Items filtered by date: June 2026

Jules Verne wrote one of the first science fiction novels in 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas, the story of three travelers who find themselves imprisoned on the Nautilus, a submarine captained by the megalomaniacal Captain Nemo. The novel was light on political detail, though Captain Nemo occasionally claimed to use his supremacy in the seas to right wrongs committed on land, especially those perpetrated by colonial powers. Nemo’s reasons were more fully articulated in Verne’s follow-up, The Mysterious Island, elements of which become the framing device for this Lookingglass Production, adapted by David Kersnar, who also directs, and Althos Low (aka Steve Pickering). Ensemble member Kersnar shows a deft hand and strong familiarity with the resources he can muster to bring the undersea world of the novels spectacularly to life, though the attempt to explain Nemo’s vengeful politics weighs the production down.

At its heart, 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas is an entertaining yarn, filled with hair-raising encounters with monsters, encounters made more terrifying by the fact that they take place in the unforgiving confines of the world’s oceans, with their more ordinary terrors. Kersnar and Low have done a remarkable job of bringing this world to the stage, staying true to Verne’s vision while making updates that make the story more accessible to contemporary audiences. One of these is changing the gender of the marine biologist who recounts Nemo’s travels and scientific discoveries. Pierre Aronnax and his aide-de-camp, Conseil, are recast as Morgan Aronnax and Brigette Conseil. This proves to be a strong choice in terms of storytelling, as it makes a little sense of Aronnax’s initial sympathy for Nemo, as both have felt the sting of being underestimated by those in power. The creators have assembled a team of artists and designers who are up to the task of bringing the tour of the seas to the stage. Todd Rosenthal’s set contains a toy-theater proscenium for the wide-angle shots of the ocean, from the sinking of ships to the horrors of the drowning sailors to the view from the windows of the Nautilus. The Nautilus itself is realized as an exterior platform that rises and tilts precipitously as the story demands, and hints at the confinement of the underwater craft that can be accessed only through a small hatch. Costume designer Sully Ratke combines story-telling and function, creating designs that capture the altered states of the characters as their journeys unwind, as well as their backgrounds and social stations. Props by Amanda Hermann avoid getting too steampunk, but capture the Victorian aesthetic of the novel, reminiscent of the original illustrations. However, it is the more ephemeral design elements that really transport the audience to the depths: sound designer Ric Sims and lighting designer Christine Binder immerse the audience in locations from New York City, the decks of various water crafts, to the depths of the seven seas. Floating in this aural and visual landscape are the puppets designed by Blair Thomas, Tom Lee, and Chris Wooten and athletic actors performing Sylvia Hernandez Di-Stasi’s brilliant aerial choreography, which allows the characters to float and dive beneath the waves. The puppets themselves are worth the price of admission: lifelike and magical at once, they float behind and off the stage to invite audience and characters fully into the terrors and wonders of the oceans.

