PicksInSix Review: Anything Goes - Porchlight Music Theatre

Blow Gabriel! Murphy is Heaven Sent!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Porchlight Music Theatre celebrates the Chicago Cole Porter Festival and launches their 29th Season with a sparkling, effervescent 90th anniversary production of “Anything Goes” superbly directed by Michael Weber featuring Meghan Murphy in a big, boisterous star turn as the seaworthy siren Reno Sweeney. The book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman, was adapted for the 1987 Broadway revival from the 1934 original by P.C. Woodhouse, Guy Bolton, Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It tells the story of an oceanic crossing with a zany cast of characters with Murphy’s Sweeney at the delectable center of Porter’s most beloved music and lyrics.

Luke Nowakowski shines in the role of Billy Crocker who yearns for Hope Harcourt (played beautifully by Emma Ogea) even as he falls in with a gangster named Moonface Martin (an inspired performance by Steve McDonaugh) and his partner Erma (a scintillating Tafadzwa Diener) who all want to flip the tables on the wedding between Harcourt and Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (Jackson Evans). At the matinee on Saturday, Evans—in one of the most hilarious of his many stage appearances to date—and Murphy create an irresistible comic cosmos in “The Gypsy in Me” that literally brought tears to my eyes. In the end, of course, love conquers all and everything works out, except for a few clay pigeons off the starboard bow and anyone who actually sold their Amalgamated stock.

Under the lush musical direction of Nick Sula, Porter’s rich, melodic score comes vibrantly alive in “You’re The Top,” “Friendship” and “It’s De-lovely.” And when conductor Linda Madonia’s band kicks into high gear, it’s time to clear the decks for Tammy Mader’s rock-solid, toe-tapping choreography—and one of the finest singing and dancing ensembles seen on a Porchlight stage—to blast the big production numbers like “Anything Goes,” and “Blow, Gabriel Blow” straight to the heavens, with Murphy leading the way.

Jeffrey D. Kmiec’s magnificent two-story ship deck is dressed in navy blue and white with seaworthy stairs that frame a series of three revolving doors providing access to the main stage area. Kmiec’s masterfully sturdy design, complete with ship’s railing and arched pylons, reveals more than a few surprises along the way.

Under the steady hand of artistic director Michael Weber, Porchlight Music Theatre has built a superb reputation for developing exceptional new talent. In recent years, on the intimate Ruth Page Center for the Arts main stage, the company has forged full steam ahead through harsh winds and heavy seas to stay on course despite the challenges that the performing arts community has been navigating. Weber and Executive Director Jeannie Lukow’s bold, innovative, award-winning, musical productions include a long list of outstanding veteran performers like the late Hollis Resnick in a memorable production of “Sunset Boulevard,” E. Faye Butler’s showstopping performance as Mama Rose in “Gypsy” and Broadway veteran Felicia P. Fields in “Blues in the Night” who elevate the performances of everyone around them to new heights.

Add the exquisite Meghan Murphy to the company of Chicago’s all-time brightest stars. What a performance. What a show! 

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
presents
ANYTHING GOES
Ruth Page Center for the Arts
EXTENDED
through March 10, 2024

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DIGITAL PROGRAM

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PicksInSix Review: BOOP! The Musical - Broadway in Chicago

“BOOP! The Musical” Has It All!
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

When the stunning new show “BOOP! The Musical” arrives on Broadway next year, a new generation will discover the iconic Betty Boop through the spellbinding performance of Jasmine Amy Rogers in the title role, and through the eyes of one of their own—16 year-old pop media phenom Angelica Hale, making her stage debut as Betty’s new pint-sized BFF.  

At the magical moment that Betty catapults into present day Comicon from her cartoon world of the 1930s, she is searching to both escape the adulation of her own time and to satisfy her yearning to discover an answer to the pivotal question: “Who am I?” Upon arrival, she finds a vibrant world in the radiant colors of the rainbow, none of which she knows by name. She also has a predilection to put an ‘L’ in everything, so her new marshmallow world is “plurple.”

It's the black, white and red-hot opening sequence of “BOOP! The Musical” with Rogers as the charming, charismatic, and confident heroine created by illustrator, animator and cartoon innovator Max Fleischer who revolutionized the graphic technology of the day, merging illustrations and live action to create whimsical cartoon series and shorts featuring Betty Boop, Popeye and a cavalcade of quirky characters who morph from inanimate objects to all forms of comic incarnations.

The world premiere of “BOOP!” opened Wednesday at Chicago's CIBC Theatre. After years in development, there is now a dream team in place for the Broadway-bound project directed and choreographed by multi-Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell, the first musical venture by Grammy and Emmy award-winning composer/producer David Foster with lyrics by Susan Birkenhead (“Jelly’s Last Jam”) and book by Bob Martin (“Drowsy Chaperone,” “Elf”). The creative team includes a spectacular scenic design by David Rockwell that is beautifully enhanced by Finn Ross’s projections and Gareth Owen’s sound design, Philip S. Rosenberg’s lighting and the stunning costumes of Greg Barnes.

With big, boisterous dance numbers, tender ballads, an extraordinary scenic landscape and masterful illusions courtesy of Skylar Fox, “BOOP!” has it all. It's a love story—three actually—but even more it’s a free-spirited and endearing comedy that has a message for all of us about who we are and the impact we can make on the world and the people in it.

At Comicon, Betty collides with Dwayne (Ainsley Melham) a jazz musician and for maybe the first time, Betty senses an attraction. Overcome by her new surroundings, Betty forges a friendship with Trisha (Hale) a young fan and aspiring artist in need of a little confidence of her own. It doesn't take long before we find that Trisha lives with her aunt Carol (Anastacia McCleskey), who serves as manager for the New York City mayoral campaign of Raymond Demerest (Erich Bergen) and Carol’s brother, who just happens to be Dwayne. The hook is set and a youthful love story begins to unfold.

Back in early 30s, the studio directors, Aubie Merrylees and Ricky Schroder, are in a tizzy when they discover that Betty is nowhere to be found. Grampy (Stephen DeRosa) realizes that Betty’s absence will have a disastrous impact on their present and the future, so he embarks on a cross-dimensional journey of his own with his dog Pudgy (the brilliant marionette artist Phillip Huber). In Times Square he meets up with Valentina (Faith Prince) a retired NASA scientist who is still holding a torch for Grampy that was lit 40 years earlier. At first on a quest to find Betty before it’s too late, Grampy discovers that the fire is still smoldering between the two.

The cat’s out of the bag on the secret that Betty Boop is now alive in the present when she shows up and brings the house down at Nellie’s Place, the jazz club where Dwayne is trying to get a regular gig. Once the news is public, the corrupt Demerest, the King of Waste, tries to hitch his dump truck, and whatever else he has at his disposal, to Betty’s instant celebrity. But it’s Betty who turns the tables on the plan and as always, love wins out overall.  

Martin’s book moves briskly and effortlessly with zingers and easter eggs, old and new, along the way. Musically, Foster has infused the score with a plethora of styles from jazz and pop to some socko Broadway show tunes that allow Mitchell a full range of dance routines for the superb, multi-talented ensemble. Among the highlights, Rogers leads the ensemble in the opening “A Little Versatility,” “My New York” and “In Color,” and the show is at full throttle for the truly sensational Act I closer “Where I Wanna Be.”

World Premiere of “BOOP ! The Musical” at Broadway in Chicago’s CIBC Theatre through December 24, 2023.

Price and DeRosa shine in “A Cure for Love” and the touching “Together, You and Me.” Melham joins Schroder and Probst for “Sunlight” and delivers a blissful “She Knocks Me Out.” Hale’s powerful “Portrait of Betty” is a smash and the lovely “My Hero” with Rogers is one of the show’s many highlights.

It all comes down to Rogers though, whose radiant stage presence is all at once inquisitive, vulnerable and decisive as she evolves to the real version of who she will become: a loving role model of strength and independence.

Rogers’s charismatic performance of “Something to Shout About” is a showstopper. After taking center stage surrounded by a glistening celestial panorama, she steps decisively and defiantly forward and, in that one moment, appears larger-than-life, captivating the audience and signaling the presence of a star.

That she is.  

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Broadway in Chicago
presents the
World Premiere of
BOOP! The Musical
CIBC Theatre
through December 24, 2023

TICKETS
SHOW WEBSITE

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PicksInSix Review: The Wiz - Broadway in Chicago

“THIS IS A WHOLE ‘NOTHER LEVEL!”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The national tour of the Broadway-bound musical “The Wiz” opened its limited Chicago engagement at the Cadillac Palace on Wednesday with all the blissful promise and brilliant colors of the rainbow you could ever imagine. With a massive, techno-landscape—a marvel all in itself—the L. Frank Baum-based classic that made its groundbreaking 1974 debut in Baltimore and conquered Broadway the following year with eight nominations and seven Tony® Awards on the way to a four-year run, now comes vibrantly alive for a new generation.

