PicksInSix Q & A: Mrs. Doubtfire's Craig Allen Smith and Ava Rose Doty

Mrs. Doubtfire's Craig Allen Smith and Ava Rose Doty
PicksInSix® Q & A | Ed Tracy

When “Mrs. Doubtfire” sweeps into the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend for four shows March 13-15, Craig Allen Smith will be heading up a company that has been on the touring circuit for well over seven months. Smith, who lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, leads the company in his first national in the titular role made famous in the film by Robin Williams and on Broadway by Rob McClure. Smith freely admits that those are large shoes to fill but has approached the role from a fresh perspective all his own developed with director Stephen Edlund.

When we met on a recent Zoom call, we were joined by a mighty mite named Ava Rose Doty, who hails from Downers Grove, Illinois, and shares the role of Natalie Hillard in the show. Brimming with energy for the early morning chat, Ava, whose regional credits include Tiny Tim in “A Christmas Carol” and Young Tommy in The Who’s “Tommy,” both at Goodman Theatre, is indeed one of the most charming young performers you will ever meet and a font of information about her own first road tour experience.

Our conversation was a unique opportunity to explore a generational perspective of the tour from two performers who get along as well off stage as on.

The following conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

E Tracy: What was it like the first day you did the show and then knowing that you have to do another show tomorrow in another city?

CA Smith: It was definitely a learning curve in terms of trying to figure out how to pack for your life on tour in terms of making sure you have all the things you need, and then realizing I didn't need half of the things that I packed! Being on the bus for like six hours, then getting into the theater, having to do soundcheck, and then an hour later to just be on and do the show. That was a new thing for me.

AR Doty: It's my first tour too. We were in New York City, and then we went to Elmira, New York to do tech week, and then we went to Boston to do opening night. And when we were moving to those three cities—we were in New York City for a month—it was fun to go explore. When we were traveling to Elmira the tour hadn't really started yet. We were moving a lot after opening night. City to city to city. Those one-nighters are rough.

ET: Was that your first trip to New York, Ava?

ARD: I had been to New York for a lot for auditions, callbacks and seeing shows, but this was my first time in New York for rehearsals for a tour.

ET: And you are splitting the role?

ARD: Yes. Our show is double cast, so every other show a different kid goes on. The other girl is named Vivian (Atencio). We have four kids. We all do school, hotel, bus, airplane, theater and we have a tutor on tour and do online school programs.

ET: Craig, this is an ambitious role. You have not only 30 plus costume changes, but you have quite a legacy to live up to. How did you approach putting Mrs. Doubtfire together?

CAS: Well, when I first met (director) Steve Edlund, we had a Doubtfire Bootcamp week. I came in along with Chaz, my understudy, and we had a week-long, eight-hour-a-day work session with the production team, the music director, choreographer, and Steve. We worked through the show from top to bottom. Rob (McClure) had done this on Broadway and again on the first national tour. I purposely didn't watch (his performance on video) because I am such a sponge. I wanted to work with Steve and be a clean slate.

I know the movie very well, like everybody, and we wanted to pay tribute to Robin and his legacy. A lot of the stuff Steve and I worked together might still be what Rob did. I don't know. I still don't know to this day if we're doing the same kind of bits and stuff. It was a great working experience with Steve to put together the story and to be able to create both of those characters, not only Daniel, but also Mrs. Doubtfire. The respect that Steve has for both characters, especially Mrs. Doubtfire is really great… his love for the characters is just so infectious that the weight of “I'm playing Mrs. Doubtfire!” was almost lifted off of me because we're just going to work, the two of us together, and make this what it is.

ET: It is one of those all-consuming roles. You are on stage all the time. If you are not on stage, you are changing to go on stage.

CAS: And if something goes wrong you literally can't think about anything. You have to constantly stay in the moment for each scene because the minute you start thinking, “Oh, I screwed that up!” there's five other moments that have just passed that are getting missed because you're thinking about something else.

ARD: Yeah. When stuff happens, you just improv.

CAS: Just improv. We keep going. The show must go on.

ET: What is the biggest thrill for you, Ava? What part of the show do you like more than any other?

ARD: I really like doing ‘What the Hell’ the song that all the kids sing at the beginning when they first have Mrs. Doubtfire as their nanny. That one is always really fun to sing with all the kids. I also like the opening because there's so much stuff happening.