The play begins with a group of refugees from the American Civil War meeting the man who enabled them to survive their escape, Captain Nemo, now older, alone and questioning his prior life as a terror of the seas. It then flashes back to where the book begins, introducing French professor of natural history Morgan Aronnax, who receives a last-minute invitation to join the crew of the USS Bainbridge, under Captain Farragut, who is commissioned to seek and destroy whatever is terrorizing the seas—be it craft or creature. Aronnax postulates a giant narwhal in a scene that brilliantly establishes her character and her position vis-à-vis her male colleagues. Kasey Foster does an admirable job of injecting charm into the generally no-nonsense and humorless professor, who is almost as single-minded in her pursuit of knowledge as Nemo in his pursuit of vengeance and domination. Kareem Bandealy is hampered by a script that does not allow him to fully realize the zealous evil of Nemo—despite his powerful presence and overbearing bluster, he gets bogged down in the scenes that switch to introspection and long-winded revelation. Scenes that allow him to do this while perpetrating acts of terror (the sinking of a naval vessel, for example) serve the plot much better than dinner time polemics and elegiac remembrances of his role in the Great Mutiny of 1847, which led to the losses that spurred his vengeance against imperialism. Rounding out the quartet that forms the center of the narrative are Walter Briggs as the cheeky Ned Land, a harpooner brought on board the Bainbridge to help destroy the monster responsible for the deaths of so many sailors, and Lanise Antoine Shelley as Conseil. Briggs brings the right balance of swagger and empathy to his role, and Shelley makes a good audience foil for the occasionally delusional professor, pointedly and humorously reminding her of the realities of their positions as women in a male world, and then as prisoners (not guests) of the mad Captain Nemo. Nemo’s “guests” also prove themselves to be up to the physical challenges of taking on human and cephalopod foes (Shelley has a brilliant and harrowing encounter with the latter). The rest of the cast—Thomas J. Cox, Joe Dempsey, Micah Figueroa, Edwin Lee Gibson and Glenn-Dale Obrero--provide some of the most striking moments of the evening and fill the stage with a multitude of supporting characters. Cox anchors the crew of Civil War wanderers and helps flesh out the alternate narrative. Joe Dempsey makes an impression as Pencroff, whose gratitude towards Nemo fuels his understanding and as the surprisingly open-minded and humorous Captain Farragut. Edwin Lee Gibson brings stalwart nobility to Cyrus Smith, one of the men who encounters Nemo in the first scene, and a roguish pragmatism to the self-serving constable who allows Ned Land to board the U.S.S. Bainbridge with a little persuasion from the Captain. Micah Figueroa and Glenn-Dale Obrero also fill the ranks of the Civil War escapees (with a humorous turn from Figueroa as the naïve Harbert), as well as handling the bulk of the fighting and diving, including an amazing sequence of pearl diving that captures the best of Lookingglass’s take on Verne’s novel—providing spectacle and social commentary in a seamless melding of physical theater, puppetry and characterization.

It’s not perfect, but 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas has enough to satisfy young (tweens and up) and old. Though it tries valiantly and not always successfully to engage with the political themes of human rights and colonization, ultimately it is buoyed by a strong sense of good old-fashioned story-telling. The breathtaking special effects, aerial dance, puppet magic, and a committed and capable cast who can match the acting and physical demands of the spectacle more than make up for some ponderous philosophical ballast. There is enough food for thought to inspire conversation, but the focus, as it should, remains mostly on the undersea journeys of the Nautilus and its willing and unwilling crew members’ battles with Kareem Bandealy’s power-hungry Nemo and the natural perils of the seas. It is well worth hopping on board to witness the sea battles, sea spiders, fish, squid and other undersea wonders dreamed up by Lookingglass’s team, under the assured direction of David Kersnar.

20,000 Leagues Under the Seas runs through August 19, 2018, at Lookingglass Theater, 821 N. Michigan. Performances are Wednesdays-Sundays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm. For tickets and more information, visit www.lookingglasstheatre.org or call 312-337-0665.

*Extended through August 26th

“Broadway & The Bard”, Len Cariou’s idea of combining his two great loves – Shakespeare and the American Musical, is a heartwarming and tender paean to the art forms which made him an icon of the American stage. Conceived following his Broadway appearances as Shakespeare’s Henry V in 1968 and opposite Lauren Bacall in 1969, it consists of ingenious pairings of Shakespearian monologues, and both well-known and obscure musical selections from The Great White Way, in which Mr. Cariou gives full voice to his passion.

Mr. Cariou is 79 years old, so we really didn’t know what to expect. It has been awhile since his Tony Award winning triumph as Sweeney Todd. He did get off to a somewhat shaky start, most obviously with pitch problems in his upper range. Perhaps he was trying to conserve energy and had not properly warmed up. Perhaps there was lack of support because he was seduced by the false promise of amplification. The venue was a very small space – why bother with amplification? As a result, it took a while for the audience to immerse itself in the performance.

However, this was Len Cariou. A few flat notes are not a problem. The epitome of honesty, Cariou’s brilliance is rooted in total dedication to his art and his immersion in the meaning of the text, his compelling selfless confidence in the mastery of his craft, and massive stage presence. His irresistible charm, humor, and laser-like smile blasts across the footlights and envelopes his audience. Never maudlin, self-indulgent, or boasting, he shows a complete absence of self-consciousness, traits usually absent from other one-man-shows or cabaret acts.

