PicksInSix Review: Is God Is - A Red Orchid Theatre

“Deceptive power fuels “Is God Is.”
 PicksInSix® Review|Guest Contributor Ronald Keaton

There is a challenging, stylish production at A Red Orchid Theatre entitled “Is God Is,” where violence is examined from the standpoint of families and their histories, in a kind of rebellious, yet bracing take by playwright Aleshea Harris that plays at the legendary Old Town theatre through May 28.

Directed in pointed and demanding strokes by the fine Milwaukee-based actor/director Marti Gobel, “Is God Is” tells the difficult story of a family unit wracked by domestic and criminal violence that uses a dose of dark humor to make the hard moments palatable for people to bear—and for an audience to follow in the story.  And does it very well. Harris is an intelligent, resourceful writer whose full mix of familial language and street vernacular grabs us by the scruff of the neck and holds on. It produces moments that are eye-opening and brutally truthful.

Twin sisters Anaia (Ashli Rene Funches) and Racine (Aja Singletary) have scars, physical scars that we are meant to see and be uncomfortable with.  They stem from a fire in their house that was set by their father when they were much younger children, and they’ve been told that their mother (dubbed ‘She’) is dead, that is until a letter comes from her wanting to see them.  As they see She (Karen Aldridge) in her withered, damaged state close to death, they get a chilling request. These three artists—Funches and Singletary in their fun, give-and-take sister dynamic, and Aldridge in a stunning, frightening take as a burn victim facing death—are worth the price of admission.  But there’s more here than meets the eye.

As an audience member, this writer discovers here the value of truly innovative storytelling, which at first seemed problematic.  The sister’s revengeful quest that follows stretches from the Deep South to California.  At first I wondered why we had so little to work with in accepting the story.  It sneaks up on you, really: murderous acts that Racine and Anaia commit on a lawyer (a wild-haired, almost hippie-like Sherman Edwards), on the father’s second wife (Rita Wicks, whose suburban entitlement is wonderfully ironic) and on the twin…yes, twin sons Riley (a humorously deadpan Donovan Session) and Scotch (Andrew Muwonge in a hilarious turn as a self-aware writer) of this second family. The bodies start piling up like so much kindling wood around a campfire.

At last, Man—the character name for the father – comes home. As Man, Kevin Minor is at once threatening, dark and ironic in his defense of what he did all those years ago.  We first see him in a silent mime during the original description of the fire by She.  We hear his voice share an explanation that bespeaks the cycle of violence that he has instigated, that this family has endured, and that we in the audience take with disturbing ease.

The ending is a surprise that will not be revealed here.  It took getting away from the actual production to reflect upon and fully understand the experience.  The entire 100 minutes of performance does not at all give us an easy ride.  But it makes us think and consider why we accept such violence in our midst with seeming ease, like a Sam Peckinpah film of yore. Makes one wonder if we have indeed become so numb in our society, no matter the form or reason for it, that we put it on an unbecoming list of solutions.  “Is God Is” has that kind of numbing, deceptive power.

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|Fadeout Media

A Red Orchid Theatre
presents

IS GOD IS

1531 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

through May 28

TICKETS

(312) 943-8722

CONTENT ADVISORY

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PicksInSix Review: The Cherry Orchard - Goodman Theatre

“All Things Come To An End.”
PicksInSix® Gold Review |Ed Tracy

On my first visit to Chicago, I took a brisk late morning walk from Streeterville down Michigan Avenue across the DuSable Bridge to Wacker then North Dearborn and into the lobby of the Goodman Theatre. I was on a quest, of sorts. I browsed the impressive donor wall and peered in on the staff bustling around next door at Petterino’s.

It was mid-March 2002 and I had visited a hundred theaters or more before but could immediately feel the unique energy emitting from this slumbering giant of a venue. The feeling was palpable and inspiring.

I ventured upstairs and—remarkably by today’s security standards—into the Albert Theatre balcony, settling quietly into the last seat on the aisle, watching stagehands prepare for the next performance of the Robert Falls-directed masterpiece, “Long Day’s Journey into Night.”

It was not apparent to me at the time just how much influence one person could have on an institution, particularly when it is in the business of the performing arts and operates at such an extraordinary professional level as the Goodman Theatre. Falls’ work had been recognized with numerous awards, most notably a Special Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre and for directing “Death of a Salesman.”      

An amazing career for someone who had served as Artistic Director at Goodman since 1986. But Falls was just getting started. Twenty years passed before a new generation of artistic leadership would begin writing the next chapter. The foundational work by Falls and longtime Executive Director/CEO Roche Schulfer is an epic story of partnership and passion for the arts.  One need only look at the last six pages of the program to witness the investment by individuals, corporations and foundations whose support has enabled groundbreaking new work and educational opportunities to flourish on multiple stages.

Countless years of opening nights at Goodman were top of mind as I entered the Albert on Monday for the opening of Falls’ brilliant production of Anton Chekov’s “The Cherry Orchard,” a play choice that speaks to his long range vision and embraces a legacy that will be lasting and permanent. Falls is an artist extraordinaire and an innovator who has operated at the pinnacle of his craft through a defining and challenging era for contemporary theater.

This is a production to see and to savor.

Change is inevitable and “all things come to an end” a resoundingly appropriate quote from the play that sums up our human urge to reconcile with the past even as we keep a hopeful eye to the future. Adapted by Falls from a translation by George Calderon, “The Cherry Orchard” bursts with life, love, anguish and longing, showcasing an aristocracy trapped in its social mores, vulnerable yet oblivious to the generational change that is consuming them. It is theater of the highest caliber, a classic running spritely on all cylinders with production values that are rich, textured and sublime.

It is also a play for our time, when our own creative culture is at a tipping point and theater itself in the middle of a seismic shift. Falls has molded Chekov’s vision of the collapse of mid-19th century servitude society into an assessable production that looks and feels very much like it might have at the Moscow Art Theater during its debut at turn of the 20th century. Now enhanced for a modern audience, it emerges with all the joy and sadness that Chekov might have imagined—delightfully entertaining, absorbing and captivating—elevated to new heights by an extraordinary ensemble led by the blistering performance of Kate Fry (Lubov Ranyevskaya) and inimitable Chicago stage veterans including: Kareem Bandealy (Lopakhin),  Christopher Donahue (Leonid Gayev), Matt DeCaro (Boris Semyonov-Pishchik), Alexandra Escalante (Varya), and Amanda Drinkall (Dunyasha) with two of the most endearing and heartfelt stage turns of this or any season by Francis Guinan (Firs) and Janet Ulrich Brooks (Carlotta). 

Todd Rosenthal’s artful scenic design of the estate of Lyubov Ranevskaya, the stunning costumes by Ana Kuzmanic and evocative lighting by Keith Parham, all coalesce to provide the perfect visual tapestry.

The page has now been turned. We can only dream that the next glorious chapter of Goodman Theatre history will be as exciting, and satisfying, as this one. “The Cherry Orchard” plays through May 7.  

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

GOODMAN THEATRE
presents
THE CHERRY ORCHARD
EXTENDED through May 7
Albert Theatre
170 N. Dearborn St.

(312) 443-3800

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GOODMAN THEATRE HISTORY

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PicksInSix Review: A SOLDIER'S PLAY - Broadway in Chicago

Fistfuls of alternating power and hate.
Guest Contributor Ronald Keaton|PicksInSix® Review

“They still hate you!”  The words ring out as the first moments in witnessing a murder. They are accompanied by a seeming prisoner’s work song from soldiers in an impressionistic barracks– the set piece of the painful, eloquent “A Soldier’s Play,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by American playwright Charles Fuller, whom we lost last October.  And it’s all deftly staged by the marvelous director Kenny Leon and now revived through Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2020 Tony Award-winning production on tour throughout North America and at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre through April 16.

It’s a phrase with a fatalistic implication, as uttered by a drunken Sergeant Vernon C. Waters (a masterful presence throughout by Eugene Lee) from the 2nd floor of a US Army barracks set design by Derek McLane.  It’s stark and hazy, both at once, reflective of a time (the Deep South in Louisiana during World War II) that shows how stunningly small the progress for the civil rights movement in America was in its segregated military from the Civil War to these moments.

Captain Richard Davenport (a stylish, emotional Norm Lewis), a Black Army officer, has been sent to Fort Neal, Louisiana, to investigate the killing. He is received at first with mocking and almost disbelief by Captain Charles Taylor (William Connell), who expresses his displeasure with Davenport questioning anyone, no matter their race, because of their low regard in a military placed in the old Confederacy…A Black officer?  AND a lawyer?  Indeed, the initial suspects are local Klansmen. Then later on, two bigoted white soldiers (strong turns by Matthew Goodrich and Chattan Mayes Johnson) fall under Davenport’s suspicion.

