Displaying items by tag: Milley Hurley
"Outside Mullinger" When Irish Eyes Are Laughing…
The Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presented John Patrick Shanley’s “Outside Mullingar” at The MAC this past weekend. BTE has put together some very nice plays at College of DuPage and their latest falls into that same category once again. A relatively light-hearted romantic comedy, the play is set in rural Ireland and though the timeline is not really specified, the story has a timeless quality anyway.
Its small cast consists of four players, each important to flow of the story and adding the perfect touch of humor, which was very well received by the audience.
Robert Jordan Bailey plays Anthony. His character has the strongest connection to the rest of the cast in many ways. Bailey plays the part very well, which he must since Anthony is not your stereotype Irish farmer. With more than his fair share of issues and a lot of the jokes are on him. Playing Rosemary to perfection is Kelli Walker. Rosemary is a tough, young Irish woman who Anthony is interested in…or is he? The two show strong chemistry through the play, both very believable in their roles.
Rounding out the cast is Norm Woodel who plays Anthony’s father Tony and Milley Hurley who plays Aoife, a neighbor. They make up a durable support system to Bailey and Walker. Both are vital in the first set, as the second set focuses primarily on Anthony and Rosemary. The story is a simple but entertaining. The humor is what makes it a great play and it does not invoke heavy thinking or have the audience scrambling to search for hidden meanings. Theatre goers will, however, get a good laugh in. That is important these days or any day, I suppose.
“Outside Mullingar” is finely production directed by Steve Scott. The sets and sounds are excellent, which is par for the course in BTE plays. If you are in the mood for a good laugh, give it a go. Those seeking well-produced theatre experiences do not always need to go into the city to see a quality play. For us suburbians, this one is right in our backyard and the ticket price seems quite reasonable.
I am becoming more and more a fan of smaller productions. One of the reasons being the size of the theaters is small enough that you can see the faces of the actors – it’s intimate. You can hear the dynamics in their voices and catch the slightest facial subtleties. Buffalo Theatre Ensemble offers excellent actors that clearly enjoy what they do. It’s difficult not to respect these professionals that work so hard at their craft for somewhat small rewards. Having said that, they do need the support – and deservedly so. For little more than a meal at your favorite overpriced restaurant, you can visit The Playhouse Theatre and be thoroughly entertained. And in this particular production, not only will you save the calories, you will burn some off laughing. So, support local theatre companies. For some of you this involves getting out of the house and shutting off your phone. Both are…at times…good ideas…you can play Candy Crush when you get back home.
“Outside Mullinger” is being performed at The Playhouse Theatre inside the McAninch Arts Center through June 3rd. Visit www.atthemac.org for more info.
'Judgment Day' a Top-drawer Production That Will Leave You Laughing, and Maybe Changed for the Better
03 May 2024 in Theatre in ReviewCrowds will flock to see “Judgment Day,” having its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. While many…
Panther In the Sky – “A Moving Tapestry of Grief and Hope"
02 May 2024 in Dance in ReviewIn "Panther in the Sky," playwright Lani T. Montreal masterfully weaves a tapestry of grief, resilience, and redemption through the…
IDENTITY PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTS FIRST INTL COLLAB May 17 &18 “Lights/9”
02 May 2024 in Upcoming DanceA collaboration of Chicago dance and Germany lighting sculpture live on stage About the Program: This program, set within an…
PRE-BROADWAY WORLD PREMIERE OF DEATH BECOMES HER, 25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR OF MAMMA MIA!, AND THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY START TODAY!
01 May 2024 in Upcoming TheatreBroadway In Chicago is excited to announce the pre-Broadway World Premiere of DEATH BECOMES HER is now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre…
Blue in the Right Way's 'Women Beware Women' at The Edge Innovative… radical… courageous… confusing
01 May 2024 in Theatre in ReviewBlue in the Right Way audaciously chose for their inaugural production a 400-year-old play, WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN, written in 1621…
Red Theater's 'Hamlet' at The Edge Off Broadway - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are… hilarious!
28 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewI think my favorite thing – well, one of my favorite things – about Wyatt Kent’s take on HAMLET is…
Review: Joffrey Ballet's 'Midsummer Night’s Dream' at Lyric Opera House
26 April 2024 in Dance in ReviewFrolicking season is upon us once again and Joffrey Ballet welcomes summer with the return of Alexander Ekman’s “Midsummer Night’s…
Eerie, Human Mystery In Captivating ‘Jump’ by Shattered Globe Theatre
26 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewAs the audience takes its seats we are greeted by an atmosphere of foreboding, a trestle bridge girder to the…
Review: Joe Turner's Come and Gone at Goodman Theatre
25 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewDirector Chuck Smith returns to Goodman with another major August Wilson revival–“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”. This is the second…
THE GIFT THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES 2024-25 SEASON
25 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreThe Gift Theatre is pleased to announce its 2024-25 season featuring Suzan-Lori Parks' masterpiece Topdog/Underdog directed by Shanésia Davis and the world premiere of Cygnus by Susan Soon He…
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD TO PLAY BROADWAY IN CHICAGO'S JAMES M. NEDERLANDER THEATRE SEPTEMBER 10, 2024 – FEBRUARY 1, 2025
25 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreBroadway In Chicago is excited to announce that individual tickets for the world premiere of the first ever touring production…
Cast and production team announced for BrightSide Theatre production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, June 7-23
25 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreFull cast and crew have been announced for BrightSide Theatre's upcoming production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, the rock opera that…
Chicago Opera Theater presents Chicago leg of the world premiere tour of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s newest opera Before It All Goes Dark May 25 & 26 at the Studebaker Theater
23 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreChicago Opera Theater (COT), Chicago’s foremost producer of new and reimagined opera, closes its 50th Anniversary season presenting the final performances of…
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre announces 2024 season - celebrates local artists and two of the most significant Black female writers of the past 50 years
23 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreTim Rhoze, Artistic Director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, has announced the company's 2024 season of four productions. The season will open with…
Comedy & magic collide in RIDICULOUS! with David Williamson, May 16-June 30 at Rhapsody Theater
23 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewDavid Williamson, regarded as one of the top magicians in the world today, makes his Rhapsody Theater debut with Ridiculous! Known for his tours…
THE 35th ANNUAL RHINOCEROS THEATER FESTIVAL RETURNS MAY 25 – JUNE 30 AT SIX CHICAGO VENUES
23 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreCurious Theatre Branch is pleased to announce the 35th annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival, May 25 - June 30 at six venues across Chicago. The…
Oh Baby, Baby: BABY the Musical at Citadel Theatre
22 April 2024 in Theatre ReviewsIt’s often said that in the workplace you should refrain from talking about politics and religion; too personal, too easy…
Ballet 5:8's 'Lost Women of Juárez' in a word - evocative!
