Finding Your Own Song

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Goodman Theatre’s latest production is a magnificent revival of August Wilson’s second, chronological installment of his extraordinary and ambitious American Century Cycle. This particular drama, set in 1911 Pittsburgh, is one of Wilson’s ten plays that chronicle the African-American experience, decade by decade. The Goodman was actually the first theatre in the country to present all ten of the Wilson Cycle plays, including the world premiere of two of the dramas. After the Goodman’s recent miraculous production of Mr. Wilson’s GEM OF THE OCEAN, set in 1904, we can only hope that soon audiences will be enjoying a remount of MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, the next play, chronologically-speaking, and set in the 1920’s at a Chicago recording studio.   

Words, Words, Words

Hamlet

Following an extended successful run in New York City, comedian Eddie Izzard is bringing her solo adaptation of Hamlet to Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Whether or not you are familiar with Shakespeare or with Eddie Izzard’s comedy, I can strongly recommend you see this unique production.

Sunset Playhouse’s Jesus Christ Superstar Offers an Illuminated Interpretation of the Lloyd-Webber Classic Rock Opera

In a time of elevated conflict in the Middle East, it might feel difficult to get too excited about a musical so deeply connected to the region and its conflicts. And yet… By the third bar of “What’s the Buzz,” I was captivated, if not totally transported. In this rendition of Jesus Christ Superstar, Director Tommy Lueck deftly realizes the 70s rock opera, charming some truly stellar performances out of a remarkably diverse and capable cast– including Colton VonDeylen’s menacing Annas and a soaring solo from Nick Sweet’s Simon.

Hope and Healing

Jump

As the lights come up, through the whispy fog we discover a young woman walking on a bridge. She enjoys a draw from her vape pen. Then she throws it away into the dark waters below, only to have it magically reappear in her hand. This moment, like several other incidents in the play, happen over and over again. Very soon theatergoers realize that Charly Evon Simpson’s quirky one-act is set in a universe that’s rife in magical realism. The 90-minute drama, which is enjoying its Midwest Premiere, is a play about hope and healing and just plain being human. It’s told through a nonlinear storyline that’s filled with unexpected surprises and humor, as well as a deep river of sadness.

What Could Be Better?

Baby

Three diverse couples, all living in a fictional university town and a different sector of that collegiate community, become united in this musical by, and about, pregnancy and childbirth. But as delightful as they are, the diversity of the six characters seems like a purposeful, cross-section of all the coupled, heterosexual members of society. In addition, there’s three very disparate conclusions to these couples’ individual pregnancies. As one couple sings, “What Could Be Better?”

One Inch From Terrific

Brooklyn Laundry

At the top of this one-act, a perky, attractive young woman named Fran drops off a bag of soiled bedclothes at her local laundromat/dry cleaners. The lady who usually greets her has the day off, but Owen, the owner of a modest three-store laundromat empire, welcomes her instead. Fran paces around, her mind clearly occupied with much more than dry cleaning, and the cheerfully optimistic Owen picks up on this. The amiable laundromat manager is, true to his character, masking his own hurts and heartbreaks. However, Owen choses to look at the positives in life. He observes that Fran reminds him of the fiancee who left him a couple years ago, a woman he describes as being smart, pretty and “one inch from terrific.” Despite gently chiding her for being so gloomy, Owen flirts with Fran and asks her out to dinner.

A Musical Fable of Broadway

Guys and Dolls

More I Cannot Wish You. No, really! This perfect, professional production is a beautiful Bushel and a Peck of playfulness. Sue Me, if I’m not speaking the truth! If I Were a Bell I’d ring out the great news! They say that everything old is new again and Drury Lane’s resplendent revival of this “Musical Fable of Broadway” is proof positive of this old proverb. So please, do not miss this phenomenal production or, much like the marvelous Miss Adelaide, you’ll be Lamenting it for 14 years.

An American Musical Classic

The Music Man

Meredith Willson’s very first musical, and his magnum opus, is undeniably one of the best-loved classics of the American musical stage. As one of the most perfectly written of all musicals, it doesn’t simply feature a few main characters backed up by a chorus of nameless, dancing singers who only appear during the big musical numbers. Each and every character in this show is unique individual with his own personality and backstory. And that alone makes this show very special, both as an actor and as a theatergoer.