The story is told in atmospheric flashback sequences, as Davenport’s piercing questions create memories for the audience to absorb, through each man’s story in the unit being questioned. Sgt. Waters–ambitious, of strong intellect and self-regard–treated the soldiers in his unit as almost sub-standard, making them fit into the stereotypes he views as “holding our race back.”  But in that same regard, he belatedly realizes in his drunken state that his white ‘superiors’ will never allow him his equality, no matter how much he might emulate their own behavior and attitudes.  For those actions and his persecution of the soldiers he commands, Waters is murdered while uttering his own death knell–they do still hate him.  All of them.

Mr. Lewis offers a strong military man who is not afraid to take charge of the investigation.  His Davenport acts also as a kind of gentle, principled narrator who guides us through the maze of this complex tale.  Mr. Lee is magnetic and grabs his moments in fistfuls of alternating power and hate.  Mr. Connell’s Captain Taylor is properly doubtful and disdaining.  For this writer, the strength of the story lies with the men in the barracks.  The one modicum of respect given them (if one can call it that) is that all these men are baseball players from the Negro Leagues, and they play ball against white teams every Saturday during the season.  They are skilled athletes who fiercely bond together in that baseball experience, even as Waters denigrates them for doing so.  Our eyes and hearts are drawn to the wonderful Sheldon D. Brown as CJ Memphis, a gentle and pure soul who is driven to suicide and a fine, prickly Tarik Lowe as Peterson, who challenges Waters with his own misguided passions.  There is a host of clear, articulate characterizations from a topnotch ensemble of artists–Howard Overshown, Branden Davon Lindsey, Malik Esoj Childs, Alex Michael Givens, and Will Adams.

A SOLDIER’S PLAY - at the CIBC Theatre through April 16, 2023. Broadway in Chicago

As the albatross around the country’s neck, the battle of racism in America continues as a piercing-hot specter to face, to understand and to deal with in all its forms.  Mr. Fuller’s forceful, passionate prose makes us do so with issues that still tragically ring true in our contemporary world.  Mr. Leon, one of our great theatre craftsmen, shows us in his wily direction straight-on how such issues stand up and make us stare. And wonder.  And in moments good and bad, take action to address.  A full experience here to view for us all.

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|Joan Marcus

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
A SOLDIER’S PLAY
CIBC Theatre
through April 16, 2023

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PicksInSix Review: Happy Days - City Lit Theater

“No longer young, not yet old.”
 PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Days begin and end with an alarm and brilliant flashes of light to signify the passage of time among the chaos of “Happy Days,” Samuel Beckett’s tragicomic vision of the world. There in the middle of it all is Winnie – effervescent in her curiosity, confidence and optimism that belies an undertone of futility even as she is hopeful for the promise of every new day. Winnie is immobile from the waist down, a mound of clutter, dirt and refuge consuming her – perhaps the compounded weight of life’s challenges… or a reflection of our wasteful society.

What lies out of reach is of no consequence. It is the absorbing performance of Kayla Boye, unfolding in a blazing stream of consciousness that is at once confounding and compelling, pushing artistic boundaries in an altogether new direction.  Captivating and buoyant in the first act – playfully taunting the unseen Willie and ripping through Beckett’s tacit observations on marriage, life and love with thoughtful, knowing elegance – Boye’s Winnie is immeasurably aged by her all-consuming surroundings in the second act, weighed down by it all from the neck down, searching for the last shards of hope and promise with only her voice and time-withered expressions left.  Singularly startling, daring and marvelous.

“Happy Days,” as with many Beckett works, restricts the actor’s movements, thereby limiting the tools of their trade. What remains here is a one-on-one experience with the audience. Combining passion and power in the abstract, the play then delivers a moving, not-so-final resolution that begs the existential question: What is it meant to mean?

I have been ruminating on that one for several days.

Boye, a triple-threat Chicago talent who has also written, produced and toured her critically-acclaimed Elizabeth Taylor biography “Call Me Elizabeth” is directed here by Jon Dambacher, who is also designer. The mound of recycled materials and stark lighting, utilizes the intimacy of the City Lit Theater space to full advantage. This is at its core a quiet work about the evolving nature of Winnie’s situation.  It is our eagerness to align our curiosity and expectations with the playwright’s intent that keeps us riveted to the piece.

Developing solo projects of this caliber takes courage and stamina that only a few gifted actors possess. Boye is certainly up to the task. To venture outside a comfort zone and tackle a formidable work of this scale and substance is a worthy ambition that both matures the artist and the audience. A rare and welcome combination indeed.

PHOTO|Kàchí Mozie

KB PRODUCTIONS
presents
Samuel Beckett’s

HAPPY DAYS

Directed by Jon Dambacher

Starring Kayla Boye

CITY LIT THEATER
1020 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue
Chicago, IL 60660

through April 2

TICKETS

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PicksInSix Review: The Comedy of Errors - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Comedy of Errors – “Thanks. Very Much!”
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

In perhaps one of the most inspired and hilarious opening scenes in recent memory, Barbara Gaines launched her final stage production as Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Founder and Artistic Director not with a hearty hail and farewell, but instead a hilarious delivery.

Four of them actually.

The seafaring journey that follows for two sets of identical twins at the center of chaos and confusion is just the beginning of a wild and wondrous adventure. Gaines’s uproarious, over-the-top adaptation of “The Comedy of Errors” is really two shows, in fact, weaved together as one. Shakespeare’s tale of mistaken identities, mischief and mayhem is framed by an altogether new and fascinating story all its own—magnificently conceived by Gaines and brilliantly written by Ron West—that is set on a 1940 London soundstage. The developing storylines of the players is underscored by terrific musical performances, frequent Luftwaffe bombing raids, live Foley sound effects and just the right amount of hijinks and slapstick.

The play centers around the twins who are separated soon after birth by a shipwreck at sea.  Now adults in Ephesus, Antipholus from Syracuse (Robert Petkoff) and Antipholus from Ephesus (Dan Chameroy), along with their servant twins, Dromio of Syracuse (Ross Lehman) and Dromio of Ephesus (Kevin Gudhal) find themselves confounding Adriana (Susan Moniz), the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus, her sister Luciana (Melanie Brezill), the merchant Angelo (Brezon Arzell) and virtually everyone else.

Lehman also plays Dudley Marsh, the director of the film storyline and married to Veronica (Moniz) who is having a torrid affair in plain sight with Emerson Furbelow (Petkoff). Meanwhile Lord Brian Hallifax (Gudhal) is forever posturing for and expanding upon his stage real estate at every opportunity with hilarious consequences. Add to this powerhouse quartet the likes of Phil Sullivan (Chameroy), a dashing, aviator and crooning heartthrob for the charming Lillian Castillo (Marian), with the accident-prone stage manager Charles Chittick (William Dick) and you have the makings of a comic ensemble that’s on fire all night.

A spectacular set design by James Noone evokes the grandeur of filmmaking in a bygone era. It’s a gem that benefits from the stagehands quietly and effortlessly moving on and off in the context of the film shoot. The Courtyard Stage is awash with color and detail from Ken Posner’s lighting design, Mieka Van Der Ploeg’s stunning costumes and Lindsay Jones’s crisp sound and original music.

In a show filled with superb featured character roles, Ora Jones (Abbess), Adia Bell (Fanny) and Bruce A. Young (Monty/Duke) all stand out. Greg Vinkler shines as the ruddy Admiral Philpot and as his brother Eddie Philpot, funnyman Bill Larkin provides the oft-repeated phrase of the night that everyone will be saying to Barbara Gaines in appreciation of her decades of commitment to making Shakespeare accessible to everyone: “Thanks. Very Much!”

PHOTO|Liz Lauren
Barbara Gaines|Joe Mazza

Chicago Shakespeare Theater
presents
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
Courtyard Theater
Navy Pier
through April 16

WEBSITE

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PicksInSix Review: You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown - Marriott Theatre

If only dogs could really talk…
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Like most of us of a certain age, Charles Schulz Peanuts characters are part of the fabric of my life. It’s hard to believe the comic strip that originated over 75 years ago could still be so timelessly entertaining and relevant today. We may grow out of the regularity of the experience, but when our senses are wrapped around images, music and comedy that reflects a more innocent time in our lives, and the lives of our children, the magical, irresistible feeling consumes us. It’s inescapable.

All those emotional connections will wrap their loving arms around you with happiness for the roughly 65 minutes of the Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences heartwarming revival of “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” now playing in Lincolnshire. Sharing the colorful stage space and benefiting enormously from the superb production values of the “Big Fish” run, the show expertly incorporates lights and staging all its own in Marriott’s in-the-round configuration to create the ultimate visual experience for every member of the audience. And that’s not a small feat when easily half of those patrons are of the pint-sized variety.

The musical “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” with book, music and lyrics by Clark Gesner first appeared in the late 60s, was streamlined, updated and remounted with character revisions and additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and dialogue by director Michael Mayer for a Tony-nominated Broadway revival in 1999. Trimmed a bit in the Marriott production to make for a one-act, high-energy romp that amplifies some of the more quiet, heartwarming moments of the show, it’s followed by a terrific post-show talkback that is guaranteed to bring out the kid in all of us. Altogether, it’s 90 minutes of pure family fun!

