Displaying items by tag: theatre

What makes a life extraordinary? Is it the chance meetings with celebrities, surviving world war or is it all the love that surrounds us? ‘Lady in Denmark’ by Dael Orlandersmith makes its world premiere at Goodman Theatre under the direction of Victory Gardens’ Artistic Director, Chay Yew.

Orlandersmith is known for her non-traditional approach to theatre but ‘Lady in Denmark’ feels a little more familiar in style and content. Orlandersmith’s work was last seen at the Goodman in the spring when she starred in her one-woman play ‘Until the Flood.’ Her 2007 work ‘Yellowman’ was shortlisted for the Pulitzer. Orlandersmith tends to write single-actor pieces in which storytelling turns into character and dialogue. While the idea of one-woman-play might have some running for the exits, trust that ‘Lady in Denmark’ will hold your attention, and without the 2-drink minimum.

‘Lady in Denmark’ is basically a 90-minute monologue from the point of view of Helene (Linda Gehringer). She’s nearing 80 and cleaning up the birthday party she’d just thrown for her late husband who’d died shortly before. While turning over sides of Billie Holiday records, Helene relates the story of her life. Helene is a fictional character who lived through the privation of the German occupation of Denmark in WWII. The music of Billie Holiday has been the through-line of her life.

Between Orlandersmith’s script and Gehringer’s performance, this play touches on so many things. Linda Gehringer tells the stories of Helene’s life with such magnitude that you nearly feel like you lived the memories yourself. An impressive Danish accent contributes to a real sense of authenticity in this play. You quickly forget that this character is indeed fiction. Gehringer’s incredibly human performance reaches a peak by the end when she tells us about her husband’s illness and death. Orlandersmith includes some nuggets of wisdom on the idea of grief. While we never meet Helene’s husband, we cry for her loss just the same.

Helene tells us how she survived the occupation, managed to host a dinner for Billie Holiday in her home in Denmark but also married the love of her life and created an entire life for herself in America. Some may only think of the time they had a celebrity in their home when they take stock of a life, but Orlandersmith shows us a woman who appreciated every ounce of love in her life. There’s a lot of humor in this play but it’s well balanced with bittersweet ruminations on loss and grief. And of course, a killer soundtrack.

Through November 18th at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn. 312-443-3811

I had high expectations for Cosmologies as I read the promotional material in preparation for attending the show’s opening at The Gift Theatre. The opening scene also gave me hope (briefly) as it was humorous and set the viewer up for the anticipated “existential absurdist comedy.”

Instead the audience was witness to an intellectual “terrestrial battle” (to use the playwright’s words) that while absurd, as promised, was also manic and tragic in the end.

In the opening scene, young high school buddies Eric (feature actor Kenny Mihlfried) and Milt (Gregory Fenner) awake in a hotel room in an unfamiliar city, Chicago. Eric is a wide-eyed curious youth running from his past. Milt has been duped into joining him on his adventure but quickly comes to his senses (and sobers up) and catches the next bus back home, leaving Eric to fend for himself in his absurd adventure.

Over the next two and half hours, the audience is invited to join Eric’s out-of-body experience that intertwines his childhood fascinations, his abusive father and his unhealthy love for his mother.

The story is moved along (or dragged down) by countless monologues by Eric. While successful early in Act One in conveying Eric’s quirky, nerdy personality, then showing some humanity or hidden insight, these monologues would been much more effective in smaller quantity. Instead there were so many that towards the end of Act One they were becoming tedious and I was becoming disengaged and hearing only “blah, blah, blah.”

In spite of my failure to connect with the playwright, the all-ensemble cast performance and the set design were both strong.

Kenny Mihlfried is the featured actor and carries the weight of the script throughout. His portrayal as a troubled introvert teenager (probably ADHD) was very sympathetic.

Darci Nalepa (Teddy/Mom) had the most range and depth of character, in my opinion, as she used her stage presence and visual expression to portray both a victim and an abuser. She was an unlikely “hero” that I was rooting for.

James Farruggio and John Kelly Connolly were both strong although slightly stereotypical/predictable in their potrayals of Richard and Convict respectively.

The set design and props were whimsical and helped convey that what we were witnessing imagery not reality. The Fisher Price Telephone and the bright green plastic gun were essential to the absurdity. I do however question the decision to not use real liquid in the gin bottle or some morsel of real food on the plates. Eating and drinking “air” seems so easy to remedy, especially when the gin was an important element of multiple scenes.

As the opening show audience in this 50-seat theatre was a mix of reviewers and supporters, I observed a mixture of audience response. I look forward to reading other reviews to see if I missed the mark. For more information on this production visit www.thegifttheatre.org. Through December 9th at The Gift Theatre.

