Displaying items by tag: Glencoe

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham, continues its 2025/26 Season with Two Sisters and a Piano, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz. Celebrated Chicago director Lisa Portes joins Writers for the first time to direct. Two Sisters and a Piano will run February 26 – March 29, 2026, in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. Trapped under house arrest, novelist Maria Celia and her sister Sofia can still hear the rumors of the Russians' departure from Cuba in 1991. While awaiting news from Maria Celia's exiled husband and dreaming of their freedom, the two sisters find their small world unexpectedly shaken by the arrival of a romantic young piano tuner and a charismatic military officer infatuated with Maria Celia's writing. Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz (Anna in the Tropics) weaves an authentic tale of oppression, human spirit, and intertwining fates in a world of shifting global politics.    

Tickets are on sale at Writers Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org.   

"The particular convergence of firsts in this production is exciting to me," said Artistic Director Braden Abraham. "A major contemporary American writer, Nilo Cruz, and a celebrated long-time Chicago director, Lisa Portes, both making their Writers Theatre debuts. Nilo's plays delight on the page, but they are really sensory experiences meant to be experienced on stage. Two Sisters and a Piano combines the palpable heat of an unlikely romance with the high stakes of a political thriller. Nilo has little interest in debate; instead he's interested in the shape of desire, the cost of repression, and the contradictory forces that shape his characters."   

The cast includes Arash Fakhrabadi (Victor Manuel/Understudy Lieutenant Portuondo), Neysha Mendoza Castro (Sofia), Adam Poss (Lieutenant Portuondo), Andrea San Miguel (Maria Celia), Veronica Garrubbo (Understudy Sofia), Richard Gomez (Understudy Militia Guard/Victor Manuel) and Carisa Gonzalez (Understudy Maria Celia).    

The creative team includes: Lisa Portes (Director), Brian Sidney Bembridge (Scenic Designer), Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer), Jason Lynch (Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Sound Designer), Jonny Martinez  (Choreographer), Greg Geffrard (Violence & Intimacy Director), and Michelle Lopez-Rios (Dialect Coach), and Francesca Patrón (Assistant Director). The stage manager is Katie Klemme and the assistant stage manager is Olivia Leslie.  

Fact Sheet / Two Sisters and a Piano 

Two Sisters and a Piano   

Written by Nilo Cruz 

Directed by Lisa Portes 

 
Arash Fakhrabadi (Victor Manuel/Understudy Lieutenant Portuondo), Neysha Mendoza Castro (Sofia), Adam Poss (Lieutenant Portuondo), Andrea San Miguel (Maria Celia), Veronica Garrubbo (Understudy Sofia), Richard Gomez (Understudy Militia Guard/Victor Manuel) and Carisa Gonzalez (Understudy Maria Celia).   

Creative Team: Lisa Portes (Director), Brian Sidney Bembridge (Scenic Designer), Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer), Jason Lynch (Lighting Designer), Andre Pluess (Sound Designer), Jonny Martinez (Choreographer), Greg Geffrard (Violence & Intimacy Director), and Michelle Lopez-Rios (Dialect Coach), and Francesca Patrón (Assistant Director). The stage manager is Katie Klemme and the assistant stage manager is Olivia Leslie.   

Dates: First performance: February 26, 2026 

Closing performance: March 29, 2026   

Performance Schedule: 

Wednesdays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm 

Thursdays: 7:30pm  

Fridays: 7:30pm  

Saturdays: 2:00pm and 7:30pm  

Sundays: 2:00pm and 7:00pm   

Open Captioned Performance: Thursday, March 19 at 7:30pm 

ASL-Interpreted Performance: Saturday, March 21 at 2:00pm 

Pay What You Can Performances: Thursday, February 26 at 7:30pm and Sunday, March 22 at 7:00pm   

Location: Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe   

Prices:   $35-$95 

Discounts are available for students, educators, theater industry professionals, active military personnel, veterans, police officers, firefighters, and their immediate families. Information is available at: https://www.writerstheatre.org/plan-your-visit/box-office-and-theatre-center/pricing--special-offers   

Box Office: The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org   

NOTES OF INTEREST 

• Playwright Nilo Cruz won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his playAnna in the Tropics, making him the first Latino to receive that honor. His opera El último sueño de Frida y Diego will be produced at the Lyric Opera this spring. He is the most produced Cuban-American playwright in the United States.

