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Following an acclaimed extended run at Raven Theatre, Dave Malloy's "unique, ravishing and resplendent" (Chicago Theatre Review) a cappella musical Octet transfers to Goodman Theatre for a two-week run this summer. Directed by Keira Fromm—Associate Director of The Goodman's Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh—with music direction by Nick Sula (Kokandy Productions' Jekyll & Hyde) and choreography by Laura Savage (The Lord of the Rings International Tour), The Goodman's presentation of the Raven Theatre production will feature Raven's original cast—including Neala Barron (Porchlight Theatre's Fun Home), Elliot Esquivel (Lookingglass Theatre's White Rooster), Joryhebel Ginorio (Theo Ubique's The Secret Garden), Jordan Golding (A Christmas Carol), Teressa LaGamba (Paramount Theatre's Waitress), Ryder Dean McDaniel (Court Theatre's Taming of the Shrew), Sam Shankman (Court Theatre's Falsettos) and Grace Steckler (Writers Theatre's As You Like It).

The Goodman presents Raven Theatre's production of Dave Malloy's Octet in the 400-seat flexible Owen Theatre July 15-26. For tickets ($44-$94, subject to change), call 312.443.3800 or purchase online at GoodmanTheatre.org/Octet. This project is partially supported by a grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). This programming is also supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.  

"I'm thrilled that Octet will receive an encore production this summer at the Goodman Theatre! Our whole team is stacked with the most generous and talented group of artists whose abundant love for the show is clear from the moment the first song begins," said Director Keira Fromm, who is also the associate director of The Goodman's upcoming world-premiere musical Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh, starring Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. "I'm overjoyed that the tiny ember I carried for this piece has caught fire and will be shared with so many others. It's a balm to put down your phone and be in the room with this incredible musical, and I can't wait for a wider audience to experience it."

"Octet has been a rare and remarkable experience here at the Raven, and we are so very excited to partner with The Goodman in creating a downtown extension for this production," said Raven Theatre Executive Artistic Director Jonathan Berry. "At its heart, Raven is always looking to build community, and this is a fantastic opportunity to share this production that we're so proud of with a wider audience."

In an anonymous meeting room on the North Side of Chicago, a group of people—always eight—gathers to sing. Best known for the Broadway hit Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet Of 1812, Dave Malloy's Octet uses chamber-inspired a cappella music to explore the total impact of life online. Hailed by The New York Times as "the most original and topical musical of the year" for its 2019 Off-Broadway premiere, this inventive and acutely relevant piece reflects the perils of the digital age.  

The Goodman Presents Raven Theatre's Production of Dave Malloy's Octet

Music, Lyrics, Book and Vocal Arrangements by Dave Malloy

Directed by Keira Fromm

Music Directed by Nick Sula

Choreographed by Laura Savage

Neala Barron...Jessica
Elliot Esquivel...Toby
Joryhebel Ginorio...Velma
Jordan Golding...Marvin
Teressa LaGamba...Paula
Ryder Dean McDaniel...Ed
Sam Shankman...Henry
Grace Stecklerr...Karly

CREATIVE TEAM

Scenic Designer...Milo Bue
Lighting Designer...Maximo Grano de Oro 
Co-Sound Designer...Christopher Kriz 
Co-Sound Designer...Hannah Kwak 
Costume Designer...Maegan Pate 
Props Coordinator...Paloma Locsin 
Master Electrician...Ruby Lowe 
Associate Scenic Designer...Wynn Lee 
Assistant Director and Dance Captain...Mads Wren 
Music Captain...Joe Giovannetti 
Assistant Master Electrician...Emmitt Socey 
Production Manager...Lucy Whipp 

Casting and Dramaturgy by Catherine Miller. JC Widman and Faith Locke are the Stage Managers.

There’s a rare kind of theatrical experience that transcends personal taste. Even if a genre is not typically your first choice, the sheer level of artistry on display is impossible to deny. That is exactly what director Keira Fromm’s production of Octet accomplishes: a vocally astonishing, emotionally resonant, and meticulously staged production that leaves you in complete awe of the performers.

Centered around a support group for people struggling with various forms of internet and technology addiction, Dave Malloy’s 2019 chamber choir musical somehow feels even more relevant now. Octet explores the strange, funny, isolating, and deeply human ways people use the internet to cope, connect, and self-destruct. Each member of the eight-person ensemble embodies a different facet of online dependency, from social media obsession to gaming to pornography to niche internet rabbit holes.

While the characters are intentionally heightened at times, what makes the show so effective – and a little scary – is how recognizable they still feel. The humor comes easily, but it is the moments of uncomfortable self-recognition you experience with each and every character that linger long after the show ends.

The production is, above all else, a staggering vocal achievement – made even more impressive by this marking Raven Theatre’s first musical production. Performed almost entirely through a cappella and chamber-style music, Octet demands an unbelievable level of precision, memorization, and endurance from its cast. The eight performers remain onstage for the full show, seamlessly moving between emotionally vulnerable monologues, intricate harmonies, comedic ensemble numbers, and soaring solo ballads without ever losing momentum. The result is one of the most impressive live vocal performances I have seen in quite some time.

What makes the cast especially remarkable is not just the technical perfection of the singing – though there genuinely was not a single noticeable missed cue, stumble, or musical lapse throughout the performance – but the way every performer remains completely locked into their character while executing extraordinarily difficult material. The ensemble operates like a perfectly synchronized machine, yet never sacrifices emotional authenticity for precision.

Two particular standouts were Teressa LaGamba (Paula), whose warmth and compassion radiated through every interaction and whose vocals carried extraordinary emotional clarity, and Sam Shankman (Henry), whose flamboyant humor and painfully relatable awkwardness made him both hilarious and unexpectedly touching. Shankman’s chemistry with the rest of the ensemble elevated nearly every scene he was part of, reinforcing the deeply interconnected energy that makes the show work so well.

Technically, Octet is relatively minimalist, but Raven Theatre’s production proves how impactful thoughtful simplicity can be. Utilizing the backstage area of the company’s black box theatre to create the atmosphere of a sparse church basement, scenic designers Milo Bue and Wynn Lee embrace an intentionally unpolished environment that perfectly suits the material. Every design choice feels purposeful.

The true technical standout, however, is Maximo Grano De Oro’s lighting design (with Ruby Lowe and Emmitt Socey as Master Electricians). Great lighting often goes unnoticed because of how seamlessly it integrates into a production, but the work here is impossible not to appreciate once you begin paying attention. Countless meticulously timed lighting cues transform otherwise ordinary fluorescent fixtures into an incredibly dynamic storytelling device, adding depth, tension, warmth, and unease in ways that subtly shape every moment of the show. The precision of the programming and cue choreography demonstrates an extraordinary level of care and intentionality, elevating the entire production without ever distracting from it.

With a newly announced film adaptation directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and featuring an all-star cast already generating major excitement, Raven Theatre could not have picked a better time to stage Octet. Their production captures everything that makes the musical so singular: its humor, its humanity, its discomfort, and its breathtaking musicality. It is a deeply modern show presented with extraordinary care, and it sets an incredibly high bar for any future stagings.

Octet is running at Raven Theatre through June 7th. Tickets are available at https://www.raventheatre.com/stage/octet/.

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