An 80’s Throwback and a Modern Musical

City Lit Theater’s new production, TWO HOURS IN A BAR, is a double bill of new one acts. They are the world stage premiere of a play by Kristine Thatcher (with material by Larry Shue) and the world premiere of a musical by Kingsley Day. It is a night of one acts with only two things in common: they take place in a bar and have the same roster of actors. They were both directed by Terry McCabe, Set Design by Ray Toler, Lighting by Mike McShane, Costumes by Andres Mota, Stage Managed by Hazel Flowers-McCabe and Musical Direction was by Shraman Ghosh.

The first play, WAITING FOR TINA MEYER is the only collaboration between Kristine Thatcher, City Lit’s resident playwright, and Larry Shue, the late playwright of the farces THE NERD and THE FOREIGNER. Written while they were best friends and resident actors at Milwaukee Repertory Theater in the 1980s, it concerns a pair of best-friend actors sitting in a bar because one of them is expecting to be met there by Tina Meyer, a woman he doesn’t know who sent him a note backstage earlier that evening.

The script is sharp and funny, the one-liners, observations, and banter smack of Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld but with a warmth and kindness that the former have never captured.  In fact, it is so reminiscent of a well written sitcom of the 80s and 90s, that I wasn’t surprised to learn it had begun as a spec script for Norman Lear’s One Day at a Time. The set is a simple bar, much like any you might see in Chicago. However the costume design and props trended a bit odd; for example, it took quite a while to figure out the leads were supposed to be actors, as they were dressed like 80s businessmen also, a tequila bottle that played a prominent role was inexplicably a ceramic fish – lending an incongruous air of the absurd.

In supporting roles, Music Director Shraman Ghosh played a good-hearted pianist who’s a bit slow on the uptake and Kat Evans the sarcastic and poker-faced bar owner. The best friends are played by Jimmy Hogan, a sleezy, over-confident leading man type, and Freddy Mauricio as a gentle, romantic. Hogan and Mauricio were stilted at first, the words didn’t feel natural coming out of their mouths. Then came veteran actress marssie Mencotti, who commanded the stage the minute she entered it. She exuded a warmth, wry humor and gentle wisdom that seemed to gather everyone, cast and audience, around her. Her presence elevated the performances of both leading men, creating a sincerity in them that had been missing at the start. Then they in turn delighted with an unexpected climax: a hokey, ridiculous musical number from a Richard III musical that Hogan and Mauricio are meant to be touring with. Both actors went all in and it was a delight to see. The ending has a bit of a twist, that will leave you smiling.

The second play, TEXT ME, is a world premier by Kingsley Day. This time, Jimmy Hogan plays a hopeless romantic meeting a potential new boyfriend at a bar. Kat Evans plays his best friend and support – she’s there to save him if the date goes south. Mauricio plays their waiter, and Mencotti is in a much smaller role as the bar manager. This time Ghosh stayed off stage, but played the music and was the voice of most of the texts that Hogan and Evans received.

In many ways, TEXT ME is an example of why local theater is so vital: it is a classic musical that takes place in the modern day, with cell phones, text lingo and emoji. How to incorporate this integral part of modern life is something theater, television and cinema have been grappling with for a few years now. Some of it worked, some of it didn’t, but larger, national productions have reached the financial point of “too big to fail,” leaving the smaller companies, the local artists, to experiment, an invaluable aspect of any living art form.

The shining moments: Evans has a classic, lovely soprano, and Hogan is a solid musical theater singer as well. This was especially evident as both of them sang nearly every note while seated – no easy feat once you’re an octave above middle C. They also acted out all the emojis with choreographed movements and facial expressions that were creative, funny and impressively recognizable. Both Hogan and Mauricio seemed to fit their roles a little more comfortably in this play, and Evans’ character was a complete 180 from her role in TINA MEYER; she was every bit the warm and loving best friend.

The moments for pause: In order to demonstrate when they were texting (either each other, or Hogan’s potential date and Evans’ boyfriend) a spotlight would center them and the stage would go dark. However, as mentioned earlier, with only one exception, they stayed in their seats for every song. This led to a rather static staging, and I couldn’t help but wonder why not have them act out their conversations a little more broadly. As it was, in a peak moment, when Hogan finally did get up to sing and dance his feelings, it was startling.

Overall, both shows elicited several laughs, and in the case of WAITING FOR TINA MEYER, a moment or two of real pathos. Not a bad way to spend an evening.

Somewhat Recommended

Reviewed by Alina C. Hevia

Presented at City Lit Theater, 1020 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago, IL 60660, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 3 pm. Mondays April 1, 8, 15 at 7:30 pm through April 21^st.

Tickets for TWO HOURS IN A BAR are $34.00, seniors $29.00, students and military $12 (all plus applicable fees) are now on sale, online at www.citylit.org and by phone at 773-293-3682.

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