Chicago Theatre Review

Monthly Archives: September 2013

A Wobbly Way Through Time

September 29, 2013 Comments Off on A Wobbly Way Through Time

The Wheel – Steppenwolf

UnknownThe premise is interesting. On a Spanish farm Rosa (Chaon Cross) is nervously getting ready to her wedding with Tomas (Demetrios Troy), under the mature guidance of her older sister, Beatriz (played by the wonderful Joan Allen). Suddenly their yard is overrun by peasant soldiers readying their makeshift army to defend against the French. This is just the first of many wars Beatriz will survive as she reluctantly takes charge of a young girl, a sickly little boy and a baby. Believing that if she can just reunite the girl with her father and hoping he’ll also take the other two children, Beatriz is sure she will be able to rejoin her sister at home and normalcy will once again be restored. But Beatriz is in for a two-hour, intermission-less journey through turmoil, time and place. She and her young charges will encounter and try to survive the horrors of every major war in history. In the end she will come full circle (hence the wheel metaphor) to where the play began, as if nothing has happened. Was this simply a dream or nightmare? Has stress or physical discomforts done this to her? Is the young girl in her charge magical, as many people seem to think? What is the meaning behind this adventure in a surreal Wonderland of terror?

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Kindness of Strangers Dwells in the Suburbs

September 26, 2013 Comments Off on Kindness of Strangers Dwells in the Suburbs

A Streetcar Named Desire

streetcarWhile miles away from New Orleans, JPAC has staged a very respectable production that brings the heat of Tennessee Williams’ 1948 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama to Cicero. Ask any serious theatre goer for a list of the best American plays and this drama is sure to rank among his favorites. Indeed, next to “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “The Glass Menagerie,” “Streetcar…” is probably William’s best-known and most-produced play from a lengthy canon of scripts that continually proves popular with educational, regional and Broadway theatres.

Inspired by the playwright’s own family experiences and motivated by a trend away from melodrama and a rise of naturalism in the theatre, Williams paints a sad portrait of Blanche DuBois, a faded Southern Belle who falls from grace. Blanche travels from her lost family home in Laurel, Mississippi to spend time with her younger, married sister Stella in New Orleans. An addiction to alcohol and a strong preference for culture and civility mask Blanche’s deeply-rooted guilty secrets, as well as her steady descent into mental illness. She arrives at her sister’s shabby, steamy three-room apartment by way of a series of conveyances, most notably the titular streetcar named Desire. There she faces off against Stanley Kowalski, her sister Stella’s coarse, primal-driven husband who suspects that Blanche is hiding more than a few skeletons in that huge trunk she’s hauled with her. Witnessing this fierce battle waged between a woman trying desperately to survive through self-deception and literary-inspired romantic fantasies and a man motivated solely by his basic needs and animal instincts spells tragedy from the beginning.

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Wholesome Family Fun at Godspell

September 24, 2013 Comments Off on Wholesome Family Fun at Godspell

Theatre At The Center’s Godspell

Playing at Theatre At The Center is an energetic, colorful, bubble filled version of Godspell. The young cast of 20-something performers collectively delivers a fine performance and really seem like they’re having a fun time with the show. So the real question to ask yourself before visiting this show is, ‘Do I like Godspell?’. I had never seen Godspell prior to this performance and all I knew about it was that it follows the story of Jesus. If you’re either a fan of Godspell or peppy musical theatre, Theatre At The Center presents a fun night of entertainment. If you’re more of a Stephen Sondheim type musical fan, you may want to give this show a pass.

Godspell is a musical adaptation of the Gospel of Matthew and highlights the parables of Jesus. The music of Steven Schwartz is beautiful, but doesn’t quite hit the poignancy or musicality of some of his other popular works like Wicked or Pippin.  Theatre At The Center takes this story and places it in what appears to be Venice Beach. Each character is a representation of free spirited beach goers from a woman doing yoga, a hoodie-wearing man preaching politics, or just a couple with a frisbee. Jesus himself, played by Liam Quealy, looks like he would be pumping iron along the boardwalk. Through the story, Jesus tries to teach his parables to the beach goers, and they happily form a community of love and friendship.