The accompanist for a venture of this kind is often overlooked or given secondary status, but Cariou is blessed to have found Mark Janas, whose virtuosic, pianistic brilliance and bedrock support for the singer never strayed beyond the boundaries of collaborative ensemble. This was one of the finest examples of accompanying that we have ever heard. It wasn’t clear what Barry Kleinbort contributed; it seemed that most of the explanatory banter before each grouping could have just as easily been improvised by Cariou. Scenic design by Josh Acovelli looked as if whoever occupied the space last didn’t quite finish with their strike. We might have thought we were in the wrong theater, but for the obligatory bust of Will just upstage of the Steinway grand piano.

Performed at Chicago's Stage 773, “Broadway & The Bard” is often clever, such as when Benedick’s Act II, scene 1 speech lamenting his vow to never fall in love segued into Gershwin’s “Nice Work If You Can Get It” and “How Long Has This Been Going On?”, or Petrucchio’s misogynistic speeches from “The Taming of the Shrew” morphed into “How to Handle a Woman” from “Camelot” - when we were expecting “Kiss Me Kate”. However, there were occasionally abrupt or jarring segues, such as when the viciously ambitious Act III, scene 2 speech of Richard II goofily became “If I Ruled the World”, by Ornadel and Bricusse. Nevertheless Matt Berman’s atmospheric lighting seemed to help soften these moments by gently taking the audience out of one theatrical reality into another.

Mr. Cariou’s concept of monologue and melody peaked with Marc Antony’s Act III “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” speech from “Julius Caesar”, in which Cariou gave full reign to the vestiges of former power and range of the great singing actor who dominated the Broadway Theater for nearly four decades, and was followed by a wonderfully insightful “Forget Medley” of songs by Rogers and Hammerstein, Kander and Ebb, Alan Jay Lerner, and a setting of Shakespeare’s “Fear no more” by Stephen Sondheim which left the audience all but breathless.

Inevitably, as though in recognition that his days are numbered, Cariou entered Lear’s Act II, scene 4 monologue in which Lear acknowledges the fragility of life and rails against his daughters’ faithlessness. Segueing into Kurt Weill’s “September Song” provided the most moving and tender moment, as if Mr. Cariou was using this vehicle to say goodbye to his audience and career.
“Brush Up Your Shakespeare”, for sooth!

Bill & Margaret Swain

The renowned Israeli choreographer and director of Batsheva Dance Company, Ohad Naharin, is the spotlight of this year’s Hubbard’s Summer Series, 40th Season at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. The program features DecaDance, a reimagining of Naharin’s most celebrated pieces and recreated every 10 years. Deca Dance/ Chicago was created specifically for Hubbard Street’s current company.

DecaDance/Chicago features excerpts from Minus 16 (1999), KYR (1990), Mabul (1992), Anaphase (1993), Zachacha (1998), Naharin’s Virus (2001), Three (2005), George and Zalman (2006), Max (2007), Seder (2007) and Sadeh21 (2011).

Most pieces of the show, in both music and choreography, are very Avant-guard: decidedly not particularly pretty, occasionally disturbing, frequently puzzling. The program has a certain bi-polar quality; even playful pieces have some sadness, even despair woven throughout. Naharin’s analysis of modern society is evident in one of the First Act pieces: it features several female dancers dressed in black elegant dresses, moving with some redundancy; the soundtrack being somewhat more important than the dance itself. It starts layering verses, from the top: “Ignore all possible concepts and possibilities.” And again: “Ignore all possible concepts and possibilities, pay your taxes” …copulate”, etc. It goes on and on, ever so slightly past the point of being amusing.

But the show does get much better in the Second Act. The most entertaining piece, involving audience participation, has a group of dancers (both males and females) dressed in black suits and black hats (costume designer Rakefet Levy) leave the stage and venture out into the audience, looking for dance partners. It’s a fun, light-hearted piece, and a very well received one.

The evening’s most intense work is an excerpt from Minus 16. It premiered in 1999 in Israel, then made its US debut the following year. Set to Passover song “Echad Mi Yodea”, it has a super cool tribal drum beat and drama to spare. And again, though “Echad Mi Yodea” is a juvenile Hebrew song recited around Passover table and designed to teach children some foundations of Hebrew religion, the dance is turned into a display of anguish and despair. Dancers, dressed in black suits and hats, are seated in chairs arranged in a semi-circle. They stand up and bend backwards one by one; the last dancer to stand up violently falls forward from his chair, as if being shot. As the verses accumulate and build up, the dance is repeated over and over. The dancers eventually shed their clothes and throw them into the center of the circle. A pile of clothes and shoes in the center looks vaguely like the grim reminder of history’s events of the past. It’s theatrical and hypnotizing. Much like the rest of the show, it clearly has a message.

