Displaying items by tag: Aaron Benham

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

Hell in a Handbag rings in its fifteenth-anniversary season with real magic in this hilarious spoof of the 60's and 70's TV shows we all grew up loving with its hocus-pocus focus on the show Bewitched. 

In this tale, Bewildered, by Aaron Benham (music and lyrics) and Ron Weaver (book and lyrics) Gladys Kravitz, the nosey neighbor of the magical family finally gets her due when she stops spying on the witch-filled household and is invited to have dinner with them. Caitlin Jackson as Gladys is splendid as she has both the musical chops to belt out every note with ease and turn the obnoxious neighbor into a sympathetic "every- woman" who feels unloved as a wife and disrespected as a person. As Gladys discovers in the surprise ending that she is magical too, her song "Leading Lady" reminds everyone in the audience to be true to themselves no matter who they are because in the end, we are ALL the leading ladies in our own lives. 

David Cerda, Hell in a Handbag, artistic director as Endora is truly at his best in this FABULOUSLY funny portrayal of Samantha's mother and steals every scene under his wig with a bat of his eyelashes and a twirl of the spectacular multi-faceted bejeweled caftans designed by Rachel Sypniewski with spot on funny as hell period wigs by Keith Ryan. Cerda as Endorra also reminds us of the ongoing plot line in the original series wherein she tries to get Samantha to leave her straight laced, sexually uninterested husband and choose from among thousands of eligible warlocks where she could live a life of magic and freedom! Instead Samantha chooses the daily humdrum dimension of the limited earth life with all its cold rules and regulations for women and men which don’t include the use of magic.

Elizabeth Morgan is adorable as Samantha and has a nice voice but needs to step out a little more with her nose twitching delightfully -  in order to keep up with the shine and glamour of wit coming full blast out of the regular cast members of Hell in a Handbag. 

As always, Ed Jones' highly anticipated presence in the show does not disappoint as Uncle Arthur and absolutely brings down the house while setting up the main story line with his wonderful rendition of "Let Yourself be a Little Gay!" Ed Jones and  David Cerda really seem to have studied their characters minute mannerisms and trademark funny bits to a tee and several times I squint my eyes and could have sworn they were channeling the original brilliant actors and actresses who played these roles on TV.  

The production handles the magic wielded by Samantha and company in a unique fashion that adds yet another jolt of humor to its audience. Bewildered also has fun with the mystery of the two Darrins who play Samantha's husbands on Bewitched in a very clever way that just has to be seen to be appreciated. 

The great thing about the superbly camp productions put on year after year by Hell in a Handbag is that no matter how bawdy they are, or how many lines of individuality they cross, they always have a positive moral underlying each show that makes you feel "pretty oh, so pretty!" in the skin that you are in!

I highly recommend seeing this fun-tastic, fast-flying production for everyone who needs a good jolt of laughter and positive affirmation about the life you are leading in these strange and hostile times.

Bewildered is being performed at Stage 773 through November 11th. For more show information visit www.handbagproductions.org.