With the world being what it is, war and rumors of war, racial unrest, and division, it was comforting to see a play where two unlikely people form a friendship. A friendship based solely on basketball, more specifically, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“King James” opened with the Marvin Gaye version of the national anthem. It took everything within me to not stand with my hand over my heart. It felt like the opening of a championship game. This was special, the DJ Khloe Janel, playlist demanded that we get involved.

Matt is the manager of a wine bar. Because of bad investments and a need for money, he must sell his seats to the 19 remaining games of a season pass to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In walks Shawn, a writer, who just sold his first short story. He has some extra money and would like to splurge on something he couldn’t afford, season tickets to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The two only haggle over the price of the tickets, they complain about bandwagon fans, the meaning of fandom and the “the problem with America” (a theme that comes up in several scenes) as well as all things LeBron James. Matt & Shawn learn a lot about each other, especially how different they are. Shawn, a graduate of the prestigious private school St. Ignatius and Matt, who barely got by in public school, find common ground in their fandom. By the end of the first quarter, I mean scene, Shawn realizes, after scoring the tickets, he has no one to go to the games with him. Matt offers to go to the games with Shawn. It’s better to go with someone who appreciates the game and not just a bandwagon, fair weather fan.

During the next three quarters, spanning 12 years, these guys have a lot to say, yet they are constantly learning new things about each other’s lives. Matt didn’t know how close his mother is to Shawn. Shawn didn’t know how many girlfriends Matt goes thru. As a matter of fact, the longest relationship either of these guys have is between each other

In a departure from “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo” Rajiv Joseph’s tale about the psychological weight and horrific circumstances of war, nothing in “King James” will make one feel uncomfortable. Still in all, Joseph has written a quick-witted, sharp tongue play. Issues are brought up and just as easily put to rest because of the friendship of these characters…I wish America was like this.

Renowned Director Kenny Leon has directed this show with an eye on pacing. The ball is always in the air and never allowed to rest for long. Every silence is earned. Great job!

Chris Perfetti known mostly for his role on “Abbott Elementary” plays Matt as a neurotic risk-taking super-fan to wonderful results. It is a great contrast to Glenn Davis’s stoic super-fan Shawn. Watching them together is like watching a championship game of verbal gymnastics.

The game is played on Todd Rosenthal’s realistic set. A wine cellar and a fully realized vintage & upholstery store

King James continues at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St., through April 10. Tickets are $20-$88 for performances Tuesday-Sunday. Running time is 115 minutes with one intermission.

Porchlight’s 'Blues in The Night' Makes for a red hot Chicago evening. A musical revue in the strictest sense, it was conceived by Sheldon Epps in 1980 as a late-night companion piece to a jazz play.

It took on a life of its own, and a brief Broadway run followed in 1982, which scored it a Tony nomination for Best Musical. It features popular jazz and blues music from the 1930s. You will be witness to a magnificent evening of musical stylings from the likes of Bessie Smith, Alberta Hunter, Ida Cox, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Vernon Duke, Billy Strayhorn, Jimmy Cox as well as others. Directed and choreographed by Kenny Ingram, Porchlights’ production of 'Blues in the Night' begins and ends with chill-inducing harmonies from a most impressive musical ensemble.

Set in 1938, three women and one man sing the blues all night long. The three women are guest at a Chicago hotel. Each woman has a story or two to tell, and they are going to tell it. What brings these women together? Men: how they are treated by men, how they should be treated by men, their expectations of men, and disillusionment with men.

Felicia P. Fields, The Lady from the Road, is the older, wiser road-worn veteran in the group. Fields has the pipes to carry the entire show single-handedly. She keeps a steamer trunk packed with memories of her days on the road as a performer, hoping one day to get the call to return to the “chitlin circuit”. She shows her comedic side on songs like “New Orleans Hop Scop Blues” and “Take Me for a Buggy Ride,” songs filled with double entendres that she delivers with sexual indueno and zeal. Fields' gospel-fueled “Wasted Life Blues” puts a stone in your heart and you feel her pain.

Donica Lynn portrays the Woman of the World, once living the high life, she is now renting a room in a cheap Chicago hotel. This is a woman who has known love and lost love. You are transported when she sings “Stompin’ at The Savoy” and “Lush Life,” a song this critic considers one of the hardest songs to sing. Lynn’s voice is silky smooth but sure and direct when she announces her desire in “Rough and Ready Man”.

