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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Kokandy Website

Chopin Website

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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: Urinetown - Theo Ubique | The Fred Anzevino Theatre

No Pity Potty at Theo’s ‘Urinetown!’
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

There aren't many pieces of theatre that so expertly lets its audience members know the authors are winking at them, that everyone is in on the joke, as in the energetic musical satire “Urinetown,” now playing at Theo through December 21.  All elements in the show own this attitude throughout. There's the strong, self-effacing book of Greg Kotis, which makes fun of, well, nearly everything either Broadway musical-ish or municipal efficiency-like. The stylish score by Mark Hollmann makes marked bows to Weill and Bernstein and Harnick and even blues, while pointedly using “Les Misérables” as a musical inspiration at the end of Act I in articulating the satire.

Director Danny Kapinos has smartly, and with a lot of fun, shaped this story as an immersive, get-the-folks-involved experience. More kudos for Brenda Didier’s tight choreography. She adapts expertly to the space available, and it is a joy to watch. If you've ever seen a production at Theo, you know that every inch of the space is often used with platforms, steps, light shafts and sound effects as much as possible, and it's an enjoyable signature of the theatre. The story itself—an informed examination of social conscience, human rights and corporate greed—offers eerie echoes to American society today, even though “Urinetown” was created more than a quarter century ago.

Right from the get-go Officer Lockstock (Ryan Stajmiger in a charming performance of a pervasive character) greets everyone in narrator fashion with "Hello there and welcome to Urinetown!" Then he tags it with "Not the place, of course. The musical!''  And the audience understands the ride will be unique. Little Sally (a strong Theo debut for Maya Tanaka Allwardt) starts out innocently in similar fashion and becomes almost a conscience for good as the story progresses. In that story, there is a dramatic water shortage from a 20-year drought, so the town contracts for and sees the creation of a corporate arm that charges all people whenever they use the water. And yes, that means for all purposes; hence, the title. It's run by Caldwell B. Cladwell (an aware, deft portrayal by Drew Longo), whose daughter Hope (Amanda Rodriguez and her glorious singing) has just joined the company after college.

Then there's Bobby Strong, the one who stirs up good trouble (Luke Nowakowski is clear-eyed and purposeful here) by getting the hoi polloi to rebel against the powers-that-be, drawing his line in the sand as his love for Hope becomes more evident. And Penelope Pennywise, Cladwell's enforcer (the powerful Alicia Berneche ... wow!) keeps everyone in line by taking payment as that line goes through its daily chore. And Pennywise reveals a twist in the plot that takes everyone off guard. The satire is the boss here, and everyone in the theatre becomes a part of it.

At Theo, an audience can always depend on one thing: the high quality of its musical stance. Music director Aaron Kaplan and Associate and Keyboardist Kevin Zhou, along with their four players, have done wonders in reducing the score while maintaining its full and robust presence. And they handle the various jumps in genre and parody with style. They have also coaxed the same from a fully committed, talented ensemble, many of whom are making their Theo debuts here. It’s the main reason this writer enjoys Theo offerings, because their musical approach upholds the theatre's professional promise. Bravo!

As you enter Theo these days, you see outside on the building's wall a lovely tribute to its Founder/Artistic Director Fred Anzevino, who passed away earlier this year. It's worth noting that Mr. Anzevino's commitment results in the legacy of professionalism and the sheer number of productions that Theo has offered over the years. It's a marvelous reminder how artistic endeavor lives on through such a legacy.

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

PHOTO | Liz Stenholt Photography

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
presents
URINETOWN
721 Howard Street
Evanston
through December 21

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PicksInSix Review: As You Like It - Writers Theatre

TOP-NOTCH ENSEMBLE SHINES AT WRITERS!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

There is, up in Glencoe, a unique and striking musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's comedy masterpiece “As You Like It” playing at Writers Theatre through December 14. It's directed by Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham in bold, wonderfully outlandish strokes that enhance this story of lost souls who all find each other in the Forest of Arden. There is a magic in Arden. Everyone experiences a kind of ethereal conversion in attitude and outlook. Arden thus symbolizes more—a place of refuge and spiritual comfort, a haven of freedom.

