It was a dark and stormy night (yes, it really was!) – the perfect ambiance for taking in one of theatre’s classic comedic thrillers, Ira Levin’s Deathtrap, staged by BrightSide Theatre at North Central College’s Meiley-Swallow Hall, in Naperville.

For knowledgeable theatre buffs, Deathtrap holds the record for the longest-running comedic thriller on Broadway. It was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Play, and was later adapted for the screen, starring Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve.

It’s the story of world-famous playwright Sidney Bruhl, who for the past 11 years has been riding the fading fame of his one and only hit play, The Murder Game. Having to squeak by on his wife’s income and forego his once lavish lifestyle, Sidney is looking for a way to regain his fame – and fortune.

As the play opens, Sidney is reading a manuscript that arrived in the mail from one of his seminar students. Much to his chagrin, the script is brilliant, and in his estimation, bound to be a smash hit. Sidney shares his thoughts with his wife, Myra, and together the pair conspire to make the manuscript their own. While Myra promotes collaboration (with Bruhl’s name taking top billing, of course), Sidney has a more sinister solution to their dilemma in mind.

At Sidney’s invitation, the young playwright, Clifford Anderson, arrives at their secluded Connecticut farmhouse, to discuss the manuscript. What ensues is a series of twists and turns, unexpected and shocking events, that keeps the audience guessing as to what will happen next. Throw in a hilarious neighbor, Helga ten Dorp, who just happens to be a noted psychic whose suspicions are spiked by the strange goings-on at the Bruhl’s house, and you have all the ingredients for an entertaining and lively evening.

Under the skillful direction of Jason Harrington, who directed BrightSide’s The Odd Couple last season, the cast turns in a well-paced and skilled performance. Even for those familiar with the plot, as I was, I found myself jumping and gasping at all the right places and thoroughly engaged throughout the evening.

Scott Kelley stars as Bruhl and turns in a convincing performance as the washed-up playwright looking for an easy way out of his writer’s block. Kelley has appeared in numerous other BrightSide productions, including the 2021 Miracle on 34^th Street, and is a veteran actor on the Chicago theatre scene. His hapless and anxiety-ridden wife, Myra, is excellently portrayed by Marianne Embree, who is appearing in her third BrightSide production.

Tyler Szarabajka, who plays the young playwright, Clifford Anderson, is making his professional debut in Deathtrap. He plays the role with just the right amount of cockiness and youthful assurance that makes him a great foil to his uptight, older mentor and hero. And Lisa Braatz absolutely shines as the quirky psychic, Helga ten Dorp, as she makes one outlandish prediction after another as she “senses” the pain and trauma in the room. The cast is rounded out by John Zimmerman as Porter Milgrim, the staid family friend and attorney for the couple, who brings a modicum of somberness to the proceedings – until the final scene!

Adding to the overall experience of the production is the theatre itself. Located on North Central College’s campus, just a few blocks off downtown, this gem of a theatre offers theatregoers an intimate and cozy interaction with the performers. There’s not a bad seat in the house, and you feel as if you are in on the action because of the proximity to the actors.

BrightSide Theatre, under Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass and Executive Director Julie Ann Kornak, is now in its 13^th season. Billed as Naperville’s only professional theatre performing in the historic downtown district, BrightSide has won “Best of Naperville” Live Entertainment Venue for the past six years. Even though I’ve lived in Naperville for years, this was my first introduction to BrightSide Theatre, and I was not disappointed.

For theatre-enthusiasts, or anyone looking for an entertaining night at the theatre, without the fuss and bother of going downtown Chicago, BrightSide’s Deathtrap production will more than satisfy. Add in its location right off the downtown with access to Naperville’s many and varied dining options, and you have the perfect combination for dinner and theatre.

You can catch Deathtrap at North Central’s Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville, now through March 24^th. Ticket information can be found at www.BrightSidetheatre.com or by phone at 630-447-TIXS (8497). 

For anyone familiar with children’s literature, Roald Dahl is a household name. Since the 1960s, Dahl has entertained and enchanted his young readers with fantastical tales of witches, giants, talking animals, magical chocolate factories, and yes, even a giant peach.

