Filtering by Tag: Michael Halberstam

PicksInSix Review: A DOLL'S HOUSE Writers Theatre

October 08, 2019 / Ed Tracy

“ONE CANNOT HIDE FROM THE TRUTH.”

A concise and economical adaptation of the Henrik Ibsen’s ”A Doll’s House” opened Wednesday at Writers Theatre, the product of a collaboration between Writers’ artistic director Michael Halberstam and the multi-talented Sandra Delgado. Bundled within the intimate confines of the Gillian Theatre on a well appointed Arnel Sancianco set that uses every facet of the space-in-the-round, and with actors adorned in magnificent period costumes by Izumi Inaba, the one-act 90-minute production provides the perfect opportunity to revel in Ibsen’s classic without sacrificing the complex, interwoven nature of the character development.

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categories / PicksInSix
tags / Henrik Ibsen, Sandra Delgado, Michael Halberstam, Lavina Jadhwani, Cher Álvarez, Greg Matthew Anderson, Amy J. Carle, Tiffany Renee Johnson, Adam Poss, Bradley Grant Smith, Arnel Sancianco, Izumi Inaba

PicksInSix Review: INTO THE WOODS Writers Theatre

August 23, 2019 / Ed Tracy

“ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THE WOODS.”

Creatively staged and powerfully performed with a perfect line-up of talent, the Writers Theatre revival of “Into the Woods” debuted Wednesday in a magnificent Gary Griffin-directed production. Stephen Sondheim’s epic musical journey to the other side of happily-ever-after of the Baker and his wife, masterfully conjoined with the familiar fairy tales of “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” and “Rapunzel” earned eight 1988 Tony Award nominations, and received three, including best original score for Sondheim, best book for James Lapine (who was also nominated for best director), and best performance for Joanna Gleason. (Lapine was nominated again as best director in 2002, in which the show won, among ten other nominations, best revival).

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categories / PicksInSix, Musical Theater, Theater Review
tags / Stephen Sondheim, James Lapine, Gary Griffin, Matt Deitchman, Audrey Adams, Nicole Armold, Ben Barker, Alex Benoit, Brianna Borger, William Brown, McKinley Carter, Matt Edmonds, Lucy Godínez, Michael Halberstam, Kelli Harrington, Molly Hernández, Cecilia Iole, Michael Mahler, Ryan McBride, Mary Poole, Harriet Nzinga Plumpp, Ximone Rose, Bethany Thomas

PicksInSix Theater Review: "Twelfth Night" Writers Theatre

November 19, 2018 / Ed Tracy

A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE ON ANY NIGHT!
by Jonathan Bourne

Say “what you will,” you will love the exuberant production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” now playing at the Writers Theatre in Glencoe through December 16th.

The play opens to the aftermath of a shipwreck on the shores of Illyria. Twins, Sebastian (Luce Metrius) and Viola (Jennifer Latimore), each believe the other has drowned. Viola is so distraught she decides to dress up as a man in order to secure employment with the local duke, Orsino (Matthew C. Yee). The Duke is in love with Olivia (Andrea San Miguel) and he sends his new manservant, Cesario/Viola, to plead his case. Olivia, however, is having none of it because she has also just lost a brother and wishes to remain cloistered for seven years of mourning. Everything backfires when Olivia becomes enamored with Cesario/Viola and Cesario/Viola falls in love with Orsino!

The subplot involves Olivia’s servant, Malvolio (Sean Fortunato) who is indignant about the boisterous and besotted antics of Olivia’s household, which includes her uncle, Sir Toby Belch (Kevin Gudahl), Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Scott Parkinson) and others. Malvolio, however, is such a priggish killjoy that they decide to play a cruel practical joke on him. Suffice it to say that it involves forged letters, unrequited love, yellow stockings and crossed garters.

Deftly directed by Michael Halberstam, the performances are all first-rate. Nevertheless, Sean Fortunato as the Puritanical Malvolio and Scott Parkinson as benighted Aguecheek merit special mention.

Andrea San Miguel, Jennifer Latimore, Matthew C. Yee, William Brown.jpg

Jennifer Latimore, Andrea San Miguel.jpg

Scott Parkinson, Mary Williamson, Karen Janes Woditsch, Kevin Gudahl.jpg

Visually, the production was entirely captivating. The set by William Boles looked like some sort of sunny Adriatic Brigadoon rising out of the Illyrian sea. The costumes by Mara Blumenfeld were an explosion of bright floral prints and all worked perfectly.

Quite simply, “Twelfth Night” is delightful. A wonderful experience on any night! Don’t miss it!

PHOTOS|Michael Brosilow

WRITERS THEATRE
Presents
TWELFTH NIGHT, OR WHAT YOU WILL
through December 16th
325 Tudor Court
Glencoe
(847) 242-6000

WEBSITE

For more reviews, visit: Theatre In Chicago

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categories / PicksInSix
tags / Luce Metrius, Jennifer Latimore, Matthew C. Yee, Andrea San Miguel, Sean Fortunato, Kevin Gudahl, Scott Parkinson, Michael Halberstam, William Boles, Mara Blumenfeld