PicksInSix Review: 1776 - Marriott Theatre

“TO THINK THAT HERE WE ARE.”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The inspiring production of “1776” that opened Wednesday at the Marriott Theatre brought a few familiar thoughts to mind about our young and exuberant country.  Democracy is messy. The more things change, the more they stay the same. And a line from one of Sherman Edwards’ songs: “To think that here we are.”

That jubilant statement is sung out by Benjamin Franklin (Richard R. Henry) to John Adams (Tyrick Wiltez Jones) and Thomas Jefferson (Erik Hellman) as the newly drafted Declaration of Independence is being read to the 2nd Continental Congress. They know that there are pitfalls and more debate ahead—and the reality of the bloody war already underway that is underscored throughout the show with missives from ‘G. Washington’ himself—but for a brief instant, getting to this point feels like a small victory.

Obviously, no one truly knows what transpired in the room where this happened. That said, Edwards’ 1969 Tony Award-winning concept, music and lyrics and Peter Stone’s book together create a captivating menagerie of historical characters who are (mostly) bent on unification. All those years later we are today mired in a never-ending election cycle and immersed in an escalating debate about the future vision for our democracy. There is hope and we do generally agree that a new, yet imperfect, nation was formed on July 4, 1776 for the people of the thirteen original colonies, even as freedom and equality for all is still lagging woefully behind.

With director Nick Bowling’s steady hand, sharp choreography by Tanji Harper and a casting coup that has assembled many of Chicago’s top performing artists together on one stage, Marriott Theatre’s “1776” has a sweeping professional sheen as one of the finest and most unique shows on stage right now.

The opposing voice to Adams’s passionate colonial independence is embodied in Pennsylvania delegate John Dickinson, a stellar performance by Heidi Kettenring. The two opposing forces—mediated by Joel Gelman’s stalwart John Hancock and Gabriel Lott-Rogers‘s Charles Thomson with assistance from the ever-present Karl Hamilton as Andrew McNair—weave arguments and slow progress to a bitter stalemate. Along the way, songs teeter from the humorous—“Sit Down, John,” “The Lees of Old Virginia” and “He Plays The Violin”—to the horrific, by South Carolina’s Edward Rutledge (Matthew Hommel) whose chilling referendum to slavery “Molasses to Rum” is alarmingly prophetic. The moving performances of Katherine Alexis Thomas (Abigail Adams), Alicia Kaori (Martha Jefferson), Lucy Godinez (Richard Henry Lee) and a remarkable performance by Jay Westbrook (Courier) in “Momma Look Sharp” deserve special mention in a company stocked with extraordinary voices under the musical direction of Ryan T. Nelson and conductor Brad Haak.

Regina Garcia’s crisp, multi-level scenic design expands Marriott’s in-the-round configuration to create a wide and striking panorama of the chamber interior punctuated by Jesse Klug’s evocative light design and Michael Daly’s pinpoint sound design. The visual picture is complete with Theresa Ham’s gorgeous costumes that make “1776” a truly wonderful—and historic—theatrical event.  

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire
presents
1776
through October 13, 2024

Ten Marriott Drive
Lincolnshire, IL 60069

WEBSITE

TICKETS

847-634-0200 (Box Office)

For more reviews, visit: Theatre In Chicago

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PicksInSix Review: In The Heights - Marriott Theatre

Marriott’s ‘Heights” Bursts With Celebratory Spirit!

PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Usnavi has a dream to escape, like everyone on his block in Washington Heights. And those few hot days in July play out in what is sure to be a blockbuster revival of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In The Heights” that looks and sounds as fresh and vibrant as ever at Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire. The strong sense of family unfolds in a neighborhood teeming with a celebratory spirit that is so inherently baked into this show it erupts again and again with uncontrollable passion and hopeful promise. Look no further than the rousing Act II “Carnaval del Barrio” which prompted a thunderous ovation and the waving of flags in the audience. Not the usual Wednesday opening night in Lincolnshire to be sure.

It is hard to believe that Miranda created what would become “In The Heights” twenty-five years ago when he was a sophomore in college. With thirteen 2008 Tony Award nominations and four wins including Best Musical and Best Musical Score, there was no doubt that Broadway had welcomed a new force of nature—a playwright, composer, lyrist and performer whose talents speak for and to generations of performers of Latino decent—and just about everyone else on the planet, as well.