CAS: That opening number moves a lot. We have a lot of different pieces that have to come together to make that opening number work.

ET: Have you been dancing all your life?

ARD: When I'm home, I take dance lessons and I started taking them when I was littler. My sister does ballet now and I take jazz contemporaries with theater, hip hop, that type of stuff.

CAS: I was married to a dance instructor and then we split.

ET: Craig, there is additional background research you've already completed for this role.

CAS: Right.

ET: All of the things that are happening in the show, the longing for a family and acceptance pieces, they are all interwoven… and being an out-of-work actor probably is something just about every actor knows about.

CAS: Right? Yeah. Their original child wrangler who was helping in New York City came up to me one day and he said “Do you feel like everything in your life has led up to this moment in this role?” And, honestly, I never thought about that, but thinking about it now, yes, literally everything in my life. I'm a divorced dad with two kids from a previous marriage. At one point I'm throwing footballs… I’m playing with a loop machine on stage, and I used to make music in college with a four track! Any actor would be like you're going to throw football, you're going to record this stuff. I was not afraid of anything except for the quick changes because that was a timing thing. You have to get these changes in under 30 seconds. I've never done quick changes this fast in my life, but, fortunately, I have a team that helps me.

ET: I think as we get older—and we're a generation apart—we realize that almost everything you take on is the product of everything that has come before. We only just get better, hopefully. You get a little bit more used to it. I think Ava's going to find that out probably at the end of this tour when she starts to do the next tour.

ARD: Right, right.

ET: It is quite a thing to be of a certain age and be on tour. There are a lot of things that you are accomplishing that kids your age never have an opportunity to do. So that's really exciting.

CAS: It is very impressive. Not only do they have to do schoolwork, but then they have to be on every night to do the show. And even if they are not in the show, they are backstage in case something, God forbid, happens and they have to go on.

ARD: Knock on wood!

ET: Ava, do you have 30 costume changes too?

ARD: No, I only have one every scene and they are not that quick for me. Not as quick as Craig's. The only quick one is when we go from the nightmare sequence ‘Playing with Fire’ to ‘La Rosa.’

ET: Do you have fun every night, Ava? Do you get nervous before you go out or are you cool?

ARD: I have been doing this for seven months. I feel like I've gotten more used to my character and I can start adding more things and taking away.

CAS: And when you keep doing it for seven months, you're finding new ways to keep things fresh.

ET: I want to tell you that when I was your age, I was making choices between peanut butter or peanut butter and jelly.

CAS: Honestly. Same.

ET: So, Craig, how many people are on this changing team?

CAS: I have two dressers. One—they call her the ‘Star Dresser’—is Nicole, who is in charge of all of my costumes. And then I have a wig and the mask dresser. Her name is Emily and she helps me get in and out of the wig and mask for each change. And then, for each venue we go to, we acquire one local dresser who will help like zip-up and put shoes on. It's a well-oiled machine. We got it down.

ET: That mask is really an innovative piece of this puzzle. Not a part of regular musical theater.

CAS: No. And I was wondering because I never acted with any sort of prosthetics. I didn't know how it was going to feel and if I was going to be able to communicate the story well enough with this thing on my face. But it really does feel like a second skin. The way that they have crafted it, a nose piece with an opening for the mouth and there is a strap so you have access to my eyes and my mouth and everything. It is pretty impressive the way they came up with this design.

ET: Do you wear a mask, Ava?

ARD: No, I don't. I have hair clips if that counts!

ET: A national tour is a big deal for any actor at any level.

CAS: We have been going for seven months now. I broke my toe in December literally two weeks before Christmas. They sent me home. I kept going through the rest of the acts and because of having to get in and out of high heels, they decided that I just go home and heal. So, my understudy is a champion, went on and did four weeks up until the Christmas break so I had time to heal. We had a week-long sit down in Jacksonville and we got to go to Disney World for a day. We look forward to the week-long sit downs. You have to plan out things to look forward to down the road.

ET: Ava, do you look for a certain thing when you get to a city? The best place to eat, a museum or Disneyland?

ARD: If we are in a city long enough and we have a day off, or a day with only one show where we have time, we try to look for fun things for the kids to do. If there is a pool there or we might go bowling or Disney, museums, the aquarium and we went on a ghost tour once. The kids like to collect stickers from each city or something to remember the city or find a little souvenir to bring back to their family.

