Who Cares Whodunnit When You’re Dating Walter Dante?

Who Cares Whodunnit when you’re Dating Walter Dante?

By Angeli Primlani

If you yelled at the TV when you heard that Drew Peterson was engaged to a 23-year-old girl despite being suspected of murdering two of his four previous wives, oh boy is this is the play for you!  The Raven Theater’s world premiere of Jon Steinhagen’s Dating Walter Dante turns this tabloid situation into a delectable murder mystery, which teases a deeply human drama out of the cheap and familiar headlines.

Walter Dante is not exactly Drew Peterson. His first wife drowned in a swimming pool, not a bathtub, and Dante was married only twice, not four times. Unlike Peterson it is just possible he is innocent. That does not matter. This is not a play about the Drew Peterson case. It isn’t even really about Walter Dante. Instead the play asks why on earth any sane woman would date such a person, much less sign on to be Dead Wife Number Three?

Is Laura Bakersfield naive or brave to love this man? Are her friends justifiably concerned, or absurdly paranoid? Did Walter Dante really kill his two ex-wives, or is he an innocent man in a tragic horrific situation? And what is up with his dead wife’s ghost?  Is this, as the characters conflictingly claim, a drama, comedy, tragedy, dramedy, murder mystery, ghost story or love story? That’s for the audience to decide. The answers do not come easily.

Each member of the fine cast walks a delicate line that leaves the audience guessing. But Kristin Collins’ crushingly hopeful Laura is the heartbeat of the piece. At turns ridiculous, sensual, and flaky, she still has small town Midwestern steel carrying her willful optimism. You may find yourself wanting Walter to live up to her belief in him. Or you may want to scream that he can’t.

Dating Walter Dante is at the Raven Theater, Fridays-Sundays through March 24^th. If you love true crime, murder mysteries, love stories, or just a head cracking good tale, make sure you don’t have to rush home. You may want to stand out in the cold discussing the play with total strangers afterwards.

American Idiot Delivers Loud and Lovely

By Lazlo Collins
As I settled back into my chair at the Oriental Theater in Chicago, I began to recall Green Day’s American Idiot album (or should I say CD) that I heard before. The break out songs, the angry guitar riffs, and the raging lyrics by Billie Jo Armstrong were being strongly considered before the curtain rose.
When the act curtain was finally open, I searched the set for signs of a great Broadway musical. The music began and the volume was LOUD. Perhaps the “rage against society” or “where am I going” rock musical would be too much for me? Perhaps I was too old to appreciate the messages of lost youth, of lost passions, of friends separated too soon? I was getting nervous.
The hour-forty, no intermission, groundbreaking Broadway musical had begun. With the band onstage and ready to go, the story of three friends bored and ready to beat it out of town for something more, was off to a frantic start, with the title song of “American Idiot”.
The main trio of men is revealed immediately throughout the first song. Johnny (Van Hughes), Tunny (Scott J. Campbell, and Will (Jake Epstein) are three close friends. The three are bored, unmotivated, and questioning the world around them. And with their musical “Holiday” cue they are off.
At the gate, Will stays behind to take care of his child and girlfriend. Mr. Epstein plays Will with all the downtrodden apathy he can muster. He takes on his child filled consequences with careful consideration. He is left behind by his pals, but the drama of an unhappy girlfriend will keep his story moving throughout the show.
As Tunny and Johnny continue on to the “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”, Tunny joins the Army and Johnny stumbles behind. These two men are standouts in this production. Mr. Campbell is not only stunningly strong throughout his portrayal of the reluctant Army guy, but his lovely tenderness that translates from his profound loss is clear and so moving. He is a presence with his frame and his fabulous voice. I could not wait for him to sing again.
Mr. Hughes’s Johnny is also strong, clear, and a little dopey. I am not sure if this was a convention of this particular show, but was a choice that worked for his character. His descent from love into heroin madness is a heartbreaking. Mr. Hughes is very likeable on stage, not to mention his enormous talent as a performer and singer. His clear tones with contrasting sweet ballads versus rock and roll anthems are well executed, and emotionally driven. His casual, wily, smile suits this actor well.
Wait a minute, my nervousness and apprehension about the show is gone. I am totally into the story, song, and characters. It is still LOUD, but also soft, also sweet, and also sad and thought provoking. It is official. I am a fan.
As the story moves along for each of the men, we meet their muses. The pregnant, Heather, played by Leslie McDonel; the mysterious drug lover, Whatsername, played by Gabrielle McClinton; and the Army fantasy companion, The Extraordinary Girl, played by Nicci Claspbell. These woman were all excellent in there respective roles. Ms. McDonel and Ms. Claspbell were matched perfectly for their characters. Through the anger and frustration came lovely voices that translated throughout the audience. Ms. McClinton’s intensity sometimes overshadowed her performance and at times it was difficult to understand her lyrics. That said, it is a difficult role to perform with its constant intensity.
Rounding out

