PicksInSix Review: Sunday in the Park with George - Kokandy Productions

Marry Art: With Life As Mistress.
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Sarah Frances Fiorello

“Sunday in the Park with George” returns to the Chicago stage this season, through a set of street front double doors on Division Street. Kokandy Productions tackles this beloved musical in Chopin Theatre’s Downstairs Studio, an intimate black box in the round. With book by James Lapine and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, “Sunday” took home the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama—one of only 10 musicals to win the esteemed prize—and amassed a whopping 10 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. It’s also said that 1 in 3 music theatre majors have at least one lyric discreetly tattooed somewhere, easily covered by a character shoe or mic pack.

“Sunday in the Park with George” tells a fictional story about the life of French Neo-Impressionist painter George Suerat, who lived in the late 1800s and painted A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The first act follows George during his time creating the famous painting, at odds with his obsessive need to create something new on the canvas (Seurat is generally considered to be the father of Pointillism) and his failing desire to connect to those around him, including his ailing mother and whimsical muse, Dot. The second act flashes forward roughly 100 years, where George—the great grandson of our first act painter—fights the same battles, and journeys to Île de la Grande Jatte for answers.

There is much to love about this production. Most impressive is Derek Van Barham’s directorial staging, which takes bold risks with music theater’s golden child, quite literally turning it on its head. “Sunday” is presented here stripped of pointillistic scrims, characteristic cardboard cutouts, and nearly everything you may have known and come to love about Mandy and Bernadette’s turns as George and Dot, respectively. Instead, it deconstructs the story by reducing it to its most basic components—perhaps not so ironically akin to Seurat’s approach to painting. Van Barham’s staging is meticulous, with each choice rooted in the emotional life of the story—not the least of which is George, who has been trapped “on” his canvas, waiting to be freed, as well as the Act One ending which does just that.

The score of “Sunday” is sung beautifully by Missy Wise Vanderzee (Dot) and Kevin Webb (George) with stellar support by the company all under the expert musical direction of Nick Sula. Vanderzee’s vocal styling is imbued with warmth and a deep yearning that nearly tells the story so well, you’d understand it with your eyes closed. Webb skillfully handles one of Sondheim’s toughest scores, deftly pattering his way through artistic turmoil. Their interpretation of the characters differs from the original, an observation made mostly available from the cinematic pro-shot recording from 1986 Broadway cast. This production gives us a more emotionally realized George and Dot, both seemingly aware of their shortcomings in a way that creates dissonance with the Act One ending. Traditionally, we would reach the end of the (first) story with a gap so wide and entrenched between the would-be lovers, our hearts break for their incompatibility despite their obvious chemistry and desire. In this production we feel that tension dissipated, wondering if maybe they could make it work, if only they had a little more time. And a solid couple’s therapist.

Act Two, which is anecdotally known to be the tougher of the two stories, comes through stronger in this production with a truly delightful Chromolume experience and Vanderzee’s portrayal of Marie. The cast feels most comfortable in the modern day setting and, by comparison, stilted by the period requirements of Act One. The Act One book is difficult, written in a stylized language that lands somewhere between what feels like English translation and “pointillistic” text. A terrific challenge for the music theatre actor, one I’m sure these performers will embrace and explore through the rest of the run.

Go see it. Always see “Sunday in the Park with George” and always support storefront theatre. Theatre is a living, breathing thing and by that definition, we would benefit from more productions with a strong point of view that challenges our understanding of the text, the lyrics, and the meaning. The entire Kokandy Productions team should be proud of their work, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to have seen it.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SARAH FRANCES FIORELLO is a graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory with a BFA in Music Theatre and a Chicago-based poet, writer, and performer.  @writtenbysarahfrances

PHOTO| Evan Hanover

Kokandy Productions
presents
Sunday in the Park with George
Chopin Theatre
1543 W Division St
through November 1, 2026

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PicksInSix Review: Come From Away - Marriott Theatre

Where The River Meets The Sea …
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

It is startling to realize that twenty-five years have passed since a savage attack on America changed the world as we know it. Ask anyone born before 1996 and they can tell you where they were that fateful day, how shocked and saddened they felt in the weeks and months that followed, and how they grieved for the nearly 3,000 souls lost at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

And on Wednesday evening, a truly stunning production of “Come From Away” opened at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. Director Jessica Fisch and choreographer Katie Spelman have assembled an unmatched Chicago-based ensemble of stage veterans presenting a tapestry of true stories of compassion and kinship in the days following the 9/11 attacks. This show is electric, inspiring and fits the Marriott Theatre’s in-the-round-stage like a glove.

In the moments following the terrorist attacks, life as we know it came to a full stop. All air traffic within the United States was grounded. International travel was immediately restricted and commercial passenger flights that had sufficient fuel to return to their city of origin in Europe or Asia did so. Those that could not were forced to land wherever they could.

Three locations in Canada—Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Nova Scotia, Vancouver International Airport in British Columbia, and Gander International Airport in Newfoundland— served as a safe haven for thousands of international travelers until operations could be restored.

Gander was a small provincial town of approximately 10,000 when 38 planes landed on September 11, 2001 with nearly 7,000 passengers aboard. As residents quickly mobilized resources, food, medical care and services, all of the passengers were not allowed to deplane for nearly 24 hours. In the days that followed, the “plane people” of all nationalities—known as “come from aways”—received an epic outpouring of support from the Newfoundlanders. Together, over the hours and days that followed, everyone learned the universal language of patience, compassion, and generosity.

We might not know as much of this heartfelt story if the husband and wife team of Irene Sankoff and David Helm had not attended a reunion in 2011 and conducted hundreds of interviews. That source material forms the core of their brilliant 2017 Broadway musical “Come From Away,” distilled into dozens of composite characters of immense warmth and humor, each with a strong sense of resilience and pride. It is a substantial piece for 12 actors in a fast-paced 100-minute format which in the capable hands of Fisch and Spelman is quite literally a work of art.

Marriott’s “Come From Away” is also a bit of a professional homecoming all its own. The key romantic storyline is the heartfelt relationship of Diane and Nick, served up perfectly by Heidi Kettenring and Matt Crowle, both returning to the Chicagoland stage after recent national tours. Sharriese Hamilton is marvelous reprising the role of Hannah that she played recently in the Australian touring production of the show. The extraordinary talent and wide-ranging stage skills—and dialects—of Alex Goodrich, Devin DeSantis and Sarah Bockel are on full display, as are Justin Allbinder, Denise Devlin, Madison Kauffman, Michael Earvin Martin and Jonathan Shaboo. Lexie Dorset Sharp shines in the role of Captain Beverley Bass, the first female commercial pilot.

The story develops organically on Scott Penner’s scenic design that incorporates a stage revolve, tables and industrial stair units that are all integrated seamlessly in the flow of the piece. From the rousing “Welcome To The Rock,”“38 Planes,”“Screech In,” and “On the Edge,” to the more contemplative “Stop the World,”“Prayer,” and “Me and the Sky,” this is musical emotion in motion under Music Director Ryan T. Nelson. Celia Villacres conducts nine musicians through a score that features nearly twenty instruments nested squarely in traditional themes and melodies.

“Come From Away” serves as a vivid reminder that even in the grip of an international tragedy, ordinary people from all walks of life are capable of acts of kindness and generosity well beyond our imagination. It also speaks to our own capacity to overcome adversity for the new life that awaits us and assurance that the newfound relationships forged during difficult times will give us comfort and hope for the future.

PHOTO|Justin Barbin

Marriott Theatre
presents
Come From Away
Ten Marriott Drive
Lincolnshire, IL
through October 18, 2026

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PicksInSix Review: West Side Story - Music Theater Works

Stellar Revival at Music Theater Works!  
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

To borrow from the barrister, it is nowadays considered a kind of 'settled literature' that the pedigree of “West Side Story” is thick and heavy with legend and quality. It allowed Jerome Robbins—a one-of-a-kind director, creator, and choreographer—to push dance toward its now familiar dominance in storytelling mode. It inspired its still-young American composer Leonard Bernstein to create soaring melodies and rapid-fire musical passages steeped in both tradition and innovation. It pushed playwright Arthur Laurents to draw its story from the greatest of all playwrights—William Shakespeare—by writing dialogue that was both conventional and inventive. He borrowed from the Bard the tool of creating new words to fit this vision of the star-crossed story sparked by the erstwhile lovers Romeo and Juliet. And partially through Mr. Laurents, it launched the astounding career of a young Hammerstein protege in the theatre, initially as a lyricist, one Stephen Sondheim.