ET: Do the community members along the way reach out to the cast and include them in some local activities?

ARD: One time we did a canned food drive. We have lots of interviews. One time they cooked us all a meal.

DAS: In Jacksonville, I got to go as Mrs. Doubtfire to a lot of local businesses. There was a pie shop, funny enough, so we pretended to make a pie. There was a chocolate factory. I was dipping pretzels in chocolate. It was cool to explore these different communities.

ET: This is a really unique character, Craig. You get to play both sides of your life. You're an actor, but also you are playing this person on stage who is creating a new reality. What is the audience reaction to what you are doing on stage, the separation of these two characters? What is the most satisfying part of that for you?

DAS: The show moves so fast that I really don't have time to reflect on anything. I love getting the audience to laugh. That's my ultimate high. Making sure I hit each of those moments and get their response is very rewarding for me. I know Steve loves to come and watch when he can. There have been a number of moments, he says, where he absolutely thinks it is the most amazing reaction. One scene I'm tricking my ex-wife, doing all these different voices and she's getting annoyed because she's looking for a babysitter and I'm pretending to be all these terrible babysitters. And then finally, I drop the Mrs. Doubtfire voice. When I first come out after we do a number where I'm trying on all these different wigs and trying to figure out what Mrs. Doubtfire is going to look like. It's called ‘Make Me a Woman.’ The whole ensemble is dancing crazy.

And when the drop comes up, the front door opens, there's Mrs. Doubtfire. Our music director said at one point there was little girl behind him. She turned to her mom and whispered, “There she is.”

PHOTO|Shelby DuPont

Broadway in South Bend
presents
Mrs. Doubtfire
Morris Performing Arts Center
211 N. Michigan Street,
South Bend, Indiana
March 13-15, 2026

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NATIONAL TOUR

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PicksInSix Review: Stereophonic - Broadway in Chicago

Rumour Has It: The Radio Edit
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Sarah Frances Fiorello

In 2024, “Stereophonic” made history garnering a whopping 13 Tony Award nominations, the most ever received by a play. It went on to win five Tony Awards, as well as a smattering of Drama League Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards. The prior year, it brought home an impressive seven Drama Desk Awards from its off-Broadway production at Playwrights Horizons. A shortened version of the play, dubbed as “The Radio Edit” by writer David Adjmi, is embarking on its First National Tour, opening Wednesday and playing at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre through February 8.

The play begins nearly mid-sentence, dropping us in without a running start to the durational drama of seven characters (eight if you count the recreational drugs)—five bandmates and two sound engineers—who bear a striking and legally controversial resemblance to “Fleetwood Mac,” the subject of a now-settled lawsuit over the story loosely tracing the recording of “Rumours,” the legendary and notorious album. “Stereophonic” spans one year in four acts, over roughly 2 hours and 50 minutes of stage time, cut from its Broadway run time of 3 hours and 10 minutes. We watch this group of deeply talented and deeply troubled musicians struggle with their rising fame, inner demons, and what it means to gain the world while simultaneously losing the most important things in it: all while making a live, one-of-a-kind album right before our eyes.

There’s much to appreciate about this production, not the least of which is a truly talented group of multi-hyphenate artists who, for nearly three hours, deliver faithfully to their characters, the story, and, well, a delightfully nostalgic ‘70s vibe. Christopher Mowod as the lovable drunk-sober-drunk again Reg is charming and heartbreaking, all wrapped up in one.  Jack Barrett as Grover shows us what it’s like to love something so much, you’d go to hell and back for it, and how to perfectly time the swivel of a chair to get a laugh from an 1,800-seat theatre. Denver Milord as Peter gives us a front row seat on his genius-narcissist rollercoaster, while Claire Dejean as Diana, his lover and bandmate, suffers underfoot. And did I mention? They do all this while recording a live, one-of-a-kind album, right before our very eyes.

This play takes its time. It settles into long pauses and relishes in the pedestrian and mundane dialogue you very well might hear sitting around with a group of friends or artists who don’t realize they are on stage and responsible for entertaining you. It moves at a pace that mimics the painstaking and methodical slowness of making something excellent. It details the granularity of perfection and the all-too-common breakdown that accompanies it. I minded none of these things. In a time when entertainment moves at frames per second as if cooked in a microwave oven, I was grateful to slow all the way down to sit with these characters on a cold January evening in Chicago.

