Tympanic Ensemble announces their 4th Season

Posted on September 6, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Daniel Caffrey, Artistic Director of Tympanic Theatre, has announced Tympanic Theatre’s fourth season, which will continue their residency at The Side Project. Tympanic’s upcoming season of new work features plays by long-standing Tympanic collaborator Joshua Mikel (writer of the NYC Fringe hit Good Good Trouble On Bad Bad Island) and Randall Colburn (Pretty Penny, Hesperia, and the upcoming Ghost Boxes and Half Shut). The company will continue joining exciting creative forces with Adam Webster, Artistic Director of The Side Project.

Tympanic Ensemble Theatre’s

2010-2011 Season

Muerte Del Maestro by Joshua Mikel

November 28th – December 22nd, 2010
Sundays at 7pm, Mondays through Wednesdays at 8pm at The Side Project (1439 W. Jarvis Ave.)

Set against the savage backdrop of the bullfighting world in Atlantia, Spain, Muerte Del Maestro tells the story of Arturo and Kay Kay, two best friends who are pushed to bitter ends after the death of famed matador La Muerte Negra, as they both seek the notorious matador’s vacant throne. This thrilling piece will be directed by Adam Webster, Artistic Director of The Side Project.

Verse Chorus Verse by Randall Colburn

April 7th – May 1st, 2011

Thursdays through Sundays at 8pm at The Side Project (1439 W. Jarvis Ave.)

Twenty years after the death of Kurt Cobain, media attention is drawn to an up-and-coming musical artist who may be the reincarnation of the deceased rock legend. When a former lover of Cobain’s emerges from the past, she pulls the musician and several others into another dimension in an attempt to revitalize Cobain completely, but instead uncovers unsettling truths about addiction, destiny, and rebirth. Verse Chorus Verse will be part of a unique workshop process this Winter, culminating in a publicly staged reading at the end of January 2011, prior to its full production in April, which opens on the anniversary weekend of Cobain’s death.

Filed under: Season, Theater News, Tympanic Theatre, side project theatre | Tagged: Chicago Theater, The Side Project, The Side Project Theatre, Randall Colburn, Adam Webster, Tympanic Theatre Company, Kurt Cobain, Verse Chorus Verse, Muerte Del Maestro, Joshua Mikel, Daniel Caffrey | Leave a Comment »

Noble Fool Theatre changes name, announces new season

Posted on September 6, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Artistic Director John Gawlik shares his thoughts on name change

Noble Fool Theatricals, the well-established professional theater in the Fox Valley area, has announced a new direction for their nonprofit organization. Beginning their calendar year season in January 2011, Noble Fool will become Fox Valley Repertory; a name that represents the community they have grown their mission, vision, patron base, and academy students around.

I assure you that you can still count on outstanding productions because we are not a new organization. Our staff is the same, dedicated team,” says Artistic Director John Gawlik. “But after several years of growth, we simply wanted our name to represent the strong bond we have created with our patrons and community. We know this will help our patrons connect with our stories and begin referencing us as ‘our theater’ even more.”

As the nonprofit theater company in residence at Pheasant Run Resort for the seventh year, “we are focused on creating an engaging theater experience by producing shows that inspire our community to laugh, reflect and reconnect to moments in one’s life,” says Artistic Director John Gawlik. A major portion of their commitment is through arts education, as they continue their task of inspiring youth to explore their own lives through the performing arts.

For Fox Valley Repertory’s 2011 season, Gawlik has programmed an exciting season with some of the top and emerging directors in Chicago.

To celebrate our new vision and name, we are offering the best subscription rates and benefits in the area,” says Gawlik. “Our 4-show packages are heavily discounted at $65 and $80 per person. We’re hoping the Fox Valley area will join us with this great introductory price. Our number of subscribers has grown tremendously in the last two years, and we hope this continues.”

Fox Valley Repertory’s 2011 Season

January 20 – March 13, 2011

Leaving Iowa

The Comedy About Family Vacations

By Tim Clue and Spike Manton
Directed by Rachel Rockwell; named Chicago Magazine’s Director of the Year (2010).


	Middle-aged writer Don Browning is searching for the perfect spot to scatter his father’s ashes. As he travels the paths his family took on their annual vacations, images of his father and the shared family tortures surround his memories. This homegrown comedy will have you revisiting your fond (and not-so-fond) memories of your youth.

March 24 – May 15, 2011

Always, Patsy Cline

‘The Sweetest Musical This Side of Heaven’

Directed by John Gawlik; director of The Gift Theatre’s The Ruby Sunrise, named one of the Top Ten shows of 2009 by TimeOut Chicago Magazine


	More than just a tribute to the late legendary country singer, this Off-Broadway musical recounts Cline’s true friendship with a fan from Houston, whom she befriended at a Texas honky tonk and remained pen pals with until her early death. Complete with down home country humor and true emotion, this 1960s tribute includes many of Patsy’ unforgettable hits such as Crazy, I Fall to Pieces, Sweet Dreams and Waking After Midnight. Rating: PG

June 9 – July 31, 2011

Around the World in 80 Days

A Classic Adventure Comedy

Written for the stage by Mark Brown, from the novel by Jules Verne

Directed by John Gawlik


	Based on Jules Verne’s classic novel, join fearless adventurer Phileas Fogg as he sets out to circle the globe in an unheard-of 80 days. It’s a race against the clock as he contends stampeding elephants, raging typhoons, bandits, and a detective who thinks he’s a robber on the run. Danger, romance, and comic surprises abound in this whirlwind of a show as five actors portray 39 characters in seven continents.

August 18 – October 9, 2011

They’re Playing Our Song

Book by Neil Simon; Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager

Directed by Jonathan Berry, hailed as “one of Chicago’s most talented young directors” by Chicago Tribune.


	When an award-winning, straight-laced composer teams up with a quirky, aspiring lyricist, it’s far from a match made in musical heaven. But when an unexpected romance builds between them, they hilariously struggle to find harmony. Based on the real life love story of Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager, Neil Simon’s romantic musical will leave a smile on your face and a song in your heart. Rating: PG

July 7 – August 7, 2011

Bad Dates

A Woman’s Quest for Love and the Perfect Pair of Shoes

By Theresa Rebeck

Directed by Kimberly Senior, one of Chicago’s most acclaimed directors.


	If you like “Sex and the City” and Bridget Jones’ Diary, you’ll love this romantic one-woman comedy! Single mom and Texas transplant Haley Walker tries to balance the pressures of her new NYC restaurant career, raising a moody teenage daughter, and the too-close-for-comfort relationship with the Romanian mob, all while trying to find her way back into the dating scene…nothing that a great pair of shoes couldn’t fix! Haley needs your shoulder to cry and laugh on as she shares her dating adventures with you.

Collider 2011: New Play Project

A new play program partnering local scientists and Fox Valley Repertory in developing new works that help us better understand the universe and who we are, while illuminating and celebrating the worlds of art, science and technology.

Big Bang Ten Minute Plays

World premier ten minute plays will be performed during the Fox Valley Rep Summer Arts Fest.

Other Fox Valley Repertory Productions

October 14 – 30, 2011

The Woman in Black

A Spine-Chilling Tale

Special Halloween Eve Performance on Sunday, October 30 @ 7pm!

By Stephen Malatratt. Based on the novel by Susan Hill


	A London lawyer hires an actor to help recount a story to family and friends that has long troubled him since he attended the funeral of an elderly recluse. During the reenactment, you’ll be gripping your seats with a chill down your spine as you experience the horror and terror of this haunting tale. We just hope you’ll live to retell the tale of one of the longest-running suspense thrillers in history. Rating: PG-13

November 10 – December 24, 2011

It’s a Wonderful Life

A Live Radio Play


	Inspired by Frank Capra’s beloved American holiday classic, you’ll become a part of a 1940s live broadcast as actors bring the fateful story of George Bailey to life. As a studio audience member, you’ll relive the beloved tale of regret and redemption complete with classic holiday songs, a six member Children’s choir, instruments, man-made sound effects, and live commercials.

Other Performances

In addition to these performances, Fox Valley Repertory will be producing five youth ensemble musical performances, four holiday productions, and presenting six live music events and four national comedy touring acts – together, totaling to 251 performances during the 2011 season.

Ticket Information

Pheasant Run Resort is located at 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, IL. Season subscriptions start at $65 for show only tickets (discounted dinner-show subscriptions also available) and are currently available by calling call the Box Office at 630-584-6342. Full priced single tickets for each production will go on sale at a later date.

Additional information on the 2011 Season and Noble Fool Theatricals soon-to-be Fox Valley Repertory are available at www.noblefool.org or www.foxvalleyrep.org.

Filed under: Fox Valley Repertory, Noble Fool Theatre, Pheasant Run Resort, Season, Theater News | Tagged: Kimberly Senior, Theresa Rebeck, Jonathan Berry, The Gift Theatre, Rachel Rockwell, Marvin Hamlisch, Pheasant Run Resort, Noble Fool Theatricals, John Gawlik, Neil Simon, Fox Valley Repertory, Tim Clue, Spike Manton, Always Patsy Cline, Leaving Iowa, Mark Brown, Jules Verne, Carole Bayer Sager, They're Playing Our Song, The Woman in Black, Stephen Malatratt, Susan Hill, It's A Wonderful Life Radio Play | Leave a Comment »

Theater Thursday: Red Herring at Pheasant Run Resort

Posted on September 6, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Thursday, September 9

Red Herring by Michael Hollinger

Noble Fool Theatricals at Pheasant Run Resort

4501 E. Main St., St. Charles

redherring Come to Jambalaya before the show to enjoy hot spinach dip, cheese, crackers and a special Sparking Red Sangria cocktail by the resort’s New Orleans-inspired restaurant. Then stay for the murder mystery comedy Red Herring, followed by a post-show Q&A with Director John Gawlik. Pre-show party, show, and post-show discussion take place within the resort; free parking. Three love stories, a murder mystery, and a nuclear espionage…oh my! It’s 1952: America’s on the verge of the H-bomb, Dwight Eisenhower’s on the campaign trail, and I Love Lucy’s on Monday nights. Meanwhile, Senator Joe McCarthy’s daughter just got engaged to a Soviet spy, and Boston detective Maggie Pelletier has to find out who dumped the dead guy in the Harbor-or else lose out on a honeymoon in Havana. A blunt-nosed, sharp-eyed look at love and tying (and untying, and retying) the knot.