So, it is more than appropriate that the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire has added to its children’s theatre repertoire for the 2023-2024 season a lively and imaginative adaptation of Dahl’s classic James and the Giant Peach. During the 70-minute run time – perfectly suited for the younger audience – the gifted and energetic ensemble bring to life the magical adventures of James Henry Trotter and his intrepid insect friends – Earthworm, Green Grasshopper, Centipede, Spider, and Ladybug.

In this adaptation of the musical, which premiered in 2010, with a score composed by the Tony Award-nominated team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman) and book by award-winning playwright Timothy Allen McDonald (who also adapted Dahl’s most well-known work, Willy Wonka), the charm and quirky characters of Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach are introduced once again to a new generation of fans.

The audience is guided through James’ adventure under the skillful musical narration of Ladahlord, a mysterious magical man, capably played by Chicago theatre veteran, Alex Goodrich. As he informs the audience, magic is going to unfold “Right Before Your Eyes” in the opening number. And then it does, as spiders, earthworms, grasshoppers, ladybugs, centipedes, charging rhinos, ravenous sharks, and comical seagulls all come brilliantly to life through the creative combination of puppets and actors and innovations of costume and wig designers Amanda Vander Byl and Ray Sanchez and gifted props master Leo Bassow.

For those unfamiliar with the story, James becomes an orphan after his parents are eaten by a rhino (see above!) who has escaped the London Zoo. He falls into the hands of his wicked aunts, Aunts Sponge and Spiker. After being given a magical potion of crocodile tongues by Ladahlord, James trips and scatters the potion before he can use its power. What does result, however, is a gigantic peach!

While the aunts try to make money off charging people to see the giant peach, James enters the peach itself, finding himself in the company of human-sized insects. After the peach drops from the tree and rolls into the ocean, James and his companions use their wits and abilities to battle sharks and other obstacles to voyage across the ocean. Eventually the peach lands on the Empire State Building. When it drops to the ground, it crushes the two wicked aunts who have followed the peach across the ocean, and James and his newfound family are home at last.

From the beginning, the audience is captivated by the music, puppets, and the talented cast. James is wonderfully played by 12-year-old Kai Edgar, who made his acting debut at age 8 in the title role of Oliver at the Marriott Theatre. Edgar brings an energy and poise to his performance that is well beyond his age. His amazing performance alone is reason enough to see the show.

He is joined onstage by an equally experienced and gifted ensemble. The dour and doubting Centipede is brilliantly played by Garrett Lutz, who has appeared on numerous Chicago stages, including numerous Marriott productions. Andrés Enriquez also returns to the Marriott stage and delights as the near-sighted and fearful Earthworm. Enriquez shines in his number “Plumb and Juicy,” one of the show’s more memorable tunes, as he breaks from his reserve and fears to help save his companions.

The ensemble is rounded out by veteran actor Christopher Kale Jones, who plays the wise and steady Green Grasshopper and undeniable leader of the group, with an understated elegance and humor. He is joined by Elizabeth Telford, as the kind and motherly Ladybug, who brings a sweetness and tenderness to her role. Juwon Tyrel Perry, who most recently appeared in Marriott Theatre in its Carole King tribute musical, Beautiful, who plays Spider, with a hip and stylish vibe.

And of course, no Roald Dahl story is complete without its villains, which are wonderfully played by Lucy Godinez and Leah Morrow, as the delightfully wicked aunts, Sponge and Spiker, respectively. The pair’s oversized personalities and outlandish antics are crowd favorites, but that doesn’t stop the audience from cheering when their evil designs are finally crushed after the peach drops on them.

Under the direction of Tommy Rapley, who also choreographs the performance, Dahl’s classic tale entertains and captivates the audience with its fast-paced action, nonstop comedy, and innovative set. Marriott’s signature theatre is the perfect venue and James and the Giant Peach is the perfect production to introduce your children and grandchildren to the wonderful world of theatre.

You can catch James and the Giant Peach at the Marriott through March 30th.

