Displaying items by tag: Open Space Arts

I’ve reviewed a number of shows at Open Space Arts (OSA) – I love the place – so I’m familiar with OSA’s attributes: unique productions that battle antisemitism and homophobia with art; premiere plays by previously-unknown writers; small, intimate venue; and, most of all, incredible talent both on- and off-stage.  it’s been ten years meets all these criteria.

Cesario Tirado-Ortiz is a playwright, actor, singer, producer (and, no doubt, pastry chef and bricklayer!), and it’s been ten years follows his tradition of telling queer stories that are not necessarily about being queer. Director Teri Talo is an actor making their directing debut with it’s been ten years, finding in this new role a chance continues using art as social remonstration.

The story is one of trauma, terror, and murky uncertainty. Ten years ago, four kids faced life-threatening (but unknown) horrors, which each of the four responded to in different ways. Allison (Noah Hinton) fled; Maude (Julia Toney) killed the perpetrator (who happened to be their brother); and Betsy (Alexis Queen) developed an … atypical eating disorder.  

Maude is ostensibly the most damaged in the group, and only with great reluctance do they agree to their former lover Betsy’s idea for group healing. Betsy brings Allison and Maude to a group retreat at a remote campsite, run by ‘therapist’ Alex Marusich, whose incompetence only begins with muddling pronouns … but that’s a significant problem with this group, as only Betsy has retained her cis-gender. Gender is a conspicuous uncertainty in it’s been ten years, but it’s by no means the most pivotal.

We never learn exactly what the original traumas entailed; we don’t know (though we can speculate) why Maude and Betsy are estranged; and hey! there were four survicors of the original trauma. Where – for that matter, who – is the fourth? Sam (Alex Marusich) doesn’t appear until late in the action, and his arrival is neither expected nor welcomed. The other three suspect that Sam must have done something infamous in response to their ordeal [whatever it was]. It must be pretty heinous to top Betsy, who witnessed the murders of her cheerleading squad, then ate them.

This seething agglomeration of distress is roused by a fortuitous thunderstorm, which not only provides appropriate auditory context (sound design Kiera Battles) but knocks out the camp’s electricity, so the remainder of the action is lit by lightning flashes (lighting design Lex Newman). Video clips (Shane Hogan) provide glimpses of the characters’ past lives, and production stage manager Mary Dixon brings it all together in this dark, cramped, rather spooky basement venue – perfect for this tale of horror, desolation and self-recrimination.

it's been ten years since everybody died plays at Open Space Arts through April 6

*Extended through April 19th

Recommended!    

*This review is also featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/!

Open Space Arts (OSA), who recently won some of the top honors in the Joseph Jefferson Awards for 2024 productions, wraps up its dynamic second season in April and May with three programs of staged readings and the international premiere of SCANDALOUS BOY, David Atfield's historical queer love story. All performances will be at Open Space Arts, 1411 W. Wilson Avenue (1/2 block east of Clark St.).
 
The series of staged readings will begin on April 25 with BREAKING THE CODE, Hugh Whitemore's powerful 1986 drama about Alan Turing, the brilliant mathematician who pioneered modern computing and played a pivotal role in World War II by deciphering the German Enigma code. BREAKING THE CODE intertwines Turing's groundbreaking achievements with his personal struggles, particularly his persecution for homosexuality—a factor that led to his tragic demise. The play offers a profound exploration of the man behind the genius, highlighting the societal injustices he faced and his enduring legacy in the fields of cryptography and computer science. BREAKING THE CODE will be directed by Jack Dugan Carpenter and will be performed one night only, on Friday April 25 at 7:30 pm. Suggested donation is $10.00.
 
Following BREAKING THE CODE will be a riveting 90-minute program of new short plays called 100 DAYS featuring characters affected by the current political landscape. Curated by PlaywrightPower.com and directed by its co-founder Tara Blau Smollen, the production will feature eight compelling new 10-minute plays written since the last election, selected from 167 submissions. 100 DAYS will open on April 30, the 100th day of the new administration, with the same plays repeated on May 1, 2, 3, and 4. Performances will be Wednesday, April 30 through Saturday, May 3 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, May 4 at 3:00 pm. Suggested donation is $10.00.
 
The readings series will conclude with a staged reading of NOCTURNAL ADMISSIONS, a thrilling and provocative screenplay by Christian Reda, winner of the 2025 Queer Expression Writing Contest for Stage and Screen. This gripping romantic melodrama blends crime, suspense, and forbidden love in a story that challenges power and prejudice. Joe Kowalski, a 20-year veteran of the LAPD, is assigned to protect Hector "Angel" Cruz, a young Latino hustler and the sole witness to the murder of a married senatorial candidate he was hired to escort for the evening. As Joe fights to keep Angel safe, the last thing he expects is to fall in love. NOCTURNAL ADMISSIONS will be performed on Saturday, May 10 at 7:30 pm. Suggested donation is $10.00.
 