Music Theater Works is now offering its version of this timeless endeavor at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie through August 30. And this production team has created their own pedigree in a marvelous way. There is a full 22-piece orchestra directed by Linda Madonia, under the expert baton of Justin Kono. There is oh-so-smart, insightful direction by Sasha Gerritson. Clayton Cross and Isa Ramirez share choreography credit. The intimacy/violence choreographer Nick Sandys created sharp, well-paced gang fights between the Sharks and the Jets, while tenderly and deftly weaving the romantic moments between Maria and Tony.

Most people know now the plot points that surround two young lovers from different races and their plight to find a future. But the battle for gang turf stands in the way, exacerbated by the racial stances each gang possesses. “West Side Story,” because of this issue alone, will always be relevant—even more so in today's sociology. But as the man says, "Love is love is love..." and both these young lovers believe it wholeheartedly. The scenes between Tony (Luke Nowakowski, his eloquent singing belies a touching simplicity) and Maria (Isabella Ruono in a bravura vocal performance) are so well done. They are packed with an unhurried warmth and real emotion, bringing the romantics in the audience to swooning.

The Jets and Sharks are each one strong character in the play. Yes, there are wonderful individual personalities in each gang, but both sides create their unison from the outset. They remain of one attitude, each balanced by the other side. It's really fun to watch, tragic to realize and hard to stage. Connor Ripperger is a stout Riff—"Cool" was fabulous. The Bernardo of Emmanuel Ramirez was smooth and prodding in his insistence that his sister Maria accept Chino (Kameron Rojas-Schueneman, properly hapless and shy) as her lover.

The cops in the show—Lieutenant Schrank (Ivan James) and Officer Krupke (Eric Desnoyers)— nobly bring their brands of gravitas and humor, respectively. Anita (the marvelous Pauleth Jauregui) is a constant presence who reminds Maria of the dangers of her particular love and what it might cost. Ms. Jauregui leads a rousing version of "America" while her duet with Ms. Ruano warning of "A Boy Like That" is fierce and personal. Matt Rosin turns what could be a thankless role in Doc into a real, poignant influence. The entire ensemble of Jets and Sharks brought a creative energy and verve to a piece that demands it in every musical note.

With a striking scenic design by Bob Knuth and lush costumes by Bob Kuhn, the show is visually striking and easily one of the best and most complete productions this writer has seen from Music Theater Works. When we consider our present world in its own exacerbation of the racial stances these gangs possess, this story stands hard and firm. “West Side Story,” because of this issue alone, will always be relevant—both a blessing and a curse. Fortunately for us, it is the blessing part that remains stalwart in the endless creativity here.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com.  Coming soon, his new solo play about Ben Franklin, THE FIRST EMBASSY.

PHOTO|Brett Beiner

Music Theater Works
presents
West Side Story
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts
through August 30, 2026

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PicksInSix Review: The Outsiders - Broadway in Chicago

‘The Outsiders’—Sound and Fury to Spare!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Catey Sullivan

By the time I read it in 1972, S.E. Hinton’s 1967 novel “The Outsiders” was already a classic—the plaudit was in bold letters right on the cover blurb. At nine, I wasn’t entirely sure what that meant. But I did know that the coming-of-age story of poor vs. rich kids in Tulsa, Oklahoma stirred up powerful emotions and a snapping irritation at anyone who interrupted my reading. Nearly 60 years after a teenage Hinton’s book was published (using only her first initials because she knew revealing her gender would have greatly diminished her chances at success), its powers are undiminished.

Running through Aug. 16 at Broadway in Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre, the Jamestown Revival’s musicalization (music and lyrics by Jonathan Clay, Zach Chance and Justin Levine; book by Adam Rapp, with Levine) of Hinton’s novel is a brutal, beautiful show. Literary adaptations are a tricky beast (“Bright Lights, Big City” anyone?) especially when the source material has been beloved. But director Danya Taymor’s staging both respects the aesthetic of Hinton’s original and retains its pile-driving, heart-racing plot. The music soars and stabs and grooves and pops and twangs to gorgeous impact. The book captures the violence and the vitality of Hinton’s indelible characters.

The plot follows 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis (Nolan White), one of Tulsa’s teenage “greasers.” In Tulsa’s rigid teenage caste system, the impoverished greasers are forever being targeted by their wealthy, well-dressed peers, the “socs” (short for “socialite”). The greasers—led by the charismatic Dallas (Tyler Jordan Wesley)—are also frequent targets for the cops. (File under The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same: The socs are white, the greasers are not.) Stomach churning brawls leave two kids dead and the kind of trauma that gets passed like a malevolent heirloom. Ponyboy’s struggle to nurture family, art and forge a future is the narrative thread at the center of the tightly woven plot.

So is Rick and Jeff Kuperman’s extraordinary choreography, which has the cast dancing on rolling tires and endlessly reconfigured scaffolding in a vibrant, industrial wasteland (set by AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian). Prepare to be gobsmacked by the second act’s “Trouble”—it stops the show with a bone-crunching, skin-splitting climactic brawl delivered with a gasp-inducing merger of rampaging ferocity and extraordinary, paradoxical beauty.

White makes Ponyboy's journey compelling throughout, but when Wesley’s Dallas is on stage, he’s the one you’re watching. When Dallas launches “Little Brother”—a lament about a young man he could not save—up to the gods, it feels like he’s actually singing about many, many others. Another prime highlight is “Stay Gold,” which has Ponyboy and his best friend Johnny Cade (Bonale Fambrini) duetting to transcendent effect to the words of Cade’s favorite poet, Walt Whitman.

The show isn’t perfect. The socs are one-note villains. Ostensible heroine Cherry Valance (Emma Hearn) is little more than a cliched poor-little-rich-girl trope. Cherry doesn’t just flunk the Bechdel Test, she never even makes it to the exam room. Yet Cherry looks like Anna Karenina compared to her boyfriend Bob (Andrew Cekala), whose character begins and ends with his fists. Finally, the all-important “greaser” wigs look more like helmets than hair in a few cases. That said, there’s sound and fury to spare in “The Outsiders.” Not for nothing did the show win four Tonys, including best musical, in 2024. Its lessons are as powerful as they were in 1967: Life isn’t fair. Loss is devastating. Penury can suck you into a morass of rage and despair. And this above all: It’s ultimately up to you and your family—blood or otherwise—to figure out how to carry forth and stay gold.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | CATEY SULLIVAN has been covering Chicago theater for more than 30 years. Her work has been published in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Reader, Windy City Times, Playbill, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Tribune and New City, among others. She has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Illinois. 

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy

Broadway in Chicago
presents
The Outsiders
Cadillac Palace Theatre
151 West Randolph
through August 16, 2026

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PicksInSix Review: Avenue Q - Dunes Summer Theatre

Dunes’ ‘Avenue Q’ Finds Its Purpose!
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

There is no denying that you can do anything with a puppet in your hand and no better example on stage right now than the terrific revival of the 2004 Tony Award–winning musical “Avenue Q” playing at the Dunes Summer Theatre. The hilarious send up of the adult-themed Sesame Street is the inspiration of Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx who wrote the lyrics and music. The book by Jeff Whitty is set on a block in lower Manhattan where neighbors Princeton, Kate Monster, Rod, Nicky, Trekkie Monster, Lucy, Mrs. T, Brian, Christmas Eve and the superintendent, Gary Coleman, all deal with life’s challenges from jobs, relationships, and racism, and sex to love, responsibility and the importance of helping others.

The show, directed by Danny Kapinos, a Chicago-based director and co-Artistic Director of Blank Theatre Company, has assembled one of the finest ensemble casts seen here in recent years, led by Quinn Kelch (Princeton) and Mika Wurf (Kate), playing two twentysomething loners who find friendship, love and their own purpose together. Kelch, a rising talent who is well-known to Chicago audiences, is terrific here, playing both Princeton, the newly-minted college graduate and Rod, the closeted gay neighbor. Wurf, a senior at the Boston Conservatory of Music with an extraordinary voice, is perfect as the shy, demure Kate who breaks away from her quiet existence to find that there is more to life when you share it with someone you love. The two are wonderfully matched together, displaying wide-ranging versatility in a challenging show that demands precision in movement, timing and comic delivery.

The young lovers are influenced by everyone who live on Avenue Q. There’s Rod (Kelch) and Nicky (Josh Bernaski and Maya Moreau) who are sorting out Rod’s conflicted lifestyle; Trekkie Monster (Bernaski) whose passion is internet porn; Lucy (Moreau), the vixen who seduces all in her path; and, the humans: the aspiring comedian Brian (Clay W. Muir) and his partner Christmas Eve (Aubrey Malito), an Asian phycologist and Gary Coleman (Micah Hughs) the super with a bit of an attitude about his rocky road after TV stardom. It is all for laughs with a dash of clever technology that pays homage to the Sesame Street educational themes along the way.

