PicksInSix Review: Billy Elliot The Musical - Paramount Theatre

Billy Elliot: “It’s Showtime Baby!”
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

What’s happening right now at Paramount Theatre in Aurora will not soon come this way again. “It’s showtime, baby!” Bring it on!

“Billy Elliot The Musical,” the Elton John/Lee Hall ten-time Tony Award winner with a long, rich love affair with Chicago, opened Friday in what can only be described as a phenomenal, electrifying production. As directed by Trent Stork and choreographed by Isaiah Silva-Chandley, this quintessential “Billy Elliot” features an enormously talented cast led by Ron E. Rains as Dad, Michelle Aravena as Mrs. Wilkinson and, on opening night, the arresting performance of Neo Del Corral as Billy Elliot, the young boy discovering his life’s passion in the midst of a tumultuous period of unrest as his small hometown north of London is embroiled in the 1984 coal miner’s strike.

The story unfolds amid a visual feast—adorned with Izumi Inaba’s costumes on scenic designer Michelle Lilly’s colossal sixty-foot-high steel-themed coal mine set with two-story moving stairway systems that are reconfigured to frame the evolving scenes moving effortlessly in sync with Greg Hoffman’s dynamic lighting design, Mike Tutaj projections and a crisp sound design by Adam Rosenthal.

The lovely and talented Aravena commands the stage in a fierce performance as the dance instructor who first discovers Billy’s true potential in ballet and fights for his opportunity to pursue a dream. Del Corral—who alternates the role of Billy with Sam Duncan—plays the 1,900 seat Paramount Theatre with extraordinary poise, presence and a strength of character that belies his years. And when Billy and his gay friend Michael (Gabriel Lafazan) get together, it’s showtime, baby! — a dynamic duo of pint-sized firebrands tap dancing and singing up a storm with a streak of sassy larceny a mile long in the show-stopping hit “Expressing Yourself.”

One of the most impressive ensembles ever assembled at Paramount includes many of Chicago’s most accomplished actors who cover the citizenry of life-worn miners opposed by an army of police along with a bevy of early career prima ballerinas all under the brilliant musical direction of Kory Danielson who conducts the Paramount Orchestra. Rains returns to a role he has played previously with a seasoned, passionate and superb multi-layered performance as Billy’s Dad. Barbara Robertson is exquisite as Billy’s endearing Grandma and Jennie Sophia is a beacon of purity as Billy’s Mum in the tender, emotionally charged ballad “The Letter” with Aravena and Del Corral.  Dakota Hughes (Mr. Braithwaite), Joe Foust (George), and Spencer Davis Milford (Tony) are all stellar, as is the stunning Swan Lake ballet with Billy and Older Billy (Christopher Kelley)— a work of art that utilizes the full range of the Paramount’s expansive stage.

The sheer grandeur of the closing moments of this production left me in awe and ranks as the most beautiful visual tapestry I have ever—repeat, ever—seen in a theatre. I am still thinking about it and how Paramount's stunning production of "Billy Elliot" will now occupy a permanent place in my memory box of this show.

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

PARAMOUNT THEATRE
presents
Billy Elliot The Musical
through March 24, 2024

23 East Galena Boulevard
Aurora, IL 60506

(630) 896–6666

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PicksInSix Review: THE KING AND I Drury Lane Theatre

RICH VOICES, PAGEANTRY CROWN DRURY’S “KING”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Well along in the sprawling, crisply paced production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “The King and I” that opened Thursday at Drury Lane Theatre, Anna (Betsy Morgan) and the King (Adam Jacobs) appear to be on the verge of consummating an epic love story. Everything before has led to this joyous climax with the bristled, yet vulnerable, King fatefully enraptured by Anna’s intelligence, irresistible charm and strength of will. The celebratory feeling in “Shall We Dance?” stands among one of the most fulfilling moments in all of Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals.

It is the pageantry that has come before, and how vitally important the moment is to what follows, that makes Alan Paul’s expertly directed “The King and I” shine. Swept up in 1860s Siam, the story of Anna Leonowens’s true-to-life experiences unfold over the course of a year in the King’s palace. First told in Margaret Landon’s “Anna and the King of Siam,” it became a film starring Rex Harrison, prior to the 1951 Broadway musical debut with Gertrude Lawrence and the robust Yul Brynner. In the style of Robert Preston and Zero Mostel, Brynner went on to become inextricably associated with the role he created. That kind of legacy, and a career that included over 4,600 stage performances and an award-winning film version, is a daunting benchmark whenever this show is revived.

