Displaying items by tag: theatre

It’s the big day. The most celebrated parade in the country, Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, is about to set sail down 34th Street, of course passing Macy’s flagship store along the way. When a man who just happens to be named Kris Kringle (Neil Friedman) notices that the hired Santa for Macy’s is intoxicated he brings the matter to the attention of event director Doris Walker (Courtney Jones). But Santa is the grand finale of the parade! What to do? Thanks to a bit of quick thinking, and the fact that the complainant bears a striking resemblance to Santa Claus, Doris convinces Mr. Kringle to handle the role for the day who does so well he is later persuaded to take on the seasonal position as the store’s holiday attraction. Kringle’s a bit quirky. He actually believes he’s Santa Claus. But since he does so well with the hoards of children that come see him each day, the store is willing to overlook the fact that he might have a screw loose. After all, he’s harmless and her really has a way with children. He even speaks Dutch to a girl who does not speak English. Sensational.

Sound familiar? It should. It’s the story of Miracle on 34th Street and Theater at the Center has brought the 1947 film classic to life for the holiday season. An Academy Award winning film and a hit on Broadway since 1963, Theater at the Center brilliantly tackles the classic story with well-rounded cast that boasts an immense amount of talent.

The story revolves around the question – is Santa Claus real. Doris Walker’s daughter Susan (Stella Rose Hoyt) sure seems to thinks so, despite the fact that her mother has raised her not to partake in such silly beliefs. Doris’ friend and soon to be love interest, Fred (Christopher Kale Jones), is no help. He helps perpetuate Susan’s belief in Santa asking in so many words, “Why couldn’t he be real?”

When a disgruntled Macy’s in-house Doctor of Psychology deems Mr. Kringle insane and asks for him to be institutionalized, people rally for the self-proclaimed Santa and the matter is taken to court. The case is extremely publicized. Is Kris Kringle Santa Claus or just a delusional elderly man? Fred, himself, volunteers to represent Santa as his legal counsel in what becomes a well-paced, climactic ending.

Neil Friedman is perfectly cast as Kris Kringle. He brings a warm charm and playfulness to the role to give us a convincing character that we can’t help but root for from his very first scene. Courtney Jones gives us a strong Doris who is believable as the no-nonsense, protective mother that is withholding of a heart that so desperately wants to believe in holiday magic. And while Stella Rose Hoyt does a superb job as Susan and Christopher Kale Jones delivers a bit more of an aggressive and cocky Fred than movie buffs might be used to, we also get an ensemble that holds up to the best of 'em. But when it comes to the show’s most humorous scenes, it’s Dan Klarer’s outstanding portrayal of store manager, Marvin Shellhammer, that really delivers the laugh out loud moments.

Written by George Seaton and based on a story by Valentine Davies, the 1947 film starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn and Natalie Wood has become a Christmas season tradition and the memorable music and lyrics by Meredith Wilson have given us the stage as yet another outlet to take in this charming and heartfelt holiday tale. Songs like “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”, “Here’s Love” (the original name of the stage production), “The Man Over there is Santa Claus” and “Love Come Take Me” are as memorable as they are enjoyable to watch as they are performed.

The perfect extra touch for the Christmas season, Miracle on 34th Street the Musical is sure to inject holiday spirit into the hearts of your family and friends.

Miracle on 34th Street the Musical is playing at Theater at the Center in nearby Munster, Indiana through December 23rd. For tickets and/or more show information, visit www.TheaterAtTheCenter.com.

I loved the Disney version of Beauty and The Beast on the big screen and I think children who have been wowed by the movie version will also be wowed by Drury Lane Theatre’s sumptuous stage production as well. Director Alan Souza and choreographer Ron De Jesus pull out all the stops and keep these characters on the run with a high tech revolving set of staircases overlooked by an enormous glowing rose which we all know is counting down the time The Beast has left to woo Beauty and tame his childish self-centeredness in order to release his entire kingdom from the spell cast when he meanly turned away a magic spirit disguised as a poor old crone. 

Drury’s “Beauty and the Beast” contains super solid vocal and comedic performances from ALL of the supporting players in this show, getting superb contributions from characters Lumiere (Tony Carter), Cogsworth (Nick Cosgrove), Babette (Sierra Schnack), Mrs. Potts (Bri Sudia) and her son Chip (Sophie Ackerman), Madam de la Grande Bouche (Catherine Smitko) and Monsieur D’Argue (Billy Rude). 

The magnificently designed, flattering "glow in the dark" period costumes by (Ryan Park) really pop visually and move with each performers while giving you the sense that each person is truly "trapped" in the role of what they did or worked as when the spell was cast, just as many of us feel we are in daily life by our job roles. 

Delightful songs fill the theatre throughout this masterful production. “Be Our Guest” is a true showstopper that, with so many talented dancers, comedians and the brilliantly designed and colorful amazing costumes swirling up and down the ever moving staircases, it makes the whole audience want to race down to the stage and urge Belle to join the Beast for dinner.

