Displaying items by tag: Porchlight Music Theatre

Before Alison Bechdel became famously associated with her “Bechdel Test” for evaluating fiction by how women are portrayed, she published the now classic graphic novel ‘Fun Home’. Through meticulously created panels, Bechdel explores her splintered relationship with her father who died shortly after she came out to him.

Renowned composer Jeanine Tesori collaborated with Lisa Kron to adapt Bechdel’s graphic novel into a stage musical. Following significant rewrites, the 2013 off-Broadway production transferred to Broadway in 2015. The production went on to garner several Tony nominations as well as a nomination for the 2014 Pulitzer Prize.

Porchlight Music Theatre brings ‘Fun Home’ back to Chicago in an all-new revival directed by Stephen Shellhardt. There’s a freshness to this production that strives less for technical perfection but instead for a full-throated sense of emotion. Alanna Chavez leads the cast as the full-grown narrator Allison reflecting back on her childhood, While Patrick Byrnes plays her father Bruce with whom she has a complex relationship. In a series of non-linear memories and heartbreaking songs, ‘Fun Home’ combs through Bechdel’s memories for explanations for her father’s apparent suicide.

This revival isn’t trying to be the Broadway tour and it’s all the better for it. As evidenced by the part of Allison’s mother originated by Judy Kuhn played here by Neala Barron with a wildly different take. Gone is the passive mid-century housewife this part is typically played as. Barron takes Helen in a darker direction that perhaps more accurately captures the suppressed rage flowing through Tesori’s music.

In many ways, ‘Fun Home’ is a story about how emotional abuse as a child impacts the adults we become. Shellhardt’s interpretation doesn’t gloss over the more unsettling details of Bechdel’s relationship with her father. Byrnes gives a cool, but certainly not reserved performance that thrillingly straddles the line between scary and vulnerable.

Small but cleverly dressed staging helps the beautiful harmonies soar. One thing Porchlight can always be counted on for is the music. Even the arrangements seem slightly reinterpreted for this production. As the 100-minute show narrows its focus onto the exact moment Bechdel’s father’s life reached a crisis point, Tesori and Kron’s score goes for the jugular in duets like ‘Telephone Wire’ between Barron and Byrnes.

Though ‘Fun Home’ deals with heavy issues around suicide, closeted homosexuality and dysfunctional family relationships, it’s also a story of queer celebration. Bechdel’s father may not have been comfortable with who he really was, but Bechdel’s life and success is a living testament to shifting generational mores. Thanks to a more tolerant world, Allison Bechdel was able to live her life in a way her father never could.

‘Fun Home’ continues to shine as one of Broadway’s most original queer musicals, specifically because of its female protagonist. The sumptuous music by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron brings out the bittersweetness of Bechdel’s graphic novel. Porchlight’s version feels as relevant today as ever and in the hands of this well-curated cast, ‘Fun Home’ soars off the stage.

Through March 2 at Porchlight Music Theatre at Ruth Page Center for the Arts. 1016 N Dearborn. (773) 777-9884

To those familiar with Cole Porter’s 1930s musical, you may recognize the opening notes as the live orchestra begins to play the title number. Reno Sweeney (played with dazzle by Meghan Murphy) bounds on stage, and the Opening Night crowd erupts in cheers. Sweeney takes in the applause and adoration as she starts to sing:

“Times have changed
And we’ve often rewound the clock.
Since the puritans got a shock.
When they landed on Plymouth Rock.”

As Murphy’s belt swells and rings through the theater, this audience only cheered harder. This is the 11 o’clock number, and the artistic team does not disappoint. As the ensemble joins Murphy on stage, Choreographer Tammy Mader pulls all the stops. Tappers, ballroom dance, and everything in between. Lighting Designer G. “Max” Maxin IV fills the space with color that is only heightened by the exquisite costume design full of sparkle. Looking around at the audience, it was clear that I was not the only one bouncing along in my seat. Before Murphy even hits the final lyrics, the crowd was on their feet, eager to reward this show-stopping number with everything that they had.