The uniformly superb ensemble, directed and choreographed with gusto by Linda Fortunato, is led by Patrick Michael Tierney as the valiant, lovable loser Charlie Brown who despite the pitfalls, always seems to find some good out of every situation. The same can be said for every other character from the bossy but endearing Lucy Van Pelt (Tafadzwa Diener) and her forever attraction Schroeder (Matthew Bettencourt) to Lucy’s little brother Linus (Jackson Evans) and Charlie Brown’s sister, Sally (Amanda Walker). Each approaches their worlds with childlike enthusiasm mixed with a healthy dash of lopsided—and hilarious—grown-up pessimism. It’s a wonderfully warm day in the life of a group of comic characters who sincerely like each other. In that choice, director Fortunato keenly targets every childhood observation about friendship, nature and the wonder of it all.

And if you have ever thought what the world would be like if only dogs could really talk, sing and dance, you need look no further than the fetching Andrés Enriquez whose Snoopy captures the essence of the world’s most famous beagle and personifies Schultz’s impish spirit. Enriquez makes “Suppertime” a truly joyous occasion and at one point, during the opening performance last Saturday morning, got a singular howl of a response from the audience that cracked everyone up.

In a nod to the comic strip, Patrick Ham’s stylized set pieces and props, with Evelyn Danner’s iconic costume design, Megan Pirtle’s wigs and the color and light of designer Lee Fickness, all evoke Schulz’s childlike fantasy cartoon world. Musical director and conductor Rick Bertone, in sync with Rick Sims sound, makes every number a winner and this show a nonstop comic treat that will keep even the youngest member of the family sitting on the edge of their seat. Happiness truly is playing now through April 1 at Marriott Theatre.  

PHOTO|LIZ LAUREN

MARRIOTT THEATRE LINCOLNSHIRE
presents
YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN
through April 1, 2023

WEBSITE | TICKETS

(847) 634-0200

HEALTH PROTOCALS

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PicksInSix Review: Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till-Collaboraction Theatre Company

A Moving Reenactment of Historic Injustice.
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

For fifty years, the transcript from the 1955 trial of J.W. Milam and Roy Bryant in the murder of Emmett Till remained hidden. The details of the actual courtroom proceedings, while deeply impactful in their effect, stayed behind closed courtroom doors in Sumner, Mississippi. For fifty years, then, very few people knew of all that was said and unsaid in the trial that resulted in a jury of all White men acquitting two White defendants for the heinous crimes they later confessed to in a magazine article.

Now, thanks to Collaboraction Theatre Company and The Dusable Black History Museum and Education Center, people can experience first-hand what occurred in that courtroom in 1955 by attending “Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till.” This live, fully-produced stage production is adapted entirely from the actual transcript and evokes powerful reflection through a precise reenactment using only the same words spoken during the trial.

Prior to the current staged production, “Trial in the Delta” premiered in February 2022 as a teleplay and part of a larger NBC5 Chicago Anchor Marion Brooks’ investigative series on Emmett Till. Brooks, after finding the transcript online through her research, asked Collaboraction to create and film a staged reading, and the co-production went on to win a 2022 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award.

For this year’s fully immersive experience, Collaboraction commissioned Chicago playwrights G. Riley MIlls and Willie Round to adapt 354 pages of transcript into a 90-page, two-hour run time, theatrical reenactment. Collaboraction Artistic Director Anthony Moseley and Company Member Dana Anderson co-directed the production.

“Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till” shines brightest in its immersive efforts. Witnesses sit among the audience and take their time when called to stand. They approached both carefully and carelessly with demeanors matching the stark contrast between the White and Black people in the courtroom. White defendants, J.W. Milam (Matt Miles) and Roy Bryant (Tyler Burke), sat slouched in their chairs, shirts unbuttoned, often looking back into the audience with smirks and sneering commentary while their attorney muddied the prosecution’s case with great, callous spectacle. Lax and loose, they showed no shame, no remorse and no fear of consequences for their actions.

Then, stage left, you see Emmet Till’s mother, Mamie Till-Bradly (Kayla Franklin) sitting tall and poised. She’s dressed sharp, polished and elegant and exudes an unshakable confidence and commitment to her truth and her love for her son during her testimony. You experience the resounding courage of Emmett Till’s uncle, Mose Wright (Darren Jones), who, when asked to identify the men who took Emmett from his home, pointed to the defendants in the courtroom. Following the actual trial in 1955, Mose Wright fled Mississippi.

The stakes are entirely different between the prosecution and the defendant’s witnesses. We’re talking literal life and death. Sitting and observing this unfold as a courtroom spectator left a searing impression. It also left a sinking feeling in the gut especially when the defense’s strategy highlighted persistent, harmful tactics still utilized in the ongoing racial injustices transpiring all over this country. The defense intentionally mischaracterized fourteen-year-old Emmett Till as a man when he was just a boy. The defense’s closing argument capitalized on fear to convince the jury that no one would be safe from baseless accusations if the jury convicted those two men. The elephant in the room quickly became the palpable question of just how far have we really come since this 1955 trial?

Overall, the words from the transcript and the actors’ solid delivery of them carried great power. The minimal set worked well but the large screen behind the courtroom was underutilized. More statements could have been cast on that screen to punctuate the witness’ testimony. A real highlight that must be mentioned is the conversation that follows each performance allowing for the audience to hold the story collectively, in community, and to discuss choices we can make as those inheriting this story.

It was during this conversation, prompted by the illuminating performance preceding it, that a call to action was made – to stop this history from continuing to repeat itself. “Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till” offers the unique opportunity to experience our history and really sit with it. Those fortunate enough to attend will not soon forget.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER is a Chicago-based attorney practicing construction and surety law.

PHOTO | Joel Maisonet

Collaboraction Theatre Company and

The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center

Present

Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till

through February 19, 2023

The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center

740 E. 56th Place

TICKETS

(773) 947-0600

COLLABORACTION WEBSITE

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PicksInSix Review: Toni Stone - Goodman Theatre

“…wide, tender eyes and knowing delivery.”
Ronald Keaton | Guest Contributor | PicksInSix® Review

“Why would I eat crackers in your bed?”  The character of Toni Stone asks this literal question of a prospective lover, as well as other hugely unconventional issues in Lydia R. Diamond’s sparkling, creative play “Toni Stone,” now playing at the Goodman Theatre. Stone is a historic figure who infuses her world with all kinds of sociological change, being the first woman to ever play on the field in men’s professional baseball… in this case, the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues in the 1940s and 50s.

You may ask: “Why does the world not know more about her?” That is beginning to change with this expertly-crafted memory play that maps out Stone’s path in a pleasingly helter-skelter manner, allowing for a full and articulate explanation of who she is, what she wants, and how she gets there.  Doesn’t matter that it might be a tad confusing to some; that’s the nature of our memories, after all, and what they mean to our own histories.  Ms. Diamond has infused Toni Stone with an unflinching, iron-clad commitment to not only the game, but how she fits into it.  Her very first monologue talks of her own ‘reach’ through the ‘weight’ of the ball itself; she holds the ball for the audience as if it were her own child.  And in essence, that’s how committed, singular paths make their own mark.

The wonderful Tracey N. Bonner inhabits Toni Stone with a child’s longing, a woman’s continual feist against conformity, and an athlete’s endless vision.  Ms. Bonner presents someone absolutely on point in her feelings about baseball, almost obsessively so.  Stone is a baseball computer; she uses her knowledge of baseball players and statistics as a salving tool in constant recitative to survive what is thrown at her on the diamond by opposing teams and, indeed, the world at large.  The self-advocating side of Stone only serves to further strengthen the obvious calling that baseball was to her; Bonner offers this in wide, tender eyes and knowing delivery.  This is an actor’s masterclass in fully inhabiting one’s character in a show that I would see again and again.

There is much gorgeous work here. Jon Hudson Odom as the madam Millie is not only a soothing influence on Stone; we see from the actor a total calm and command from the get-go. As Stone’s lover and eventual husband, the marvelous Chiké  Johnson imbues his Alberga with a strong, yet quiet pseudo-Nick Arnstein presence for us to hold our collective breath, in his three-piece dark blue suit and habitual smooth.  The supporting cast portrays a rogue’s gallery of characters – mothers, bartenders, team owners, baseball players and coaches. The fabulous ensemble – Kai A. Ealy, Joseph Aaron Johnson, Travis A. Knight, Victor Musoni, Matty Robinson, Edgar Miguel Sanchez, Terence Sims, and Jabari Khaliq – use every Diamond phrase, both intellectual and profane, to full advantage in support of the storytelling.