Open Space Arts' 2024-25 season will conclude with a fully staged production of SCANDALOUS BOY by David Atfield, in its International Premiere since its world premiere in Atfield's native Australia. The play is the story of the love between the emperor Hadrian and Antinous in pre-Christian Rome but framed in a twenty-first century setting with the statue of Antinous coming to life in modern Australia to tell his story. SCANDALOUS BOY will be directed by Benjamin Mills and will run from May 23 through June 8. Cast and production team will be announced soon.
 
All performances are at Open Space Arts's hyper-intimate 20-seat theater at 1411 W Wilson, in Chicago.
 
LISTING INFORMATION
 
BREAKING THE CODE
By Hugh Whitemore
Directed by Jack Dugan Carpenter
Friday, April 25, 2025 – 7:30 pm
Open Space Arts
1411 W. Wilson Ave.,
Suggested donation $10.00
Website: www.openspacearts.org
 
Hugh Whitemore's powerful 1986 drama about Alan Turing, the brilliant mathematician who pioneered modern computing and played a pivotal role in World War II by deciphering the German Enigma code.
 
100 DAYS
Curated by Playwright Power.com
Directed by Tara Blau Smollen
April 30 – May 4, 2025
Wednesday – Saturday at 7:30 pm. Sunday at 3:00 pm
Open Space Arts
1411 W. Wilson Ave.,
Suggested donation $10.00
Website: www.openspacearts.org
 
A riveting 90-minute program of new eight compelling new short plays featuring characters affected by the current political landscape. Curated by PlaywrightPower.com and directed by co-founder Tara Blau Smollen.
 
NOCTURNAL ADMISSIONS
By Christian Reda
Saturday, May 10, 2025 – 7:30 pm
Open Space Arts
1411 W. Wilson Ave.,
Suggested donation $10.00
Website: www.openspacearts.org
 
Staged reading of a gripping romantic melodrama screenplay that blends crime, suspense, and forbidden love in a story that challenges power and prejudice. Joe Kowalski, a 20-year veteran of the LAPD, is assigned to protect Hector "Angel" Cruz, a young Latino hustler and the sole witness to the murder of a married senatorial candidate he was hired to escort for the evening. As Joe fights to keep Angel safe, the last thing he expects is to fall in love.
 
SCANDALOUS BOY
By David Atfield
Directed by Benjamin Mills
May 23- June 8, 2025
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 6:00 pm
Open Space Arts
1411 W. Wilson Ave.,
Tickets $30.00
Website: www.openspacearts.org
 
The story of the love between the emperor Hadrian and Antinous in pre-Christian Rome but framed in a twenty-first century setting with the statue of Antinous coming to life in modern Australia to tell his story.
 
BIOS
 
Hugh Whitemore (Playwright, BREAKING THE CODE) was a distinguished English playwright and screenwriter. He began his writing career in British television, contributing original teleplays and adaptations of classic works by authors such as Charles Dickens and Charlotte Brontë. Whitemore twice received the Writer's Guild of Great Britain award. His notable works include STEVIE (1977), focusing on poet Stevie Smith, and PACK OF LIES (1983), depicting the events leading to the arrest of two Americans spying for the Russians in London. Whitemore's work for American television includes CONCEALED ENEMIES (1984), about the Alger Hiss case; and THE GATHERING STORM (2002), focusing on a troubled period in Winston Churchill's life. Both earned him Emmy Awards. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and an Honorary Fellow of King's College, London.
 
Jack Dugan Carpenter (Director, BREAKING THE CODE) is a distinguished director and actor with extensive experience in the Chicago theater scene. He has collaborated with numerous theater companies, including The Plagiarists, where he served as Managing and Development Director from 2011 to 2025. His directorial credits with The Plagiarists encompass productions such as MÜNSTERSPIEL, SOME LIKE IT RED, GILGAMESH, THESE SAINTS WILL BURN, WAR SONG, MATRYOSHKA, AND CAESURA: A BUTCHERY. Beyond The Plagiarists, Carpenter has directed CHARLEY'S AUNT, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, MEASURE FOR MEASURE, and FIGMENTS with Saint Sebastian Players, as well as THE ALCHEMIST and THE ARMAGEDDON DANCE PARTY with Nothing Special Productions.
 
Playwright Power.com (Curator, 100 DAYS) Playwright Power empowers playwrights to spark change and inspire dialogue through impactful theatrical storytelling. Created in response to the 2024 election, the organization solicited new short plays featuring characters affected by the current political landscape, culminating in this electrifying 90-minute program.
 