Liam Quealy feels like a natural fit for Jesus. He has a friendly and welcoming demeanor in the role, and Donny-Osmold-esque vocals. When it comes to straight acting, he probably needs to gain a few years and experiences, but he has a genuine quality to his performance that works well for this part. He simply seems like the type of guy who attracts others with his sense of compassion. Jim DeSelm as Judas probably gives the best acting performance. He presents an interestingly conflicted character that is certainly not the villain of the story, but also doesn’t always fit in with the crowd. What is nice about this musical is that every performer gets a chance to shine. Merrick Robinson’s light sense of humor made him stand out and Hillary Marren showcased her beautiful voice in the number “Day by Day”.

Being set in Venice Beach (presumably), the walls for the stage were skillfully painted in Christian themed graffiti designed by Angie Weber Miller. The lighting, designed by Shelley Strasser-Holland, had some interesting moments including the use of flashlights by the actors and a very striking tableau at the climax of the show.  However aside from those moments, this production seemed rather superficial. There weren’t that many elements that came across as particularly thought provoking or innovative.  Even the choice of staging the play at Venice Beach seemed like an odd choice. It was clear the director, John-Michael Tebelak, was going for the kumbaya collective stereotype of free spirited beach goers, but that is an image that stands in stark contract to the reality of Venice Beach. If you have ever been to Venice Beach, it is full of a huge variety of people, most of which you would not think about getting a loving embrace from. The last time I visited Venice beach, I was offered a medical marijuana card every twenty feet. So there may be a section of the beach going population there that are elated for reasons other than the blessing of the Holy Spirit, but this production doesn’t seem to have set the play in Venice Beach ironically so I don’t think those are the types of hippies we’re seeing here.

Overall, this was a pleasant night of theatre to take your wholesome family to. It will be interesting to see what some of these young performers do in their futures, but for the time being, they seem to be having fun performing at Theatre At The Center. And when it comes to considering Godspell, just know what you’re getting into. I don’t think most of the audience during the performance I saw was as cynical as I am, and it seemed very well received when the curtain call came.  So make the trip to Munster, Indian if you’re looking for a night of uplifting musical theatre.

Recommend

Reviewed by Clare Kosinski

Godspell presented by Theatre At The Center

Playing September 12 – Octorber 20 at Theatre At The Center, 1040 Ridge Rd, Munster, IN.

Tickets are available by calling 219.836.3255 or by visiting theatreatthecenter.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions may be found at www.theatreinchicago.com.


High Flying Adored

September 21, 2013 Comments Off on High Flying Adored

Evita

“Any opera that begins with a funeral can’t be all bad.” That was the initial response given by Harold Prince, director of the original London and Broadway productions, when first invited to help create this piece for the stage (that began as a concept album). Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beloved, multi award-winning biographic musical, depicting the rags to riches, overnight rise to fame of Eva Peron, the controversial First Lady of Argentina, is now playing here in a first rate National Touring production. The first British musical to win a Tony Award for Best Musical has enjoyed countless regional, national and international productions, including the 2012 Broadway revival upon which this current polished Equity tour is modeled.

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Play on PigPen

September 20, 2013 Comments Off on Play on PigPen

Making the trek up north of Chicago can be a very daunting task for some. In fact, I’ve heard people tell me that anything past Evanston is practically Wisconsin. I am sure there are plenty even who do not dare to venture out of the city limits. However, for those of the adventurous nature, there is a story to be heard and it hails from the north in Glenco at Wrtier’s Theater.

The Old Man and the Old Moon (TOMATOM), written by PigPen Theater Company and produced by Writer’s Theater, is the tale of an old man and his duty to fill the leaking moon back up with light each night as it drips away. The old man’s wife leaves for an adventure and the old man is then forced to follow after his wife around the world. Once the old man finally arrives back home, he is then reminded of a promise he made to his wife on the day they met.

TOMATOM, is very much a classic tale but told in a modern way. With the use of puppetry, shadow puppets, re-imagined objects and music, it seems to me like it is the beginning of a new wave of storytelling, possibly musicals. I feel I can justify calling TOMATOM a musical tale because the music is propelling the story forward. It is more than just a play that has music in it. The music is indicative of what is actually happening in the tale. Ryan Melia, Alex Falberg, Matt Nuernberger, Dan Weschler, Ben Ferguson, Curtis Gillen and Arya Shahi, all members of PigPen Theatre Company, each play a variety of instruments and characters showing much versatility and creativeness to the play. The music has a very Mumford and Sons feel to it. With the use of banjos, violins, irregular percussion pieces set to a driving beat, the music has very much a folk feel to it, which correlates directly to the folk like tale it accompanies. It was like watching a music video to an entire Mumford and Sons album.