Mozart’s masterpiece, and one of the world’s most frequently performed operas, The Magic Flute, is given a modern-day makeover in award-winning director and writer Mary Zimmerman’s production of The Matchbox Magic Flute, now playing at The Goodman Theatre on its Owen stage.

In this world-premiere production, Zimmerman has adapted the traditionally lavish and grandiose opera with full company and orchestra and has created what has been dubbed an opera-in-miniature with a cast of ten and an orchestra of five. The results are nothing less than triumphant.

From the orchestra members dressed in costume with candles flanking their music stands to the delightful Spirit (wonderfully performed by Reese Parish) who guides us through the performance, to the Zimmerman-trademarked scenery which effortlessly flows from forest to palace and back again, every detail contributes to the overall ambiance of the production to create an intimate theatre experience. The audience feels as if they are part of the performance as the actors frequently turn to us and bring us into the action and let us in on the jokes.

The production follows the traditional story line of Prince Tamino (Billy Rude) who finds himself lost in the forest pursued by a dragon. He is rescued by three woodland ladies, who show him the portrait of Princess Pamina (Marlene Fernandez), the daughter of the Queen of the Night (Emily Rohm), who has been abducted by Sarastro (Keanon Kyles) and his sidekick, Monostatos (Russell Mernagh).

The Prince falls in love with the Princess instantly, and when the Queen of the Night commissions him to rescue her daughter, promising him her daughter’s hand in marriage, the Prince is only too happy to oblige. Aided by a magic flute and accompanied by the lovelorn half-bird, half-man, Papageno (brilliantly played by Shawn Pfautsch), the Prince commences his magical mission.

In adapting this classic opera, Zimmerman has gone line by line, not only condensing the plotline to fit a two-hour running time, but also updating the libretto to include unexpected and humorous references to modern life. For instance, when the three woodland ladies (Lauren Molina, Monica West, and Tina Munoz Pandya) discover the unconscious Prince, they coo over his physique as one who has obviously gone to the gym.

Later when Papageno and the Princess meet and sing about “the bird and the girl,” they encourage one another to persevere and not be discouraged “as when you are waiting in the grocery line.” These references are so cleverly embedded throughout the performance that you find yourself waiting and listening for them.

Even though only one of the ten cast members is a trained opera singer (Kyles who plays Sarastro), all have the musical theatre credentials to do justice to Mozart’s soaring operatic scores. Rohm as Queen of the Night gives an outstanding performance of one of the opera’s most well-known arias, Der Hölle Rache, with its fast repetition of High C’s, that challenges most sopranos. And the superbly comedic duet of Pfautsh’s Papageno and his newfound love, Papagena (also played by Lauren Molina), Pa pa pa, is a show-stopper. Also, not to be missed is Kyles’ impressive baritone, whose lower range wows the audience.

Rude as Prince Tamino and Fernandez as Princess Pamina shine in their respective roles, both vocally and in their character portrayal. Fernandez has a particularly beautiful soprano that is magnificent to hear. The three woodland ladies (Molina, West, and Pandya) are outstanding in their roles, adding humorous commentary on the action to both those on stage and to the audience. Mernagh’s Monostatos, as the one real villain in the story, is played with just the right comedic touch in his clumsy attempts to seduce the Princess.

What ensues is a thoroughly engaging and entertaining production that is fast-paced and lively. Toss in a few woodland creatures, whose dancing border on the hilarious as they throw in a little soft shoe, and you have a family-friendly show perfect for all ages. Even some of the musicians get involved and join the action on stage, as when flautist Dalia Chin, leads the Prince and Princess through their final trials with her “magic flute.”

Zimmerman herself sums up the production as a fantastical, adventuresome journey with something for everyone – dancing animals, magical instruments, lessons learned, along with a bit of humor, all set to Mozart’s time-honored classic score. What’s not to like?

Don’t miss your chance to introduce the younger generations – or even yourself -- to opera in a most winsome and captivating way. The Matchbox Magic Flute is playing through March 24 at the Goodman Theatre.