• Celebrated Chicago director LisaPortes joins Writers for the first time to direct.

• The production features a new prologue to the second act.

• The play is set in Cuba in 1991. It explores themes of oppression, resilience, love, and the power of art through the story of two sisters under house arrest. Two Sisters and a Pianois a poetic drama about resilience, the soul's yearning for liberty, and how art and love struggle to survive within the confines of political oppression.   

• Two Sisters and a Pianowas inspired by the imprisonment of Cuban poet and activist Maria Elena Cruz Varela. 

EVENTS:   

The Green Room: Lisa Portes 

Wednesday, February 4 at 7pm 

Interview with director Lisa Portes about Two Sisters and a Piano 

Lisa Portes is a former Chicagoan who is very excited to make her WT debut with this rarely seen play she has wanted to direct for years. At this event, Lisa will discuss growing up in a Cuban-American family, her love of Nilo Cruz's plays, what was going on in Havana in the early 1990s when the play is set, and what discoveries are happening in the rehearsal room.   

Family Matinee Series 

Saturday, March 14 at 2pm 

Going to the theatre just got a little bit easier for parents and caregivers. Enjoy a Saturday matinee while your young ones engage in active, creative play with WT Education's professional teaching artists at an onsite class. 

The Final Word Audience Discussion 

Sunday, March 29 at 12pm 

Join fellow audience members and WT Artistic staff for a lively, in-person discussion delving into the characters and themes at the heart of Two Sisters and a Piano. 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS 

Nilo Cruz (Playwright) is a Cuban-American playwright who gained national prominence in 2003 when he won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for his play Anna in the Tropics, for which he also received a Tony Award nomination. The immigrant experience is a common theme in many of Cruz's plays and he has become known for his ability to successfully weave strains of magic realism and other literary traditions into his works. In addition to the Pulitzer, he has received numerous awards, including those from the Kennedy Center Fund, American Theatre Critics and the Humana Festival for New American Plays, as well as grants from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Rockefeller Foundation, among others. His plays include Dancing on Her Knees; A Park in Our House; Two Sisters and a Piano; A Bicycle Country; Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams; Lorca in a Green Dress; Beauty of the Father; Hurricane and A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, as well as translations of Doña Rosita the Spinster; The House of Bernarda Alba; Life Is a Dream and ¡Ay, Carmela! His work has been seen at numerous theaters around the country, including, among others, South Coast Rep, the Mark Taper Forum, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Washington D.C.'s Studio Theatre and New York's Public Theater; and around the world in Canada, England, France, Australia, Germany, Belarus, Costa Rica, Colombia, Japan and Spain. Cruz, who received an M.F.A. from Brown University and an honorary doctorate degree from Whittier College, has twice previously served as a playwright-in-residence: in 2000 for the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, N.J., and in 2001 for the New Theatre in Coral Gables, Florida, which commissioned Anna in the Tropics. Cruz has also taught drama at Yale, Brown and the University of Iowa. During the 2019/20 academic year, he was the Hearst Theater Lab Initiative Distinguished Visiting Playwright-in-Residence at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. He is a member of the New Dramatists.  

Lisa Portes (Director) is an award-winning director, leader, educator and advocate. She is a co-founder of the Latinx Theatre Commons and serves on the board of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) and on the Directors Council of the Drama League. Her work has been seen regionally at Cal Shakes, Cincinnati Playhouse, Denver Cetner, Goodman Theatre, Guthrie Theatre, Olney Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Seattle Rep, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre and Victory Gardens Theater. In New York she has developed and/or directed new work for Soho Rep, Playwrights Horizons, The Public, and New York Theatre Workshop. In 2016 she was honored with the SDC Zelda Fichandler Award for Directors and was the first freelance director to be so honored. Recent projects include the world premieres of Laughs in Spanish by Alexis Scheer (Denver Center) and Clean/Espejos by Christine Quintana (South Coast Rep), as well as numerous productions of Quixote Nuevo by Octavio Solis (Denver Center, South Coast Rep, Seattle Rep, Portland Center Stage, and Round House Theatre). She serves as Chair of the UCSD Department of Theatre & Dance. 