The delightful score overflows with musical gems from Wurf’s sweet and beautifully sung ballad “There’s A Fine, Fine Line” and Malito’s stellar “The More You Ruv Someone” and “I Wish I Could Go Back To College” by the trio of Kelch, Wurf and Bernaski, to the rollicking “Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist,” “The Internet Is For Porn,” and “There is Life Outside Your Apartment.” Music director Aaron Kaplan with Associate Music Director/Conductor Sachio Nang and seven musicians knock Steven Oremus’s full-bodied arrangements out of the park. Credit goes to Jake Tillman for an outstanding sound design, balancing the superb vocals of this enormously talented ensemble with the musicians effortlessly.

Scenically, Michael Lasswell has again designed and constructed an impressive, multi-story Lower East Side street scene with textured brick facades and a cityscape in the distance. With Arturo Pozos’s evocative lighting design and Emily Chidalek’s colorful costumes, “Avenue Q” is visually bright, festive and fun.

Combining live action with music and puppets in not an easy task for actors and the special puppet training by Andrew Lund is expertly evidenced throughout and in particular with some subtle—and some not so subtle—activities that give “Avenue Q” its’ R-rated guidance, spurred on by a couple of devious Bad Idea Bears.

Each of the ensemble members assume multiple roles throughout, but the performance of the night belongs to the enormously talented and versatile Kelch who, on more than one occasion, is required to exit as one puppet character and return immediately as another. I was confounded by an especially clever sequence where Kelch is literally in two places at the same time. A phenomenal sleight of hand in a production that is sure to be a colossal hit for Artistic Director Steve Scott, Managing Director Elise Kermani and everyone on board for the Dunes Summer Theatre’s 75th Anniversary Season.

PHOTO|Tony Martin

Dunes Summer Theatre
presents
Avenue Q
288 Shady Oak Drive
Michigan City, IN
through August 9

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PicksInSix Review: Hair - Kokandy Productions - Chopin Theatre

Kokandy’s ‘Hair’ – “Where do I go?”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

“Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical”—a Kokandy Productions revival of which you can experience yourself now at Chopin Theatre on West Division—represented a turning point in the social consciousness of a generation when it debuted on Broadway in 1968 following an Off-Broadway run in 1967. Many of us around to witness the bitter unrest of the Vietnam-era and recall 1968 as the “Summer of Love,” view it as much as a touchstone for freedom of expression in America as it was a sorrowful memory of two horrific assassinations and the violence in the streets of Chicago at the Democratic convention. Among the handful of productions I have seen over the years, the 1970 Boston production at the Wilbur Theatre—banned for a period of time—still looms large in my memory as an unforgettable experience.

With book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermott, “Hair” is the conflicted story, loosely told, of Claude (Gavin Rhys), his girlfriend Sheila (Catherine Rodriquez O’Connor) and friend Berger (Zac Richey) who are all central to the free-loving existence of their Tribe. Facing the dilemma of resisting the draft, or fighting, and perhaps dying, in the rice paddies of Vietnam is Claude’s central conflict. Moreover, “Hair” is considered the first rock musical, showcasing iconic anthems that both shape the moment and invoke an almost visceral response from audiences, then and now. You only had to look around the sprawling, eclectic interior of the Chopin mainstage as Dionne (Chosen Mitchell) and the Tribe crush “Aquarius” or as O’Connor launches into “Easy To be Hard” and “Good Morning, Starshine” to see just how deeply this score resonates with its audience.

In the Kokandy production that opened Saturday, Director/Choreographer Brennan Urbi has retrofitted the space with a series of platforms at various levels and scaffolding that frame a central area bringing the audience face-to-face with the ensemble—and each other. Urbi has torqued the show into a more modern aesthetic with a large, gender-fluid ensemble. The sheer exuberance of the cast is evident, engaging with the audience and delivering a hopped-up modern take on the ambitious score (music director Kara Olander). Rhys’ Claude takes the role to a more contemplative place right at the top to “Where Do I Go” that ends Act I and often includes a brief nude scene. Not here and not this time, notwithstanding some mooning from an impish Berger (Richey). It is a choice after all and for this particular production, a wise one, in my view.

Eleanor Kahn’s scenic design creates as many opportunities as challenges for the show. The primary stage area supports the large, rambling ensemble numbers well, however, sight lines are often impinged. From our close-up section on stage right, the sound amplification is inconsistent, often muffled and at times overpowered by the band. There did not appear to be incense in the air everywhere but attendees were enthusiastically adding their own message on the set—markers provided—a nice touch.

To me, every production of “Hair” is a rite of passage for a new generation of theater artists to explore. The rousing score, with themes of connection, racial indignation, sexual freedom, love and community, is universally important to hear and a timely reminder of the passion and energy of youth. Things are amped up here with stylized makeup, costumes and protest signs leaning to the current moment we are experiencing while staying just within the slim margins of the story. In the end, while this may not be your grandfather’s “Hair,” Kokandy still delivers a powerful, resonant message.

That message could not be more clearly realized than in “The Flesh Failures (Let The Sun Shine In),” an inescapable lyric and melody in its simplicity which will no doubt be reverberating in your headspace for days to come.

PHOTO | Michael Brosilow

Kokandy Productions
presents
Hair
The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
Chopin Theatre Mainstage
1153 West Division
through September 13, 2026

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PicksInSix Gold Review: Octet - Raven Theatre

Raven’s ‘Octet’: “Infinite In Both Directions!”
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

It is easy to see why the brilliant Raven Theatre production of Dave Malloy's stunning a cappella masterpiece "Octet" so captivated audiences at the initial run earlier this year at the theater on North Clark that the Goodman Theatre has planted the show in the Owen Theatre for a run that has already been extended through Aug 2.

It is the best of times for Goodman Theatre, the Regional Tony Award-winning non-profit anchor of Chicago's theatre district, now abuzz with two critically-acclaimed productions that, frankly, could not be more different in style, substance and presentation and yet appeal to virtually everyone. When you add in Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour” and the immersive production of David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar’s “Theatre of the Mind,” the Goodman, celebrating its’ centennial season, is firing on all cylinders right now.

On the Albert mainstage, the world premiere of the hilarious musical "Iceboy!" features the star power of Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman and a wacky cast of characters whose unhinged, comic trajectory has no foreseeable bounds. It is a work in progress that has every indication of evolving into a mega-hit a la Mel Brooks' "The Producers" or Monty Python's "Spamalot." (Stay tuned!) In addition, the Goodman has a long history of successful local transfers, like TimeLine’s “Relentless.” that enjoyed successful runs at local theaters before making a move downtown.

Last night for a time, the Goodman lobby was buzzing with patrons on the way to "Iceboy!" even as another distinct throng was gearing up for, arguably, the most monumental event in Raven Theatre Company history—the opening of their first musical production in Goodman’s Owen Theatre where the audience first discovers a mostly empty stage area with a few ‘Raven’ branded chairs, banquet tables up stage and the kind of flats and other scenic pieces you might find in any empty theater after a strike or between shows.

 What happens next was simply extraordinary. 

 The eight members of the ensemble converge on the space that evolves into a support group for those with a series of addictions to modern technology. They each park their cell phones in a box and embark on a story richly told in exquisite musical harmonies, syncopated rhythms and seamlessly stylized choreography. Together, the ensemble gives shape to the vast, emotional landscape that includes our personal anxieties, hopes and fears in the search for connection, love and purpose within the collective framework of our online activity.

This fascinating production—artfully directed by Keira Fromm with exquisite musical direction by Nick Sula and seamless choreography by Laura Savage—unfolds over one 90 minute act with the terrific original cast members: Neala Barron, Elliot Esquivel, Joryhebel Ginorio, Jordan Golding, Teressa LaGamba, Ryder Dean McDaniel, Sam Shankman and Grace Steckler. These are gifted actors and superb vocalists playing out their individually divergent personalities here coping with their technologically challenged lives through Malloy’s complex musical score. This is a stunning musical odyssey, richly performed and perhaps the finest ensemble performance of the year.

Milo Bue’s streamlined scenic design is framed in the wildly impressive lighting design of Maximo Grano De Oro’s with Chelsea Stebe and Wynn Lee and the flawless sound design by Christopher Kriz and Hannah Kwak that allows the nuance of the ensemble harmonies to be fully realized.