Erica Stephan as Belle gives us a gutsy yet sensible and very intelligent portrayal of "Beauty" and little girls will love how she sticks to her guns when insisting that the Beast act like a gentleman and not a bossy, somewhat unmannerly boyfriend. 

Brandon Contreras is a moody, dark version of the Beast but his shy sense of humor and triumphantly rich vocal range make his performance one that takes a while for Belle to warm up to but finally endears him to her and the audience, as his complex emotions for Belle finally shine out when he is able to make tender his actions AND words towards her. 

Mrs. Potts (Bri Sudia) is another character actress who has an amazing vocal range and her songs are deserving of special notice because they are so well delivered vocally along with her gift for physical comedy.

The play’s nemesis, Gaston, played by Mark Banik is a suitably sexist but not too scary Gaston and delivers some great physical comedy as well. 

It's true that this story like many fairytales starts out with a beautiful yet intelligent heroine with two equally awful men to choose from (or run from in this case) and ends up with marriage to a Prince as the end goal. But at least "Beauty and The Beast" requires the complete transformation of one of the "beasts" chasing after her hand in marriage into a man deserving of her love instead of a brute that she must endlessly battle for respect. 

As one of the best all-around productions I've seen in a long time, I highly recommend this stunning, exciting and fast-paced musical to young and old alike this Holiday Season. I was blown away by visually stunning set and the tremendous talent assembled for this show and I think you will be, too. 

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast" will be performed at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook through January 27th. www.drurylanetheatre.com

The Woman in Black, a retelling of a 19th century gothic ghost story, has already begun electrifying audiences on Halsted Street. This finely-honed, two-man production features strong performances by Adam Wesley Brown as The Actor, and Bradley Armacost as a retired lawyer, Arthur Kipps.

We'll try to minimize any hint of a spoiler in reviewing this suspenseful entertainment, but we can reveal that it is a highly entertaining production with a worthy script. 

Running about 90 minutes with one intermission, the story opens with Kipps standing on stage and reading aloud from a hefty tome. He has hired The Actor to help him retell on stage a horrifying story from his past – hoping both to exorcise powerful, haunting memories, and to warn others to beware and avoid his fate. Kipps needs to gain acting skills to tell the story effectively to audiences – one that happens to be true, and which he knows well, because it happened to him 40 years ago.

But within the first 20 minutes devoted to this scene setting, the The Actor determines that Kipps, plodding woodenly through the script, is no actor.

"I must implore you to have sympathy for your audience," he advises Kipps impatiently. "Performing is an art acquired with tears and time." The Actor thinks the script needs some work, too, as he estimates it would take five hours to deliver.  "If your tale is to be heard, it must become palatable," he says. Kipps reluctantly agrees. 

And so The Actor takes on the role of playing him, and Kipps takes to playing several supporting roles. This transformation is both a study in the art of the theater, and a presentation of the manifest stage skills of Brown, an accomplished Shakespearean performer, and Armacost, who has very completely convinced us that Kipps cannot act at all.

Once they trade roles, and Brown begins playing Kipps (he looks a bit like a young Kenneth Branaugh), Armacost seamlessly sheds his inability to act, transforming into multiple supporting characters right before our eyes. Along with The Woman in Black's other merits, these performances are a delight to behold – and doubtless worth trying to see more than once.

Finely honed after nearly three decades on London’s West End - where it continues to delight crowds – The Woman in Black was originally commissioned as an adaptation from Susan Hill’s 1983 novel. For the Chicago run (through February) the show's London director, Robin Herford, has recreated his original staging for the first time in the U.S. It’s star credentials are further secured by another adaptation made from the book for the 2012 film, starring Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame.

The Woman in Black also serves as a darker alternative to the traditional Christmas shows. Posed as a scary tale told around the hearth late one Christmas Eve, there are ghostly figures in this story but the surprising outcome is decidedly different than other holiday shows. 

The Royal George subtly proffers The Woman in Black as a candidate for holiday-entertainment, the kind of scary story shared by Edwardian families. The tradition of sharing ghost stories around Christmas can be traced to pagan times, as the longer nights approaching the Winter Solstice conjured such tales while villagers huddled for warmth. This show also wards off the ennui some find in repeated efforts to extract seasonal cheer from Charles Dickens' Victorian-era ghost tale. 

Along with the spine-tingling excitement, this highly polished production restores to life to another sleeping specter, the main stage of the Royal George Theatre, one of the city’s most congenial performance venues. Dark for months (and just across the street from the heavily trafficked Steppenwolf Theatre) it’s now bound to be packed for this excellent show.

The play is a thriller, with many of the chills delivered the old fashioned way, through lighting, sound and props. It falls within the bounds of comfort for more sensitive viewers (like my companion) who will find it just below that threshold of covering-the-eyes scary). It's also hip enough to appeal to young adult audiences, who filled a third of the seats on opening night. 

