No Reward for Telling the Truth

Vladimir

Does that sound familiar? That there’s no reward for speaking or publishing the truth today? Every journalist during the past two years who truthfully reports the facts is personally ridiculed and their broadcasts or writing is called “a hoax” or “fake news”? In Russia, under the rising reign of Vladimir Putin, several courageous and daring journalists were murdered for their investigation and for reporting the facts. There was, and still is, no reward for telling the truth.

Five 20-somethings walk into an ancient, hungry forest. Who walks out?

A Midsummer Night Scream

Step into the theater and be transported to a looming, sentient forest that is on a knife’s edge of waking. And oh, is it hungry! With the BEST 80’s soundtrack.

Massive trees dwarf the space, exquisitely rendered and seemingly immortal. The trees’ solidity and rugged strength emphasizes the danger to the flimsy tents, rickety cabin structure, and soft squishy humans.  Danger surrounds it all. Oblivious, a group of young lovers gather around the firepit, intent on one last wild weekend before college. But they are not prepared for how wild this camping trip will become. 

A Midsummer Night Scream is presented as an 80’s nostalgia version of the Shakespearean classic: what happens if Shakespeare’s lovers are the Brat Pack caught in a slasher pic, where the killer is immortal forest fae? Set in the 1980’s, the human characters have a solid Breakfast Club vibe. The heart-throb jock, Dimitri (Luke McGreevey) is complete with a pseudo letter jacket, but carrying a dark secret. McGreevey has a strong presence and the sort of high-intensity energy this production needs. The leather-clad Xander (Connor O. Locklin), a dark and stormy musician, is carrying a torch along with his guitar. The smart, pretty girl Mia (Samantha Buckley) has big plans but made some bad choices. The awkward nerd Nick Bottom (Drew Slager) lives in their own world. All gather at the derelict cabin of Sam Holloway (Hayden Lane-Davies), a strangely distant but central friend (true slasher pic territory here). 

And of course the beloved fae – a delightful and fully-realized performance by Jack Antonio as Puck / Robin Goodfellow, appearing to mortals as a sparkly DJ or a comic-book-style caretaker, but showing his true glorious self only to Titania (Riley Starr McLean). Oberon (Marvo Oldham) is the horned god of the forest, awakened. 

The use of the space is smart, with well-differentiated areas of distinct ambiances. The costuming of the fae is gorgeously otherworldly. Specific set pieces – the firepit, the cabin window, the darkened doorway and the familiar porch steps are all put to excellent creative use.  A curated selection of 80’s greatest hits are purposefully timed to emphasize the plot points, and cleverly insinuated through a radio broadcast over the 80’s ubiquitous boom box. Lighting by Lighting Designer and Master Electrician Mike McShane is masterful; from evocative and changing forest fill to bold choices that allow the company wide-ranging use of the space (spoiler: keep hands and feet out of the aisles at all times please!)

The production comes with several warnings: it is an intense, high-sensory immersive horror experience. The production features stylized ’80s slasher violence, gore, graphic depictions of body horror, and themes of psychological trauma, non-consensual outing, internalized homophobia, and loss of autonomy. Sensory elements include aggressive strobe lighting, sudden loud bursts of radio static, atmospheric haze, and close-proximity physical combat. 

Otherworld is a unique treasure; a company dedicated to Science Fiction and Fantasy Theatre. Their concept calls to the wide world of geeks and nerds and comic-con devotees who are as enamored of the magic of theater as they are of the power of fantastical imaginings and brave new worlds. Founder and Artistic Director of Otherworld, Tiffany Keane Schaefer, is the writer, director and scenographer of Midsummer. Schaefer is an award winning director and playwright, with several major Chicago works including the acclaimed and popular TWIHARD! A Twilight Musical Parody. 

The creative team includes Assistant Director Fahim Sheikh, Fight Director Sam Campos, Intimacy Director Madeline Meyer, and Producer Sarah Jamgotch. 

Like Otherworld itself, the concept of A Midsummer Night Scream, is thrilling. As scenographer, Schaefer has created an enthralling and powerful visual and spatial environment. The story has moments – clever, touching, comic – along with broad strokes about masks both literal and figurative. Currently however, this original new work is two and a half hours and in need of focus and difficult editorial choices. It absolutely has the potential to become as great as the concept. 

A Midsummer Night Scream presented by Otherworld Theatre Company runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM with matinees Sundays at 2:30 PM through November 1. All shows are at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago

Tickets may be purchased online at https://www.otherworldtheatre.org 

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com

What Happened to Maria?