Tara Blau Smollen  (Director, 100 DAYS) is an award-winning actor, director, playwright, and theater professor. She holds an MFA in Acting from the National Theater Conservatory in Denver and has worked extensively Off-Broadway and in regional theaters across the U.S. As the former Artistic Director of Porchlight Theater Company, her children's plays reached over 10,000 students in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a playwright, she was a finalist in Lifeline Theatre Company's 3rd Annual BIPOC Adaptation and Showcase for Sisters, an African American reimagining of Chekhov's THREE SISTERS. Her recent direction of Jen Silverman's THE MOORS was named one of the best plays in the Bay Area in 2024 by THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE.
 
Christian Reda (Screenwriter, NOCTURNAL ADMISSIONS) is an accomplished screenwriter with a diverse portfolio spanning multiple genres. His works include THE ISLAND HOUSE (horror/thriller), LADY IN A JAM (action/romance), SIX NIGHTS TO DESTINY (sci-fi/romance), and NOCTURNAL ADMISSIONS (romantic melodrama/thriller).

David Atfield (Writer, SCANDALOUS BOY) David Atfield is an Australian stage writer and director, based in Canberra, where he has been Writer/Director/Producer at The Street Theatre since 2018, and Writer/Producer at Canberra Theatre Center since 2021. David moved to Canberra in 1992 to work with Company Skylark, writing and directing plays for them, and later that year formed BITS (A Break In the Silence) Theatre Company. His plays include LOVELY LOUISE, about silent film star Louise Lovely, PINK TRIANGLES, a play about the Nazi persecution of homosexual men. In 2000 he directed a production of it, again at the Street Theatre. Other plays include CLEAN, EXCLUSION, and CHIAROSCURO.  His 2014 production of SCANDALOUS BOY was named one of the top five productions of the year by THE CANBERRA TIMES and the script was short-listed for the Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation Playwriting Award, New York
 
Benjamin Mills (Director, SCANDALOUS BOY) is an actor, designer, director, and Chicago theatre jack of all trades. His design work has been seen at Theatre L'Acadie, Open Space Arts, and Big Noise Theatre. Most recently seen on stage in SPRING AWAKENING, GREY GARDENS THE MUSICAL, THE LEARNED LADIES, BONNIE AND CLYDE THE MUSICAL, and a three-show tour with Great Works Touring Theatre. Benjamin is a Company Member/Resident Costume Designer with Theatre L'Acadie. SCANDALOUS BOY marks Benjamin's Chicago directorial debut.
 
OPEN SPACE ARTS, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is dedicated to combating homophobia and transphobia through the transformative power of creativity and cultural expression. Our mission is to foster inclusivity, promote understanding, and empower marginalized communities by utilizing various artistic mediums to challenge discriminatory beliefs and attitudes. OSA won some of the top honors in the Joseph Jefferson Awards for work produced in 2024, including Production of a Play – Short Run (COCK), Direction of a Play – Short Run (Michael D. Weber- LIGHT SWITCH), Performer in a Principal Role – Short Run  (Philip Andrew Monnett – LIGHT SWITCH), and Performer in a Supporting Role – Short Run (Sonya Robinson – COCK) .

Additionally, Open Space Arts has produced SUNSETS: TWO ACTS ON A BEACH, ROSENBERG, MASSAGE THERAPY, MERCY KILLING, MR. PARKER, "it's been ten years since everyone died. a play about final girls." and THE KRAMER PROJECT in live performances. OSA also produces the Queer Expressions Film Fest, a hybrid fest of streaming and in-person events, which runs from November 1 to July 1 annually. Open Space Arts is led by David Zak.

Open Space Arts presents a premiere performance of Michael McKeever’s MR PARKER. Like everything I’ve seen at Open Space Arts (OSA), the acting was superlative: kudos to Andrew Kain Miller (Terry), Riley Capp (Justin), and Mary Ann Bowman (Cassie)! and their maneuverability in the confined space displayed expert blocking by Director/Producer/(EverythingElse-Er) David G. Zak.

The story of a widow just beginning to emerge from mourning is a familiar shared experience, bringing us immediately into rapport with Terry (Andrew Kain Miller). The complications of his journey are just as classical: his ambivalence toward accepting what the far-younger Justin (Riley Capp) is offering, and the affirmation of his doubts by Cassie (Mary Ann Bowman), his sister-in-law and sole remaining family.

It bears repetition: the cast as a whole was amazing. As usual however, I have a favorite: Riley Capp was singularly convincing as young Justin. From his first appearance Capp was compelling, maintaining Justin’s manic energy to the end – a fairly difficult bit of stagecraft, at that. Honestly, I loved his work – this isn’t simply faghag inclination toward a perfectly adorable faggot (Justin – I’ve no clue about Riley).