The Woman in Black is highly recommended. Booked through February 19, 2019 at the Royal George Theatre, it plays Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; with matinees at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday; and Sunday night performances at 7:00 p.m. 

When Schönberg and Boublil’s Miss Saigon made its original run in the early 90s, I missed it — too far away to catch a traveling performance, and too young to have seen or even afforded to see it. And back then, I was way too young to have really understood the big, Important (with a capital I) issues the musical raised, or which were raised by its very being. Sure, I knew many of the show’s songs, from the ubiquitous double-CD soundtrack that seemed to exist in the music collection of nearly every person I knew. But like they say, that Miss Saigon was wasted on the young.

So given the chance to see the current touring production currently playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, I sat down not so young, but ready to finally see the show I thought I’d known all those years. And while it was every bit the spectacle I imagined, my experience — and the experiences our world has had — added even more substance and complexity to an already substantial and complex tale.

First, the spectacle. Many of the touring productions coming through Chicago are great but feel pared down compared to shows that would stay for extended periods. Perhaps it’s also the style of recent shows, as well, to be economical and sparse when it comes to stage design. But that’s not the case with this Miss Saigon.

The sets dazzle, with red-light signs flashing, American flags waving, Ho Chi Minh glaring, and chopper blades throbbing. The costumes, too, transport you, to brothels catering to America GIs, huts housing the Vietnamese whose land they’ve overrun, and embassy gates closed to some.

The ensemble dazzles, as well, making the cast seem even larger than it is. Whether it’s said servicemen out for a bit of R&R or the women whose lot in life is to provide it, whether it’s postwar Communist soldiers marching in file, or postwar American men looking to provide for the children fathered half a world away, the cast fills all the roles the show requires, and they fill them well.

The ensemble really earns its pay during the showstopper near the end when Red Concepcion’s pimp, The Engineer, champions that elusive “American Dream” — high-stepping and singing as The Engineer preens and prances. Concepcion’s Engineer takes on even more meaning than perhaps he would have 25 years ago, as the fast-talking, macho-walking archetype who’ll use others — particularly those less powerful than himself — is one fully come to life. So, too, do some of his lines hit hard, especially the added bit about “Cocaine, shotguns, and prayer—hallelujah!” being the American dream, of then or now. But whether portraying the awfulness of yesteryear or that which we now face, Concepcion steals the show.

That’s not to say the rest of the cast isn’t wonderful. Starting the second act, J. Daughtry’s John changes from a typical young Marine at war to a man who’s been changed by the things he saw and did while there. Leading a men’s chorus in “Bui Doi,” a song about the children fathered by American soldiers and “born in strife,” Daughtry’s voice rises above the chorus and the moving pictures of children projected behind him, reaching for the rafters even as it laments the lows of humanity’s inhumanity.

Anthony Festa, as John’s fellow Marine Chris, also subverts the macho American infantryman one would expect. Whether it’s the touching “Wedding Ceremony” he shares with Kim (hauntingly chorused by the female ensemble members into something like a hymn) or his duet with her on “Last Night of the World,” a “song played on a solo saxophone, a crazy sound, a lonely sound,” he cries “a cry that tells us love goes on and on.”

But it is Emily Bautista as Kim whose cry is the loudest, the loveliest, and goes on and on across the Cadillac’s stage. Bautista brings both vulnerability and strength to a role that in lesser hands might very well be engulfed by such a grand staging. From singing to and with Chris of the sun and moon, to telling the son she had with him that “I’d Give My Life for You,” Kim’s life is the focus, from her entrance to her exit.

And everything in between is what will surely take the breath away and break the hearts of anyone in attendance of this production of Miss Saigon, a production that not only shines a light on an unfortunate international moment of the past, but on the continued problems with humanity and inhumanity with which our world still struggles.

Marriott Theatre brings yet another high-energy, song and dance production to its audience, this time mounting the regional premiere of ‘Holiday Inn’, a sentimental musical based on the 1942 film of the same name featuring the music of Irving Berlin and starring such great as Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds. Directed and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Denis Jones and musically directed by Jeff Award winning Ryan T. Nelson, ‘Holiday Inn’ might just be one of Marriott’s greatest triumphs over the past few years.

“I am completely elated to revisit my work from the Broadway production of ‘Holiday Inn’ at the Marriott Theatre,” says Jones. It’s an honor to celebrate some of the greatest works of Irving Berlin and join forces with some of the most talented actors in theatre. With mesmerizing costumes and equally enthralling performances, audiences will leave with a few holiday surprises and a whole lot of holiday spirit.”

And though classics such as “White Christmas”, “Easter Parade”, “Blue Skies”, “Heat Wave”, “Be Careful, It’s my Heart” and “Shaking the Blues Away” are performed to perfection, it is the dance numbers in this production that truly steal the audience’s breath.