Directed by Michael Weber, Anything Goes follows Billy Crocker (Luke Nowakowski), a man hopelessly in love with Hope Harcourt (Emma Ogea). The one problem? She is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (Jackson Evans), and her mother is eager to see that this wedding takes place. Billy sets out as a stowaway onboard the ocean liner S.S. American – desperate to win the love of his life. Ultimately, if he wants to succeed, he finds that his only hope is to trust his alliances with nightclub singer Reno Sweeney (Meghan Murphy) and two wanted criminals - Moonface Martin (Steve McDonagh) and Erma (Tafadzwa Diener).

With music and lyrics by Cole Porter, the score features famous hits including: It’s De-Lovely, Friendship, and of course, Anything Goes. Full of love triangles, mistaken identities, and missed opportunities, you might just find yourself on the edge of your seat – eager to see what twist or turn might come next.

The die-hard fans of the classic musical know Cole Porter hits audiences with one larger-than-life number after another. Weber and his team fill the small stage to the brim with impressive designs and jaw-dropping choreography. Especially when combined with the stellar vocalists, those numbers ranging from You’re the Top to Blow, Gabriel, Blow certainly stand out. However, if you’re anything like this writer, you might also find that the intimate, smaller numbers truly hit the heart of the show.

It’s De-Lovely comes towards the end of Act I. Hope is discouraged, knowing deep down that she loves Billy, but her mother will never let her end the engagement. Alone on the ship deck, Billy finds her, and the two begin to sway and sing.

“The night is young, the skies are clear
So if you want to go walking, dear,
It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely.”

The lights dim to a deep blue, creating the feel of moonlight. As the song continues, the two become lost in each other, and start to dance. Other couples join and dance alongside them, but for Billy and Hope, it’s clear that the world only exists between the two of them. To put it simply, Ogea and Nowakowski enchant the Opening Night audience with their sweet duet. As the ending note plays and Billy dips Hope in a final pose, an audible sigh could be heard from the crowd. 

Inspiring vocalists and a jaunty score make Anything Goes a night of fun. If you’re a classical musical fan, then this is the show for you. If you have yet to experience a production of Cole Porter’s classic, Porchlight Music Theatre certainly offers an exciting introduction as we hit the show’s 90^th anniversary.

RECOMMENDED

Running through February 25, 2024 at Ruth Page Center for the Arts – 1016 N. Dearborn St. 773-777-9884

*Extended through March 10th!

Fewer theatrical experiences are more thrilling than a Kander and Ebb musical done well. Porchlight’s revival of ‘Cabaret’ delivers the exact kind of razzle-dazzle audiences expect when they think of the Kit Kat Club. Directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber and choreographed by Brenda Didier, this production scrubs off some of the grit that’s become a hallmark of the iconic Rob Marshall Broadway revival. By using the same script, and borrowing some of the aesthetic, there’s a really satisfying buoyancy about Porchlight’s approach to this essential musical.

The success of any production of ‘Cabaret’ hinges on the actors playing the Emcee and Sally Bowles. This cast has two strong leads in the respective roles. Josh Walker channels neither Joel Grey nor Alan Cumming, but instead something more playful, adding a little mirth to the eerie Kit Kat Club host. Sally Bowles the character may only have minimal talent, but Erica Stephan has the soaring vocals songs like “Maybe this Time” and “Mein Herr” were made for. It’s a joy to watch her embody the part in every lithe movement and manic quip.

Part of what makes Kander and Ebb musicals like ‘Cabaret’ and ‘Chicago’ so infectious are the catchy songs and jazzy dance numbers. By now they’re almost inseparable from Fosse’s sexy choreography. The ensemble numbers in this production create thoroughly satisfying versions of some of the most beloved Broadway music of all time. Brenda Didier cuts through the dark currents of the script and gives audiences of both the Kit Kat Club and Porchlight exactly what they crave—beautifully distracting spectacle.