For anyone born after 1985, the internet has always been a part of life. That fact struck me deeply as I watched how each character coped with the intrusion of technology in our lives. For all the rest of us, it has been a process of adapting and incorporating new technology, social media and now artificial intelligence with a memorable foundation of experience of how things used to be. But for the generation of “Octet,” it is much more of a complex journey of discovery through their own experimentation, the assimilation of information and emotional stimulation which often leads to much darker and more ominous outcomes. In the end, Malloy points positively forward and suggests there is hope that in searching for a connection, we will find common ground with each other and, ultimately, a heightened sense of fulfillment for ourselves.    

PHOTO|Joe Mazza

Raven Theatre
presents
Octet
Goodman’s Owen Theatre
Dearborn Street
EXTENDED through August 2

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PicksInSix Review: SUFFS - Broadway in Chicago

‘The Young Are At The Gates!’
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Political activism of any kind, especially the Suffragists Movement and the crusade for the right for women to vote, requires the kind of universal commitment and passion that is at the heart of Shaina Taub’s brilliant Tony Award winning musical “Suffs” directed by Leigh Silverman. Two factions—the wives, mothers and daughters of the socially elite who are members of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) led by Carrie Chapman Catt (Marya Grandy), and a youthful, spirited group of protesters headed by Alice Paul (Maya Keleher) demanding immediate change—each contribute in their own way to the cause even, as they are constantly at odds with each other on the answer to the big question: How long must we wait?

For Catt and the women of the NAWSA, it was already over 65 years since Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the National Woman Suffrage Association who opposed the 15th Amendment— allowing Black men to vote—unless it extended to women. A rival organization—the American Woman Suffrage Association—was formed to support a state by state initiative. The two groups merged decades later in 1890 to form NAWSA. The movement for equality then took a major step forward in 1913 when Paul organized and led the first national march on Washington.

It is at this historical turning point that “Suffs” takes shape, with Paul, her college classmate Lucy Burns (Gwynne Wood), a public personality, Inez Milholland (Monica Tulia Ramirez), who becomes the face of the cause, along with a Polish immigrant Ruza Wenclawska (Joyce Meimei Zheng) and writer Doris Stevens (Livvy Marcus) organize the march to pressure President Woodrow Wilson (Merrill Peiffer) for federal legislation. Their efforts draw national attention and thousands, including Ida B. Wells (Danyel Fulton), whose stunning anthem “Wait My Turn” pushes back at the racist undertones in the movement in both camps.

Wilson relents and meets with the Suffs, but no action is forthcoming. Years pass and the threat of war and other national priorities add to the delay until Paul’s group forms the National Woman’s Party (WAP) and rallies to oppose Wilson’s reelection. Though unsuccessful, Baum’s story then turns as Wilson gets the message and begins to aggressively take political steps to stonewall the upstarts.

The universally superb all-woman cast with exceptionally powerful voices are a perfect fit for Baum’s elegant and complex sung-through score. Silverman and choreographer Mayte Natalio have staged a striking visual masterpiece on the Christine Peters designed tour set based on Riccardo Hernandez Broadway version with resplendent costumes by Paul Tazewell, Lap Chi Chu’s stunning lighting and Jason Crystal’s crisp sound design.

There must be something in the water in the Green Mountains of my home state of Vermont. Baum, a Waitsfield native who ten years ago appeared as one of the Fates in “Hadestown”—written by another Vermont native, Anaïs Mitchell—created a remarkably, cinematic treatment of the suffragist movement that reflects sharply on the present moment. “Suffs” is and will always be, a rallying call to the next generation and to the legions of mothers and grandmothers who came before and were in jubilant solidarity on Wednesday night at the CIBC and is not to be missed. It is a nod to the past and an ode to the future, all summed in the lyric: “The old way always dies. The young are at the gate!”

PHOTO|Joan Marcus

Broadway in Chicago
presents
National Tour
SUFFS
CIBC Theatre
18 W Monroe
through July 19, 2026

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PicksInSix Gold Review - Damn Yankees - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Be Careful What You Wish For.
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

There is nothing quite like the experience of sitting in the dark as the lights come up on opening night. It matters little what the show is, how big the theater is or whether or not it is a world premiere or a revival. There is no doubt that a similar thrill lies deep in the dark reaches of every performer on stage, in the pit orchestra and behind the scenes.

There is unmistakable excitement for official opening nights, even if the show has had multiple previews and whether or not the words “critically acclaimed” appear in notices.

Not all of that exuberant energy can be harnessed for the length of a run. Conversely, many facets of the production mature with the benefit of successive live audiences. As the show coalesces, it becomes a more satisfying experience for the company and, in turn, the audience. Live audience reaction builds confidence and consistency. That is one of the chief reasons that live theater is truly irresistible: you never get the same performance twice.

Since theater critics routinely have that opening night opportunity, they often do not see the mature production. Covering a show deep in its run, especially a run that has been extended by high critical praise and word of mouth, is altogether new territory for me.

With all this in mind, I was excited on Sunday evening to finally see the revival of “Damn Yankees” that opened in late May at Theo. This 1955 musical classic—book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross—is an ambitious undertaking and popping up more often with a Broadway revival scheduled for next season. But it is rarely seen in such an intimate space as Theo, a company that has a fine reputation for producing exceptional, memorable musical productions.

"Damn Yankees," as directed by Daryl D. Brooks and choreographed by Christopher Chase Carter, is the story of Joe Boyd (Thomas M. Shea), the frustrated Washington Senators fan who says that he would give anything to be able to beat their dreaded pinstriped nemesis and win the American League pennant. As the words leave his lips, on comes Mr. Applegate (Tommy Thurston) with a diabolical bargain that seems too good to be true—become the best baseball player to ever play the game, lead the Senators to the pennant, and all for one small offering from Boyd: his soul.

On a grand scale, a production of “Damn Yankees” can be filled with the kind of fire and brimstone effects that befit a modern day Mephistopheles. At Theo, Brooks and Chase expertly turn the focus on the more emotional aspects of the story, the deep sense of loss that Meg Boyd (Megan Hoyt) feels when Joe has gone away, her interaction with Joe Hardy (Luke Nowakowski) and the collegial harmony of the team itself, a rag tag bunch with a lotta heart under the stewardship of the manager Van Buren (Reginald Hemphill). And then there is the snooping, scooping reporter Gloria Thorpe (Alex Madda) who leads a rousing rendition of “Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO.”

Nowakowski’s flawless performance as Joe Hardy brims with confidence, sincerity and charm. We know just how spectacular this show will be from the get-go in “Goodbye Old Girl,” the transformational ballad beautifully sung by Shea and masterfully completed by Nowakowski.

But there is more. Much more.

The electrifying performance of the night goes to Jenny Couch as the fiery temptress Lola. Couch is a fine singer, a superbly skilled dancer and has the acting chops for a role that drips with alluring appeal in the early scenes—with Thurston in “A Little Brains, A Little Talent,” Nowakowski in “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets,” and the red-hot, Latin-infused mambo number “Who’s Got The Pain” with Quinn Rigg—then evolves into the touching central character of the show, someone we can really root for and whose change of heart is uniquely essential to the storyline. It takes a special talent to pull that off and Couch is the real deal. Without Lola in his corner, there is no way out for Joe and his eternal fate is sealed. It’s a pivotal turning point that Couch and Nowakowski navigate with gusto in “Two Lost Souls.” Wowzah!

With an upbeat combo under the steady hand of Ryan Brewster on the terrific Adler/Ross score, a creative raked baseball diamond set design by Manuel Ortiz, gorgeous costumes by Marquecia Jordan and, yes, hot dogs at intermission, Theo’s “Damn Yankees” is one of the best shows on stage in Chicago right now.

PHOTO|Elizabeth Stenholt Photography

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
presents
Damn Yankees
The Fred Anzevino Theatre
721 Howard Street
Evanston
EXTENDED through July 12

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PicksInSix Review: Iceboy! - Goodman Theatre

‘Iceboy!’ “It’s A Two Coma Show!”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Part parody and raucous satire wrapped in a rip-roaring musical comedy that would have made Eugene O’Neill himself shiver with delight, the world premiere of “Iceboy!” - or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write “The Iceman Cometh” melted the hearts of an opening night audience at Goodman’s Albert Theatre last night.

As directed by Mark Bruni, with a book by Erin Quinn Purcell and Jay Reiss, music by Mark Hollmann and lyrics by Hollmann and Reiss, it’s a story of a handful of fraught souls all trying to find a place in 1939 New York City, on and off the Broadway stage and in the sphere of super-diva Vera Vimm (Megan Mullally), herself an orphaned child longing for acceptance, love and a family of her own.