That said, I was left wanting more. Having not seen the Broadway production, the version that made a big splash and churned out tons of happy patrons, I can’t say for sure what is lacking here or what changed. Perhaps it has lost layers of character development when trimming down to “The Radio Edit” version—those small twists and turns that are revelatory, allowing us to see ourselves in the characters and have compassion for them. The plot—while intentionally left at a low hum—felt muddied. Some points were under-developed, like the relationship between Holly and Reg, and others overly-stressed, like Peter’s run amok, self-destructive journey. Maybe something intimate is foregone in moving to a theatre house nearly double the size of the Golden Theatre, where it received such a warm Broadway reception. Maybe something is lost in moving the show, period. Some spaces are sacred and carry a bit of magic. Just like the recording studios legendary musicians have been flocking to for decades.

Still: go see “Stereophonic.”  I will always advocate that a night at the theatre is a night well spent and that theatre doesn’t need to be great or perfect to be moving or important. Anything that reveals our shared humanity, especially right now, is worthy of our time. Go enjoy some classic rock music, composed by Arcade Fire’s Will Butler, performed in a setting that—in the context of the music industry—that is all but ancient history.

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.  Instagram: @writtenbysarahfrances

PHOTO|Julieta Cervantes

Broadway in Chicago
presents
First National Tour
Stereophonic
CIBC Theatre
17 East Adams Street
through February 8, 2026

WEBSITE

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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: 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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TICKETS

FEATURE: CONVERSATIONS|On the Road with Matt Crowle
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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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PicksInSix Review: SHUCKED - Broadway in Chicago - CIBC Theatre

‘SHUCKED’ — A FIELD FULL OF FUN!
PicksInSix Review |Guest Contributor Ronald Keaton

There’s some grand escapist fare going on at the CIBC Theatre on Monroe through January 19.  SHUCKED is the musical story of a community that seems to want to hide away from the world and be left alone, until their lesson is learned. Now that doesn’t seem like a premise that would appeal to more worldly types, admittedly. But the way in which it’s done is an engaging and deceptively simple story told with huge doses of professionalism and humor. And it’s done with expert contributions from all quarters of the creative cache. It's not just about the active performance onstage.

For instance, the fascinating scenic design by Broadway veteran Scott Pask is an encompassing, barn-like roof with beams that stretch all the way across the stage and to the ceiling, symbolically protecting the citizens from nature like a protective bubble of sorts—all while allowing the sun to shine through on the crop and the denizens involved. That lighting design by Japhy Weideman is rich and full and compliments the action onstage brilliantly. Tony Award winner John Shivers layers in a fun sound scheme in a simultaneously subtle and obvious way. When you see it, you’ll understand that strange comparison.

A real star of the show is the endlessly inventive book by Robert Horn, who has taken the low humor form of the pun and shaken it to its core in a gorgeous manner, sprinkling the entire evening with endless, rollicking jokes that have little to do with the plot and everything to do with simply making us laugh. The story offered is surprisingly thick and challenging, which makes it even more a treat. Another is the decidedly enjoyable dance sequences created by the accomplished choreographer Sarah O’Gleby. I dare you not to sit back and smile at the ensemble dancing with ears of corn in their hands, like countrified Rockettes in tight formation.

Okay. Within this community are little stories galore all over the place. The pride of its existence is in living with/among/for corn. Yes, corn. The folks in town (the actual name is Cobb County) have made all things ‘corn’ their literal survival milieu. They live it, breathe it.  It’s the very taste in the air. They make liquor with it, they dress up in it.  Now one day, it is realized that the Cobb County corn is actually dying. The very entity that they depend on to get up every day seems to be drying up. The focus then shifts to a young engaged couple, Maizy and Beau (with Danielle Wade and a constant, boisterous song about her and Jake Odmark as a stoic, traditional hero whose morals form the foundation of the story). Maizy wants to go out into the world and find an answer to the community problem, while Beau resists her leaving, because of his own fears. And it damages their relationship. But leave she does to the big city of Tampa.