Sweet and Innocent, the Girl with a Date Clare Kennedy sings “Taking A Chance On Love” and “Willow Weep For Me” songs that reflect her optimism. By Act two she is singing the mournful “Reckless Blues” proving she belongs in the company of these powerhouse singers.

Evan Tyrone Martin, is the Man in the Saloon. Martin’s rich voice complements the women’s voices beautifully. Along with his beautiful voice he possesses the sexuality and charm of a by-gone era. He excites the audience with his “Baby Doll” where he owns the moment.

This show goes into over-drive when all voices are blended together. Kenny Ingram’s direction and choreography made the most of the of talent on the stage. The addition of Terrell Armstrong’s Dancing Man by Ingram was genius. Armstrong embodied the men in the women lives using dance. The most visually pleasing moments occurred when the walls in each woman’s bedroom were backlit as Armstrong danced.

David Fiorello’s musical direction is brilliantly handled the task of telling several stories musically. The vocals were flawless, the harmonies were tight, and the sound perfectly matched the 1930s style. The band consists of Maulty Jewell IV doing double duty as pianist and conductor, Rafe Bradford on Bass, Ricardo Jimenez on Trumpet, Darius Hampton on Reeds and Harold Morrison on Drums. The band mixed seamlessly with the vocalists, creating the perfect atmosphere for an audience to be immersed in jazz and the blues.

A 1930' s era Chicago Hotel was perfectly realized by Angela Weber Miller, creating distinct rooms for each woman, each giving the audience an idea of who the character is: A trunk in Lady’s room, fine clothing in The Woman’s room, and a suitcase in The Girl’s room. Rueben D. Echoles did an excellent job with costumes and wigs.

If a night of great singing and dancing is in order, run, don’t walk and get a ticket to 'Blues In The Night." It will warm you up for many nights to come.

“Blues in the Night” is playing at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago, extended through March 20th, 2022.
Tickets are: $25-$74.
Performance schedule:
Fridays – 8:00 p.m.
Saturdays – 3:00 p.m.
Sundays – 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 17 matinee – 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 24, March 3, and March 10– 7:00 p.m.

“Relentless” is a play about memories and what we do with those memories. Running at Timeline Theatre through February 26, this is a show in which all the characters carry a memory, either literally or figuratively. 

The year is 1919. America is struggling with two pandemics, one the recent outbreak of influenza decimating the country, the other, the ever-present racism, turned up to a feverish pitch. Janet and Annelle, sisters, have returned to their childhood home from Boston along with Marcus, Annelle’s doctor husband. The sisters are there to settle the estate of their deceased mother Annabelle Lee, a midwife in Philadelphia.

While going thru her mother’s things, Janet (Jaye Ladymore offers stoic resolve and suppressed determination) finds a treasure trove of dairies and is engrossed in reading every word. On the other hand, Annelle (playfully sweet but fragile and vulnerable Ayanna Bria Bakari) wants nothing to do with the diaries and feels they should be destroyed.

Franklin (Xavier Edward King delivers wit and simmering intensity), a businessman in Philadelphia, remembers the details of his birth and how it informs his present. Marcus, (the debonair Travis Delgado) remembers how he felt seeing Black people refused medical treatment. Zhuukee/Annabelle Lee (sweetly played by Demetra Lee) writes her own memories down. She is given a remembrance of her mother in a scene that is one of the most powerful in the play.

One thing you can count in Chicago theatre, if you go to a Timeline Production, you will spend a great deal of time researching what you have just seen. It was like that when I saw “Fiorello”, It was the same when I saw “Weekend” and it is no different with “Relentless”. Timeline productions teach and enlighten, you walk out wiser than when you walked in.

As you walk into the theater you are greeted by a wall of pictures, in a neatly appointed room. Jack Magaw’s scenic design is right out of a 1900’s picture, faded with time. There is cornice molding framing the room, mahogany wood doors, a staircase that leads up to a second story and a colorful stained-glass window. To the left there is an alcove for sitting. The wallpaper is quintessentially Victorian. It is obvious the owner of this house is comfortably middle class. There are crates scattered about, giving the room the feeling of upheaval.

Special kudos to lighting designer Heather Gilbert and Mike Tutaj, this same room is turned into a southern manor with the addition of projection and lighting. Music is used to heighten drama during certain important moments of dialogue in a manner that’s almost cinematic. Christine Pascual did a remarkable job costuming in 3 eras, I noticed the sisters in 1919 weren’t wearing constraining bodices as women were taking more agency of their bodies, preparing for the roaring 20’s. Great Job!

