Displaying items by tag: MadKap Productions

Laugh-out-loud funny, “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife” from an award-winning script by Robert Busch, is an entertaining domestic comedy in the vein of Neil Simon, very Jewish New York humor. MadKap Productions, which has moved to the Skokie Theatre with this show, has given it a top-notch treatment, with an elegant, very finished set—an expensively furnished co-op apartment on Riverside Drive in Manhattan.

There we find Marjorie Taub (Julie Stevens) suffering mightily on a settee, from a headache brought on by angst over whether her intellectual aspirations (she spends all her time attending heady lectures, museums, and reads Nietsche and Herman Hesse) are all for naught. “I’m just a peasant from the shtetl," she says. "I should be plowing the earth.”

All the while her sympathetic doorman, Mohammed (Ravi Kalani) is installing a designer light fixture he pulled from storage while uttering supportive counters to Marjorie’s self-loathing whines. Her woes are increased by her aging mother, Frieda (Amy Ticho), who lives down the hall, but visits constantly to moan about her bowl movements in graphic detail, between cutting remarks that buttress Marjorie’s self-hatred.

The allergist, Dr. Ira Taub (Peter Leondedis), recently retired and living a self-congratulatory life of helping student doctors, and indigent allergy sufferers in the inner city, tries to comfort Marjorie as well. But it is the arrival of Lee (Aimee Kleiman), a long lost childhood friend, that throws a monkey-wrench in this reliably operating den of neuroses. Directed by Goodman-alum Steve Scott, all this angst-ridden suffering is delivered with line after line of humorous commentary and throwaway jokes.

But as its vaguely Chaucerian name suggests, “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife” is at bottom a morality tale. After a crescendo of crises brought on by Lee, who squats in the apartment and turns out to be quite a gifted grifter, we get a resolution capped with a summary of the moral of the show. So the core of the comedy is dampened a tad in moments when it departs from the humor, to level a dose of somewhat heavy handed preachiness.

Don’t get me wrong, this script is good, and the performances earnest and skillful, with Aimee Kleiman as Lee a cut above (she reminded me of Julie Louis Dreyfus in Seinfeld). But overall the pacing seems slow, and the cast labored over lines that might be funnier if delivered faster and more off-hand. In comedy, it’s all in the timing. Set design is by Wayne Mell (he also does promotion and the house was full), with lighting by Pat Henderson, and truly excellent costumes are by Wendy Kaplan, who also produces the show for MadKap Productions.

Nominated in 2000 during its two-year Broadway for three Tony Awards (it won a Drama Desk Award), “TheTale of the Allergist’s Wife” is a good play well-delivered. It runs through Nov 19, 2023, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm, with one Wed. matinee on Nov 15 at 1:30 pm at the Skokie Theatre, a renovated 1912 movie house that is a gem of a performance space.

A CHORUS LINE is one of my all-time favorite shows and, having recently reviewed MadKap / Skokie Theatre’s production of HAIR (and loved it), I arrived at the theatre in a very pleasant state of anticipation. And hey! CHORUS LINE actually exceeded my high expectations!

HAIR is, as everyone knows, a musical; so is CHORUS LINE, but it’s even more a dance production, an added challenge for any company. Short answer: choreographer Susan Pritzker did a phenomenal job. The ensemble dancing was tight and coordinated, with excellent utilization of available space. Set Execution by Scott Richardson and Barry Norton optimized that available space by remembering ‘all that’s really needed is the Music and the Mirror’, and Dance Captain Ben Paynic (who also plays Larry) led them brilliantly. Patti Halajian’s costumes were thoroughly authentic and timeless. And I loved her bio, which informed us that ‘she lives alone in a big, haunted house with her 3 cats and 6 sewing machines, all of which demand her constant attention.’ I personally live with only one of each, and they demand constant attention, so I can’t imagine how Patti manages – but she does, she does!

