Home

Displaying items by tag: Rudy Galvan

Wednesday, 04 April 2018 21:17

Review: 'The Gentleman Caller' at Raven Theatre

They say you should never meet your heroes. That may be the case in Philip Dawkins' new play 'The Gentleman Caller' at Raven Theatre. Dawkins', a popular local playwright, was commissioned to write this play about the strange friendship between Tennessee Williams and William Inge. This is Cody Estle's first production as artistic director of Raven Theatre. Tennessee Williams and Inge are often featured in Raven seasons, and 'The Gentleman Caller' gets a fitting premiere here.

The play is told in two scenes, the first takes place in a young William Inge's garden apartment in St Louis in 1943. It's supposed that Inge, a newspaper critic attempted to interview a then unknown Tennessee Williams about his upcoming play 'The Glass Menagerie'. The second act is a few months later, New Year’s Eve. Inge visits Tennessee Williams in a Chicago hotel following the premiere of the play. No record exists of dialogue between the two playwrights, but they maintained a relationship of sorts over the years. The dialogue in Dawkins' play is as he imagined it would have been.

This is an important distinction to make. The events of this play are highly fictionalized. 'The Gentleman Caller' says a lot about what Philip Dawkins thinks of these two playwrights. The character he's written for Tennessee Williams isn't very likeable. Throughout the play Williams feeds Inge a frustrating string of non-answers. Inge, a closeted homosexual is uptight and put off by Williams' vulgarity. There's a lot of sexual tension between the characters, but who’s to say if that was really the case.

Dawkins' play has an inspiring message for creative types or anyone that feels different. It gets a little buried in slow-moving and often redundant dialogue but there's some solid wisdom in there. Estle seems to share a similar vision for this production. It has the feeling of being at a Tennessee Williams or William Inge play.

There are only two actors in this play, Curtis Edward Jackson plays William Inge and Rudy Galvan plays Tennessee Williams. Jackson is well suited for Inge's restrained temperament. His final monologue is captivating. Galvan is somewhat miscast. The depth of his character gets lost in an unconvincing and mostly unflattering impression of Tennessee Williams.

In this play, we see Inge so very disappointed in Tennessee Williams the man, rather than the hero he'd imagined him to be. It may be that when researching this play the author came to the same conclusion. There's a melancholic thread throughout 'The Gentleman Caller'. It shows us a side of our literary heroes we may not like to see. The part behind closed doors and sometimes without success. In that regard, Tennessee Williams would certainly approve of this play.

Through May 27th at Raven Theatre 6157 N Clark Street. 773-338-2177

*Extended through May 27th

 

Published in Theatre in Review
Saturday, 06 February 2016 16:00

Mary-Arrchie's American Buffalo A Fitting Sendoff

After thirty years of bringing Chicagoans some of the city’s finest theatre, Mary-Arrchie will be closing their doors after its current and final production, American Buffalo. In this sharply written piece by David Mamet, Mary-Arrchie co-founder and jack of all trades Richard Cotovsky is joined by Stephen Walker and Rudy Galvan, creating a strong cast fully capable of pulling off such a dynamically written script. And that’s exactly what they do.

Taking place in a rundown resale shop, owner Don (Cotovsky) along with his young hired help and “go-fer” Bobby (Galvan) have hatched a scheme to burglarize a nearby residence in the hopes of stealing a valuable coin collection. But when Don’s longtime pal Teach (Stephen Walker) gets wind of the “thing” he pushes to replace the kid with himself, a man of more experience. Everything happens in a single day as the three small time crook wannabees run through a gamut of emotions with each other in trying to get on the same page. Teach is pushy and talks the big talk but clearly has little experience while Don is more laid back and subdued, often influenced by Teach’s strong presence and facade of confidence. Slow-witted Bobby just wants in for some quick bankroll – or maybe just wants to be a part of something. As the plan progresses it snowballs back and forth until its inevitable unraveling – and the journey is nothing short of hilarious.

When entering the theatre, we are met with what appears to be an authentic resale shop. “Don’s Resale Shop” is printed backwards on the large picture window so as to face correctly for those to read on the outside. Worn shelves are filled with dented gas cans, ratty knickknacks, old toys and assorted vintage items. Power chords hang from the wall with other random merchandise for sale behind a battered counter that supports an antique cash register. Quickly immersed in the set’s genuineness, one really gets the feeling they are inside a dingy thrift store that could be located on any given Chicago street.    

Richly directed by Carlo Lorenzo Garcia, Mary-Arrchie’s American Buffalo offers incredibly talented performances, generally a given with this veteran theatre company. Delivering Mamet’s cutting and quick-fire dialogue with the true essence of how it was intended, Walker knock’s the role of Teach out of the park. Whether generating laughs with the simplest use of body language, convincingly overusing repetitive hood lingo or completely erupting like Mount Saint Helen, Walker rolls up his sleeves and puts forth a gutsy, no-holds barred performance that should long be remembered. All the while, Walker successfully displays his character’s vulnerability beneath the blanket of false self-assurance, making Teach believable, creating someone with whom we can really emphasize. Within moments of Walker’s first appearance where he loses his cool and takes out his frustrations out on a beat up refrigerator over something pretty insignificant, it is apparent we are about to take a pretty bumpy ride. 