“The Wiz” is ingeniously directed by Schele Williams with some clever choreography by JaQuel Knight that amplifies a superb company large in number and steeped with talent running through their paces at a size and scope rarely seen in a touring production. The show premiered in Baltimore in late September and is making a multi-city tour in advance of its scheduled debut on Broadway in March 2024 with a lot of professional steam behind the William F. Brown book with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls.

The revival includes new musical moments from Joseph Joubert (music supervision, orchestrations, & music arrangements), vocal arrangements and music arrangements by Allen René Louis and additional material by Amber Ruffian. Nearly sixty producers and co-producers led by Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland, Kandi Burruss, Todd Tucker, Common, MC Lyte and The Ambassador Theatre Group are the team behind the curtain making this a feat of epic proportions.

Those elements work extremely well for “The Wiz” and are sure to be crowd-pleasers at every stop along the way. The tour will also allow time for the performance elements to coalesce for what is one of the most highly anticipated Broadway openings next spring—a straight-up adaptation focused squarely and beautifully on the central themes of friendship, family and home with just the right touch of panache—with all the right stuff to appeal to contemporary audiences of all ages. If you are a fan who knows this familiar, and much beloved, score that includes “Ease On Down The Road,” “If You Believe,” “Everybody Rejoice” and “Home” by heart, you will not be disappointed.  

Nichelle Lewis’s debut performance as Dorothy will be turning heads in the months to come with her charm, wholesome innocence with a little sass, and heavenly vocal range. Melody A. Betts is a powerhouse in the dual role of Aunt Em/Evillene. You will love the cohort of the remarkably limber Avery Wilson’s Scarecrow, the soulfully spirited Phillip Johnson Richardson’s Tinman and Kyle Ramar Freeman’s effervescent Lion. Alan Miongo, Jr. delights as the inimitable Wiz. The charismatic and glamorous Deborah Cox as Glinda, another superb vocalist, looks amazing in costume designer Sharen Davis’s creations.

The journey begins in Kansas, on a black and white tapestry by scenic designer Hannah Beachler. Once in the full color Land of Oz, the opulent scenic transitions race by at the speed of light through imaginative corn fields with tilted windmills, dark forests and a lion’s den in the jungle, to a stunning glimpse of the Emerald City. Once in Oz, the palate turns emerald and the majestic lighting design (Ryan J. O’Gara), sound design (Jon Weston) and projections (Daniel Brodie) continue to an awe-inspiring scene in Evillene’s lair for “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” and Lewis’s soaring delivery of “Home” that will sweep you away and ease on down the road all the way to Broadway. No bad news here. 

Post Script: André De Shields
Earlier this week via text, I asked the original Wiz, the omnipresent André De Shields, if he would share a memorable highlight from the original 1974 production. He told me that during the run, the entire company was invited to a homecooked meal prepared by his mother and two of his sisters:  

“The group was so large, that it spilled out of my family’s modest two-story row house onto the 1800 block of Division Street. Forty-nine years later, in September 2023, the revival of “The Wiz” opened in Baltimore at the Hippodrome Theatre, during the same week that the 1800 block of Division Street was renamed ‘André De Shields Way.’”  

And in case you were wondering, the company feasted on everything from oyster fritters, steak fish and kidney stew to sweet potato pie and Chesapeake blue crabs, washed down with assorted flavors of Kool-Aid. et  

PHOTO|Jeremy Daniel

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
presents
THE WIZ
Cadillac Palace Theatre
through December 10

WEBSITE
TICKETS
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PicksInSix Review: Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas

Delightful Holiday Treat for All Ages!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

The stars of this show—Ma, Emmet Otter and a darling group of critters—have been warming the hearts of many for over fifty years. They first appeared in an illustrated 1971 children’s book by Russell Hoban and Lillian Hoban. Jim Henson then brought the book to life in a one-hour 1977 television special featuring puppets from his Creature Shop and a delightful score from Academy Award-winning songwriter Paul Williams. Folks fell in love, and now, old fans, and anyone looking for 75 minutes of sheer joy, can visit the Studebaker Theatre for the charming holiday celebration that is the live theatrical adaptation of “Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” with music and lyrics by Williams, book by Timothy Allen McDonald and Christopher Gattelli, who directs and choreographs.

This is the Chicago premiere of “Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” and should not be missed when planning this year’s holiday festivities. The story follows Ma and Emmet Otter who so badly want to buy each other the perfect Christmas gift. Ma (Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone) wants to buy Emmet (Andy Mientus) a guitar, and he wants to buy Ma a piano. You see, these two come from a family enriched with musical talents and traditions—Ma with her lovely singing voice, and Emmet with his own set of pipes and a mean rhythmic streak on the washboard bass. Problem is, they don’t have enough money to buy these special gifts for each other. So, when the mayor of nearby Waterville announces the town will be having its first annual talent show, Ma and Emmet decide to take their chances at entering and vying for that first-place prize of fifty dollars.

Turns out Ma and Emmet Otter are up against some stiff competition. Toward the end of the production, the audience becomes the patrons of the inaugural talent show and get to see humans and puppets alike showcase their talents. The magnificent Madame Squirrel (Sawyer Smith) delights in a performance with acrobatic squirrels. Mrs. Mink (Sharriese Hamilton) heats up the stage with a wildly entertaining burlesque performance, and we cannot forget a skunk on a tuba and tap-dancing rabbits.

At the core of “Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” is true enchantment. Each scene bursts with charm, clever humor and whimsical visuals. Take, for example, the costumes by Gregg Barnes and the makeup by Megan E. Pirtle. The costumes, like Madame Squirrel’s playfully large tail and Wendell Porcupine’s quills (Steven Huyhn), and the makeup both do well to transform the cast into their cute furry characters on Anna Louizos whimiscal set.

The puppetry, though, is what takes this family-friendly musical to the next level of creative, good fun. There are many laughs to be had when a band of squirrels tries to grow an evergreen tree in the winter by blowing hot air on it. There are also big feelings to be felt when puppet Pa Otter, deceased, appears to tell Ma to never stop dreaming and when that same band of squirrels advises Emmet to follow his heart and take flight. The opening-night audience audibly reacted in wonder when the puppet jug band practiced in a tree house, which looked exactly like the scene in the television special. The Jim Henson way of blending both worlds together worked seamlessly on stage and truly elevates the production.

Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas with music and lyrics by Paul Williams, book by Timothy Allen McDonald and Christopher Gattelli, directed and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli. Now playing at Studebaker Theatre through December 31, 2023.

Of course, there are also plenty of themes and lessons that make “Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” a true holiday classic. Ma and Emmet Otter show us how to heal together after experiencing loss. We see bravery and growth in characters learning to trust themselves and each other when facing challenges. We also get to experience a show filled with so much love, which, in and of itself, is enough of a reason to join everyone in Frogtown Hollow and Waterville this season.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER is a Chicago-based attorney practicing construction and surety law.

PHOTO|Michael Brosilow

ITheatrics with Broadway & Beyond Theatricals,
in association with the Jim Henson Company
presents
Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas
Music and Lyrics by Paul Williams
Book by Timothy Allen McDonald and Christopher Gattelli
Directed and Choreographed by Christopher Gattelli

Studebaker Theatre
Fine Arts Building
through December 31, 2023

WEBSITE
TICKETS

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PicksInSix Review: Beetlejuice-The Musical - Broadway in Chicago

“Beetlejuice” – ‘Being Dead Has Its Perks!’
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

There is a monster sandworm burrowing its way into theaters across the country and its filling houses and bucking ticketing trends at every stop. There are levitating bodies and the tiny head guy is there, too, albeit briefly, for the multiple Tony Award nominated musical “Beetlejuice” that opened here at the Auditorium Theatre on Wednesday to the delight of enthusiastic movie followers, cult fans and a dusting of first-timers, of which I was one.

I am pleased to say that those attending were treated to a black and white striped (and green-hued) spectacle of snappy repartee, soaring ballads, splashy production numbers and eye-popping special effects that showcased a superb ensemble. But it is the unhinged brilliance of stage veteran Justin Collette as the sly, demonic and blue-cheesy Beetlejuice, and the enormously talented Isabella Esler making a star turn in her national tour debut as Lydia Deetz, that people will be talking about for a long time.    