Based on the classic novella ‘The Berlin Stories’ by Christopher Isherwood, ‘Cabaret’ is an eternally relevant story about apathy during political crisis. The musical numbers are toe-tapping fun, but yet there’s something uneasy about ‘Cabaret.’ It’s a celebration of being “other”. Since the original 1966 Broadway production and the subsequent Liza Minnelli film, it’s become a landmark of queer culture. At its heart, it’s a play that reminds its audience not to take the right to be different for granted.

Despite the darkness on the fringes of ‘Cabaret’, Porchlight’s production injects some roaring 20s opulence into their version. Costumes by Bill Morey are styled in flapper-chic that seem more historically accurate and frankly, more attractive. The costumes move well with Didier’s Charleston-flavored choreography which also seems more authentic to the time period.

‘Cabaret’ gives the audience a sense that they’ve been whisked away somewhere exotic for two and a half hours. Every member of the cast is perfectly at home in their world and the come-hither physicality with which they beckon their audience is impossible to decline. Michael Weber reminds us again why Porchlight is a destination for contemporary musical theatre in Chicago. This production is every bit as good as the Broadway revivals that too often rely on stunt casting. Instead, Porchlight sheers away some of the overly morbid overtones and replaces them with a purer sense of escapism. After all, in here life is beautiful.

Through February 12 at Porchlight Music Theatre at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. 1016 N Dearborn St. www.porchlightmusictheatre.org

*Extended through March 19th

RENT opens with three slides projected one-by-one onto a billowing curtain:

rent noun

a payment made periodically by a tenant to a landlord in return for the use of a building 

rent verb [past tense of rend]

to tear apart, split, or divide an object or community

rent noun

a musical production that’s delighted audiences for 25 years!

The show continues as a home movie, jerky and inexpert, until the curtain is drawn back to reveal the entire ensemble performing “Rent” – and, as they say, ‘The crowd goes wild!’

Director Adrian Abel Azevedoh/h uses this sort of projection devices cleverly throughout the show, a very effective innovation that adds a quality of … well … boheme to the entire production.

Playwright Jonathan Larson h/h, inspired by Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Boheme, wrote the music, lyrics, and book for RENT in the early 1990s; it premiered on Broadway in 1996. Despite some anachronisms (answering machines?!), RENT withstands the test of time. Over 25 years it has become a cultural phenomenon, and its core agenda – homelessness, gentrification, community – remains fresh today. Fresh, yes, and pervasive on 2022 stages – it takes an outstanding production to make these ubiquitous themes stand out. Fortunately, Porchlight Music Theatre delivers.

The cast is superb. Both cast and production crew are extensive, so I’ll refer the reader to the webpage for details I may inadvertently omit. Outstanding in the cast are the main characters, beginning with Mark Cohen (David Morelandh/h) and Roger Davis (Shraga D. Wasserman th/th), with Maureen Johnson (Lucy Godínezsh/h) playing opposite Joanne Jefferson (Teressa LaGambash/h). The pairing of Tom Collins (Eric Lewish/h) and Angel Dumott Schunard (Josh Pablo Szaboh/th) has incredible chemistry, and Benjamin “Benny” Coffin III (Abraham Shawh/h) is a perfect mustache-twirling villian, particularly in his treatment of Mimi Marquez (Alix Rhodesh/h).

Laura Savage’ssh/h choreography uses the ensemble -- TJ Tappsh/h (dance captain), Bridget Adams-Kingsh/h, Naphtali Curryh/h, Leah Davissh/h, Chris Khoshabah/h, Nik Kmiecikh/h, and Brennan Urbi h/th -- creatively throughout, particularly when in backing lead singers. Rather than leave the ensemble simply standing behind the leads, Azevedo applies Savage’s choreography to stage interesting little sub-scenes behind the primary action. This couldn’t be done without a wonderful set featuring multiple levels and niches by Scenic Designer Ann Davissh/h, and lighting design (Maggie Fullilove-Nugentsh/h, Josiah Croegaerth/h) that accentuates the multiple creative groupings.