I have a special affection for Chicago’s small storefront theatres. I love being engulfed in the performers’ pheromone cloud. More significantly, I am consistently awestruck at the excellence of the casts and production crews in these presumably insignificant venues, rivalling – even surpassing – the large professional productions in the Loop and other glittering venues. I applaud David G. Zak for bringing his long mastery to work with the Second City’s abundance of unsung prodigies.

MR PARKER explores many universal questions and themes: how do love and sexuality interact? how, when, and for how long should grief be expressed? how does personal loss affect one’s other relationships? what are the ‘acceptable’ age boundaries for couples? And, most importantly (to me, any road), how do unspoken mandates and exigencies prevent our aging with joy?

I’m always amazed at how skillfully Open Space Arts’ production crew utilizes the restricted and compromised (6” pipe through centre stage? 6.5’ ceiling?) space. But clearly Set Designer Anna Burke and Lighting Designer Lex Newmane see these not as flaws but as creative challenges, which they most assuredly rise to. Stage Manager Lauren Littlejohn, with Assistant Kate Schnetzer, keep the company focused, despite three (three!) entrances and a ceiling that brushes heads. Open Space Arts is a classic Chicago storefront theater; one isn’t just seeing a play but enjoying a unique theatrical experience. Oh yeah! Angela Joy Baldasare managed Sound Design, and Intimacy Coordinator Greta Zandstra artfully demonstrated the complexity of emotional relationships.

It's my opinion that MR PARKER would benefit from a bit of judicious editing. Much of the script flowed evenly but some transitions were more ragged.  In particular I found some of Terry’s (Andrew Kain Miller) solo scenes superfluous – though my companion was most moved by Terry’s soliloquies… de gustibus non disputandum, n’est-ce pas? Personally, I would have liked to see more of and about Cassie (Mary Ann Bowman) … or maybe I just lusted after her wardrobe! especially that luscious black blouse with pave-set rhinestones at the neckline and cuffs. Can I have it when you’re done with it, Costume Designer Benjamin Mills??

Overall, I recommend MR PARKER as an excellent theatrical experience. I think perhaps my enjoyment was enhanced by events immediately preceding and following the play – repeated instances of the kindness of strangers. Certainly, that is welcome in today’s political zeitgeist.

MR PARKER is playing at Open Space Arts through March 2nd – plenty of time to get a ticket, and a wonderful choice for Valentine’s Day!

My companion was apprehensive about the press release’s statement that “… the two-person cast will play all characters and will even share certain characters.”  “How can that work?” she wondered. “How will we know which character is speaking?”

I told her, “Wait and see.”  I had no such doubts; I’ve seen several shows at Open Space Arts and been consistently impressed at how well the company overcomes its multiple challenges, not the least of which is its extremely small space, further circumscribed by the 6-inch diameter pipe running floor to ceiling in the center of the stage space. It requires a nimble and imaginative company to not simply overcome this hindrance, but actually incorporate it into the action.

Eliana Deckner-Glick as Andrea (et al) and Artem Kreimer as her grandfather Max (and others) flowed seamlessly through their multiple roles; at times even switching to Kreimer playing Andrea and Deckner-Glick as Max. But no matter how quickly and how completely they fluctuated, at no point was I ever in doubt as to ‘who’ was speaking.

How on earth did they do it?

First, of course, is via the actors’ skill. Their vocal repertories were only one aspect of their transformations: posture, gait, facial expression, even temperament were all faithfully conveyed as Deckner-Glick modified Andrea to a clerk, and Kreimer transitioned from Max to a librarian and … and and and! It was uncanny how realistic the conversions were, especially as the evolution was usually made in mere seconds. Brava/o!

But even the most sensational acting could not have passed muster without the masterful direction of Izadorius Tortuga. I was stunned to learn that THE BERLIN DIARIES was Tortuga’s Chicago directing debut! The four years at Carnegie Mellon earning his BFA were clearly very well spent. The blocking and staging alone was ingenious as, in collaboration with Stage Manager Sean Smyth, magic was made in that meagre space.

Scenic Designer Viscaya Wilson supported the show’s authenticity by creating a plausible and effective space that generated copious domains, from Andrea’s NYC apartment to the snowy streets of Berlin. I loved the family tree that covered one wall, linked to maps of various destinations in South America, Europe and Palestine, as well as New York City and, of course, Berlin. These features came alive with Gabe Seplow’s Lighting and Valerio Gardner’s Sound.

Andrea Stolowitz is an internationally produced playwright, known for her unflinching approach to difficult issues in service of deepening social understanding. Her work is often heartbreaking, and THE BERLIN DIARIES certainly falls into that category.  The play is autobiographical, triggered by Stolowitz reading the diary her great-grandfather kept while living as a Jew in Berlin during the rise of Hitler and the beginning of World War II. The entries were specifically intended for and addressed to his descendants, often beginning with phrases like “My beloveds ….” Excerpts read throughout the play artfully served to encompass and embrace the audience, drawing us into Andrea’s clan.