Event begins at 7 p.m. Show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets: $15

For reservations call 630.584.6342 and mention "Theater Thursdays."

Filed under: Noble Fool Theatre, Pheasant Run Resort, Theater Thursdays | Tagged: Theater Thursday, Pheasant Run Resort, Noble Fool Theatricals, John Gawlik, Red Herring, Michael Hollinger | Leave a Comment »

Posted on September 6, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Aside: This Chicago ticket broker offers a great selection of tickets in the city – Purchase tickets for Blue Man Group in Chicago and Jersey Boys tickets – which enjoyed 2 years of sellout performances in Chicago!

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: VividSeats.com | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: Jailbait (Profiles Theatre)

Posted on September 5, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Teens grow up too fast in Profile’s tense tragicomedy

Profiles Theatre presents

Jailbait

Written by Deidre O’Connor
Directed by Joe Jahraus
at Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway (map)
through October 17 | tickets: $30-$35 | more info

Reviewed by Oliver Sava

“We’re 15, everything fun is illegal,” Emmy (Zoe Levin) tells her friend Claire (Rae Gray) as they prepare to sneak into a 21-and-over nightclub. Over the course of Deidre O’Connor’s Jailbait, the two girls learn why those laws are in place when they’re paired off with Mark (Shane Kenyon) and Robert (Eric Burgher), two thirty-somethings looking for an undergrad-style night of drunken debauchery.

With children being exposed to sexually charged material at an earlier age, what was once considered deplorable behavior is becoming the norm for teenagers. Playwright Deidre O’Connor recognizes this changing social climate without passing judgment, letting the audience draw conclusions as the events unfold. The script realistically confronts the issue of teenage sexuality without being preachy, creating a complex situation where blame is shared between all involved parties and everyone is a victim.

With a cast of actors adept at creating believable characters, Joe Jahraus directs a tense, provocative production that reinforces the themes of the script beautifully. Gray gives an outstanding performance as Claire, who is simultaneously struggling with the pressures of adolescence and the loss of her father. Claire blossoms in the liberate environment of the adult world, and Gray captures both the awkward teen and confident woman in Claire beautifully.

In a play full of tense moments, Claire’s scenes with the newly single Robert are especially painful to watch because of the actors’ terrific chemistry, milking dramatic irony for all its worth as the attraction builds. An interesting dynamic develops during these scenes, with Robert acting more youthful and carefree as Claire matures, effectively bridging the emotional age gap while the physical and legal age gaps loom dreadfully. The play succeeds largely in part due to Burgher’s vulnerable, anxious, but ultimately charming portrayal of Robert, avoiding any predatory qualities that could compromise the innocence of his courtship with Claire. The character is likable, making it so much more difficult to watch him seduce a 15 year old girl.

In supporting roles, Levin and Kenyon are the drunker, rowdier pair, providing comic relief while still being given a fair share of meaty, dramatic moments. As a man whose “first wife hasn’t even born yet,” Mark is the closest thing to the play’s antagonist, with his manipulation setting tragic events in motion. Kenyon’s charisma makes it hard to hate the character, and he does have a point when it comes to the arguments he makes to lift Robert out of his slump – except for the part where the girls are 15. Levin spends a good amount of the show playing drunk, a difficult task she performs impressively, but she also gives Emmy a clear emotional journey, making her more vulnerable as the play progresses.

At the end of Jailbait, Claire and Emmy talk about the events of the night with the excitement of teenage girls gossiping about their latest crushes, free from the burdens of being an adult. This scene is welcome relief from the tension of the rest of the play, but also serves as a foreboding reminder that once the adult has touched you, it owns you. Growing up will happen no matter what, so why lose your childhood?

Rating: ★★★½

Production Personnel

Playwright: Deidre O’Connor
Director: Joe Jahraus
Featuring: Eric Burgher, Rae Gray, Shane Kenyon, Zoe Levin
Lighting Design: Jess Harpenau
Sound Design: Jeffrey Levin
Set Design: Sotirios Livaditis
Costumes: Melissa Ng
Stage Manager: Corey Weinberg

Filed under: 2010 Reviews, Oliver Sava, Profiles Theatre | Tagged: Profiles Theatre, Joe Jahraus, Eric Burgher, Oliver Sava, Sotirios Livaditis, Shane Kenyon, Jess Harpenau, Profiles Theatre Chicago, Jailbait, Deidre O'Connor, Rae Gray, Zoe Levin, Jeffrey Levin, Melissa Ng, Corey Weinberg | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: All Saints Day (Ruckus Theatre)

Posted on September 4, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

A Superb Ruckus

Ruckus Theater presents

All Saints’ Day

Written by Ron Riekki
Directed by Brian Ruby
at the side project theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis Ave. (map)
through September 26 | tickets: $15-$20 | more info

Reviewed by K.D. Hopkins

It’s been quite a while since I’ve had such a good laugh or a mind challenge in the theatre. I believe that the theatre is an art that challenges, enlightens, inspires and provokes. All of these qualities are present in All Saints’ Day: A.K.A. 44 Poems About Jeffrey Jones. It’s made clear that this Jeffrey Jones is not he guy from “Ferris Bueller” but a playwright who also wrote about Halloween and inspired writer Ron Riekki for this production. However, the story of the actor Jeffrey Jones would have fit right in with this play.

All Saints’ Day presents vignettes, at varying paces, showing the American tradition of trick-or-treating. Do you remember the feeling when you approached the door of the neighborhood crazy lady or the family with cars on blocks in the front yard? This play takes us into the homes and psyches of those folks and others whose doors perhaps you were too timid to approach. The vignettes represent different eras in global history from an American perspective. What lay beyond the door and who walks up to the door?

There are three characters in this play with names from the absurdist tradition. We have Tot, Non-Tot, and Other played by Kevin Crispin, Elizabeth Bagby, and Mathew Humphrey respectively. Ms. Bagby is brilliant as the Non-Tot behind the door. She inhabits the characters at whiplash speed, hilarity and incandescent pathos. Her chemistry with Mr. Crispin as Tot is spot on and electric. It is a surprise every time Tot knocks on the door and says, “trick or treat!” Mr. Crispin is a wonder of physicality and comic timing. He and Ms. Bagby cover a time capsule of Halloween horrors that still reverberate in American culture every time the calendar approaches October 31^st. The Tylenol poisonings, cyanide in candy straws, animal waste dipped in chocolate and dispensed by a seemingly sweet neighbor is presented. The play asks the question – whose fault is it really?

One unforgettable vignette presents a television remote gone mad. Non-Tot is watching television when the remote takes on a personality and power beyond her control. Tot knocks on the door and she discovers that she can switch his personas through the remote. Non-Tot furiously hits the clicker as Tot goes from LBJ on Vietnam to Cool Hand Luke to Princess Diana and a still funny George W. Bush. Bagby and Crispin then recite lines simultaneously as they collapse to the floor. This was one of the serious parts of the show as they speak of Joe Hill, The Weathermen, and Dr. King, and others who have advocated for change on many different platforms. It did not break the rhythm of the action with the serious nature of the subject matter because all of comedy has a serious core of truth.

In between the scenes Matthew Humphrey as Other injects comic brilliance and levity with placards announcing the scenes. He portrays a priest, a boxing round cutie holding a bout sign and prancing about the ring, and my favorite was an inspired use of whipped cream as body art. Mr. Humphrey is mute for most of the play and yet is integral to the movement, pacing, and dialogue. He is heard offstage in some of the scenes and appears in a speaking role in the final vignette.

The final scene is a departure from the other vignettes, offering a contrast from the American sensibility with a foray into pre-war Germany in the late 1930’s. At first, it’s quite jarring as Mr. Crispin knocks on the door as a character named Ernst and the device of Halloween seems to become the pagan origins of the holiday. It is more of a Samhain feel when the veil between life and death is said to be more evident than any other time of the year. Ernst has come to say goodbye to his friend Franz as the German Workers Party has taken a sinister turn rounding up Jews and displaying an alarming nationalistic fervor – the playwright is alluding to the origins of how hatred takes hold. Ernst gets a trick when he knocks on the door expecting to find familiarity but Franz and his mother have taken on a new guise. Hatred and bigotry are unmasked and unleashed on the world like a virus. That era still holds ominous power as people all over the planet imitate Nationalism to varying degrees. The fact that Riekki can reduce this behavior to brilliant farce is a saving grace of recognition and possible redemption.

All Saints’ Day” contains language, violence, and portrayal of drug use. The LSD scene is one of the funniest things I have seen ever. The treat offered by Non-Tot is two hits of acid to Tot. He doesn’t feel anything and then Other appears as a dinosaur before morphing into a giant pig. This is theatre on the edge and I loved it.

The play is presented in a minimalist manner in a small black box theatre. The props (Joshua Davis) and scenery (J. Clay Barron) are all very simple but brought to life by the brilliance of the actors and the direction of Ruckus member Brian Ruby. This kind of theatre is what makes Chicago a place where New York comes to look for inspiration and fresh material to bring to their stages. Applause to Ruckus and an appeal to keep the lunacy evident lest we forget.

Rating: ★★★★

All Saints’ Day: AKA 44 Poems about Jeffrey Jones runs through September 26^th at Side Project Theatre at 1439 W. Jarvis in Rogers Park and steps from the Red Line Jarvis stop. More information is available at www.ruckustheater.org This is a great opening for the theatre season. It’s a short run-do not miss it!