There is a great deal of plot in the play that is simply too thick to fully share. Yet the adaptation by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery make highly accessible, in plain language, the various plot points that the Bard offers. They do not hesitate to use plain and modern language to help the storytellers along, and it's a welcome tool to have. Yes, the aficionado does miss some of that wonderful poetry, chiefly Jaques' classic, rueful rumination on life about the "seven ages of man." And then there's his sharp and welcome banter with the fool Touchstone in Shakespeare's play. But in hindsight, this approach doesn't really serve the Taub and Woolery vision. They see other ways to go.

Instead, the migration of unhappiness from the Court of Duke Frederick that ends up in Arden takes the well-known sentiment of contemporary life 'love is love is love...' to new places here. There is a company of subjects—including Duke Senior, his daughter Rosalind, his niece Celia and Touchstone—who all leave to find their romantic fortunes, banished by Frederick. One young man, Orlando, has become a kind of celebrity for his win in a wrestling match, while his brother Oliver starts out as a real bully in picking on Orlando. Through their own issues, they both end up in Arden and mend fences. And we've only just begun.

Eventually in this story, there is a literal quartet of lovers—traditional, same-sex, comic and dramatic—that celebrates their newly found love and release from the pressures of the world. The music/lyrics by Tony winner Taub are a potpourri of folk styles and rock rhythms, all filled with style and maturity. The music is played by an onstage, ragtag group, perfectly complimenting the action. Music direction came from the versatile Michael Mahler. The band is fronted by Matthew Yee as Jaques, who here becomes a kind of eloquent narrator of the action, while performing his scenes with the ever-present guitar in hand. It's an inspired placement of the character and fabulous usage of Mr. Yee's talents.

The tight cast is one of the great examples of ensemble acting this writer has seen in musical theatre in quite a while, as well as top-notch creators to represent. Everyone (and I mean everyone) has a moment or two to shine while being present in the story for the others. A few to mention, while honoring the truly professional level that all the actors reached: Benjamin Mathew's Orlando is passionate and aware of those passions at every turn. The Rosalind of Phoebe Gonzalez, whose male guise of Ganymede teaches Orlando to woo Rosalind, is charming and full. Andrea San Miguel offers a Celia ripe with energy and purpose. The great clown Touchstone lives in the capable, expert hands of Jackson Evans. There's the overbearing brother Oliver (the smooth, deep-voiced Anand Nagraj). The two Dukes—Frederick (Scott Aiello, tough and demanding) and Senior (Paul Oakley Stovall, subtle and tender)—show their family leadership constantly, even as they are on opposite sides. Chicago treasure Janet Ulrich Brooks shows up in at least three different characters, each expertly articulated. Please take note: the entire cast knows how to support each other, a refreshing and telling sign with work of such high quality. And a real bow to Mr. Abraham's direction.

Shakespeare's famous line "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players" is not forgotten here either, and it receives a Taub examination in a song lyric:  "All the world's a stage / And everybody's in the show / No one's a pro" is the first song we hear. It's sung by Mr. Yee as Jaques, the character who speaks the original line in the Shakespeare play. Same sentiment, more accessible and, in its own way, properly applied to today.

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

PHOTO | Jenn Udoni

Writers Theatre
presents
AS YOU LIKE IT
325 Tudor Court
Glencoe, IL
through December 14

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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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PicksInSix Review: Les Misérables - Broadway in South Bend

‘Will You Join In Our Crusade!’
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

Cameron MacKintosh’s “Les Misérables,” the juggernaut of North American tours, opened at the historic Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend to an exuberant audience which, by all appearances, was equal parts lifelong fans and first-timers, including an aspiring Cosette or two at every turn.

It is no surprise. The 1987 Tony Award-winning musical (eight total including Best Musical) that has had two revivals on Broadway and several tours that preceded this 2022 reimagined version, has, as a result, remained in the public consciousness for nearly 40 years. You can be sure that the current edition still has all of the spit, fire and brimstone of the original. Quite simply, “Les Mis” is a soaring musical masterpiece, centered on a brilliant story by Victor Hugo and bursting with magnificent performances.

And while the music—a memorable score that includes a cavalcade of anthems, ballads and rousing company numbers including “Bring Him Home,” “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Do You Hear the People Sing,” “One More Day” and “Master of the House”—is among the most recognizable and beloved in musical theater, the true test of the longevity of the show is how it matures over time, capturing the essence of the original and staying relatable for modern audiences.