Arash Fakhrabadi (Victor Manuel/Understudy Lieutenant Portuondo) is thrilled to be performing in his first show with Writers Theatre. Chicago credits include: A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre ); RUST (Goodman Theatre New Stages),The Thanksgiving Play u/s (Steppenwolf Theatre Company:); Layalina (Goodman Theatre New Stages); Anna in the Tropics (Remy Bumppo Theatre); A Lie of the Mind (Raven Theatre); The Leopard Play or sad songs for lost boys (Steep Theatre). Regional: Laughs in Spanish (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre). Television: Chicago Fire (NBC). 

Neysha Mendoza Castro (Sofia) is a Puerto Rican SAG-E actress and theatre artist born and raised in Puerto Rico. She holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism from University of Puerto Rico and an MFA in Acting from DePaul University in Chicago, where she received extensive training in classical and contemporary theatre. Trilingual in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, Neysha brings emotional depth and cultural range to her performances. Recent theatre credits include Fefu and Her Friends, portraying Fefu. On screen, she has appeared as a Guest Star on Chicago P.D. and recently led a Spanish feature film. 

Adam Poss (Lieutenant Portuondo) returns to Writers Theatre after previously appearing in A Doll's House. Broadway credits include Peter Morgan's Patriots (Ethel Barrymore Theatre). Select regional credits include The History Boys (Studio Theatre), Lady Macbeth in Robert O'Hara's all-male Macbeth (Denver Center), Oedipus in Oedipus el Rey and the world premiere of Maduri Shekar's Queen (Victory Gardens), Angelo in Measure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), the world premieres of Christopher Shinn's Teddy Ferrara and 2666 (Goodman Theatre), Birthday Candles and Dracula in the world premiere of Dracula (Cincinnati Playhouse), the world premiere of Rajiv Joseph's The North Pool (Theatreworks Silicon Valley) and his The Lake Effect (Silk Road Rising). Select credits include Chicago Med/Fire/PD, Empire, Shameless, Paper Girls and The Big Leap.  

Andrea San Miguel (Maria Celia) previously appeared at Writers Theatre in As You Like It and Twelfth Night. Other Chicago area credits include: Circus Quixote (Lookingglass), The Penelopiad, The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci (Goodman), The Thanksgiving Play (Steppenwolf), Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Comedy of Errors (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), How to Defend Yourself (Victory Gardens Theater), Georgiana & Kitty (Northlight). Select Regional Work: Shakespeare Theatre Company, The Old Globe, Guthrie Theater, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Syracuse Stage, Indiana Repertory Theatre, American Players Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse.  

Veronica Garrubbo (Understudy Sofia) is honored to make her Writers Theatre debut. She recently earned her BA in Theatre from Northwestern University and has additionally trained at the British American Drama Academy in London. 

Richard Gomez (Understudy Militia Guard/Victor Manuel)   

Carisa Gonzalez (Understudy Maria Celia) is Chicago-based multidisciplinary performer of Puerto Rican decent, and is honored to be back at Writers after taking over the role of Princess Mary in Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812. Last seen in TUTS Houston's production of In The Heights as Daniela, other favorite regional productions include: Little Women at Geva Theater in NY (Beth/Laurie), The Sound of Music at Paramount Theatre (Maria), and Where Did We Sit on the Bus by Brian Quijada at the Kravis Center and the Arsht Center in Florida (Bee Quijada). 

UPCOMING PRODUCTIONS AT WRITERS THEATRE 

Two Sisters and a Piano is followed by the off-Broadway/Broadway hit Job by Max Wolf Friedlich, directed by David Esbjornson. The subscription season caps off with the Midwest and Chicago Premiere of Tom Stoppard's epic, Tony Award-winning play Leopoldstadt, directed by Carey Perloff.  

Writers Theatre is offering a variety of subscriptions with an option for every theatregoer, Flex subscriptions, with options for either four tickets ($280) or five tickets ($350), are still available. 

Season package subscribers receive the new Writers Theatre concierge service for ticket exchanges and questions. Exclusive subscriber benefits include: complimentary ticket exchanges (upgrade fees may apply), special "subscriber-rate" prices on additional tickets, advance access to special events and programs, easy, free parking, exclusive discounts in bar items and merchandise, discounts on rental of Writers Theatre event spaces on Writers Theatre merchandise, event rentals, and more. For a complete list of benefits visit writerstheatre.org. 