That world, framed throughout by the persona of O’Neill (Nick Offerman) who here serves as narrator, stage manager and his own unabashed publicist, includes the likes of Vera’s on again/off again love interest, the playwright Floyd Richards (Cedric Yarbrough), Lambert (Sarah Stiles), her tightly-wound, menopausal housekeeper and Frankenstein (Alex Goodrich) the butler, chauffeur and piano man of the house. After submitting the winning bid in a public auction for a 40,000-year-old frozen Neanderthal, Vera and her Iceboy (Grey Henson) become a major curiosity and the toast of the town. All that attention is short-lived when critics thrash Richards’ play “The Garment Girl” starring Vimm, sending her swirling into deep depression and ultimately, a coma during which her insecurity begins to unravel her world.

In the meantime, Iceboy, showing a remarkable capacity to evolve and adapt quickly to 20th century mores, gravitates to Lambert. Each finds a kindred spirit and that connection soon turns into something much more. Things move briskly until O’Neill himself enters the story. Free to feel more than at any other time in her life, Lambert is overcome with emotion and ends up in a coma of her own to which O’Neill quipped rhetorically: “That’s right. It’s a two coma show people!”

If this sounds far-fetched plot wise, you’ve got the picture. It’s as delightfully zany a menagerie of characters as you will ever see. On the one hand there’s Offerman’s direct, dry-martini delivery to the audience, offering a concise observation of the under-appreciation of his stage accomplishments at every opportunity. On the other, Mullally floats confidently, and hilariously, above everyone around her until there is no one left. That is when she learns a simple truth about what is important in life. Along the way, Stiles is a hoot and delivers again and again. With JoAnn M. Hunter’s choreography, a terrific ensemble drives “Iceboy” to a big and satisfying finish and a promising future.

The show is music directed by Vadim Feichtner who conducts a spirited seven-piece combo. Paul Tate Depoo III’s inspired set design shifts effortlessly and sparkles under Jen Schreiver’s dazzling lighting design. Linda Cho completes the visual tapestry with an array of period costumes that feature clever wig and hair design by Charles G. LaPointe and makeup by Rachael Geier, especially for Henson’s Iceboy and Goodrich’s Frankenstein, whose ultimate transformation is comic gold.

PHOTO|Todd Rosenberg

Goodman Theatre
presents
World Premiere
Iceboy! - or The Completely Untrue Story of
How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write “The Iceman Cometh”
Albert Theatre
170 North Dearborn Street
through August 9, 2026

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PicksInSix Review - Water for Elephants-Broadway in Chicago

‘WATER FOR ELEPHANTS’ IS TRUNKING AMAZING!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Catey Sullivan

Chicago’s Nederlander Theatre may well be the most thematically appropriate venue in the country for the first national tour of “Water for Elephants.” The endlessly ornate venue opened in 1926, a scant five years before the musical based on Sara Gruen’s 1931-set novel about a travelling circus trying to outrun the Great Depression. There are literally elephants in the vestibule of the 100-year-old Nederlander, their tusked heads holding orb-like lamps. There’s also at least one elephant built into the house, a fanciful pachyderm amid the sea of gryphons and other fantastical creatures sculpted into the walls around the seats.

It’s a marvel of an interior, and a place that ups the ambiance in the stellar production (book by Rick Elice, music and lyrics by Pigpen Theatre Co.) running through July 5. There are a few significant departures from the novel, including the inexplicable decision to excise a pivotal plot point involving the Brookfield Zoo. Directed by Ryan Emmons (original direction by Jessica Stone) “Water for Elephants” is a whiz-bang of a show, beguiling, jaw-dropping, and irresistible.

Crucially, an astounding array of circus acts are incorporated into a story that takes the brutal impact of the Great Depression and wraps it around a star-crossed romance, a host of indelible circus folk and, obviously, an elephant. Shana Carroll’s circus design has cast members flying on wings of billowing silk, spinning on gleaming hoops and acrobat-ing up and down 15(ish)-foot pools. There are jugglers, burlesque dancers, roustabouts and extraordinary puppet creatures (designed by Ray Wetmore, JR Goodman and Camille LaBarre) that look every bit as sentient as the humans on stage. Rosie is the showpiece with massive lumbering legs, a swinging trunk and expressive, saucer-large eyes.

The cast knows its business: As Jacob Jankowski, who joins the circus after his parents die, Zachary Keller delivers just the right mix of vulnerability and leading man bravissimo. The love interest is Marlena (Helen Krushinski, navigating the score’s treacherous modulations with ease) who performs, trains, befriends and tries to protect Rosie. Working against her: the villainous ringmaster August (Connor Sullivan), whose final confrontation with Rosie is immensely satisfying. But arguably the most memorable member of this rag-tag troop is Walter the clown. Tyler West is a hilarious showstopper, combining physical slapstick and rapid-fire wit and impeccable comic timing. West has one of the best, most ridiculous death scenes I’ve seen in 35 years of reviewing musicals. (He’s actually got a couple of death scenes, it’s the first one that’s snort-level side-splitting.)

Pigpen’s score is a terrific mix of up-tempo, energized, stunt-filled numbers (the all-hands on deck opening “Prologue”) slower, fluid ballad-like tunes (Krushinski’s flowing “Easy”) that come with a dream-like quality.

“Water for Elephants” unfolds as a memory, bookended by Jacob as an elderly man (Robert Tully) from the nursing home he is desperate to get out of. The show then gracefully vacillates between soft-focus beauty and vivid detail. Either way, the production is—if not the most spectacular show on earth—surely one of the best musicals on the tour circuit.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | CATEY SULLIVAN has been covering Chicago theater for more than 30 years. Her work has been published in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Reader, Windy City Times, Playbill, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Tribune and New City, among others. She has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Illinois. 

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

Broadway in Chicago
presents
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS
James M. Nederlander Theatre
through July 5, 2026

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PicksInSix Review - Nunsense - Drury Lane Theatre

Holy and Hilarious, ‘Nunsense’ Delivers Big!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

Five nuns from the Little Sisters of Hoboken have taken the stage at Drury Lane Theatre to sing and dance and hopefully raise enough money to give some of their fellow sisters a proper burial. You see, these sisters died from botulism and will be stuck in the freezer if the nuns’ variety show fundraiser fails. This production, however, has absolutely nothing to worry about. What talent and what fun!

Drury Lane’s “Nunsense,” wonderfully directed by E. Faye Butler, features some heavenly performers who know how to work the crowd and a top-notch creative team including music director Julia Schade, choreographer Kenny Ingram, and lighting design by Lee Fiskness. This beloved musical comedy originated from a line of greeting cards. Creator Dan Goggin later expanded the material to a cabaret show and then eventually to the full blown musical performed for the past 40 years.

One of the key features of “Nunsense” is audience participation. The nuns interact with the audience throughout and play in particular to those who went to Catholic school. Breaking the fourth wall works well here thanks largely to the comedic talents of Sister Mary Amnesia (Kelly Felthous). Felthous does a fine job improvising with audience members, and her goofy and campy performance brings on big laughs.

Sister Robert Anne (Rachel Carreras) also shines with great comedic timing. Overall, while some of the humor is dated (and very Catholic), this production is hilarious. There are great one-liners, raunchy content, physical humor, and a very memorable scene from Sister Mary Regina (Cory Goodrich) when she accidentally gets high. Sister Mary Regina and Sister Mary Hubert (Sharriese Hamilton) have great banter, and even when dancing for God, Sister Mary Leo (Aurora Boe) finds ways to make the audience laugh.

The talented cast has superior chemistry and sings beautifully together. The individual spotlight numbers for each nun, though, really showcase their vocal talents. “I Just Want to be a Star” stands out as a remarkable musical number where Sister Robert Anne (Carreras) finally gets her moment in the spotlight and performs a real show-stopper. High praise must also be given to Hamilton who, as Sister Mary Hubert delivers a powerful rendition of “Holier Than Thou.” Plus, there’s tap dancing, ballet, puppeteering, and even a sketch about cooking shows. You really cannot go wrong with “Nunsense.”

Of course, that is the appeal of this musical. You get a bit of everything from the Little Sisters of Hoboken who more than anything just want to entertain. They want you to laugh, tap your toes, clap your hands, and enjoy yourself. “Nunsense” delivers all of this and more and will be sure to keep you smiling from start to finish.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the Public Utilities Bureau of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.

