Author: Colin Douglas
The Beginning of the End
The Doctor’s Dilemma – ShawChicago
In May of 1994, Robert Scogin, a lifelong devotee of the works of George Bernard Shaw, had the great idea to produce and star in the playwright’s 1906 black comedy, as a pilot production for a prospective new theatrical comedy. The gifted Mr. Scogin knew exactly what he was doing and understood that there was an audience out there waiting to see and hear Shaw’s works brought to glorious life. Well, it turns out that the comedy would be the illustrious beginning of a company called ShawChicago. Therefore, it’s only fitting that, as expenses have grown and audience attendance has dwindled, “The Doctor’s Dilemma,” sadly, will be the company’s final production.
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What Could Be Better
Bright Star – Boho Theatre
Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, both during the 1920’s and in the mid-1940’s, this emotionally charged musical was somewhat based upon a true story. Although the show isn’t historically accurate, it was inspired by a rural legend called “The Iron Mountain Baby.” Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, who collaborated on the book, music and lyrics for this new musical, used the story as their springboard, asking themselves, “What if…?” The resulting musical is filled with everything that audiences love: beautiful music; an engaging story; tragedy, suffering and remorse; an emotional roller coaster; redemption and a happy ending.
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Three Women in the Darkness
Lured: the Curse of the Swans – The Right Brain Project
When the houselights dim and the audience settles in to enjoy the performance of a play, all they’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg. Most patrons are only treated to the end product of a lot of work. They’re unaware of all that’s happened prior to this moment. The amount of time, talent and funding that goes into producing a play is much greater than most theatergoers can fully comprehend. What they’re seeing is a labor of love.
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An Almond Joy That’s Deliciously Nutty
Melancholy Play – Organic Theatre
Filled with so much joy and style, Organic Theater’s production of Sara Ruhl’s first major play is being given a new staging at the Greenhouse Theater Center. Under the astute direction of Laura Sturm, this play with music overflows in a wash of emotion, melodrama and whimsy. This contemporary, surreal farce originally premiered in 2002 at Evanston’s Piven Theatre, and was revived there again in 2015, but rewritten, this time, as a chamber musical.
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It Ain’t Over Until the Fat Lady Swims
Poseidon: An Upside Down Musical – Hell in a Handbag
“There’s got to be a morning after,” shipboard entertainer Nonnie Perry tries to sing, although she’s a little off-key and kinda breathy. Parodying Carol Lynley, from the original 1972 disaster film, one of Chicago’s greatest comic treasures, Stevie Love, gives a bravura performance as the blond, shipboard singer with the deer-in-the-headlights eyes. Actually, she comes off like a buzzed artist who’s a few donuts short of a dozen. Stevie is just one of several excellent actors in this show, whose performance in this satire evokes almost nonstop laughter throughout the two-and-a-half hours of outrageous comedy, song and dance.
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Tension in the Rust Belt
Sweat – Goodman Theatre
Lynn Nottage deservedly won the 2017 Pulitizer Prize for Drama for this mesmerizing and revealing drama about race, economy and humanity. The background for the writing of the play is almost as fascinating as Ms. Nottage’s drama, itself. In 2011, the playwright began interviewing residents of Reading, Pennsylvania, which the US Census Bureau had declared as one of the poorest cities in America. Through this extraordinary drama we see the faces and hear the voices of the real people who suffer from the de-industrialization of America.
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Clinging to Your Dreams
Hands on a Hardbody – Refuge Theatre Project
Welcome, ya’ll, to the Floyd King Nissan Dealership of Longview, Texas. It’s 1995 and a competitive giveaway is about to commence. Ten passionately-committed individuals of this dismal little town, from all ages and backgrounds, will attempt to win a cherry red pickup truck; but the winner is the contestant who has the stamina to keep one hand on the vehicle the longest and outlast all the others. This simple-sounding premise may sound like a breeze; but, in reality, it will turn out to be anything but easy.
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The Past, Present and Future Merge
The Time Warp Trio – Lifeline Theatre
Joe, Fred and Sam are three kids who find they suddenly have the power to travel through time and space to the past, present and even the future. The magical talisman that enables them to accomplish this feat is a birthday gift, given to Joe by his magician uncle, simply called “The Book.” The adventures these three friends enjoy together also provides the added benefit of teaching facts about each era and locale to which they travel. They’re able to learn firsthand from all kinds of famous men and women from history, people who inspire their daily lives.
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A Trip Through the Arab World
Detour Guide – Silk Road Rising
Travel can be kind of expensive these days. Most often one must tap into his savings to be able to afford a vacation that will take him to romantic and mystical locales on the other side of the planet. But this 90 minute journey through the Arab World, guided by Egyptian-American storyteller, musician and dancer, Karim Nagi, can be a money-saving alternative trip that will yield a fantastic educational and cultural experience.
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The Choices We Make
A Bronx Tale – Broadway in Chicago
This latest offering from Broadway in Chicago was ten years in development. The musical is based upon a story that became a play and then a film, of the same name, by film actor Chazz Palminteri. The expanded musical version of a one-man show, with a book by Palminteri, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater, premiered at the Paper Mill Playhouse in February of 2016. It eventually opened on Broadway later that same year, co-directed by Robert De Niro and Jerry Zaks, and only closed last summer.
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