Welcome to Berlin

Annie Get Your Gun

Light Opera Works’ holiday production of Irving Berlin’s classic Wild West love story is a glorious treat for the ear. Conductor/Chorus Master Roger L. Bingaman’s competent 28-member orchestra wrings every drop of joy from Berlin’s melodic score in a way that would’ve made the Tin Pan Alley composer proud. Indeed, in this age of economical, tinny-sounding synthesized pit orchestras, LOW’s rich, full-sounding musical accompaniment is always the highlight their productions and provides an auditory feast.

All in the Family

Tribes

Sometimes seated around the dinner table, often popping into the kitchen as they attack each other with verbal barbs, the five family members seem like a typical family, albeit an intellectual, creative, extremely verbal and somewhat dysfunctional tribe who express their love for one another (as well as their discontent with their own lives) through insults. Through the shouting and turmoil the audience slowly begins to notice that one of the family, Billy, is just sitting quietly observing and eating. He hasn’t joined in the ridicule nor has he been part of any discussions. We soon learn that Billy has been deaf from birth. He’s been “listening” to everyone by reading their lips, a skill his parents taught him early in life so that Billy might fit into regular society. Billy has even learned to talk, though he’s never heard the human voice. However, as a result of his upbringing, neither Billy nor his family have ever learned to sign, thus isolating him and preventing him any interaction with the deaf community.

Mystery Most Foul

An Inspector Calls

Following an elegant family dinner at Arthur and Sybil Birling’s comfortable home in northern England, the arrival of a mysterious man is announced. He claims to be police Inspector Goole who inexplicably shares with them the sad news that Eva Smith, a young working-class woman, has tragically committed suicide. No one at the family gathering, including young Gerald Croft, who has just officially proposed to Arthur’s daughter Sheila, nor Arthur’s son Eric, recognize the young woman’s name, and begs the question: why is the inspector involving this family in the unfortunate incident?

Hell in a Handbag presents a Campy Christmas Classic

Recommended

By Lazlo Collins

It wouldn’t be Christmas in Chicago without a Hell in a Handbag offering to keep the holidays real (unreal?). With “Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer” at rest this year, the folks at Hell in a Handbag bring us “Christmas Dearest”.

At the center of this Dickensian once over is none other than Joan Crawford herself. David Cerda (Actor/Writer/Artistic Director) is “Miss Crawford” in all her maternal glory.

“Christmas Dearest” is the story of Joan Crawford and her impetuous rule over the cronies that surround her in Hollywood with her extraordinary ego. The characters of her well documented life appear throughout the show. From daughter Christina (Christopher Lewis) to movie mate Bette Davis (lovingly played by Caitlin Jackson), move through the past and present twisting and turning though Miss Crawford’s Christmas Carol story treatment.

An Angel Gets His Wings

It’s a Wonderful Life – American Blues Theatre

The name George Bailey has become synonymous with Christmas since Frank Capra’s holiday classic first began airing on television nonstop during the 1980’s. Based upon “The Greatest Gift,” a short story privately published in 1945 by
Philip Van Doren Stern, this tale of a man who sacrifices all his own dreams to help his family and friends has become a timeless classic. Most audiences will be familiar with the 1946 b&w film, which is just about as perfect as anyone can expect. But American Blue Theater’s version takes this classic one step further.

One Dickens of a Show

A Christmas Carol

Whoever would’ve thought that a novella published back in 1843 London would not only become the most-told Christmas story of all time; it would even rival the story of the first Christmas in familiarity. There have been, and will no doubt continue to be, more versions and adaptations of Dickens’ story of Scrooge’s redemption than anyone can count. M.E.H. Lewis’ new adaptation is good, but director Shifra Werch’s production could use some tweaking.

Matthew Hallstein makes a good Scrooge, possessing a rich, commanding baritone that can level the youngest carolers or drive away even the most benevolent charity collectors. He fully understands the nature of the old miser and the dialogue Lewis has given him. The problem stems from his pacing. Scrooge has to be the driving force of this play and Hallstein simply takes too many moments of “reflection” to keep the story moving. At times Hallstein seems as if he’s stalling until he can recall his next line; but in retrospect, it’s more likely a directing choice. As a result, the rhythm becomes slow or staccato. When Mr. Hallstein is on a roll his Scrooge is a real fireball, but every time he stops to ponder the situation the play’s momentum comes to a halt.