Dr. Michael McBrideh/h directs and conducts the music performed by guitars Jakob Levi Walshth/th and Cesar Romeroh/h, with Marcel Bomfimh/h on bass and Lior Shragg playing drumsh/h. Gregory Graham h/h (costume designer); Rowan Doe th/th (properties designer); Kirsten Baityth/th (intimacy designer);  Deborah Blumenthalsh/h (dramaturg); Frankie Leo Bennetth/h (producing artistic associate); Alex Rhyanh/h (production & operations director), and Michael Weberh/h (Artistic Director) complete the superb production crew.

So … what else is terrific in RENT? Godínez’s Over the Moon is simply adorable, and she shines again in Take Me or Leave Me with her and LaGamba battling for the microphone. Szabo’s Angel totally won my heart (I’m a sucker for a man in eyeliner!), and I choked up over Lewis’ reprise of I’ll Cover You. The huge smiling picture of Angel sent me back in time: I was a psychiatric resident at Rush during those pre-HAART, pre-testing days of AZT and terror. My familiarity with the Plague caught some anachronisms in the script that others might not see, but that’s really a measure of just how iconic and robust RENT is.

But enough about me!  Speaking of Eric Lewis, he, Godínez (Maureen), and Wasserman (Roger) stand out as extraordinary vocalists. Whether in solo or with other singers, these three voices dominate. That’s not necessarily a positive, as they can overshadow their castmates at times. Like Cassie in A CHORUS LINE, a performer that’s conspicuously better than the others can be a little awkward. That’s the kind of problem you sort of want to have, but still …. Similarly, the love story between Wasserman and Rhode (Mimi) would have played just fine but for its variance with the enchanting chemistry between Collins and Angel; again, the extraordinary can make the excellent appear ordinary.

There were a couple of production snafus: the curtain didn’t pull smoothly, and there were occasional mic issues, but these are clearly opening-night glitches and will be ironed out as the run continues.

I have to acknowledge here that I feel secure in offering these critiques specifically because the show is so terrific! I noticed these snags, but none detract from the charm, the artistry, the glamor that is RENT.

*extended through December 11th

Sophisticated Ladies is a musical confection, a 1981 Broadway hit celebrating the big band music of Duke Ellington.
In the hands of Porchlight Music Theatre, it is a production of brilliant technical skill in dance, music, costumes, set. And the singing is sensational (largely overcoming constraints on sound amplification quality).

With only the thinnest of storylines, Sophisticated Ladies is an early example of a jukebox show, and relentlessly musical, with 34 numbers (trimmed a bit from the original). The Ellington songs are dramatized by recurring characters, who create what plot there may be – really just enough to support the singing and dancing. Choreography, by Brenda Didier and Florence Walker Harris, is surpassingly good and may be the best part of the show. 

This cavalcade of Ellington music is performed in a two-story deco nightclub. The beautiful set by Angela Weber Miller ensconces the seven-piece band (led by incomparable pianist Jermaine Hill) in mezzanine loft, with dancers and singers performing on the main floor, the mezzanine, and two swooping grand staircases joining them.

Scene after scene finds a fresh vision of another Ellington work, as torch songs with ballet accompaniment, emotional duets, dance and tap performances, full-blown song and dance numbers, with continuous costume changes that were mind-blowing (credit Theresa Ham).
Ellington died in 1974, yet his timeless numbers still resonate just by name:

• I’m Beginning to See the Light”
• Satin Doll
• Don’t get Around Much Anymore
• It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing
• Take the A Train
• Mood Indigo

Sophisticated Ladies spans jazz, big band, swing, jitterbug, and even a 1966 rock and roll song (“Imagine My Frustration”). Ellington wrote alone, and with others, including Billy Strayhorn, a key figure in his works. 