Hello, Dolly! starring Betty Buckley
Oriental Theatre thru November 17, 2018

Tony Award winning superstar Betty Buckley is featured in the title role of this revival of the 1964 Broadway musical Hello, Dolly! based on Thornton Wilder's 1955 play The Matchmaker. For theatre enthusiast, it’s a familiar story…and it’s so nice to have you back where you belong!

Set in New York in 1895, Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi is a fast-talking matchmaker and meddler whose been hired to find a new wife for grouchy “half-a-millionaire” feed store owner Horace Vandergelder (Lewis J. Stadlen). Vandergelder travels from his hometown of Yonkers to New York City with the intent of proposing to widowed hat shop owner Irene Molloy (Analisa Leaming). But Dolly secretly schemes to prevent Vandergelder from popping the question to Irene, for one simple reason - the matchmaker, who is also widowed, wants to marry him herself.

Back in Yonkers, Vandergelder’s feed store clerk Cornelius Hackl (Nic Rouleau) and his sidekick Barnaby Tucker (Jess LeProto) shut down the store so they also can journey to New York in search of adventure and possibly a kiss. When they wander into the hat shop and cross paths with the owner Irene and her chatty clerk Minnie Fay (Kristen Hahn), the stage is set for a madcap game of cat-and-mouse as they escape the suspicious Vandergelder.

Director Jerry Zaks and Choreographer Warren Carlyle pull out all the stops in this fast-moving story that includes a bustling parade and a jam-packed New York City courtroom. The high point of the adventure is the famous Harmonia Gardens Restaurant scene. It is a true showstopper with the high energy choreography in “The Waiter’s Gallop” followed by the grand staircase entrance of Dolly herself, as she is welcomed “home” by the entire restaurant staff performing the title song.

Ms. Buckley and Mr. Stadlen have a good rapport even if it felt as if Ms. Buckley’s stage presence overpowered the more understated performance of Mr. Stadlen. But Dolly is a larger than life personality and requires a larger than life performance like Ms. Buckley delivered, even as she appeared to be battling a cold/sniffles.

Rouleau and Leming had perfect chemistry in their respective roles. Leaming’s performance of “Ribbons Down My Back” was one of (if not THE) strongest vocal performances in the show.

LeProto and Hahn were excellent in their supporting roles as comedic sidekicks, unwilling accomplices, and young lovebirds.

The entire performance including the production and design were more than worthy of the standing ovation!

Hello, Dolly! will be on stage at Oriental Theatre through November 17th. For more information visit www.broadwayinchicago.com.

Just in time for Halloween comes Hell in a Handbag’s The Golden Girls: Bea Afraid! The play’s name itself probably tips most off that audiences will be in for one helluva ride. Handbag found much success in the past couple of years creating their own hysterical episodes of The Golden Girls, Vol 1 was extended twice and moved to a larger theater while Vol 2 also made waves. So, a Halloween special featuring our four favorite seniors – why not?

Artistic Director David Cerda and company are working double time right now performing in Artificial Jungle at 7:30 p.m. (through October 28th) followed by Bea Afraid! at 10:30 p.m. To say this theatre company works hard is an understatement. And one thing is for sure – there’s a whole lot of funny in each production.

Bea Afraid! gives us two Halloweeny episodes, the first a clever whodunit that gets sillier by the second (that’s a good thing) followed by a demon possession that you will never forget. As laughter-filled as the second episode was, my friend walked away saying, “That actually kind of scared me.” So, laughs and scares – the best of both worlds – the treat followed by the trick. Between scenes Golden Girls trivia is held and tongue-and-cheek prizes are handed over to the lucky winners, such as the lady who sat in front of me that was handed a tube of anti-itch crème. How well do you know the gals?

Cerda returns as Dorothy displaying the same dominance over the role that helped make Vol 1 such a smash hit while Ed Jones reprises his role as Rose and commands a laugh just about every time a line is delivered. Adrian Hadlock also rejoins the cast and again nails the role of Dorothy’s razor-sharp witted mother, Sophia. Grant Drager is ever so saucy as our beloved, loose-legged, Blanche, a role that AJ Wright played so well in the first of the hilarious franchise. The cast is rounded out by such brilliantly humorous talents as Chazie Bly, Michael S. Miller, Michael Rashad, Duane W. Taylor, Robert Williams and Maureen SanDiego, who stars as the evening’s hostess.

Created by David Cerda and directed by Becca Holloway, this is a Halloween show not to be missed. Handbag gets another feather in their cap for yet another hysterical production, leaving us to eagerly await the next Golden Girls adventures - please say there will be more!

