Daily Archives: August 13, 2013
Come Hear The Music Play! at Light Opera Works, Cabaret!
By Lazlo Collins
Somewhat Recommended
Light Opera Works current production of Kander and Ebb’s “Cabaret” is a solid audience pleasing event. All the cabaret creatures are present and accounted for in this lovely sung and decorated version.
“Cabaret” is a tricky musical to stage anywhere. It can be deceptively difficult to capture the desperation, and raw terror that accompanies the all too familiar score of this Broadway classic. “Cabaret” sets the scene in pre Nazi Berlin. The tensions are quickly mounting as Berlin’s culture is changed. Hitler sweeps his power over this once playful city. Sexuality is burgeoning and confusing in these last safe days of Berlin’s cabarets. Light Opera Works “Cabaret”, under the skillful direction of Stacey Flaster, plays it safe.
Safe is not bad. The show, as a whole, moves well and there are some outstanding performances; but, the piece moved quickly over the dark political and sexual play that is in imbedded in “Cabaret”. This “Cabaret” is pretty and breezy. It’s makes the most of the dancing and familiar song book; it was an obvious choice to keep the tone light.
The much anticipated performance by artistic director Rudy Hogenmiller, as the “Emcee”, was in evidence for opening night. Mr. Hogenmiller’s command of the piece was excellent. He set the tone of the show from the get go. His doll like make-up and sinewy frame made him appear other worldly; perfect for our guide weaving us through this complicated story. Mr. Hogenmiller has much experience on the stage and this showed through his superb stage presence and dancing. His energy made the audience engage almost immediately.
Jenny Lamb as “Sally Bowles” was an energetic firestorm. Her frantic need for acceptance, with her lack of her own self-worth, makes her a complex character to portray. Ms. Lamb clearly has the vocal chops to bring Sallys’ songs to a life. Her counter point to Cliff seemed too rushed and manic. I wanted to care more about her, and see more inside her character; however, Ms. Lamb held her own and prevailed.
Having seen more than a few productions of “Cabaret”, I always feel like the Cliff Bradshaw characters are always cast as wooden men, with no particular emotional depth. David Schlumpf’s “Cliff” was a refreshing change. Mr. Schlumpf brings dimension and life to a character searching for the answers as his own world is turned topsy-turvy by The Kit Kat Klub, and all Berlin has to offer. He worked well with Ms. Lamb on stage. His performance never felt insincere or rushed, and his voice was beautiful.
If I had to pick a performer that kept me enthralled, it would be Barbara Clear’s lovely portrayal of Fraulein Schneider. She was the heart of this production. Ms. Clear interpretation and energy was superb. Her songs made me listen to her and the emotions she provided. After she calls off the wedding to Herr Shultz, her interpretation of, “What Would You Do?” is haunting and crushingly beautiful. She brought realness to the proceedings.
As Herr Schultz, Jim Heatherly, is both pleasant to hear and see on stage. Mr. Heatherly’s likeable acting style and engaging storytelling songs where great. He keeps the story moving and is always in the moment on stage.
The chorus and ensemble of players were right on the mark with all the dancing and singing. The gentleman that sang the lead in “Tomorrow Belongs To Me” was outstanding. He has a lovely haunting tenor to be sure.
I loved the Kit Kat Klub band on the stage. You ladies are rocking it, especially, just before the second act begins.
I also loved hearing this score with a beautiful orchestra under the direction of Roger L Bingaman. The music was superbly well done. It was rich and well balanced.
Angela Weber Miller’s scenic design was both practical and interesting. I liked the startling difference between the areas. I also like the way the glass store front was broken. The costuming, by Jesus Perez, was excellent with flair and sparkles where needed.
This “Cabaret” was a great evening out of solid entertainment.
Light Opera Works “Cabaret” continues through 25 August 2013 at the Kahn Auditorium in Evanston.