So many performers cross the line into greatness during Sophisticated Ladies, but standouts are singers Lydia Burke, Molly Kral, and Donica Lynn (playing Chanteus she is the lead scat singer), with Lorenzo Rush, Jr.’s rich baritone a continuous delight. Dancer and singer John Marshall turned in a most charming performance, especially in the 1941 novelty song “Bli Blip,” with Molly Kral. (It’s a mid-century modern gem.) And there are dancers who just jump out from the chorus line – Joey Stone, Tristan Bruns, Terri Woodall and Shantell Cribbs. Guess I should just name the whole cast.

But without question Donterrio Johnson as The Jazzbo gives an unparalleled performance, winning plaudits for silently exceptional dancing, then stunning us a third of the way in with his spectacular singing. Johnson created the most fully formed character in his role, and was in character throughout - truly admirable performance.

Sophisticated Ladies is amazing, especially with the old-fashioned demands Ellington music places on these young performers. With just over two hours (one intermission) you will feel a special affection for your favorites in the intimate space of the Ruth Page Auditorium. Highly recommended, Sophisticated Ladies runs through March 6.

Epic tragedy shapes a society. For Chicagoans, there were the Great Fire of 1871 (300 dead, 100,000 homeless), and the 1915 SS Eastland sinking (844 died). Less remembered is the Iroquois Theater, which burned to the ground in 1903. The conflagration killed 602 people, and changed fire safety practices in theaters everywhere.
Just over a month after its grand opening run, on December 30, 1903, the Iroquois Theater was destroyed when an arc light ignited a muslin curtain. (That site is now the home of the Nederlander Theatre, the restored Oriental movie palace.)

The Ruffians theater troupe recounts this tale – seminal to Chicago’s theater communit -  in Burning Bluebeard, in a truly inspired production. The performance incorporates dance, music, mime, acrobatics, in a that evokes the atmospheric gymnastics of Cirque de Soleil, or perhaps even more the defunct Red Moon Theater for those who remember it). Let’s say from the start Burning Bluebeard is entrancing, mesmerizing, and something not to be missed.

The Ruffians have been serving up this unusual holiday fare since 2011, when it was originated with the support of the NeoFuturists Theater. This year Porchlight Music Theatre has placed the show on its stage at the Ruth Page Center (1016 N. Dearborn), supplying plenty of seating for the growing cult following Burning Bluebeard has garnered.

Burning Bluebeard retells the story of the fire from the point of view of cast and crew who survived it – all but one escaped - in a mash-up with scenes adapted from the original Mr. Bluebeard on stage at t he time. In so doing, playwright Jay Torrance (who also plays stage manager Robert Murray) and director Halena Kays provide us a sampling of antique theatrical techniques and practices from the period. Choreographic by Ariel Etana Triunfo is exquisite, and scenic design by Doug Kmiec is wonderful.

The show opens with body bags on the smoldering ruins of the stage, the actors emerging in tattered costumes, and launch into the story – reminding the audience they are playing the role of the original audience – more than a third of whom died. This provocative tease (though it goes on a little too long, giving us multiple false starts)
Running 100 minutes with no intermission, the characters are drawn from real people like stage manager Murray, and Chicago vaudeville comedian Eddie Foy (Ryan Walters), who was in the road show production, and earned acclaim in the disaster for helping keep the audience calm.

Most entertaining is Pamela Chermansky as the Fancy Clown, who plays through various vignettes and comic scenes, then periodically steps out of the clown character to comment as a “master thespian” on the production of Mr. Bluebeard.

“History knew better than the playwright, better than any of us, that it wasn’t any good,” she declaims haughtily. Ticket sales were slow, so the producers kept adding scenes, songs, and production embellishments, which also added fuel for the fire. Objecting to revisions in one of her scene, Fancy Clown ironically tells them to go ahead, “Unless you are bored with petty things, like artistry, and craft!” her a voice dripping with disdain.