Being a Chicagoan, it’s always fun to take in city history – to learn about the great things that made Chicago what it is today – one of the best known metropolitan areas on the planet, rich in history and tradition. In ‘Burnham’s Dream: The White City,' the play focuses on Daniel Burnham, a man who became an architect while learning on the job rather than with an education. Burnham, perhaps best known for authoring The Plan of Chicago in 1909, one of the most significant documents on urban planning, was one of the chief minds behind taking on the massive job of building the 1893 World’s Fair over what was then just a swamp-ridden Jackson Park. ‘Burnham’s Dream’ focuses on Burnham’s life throughout this miraculous endeavor.

Pavi Proczko is palpable as Daniel Burnham, giving us a good sense of the architect’s smarts, determination and dedication to the colossal project. Proczko provides an inner depth to the character that is easy for audience members to relate. Burnham’s business partner and long-time friend, John Root, is well-played by Sam Massey. Root, perhaps more of a big picture dreamer wants the fair to be all-encompassing, “a fair that is truly welcoming to everyone.” The two play off each other well; one the visionary the other making ideas a reality. Chase Wheaton-Werle also puts forth a strong performance as the likable Irish immigrant, Michael O’Malley while Genevieve Thiers impresses the audience with her vocal talent as Bertha Palmer. Jessica Texidor’s choreography is unique and gets the most out of its limited open stage.

Throughout the play, we get a myriad of 1893 World’s Fair fun facts such as learning that that is where the zipper and Cracker Jacks were first introduced, and that one of the many buildings was designed by a team of female architects (something unheard of at the time). We are also made privy to the fact that in order to complete the fair on time and to save a huge sum of money, the building’s exteriors were finished with staff plaster since atop steel frames, after all, the buildings were meant to be temporary. Though primarily dealing with the fair’s creation, it’s setbacks and triumphs, ‘Burnham’s Dream’ also provides a window into how women’s rights and those of African-Americans were dealt treated – Root certainly an advocate of inclusion, a stage for the world to see America’s advanced ideologies.

And while viewers might not go home humming the songs, the play in itself is interesting enough, moves along at a nice pace and is well-acted. For 1893 World’s Fair buffs, ‘Burnham’s Dream’ will be an entertaining way to watch it come to life piece-by-piece. For those who are not so familiar with the story, you’d be in store for an engaging Chicago history lesson.

Finely directed by Erik Wagner, Lost and Found Productions world premiere musical “Burnham’s Dream: The White City’ is being performed at Theater Wit through July 1st. For tickets and/or more play information, visit www.theaterwit.org.

Strindberg’s quintessential battle of the sexes play, ‘Mies Julie’ is retold by award winning South African playwright Yael Farber. ‘Mies Julie’ is a modernized version set eighteen years after the abolishment of apartheid. Directed by Dexter Bullard, Victory Gardens presents this regional premiere.

‘Mies Julie’ has been a controversial play since it premiered in the late 1800s. Strindberg’s representation of a strong-willed aristocratic woman has always been a plum role for actresses. The sexual tension between Miss Julie and her servant is an apt metaphor for the competition between men and women especially in an era where women had few, if any rights to property.

Putting this play in modern day South Africa is a wise way to address the racial inequality still present nearly thirty years since apartheid’s end. The stakes are raised here as John is fighting for more than just dominance. His ambition is to win back the land he believes was stolen from his ancestors, while Julie represents the white ruling class that fears change.

Heather Chrisler plays Mies Julie, a young woman we learn has recently broken off an engagement. Chrisler flawlessly reproduces a South African accent. In fact, it’s so good there are times you struggle to follow. Her performance is wild and untamed. She’s endlessly tempting and viciously wicked. Her co-star Jalen Gilbert in the role of John is just as seductive. While Gilbert’s performance is more sympathetic, there’s a violent undercurrent that is thrilling to watch. There’s a great deal of chemistry between these actors and seeing it ebb and flow is incredibly sexy.