The Golden Girls: Bea Afraid! Is being performed at Stage 773 through November 2nd. For tickets and/or more show information visit www.handbagproductions.org.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Idomeneo at the Lyric Opera of Chicago is opera as it should be, transcending all expectations. Don’t miss it! Indeed, we wonder why this uncommonly extraordinary performance did not open the Lyric Opera of Chicago season. Happily, after going dark for more than a week, forcing the initial performance scheduled for October 13 to be cancelled, the unfortunate dispute between the Musicians’ Union representing the Orchestra of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and management was successfully resolved, and Idomeneo was presented Thursday evening. The entire cast, without exception, sang splendidly, deftly handling the technically demanding florid passages and challenging long phrases, while creating real and distinct characters that earned our sympathy (thank the gods). On all counts, it was a glorious occasion.

Mozart began writing operas at the age of eleven, and had completed a dozen, or so, before he began work on Idomeneo in 1780, at the ripe old age of twenty-five. Considered to be his first “mature” opera, it is written in the “Opera Seria” style, literally “Serious opera”, a musical drama with a series of recitatives and set pieces in the early 18th century Baroque manner based upon Classical Greek or Roman themes, a form he would not return to until his final opera La Clemenza di Tito ten years later. This exquisite music, if not as well-known as his later masterpieces, is the cornerstone upon which all opera coming after it has been built, leaving no doubt of Mozart’s greatness. For that reason alone, go!

The orchestra, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, was enthusiastically cheered before and after each curtain with shouts of support for the union from the audience. They played with a full, luxurious sound that remained within the stately structure of the classical period, and brought out all the color, nuance and innovation that raises Mozart above his peers. For that reason alone, go!

The production designed and directed by the late great Jean-Pierre Ponnelle (which by now, is probably older than the singers on the stage, yet still looks as fresh as it did when it was premiered in Köln in 1971) is in and of itself a timeless work of art. Visually pleasing, and beautifully lit by lighting designer Chris Maravich (thank the gods), Ponnelle’s setting evokes the time and place of the opera, while still allowing the audience to extend the themes in their imaginations to encompass all time and place. Ancient Grecian columns frame the stage and the mighty upstage center mask of Neptune, the real antagonist of the drama. Neptune, representing the unpredictable oceans of which he is king, is always present, either as a specter behind painted scrims, fully visible in his terrifying aspect, or even hidden from view. Above all, as it should, this stage set brilliantly serves the drama. For that reason alone, go!

The action takes place on the island of Crete after the decade long Trojan War. On his long way home, Idomeneo, King of Crete, has been caught in a raging storm at sea. He begs Neptune to spare him and in return, promises to sacrifice the first person he encounters upon shore. As operatic luck would have it, it turns out to be his own son, Idamante. Of course, father and son haven’t seen each other in years and don’t instantly recognize each other. Nevertheless, Neptune is going to expect the sacrifice Idomeneo promised.

For a story based in mythology and ancient history, it’s not hard to follow, even by opera standards. A father, who happens to be a king, loves his son and doesn’t want to lose him. We get that. That son, Idamante, has fallen in love with the Trojan Princess Ilia, being held prisoner in Crete. That happens. Princess Elettra, daughter of the Greek King, with whom Crete is allied, thinks Idamante should marry her, not the daughter of the enemy. Nothing out of the ordinary going on here. The excellent supertitles by Francis Rizzo are not at all stuffy, but explain the action and feelings understandably without dumbing it down (thank the gods). For fuller enjoyment you may want to check your crib notes from Greek mythology and the history of the Trojan War, but it’s not necessary. As in so many great stories, the large scale events provide the context for the more intimate human emotions.

Mr. Ponnelle’s original stage direction was faithfully re-set by David Knuess, who assisted Ponnelle when the production was mounted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1982 and Salzburg in 1983. Ponnelle’s consummate stagecraft subtly ensures that our attention is always drawn to the heart of the drama. Contrary to the habits of those who think they are following in the footsteps of the visionary director, absolutely nothing ever moves without a reason. No meaningless business or distracting bits. We were granted the luxury of having the singers just stand still and sing, allowing their voices to be most expressive (thank the gods)! It was one of the most moving performances seen and heard in years. For that reason alone, go!

The title role could have been written for Matthew Polanzani, who hails from Evanston and enjoys a deservedly respected career on the international stage. A true Mozartian, this role is perfect for him, his voice being better suited to this repertoire than Bel Canto or Romantic styles. His singing was superb and he gave a completely satisfying dramatic reading of the tormented father and king. For that reason alone, go!

