PicksInSix Review: The Irish... and How They Got That Way - Porchlight Music Theatre
“We Are The Dreamers Of Dreams.”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy
There is a bit of the blarney in all of us, whether we celebrate Irish traditions once a year or every day. The Porchlight Music Theatre production of Frank McCourt’s rousing play “The Irish... and How They Got That Way” that opened Friday at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts toasts that indominable spirit in story and song, spanning the bitter dispute between Irish settlers and England, the devastating potato famine and mass emigration of the mid-19th century to the remarkably broad influence of Irish culture in every facet of our American way of life from labor and politics to music, literature and fine arts.
From the moving opening solo of “Butterfly” by Elleon Dobias (the Violinist) and citing Arthur O'Shaughnessy's 1873 "Ode" "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams" to the resolute U2 anthem “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” director David Girolmo and four of Chicago’s finest actor/singers take us through a heart-warming homage to the resilience of Irish heritage in America. McCourt’s spirited piece, with original music arrangements by Rusty Magee, serves up an entirely fresh perspective, working simultaneously as a historical retrospective with lively and poignant storytelling and a lyrical musical song and dance fest that encourages the audience to join in.
The seasoned ensemble—Michael Mahler, Leah Morrow, Emily Goldberg and Luke Nowakoski—each deliver highly-charged, often hilariously comic, solo performances and ensemble numbers under Girolomo’s superbly-paced direction with fine work by music director David Fiorello. Fiorello, the Pianist, also performs a touching rendition of “Danny Boy” and provided additional musical arrangements. Violinist Dobias adds percussion and Mahler plays guitar during the show that features well over thirty songs in all.
The storyline, supported by the beautifully performed score—an arc that reminds us of the painful challenges and staggering consequences of all immigrants to America—is a sweeping historical panorama. The players remain on stage throughout with minimal costume embellishments, pivoting effortlessly as the narrative elements shift between them allowing a charming variety of individual characters to emerge along the way.
Girolomo has a long history with the show dating back to the Chicago debut production over three decades ago. With staging designed by Tianxuam Chen—a rustic, wooden crossover upstage framed by tall ship sails and a modestly-sized video panel with imaging and lighting by G. Max Maxim IV—allows the show to unfold with ease, celebrating the people and accomplishments through the years with honest, heartfelt references to notables from the past to present day.
It’s the unique spirit of the piece that makes Porchlight’s “The Irish” a musical feast that is sure to be an audience favorite in the weeks leading up to St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago. It’s a terrific night out and a vivid reminder that we all have an origin story connected in infinite ways through our ability to overcome hardships, foster respect for each other, and live our best lives with dignity and purpose—a message that applies to every one of us during the times in which we live.
PHOTO | Anthony Robert La Penna
PROGRAM
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