‘Mies Julie’ is like watching a game of tennis. Each line between the two characters is a volley and often the meaning of words and feelings changes on a dime. In the short span of seventy minutes, Yael Farber tells a complete story of the family trees of Julie and John. The dialogue is a constant one-up-manship and in the end, you may wonder who really wins.

The sultry atmosphere envisioned by Dexter Bullard is the perfect backdrop for this titillating drama. The heat is palpable. With simple touches the stage is set for an edge-of-your-seat verbal and physical struggle for power in a changing world.

At Victory Gardens through Jun 24th. 2433 N Lincoln Ave. 773-871-3000.

Even if you’re not familiar with Sondheim’s ‘A Little Night Music,’ chances are you’ve heard the song ‘Send in the Clowns.’ BoHo Theatre revives the 1973 musical farce under the direction of Linda Fortunato. Surely there’s not a more romantic summer musical than ‘A Little Night Music – and this production heightens the intimacy in staging and a unique re-orchestration.

At the surface, this comic tale of infidelity and romance set in the Scandinavia countryside is just a drawing room farce. It’s Sondheim’s complicated and soaring music that gives this show flight. He also cleverly lifts themes and ideas from a film by Ingmar Bergman and the works of Ibsen. Despite its seeming lightness there’s great depth in this musical.

‘A Little Night Music’ weaves the affairs of lawyer, Egerman and his young wife Anne. Henrik, Egerman’s son, is in love with similar-aged Anne. Egerman is in love with stage actress Desiree Armfeldt. Then there’s Desiree’s lover Count Malcom, and his jaded wife Charlotte. All these couplings reach a climax during an idyllic weekend in the country.

This is a fun cast to watch. Strong-voiced Rachel Guth provides much of the comic relief as Anne. Desiree is played with a certain sensuality by Kelli Harrington. Her emotionally-charged ‘Send in the Clowns’ is worth the evening alone. Standing out in the role of bitter Countess Charlotte Malcome is Stephanie Stockstill. Donning a cropped pixie cut, Stockstill’s Charlotte is hilariously morbid.

Fortunato makes the most of the space at Greenhouse Theater. Her ‘Night Music’ is scaled back and puts more focus on the music than the effects. She’s able to fill out the ensemble without making the stage feel crowded. The group numbers that make this musical so enjoyable are re-orchestrated by Malcom Ruhl and make perfect sense. An on-stage chamber orchestra provide a charming centerpiece around which the action happens.

Three hours in a theater on a summer night can be a lot to ask. BoHo rewards its audience with a truly charming production of one of Sondheim’s best. Fans of the show will be happy to see some modern touches and those new to this work will surely be piqued by this lovely production.

Through July 8th at BoHo Theatre at the Greenhouse Theater. 2257 N Lincoln Ave. 773-404-7336

During a time when the world is discussing the role of women in a society among men, of a world of equality to men, there was a woman who stood out before her time, a woman independent and liberated in an industry dominated by men, Bette Davis.  Embodying the screen heroine is actress and author, Jessica Sherr, the image of a young Bette, who brings us into the 60-year history of “The First Lady of the American Screen” on the night of the 1939 Academy Awards. “Bette Davis Ain’t for Sissies” is an up close and personal conversation at the Athenaeum Theatre from May 24th to June 10th with the two-time Oscar winning (“Dangerous” (1935) and “Jezebel” (1938)) and ten-time Oscar nominated actress, Bette Davis.

What began for Jessica Sherr as a class assignment to perform as a known star, drawn to fiery redheads, the decision lay between Lucille Ball and Bette.  A fan of Ball’s work, Sherr was attracted to idea of learning more about Bette, the tempestuous battles for the challenge of new scripts, the desire to be paid her worth and stand up for what she believed she deserved and could do as an actress. A short script of 28 minutes in 2008/2010 became a new hour and half for its 2018 showing. With background information drawn from books, biographies and personal accounts are used from Bette’s adopted son, Michael and close friend and assistant Kathryn Sermak.  No truer a recollection or performance of the life of Bette could be created with more depth and care, or actual Bette Davis memorabilia (Red scarf and teal gloves).