Andrea’s parents told her that all members of their family had escaped the Holocaust, but in the diary her family’s genealogy becomes more mysterious the deeper she digs, raising far more questions than it answers. Frustrated yet fascinated, Andrea recognizes that these unanswered questions may reveal a far more significant history than the kindly, comfortable accounts that have become family legend. Andrea travels to Berlin seeking clarification and is increasingly troubled as her research adds one name after another to the list of ancestors who were verschollen: lost, like a library book.

I really haven’t committed too many spoilers here; this is the bare outline of THE BERLIN DIARIES, and when you see the play – and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! You do – you’ll be as awestruck as I was for the grim experiences and searing disclosures Andrea is led to by her great-grandfather’s diaries.

THE BERLIN DIARIES plays at Open Space Arts through January 5

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

I chose to review LIGHT SWITCH because the play sounded intriguing, and also because every production I’ve seen at Open Space Arts (OSA) has been excellent. OSA can be relied upon to deliver thought-provoking, enlightening and captivating pieces played by super-talented actors. LIGHT SWITCH was no exception.

LIGHT SWITCH tells the story of Henry, an autistic gay man, across a span of twenty years; the chronicle is both sidesplitting and heartrending. Phillip Andrew Monnett plays Henry in his journey from a taunted and ridiculed child to a PhD student (19th century English literature, to be precise). His dorm roommate Rogie (Henry DelBello) urges him to parties where he’ll meet men; and Rogie’s right; Henry meets several men, [all depicted by Dylan McCumber], none of whom Henry finds suitable except Joseph, played by Peter Manuel Young. Flashbacks help to flesh out Henry’s character by providing insight into Henry’s upbringing, and Hilary Hensler was awesome as his mother Marian.

Playwright Dave Osmundsen is himself autistic, and LIGHT SWITCH presents an accurate and sympathetic portrayal of autism. The scenes depicting the inadvertently devastating reactions of his well-meaning but exasperated mother were as excellent as they were wrenching. Unlike too many representations of autistic people (I’m looking at you, Sony Picture’s The Good Doctor), LIGHT SWITCH avoided many of the tired stereotypes about autistic people, while faithfully sketching many genuine traits … though we must remember that autistic people are not cookie-cutter concordant! For example, Henry’s obsession with Victorian literature is unique, but his penchant for replication is fairly common among autistic people, which we see in his repetition of certain phrases and in ways that overlap with his unique obsession, like having 18 copies of Wuthering Heights.

Monnett was spectacular in the extensive and challenging role of Henry. He deftly maintained the rigid behaviors that are typical of autism while allowing us to follow Henry’s growth as a character. Through Osmundsen's script and Monnett's portrayal, we get to see Henry experience a full range of emotion, from subtle to expansive, something that is rarely afforded to autistic characters but is absolutely part of the experience of autistic people. I attended this show with an autistic friend and there was one scene where this portrayal of emotion didn't quite ring true for them. During the pivotal argument between Rogie and Henry, Henry's emotional state changes quickly multiple times - from anger to curiosity to sadness to decisiveness. It would be more typical for someone with autism to remain in the same emotional state throughout, but here the action of the script dictated moving the story forward a bit more rapidly.

Henry DelBello’s Rogie was purely delightful. Rogie’s steadfast devotion to Henry throughout their seven years together was depicted with poignant authenticity. DelBello gave Rogie a spontaneity and vivacity that brightened the stage with each appearance. I’m usually obnoxed by scenes of drunken rambling, but DelBello never allowed me to feel anything but affection for Rogie. For his part, Peter Manuel Young played the complex character of Joseph admirably. His “promiscuity” was balanced by his obvious fondness for whatever man he was currently making advances towards.

I’m always impressed by how well OSA’s tech crews manage within the teensy stage space available at Open Space Arts! I also noted that they created stadium-style seating by placing folding chairs in front, desk chairs in the second row, and counter stools at the back – so clever! But getting back to the production crew: Michael D Graham directed (with Assistant Shakir Methune), and they did an amazing job, particularly with blocking out the movements of actors and set pieces.  

That being said, I thought the set change blackouts in Act 1 were too frequent; this might have been alleviated by working with Set Designer Rick Paul to minimize the furniture. Less pieces to move about, as we saw with the transitions to and from the Cabin set, would smooth out the action. The books in the background were important to reflect the intense but narrow scope of Henry’s erudition, but beyond that the set only really required those pieces where the actors needed to sit or lie down. That’s my fondness for the minimalist approach to set design talking, but shorter and fewer complex set rearrangements would definitely mitigate the choppiness that distracted me throughout Act 1.