For those uninitiated: “Beetlejuice” opened on Broadway in 2019, closed during the pandemic, was successfully resurrected in April 2022, and closed in January 2023 with plans for this tour well underway. The show is based on Tim Burton’s 1988 film starring Michael Keaton with the musical book by Scott Brown and Anthony King, with music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect. It begins with Beetlejuice (Collette) at the graveside services for Lydia’s mother, Emily, who is grief stricken by the loss. Meanwhile, at the home of Adam (Will Burton) and Barbara Maitland (Megan McGinnis), death come quickly and the pair are exiled to the attic. When Charles (Jesse Sharp), along with his gal Friday/lover Delia (Kate Marilley) and Lydia show up to move in, everyone is initially amused by the couple’s ghostly antics, except Lydia, who will do anything to thwart her father’s plan to marry Delia and preserve the memory of her mother.

The Maitland’s form an alliance with Lydia, but when things don’t go very well, Lydia succumbs to Beetlejuice’s deceptive charm, says his name three times, and “It’s Showtime!” From there, it’s not long before this farce gains momentum, the house is overrun with ghouls, goblins and other wild goings-on, and Lydia realizes that she is the only rational living thing in the middle of all the madness. A trip to the Netherworld and lots of freakish folly follows that all adds up to one helluva show.

Collette’s comic timing and impish glee serves his bizarre otherworldly character well. The super-charged chemistry with Esler is a perfect match. And, when she’s by herself, Esler explodes with a powerhouse vocal range that belies her youthful stature. This is a magnificent breakout performance, delivered with charm, passion and sincerity and wonderful to see and hear.

You could not ask for more visually from the Alex Timbers directed production team including the intricate set (David Korins), elaborate projections (Peter Nigrini), stunning costumes (William Ivey Long), raucous choreography (Connor Gallagher) and outstanding music direction (Kris Kukal). Of particular note are the multiple views of the Maitland’s  house through its various transitions and a clever transition to the Netherworld that reminds one of the opening of a Twilight Zone episode. So, if you already have a ticket to see this production of “Beetlejuice-The Musical” you are in luck. The relatively short run through November 19 is selling fast, so quickly, in fact, that it was announced this week that the show would be returning in May 2024 at the Nederlander when everyone will again be saying: Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! … You get the idea.  

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy

Broadway in Chicago
presents
Beetlejuice
Auditorium Theatre
through November 19

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PicksInSix Review: Twelfth Night - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

“Twelfth Night” — Free-Spirited, Comic Gem!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Without a doubt, the astounding quality and resulting popularity of productions of Shakespeare’s work at Chicago Shakespeare Theater rests firmly on the theater’s decades-long artistic commitment to presenting work with universal clarity and understanding, multi-talented casts and purely whimsical staging. A large part of this artistic ethos has to do with the diversity of the massive audiences drawn to Navy Pier, a top Midwest destination attraction that offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience for visitors to Chicago and an endless stream of students whose trip to the magnificent Courtyard Theatre is often their introduction to both theater and Shakespeare.

So, it is no surprise that the opening of “Twelfth Night”—a free-spirited, comic gem directed by Tyrone Phillips—was enthusiastically received on Thursday night. Shakespeare’s celebration of the many facets of love, and its impact on who we are, takes on new meaning in Phillips adaptation which is at the same time true to the comic roots of the original and cleverly awash with 21st century references that fit together seamlessly. With Shakespeare’s robust characters bursting forth with purpose, passion and promise, Chicago Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” is clever, smart and a joy to watch from beginning to end.

Set in the Caribbean, the story revolves around the separation of shipwrecked twins Viola (Jaeda LaVonne) and Sebastin (Justen Ross) on the island of Illyria. In order to deal with the grief and abandonment that she is feeling with the supposed loss of her brother at sea, Viola disguises herself as a young man named Cesario and takes a position as page to Duke Orsino(Yao Dogbe). The Duke implores Viola(as Cesario) to become the intermediary for his love interest, the Countess Olivia(Christiana Clark) who is in mourning herself about the recent passing of her brother. While Viola finds herself falling hard for the Duke, Olivia, determined to shun the Duke, begins to woo Viola(as Cesario).

Olivia lives with her uncle Sir Toby Belch(Ronald L. Conner) who spends most of his time in drunken—and hilarious—merrymaking with his companion Sir Andrew Aguecheek(Alex Goodrich) along with Olivia’s gentlewoman Maria(Danielle Davis), Fabian(Shelby Lynn Bias) and the jester Feste(Israel Erron Ford).  The group’s brand of roguish behavior riles Olivia’s cynical steward Malvolio(Paul Oakley Stovall) into such a fit that the group conspires to deceive him into believing that Olivia is enamored with him. One comic situation follows another with love eventually conquering all.

The show is infused with a universal blend of contemporary hip-hop and reggae music by music director Robert Reddrick and movement director Sadira Muhammad that befits the storytelling. Philips and his creative team, led by scenic designer Sydney Lynne with costume designer Christine Pascua, have conceived a striking seaside atmosphere that transitions effortlessly from scene to scene. With extraordinary precision, the crystal blue Caribbean skies turn to a thunderous rainstorm in the blink of an eye and a nod to the evocative lighting design of Xavier Pierce, stunning projections by Mike Tutaj and an intricately charged sound design by Willow James.

It all feels like an expertly-crafted ensemble piece. LaVonne’s earnest and engaging Viola/Cesario is a delight. Sir Toby Belch and Aguecheek, two of Shakespeare’s most beloved comic foils, are played here by Conner and Goodrich with reckless comic abandon. Davis, whose sustained laughter is infectious, and the sublime vocals of Ford, round out the band of hooligans at the center of the comic subplot to upend Stovall’s staunchly priggish servant turned infatuated manic lover Malvolio—the brilliant and commanding performance of the night—all make “Twelfth Night” a show to see and enjoy!  

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Chicago Shakespeare Theater
presents
TWELFTH NIGHT
Courtyard Theater
Navy Pier
through November 26

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PicksInSix Review: Dennis Watkins - The Magic Parlour

Magician Dennis Watkins – Showman Par Excellence!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Chicago’s consummate magician Dennis Watkins has moved The Magic Parlour from the Palmer House Hotel—where it enjoyed a hugely successful, decade-long run—into a new home in the exquisitely renovated space on the lower level of Petterino’s Restaurant in the heart of the Loop theater district. With high expectations and reservations running through the roof, it was announced in advance of the press openings last weekend that the new show, presented in partnership with Goodman Theatre and Petterino’s, has already been extended well into 2024.  

Watkins is a brilliant third generation magician and showman par excellence who performs close-up magic for about 60 guests at the new venue, which he says is the perfect number to ensure that everyone will have the same experience and opportunity to participate. For 90 minutes, Watkins offers up a captivating, multi-faceted show that includes spell binding effects, phenomenal psychic prognostications, audience participation and engaging storytelling mixed with witty comedic moments that come out of—and disappear into—thin air.  No saws, trap doors or rabbits here. Watkins artistry is in full view and on glorious display!

There is a through line of the show that is not readily apparent and will not be disclosed here, but that story hinges on the accumulation of Watkins special brand of illusions, mind-reading, numerical wizardry and sleight of hand elements that keep things moving so quickly that you will be asking for more.

And there is more.

Immediately following the main show, Watkins literally rolls up his sleeves in The Encore Room for a VIP close up table session providing an additional opportunity to witness his dazzling skills from only a few feet away. All in, Dennis Watkins superb talent and engaging personality makes everyone feel at home, and, a visit to The Magic Parlour, one of the most entertaining experiences you can have in Chicago right now!

The house opens an hour before the show and Petterino’s offers both light bites onsite for an additional charge or the full menu experience upstairs before or after the show with advance reservations suggested, particularly for the upcoming holiday season.  And, if you believe in magic, you just might nab seats in The Encore Room to make your evening complete!

PHOTO|Kyle Flubacker Photography

DENNIS WATKINS
THE MAGIC PARLOUR
presented by
GOODMAN THEATRE & PETTERINO’S
50 W Randolph Street
Open Run

TICKETS

THE MAGIC PARLOUR WEBSITE

PETTERINOS

GOODMAN THEATRE

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PicksInSix Review: Brigadoon - Music Theater Works

Movement and Music Channel the Myth.
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder

A lush lullaby of music lured the audience into the North Theatre at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie for the opening of the Music Theater Works production of the Lerner and Loewe classic “Brigadoon.” An ethereal pastoral landscape, swirling with misty enchantment, set the tone for the story of wonder, witchcraft and love ahead.