At the other end of the spectrum is stage manager Robert Murray (Jay Torrance), who is all about the technical mechanics of the show, and knows this production is a dog. He also provides the specific details regarding locked safety doors, incomplete fire escapes, a burning fire curtain, and hemp-filled seating that magnified the effects of the tragedy.

A realistic touch from from the pantomime style of Mr. Bluebeard is the inclusion of The Fairie Queen, with Crosby Sandoval giving an absolutely arresting performance. In a worn white lace and organdy frock, the hairy chested, mustachioed Sandoval delivers engimatic utterances muffled through a tin can hanging on a string around his neck. (Notes in the progam let us know cross dressing, fairie queens, and purely silent scenic interludes were all part of the pantomime theatrical style.) 

Adding to the woe, the day of the Iroquois Theater tragedy was the show’s first sell out in the 1,650 see theater, with scores more packed in, the overflow filling standing room and even seating themselves in the stairway aisles of the upper balconies.

The mayor shuttered all the theaters in town while the fire was investigated. Afterward emerged building code changes like mandatory exit lights, improved fire proofing and readily accessible fire escapes – and other changes that are now the norm in all public spaces.

Burning Bluebeard runs through December 27 at the Ruth Page Center in Chicago, and is highly recommended.

Few shows this fall have been as highly anticipated as Porchlight Music Theatre’s production of ‘Sunset Boulevard’. Porchlight artistic director Michael Weber directs Chicago stage superstar Hollis Reznik in this vibrant revival. Aaron Benham conducts a full orchestra that really showcases the sweeping Andrew Lloyd Webber score. 

‘Sunset Boulevard’ is the 1993 musical adaptation of the Billy Wilder noir classic. In it, struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis (Billy Rude) stumbles into the Sunset Blvd mansion of reclusive former Hollywood starlet Norma Desmond (Hollis Reznik). She persuades him to help her fix up a script she’s written. Things get weird when Norma has the wrong idea about their friendship. 

There’s as much tabloid drama surrounding the development of this musical as there is on the stage. Many consider Norma Desmond to be Glenn Close’s definitive Broadway role. She reprised her role on Broadway last year in the high-grossing revival, but it was written for Patti LuPone who had originated the part in West End. 

First and foremost, this is Hollis Reznik’s show and her Norma Desmond isn’t going to let you forget it. Reznik is at her best when playing deranged older women, having appeared as Little Edie in ‘Grey Gardens’ at Northlight, and Judy Garland in ‘End of the Rainbow’ at the Milwaukee Rep. Seeing her fill shoes tailored for the likes of Glenn Close and Patti LuPone shows that Reznik is capable of more than just reinterpreting other people’s work. With her powerful voice and electrifying acting choices, Reznik makes this her own. The result is haunting and disturbing. Though Reznik herself is a successful actress, something about her performance as a faded star seems urgent. It’s as if to say perhaps this isn’t just a story about the Hollywood machine, but rather a parable about the way the workforce discards people once they’re no longer useful. 

That said, this is Hollis Reznik featuring the rest of the cast. Some notable standouts from Billy Rude as Joe Gillis and Michelle Lauto as Betty Schaefer rise to meet the high standard set by Reznik, but sadly the rest of the cast fades into the orchestra. While the beautiful score was provided by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the book and lyrics were penned by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. The dialogue and lyrics aren’t great, and many original critics in the 1990s were quick to point that out. The somewhat shallow lyrics are often repeated throughout the songs as a means to fill out the book, which is hard for any actor to make dynamic. This show does not endure because of the book, but instead for the performances and the central conflict between Norma and Joe. 