Through the research and connection Sherr found and made with the life of Ruth Elisabeth Davis from Lowell, Massachusetts, we come to realize it was not an easy one.  In true Bette frankness, raised by a single mother during the 20’s, enrolling in boarding school to her first Broadway debut in 1929, Bette’s real life was just as dramatic as her job. Sherr’s portrayal of the woman impassioned by her craft, who although was described as being difficult to work with, was able to span a career of 100 films and changed the way that Hollywood looked at actresses. Through the Academy evening and reminiscing through her life, we are given insight to Bette’s relationship with Hollywood and the world, her daughter B.D., the relationship she had with herself and the supportive relationship of her mother, Ruthie.  You will laugh, you will feel her pride, soar on her triumphs, and your heart will follow as Bette’s does, through her failures, as her attempts to rise above to do what she truly loves and as she pursues her passion in Hollywood.  A woman unlike many others, but a woman’s heart you can connect to, you will fall in love with Jessica Sherr and Bette Davis (again).

The Originalist, now playing at Court Theatre, poses Antonin Scalia as a tragic figure. The late Supreme Court Justice saw his opinions as unimpeachable; he thought he was never wrong, even when his views did not prevail in Court decisions.

“Where would the country be without me,” Scalia asks the audience. “I have moved the country solidly to the right.”
Edward Gero brings this larger than life personality to us in a dynamic performance that may leave you spellbound.

But this is not a one-man show. Rather, it is also a stirring drama (written by John Strand and directed by Molly Smith) with a plot centering on the fictional court clerk, Cat, played by Jade Wheeler. Cat is an African-American who researches and drafts Scalia’s dissenting opinion in the landmark gay rights case that struck down Congress’s Defense of Marriage Act.

Cat is a professional, and builds Scalia’s case against DOMA despite her personal feelings about the case. You will be so thankful we had Wheeler on stage as Cat. She exudes confidence and punches back at Scalia in arguments about as good as she gets.

To add to the tension, we also learn Cat is a lesbian, a fact she reveals to Scalia only to learn he does not care a jot about it. Scalia also assigns Cat a conservative legal research assistant, Brad – played to the hilt by Brett Mack. Scalia entertains a debate between the two and Cat acquits herself well against Brad. A later knock-down drag-out argument between the two on a range of opinions is almost cathartic to witness.

We learn of Scalia’s disappointment in not being name Chief Justice by George W. Bush, despite a ruling that put Bush in office after a contested recount in Florida. Lobbying for himself, he finally is told the mood of the country would not support his appointment. “It would be about as popular as a second Iraq War,” he says.

We also see him as a frustrated thespian, a lover of classical music, and, famously, a very close opera-going buddy with that liberal living legend, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

Ginsberg called him “charming”. Gero’s dynamic performance helps us understand how those two, who were at the opposite ends of the ideological spectrum – Scalia was against gay rights and affirmative action – could still be good friends. When Cat’s father dies after a long illness, Scalia puts the legal work on hold to allow for grief – and we again see redemptive qualities in the man. Scalia 

First produced in Washington, D.C., in 2015, The Originalist received tremendous acclaim, and was developed before Scalia died unexpectedly of heart failure in 2016. Gero got to know Scalia personally in his development of the character for the play.

“I want you to know I won’t be seeing the play,” Scalia told Gero. “But I’m glad they got someone good to do it.”
Gero has played the role regionally in Florida and California, but it is hard to imagine this excellent performance won’t find is way to Broadway.

The challenge, of course, is that this conservative jurist remains a lightning rod of liberal antipathy. New York may not be a welcoming market for a show that suggests any sympathy to Scalia. Its arrival at the Court Theatre, on the grounds of the University of Chicago where he taught, may be a way to test those waters.

The Originalist also gives us a valuable examination of ideological approaches to interpretation of the Constitution. Its title refers to Scalia’s purported approach, hewing close to the letter of the law in making decisions, as illuminated by examining the intentions of the original framers. But an insightful analysis of the originalist philosophy by David Strauss, law professor at the University of Chicago, suggests originalism is adopted by both liberal and conservative judges as a strategy to advance their own ideological agenda.

”Our system…is based mostly on precedent and tradition, instead of simply looking for authoritative commend from the Founders or the text of the Constitution,” says Strauss.

The Originalist runs through June 10 at The Court Theatre. It is highly recommended.

Buckle up for Damascus, the intensely suspenseful thriller having its world premiere at Strawdog Theatre.