The legendary story of Brigadoon follows two wandering New Yorkers, Tommy and Jeff, traveling across the Scottish Highlands. After losing their way, their curiosities are piqued by the entrancing sounds coming from the vague image of a village tucked within the haze of the hills and absent from their map. What the two men find beyond the melodious voices is the secret village of Brigadoon, whose magical fate is to only appear every hundred years, defying time and space. Stumbling into Brigadoon, Tommy and Jeff not only discover an astonishing living time capsule of community, but they are also faced with deciding whether the lives they’ve left behind are worth trading for the magic they’ve found.

The cast of “Brigadoon” delivers a pleasantly proper portrayal of the tradition that is American Musical Theater. Leading man Conor Jordan brings a tenacious tenor to Tommy Albright, not just in his brash voice but with his heroic physique and protagonistic drive. Adding finesse and flare to the leading couple is ingénue Fiona MacLaren, played by Sarah Obert with a vocal beauty that could enchant all of Scotland to make their way directly to their hidden village. The leading couple shares a romantic fire that’s lit not with a conventionally saccharine enthusiasm but with a sincere investment of newfound potential. It’s the sarcastic Jeff Douglas of Zachary Linnert and whimsical wit of Timothy Wolf’s Mr. Lundie that ground the story in levels of their respective realisms. Linnert brings a keen honesty to Jeff’s text and predicaments, concisely hitting notes of humor and revelation with ease. And Wolf’s Lundie is lovably expounding throughout, despite the rants and rhymes of could-be lunacy.

Much like the mythical village of Brigadoon, Lerner and Loewe’s melodic Great American Songbook contributions have also stood the test of time with such beloved standards as “There But For You Go I" and “Heather on the Hill” to the catchy “Almost like Being in Love” and “Come to Me, Bend to Me.” Although the book of “Brigadoon” can be plodding and predictable at times, what director Sasha Gerritson does to help lead this production, beyond harmoniously staging across a myriad of times and places on one nearly static set, is to fully engage the ensemble. It’s obvious that Gerritson took the time to instill backstory and intent for each character, so the considerable ensemble isn’t just living wallpaper, they are alive in each moment.

What truly enhances the storytelling most is assistant director Clayton Cross’s choreography. As is the case with most musicals, when words fail the characters, they burst into song; however, Clayton’s choreography, ranging from fun and fanciful traditional Scottish dance to elegantly executed ballet, fiercely embodies the emotional mood of the musical numbers. Even when there are text breaks, and there is only music, the story continues to be told through Cross’s movement. Perfectly partnered with the choreography is the period costuming by Jazmin Aurora Medina, utilizing warm tartan prints and playful floral patterns to create a tone of history, tradition and mirth. And Ann Davis’s set design so rustically recreates the bewitching landscape of the Scottish Highlands, complete with a multi-level cobblestone bridge, that any wandering traveler would be hard pressed to refuse giving in to the enchantment of Brigadoon.

Solid serenading and energetic choreography guide us down the winding path to the otherworldly village of Brigadoon, whisking an audience away from the cares of everyday life and into an alternate reality. If you’re looking to escape into the spellbinding delights of the foundational canon of musical theater, then follow the sounds of the musical moors to Music Theater Works production of “Brigadoon.”  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com

PHOTO|Brett Beiner

MUSIC THEATER WORKS
presents
Lerner and Loewe’s
BRIGADOON
through November 12
North Shore Center for Performing Arts
9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie

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PicksInSix Review: Love, Chaos, and Dinner - Teatro ZinZanni

Experience the Under the Tent Talent!
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder

The flaps of the 100-year-old Belgian mirror tent were pulled back to unleash another spectacular evening of entertainment at Teatro ZinZanni’s “Love, Chaos & Dinner” A reddish glow burned brightly at the heart of this gem-of-a-venue, as guests were enthusiastically led to their tables, where jaws were soon to be dropped, sides were guaranteed to be busted, and minds were sure to be blown.

Inside the splendid Spiegeltent ZaZou, Teatro ZinZanni’s “Love, Chaos & Dinner” revitalizes the essence of a bygone performance style. It brings to Chicago the searing drive of the famed Moulin Rouge, yet these acts are dripping with the intensity of a metaphorical absinthe hallucination. Teatro ZinZanni’s presentation is threefold: a dining experience featuring inventive menu items, playing off old standbys; gags and scenes presented with a whipping wit; and featured performances crackling with a hip vitality.

The cast of Teatro ZinZanni embodies the full flair and inventiveness of all of today’s talent show-based television in full, living color! And each world-renowned talent works beyond double-duty. Not only do they fully immerse themselves in the audience experience by participating in the pre-show cocktail hour, but they reveal developed backstories throughout the performance. It’s a wise tactic, because the audience becomes so personally invested in each character, they are that much more overwhelmed when their newfound friends transition into feats of strength, agility and ability beyond expectation. Leading this mayhem are the dueling divas. Sa'Rayah’s volatile vocals as Madame Z literally shake the rafters, gifting us with her grace and power. To put it bluntly, Sa'Rayah is sonantly stunning and can sing absolutely anything, whether she’s performing peripherally or burning the tent down in a featured number.

Complementary to the bombastic Sa'Rayah is the bawdy bon vivant, comedian & magician Lucy Darling. Darling stirs up a concoction of playful decadence, toying with audience members throughout using her sharp, improvisational charm and impish magic. From the liquid marble-like contortions of Ulzii Mergen and the nimble dribbling of basketball juggler Michael Evolution, to the daring danglings of aerialists Lea Hinz and Danila Bim and the palpable heat of trapeze tour de force Duo 19, one’s jaw seems to be permanently dropped for the length of the performance. Which only works in everyone’s favor, for just as each segment climaxes, it’s time for another dinner course break.

The Teatro ZinZanni experience isn’t just what’s found within the tent. As soon as one steps out onto the 14th floor of the Cambria Hotel, the warmth from the front of house staff to the mixologists is one of sincere appreciation and acceptance; all are welcome and encouraged to be their authentic self in this space celebrating truth, beauty, freedom, and love. Each host, server and runner is approachable and genuinely attentive, revealing proof of community. “Love, Chaos and Dinner” encapsulates such a veritable menagerie of artforms and performance styles, it truly is fun for the whole family; however, the level of ribald riffing might make it more suited for the more adult centric celebration or date night.

And it’s not just the talent onstage that generates the evening of euphoric fancy. Creator Joe De Paul has assembled a team of designers that intimately infiltrate the senses. Within the velvet and glass-lined walls of the tent, scenic designer Shauna Frazier elevates each act with a hydraulic stage, sending performances dancing along the mirrored walls like an enveloping zoetrope. At first sight, costume designer Debra M. Bauer visually transports us with a bohemian-meets-80’s glam aesthetic, combining a historic sophistication with an energized vim that would make Bob Makie take note. And Theodis Rogers, Jr’s band of musical maestros layer on an audible icing throughout, bringing a sublime phonic cohesion to every bit and performance. Spotlight on guitarist Phil Seed, who’s siren sound highlights and commands emotional attention. And each theatrical beat is delivered on a literal choo-train of treats by production director Maggie O'Donnell, brilliantly drawing focus throughout every corner of the tent to smoothly transition between each act and course without wasting a moment of the three-hour experience.

The evening was filled with exactly what Teatro ZinZanni promised: madcap, farcical chaos; passionate, stirring exploits, and a prix fixe menu to delight all palates. It’s said that there are only six of these Spiegeltents in the world, and it’s no surprise that the Second City is home to one as Chicago is known for delivering outstanding entertainment. I dare you to get dressed to the tens, take in the sights and sounds of Teatro ZinZanni, and not find yourself elbows glued to the table and slack jawed in memorization.  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com

PHOTO|Samuel Rose

BONUS CONTENT
CONVERSATIONS PODCAST - Kerry Sheehan, Teatro ZinZanni Chicago’s General Manager and Producer, joined the CONVERSATION to talk about “Love, Chaos, and Dinner.”
Listen on Apple Podcasts and Audacy.

TEATRO ZINZANNI CHICAGO
presents
LOVE, CHAOS, AND DINNER
Speigeltent ZaZou
Cambria Hotel
32 West Randolph
14th Floor
Open Run

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PicksInSix Review: Young Frankenstein - Mercury Theater Chicago

Mercury’s “Young Frankenstein” High-Flying Fun!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

The brilliance of the 1974 film Young Frankenstein comes from the ability of Mel Brooks its director and screenwriter (with Gene Wilder) to alternately pay tribute to Hollywood’s past, while parodying scenes from great films. The stage musical version of “Young Frankenstein”—with music and lyrics by Brooks and book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan—now playing at the Mercury Theater Chicago under the direction of J. Walter Stearns and musical direction of Eugene Dizon, delivers a high-flying fun night with all of that same pathos and side-splitting comedy thanks to some spirited performances and a hard-working ensemble of endless invention.