Intimacy Director Greta Zandstra had their work cut out for themselves, as intimacy was a critical issue for Henry. Zandstra did a fine job of balancing Henry’s general fluency with gay sex against his individual disinclination for physical touch. Rogie’s influence was certainly key in this sphere!

A play entitled LIGHT SWITCH could have supported many interesting possibilities for Lighting Designer Justin Walker, but they chose to stick to the basics, and it worked fine. Costume Designer Adie Sutherland had more limited scope to work within, but Rogie’s underpants were terrific! Alex Kingsley’s music was both powerful and plausible. And last but not least: kudos to Stage Manager Joey Bluhm and Producer David Zak.

The term ‘neurodivergent’ was introduced in the early 90’s as an alternative to deficit-based language, e.g. “disorder.” The neurodivergent paradigm is based on the idea that autism and other developmental conditions are differences to be embraced, rather than diseases to be cured.  Thus “neurodiversity” may refer to all people because everyone has a unique way of processing information. To neurodiversity proponents, people are disabled because they are at the edges of the bell curve, not because they are sick or broken. Controversy has arisen among disability advocates, some of whom argue this risks downplaying the suffering experienced by some autistic individuals, and normalizing things some might want treatment for.

The neurodiversity movement emerged largely via online interaction, as the Internet’s design was compatible with the needs of many autistic people. Within the scientific community, autism research may sometimes be too eager to interpret differences as deficits, though a focus on masking autistic traits may be ethically questionable, as some recent studies associate excessive masking with poor mental health, even suicide. The neurodiversity movement attempts to keep autism and its like away from the ‘pathology paradigm’. Stigma against neurodivergence (especially against autism) can severely hinder an individual's ability to perform well in the education system and the workplace.

I heartily celebrate the increasing recognition and understanding of neurodiversity, where the arts provide a critical canvas with plays like LIGHT SWITCH. I’ve learned from seeing the play and discussing it with my autistic companion. The mission of Open Space Arts is to “foster inclusivity, promote understanding, and empower marginalized communities … through the transformative power of creativity and cultural expression”. You certainly accomplished that here, OSA!

LIGHT SWITCH plays at OSA through September 29. I strongly recommend you check it out!

*Extended through October 13th

Those were my first words when I left the performance of COCK to David Zak, producer and resident wizard of Open Space Arts, and he dared me to say it in my review so—here you go, DZ!

But COCK truly is. F***king amazing, I mean. Really.

I’ll introduce the venue first: Open Space Arts (OSA) is ‘dedicated to combating homophobia and antisemitism through the transformative power of creativity and cultural expression’. Nothing to argue with there! OSA Theatre is the quintessential Chicago ‘black box theatre’, and one of the smallest I’ve attended: only about 20 seats, with a stage about the size of my living room (which is pretty bloody small!) … plus, right smack in the center of the stage is this big ol’ vertical drainpipe. I always love seeing how companies work with and around the oddities and idiosyncrasies of their space, and Director Wren Wesner did a singularly splendid job with COCK.

The script: written (or premiered, anyway) in 2008 by British playwright Mike Bartlett, this is the Chicago debut. There are four characters: John (Eliot Hall), his long-time lover M (Kevin Woodrow), M’s father F (Michael Lomenick), and a woman John connects with, W (Sonya Robinson) [Obviously Man, Woman, and Father].  

And the story: John comes home to M after two weeks silent absence. The first act is John and M’s discussion of his absence and the past, present, and future of their relationship, where we establish that John has spent those two weeks with W, a woman he met passing on the street (albeit not a streetwalker) and very rapidly grew very attached to. John and M’s tête-à-tête culminates with John promising M he’ll break it off with W.

But the minute he’s away from M John starts vacillating … who is he anyway? What is he? Is he gay? he’s only ever had sex with men, but this woman is so attractive, and her ‘gap’ (we hear many appellations for this female characteristic, most of them from M and most of them unattractive) … did you get lost there? Sorry. I’m talking about John’s impression of W’s gap (she says that while John gets a hard on, she gets a gap-on) which, much to his surprise—and to ours, particularly having heard M’s singularly negative view — (not to mention our pre-conceived assumption of gay mens’ associations thereof) is a singularly positive impression.  [thank Someone for periods—the punctuation kind, not the gap kind—else that sentence might still be driveling on].

I’m not doing a very coherent job of this, am I? but that’s OK, cos this somewhat chaotic narrative is not inconsistent with the flavor of COCK – not that COCK is incoherent, and it’s certainly not drivel! but it did follow a circuitous course, with Bartlett leaving to us the responsibility of making sense of it all. Because that is just what John finds himself unable to do. Like a fundamentalist Christian, he’s desperately seeking a synopsis, a definitive sobriquet, a Revelation that will define What’s What—and thereby What’s Right and What’s Wrong. What a terrific query for election year 2024! How did Mike Bartlett know we’d need this right now? Luckily David Zak and co-producer Elayne LeTraunik did know, and they brought it to life at OSA to assist us in figuring out WTF is What with American democracy!

