Author: Colin Douglas
A Light in the Dark
Next to Normal
Paramount Theatre continues to light up Chicagoland as the company best known for its spectacular Broadway style musical productions. The shows usually feature large casts of extraordinarily talented triple threats, all acting, singing and dancing their hearts out on artistically designed stage settings. But Paramount’s Bold Series of plays and musicals, performed at the Copley Theatre, located directly across the street from the gorgeous Paramount venue, are just as emotionally impressive but on an abbreviated scale. The shows generally have a smaller cast, often feature a more modest scenic design but, because of the theatre’s intimate seating, can still deliver a punch straight to the heart.
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Somewhere Between Reality and Dreams
No Man’s Land
Like so many other plays by British Harold Pinter, this bizarre and, I confess, quite confusing two-hour, two-act drama appears to be a reaction to an intruder who attempts to disturb the status quo. This 1974 play, like most of Pinter’s absurdist comic-dramas (The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming), exists somewhere between what’s real and what’s only dreamed. Hirst, an aging, alcoholic, upper-class author meets a fellow poet named Spooner at the local pub. After an evening of drinking and conversation, Hirst invites the down-on-his-luck writer back to his magnificent home for more drinks. As the night wears on, the two men become increasingly inebriated, with Hirst ripening into reticence and Spooner turning more talkative.
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Flippy Floppy Floory
Elephant & Piggie’s: “We Are In a Play!”
Any young child with access to a library or bookstore will probably have memorized the books of the prolific and Caldecott-Honored author, Mo Willems. Savvy parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians and booksellers are also huge fans of his delightful stories. They provide hours of joy for children and, may I confess, adults, as well! Why? It’s because they’re all so simple, completely relatable, happy and positive. How refreshing to be able to spend time with two “bestus” friends in today’s world, that’s filled with so much danger and violence.
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I Can’t Fight This Feeling
Rock of Ages
Chris D’Arienzo’s theatrical tribute to the glam rock bands of the 1980’s is yet another jukebox musical. The show sports a huge roster of rock hits by the likes of Journey, Pat Benatar, Bon Jovi, Styx, Twisted Sister and many more artists. It’s a loving tribute to that bygone era of excess. The show features big sound, big talents and big hair, generously peppered with spandex, mini-skirts, thigh-high boots, acid-washed denim and lots of skin.
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Be Our Guest
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Everyone, I dare say, has felt like an outsider at some point in their lives. In this story, a young girl, lovingly raised by her widowed father, is the new girl in a small French town. But just like any kid who’s moved to a new city and entered a new school, Belle is made fun of and told she’s odd. The young lady escapes her “provincial life” through books. The only person in town who seems to like the girl is Gaston, a horribly pompous egotist, who wants to marry her because she’s pretty.
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Soul Sisters
Marie & Rosetta
Evolving naturally from the Blues, Gospel music had its beginnings in Chicago. So what better place to celebrate this incredibly talented singing duo than right here at Northlight Theatre? As we enjoy this musical celebration of original Soul Sisters, Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight, we witness how the genre ultimately melded into Jazz, R&B and Rock & Roll, and inspired such popular musicians as Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton and even Elvis Presley.
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Hero Is My Middle Name
Nickelodeon’s The SpongeBob Musical
Oh, my goodness! An environmental calamity is about to demolish the undersea city of Bikini Bottom and all its inhabitants. Mount Humongous, a subaquatic volcano, is loudly rumbling and hurling boulders at everyone. The probability is certain that it’s going to erupt very soon and take out every living thing in the Pacific Ocean paradise. It seems like everyone has a plan to try to save the citizens of Bikini Bottom: the Mayor has ordered an escape vehicle to transport the entire town to safety; evil Sheldon J. Plankton and his wife Karen the Computer have a nefarious scheme that only promotes their own selfish interests; even the miserly crustacean who owns the Krusty Krab restaurant has cooked up a way to make a profit from the disaster. But it takes an optimistic little guy named SpongeBob SquarePants, working together with his friends Patrick Star and Sandy Cheeks, to literally save the day, because, as he sings “Hero is My Middle Name.”
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Hitchcock Heightens into Hilarity
The 39 Steps
Imagine if someone took the grandaddy of the chase film, a classic Alfred Hitchcock mystery/thriller, and turned it into a laugh-out-loud farce. Well, the result is this play that features nonstop action and parodies the 1935 Hitchcock film. That movie had been adapted (four times, in fact) from a 1915 novel by John Buchan. And while this theatrical script overflows with diabolical murders, criminal intrigue and villainous spies, and is filled with a large cast of colorful characters, the gimmick of this theatrical version is that only four actors play all the roles. Therein lies the source of humor for this Monty Python-like comedy.
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You Make Me Wanna Shout!
Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
Today, jukebox and biographical musicals make up a large portion of the productions playing on Broadway and the West End, and the public absolutely adores them. Telling the life story of a world-famous celebrity, while liberally peppering it with a playlist of the artist’s most beloved songs, has become a theatrical staple. But back in 1989 this was a new style of musical. Written by Alan James, and supported by Sir Paul McCartney (who owns the rights to the music), brought “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” to London’s Victoria Palace Theatre. This toe-tapping, high energy musical story, which eventually transferred to Broadway, depicted the meteoric rise to fame of rock and roll legend Buddy Holly. proving to be an absolute crowd-pleaser, it played for 12 years and began a new trend of theatre called the jukebox musical. That trend continues today with shows like “Jersey Boys,” “Ain’t Too Proud,” “Tina” and “MJ.”
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Renegades on the Run
Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon
A very funny, quirky, offbeat and totally unique musical comedy is playing at Lookingglass Theatre and it’s an absolute winner! With an unusual story and script, plus an original Country/Western score, both written by Artistic Associate, Matthew C. Yee (“Treasure Island,” “Moby Dick,” at Lookingglass Theatre) I can guarantee that theatergoers will not only laugh their faces off, but also delight in discovering a completely new theatrical experience.
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