Displaying items by tag: Buzz News Chicago

What do Michael Jackson and Abraham Lincoln have in common? Playwright Bixby Elliot explores the parallels between the sixteenth president, the king of pop and the landscape for LGBT youth in his new play “Abraham Lincoln was a Faggot” at About Face Theatre.

Elliot’s play follows two intertwining narratives in an attempt to answer the eternal question: was Abraham Lincoln gay? In the present, there is Cal (Matt Farabee), a high schooler coming to terms with his sexuality while trying to prove Lincoln’s orientation. In the past, there is the supposed story of Lincoln’s homosexual love affairs. In between are Cal’s terrified mother (Jessie Fisher) and uncle (Nathan Hosner) who must traverse the uneasy waters of an older generation’s attitude toward homosexuality.

Director Andrew Volkoff brings together a well-equipped cast for this show. Dana Black’s clowning as narrator, historian and Ellen Degeneres will likely be most remembered. She accents and punctuates nearly every scene and it brings a much needed sense of lightness. Jessie Fisher in a duel role as both Mary Todd Lincoln and Cal’s mother balances  eccentricity and subtlety.

Bixby’s script, even if at times extraneous, has a lot of heart and makes a lot of great points about our media obsessed culture. At first the Michael Jackson musical numbers and background tracks seem strangely out of place, but as the show continues the script points to two lives lived under grueling American scrutiny. The author writes from a much more closeted generation than our current times, but still the struggle to live a life that is true to oneself is the ultimate argument. This essential human necessity transcends race, gender, class and sexuality. The script is well-structured and under Volkoff’s direction, has a real sense of emotional authenticity that could be lost in such an inventive concept.

Through July 5^th. At the Green House Theatre Center. 2257 N Lincoln Ave. 773-404-7336

Cor Theatre this time brings its latest production, “Love and Human Remains”, to the intimate Rivendell Theatre in Edgewater. A psychological thriller that made waves in the 1990s for its daring and gutty material, “Love and Human Remains” is a story that revolves around a handful of Chicago couples amidst a serial killer on the loose.

It takes a good part of the first act before we get a good feel of who’s who in this play. Beginning with a dominatrix who tales the tale many of us have heard at some point about Cuba Road where a young man is murdered in the woods while trying to get help after car trouble strands he and his girlfriend, we are soon introduced to roommates David and Candy to which are the main focus in the story. David is gay and is quick to use biting sarcasm every chance he gets. A former child actor now turned waiter, he is unattached and willing and able to find quick sex anywhere he can. Candy is looking for love and though attractive and seemingly kind-hearted, she doesn’t seem to have much luck. As the story progresses David’s tall and good looking friend Bernie is introduced, he often appears drunk and bloody, chalking it up to bar room fights due to his propensity to hit on unavailable women. Meanwhile the bodies are adding up.

Written by Brad Fraser and directed by Ernie Nolan, this is a play with much crotch grabbing and excessive nudity as the lesser known worlds of S&M and underground gay hook ups are also explored. It is a story of instant gratification, obsessions, guilt and consequence. It is also a story of hopefulness and finding companionship.

Andrew Goetten as David and Kate Black-Spence really steal the show with their electrifying performances. Goetten delivers Jeff Goldblum-like musings and over-analyzed histrionics, hitting perfectly called for tone inflection and sentiment on cue to project his feelings ever so effortlessly. At the same time, Black-Spence is able to channel her emotions in just the right way so that we can really feel for her character’s sadness, guilt, loneliness and hope.

The first act moves a bit slowly and we kind of wonder if the ever present ensemble chants and comments in the background are necessary or detracting from the play’s story. By the second act it becomes apparent the play would probably be better if acted out as a traditional presentation piece rather than being an ensemble piece whereas surrounding characters in the background are constantly chiming in along or around the main scenes. Still, the play does come together enough in the second act to where its intrigue becomes the focal point and we crave to see the outcome for each character.   