Single tickets will go on sale for each show approximately two months prior to first preview. Flex subscriptions and tickets are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000. 

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

Writers Theatre offers Open Captioning and ASL-interpretation on select dates for each production. Please visit writerstheatre.org/accessibility for more information. 

Throughout the season, Writers Theatre offers a variety of audience enrichment and special programming. This includes regularly occurring offerings like the Family Matinee Series, The Green Room artist interview series and podcast and The Final Word Audience Discussion Series. Please visit writerstheatre.org for a full listing of upcoming offerings. 

ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE   

Writers Theatre is proud to continue its 34th season. Having captivated audiences for years with its dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible, the theatre is a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called "America's finest regional theater company" by The Wall Street Journal. Under the leadership of Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, the company is charting a path forward for the next 30 years. 

Since its founding in 1992, Writers Theatre has stayed true to its core values: Creating intimate connections through astonishing performances and innovative programs; by activating relationships between artists and community; and by inviting people to gather in our spaces for transformative experiences. The company has produced over 140 productions—everything from inventive interpretations of classics to groundbreaking new work. In 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility designed by the internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects.  

Writers Theatre now welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each season and has helped establish the North Shore of Chicago as a premier cultural destination. Through its Literary Development Initiative, which has been responsible for the nurturing and premiering of over 30 world premieres, the theatre has established itself as a major originator of new theatrical works. Serving as an extension of the Writers Theatre mission, WT Education programs engage an average of 10,000 students each year with active learning opportunities centered around the written word. 

Is love a commodity? Ibsen’s enduring drama “A Doll’s House” has asked audiences for over a century. Writers Theatre unveils a new 90 minute pared-down adaptation penned by Sandra Delgado and directed by Lavina Jadhwani. 

“A Doll’s House” is one of Ibsen’s most known plays. It tells the story of a society woman, Nora (Cher Alvarez) and her struggles with money. Her husband Torvald (Greg Matthew Anderson) patronizes her like she’s one of the children, as long as she plays the happy wife. All seems joyful until a childhood friend, Christine (Tiffany Renee Johnson), comes to ask a favor. Nora, though docile, has her own secrets and when a debt comes due, she must act in order to protect her husband’s reputation. 

Ibsen and Chekhov make some theatre-goers groan. Classic theatre can often be a long evening, but Delgado takes the lengthy work and shortens it down to a one-act without intermission. Her script begs the question, is that necessary? Translations can make all the difference in how we perceive classic works of literature. One translation can vastly differ from another and their authors are usually long dead. It’s hard to say if their intentions translate. In the case of Writer’s adaption of “A Doll’s House” it somewhat misses the mark. 

Performances are good, but they overshadow a wooden script. There’s a degree of inconsistency from line to line. Some dialogue is perfectly modern while other parts seem like a more literal word for word translation that leaves out most of the passion. Unfortunately streamlining this script for a 90-minute run time edited out the poetry, or any memorable strands of dialogue for that matter. This production feels more like a SparkNotes summary of the original rather than an adaptation. 

Cher Alvarez’s Nora is the heart and soul of this production. She breathes life into the clunky dialogue and by the end she’s the only character to elicit much emotional response from the audience. Her performance serves as the depth that’s missing from Delgado’s script. Greg Matthew Anderson as the doting husband Torvald, adds dimension to the character who is otherwise pretty flat. Which is just the issue here, it’s as if the playwright wrote caricatures of Ibsen characters in order to shift the focus toward a grander point about loveless marriages. That point never really solidifies and it’s up to the audience to decide what Ibsen’s intentions were. 

There’s been a renewed interest in this classic as Lucas Hnath’s Broadway smash hit “A Doll’s House Part 2” (2017) is one of the most produced plays in America right now. And there’s good reason, it’s a great modern take on the themes originally explored by Ibsen. There’s an edge to his sort of sequel. There’s no edge in this current production at Writers Theatre. For Ibsen purists, this production will be disappointing but those with a tepid interest will be rewarded by the short run time and outstanding performances. 