And that other revelatory musical by Miranda “Hamilton” would arrive little more than seven years later.

Director James Vásquez has hit the mark and assembled an astounding cast around the gifted Joseph Morales as Usnavi, who essayed the role on the first Broadway national tour. Conceived by Miranda with a book by Quiara Alegria Hudes, Usnavi runs a bodega with his cousin Sonny (Jordan Arredondo) who is prodding Usnavi to take the next step with Vanessa (Paola V. Hernández). When Vanessa’s best friend Nina (Addie Morales) returns home and announces to her parents Camila (Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel) and Kevin (Rudy Martinez) that she lost her Stamford scholarship, Kevin makes the decision to sell the family business to fund her education. All that does not sit well with Nina or her mother and turns into a standoff with longtime employee Benny (Yasir Muhammad), who is Black and in love with Nina. Everyone in the neighborhood knows the score, too, as the delightful gadabout Daniela (Lillian Castillo) who runs the salon with Carla (Michelle Lauto), along with Sonny, begin to stir the pot to get everyone together.

“In The Heights” now playing at Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire through March 17, 2024.

Abuela Claudia (Crissy Guerro), a kindred spirit to Usnavi and everyone in the neighborhood, has a windfall that just might bring financial security to those around her. It’s an emotional roller coaster ride when the power goes out during the July 4th celebration and everyone “In The Heights” realizes that the most important thing in life is being there for each other. You will find yourself deliriously swept away by the music, directed by Ryan T. Nelson and conducted by Noah Landis, and the nonstop exuberance of William Carlo Angulo’s choreography, of which one patron of a certain age said to me on the way out, “I wish I could bottle up that energy and take it home!”

I could not agree more.  

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire
presents
In The Heights
through March 17, 2024

WEBSITE

TICKETS

For more reviews, visit: Theatre In Chicago

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PicksInSix Review: Gypsy: A Musical Fable - Marriott Theatre

“A PIONEER WOMAN WITHOUT A FRONTIER.”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Say what you will about the manipulative Rose Hovik—the complex character and commanding force at the center of “Gypsy: A Musical Fable,” the 1959 Arthur Laurents book with music by Jules Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim that has its origins in the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee—she proves that very little will stand in the way of her personal ambitions. Whether it’s stealing from her father for the next big break, relentlessly pushing her two daughters into the business that passed her by or leaning on everyone around her whenever necessary, Rose is the engine that’s barreling down the track. Never giving up, whatever the cost. It’s all the stuff of epic musical theatre, and the fruit of a historic collaboration, that opened Wednesday at Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire in a bright, brassy and entertaining production, directed by Amanda Dehnert and choreographed by Stephanie Klemons.

The show features Broadway veterans and vocal powerhouses, Lucia Spina and Nathaniel Stampley as Rose Hovik and manager/companion Herbie, who ‘pool their resources by joining forces” to create a vaudeville show around Rose’s daughters Louise played by Lauren Maria Medina and June played by newcomer Tori Heinlein. Always the star in Rose’s dream of greatness, Heinlein’s June leads an endearing group of youngsters in the early years of the act, to the exclusion of the insecure and vulnerable Louise, who lacks the confidence of her sister and is earnestly along for the ride.

That is until the girls age out of the act and Rose’s attention, and livelihood, turns to making Louise star of the show. Medina’s transformation from little Dutch to the scintillating Gypsy in the show’s climax is as electrifying as Spina’s skillful and emotional “Rose’s Turn,” a transformation all her own from “a pioneer woman without a frontier” to the self-realization that there is more to life than unkept promises and broken dreams.

The ensemble is layered deep with exceptional talent. J’Kobe Wallace’s Tulsa offers up a smooth and savvy song and dance routine to “All I Need Is the Girl.”  Elin Joy Seiler (Baby June) and Milla Liss (Young Louise) are picture perfect in the opening of “Let Me Entertain You” as are all the youthful performers. Cedric Young, Joseph Primes and Steve O’Connell are among many in the ensemble who stand out in supporting roles.