The strength of the 19th century set piece—music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmar—centers on the conflict between Jean Valjean (Nick Cartell), the former prisoner ‘24601’ turned fugitive who seeks peace and redemption, and his captor Javert (Nick Rehberger), whose sole purpose is to return Valjean to stand trial for his criminal past. While Valjean rises to a prominent position in society as a factory owner and mayor, he is ultimately exposed and must reckon his own well-being and the fate of others under the threat of Javert’s single-minded fury.

As the story unfolds, Valjean comforts the dying Fantine (Lindsay Heather Pearce) and promises to seek out and care for her young daughter Cosette (Emerson Mae Chan) who is under the stewardship of the Thénardiers (Matt Crowle and Victoria Huston-Elem), a pair of clever despots whose livelihood hinges on deception, theft and wickedness at the expense of everyone except their own daughter Éponine (Greta Schaefer).

Valjean rescues Cosette and raises her as his own. Years pass and the threat of revolution is in the air in Paris. Now young women, Cosette (Delany Guyer) and Éponine (Mya Rena Hunter) are in the company of student revolutionaries including Enjolras (Christian Mark Gibbs) and Marius (Jake David Smith), who is attracted to Cosette. Against her own true feelings, Éponine aids in bringing the two lovers together as tensions rise, the barricade is formed, and the bloody revolution begins.

Cartell’s powerfully moving Valjean—a masterful performance of “Bring Him Home”— and Javert’s soul-searching “Soliloquy” are among the many highlights, as is Hunter’s beautiful and touching “On My Own,” which very nearly stopped the show on opening night. Gibbs and Smith are phenomenal in “Red and Black” followed by Gibbs and the company’s inspirational “Do You Hear the People Sing.”  Delivering comic gold all night long, Crowle and Huston-Elem are terrific in the wily Thénardiers blistering “Master of the House” and in the reprise parody “Beggars at the Feast.”

The entire production is under the direction of Laurence Conner and James Powell and sports a full orchestra, under the superb direction of Glenn Alexander II. Every aspect of the technical elements is meticulously executed, electrifying the massive Morris stage with colossal moving scenic elements, state-of-the-art lighting effects and stunning projections inspired by Hugo’s original paintings, that make the climactic Act II barricade battle and sewer scene visually spectacular.

It is astounding that after nearly four decades, “Les Misérables” feels even more timely and relevant today with a new generation of performers. The sheer magnitude of this superb production is sure to leave you breathless.

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy

Broadway in South Bend
presents
National Tour
Les Misérables
The Morris Performing Arts Center
211 N. Michigan Street,
South Bend, IN
through August 10

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PicksInSix Review: Amélie - "A Feeling of Absolute Harmony" - Kokandy Productions

Amélie - "A Feeling of Absolute Harmony"
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The Chicago premiere of “Amélie: The Musical,” now playing in an exquisite Kokandy production at Chopin Theatre that opened Saturday in the intimate Downstairs Studio, is based on the 2001 award-winning French film written by Jean-Pierre Jenet and Guillaume Laurent. It was adapted for the stage—book by Craig Lucas, music by Dan Meese and lyrics by Meese and Nathan Tysen— and debuted in 2015 at the Berkeley Repertory Theater followed by a brief Broadway run in 2017, a UK tour in 2019 moving to the West End for a summer 2021 run.

The Kokandy production is directed and choreographed by Artistic Director Derek Van Barham with music direction by T. J. Anderson and Anna Wegener. The already lush and whimsical score has been enhanced with additional instrumentation that, in the talented and capable hands of twelve superb actors/singers/musicians, create a glorious experience of sight, sound and song. “Amélie” fits perfectly in the Chopin space and has all the makings of a colossal hit for Kokandy.

Amélie Poulain is a dreamer who overcomes early childhood isolation, and unimaginable loss, using all she has learned for good, to approach the world with wonder and spreading playful joy to everyone around her. Along the way, she builds confidence and develops a circle of friends and mentors who help her gain her own independence, ultimately, revealing the elusive love and affection she has yearned for all her life.