It’s dark, sexual and is funny in more places than one would expect. In time, it even becomes rather absorbing as a thriller.

“Love and Human Remains” is being performed at Rivendell Theatre in Edgewater through July 11^th. For tickets and/or more information visit ww.CorTheatre.org.  

ONCE has found its way back on the stage with an electric performance at the Cadillac Palace. With eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical and winner of the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, ONCE brought wit, attitude, and energy to Chicago.

ONCE tells the tale of life and love and the power of music. When a heartbroken, Irish musician meets a spunky, Czech immigrant, his world gets flipped around. The “Guy”, Stuart Ward, tells himself he is no Bono, and that pursuing a music career is pointless. The “Girl”, Dani de Waal, tells him that his talent will send him far and wide. Both connect through their love of music, which develops into a deep friendship. They write songs together, she instills confidence in him, and he falls head over heels for her. Quickly, their situation becomes complicated, and their modern romance is cut short when reality steps in.

ONCE is unlike your average musical. The instruments were on stage, rather than being in the pit. An ensemble cast of actors and musicians seamlessly transitioned into each scene. Their timing and demeanor impeccable. The set barely changed, only when a Hoover or piano rolled out on stage. Each actor remained on the wings of the stage (instead of going backstage), instruments in hand, as if they were football players waiting on the sidelines at their big game.

The Guy and the Girl (Ward and Waal) battled against each other with playful banter and sang inspiring duets together. Both of their voices blended into harmonious perfection, add the piano, and it was just beautiful. The 2007 Academy Award for Best Original song for “Falling Slowly” (starring Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová) was from the hit soundtrack. Whether it was sung as a duet, or with all cast members, it filled the entire theatre with energy. The “Falling Slowly” opening line “I don’t know you, but I want to” sums up the Guy and the Girl’s strong feelings for each other, and by the end of the story, both know each other too well.

The Cadillac Palace stage transformed into an Irish pub, complete with the mismatched wooden chairs, a bar, and rusty mirrors which covered the walls of the pub. As a surprising bonus, the audience is invited on stage to interact with the actors and musicians, and to grab a drink at the pub, before settling into their seats.

ONCE is filled to the brim with humor and raw emotion. It’ll have you laughing one minute, only to bring you to tears the next. For people who haven’t researched the ending, it is somewhat left for interpretation. Although, it is not a typical romantic ending, it is realistic. ONCE is sweet, raw, and powerful. Recommended for romantics, realists, musicians, comedians, or all of the above.

Individual tickets for ONCE at the Cadillac Palace Theatre range from $30- $95. Group sales: (312) 977-1710. The Broadway In Chicago Ticket Lane at (800) 775-2000. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

“His Way – Sinatra’s Centennial Celebration” is really more of a tour de force of the unbelievably talented Ron Hawking. This recipient of the 2014 Chicago Music Award’s Lifetime Achievement Award has spent over a decade building and honing a repertoire of spot-on impressions of over a dozen of America’s most beloved singing stars of the 1950’s- 60’s.

The show was a one night only performance presented as part of the “Made in Chicago” music series hosted by the historic Auditorium Theatre. A masterpiece of architecture, the Auditorium Theatre has been a favorite of Chicago theatre goers since its opening in 1889. Beautifully gilded in gold and sparkling with hundreds of lights, the Auditorium has showcased nearly every major figure in entertainment in the last century. The theatre’s landmark status was celebrated on Chicago’s “Auditorium Theatre Day” on December 9, 2014, on the occasion of its 125^thanniversary.

Hawking does an admirable job of delivering remarkable and humorous impersonations of entertainers. He gave homage to Sinatra’s 100^th birthday by singing the birthday song to him while wearing the famous Sinatra black fedora. His swinging renditions of such favorites as “You Make Me Feel So Young” had the audience literally dancing in their seats!