But things come to an uproarious full stop in the free-wheeling performances of Emily Rohm (Tessie Tura), Leeanna Rubin (Electra) and Sawyer Smith (Mazeppa) who guide the wholesome Louise in the hilarious, tear-inducing dressing room number “You Gotta Have A Gimmick.” Between Rohm’s blooming butterfly in flight replete with spinning tassels, Rubin’s incandescent aura and the sheer magnificence of Smith’s statuesque presence in one of Theresa Ham’s inspired costume designs, it’s sheer bliss!

Collette Pollard’s scenic design is decked out from top to bottom in vaudeville flair that frames the action—and defines the journey incorporating Anthony Churchill’s unique media design—punctuated by Jesse Klug’s stellar lighting design, particularly during Gypsy’s coming of age. Music director Ryan T. Nelson and Marriott’s superb orchestra, conducted by Brad Haak, deliver every note from the fast-paced company numbers to Spina’s dynamic performance of the show’s iconic Act I closer “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” to make “Gypsy” a musical night to remember.      

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

MARRIOTT THEATRE LINCOLNSHIRE
presents
GYPSY: A Musical Fable
through October 15, 2023

WEBSITE

TICKETS

(847) 634-0200

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PicksInSix Review: Damn Yankees - Marriott Theatre

A DEVIL OF A GOOD TIME!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Looking to fill your breezy summer evening with the crack of the bat and a stadium-size offering of blockbuster musical numbers mixed with an offer of immortality? All these merge in “Damn Yankees,” the 1955 award-winning hit with book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, lyrics and music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, choreography by Bob Fosse and starring Ray Walston and Gwen Verdon. “Damn Yankees” received seven Tony Awards, spawned a hit film, and is playing now in a robust and rollicking revival at Marriott Theatre that’s a devil of a good time!

The musical, based on Wallop’s “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant,” holds up well nearly 70 years later even with a cluster of eye rollers in the script that require a special comic touch these days. But all is forgiven when this time capsule begins delivering a string of socko company numbers like “Heart,” “Shoeless Joe from Hannibul, MO,” “Who’s Got the Pain,” and “The Game” in showstopping style. And that’s exactly what happened—twice—at Wednesday’s opening performance with the top-flight talent assembled by director James Vásquez and Tyler Hanes’s Fosse-infused choreography.

Vásquez has stacked the lineup for laughs, too, with Sean Fortunato in a wickedly sardonic performance as the devious devil Mr. Applegate who grants the wish of Joe Boyd (Ron E. Rains) for the Washington Senators to win the pennant. With a slight of hand, a whiff of smoke and a change of name, Applegate creates Joe Hardy (Andrew Alstat) whose youth, power and abilities will pick the hapless Senators out of the cellar and into the World Series for the small price of Joe’s eternal damnation. As the team rises in the standings, the story clings to some detective work by ace reporter Gloria Thorpe (Erica Stephan) whose curiosity threatens to expose Joe before he can finish the job and lead the team to victory.

It doesn’t take long for Joe to realize that he’d rather be home with his wife Meg (Daniella Dalli) than face Applegate’s mounting pressure to stay within the baselines. As Joe begins to waver, Applegate enlists the services of Lola (Michelle Aravena), an irresistible temptress, to woo Joe back on his team. But even Lola’s sexy and sultry advances fail and Lola instead conspires to help unravel Applegate’s plan. As the clock ticks down, things start to heat up in Joe’s world.

In addition to the many memorable individual highlights in the show—Aravena’s playful, coy “A Little Brains, A Little Talent” and the steamy “Whatever Lola Wants” are truly topflight and Fortunato knocks “Those Were the Good Old Days” out of the park—the ensemble’s work throughout, and especially in “Two Lost Souls,” a dark, smoky ode to Fosse that virtually oozes up from the underworld, is phenomenal.   