The impressive Todd Rosenthal set design is a suggested baseball field – in fact, the name on it was Victory Field in Indianapolis, where this writer attended games as a child. Mara Blumenfeld’s costumes are simple and excellently functional for the character changes the ensemble are assigned.  Keith Parham designed soft layers in a variety of ever-moving lighting effects, effortlessly following the Toni Stone life road.  Andre Pluess and his period music/sound design literally inhabits Stone’s mind as they assist to buoy the script in those memories. And Mike Tutaj once again imbues his projections with touches of elegance and documentary-like effect (“Jack’s Tavern” the on-the road landscapes for the team).

Ms. Diamond has always been a favorite writer at the Goodman, and she’s earned it – a real Chicago treasure.  “Toni Stone” is among her best work.  And the celebrated director Ron OJ Parson has given this play and these actors a clear, accessible and fully non-conformist track that keeps up with Ms. Bonner’s inventive and keen actor/storyteller.  Everyone in this process, in fact, either is or became an expert storyteller.  The fact that it all comes through one of the most inventive characters written in a long time only magnifies the quality of every creative person involved here.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL www.solochicagotheatre.com 

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

GOODMAN THEATRE
presents
TONI STONE
through March 20
Albert Theatre
170 N. Dearborn St.

(312) 443-3800

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PicksInSix Review: Big Fish - Marriott Theatre

“Stories Under Every Leaf And Stone.”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

“Big Fish,” the musical based on Daniel Wallace’s novel about an alluring travelling salesman and his larger-than-life experiences that also spawned the 2003 Tim Burton directed film, had its 2013 pre-Broadway tryout in Chicago. With music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and a book by John August, Edward Bloom’s exploits, were expanded and enlarged to epic proportions by director/choreographer Susan Stroman. The show had too much happening, for so long, that it was hard to believe it would be able to survive its fall opening in New York. The script was considerably reworked over the summer, however, the show did not see the new year.

But that was only an early chapter in the “Big Fish” story, a musical that deserved to live on. It has been regularly produced including at the Boho Theatre in a blackbox space at Chicago’s Greenhouse Theatre a few years ago. The scaled down production fit the space well and captured the essence of the central story that tracks Bloom’s son Will on a journey to learn the truth behind his father’s wide-eyed stories. What resonated most to me at the time was how the score had coalesced and matured. In such an intimate setting, and even at the expense of the sizable scope of the stories being told, this sparkling gem of show had me hooked.

Now comes an exciting, new Equity production that brings together the best of all possible creative Chicago worlds to the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. Director Henry Godinez and Associate Director and Choreographer Tommy Rapley have expertly infused the small-cast version of the show, designed for a dozen players, into a sweeping musical tapestry of fabric, color and light. The work is superbly paced, the staging fresh and creative, and the crowning achievement is that it takes full advantage of Marriott’s in-the-round, ramped access configuration, effortlessly flowing from one scene to the next, beginning to end. The stunning first act closing number is a sight to behold!

Leading the all-star cast and ensemble is Alexander Gemignani as the always engaging Edward Bloom, a husband, father, salesman and teller of stories. Thirty-six to be exact, with many multiple versions of encounters: a prediction from a witch, a gentle giant friendship, the first kiss from a girl in the water, a hyperbolic werewolf and the love of his life, a vivacious redhead named Sandra played by the equally vivacious Heidi Kettenring. Gemignani and Kettenring are terrific together.  That goes for Michael Kurowski as Will and his Josephine, Lydia Burke, too.

The ensemble, all under the musical direction of Ryan T. Nelson, is a force to be reckoned all its own, top drawer Chicago talent all worthy of mention including:  Brandon Dahlquist, Allison Sill, Christopher Kale Jones, Ayana Strutz, Lucy Godinez, Emma Rosenthal, William Daly and Archer Geye, splitting the role of Young Will, and the commanding presence of Jonah D. Winston.  Strutz does some nifty aerial work and you will want to have the Alabama Lambs at your garden party this summer. Conductor Kevin Reeks and the orchestra are in fine form.

Godinez has assembled a diverse production team with wide-ranging credits from theaters across Chicagoland. With the ruddy scenic design by Collette Pollard with its many surprises, hidden panels, trap doors, tiny towns and reams of fabric that appear out of thin air exploding in the colors of Jesse Klug’s lighting design, Amanda Vander Byl’s costumes and Michael Daly’s sound, Marriott’s “Big Fish” is a magical night of theater not to be missed.  

PHOTO | Liz Lauren

Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire
presents
BIG FISH
through March 19, 2023

WEBSITE | TICKETS

(847) 634-0200

HEALTH PROTOCALS

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PicksInSix Review: And Neither Have I Wings To Fly - First Folio Theatre

TO FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS.
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

As First Folio’s splendid production of Ann Noble’s “And Neither Have I Wings To Fly” unfolds, a disheartened Peter Donnelly (David Rice) and his family are coping with the passing of his wife, Moira (Adrianne Cury) while his daughter Eveline (Haley Rice), the family anchor, is in preparation for the wedding of youngest daughter Kathleen (Jennifer Mohr).

Eveline had put her own dreams and aspirations on hold for three years to care for her ailing mother. She is now conflicted by the responsibility to care for her aging father and tend to the day-to-day matters of the home against her own aspirations. As we discover early on, there is movement and a path out, but the clock is ticking. There is also a looming deadline that will require a spiritual nudge to present options, pose questions and allow her to make a decision.

When Moria’s spirit appears to Eveline and takes steps to help her through, it’s also clear that Moira has some questions of her own to be answered before she can move on.

Along the way, Kathleen, who is about to marry Leo (David Gordon-Johnson) is swept up by Freddy (Michael Dias), a former lover and touring actor who openly threatens the marriage while everyone except Eveline and Moira’s spirit appear to be looking the other way. Once Leo’s exuberant brother Charlie (Andrew Behling) arrives on the scene to awaken Eveline’s hidden desires and take a stand of his own, the hearty stew of this poignant story about eternal love overcoming loss begins to simmer.

Director Heather Chrisler evokes mid-50s Ireland at every wonderful opportunity – through Noel Huntzinger’s period costumes, the blissful original and traditional music and sound by Lindsay Jones, and the evocative lighting by Julie Ballard. All these rich elements enhance the stunning and detailed interior scenic design by Angela Weber Miller. A nod goes to vocal and accent designer Sammi Grant whose work with the superb company is earnest and true.

It was announced this week that the final production of First Folio’s three-show 2023 season would be cancelled and the company, a fixture for 26 years under the guidance of co-founders David Rice and his late wife Alison C. Vesely, will close this month. Rice and his daughter, Hayley, have not performed together since 2013’s “The Rainmaker,” which, for all of us parents who dream of this opportunity, is one more compelling and exceptional reason among many to see this heartwarming drama at Maylake Peabody Estate before it closes on February 26.

PHOTO|First Folio Theatre

First Folio Theatre
Presents
And Neither Have I Wings To Fly
Mayslake Peabody Estate
1717 W. 31st St.
Oak Brook
through February 26, 2023

 WEBSITE

CALL FOR TICKETS
(630) 986-8067  

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PicksInSix Review: Andy Warhol In Iran - Northlight Theatre

Northlight’s ‘Warhol’ “Brings Home The Bacon!”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Iran in the 70s – a fight for political, moral and individual rights that led to targeted suppression of protests by a regime that wielded torture and fear as the rule of law. Fast forward nearly fifty years and women’s rights now take center stage in regional protests. Radical change in our time is both momentary and glacial. A single act of violence broadcast on social media ignites instantaneous worldwide condemnation, while the exhaustive search for truth and justice that follows moves at an exhaustingly slow pace.

Throughout the life and times of Andy Warhol from the late 40s until his death in 1987 at 58, every encounter was a rich story worthy of being told. If you experienced the work of the iconic pop creator/activist/artist/filmmaker firsthand, the repetition of Warhol’s single images were unavoidably captivating. Shades of Marilyn Monroe, Richard Nixon, and Campbell’s Soup. Films that captured the personal stories of his subjects, or nothing at all, always inquisitive, searching for the essence that makes each subject unique. In the telling, Warhol built a worldwide following, amassed wealth, influence, access and fame with a single superpower: his ability to observe.

Warhol’s adept skill and fascination with his subject’s uniqueness, that also nearly took his life, is a central theme of Northlight Theatre’s absorbing production of Brent Askari’s “Andy Warhol in Iran,” directed by Northlight’s Artistic Director BJ Jones. The byproduct of this fascinating piece is a broader understanding of who Warhol was as a person, told through monologues highlighted with fast-moving images that frame the fictional confrontation between Warhol, masterfully interpreted in a brilliant performance by Rob Lindley, and a young radical named Farhad, played superbly by Hamid Dehghami.