Mixed in with the Sinatra hits were signature songs and jokes of beloved singers and actors such as Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, and an especially good Jack Nicholson. These characters originated in other shows developed by Hawking such as “The Men and their Music” and “Home for the Holidays”, which, along with “His Way - A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra” are some of Chicago’s longest running and most beloved musical tribute shows. They have appeared over a thousand times at The His Way Theatre in Chicago’s NBC Tower.

While Hawking’s feel-good show brings to mind such family centered entertainment as is popular in Branson, Missouri, the show seemed more suited to a dinner theatre or bar than to the large space of the Auditorium. Given the benefit of multiple performances however, veteran performance crafter Ron Hawking could surely thrive in such an arena.

“His Way – Sinatra’s Centennial Celebration” starring Chicago’s own Ron Hawking may have come to the Auditorium for a one night special performance, but the “Made in Chicago” music series continues. Tickets to upcoming events in this series are available at AuditoriumTheatre.org by calling (800) 982-ARTS (2787) or in-person at the Auditorium’s Box Office (50 E. Congress Pkwy). Check out upcoming shows in this series here.

Tw@birunjibaby

"Stick Fly" is about the Levays, a wealthy African American family, who go to their beach house for a weekend getaway. What started off as two brothers bringing their significant others to meet their parents ends with revelations of deception, racial issues, and relationship woes. 

The older brother, played by Michael Pogue, does an excellent job in his role as an arrogant plastic surgeon. He brings home his Italian girlfriend, Kimber, who is strong, independent, and aware of her own privilege. Tyrone Phillips plays the younger brother, Kent, who has definitely gone through a journey to find himself but finally settled into writing to which he shows some talent. His girlfriend, Taylor, is neurotic and comes from a lower class background although her father is a well-liked and respected anthropologist who has written several books. We later learn that he left her at a very young age and created his own family that didn't include her. 

The family invites their longtime housekeeper to the beach house for the weekend but she asks her daughter Cheryl, played by Paige Collins, to fill in for her due to her illness. What we soon find out is that Cheryl went to a top tiered high school on scholarship and she is ready to attend college soon. It is apparent that she is out of place and clearly does not fit in.  

I couldn't help but to be impressed with Phillip Edward Van Lear’s performance as Dr. Levay. He is the matriarch and does a great job at commanding the stage when he walks in. 

I appreciate the playwright's attempt at bringing a very complex storyline to the theater. I was impressed with the fact that I was able to connect to a couple of characters as they all seemed to have some sort of problem. However, I felt at the end some of the characters were not fully developed and seemed a bit disjointed. Emotions were running high and it appeared that Cheryl just gave up at the end which was a bit of a disappointment. 

"Stick Fly" is the play to see if you like dramas with some comedy. Not only does it touch on many things such as family abandonment as well as racial issues; it leaves you reflecting on some of the things you may have encountered in your own life, especially if you are African American. This play is worth checking out at Windy City Playhouse, a non-profit theater that supports local actors. To be honest, any play that opens with Stevie Wonder is good in my book. 

Known for staging eccentric new works, Sideshow Theatre’s production of Walt McGough’s “Chalk” is no exception. McGough serves as the literary manager for Sideshow Theatre and his play is receiving its world premiere in collaboration with Boston’s Fresh Ink Productions.

Peculiar is perhaps the best adjective to describe “Chalk.” Clocking in at just one hour, “Chalk” tells the tale of a woman (Kathleen Akerley) living in a post-apocalyptic world with her daughter (Nina O’Keefe). When her daughter returns with supplies, she notices her behavior is unusual. The story quickly devolves into an episode of “Twilight Zone.” While McGough’s script does an interesting thing in that it tries to humanize a typical horror/sci-fi story, the premise itself is weak. In such a short play, he never grounds the characters in any context. Maybe it doesn’t matter, but the lack of meat doesn’t satisfy the audience. In the end, despite McGough’s efforts, the play is a bit plot-heavy.

Director Meghan A. Smith has paired two really talented actresses together for “Chalk.” Nina O’Keefe is hilarious and her physicality is fun to watch. She brings a much needed intensity to the part. Kathleen Akerley gives a rich performance, often adding what’s not on the page with gesture and body language. She has a sense of the script, and it’s easy to trust her certainty in the dialog.