From the sunny shores of St. Thomas to the gritty streets of New York, from the violent brutality of the boxing ring to the raucous gay bar scene in the mid-1960s, Lyric Opera’s Champion is a sweeping saga of one man’s search for redemption and his true sexual identity. With music composed by Grammy Award-winner Terence Blanchard and libretto by Tony Award-winning Michael Cristofer, Champion is an emotional tour de force that draws the audience in from the opening curtain to its final notes.

At the center of this true story is Emile Griffith, a professional boxer whose fatal punch in the boxing ring in 1962 after being taunted for his sexuality by his rival, has haunted him throughout his life. Emile’s story unfolds through a series of flashbacks, from his abusive upbringing in St. Thomas after his mother abandoned her eight children, to being pushed into boxing ring on the basis of his strength and physique, to coming to terms with his own sexuality as a gay man.

Emile’s character is brilliantly portrayed by three different singers. Reginald Smith Jr., a Grammy- and Emmy-winning baritone, portrays the aging Emile with a vulnerability and pathos as he searches for forgiveness and peace. The younger Emile is played by Justin Austin, a rising star and a 2023 Marian Anderson Vocal Award winner, whose heartfelt portrayal brings to life Emile’s struggle to discover what it means to be a man. And finally, Naya James, a sixth grader at Highland Elementary School in Downers Grove, rises to the occasion in his portrayal of the young Emile, who is abused by his strict religious aunt. In one particularly moving moment, all three appear on stage as the aging Emile prays for strength.

Sharing the stage with Emile is an impressive ensemble, many of whom are drawn from Lyric’s acclaimed artist-development program. Soprano Whitney Morrison shines in her role as Emile’s estranged mother, Emelda Griffith. In one of the lighter moments, when Emile reunites with his mother on the streets of New York, his mother confuses him for his brother, Frankie. She sings to Frankie to give mommie a kiss, but when Emile tells her he’s not Frankie, she responds, “Well, who the hell are you?” And then, without skipping a beat as Emile tells her who he is, she immediately serenades him with the same song. As Emelda sings to Emile, “I may not be the mommie you want, but I am the mommie you got.”

Billed as “an opera in jazz,” composer Terence Blanchard brings his storied jazz career, which has earned him seven Grammy awards and two Oscar nominations, to the score. The musical score ranges from soaring operatic arias with full orchestration to the jazzy, bluesy beat of New Orleans enhanced by a jazz combo embedded in the orchestra. In one particularly poignant moment, mother Emelda sings about her efforts to survive and escape her life of poverty, accompanied only by the haunting beat of the bass. It is a show-stopping moment.

The ensemble, which joins the stage in key moments, such as when as Emile leaves St. Thomas, as he searches for comfort in the gay bar scene, as he trains for his boxing matches, brings an energy and vibrancy to the production and an escape from the heaviness of Emile’s struggle. The story is moved along by the ring announcer/narrator, wonderfully played by the legendary Chicago actor Larry Yando in his Lyric debut. Towering floor-to-ceiling video screens that flank the action on stage also help move the narrative along with black-and-white depictions of Emile’s career as he goes from champion to has-been, whose battered brain can’t even remember three simple words.

In the end, it is Emile’s dual performances that give the audience an emotional one-two punch. The younger Emile, after nearly being beaten to death by a gang of thugs shouting anti-gay slurs, laments, “I kill a man, and the world forgives me; I love a man, and the world wants to kill me.” But it is the aging Emile who finally finds the redemption and peace he has been searching for when, with the help of his younger self, realizes that who he ultimately must seek forgiveness from is himself.

Through the life and story of Emile Griffith, Champion seeks to shine light on all who are marginalized, whether because of race or sexuality, to bring the underrepresented to the operatic world, and to challenge us, the audience, to be champions for justice and equality.

Champion is playing at the Lyric Opera through February 11. For tickets and information, visit the Lyric Opera website.

As someone who has seen Tchaikovsky’s timeless holiday classic, The Nutcracker, performed many times over, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect last night at the Cadillac Palace’s presentation of The Hip Hop Nutcracker.

But after experiencing the grandeur and soaring beauty of Tchaikovsky’s magical musical tale of a young girl and her Nutcracker prince reimagined as a modern-day love story set in a gritty urban backdrop and performed by a very talented and athletic ensemble of hip hop dancers, I was completely sold.