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Filed under: 2010 Reviews, K.D. Hopkins, Ruckus, Ruckus Theater, side project theatre | Tagged: The Side Project Theatre, K.D. Hopkins, Crystal Jovae Mazur, Christine Grodecki, Timo Aker, Brian Ruby, Elizabeth Bagby, Ruckus Theater, Kevin Crispin, Matthew Humphrey, Ron Riekki, J. Clay Barron, Melissa Schlesinger, Amber Dettmers, Kendra Kargenian, Joshua Davis, Jeffrey Jones | Leave a Comment »

House Theatre: The Magic Parlour extends to open-run

Posted on September 4, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

The House announces an Open-Ended Run of The Magic Parlour

Originally intended to be a one-night-only benefit for The House Theatre of Chicago, The Magic Parlour has already proven to be so successful that The House is producing the show as Chicago’s only weekly late-night magic show!

Dennis Watkins, a third-generation magician, currently performs his one-man comedy magic show for corporate events and colleges all across the country. The performance contains some of his favorite pieces of magic, alongside some brand new routines in an hour-long show packed with mind-reading, levitations, escapes, and a ridiculous new adaptation of the classic “Card Stab” during which Watkins climbs inside of a fully inflated 7 foot balloon!

The show, intended for an audience of approximately 50, is hugely interactive. Guests of The Magic Parlour will participate by having their minds read, offering every day objects such as money, rings, or watches to be used as props, and even performing unexpected miracles through out the show.

The downstairs cabaret at The Chopin offers the perfect setting for this slightly timeless, quirky and unique event. With its comfortable seating, intimate stage and off-beat décor, the cabaret is the perfect venue for this style of magic.

Beer and wine are served before and after the performance.

When I was a kid my grandfather was my teacher. This show is a collection of some of the magic we developed together over the years. It’s also sprinkled with tidbits of his magical wisdom and some material he’s never seen, but would have really loved. It’s light, it’s fun, and it’s totally mind-boggling,” says Watkins.

WHEN: Every Friday night at 10:30 pm – STARTING SEPTEMBER 10
WHERE: The Chopin Theatre: 1543 W. Division, Chicago, IL
TICKETS: $25, available online at www.thehousetheatre.com or via phone at 773.769.3832

The Magic Parlor: An intimate evening of classical magic with Dennis Watkins

More info at www.thehousetheatre.com

Filed under: Chopin Theatre, Extensions-Remounts, House Theatre, Theater News | Tagged: Chopin Theatre, Dennis Watkins, House Theatre of Chicago, The Magic Parlour | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: Lovers (City Lit Theater)

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Half winner, half loser

City Lit Theater presents

Lovers

Written by Brian Friel
Directed by Terry McCabe
at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr (map)
through October 3 | tickets: $25 | more info

Reviewed by Oliver Sava

Brian Friel’s Lovers is divided into two stories, “Winners” and “Losers.” The former shows a day in the life of two teenagers preparing to be wed, the latter recounts the history of a middle-aged married couple. United by their Irish setting and a common thread of underlying sorrow, the two stories reveal how the fantasies people associate with love are crushed by the circumstances of the real world. Bleak. But the poster is two withering roses, so don’t say City Lit Theater didn’t warn you.

Ironically, Winners is the weaker of the two, suffering from a lack of clarity that makes the monologue-heavy script drag. The main action shows teenaged lovers Mag (Catherine Gillespie) and Joe (Joey deBettencourt) studying for their last set of exams, not allowed to return to school due to Mag’s unplanned pregnancy. As they expose their hopes and fears for married life, two narrators (Walter Brody and Maggie Cain) describe the events that lead up to and occur after the study session, emphasizing the moment’s significance for the lovers. There isn’t much action in the script, with characters spending most of their time recounting past experiences or ruminating about the future, so the actors have to work even harder to keep the audience’s attention.

Gillespie and DeBettencourt succeed in capturing the innocence of their characters – with moments like an Old West style shootout between the two and an imaginary gang of their enemies – but they struggle at giving weight to their new adult problems. Much of this is due to the pace of Mag’s early monologues, rushed to the point where emotional shifts are lost and the Irish dialect is compromised. As Mag and Joe’s fate is revealed by the narrators, dramatic irony keeps the proceedings moderately interesting, but “Winners” never regains the momentum it loses at the start.

“Losers” is the saving grace of the evening, with Brody and Cain retuning to the stage as Andy and Hannah, a middle aged couple saddled with the burden of Hannah’s pious mother (Kay Schmitt). Forced to join the matriarch for nightly prayers and devotions to Saint Philomena, Andy learns the hard way that “the family that prays together, stays togethers.” The actors get an immediate hand up on the earlier scene by getting a script where things actually happen, but they also are much more adept at capturing the melancholy that runs underneath the humor. Director Terry McCabe provides plenty of slapstick physical comedy as the lovers try to find ways to fool around without disturbing Mrs. Wilson, and Brody is able to make the transition from youthful exuberance to seasoned seriousness that are lost on the young actors in “Winners.”

Lovers concludes on a cynical note, with the characters’ failures overweighing their triumphs. City Lit’s production is able to escape that fate, with a second act that overcomes the missteps of the first to create an ultimately enjoyable evening of theatre.

Rating: ★★½

Filed under: 2010 Reviews, City Lit Theatre, Oliver Sava | Tagged: Terry McCabe, City Lit Theater, Ricky Lurie, Kathy Mountz, Roger Wykes, Maggie Cain, Joey deBettencourt, Walter Brody, Brian Friel, Jess Harpeneau, Barbara Berndt, Catherine Gillespie, Kay Schmitt, Lovers Brien Friel | Leave a Comment »

Jeff Award nominations – Court and Timeline lead the pack

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Court and TimeLine Clean Up

The Jeff Awards has announced 162 nominations in 31 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions which opened between August 1, 2009, and July 31, 2010. The 42nd Annual Jeff Awards ceremony honoring excellence in professional theatre produced within the immediate Chicago area will be held on Monday, October 25, at Drury Lane Oakbrook. Musical numbers featuring cast members from nominated musicals and video segments from nominated plays will be included in the Jeff Awards ceremony, emceed by luminary actors Deanna Dunagan and Felicia P. Fields. The evening is black tie optional and the public is cordially invited to attend. Full list of nominees is after the jump.

Production – Play – Large

The Brother/Sister Plays - Steppenwolf Theatre   (our review ★★★★)
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View (our review ★★★½)
The Illusion - Court Theatre   (our review ★★★)
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom - Court Theatre (our review ★★★★)
The Mystery of Irma Vep - Court Theatre (our review ★★★★)
A Streetcar Named Desire - Writers’ Theatre   (our review ★★★★)

Production – Play – Midsize

Abigail’s Party - A Red Orchid Theatre   (our review ★★★½)
All My Sons - TimeLine Theatre Company    (our review ★★★★)
The Farnsworth Invention - TimeLine Theatre (our review ★★★½)
‘Master Harold’…And The Boys - TimeLine Theatre (our review ★★★½)
Tobacco Road - American Blues Theater   (our review ★★★)

Production – Musical – Large

Animal Crackers - Goodman Theatre (our review ★★★)
Cabaret - Drury Lane Productions (our review ★★½)
The Drowsy Chaperone - Marriott Theatre (our review ★★★½)
Hairspray - Marriott Theatre (our review ★★★★)
Ragtime - Drury Lane Productions (our review ★★★★)
Thoroughly Modern Millie - Drury Lane Productions (our review ★★★)

Productions – Revue

The Absolute Best Friggin’ Time of Your Life - Second City etc (our review ★★★½)
Low Down Dirty Blues - Northlight Theatre (our review ★★★½)
Oh Coward! - Writers’ Theatre (our review ★★★½)

Ensemble

Abigail’s Party - A Red Orchid Theatre
Animal Crackers - Goodman Theatre
The Brother/Sister Plays - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
The Farnsworth Invention - TimeLine Theatre Company
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom - Court Theatre
Ragtime - Drury Lane Productions
The Wedding - TUTA Theatre Chicago

New Work – Play

Kristoffer Diaz – The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View
Michael Golamco - Year Zero - Victory Gardens Theater
Andrew Hinderaker - Suicide, Incorporated - The Gift Theatre
Jim Lynch - The Tallest Man - The Artistic Home
Bruce Norris - A Parallelogram - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
David Schwimmer and Andy Bellin - Trust - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Craig Wright – Mistakes Were Made – A Red Orchid Theatre

Director – Play

Nick Bowling - The Farnsworth Invention - TimeLine Theatre Company
David Cromer - A Streetcar Named Desire - Writers’ Theatre
Sean Graney - The Mystery of Irma Vep – Court Theatre
Tina Landau - The Brother/Sister Plays - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Shade Murray – Abigail’s Party – A Red Orchid Theatre
Charles Newell - The Illusion - Court Theatre
Kimberly Senior - All My Sons - TimeLine Theatre Company
Edward Torres - The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View

Director – Musical or Review

Jim Corti – Cabaret - Drury Lane Productions
Jim Corti - Oh Coward! – Writers’ Theatre
William Osetek - Thoroughly Modern Millie - Drury Lane Productions
Marc Robin - The Drowsy Chaperone - Marriott Theatre
Marc Robin - Hairspray - Marriott Theatre
Rachel Rockwell - Ragtime - Drury Lane Productions
Henry Wishcamper - Animal Crackers - Goodman Theatre

Actor in a Principal Role – Play

Desmin Borges - The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View
Brian Dennehy - Hughie/Krapp’s Last Tape – Goodman Theatre
Rob Fagin - The Farnsworth Invention - TimeLine Theatre Company
Erik Hellman - The Mystery of Irma Vep - Court Theatre
Tracy Letts - American Buffalo – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Nick Sandys - Les Liaisons Dangereuses - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Michael Shannon - Mistakes Were Made – A Red Orchid Theatre
Chris Sullivan - The Mystery of Irma Vep - Court Theatre