Abercrombie has given us some wonderful and interesting characters. She wrote her play in five chapters with each chapter having a title from a work of Black literature. As the scene begins it is projected on top of the setting (like the title page of a book). The dialogue is fast, witty and engaging. Ron OJ Parsons, a director of renown, knows exactly what he’s doing. He choose an excellent ensemble. He found the right tempo for the time and place and let the words do the work.

Theatergoers will want to become familiar with Tyla Abercrombie, as she has made a name for herself not only in Chicago theater but throughout the country. She can also be seen as a series regular in “The Chi”. Aside from a one-woman show, this is her first play. She was supported in the development process by Timeline’s Playwrights Collective and the result is pure magic. Abercrombie’s writing is deliberately educational, clearly pointing out important names, dates and events. This gives her writing a sense of immediacy. She has shown herself to be a playwright of exceptional skill and if this first play is any indication, expect to see her name featured in the future.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t say “Relentless” is long, coming in at 3 hours. August Wilson was notorious for over writing his plays, Lloyd Richards was notorious for editing those plays and getting them to Broadway and he was born in 1919 ..The universe is talking …I’m just saying! Nevertheless, it is highly recommended.

At Theater Wit through February 26th.

It was 1982 in America, and premiering on Broadway was "Pump Boys & Dinettes," a show recalling the "good ole days" of the South (for some).

While it doesn' have much of a plot, if you enjoy escapist theatre with a country and western feel, this is the show for you. The original cast—Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Foley, Mark Hardwick, John Schimmel and Jim Wann—created Pump Boys, and though it was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical, it was up against “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Nine,” and "Dreamgirls," the fictionalized tale of the Supremes which pretty much swept up the awards.

The original "Pump Buys & Dinettes" closed after 573 performances, then went quietly into obscurity until someone mounted a version in 1984 at Chicago's Apollo Theatre on Lincoln Avenue, where it ran for nearly five years, closing in July 1989 following 1,976 performances and selling 600,000 tickets. 

So Porchlight has chosen a likely winner with this revival. But its original all-white cast and its setting in the 1950s—when filling stations and diners in the South notoriously discriminated against people of color—demanded a dramatic revamp 30 years later. Porchlight has done just that. 

Under the direction Daryl Brooks, a name you may know from The Black Ensemble Theater, this cast gives a lively energetic jolt of life lessons, foibles and desires by way of country western songs. The genius of Brooks was in casting an inter-racial group of people to play the pump boy and dinettes, thereby making it a broadly American Musical.  

Shantel Cribbs (Prudie, above right) and Melanie Loren (Rhetta, center opposite Ian Paul Custer) are cast as The Cupp sisters, proud owners of the Double Cupp Diner. Prudie, the more sentimental of the two sisters sings the torch song “The Best Man,” while Rhetta lays down the law with her fiery “Be Good or Be Gone.” The two create a melancholy moment with the surprisingly tender song “Sister,” but not before explaining what it is a waitress want, “Tips.”

These women have phenomenal voices and acting abilities. The Cupp Sisters also provided percussion by way of salt boxes, washboards, pie tins, basically anything that is handy and could make a sound.

As to the boys, they not only pump gas and fix cars, but they are also accomplished instrumentalists. Ian Paul Custer on rhythm guitar as Jim, is our tour guide and leader of the Pump Boys. He engages the audience with his down-home charm whether he’s singing about “Taking it Slow” or reminiscing about childhood memories with his "Mamaw."

On lead guitar is the handsome heartthrob Jackson played by the equally handsome Billy Rude. His “Mona“ is a hilarious but sweet crush on a Walmart clerk. His energy is infectious as is his comedic timing. Rafe Bradford is pump boy Eddie. What makes Eddie such a fun character is he seldom speaks but says a great deal with his facial expressions while playing his bass guitar. L.M (Ladies Man) is the co-owner of the filling station, a role played for everything it’s worth by Frederick Harris, a first-rate musical comedy actor. One of the funniest songs is done by LM. I won’t spoil it by giving it away.

"Pump Boys and Dinettes” is at its best when the entire company is working together. Thanks to Music Director Robert Reddrick, Choreographer/Costume & Wig Designer Rueben Echoles, and Director Daryl Brooks, they work together beautifully. As a gift to the original creators, I suggest a brand new 40th anniversary cast album. This deserves to be heard more than once.