As the story goes: Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (the great and versatile Chicago actor Sean Fortunato) is fighting the family legacy to make his own name, right down to the pronunciation – “Fronk-en-steen.”  He’s a university professor and lecturer who is constantly denigrating his grandfather’s work, calling it the “ravings” of a lunatic mind.  Now that his grandfather has passed away, he is called to Transylvania to settle the family estate. He leaves behind a fiancé Elizabeth (a fine comic performance by Lillian Castillo), who is a truly spoiled girl that he really doesn’t love, it seems. There is a fun song – “Please Don’t Touch Me”— at the pier where Frederick is about to depart that showcases the terrific ensemble that is immensely valuable in this production.  While Elizabeth is distressed that he is leaving right before their wedding, she accepts the inevitable.

Frederick arrives in Transylvania, meeting Igor (Ryan Stajmiger in an energetic turn), hiring a tall demure assistant named Inga (the lovely and talented Isabella Andrews) and meeting the boss of the house, Frau Blücher (Mary Robin Roth, who steals every scene she’s in – cue the horses).  Frederick is convinced, in time, by reading his grandfather’s record on his work – a book entitled “How I Did It” – and assumes the responsibility to replicate the recreation of life at last.

The Monster (the wonderful Andrew MacNaughton, who makes a role with nifty footwork and practically no dialogue a truly enjoyable experience, because he’s enjoying it himself) comes to life and runs to the countryside and freedom.  Jonah D. Winston is an articulate Inspector who rouses the hoi polloi to action against the Monster. There’s an unforgettable scene with the blind Hermit (Samuel Shankman in great voice – “I was going to make espresso…”)

In this production, the ensemble leaves a strong mark on the story, particularly when choreographer Brenda Didier is putting them through their paces.  Playing everything from Elizabeth’s “staff” to the citizenry of Transylvania to passengers at the pier to tap-dancing fools and supporting the Monster and Frederick and, well, everyone else in a finale of impressive tap dancing that’s fit for the Ritz!

I’ve always been a huge Mel Brooks fan but that’s not a requirement to enjoy this stellar laugh-out-loud night of frivolity that’s playing through December 31.  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com  Coming soon, his new solo play “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Mercury Theater Chicago
presents
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
3745 N Southport Avenue
through December 31, 2023

WEBSITE

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PicksInSix Review: A Wonderful World - Broadway in Chicago - Cadillac Palace

“Wonderful World” Has Saints Marching In!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The new Broadway bound musical “A Wonderful World” conceived by Christopher Renshaw and Andrew Delaplaine starring James Monroe Iglehart in a commanding performance as the immortal jazz icon Louis Armstrong is playing now in a limited engagement at the Cadillac Palace through October 29.  

As told through the eyes of his four wives–an ever-present Greek chorus of exceptionally powerful vocalists and gifted performers—who anchor the critical turning points of Armstrong’s career, Aurin Squire’s book follows a linear arc from the turn of the 20th century to the early 70s infused with feature performances and explosive, picture perfect, dance routines.

Director Renshaw and choreographer Ricky Tripp have amassed a stellar ensemble who move in and out of the best of Armstrong’s musical legacy on a stunning, scenic landscape created by Adam Roch and Steven Royal that, with Toni-Leslie James’s eye-popping period costumes, provide for truly majestic transitions from the gritty, speakeasys and jazz clubs of the 20s and 30s to a stylized Hollywood soundstage. It’s a visual feast!

At the center of the story—and the major challenge that separates “A Wonderful World” from other musical biographies about entertainers—is Armstrong’s sheer versatility and talent as an innovator and improvisor. The internationally beloved Black performer, musician, composer and singer had a larger-than-life stage presence all his own. Offstage, the pitfalls of Armstrong’s career and his personal, and very public, stand against racial inequality make him a far more complex personality. Iglehart, whose Broadway credits include a Tony Award as the Genie in Disney’s “Aladdin,” brilliantly captures the whole man—Armstrong’s charismatic smile, ebullient energy and the rich, raspy, signature quality of his vocals—in a wide-ranging and fascinating portrayal of a confident, gregarious personality filled with abundant amounts of passion for making music and for making whoopee.  

The women—all saints marching into Armstrong’s life with captivating performances by Daisy Parker (Khalifa White), Lil Hardin (Jennie Harney-Fleming) and Alpha Smith (Brennyn Lark) and Lucille Wilson (Ta'Rea Campbell)—hitch their wagons to the charming star hoping to make their dreams come true. That is until they realize that Armstrong’s insatiable desire to perform and the freedom that a life on the road offers works contrary to his dream to settle down in a home with a family of his own.       

Even though that storyline wrestles a bit with the kind of dramatic thrust necessary to fully connect with all the characters, it always comes back to the music exquisitely arranged and orchestrated by Michael O. Mitchell and Annastasia Victory. And this show is loaded with pulsating dance numbers that place Armstrong at the center of it all in memorable songs like “You Rascal You,” “Heebie Jeebies” and “Black and Blue” and alongside DeWitt Fleming, Jr. in the terrific tap sequence of “When You’re Smiling.” But it is Iglehart’s performance of Armstrong’s last and most enduring classic “What A Wonderful World” that you will want to be humming on the way home.

PHOTO|Jeremy Daniel

A WONDERFUL WORLD
A New Musical
About The Life and Loves
of Louis Armstrong

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Cadillac Palace
151 West Randolph
through October 29

TICKETS

OFFICIAL SHOW WEBSITE

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PicksInSix Review: The Nacirema Society - Goodman Theatre

A Powerful, Laugh-Out Loud Triumph!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

Expect the unexpected in the Chicago premiere of Pearl Cleage’s extravagant and absurd comedy, “The Nacirema Society.” The play shines as the opener of Susan Booth’s first curated season as Goodman Theatre’s Artistic Director and as a joyous and nuanced exploration of how class, family tradition, honor, privilege, young love, ambition and social responsibility all present in everyday life. These themes mixed with over-the-top drama sets the stage for big gasps and even bigger laughs. Grab a glass of sherry, sit back and welcome to the lavish home of Grace Dubose Dunbar. 

“The Nacirema Society” drops us into the world of a prosperous, aristocratic Black family, the Dunbars, in 1964 Montgomery, Alabama. The mighty and entitled matriarch of the family, Grace Dubose Dunbar (E. Faye Butler), is also the grande dame of the Nacirema Society, a social club for affluent Black women in the South. The Society is preparing for the centennial year of its annual debutante ball, and Grace expects perfection in everything and everyone around her including her effervescent granddaughter Gracie (Demetra Dee) who is making her debut at the centennial ball. 

The plot weaves in another family—the working-class single mother Alpha Campell-Jackson (Tyla Abercrumbie) and her daughter Lille (Felicia Oduh)—who dig up Dunbar family secrets and rattle Dunbar family skeletons. The juxtaposition of these two families during the Civil Rights Movement illuminates the impacts of class and generational expectations in navigating change and legacy. The two families collide with great hilarity in the second act. 

Cleage’s remarkable writing and dialogue are brought to life under the superb direction of Lili-Anne Brown and the outstanding cast of powerhouse talent. Butler and Abercrumbie command the stage. Oduh and Dee are so honest and charming in depicting teenage eagerness, and the ensemble works beautifully together on stage to elevate each scene. 

Plus, the physical comedy is inspired. Ora Jones has a stand-out comedic performance as Grace’s nervous-wreck of a friend lurking on stage at the epicenter of a blackmail scheme. Shariba Rivers as the maid also had the audience buzzing as she collects coats, listens in from the stairs and eventually indulges in a glass of sherry herself as everything unravels.

Perhaps the best part of “The Nacirema Society” is as you find yourself belly laughing from start to finish, you are also deeply moved. This play stands strong as a delightful piece of theater that connects us through its content and characters all while creating an exuberant community in that experience.  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER is a Chicago-based attorney practicing construction and surety law.

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

GOODMAN THEATRE
presents
The Nacirema Society
EXTENDED through October 22
Albert Theatre
170 N. Dearborn St.

(312) 443-3800

WEBSITE

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PicksInSix Review: The Lehman Trilogy - Timeline Theatre Company | Broadway in Chicago

Searching For The Next Big Thing!
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

Though it's not customarily appropriate to disclose the ending of a dramatic piece up front—and certainly one as consequential as the Chicago premiere of the 2022 Tony Award-winning “The Lehman Trilogy,” a brilliantly staged co-production of TimeLine Theatre Company and Broadway in Chicago that opened at the Broadway Playhouse on Wednesday night—there it is right in front of us all at the top of the show: A blinding frenzy of news reports cascading across multiple screens on Collete Pollard’s striking, multi-level set composed of stacks of banker’s boxes, copy machines and office furniture. Few born before 1990 will need to know much more about the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis that toppled world financial organizations and placed tremendous hardship on America’s middle class.