Through December 15 at Writers Theatre - 321 Tudor Court, Glencoe. 847-242-6000

You know if a musical wins the Pulitzer, it’s going to be a sad one. Creative team Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey took home the 2010 Pulitzer for ‘Next to Normal’, an award rarely given to musical theatre. David Cromer returns to Writers Theatre to direct this highly anticipated revival. Cromer has strong roots with the Glencoe-based company and this faithful, yet distinct production contains all the hallmarks of his signature style. Cromer also directed the Tony awarded production of ‘The Band’s Visit’ which just closed on Broadway last month.

‘Next to Normal’ is a rock opera about a suburban mother and housewife dealing with bipolar disorder. Not exactly the sexiest topic for a musical, but lyricist Brian Yorkey cuts through the schmaltz with deeply effective words about the state of mental health in America.

This show relies heavily on the small cast, but probably even heavier on the actress in the lead role. Keely Vasquez is devastating as Diana Goodman. Her performance is realistic and shocking as she rapidly slips from seemingly normal mother into the depths of psychosis, while mostly in song. A tough order to fill without losing your audience. Her daughter Natalie is played by Kyrie Courter who appears to be displaying Cromer’s directorial style the strongest in this ensemble. She has a great voice that she maintains even during the most challenging moments of acting.

Writers’ remount of ‘Next to Normal’ is hardly an area premier, as the national tour starring Alice Ripley made a stop in Chicago, and a few other companies have tackled this one since. Though Writers’ production feels like a definitive regional engagement. Cromer has a knack for these hard-hitting musicals. Some may remember his gritty, raw production of ‘RENT’ at the now defunct American Theatre Company. His vision for this show is unique and tends to go for the emotional gut rather than crystal clear showtune belting. While this may irk some musical theatre purists, the visceral sounds of the cast seem more authentic than the original cast recording.

This show is more like a play in song, than a traditional musical. Its depth lies in that it’s a story about specific characters dealing with an issue that many people can see themselves in. Even if you can’t relate to the character dealing with bipolar, the plight of the characters effected is heartbreaking. ‘Next to Normal’ is a slow builder. It isn’t really until the second act that it all catches up to you and by the finale, it’s hard to find anyone not emoting. This production is well worth hopping on the Metra for. If you missed the tour or the Broadway engagement, fear not, Cromer delivers an equally satisfying product.

Through June 16 at Writers Theatre. 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe IL 847-242-6000

Ask yourself, do you have hope that things can get better? The word itself certainly echoes back to a different political climate in America. Now it seems the very word has been replaced with fear. Jen Silverman’s new play ‘Witch’ is holding its world premiere at Writers Theatre in Glencoe. It’s an update on a seventeenth century tragicomedy but don’t let that fool you, this play has a lot to say about our modern world.

Directed by Marti Lyons, ‘Witch’ tells the tale of the devil coming to a small village. Like all plays concerning Satan, the devil is after souls in exchange for worldly goods or successes of some kind. Ryan Hallahan plays Scratch, one of the devil’s henchman. His wile body language and delivery make him a slick salesman for the master of dark desires. For the villagers already lacking good morals, his pitch is an easy sell. He quickly pits the son of the richest man in town, Cuddy Banks (Steve Haggard) against an ambitious interloper Frank Thorney (Jon Hudson Odom) in a battle for inheritance and land.

This arc serves as the main driver of plot in this 90-minute play but the real meat lies in the battle between Scratch and the town outcast, or witch, Elizabeth Sawyer (Audrey Francis). Elizabeth begins the play with a monologue that asks about hope and explains the mundane cruelties we commit against one another. Francis is captivating. The character is sarcastic and dry. Silverman’s dialogue flows perfectly through Francis’ performance and her emotional reckoning brings about one of the play’s most powerful moments.

Finally, a play about witches that isn’t ‘The Crucible’. Silverman’s script is a lot of fun. It gets to mingle in the 1600s but enjoy the freedom and accessibility of modern dialogue. The contrast is purposeful, asking the audience, has anything really changed? Whether the play is optimistic or pessimistic is really up to the viewers’ interpretation. Either way, there are a lot of laughs here that in the end build to a greater philosophical question. Is change possible or do we have to just start over again from scratch?