But I digress (no surprise there). Back to COCK.

The title is provocative; shouldn’t it be COCK & GAP? But no, the title refers to John’s confusion as to where said cock feels most at home. Some Brit producers called it COCKFIGHT—not inappropriate.

John certainly seems to be gay:  he’s had none but male sex partners all his life, his relationship with M is long-term and committed, he’s never felt any attraction to womankind … until W. So just what is John? Bi? [Though for him it’s more like Gay+1.] Naturally John has thought about What He’s Missing: having kids, belonging to the mainstream community, living a “normal” life … and so on and so forth, you know the drill.

Solution: Invite W to a dinner party where, over roast beef and red wine John will… will what? By the time it actually happens he’s promised both M and W that he will give the others their marching orders. Then the situation is further snarled by M announcing he’s invited his dad for moral support. F brings a surfeit of additional issues as well as additional attitudes to the issues already under review.

So, the story boils down to John making a Decision … does he stick with the gay relationship he knows, the man he loves, and a place that’s at least familiar, or will he choose a ‘normal’, mainstream life with this woman he can’t stop craving? Choose, John! Make a decision!

But wait! This decision is about an issue that they—we!—fervently believe is not a decision but an inborn trait! Decades of blood sweat and tears by LGBTQ activists, mental health professionals, religious leaders, and politicians has finally brought us to the widespread understanding that homosexuality (like heterosexuality) is not a choice, it’s a predilection that everyone is born with and that nobody can just change. So, in asking John to Decide, what happens to that issue? Do we bring back the conversion therapies, restore homosexuality to the DSM, return Anita Bryant to her pulpit, fire all the gay teachers and court-martial the gay soldiers? All just so John can decide where to put his cock?

The acting is extraordinary, beginning with Eliot Hall, who brings authenticity to and elicits sympathy for John’s emotional turmoil. Hall makes us see that John is not just a wishy-washy waffler; he’s genuinely torn, flummoxed by a question he never imagined he’d be obliged to answer … after all, no one should!  He projects intense chemistry with both M and W, spotlighting the degree of his conundrum.

Hall’s admirable performance is more than matched by Kevin Woodrow. M’s bewilderment is fully as unsettling as John’s, with the additional distress of total helplessness. There’s nothing M can do to resolve the situation, or even to influence it; he can only wait until John acts. And bake cheesecake. Woodrow illuminates this ferment, while never letting us (or John!) forget that John is the love of his life.  Woodrow also has terrific comedic sense. The entire script is full of wonderful metaphors, which Woodrow delivers flawlessly, bringing down the house with: “There’s so much emotional crap that orbits you, like you’re collecting space junk.” 

Sonya Robinson is a worthy foil – her performance illustrates the unenviable position W is in: unintentionally, reluctantly, involuntarily, she has fallen in love with this stranger, only to find she must fight for him in a battle she is personally disinclined for. W offers John both passion and compassion. My initial, natural proclivity was to root for M (anyone surprised by this hasn’t been reading my reviews), but Robinson made me understand her better and, if not favor her cause, at least appreciate what John saw in her. And, just BTW, she is NOT mannish!

F is in the action for only a fraction of the 90-minute run, but Michael Lomenick makes the most of that time. Lomenick reads through the script to his unwavering love for his son, both his sons. F brings us an historical aspect; he remembers the times of persecution and prison and as a father is relieved that his sons need not face this oppression.

My companion is new to Chicago theatre, especially the storefront sites; afterwards he told me he had assumed that such a small theatre would mount a “small” production. I laughed and told him, “This is Chicago, cher. There’s fully as much talent in the storefronts as at Goodman or Nederlander”, and he couldn’t but agree, particularly regarding the acting. I expect high-quality acting in the black boxes, but Lomenick, Robinson, Woodrow, and Hall [sounds like the name of a law firm innit?] sailed over even that high-placed bar.

Justin Walker managed the lighting, collaborating with Sound director Angela Joy Baldasare to signal scene changes with light and sound. Director Wren Wesner, with Teri Talo as Assistant, did a totally brilliant job with blocking; the physical space afforded them no other manner of defining scenes, and their magic let us clearly see the apartment: from the foyer, through the living room and back to the outdoor deck, as well as illustrating fluctuating moods and relationships. Talo was also Assistant to Stage Manager Desiree Stypinski; together they maintained the scaffolding for a magnificent production.

I must give a shoutout to Intimacy Coordinator Greta Zandstra: the sex was hot as hell, without a stitch of clothing shed or a single physical touch. Bravo! Masterfully done!