“The Lehman Trilogy” serves as a rich and compelling reflection of our troubling financial times and a largely fact-based interpretation of the journey that led to this unimaginable end. The story hinges on the notion that the events that we know all too well are actually a consequence of succession and not of the vision and passion of its founders.

Wisely, and with blistering speed, “The Lehman Trilogy” focuses on the burgeoning path of their family pilgrimage to America, their aspirations and legacy. We first meet Heyum ‘Henry’ Lehman (Mitchell J. Fain), the eldest brother and patriarch of the family empire, as he arrives in New York in September 1844 and establishes a storefront business in Montgomery, Alabama.  Henry is joined by Mendel ‘Emanuel’ (Anish Jethmalani) in a few years and then by younger brother Maier ‘Mayer’ (Joey Slotnick).

Stefano Massini’s script, adapted by Ben Power, introduces several dozen characters—heirs, wives and business partners—who first emerge as brokers in the cotton industry in the pre-Civil War years; expand their influence with a major move to New York City that would eventually diversify business models during the Industrial Revolution and into the emerging Stock Market and then on to investment banking operations. Along the way, the Lehman’s developed dynamic investment philosophies and successfully navigated the aftermath of the 1929 Stock Market Crash in the face of enormous challenges.

Through it all, there is a willingness by the Lehmans to constantly look for opportunity—the next big thing—by taking a simple idea and making money with it. Lots of money.

Perhaps the most important element of this epic tale is not the accomplishments of the Lehmans to perpetuate their version of the American Dream, but rather the brilliantly imaginative way the story is told: with only three extraordinarily talented actors playing all roles over the course of the three-act production, one that moves so swiftly and with such grace, humor and pathos that we feel a sense of wonder and awe at every turn.  

There is an economy of scale to the entire production that co-directors Nick Bowling and Vanessa Stalling have baked into every scene that is worthy of a Lehman investment. At one moment, the Lehman brothers are head-to-head passionately debating the next iteration of the company or one is playfully wooing a partner into marriage. In the next moment, characters shift, the stage is on fire and the story launches forward, challenging the emergence of the next generation of the family to cope with molding America’s investment infrastructure on their own. It’s all together a fascinating adventure tale.

Pollard’s towering scenic landscape is richly amplified by the collective brilliance of John Culbert’s lighting design, Anthony Churchill’s projections, André Pluess soundscape and Izumi Inaba’s period costumes.

In truth, Robert Lehman, the last of the Lehman heirs to run the company in this exuberant, fast-paced and superbly staged production, passed away in 1969. The play then races to its conclusion with mergers, buyouts and the highly questionable move to mortgage acquisitions that led to the eventual collapse with nary a Lehman in sight.

By that time in the piece, having been gloriously entertained by these gifted performers, we are left with the understanding that the founders, and their heirs, had successfully pivoted in the face of every threat to the survival of the company for the next generation.

It’s no coincidence that “The Lehman Trilogy” is indeed the next big thing to strike a chord with audiences in Chicago. The show has already been extended through November 26.

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY
BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
present
THE LEHMAN TRILOGY
NOW EXTENDED
through November 26, 2023

BROADWAY PLAYHOUSE
at Watertower Place

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PicksInSix Review: Revolution - A Red Orchid Theatre

REVOLUTION’s Natalie West: “True comic acting.”
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

There’s a play running now through October 29 at A Red Orchid Theatre on Wells—”Revolution.” It’s a piece written by the fine writer and teacher Brett Neveu, and the play and story themselves become a real subject of conversation; they ask a lot of questions.  Mr. Neveu does so in touching on a great many different subjects along the way of its tightly-drawn 90-minute run. I enjoyed it muchly, don’t get me wrong here.  I’d recommend it to any aspiring playwright who wants to see how a first-rate writer can put together dialogue and conversation in an economic way, while still making its point.

Two friends, Puff and Jame, have just gotten off work and are in the back alley of the hair salon they work at together, a business called Revolution Cuts.  It really should be a celebratory moment for Puff.  She has just been promoted to salon manager. Today is her birthday and yet she seems unable to enjoy and celebrate the moment.  Puff (a strongly etched portrayal by Stephanie Shum) is a child of neuroses, as Mr. Neveu sees her.  Anxiety-ridden, with a fair lack of self-confidence, always asking the questions that push both these factors to the fore in her life.

Her best friend Jame, whose humor and lightness constantly supports Puff in the quest for calm, is an ever-present influence of wonder and positivity (in a charming, knowing performance by Taylor Blim).  The give-and-take between these characters shows Mr. Neveu at his best—sharp, sometimes repetitive, always encapsulating the generational feel of particular misgivings that often accompanies people in their 20s, starting out in life.

I say generational because now comes a twist in the story with the introduction of Georgia, a 50-something employee at a Ross store in the same mall.  Georgia (a pitch-perfect offering of true comic acting from Natalie West) is one of those folks we all know who doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere, and she longs for it.  So she hangs out with Puff and Jame, telling stories that may or may not be true, wanting to be a part of the celebration, so she can find a way to distract herself from her own difficult life at home and at work. Director Travis A. Knight allows and encourages this uneasy-at-first melding of disparate minds to find their way to a common purpose, and it’s smooth and well done. But what that purpose is becomes the job of the audience to absorb and observe. And it magnifies a bit of the problem with the play for this writer.

There are lots of questions on several topics that affect the angst here:  Growing older. How to face your fears on a daily basis.  Making new friendships, while being loyal to those already in your life. Dwelling on life choices, wondering if they were the right ones. Dealing with regret and how it affects our lives.  All these ideas are righteously presented. The problem is that there aren’t many answers to digest; certainly there’s not that much of an attempt to do so, it seems.

But then again, maybe that’s the point.  Jame has taken on the role of being the rock for Puff in those panic-influenced moments, and she seems to do so gladly, as Georgia continually lobs little emotional one-liner distractions into the equation.  These are all ideas that we deal with in our lives.  Some are magnified more than others, depending on the circumstance. And remember, all this lands in the middle of what is to be a celebratory time.  In the middle of an alley after work.  It’s a little uneven and unfinished.  But boy, is it fascinating to watch and take in.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com  Coming soon, his new solo play “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com
PHOTO|Evan Hanover

A Red Orchid Theatre
presents

World Premiere
REVOLUTION
1531 N Wells St, Chicago
through October 29

TICKETS
WEBSITE
(312) 943-8722
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PicksInSix Review: Hamilton-Broadway in Chicago

HISTORY NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD!
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

“HAMILTON” has returned to Chicago, and everyone is freaking out. Thursday’s opening night performance at The James M. Nederlander Theatre attracted a buzzing full house of people eager to experience the incredibly catchy delight that is the “HAMILTON” phenomenon. So much so that the audience cheered the moment the lights went down. Then Aaron Burr started his introduction of Alexander Hamilton, and if the backs of everyone’s bopping heads could talk, they’d have said to me: “I know every single word to this song, and I love it.”

Now, I have only seen “HAMILTON” this one time, knew maybe two songs going into opening night and most certainly was outnumbered by the repeat show goers. For years I have heard people rave about the award-winning musical’s unique storytelling of American history and great songs. For most of those years I also admittedly leaned into a contrarian disposition and assumed these people were more or less overreacting. Now, I get it. 

Just about every song in “HAMILTON” is a hit. Standouts from opening night include “My Shot” because it hits like a genuine call to Chicago to join in the revolution and “RISE UP” for freedom. “Burn” because of the beautiful lyrics infused with heartbreak and bravery. “The Schuyler Sisters” because the irresistible pop melody catches like wildfire in the phrase “look around, look around” that we hear throughout the production.

Deon'te Goodman as Aaron Burr delivers a powerful performance of “Wait for It.” Throughout the production, Goodman excels in exercising restraint and then, if only for an instant, seemingly breaks free and moves with his impulses. His performance showcases Burr’s inner conflict of wanting power and prestige but being hesitant to look beyond his reservations and take risks. Other notable performances include Jared Howelton as a show-stopping Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Nikisha Williams as a moving Eliza and Neil Haskell as a hilariously sneering King George. 

As for storytelling techniques, the choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and the talented ensemble’s execution thereof, deserves equal if not greater recognition than the toe-tapping songs and creative lyrics. Much of the story relies on the ensemble’s movement. This includes the numerous styles of dance that weave us from streetscape, to bar to war with grace, power and excellent control. The ensemble also carries in props and set pieces, moves slow-motion bullets in duels and ultimately sets the stage by keeping the audience engaged and intrigued. A job well done in meeting the energy of this non-stop production but somehow also creating the necessary breathing room to take it all in. 