the rage is “St. Jimmy” played delectably sinister and invasive by Joshua Koback.(His “exit” was brilliantly staged.) His voice was amazing as well. Bravo!
It would be completely wrong not to mention the dynamite ensemble that continued to swirl and move around the main characters. The choreography (Steven Hoggett) was always interesting and always seems to be pushing, and fighting against an invisible force surrounding the actors. Each time an ensemble member was featured in a solo performance there was never a disappointment in style and performance.
The scenic design (Christine Jones), sound design (Brian Ronan), lighting design (Brian Ronan), and lighting design (Kevin Adams) were all amazingly integrated in this production. Many times I smiled at the wonder of these elements all working together at such an accelerated pace.
I tip my hat to Michael Mayer for another successful youth driven discovery piece for us; (Although the set seemed reminiscent of “Spring Awakening” in some ways; sans the monitors.) and to Green Day for its driving melodies and clear line of musical power; moving from album to musical theater showpiece.
As the final strains of the guitars after the curtain call brought a tear to my eye, it was clear; I HAD been captivated by all the misplaced dreams and rage. “American Idiot” had won me over. You are never too old for rock and roll and rage. Go get carried away.
“American Idiot” continues at the Oriental Theater, through Broadway in Chicago, through 19 Feb. 2012. Call 800-775-2000 or online at www.broadwayinchicago.com

MARRIOTT THEATRE IS IN THE PINK

By: Gayle Kirshenbaum and Frank Meccia

“Oh my God,” two snaps for Marriott Theatres production of Legally Blonde. With a book by Heather Hach,  music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin this snappy lively show is fun from the beginning. And all of this begins with Marc Robin. From his flawless casting to direction to choreography this show is everything you can ask for in musical theatre. This is a great kickoff to the 2012 season.

Based on the 2001 movie which starred Reese Witherspoon it tells the story of party girl/homecoming queen Elle Woods. When her Harvard Law School boyfriend dumps her she decides to follow him to Harvard. This means getting accepted and serious. The movie became a Broadway sensation and went on to win several awards including the 2007 Drama Desk and a 2007 Outer Critics Circle Award.

Chelsea Packard shines as Elle.  She makes the role her own with a rich voice, adorable smile and highly contagious personality. I have always enjoyed Christine Sherills work especially her comedic timing. This role is no exception. And Summer Naomi Smart jump ropes her way into our hearts as the falsely accused (I have a secret) Brooke Wyndham. Gene Weygandt is the professor you love to hate. Cole Burden has just the right amount of arrogance and David Larsen is sweet as Emmett, the man who finally wins Elle’s heart.  One of the funnier moments in the show comes when they are trying to prove that the perfectly poised pool boy is gay. Scott Alan Jones works the audience while the question arises is he gay or European? While the men in the show keep the pace, Legally Blonde really belongs to the women. And least we forget Chico and Nellie who’s short time on the stage as Bruiser and Rufus garnished more ooh and ahs from the audience. I would be remiss if I did not say this ensemble cast works so well together, it reminds us of what it means to be part of a show.