Yes, there still is Maria-Clara and her Nutcracker prince, the Mouse King and his gang, and the mysterious Drosselmeyer cast as a magical toymaker, but under the skillful direction and choreography of Tony and Olivier Award-nominated Jennifer Weber, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker is completely turned on its head – figuratively, and to be honest, literally.

Rather than the breathtaking leaps and twirls of ballet dancers, the audience was riveted by the gravity-defying breakdancing moves with performers springing from one-handed handstands to another and then spinning on their heads. The choreography was so cleverly intertwined with Tchaikovsky’s familiar orchestration that you could almost imagine that he actually intended his famous opus for hip hop.

The tone of the evening was set by special guest MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers, with a brief homage to this genre’s 50^th anniversary. Along with DJ Boo, a New York-based performance DJ, Blow masterfully invited the audience to sing and dance along as he moved through a mix of hip hop classics through the years. The audience loved it.

In this retelling, Maria-Clara (Halima Dodo) is upset by her parents’ constant bickering during the annual uptown holiday street party. Drosselmeyer (Tumelo “Melo” Khupe) appears, bringing magical toys to the party and introducing Maria-Clara to a street vendor (Anthony “Omen” Cabrera) selling roasted nuts, appropriately called the Nutcracker. The party breaks up, and while Maria-Clara is on her way home, she runs into the menacing Mouse Crew. Aided by a pair of magical red sneakers hanging on a lamp pole, the Nutcracker springs to her defense and the two enjoy winter’s first snowfall.

Drosselmeyer returns to magically take Maria-Clara and her Nutcracker back in time to the Land of Sweets nightclub, where the couple witness the New Year’s Eve revelers showing off the dance styles of that time. It’s then that Maria-Clara realizes that she is witnessing the night when her parents first met and fell in love. She is overcome by their love, and when they return to present day, Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker – with a bit more magic – help her parents reconcile.

The story is brought to life not only through the performers’ incredible hip hop dancing and choreography, but also by their amazing acting ability. Through their gestures and facial expressions, the ensemble brought the audience along into the story.

For me, one of the evening’s highlights was the powerhouse violinist Marissa Licata, who introduces the familiar opening strains of The Nutcracker and then appears strategically throughout the performance to move the musical narrative forward. A star soloist, she has appeared with the likes of Alicia Keys, Ben Harper, Jethro Tull, H.E.R., Ringo Starr, and Gloria Estefan, to name a few.

The set design was minimal, but skillfully done with a huge video cast on the stage’s backdrop. We’re taken right into the street scene, walk into Drosselmeyer’s toy store, and then cast back into time appropriately via a time-traveling subway, all through the magic of video. At first, the scenes and costuming are all cast in shades of black and white with only Drosselmeyer’s magical touch in red. But when we go back in time, the past comes to life in a spray of colors.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker is only at the Cadillac Palace for a limited engagement through Dec. 17, but tickets are still available. For families and children of all ages, this is a wonderful introduction to The Nutcracker, and even for those well acquainted with this holiday tradition, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is an imaginative and exuberant retelling of this classic worth seeing.

As MC Blow told the audience, “I’m sure Mr. Tchaikovsky would enjoy this performance.” I quite agree. 

Just in time for the season’s first snowfall and the holidays, the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire serves up a delightful rockin’ adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, perfect for the entire family as its finale for the 2023 children’s theatre season.

Billed as the story that inspired the Disney megahit Frozen – indeed, there were many young audience members in full Elsa garb – the story follows the adventures of the brave, young Gerda, who is determined to find and rescue her best friend, Kai, who is trapped forever in the Snow Queen’s winter palace.

The Snow Queen is one of Andersen’s most highly acclaimed fairy tales, with its timeless story of the struggle between good and evil. In this production, Andersen’s beloved tale is transformed into a musical, set to an original pop-rock score that has something for everyone’s musical tastes.