PHOTO|Caitlyn Dennis

Drury Lane Theatre
presents
NUNSENSE
Drury Lane Oakbrook
100 Drury Lane
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
through August 2, 2026

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PicksInSix Review: South Pacific - Paramount Theatre

“There Is Nothin’ Like A Dame!”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The first decade of the impressive creative collaboration of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II spawned “Oklahoma! (1943),” “Carousel (1945),” “Allegro (1947),” “South Pacific (1949)” and “The King and I (1951).” Many followed—including “The Sound of Music (1959),” shortly before Hammerstein’s death—characterized by lush vocal arrangements, robust orchestrations and stories that challenged social norms. These stories, in some cases based on real people, changed how their audience viewed musicals, peeling back our own biases and revealing the raw, powerful emotions of love, loss and survival.

“Oklahoma!” received a special Pulitzer Prize Citation in 1944 for elevating the art form, but it was “South Pacific” that earned the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, one of only ten musicals to date to hold that distinction. Beyond the memorable score and compelling story adapted from James A. Michener’s own Pulitzer Prize winning novel “Tales of the Pacific” with the steady hand of Joshua Logan, the musical was controversial, epic and a colossal success, running for 1,925 performances.

And now, over 75 years later, the soaring melodies at the heart of “South Pacific,” as evidenced by the exceptional production now playing at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, still stay with you long after the final curtain. The Devon Hayakawa|Trent Stork directed revival stars the diminutive powerhouse Allsun O’Mallory as Nellie Forbush and a commanding performance by Devin Archer as Emile De Becque who find love on a south seas island during World War II.

The other love story, the developing relationship between Lt. Joseph Cable (Anthony Maggio) and Liat (Louisa Darr), leads to De Becque and Cable forming an alliance and teaming up for a dangerous mission to gather information on enemy positions and movements in the region, a serious departure from the fun and frivolity early on.

With a cast of over thirty, many making their first appearance at Paramount, and more than a dozen musicians under the musical direction of Kory Danielson who conducts, this is as massive a production of this classic that you will see. With Morgan DiFonzo’s fast-paced choreography, particularly in the O’Mallory-led ensemble numbers “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” and “I’m In Love With A Wonderful Guy,” and in the high-flying “Honey Bun” showcasing the belly-dancing skills of Matthew Michael Janisse who shines as the hilarious wheeler-dealer Seabee Luther Billis. Competing for Billis’s business is Liat’s mother Bloody Mary played by Cindy Chang, who pushes grass skirts and shrunken heads for a price while scheming to match her daughter with a husband. Mary’s tender homage to the mysterious island of “Bali Ha’i” lures Cable there to find and fall for Liat, that has all the signs of an ill-fated match.

It is Cable’s somber “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught” that strikes at the prejudicial core of “South Pacific,” both in his relationship with Liat and between Nellie and Emile. O’Mallory’s “A Cockeyed Optimist” and Archer’s “Some Enchanted Evening” and “This Nearly Was Mine” are terrific. And the always boisterous and bawdy “There Is Nothin’ Like A Dame” does not disappoint, amped up a bit here by some very buff Seabee-like types who have definitely been on an island by themselves too long. It’s all in good fun and what makes Paramount Theatre’s “South Pacific” an enchanting evening out for the whole family.

PHOTO|Boris Martin

Paramount Theatre
presents
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s
SOUTH PACIFIC
23 East Galena Boulevard
Aurora, IL
through June 14, 2026

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PicksInSix Review: The Great Gatsby: A New Musical - Broadway in Chicago

“BORNE BACK CEASELESSLY INTO THE PAST”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The splashy opulence of the 1920s Jazz Age comes to life in the national touring production of "The Great Gatsby: A New Musical," which opened at Broadway in Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre on Wednesday night. F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel—considered by many one of the finest works of the 20th century—explores wealth, power, privilege and intrigue. The stage adaptation features a book by Kait Kerrigan with music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Nathan Tysen and is directed by Marc Bruni with choreography by Dominique Kelly.

Jake Davis Smith and Senzel Ahmady star as the ill-fated lovers Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, reunited through Daisy's cousin Nick Carraway, played by Joshua Grosso. Carraway's romance with Daisy's best friend, amateur golfer Jordan Baker (Leanne Robinson), draws him into Gatsby's extravagant world. There he uncovers that Daisy's domineering husband Tom (Will Banner) is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson (Lila Coogan), the socially ambitious wife of George Wilson (Tally Sessions)—a well-meaning mechanic entangled in a bootlegging operation run by the nefarious Meyer Wolfsheim (Edward Staudenmayer).

By necessity, the musical reimagines Carraway as less of a narrator than in Fitzgerald's novel, where his voice serves as the story's binding, poetic force. Even so, Kerrigan's book successfully frames the story's broader themes, though some of the darker character details—fully exposed when the tide turns on Gatsby—are condensed along the way.

That depth emerges through the lush Howland-Tysen score. Highlights include Smith's soaring ballad "For Her," the duet "My Green Light" with Ahmady, and "Past Is Catching Up With Me." Robinson shines alongside Grosso, Staudenmayer and the company in the swinging "New Money" and with Grosso in "Better Hold Tight." Ahmady's "For Better or Worse," Coogan's "Second-Hand Suit," "God Sees Everything," and Grosso's "The Met" also stand out. Ensemble numbers "Roaring On" and "Shady" are stellar and Joann Gilliam's Gilda Gray alongside the electric performance of The Sugars (Anna Gassett, Josiah Hicks, Tyler Johnson-Campion and Macy McKown) steal the show with "La Dee Dah With You."

The production unfolds on Paul Tate DePoo III's magnificent set, whose elegant panels and scenic elements frame vivid projections—from the shimmering shoreline and Daisy's green dock light to Gatsby's grand estate, Carraway's Long Island cottage, the Sugar Hill apartment, the Plaza Hotel suite and George's garage in the Valley of Ashes, loomed over by Doctor T. J. Eckleburg's billboard eyes. Two cars—Tom's modest blue coupe and Gatsby's gleaming yellow roadster—make a striking and memorable impression. Linda Cho's exquisite costumes and Cory Pattak's lighting design complete a stunning visual tapestry.

Ultimately, "The Great Gatsby: A New Musical" is an American tragedy of indulgence and deception—a portrait of the privileged few who sacrifice integrity for self-preservation. It is a reflection that feels urgent for this moment in time, and a powerful reminder of the enduring significance of Fitzgerald's work and the flickering green light of hope for the future.

PHOTO|Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Broadway in Chicago
presents
The Great Gatsby
A New Musical
Cadillac Palace Theater
through May 3, 2026

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PicksInSix Review: The Drowsy Chaperone - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Total Foolery and Fun at Theo!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

So, it's like this... “The Drowsy Chaperone,” which runs through April 19 at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre on the Evanston/Chicago border, is fluff. There's no getting around it, it makes no serious statement about life and its endless issues. It's an absolute distraction from the reality of our world at present. This is all good. The production elements are startlingly immersive and constant in breaking the fourth wall with and for the audience. And one doesn't mind that one bit; this is how energetic and entertaining it is, with its tight, purposeful direction by L. Walter Stearns. It's a piece that plays directly into Mr. Stearns' historical milieu of tried-and-true musicals. You see why as the show unfolds. And it's a joy to watch.

It all begins and ends with an ingenious tool that becomes the guiding thread for the entire musical. He's a kind of lonely "narrator" of sorts whose character name is Man In Chair. He does encyclopedic research into the genre. He doesn't really narrate as much as he reflects and remembers. He plays LPs on his stereo in his small apartment, and he's a huge fan of old musicals. The story unfolds through a recording of this musical that he's never seen but he dearly loves entitled "The Drowsy Chaperone." Chicago stalwart Steve McDonagh literally becomes the Man before our eyes. It's subtle, interesting and informative. And endlessly charming and warm. This Man is the character we all envy in the fun and love that he shares. It's like hand in glove. And an almost effortless portrayal.

The plot to the show itself is almost irrelevant as it opens up into the apartment, performing literally in front of its occupant and, in the intimate confines of the staging, the audience. The pretext is a wedding day for Broadway baby Janet (Kelsey MacDonald plays it all to the hilt), a star who is on the cusp of giving it all up for love, and Robert (Trey Plutnicki dances up a storm and even puts on roller skates), who met on a cruise and fell in love almost the same night. All the other characters are vital decoration for what seems the intent of the musical—total foolery and fun. And wonderfully drawn characters they are, too, from both Broadway and Hollywood models.

A few examples. There's the title character that the wonderful Colette Todd offers, a supposed chaperone assigned to looking after Janet, and who is a full-blown lush—a character creatively pulled from the Marie Dressler/Margaret Dumont stable. Her character falls in love with Aldolpho (Darian Goulding with a proper chew-the-scenery presence, like in a Marx Brothers film), an opera singer who finds his way to seducing the chaperone. We see two bumbling gangsters (Jimmy Hogan and Chase Wheaton-Werle) who can't do much right. But when they do, they are scene stealers, a reminder of two similar gangsters in Kiss Me, Kate.