I have always said if I had to pick one theatre to have a subscription to it would be Marriott. And after seeing Legally Blonde you will quickly see why pink will become your favorite color and Marriott one of your favorite theatres.

MARRIOTT THEATRE LINCOLNSHIRE

LEGALLY BLONDE

THROUGH APRIL 1

847-634-0200

WWW.MARRIOTTTHEATER.COM

Steppenwolf’s “Time Stands Still” is Not to Be Missed

Time Stands Still, Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Steppenwolf’s Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St.

January 19-May 13, 2012

Tickets $20-$78, student discounts available

Highly Recommended

Time Stands Still is not what you expect; it is much more.

Review by Darcy Rose Coussens

I expected this to be a play about the war in Iraq. I was prepared for politics and horror. I supposed I would leave with that self-indulgent feeling that I am supporting and experiencing art that promotes awareness of some injustice (a feeling one character denounces in an ironic diatribe against theatre). I expected this play to be about pictures, the photographs taken by a photojournalist in a war zone.

I was wrong. This play is not about Iraq, and it is not about pictures. These topics are certainly important to the story, but Time Stands Still plunges past them and investigates the heart of any story: the people.

“I live off the suffering of strangers,” admits Sarah (the bold and commanding Sally Murphy, Steppenwolf ensemble member), a photojournalist home from Iraq where she was injured by a roadside bomb. Devoted to her work, she believes she is helping the world by recording and sharing the graphic results of global conflict. The audience is transfixed by vivid descriptions of photos we never see, but we don’t need to see them. Instead, we see how Sarah resolutely refuses to be affected by them, keeping a lens between herself and the world as she fuels her addiction to the drama of war.

The detailed and realistic set of Sarah’s apartment is revealing about her life, and the sound and makeup design were notable, as well. Completing the remarkable and often quite funny cast are Randall Newsome, Kristina Valada-Viars, and Steppenwolf ensemble member Francis Guinan. A writer who also covers perilous situations in the world, Jamie (Newsome) has been Sarah’s significant other for several years, though they never married. His heartbreaking compassion and forgiveness intimately reminded me of my own loved ones, those who take care of me and love me even when I don’t understand how they can.

Their relationship is a comfortable but painful one as they each develop contrasting desires for their lives. Sarah unbelievably wants to return to the Middle East once she recovers, while Jamie has adjusted to a life at home. “I don’t need to dodge bullets to feel alive anymore, watch children die,” he explains, and you can’t blame the man. “I want to watch children grow.”

The writing is extremely articulate and sprinkled generously with witty humor. Little gems of truth are casually delivered, usually by the couple’s friend Mandy. In this role, Valada-Viars pulls off a loveable balance of the simple-minded genius, making us reconsider our judgment of others and offering a relatable viewpoint for most of us in the audience. Mandy alone finds it disturbing that Sarah does not help the people she photographs, but such is the reality of photojournalism: “The camera is there to record things, not change them,” Sarah states without emotion.

This play considers media, art, egos, gender roles, motherhood and most of all, relationships. Playwright David Margulies and Director/Steppenwolf ensemble member Austin Pendleton expertly weave these important themes together without overloading the audience. You will leave this show in discussion, even if you do not stay for Steppenwolf’s free post-show discussion. You will ponder it, consider it, sleep on it, and continue to be affected by it. Time Stands Still offers plenty of tough questions without hard and fast answers, forcing us to face problems that are removed from our daily lives and to ask ourselves: what can any of us actually do about them?

You will reach one conclusion, however. After seeing Time Stands Still, you will have no doubt that this play is important. With this production, Steppenwolf proves that theatre is a social service, one that motivates and challenges its audiences to fully experience life, both the horror as well as the beauty and the joy. “Otherwise,” as Mandy tells us, “what’s the point?”

“Bachelorette” – Sex, Drugs, and Comedy!