The story itself is a bit complicated. Struck in the eye and heart by the splinters of a mirror stolen from the Snow Queen and cursed by a malevolent troll, Kai forgets his friendship with Gerda and becomes cruel and mean-spirited. Undaunted by her beloved friend’s rejection, the intrepid Gerda begins her journey to reclaim her friend, which takes her into a magical world filled with singing flowers and a zany group of talking crows, a wicked witch, who casts a spell to trick Gerda into becoming her daughter, a kind-hearted prince and princess, a hard-rockin’ punk robber girl and mother, and more!

Whether the Frozen devotees were disappointed that their favorite princess, Anna, Olaf, or Kristoff, were not on stage (there is a talking reindeer!), it didn’t appear to be the case. The mostly under-ten audience paid rapt attention throughout the hour-long production.

While the staging was kept to a minimum, with scene changes accomplished through a well-placed prop (cleverly camouflaged alongside the Marriott Theatre’s signature circular stage) and through two video screens flanking the stage, the talented ensemble kept their young audience engaged through non-stop action onstage and foot-tapping music that ranged from soulful ballads to a dance-party beat to a homage to punk rock.

This was my first time seeing a production at Marriott Theatre as well as my seven-year-old granddaughter’s first live theatre performance. It is the perfect venue for introducing children to live theatre as the sightlines are good and the audience is close to the actors and action. There’s even a question-and-answer session after the performance with the actors to further educate the next generation of theatregoers.

The production comes to life under the sure-handed direction of Landree Fleming with music direction by Michael Mahler and choreography by Katie Johannigman. The ensemble of five actors works hard throughout the show with the majority playing multiple roles through a deft change of costume – a hat, a coat, change of shoes – or a change of accent.

Veteran Chicago actor Caron Buinis (who’s also appearing in Marriott Theatre’s production of the Carole King tribute musical Beautiful) is simply wonderful as Gerda’s grandmother, the wise woman of the North, the witch, and the robber mother. Also returning to Marriott Theatre stage is Jeremiah Alsop, who plays the troubled Kai, as well as the prince and a singing flower.

The ensemble is rounded out with three actors making their debuts at the Marriott. Ryan Stajmiger captivates the audience in his multiple roles as the troll, the reindeer, the rose, and the head crow, Reginald, which he hilariously portrays as a droll, but proper British soldier. Add to that Alanna Chavez, who dazzles as the Snow Queen (my granddaughter’s favorite character), but who also can rock as the lonely, punk-rocker robber girl.

But it is Joryhebel Ginorio, in her debut at Marriott, who shines as the loyal and devoted Gerda. Ginorio brings a sweet soulfulness to her portrayal of Gerda and charms the audience with her vocal versatility and range. She has a beautiful voice, and I, for one, hope that this will not be the last Ginorio will be heard on Chicago’s stages.

As with all proper fairy tales, love, goodness, and friendship triumphs in the end – to the delight of the audience. And who knows? Maybe the young Elsa fans in attendance have found another heroine in the kindness, bravery, and determination of young Gerda.

The Snow Queen provides families with the perfect holiday entertainment with shows on most Fridays through Sundays at 10 am through Dec. 31. There are select 12:30 pm performances and plenty of holiday week performances scheduled.

From Twelfth Night’s well-known opening lines “If music be the food of love, play on …,” the stage is set for Shakespeare’s madcap comedy of misplaced love and mixed-up identities. Woven throughout this production are the colors, culture, and Caribbean-inspired music that play almost as important a role as the actors on stage.

There are those who prefer their Shakespeare straight up and true to the Bard’s written word and intended setting. I, however, am not one of them. I enjoy seeing Shakespeare’s plays reimagined and reset into different settings and time periods, and I was thoroughly enchanted and entertained by director Tyrone Phillips’ interpretation of Twelfth Night.

In his debut as a director at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Phillips brings his personal background to the stage as a first-generation Jamaican America. The island kingdom of Shakespeare’s Illyria comes to life under Phillips’ direction as a Caribbean paradise, complete with swaying palm trees, a sandy shore, and a reggae-inspired beat that pulses throughout the show.

There’s no way you can leave the theatre without a smile on your face, as if you’ve just been on a mini-vacation.