There are always opening-night glitches in the sound system, but I know Sound Technician Brian Bedoya will have the microphones working perfectly by the next show. And speaking of sound, massive kudos to Music Director Jeremy Ramey and Sound Designer Chris Cook. The musical score is the soul of CHORUS LINE, and this production nurtured that soul so tenderly. Master Electrician Maddy Shilts and Lighting Designer Pat Henderson’s lighting worked beautifully to illuminate the dancing and coordinate it with the music. The cast as a whole was magnificent, and Stage Manager Ayla Sweet excelled in bringing this complex and ambitious work to triumphant fruition.

I saw CHORUS LINE on a Broadway stage way back in the late ‘80’s, but I’ve listened to the soundtrack a hundred times. There were some terrific dramatic scenes that aren’t on the soundtrack, providing lovely moments of ‘I didn’t know (or remember) that!’ I assume most folks are also more familiar with the score than the stage production, so I’ll praise the cast individually via the songs.

We begin with I Hope I Get It, instantly showcasing the creative work of choreographer Pritzker and Director Wayne Mell, with Assistant Miranda Coble. As the actors file onto the stage, they appear to be milling about aimlessly, but actually they’re following complex and very well-thought-out ensemble choreography, setting the ambiance. Casting Director Zach (played by Sean M.G. Caron) introduces the 18 characters by having each step forward with their name, birthplace, and age. Nobody just rattles off the data (these guys are actors remember?), and we get our first sense of each person: e.g. Sheila (Erin Renee Baumrucker) establishes herself as a vamp who’s just turned 30 and is “really happy about it” – yeah.

But Zach wants more, and he begins asking people to relate a bit about themselves, particularly what brought them into dance.  The answering songs alternate between playful and poignant: “I Can do That” by Mike (Tyler Meyer) is followed by the more unsettling And, with Bobby’s (Maddy Shilts) ‘uniqueness’ [read: queerness] getting him abused in school and Richie (Khnemu Menu-Ra) admitting “There ain’t no scholarship to life!”.

Next is my personal favorite: At the Ballet, an exquisite and lyrical song about childhood pain. Sheila (Erin Renee Baumrucker) admits “life with my dad wasn’t ever a picnic”; Bebe (Rae Robeson) insists “different is nice but it sure isn’t pretty”, and Maggie (Emma Drazkowski – who is, incredibly, a new graduate – you go girl!) poignantly recalls “… and I’d say, ‘Daddy I would love to dance’”. All three concur that “I was happy … I was pretty … I would love to” … At the Ballet. My companion and I couldn’t resist lip-syncing along. And Drazkowski’s soaring triune “at the ballet … At the Ballet … At the Ballet!!!” was thrilling! Brava!

Kristine (Madison Jaffe-Richter) and her husband Al (Ben Isabel) [who was brilliant as Margaret Meade in HAIR] warble out Sing, a deadal duet very well executed. Menu-Ra (Richie) launches the company into a wonderfully convoluted performance of Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love. We hear painful adolescent confessions from Greg (Trevor Hendrix) and Mark (Jason Sekili) while Judy (Whitney Marie Wolf) wails “Tits! When am I gonna grow tits?!” Marcela Ossa Gómez performs Diana’s Nothing, and next, who doesn’t love Dance 10: Looks 3? Val (Lili Javorka) dishes up a grand slam.

Tension between Cassie (Sarah Sapperstein) and Zach (Sean M.G. Caron) detonates into Cassie’s pivotal solo, The Music and the Mirror. Sapperstein’s voice was awesome! [more about that later – just let me finish the score]. The initial performance of One was brilliantly choreographed and directed, with sections muted to hear Cassie & Zach talk, then the company returning to full voice.

An accident during the Tap Combination spurs Zach to ask the unforgiveable question: “what will you do when you can no longer dance?” Everyone insists, of course, that they’re always going to dance, but ultimately Diana (Gómez) gets real, and her sublime solo draws the company into the gorgeous What I Did for Love. Finally, the spectacular reprise of One featured the entire company, including Vicki (Elizabeth Bushell), Connie (Madelynn Öztaş), and Don (Chandler Paskett). It was totally splendiferous, and though I noticed Paul’s gold lamé hat slipping down over his eyes, Luis Del Valle never missed a step.