Maizy meets and finds Gordy, a well-dressed con artist (Quinn VanAntwerp in a smart turn), who has financial troubles of his own. He spies a bracelet that Maizy owns and wonders about the value of its stones. This launches him, Maizy and the audience into a hustler’s story of greed and desperation, where Gordy convinces Maizy that he is the one with the answers to the corn blight. Appropriately they all go back to the “corn”, where everyone in town—especially Beau and Lulu (Miki Abraham is an absolute joy to watch as she brings down the house whenever she sings), a cousin of Maizy. In fact, there are several smart performances in the show: Mike Nappi as Peanut, Beau’s brother, who carries the heavy load expertly in making us both laugh uproariously and cringe at the puns; Grandpa (Erick Pinnick with gravitas galore); two young storytellers (Maya Lagerstam and Tyler Joseph Ellis) who keep us on the straight and narrow with their own charm and their own jokes to share; and an ensemble augmenting the tale with joy and commitment to the cause.

Two more things to mention. The score by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally is marvelous and tuneful, a collection of melodies that become real signposts of the action. And the clean, easy direction of legendary Broadway director Jack O’Brien reminds us that true creativity comes from within us at any age…bravo, sir. There is so much more to share about SHUCKED. Suffice it to say that it is a classic story of low humor and familiar notes, given the highest professional commitment by theatrical artists who know what they are doing.

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 “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Broadway in Chicago
presents

SHUCKED

CIBC Theatre

through January 19

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PicksInSix Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Broadway in Chicago

A THRILL-A-MINUTE BLOCKBUSTER ADVENTURE!
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

Broadway in Chicago’s Nederlander Theatre is the first stop for the national tour of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” that had an epic premiere on Thursday, primed and ready for a long sit-down for the holiday season in Chicago that will no doubt fill every corner of Randolph and Dearborn with junior-level sorcerers with maroon and gold striped scarves and wands.

This is the final saga in J. K. Rowling’s spellbinding series of books that continue to engage readers of all ages, has spawned six epic films, and a hugely successful Broadway run garnering ten 2018 Tony Nominations winning six including Best Play. Following a Covid shutdown, the original two-part version was modified to one two-act play that has been retooled by one of the largest—and most celebrated—production teams ever assembled for the tour.

For anyone still wondering if this robust and heart-pounding show can do justice to all that has come before, rest assured that “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” truly is a thrill-a-minute blockbuster adventure with all the magical twists and eye-popping special effects imaginable. It’s also an intriguing heartfelt story—filled to the brim with surprises that befit the original—written by Rowling, playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany. Tiffany, with movement director Steven Hoggett, have assembled a superb cast to play new versions of the familiar characters that successfully tap into the memories of diehard fans who are sure to flock to this show, and are clever enough to captivate first timers and the young-at-heart from beginning to end. It’s a win-win all around!

To the story, it’s 19 years later. Harry Potter (John Skelley) and Ginny Weasley (Trish Lindstrom) are now married, as are Ginny’s brother Ron (Matt Mueller) and Hermione Granger (Ebony Blake), who is now serving as Head of the Ministry of Magic. Their children—Albus Severus Potter (Emmet Smith) and Rose Granger-Weasley (Naiya Vanessa McCalla)—board the Hogwarts Express where they meet Scorpius Malfoy (Aiden Close) son of Harry’s nemesis Draco Malfoy (Bejamin Thys). There is a dark cloud hovering over Scorpius and once at Hogwarts, the two form an alliance after being selected to Slytherin.

After meeting Amos Diggory (Larry Yando), the two join forces with his niece Delphi (Julia Nightingale) and plan to change the trajectory of the competition that ultimately cost the life of Amos’s son, Cedric Diggory (Caleb Hafen). Using a flurry of magical spells, the trio infiltrate the Ministry, abscond with the Time-Turner orb and are off on a race across time to save Cedric, only to realize that their impact on the past has a devastating effect on the present.

The fascinating arc of the story allows us to experience an exciting new adventure. The Dementors are here, along with Albus Dumbledore (the brilliant Yando who also plays Severus Snape), Moaning Myrtle (a delightful Mackenzie Lesser-Roy) and Professor McGonagall (Katherine Leask, who also shines as Professor Umbridge).

On the creative side, scenic designer Christine Jones uses massive arches to frame the Hogwarts action that then evolve seamlessly to establish other places and time periods. Among the many ingenious elements—including a plethora of magical entrances, high flying exits and cape-flashing scene changes—are the almost balletic use of twin stair units at Hogwarts and a delightfully carnivorous bookshelf. Imogen Heaps’s costumes are sensational. Neil Austin’s lighting and sound by Gareth Fry all complement Jamie Harrison’s astounding illusions that all contribute to a stunning, visual extravaganza.   