Peter also has a chaperone of sorts in his buddy George (Kevin Chlapecka, properly supportive and hovering), who makes sure that the groom does not see the bride before the wedding—all thrown out the window, of course, as the show progresses. They share a fast-moving tap number "Cold Feets," which leaves us all breathless. A direct theft from old-time radio comes from Feldzeig (Reginald Hemphill in a crackling, gruff George Burns character), a manager of talent and, in particular, Kitty (Luiza Vitucci is literally channeling Gracie Allen here), who wants so badly to be onstage that she reinvents herself as... a really bad clairvoyant. Example: "Give me a number between five and seven!" You get the picture.

The tight pit orchestra led by veteran keyboardist/conductor Eugene Dizon and the crisp choreography by Jenna Schoppe takes us all along swimmingly. By the time it's all done, there are not one but four weddings that happen, because everyone falls in love with each other. It's goofy and quick and becomes a paean to the theatre, to living life as fully as we can, and to the joy of performing for all these young people who cannot stop smiling the entire time. The story might not have the same effect, arguably, if the Man In Chair was not ever-present. But it's the gravitas of that Man in the capable hands of Mr. McDonagh and under the watchful eye of Mr. Stearns, we hop onboard gladly.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com.  Coming in May 2026, his new solo play about Ben Franklin, THE FIRST EMBASSY, in the NOMA at the Reilly Arts Center, Ocala, Florida.

PHOTO | Brett Beiner Photography

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
presents
The Drowsy Chaperone
721 Howard Street, Evanston
through April 19, 2026

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PicksInSix Review: Dear Evan Hansen - Paramount Theatre

The Struggle to Feel Less Alone.
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

We are chronically online. Profit-maximizing algorithms fuel our social media compulsions. Phones serve as digital pacifiers to distract us from discomfort, inconvenience, and simple boredom. Poor teenagers face a growing mental health crisis thanks in large part to excessive screen time. How strange yet commonplace it is to feel isolated in a world where you can connect with others via email, text, a phone call, FaceTime, TikTok, you name it.

Amidst this shared experience backdrop, “Dear Evan Hansen” touches on relatable and noteworthy topics like distorted online realities, loneliness, grief, self-acceptance, and navigating mental health struggles. But, to me, despite its overwhelming appeal, the musical format does not serve the message well. This is not a critique specific to Paramount Theatre’s new staging of “Dear Evan Hansen” directed by Jessica Fisch which is the first produced by any Chicago-area theater since the musical’s national tour. Rather, this is a critique of a plot that fails to take a deep and constructive look at issues that need that level of care and attention. Especially considering the entire story centers on Evan Hansen (Cody Combs) exploiting the suicide of a high school classmate for social clout.

What could have been a heartfelt dark comedy or biting satire is instead a confusing, sometimes funny, but mostly serious, journey through arguably misplaced sympathies for a historically beloved, socially anxious protagonist who lies with good intentions. Perhaps that is the point of “Dear Evan Hansen.” For the audience to explore moral complexities and the gray spaces of loss, compassion, and forgiveness through song and dance. How much of this meaning, though, is a projection of the audience’s own desire to connect and be seen?

The music and lyrics by Benk Pasek and Justin Paul do offer some resonating emotional depth, and the Paramount Theatre company sings each anthem beautifully, namely in “You Will Be Found.” The production’s notable performances include Evan (Combs) in the powerful and revealing “Words Fail,” Zoe Murphy (Isabel Kaegi) in the honest and raw “Requiem” and Evan’s mother Heide (Megan McGinnis) in the tender and heartfelt “So Big/So Small.” Heide ultimately saves Evan from his unraveling and McGinnis’s display of strength and vulnerability in the difficult moments is inspiring.

The impressive and digitally-heavy set by scenic designer Andrew Boyce, lighting designer Greg Hofmann and projections designer Anthony Churchill elevates the narrative and does well to display the chaos of our tech-driven lives. Director Fisch’s staging also aptly places the characters in the foreground to bring us closer to real life and the tangible experiences not available on the internet.

All in, Paramount's “Dear Evan Hansen” is polished, entertaining, and highly recommended for those who love this musical and want to experience it again and for those interested in seeing a talented company deliver an emotionally charged and bittersweet performance. For everyone else, depending on who you bring along, be prepared for a frank discussion on the way home.  

Editor’s Note: Paramount’s content advisory: This show contains mature and potentially triggering content centered on mental health issues and teenage suicide. If you or someone you know is facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, the caring counselors at 988 Lifeline are available for you. Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You are not alone.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the Public Utilities Bureau of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.

PHOTO | Boris Martin

Paramount Theatre
presents
Chicago Regional Premiere
Dear Evan Hansen
23 East Galena Boulevard
Aurora, IL
through March 22, 2026

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DRAW THE CURTAIN. DIM THE LIGHTS. MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE PICKS FOR 2025

DRAW THE CURTAIN. DIM THE LIGHTS.
Memorable Performance Picks for 2025
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

It is hard to believe that CONVERSATIONS|PicksInSix® turned ten this year. To be honest, with the shutdown, it feels a bit more like the second act of a ten scene play with an overly long intermission. The post-pandemic era in which we live still has mighty challenges for the performing arts, but the new normal has had a spirited rebirth that continues to provide a wide range of offerings to Chicago audiences.

It is always a challenge to single out the memorable moments of the shows we cover each year, including both onstage artists and off stage creative teams. We cannot see everything, but we try to do our best in theaters across the city and suburbs as well as the work of producers who bring their projects for Chicago’s diverse and discerning audiences.

Among the notable productions in that last category that fall outside the year-end review were “Sunny Afternoon,” and “Billy Jean” at Chicago Shakespeare, “Kimberly Akimbo,” “Parade” and “The Sound of Music” at Broadway in Chicago and the touring production of “Les Miserables” that we saw at Broadway in South Bend with Chicago’s own Matt Crowle in the role of Thenardier. Chicago’s Larry Yando is still out making magic on the road with “Harry Potter,” as are the wonderful Heidi Kettenring and Gene Weygandt with “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” and a rising star we think you will be hearing a lot more about, Darilyn Burtley, who is touring as Tina Turner in “Tina.” Chicago talent is making an impression everywhere.

There were some disappointments, too, chiefly that “BOOP! The Musical,” with the stunning Jasmine Amy Rogers and Steppenwolf’s “Little Bear Ridge Road,” with the captivating Laurie Metcalf, did not transfer well to New York after sensational runs in town.  

Chicago is a creative laboratory for theatre, despite the challenges facing everyone at a time when our arts and live performance creators are reimagining operating models. It is a big lift to maintain the delicate balance between developing new talent and consistently presenting ambitious, unique and profitable projects. The responsibility for future success does not rest with one faction. It will take the combined efforts of emerging artists, educators, every theatre company and their leadership working with angel donors, sponsors, technical professionals and volunteer organizations like the Jeff Committee to infuse energy, enthusiasm and financial support.

It is a business, however, and all creative artists involved deserve to be respected for their own investment and given the opportunity to earn a living doing what they do so well. One of the most exciting developments evolving now is the three-year, $600,000 grant from the Paul M. Angell Foundation for Theater Wit's Shared Spaces program that allows the organization to offer reduced rates to producing companies. Imagine if other like-minded philanthropists joined to establish a universal live production endowment, perhaps managed independently on a pro-bono basis by a group of investment and industry professionals who distributed funds solely for the benefit and sustainability of performing artistic organizations in Chicago. If you would like to talk about the possibilities, let’s get in touch.

In the meantime, there are dozens of individuals who dedicate their time and talent to the Chicago theatre community. Our regional and national publicists provide invaluable, comprehensive support—at all times of the day and night—and allow the media access to create features, promotional pieces and reviews. It’s an honor to be invited and a responsibility that we all take very seriously. Thank you!

The brilliant Chicago theatre photographers like Michael Brosilow, Brett Beiner, Joe Mazza, Todd Rosenberg, Evan Hanover, Kyle Flubacker, Justin Barbin, Boris Martin and videographers HMS Media, among many others, commit their expertise and professionalism to document these productions and preserve a vivid archive for future generations. A special mention to the late Rich Hein (a/k/a/ Liz Lauren) whose passing this year was a stunning loss. Our gallery tribute was a testament to only a small portion of his work over a decades long photographic career.