When writing a positive review – and I give CHORUS LINE five stars! – I always look for something to criticize, to provide balance, so here’s my criticisms.

Granted, it’s not easy to find an actor who’s both dancer and diva: when casting Cassie does one choose a dancer who can carry a tune, or a singer who can follow choreography? In Music and the Mirror Sapperstein demonstrated a spectacular set of pipes! but she needed markedly – noticeably! – simplified choreography. Cassie being too good a dancer to dance in a chorus is a key plot point; Music and the Mirror, the only extended solo dance routine of the show, simply doesn’t bear that out. 

An important aspect when displaying any artwork is the frame. In dance, one speaks of the danseur providing a frame for the ballerina; his lifts can make her appear weightless or like a sack of groceries. One must select the proper frame to enhance a beautiful photograph or painting: using a sleek polished chrome frame for an ornate neoclassical painting creates an aesthetic disharmony – a marvelous frame mismatched with magnificent artwork. Zach’s essential role in CHORUS LINE is to frame the work, but I experienced aesthetic disparity between Caron and A CHORUS LINE – a splendid artwork enclosed in a pleasing but disharmonic frame. On the soundtrack I love Zach’s exultant peals of “Five, Six, Seven, Eight!”, proclaiming his passion for music, for dance, for theatre. This passion is critical to Zach’s character, and to the spirit of the show, and I simply did not feel that passion from Caron’s Zach.  This stellar production deserves a concordant frame.

I love CHORUS LINE, and (above paragraphs notwithstanding) I love MadKap’s production of it – I will keep a close eye out for MadKap / Skokie productions!

A CHORUS LINE runs at Skokie Theatre through the weekend of October 8 – a nice long run – leaves you no excuse not to see it!

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

*Author note: I could not have written this review – nor most of those preceding! – without the knowledgeable and insightful help of my companion Eva Hare. Their encyclopedic cognizance of the modus operandi (as well as modus vivendi!) backstage has enriched my life as well as my reviews.

A CHORUS LINE  originally conceived, directed, and choreographed by Michael Bennett, 1975. Book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante. Music by Marvin Hamlisch. Lyrics by Edward Kleban. Co-choreographed by Bob Avian.

After its successful run of Book of Merman, MadKap Productions decided to take on a brilliant, little known farce comedy - Neil Simon’s Rumors. Quick, witty dialogue is the name of the game in this fast-paced story that revolves around an upscale dinner party where everything that can possibly go wrong, kind of does – and then some. When Ken Gorman (Nathan Dale Short) and his wife Chris (Erin Renee Baumrucker) throw a 10^th anniversary party for New York’s Deputy Mayor, Charlie Brock and his wife, Myra, a gunshot in Charlie’s room changes everything and speculation between the hosts and their six invited guests runs rampant and riotously spirals into every direction possible. As one challenging scenario unfolds after another, the absurdity gets funnier and funnier. Truths become distorted and the lies told are modified more and more as emotions are let loose amongst this normally reserved group of friends. Let’s just say this dinner party is a complete train wreck – and it couldn’t be more fun watching it unravel.

Simon’s Rumors starts with a bang (literally) then gains more and more steam until it becomes a full-on expose of the emotional underpinnings of the upper class. Thanks to Wayne Mell’s outstanding direction and MadKap’s mature and very talented cast that effectively take on a slew of quirky characters, we are presented with one helluva hilarious production that rarely stops to catch its breath. While the entire cast deserves big props, Landon Cally truly takes command of the stage in just about every scene he takes part in as Leonard Ganz, better known as “Len”. Cally’s rapid-fire line delivery and ability to display such a wide range of emotions really drew me into the action. Julie Peterson also shines as a highly animated Claire Ganz, who could easily be mistaken for one of the very popular Housewives of New York, and veteran Chicago actress SarahAnn Sutter gets big laughs as Cookie.

