Monthly Archives: October 2022
Dear Friend
She Loves Me – BrightSide Theatre
In BrightSide Theatre’s spectacular 10th season opener, a most highly-anticipated production take the stage in Naperville. It’s a theatrical marriage made in heaven of what many consider to be the charmingly written musical ever. The story is romantic and beautifully told; the characters are all likable or at least relatable; and the score is absolutely delightful. Add to this BrightSide’s excellent cast and a terrific artistic team, plus the ideal intimate venue for this sweet, old-fashioned story, and you have a production truly guaranteed to charm even the most cynical audience member.
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Children of Eden
A Concert Presentation
Stephen Schwartz is an American Tony and Grammy Award-winning lyricist and composer. His stellar, new National Touring production of “Wicked” just recently set down once again in Chicago for an extended stay, and the musical continues to dazzle and delight young and old alike. Schwartz created such other fabulous theatrical musicals as “Godspell,” “Pippin,” “The Baker’s Wife”and a musical version of “Studs Terkel’s Working.” On film, Stephen Schwartz is represented by his soundtrack for movies like “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “The Prince of Egypt” and “Enchanted.”
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Layer By Layer
Stew – Shattered Globe Theatre
Once, whenever a play told the story of a family, it was set in the living room or, in past decades, perhaps the parlor. But now we find more examples of what’s lovingly referred to as a “kitchen sink drama.” This room has become the heart of the home because, not only does warmth and sustenance begin in the kitchen, but the room often becomes the gathering place for everyone to talk about their lives, while noshing on whatever food is available. Zora Howard’s comic drama, which was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist, is set “some time ago, but not too long ago” in the cookhouse of the Tucker family. And while the titular meal is being prepared, layer is built upon layer, so the main character instructs us; and in this story we also learn much about the three generations of women in this household, layer by layer.
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Once Upon a Time…Later
Grimm – Theatre Above the Law
Theatre Above the Law is bringing back a show it premiered last Halloween season, Grimm. The show features several Grimm fairy tales set inside an imaginary bar with a framing story of Jacob Grimm looking for his missing brother, Wilhelm. A few stories have carried over from the last production and a few new ones have been added. The result was a delightful evening.
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An Often Confusing Journey
Marys Seacole – An Often Confusing Journey
In Griffin Theatre Company’s new production that opens its 33rd season, the audience should heed a word of advice. In order to fully appreciate and understand what they’re about to experience, patrons should take time, before the play begins, to read the lengthy article, written by Dr. Kristina Huang, that’s included inside the program. It explains in “Who Was Mary Seacole,” that she was a Victorian Jamaican medical practitioner and adventurer. Armed with this abbreviated knowledge about Mary Seacole will definitely help the audience comprehend this bizarre, often confusing time-traveling journey.
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History Keeps Repeating Itself
1919 – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
An exciting, incredibly moving performance piece is being played out on North Halsted for audiences, both young and old. It’s 90 minutes of nonlinear storytelling, based upon Eve L. Ewing’s poetry collection relating a horrific Chicago tragedy, one of many from the Windy City’s history. Dr. Ewing, an award-winning Chicago writer and scholar has, through her powerful words and earnest emotion, detailed the facts concerning the murder of Eugene Williams. In 1919, he was an innocent young Black teenager who was just trying to cool off in Lake Michigan on a hot summer day. Adapted by prolific Chicago playwright J. Nicole Brooks, this performance piece digs back into the city’s past to demonstrate how history, sadly, keeps repeating itself.
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Time To Change Their Stripes
Tiger Style – Writers Theatre
Jennifer and Albert are both Harvard-educated Chinese-American siblings who suddenly feel that their lives are falling apart. Jennifer is a high-strung, highly-regarded doctor, who also happens to be gifted, classically-trained pianist. Albert is a nerdy pushover, a highly-paid computer software techie, who was forced to master the cello as a kid.Their problems come to a head when Reggie, Jennifer’s live-in, loser boyfriend, an air-headed surfer dude, suddenly dumps her. Then Albert looks around and realizes that his annoying slacker co-worker, nicknamed Russ the Bus, has been using him, taking credit for all his hard work and has been unjustly given a raise and a promotion of authority over Albert.
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I Have Treasured Our Life Together
The Notebook – Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
Nicholas Sparks is a name known to readers the world over. He’s written and published 22 novels, to date, many of which became New York Times bestsellers, and eleven have been turned into successful movies. They include such familiar titles as Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember and his latest book, The Return. The Notebook, Sparks’ first novel, was published in 1996, and was turned into a blockbuster cult film in 2004. Now this beloved sentimental story has been adapted into a gorgeous theatrical event. The musical features a book by Bekah Brunstetter, with music & lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson. It’s a beautiful new version of Sparks’ novel that is faithful to his novel and brings his name and talent to a whole new generation. And this magnificent musical drama is currently having its pre-Broadway debut, right here in Chicago.
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A Modern Twist to the Cowardy Touch
Private Lives – Raven Theatre
In what seems like a mini Noel Coward Festival in Chicago this Fall (“Hay Fever” is playing at City Lit Theater Company), Raven Theatre, Chicago’s newest Equity-affiliated company, opens its 40th season with a fresh take on what may be the playwright’s most popular play. It’s a perfect choice for a theatre company known for producing works that highlight the power of words. Noel Coward is best known for his sparkling, witty dialogue, his eccentric and memorable characters and his biting satire of the upper class elite. In achieving this, “Private Lives” is a mostly delicious confection.
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Sacrificing Art for Love
Botticelli in the Fire – First Floor Theater
The Early Italian Renaissance artist, Sandro Botticelli, painted a wide range of portraits and religious subjects, particularly dozens of paintings of the Madonna and Child. However, ironically he’s more famous for his few majestic mythological works. Botticelli’s particularly revered for his enormous canvas entitled, “The Birth of Venus.” It depicts the completely nude, newly-born Roman Goddess of Love and Beauty, arriving upon the shore while standing in a giant scallop shell. It is the story of Botticelli’s creation of this painting that inspired Jordan Tannahill to write this two-act play. The accomplished and much celebrated and awarded Millennial Canadian filmmaker, director, multidisciplinary artist and prolific playwright is also, like Botticelli, a controversial artist. In this way, Tannahill and Botticelli have something in common.
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