Reviews Category
Wherever I Go, I Carry Your Glance
The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk
There are a number of excellent plays and musicals in Chicago right now that examine the nature of art and look at the forces that inspire an artist to create. Well, add to that list playwright Daniel Jamieson’s gorgeous 85-minute play-with-music, now being given a lush production by Northlight Theatre. This is a breathtaking, lyrical biographical sketch of painter Marc Chagall and the love of his life, Bella Rosenfeld.
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Elderberry Wine Laced Laughter with Sunset’s Arsenic and Old Lace
In the wide world of theatre, there are certain titles that stand the test of time—
Kaufman and Hart’s The Man Who Came to Dinner or Simon’s Barefoot In the
Park come immediately to mind. In Elm Grove, Wisconsin, Sunset Playhouse’s
season opener, Arsenic and Old Lace, is yet another timeless comedy of madcap
misbehavior.
South Pacific Still Sings
South Pacific is the second show in MadKap Productions’ 10th Anniversary Season, and the first Rodgers and Hammerstein show in the company’s history. Considered by many to be Rodgers and Hammerstein’s best work, South Pacific is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Tales of the South Pacific” by James A. Michener. The play won its own Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1950, along with 10 Tony awards for its original Broadway run.
Easily on anyone’s list of classics, South Pacific is set against the backdrop of World War II,
where parallel love stories blossom amidst the turmoil of war. Several popular standards written for the show include “Bali Ha’i”, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair”, “Some Enchanted Evening” and “There Is Nothing Like a Dame,” among others. In fact, director Pat Henderson good-naturedly reminded the audience before the production began that we would have to refrain from singing along.
The show opens on keyboardists Jeremy Ramey and Andrew Milliken, who attack the overture with bombastic flair. Given the size of the space, the two keyboards were a great choice by Music Director Jeremy Ramey. And, as the show unfolds, Mr. Henderson was right! It was difficult not to sing along to songs I, and likely most of the audience, have known since childhood. When Tony Calzaretta’s Emile Debeque began his first rendition of Some Enchanted Evening, in my heart, I could hear my grandmother serenading me with it as a child, and yes, it was difficult not to sing along.
The set was a simple affair: an oceanic backdrop, a small porch, and a platform with dried grasses about it. I did find myself wishing there was some hint of the mountains and palm trees of the South Pacific, even just the suggestion of them painted on the backdrop. That said, given the size of the theater and the vastness of the show, there were some creative uses of the space to give the feeling of more room than there actually was.
Even after 70+ years, the score is beautiful and soaring, and the cast were clearly relishing their chance to perform the classic songs. Willow Schneider makes a convincing and chipper Nellie and Calzaretta’s Emile is elegant and just a little stiff, as you’d imagine an “older” Frenchman might be, when in love with a lovely young woman from Arkansas.
Mariel Saavedra was a standout as Bloody Mary, played with humor and resilience. Another standout was Luis Del Valle, who played the French “Manny” and Stewpot. He brought a lot of personality and charm to smaller parts. Andrew Buel ‘s Luther Billis was also perfectly sleezy and added an element of physical comedy to his role that was much appreciated by the audience.
Overall, the cast was made up of strong singers, but the best number of the night goes to “There Is Nothing Like a Dame” sung and danced with unbridled enthusiasm by the men of the cast. They got a spontaneous round of applause from the audience and several laughs. Max Perkel’s (Lt. Cable) delivery of “Younger than Springtime” was also lovely and heartfelt.
After 70 years, the book feels abrupt at times and relies heavily on atmosphere and the chemistry of the actors to sell the instant love stories. It’s a tall order for a pared down cast, a simple set and a small space. Rodgers and Hammerstein are celebrated for a reason, however, and the music elevates everything around it. This production is for anyone nostalgic for the old days of Broadway. In a lovely theater moment, Calzaretta’s father once played Lt. Cable and was in the audience the night I attended, a reminder that this show has delighted generations, and will likely continue to do so. Perhaps a night or two set aside for a sing along would be the cherry on top.
Somewhat Recommend
Reviewed by Alina C. Hevia
Presented by MadKap Productions at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave in Downtown Skokie. Sept 6 thru Oct 6, 2024. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm, with one Wed. matinee on Sept 25 at 1:30 pm.