Yet, “HAMILTON” does conjure up some ambivalence. There’s conflict between enjoying the show, respecting it for redefining theater and feeling weird about clapping along in celebration of an American nationalism that oversells mainstream history and the American dream that hard work can get you anywhere. We know that’s not true for all of us, but indulging in that narrative for the show’s quite long run-time does open the door to connecting with something better, which is the show’s examination of personal experiences that cannot be separated from larger political structures. Much of “HAMILTON’s” impact is in exploring what it means to be enough, finding community, the limitations of intellectualizing emotions and the power of grief and deep vulnerability. There’s revolution to be had in our collective human experience, and “HAMILTON” is the wildly entertaining reminder to lean into the movement and not throw away your shot.  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER is a Chicago-based attorney practicing construction and surety law.

PHOTO|Joan Marcus

HAMILTON: An American Musical

North American Tour

James M. Nederlander Theatre

through December 30

Official Show Website
Tickets
Ham4Ham Lottery
Cast

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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

HEALTH PROTOCALS

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PicksInSix Review: MJ The Musical - Broadway In Chicago

MJ – All about the Music.
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

If you need a more obvious example of the deep connection of Michael Jackson’s extraordinary pop legacy on our musical culture and psyche, you need look no further than the cover of the Playbill for the North American tour of “MJ” that officially opened at Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre on Wednesday night. The iconic black and white graphic of Jackson in mid-flex, floating with heels high, chin defiantly pitched and shaded by a black fedora and poised in a defiant, forceful motion that appears to glide across the ruby red background on the page, says it all. No title necessary.

As every member of the exuberant, capacity crowd was aware—red carpet A-List attendees and frenzied fans from in and out of town—the long-anticipated opening seemingly electrified the corner of Randolph and Dearborn at the epicenter of Chicago’s Theatre District. And that eager and unabashed excitement continued straight through the performance as Jackson’s musical legacy unfolded from childhood music sensation to pop superstar.

Presented by special arrangement with the estate of Michael Jackson, a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and directed and choreographed with unbridled passion by Tony Award®-winner Christopher Wheeldon, “MJ” features a non-stop adrenaline rush of several dozens of Jackson’s chartbusting music including hits from the early days of the Jackson Five and his ground-breaking solo career.

In a sweeping narrative set in 1992 days before the launch of Jackson’s Dangerous World Tour, the show evolves from a rehearsal session that introduces the extraordinary Roman Banks as Jackson—a performer of unparalleled physical and vocal range—whose arresting presence captivates every moment he is on stage. In the context of the rehearsal, Jackson’s story stretches past the sorted familial relationship with his domineering and abusive father Joe (Devin Bowles) and the Jackson’s breakthrough with Berry Gordy, to Michael’s collaborative work with Quincy Jones that paved the way for solo stardom. Nottage delves deeply into the sources of Jackson’s obsession with perfection in his work.

The backstory is framed in flashbacks told through the device of a fictional MTV interview that allows the Jackson catalog to weave in, out and around the action with a team of superb Jackson’s of various ages—Brandon Lee Harris as middle Michael and Josiah Benson as little Michael, at the opening—along the way. All the while, Banks serves as narrator and observer of the story of Jackson’s life as it unfolds, until it is time to return to the iconic vocal performances—and Wheeldon’s spellbinding choreography—buoyed by the rich, and often explosive, scenic elements (Derek McLane) and projections (Peter Nigrini) punctuated with dynamic lighting (Nastasha Katz), pin-point perfect costumes (Paul Tazewell) and sound (Gareth Owen) that magnify the lavish, non-stop musical core of the show.

Jackson’s career as originator, innovator and pop superstar is brilliantly conveyed by Banks, who reveals the aspirational, soft-spoken, visionary artist as one committed to the music at all costs in the face of the rising stakes to his health. During an era when industry views were literally shifting overnight by MTV, the media and public demand, the sheer force of Jackson’s impact becomes a turning-point in the story and the complicated life of one of the most celebrated—and conflicted—performers of all time. At some point, for a future generation, it may be necessary to include “MJ” on the Playbill cover. But, not here and not now. That impact shines vividly through September 2 on the Nederlander stage in Banks’s stunning performance and Wheeldon’s equally extraordinary and exhilarating choreography and direction.     

PHOTO | Matthew Murphy

MJ
The Musical

North American Tour
James M. Nederlander Theatre

through September 2

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PicksInSix Review: No Man's Land - Steppenwolf Theatre Company

“a wonderfully full and fleshed-out diamond”
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

There is a great deal that one might say about the 1975 Harold Pinter classic “No Man’s Land.”  It is a concentrated collage of all kinds of theatre with its drama so surreal, its absurdist bent quite humorous and insightful, its echoes of entities as disparate as Monty Python and Samuel Beckett.  But one thing is not in dispute: the current revival at Steppenwolf Theatre, which opened Sunday and runs through August 20, is a wonderfully full and fleshed-out diamond.  I would urge those here to come and learn from truly professional actors with purpose, who offer their own clinic in ensemble acting.

Directed in easy, informed touches by Les Waters, the play’s plot is honestly simple.  Two men with varying degrees of literary accomplishment meet in the lavish home of the more successful writer, Hirst (a sparkling, brilliant turn by Jeff Perry).  The guest Spooner (in endlessly varied and superb strokes by Mark Ulrich) talks and talks about, well, nothing that they might have in common.  The beginning of the piece is, in essence, a monologue for Spooner, and the loving exchange between them—two totally different kinds of actors in different modes of intoxication—also reflects the respect that each performer has for the other.

As the plot goes on, two employees of the house—Foster (a wonderful imposing, yet innocent presence by Samuel Roukin), a housekeeper and bodyguard; and Briggs (a marvelous, inspired Jon Hudson Odom), the house butler and, oh yes, bodyguard as well—make sure that this stranger Spooner is no threat to the ‘boss’, as they refer to Hirst.  Hirst is both authoritarian and host, as he imagines Spooner to be an old school chum.  And maybe he is, which brings us to story.

Much of the time in theatre of the absurd, there are questions as to what in the world the playwright is trying to say.  Story, of course, is different than plot, and each character has a very interesting story of his own to tell. Hirst is a writer/critic/essayist of high regard who constantly damages his gift with his drinking.  Yet he has moments of linguistic fancy that take the communal breath of the audience away and tries to answer those questions… Pinter at his true best.

Spooner is a lifelong aspiring poet who talks a great game in conversation but seems to say little. What he does say is a thick and potentially emotional comment on loneliness and isolation. Briggs is the cynic in the group.  He always doubts Spooner’s veracity and tends to rule the roost in the house.  But even when threatened with being fired for insubordination, Briggs stays with Hirst—a kind of tough love on both sides.  Foster is yet another poet-who-hasn’t-done-much and wants fervently to “do” the work needed.  But as a big tough guard in the house (Mr. Roukin’s physical presence emphasizes that skillfully), he feels stuck and wonders what he really can do with his life.  We’ve all been there.  Hirst, who is the one with the most to lose in practicality, simply moves on in his entitled existence, treating the help as if he were royalty, living with the realization that his best years are behind him, and almost casually accepting the losses of family and friends in his life—an experience he shares with Spooner in a very touching Act II give-and-take.

The great collective lesson learned here is two-fold.  First, we are confronted in the storytelling by the prospect of memory that is skewed, even imperfect, and how it affects the stark reality existing between these splendid characters.  And second, we are captured by the sight of four actors totally in love with their craft—and how they can so eloquently share it with each other and with the audience as well. A brilliant combination that makes Steppenwolf’s “No Man’s Land” an actor’s treat and an audience’s delight.  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com  Coming soon, his new solo play “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com

PHOTO|Michael Brosilow

Steppenwolf Theatre Company
presents

No Man’s Land

Downstairs Theater
1650 N. Halsted St.
through April 20, 2023

(312) 335-1650

WEBSITE

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PROGRAM

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PicksInSix Review: The SpongeBob Musical - Kokandy Productions

We All Belong At The ‘Bottom’
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder

Waves of gleeful Hawaiian melodies welcomed the patrons into the Chopin Theatre’s basement black box for Kokandy’s 2023 Season kickoff production of Nickelodeon’s “The SpongeBob Musical.” Bathed in buckets of coral, curtains of kelp and barnacled pillars, the audience floated into the bubble-filled venue, while a cartoon montage of the most recognizable SpongeBob characters dashed across shower curtain screens. Submerged in this experiential environment, the venue was brimming with excitement for the underwater opening night adventure to come.