We first meet the Duke Orsino, played by Yao Dogbe, a talented veteran of Chicago Shakespeare, lamenting his unrequited love for Countess Olivia, who has declared a seven-year period of mourning for her brother. The duke’s emissaries have all been rejected, and he is at wit’s end.

That is, until a spectacular storm at sea deposits the young Viola, aptly played by Jaeda LaVoone in her debut at Chicago Shakes, on the beach of Illyria. Believing that her twin brother, Sebastian, has drowned in the storm, she disguises herself as a young lad, Cesario, and seeks employment with the duke. There’s something about the well-spoken Cesario that prompts the duke to send him to Olivia to proclaim the duke’s love to her.

Viola is immediately smitten by the duke, but vows to serve her master, and so as Cesario, goes off to see Olivia, wonderfully played by Christiana Clark. Craziness ensues as Olivia becomes love-struck with Cesario, and comically, Viola finds herself trying to extract herself from this awkward love triangle.

Throw into the mix the subplot of characters, led by Olivia’s uncle, Sir Toby Belch, (Ronald L. Conner), and his sidekick, Sir Andrew (Alex Goodrich), who plot to prank the uptight Malvolio, Olivia’s stalwart steward, by leading him to believe that his mistress is deeply in love with him. Add the surprise appearance of Olivia’s twin, Sebastian, who in actuality also survived the shipwreck, and the series of mistaken identities that result add to the chaotic comedy.

 But, as with all Shakespeare’s comedies, all is resolved in the final scenes. Brother and sister are reunited. The Duke and Olivia, at last, find their true loves (and not with each other!), and even the mistreated Malvolio realizes that “everyone is fragile,” and makes his peace with his adversaries.

The production is a homecoming of sorts for Phillips, who first visited Chicago Shakespeare as a teen and later performed on its stage in A Midsummer’s Night Dream.  He has assembled a talented group of predominantly African-American actors who bring an energy and authenticity to the show. For me, the performances by Clark’s Olivia and Paul Oakley Stovall’s Malvolio stood out. Clark’s Olivia is bold, beautiful, and determined to win Cesario’s love. I was captivated by her larger-than-life presence whenever she was on stage. And Stovall shines as the puritanical prude, Malvolio, who underscores his performance with a subtle gesture or a raised eyebrow.

From the opening scene where Olivia’s jester Feste (Israel Erron Ford) invites islanders to stroll with him to a reggae-inspired beat to the curtain-call where the entire cast dances to that same exuberant rhythm, Twelfth Night is an energetic, joyous, laugh-out loud romp that is sure to entertain – a perfect escape for a couple hours from the holiday stress.

You can still get in on the fun as Chicago Shakespeare extended its run through Dec. 3.  

It’s Christmas 1183, and King Henry II has gathered his family together at his court in Chinon, France, with hopes of settling once and for all the future legacy of the House of Plantagenets by naming one of his sons as successor to the throne.

So, Henry’s three sons, who are all vying to be named king, Richard Lionheart, his eldest surviving son, Geoffrey, his middle son, John, his youngest son (and Henry’s favorite), along with Henry’s mistress, Alais, who is also betrothed to his son Richard, and his estranged wife, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, who has been released from prison for the occasion, gather together for a family reunion of sorts. Add in an appearance from the King of France, Philip, whose sister just happens to be the king’s aforementioned mistress, and you have the makings for a truly volatile get-together.

As Eleanor quipped, “Are we hanging the holly, or hanging each other?” And you thought your family holiday gatherings were fraught with tension!

It is against this backdrop of family intrigue, scheming, and naked hostility that “The Lion in Winter,” a fictionalized account of these historic events, is set. The play, written by Highland Park’s own James Goldman, debuted on Broadway in 1966, earning Rosemary Harris a Tony Award for her depiction of Eleanor, and later inspired the Oscar-winning film, starring Peter O’Toole as Henry, and Katherine Hepburn as Eleanor.

I came expecting a serious melodrama centered on the complex interpersonal relationships of Henry’s tattered family, and so was pleasantly surprised to find myself laughing along with the rest of the audience at the sarcastic jabs, verbal taunting, and what in the skilled hands of Director and Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson, was the almost comically inept plotting by the three sons. Despite a play whose main source of action is based on dialogue, I found the performance fast paced and was completely drawn into what was happening on the stage. You didn’t want to miss a word of the verbal potshots being landed right and left between those on stage.