This year CONVERSATIONS|PicksInSix® celebrated 10 years creating a fascinating archive of conversations and hundreds of reviews that would have not been possible without the support of writers like Ronald Keaton, Scott Gryder, Kaitlyn Linsner, Sarah Frances Fiorello, Catey Sullivan and Regina Belt-Daniels. Thank you most sincerely. Special thanks to the American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association and Theatre in Chicago’s Mark Meyer for coalescing critical reviews for the public at large.

In the end, it’s all about the show. Our thanks to all of the artists and organizations who invited us to share in their productions. Each performance is a new and exciting experience. What follows, in alphabetical order, are a few of the memorable moments, with a link to the review, from the shows that stood out as among the best and brightest for 2025:

Shanésia Davis – The storyline of the classic “A Raisin in the Sun” at Court Theatre, directed by Senior Artistic Producer Gabrielle Randle-Bent, is largely based on playwright Lorraine Hansberry’s own experiences growing up on the South Side of Chicago. The brilliant company was led by the riveting performance of Shanésia Davis as Lena ‘Mama’ Younger, the matriarch of the family. Simply astounding! P6

Sean Fortunato – Over the years, Sean Fortunato has expertly been reshaping dramatic, comic and musical roles on stages across the city and suburbs. This year, Fortunato shined in Marriott’s “Catch Me If You Can” but it was his inspired take on Dogberry in Chicago Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”—which you can still see on stage there—that has elevated his comic abilities to a new level of entertainment. A tour-de-force performance! P6  

David Girolmo – For decades, working actors like David Girolmo go whenever and wherever the job sends them. Thankfully this year, we have had two opportunities to view this fine actor at work. In “Titanic” at Marriott Theatre, Girolmo’s Captain E.J. Smith was dashing, stalwart and vulnerable. Now playing in Paramount’s glorious production of “White Christmas,” Girolmo renders a commanding performance as the beloved General Waverly. A stately and superb craftsman! P6

 “Jeykll & Hyde” – Simply everything about Derek Van Barham’s direction of the Kokandy production at Chopin Theater was fabulous on opening night, from the soaring vocals of David Moreland, Ava Lane Stovall and Emily McCormick, Brenda Didier’s dynamic choreography, the on-stage presence of a 15-piece orchestra, and a multi-talented ensemble under the extraordinary musical direction of Nick Sula. Still playing at Chopin with limited availability. P6

Michelle Lauto – One of our favorite shows of the year, Paramount’s “Waitress,” starred Michelle Lauto as Jenna whose transition in life plays out in a single moment of truth in Lauto’s stunning, soul-searching rendition of “She Used to Be Mine.” A stunner! P6

James Sherman – Ronald Keaton wrote that “First Lady of Television” is “Sherman's marvelous, articulate plunge into show business history,” with William Dick and Cindy Gold playing beautifully together. “This is an ensemble play built on purpose and earnest leanings, as playwright Sherman shows us all, despite the history we think we know, what was still good in that time and place.” P6

A very worthy final bow to: 

Roberts Falls’ directorial debut of “Amadeus” at Steppenwolf and Charles Newell’s “Berlin.” Each one quite simply a masterpiece! … the captivating stage presence of Aurora Penepacker in Kokandy’s “Amélie.” More please! … the depth and experience of Francis Guinan on full display in Goodman’s “Ashland Avenue” … Phoebe Gonzalez’s bravura performance in Writers’ “As You Like It”…  puppet master Jesse Mooney-Bullock’s stunning work on Marriott’s “Nemo” … exceptional scenic designers Collette Pollard (Northlight’s “Gaslight” and Marriott’s “Titanic: The Musical”) and Andrew Boyce (Court Theatre’s “A Raisin in the Sun” and Writer’s “Translations”) and a few world-class stocking stuffers: Liz Callaway:To Steve with Love, the live concert tribute to Stephen Sondheim (as seen and heard at the Studebaker Theater) … Paul Marinaro’s – Mood Ellington and Elaine Dame’s – Reminiscing. You can still order all of them in time for Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

See you on the other side of the aisle!

Ed Tracy is an award-winning television and webcast producer, author, editor and program host. A career nonprofit professional, Tracy is President of Roxbury Road Creative, LLC, a professional management company and is a licensed real estate agent with Cressy & Everett Real Estate in St. Joseph, Michigan. CONVERSATIONS|PicksInSix® reviews theatre in Chicago and throughout the Midwest. American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association

PHOTO Credits: Michael Brosilow, Brett Beiner, Joe Mazza, Todd Rosenberg, Evan Hanover, Kyle Flubacker, Justin Barbin, Boris Martin

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PicksInSix Review: Catch Me If You Can - Marriott Theatre

Marriott’s Whopping “Catch” Is A Winner!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

If you are wondering what you get when you put a real-life copper caper in the hands of a master storyteller like the late Terrence McNally and the musical team of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, make a date to see the sensational revival of “Catch Me If You Can” now playing at the Marriott Theatre. Directed with panache by Jessica Fisch featuring the equally stylish choreography by Dierdre Goodwin, the show features an outstanding company led by the effervescent JJ Niemann as Frank Abagnale Jr., the 60s era con artist and international fraudster who amassed $2M before the age of twenty-two. Niemann is a remarkable talent whose power-packed performance and engagingly youthful persona—yeah, he gets that a lot—belies an artful ease and ever-present synergy with the plum role of making a jet-setting swindler the most likable guy in any room.

It all starts at the end where the FBI, led by agent Carl Hanratty (a rock solid Nathaniel Stampley) and his minions Agents Dollar, Cod and Branton (the hilarious team of Justin Allbinder, Alex Goodrich and Karl Hamilton) have cornered Abagnale at gunpoint in a Florida airline terminal. As he begs for one last chance to plead his case, everything transforms into the show within the show, a flashback forward to the early days in a subdivision in New Rochelle, New York with his charismatic, but flawed, father, Frank Sr. (Sean Fortunato) and French mother, Paula played by the captivating Jessie Fisher. Fortunato is brilliant as the suave, sophisticated shyster who mentors Frank Jr. on the ins and outs of his street game. It is in these early scenes— wonderfully crafted by these two fine actor/singer/dancers—that the hook is set for McNally’s father/son experience that runs as the subplot to the main adventure story.

Things don’t work out so well for the couple, however, and Frank Jr. is soon off on his own, quickly advancing his special brand of check fraud and impersonation schemes as a lawyer—yes, he passed the bar—pilot and a pediatrician supervisor in a hospital emergency ward where he falls hard for Brenda Strong (the lovely and talented Mariah Lyttle). Brenda’s love and affection leads him to consider giving it all up, settling down and proposing marriage at dinner with Brenda’s parents Roger and Carol (the delightfully comic pairing of James Earl Jones II and Alexis J. Roston). It looks like things might turn out okay for our high-flying hero, but then Hanratty is as persistent as a dog with a bone and isn’t about to give up.

The nonstop momentum of “Catch Me If You Can” comes courtesy of the talented and versatile ensemble, filled to the brim with newcomers, who cover dozens of supporting roles and a bevy of flight attendants, Playboy bunnies, and attending nurses, all glammed in Sully Ratke’s dazzling array of costumes. Under the music direction of Ryan T. Nelson and the marvelous melodious mayhem of conductor Christopher Sargent and the orchestra, Niemann and company takeoff at full speed with “Live in Living Color” and set the flight path for the fun and frivolity right from the top. The company numbers “Jet Set” and act II’s “Nurses” are crowd favorites, along with Fortunato’s “The Pinstripes Are All That They See.” The buddy numbers “Butter Outta Cream” and “Little Boy, Be a Man” are balanced with Stampley’s introspective theme “The Man Inside the Clues” and Niemann and Lyttle’s lush “Seven Wonders.” The solo performance of the night belongs to Lyttle for the soaring confession of love “Fly, Fly Away.”

The ingenious stage design of Andrew Boyce and Lauren M. Nichols, awash in Jesse Klug’s evocative lighting, incorporates a pair of multi-functional set pieces that glide effortlessly on a circular track that mirrors the video diorama above showcasing Anthony Churchill’s fascinating video/projection design. This is one of the most creative and functional uses of Marriott’s challenging in-the-round configuration ever. A visual stunner!

Abagnale’s bold musical crime spree is sure to be another big hit for the popular regional theater at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. Paired with the delicious and affordably-priced pop-up cuisine of the Three Embers Pan Am Grille inspired by First-Class Menus of the Pan Am Clippers, you can show up early, park for free, and stay for the show. It doesn’t get better that this!

PHOTO|Michael Brosilow

Marriott Theatre
presents
Catch Me If You Can
10 Marriott Drive
Lincolnshire
through October 19, 2025

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