By Lazlo Collins
In the Profiles Theater newest offering, “Bachelorette”, the champagne flows, the shouting is often loud, and the relationships are complicated. It could be an episode of a “Housewives” reality show. But what sets this show apart from reality TV is that “Bachelorette” is people we actually know AND sometimes love.
The characters in this 90 minute hotel room romp by Leslye Headland are the girls and guys that we have all known in our lives. Everyone seems to be in some kind of pain and trying to make the pain go away with varying devices. There are reasons that after ten years’ time, people no longer stay friends, or even enemies. What happens when girlfriends of the past just show up? Well, with the right ingredients and the right setting you have “Bachelorette’! This play is second in a series by Ms. Headland themed around the seven deadly sins. “Bachelorette” is the gluttony play.
It is the eve of Becky’s (Rakisha Pollard) wedding, Gena (Amanda Powell) and Katie (Linda Augusta Orr) show up in a suite at the Peninsula Hotel in New York. (Kudos to set designer Scott Davis for making me feel fancy then claustrophobic as the play unfolded.) They are the uninvited. Unbeknownst to the bride-to-be, they are asked to come to the suite by the maid of honor, Regan. (Hillary Marren) They hate the bride for what she is and seemingly has, but are willing to overlook their feelings for a fun night out at the bride’s physical and emotional expense. But of course they shouldn’t even be there in the first place.
Gena and Katie waste no time; well, getting wasted. The girls make themselves right at home exploring their cozy situation and the rooms beyond. With the booze and cocaine in hasty consumption, the truths of these three woman’s relationships and heartaches boil to the service.
Ms. Powell as Gena is explosive as the bitter and coke fueled rebel. Always seeming to get the short stick, and yet she longs for control of her life. She was excellent in her portrayal as a woman all too happy to escape, but accepting responsibility of a life that she did not want. Ms. Powell’s transition from sober to somber to roaring tiger was well crafted.
Her BFF in crime, Katie, played by Ms. Powel, was also played sharp and with stinging reality. Moving from the screeching of “why me?” to passed out rag doll, Ms. Powell captures the sensitivity of someone who does not understand what happened and how they arrived where they are in life.
If we know anything about Regan from the start is that she is a troublemaker with a capital “T”. Ms. Marren plays the manipulative “good girl” with searing astonishment. Not until the end of the show do we understand why her staying in control is so important. Her portrayal of this complicated character is a winning one.
Of course adding to the emotional boil is the entry of the two men in the show. Regan’s invitation to the men is a dangerous calculation on her part, not thinking through what could possibly happen. Joe (Eric Burgher) and Jeff (Adam Soule) have only arrived for an adventure. Part curious passerby’s and part sexual predators; these gents won’t know what hit them after a night with the “Bachelorettes”.
Mr. Soule’s pursuit of Regan, the master invitee, was played deftly. His standing up to Regan and calling her out on her hijinks along with trying to woo her in the bedroom was great. With his true character revealed at the end, you somehow hoped he would be a decent guy.
In sharp contrast was Mr. Burgher’s character of Joe. It is clear his love of weed and following his friend Jeff is what may get him into many of the situations he does, including this one. He is a reluctant troubadour. His pathos for the girl that catches his eye clearly comes across to the audience, as well as his strange innocence. He is a follower on the surface, but in the end his valor wins out and reason takes the day.
As the night winds down (or up?), the arrival of the bride herself with cake in hand is moment the audience has dreaded from the start. She is sweet and overbearing, but quickly there are hints of her own struggles with the female guests that have come to celebrate in her suite. Ms. Pollard’s seemingly stately control is a breath of new hot air that makes the audience feel her pain and position well. Her discovery of the suite’s uninvited guests; as well as, physical condition of the room itself, lends for some uncomfortable moments for the audience.
Darrel Cox has done well to weave a layered, gilded web to trap all the characters in this pleasing ensemble piece. His actors are committed to the roles and never seem false or pretending. With the realistic dialogue, perhaps that is why I think all who see “Bachelorette” will be able to find themselves in at least one of the characters, or if you’re honest with yourself, maybe two.
“Bachelorette” continues through 11 March at Profiles Theatre at 4147 N Broadway in Chicago. For tickets call 773-549-1815 or profilesbachelorette.org

Everything's Coming up Roses at Drury Lane Oakbrook

By Lazlo Collins
So, you know the story, pushy mother, eventually repelling anyone in her way to make her kid a star. The quiet child stays on with mom to eventually reveal her true talents. From the familiar overture to the smashing emotional ending soliloquy, this “Gypsy” at the Drury Lane Theater in Oak Brook Terrace, needs no gimmick.
I have seen many productions of “Gypsy” throughout the years. This production is one that I will not soon forget for many reasons. The late Mr. Laurents would have been proud.