Actor in a Principal Role – Musical

Quentin Earl Darrington - Ragtime - Drury Lane Productions
James Harms - The Drowsy Chaperone - Marriott Theatre
Max Quinlan - Jesus Christ Superstar - Theatre at the Center
Alan Schmuckler - Sugar – Drury Lane Productions
Joey Slotnick - Animal Crackers - Goodman Theatre

Actress in a Principal Role – Play

Tracy Michelle Arnold – Private Lives - Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Cassandra Bissell - Mary’s Wedding - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Janet Ulrich Brooks - All My Sons - TimeLine Theatre Company
Kirsten Fitzgerald - Abigail’s Party - A Red Orchid Theatre
Natasha Lowe - A Streetcar Named Desire – Writers’ Theatre
Lia Mortensen – The Hiding Place - Provision Theater
Allison Torem - Trust – Lookingglass Theatre Company

Actress in a Principal Role – Musical

Holly Ann Butler - Thoroughly Modern Millie – Drury Lane Productions
Cory Goodrich - Ragtime - Drury Lane Productions
Heidi Kettenring - I Do! I Do! - Theatre at the Center
Marissa Perry - Hairspray - Marriott Theatre

Solo Performance

Mary Beth Fisher - The Year of Magical Thinking - Court Theatre
Dael Orlandersmith - Stoop Stories - Goodman Theatre

Actor in a Supporting Role – Play

Allen Gilmore – Sizwe Banzi is Dead - Court Theatre
Francis Guinan - A Guide for the Perplexed - Victory Gardens Theater
Tom Irwin – A Parallelogram - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Timothy Edward Kane - The Illusion - Court Theatre
Nick Sandys – Twelfth Night - First Folio Theatre
Lindsay Smiling - Blue Door – Victory Gardens Theater
Michael Patrick Thornton - Suicide, Incorporated - The Gift Theatre

Actor in a Supporting Role – Musical

Mark David Kaplan - Ragtime - Drury Lane Productions
Peter Kevoian - The Christmas Schooner - Theatre at the Center
David Lively - Cabaret - Drury Lane Productions
Adam Pelty - The Drowsy Chaperone - Marriott Theatre

Actress in a Supporting Role – Play

Janet Ulrich Brooks - When She Danced - TimeLine Theatre Company
Cindy Gold - Awake and Sing! - Northlight Theatre
Rebecca Spence - Les Liaisons Dangereuses - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Stacy Stoltz - A Streetcar Named Desire - Writers’ Theatre
Wandachristine - The Old Settler - Writers’ Theatre
Natalie West - Abigail’s Party – A Red Orchid Theatre
Jacqueline Williams - The Brother/Sister Plays - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Actress in a Supporting Role – Musical

Rebecca Finnegan - Cabaret - Drury Lane Productions
Heidi Kettenring - Hairspray - Marriott Theatre
Valisia LeKae - Ragtime - Drury Lane Productions
Barbara Robertson - Yeast Nation (the triumph of life) - American Theater Company
Paula Scrofano - Thoroughly Modern Millie - Drury Lane Productions

Actor in a Revue

Mississippi Charles Bevel - Low Down Dirty Blues - Northlight Theatre
Rob Lindley - Oh Coward! - Writers’ Theatre
Gregory Porter - Low Down Dirty Blues - Northlight Theatre
Sam Richardson - Spoiler Alert: Everybody Dies - The Second City

Actress in a Revue

Christina Anthony - The Absolute Best Friggin’ Time of Your Life - The Second City e.t.c.
Felicia P. Fields - Low Down Dirty Blues - Northlight Theatre
Kate Fry – Oh Coward! - Writers’ Theatre
Sandra Reaves-Phillips – Low Down Dirty Blues - Northlight Theatre

Scenic Design – Large

Jeffrey Bauer - A Guide for the Perplexed - Victory Gardens Theater
John Culbert - Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom - Court Theatre
Kevin Depinet - Ragtime - Drury Lane Productions
Kevin Depinet - Thoroughly Modern Millie - Drury Lane Productions
Collette Pollard - The Illusion - Court Theatre
Todd Rosenthal - A Parallelogram - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Walt Spangler - A True History of the Johnstown Flood - Goodman Theatre

Scenic Design – Midsize

Aimee Hanyzewski - Of Mice and Men - Oak Park Festival Theatre
James Leaming - Tobacco Road - American Blues Theater
Timothy Mann - ‘Master Harold’…And The Boys - TimeLine Theatre Company
Angela Miller - Jeeves in Bloom - First Folio Theatre
Inseung Park - The Hiding Place – Provision Theatre

Costume Design – Large

Jacqueline Firkins - The Illusion- Court Theatre
Nancy Missimi - The Drowsy Chaperone - Marriott Theatre
Tatjana Radisic - Cabaret - Drury Lane Productions
Alison Siple - The Mystery of Irma Vep - Court Theatre

Costume Design – Midsize

William J. Morey - Into the Woods - Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago
Sarah E. Ross & Kristin DeiTos - Tobacco Road - American Blues Theater
Emily Waecker - Les Liaisons Dangereuses - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

Sound Design – Large

Mikhail Fiksel - The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity - Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View
Joshua Horvath and Nick Keenan - The Illusion- Court Theatre
Joshua Horvath and Ray Nardelli - Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom- Court Theatre
Ray Nardelli - Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale - Lookingglass Theatre Company and Silverguy Entertainment

Sound Design – Midsize

Victoria Delorio - Mary’s Wedding - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Mikhail Fiksel – War With The Newts – Next Theatre Company
Nick Keenan - End Days - Next Theatre Company
Miles Polaski - One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest- The Gift Theatre

Lighting Design – Large

Brian Sidney Bembridge - Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale - Lookingglass Theatre Company and Silverguy Entertainment
John Culbert - The Illusion- Court Theatre
Jesse Klug - Cabaret - Drury Lane Productions
Jesse Klug - Ragtime - Drury Lane Productions
Jesse Klug - Thoroughly Modern Millie - Drury Lane Productions

Lighting Design – Midsize

Lee Fiskness - End Days - Next Theatre Company
Jesse Klug - Yeast Nation (the triumph of life) – American Theater Company
Keith Parham - The Farnsworth Invention - TimeLine Theatre Company
Jaymi Lee Smith - Mary’s Wedding - Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

Choreography

John Carrafa - Animal Crackers - Goodman Theatre
Tammy Mader - Thoroughly Modern Millie - Drury Lane Productions
Marc Robin - The Drowsy Chaperone - Marriott Theatre
Marc Robin - Hairspray - Marriott Theatre

Original Incidental Music

Alaric Jans - The Hiding Place - Provision Theater
Lindsay Jones - Richard III – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Henry Marsh - Twelfth Night - First Folio Theatre
Ray Nardelli and Joshua Horvath - The Long Red Road - Goodman Theatre
Ray Nardelli, Andre Pluess and Josh Horvath - Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Lookingglass Theatre Company and Silverguy Entertainment – Circus Tale
Jesse Terrill – The Wedding - TUTA Theatre Chicago

Music Direction

Roberta Duchak - Ragtime – Drury Lane Productions
Doug Peck - Animal Crackers - Goodman Theatre
Doug Peck - Cabaret - Drury Lane Productions
Doug Peck - Oh Coward! – Writers’ Theatre
Robert Reddrick - Nothing But the Blues - Black Ensemble Theater

Artistic Specialization

Bridges Media - Multimedia Design – Trust - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Sage Marie Carter - Projections Design – Ragtime – Drury Lane Productions
Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi - Circus Choreography and Movement Direction – Icarus - Lookingglass Theatre Company
Nick Sandys - Fight Choreography – Les Liaisons Dangereuses - Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
David Woolley - Fight Choreography – The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity – Victory Gardens Theater i/a/w Teatro Vista…Theatre With a View

For more info about the Jeff Awards,

please visit www.jeffawards.org .

Filed under: Jeff Awards | Leave a Comment »

Broadway in Chicago announces 2011 Spring Season

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Broadway in Chicago’s 2011 Spring Season

The 2011 Spring Season Series emphasizes Broadway In Chicago’s long-standing commitment to bringing the best of Broadway to Chicago . The complete season lineup, including performance dates, is as follows:

February 2 – 27, 2011



	Les Misérables - Cadillac Palace Theatre

Cameron Mackintosh presents a brand new 25th anniversary production of Boublil & Schönberg’s legendary musical, Les Miserables, with glorious new staging and spectacular re-imagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. This new production has already been acclaimed by critics, fans and new audiences and is breaking box office records wherever it goes. The London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful and as good as the original.” The Western Mail says “an outstanding success.”

February 15 – May 8, 2011



	Working - Broadway Playhouse

WORKING is a vital new musical based on the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Chicago ’s own Studs Terkel. Newly adapted by Stephen Schwartz (WICKED, PIPPIN and GODSPELL), WORKING is the working man’s A CHORUS LINE. It is a musical exploration of people from all walks of life, with twenty-six songs by all-star composers Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Tony Award™ winning Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rodgers, Susan Birkenhead, Stephen Schwartz and Grammy Award™ winning James Taylor. WORKING celebrates everyday people, fills you with hope and inspiration and is the perfect musical for anyone who has ever worked a day in their lives.

March 8 – 15, 2011



	Hair - Ford Center for the Performing Arts

The Public Theater’s 2009 Tony-winning production of HAIR is an electric celebration on stage! This exuberant musical about a group of young Americans searching for peace and love in a turbulent time has struck a resonant chord with audiences young and old. Its ground breaking rock score paved the way for some of the greatest musicals of our time. HAIR features an extraordinary cast and dozens of unforgettable songs, including “Aquarius,” “Let the Sun Shine In,” “Good Morning, Starshine” and “Easy To Be Hard.” Its relevance is UNDENIABLE. Its energy is UNBRIDLED. Its truth is UNWAVERING. It’s HAIR, and IT’S TIME.