Bennett Fisher’s tightly crafted script follows the journey of Hassan, a financially struggling Somali-American taxi driver at the Minneapolis airport, as he ferries Lloyd, a young man who says he is desperate to catch a flight out of Chicago’s O’Hare. Damascus, a clue to what will unfold, is also a township not far from O’Hare.

Cramming the six-hour drive into 90 action-packed minutes, we watch as the relationship between the two develops. Terence Sims as Hassan delivers a captivating performance, as he resists efforts by his passenger Lloyd (Sam Hubbard) to engage him in a conversation that moves too quickly and uncomfortably to the personal.

In the opening scene we learn Hassan is struggling to make a go of it, sleeping in his cab in order to pay the lease on his taxi. When Lloyd wakes him out of a solid sleep to ask for a ride to Chicago, Hassan is reluctant to do so – it’s a violation of the rules to drive inter-state; he could lose his license and even his vehicle. After Lloyd offers $300 for the fair and claims his mother is ill – that after a cancelled flight, he needs to get to Chicago to make the next plane home - Hassan agrees, then bids the fare up to $600. 

As the journey progresses, we begin to gather there is more to this story. . . and it turns out there is much much more. Avoiding a spoiler, suffice it to say that Hassan becomes a captive to Lloyd, though at points the role is reversed. You must see the play to watch how the story unfolds.

The shifting dynamic of any long distant drive is artfully on display, as the two get on each others nerves and dance into and out of intimacy. Lloyd, who seems just a tad off the beat, veers toward menace and puts us, along with Hassan, on alert.  

Nearly as compelling is the way the set – stripped down see-through minivan – keeps us focused on the facial expressions of Lloyd and Hassan. Since they are sitting and talking for most of the show, these faces carry the dramatic load. Sims is exceptionally good at keeping our attention with his highly emotive expressions. Hubbard carries off bringing us a far less sympathetic character

Cody Estle, newly appointed artistic director at Raven Theatre, makes a strong directorial debut with the company. And the set by Jeffrey Kmiec – a van on a turntable that affords us many vantage points on the dialog – is very inventive.

Bennett Fisher’s excellent script has been optioned for a film. It’s the kind of work you will want to see first on stage, and you’ve got until June 23 to make it to the Strawdog Theatre for Damascus.

It could have been any other Friday night for me; coffee, friends, and a few brief moments away from the responsibilities of motherhood, to talk and vent about the responsibilities of motherhood. But it wasn’t a Friday night with my friends, but Cry It Out, a new play written by Molly Smith Metzler. Like most evenings out, there were laughs, shared emotions and connections, and it ended far too soon leaving me wanting more.

Cooped up on maternity leave and eager for conversation, Jessie invites the funny and forthright Lina for coffee in their neighboring backyards. They become fast friends, quickly bonding over their shared “new mom” experience—and arousing the interest of a wealthy neighbor hoping for a similar connection. This insightful comedy takes an honest look at the absurdities of new motherhood, the dilemma of returning to work versus staying at home, and how class impacts parenthood and friendship. A comedy with dark edges, Cry It Out takes an honest look at the absurdities of being home with a baby, the power of female friendship, the dilemma of going back to work, and the effect class has on parenthood in America.

At a time when new mothers have little time off to care for their newborns, and even less time to mentally and physically recover from the trials of giving birth, this play shines a light on how depressingly similar our situations are. Three mothers represent three different economic situations. Each struggle with having a significant other who doesn’t fully understand their decisions and desires, discovering and accepting their new roles as mothers, and each face their own self judgement and worry about making the right choices for their families and themselves.

What Metzler does so well with this play is keeping it simple and unabashedly honest about what mothers go through, and how they deal with the challenging newborns, new bodies, and new friendships. From subtle references to NoseFridas (accurately referenced as the greatest invention of all time), to more tragic realities like breech deliveries and life-altering injuries. Cry it Out is a painfully beautiful story that will leave you crying for more. Its talented cast includes Laura Lapidus (Lina), Gabriel Ruiz (Mitchell), Darci Nalepa (Jessie) and Kristin Valada-Viars (Adrienne).  

Cry It Out runs through June 17th at Northlight Theatre. Tickets are available at https://northlight.org/