"Chalk" doesn’t overstay its welcome.  It does what a play should - tells an interesting story with a beginning, middle, and the conclusion is satisfying as plays should be. The deeper moments are good, but overshadowed.

Through June 28^th at Victory Gardens Theatre. 2433 N Lincoln Ave. 773-871-3000

Hell in a Handbag Productions tests the boundaries of morality once again as only they can, this time kicking off its 2015-16 season with “Miracle!”, the hilarious lampoon of The Miracle Worker. Instead of Helen Keller, we meet Helen Stellar, a deaf and blind 20-year-old drag queen who is thrust into performing at The Brass Connection, otherwise known as The Ass Infection. Written by Dan Savage, a well-known authority and activist on sexuality and GLBTQ issues, “Miracle!” doesn’t hold any punches, unapologetically injecting its braised humor into its audience with rapid fire speed and pinpoint accuracy.

Artistic Director David Cerda is brilliant (as always) as Helen Stellar’s protective drag queen mother and biological father, Crystal Pain, owner and show coordinator of The Brass Connection. Cerda, a true master of satire, takes the role of Crystal and knocks it out of the park with his deadpan delivery, stark remarks and physical comedy. In “Miracle!” we also get a deluge of tremendously funny performances from Handbag favorites Ed Jones, Elizabeth Lesinski, Sydney Genco and Steve Love as well as newcomer Kristopher Bottrall who is very impressive as Bailey Legal.

Everything is going smoothly at The Brass Connection, or so it seems. Gloria Blaze (Jones), Sissy Jizzmore (Jamie Smith) and the girls perform in the club’s nightly revue while Helen Stellar stumbles her way through an awkward dance routine with the help of a shock collar that “protects” her from falling off the stage. But when Bailey Legal gets jealous of the attention that Helen receives, a call is made to Child Protective Services and an investigation ensues as to the child’s well-being. After assessing the situation, caseworker Annie Sullivan (Lesinski) determines that Helen’s environment is unfit for tapping into her true potential. It is soon agreed that Annie take Helen for a period of three weeks so that she can work with her one on one. This proves more difficult than anticipated as Annie tries to connect with Helen by pressing sign language into her hands in relation to surrounding objects. Of course this process, as done by Handbag is also brutally droll.

Still, Annie’s persistence pays off as we begin to see a transformation occur in Helen. As part of her therapy, Annie takes Helen to a lesbian bar (opening up another world to which Savage is able to find the humor) to work out her performance kinks in an attempt to show a shock collar is not needed. Performing with Helen during the bar’s Bearded Slam event is also therapeutic for Annie as she reaches deep inside herself to conquer her own stage insecurities. Before too long, it is time for Annie to return Helen to Crystal as we, the audience, wonder what the outcome will be.  

The humor is offensive, but tasty. It’s campy dialogue gutty and unforgiving yet we relate to it so easily. Perhaps we are looking at something in the neighborhood of Helen Keller meets The Birdcage on crack, and that would be putting it mildly.

As funny as “Miracle!” is, whether a dance and song routine with attitude and pizazz (“Stop in the Name of Love”, for one) or in its multitude of hilarious character interactions, there is actually a heartwarming story taking place with plenty of feel good moments. I’m not going to go as far to say that one might get teary-eyed, but it is certainly not beyond the realm of possibility. The show triumpantly ends with a big finale number that has audience members clapping to the beat and cheering for the show’s wonderfully colorful characters.  

As a longtime fan of Cerda, Jones and Lesinski, I am happy to say that this Handbag nucleus of comic wunderkinds have once again hit their stride in what is a fully entertaining story that generates laughs as quickly as its many wig changes.   