Tickets are $48 general admission, $42 for seniors and students and and can be purchased online at www.SkokieTheatre.org or by calling 847-677-7761.
Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.
Standing Up For the Little Guy
Royko: The Toughest Man in Chicago
Mike Royko is a name known by anyone who grew in or around Chicago between the mid-1950’s into the late 1990’s. His name is synonymous with uncompromising journalism. Although he sadly left us in 1997, Mr. Royko is remembered today for being a tough and prolific reporter, a humorist and a man who always stood up for the little guy. Mike Royko was also a Pulitzer Prize-winner for Commentary, as the famed columnist for the Chicago Daily News. In this informative, very funny and sometimes poignant one-man performance, written and presented by Mitchell Bisschop, audiences will get to know the fellow called “The Toughest Man in Chicago.”
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A Tribute to a Great Leader
The Audience
Back in the 1980’s, British TV sported a popular political situation comedy. This hit show was titled “Yes, Prime Minister.” Set within the private offices of Jim Hacker, a fictional British cabinet member working at the made-up Department of Administrative Affairs, the show satirized the inner workings of the government. But another, more seriously biographical work of art would eventually come along that would examine the relationship between the Monarchy and several of Britain’s actual Prime Ministers.
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The Fantastic Two
The House of Ideas
City Lit proudly opens their 2024-25 season with their 150th production. It’s the long-awaited, entertaining third installment of Mark Pracht’s “Four-Color Trilogy.” The series of plays, which includes THE MARK OF KANE and THE INNOCENCE OF SEDUCTION, concludes with a story that describes the rise of Marvel Comics. The two-act play details the turbulent relationship between Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Fantastic Two behind the artistry of the comic book empire.
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Big Ass Rock
The Full Monty
It’s hard to believe that this musical, based upon a popular British film of the same name from the late 1990’s, is almost a quarter of a century old! The reason for its beloved reputation is partly due to the fact that the story couldn’t be more timely. It’s about six out of work, out of shape steel workers trying to find a way to make a living and still maintain some shred of dignity. The men looking self respect are husbands, sons, parents, bread winners and, quite simply men. The result is a Big Ass Rock of a musical filled with humor and pathos.
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The Chosen One
A Shadow Bright & Burning
Henrietta knows that she’s special. She possesses the magical power of fire. At the beginning of this complicated fantasy tale, Henrietta is invited to leave Yorkshire’s Brimthorn School for Girls and travel to London with the Royal Sorcerer, Master Agrippa. There she’ll be trained, along with other students, to also become one of Her Majesty’s Royal Sorcerers. Believed to be The Chosen One, the first female sorcerer in years, Henrietta trains with Agrippa to further develop and finesse her magic powers. This has to be accomplished quickly so that Henrietta can help the others defeat the bloodthirsty Ancients. Having been accidentally released from the Other World, the Seven Ancients are plotting to wage war and conquer all of Victorian England. But not if Henrietta and her magical friends have anything to say about it.
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History Comes Alive
1776
In spite of the fact that everyone knows how the story ends, this musical surprises with its unexpected humor, dramatic tension and unrelenting suspense, as John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and their allies attempt to persuade all 13 colonies to vote for independency. The dramatic construction of this play by librettist Peter Stone is beautifully enhanced and given a playful, almost irreverent tone by Sherman Edwards’ music and lyrics. History comes alive in this intelligent and accessible musical, now in an incredibly captivating production at the Marriott Theatre.
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Art Isn’t Easy
[title of play]
Avid theatergoers could probably provide a list of plays and musicals about the art of making art. Included would be such plays as ART, PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE, RED, VINCENT IN BRIXTON and the quintessential example of artistic creativity, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s beautiful SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. This Pulitzer Prize-winner illustrates that art is a long process, it doesn’t just happen. The musical details the method by which 19th century French Pointillist painter, Georges Seurat, created his masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The second act of the musical jumps ahead to the 20th century, where the artist’s great-grandson endures a similar struggle with creativity, demonstrating to audiences that Art Isn’t Easy.
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