Jim Hardy (Michael Mahler) and Ted Hanvover (Will Burton) are best friends. The two entertainers have found a tremendous amount of success in New York as a song and dance trio that also stars Lila Dixon (Kimberly Immanuel). Lila and Jim are also quite the item and Jim wants nothing more to marry her. But the New York scene has run its course with Jim, so he also wants to hang up his tap shoes and take to the country. He proposes to his Lila, who accepts, and then shows her the deed to a farmhouse in Connecticut that he has just purchased in the hopes she would also want to give up show biz for a quiet life in the country. So, maybe he should have discussed such a major decision with Lila prior to making such a large purchase. When the three are offered a six-month touring engagement, Lila breaks Jim’s heart and hits the road with Ted. So it’s off to the country, alone, for Jim.

Dejected, Jim soon arrives at his newly purchased farmhouse ranch only to find Louise (Marya Grandy), a self-proclaimed “fixit man”, kind of comes with the house. In exchange for room and board, Louise will tend to the farmhouse but her title of “fixit man” extends much beyond the home itself. It isn’t long before the daughter of the previous owners, Linda Mason (Johanna McKenzie Miller), stops by to pick up some of the things that were left behind when the farmhouse was foreclosed upon. It isn’t long before a friendship develops and perhaps a spark ignites between them. It also isn’t long before Jim realizes farming might not be for him and longs for the stage again. And, as it turns out, Linda just so happens to have some performing experience of her own. But why go back to New York when you can bring New York to you? Just after Jim gets a surprise visit from a large group of performing friends, he comes up with the idea of turning the farmhouse into an entertainment getaway. After all, he’s got the floor space and plenty of rooms for guests. When his performer friends cannot commit to regular shows because of their own hectic schedules, it is decided shows will only be staged over the holidays – thus, ‘Holiday Inn’.

As chemistry builds between Jim and Linda, a drunken Ted reappears during opening night who briefly dances with Linda and soon has his sights on her as his new dance partner since Lila has left him for a Texas millionaire. Jim quickly finds himself in a similar situation, so we can only hope things will turn out differently for the all-around nice guy who may have found love once again.

‘Holiday Inn’ is filled with big, spirited dance numbers that are pure visual delights and the highlights are many. Will Burton’s recreation of Astaire’s “Let’s Say it with Firecrackers” is certainly one of them as he brilliantly taps his way around the stage with a bang – several bangs in fact. Johanna McKenzie Miller also leaves a strong impression, beautifully showcasing her amazing voice in such songs as “Nothing More to Say” and “White Christmas”. And throughout the talented dancing and singing offered in this production, Marya Grandy balances out the show with her incredibly funny performance as Louise, adding plenty of laugh out loud moments. A world-class ensemble that includes the familiar faces of Joe Capstick, Adam LaSalle, Laura Savage and Alejandro Fonseca pushes this musical into overdrive, while Lorenzo Rush Jr. as agent Danny Reed is a pleasure to watch in every scene he graces and child actor Patrick Scott McDermott also adds several moments of well-delivered humor.

Marriott Theatre presents a gem of a holiday treat that can be enjoyed by everyone. ‘Holiday Inn’ runs through January 6th and is highly recommended. For tickets and/or more show information visit www.MarriottTheatre.com.

It’s a rare treat to get to experience anything as unique as Manual Cinema’s production of ‘Frankenstein’ at Court Theatre. With several productions of ‘Frankenstein’ going on this year, one might wonder how they’re each distinguishing themselves. Manual Cinema’s original adaptation is just that, a manual cinema. Told with intricate shadow puppets on classroom overhead projectors, ‘Frankenstein’ is like spending the evening in a toy box.

In a collaboration with Court Theatre as part of their season, Manual Cinema returns to University of Chicago where they started. The company was formed in 2012 by University of Chicago faculty members and has since evolved into an internationally acclaimed performance art troupe. Manual Cinema still resides in Chicago.

This theatrical production of ‘Frankenstein’ is unlike anything you have ever seen. Drew Dir’s concept closely follows Mary Shelley’s novel and even includes an intermittent story arc about how Mary Shelley came to write ‘Frankenstein’. Unlike a traditional play, this production contains no spoken dialogue. Instead, the cast furiously dashes around the set creating a visual splendor on several overhead projectors. Though, there are scenes of more traditional acting or, pantomime, layered into the play as well. The show is projected onto a main screen but it’s nearly impossible not to sneak away glances to the corners where the visuals are being created. A live orchestra beautifully scores the play with original music composed by Kyle Vegter and Ben Kauffman.

This production is riveting. Not only are the projections and music sumptuous but the shadowy atmosphere created by Manual Cinema is haunting. The staging is set up in a way that encourages the audience to watch how the projections are created. The story is somewhat simplified but in that simplicity is an almost pop-up book version of Shelley’s classic horror story. The cinematic score propels the action and provides an emotional component to the piece. The two-hour run time seems to breeze by and you’re left not wanting the excitement to end.