Aurora Penepacker is simply mesmerizing as Amélie, displaying a captivating stage presence that is only surpassed by her stunning vocal abilities. Penepacker, whose star shone brightly last season in Writers “Great Comet,” delivers a multi-layered performance, bursting with enthusiasm and beguiling charm, that is delightful to watch. True to the original story, Penepacker’s Amélie leads us through the mystery of a 40 year-old tin treasure box; the forging of romantic relationships at the café where she works; healing the broken heart of a co-worker; and, bringing peace and solitude to her grieving father.

All the while, the evolving relationship with Nino Quincampoix (Joe Giovannetti, in top form), the object Amélie’s desire, becomes her passionate focus. It is not just how Amélie attracts Nino, the shy and earnest collector of discarded subway photo booth images, but the interconnecting paths of all of the unique characters who serve as narrators to move the story along. Even though this feels very much like a collaborative ensemble experience throughout, Amélie’s parents Amandine (Rachel Carreras) and Raphael (Kelan M. Smith, who also covers Bretodeau), Sonia Goldberg’s Gina (“Window Seat”) and Jon Patrick Penick (Collignon/Julien Dufayel) and the company’s Act I closer “Goodbye, Amélie” leave memorable impressions.

The fine work of dialect coach Carrie Hardin is evident. The vast instrumentation—I lost count at twelve—and the quality of the musical performances is a credit to every member of the company—backed up by Kara Olander and Anna Wegener—who contribute to the exquisite harmonies. “Amélie: The Musical” has it all from an outstanding, energetic cast to an accomplished technical team—sound design by Matt Reich, mixed and engineered by Lynsy Folckomer and Mackenzie Hahn, set and lights by G “Max” Maxin IV and costumes by Rachel Sypniewski—all combining for a rich and robust vocal and instrumentation mix that is in a word: Magnifique!  

PHOTO|Michael Brosilow

Kokandy Productions
presents
Amélie
Chopin Theatre
Downstairs Studio
1543 W. Division Street
through September 28, 2025

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PicksInSix Review: She Loves Me - Dunes Arts Summer Theatre

At the Dunes, Love Conquers All!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The Chicago-based Artistic Director Steve Scott has been creating a unique and highly developed string of productions, youth programs and cabarets in recent years at the Dunes Arts Summer Theatre in Michigan City. Scott, with the able leadership of Managing Director Elise Kermani, has attracted and developed talent during the summer season at the theater in the woods on Shady Oak Drive that now guarantees a level of entertainment unmatched in the region. It is all translating into higher visibility, a growing subscriber base and a long range plan that has been enhancing the nearly 75 year-old venue just in time for next season’s Diamond Anniversary.

The facility has gone through a steady transformation that is immediately apparent when you settle into the comfortable and cool theater that is now featuring the Scott-directed musical “She Loves Me” which is running on select dates through August 10. Based on the 1937 Miklos Laszio play “Parfumerie,” it is a familiar story for those romantics among us, adapted and starring James Stewart in the 1941 film “The Shop Around the Corner” and in 1998 was the basis for the hit film “You’ve Got Mail.”  

And it was in 1963 that the story of star-crossed lovers who meet through the Lonely Hearts Club and end up coworkers in Maraczek's Parfumerie became the Broadway musical “She Loves Me,” with a book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. The show was revived in 2016 and has been widely produced in recent years—a mid-sized musical that fits perfectly in the Dunes on a wonderfully functional set by longtime designer Michael Lasswell, whose investment in the quality of the Dunes stagecraft is one of the theater’s signature elements, along with stunning period costumes by Emily Chidalek and Arturo Pozos lighting design.

At the heart of the story is the budding relationship between Mr. Maraczek’s right hand, Georg Nowack (Tristan Haberland) and a new, strong-willed salesperson, Amalia Balash (Kate Turner), each yearning to meet the mysterious special friend they know only from the letters that they write to each other. We quickly learn that something is troubling Mr. Maraczek (Khyel Roberson) and with no one to turn to except the ambitious delivery boy Arpad Laszio (Jackson Mikkelsen), he looks elsewhere for the answer. Along the way, there is another on again, off again relationship between two other coworkers: the womanizer Steven Kodaly (Tommy O’Brien) and the steamy Illona Ritter (Emmie Reigel). Of course, nothing happens in the shop or gets by Ladislav Sipos (Jake Busse) who has a keen eye for the young lovers especially as the truth about another relationship emerges.