It was the opening night for the Court Theatre’s 2023-2024 season, which now in its 69^th season, has built a firm foundation on reimagining the classics for a modern audience. It was my first time visiting the Tony-award winning theatre, and I will return. What struck my husband and I was the sense of community and camaraderie among the theatergoers. Clearly, the audience was filled with many of the cast’s family members and well-wishers, but the buzz of anticipation among the audience before the curtain came up reminded me of attending my daughter’s high school musical performances, where everyone knew each other. That certainly seemed to be the case here, as greetings were exchanged between rows and sections. We were even greeted warmly by our row-mates, something I have not experienced at other theatres, and it made for a family-like atmosphere in this intimate setting.

From start to finish, the performance was captivating; each aspect working in harmony toward the end goal. The set design, under the direction of Linda Buchanan, was sparse, but effective. The play moved seamlessly from banquet hall to bedroom to dungeon with the mere addition of a chair, a table, a bed. There was little to distract us from the main focus of the drama – the verbal fireworks and emotional interplay between Henry and Eleanor.

Both actors bring a clear understanding of their characters to the performance. John Hoogenakker, a veteran of the Court Theatre, brings Henry’s very personal struggle to remain relevant and stay in control of his kingdom to life through his understated, yet powerful performance. At one point, we witness Henry’s rage and absolute desire to win at all costs against his wife, Eleanor, yet we also are privy to the tender moments as he swears his love and allegiance to Alais, his mistress. There’s also a beautiful scene between Henry and Eleanor toward the end of the second act, where they recall their first meeting and the strong bond of love that once existed between them that was truly moving in its tenderness and depth of emotions.

Rebecca Spence, in her debut performance at the Court, plays Eleanor as a strong, confidant woman, with an intelligent and acerbic wit, who is as determined as Henry to win the day and anoint her own favorite, Richard, to the throne. Yet, Spence also allows us to see Eleanor’s true inner desire, which is to be loved -- by her son, Richard, by Alais, who she had helped raise in the English court, but most of all, by Henry, for whom she has never stopped loving. It’s a masterful performance by Spence, and while her Eleanor made me squirm at her decidedly unmotherly moments, I also felt empathy for her as the spurned, older woman whose time has passed by and who no longer can command Henry’s love.

The three sons are skillfully played as well with Shane Kenyon as the warrior, Richard Lionheart, Brandon Miller as Geoffrey, the quintessential middle child, who continually asks, “And what about Geoffrey?”  and Kenneth La’Ron Hamilton, as the dim-witted inept younger son, John, whose has only one card to play – his father’s affection. The three scheme and change alliances so quickly that it’s hard to keep track of the changing teams. At one point, in a hilarious scene, all three end up hiding in Philip’s bedroom, listening as the King of France betrays them all – including Richard’s love for him.

The ensemble is rounded out with a solid performance from Netta Walker as Henry’s mistress, Alais, who brings to the role a tenderness and devotion to Henry that serves to counterbalance the relentless infighting and backbiting among her lover’s family.  I admit I was puzzled at first by the portrayal of Philip, King of France, by Anthony Baldasare, because his character seemed weak and inconsequential against the stronger more dominant characters onstage, but the scene in which he outmaneuvers Henry’s three sons and Henry himself displayed a strength of character and that Philip is as accomplished a schemer as the others.  

 The play ends much as it began, with no resolution at hand. Eleanor must return to prison, and the three sons continue to bicker and fight over who will ascend to the throne.  Yet, in the closing moments, as Henry and Eleanor climb the stairs, arm-in-arm, we sense that they will live to fight for another day, motivated as much by their hate, as by their love.

The family intrigue and infighting charged by greed and ambition that underscores the storyline of “The Lion in Winter” may not be for everyone this holiday season, but its honest, sometimes tender, sometimes humorous, portrayal of life is a performance worth seeing.

“The Lion in Winter” plays at the Court Theatre from Nov. 11 through Dec. 3.