Moving this mammoth of a show through its paces is the iconic character of Mamma Rose. The character of Rose is part power broker, part chow main enthusiast and part steam engine, and Klea Blackhurst is all of these things and more. The role of “Rose” takes on immediate comparisons to some of the actresses who have played her through the years; Merman, LuPone, Midler, and Daly are the actresses who have taken the part to legendary heights. Well, move over cuz Ms. Blackhurst is here! Her part Bette Midler, part Ethel Merman performance was clear and pertinent. It never felt as if she was impersonating either Ms. Midler or Ms. Merman, but rather channeling them, oh so divinely. Not only is her singing like breathing, but her smart interpretations are distinct.
There were moments in her performance that were absolutely perfect. She took over, without taking O-V-E-R. I think the audience was eagerly waiting for the finale of “Rose’s Turn”. You could feel the audience with Ms. Blackhurst’s every move and belting note. As corny as it sounds, there was electricity in the air.
Keeping up with Ms. Blackhurst would be no easy feat; but Andrea Prestinario as “Louise” is definitely up for the challenge. I liked that Ms. Pestinario never folded from her point of view. She stayed true to her vision of “Louise” and made her believable and genuine. She has a pleasing voice with some great scenes to showcase her acting chops as well. Although I thought “Little Lamb” was sort of comic and not so reflective.
In the role of “Herbie” is David Kortemeier. If “Rose” is the engine of the show, then “Herbie” is just one of the cars holding on for dear life. Mr. Kortemeier does a perfect job of keeping up with the ups and downs of life with the Mamma. I have always had a problem with this role in imaging ANYONE that would stay with Rose without, what appears to be; sex, money and stability. But that is what makes this show biz relationship so interesting. And after every time I see “Gypsy” I still think she will marry him, and he will stay. Mr, Kortemeier’s portrayal was sweet and I wanted him to stand up to her and stay where ever they went- together.
As the three wise strippers near the end of the show, Susan Lubeck (Tessie Tura,) Cheryl Avery (Mazepa), and Frances Asher (Electra) are very funny in their show stopping performance of “You Gotta Get a Gimmick”. It gives the show its perfect seventh inning stretch.
Rounding out this wildly satisfying show is the ever appealing Matthew Crowle as “Tulsa”, and Andrea Collier as “June”. They both sang and danced perfectly around the story with style.
A quick shout out to Jarrod Zimmerman, who got the comedy off to a fresh and fun start as “Uncle Jocko and the perennial Andrew Lupp providing energy throughout his revolving door of walk-ons.
At the helm, of this production of “Gyspy” with book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; William Osetek has beautiful crafted each scene. I thought the direction was excellent and moved well with the almost stark and simple, yet complex set (Martin Andrew). Mr. Osetek hits it big with his interpretation of Mamma Rose and her caravan of misfits.
The music direction (Roberta Duchak and Ben Johnson) had a distinctively clipped pace, which made the numbers lively; although you can tell it put some of the actors through their paces, just to keep up. I think the speed added the freshness of the show, particularly the group numbers. No dirges here, all your favorite/familiar songs “Let Me Entertain You”, “Wherever We Go, and “Some People”, was quick and bright.
If you have never seen “Gypsy” or you have seen “Gypsy” in the past that made you roll your eyes or put you to sleep; I think this production at the Drury Lane Theater in Oak Brook Terrace will delight you. I had a great time and in the end made me smile wildly like I was seeing the show for the very first time.
“Gypsy” plays through 1 April 2012. For tickets call 630-530-0111 or visit www.durylaneoakbrook.com