If it’s something spooky you’re after, ‘Witch’ will scratch your itch. Though not really a horror story, the intricate production design by Yu Shibagaki gets into the Halloween spirit. Even with the devil, and a supposed witch, this play isn’t really about the supernatural. Rather, it relies on human meanness as the haunting theme, and honestly what’s scarier than that?

Through December 16 at Writers Theatre 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. 847-242-6000

a“There’s no honor in self destruction.” An interesting line to ponder when thinking about what Sam Shepard’s Pulitzer Prize winner ‘Buried Child’ says about our current times. Sadly we lost Sam Shepard recently. Writers Theatre’s production of ‘Buried Child’ serves as a fitting homage. Director Kimberly Senior assembles a dream cast for her well-conceived revival.

Senior is a meticulous director. The attention to minor details of staging makes for an immersive experience. ‘Buried Child’ is a complicated play, reading it can be challenging. Senior’s version is clear. Her grasp of the script and the meaning of Sam Shepard’s words shines through. While it adds a little to the runtime of the show, two intermissions is a wise choice.

This production changes the focus somewhat. Shepard was known for male-driven plays and some critics argue his female characters are underdeveloped. Senior mines the script for a new interpretation; that ultimately the women are the ones who keep the play moving. Shannon Cochran plays Hallie, the matriarch. Her performance is riveting, she stalks the stage doling out anger and jokes. Also playing against type is Arti Ishak as Shelly. This character is ordinarily somewhat meek but here she’s a dominant figure that forces this family to its reckoning.

The male roles are notably cast. Mark L. Montgomery is nearly unrecognizable as Tilden. His portrayal of an emotionally stunted man-child is haunting. Timothy Edward Kane delivers a sort of ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ vibe as the younger son Bradley. His wandering eye contact has an unsettling effect. Larry Yando becomes Dodge. Yando’s an old pro at playing a grumpy old man but the physicality of sickness and depression are palpable.

Shepard wrote this play in the 70s as an observation on the misery of rural American life. Once idyllic places got decimated by closed factories and failing farms. Unfortunately not much has changed for the better in these places, and for that this production seems timely as ever. Kimberly Senior’s production would make Sam Shepard proud. The atmospheric staging and guttural dialogue combined with powerhouse performances will surely leave a lasting impression. A thrilling version for our modern times.

Through June 17 at Writers Theatre. 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe IL. 847-242-6000

PigPen’s “The Hunter and the Bear” is one of the best theatre productions of 2016. It’s really that simple. Staged at the state of the art, newly constructed, Writers Theatre in Glencoe, audience members are in for a unique experience that is as haunting as it is moving. The story follows a group of loggers that find themselves camping in a densely wooded area sometime in the mid-1800’s. It’s not long after a mysterious stranger arrives that unexplained occurrences begin to take place that leads to an unbelievable chain of events, affecting each the loggers, a hunter and a boy with a wild imagination. Exciting, suspenseful and often heartfelt, we are thrust into a ghost story like no other that not only explores the afterlife but also delves into the darkness in all of us.

Impressively staged within a striking set complete with flickering campfire light, “The Hunter and the Bear” uses very clever puppetry and shadow imaging to enhance the play’s powerful storytelling. Adding to its originality are the many extras that go a long way from the authenticity of each costume, and sound effects created solely by instrumentation. The story is intertwined with a handful of songs and backing music reminiscent of a hybrid folk and jug band sound. Each talented actor doubles as an equally talented musician forming quite the formidable band.

The production’s strong acting performances are many. Alex Falberg impresses as the fast-talking Prescott, who, as the boss of the operation, often throws caution to the side concerned mainly with his company’s bottom line. Tobias, whose emotional search for his son becomes a focal point, is very well played by Ben Ferguson who is convincing as the scared, anguished father. While Curtis Gillan (Pete), Matt Nuernberger (Bailey or “Sheriff”), Arya Shahi (John) and Dan Weschler (Lewis) all put forward notable performances, Ryan Melia stands out in his role as Elliot, Tobias’ son, masterfully working a puppet that portrays the boy. 

Moving at a perfect pace, the engaging story is not only memorable, thanks to its fine acting and its haunting music and lighting, it also raises many questions about life after death, giving hope that there is a path we can follow to a peaceful existence, but warning that some can be lost, needing a little nudge in the right direction, perhaps from the living. It is profoundly asked at one point if the dead guide the living or if it is the living who guides the dead. 