About the set: If you’re like me and you peek into a diner before going in, you would have noticed a picture of that country western star Lil Nas X hanging on the wall. It's a safe bet the original Double Cupp Cafe would not be listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book published by Victor Hugo Green for African American travelers, on seeing Lil Nas X, that prop immediately signaled to me that this wasn’t my grandaddy’s “Pump Boys and Dinettes” – this was gonna be something different.

In fact the set for Porchlight’s production of “Pump Boys & Dinettes” is outright gorgeous. This set was so fully realized, I could smell the coffee coming from the kitchen. Going out on a limb, it’s probably the best set you’re going to see this season. An explosion of color and neon lights, all beautifully lit by Denise Karczewski, the view of Sydney Lynne’s 1950’s retro art deco diner and filling station is worth the price of admission. Karczewski changes the lighting design from song to song, creating a different effect depending on the tempo and subject of the number.

Porchlight Theatre's Pump Boys & Dinettes is at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn through December 12. 
Created by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, Jim Wann Directed by Daryl Brooks
Music direction by Robert Reddrick
Choreographed by Rueben D. Echoles
Thursdays at 7 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 3 pm and 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
Thru December 12th

It was 1982 in America when “Pump Boys and Dinettes” first premiered on Broadway. Developed by a band whose members worked at the nearby Cattleman Restaurant, the show is based on their experiences working there, but trasposed to a setting recalling the "good ole days" of the South (for some), through the lens of the staff working at the Double Cupp Diner. 

It doesn’t have much of a plot. But if you enjoy escapist theatre with a country western feel, this is the show for you. It was nominated for a Tony award for Best Musical, right along with “Dreamgirls," “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Nine." "Dreamgirls" won most of the Tony's and Pump Boys finished after 573 performances before disappearing into obscurity.

But in Chicago, it the musical has had a very different history. After opening in November 1984 at the Apollo Theatre on Lincoln Ave., it closed in July, 1989 after 1,976 performances and selling more than 600,000 tickets. So locally, its a known crowd-pleaser. 

But to be staged 30 years later, it was too much a product of its times. The Double Cupp Diner in its previous versions would never have made it into the famous Negro Motorist Green Book—a guide published by Victor Hugo Green to steer African American travelers to motels, restaurants and filling stations that would serve them in the South. As a Black man, I have admit a bias against the heart of the original “Pump Boys & Dinettes.” (How’s that for critical race theory?)

But Porchlight has updated the production significantly, with the people of color running the production and included in the starring roles. And the music 

The set for Porchlight’s production of “Pump Boys & Dinettes” is gorgeous. Going out on a limb, it’s probably the best set you’re going to see this season. Sydney Lynne’s 1950’s retro art deco diner and filling station is worth the price of admission. This set was so fully realized, I could smell the coffee coming from the kitchen. It is an explosion of color and neon lights. It’s all beautifully lit by Denise Karczewski, whose lighting design changes from song to song creating a different effect depending on the tempo and subject of the song. If you’re like me and you peek into a diner before going in, you would have noticed a picture of that country western star Lil Nas X hanging on the wall. I immediately knew this wasn’t my Grand-daddy’s “Pump Boys and Dinettes” – this was gonna be something different.
Under the direction Daryl Brooks, a name you may know from The Black Ensemble Theater, this cast gives a lively energetic jolt of life lessons, foibles and desires by way of country western songs. The genius of Brooks was casting an inter-racial group of people to play the pump boy and dinettes, thereby making it an American Musical .
Shantel Cribbs (Prudie) and Melanie Loren (Rhetta) are cast as The Cupp sisters proud owners of the Double Cupp Diner. Prudie, the more sentimental of the two sisters sings a torch song “The Best man” while Rhetta lays down the law with her firery “Be Good or Be Gone,” The two create a melancholy moment with the surprisingly tender song “Sister,” but not before explaining what it is a waitress want, “Tips.” These women have phenomenal voices and acting abilities. Th Cupp Sisters also provided percussion by way of salt boxes, washboards, pie tins, basically anything that is handy and could make a sound.
Not only does the boys pump gas and fix cars, but they are also accomplished instrumentalist. Ian Paul Custer on rhythm guitar as Jim, is our tour guide and leader of the Pump Boys. He engages the audience with his down-home charm whether he’s singing about “Taking it Slow” or reminiscing about childhood memories with his "Mamaw." On lead guitar is the handsome heartthrob Jackson played by the equally handsome Billy Rude. His “Mona “is a hilarious but sweet crush on a Walmart clerk. His energy is infectious as is his comedic timing. Rafe Bradford is pump boy Eddie. What makes Eddie such a fun character is he seldom speaks but says a great deal with his facial expressions while playing his bass guitar. L.M (Ladies Man) is the co-owner of the filling station played for everything it’s worth by Frederick Harris, a first-rate musical comedy actor. One of the funniest songs is done by LM. I won’t spoil it by giving it away.
“Pump Boys and Dinettes” is at its best when the entire company is working together. Thanks to Music Director Robert Reddrick , choreographer/Costume & Wig Designer Rueben Echoles and Director Daryl Brooks they work together beautifully. As a gift to the original creators, I suggest a brand new 40th anniversary cast album. This deserves to be heard more than once.
The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn
Created by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, Jim Wann Directed by Daryl Brooks
Music direction by Robert Reddrick
Choreographed by Rueben D. Echoles
Thursdays at 7pm
Fridays at 8pm
Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm
Sundays at 2pm
Thru December 12th