March 15 – 27, 2011



	Merchant of Venice – Bank of America Theatre

From the acclaimed Theatre for a New Audience, the first U.S. theatre to be invited to the Royal Shakespeare Company, comes Shakespeare’s tragicomedy following command runs Off- Broadway and in Stratford-Upon-Avon . Starring Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham in his riveting portrayal of Shylock, and directed by Darko Tresnjak (former Artistic Director, Old Globe), the play has been arousing controversies for centuries with raucous and gentle comedy, tender poetry, and its struggle with mercy and justice. In this riveting update, religion, race and sexuality collide with love, family and justice and the currency of society and humanity has never been so changeable.

April 5 – 17, 2011



	Wishful Drinking - Bank of American Theatre

WISHFUL DRINKING, Carrie Fisher’s autobiographical solo show, follows Fisher’s life. Born to celebrity parents, Fisher lands among the stars when she’s picked to play a princess in a little movie called ‘Star Wars.’ But her story isn’t all sweetness and light sabers. As a single mom, she also battles addiction, depression, mental institutions, and that awful hyperspace hairdo. It’s an incredible tale–from having her father leave her mother for Elizabeth Taylor to marrying and divorcing singer/songwriter Paul Simon, from having the father of her baby leave her for a man to waking up one morning and finding a friend dead beside her in bed. Don’t miss this opportunity to see Carrie Fisher’s hit Broadway show.

April 26 – May 8, 2011



	Next to Normal - Bank of America Theatre

From the director of Rent comes the most talked about new show on Broadway, NEXT TO NORMAL, winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three 2009 Tony Awards including Best Score. Alice Ripley who received the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, will reprise her acclaimed performance in Chicago . Having been chosen as “one of the year’s ten best” by major critics around the country, NEXT TO NORMAL is an emotional powerhouse of a musical with a thrilling contemporary score about a family trying to take care of themselves and each other. The New York Times calls NEXT TO NORMAL “a brave, breathtaking musical. A work of muscular grace and power. It is much more than a feel-good musical; it is a feel-everything musical.” Rolling Stone raves, “It is the best musical of the season – by a mile. It’ll pin you to your seat.”

The lineup will also feature the opportunity for priority purchase of the following 2011 Off-Season Specials:

April 26 – May 8, 2011



	Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles

RAIN, the acclaimed Beatles concert, returns by popular demand, direct from Broadway! They look like them and they sound just like them! “The next best thing to seeing The Beatles,” raves the Denver Post. All the music and vocals are performed totally live! RAIN covers The Beatles from the earliest beginnings through the psychedelic late 60s and their long-haired hippie, hard-rocking rooftop days. RAIN is a multi-media, multi-dimensional experience…a fusion of historical footage and hilarious television commercials from the 1960s lights up video screens and live cameras zoom in for close-ups. “A thrilling bit of time-warping nostalgia…Boomer Heaven!” raves The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Uncanny! RAIN are a quartet of fine musicians in their own right…as The Beatles, they triumph!” cheers the Boston Herald. “An adoring Valentine to The Beatles,” declares the Washington Post. Sing along with your family and friends to such favorites as “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Come Together” and “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and relive Beatlemania from Ed Sullivan to Abbey Road!

May 3 – 8, 2011



	Spring Awakening - Bank of America Theatre

The winner of 8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical – told by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater through “The most gorgeous Broadway score this decade” (Entertainment Weekly) – SPRING AWAKENING explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood with poignancy and passion you will never forget. The landmark musical SPRING AWAKENING is an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality and rock & roll that is exhilarating audiences across the nation like no other musical in years. Join this group of late 19th century German students on their passage, as they navigate teenage self-discovery and coming of age anxiety in a powerful celebration of youth and rebellion in the daring, remarkable SPRING AWAKENING. “Broadway may never be the same again!” NY TIMES

June 28 – July 10, 2011



	Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

The romantic Broadway musical for all generations, NETworks presentation of DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the smash hit Broadway musical, returns to Chicago ! Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, this eye-popping spectacle has won the hearts of over 35 million people worldwide. Hailed by the Chicago Sun-Times as “warm and winning performances, a tuneful score, and real heart,” the classic musical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes, and dazzling production numbers including “Be Our Guest” and the beloved title song. Experience the romance and enchantment of DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST!

2011 Broadway In Chicago Spring Season Series ticket holders will receive a multitude of special benefits, including savings up to 64%, priority seating at each venue, ticket exchange privileges, pre-paid and discounted parking, access to gift cards to give tickets as gifts, as well as the first opportunity to purchase additional tickets to future Broadway In Chicago productions, including those not currently listed in the 2011 Season Series. 2011 Season Series subscription packages are on sale now, and are available by logging onto www.BroadwayInChicago.com or calling the Season Ticket Hotline at (312) 977-1717.

Group tickets are currently available for all of the 2011 Season Series shows. Groups of 15 or more may receive a discount on most shows by calling (312) 977-1710. 2011 Season Series subscription packages will go on-sale to new subscribers on September 12, 2010. Broadway In Chicago gift certificates, which can be redeemed for any production or for season ticket packages, can be obtained at Broadway In Chicago box offices, www.BroadwayInChicago.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 775-2000.

Filed under: Bank of America (Shubert), Broadway Playhouse, Broadway in Chicago, Cadillac Palace Theatre, Ford Center for the Perfoming Arts, Oriental Theatre (Ford), Season | Tagged: Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Cadillac Palace Theatre, Cameron Mackintosh, Oriental Theatre, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Broadway in Chicago Spring 2011, Bank of America Shubert Theatre, Studs Terkel Working, Next to Normal Chicago, Spring Awakening Chicago | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: The Weir (Seanachai Theatre)

Posted on August 31, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Irish Eeriness Done Right

Seanachai Theatre Company presents

The Weir

Written by Conor McPherson
Directed by Matt Miller
Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox (map)
through October 3 | tickets: $22-$26 | more info

Reviewed by Barry Eitel

Considering the resumes of those involved, it’s surprising that Seanachai’s production of The Weir went unmentioned in many of those “fall previews” the theatre press is so fond of. First off, the play was penned by a young Conor McPherson, the Irishman who also wrote The Seafarer and Shining City. Both of those had hugely successful Chicago premiers at Steppenwolf and the Goodman, respectively. To direct, Seanachai nabbed Matt Miller, the one behind the much-hyped Graceland (our review ★★★) at Profiles Theatre last year. And the small cast includes local stage stars like Sarah Wellington and Brad Armacost. Brad Smith, the youngest actor on-stage, even had a song featured on the “Up in the Air” soundtrack. There’s so many accomplishments listed in each bio, I’m a little surprised the program didn’t explode.

What the lean, focused production made clear, however, is that Seanachai spent their time creating a terrific product instead of manufacturing buzz.

The talky play is a perfect fit for Gaelic-centric Seanachai and their ensemble of vibrant storytellers. That’s what the piece is, essentially—a couple rounds of storytelling, all relating brushes with the supernatural. The attractive, urbanite Valerie (Wellington) finds herself in a rural pub usually occupied by several lonely men. The locals attempt to impress her with regional folklore and their meetings with the spirits that inhabit the country alongside them. However, as the beer bottles and dirty glasses pile up, Valerie reveals the most personal and unnerving close encounter of them all.

The set-up might avail itself to some cheap, M. Night Shyamalan twist (“She’s really a ghost!”), but McPherson crafts a tale far richer, as well as much more disturbing. Miller and the cast don’t shock or frighten, but softly drill into the dark parts of the psyche.

Like most of McPherson’s other tales, the show boils down to a few characters sitting around and talking. Does anything actually happen? It’s a valid question. There are only a handful of entrances and exits, and the whole thing takes place in real time with no intermission. Fistful of monologues after fistful of monologues wears you down after awhile. However, when one goes a level deeper, they find that McPherson is fiercely concerned with his characters’ internal struggles and the small, everyday friendships that keep us all sane. The script might make a slow pace appealing to a lesser director, but that would be suicide. The performers here know to keep moving at a fast clip while choosing moments to open up the play so the audience stays hungry.

The play opens with Brendan (Smith), the owner of the bar, and Jack (Armacost), his best customer. Armacost goads, blathers, and flirts with the hilarious disregard of an aging bachelor. He also manages to drag the audience along the hills and valleys of loneliness and redemption. Smith retains an aloofness that occasionally borders on being uninteresting, but he stays plugged in with the rest of the cast over the duration, playing along with the more eccentric patrons of his bar. Jeff Christian exudes all sorts of awkward charm as the tightlipped Jim, a man that can get closer to horseracing statistics than other people. Kevin Theis’s Finbar, the married man who takes it upon himself to show Valerie around town, rotates between sliminess and sincerity. Even though the character is obviously a tool, Theis musters up enough charm to make sure that the audience can never really hate him. The heart of the show, though, is Wellington’s Valerie. Through the course of the play, she moves from a passive object of affection to a revealer of heartwrenching yet relatable experiences. And Wellington truly shines, never shying away from visiting the most vulnerable parts of herself.

Irish writers are known for their lyricism and long-windedness, and Seanachai eats it up. With The Weir, Miller spits out a dialogue-packed product that’s still able to tap into our deepest fears of the unknown. I’m guessing the buzz will quickly mount.

Rating: ★★★½

Filed under: 2010 Reviews, Barry Eitel, Seanachai Theatre | Tagged: Conor McPherson, Kevin Theis, Barry Eitel, Brad Smith, Joe Court, Aly Renee Greaves, Barbara Zahora, Jeff Christian, Julian Pike, Gretel Ulyshen, Sarah Wellington, Irish American Heritage Center, Robert Groth, Brad Armacost, Matt Miller, Seanachai Theatre Company, Up In The Air | Leave a Comment »

Sanity Break: Tina Fey & Jane Lynch before they were stars

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Bad commercials before they were famous!!