In a cast of venerable Chicago talent, Lorenzo Rush Jr. stands out as the Senators coach Van Buren who leads the ensemble in “Heart” and plays some solid work with Jonah D. Winston and Michael Kingston. Erica Stephan steps up front and center for the crowd-pleaser “Shoeless Joe” that includes the amazing jump rope talents of Ben Broughton. Heidi Kettenring and Lydia Burke team up on the sidelines as kooky, adoring Senators fans, spreading gaiety and a little fog around on Regina Garcia’s sharp and versatile set. With Jesse Klug’s surreal lighting effects, Michael Daly’s subterrain sound and truly gorgeous 50s era costumes by Teresa Hams, the stage is awash in vibrant color to match the music directing talents of Ryan T. Nelson and Noah Landis’ orchestra, and to make Marriott’s “Damn Yankees” the show to see in Chicago.  

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

MARRIOTT THEATRE LINCOLNSHIRE
presents
DAMN YANKEES
through June 4, 2023

WEBSITE

TICKETS

(847) 634-0200

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PicksInSix Review: Big Fish - Marriott Theatre

“Stories Under Every Leaf And Stone.”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

“Big Fish,” the musical based on Daniel Wallace’s novel about an alluring travelling salesman and his larger-than-life experiences that also spawned the 2003 Tim Burton directed film, had its 2013 pre-Broadway tryout in Chicago. With music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and a book by John August, Edward Bloom’s exploits, were expanded and enlarged to epic proportions by director/choreographer Susan Stroman. The show had too much happening, for so long, that it was hard to believe it would be able to survive its fall opening in New York. The script was considerably reworked over the summer, however, the show did not see the new year.

But that was only an early chapter in the “Big Fish” story, a musical that deserved to live on. It has been regularly produced including at the Boho Theatre in a blackbox space at Chicago’s Greenhouse Theatre a few years ago. The scaled down production fit the space well and captured the essence of the central story that tracks Bloom’s son Will on a journey to learn the truth behind his father’s wide-eyed stories. What resonated most to me at the time was how the score had coalesced and matured. In such an intimate setting, and even at the expense of the sizable scope of the stories being told, this sparkling gem of show had me hooked.

Now comes an exciting, new Equity production that brings together the best of all possible creative Chicago worlds to the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. Director Henry Godinez and Associate Director and Choreographer Tommy Rapley have expertly infused the small-cast version of the show, designed for a dozen players, into a sweeping musical tapestry of fabric, color and light. The work is superbly paced, the staging fresh and creative, and the crowning achievement is that it takes full advantage of Marriott’s in-the-round, ramped access configuration, effortlessly flowing from one scene to the next, beginning to end. The stunning first act closing number is a sight to behold!

Leading the all-star cast and ensemble is Alexander Gemignani as the always engaging Edward Bloom, a husband, father, salesman and teller of stories. Thirty-six to be exact, with many multiple versions of encounters: a prediction from a witch, a gentle giant friendship, the first kiss from a girl in the water, a hyperbolic werewolf and the love of his life, a vivacious redhead named Sandra played by the equally vivacious Heidi Kettenring. Gemignani and Kettenring are terrific together.  That goes for Michael Kurowski as Will and his Josephine, Lydia Burke, too.

The ensemble, all under the musical direction of Ryan T. Nelson, is a force to be reckoned all its own, top drawer Chicago talent all worthy of mention including:  Brandon Dahlquist, Allison Sill, Christopher Kale Jones, Ayana Strutz, Lucy Godinez, Emma Rosenthal, William Daly and Archer Geye, splitting the role of Young Will, and the commanding presence of Jonah D. Winston.  Strutz does some nifty aerial work and you will want to have the Alabama Lambs at your garden party this summer. Conductor Kevin Reeks and the orchestra are in fine form.

Godinez has assembled a diverse production team with wide-ranging credits from theaters across Chicagoland. With the ruddy scenic design by Collette Pollard with its many surprises, hidden panels, trap doors, tiny towns and reams of fabric that appear out of thin air exploding in the colors of Jesse Klug’s lighting design, Amanda Vander Byl’s costumes and Michael Daly’s sound, Marriott’s “Big Fish” is a magical night of theater not to be missed.  