The message of love, family and friendship—and of good vs. evil—at the heart of this story courses through Skelley’s moving portrayal of Harry and in his relationship with his son. The younger clan form a union against the ever present dark arts to the extent that there feels like there could be much more to come in this franchise, despite Rowling’s assertion that this is Potter’s crowning achievement.

If that is the case, we will all have to join the next generation of adventure seekers and relive this series all over again. For the present, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” will be making magic every night at the Nederlander for all to see—a memorable holiday outing that will last well into the new year and beyond.

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy

Broadway in Chicago
presents
National Tour Debut
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
James N. Nederlander Theatre
through February 1, 2025

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PicksInSix Review: Back to the Future-The Musical-Broadway in Chicago

“It works. It Works. IT WORKS!”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

It’s hard to avoid the what-if’s of time travel when it comes to the 1985 Robert Zemeckis film “Back to the Future” and its two sequels that have been entertaining audiences over the last 40 years. Jettisoning back along the space-time continuum to intentionally—or unintentionally—reorder events, change the future or restore balance to the universe has always been the stuff of classic science fiction storytelling.

The original “Back to the Future” was a real crowd-pleaser and a revelation for those of us around at the time. Sure, we had home movies, photo albums and family histories, but we could only imagine the past through the memories of those closest to us. Years from now, those memorable moments will be documented on a digital device in all formats, but obviously none of that existed when we were first introduced to a youthful rock n’ roller and his eccentric pal, the physicist who discovers a way to go back in time 1985 style. Taking the story from film to a live stage version creates some challenges and provides a splendid opportunity for eye-popping special effects.

At the opening of the national touring production of the John Rando directed “Back to the Future—The Musical” on Wednesday at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, I realized there was now a new generation introducing live theater to a much younger version as evidenced by a family of five sitting directly in front of me.  It was apparent to me that somewhere along the line I had taken for granted Doc Brown’s childlike wonder or the campy awkwardness of George McFly as he heroically confronts Biff in a parking lot, but not this crew.

For at least one of the three boys ranging in age from eight to mid-teen, this show was a first and they had a blast! Their joyous, wild enthusiasm for the extraordinary special effects and the techno star of the show—a slick, shiny DeLorean DMC-12 that makes a series of dramatic entrances and exits—was infectious. As avid young fans, their enjoyment was enhanced by the story as well because of its close proximity to the film and as a result, they followed along intently. And while we all know pretty much what was coming next, the Bob Gale book wisely stays within the margins and allows the stage version of “Back to the Future-The Musical” to evolve into a night of fun-filled family entertainment with more than enough whimsy and heart to wow the crowd.  

Or to borrow one of the Alan Silvestri/Glen Ballard lyrics sung by Doc Brown (a terrific role for Don Stephenson) when he first discovers proof of the viability of the flux capacitor: “It works. It Works! IT WORKS!” From Caden Brauch’s energetic portrayal of Marty McFly coaching the younger version of his dad George (a hilarious Burke Swanson) in “Put Your Mind To It” and the sultry Zan Berube’s rendition of “Pretty Baby” as the youthful Lorriane Baines in her bedroom with a trio of singers to Cartreze Tucker knocking the stuffing out of “Gotta Start Somewhere” as the young Goldie Wilson with the multi-talented ensemble and Stephenson’s blissful ballad “For the Dreamers,” this show has something for the young-at-heart of all ages.  But, oh that car is the real star!

When the original 2020 production was shut down in its first week due to the pandemic, you can bet that producers had no idea that four years later productions of “Back to the Future—The Musical” would be running concurrently in London, on Broadway and now in a 28 city national tour through August 2025. Safe to say that Marty, Doc and all the rest will be back in time well into the foreseeable future.       

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
presents
National Tour
BACK TO THE FUTURE—THE MUSICAL
Cadillac Palace Theatre
through September 1, 2024

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PicksInSix Review: The Kite Runner—Broadway In Chicago

“Kite Runner” poignant, moving… and shocking.
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

If you’ve never read the bestselling novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini—a tale of friendship between two Afghan boys and how their choices dictate their adult lives—you are missing a real treatise in the nature of youth growing up. And as the audience was witness to the luscious theatrical take of the novel by Matthew Spangler, playing at Broadway in Chicago’s CIBC Theatre through June 23, it is striking how many of the themes that progress throughout the story are so universal and timeless, both in the family dynamic and inside us all as individuals. Friendship, betrayal, bigotry, sacrifice, courage (or lack of), there is an endless touch on all these ideas. It’s a stark lesson for all in Afghan culture and tradition that becomes highly accessible to all who invest in the storytelling, which, even in its challenges, is first rate and quite articulate.