Tina Fey & Jane Lynch before they were stars

Check out early commercials done by two Emmy winners before they hit it big – Tina Fey and Jane Lynch (for Mutual Savings Bank and Kellogg’s Corn Flakes respectively)

In 1995, Mutual Savings Bank seemed to be looking for a perky and quirky persona to advertise for their bank, and a youthful Tina Fey, who was then just known for her Chicago improv work at Second City, got the job. The commercial looks like a 90’s trainwreck, but underneath the big hair and applique vest, we can see a bit of Tina Fey’s “30 Rock” character Liz Lemon.

This clip takes place in Kellogg headquarters Battle Creek, MI, where we see a woman stalking Tony the Tiger. The actress is none other than a young Jane Lynch, soon destined for stardom in “Best in Show”, “The 40-Year Old Virgin” and now the Emmy-winning acress from “Glee” – Jane Lynch.

Enjoy!!

Filed under: Mental Health Break, Video, YouTube | Tagged: Jane Lynch, Jane Lynch Kelloggs Corn Flakes, Mental Health Break, Sanity Break, Tina Fay, Tina Fey, Tina Fey YouTube video, videos before they were famous | 2 Comments »

Black Ensemble Theater’s new $16-million arts facility

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

On Friday, September 10th

Black Ensemble Theater Breaks Ground on

New $16-million Performance Arts Facility

The 50,000 Square-Foot Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center expected to open in September 2011, will be Permanent Home in 34-Year History

With its expanded and enhanced capabilities, the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center is designed to engage the community and encourage more holistic, positive critical thought about how African-Americans are seen and presented. The new facility will include amenities such as:

300-seat main stage theater (double the capacity of the current venue)
150-seat stage to serve niche audiences and smaller-scale productions
Classroom space that can be used by the community
Rehearsal hall and dance studio that will feature scene, costume and wardrobe rooms
Seven (7) dressing rooms
Work space for musicians
Expanded front lobby space with two concession areas
Indoor parking garage

The Black Ensemble Theater will mark the groundbreaking of its new $16 million performance arts and cultural facility, the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, at 4440 N. Clark Street, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. The ceremony, which is open to the public, will feature performances from popular Black Ensemble productions and include remarks from founder and executive director Jackie Taylor. Invited guests include: Governor Pat Quinn, Mayor Richard M. Daley, and Alderman Eugene Schulter. Actor Harry Lennix will chair the ceremony.

Chicago native Taylor founded the Black Ensemble Theater in 1976 with a mission to eradicate racism, merging her roles as actress and educator to build awareness and foster greater understanding of the African-American contribution to the cultural fabric of American history through theater. This charge is realized through outstanding, award-winning productions that attract highly diverse racial audiences as well as effective educational outreach programming that reaches more than 10,000 youth each year.

This is an exciting time in our history, as a new building will help to facilitate the resurgence of the theater as an authentic space where a great people can exist and thrive with autonomy while tearing down barriers and building bridges through storytelling,” Jackie Taylor said. “Our Board of Directors and capital campaign committee have been diligent in raising more than 80 percent of the funds needed to build the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center and we look forward to working with our patrons, community leaders and supporters to secure the $3 million needed to complete this important project.”

Filed under: Black Ensemble Theatre, Community Relations, Mayor Daley, Physical Environs, Theater News | Tagged: Alderman Eugene Schulter, Beverly Arts Center, Black Ensemble Theater, Freedom Theatre, Governor Pat Quinn, Harry Lennix, Jackie Taylor, John Morris, John Morris Architects, karamu House, Mayor Richard M. Daley, The Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, The Ensemble Theater Houston | Leave a Comment »

Theater Thursday: Hideous Progeny (LiveWire-DCA Theater)

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Thursday, September 2nd

Hideous Progeny

LiveWire Chicago Theatre
Written by Emily Dendinger
At the DCA Storefront Theater
66 E Randolph, Chicago

hideousprogeny Enjoy the world premiere production of Hideous Progeny then join LiveWire Chicago and the Progeny creative team for a post-show discussion on the mezzanine of the Storefront Theater for tea and desserts. It was a dark and stormy night in a house by the lake, when Mary Shelley famously took up her host Lord Byron’s challenge to write a terrifying story and created Frankenstein, one of the most famous novels in the Western canon. Witty, salacious, and often melodramatic, Emily Dendinger’s world premiere play directed by Jessica Hutchinson depicts the larger than life romantic figures as the normal teenagers they were – overeducated, egotistical, and ready to change the world.

Show begins at 7:30 p.m. Event begins at 9:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20

For reservations call 312.742.8497 and mention "Theater Thursdays," or visit www.dcatheater.org.

Filed under: DCA Theatre, LiveWire Chicago, Storefront Theatre, Theater News, Theater Thursdays | Tagged: Theater Thursday, LiveWire Chicago, DCA Theatre, Jessica Hutchinson, Emily Dendinger, Storefront Theatre | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: Hideous Progeny (LiveWire Chicago)

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

The devil’s in the details:
Anachronisms mar historical drama

LiveWire Chicago Theatre presents

Hideous Progeny

By Emily Dendinger
Directed by Jessica Hutchinson
Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St., Chicago (map)
Through Sept. 26 | Tickets: $15–20 | more info

Reviewed by Leah A. Zeldes

When you’re creating a work of historical fiction, the most important part lies in getting your history straight. Lacking grounding in its period and riddled with historical anachronisms that distract from the drama, LiveWire Chicago Theatre’s Hideous Progeny, a new play by Emily Dendinger now at Storefront Theater in the Loop, loses coherency.

Set at the Lake Geneva, Switzerland, house rented by George Gordon Byron during the summer following the Romantic poet’s self-imposed exile from England, Hideous Progeny focuses on the probably apocryphal tale of the horror-story competition said to have inspired the novel "Frankenstein" by Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, who was staying near Byron with her lover, poet Percy Byshe Shelley.

It starts out well, with Anders Jacobson and Judy Radovsky’s lovely period set — a library scene with a tall, laddered bookcase, an upright piano, a small writing desk, a billiards table and brocade curtains framing leaded-glass windows from which flashes of lightning suggest the unpleasant weather of "The Year Without Summer.” Yet that’s all that evokes the early 19th century. Little about the play’s costumes, dialogue or acting brings to mind British gentry of the 1800s.

Hideous Progeny takes place in 1816, the height of the British Regency, a highly distinctive period when Beau Brummell dictated London fashions. Not only do Laura Kollar‘s costumes rarely flatter their wearers, they appear historically incorrect. Shelley looks like a 1950s frat boy. It’s unlikely that any Englishwoman of the time, no matter how bohemian, would have sported nose jewelry or an ankle chain, as Mary Godwin does here.

Nor would any lady of 1816 have worn a dress with a zipper, which had yet to be invented and wasn’t on the market until after the Universal Fastener Company was organized in Chicago in 1894. Normally, I wouldn’t quibble over minor costuming details, but it becomes impossible to overlook this gaff in a scene during which the dress is unzipped.

The script, too, contains its share of historical slipups. Byron is constantly drinking "merlot," which the real poet could not have done in Switzerland in 1816. Varietal names for wine were a New World marketing ploy that began in the 1970s — even today, European wines are largely labeled by geographic region — and the merlot grape was used only as a secondary blending variety until late in the 19th century. It puzzles me why the playwright, deciding she needed to mention a specific wine over and over again, didn’t trouble to look up one fitting her period.

Dendinger also plays with the historical facts of her characters. In another peculiar error, Shelley claims to possess a title, like Lord Byron’s.

Byron supposedly misses his young daughter "whose mother has taught her to confuse the meanings of the words ‘papa’ and ‘Satan,’" and expresses his hopes that she’ll join him if his wife "refuses the divorce." Yet in fact, Byron most reluctantly agreed to legal separation from his wife, Anne Isabella Milbanke, and their child would still have been a babe in arms whom he’d not seen since a month after her birth the previous December.

Byron wrote poignantly of his daughter Ada in the third canto of "Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage," but no evidence suggests he ever tried to gain custody, despite English law giving fathers all rights. The play deals with this by hinting at dark accusations Lady Byron might have brought against him. but never mentions them directly. (Byron was accused in his lifetime of committing incest with his half sister. It’s also rumored that he was bisexual and engaged in sodomy with both male and female partners.)

There’s nothing wrong with altering history for the sake of drama … if it works. This doesn’t ring true. The arrogant Byron of this play seems unlikely to pine for an infant he’d barely seen, particularly given his callousness when his current bedmate turns up pregnant.

While those familiar with the subjects will be troubled by the play’s lapses from history, Dendinger offers little help as to who’s who for those who don’t already know the saga of this menage. Besides Godwin and Shelley, Byron hosts his private physician, John William Polidori, depicted as a klutz with a crush on the Swiss maidservant, Elise, and Jane "Claire" Clairmont, Godwin’s younger stepsister, with whom the disdainful lord is sleeping. Clairmont has possibly also been intimate with Shelley — at any rate, she’s lived with him and her sister ever since the then 17-year-old Godwin ran off with the still-married Shelley just over two years previously.

Although some of the dialogue comes directly from the historic writer’s published words, Jessica Hutchinson directs her cast — Patrick King as Polidori, Tom McGrath as Shelley, Danielle O’Farrell as Clairmont, John Taflan as Byron and Hilary Williams as Godwin — as if they were playing in a modern soap opera. Only Madeline Long, as the French-speaking Elise, ever seems to shed a contemporary American persona.

If the out-of-period elements were meant to convey some connection to the present day, it’s too subtle. The production’s video trailers suggest that a spicier contemporary concept might once have been envisioned, yet the effect we get in the production as staged is that they spent so much money on the set, they couldn’t afford appropriate costumes, dramaturgy or a dialect coach.