‘Frankenstein’ is Manual Cinema’s sixth full length show but hopefully that means there will be plenty more. If you’re wondering which ‘Frankenstein’ to see this fall, this is the one. There is surely nothing else like it.

Through December 1st at Court Theatre. 5535 S Ellis Avenue. 773-753-4472

The setting is a drought-stricken Midwest cattle town. Sheriff File (played by Denzel Tsopnang) and the town folk set the mood as they lament that “the earth is burning, crops is bad, and land is dry” in opening number “Another Hot Day” of BoHo Theatre’s presentation of 110 in The Shade.

But it’s not all bad news as one cattle ranching family, H.C.(Pops), Noah, and Jimmy get the welcome news that sister Lizzie’s Coming Home. Lizzie (played by Neala Barron) has been visiting kin, in the hopes of finding a husband. Her quest for love however was as fruitless as the drought-damaged trees.

When fast talking charismatic Starbuck (played by Tommy Thurston), a self-proclaimed “rainmaker”, comes rolling into town proclaiming that for a measly $100, in advance of course, “it’s gonna rain all through the mornin’. It’s gonna rain all through the night. It’s gonna rain all day tomorrow, Now, won’t that be a sight!” the town is whipped into a frenzy.

Beyond the frenzy and excitement (and tension) as we await the promised rain, we witness many layers of emotion in the characters, including insecurity and self-doubt, internal conflict, family conflict, and ultimately love and hope.

Neala Barron (Lizzie) gives a very emotionally raw performance. Her body language and facial expressions were honest and believable. In “Simple Little Things”, I had tears in my eyes. I truly felt compassion towards her character. Her vocal performance was superb!

Tommy Thurston (Starbuck) gave an equally strong though less emotional performance. His charisma and energy were perfectly matched to his portrayal of the fast-talking con-man, yet he successfully and believably toned it down for the more intimate scenes. Vocally, I felt that the fast pacing of some his songs challenged his depth of breath and dropped off just a little.

Denzel Tsopnang (File) was strong as the third lead. While his role didn’t command as much attention his performance was reserved as the role required. His vocal performance however was first class from the opening number and throughout.

H.C. Noah, and Jimmy (Peter Robel, Billy Dawson, and Christopher Ratliff) were excellent in their supporting roles. They each played an important role in the emotional depth of the story.

The production design and technical direction was outstanding as well, specifically the use of lighting to either set a mood, the special effects of thunder, lightning and rain, and the working windmill were more than I expected in this mid-size venue.

Directed by BoHo Theatre Artistic Director Peter Marston Sullivan, this production is rich in emotion, converting this simple romance into a deeply moving story of family conflict, loneliness, love and hope. While this entire production, because of its strength, could transfer easily to a bigger stage, I am happy to have been able to experience the intimacy and the emotion in this mid-size venue. The ensemble size fit the production and filled the stage nicely; the production never felt cramped in this sized theatre.

BoHo Theatre’s production of 110 in The Shade is a MUST SEE for this theatre season!

At Theater Wit thru Dec 16, 2018.

Siegfried, the third installment of Richard Wagner’s monumental cycle, The Ring of the Niebelungen, opened in a comic-book fairy tale, if not quite mythical version this past Saturday evening to an enthusiastic full house at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In the preceding two seasons, the prologue, Das Rheingold and then Die Walküre were presented in this production directed by David Pountney. The final opera, Die Götterdämmerung will be mounted next year, and all four will be performed in the 2020 season. It will sell out quickly to an international audience of Wagnerites who fly all over the world to see the complete Ring, so buy your tickets as soon as you can!

Richard Wagner was a flawed human being. His music is not. It is the very pinnacle of 19th century German romantic opera, from which later, great composers went this way or that, but never higher. Bad people can write good music, just as good people can write bad music. I would never vote for the man if he were running dog catcher (apologies to dogs), but you should never miss any opportunity to hear his magnificent music dramas performed live in a major opera house. With Sir Andrew Davis expertly leading the outstanding Lyric Opera Orchestra, which is the true star of the show, Siegfried is a “must see”. Especially magnificent were the low brass, complete with Wagner tubas, invented just for the Ring. But this is Chicago, and the ghost of Georg Solti lives!

The very first thing that Wagner Newbies instinctively worry about is the seemingly daunting length of Wagner’s operas. DON’T! Think of it as an evening spent binge watching three or four episodes of Game of Thrones, with time to go get a beer and a snack after each episode. If you allow yourself to be carried along by the current of the glorious music, as a leaf floats on a rushing stream, there is little awareness of the passing time. We’ve been to a lot of shorter operas that have felt far longer. There aren’t many better ways to spend a few hours of your life.