The play opens atmospherically with a tabla player, offering some gentle, syncopated rhythm on his hand drum set, even as the audience enters the house.  Most of the story then revolves around the main character telling his side of things. His name is Amir, a comparatively well-to-do boy whose family has servants. One of the servants is Hassan, who serves Amir not only in deed but in their relationship as best friends. The separation between them is never really forgotten, it’s simply cast aside when convenient for the two boys to enjoy each other in growing up. There is an annual kite competition and Amir and Hassan enter it. It’s not a normal kite fight, so to speak. Contestants also have to run down the competition while in the air, last man standing. Amir feels special pressure from his father Baba to participate, since Baba senses that his sensitive son is not up to all the expectations that are placed in front of him. As the father did as a youth, Amir (with Hassan’s expert help) stunningly wins the competition and find at least a little compassion and respect in Baba’s house, even if it’s temporary.

Amir and Hassan are menaced by a gang of young thugs, whose claim on the prize for the kite competition was interrupted. That gang, in its continual harassment of the two friends, steals the magic blue kite that wins the prize and physically assault Hassan in the process while Amir watches helplessly.  Amir acquires a growing, lifelong guilt for not having stopped the violence, and Hassan is so loyal to his friend and master that he takes whatever punishment comes. In fact, the guilt is so strong that Amir simply denies the friendship any more influence and even tries to plant a theft under Hassan’s bed, so that he and his family will be banished. To Amir’s utter surprise, Hassan confesses to a crime he did not commit. And a bigger surprise comes when Baba forgives him—something that shapes the father/son relationship for the rest of their lives.  Eventually Hassan and his father leave the house in shame, taking with them a dreadful family secret owned by both fathers. In the meantime, the country is invaded by the Russians (the entire story all takes place between 1973-2001), and so Baba and his family need to leave for their own protection and come to America, specifically San Francisco. And this is just Act I.

From then on, the family becomes somewhat Americanized. Amir becomes the writer he always wants to be. He meets his future wife Soraya, a teacher in her own right. They want to have children but cannot conceive and consider adoption. Her father, a general back home, distastefully rejects such a notion because of a “blood” consideration—a bit like the old notion “but you don’t know where that’s been” in his regard for adoption. You know, purity of the bloodline and all. And at this point, Amir goes back to Afghanistan to discover the moment in his own life where guilt can at last be assuaged and shape itself into a kind of redemption. It’s a part of the story that one needs to witness to understand its impact. It’s abrupt and shocking and very personal. And quick, almost too much for some. But it works in a grandly affecting manner, as a part of the entire directing challenge ably steered by Giles Croft, who also directed the Broadway production.

Truth is, this is a full ensemble play at its core; everyone is not only involved in character, but to support the story as props and musicians. The two most elegant and touching scenes they have are where kites are flown in a ritualistic, poetic presentation. There is also a gorgeous set of kite representations onstage that are used as a kind of combination curtain and backdrop to separate the scenes out, arriving onstage like a giant butterfly. Wind effects, background noise, all are offered up by the marvelous ensemble here. 

Ramzi Khalaf is a wonderfully effective Amir and does the really difficult task of narrator/actor a great justice. Shahzeb Zahid Hussain as Hassan grabs you hard and eloquently in his character’s vulnerability and loyalty. As the well-to-do merchant Baba, Haythem Noor is both menacing and vulnerable in trying to find a way to identify with the son Amir.  As Soraya, Awesta Zarif is properly reserved at first, only to finally open up to Amir in that awkward, loving way that all youth discovers love.  The entire experience here is poignant and moving. And shocking. And just what theatre, in my eyes, should be. It’s not at all like humming a tune from a musical, but leaving the theatre in a thoughtful mood.  

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 “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com

PHOTO|Bekah Lynn Photography

Broadway in Chicago
presents
The Kite Runner
CIBC Theatre
through June 23, 2023

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