Those with an affinity for ‘Sunset Boulevard’ or missed Glenn Close on Broadway last year will be delighted by Porchlight’s faithful production. With an extension of the run announced before the opening, Porchlight proves that Hollis Reznik packs houses as the headliner. A Broadway tour can book a star to play Norma, but director Michael Weber shows us that our local Chicago theaters can do just as well if not better than any corporate-flavored national tour. 

Through December 8th at Porchlight Music Theatre at Ruth Page Center for the Arts. 1016 N Dearborn St. 773-777-9884

June 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the New York City funeral for Judy Garland. Some suggest that the emotional intensity of the day lead to the patrons of the Greenwich Village bar resisting the police thus starting what we know as “Pride” today. As we head into Pride season in Chicago, fewer cabarets would be more fitting than ‘Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland’.

Some may remember Ingersoll’s excellent performance as Judy in Porchlight Music Theatre’s production of ‘End of the Rainbow’ in 2016. She bears uncanny likeness to Judy Garland in both appearance and voice. This is the closest to seeing the real Judy Garland perform as any of us will get.

Not only does Angela Ingersoll do Judy’s songbook justice, but she’s a real Judy Garland historian. In the two rousing sets, she relays the story of Judy’s life as well as many interesting bits of Garland trivia. This is a show for fans. Interestingly enough, she worked with Judy Garland’s surviving son, Joey Luft, on this act which has now toured the country and has been recorded for PBS.

For those who are well versed in Garland’s work, each song will be a delight. Watching her move to the band with Judy’s signature mannerisms is almost eerie. As she goes through the medleys from the famed Carnegie Hall album, it would be impossible not to smile.

But it’s not just a Judy tribute concert. Angela is very charming as herself. She keeps an informal attitude throughout, while telling her own stories of how she relates to Judy. Some are funny and some are very authentic, creating a bond with the audience the way Judy had with hers. It’s as if she’s holding every patron in the intimate cabaret space in her arms to say I’m happy you’re here.

Angela Ingersoll has made a name for herself as the Judy Garland impersonator. As Judy’s life and death fade further into history, it’s important someone with as much enthusiasm is out there keeping her memory warm. It’s startling how many people from younger generations don’t even know who Judy was or that she’s Liza Minnelli’s mother. Ingersoll is keeping a star alive and doing a first-rate job. This cabaret is a pleasing way to celebrate Pride this year.

Through June 30th at Venus Cabaret. 3745 North Southport Avenue. 773-325-1700. 

In 1931 nine African American teenagers were wrongly accused of raping two white women while aboard a freight train in Alabama. Worried they might get imprisoned for prostitution while traveling aboard the same train, Victoria Price and Ruby Bates quickly cried rape, diverting the attention rather to the handful of innocent boys. These nine boys became known as The Scottsboro Boys, growing more and more infamy as their many trials became public interest throughout the nation. Fighting through Southern angry mobs, an all-white jury and a trial that was hastened, the nine boys were quickly convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. As word spread of the prejudice demonstrated, Northerners eventually stepped in to see that such a miscarriage of justice be overturned, but that was just the beginning of a process clouded by an ugly and unjust preconception. The uphill fight was long and grueling and successes were slow in the making. The story, superbly performed by Porchlight Music Theatre, is remarkable, sad and hopeful.

Written by David Thompson and directed by Samuel G. Roberson, “The Scottsboro Boys” is a controversial musical, now making its debut in Chicago after Broadway and London runs, and is the last featuring the music and lyrics of John Kander and Fred Ebb, mostly known for their triumphant smash hits “Chicago” and “Cabaret”. The story, a compelling and emotional ride through the racist South is a painful lesson of our nation’s dark history and serves as a stark reminder that change for a better world must never be ignored as we move forward as a unified people.  

Throughout the musical’s duration, we see an image of a pained Rosa Parks (Cynthia Clarey) who plays witness to the injustices that take place. Though her stand wouldn’t take place until years later, we see the effect such a stirring account would have on approaching generations. Sad as this tragic story as such is, we feel hope for the future by the play’s end and a realization for the work that still needs to be done.