In the role of King, Jacobs has a commanding presence on stage and comes with a resume that includes an origin story of its own as Broadway’s first “Aladdin.” Striking a delicate, and yet defiant, balance with a finely tuned sensibility for the complex role, Jacobs skillfully navigates between the autocratic ruler, who insists that everyone around him obey, and the inquisitive man, who is equal parts father figure and all-knowing philosopher. For good measure, he adds a stellar voice and a believable heap of wonder and frightful insecurity in the face of opposition.

That opposition comes mostly in the form of the alluring Morgan, a quintessential star-turn for the actor whose lofty abilities are on full and magnificent display. As Anna, Morgan plays a widowed governess with high ideals for civility and the advancement of human rights. After charming the adorable royal children and their mothers, it is just a matter of time before Anna is able to melt the calloused exterior of the King that leads to that wonderful, fleeting moment when we feel the exuberance of two people in love. Along the way, Morgan revels within the iconic score singing the memorable “I Whistle a Happy Tune” and “Getting to Know You,” the declarative and comic “Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?” and the beautifully poignant “Hello Young Lovers.”   

The other primary love story involves Tuptim (Paulina Yeung) and the scholar Lun Tha (Ethan Le Phong) who, early on, presents her as a gift from Bruma to the King. Their soaring love ballad “We Kiss in the Shadow” is a highlight. When Lady Thiang (Christine Bunuan) discovers the relationship, she warns the young lovers of the dire consequences should the King find out. Bunuan is brilliant in the supporting role, delivering “Something Wonderful” and the lighter “Western People Funny” with poise and power. Fine featured performances abound in the cast and talented ensemble, including Karmann Bajuyo as Kralahome, Matthew Uzarraga’s Prince Chulalongkorn and Braden Crothers, who splits the role of Louis Leonowens with Nolan Maddox.

There is so much more about this exceptional production from the superb work of music director/conductor by Tim Laciano, scenic design by Wilson Chin and Riw Rakkulchon, dynamic choreography by Darren Lee, especially “The Small House of Uncle Thomas” ballet featuring Kristine Bendul, to the cavalcade of stunning Izumi Inaba costumes based on Catherine Zuber’s original designs, which just have to be seen to be believed.     

PHOTO|Brett Beiner

DRURY LANE THEATRE
presents
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S
THE KING AND I
through May 22, 2022

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PicksInSix Review: THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963

SUPERB ENSEMBLE, STORY DRIVE POIGNANT ‘WATSONS’

Christopher Paul Curtis’s 1995 historical novel, The Watsons Go To Birmingham – 1963, the source material for Cheryl L. West’s remarkable new play, now in a world-premiere production at Chicago Children’s Theatre, recounts the travels of the African-American Watson family on a road trip from Flint, Michigan into Birmingham at one of the turning points of the civil rights movement: the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing on September 15, 1963, which caused the senseless murder of four young girls preparing for church services, ignited national outrage and galvanized efforts to support the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Curtis’s work first came to the attention of director Wardell Julius Clark when he was a sixth grade student in Fairfield, Alabama, and it became a deeply personal story as his mother had longtime connections with the family of Denise McNair, one of the victims of the tragedy. West’s beautiful adaptation appeals to young and old with an insightful view of what happens when generational awareness intersects with childhood innocence. Clark’s carefully crafted production, infused with an evocative original score by Paris Ray Dozier, results in an atmosphere ripe for understanding and discussion about the serious emotional impact of racism on children. 

The Watson family story centers on the coming-of-age experiences of young Kenny Watson (Nelson Simmons), the smart and inquisitive middle child of Mama (Sharriese Hamilton) and Daddy (Bear Bellinger) Watson. The Watsons are loving, attentive parents, but become concerned when Kenny’s rebellious older brother Byron (Stephen “Blu” Allen) skips school with his pal Buphead (Ian Paul Custer) and tries to get Kenny to cover for him. So, Daddy and Mama pack up the “Brown Bomber” with the boys and their youngest daughter, Joey (Lyric Sims), and head off for Birmingham to deliver Byron to live with his Grandma Sands (Deanna Reed-Foster).