Tickets for “Cabaret” are available at www.lightoperaworks.com
For information on this and other productions visit www.theatreinchicago.com
Simpler Times: If Only the Fragrance of Wisteria Guided Our Travels
Rivendell Theatre’s Enchanted April
Is the summer heat lingering too long? Are the patterns of everyday tasks numbing and mundane? Let Director Evan Jackson and the Idle Muse Theater Company transport you to a simpler enchanting time at the Rivendell Theatre in “Enchanted April,” an original adaptation written by Matthew Barber of the 1922 novel by Elizabeth von Arnim. An award winning film was directed by renowned filmmaker Mike Newell.
“Enchanted April” begins with a monologue by Lottie who hopes to be transplanted from the everyday humdrum of caring for her husband. The rain that falls in front of her London windows doesn’t stop and the lines of rain are like prison bars trapping her inside their home. The excitement of living on the edge and appreciating everyday experiences of life, like taking time to enjoy the smell of flowers and seeing the beauty around her, is completely voided and replaced by the calls of her husband reminding her to care for him. Upon reading an ad in the “Times” newspaper about a castle in Mezzago, Italy, Lottie instantly thinks of a woman at her church named Rose who looks like a disappointed Madonna. She asks herself and the audience, “When a choice is presented in front of you, do you answer it?”
Director Evan Jackson brings to life this strong production because it speaks “directly to the heart, bypassing our intellect and reminding us, through our connection to other human beings that are so much like ourselves, that even in our deepest sorrow we all share the promise of a beautiful tomorrow.” The Rivendell Theater on the North Side where this performance is showing is an interesting space. With some 10 rows, the theater seats about 150 people. The front row is a few feet from the actors making it an intimate space and even the loud whispers and footsteps, and raindrops are fully audible. In such a small space, overacting isn’t needed, and the feeling is that you are in the passenger seat right alongside the characters.
The first half and the second half are very different. The first half crisscrosses between dialogues between the lead two women and their husbands, and then the lead two women with two supporting women who conspire to travel together. The second half has the four women laughing and eating on a veranda full of wisteria, roses, and lounging chairs. The intertwined adventure just begins to unfold there.
Staying in the theater during the intermission is recommended just to see the set transformed from English sitting rooms to an Italian castle garden. With no curtain separating the space between the audience and the stage set, and the small space and amount of time that stage manager Sara Robinson and assistant stage manager Cecily Romaynne Shives are given, their hustle and bustle setting up the second act set was engrossing, and the transformation was delightful.. Lighting by Laura Weily and Matthew Nischan was very effective during the train scene when Rose and Lottie are hours late in their journey to Italy. The sounds of the train wheels are audible and the scenery of the countryside flickers over the women’s faces indicating the gloomy first half has come to a close.
”Enchanted April,” which has received numerous awards, will appeal to many folks, from those familiar with train rides where laptops weren’t popped open, navigation by GPS wasn’t heard of, sharing intimate details of one’s adventures online would be unimaginable, and mention of a telephone was novel, to those of us caught up with how we might transform and redefine ourselves when the mundane experiences of our lives appear to trap us. The question then arises: ”What do you do when you lose yourself.” Sometimes the vehicle of life-changes involves travel, and this play will take you away.
The play runs approximately 100 minutes with a 10-minute intermission, is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York; and is produced in part through the support of The Saint Art Grants Program. The local Midwest cast includes: Elizabeth MacDougald (Loyola University Chicago graduate) as Lottie Wilton; Mara Kovacevic (Columbia College Chicago faculty) as Rose Arnott; Joel Thompson (Anderson University graduate) as Mellersh Wilton; Brian Bengston (Idle Muse seven -year veteran) as Frederick Arnott; Catherine Hermes (artistic associate, Idle Muse) as Lady Caroline; Nathan Thompson (Knox College graduate) as Antony Wilding;, Maggie Speer (Azusa Productions Artistic Director) as Mrs. Graves; and, Jean Waller (former LA resident, in Chicago since 2008) as Constanza.
Treat yourself, or take a friend or two. You’ll have a lot to talk about together. That’s what friendship is about. That’s what “Enchanted April” is about.
Somewhat Recommended
Reviewed by Kazuko Golden
Rivendell Theatre’s Enchanted April
Presented August 8th – September 8th, by Rivendell Theatre, 5779 N. Ridge Ave, Chicago, IL.
Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 8PM, Sunday Matinee at 3PM
Tickets are available online via the Idle Muse Box Office or via phone at (773) 340-9438.
Additional information about this and other area productions may be found at www.theatreinchicago.com.
Dance, Art, Science, and Some Catchy Music
Oracle Theatre’s Pink Milk
In the first couple minutes of Pink Milk, a play about the life of Alan Turing performed by Oracle Productions in association with White Elephant, the actors say that this isn’t going to be a history lesson. The play is more of an interpretation of what Alan Turing’s life might have felt like. It verges on an experimental play, heavy with dance, original electronic music, and actors portraying abstract representations of ideas. And it is enthralling. Everything about this performance fit together like a clockwork machine. Even though sometimes the liberties the production took with Turing’s life were a little sappy, it did not bother me in the slightest by the end.
If you do not know, Alan Turing is the father of the modern computer. He strove to create machines that could think for themselves, though he never created a true artificial intelligence. His machines helped decipher enemy codes during World War II and he was charged and convicted for homosexuality in the mid-1950s. Pink Milk focuses on filling the gaps of what is known of Turing’s life. Central to the play is the possible love affair Turing had in his teenage years with another boy named Christopher Morcom. The play does a wonderful job of teasing out this relationship, and making it a continual part of what effects Turing throughout the rest of his lifetime.
Alan Turing is played by Aaron Stephenson, and Stephenson’s shift from the enthusiastic childhood Alan to the Alan at the end of his life when the world has almost literally beaten him down is a moving experience. All of the cast play their multiple parts very well, shifting from parent to lover to persecutor seamlessly. Cole Doman plays Christopher Morcom is great, and even after his character has left Alan’s life, he doesn’t play any other roles. Doman often sits hauntingly to the side as Alan faces many obstacles in his life. Doman also narrates the piece as Morcom, as if the character felt responsible for sharing the Alan he briefly knew. Fairly straight scenes flow in and out of choreographed dance moments and shift quickly into descriptive monologues or seemingly unconnected strings of words. The ensemble works as a whole, each supporting the other even when they are only silent observers.
The sound and the lighting designs for this production were wonderful pieces of art in themselves, but also helped to make the whole piece better. The lighting, designed by Jessica Carson, always managed to heighten the emotion of a moment. The sound was an original score created by Visager, a music producer/composer/performer working out of Brooklyn, New York that specializes in electronic music that samples field recordings, acoustic instruments, old videos, and more. The music from the production can be found at visager.bandcamp.com. In addition, the scenic and props were designed by Emma Pardini and the costumes were designed by Cassie Bowers. Both elements were simple and elegant in their execution.
The play is the work of playwright Alex Paul Young, a founding member of White Elephant Theatre. The play has been staged a number of times prior to this run, being part of a couple of exhibitions on the part of White Elephant and also being part of the New York City and Chicago Fringe Festivals. Oracle Productions has taken the play on as part of its B-Side series, continuing their mission of public access theatre. That means that this exquisite performance can be enjoyed for free by all. A slight word of caution if you have a physical disability, this small theatre sports bleacher type seating for their audience, so if you would like to appreciate it without climbing up steps with no railing, you should ask the theatre to reserve floor seats for you if possible.
Pink Milk, excellently directed and choreographed by Brandon Powers, may not be Shakespeare or Neil Simon type storytelling, but it is a fun, yet heartbreaking look at the life of a man who didn’t understand why the world had to make things so difficult. Whether or not they accurately depicted the life of Alan Turing didn’t really matter. The production expresses some beautiful sentiments about being misunderstood, science and art, and the joys of finding someone or something that can help you make sense of the world.
Highly Recommended
Reviewed by Clare Kosinski
Oracle Productions in association with White Elephant presents Pink Milk
Playing August 10 – September 7 at Oracle Theatre, 3809 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL.
Admission is free but reservations can be made by visiting publicaccesstheatre.org.
Additional information about this and other area productions may be found at www.theatreinchicago.com.
RECOMMENDED SITES