Godwin, pregnant with her third child by Shelley, spends the play glowering, moody and jealous of Shelley’s relationship with Clairmont and prone to verbal jousting with Byron, who tends to bait her about her ur-feminist mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, author of "A Vindication on the Rights of Woman." She’s still troubled over the death of her first, premature baby and rants about herself as a "death bride." Byron, however, forms the centerpiece of the play, portrayed as a morose and self-centered jerk. Shelley never really comes to life at all.

Nor does "Frankenstein." While watching writers write makes for boring theater, we get very little of what inspired the classic novel or Godwin’s thoughts as she created it, save for an intriguing scene in which Godwin and Polidori repeat an experiment by 18th-century biologist Luigi Galvani showing the effects of electrical impulses on a frog.

Besides "Frankenstein," the fateful summer of 1816 brought us Polidori’s seminal novel, "The Vampyre"; Shelley’s early ode, "Hymn to Intellectual Beauty"; and Byron’s eerie "Darkness"; all of which get short shrift from the playwright.

In the end, we’re left with a jumbled slice of meaningless, not-very-accurate life.

Rating: ★★

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Filed under: 2010 Reviews, DCA Theatre, Leah A. Zeldes, LiveWire Chicago, Storefront Theatre | Tagged: Madeline Long, DCA Theatre, Storefront Theater, Patrick King, Eric Branson, Pat King, Dianna Driscoll, Anders Jacobson, Judy Radovsky, Tom McGrath, John Taflan, Jessica Hutchinson, Laura Kollar, LiveWire Chicago Theatre, Cory Conrad, Hilary Williams, Benno Nelson, Emily Dendinger, Hideous Progeny, George Gordon Byron, Frankenstin, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, Percy Byshe Shelley, The Year Without Summer, Beau Brummell, British Regency, Anne isabella Milbanke, Childe Harolds Pilgrimage, John William Polidori, Jane Claire Clairmont, Danielle O'Farrell, Mary Wollstonecraft, Luigi Galvani, Sarah Ramos, Maria DeFabo, Steve Brackett, Brittany Bugge | 1 Comment »

REVIEW: The Real Inspector Hound (Signal Ensemble)

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Hammed-up Stoppard fails to find the laughs

Signal Ensemble Theatre presents

The Real Inspector Hound

By Tom Stoppard
Directed by Ronan Marra
Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice (map)
Through Sept. 18 | Tickets: $15–20 | more info

Reviewed by Leah A. Zeldes

From the time the house opens on Signal Ensemble Theatre’s The Real Inspector Hound, to the close of the play, Charles Schoenherr lies unmoving on stage while the other characters cavort around him, never noticing this still figure at stage rear until nearly the end of the one-act comedy.

It just might be the best performance of the play.

Any theater reviewer who takes aim at Tom Stoppard‘s 1968 comedy risks being classified with Birdboot and Moon, the two pompous critics on whom the play focuses. Stoppard, once a critic himself, mercilessly skewers theater writers, painting them as arrogant, self-absorbed and none too ethical.

The critics comment on the play within a play taking place in front of them in highly affected terms, chat through the action, munch chocolates and begin to write their reviews mid-play. Birdboot (Jon Steinhagen), a married, middle-aged philanderer, flaunts his position to entice pretty actresses while piously proclaiming he does no such thing, while Moon (Philip Winston), his paper’s no. 2 critic, continually laments his second-string status. The two put in some comic turns, but they aren’t enough to overcome the broad strokes with which Director Ronan Marra paints the rest of the show.

The meta-play, an exaggerated English country-house mystery, a la The Mousetrap, takes places in what Mary O’Dowd as Mrs. Drudge, the creepy, scenery-chewing housekeeper, tells us is the "drawing room of Lady Muldoon’s country residence one morning in early spring." Scenic Designer Melania Lancy has created a fine drawing-room set in Signal’s spiffy new theater, the former home of now Los Angeles-based Breadline Theatre Group, a 50-seat venue in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood.

Wealthy widow Lady Cynthia Muldoon (Meredith Bell Alvarez), is entertaining her lover, Simon Gascoyne (John Blick) and — to his embarrassment — Felicity Cunningham (Katie Genualdi), the ingenue he’s also been seeing. Added to the menage is the wheelchair-bound Major Magnus Muldoon (Colby Sellers), half-brother to Lady Cynthia’s late husband, who lusts after his hostess. Meanwhile, the radio announces that a murderous madman is loose in the neighborhood and Inspector Hound (Joseph Stearns), a dog of a police detective, arrives on the scene.

As the play becomes more existential, the critics break through the fourth wall and get drawn into the action on stage. In this production, comic business is piled so high that the parody becomes a parody of itself, laden with overdrawn gestures and pointless shtick, such as when characters continually lift a telephone receiver for no apparent reason. It doesn’t help that the pace crawls.

Through it all, Schoenherr lies, still and untwitching. That’s acting.

Review: ★½

Note: Allow time for finding street parking, as well as extra time for traveling to the theater on nights when the Cubs play at home.

(L to R) Birdboot (Jon Steinhagen) and Moon (Philip Winston) write their reviews of the play during the play, Signal Ensemble Theatre’s inaugural production in their new venue Photo by Johnny Knight.

Filed under: 2010 Reviews, Leah A. Zeldes, LiveWire Chicago, Tom Stoppard | Tagged: Signal Ensemble Theatre, Jon Steinhagen, Tom Stoppard, Colby Sellers, Anthony Ingram, Leah A. Zeldes, Stephanie Ehemann, Philip Winston, Johnny Knight, John Blick, Joseph Stearns, Ronan Marra, Elsa Hiltner, Mary O'Dowd, The Real Inspector Hound, Melania Lancy, Julie Ballard, Meredith Bell Alvarez, Katie Genualdi, Charles Schoenherr, Breadline Theatre Group | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: Blues for an Alabama Sky (Greenetree Productions)

Posted on August 28, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Elegy for the Renaissance

Greenetree Productions presents

Blues for an Alabama Sky

Written by Pearl Cleage
Directed by J. Israel Greene
at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont (map)
through September 19th | tickets: $20-$25 | more info

Reviewed by K.D. Hopkins

Stage 773’s production of Blues for an Alabama Sky has all the trappings of a great play about an important chapter in African American history. Writer Pearl Cleage has a great pedigree for the subject matter and is a one of the authors given the hallowed Oprah Winfrey touch for “What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day”. The set is a gorgeous reproduction of 1930’s Harlem with lush draperies and dusty flocked wallpaper. The costumes fit the period with beautiful rich fabric and spot on accessories.

However, this play waits until the second act to start building a head of steam.

The play tells the story of a Harlem showgirl named Angel and her best friend Guy, who is a gay costume designer with dreams of Paris. They met in Savannah while both worked at a house of prostitution that catered to all tastes. Kelly Owens plays Angel, and she is a knockout. Ms. Owens portrays the roiling emotions of a woman who doesn’t have the luxury of being liberated and is forced to rely on her sexuality and the tenuous generosity of mobbed up club owners. Jaren Kyei Merrell plays the flamboyant take-no-prisoners Guy Jenkins who has recreated an identity as Guy du Paris. Merrell shines as a man with a dream. He sees that the Renaissance is starting to wane and that Paris is a place for Black people to have their artistic abilities appreciated. Akilah Terry as the sweet and formidable next-door neighbor Delia joins them. Her character is a social worker that has joined forces with Margaret Sanger to get a family planning clinic in Harlem. Ms. Terry plays Delia as virginal, formidable and knowing her own mind. She is costumed in a dowdy suit and hat, which is one of the best punch lines of the play. Rounding out this circle of friends is Lee Owens as Sam – the Harlem physician with a taste for partying, bootleg liquor, and a secret sideline as an abortionist. Into this mix comes a southern gentleman who is mourning his Alabama home for many reasons. Jason Smith plays the role of Leland Cunningham with a sly and deceptive sweetness that veils his character’s moral indignation and fundamentalism.

All of the actors do a fine job with the work that is given them. The problem with Blues for an Alabama Sky is the snail-like pacing. The curtain was ten minutes behind and then the first act was nearly 90 minutes long. If the action and dialog were at a better clip it might work much better, but it’s as if the ensemble has been directed for television with long pauses and extended dark time between scenes.

In the program notes, director J. Israel Greene speaks of the Harlem Renaissance as a simpler time that was rich in culture. Today’s times are parallel with the same societal inequities but he refers to the barricade of Jazz as if it put 1930’s Harlem in a hazy glow. I wish that he would have put some more of that jazz in this production. There is too much expository time in the first act, which makes the second act feel rushed and predictable. The character of Leland Cunningham turns from naïve southern gentleman to homophobic jerk at whiplash speed. It is too much of a stretch that Leland is blind to the fact that Guy is homosexual even if it is the 1930’s and he grew up in Alabama. Also, Angel’s storyline turns cliché when her pregnancy is treated as both an accident and insurance when her financial situation teeters.

At the same time the storyline of Dr. Sam and Delia tiptoeing toward love is almost a throwaway motif. The social worker for family planning and the reluctant abortionist don’t get enough stage time for the plot to be anything other than a weak device to forward the climax of the play.

The most enjoyable scene in Alabama Sky occurs when Guy lets loose on Leland and Angel for playing it safe and small minded. Guy’s expressions are perfect, seemingly channeled directly from some awesome southern black woman. (You will want to use the line about saving the bear – trust me). By the time Mr. Merrell is allowed to really cut loose the play is over.

I recommend this play with some reservations. Be prepared for a long evening and do some reading on the Harlem Renaissance because much is alluded to but never fleshed out about this wonderful time in America’s history. I would also recommend that you check out some reading on the Black expatriate movement to get a bead on the cultural mood and the movement toward Paris.