It is difficult to determine when the razor-sharp dialogue of Askari’s writing ends and the pinpoint pacing of Lindley’s seamless delivery begins. Given the show’s premise of a politically-motivated celebrity kidnapping, one might not imagine that the storyline would be deliciously layered with so many hilarious Warhol-esqe observations. To Lindley’s credit, he both feeds off of and into Dehghami’s frenetic obsession to further his group’s cause by way of Warhol’s fame. The cause of Farhad’s pain at the hands of Iran’s torturous and oppressive regime is very real. Askari’s script exploits Warhol’s astute and inquisitive nature to disarm his potential captor and Lindley skillfully knocks it out of the park. The result is a free-flowing narrative of discovery that, along the way, retells Warhol’s early years in Pittsburgh, tumultuous relationships, a near-death experience that altered his life forever and his personal view on a range of topics from capitalism to life and death. On the former, it’s like he always says: “You gotta bring home the bacon!” To the latter, he muses: “Dying is not hard; it’s the waking up part.”

Dehghami, an accomplished Iranian actor and recent MFA graduate of Northwestern University, evokes a generation of college students caught up in the political turmoil of the era that would lead to their expulsion from academic communities across the United States. That brief, but powerful, intersection with western culture, was the single act for that generation, prompting life-alerting choices of family and freedom for countless Iranians who oppose tyranny.

Set in a suite at the Royal Tehran Hilton smartly designed by Todd Rosenthal, the room serves as an oasis of the decadence of the period where Warhol discovers perhaps for the first time what the world view of his work truly means to those who exploit it for their own means. Mike Tutaj’s riveting historical projections are enhanced by the collaborative sound design of Andre Pluess and Forrest Gregor. But it is Lindley’s crisp, clever and measured approach that pours out and will ignite the inevitable conversation about Warhol’s vast complexity.

PHOTO|Michael Brosilow

NORTHLIGHT THEATRE
presents
ANDY WARHOL IN IRAN
North Shore Center for the Performiing Arts
9501 Skokie Blvd.

through February 19, 2023

WEBSITE

(847) 673-6300

HEALTH & SAFETY

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PicksInSix Review: The Great Khan - Redtwist Theatre

Past’s Power Over Our Future’s Legacy
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder

The Redtwist Theatre’s intimate venue was further cozied up on Sunday afternoon with the Chicago premiere of the National New Play Network production of “The Great Khan.”  Set mostly in the bedroom of a teenager, Redtwist invites you to take a closer look into the lives of American teenagers struggling to find their place in society. While being pulled in various directions by their peers, parents and idols, the teens prepare to battle history to lay the foundation for their futures.

Michael Gene Sullivan’s “The Great Khan” is a multidimensional comedy centered around Jayden Gebremedhin, a teenager who is forced to make a move to a new home, with his mother as his only friend, after heroically defending a fellow student involved with a sexual assault. Now in hiding, Jayden must navigate the pressures of not only showing up but showing out at a new school and being haunted by his past. Not to mention, he may be going mad thanks to the newly seeded obsession over the topic of his latest class assignment: Temujin (aka Genghis Khan).

Sullivan’s play relies heavily on stereotypes; however, not in a two-dimensional predictability, but as a tool for us to immediately recognize ourselves in at least one of the characters. Simon Gebremedhin’s Jayden exemplifies the modern American teenager, struggling to find his place in a new home and at a new school, while running from his past. Gebremedhin’s pacing is thoughtful and unaffected. Monique Marshaun soon introduces us to the sneaky yet slightly outrageous Ant, who’s continually pushing the envelope for answers. Josie Mi’s Gao-Ming is often regrettably living center stage in a monologuing role, sharing factoids, but when she enters the world of Jayden’s bedroom, her precise balance between quirk and brilliance truly tickles. Bryan Breau’s Mr. Adams is sincerely awkward, trying his darndest to connect with his students by overcompensating to be hip to the times. Steffen Diem Garcia embodies Temujin (Genghis Khan) with complete physical embodiment, yet, unlike Genghis Khan’s famed savage bravery in the face of battle, Garcia’s Khan waivers in the execution of his lines, leaving Khan vulnerable to deflated moments of pacing. But it’s LaToriuous Givens who shines as Jayden’s mother Crystal. Her subtext is grounded in genuineness, bringing a maternal care and concern for her son by layering nurturing with a keen hard-edged smackdown when necessary.

Mostly, the script is quick-witted and organic, with characters comedically playing off opening moments of heightened dramatic circumstance. Additionally, throughout “The Great Khan,” each character speaks freely and frankly about their wants and fears. If only social norms would encourage and embrace that level of candid behavior. Thanks to this forward dialogue, “The Great Khan” does not shy away from topics such as violence, vulgarity nor the use of foul language. The text is poignant and relevant. Is the way we see ourselves or the standards we hold ourselves to what we truly believe, or are these expectations planted there by outside influences? And thus, what is our actual truth? How and who are we supposed to be? And is that seemingly insurmountable fear we experience when questioning our purpose a guide to keep us safe or a monster we must defeat?

Scenic designer and charge artist Rose Johnson gives us a mostly blank canvas to start, with a bedroom setting loaded with moving boxes and the classic adolescent decoration stylings of scattered laundry. But it’s with a sequence of charming reveals that the set is enhanced as scenes and characters advance. Piper Kirchhofer’s lighting design cloaks this open set with washes to sleekly transition between days and locations, and the combined efforts, specifically for one of the culminating moments of the show, was powerfully executed with surprise and power. The sound design by Max Cichon had a character of its own. The music perfectly set the emotional tone, carried us harmoniously between scene changes, and surged with intensity when required. Beyond that, it was delightful to see the patrons bop along with the tunes throughout.

“The Great Kahn,” though stumbling pacing-wise near the end, casually delivers a gut punch to remind ourselves that we are who we make ourselves. Our histories may seem powerfully overwhelming and oppressive, but it can only be our responsibility to do what we feel best supports our wants and needs, whether or not that contradicts our past. With new Artistic Director Dusty Brown at the helm of the cherished Bryn Mawr District Redtwist Theatre, and an energy for producing shows that encourage personal exploration and growth, I look forward to being challenged in the tradition of Chicago storefront theatre for the rest of their season.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com  

PHOTO | Aaron Reese Boseman

REDTWIST THEATRE
presents
THE GREAT KAHN
through February 26, 2023

1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave
(773) 728-7529

WEBSITE

TICKETS

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PicksInSix Review: Cabaret - Porchlight Music Theatre

Barrelling Down the Track of Life!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder

Perhaps you would have thought you’d gotten lost along the way to the opening night performance of Porchlight Music Theatre’s “Cabaret” at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, for the stage had been transformed into a magnificent train depot the depth of the theater. Although I was familiar with the musical beginning with a trip, I was in no way prepared for the runaway train experience coming down the track brought on by an engine of brute force talent fueled by the finest directorial and choreographed momentum.

John Kander and Fred Ebb’s “Cabaret,” based on the 1951 Broadway play “I Am a Camera” by John Van Druten, appropriately starts with a train ride to Berlin by aspiring American novelist Clifford Bradshaw, who’s seeking inspiration for his latest work. The first German he meets, Ernst Ludwig, punches his personal ticket to rapture and ruin. Beyond the intimate bonds Clifford forges with vulgar club performers and hardworking, hardened day dwellers, the backdrop of “Cabaret” is a Germany politically seething with the growing threat of Hitler’s Nazi Party agenda, which eventually sends Clifford’s new life and loved ones scrambling to find their footing amid the inevitable devastation.

What really charges the show is the synergy between every single member of the cast. Whether a featured or ensemble role, each performer brings fully formed characters to the stage. Even cameos are dynamically developed. There were times when, even as the stage is filled with rambunctious activity at the Kit Kat Club, one can readily identify each character from across the show’s scenes thanks to their nuanced behaviors. This cast is committed to character. Between hit novelty numbers at the Kit Kat, multiple characters completely saturate the book scenes with profound truth. The glamor and vulnerability of Erica Stephan’s Sally Bowles is breathtaking, while Mary Robin Roth brings a fierce compassion to her Fräulein Schneider to a degree that would make even Lotte Lenya green. Additionally, Neala Barron’s brash Fräulein ‘Fritzie’ Kost, with a vocal apparatus that bellows, belts and sears, comes through with humor and heart. While, lastly, wreaking of a smarmy charm, Josiah Haugen’s Ernst Ludwig is nearly irresistible, embodying the Nazi nature with a frightening charisma.

As an intensely avid fan of the legendary Broadway songwriting team, this production, on the whole, is just what a production of “Cabaret” ought to be. It’s bawdy. It’s sincere. It’s disturbing. And each actor fits firmly into their roles, fully embracing the subtext of every line and lyric. Implementing a phoenix-like rising from the ashes, time-travelling establishing moment, PorchLight’s Artistic Director Michael Weber has gifted us a ticket to a searing production that transports us full steam ahead into the heart of the story. Add to that the ever-scintillating dance sequences by Chicago-beloved choreographer & associate director, powerhouse Brenda Didier, and the scenes and musical numbers are of famed Moulin Rouge caliber.