COCK is totally hilarious, and none of the humor is too British for us colonials. But the story is ultimately a tragedy, for John is facing the impossible; deciding whose heart he will break—including his own. No spoilers! but it’s a devilishly difficult situation, innit? and a theme with emotional, societal, political, and personal ramifications. I’ll be thinking about COCK for a long time.

And today I’m HIGHLY RECOMMENDING it!

COCK plays through May 11th at Open Space Arts

SUNSETS: TWO ACTS ON A BEACH is a long-lost diamond by unsung genius Cal Yeomans. Yeomans, despite his myriad talents (playwright, poet, actor, artist, educator, lecturer, photographer, real estate investor, land developer, and philanthropist) was an unfortunate example of the prophet in his own land: only posthumously are his masterful contributions recognized as vital to the post-Stonewall / pre-AIDS gay theatre genre. Maybe he was a visionary; before his work as well as his life were extinguished in 2001 by AIDS he is quoted as saying: "Perhaps in years to come some young queen will find [my writings] in an old trunk bought at an auction, will read [them] and say, 'My God! Was that the way it was? Times sure have changed.' Let us pray for that anyway".

Happily, for us, Director David Zak is not an unsung genius; over three decades of work in Chicago theatre he’s amassed a mantel-full of Jeff Awards, including a special Jeff for “Fostering Diversity in Chicago Theatre”. If you’ve read my reviews, you’ll know that counts for a lot with me!  He served as Artistic Director at Bailiwick Repertory for yonks and, with co-Director Elayne LeTraunik, has taken Open Space Arts under his creative wing. OSA’s mission is to ‘foster inclusivity, promote understanding, and empower marginalized communities’ through various artistic mediums [media? – whatever].

Open Space Arts Theatre is an exemplar of the tiny storefront theatres I adore: on Wilson just east of Clark in, yes, a storefront, OSAT can seat maybe 40, if some people sit on the stairs. Director Zak was at the door to greet patrons, Lighting Designer Justin Walker offered his arm to make sure I didn’t come to grief on the stairs; and there I was, where I love best to watch theatre: immersed in the cast’s pheromone cloud.

Rick Paul gave us a perfect set, keeping it minimalist with creative multi-tasking – the table did service as a couch, a beach, a bed – and even a table!  And I loved Zach Stinnet’s playlists, recalling Donna Summers’ era dance tunes.

Costume Designer Zahrah Agha did a superb job with drag queen persona Henrietta’s gowns & etcetera, but I’m afraid I have a bone to pick with both Agha and Intimacy Designer Greta Zandstra: the press release promised nudity, but they kept their damned dance belts on – drat! and similar ejaculations!

The play is exactly what its title betokens:  two acts, on a beach, at sunset. Act One has a cast of one – John Cardone as Henry. His monologue was superb, with reminiscences ranging from droll to somber, sultry to sassy, superficial to analytical. Henry spoke several times of Him, trying to make light of but unable to conceal his anguish as he describes His defection for a younger, cuter model.

Henry was once Henrietta, a high-end drag act; now he’s “living with my mom … and that’s alright, really!” but we can’t help fearing the lady doth protest just a smidgen too much. Any road, it’s here at the beach that Henry has discovered his calling, a very special ministry. I won’t describe his precise methods, but he plies them here on the beach … or, more precisely, in the beach men’s room. As he follows the latest supplicant through the door marked MEN he delivers his final line, the title of the Act One: “The Line Forms to the Rear”.

There’s no intermission – both acts together are just over an hour – and we move right on to John (Chris Sylvie). Like Henry, John comes pretty regularly to this beach, usually at about sunset. We assume that John, like Henry, has undergone something of a reversal of fortune; from The Big City (“No, not Miami!” he tells Dan) to this small Florida town … but here he has the beach, and it’s here he meets Dan (Aaron Cappello).

Dan is Everyman and is doing pretty well for himself – nice construction job, nice wife, two nice kids – but apparently there’s something missing, cos it sure doesn’t take long for John and Dan to progress from badinage to BJ … after which Dan abruptly leaves and John’s sitting alone again on the beach months later; he’s almost given up on Dan when suddenly there he is again!

Their accidental meetings cum trysts become increasingly intimate but continue to end with Dan’s precipitous withdrawal (no, through the door … yeah). As their encounters become more and more visceral our concern grows: what will happen to John if Dan totally freaks out …?  But [spoiler!] Act Two also has a happy ending, with Dan and John serenaded by chanteuse Henrietta (John Cardone again, in full kit) singing The Man I Love.

It’s very difficult to describe this brief but compelling production without spoilers – I’m starting them already! – so you’re just going to have to trust me: see SUNSET: TWO ACTS ON A BEACH. Really. See it. You will so not be sorry.

*Extended through Sunday, March 3rd