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Mama has carefully planned a three-day excursion, but Daddy decides that it will be better for everyone if they stop along the way as little as possible. This presents logistical problems, of course, and also allows for a disturbing confrontation to occur along the way. Upon arrival, Grandma Sands waits with open arms—and a dire warning that ultimately proves to be a bonding experience for the young boys and sets the stage for a series of skillfully executed moments of drama later on.

The family relationship that the two fine actors Hamilton and Bellinger create together and with their children is touching and real. As the narrative voice of the play, Simmons’s Kenny relates to every young person who struggles to cope with events as they unfold, aided by the fine work of Allen as the self-centered older brother who has his own issues. Sims is as disarmingly sweet in the role of the youngest Watson as Reed-Foster is as Grandma, with the talented Custer playing multiple roles. Scenic design by Arnel Sancianco, with lights by Jason Lynch, costumes by Izumi Inaba, sound by Kevin O’Donnell and projections by Smooch Medina evoke the open highway for the trip to Birmingham and events in the youthful experiences that Kenny tries to process and overcome.

Opening a door for discussion with children of all ages, the Watson family in West’s moving production bursts with heart and understanding–as when providing comfort to Kenny, Grandma compares the strength of family to endure hardships like the roots of trees that “no matter what’s coming at ’em, keep these trees standing strong and standing tall for years on end”—one of many valuable lessons that run deeply through this poignant work.

Casting Note: Jeremiah Ruwe (Kenny) and Jillian-Giselle (Joey) share performances for this production.

PHOTOS|Charles Osgood

CHICAGO CHILDREN’S THEATRE
Presents
THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM —1963
weekends through May 19th
The Station
100 South Racine Avenue
(872) 222-9555

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PicksInSix Review: TWILIGHT BOWL

INGENIOUS ARC KEEPS ‘TWILIGHT BOWL’ ROLLING!

Ever wondered how things you did in your childhood impacted the friends and family who were around you at the time? If someone asked them years later to say something nice about you, could they, or would the conversation shift to one of those high-risk activities that surely play out much better in life’s rearview mirror? Who remembers all those stupid mistakes we made growing up that were so embarrassing you could never tell your mother?

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The absorbing backstories of the young women in “Twilight Bowl,” the world premiere of Rebecca Gilman’s delectable slice-of-rural-life directed by Erica Weiss that opened Tuesday at Goodman Theatre, flicker intensely in the neon glow of a Wisconsin bowling alley as Jaycee (Heather Chrisler), her best friend Clarice (Hayley Burgess), cousin Sam (Becca Savoy) and faith-based pal Sharlene (Anne E. Thompson) huddle around a table in the bar. Jaycee’s colorful past is sometimes shocking and there is cake, but we soon discover that she has made some bad choices recently and will be going away for a while. For the group’s members, who have spent their youth together and worked and grew up in and around the bowling alley, this is bittersweet farewell.

Sam represents the success story, a competitor who earned a bowling scholarship to Ohio State. Clarice will stay in town. Sharlene is deeply tied to the church and wants to continue to be a source of strength for Jaycee and everyone else. So, despite some harsh words about how things worked out, they all commit to their friendship going forward, or so it seems.

Several months later, during Thanksgiving break, Sam returns from college with her new-found friend Maddy (Angela Morris). The bartender Brielle (Mary Taylor), who is taking time away from her education, learns why Maddy is there, instead of with her family back in Winnetka on the North Shore. And after losing a friendly bowling wager to boost Sam’s spirits, Maddy wears out her welcome with one of the women. The ingenious arc of the 90-minute story exposes a range of youthful emotions, from regret and jealously to reconciliation, in the splendidly paced character study.

Gilman, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, Goodman Artistic Associate and Northwestern professor, created “Twilight Bowl” with a commission from the Big Ten Theatre Consortium, which is committed to improving gender equity in the theater. She developed the work in association with Goodman’s 2017 New Stages Festival. The Goodman premiere features the original New Stages cast and is unique for its all-female creative and production team, including Weiss, a Chicago-based director, filmmaker and television writer who is also co-creator and executive producer of the new CBS series “The Red Line”; Regina Garcia’s set design; costumes and lighting by Izumi Inaba and Cat Wilson; and original music and sound design by Victoria Deiorio.