Other than some minor flaws with the inconsistency of dialects, TOMATOM is a remarkably entertaining show. From the moment you walk into the theater you are immersed into the world of the play, being surrounded by a beautifully crafted wooden set and mason jar lighting that drops from the ceiling. The play has such a genuine quality to its foundation even the roughest of souls can sit back and let the players take them away into the world they have created.

**Highly Recommended**

Review by Dan Haymes

The Old Man and the Old Moon begins Septmeber 3rd 2013 at Writers Theater
Located 325 Tudor Court in Glenco.

Written by: PigPen Theater Company
Directed By: Stuart Carden and PigPen Theater Company

For more information on The Old Man and the Old Moon and other shows, please visit www.theatreinchicago.com


A Recipe for Following One’s Dream

September 18, 2013 Comments Off on A Recipe for Following One’s Dream

To Master the Art

lacaronBe warned: do not attend this production on an empty stomach! And you don’t have to be a foodie; but, by the end of this exquisite production, you may become one. In a production that teases all the senses, audiences will not only laugh while learning how being an expatriate in 1950’s Paris influenced this famous cook, author and teacher, but will fall hopelessly in love with her, as well. In a remounting of TimeLine Theatre’s 2010 Jeff-nominated play (thanks to the newly-formed Chicago Commercial Collective, whose focus is on producing outstanding, quality area productions with a proven popularity), audiences have another opportunity to discover the woman that was Julia Child, her loving husband Paul, their family and inspirational friends, and how the famous French Chef followed her dream to create her culinary series, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

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It is a Journey Up “The Mountaintop” at Court Theatre

September 18, 2013 Comments Off on It is a Journey Up “The Mountaintop” at Court Theatre

By Lazlo Collins

Highly Recommended

“The Mountaintop” is a well-acted, sometimes surprising, and ultimately moving theater treat. The Court Theatre spares no expense for the Chicago premiere of this emotional mine filled journey of Martin Luther King Jr’s last hours.

Written by actress/writer Katori Hall, “The Mountaintop” delivers the eve of Martin Luther King’s assassination in bold delicious strokes; painting Dr. King in a more accessible light. Of course, Mr. King is an American dignitary, a Nobel Prize winner, and galvanizing political figure, whose virtuous church and family life shaped him as devoted saint. But like all men and women, behind closed doors, life’s day to day tasks can be challenging for those that have been moved toward exceptional lives in the public eye.

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A Death Story

September 18, 2013 Comments Off on A Death Story

Terminus – Interrobang Theatre Project

Terminus-1The lives of A (Christina Hall), B (Michaela Petro) and C (Kevin Barry Crowley) are strung together by a series of monologues, depicting some of the gruesome horrors of death. A is trying to save a former student, who is about to take a life. B has a demon that is about to take her life, but falling in love ends up being her saving grace. C made a deal with the devil and has gained the unfortunate habit of taking a few lives himself.

Mark O’Rowe’s Terminus, is the live depiction of a nightmare. To clarify, not a production, writing or theatrical nightmare, but actual horrifying stories that leave just enough of a creep on your mind, you might need a distraction before the night’s slumber.

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Taking a chance on Other People’s Money

September 12, 2013 Comments Off on Taking a chance on Other People’s Money

Other People’s Money – Shattered Globe

Jerry Sterner’s Other People’s Money opened in New York 24 years ago in 1989. The premise of the pay focuses around buying and selling businesses at the corporate level. To put it simply, a large corporation will target a smaller failing business that has stock going for pennies to the dollar. The corporation will buy that stock, driving the price of the shares up. Once the price of the shares for the smaller business are up, and the corporation holds the majority of the shares, the corporation will sell the failing business for a greater profit. In more recent years, we have seen this business equation with companies such as Yahoo!, Microsoft and Starbucks.

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Part Two of a Thrilling Theatre Fantasy Trilogy

September 12, 2013 Comments Off on Part Two of a Thrilling Theatre Fantasy Trilogy

The House Theatre’s The Crownless King

The Crownless King, being performed at The Chopin Theatre, is the second part in a three-part fantasy trilogy about the adventure of an orphaned young man who realizes his destiny as the King to unite all the lands. No, you are not reading a review for a summer blockbuster film. The Crownless King is a unique theatre experience that rivals the enjoyment I’ve had at any of the recent big budget Hollywood sequels.

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