Director Scott has brought together two fine performers in Haberland and Turner. Haberland’s charming demeanor and superb vocal range is perfectly, right-sized for the Dunes stage. He is a terrific singer/actor, light on his feet with a sincerity that effortlessly alarms, then charms, Turner’s Amalia. Turner, who has matured into an amazing vocalist and actor of considerable talent, matches Haberland at every turn, glowing with innocence and displaying a magnetic stage presence. The chemistry between these two is something to see.

Mikkelsen, Reige, Busse and O’Brien each have strong featured numbers. Music Director Katelyn Leonard-White leads the talented ensemble and musicians expertly through the score to the heartwarming Christmas Eve revelation that confirms love conquers all.

PHOTO|Tony Martin

Dunes Arts Foundation
Summer Theatre
She Loves Me
288 Shady Oak Drive
Michigan City, Indiana
through August 10, 2025
(219) 879-7509

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PicksInSix Review: Kimberly Akimbo - Broadway In Chicago

Achingly Touching Story Bursts With Joy!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The national tour of “Kimberly Akimbo,” directed by Jessica Stone with choreography by Danny Mefford, opened at the CIBC Theater on Wednesday. The recipient of eight 2023 Tony nominations, that won five including Best Musical, Best Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire (who also wrote the original play), and Best Score for Jeanine Tesori (“Fun Home”), “Kimberly Akimbo” is the achingly touching story of a teenager navigating a rare disease that has been aging her five years to one since birth. The cast is steeped in talent—many connected with the Broadway production—and stars the luminous Broadway veteran Carolee Carmello in the tender role of Kimberly. It is a story with abundant heart, bursting with joy and the promise of a life well-lived, even as the end is so crucially near.

It’s 1999 and Kimberly is trying to fit in with classmates who are focused on other aspects of their lives (read that: normal teenagers). There is one exception in the group, Seth (a terrific national tour debut for Miquel Gil), who plays the tuba and works at the local skating rink. Like Kimberly, Seth is a bit of an outcast, too, but he is wired just tight enough to stand out in a crowd as the keenly analytical guy with a penchant for anagrams. Seth and Kimberly team up on a class project that defines her medical situation and, as the show unfolds, their friendship and support for each other blossoms. While the rest of the world is closing around her, they each become the others anchor.

The clock is ominously ticking for Kimberly, her life plotting to pass her by as she turns sixteen still dreaming of having enough time to do the things she wants to do. At home, her dysfunctional family is another story. Her hilarious mom, Patti (Laura Woyasz), who is pregnant and nearly incapacitated with dual carpal tunnel, and a broken leg; her irresponsible dad, Buddy (Jim Hogan) who’s drunken lapses constantly add pressure to Kimberly‘s life; and then there is the boisterous Aunt Debra (Emily Koch) who barges back into their lives unannounced with yet another hare brained scheme to bilk people out of money, needing only a small crew to pull it off.

That crew—Grace Capeless (Delia), Darron Hayes (Martin), Skye Alyssa Friedman (Teresa), and Pierce Wheeler (Aaron)—are Kimberly’s delightfully engaging classmates who have a chemistry all their own, join forces and fall under Debra’s charms. After a joyous celebration of her sixteenth birthday, and as Kimberly‘s condition progresses, an event triggers the real sensibilities of everyone around her. It is then that Kimberly realizes it’s time to take charge of her own destiny and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.

The relationship between Carmello and Gil feels very much in the moment from their first encounter at the skating rink. As she navigates this challenging role with the wide-eyed innocence of a teenager, Gil immediately connects with the young woman inside, forming a strong emotional bond that melts away the darker aspects of the story unfolding around them. Tapping into the uncertainty of simply trying to get through their teenage years, being accepted for who they are and finding some joy in life together.

Some of this on one level or another could have only happened in 1999 when the skating rink was the place to be, kids played UNO, sang harmonies, played instruments and did dance routines for fun instead of being transfixed on a cell phone. One of those modern devices went off during Act 2, but even that reminder of the world we live in could not dampen the uplifting elements of this truly memorable and remarkable show coming to a theater near you.

PHOTO|Joan Marcus

National Tour Premiere
Broadway in Chicago
presents
Kimberly Akimbo
CIBC Theatre
18 West Monroe
through June 22, 2025

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