Scenic Designer Angela Weber Miller’s stunning railway-inspired set creates a fully playable canvas, easily absorbing projections to help designate locations, and flawlessly transforming between the famed Kit Kat nightclub and Fräulein Schneider's boarding house. Costume Designer Bill Morey dominated the epic task of not only costuming a cast of featured characters in the main plot with delicious textures and swanky style, but he created provocative visuals for the multitude of senses within the scenes at the Kit Kat Club. What added bonus depth to the stage was the cinematic lighting by Patrick Chan. Taking advantage of the steady haze silently creeping onstage, Chan achieved movie-like close-up energy by utilizing sharp spotlights across clouds of emoting washes of reds, blues and golden hues. The orchestra, under the baton of conductor and musical director Linda Madonia, was sublime. They executed Kander’s music with incredible precision and stamina. Kudos to trumpeter Greg Strauss! Has he got sonant spunk! If only, considering the glitz and personality given to the actors' costumes, the orchestra had also been outfitted with thematic pizzazz instead of street clothes.

The engine of this “Cabaret” only continues to gain propulsion as each new relationship is forged or broken or as each dream is won or lost, relentlessly pushing the plot and the lives of those involved to go faster and faster. Eventually, as trains do, the best laid plans are derailed, grinding goals to a halt and sending lives smashing. And the ride from start to finish is worth it! As a ticket-buyer tip: look for seats center or house right, so you’ll have a better view of the action, especially stage left. You really must come to Porchlight’s “Cabaret,” old chum!

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
presents
RENT
Ruth Page Center for the Arts
EXTENDED
through March 19, 2023

WEBSITE

TICKETS

HEALTH & SAFETY

DIGITAL PROGRAM

 
Additional Cabaret Content

Courtesy of Porchlight Music Theatre January 2023

Cabaret - Origins
Cabaret –Influences
Cabaret at Porchlight!

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PicksInSix Review: Eleanor's Very Merry Christmas Wish-The Musical

Wishes Are Coming True at GhostLight!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder

Whether it’s a family tradition or something new, it’s that time of year, where venues across the country mount holiday-centric productions, bringing festive entertainment to adults and children alike. However, it’s a rare gift when that seasonal staging can bring both a sleighful of fun and a fireside’s worth of warm hugs to the hearts of all ages. But that’s just what The Ghostlight Theatre of Benton Harbor did this past weekend as it whisked into a new holiday tradition to Berrien County with the Michigan premiere of Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish-The Musical!

Based on the book of the same name, Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish introduces us to life at the North Pole for the friends and family of the famed Santa Claus. Focusing on the daily goings on of a ragdoll named Eleanor, who’s beloved by all North Polians, the musical is made up of brief vignettes, introducing us to each North Pole persona and their duties. And, although the title expresses it, Eleanor is not only about wishing, it’s about taking action so that you can make your dreams come true. Thanks to book writer Denise McGowan Tracy, one of the most refreshing gifts that Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish gives us is the authentic self-loving, wisdom imparted to Eleanor by those who want to see her dreams come true.

Much like the many roles required to keep Santa’s Workshop running smoothly to meet the world’s Christmas needs, the ensemble of Eleanor hums like a glittery machine, glowing with charm and personality! Sam Bonzi’s titular Eleanor not only splendidly delivers a fully realized ragdoll of emotions, exploring her inner-most thoughts and discovering her place in the world, but her vocals easily shift from graceful ballads to Mariah Carey moments of sensational singing. As Mrs. ‘Cookie’ Claus, Kristen Wielenga adds levels of motherly love and playful companionship to the historically two-dimensional spouse of the man with the bag. Other standouts include the Saturday Night Live sass of Maureen Schlie’s Clara, the zingy verve of narrator Kady Roberts’s Twinkle, the impish elegance of Trillium Falotico’s Sprinkle, and the superb warmth and merriment of Todd Bonzi’s Santa. And it’s under the inspired direction of Patrick Tierney and clever choreography of John Marshall, Jr. that the ensemble skates superbly throughout the show. 

Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish-The Musical at The GhostLight Theatre through December 11, 2022. Tickets: HERE

As an original cast member of Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish, I candidly confess I was hesitant to take in a new cast bringing these characters with whom I’ve spent multiple holiday seasons to life. But I was delighted and teary-eyed to see that the score and script shimmered in the hands of this new company, reminding me that Eleanor’s themes of believing in yourself, wholeheartedly pursuing your dreams, and completely cherishing the family you make along the way is a universal message that would fit any theatrical venue and ensemble.

Most of the original gift box-style set, originally created by Kehoe Designs, was used to shape the North Pole and Chicago cityscape settings, and it fits like a cozy, woolen mitten across the Ghostlight blackbox. Almost even more seamlessly than the original production, spinning set pieces smoothly reveal scene changes like a delightful children’s pop-up book full of surprises. Along with the magical set, Paul Stortz’s lighting design makes each scene shine, spotlighting the sentiments of every facet of the story. Musically, composer Kathleen Butler-Duplessis’s songs are like delicious recipes with a twist, featuring favorite showtune stylings of a variety of flavors, effortlessly delivered by music director Lisa Van Deurzen-Otey. And the pure whimsy and radiance of Kevin Barthel’s costume design takes each character to the next level! All elements combined tickle the heart and eye!

I’m still jingling and jangling from the refreshing energy that Eleanor’s exuberant cast brought to The Ghostlight Theatre stage. May Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish become a Benton Harbor tradition for you and yours, blending the perfect candy-striped balance of jest and jolly for many seasons to come……with sprinkles on top, of course!

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com 

PRODUCTION PHOTO CREDIT| Matt Ferguson FergyPIX.com
SANTA SELFIES PHOTO | Roxbury Road Creative

The GhostLight Theatre

presents

Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish-The Musical
101 Hinkley Street
Benton Harbor, Michigan
through December 11

TICKETS

GHOSTLIGHT WEBSITE

ELEANOR’S WISH WEBSITE

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NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by contributors to PicksInSix® Reviews are their own. Ed Tracy is currently serving as Interim Executive Director at the GhostLight Theatre.

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PicksInSix Review: The Steadfast Tin Soldier - Lookingglass Theatre Company

A Mesmerizing and Unforgettable Theatrical Treasure!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

The beloved and delightfully creative holiday treasure, “The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” is now playing at the Lookingglass Theatre in the Water Tower on Michigan Avenue. Mary Zimmerman first brought the Hans Christian Andersen tale to life in 2018 and years later, it remains an unforgettable theatrical experience. 

“The Steadfast Tin Soldier” follows a small tin soldier through a whirlwind of adventures including falling in love with a ballerina, getting swallowed by a fish and befuddling a rat working in the sewage system’s customs department. The story itself has great charm and enduring life lessons, but it is Zimmerman’s use of wordless storytelling techniques that make this a larger-than-life spectacle. 

Why speak the language of love when you can dance? Or better yet, just slick back your hair, stand up tall and ask your crush out by pantomiming a play-by-play of your ideal date. It’s an absolute riot, and not only does this approach work for the show, it lingers outside of the theater by striking up a curiosity about how to interact in time and space with that same childlike playfulness and imagination.

In addition to the stellar pantomiming, the puppetry, visual imagery and original music by Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert elevate this production from endearing to truly remarkable. The musicians play well together, and with the cast, to deepen the experience and connection with the characters. The costumes from Ana Kuzmanic and sets from Todd Rosenthal also dazzle. 

Same goes for the exceptionally talented ensemble cast - Kasey Foster as the Ballerina, Anthony Irons as Goblin, Christopher Donahue as the Nursemaid, John Gregorio as the Rat, and Adeoye as the Tin Soldier - who skillfully play multiple roles and cultivate magic on the stage. Highlights include Irons’ animated movements as the haunting jack-in-the-box Goblin and Gregorio’s hilarious pantomiming as the Rat and the googly-eyed fish monger. 

At a running time of only an hour, the show is perfect for all ages looking to enjoy music, movement, charisma and great comedic timing. “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” continues to embody whimsy and wonder and will leave a lasting impression of just how darling things can be. 

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER is a Chicago-based attorney practicing construction and surety law.

PHOTO CREDIT | LizLauren

LOOKINGGLASS THEATRE COMPANY
Presents
THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER
through January 8, 2023

Water Tower Water Works
821 N Michigan Ave.
(312) 337-0665

WEBSITE
TICKETS

2019 PicksInSix Review

Listen to our 2018 CONVERSATIONS podcast with Mary Zimmerman

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PicksInSix Review: The Notebook - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Love Beats Beyond Waves of Time.
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder

It was an unexpectedly quiet beginning for the world premiere performance of “The Notebook” at Chicago Shakespeare’s The Yard last night. With an unannounced, subtle start of general actor activity onstage, versus the typical darkened house and scolding pre-show curtain speech, the audience gently honed in on the stage. There had also been no pre-show music or ambient sound filling the house, preparing the audience for the energy and theme of the show. It felt as if CST wasn’t going to give anything away for this new work. Thus, we were in no way prepared for the 2 hour and 15 minute epically emotional voyage ahead of us.

That made the ride all the better.