“This is a story that needs to be told,” says Mark J.P. Hood who stars as Mr. Tambo. 

The nearly all African American cast delivers several all-around brilliant performances, doling out tremendous vocal harmony efforts, powerful acting and dance numbers that are both inventive and energetic. Currently running at Stage 773, a mid-sized theatre, the only drawback is that it is easy to envision the musical preformed on a larger stage, sometimes routines appearing a bit crowded. Still, that’s a very small drawback, because the play’s director is able to utilize its given space to maximize this Broadway-sized show effectively, moving boxcars and all.    

Denzel Tsopnang and Mark J.P. Hood lead this gifted ensemble along with James Earl Jones II with commanding acting performances that would be hard to beat. The Scottsboro Boys is a real showcase for both Tsopnang and Hood, who flex their versatility while taking on a handful of roles. Veteran actor Larry Yondo, most recently known for his spot-on portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge in Goodman’s “A Christmas Carol”, also puts forth yet another admirable effort as The Interlocutor. With several beautiful vocal harmonies that sweep the house with robust sentiment, it is perhaps “Go Back Home”, a pivotal number that relates to those longing to find peace passionately led by Jones II, that will truly resonate with theatre goers long after the show. Though the vocal finesse is abundant throughout, fourteen-year-old Cameron Goode and Stephen Allen Jr. somehow find room to dazzle us even more. 

As jaw dropping as many of the numbers are in their performance, the audience often finds reluctance in their clapping, the weight of the subject matter almost seemingly inappropriate to applaud. But it is in these performances that the story is told so well. A handful of poignant casting twists take place as the white policemen and the woman accusers are played by African Americans. 

“The Scottsboro Boys” is a highly recommended theatre experience, both exceptional in its performance and its ever-important message. Wonderfully staged, acted and sung, this is a thoroughly entertaining production that will invoke much thought, inspire bravery and encourage action to be taken long afterwards. 

“The Scottsboro Boys” is being performed at Stage 773 through March 12th. For tickets and/or more show information click here.     

To say Judy Garland led a tumultuous life is an understatement. In a way, she was the mid-century equivalent of Amy Winehouse. A once brilliant, and at times triumphant star who faded out much too soon. Maybe some will only remember Judy as Dorothy Gale, but in her short career Judy was an international phenomenon. Her dependence on prescription pills and alcohol created a tortured existence of financial and emotional instability. Judy Garland died of a drug overdose in 1969. Her New York City funeral is often considered the catalyst of the Stonewall Riots.

There have been several TV specials, documentaries, and movies made about Judy's life. Some better than others. A small West End show, "The End of the Rainbow" about the final months of Garland's life became a smash hit in 2010. A huge part of the show's success was star Tracie Bennett's uncanny likeness to Judy. Bennett and "Rainbow" transferred to Broadway in 2012.

This show is popular right now in regional productions, but Porchlight Music Theatre's production is the Chicago premiere. Playing Judy is Angela Ingersoll. Under the direction of Michael Webber, Ingersoll turns in a tour de force. She's wise not to veer into impression and makes definitive choices for her Judy, focusing on character rather than accuracy. Though, she really brings it home in the cabaret-style musical sequences. She captures Judy's intimate performance techniques that make an audience feel warm.

The book by Peter Quilter is more of a dramatic play than musical, but the songs are all selected from Judy's regular repertoire. Quilter's script is a well-rounded account of Judy's life almost entirely composed of actual quotes and first hand accounts from her life. Judy's demise is an unpleasant story and "The End of the Rainbow" covers it without getting morbid or tabloid.

Porchlight's production of "End of the Rainbow" starring Angela Ingersoll is a deeply moving account of the hidden side of show business. It's also a bittersweet tribute to one of Hollywood's biggest legends. For Garland fans young and old, this show is not to be missed.

Through December 9th at Stage 773. 1225 W Belmont Ave. 773-327-5252