Pigpen Theatre Co. masterfully co-directs this enthralling campfire tale along with Stuart Carden. Says Artistic Director Michael Halberstam of PigPen’s return to Writers Theatre “The gifted gentlemen who make up PigPen Theatre Co. brought us a sense of energy and excitement the last time they were here in Glencoe, and we look forward to their signature style of storytelling in this new world premiere.” PigPen had performed in the theatre three years prior in their production “The Old Man and the Moon”. 

“The Hunter and the Bear” is a story that justly makes an impression on its audience getting help from creative team members Collette Pollard who presents to us an incredible visual as the Scenic Designer and Lydia Fine whose costumes and puppetry truly bring this gripping tale to life.

Highly recommended as one of the year’s best plays, “The Hunter and the Bear” is being performed at Writers Theatre through January 22nd. For tickets and/or more show information visit www.WritersTheatre.org.

Pigpen will also be performing a concert at The Old Town School of Folk Music on December 19th at 8pm. More information can be had at www.oldtownschool.org. 

Imagine a 70s-era Woody Allen movie set to music. That's basically "Company" by Stephen Sondheim. It premiered in a time when many Broadway musicals were just collections of songs loosely connected by a simple plot. In 1970, Sondheim's "Company" challenged that formula by presenting a musical that was more book than music. The story is even less clear than a classic Broadway show. It's the story of Bobby, a bachelor living in New York City with mixed-up ideas about marriage. 

Though Bobby (Thom Miller) is the main character, "Company" is about the women in his life. Writers Theatre director William Brown has assembled a stellar cast of Chicago actresses. Each scene is a vignette in which Bobby learns about his friends' marriages. Blair Robertson as uptight Jenny is charmingly neurotic. Tiffany Scott playing urban Southern bell, Susan, and with costumes by Rachel Anne Healy, looks like a young Cybil Shepard. With distinct performances from the female ensemble, it's hard to pick out a favorite scene from the show, however Allison Hendrix singing "Getting Married Today" is a highlight. For Sondheim groupies, this is one of the show's most popular numbers but also its most challenging with a unique staccato rhyming scheme. Hendrix pulls it off, and makes the comedy relatable. Jess Godwin as April, is the show's last stop. Her portrayal of an awkward bachelorette is sure to make everyone laugh. 

"Company" concludes on the bittersweet song "Being Alive" and while Thom Miller's performance as Bobby is a little uneven throughout, he brings a lot to the cathartic final number. In one song, the musical goes from odd-ball romantic comedy to a philosophical question about the nature of long term love.

Writers Theatre in Glencoe is rightfully proud of their new space designed by Jeanne Gang. "Company" is presented as part of their Inaugural Season. The show, like the space is sleek, stylish and sexy. William Brown's production will likely be remembered as a definitive presentation of this not-often produced Sondheim classic. With more space, it’s nice to see a show at Writers with some breathing room. 

Through July 31st at Writers Theatre. 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. 847-242-6011.

There is an expectation when one sees a play that they will be taken on a journey. Audiences want to get lost in a story line, lose all sense of time enjoy the escapism. When an audience is reminded that they are watching a play, however, and that play goes on seemingly for ages, it ceases to become escapism and becomes a classroom lecture. “Arcadia” is just such a play. Written by Tom Stoppard, it is not an easy play to describe in brief. It confusedly intertwines the past and present with multiple story lines following intellectual theories that verge on the point of being arrogant and difficult to grasp in a play like setting.

The play bounces between the early 1800's and the present day in a stately manor in England. At the core of play, the present day is trying to uncover what took place at the manor in the 1800's. In the past, a gifted 13-year-old girl, Thomasina, delves into deep theoretical analysis of higher mathematics and physics, jotting down her theories and equations, unknowingly for the future to see. Paralleling that story line is her tutor, Septimus, who cheats with the wife of a visiting poet while pinning for the master of the manor’s wife, and who was somehow-possibly-connected to the famous Romantic poet, Byron. Flash forward to the present day where an academic hopes to uncover if the tutor, Septimus, might have had some involvement with the death of that visiting poet, and that his possible connection to Byron might mean that Byron was involved in this death as well. But wait! There’s more! Paralleling that story line in the present day, one of the family members of the estate combs through old hunting logs and notes to see that the young girl, Thomasina might have been a genius on the brink of an intellectual breakthrough, and seeks to dive deeply into her notes to potentially uncover her genius and the work during her young and short life.