Neil Simon, a Pulitzer Prize Winner, was one of the greatest Jewish writers of all time, and this choice of his little-known comedy Rumors by Director Wayne Mell at this moment in history with anti-Semitism on the rise worldwide is so perfect and timely.

One of the couples is hit by a car on the way to the party in their three-day old BMW, but they do not stop to go to the hospital. Instead they arrive breathlessly with excitement at the party, the husband with whiplash and the wife with a bloody lip. When they get there they find their best friend, Charlie, passed out on Valium having shot a bullet through his ear. His wife is nowhere to be found.

The first rumor that his friends attempt to quell is that Charlie, a Deputy Mayor, has tried to commit suicide.  His friends know that suicide is legally a crime and at that time ANY "criminal behavior" including mental illness was perceived by society as a way to ruin one's life and work. So they begin to make an effort to cover up what they think has happened before the rest of his friends even arrive. 

This is also kind of a fun whodunit, so I don’t want to give it all away, but the genius that Simon conveys through this particular farce is that even though each person ends up literally injured in some way - including back spasms, a bad cut in the kitchen, temporary deafness, etc., etc., - none of the partygoers actually leave to go home. Simon cleverly and compassionately shows that each of these bored, jaded, overworked and overly intellectual couples have nothing more exciting to go home to.

They have individually, and as couples, grown so bored with their lives and have been accustomed to playing certain restrictive and prescribed roles for their partners and each other by coloring within the lines on a daily basis. They have lost touch with everything real and genuine in their partners and sadly in their get togethers as well… until this night.  

Landon Cally and Julie Peterson in 'Rumors' at Skokie Theatre

In fact it is perfect Neil Simon humor and irony that the group of friends are finally forced to dance gleefully and laugh together in order to protect their friend’s reputation, that they all realize they have been lying to each other unnecessarily. By teaming up together they finally realize that laughter and friendship is the balm that each and every person present individually discovers they need deeply in order to be their best, most alive and genuine selves no matter how flawed or funny they have become as couples and as a community.

This quote from Simons' huge hit  and 1965 Tony Award Winner "The Odd Couple" really describes how every unique character in Rumors grows into a new person under pressure and finally have the chutzpah to "Throw their G-d Damned cup! 

“([FELIX] (suddenly stands up and cocks his arm back, about to hurl the cup angrily against the front door. Then he thinks better of it, puts the cup down and sits)

OSCAR. (Watching this) Why didn’t you throw it?
FELIX. I almost did. I get so insane with myself sometimes.
OSCAR. Then why don’t you throw the cup?
FELIX. Because I’m trying to control myself.
OSCAR. Why?
FELIX. What do you mean, why?
OSCAR. Why do you have to control yourself? You’re angry, you felt like throwing the cup, why don’t you throw it?
FELIX. Because there’s no point to it. I’d still be angry, and I’d have a broken cup.
OSCAR. How do you know how you’d feel? Maybe you’d feel wonderful. Why do you have to control every single thought in your head? Why don’t you let loose once in your life? Do something that you feel like doing—and not what you think you’re supposed to do. Stop keeping books, Felix. Relax. Get drunk. Get angry. C’mon, break the goddamned cup!”

Neil Simon considered Rumors his own first true “farce“ first produced back in 1988, Rumors is eerily ahead of its time in the comic portrayal of the lives of the rich and almost famous politicians that we know daily see and consume  as reality television. Rumors is quite a departure from the other 30-some plays he had written. On deciding to write a farce comedy, Simon was quoted in an interview with the New York Times.

"I was going through some difficult times...I wanted to work, because work is always a cathartic process for me, and I thought it would be really good just to get into a comedy. This is completely different for me...It's unlike anything I've ever written. It's my first farce." In describing the play, he said, "The play started with the idea of doing a farce...The next thing was to do it as an elegant farce, because the farces in Moliere's days were generally about wealthy people. These aren't extremely wealthy people, but they are well-to-do. So, I decided to dress them in evening clothes. There was something about having them dressed in evening clothes that I thought was a nice counterpoint to the chaos that was happening in the play. And so, I picked a reason for them to be dressed elegantly, and it was a 10th anniversary."