PHOTO | Liz Lauren

Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire
presents
BIG FISH
through March 19, 2023

WEBSITE | TICKETS

(847) 634-0200

HEALTH PROTOCALS

For more reviews, visit: Theatre In Chicago

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PicksInSix Review: HELLO, DOLLY! Marriott Theatre

Marriott’s “HELLO, DOLLY!” True Theatrical Magic!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Pandemic-era theater audiences are pretty used to some unexpected drama with their drama these days. So when things did not go according to Hoyle with the hydraulic system at the highly-anticipated opening of “Hello, Dolly!” on Thursday at the Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire, everyone took it in stride. On the heels of a troubling Covid outbreak, one might suspect some other-worldly intervention at work—perhaps the spirit of Thornton Wilder himself—on the beloved Michael Stewart/Jerry Herman musical starring the equally beloved Heidi Kettenring in a role that she was born to play.

Whether or not Wilder had a mystic hand in it all, the show went on and, just like that, musical theatre as we know it returned in fine form. Resplendent in picture-perfect period costumes by Teresa Ham, Kettenring’s Dolly is elegant, understated and flawless. The action moves briskly from the imaginative ride on a turn-of-the-century street car from Yonkers to New York’s Harmonia Gardens, where Dolly and her Vandergelder—real life heartthrob and husband David C. Girolmo—create true theatrical magic together.

Director and choreographer Denis Jones, musical director Ryan T. Nelson and conductor Brad Haak have welcomed Dolly Levi back where she belongs with the grace and high society style that this legendary show deserves. The terrific supporting cast is filled to the brim with seasoned players and triple-threat newcomers including Rebecca Hurd (Irene Molloy), Alex Goodrich (Cornelius Hackl), Amanda Walker (Minnie Fay), Spencer Davis Milford (Barnaby Tucker), Emily Ann Brooks (Ermengade), Michael Turrentine (Ambrose Kemper), George Keating (Rudolph) and Johanna McKenzie Miller (Ernestina).

The musical, based on Wilder’s 1954 play “The Matchmaker,” is equal parts farce and uproarious comedy wrapped in lush, musical explorations of love and longing, with a healthy dose of chicanery and lighthearted larceny rolled in. Jones has stepped up the production numbers which move on and off Marriott’s in-the-round configuration seamlessly thanks to scenic designers Jeffrey D. Kmiec and Milo Blue.

The ensemble soars in the spirited “Yonkers March” and then Jones pulls out all the stops for the crowd-pleasing “Waiters’ Gallop.” Hurd’s lovely, quiet “Ribbons Down My Back” and Goodrich’s touching “It Only Takes A Moment” are particular standout selections in the familiar score. The multi-talented Milford and Walker’s charming turn as Fay make for a perfect match all their own.

But at every turn, all eyes are on the mesmerizing performance of Kettenring—vulnerable and demure in one moment; captivatingly and brilliantly comical in the next—whose interplay with Girolmo is heartwarming and real. From the elegant rendering of “Before The Parade Passes By,” and a side-splitting dinner sequence, to the capstone title number, Marriott’s “Hello, Dolly!” will leave you with a wonderfully joyous feeling to savor for a long time to come.   

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire
presents
HELLO, DOLLY!
through October 16

WEBSITE | TICKETS

(847) 634-0200

HEALTH PROTOCALS

For more reviews, visit: Theatre In Chicago

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PICKSINSIX Review: Million Dollar Quartet

A ROCKET SHIP OUT OF ORBIT!

“Million Dollar Quartet,” the Colin Escott|Floyd Mutrux mega-hit jukebox musical set during the first and only meeting of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis at the Sun Records recording studio owned by the man who made it all happen, music impresario Sam Phillips, opened Wednesday night in a terrific new James Moye directed production at Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire.

The now familiar flashpoint, a photograph of the quartet taken on December 4, 1956, serves as the catalyst to tell the backstory of the professional relationships, the choice Phillips made to sell Presley's contract to RCA, how Columbia eventually signed both Cash and Perkins, and the pursuit of the next big hit for Perkins, the reason for the recording session in the first place. It’s all packed in here and interesting enough, but the pure abundant joy of this rock-solid production is the explosive musical performances. For that, a multi-talented cast is critical and Moye (who played Phillips in both the original Broadway and Off-Broadway productions) with music director Ryan T. Nelson, have assembled a stunner. All together, “Million Dollar Quartet” soars into uncharted musical territory like a rocket ship out of orbit!