Underneath all of these story lines is the running theme of “Arcadia,” named for a pair of 17th century paintings that picture shepherds around a tomb with the words “Et in Arcadia ego” on it. The incorrect Latin phrase translates to “Here I am in Arcadia” but it’s more accurate translation is “Even in Arcadia, here I am” the “I” being death. Stoppard is quoted by his biographer as saying he “wanted the presence of death in the title.” Spoiler alert, death does happen and is one of the core subplots, a sort of “who-done-it,” but it is just another element to this complicated play. Another reach for the “intellectual stimulation.”

Cliff notes would have a tough time summarizing this play. The play has witty, smart, and biting dialogue, well delivered by an articulate and charismatic cast. But look away, or miss a line and you might miss an introduction to a key character, or their relation to the other characters, or their purpose of being in the play at all. If not for the clothing change and syntax you might get lost in which time period you are in. The audience is obligated to follow along with every line and process all the information rapidly in order to keep pace with this play. With a run time of 2 hour 55 minute and only a brief 15 minute intermission that is a tall order for an audience, and even tougher story to convey for the actors. But the new multi-million dollar Writer’s Theater wants just that, for the audience and actors to meet as one, to journey together and become fully immersed with the story. The immaculate theater is nestled in the cozy tree lined streets of downtown Glencoe, and will be a wonderful location for future high-quality theatrical productions on the North Shore.

Overall, “Arcadia” would be better as a novel, where a reader can pause to examine the characters, read internal monologues and gain an understanding of the characters’ motivations and thoughts. It would be easier to follow the time changes and carefully consider the many complex theories being presented and explored. I think the length of such a book would rival a Tolstoy novel, though nothing would be lost to the wings. A play that requires such rapt and intense concentration from an audience for such a long duration makes it unapproachable to someone looking to get lost in a story. Watching “Arcadia” audiences do get lost, but for all the wrong reasons. “Arcadia” runs through May 1st. Tickets are available at http://www.writerstheatre.org.

The Diary of Anne Frank - Writers Theatre

According to legend, when Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich's Pulitzer Prize winning stage adaptation made its German premiere, audiences sat in a state of silent shock after the play ended. Nearly sixty years, countless productions, several films and hundreds of books about Anne Frank and the secret annex have made this story one of the most accessible pieces of Holocaust literature. In 1997, Wendy Kesselman adapted the original script for a Broadway revival that heightens intensity and includes more reference to the family's Jewish faith and to Anne's burgeoning sexuality.

Under the suburb direction of Kimberly Senior, Writers Theatre's production of Kesselman's "The Diary of Anne Frank" is as intimate as a story of this nature must be. Inventive staging immediately places the audience within the confines of the attic, fantastically designed by Jack Magaw. The Writers Theatre book store space is already intimate enough, but what Magaw has done to replicate the secret annex is nothing short of theatre magic. The tight quarters of this set paired with the vibrancy of the cast create an atmosphere in which emotional reaction is impossible to avoid.

What Senior extracts from her actors is a perfect storm of the best and the worst of humanity backed into a corner, in which the stakes really are life and death. Heidi Kettenring has the challenge of turning a mostly unlikeable character, Mrs. van Daan, into one of the show's strongest assets.  Kettenring balances warmth and tension in moments so electrifying that its current is contagious.

The title role is played by fourteen-year-old Sophie Thatcher who is the actual age of Anne Frank at the time of her internment. Thatcher plays the role with such surprising honesty and eloquence for an actress of her age. All her choices seem based on genuine instinct rather than what other historical documents tell us about the person Anne Frank was.

Despite the fact that everyone going into this play knows the tragic ending, and the unfortunate irony that Europe was liberated just a few months after their betrayal, it's easy to catch the show's infectious message of hope. The reason why this story lingers in our minds throughout the generations is its optimism. That no matter how dire the circumstances, faith in the good of people is what keeps the world in balance even when all seems lost.

The Diary of Anne Frank at Writers Theatre. 664 Vernon Ave, Glencoe. 847-242-6000. Through June 28th.