22 April 2024 in Dance in ReviewBALLET 5:8 is a female - and minority-led ballet company resident at Harris Theatre in Millenium Park. Under the leadership…
Northlight Theatre’s BROOKLYN LAUNDRY Highlights Solid Acting and Thought-Provoking Script
21 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewWhen life’s chaos is full of impossible choices, how are we possibly meant to move forward? Brooklyn Laundry is about…
Babes with Blades triumph over time and space in THE S PARADOX!
20 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewI would absolutely bomb out of jury selection cos I have a very definite bias: I’ve been a fan(atic) of…
No Trouble with Marriott Theatre’s Music Man
19 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewYou got trouble, my friends, if you’re going to put on Meredith Willson’s The Music Man. If you’re going to…
Alvin Ailey in Transition: A Poignant Performance at the Auditorium Theatre
19 April 2024 in Dance in ReviewThis year's Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 65th-anniversary engagement at Chicago's historic Auditorium Theatre held particular importance as it marked…
Emile Zola Adaptation 'Nana' Is a Triumph at Magical Trap Door Theater
15 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewFor the final show of its 30th anniversary season, Trap Door Theatre—the little company that could—has selected a sure-fire hit…
Auditorium Theatre Announces vibrant 2024-25 Season
15 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreChicago’s National Landmark Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) proudly announces its 2024-25 performance season presenting a vibrant mix of…
Chicago Writers' Bloc Announces 2024 New Play Festival May 5 - 19 at Theater Wit
15 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewChicago Writers' Bloc has announced the lineup of plays and musicals for its biennial festival of new plays, to be…
Hershey Felder Brilliant as Monsieur Chopin
14 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewIf you appreciate classical music and captivating stories about brilliant artists from the past, Hershey Felder’s one-man show, Monsieur Chopin:…
Jackalope Theatre Announces Cast and Creative Team for the World Premiere of THE SINGULARITY PLAY, May 19 - June 22
11 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreJackalope Theatre Company continues its 16th season at Edgewater’s Berger Park, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd., with the announcement of the cast…
Spanish Language Magic Shows at Rhapsody Theater to celebrate Cinco de Mayo
11 April 2024 in Upcoming TheatreBorn and raised in Mexico City, Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz, MD, Chicago’s own Physician Magician, will celebrate the festive Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend by…
Court Theatre’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead Features Fabulous Ensemble with Striking Design
09 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewThe Player (Lorenze Rush Jr) has just run into Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with his troupe of players. As he explains…
'COCK' is f***king amazing!
08 April 2024 in Theatre in ReviewThose were my first words when I left the performance of COCK to David Zak, producer and resident wizard of…
Latest Articles
-
Blue in the Right Way's 'Women Beware Women' at The Edge Innovative… radical… courageous… confusing
Written by Sarz MaxwellBlue in the Right Way audaciously chose for their inaugural production a 400-year-old play, WOMEN BEWARE WOMEN, written in 1621 by Thomas Middleton and adapted by the company’s co-founders Kevin Smith (Kevin/Kevin’s, also director) and Daiva Bhandari (she/her, also lead… -
'Judgment Day' a Top-drawer Production That Will Leave You Laughing, and Maybe Changed for the Better
Written by Bill EslerCrowds will flock to see “Judgment Day,” having its world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. While many will be drawn by its star, Emmy and Tony-winning actor Jason Alexander of “Seinfeld” fame (George Costanza), and he is… -
Panther In the Sky – “A Moving Tapestry of Grief and Hope"
Written by Wesley DavidIn "Panther in the Sky," playwright Lani T. Montreal masterfully weaves a tapestry of grief, resilience, and redemption through the intertwined narratives of four culturally diverse mothers who have tragically lost their teenage sons to the relentless grip of gun… -
IDENTITY PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTS FIRST INTL COLLAB May 17 &18 “Lights/9”
Written by Buzz Center StageA collaboration of Chicago dance and Germany lighting sculpture live on stage About the Program: This program, set within an industrial vibe, features Vicissitudes, choreographed by Ginny Ching-Yin Lo. Vicissitudes premiered in fall 2021, debuting Identity Performing Arts' first live…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.