, the star of any moment the camera catches him—as Wadsworth does the heaviest lifting. Onstage, Wadsworth the butler carries the story and the action. Jeff Skowron’s Wadsworth received the largest and loudest ovation at show’s end, and it’s because he kills it—literally and figuratively. He makes the butler his own, and relishes with impish glee the evening of horrors he’s there to present to the six guests.

Wadsworth is joined in his service to the night’s slayings and silliness by Elisabeth Yancey as the French maid, Yvette. I recall as a boy being enamored of Yvette on the silver screen, and it’s no different all these years later. Yancey’s enamoring while still being a riot—playing the trope for all the provocativeness and physical comedy she can wrench from it.

Speaking of physical comedy (not to mention, wrenches… lead pipes, candlesticks, etc.), in all my years of attending live theater, I’ve rarely seen a physical comedian as gifted as John Shartzer, who plays Mr. Green. Shartzer’s arrival at the doorway of Boddy Manor is a flop—in the best sense of the word—and in the hour or so that follows he continues to one-up himself with slithering, scooting, being squashed, shrieking, screeching, squawking, squealing, and a really cool slo-mo scene, all while waiting to deliver the show’s coup de grace.

The other five dinner guests/game pieces are equally as memorable and enthralling. David Hess imperially bumbles and balderdashes through the evening’s proceedings. Christina Anthony’s Miss Scarlet’s the sadder but wiser woman of the night. Donna English, who originated the role of Mrs. White onstage, continues the role with calculating cool. Jonathan Spivey’s abrasive know-it-all Professor Plum might annoy his fellow houseguests, but the crowd thoroughly enjoyed him. And my daughter pointed out as soon as Joanna Glushak took the stage as Mrs. Peacock (my daughter’s favorite Clue character) that she was the “perfect Mrs. Peacock.”

Indeed, with this production’s impressive set pieces, lighting, and stage choreography—not to mention its intermission-less wham-bam runtime, and its spot-on setting during American times of distrust, untruth, and turmoil—Broadway in Chicago’s current production of Clue—Live on Stage!, at the CIBC Theatre until March 2, is a great escape.

For more info visit https://www.broadwayinchicago.com/shows/clue/.

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.)