Rating: ★★½

Blues for an Alabama Sky runs through September 19^th. Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:30. The play is presented at Stage 773 (formerly known as Theatre Building Chicago) at 1225 W. Belmont. For more information visit www.greenetreeproductions.com or call the box office at 773-327-5252.

Filed under: 2010 Reviews, K.D. Hopkins, Stage 773 | Tagged: Theatre Building Chicago, Oprah Winfrey, Pearl Cleage, Kelly Owens, K.D. Hopkins, Andrew Wheatley, Emily Guthrie, Stage 773, Sarah Haley, John Gedeon Jr., Greenetree Productions, J. Israel Greene, Jaren Kyei Merrell, Akilah Terry, Lee Owens, Jason Smith, Harlem Renaissance, Shaun Renfro, Megan Hildebrand, Megan Snowder, Christina Bright | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: Drum Circle Pandora (Quest Theatre Ensemble)

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Come To The Circle!

Quest Theatre Ensemble presents

The People’s Drum Circle Pandora

Conceived and Directed by Andrew Park
at St. Gregory’s Theatre, 1609 W. Gregory (map)
thru September 19 | tickets: FREE | more info

Reviewed by K.D. Hopkins

Quest Theatre Ensemble has created a community experience in the truest sense of the word with Drum Circle Pandora. This is actually theatre of the people where in the audience is encouraged to participate in a celebratory manner. Many theatres try too hard to draw the audience into an alternative reality for a short time. Quest, however, provides a dizzying array of percussion instruments for the audience to use, allowing participants to create the production on a primal level.

The first act is the drum circle part of the evening. Drum circles invite people to release emotion and raise inner consciousness through communal drumming and singing. Quest expertly uses this vehicle, then, to create an open and receptive audience-experience. The audience is first given a lesson in achieving different sounds from the drums by cast member Aimee Bass, aka ‘Sister Drum’. Bass is accompanied by Kim DeVore, aka ‘Sister Didge’. Bass and DeVore are exceptional musicians; their charismatic presence adds color and intensity to the music emanating from their chosen instruments.

Act two, which adds an electric ensemble to the first act performers, is centered on the myth of Pandora – but with a twist: Pandora was not responsible for all of the evils of the world. Instead, by opening the box, Pandora illuminated what was already there. This makes it possible for humankind to see that the perception of evil comes from within as does all good and hope. Creator Andrew Park provides a Greek Chorus of Brother Sun and the Sunshine Girls to accompany Pandora’s journey. Jason Bowen plays the role of Brother Sun with great humor and a touch of lusty naughtiness.

In the tradition of musicals such as Hair and O Calcutta, songs are anthems to moral restraints breaking free. But Pandora instead explores the responsibility that springs from that freedom. The quandaries are still the same in every era. How does humanity ignore what we have wrought? There is poverty, war, and environmental ravages, but people choose not to put light on the situation. While the entire cast does a wonderful job of dancing and singing, Angelica Keenan does a star turn in the title role. Her skills as a dancer are excellent. One unfortunate exception, however, is a dance she performs while wearing boots, a clunky costume choice that literally hampers the beauty of her movement and the gravity of the scene. Ms. Keenan is paired with Merrill Matheson as her spouse Epemethious. Matheson is excellent in portraying societal denial with the personas of businessman, husband etc.

A wonderful ensemble featuring music in arena rock style enhances the song productions, harkening back to the Rick Wakeman days of the group Yes or Emerson, Lake & Palmer in their heyday. The addition of a didgeridoo by Ms. DeVore adds a sinister and primordial shading to Act 2. The music underscores the archetypal essence of the Pandora myth, i.e., women are usually to blame for the downfall of man in patriarchal tales. There was Eve and her apple, before her Lillith and concurrently Pandora. Drum Circle Pandora seeks to put an equal spin on how it all went down and how everyone must look at what we create in full light as the ultimate solution for harmony, prosperity, and good stewardship of the environment. In the process, Quest creates a timely tale, especially considering the state of the world at the moment.

A special mention must be given to the production’s set design and scenic artistry. Nick Rupard and Julie Taylor have done a fabulous job of alternating cyc walls and moveable scenery. Whether it is sunflowers or destruction, the sets are lush, giving added depth to the action. The masks and puppetry by Megan Hovany are exceptional as well. Drum Circle Pandora is a rich and crazy carnival for the eyes and ears. You will be singing the theme song ‘Come To The Circle’ long after you leave the theatre.

Rating: ★★★

The mission of Quest Theatre Ensemble is to provide free access to theatre for everyone. The productions are free of charge but donations are welcome – and will certainly help the company buy more instruments and to help spread the word about the production. Drum Circle Pandora is best for ages 12 and up, as some scenes are quite intense. Also, other than the drumming, I’m not sure if kids younger than 12 will understand the premise (though I’m speaking from a mother’s perspective).

Drum Circle Pandora runs every Friday and Saturday at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm. Admission is free but reservations are encouraged and honored. The theatre is located at Quest’s Blue Theatre – 1609 W. Gregory. It is in the St. Gregory the Great School building that is accessible by CTA. Go and get your drum on as the summer wanes!

Filed under: 2010 Reviews, K.D. Hopkins, Quest Theatre | Tagged: Andrew Park, Beth Allin, Emma Weber, K.D. Hopkins, Ryan McDaniel, Scott Lamps, Gary Powell, Quest Theatre Ensemble, Kiley Moore, Danielle Davis, Chicago theater review, The Peoples Drum Circle Pandora, St. Gregory the Great Chicago, Rick Wakeman, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Nick Rupard, Lee Brausel, Meghan Hovany, Jonathan Couch, Jason Bowen, Anna Wegerson, Jason Crutchfield, Drew Anderson, Aimee Bass, Erin Renee Baumrucker, kristin Danko, Kim DeVore, Summar Jonas, Angelica Keenan, Merril Matheson, Benjamin Rosenthal, Colette Unger | Leave a Comment »

REVIEW: ComedySportz!

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Take out normal. Put in family-friendly wacky

The Comedy Sportz Theatre presents

ComedySportz!

at The Comedy Sportz Theatre
929 W. Belmont Ave. (map)
Open Run | tickets: $21 | more info

Reviewed by Oliver Sava

When ComedySportz begins, the improv competitors run throughout the theater, tossing high-fives to the audience as red and blue lights flash erratically and Darude’s “Sandstorm” blares over the speakers. If that doesn’t sound appealing, then ComedySportz is not for you. Audience participation, flashing lights, and dance music are the formula for this “interactive improv experience,” and are repeated throughout the evening as a reminder that yes, you are having fun. The experience appears to be aimed at the tourist and birthday party crowd with its over-the-top tech and family friendly material, but leaves something to be desired when it comes to real laughs. (fyi: Though not their mainstage show, Comedy Sportz also offers adult-humored late-night shows as well)

ComedySportz is a short-form improv competition between two teams, meaning the actors play games dictated by audience suggestions with points gained by audience applause. It’s basically Who’s Line Is It Anyway? but whereas Who’s Line was presented in half hour segments, the two hour long ComedySportz doesn’t have enough substance or momentum to stay captivating.

I applaud ComedySportz for trying to do family friendly improv, but a rhyming game to the tune of “Da Doo Ron Ron” and a person’s day reenacted as a Shakespeare play aren’t very funny. The humor stays inoffensive by being simple, and it feels like the actors have done the games so many times that the spontaneity of the improv experience has begun to wear off. After a while it becomes the Mad Libs style of improv, where something wacky is inserted for something normal and magically comedy is born, and that gets old very quickly.

The points mean nothing, but the show banks on the illusion of competition to keep the momentum going. The second half was saved by a timed game where everyday tasks were reenacted with absurd substitutions and then guessed (ex. Skiing down a pencil with mashed potato skis and Lego goggles), and while the recreations were standard charades material, the added time limit made the actual challenge a nail biter. The problem is that it still isn’t funny, but they are able to hide behind the thrill of competition.

While the actual games are lacking, the enthusiasm of the actors helps elevate the experience. The seven people on stage (3 on each team, 1 referee) never drop their energy and have great chemistry with one another. The most laughs of the night came from the other players’ criticism of the Red Team’s Kate Cohen for not knowing what the Apostles are, showing that some potentially offensive humor might not be such a bad thing. That kind of freedom is what makes improv exciting, and ComedySportz needs to have games that allow the actors full use of their imaginations if they want to create a worthwhile experience.

Rating: ★★

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FYI: Let ComedySportz host your Bachelor/ette Party today – with the option of clean fun or offensive hilarity.

Filed under: 2010 Reviews, ComedySportz, Oliver Sava | Tagged: ComedySportz, Oliver Sava, Comedy Sportz Theatre | Leave a Comment »

Theater Thursday: The Last Daughter of Oedipus at BWB

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Scotty Zacher

Thursday, August 26

The Last Daughter of Oedipus

Presented by Babes With Blades
Written by Jennifer Mickelson
Lincoln Square Theatre, 4754 N. Leavitt, Chicago

lastdaughter Join Babes With Blades ensemble members and the artistic staff for a pre-show reception! Enjoy Greek-themed hors d’oeuvres and a behind-the-scenes peek at the people and processes that guided The Last Daughter of Oedipus to its world premiere (our review ★★★½). Then settle in for the show, and follow Ismene, sole surviving child of Oedipus and Jocasta, as she fights to break the curse that devastated her family and now threatens to destroy Thebes. This groundbreaking production combines sword and shield, staff, and unarmed combat with voice and movement work to push the boundaries of physical and vocal storytelling

Event begins at 7 p.m. Show begins at 8 p.m.

Tickets: $25 For reservations call 773.904.0391 and mention "Theater Thursdays."

Filed under: Babes With Blades, Theater News, Theater Thursdays | Tagged: Theater Thursday, Lincoln Square Theatre, Babes With Blades, Jennifer Mickelson, The Last Daughter of Oedipus | Leave a Comment »

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