A consummate piano man, Nat Zegree delivers a standout performance, literally propelling himself into the role of Jerry Lee Lewis capturing the unbridled energy and explosive musical talent of the young performer on the verge of launching his meteoric career.  

The brilliant musician, singer and actor, Shaun Whitley, plays the legendary country star Carl Perkins, who along with Zegree and studio musicians, Brother Jay (Zach Lentino) and Fluke (Kieran McCable), provide superlative back up all night long in addition to Whitley's "Who Do You Love?”, "Party,” and "See You Later Alligator.” Christopher J. Essex brings a rich vocals and the homespun style of Johnny Cash to his renditions of "Sixteen Tons,” I Walk the Line,” and “Rider in the Sky.” Rustin Cole Sailors is a smoldering Elvis Presley, exuding natural charm in "Long Tall Sally,” and "Hound Dog.” David Folsom is perfect in the role of Sam Phillips and a sultry Laura Savage, as Dyanne, turns up the temperature in "Fever” and “I Hear You Knocking."

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“Million Dollar Quartet” has a long-standing love affair with Chicago audiences. There have been sell-out productions dating back over a decade — at Goodman, and then the Apollo for years — to only a few years ago, at Paramount, and many in between, a testament to just how rugged and resilient this rock 'n’ roll juggernaut is. You will like the experience of all the sights, sounds and gyrations in the Marriott's unique round configuration, where the studio sound booth is ingeniously incorporated into Jeffrey D. Kmiec's design freeing up the stage area for the session artists and backup instrumentalists to nest in the corners when things start rocking. With Teresa Ham’s gorgeous costumes, lighting by Jesse Klug and sound by Robert E. Gilmartin, it fits like a new pair of “Blue Suede Shoes.”

Considering classics like “That’s All Right” and “Great Balls of Fire” in the mix, there will be little “Peace in the Valley” with the not to be missed “Million Dollar Quartet” rocking the house through March 16th when Elvis, Jerry Lee, Carl and Johnny will leave the building.

PHOTOS|Liz Lauren

MARRIOTT THEATRE
Presents
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET
through March 16th
10 Marriott Drive
Lincolnshire
(847) 634-0200

WEBSITE
TICKETS

For more reviews, visit: Theatre In Chicago

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PicksInSix Theater Review - Marriott Theatre Irving Berlin's "Holiday Inn"

“Holiday Inn” Cast Really Making Hay!

In the opening moments of the Marriott Theatre’s glorious new production of “Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn” that opened Wednesday night, Michael Mahler, one of Chicago’s most gifted actors, a top-tier vocalist, musician and composer, stepped up to the lone stage piece – a ‘40s era console piano – and proceeded to perform selections from the overture live. Mahler played flawlessly, as he does throughout his superb performance as the famous ‘hit man’/crooner turned gentleman farmer Jim Hardy, right in step with conductor Patti Garwood’s orchestra to ring in the rich tones of the Berlin songbook that follows. Under the “Blue Skies” of this Connecticut farm setting, the “Holiday Inn” cast is really making hay!   

“Holiday Inn” — book by Gordon Greenberg and Chad Hodge — is directed by Denis Jones, who also choreographs, as he did in the 2016 Greenberg-directed Broadway production which received a Tony nomination for Jones. That inspired production, which had the benefit of a proscenium stage and wing space, fits very nicely in Marriott’s round configuration. There are a lot of moving parts and the set, lighting and projections/media team — Scott Davis, Jesse Klug and Anthony Churchill — make it all come together seamlessly.

Front and center — a perfect match for Mahler — is the captivating, triple-threat talent, Johanna McKenzie Miller as Linda Mason who just about everyone falls for, right down to the precocious Charlie Winslow played by 9 year-old Patrick Scott McDermott. The drama in this familiar hometown-to-Hollywood love story – based on the 1942 film starring Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds and Virginia Dale that featured ‘White Christmas’ – revolves around the schmoozing hoofer Ted Hanover (Will Burton) who crashes the New Year’s Eve party after being ditched by his partner, and Hardy’s fiancé, Lila Dixon (Kimberly Immanuel). Despite the push and pull of efforts back on the farm and on the phone by the handy-dandy Louise (Marya Grandy), the impassioned agent Danny Reed (Lorenzo Rush, Jr.), and, an unsuspecting farm animal, things have a way of sorting themselves out.