Based on the bestselling 1996 novel by Nicholas Sparks, which also inspired the beloved 2004 film, “The Notebook“ tells the story of love across multiple waves of time. Not only do we thrill at the blossoming of a new, forbidden love, but we witness how love can lead us to overcome the many unexpected, inopportune challenges of life. Adding the heightened musical element to the already volatile romance within “The Notebook“ creates the perfect storm for any audience to get swept away. As a musical, “The Notebook“ further solidifies the truth that not even time, place nor sickness can ever carry away our true love.

“The Notebook“ may be focused on the love of one central couple, but the staging succeeds thanks to an ensemble of over a dozen actors building a multi-dimensional theatrical experience. With six main actors portraying various versions of the main lovers, the extended ensemble highlights each scene with the roles of friends, family, and medical professionals across each time line, masterfully slipping in and out of various characters, never overplaying into the stereotypes. Standout Liam Oh boldly suggests that ignorance is bliss, and it is a gift to be cherished. Most moving was Maryann Plunkett’s Older Allie, gracefully searching and tormented in the role of a person with dementia. Bonus applause for Jerome Harmann Hardeman, who appeared in the role of Older Noah for this performance, with such solid faith in his commitment to his life partner that he nearly pushes himself too far in order to reach her again. As for the young and middle lovers, John Cardoza’s Younger Noah and Jordan Tyson’s Younger Allie share shimmering moments of zingy vocals literally vibrating one’s heartstrings. Additionally, the warmth and golden vocals produced by Ryan Vasquez and Joy Woods’s Middle Noah and Middle Allie reveal that their love has only grown warmer and more intensified with age.

Each creative element gently holds the hand of the other, creating a balanced bond throughout. To start, Ingrid Michaelson’s music is both darling and passionate. Utilizing mostly clichés, the song forms are less traditional musical theater, with a more folksy, organic feel; repeating lyrics over and over as if to reflect the pattern of waves lapping at the shore, slowly wearing away at the sand with the passage of time.

Choreographically, Katie Spelman follows suit, creating mirrored movements across multiple levels of the stage, as if catching a rippling reflection upon a pool. Co-scenic designers David Zinn and Brett Banakis have created a set almost like a diorama. With the bare bones structure of a house as its foundation, the set effortlessly flows between locations and places in time. And Ben Stanton’s lighting design echoes the reflective spirit by brightening and dimming depending on the emotional and physical intensity of each scene.

Literally splashing onto the stage, Broadway directing duo Michael Greif and Schele Williams then layer Bekah Brunstetter’s witty and cutting book into picturesque moments of storytelling as if each scene is a bubble in time, appearing before us and then popping as we drop into each timeline. Taking the emotional experience almost too far, but in a most profound way, Music Director Geoffrey Ko shapes and builds the voices to palpably invoke harmonious heartache and joy.

At first, I was disheartened by the almost elementary lyrics of Ingrid Michaelson’s music, but it didn’t take long to realize that it wasn’t simplicity, but Michaelson was setting simple universal truths to her signature folk-pop style. These songs sounded too familiar because they are comprised of nuggets of wisdom passed down through generations, appropriately set for a show about time.

Thanks to a well-aligned creative team and stunning acting, “The Notebook“ hopscotches through time so clearly that, for a show about time travel, no one gets left behind. It’s no wonder that when the sourcebook was published in 1996, it sold more than 105 million copies worldwide. As overly allegorical as it may seem, “The Notebook’s“ characters and their story are a retelling of famed and personal loves that any human can relate to.

For those fans of the best-selling novel and the cherished film, “The Notebook“ enhances this timeless tale of romance in a way only musical theater storytelling can. This powerful performance reminds us of how life’s hardships may make us feel adrift, but it also shows us that we are never beyond righting our ship if we only listen to our hearts and look to those who love us most.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com  

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
presents
World Premiere
THE NOTEBOOK
through October 30, 2022

The Yard
Navy Pier

(312) 595-5600

WEBSITE

TICKETS

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PicksInSix Review: Luminaire - Cabaret ZaZou - Broadway in Chicago

LUMINAIRE: I dare you. Be entertained!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Returning to the opulent Spiegeltent for the new Cabaret ZaZou production of “Luminaire” is like returning home again. From the first moment that I walked into the 14th floor of the Cambria hotel in 2019 for a tour with Executive Producer Stan Feig, I was awestruck that this incredibly creative venue was about to open and serve as a year-round entertainment showcase like none other in Chicago.

So what could be better than returning to see a new and superbly-paced show chocked full of death-defying acts that all revolve around a three-part story of love found, love lost and found again, and the concept that we should all create our own shaft of light with gratitude and forgiveness.

There’s no better example of this theme than the host, star and bellhop-turned-cabaret-star Frank Ferrante and his new persona Fortissimo, a stand-in for ‘The Caesar’ who unexpectedly could not make the opening night press performance. We learn that the exuberant Ferrante, a national comic treasure, has been thrust into action as an unlikely replacement. With his surgeon-like comedic skills, Ferrante interacts with nearly everyone in the audience, inviting them – in fact, daring them – to enjoy themselves. The only not-so-subtle difference here from the highly entertaining and long-running Teatro ZinZanni is that around every corner, from the host stand to curtain call, Ferrante is everywhere – the comic centerpiece of a gem of a night of food, fun, music and explosive circus acts.

The comedy relies on that audience involvement who are the unsuspecting partners in Ferrante’s devilry. It serves to pace the extraordinary international artists of the cabaret featuring the sweet and sultry vocal star Liv Warfield, dynamo James Harkness, Trio Vertex—Cornelius Atkinson, Isis Clegg-Vinell and Nathan Price—who fly and spin in a sensuous series of trapeze acts, contortionist extraordinaire Ulzii Mergen and the astounding Ukrainian-born Viktor Kee, who is among the world’s top jugglers. The circus and aerial acts are woven together with a pop score and the vocal love of Warfield and Harkness. (Warfield also provides some aerial wizardry of her own that will blow you away.)

Cabaret ZaZou’s “Luminaire” is written and directed by Dreya Weber. Debra M. Bauer returns to the Spiegeltent with a stunning array of costumes for the company who double up early on as strolling entertainment while Ferrante darts in and out as the bellhop. Music director/bass player Chuck Webb leads a terrific house band that includes the likes of Jose Martinez(drums/percussion), Phil Seed(guitar/mandolin), Jon Negus(woodwinds) and the legendary Theodis Rodgers, Jr.(piano/keyboards) whose featured performance with Warfield after Blue Plate Chicago’s scrumptious four-course dinner will touch your soul.

At the opening press night, a few of our brethren were brought forward by Ferrante for fun in the center ring. There are also some up-close surprises for the patrons seated nearby. That tender moment when Warfield and Rodgers, Jr. stole the spotlight centerstage seemed strangely familiar, as if we were briefly back in time a 100 years ago when life was as simple as a beautiful ballad sung in an exquisite concert hall. Show dates are already selling fast for what is sure to be the centerpiece of Chicago’s Loop entertainment for the holiday season. I dare you. Be entertained.  

PHOTO|Cabaret ZaZou-Broadway in Chicago

Cabaret ZaZou
presents
LUMINAIRE
Speigeltent ZaZou
Cambria Hotel
Randolph Street
Chicago
OPEN RUN

WEBSITE

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

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PicksInSix® Review - Ed Tracy - Teatro ZinZanni Love, Chaos and Dinner- August 2019

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PicksInSix Review: ALMA American Blues Theater

Elusive ‘American Dream’ in Real Time. 
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

From start to finish, the moving world premiere of “Alma,” commands the intimate stage at the Rivendell Theatre in Edgewater. Presented by American Blues Theater in collaboration with the Center Theatre Group based in Los Angeles and the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance as part of the Destinos, the 5th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, the play poses important questions and searing reflections on immigration, belonging, struggle, sacrifice, family and generational differences.

Playwright Benjamin Benne wrote the tightly woven seventy-minute drama in the time leading up to the 2016 election. Donald Trump’s violent anti-immigration and anti-Mexican rhetoric led Benne to deeply reflect on his own family’s immigration story. His mother’s side emigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala. Benne then grew up a first-generation U.S. citizen in Hacienda Heights, California, which borders the city of La Puente, California where the play is set. California is, of course, a fitting backdrop for Benne’s powerful and enduring commentary on ongoing settler colonialism because that land used to belong to Mexico.

“Alma” unfolds in real time and features two strong characters who give riveting performances—Alma (Jazmín Corona), an undocumented immigrant and fiercely devoted mom working unlivable-wage jobs, and her American-born daughter, Angel (Bryanna Ciera Colón). We meet them on the eve of Angel’s SAT and quickly learn of some mounting tension in the household related to Angel’s collegiate plans, the scary uncertainty of Alma’s path to citizenship and the looming Donald Trump presidency. Angel has a sharp wit and hesitant eagerness mellowed out by her stark sense of realism; a realism that challenges Alma’s very different opinions about Angel’s future and the coveted yet absolutely elusive “American Dream.” These challenges are at the core of the play’s beautiful complexity. You have two very close family members trying to climb out of survival to the oasis of a better life (all in the face of mounting oppression, no less). But, who really knows best? Mom who crossed the border 17 years ago holding steadfast to her ideals? Or her first-generation daughter disillusioned and fed up with her mom’s unreasonable expectations?