“Miracle!” is being performed through July 10^th at Mary’s Attic, a cozy upstairs theatre located at 5400 N. Clark Street in Andersonville. For tickets and/or more show information, visit www.handbagproductions.org. If you are looking for a night of memorable comedy in a fun atmosphere, this is a summer event that you will not want to miss. Hell in a Handbag Productions – the king, or queen, of parody done right. 

What a thrill to see a costume piece with moderately contemporary dialog. Charles Hampton's adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos' "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" premiered during the height of theatrical decedance in the 1980s. Razor sharp wit borrowed from Laclos' 18th century epistolary novel about sexual conquest among bored aristocrats make this an extremely titillating and provocative piece. Just reading the text is tickling enough. The play garnered critical praise on Broadway, and was followed by an even more successful film starring Glenn Close and John Malkovich.

AshtonRep bites off a bit more than they can chew with their current production at the Raven Theatre in Edgewater. The problem with this production is casting. The role of the conniving Marquise de Merteuil is played with cool dignity by Sarah Pavlak McGuire, her composed cruelty is fascinating to watch. Unbalanced co-star and AshtonRep founder Robert Tobin takes up the role of Valmont. It's imperative that Valmont be a suave casanova, one who ebbs sex appeal. Tobin is neither. He also tends to misplace the dialog. He often delivers his lines with a confusing modern inflection on purposefully crafted antiquated phrasing.

Director Charlie Marie McGrath makes an interesting choice by changing the time period from pre-revolutionary France to pre-revolutionary Russia. Though, for what reason? Hampton's script leaves the audience with a powerful image conjured by projecting the silhouette of a guillotine on the background. It feels like a missed opportunity not to give this play the full depth it needs. The staging is well-conceived, running with the idea of a chamber drama, having the curtains drawn to accent scenes like storybook chapters.

All in all, AshtonRep presents a faithful production of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." It's an ambitious play for an emerging theatre company to take on, but there is a great deal of chemistry between the female ensemble here. Hampton's script is sturdy and holds up well in an era in which most people are more familiar with the teenage re-telling "Cruel Intentions."

Through June 21st. The West Stage at Raven Theatre Complex. 6157 N Clark St. 773-828-9129

If you are Jewish, you will especially appreciate and love this play which is full of biting humor and keen observations about how modern day Jews define themselves philosophically and how that vision of themselves plays out in their family relationships.

“Bad Jews” is set in a beautiful New York pied de Terre or studio apartment on the Upper West Side of New York bought by the parents of brothers Liam and Josh and they are being visited by relatives following the death of their beloved grandfather

Their first cousin Diane Feygenbaum is a rabbinical student with an Israeli boyfriend who insists on being called by her Hebrew name Daphna a has to share the studio with them for a few nights and is outraged by the fact that spoiled cousin Liam has actually missed his grandfather’s funeral because he lost his cell phone while skiing in Aspen.

During the course of the play we find out that Daphna is very intent on inheriting the gold Chai (Hebrew for the number 18, and symbol of Life) medallion necklace worn by her grandfather during the holocaust. In fact, he had to hide it under his tongue for two years in the Holocaust death camp he was kept in while the rest of his family members were killed. It turns out Liam has a plan to give the medallion to his “shiksa” girlfriend instead of an engagement ring just as his grandfather gave it to their grandmother 50 years prior.

A ferocious verbal fight breaks out and the true feelings of each cousin for the other and their Jewish values, or lack thereof, pour out with the fury and passion that sometimes occurs particularly after the death of a loved one.

Liam, played by Ian Paul Custer and Daphna played by Laura Lapidus are both hysterically on point in their portrayals. The fantastic monologues for these two characters, written to perfection by Harmon and well directed by Jeremy Wechsler are cutting but truthful, funny yet excruciatingly honest.

Non-Jews will find this play funny and full of Jewish stereotypes handled with great political correctness. Jews will see themselves in all their self hating and neurotic glory, with intelligence bursting at the seams.