Since the pivotal Jahrhundertring production of The Ring celebrating its centenary in 1976, directors and designers have almost religiously eschewed the traditional, and often caricatured, horned helmets and breastplates, letting their imaginations run wild and leaving us at the mercy of regietheater. This production of Siegfried is much more watchable than the one last presented by the Lyric over a dozen years ago, but some over-the-top and over-done business took away from an otherwise workable, if lightweight version. The scenery, originally designed by Johan Engels and now in the hands of Robert Innes Hopkins, is creative and fanciful on a large fairy-tale, rather than legendary, scale. The tall, movable scaffolds on either side of the stage, which mimic imagined stage machinery from ancient Greek drama, serve a multitude of useful and imaginative purposes. The production elements, including the inflatable oversized giants in Das Rheingold, and the dragon Fafner in this opera, take the work out of the realm of profound allegory and make it whimsical – too whimsical perhaps, along the lines of Sendack’s Where the Wild Things Are. We thought on more than one occasion “you should bring the grand-kids to see this!” And maybe you should, so that one day they will return to see a grown-up production.

The story picks up about 18 years after Wotan (king of the gods) left his favorite daughter, Brünhilde, sleeping on a rock surrounded by fire. He did this as punishment for disobeying her father by trying to help Wotan’s bastard son, Siegmund who was conceived with a mortal human, in battle against Hunding, the abusive husband of Siegmund’s twin sister, #metoo, Sieglinde. Siegmund was then killed, as Wotan’s wife and the Goddess of Marriage, Fricka commanded. Siegmund’s magic sword, Notung, was broken to be repaired only by a hero who does not know fear. Sieglinde died giving birth to the son that she and Siegmund conceived in an adulterous and incestuous moment of passion. That son, little Siegfried (remember him?), was raised by the dwarf Mime, not out of the kindness of his heart, as he would have Siegfried believe, but knowing that one day the orphan would grow up to be the great hero that will recover the stolen magic ring (yes, the Ring) which is guarded by the dragon Fafner (who used to be a giant), allowing Mime to rule the world, instead of his brother Alberich, who had the ring made from a lump of gold found in the Rhein river. Are you keeping up? If it seems a little confusing, no worries; in these operas someone will say what has happened before, what is going to happen, then it will happen, and then someone will say what has just happened because of what happened before. The projected titles in English by Colin Ure distilled Wagner’s sometimes dense prose into understandable, if somewhat prosaic dialogue, making it easy to follow the story.

The opening scene is set in the secluded hut where Siegfried, now grown, lives alone with Mime. Yet, as conceived by David Pountney and Johann Engels, this strangely takes the form of a nursery or day care classroom. Children’s drawings cover the wall, oversized table, chairs and a play pen filled with toys relentlessly remind us that Siegfried is young, naïve and ignorant of the world outside of this little abode and the surrounding forest. In answer to Siegfried’s questions about his parentage, Mime answers that he himself has been both father and mother to the boy, which probably explains why Mime is sporting a ladies negligee over his pants and boots. In this get-up, with his strong arms bared, images of Corporal Klinger from MASH were hard to dispel. Nevertheless, while Mime has taught him much, Siegfried has never learned what fear is.

Sigmund’s broken sword, Nothung, able to be repaired only by a hero who has never learned to fear (see above) is now in the possession of Mime. The dwarf’s familiarity with fear renders him manically frustrated in his inability to re-forge Nothung. However, since Siegfried has never known fear, he is able to repair his father’s sword, aided by a white-board easel of step by step instructions and a shipment of necessary equipment intended to look like it came from Amazon Prime (you know the label), and carried in by Mime’s mimes. We’re not making that up. They actually had mimes. Seventeen of ‘em. They were good mimes. Giant bellows high in the scaffold fan the flames, and the water tub to cool the hot steel even comes with a little rubber ducky. If you think that sounds a little silly, it actually did work in that fairy tale, if not grand mythical, way.

Siegfried was sung by Burkhart Fritz, making his American operatic stage debut. His burnished voice has a welcome sweetness, unusual in a dramatic tenor voice. Yet, Fritz is a little underpowered for a house the size of the Lyric, demonstrating just how hard it is to find singers capable of modern Wagnerian demands. He sang exquisitely in Act Two in “Dass der mein Vater nicht ist” and in the exchanges with the bird during the “Forest Murmurs” scene. However, the “Forging Song” in Act One lacked the budding virility and exuberance of a young man ready to slay a dragon and fall in love for the first time. Fritz is a fine actor and he played his role with energy, sincerity and integrity. Unfortunately, he was costumed in a way that made him look anything but heroic, and much more like Charlie Brown just before Lucy pulls the football away. Every time he left the stage we silently implored, “Please, oh please, change your costume and come back looking like a hero!”

Matthias Klink, Opernwelt magazine’s 2017 Singer of the Year and in his Lyric Opera debut, brought great physicality and commitment to the insidiously creepy role of Mime. He used his clarion and multi-colored voice fearlessly to bring out the grotesqueness and depraved disingenuousness of the sly, evil character, singing beautifully at times, yet with moments of such intentional, albeit appropriate ugliness, that we feared for his vocal health. That kind of singing is very exciting, in a Roman Circus live-or-die sort of way.