Dead Girl’s Quinceañera

Enjoying its World Premiere at the Goodman Theatre, Phanesia Pharel’s first full-length play, DEAD GIRL’S QUINCEANERA, is a very funny, often chilling and sometimes somber comic thriller. It takes place in Miami during an important right of passage for all young Latina ladies. When fifteen-year-old Maria mysteriously disappears during her Quinceañera, her three Latina gal pals, Salma, Este and her cousin, Phoebe, set out to solve the mystery of what happened to Maria?

A Mighty Maiden With a Mission

Princess Ida

As Lindsey Baer, the talented musical director and orchestra conductor of PRINCESS IDA, launches into the operetta’s rousing Overture, theatergoers are treated to an informative dramatic prologue to the story. Director Kingsley Day’s delightful production cleverly begins with a pantomime depicting Ida, as a little girl. After she gleefully discovers some books, discarded by her three doofus brothers, young Ida resigns herself to the bad behavior of the young men. This ingenious opening scene lays the ground for who the Princess will ultimately become as an adult: a “Mighty Maiden With a Mission.” 

Move Toward the Darkness

The Addams Family

Fall has arrived and there’s a definite chill in the air—especially at BrightSide Theatre. Celebrating the company’s 15th Anniversary, the theatre kicks off their 2026-27 season with a musical that’s not only perfect for Halloween, but a show that began its life in Chicago. In 2009, THE ADDAMS FAMILY had its preBroadway tryout. Despite a star-studded cast it opened to mixed reviews. Following a much-needed script revision, by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice (JERSEY BOYS, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER), and some changes, additions and deletions to the score, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa (BIG FISH, THE WILD PARTY), the musical opened on Broadway the following year. 

A Brilliant Musical Comedy

Operation Mincemeat

From the unusual title to the bizarre television commercials advertising the show, OPERATION MINCEMEAT certainly wasn’t on my list of must-see musicals. Well, it most definitely is now! Anywhere this show is playing, I will be in the audience. And may I recommend that OPERATION MINCEMEAT should be on the must-see list of 1.) every musical theatre lover, 2.) all fans of wacky British humor and 3.) for every true history aficionado in Chicagoland. OPERATION MINCEMEAT is absolutely a brilliant musical comedy, and it should definitely not be missed.

Sibling Rivalry and Resentment

Topdog/Underdog

The American Dream is a joke for many, especially if you’re a member of a minority. In this commanding production, moments of dark, adult comedy are offset by sudden, knee-jerk periods of violence in this 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by Suzan-Lori Parks. The two-act play takes a deep, probing look at the sibling rivalry and resentment that’s been building and festering for years between two African American brothers. 

A Multitude of Mayhem 

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

A little Boy decides that he’d rather stay at home and read his new comic book, while his Mom spends the afternoon visiting his Aunt Polly. Just as he begins enjoying his Jungle Man magazine, the generous, kind and polite young man receives a surprise visit from a rascally rodent who has more requests than the Boy could ever imagine. After the courteous kid offers the hungry Mouse a delicious chocolate chip-and-oatmeal cookie, the rodent politely asks for a glass of milk. But since he’s so tiny and the glass is so tall, the Mouse hints that a straw would be useful. And so begins an afternoon of requests that result in a multitude of mayhem and messes for the little Boy to clean up, before Mom gets home.

Bustin’ Out

You Can’t Fake the Funk

They often say that everything old is new again. Well, in celebration of Black Ensemble Theater’s dazzling and impressive 50th anniversary this exuberant, exciting musical revue has rediscovered, refreshed and recast to become a much-applauded, brand new production all over again. While a company of gloriously gifted singers, dancers and musicians were pouring their hearts out to entertain the audience, most of the theatergoers were leaping out of their seats, clapping, singing and dancing along. The performance was like being at a huge, happy block party, where the fun never stops “Bustin’ Out”!

Fanatic Fandom

I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire

Teenage obsession turns into a sad and sinister fetish in Samantha Hurley’s absurdist, over-the-top, one-act comic drama. Meet young Shelby Hinkley. She’s a petite, 14-year-old eighth-grader who’s pretty intense and rabidly obsessed with movie star, Tobey Maguire. Did I say obsessed? Shelby is consumed, fixated on and dominated by the handsome young actor. It’s 2004 and being the self-proclaimed president of the Tobey Maguire Fan Club is pretty much Shelby’s entire existence.