Cotovsky, the seasoned pro that he is, also provides an outstanding performance going toe-to-toe with Walker on many heated, sometimes humorously nonsensical and profoundly funny dialogue exchanges. The two pair together like butter on toast, getting a nice occasional boost from Galvan who contributes many of his own well-timed lines. Like a freight train taking off, the production gets stronger and stronger as it progresses. The more we get to know the characters the more we can’t help but take a liking to each of them, regardless of the fact that they are small-time crooks bent on pulling off a caper that comically unstitches more and more the closer the job gets. 

Mary-Arrchie is going out on a high note with this must-see presentation of American Buffalo. The prestigious Chicago theatre company will certainly be missed and we can only hope to continue to see its talented players in future productions around the city. Jeff Award winner, Chicago theatre staple and all-around talent Richard Cotovsky was recently given the honor of having an Honorary Way dedicated in his name that can be seen at the theatre’s intersection of Sheridan and Broadway. An honor well deserved.

American Buffalo is playing at Angel Island (735 W. Sheridan) through March 6th. Honest, funny and thoroughly absorbing, it is with strong recommendation that I urge theatre lovers to catch this final production from this talented company in their apropos farewell. For tickets and/or more show information visit www.maryarrchie.com or call 773-871-0442. 

 

Published in Theatre in Review

LEAGUE OF CHICAGO THEATRES HIGHLIGHTS SUMMER 2024 PRODUCTIONS

14 May 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago continues to produce some of the most exciting work in the country this Summer, offering a wide variety of plays…

Token Theatre to produce new play directed by Emmy winner Alan Muroaka

14 May 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Token Theatre, Chicago's Asian American theatre company, announces the company's first full production, ZAC EFRON, written by Artistic Director David Rhee, co-written by Managing…

Review: Murder in the Cathedral at City Lit Theater

14 May 2024 in Theatre in Review

I arrived at City Lit Theater’s MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL expecting a heavy, serious, doubtless thought-provoking but rather intimidating major…

Porchlight Shares Dates and Parks for its Free, Summer Concert Series: BROADWAY IN YOUR BACKYARD, June 6 - August 6

13 May 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the return of its free summer concert series Broadway in your Backyard, now in its…

Dance and Sing to the Beat of Life with ‘Last Stop on Market Street’

13 May 2024 in Theatre in Review

Despite the fact that I have never read the Newberry Award-Winning children’s book called Last Stop on Market Street, I…

'Poor People! The Parody Musical' is rich in laughs

12 May 2024 in Theatre in Review

I’m amazed that it’s been 18 years or so since I first saw a Hell in a Handbag production. Though…

Review: The Thanksgiving Play at Steppenwolf Theatre

10 May 2024 in Theatre in Review

“Together we created this nothingness,” says Audrey Francis in Steppenwolf’s production of Larissa Fasthorse’s ‘The Thanksgiving Play’. Hot off its…

Bramble Theatre Company presents Festival of Unfinished Work June 26 - June 30

10 May 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Bramble Theatre Company, is proud to announce the third annual Festival of Unfinished Work at the new Bramble Arts Loft located on the second…

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD coming to James M. Nederlander this Fall

10 May 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce that individual tickets for the world premiere of the first ever touring production…

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents The Enigmatist

09 May 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents The Enigmatist, an immersive and captivating experience of illusions, puzzles, and cryptology, written and performed by renowned magician…

Steep Theatre Announces Two New Shows for '24

09 May 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Steep Theatre will be back on stage in 2024 with two new productions that continue the company's tradition of bringing…

"Boy Genius" Orson Welles meets "War of the Worlds" author H.G. Wells in world premiere WELLS AND WELLES, based on true events

09 May 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

In 1940, the 25-year-old Orson Welles, previously known as a stage and radio actor, had achieved widespread fame for his…

1619: THE JOURNEY OF A PEOPLE to commemorate the arrival in America of the first African slaves and examine the peoples' progress since then

07 May 2024 in Theatre in Review

Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre's 2024 season of four productions will open with the original musical 1619: THE JOURNEY OF A PEOPLE by Chicago writer…

One Fine Show: Beautiful The Carole King Musical dazzles Paramount Theatre

04 May 2024 in Theatre Reviews

Growing up our radio dial was tuned to one channel, K-Earth 101. In Southern California that station was the oldies,…

'Judgment Day' a Top-drawer Production That Will Leave You Laughing, and Maybe Changed for the Better

03 May 2024 in Theatre in Review

Crowds 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 Review

In "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 Dance

A 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 Theatre

Broadway 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 Review

Blue 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 Review

I 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 Review

Frolicking 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 Review

As 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 Review

Director 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 Theatre

The 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 Theatre

Broadway 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 Theatre

Full 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 Theatre

Chicago 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 Theatre

Tim 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 Review

David 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 Theatre

Curious Theatre Branch is pleased to announce the 35th annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival, May 25 - June 30 at six venues across Chicago. The…

 

 

         17 Years and counting!

Register

     

Latest Articles

Guests Online

We have 425 guests and no members online

Buzz Chicago on Facebook Buzz Chicago on Twitter 

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.