Wotan, incognito as “The Wanderer” is nobly and sympathetically sung by Eric Owens. His rich, deeply hued voice conveys the universal majesty of the king of the gods, the intimate sadness of a father who has lost two of his favorite children and is estranged from a third, and the crushing pathos of a great leader who knows his reign is coming to an end. (It’s hard being a god in opera.) His instrument does not possess the overwhelmingly booming power of notable Wotans of the past, such as Hans Hotter, but it is more beautiful and moving. Mr. Owens is splendid in the role and eminently capable of filling the shoes of the great James Morris, even as Morris’ commanding Wotan is still vivid in our hearts and minds.

The Act Two forest setting is a simple, but enchanting forest of sail-like conifers which hides the lurking dragon and its lair. The mimes were now bearing large green leaf-like glow-stick sculptures. We’re not sure why, but it was pretty. Alberich reappears from when we last saw him two operas ago in Rheingold, looking like a homeless vagrant with all of his possessions in a modern day shopping cart, along with his severed arm macabrely preserved in a glass case. Alberich hopes that when Mime and Siegfried attempt to kill the dragon, they will both die and he, Alberich, can reclaim the magic treasure. If nothing else, these guys have stamina. The talented bass Samuel Youn returned as Alberich with his strong voice and appropriately disturbing characterization.

Fearless Siegfried now engages Fafner, the giant who has turned himself into a dragon to guard his treasure. Patrick Guetti, a former member of the Ryan Center program, with the help of a little amplification for his off-stage singing, has terrific chops for the part. The fight with the giant inflatable dragon was as exciting as anything you might see at the movies, with massive claws which would at times completely cover the singer and a fearsome maw of gargantuan teeth. Siegfried is able to whack off a piece of the dragon’s tail, which keeps twitching as the hero disappears from sight to make the fatal blow, causing the dragon to deflate. In his death throes, Fafner changes back into a giant, run through by Notung, spilling green blood. Ew. Siegfried tastes a drop and gains the ability to understand the Forest Bird, which first appeared in Act I as a puppet looking like a creature from a Dr. Suess book. In Act II, the Forest Bird was charmingly portrayed by another Ryan Center alumnus Diana Newman. She sang prettily and deserves extra points for bravery, perched as she was on the edge of the railing way up above the stage in Valhalla.

Siegfried, who still hasn’t experienced fear, takes the ring and the magic helmet, Tarnhelm, and having also gained the ability to read Mime’s thoughts, learns the dwarf was planning to drug and kill him. Who knew dragon’s blood had such power? And so, Siegfried must now kill Mime. Who ever said opera is boring? If only opera producers would have the courage to understand that it’s not.

In Act Three, Wotan goes to seek the advice of Erda, the primeval Earth Goddess, to find out how to keep the gods from becoming irrelevant. BTW, Erda is also the mother, with Wotan, of Brünhilde, the girl asleep on the fiery rock. Emerging from her subterranean sleep, Erda can listen to Wotan, but knows that the events already set in motion cannot be altered. Ronnita Miller was absolutely terrific in the short role with a voice of tremendous beauty and an astonishing low register.

So far, so good; one could quibble about this, that or the other thing, in particular the lack of gravitas in the production, but up until that point, the performance was engaging, interesting and told the story. Sadly, the final scene was a terrible disappointment. When Siegfried overcomes the flames surrounding the former Warrior Maiden, Brunhilde, we are in store for some of the most sublime, romantic, and erotically charged music ever written as the young pair discover each other. Killing a dragon was nothing compared to meeting a woman for the first time, and Siegfried finally begins to understand fear. (If you haven’t figured it out for yourselves yet, she’s his aunt.) It started promisingly enough, with their innocent trepidation, in spite of their instant attraction, but then the scaffolds turned to reveal little rooms on opposite sides of the stage, brightly painted, with balloons and a pink kiddie chair for Brünhilde and a little blue kiddie chair for Siegfried. Yes, they are young, innocent, naïve, immature etc. etc. Duh, we get it. But holding hands and swinging them back and forth, they looked more like Hansel and Gretel than the passionate couple destined to change the world forever. When they finally reclined on the grassy knoll in a copulatory embrace, it wasn’t romantic or sexy, it was just awkward. Bear in mind, Siegfried looks like Charlie Brown and Brünhilde looks like the Saint Pauli Girl. We can only hope this will be revised for the 2020 remounting. Soprano Christine Goerke, who was thrilling as Brünhilde in Die Walküre (not to mention the title role in Elektra and as Cassandra in Les Troyen), has the goods; a full dramatic sound, strong stage presence, intelligence and good acting instincts, however, she sounded as if she wasn’t quite warmed up. Could have been just one of those days, could have been having to lie still on a fiery rock for half an hour before she had to sing, no doubt she will be in better form in the future.