I think Daphna could have been played with a little bit more compassion and a little less self righteous bitterness. At one point she mentions poignantly her education about the holocaust and her grandfather’s “tattoo’” or concentration camp number burned into his arm.  We realize as an audience just how deeply touched  and perhaps scarred emotionally a sensitive child is by being thoroughly  exposed to the horrors of the holocaust at the tender age of 13 , as every Jewish child who studies for a bat mitzvah is required to do.

There are a lot of self-hating Jews out there. I was one of them for a while, in part because of the patriarchal and misogynistic attitudes towards women in the Old Testament that Liam brings up during the play to combat Daphna’s self righteous religious rants. Ironically, it took the realization that Jesus or “Yeshuah” (Jesus’ Hebrew name) was the greatest Rabbi, indeed the greatest Jew who ever walked the earth that made me the proud, comfortable, self loving Jew I am today.

The title by Harmon, “Bad Jews” is both eye catching and absolutely perfect because by the end of the play it is clear there are no bad Jews, only good Jews who are internally judging themselves or being judged by others too harshly.

Skillfully directed by Jeremy Wechsler, I highly recommend this thought provoking and hysterical piece of theater for its brilliant writing and two fantastic performances created lovingly and delivered with mind blowing rapid fire delivery by Lapidus and Custer.

“Bad Jews” is being performed at Theatre Wit through June 7^th. I highly recommend this play. For tickets and other info visit www.theatrewit.org.

“Jersey Boys”, currently playing at Cadillac Palace, is the story of the Four Seasons and their journey from Newark, New Jersey to becoming a multi-million record selling group. I went to the opening night expecting an entertaining performance, but really, unsure of what lied ahead. I imagined the audience to be a little older, and it was, but there were a surprising number of young attendees as well. It even looked like it was close to a full house. Before seeing the performance I didn’t know much about the story of the Four Seasons, but I did know their hit song “Sherry”.

All I can say is, “Oh, what a show!” “Jersey Boys” is a thoroughly entertaining show right from the get go. The opening consists of a French band’s cover performed in 2000 of Four Seasons’ “Oh, What a Night”. The song set the tone for how their music transcended to younger generations well after the band broke up.

The first character you meet as the band’s history unfolds is Tommy DeVito, played by Matthew Dailey, who was the leader of the iconic group. You can’t help but to be drawn to this character; he is very powerful and commands the stage - and has a pretty good Jersey accent. Hayden Milanes who plays Frankie Valli, has a beautiful voice and does a fantastic job recreating the legendary voice we have become so familiar with over the years. And here’s a Four Seasons factoid - Joe Pesci, yes that Joe, was the one who introduced Frankie Valli to the group.

In addition to the amazing actors’ voices, one of the best scenes in the play is when the band performs on television. The group is shown filming for a show while simultaneously playing a live feed from an overhead screen on stage. Older images flash onto the backdrop and the design team does a great job of reducing the quality of film to mimic that of the sixties.

The show doesn’t have any set props on stage. The actors pull up a table or chairs every now and then for many scenes but is very limited. Instead, the show relies on graphics displayed on a large screen to set the stage. And although some of them work well, I found myself to be distracted by some of the art. Some of the images just don’t fit the sixties which threw off my attention.

What really captures the essence of the band is their songwriter Bob Gaudio who is played by Drew Seeley. Gaudio is a gifted musician and wrote many of the band’s hits including but not limited to “(Who Wears) Short Shorts”, “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, “Walk Like a Man”, and my favorite “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”. It is rare to find many artists today who write their own music making it refreshing to be reminded of the raw overall talent of this great band.

“Jersey Boys” covers gambling, infidelity, children, excess of money, and death. Director Des McAnuff is able to capture many of the things that I appreciate in a musical without getting too heavy. After a slew of brilliant performances and one favorite played after another, the show ends with everyone, including the audience, singing along to the Four Seasons’ anthem “Oh, What a Night”. I, for one, left “Jersey Boys” walking like a man and in a really good mood.

I highly recommend attending “Jersey Boys” at the Cadillac Palace before it leaves on May 24^th. For tickets and/or more show information visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.