“The SpongeBob Musical,” based on the television series by Stephen Hillenburg, doesn't just tell the story of the titular character, SpongeBob Squarepants, it’s a deep dive into the animated ecosystem that thrives in Bikini Bottom, a fictional underwater city. We meet the characters at the start of a typical Bikini Bottom Day, but the waters soon heat up when the seemingly inevitable eruption of a nearby volcano, aptly named Mount Humongous, threatens the city’s very existence. Faced with their impending doom, “SpongeBob” challenges its cast to band together to find their strength to fight or fly together.

Kicking things off and setting the buoyant bar is Patchy the Pirate, played with plundering aplomb by David Lipshutz, whose puns had the audience hooked from the start. Through a revolving door-style opening montage, we’re whirlpooled through introductions of Bikini Bottom’s inhabitants. From the moment we meet Frankie Leo Bennett’s SpongeBob, we are absorbed by his exceedingly optimistic vitality. And Bennett maintains that same positivity and certainty throughout; both driving his character and energizing the audience. Tempering the spirited tenor of Bennett, Isabel Cecilia García brings a fresh new take with their Patrick Star, less overtly dense than the source animation’s personality and more lovably clueless. Quinn Rigg’s Squidward expertly captures the original cartoon’s Paul Lynde-esque vocal affectations, while fully embodying the cephalopod’s tentacled punctuations. Rigg’s build-up to the explosive, self-celebrating/deprecating showstopper doesn’t “not not” suck in the best way. Most endearing was Sarah Patin’s Sandy Cheeks, who’s land mammal was so refreshingly grounded (pun intended) in the stakes of each moment. Patin shares acorns of truth anchored in such reason that the most outlandish of scenes and scenarios seem completely legitimate. Thwarting our heroes most maniacally and quite fashionably are the diabolical duo of Sheldon J. Plankton and Karen the Computer, played by smashingly villainous Parker Guidry and adorably hesitant hench-device Amy Yesom Kim. And as the script demands, Jennifer Ledesma truly wails every time she belts and riffs as Pearl Krabs. But Bikini Bottom wouldn’t be the aquatic entertainment success it is without the tidal wave of ensemble casting. They school so stylishly through scenes, splashy dances and brisk costume changes, there must be something sustaining in the water.

JD Caudill expertly steers the epic adventure of “The SpongeBob Musical,” teeming with sight gags and continually flooded with stage activity. Even under the frenetic pacing of the plot’s many twists and turns, Caudill never misses an opportunity to extract a brilliant bit. Though set in a more traditionally proscenium style, the pillars, though deep-sea designed, created a few momentary sightline issues. But with a cast mostly moving at a circus tent speed, not too many moments were lost. And the additional use of aisles for entrances and exits inspired the audience to be fully immersed and invested in the action.

With music direction by Bryan McCaffrey, “SpongeBob’s” band is a surge of sound, executing a variety of musical stylings, featuring songs by over a dozen songwriting legends, without missing a beat even if, at times, overpowering the singers and losing the vocals in the wash of sound. But the most treasured noisemaker of all is Foley artist Ele Matelan. Every squish, bounce and awooga was infused with subtext. Jakob Abderhalden’s costume designs made of mixed fabrics, textures and patterns were as captivating and motley as you’d expect from any underwater canyons or amazing coral reef snorkeling exploration. Along with scenic designer Jonathan Berg-Einhorn’s aforementioned undersea achievement, G "Max" Maxin IV’s lighting design accents every gag and caper with toon timing. Combine that with the earthquaking sound design of Mike Patrick, and the audience enjoys a fully immersive, almost theme park-like, sensory experience.

The themes of marine conservation and caring for one’s neighbors bubble to the top of many political and personal conversations across our country today, and “The SpongeBob Musical'' enthusiastically tackles both, making it relevant nearly a decade after its world premiere. What a treasure it would be for a tuneful musical to turn the tides to healing for these topics. Whether you grew up watching the wacky adventures of the yellow protagonist and his friends from SpongeBob SquarePants, or you’ve just landed in Bikini Bottom for the very first time, audiences of all ages are sure to be as happy as a clam after catching Kokandy’s “The SpongeBob Musical.”  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com

PHOTO|Evan Hanover

KOKANDY PRODUCTIONS
presents
Nickelodeon’s
THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
The Chopin Theatre
1543 W Division St.
through September 3, 2023

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PicksInSix Review: Merrily We Roll Along - Blank Theatre Company

Now You Know ‘Blank’ Means Business.
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder

Edgewater was admirably gifted with a mosaic of melodies and lyrics when the one-month run of Blank Theatre Company’s “Merrily We Roll Along” opened at the Reginald Vaughn Theatre this week. As the audience filled into the impressively intimate venue, who would have guessed that this most modest staging space would so capably present the multi-dimensional musical work of “Merrily.”

Stephen Sondheim (music/lyrics) and George Furth (book) have devised a complex, time-traveling musical, setting its audience on a backwards rollercoaster ride of character development as old friendships become new again and careers unexpectedly careen from finish to start. It’s like watching a trainwreck—set to music—backwards. Acutely fascinating of “Merrily We Roll Along” are the intricate parallels that pop up as the plot unfolds, creating mirrored moments, where once a character’s text meant heartbreak, later, those same words celebrate growth and new beginnings. Moreover, “Merrily” proves to be especially relatable as its audiences can too look back on their own rollercoaster journeys to ask: ‘How did we get here?’… if they dare.

Blank’s Co-Artistic Director & Founder Dustin Rothbart brings a brash and driving wit to writer Charley Kringas, markedly poking knowing holes into the wet rag role of Franklin Shepherd, played by Christopher Johnson. Johnson doesn’t give into the villainized role of Shepherd; instead, he presents us with a convincing underdog charm and passion, while maintaining attention to mixing chest and head voice throughout. And Brittany Brown bears the tragically spiraling novelist Mary Flynn with tortured limerence and vocal confidence. But it’s Justine Cameron’s Beth Spencer that truly shines. Starting with a showstopping rendition of Sondheim fan-favorite “Not A Day Goes By,” Cameron gently layers in subtext while sharing a vocal command of a range that seems limitless in all directions. With a continuously captivating stage presence, Cameron’s Beth delivers a notable range, from gut-punches of pain to subtle perceptive glances, inviting you to fall in love with her at first sight. And providing the most natural execution of musical comedy humor is Blank Managing Director Aaron Mann as producer Joe Josephson, who, with the slightest raise of an eyebrow or sideways look, plays a multitude of nuanced intentions. Mann has also cracked the witty wordplay of Furth’s book, making his scenes alone worth catching “Merrily.”

Boldly kicking off their 2023 Season with “Merrily We Roll Along,” Blank Theatre tackles one of Sondheim’s most mixed musicals. Though often lauded for its score, the original, short-lived, Broadway run proves its lukewarm acceptance by critics and audiences alike. But in the hands of director Danny Kapinos, also a Blank Co-Artistic Director & Co-Founder, the show takes on a bolder, more relatable energy when crunched into the narrow thrust-meets-in-the-round staging. Instead of putting on the Broadway-style overproduction of past productions, Kapinos hones in on the humanity of the characters, refreshingly welcoming us into the up-close living-room drama of their lives. Furthermore, delightfully ironic are Sondheim’s catchy melodies, tricky and almost unnaturally unhummable, that follow us out the door, for the fictional team of Kringas and Shepherd’s songs are so often rapped for taking on non-hummable forms themselves. Ah, the perpetual genius of Sondheim.

Although the skillful band, led by Aaron Kaplan and Sachio Nang, was tucked away in the neighboring cubby of a room, the balance between instrumentation and vocals was impressively set overall, never overcoming the pitapat of lyrics. Spotlight on trumpeter Michael Leavens who kicked things off with a sparkling start in the show-opening overture. Utilizing a very limited light plot, lighting designer Benjamin Carne clearly delineated scene focus with minimal adjustment, swiftly honing in on monologued flashes, while also shining emotional washes across the larger ensemble moments. The buffet of character apparel by costume designer Cindy Moon was visually delicious, brilliantly spanning so many decades of fashion trends with darling dresses and handsome suit options. And Tony Pellegrino expertly choreographed pushes and falls within the compact performance space, tightly yet unforced.

Blank Theatre Company embodies the true essence of Chicago storefront theatre that’s drawn so many aspiring artists to Chicagoland for decades. Presenting a challenging work as Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along” not only proves that Blank Theatre has what it takes, but they are in it for the long haul.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com

PHOTO | Eli Van Sickel/VanCap Images

BLANK THEATRE COMPANY
presents
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

The Reginald Vaughn Theater
1106 W. Thorndale Ave.
through July 23, 2023

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