Jones’ electrifying ensemble delivers the finest dancing that you will see on a stage anywhere in Chicago right now. There are no less than a half-dozen, lavish, upbeat company numbers, with everyone decked out in Sally Dolemko’s exquisite, holiday-inspired costumes, ripping through the iconic Berlin score under the musical direction of Ryan T. Nelson.

The singing, dancing, heart-tugging joy ride is full-throttle with ‘Shaking the Blues Away,” a scene played out this|close with a stage full of dancers, milk buckets and jump ropes of holiday lights. Burton is terrific as the debonair Hanover who dances up a storm with the ravishing Immanuel, when he is not with Miller, or on his own in the Fourth of July ode “Let’s Say It with Firecrackers.” In the featured dance number “You’re Easy to Dance With,” Burton and ‘the Girls’ delight right down to the perfectly executed backward tap-dancing line!

From the hotter-than-hot “Heat Wave,” the elegance of “Easter Parade” and “White Christmas” and all the holidays in between, when you step out with your baby for this one, you will definitely “Have Plenty to be Thankful For!” Don’t miss it!

PHOTOS|Liz Lauren

MARRIOTT THEATRE
Presents
IRVING BERLIN’S
HOLIDAY INN
through January 6th, 2019

Ten Marriott Drive
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
847-634-0200

WEBSITE

For more reviews, visit: Theatre In Chicago

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PICKSINSIX Review: OKLAHOMA!

'OKLAHOMA!' ONE GOODBYE IS NEVER ENOUGH.

Right up front … the rollicking production of OKLAHOMA! now playing at Marriott Theatre through June 24th corrals an energized cast in a toe-tapping musical masterpiece. You may want to come again and bring your friends. Like Ali Haxim says: "One goodbye is never enough!”  

Captivating performances ... the 75th-anniversary production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first musical OKLAHOMA!, based on Lynn Riggs 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs, is directed by Lead Artistic Director Aaron Thielen with choreography by Alex Sanchez and music direction and orchestrations by Ryan T. Nelson. The captivating performances and silky chemistry of Jennie Sophia (Laurey) and Brandon Springman(Curly) lead a multi-talented ensemble who sing and dance up a prairie dust storm all night long.

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Nifty roping …There are no cattle standing like statues in Theilson’s expertly staged production-in-the-round, a particularly challenging feat for a sizable cast that uses the entire expansive theatre – including massive plains projections on a canvas envelope and post & beam rigging - to create the perfect atmosphere for farmer and cowman alike. This approach paves the way for the show to change pace on the fly, none more so than early on when Aaron Umsted (Will Parker) stops the show with some nifty roping while leading the company in “Kansas City”.

Who Stands out ... Aunt Eller, delightfully played by Susan Moniz, oversees the developing courtship of Laurey and Curly and the intrusions of the sinister Jud (a fine turn for Shea Coffman) at the center of this classic story. On the fringe, there is Ado Annie, a charming role for the versatile Michelle Lauto, whose suitors include Umsted’s bumbling Parker and Evan Tyrone Martin, a showcase performance as Ali Haxim.

Watch and Wait for … Springman’s “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’”… Umsted’s terrific “Kansas City”… Lauto’s “I Cain’t Say No” … Sophia’s “Many A New Day”... Sophia and Springman’s “People Will Say We’re in Love” …“The Farmer and the Cowman” … “Out of My Dreams – Ballet” ... and, of course, “Oklahoma!”

Cain’t Say No … Marriott Theatre's fine reputation for mounting challenging and exciting musical theatre in the round is on full display, enhanced by state-of-the-art projections, lighting, sound, imaginative scenic elements, exquisite costumes and a seasoned professional cast. With all this and a classic Rodgers & Hammerstein score - expertly served up eight times a week by the superb musical supervisor and conductor Patti Garwood - you just “Cain’t Say No” to OKLAHOMA!   

PHOTOS|Liz Lauren

MARRIOTT THEATRE
Presents
Rodgers & Hammerstein's
OKLAHOMA!
through June 10th
Ten Marriott Drive
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
847-634-0200 

WEBSITE

For more reviews, visit: Theatre In Chicago

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