Before entering Invictus Theatre's storefront on Thorndale Avenue, you are asked for your vaccination card. But they may just as well have asked for your passport.

Once you pass through the curtains on your way to your seat, you know quickly “something is rotten in the state of Denmark." There’s a feeling of death—and grief—in the air. Kevin Rolfs’ bare, blood-red set consists of a single paneled wall. That, coupled with Chad Lussier's atmospheric soundscape, and the stark lighting, evokes a sense of dread. And within a brief three hours, this will indeed be the scene of a slaughterhouse.

Hamlet, considered by many to be Shakespeare’s best play, starts with a young man, Hamlet (Charles Askenaiser), being told by the ghost of his father that he was murdered. The ghost then demands Hamlet seek vengeance on his murderer.

Making things interesting is the fact that the murdered man was King of Demark. The murderer is the king’s brother, Claudius (Jospeh Beal) who two months after the crime married the king’s widow (Hamlet’s mother), and is now the reigning king—Hamlet's uncle-slash-step daddy. Still with me?

It’s enough to drive the heir to the throne mad, and as Hamlet goes about his task of vengeance, he causes collateral damage that suggests he just might indeed be mad. The mood swings of Hamlet are demanding. His emotional highs are quirky; his lows are disturbingly maudlin. Charles Askenaizer, as Hamlet, makes the most of every moment. I found myself looking into his eyes hoping for a clue as to his mental state.

Askenaizer, who also directed, sped up the pace of this Hamlet, and it works for the most part. While still clocking in at a little over three hours, fear not: the time flies by.

The supporting cast is strong and worked well as an ensemble. Barry Irving is a sincere Horatio. Joseph Beal as Claudius became ever more dastardly as the play progressed.

A special nod must go to the intimacy coach, Glenn Thompson. His orchestration of the scuffle between Hamlet and his mother Gertrude (Diane Sintich) must be seen. It looked as though she were giving birth all over again, only this time to a monster. 

There was something sweet in the chemistry between Laertes (Michael Lewis, excellent recently in “A Raisin In The Sun) and Ophelia (Ebby Offord). Certain scenes stood out for me and this was one of them. This begins their character arc and we are fully invested in them, though Lewis should take care not to let the background music overtake his melodic voice. And Offord if this is your debut, you have a bright future.

Darren Jones’ plays Polonius as an oily, pompous, hypocrite. That he would be the first to die by Hamlet’s hand is no wonder. A lot of comedy is lost because of the speed of delivery of Polonius’s lines. Another of my favorites scenes was Rosencrantz (Jack Morsovillo) and Guildenstern (Andrea Uppling) being questioned by Hamlet. Comedic timing by the three characters worked perfectly. Other excellent performances were offered by Robert Koon, Chuck Munro, Keenan Odenkirk and Maria Clara Ospina.

Isaac Jay Pineda's costumes were reminiscent of 1980's businessmen and women. The military characters wore fatigues with the Danish flag. Upon Laertes' return from France, you could tell he had done some shopping. Nice work! 

This excellent production of Hamlet by Invictus Theatre demonstrates yet again why Chicago storefront theatre is known throughout the country.

Hamlet at Invictus Theatre runs October 21 – November 21, 2021
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 3:00 p.m.
1106 W. Thorndale Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60660