This is a poignant coming-of-age story, a fascinating exploration of emerging personalities that are the sum of their individual and collective life experiences. As the women of “Twilight Bowl” confront challenging personal situations, and struggle to cope with the anxiety their decisions cause, they run headlong into the small-town nature of things—rural values that can be overwhelming for anyone not accustomed to the unique pace and rhythm. Or perhaps more to the point, in the rush to escape where we have been, let’s not forget that the sense of security of our youth, and those erstwhile relationships, will always be part of who we are and how we would like to be remembered.      

PHOTOS|Brett Beiner

GOODMAN THEATRE
Presents
TWILIGHT BOWL
through March 10th
170 N Dearborn Street
(312) 443-3800

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PICKSINSIX Review: LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET

“DANCING TO THE BEAT OF LIFE”

All you need to know is … The seven-year-old future zoologist CJ is on his way to his Nana’s when we meet him in the opening moments of the world premiere of Last Stop on Market Street directed by Henry Godinez now playing at the Chicago Children’s Theatre. He is savvy enough for his age, but not comfortable in a neighborhood vastly different from his own and is nervously counting down the hours until he will be back at home with his parents and his aptly-named canine pal, Doggy. With only the security of his backpack, a few bucks in his turtle pillow, and his cell phone, tablet and headphones, CJ is not at all prepared for what comes next. After first applying sugar, Nana tells it like it is and draws a line by singing “All you need to know is that I said so!”

A glorious, inspiring and heartwarming journey … As you might imagine, things get off to a rocky start, mostly because CJ is convinced, as most seven-year-olds are, that he is in charge. That begins to change as the two embark on Nana's regular crosstown adventure to the other side of town. Through her wise and insightful observations, CJ learns that the excitement of discovery is as much in the journey as it is in reaching the destination. And what a glorious, inspiring and heartwarming journey it is!

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Bowl of soul … The new musical adapted by Cheryl L. West with a hip score by Motown legend Lamont Dozier and his son, Paris Ray Dozier, is based on the 2016 Newbery award-winning children’s book written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson. Add the considerable stage and vocal talent of E. Faye Butler, a terrific ensemble with musical direction by Andra Velis Simon, ingenious staging(John Musial), choreography(Stephanie Paul), costumes (Izumi Inaba), sound(Ray Nardall) and lighting(Alexander Ridgers), and with a bus that appears virtually out of nowhere, Last Stop on Market Street is truly a “bowl of soul” for all ages.

Magical chemistry … Parents and fans of the book, written for preschoolers, will thoroughly enjoy this expanded stage version of the touching story of a bus ride across town for a young boy, played at the Saturday afternoon opening performance by the endearing Kei Rawlins (sharing the role with Alejandro Medina) and his no-nonsense Nana, the incomparable Butler. There are a lot of lessons to learn and this show is a real conversation starter for youngsters five and up. Every one of the fascinating characters influence CJ in his quest for answers including (in multiple roles): the bus driver, Mr. Dennis (Breon Arzell), the blind musician, Vernon (Jesse Bhamrah), the rapper Tat Man (Brian Keys), Butterfly & Posey (Melanie Brezill), and a young homeless girl Jojo (Kirra Silver).

Every morning brings a new song … the Dozier score rocks a range from the jiving opening company number “Hello, Goodbye” to the poignant “Servin’ Up Love” … Butler’s “Cause I Said So” and “Praise the Lord” are terrific. You are sure to be humming “The Beat of Life” on the way home.

Next stop: Minneapolis … Director Godinez and his team have created an ingenious, colorful panorama of urban neighborhood locations. For those of us without prior knowledge of the material, our discovery is as fulfilling as CJ’s. For that reason alone, you should climb aboard and make a date to see this show running through May 27th. Bring a youngster. Support the Greater Chicago Food Depository with a donation. Buy the book in the gift shop and get ready for a heartwarmingly wonderful hour of entertainment. After the CCT engagement, the next stop: Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis, also directed by Godinez. 

PHOTOS|CHARLES OSGOOD

CHICAGO CHILDREN's THEATRE
Presents
A New Musical
LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET
through May 27th
The Station
100 S. Racine Avenue
(312) 374-8835

WEBSITE

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