MadKap Productions also does this play right with its inviting and roomy set, which puts us theater goers in the midst of a dinner party while also giving its cast the spaciousness to let loose. In fact, the theater space itself is a wonderful place to take in a staged production. MadKap currently makes its home at Skokie Theatre after a nice run at The Greenhouse Theater in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Just a twenty-minute or so drive from northern Chicago (depending on traffic), Skokie Theatre is a beautifully renovated movie house with ample, and comfy, seating that offers parking right next door and accessible public parking right across the street. This is the perfect show to introduce yourself to MadKap if not already familiar.

I highly recommend MadKap’s Rumors at Skokie Theatre for an enlightening night of classic comedy for audiences of all ages.

Rumors is being performed at Skokie Theatre (7924 N. Lincoln Ave, Skokie) through April 23^rd. For tickets and/or more show information, click here. Next up is Hair beginning June 3rd.

The Book of Merman is a delightful musical theater piece that beautifully spins the popular Broadway hit, The Book of Mormon.

When doing home-to-home missionary work, I’m sure no one can predict how the day will go. So many different situations can present themselves whether the expected or least expected. From slammed doors to willing listeners to who knows what, each house approached is certainly a new adventure. Well, this day was no exception as our fearless and faith-led Mormons arrive upon a house only to get the surprise meeting of a lifetime. Elder Braithwaite (Alex Iacobucci) and Elder Schumway (Danny Ferenczi) play the two Mormon missionaries who are doggedly going door to door trying to make converts when they discover that the house they have been welcomed into belongs to none other than the legendary Ethel Merman! After being invited inside by Merman (who mistakes the two as salesman), the story soon evolves into an unconventional, but effective journey that takes us down the path of self-acceptance – a path that in many ways teaches us to embrace every part of ourselves. And this path is often hilarious thanks to a very funny script along with a host of original songs that work incredibly well.     

Julie Peterson, who was the understudy for this role in the off-Broadway production, really steals the show as the leading character with her lively personality and spot on singing in that wonderful powerhouse style that the grand dame Ethel Merman was famous for.  

Although the two missionaries played with great energy by Iacobucci and Ferenczi had to wear their missionary suits the whole show, the period costumes by designer Patti Halajian for Merman kept upping the ante on glamour throughout the almost two-hour show and were so much fun to see Peterson perform in.

I really enjoyed this show produced by MadKap Productions at the lovely, intimate - yet airy and comfortable - Skokie Theater.  The set design worked nicely with lighting by Pat Henderson and sound designer Kevin J. Mell.

The Book of Merman was written by Leo Schwartz and D.C. Cathro, with music and lyrics by Leo Schwartz and I absolutely adored the message of all the songs in this especially "A Little Bit of Me" and "Because of You".

The underlying message of this show has to do with so many current issues regarding loving oneself, success and failure at midlife and how getting the encouragement from even one good friend or true fan of your work can revitalize an entire life whose heart has been broken by loneliness and what one may perceive as failures in an otherwise illustrious past. 

"A Little Bit of Me" is a tremendous number for Peterson to shine in vocally which urges the audience to remember that their uniqueness is of the greatest value in life, that being yourself fully in your art and life, no matter what society or even your fans of your quirky style or belief system, is the best way to fulfillment and happiness on earth. 

It’s clever, it’s entertaining and it’s FUN. Keenly directed by Ty Perry with brilliant Musical Direction by Jeremy Ramey, I highly recommend this production for audiences of all ages who will enjoy the lively song and dance numbers and strong messages of positivity. Also, the Skokie Theatre was a great place to see a show with ample free parking right next to the theater and comfortable modern seating. 

The Book of Merman is being preformed at Skokie Theatre through February 26^th. For tickets and/or more show information, click here.