The Fat Lady says: Go see Siegfried!

Performances continue through November 16. Only three more performances!

For tickets: www.lyricopera.org or call 312-827-5600.

And save a few days of PTO to see the entire Ring here in 2020.

Five hours is a long time to do anything. A five-hour German opera loosely based on incest can sound even longer when given the choice on a Saturday night. That said, Lyric Opera’s new production of Wagner’s ‘Siegfried’ feels anything but long. ‘Siegfried’ is the third installment in Wagner’s four-opera ‘Ring’ cycle. Beginning in 2016, the Lyric has endeavored to produce the entire cycle with next year being the conclusion. David Pountney returns to direct this exciting production.

‘Siegfried’ is the most mysterious of the four ‘Ring’ operas. For as many people familiar with ‘Die Walkure’, just as many will have never heard of ‘Siegfried’. It is within this opera that the musical tone of the cycle shifts. Wagner took a twelve-year break in his work on the ‘Ring’ cycle and by the time he finished ‘Siegfried’ his style had changed. The music begins playfully in Act I as young Siegfried (Burkhard Fritz) learns to sword fight with his androgynous keeper, Mime (Matthias Klink), who attempts to forge swords strong enough to slay the dragon Fafner. Siegfried proves too strong and each shatter. Mime knows if he can convince naïve Siegfried to kill Fafner, the ring and its power can be his, should he kill Siegfried. A soaring second act takes place in the woods while hunting and killing the dragon. Curiously there isn’t a single female voice until nearly three hours in. It is here where Wagner’s work on the opera takes a break.

Act three Siegfried is introduced to Brunnhilde, who happens to be his aunt. Lyric welcomes back Christine Goerke in the role of Brunnhilde as she previously appeared in ‘Die Walkure’ last season. This is where Wagner picked it back up and the music becomes noticeably darker and more exciting. Burkard Fritz and Christine Goerke give spectacular performances. Their voices blend seamlessly throughout the romantic second half.

Pountney’s vision for the lesser produced ‘Siegfried’ is fascinating. Continuing with his theater-within-a-theater concept, the first scene begins in a psychedelic child’s nursery. While some may see it as absurd staging, it’s vital staging. Juxtaposed with the cinematic Wagner music, the neons in blacklight bring opera into the twenty first century. Staging for that forest in Act II is what makes this a truly memorable experience. The talented Lyric orchestra matched with stunning visuals and lighting effects created by Poutney are quite arresting.

Young people, have no fear, you can go to the opera and actually enjoy it. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those interested in ‘Lord of the Rings’ or ‘Game of Thrones’ perhaps consider from where those familiar plot lines whence came. The Lyric does an admirable job appealing to young audiences with an outstanding new production of an infrequently produced Wagner classic.

Through November 16th at Lyric Opera. 20 N Wacker. 312-827-5600

This was an interesting production that oddly enough had very little to do with radio. ‘Radio Culture’ is a one act play with a somewhat unique concept where just one actor holds a speaking role.

TUTA’s home theatre space (4670 N Manor in Chicago) is a small little place that makes you feel at home upon entering. I grew up in that neighborhood and the idea of having a small theatre in that area never even crossed my mind. I give a lot of credit to the people putting on these smaller productions since there isn’t very much money coming in outside of donations that are crucial in keeping the theatre going. You gotta really love what you are doing when you work with small, or storefront, theatres.

The setting takes us to a Russian construction site. The small audience is literally in a room under construction. This is a plus as we get a true intimate theatre experience that is about as up close and personal as you can get.

Kevin V. Smith plays Volodya who lives in Minsk with his parents. He acts more as narrator to the events, speaking in the third person. The whole play basically takes place in a day in the life of the Russian construction foreman who finds comfort in the classical music he listens to as the program Radio Culture is pushed across the airwaves. Natalie Ferdova does an impressive job in translating this story from Russian to English while Amber Robinson gets a nod for some very creative direction. Huy Nguyen and Wain Parham complete the ensemble with non-speaking roles.

This is one of those ideas that probably wouldn’t work as well on the big stage since the intimacy of the production is one of the attributes that makes this play so special, though the story is engaging and peaks one’s interest throughout. At times, the actors were right in front of you making eye contact, as if they were in your own living room.

The visuals don’t exactly make or break the performance but get the point across while the dialog was written in such a way that it was very easy to follow. I really want to give a shout out to Smith for his ability to flawlessly rip out 70 minutes of very convincing dialogue. A true professional, there was never a hesitation in his delivery and he truly keeps your attention through the entire play.

I would without hesitation recommend going to see ‘Radio Culture’ at TUTA.

‘Radio Culture’ is being performed at TUTA Theatre through December 2nd. For tickets and/or more information visit www.tutatheatre.org.

*Extended through March 3rd