“Alma” beckons you to examine and empathize with both. Follow along as they repeatedly list each year of Angel’s birthday wishes (from carne asada every day to a house with air conditioning). Listen as they navigate switching between Spanish and English. Feel as they sing, cry and scream together. And watch them truly treasure each other through it all. It’s remarkable.

Director Ana Velazquez does a phenomenal job placing the audience in real time with Alma and Angel to experience this whirlwind of emotions within the tiny one-bedroom apartment set. The Rivendell’s small space blurs the lines between audience and actors. By nearly eliminating that line, so to speak, the setup creates a space for a larger dialogue on the purpose and implementation of borders as barriers between people, places, expressions and identities.

Praise must also be given to the production team who executed a seamless show., especially Rachel West’s lighting design that creates magical images at pinnacle moments on Tara A. Houston’s detailed urban set. They combine to illuminate the multi-layered performances of Corona and Colón, who both bring this important not-to-be-missed play to life with heart and grit.
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER is a Chicago-based attorney practicing construction and surety law.
PHOTO CREDIT|Jenn Udoni  

American Blues Theater
presents
World Premiere
ALMA
through October 22

Rivendell Theater Ensemble
5779 N. Ridge Ave.

WEBSITE

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PicksInSix Review: HELLO, DOLLY! Marriott Theatre

Marriott’s “HELLO, DOLLY!” True Theatrical Magic!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Pandemic-era theater audiences are pretty used to some unexpected drama with their drama these days. So when things did not go according to Hoyle with the hydraulic system at the highly-anticipated opening of “Hello, Dolly!” on Thursday at the Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire, everyone took it in stride. On the heels of a troubling Covid outbreak, one might suspect some other-worldly intervention at work—perhaps the spirit of Thornton Wilder himself—on the beloved Michael Stewart/Jerry Herman musical starring the equally beloved Heidi Kettenring in a role that she was born to play.

Whether or not Wilder had a mystic hand in it all, the show went on and, just like that, musical theatre as we know it returned in fine form. Resplendent in picture-perfect period costumes by Teresa Ham, Kettenring’s Dolly is elegant, understated and flawless. The action moves briskly from the imaginative ride on a turn-of-the-century street car from Yonkers to New York’s Harmonia Gardens, where Dolly and her Vandergelder—real life heartthrob and husband David C. Girolmo—create true theatrical magic together.

Director and choreographer Denis Jones, musical director Ryan T. Nelson and conductor Brad Haak have welcomed Dolly Levi back where she belongs with the grace and high society style that this legendary show deserves. The terrific supporting cast is filled to the brim with seasoned players and triple-threat newcomers including Rebecca Hurd (Irene Molloy), Alex Goodrich (Cornelius Hackl), Amanda Walker (Minnie Fay), Spencer Davis Milford (Barnaby Tucker), Emily Ann Brooks (Ermengade), Michael Turrentine (Ambrose Kemper), George Keating (Rudolph) and Johanna McKenzie Miller (Ernestina).

The musical, based on Wilder’s 1954 play “The Matchmaker,” is equal parts farce and uproarious comedy wrapped in lush, musical explorations of love and longing, with a healthy dose of chicanery and lighthearted larceny rolled in. Jones has stepped up the production numbers which move on and off Marriott’s in-the-round configuration seamlessly thanks to scenic designers Jeffrey D. Kmiec and Milo Blue.

The ensemble soars in the spirited “Yonkers March” and then Jones pulls out all the stops for the crowd-pleasing “Waiters’ Gallop.” Hurd’s lovely, quiet “Ribbons Down My Back” and Goodrich’s touching “It Only Takes A Moment” are particular standout selections in the familiar score. The multi-talented Milford and Walker’s charming turn as Fay make for a perfect match all their own.

But at every turn, all eyes are on the mesmerizing performance of Kettenring—vulnerable and demure in one moment; captivatingly and brilliantly comical in the next—whose interplay with Girolmo is heartwarming and real. From the elegant rendering of “Before The Parade Passes By,” and a side-splitting dinner sequence, to the capstone title number, Marriott’s “Hello, Dolly!” will leave you with a wonderfully joyous feeling to savor for a long time to come.   

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire
presents
HELLO, DOLLY!
through October 16

WEBSITE | TICKETS

(847) 634-0200

HEALTH PROTOCALS

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PicksInSix Review: Arsenic and Old Lace - Court Theatre

‘Bully!’ for the Brewsters of Brooklyn.
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Scott Gryder

As the sounds of Duke Ellington and the like jazzed throughout the venue, a true mansion of elegant decadence transported last night’s audience back to 1940’s Brooklyn at Court Theatre’s 2022/23 Season opener “Arsenic and Old Lace.” The lights went down, and the packed house began to giggle with delight and anticipation as if they knew they were soon to be reminded as to why Court Theatre so-deserved their recent 2022 Regional Theatre Tony Award. And they were right!

Centered on the multi-generational home of Brewster sisters Martha and Abby, undoubtedly beloved by all Brooklynites, “Arsenic and Old Lace” is a rollercoaster of discovery. In true farcical fashion, “Arsenic and Old Lace” reveals outlandish truths, exposes unexpected identities, and packs perfectly-timed quirks and turns that trigger endless cackles of laughter. As each character is introduced, don’t be fooled! There is more than meets the eye, and the once happy home becomes a near house of horrors, brimming with hilarity.

The play rightfully focuses on the home’s current occupants, Celeste Williams’s oh-so-huggable Martha Brewster and TayLar’s strict-yet-kind Abby Brewster. The pair is so wholly lovable and frank, you truly believe they should be reprimanded with nothing more than a rap on the wrist for the atrocities they have committed. Although less criminal than the rest of the Brewster family, it’s Allen D. Edge who shows the greatest facet of acting duplicity with his quick-changing, manic Teddy Brewster, while love interests Emma Jo Boyden’s effervescent Elaine Harper reveals bold strength and Eric Gerard’s sleek Mortimer Brewster stokes the fires of self-discovery. The malicious duo of Guy Van Swearingen and A.C. Smith’s Dr. Einstein (no, not THAT Dr. Einstein) and Jonathan Brewster almost too realistically execute their scene of attack, but they expertly ease us back into the dramedy like the smooth-moving criminals that they think they are. A quarter dozen of officers sprinkle comedic tension throughout, played smartly by Norm Boucher, Matthew Lunt, Allen Gilmore, and Thomas J. Cox, with the latter’s multiple appearances so neatly crafted to be nearly indiscernible as being played by the same actor.

Court Theatre has so deftly fulfilled their mission to reimagine classic theatre for modern audiences, it’s hard to believe that Joseph Otto Kesselring’s “Arsenic and Old Lace” premiered in 1941! More of an ensemble piece, each character is so fully realized that, despite their outrageous natures, they’re never pushed beyond believability. In a cast of could-be zany caricatures, each actor stays true to their subtext and intentions, never allowing the absurdity of their circumstances to overstep reality. That’s what truly seals the deal for a masterful production!

Although categorically a period piece, beloved Chicago director Ron OJ Parson pushes the text and action to such a nearly unrecognizable contemporary energy, regifting modern audiences with this sparkling vintage. That being said, as consistently engaging as it is, the play begins to sputter post-intermission with multiple spliced scenes, marked with full blackouts. However, even the last beat before lights out continues to tickle. Scenic Designer John Culbert’s detailed Brewster mansion is an almost “I Spy” of ornamentation, so filled with photos and knicknacks (obviously hoarded over multiple generations) to such an extreme, one could not help but feel right at home. Rachel Anne Healy’s costume designs mirror Culbert’s set, with stunning works of ornamental patterns in intricate and fashionable styles of the time. Even sound designer Sarah Ramos gets a part of the action with a bombardment of doorbells and eerie ambience.

After two-and-a-half hours of exceptional mirth and amusement, I was nearly too exhausted to cross the University of Chicago campus to return to the nearby parking garage in order to drive home. In short, if you’re looking for a show with such excellent comic timing that you’ll find yourself reacting in the most merrily and embarrassing manner in public that you can remember, make your way to Court Theatre’s “Arsenic and Old Lace” running now through Oct 2. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I suddenly have a taste for homemade elderberry wine. #IYKYK

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | SCOTT GRYDER received a Non-Equity Jeff Award for his performance in the one-man show BUYER & CELLAR. www.thescottgryder.com 

PHOTO | Michael Brosilow

COURT THEATRE
presents
Arsenic and Old Lace
through October 2, 2022

5535 S. Ellis Ave. (map)
Chicago, IL 60637
(773) 753-4472
info@courttheatre.org

WEBSITE

PROGRAM

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