With striking stage presence and a voice with the palette of a Monet painting, Angela Brower, reminiscent of the incomparable Frederica Von Stade, is a tremendous artist. In the role of Idamante, created for a castrato, re-worked for a tenor, but now most successfully performed by a mezzo-soprano, she gave us several of the evening’s most memorable vocal moments. Even when not uttering a sound she was riveting: Idamante’s shock and horrific pain at being rejected by his father was heartbreaking and later, during Ilia’s aria “Zeffiretti lusinghieri”, a scene that could be corny if not played just right, Idamante is visible at extreme upstage center receiving the unseen caresses carried from afar by the breezes. It took the breath away from even the most jaded of opera goers. His acceptance of his fate, and his willingness to give his life for the well-being of the community made a profound impact. For that reason alone, go!

As Ilia, Chicago native and former Chicago Opera Theater, Merola Opera, and LA Opera Young Artist, Janai Brugger was exquisite. The warm glow and golden tones of her shimmering lyric soprano lent itself to an ingenuous portrayal of the princess torn between love for her family and country and her love for Idamante. Whenever she graced the stage, she infused it with the power of hope. Ultimately, when the happiness she deserved was bestowed upon her, we shed tears of joy! After the season opener of the unfortunate La Bohème, we feared that we had become incapable of crying. For that reason alone, go!

The remarkable Erin Wall, marathon runner and soprano with a voice like diamonds set in platinum, was a sympathetic and vulnerable Elettra. She portrayed not an un-hinged shrew, but a high-strung princess used to getting her own way. In spite of Wall’s ongoing battle against cancer, her voice was never more beautiful (thank the gods!). In her rage arias her voice was spectacular and provided a perfect dramatic foil to her rival, Ilia, difficult even for someone with 100% perfect health. Wall’s Elettra was not motivated by mere jealousy of a romantic rival, but was driven to despair by the unthinkable and perhaps racist idea that Idamante would fall for an inferior Trojan woman. This assault on her sense of the proper order of things was so powerful that it resulted in a believably frenzied spontaneous death, a feat most singers are not capable of pulling off with dramatic success. To top it off, she looked fabulous in a stunning, if somewhat unwieldy, 18th Century gown with panniers which on the freeway would require red flags and a “WIDE LOAD” sign. For that reason alone, go!

David Portillo provided a solid and stable presence as Arbace, Idomeneo’s confidante. Arbace’s aria is unforgiving and demanding, yet Portillo sang superbly with musicianship, virtuosity and an urgent pathos reflecting his patriotism and loyalty to his king.

In addition to the Ryan Center alumni: Mr. Polenzani, Ms. Wall and Mr. Portillo, the uniformly excellent cast included current members of the program including Josh Lovell and Alan Higgs as two Trojan Men, Whitney Morrison and Kayleigh Decker as two Women of Crete. Each made worthy contributions and showed promise for the future, most notably Ms. Morrison. The voice of Neptune was chillingly sung by David Weigel (no spoilers, but gasps were heard) and Noah Baetge was fully credible as the High Priest. In these roles, as well as the principle roles, opera cognoscenti will enjoy recognizing the nascent characters which will eventually populate Mozart’s later works. Credit must be given to the Ryan Center for their advocacy of young talent, and to the Lyric for giving them the opportunity on the stage of, on this night, a major international opera house. It should be noted that the employment of young artists may represent a significant cost saving to LOC, yet these young artists gave us greater satisfaction than many “world class” artists would have provided (thank the gods).

Under the direction of Michael Black, the Lyric Opera Chorus sang magnificently in the big moralizing choruses that ended each act, and most impressively in the delicate “Placido è il mar” in Act II. They played their part well representing the people of Crete as a traditional Greek Chorus, reacting as one with stylized movements that were both emotionally affecting and that effectively served both the music and drama.

With respect to the recent contract dispute, it should be said that over past seasons we have had issues with a few programming decisions, issues with some singers’ performances, and issues with too many of the productions. However, we have never, ever had an issue with this orchestra. It is, especially under the baton of Sir Andrew, of the highest caliber, truly world-class, an over-worked phrase we try not to use. Their excellence stands as testimony to the unquestionable necessity of a top rank orchestra to the existence of a top rank opera house. They deserve a contract commensurate with their standing.

Bottom line: Idomeneo should not be missed. A young couple attending their first opera ever said they were enthralled, and that they were definitely coming back for more (thank the gods). Did we say you should go? Indeed, Go! Go! Go to Idomeneo.

Performances continue October 21, 24, and 28 and November 2. You might be able to get tickets at the door, but that would be a shame, because these performances should be sold out. Nevertheless, tickets are available on line at www.lyricopera.org or call 312-827-5600.

You may be wondering why four of the city’s most formidable houses are each mounting productions of ‘Frankenstein’ this season. You may be also asking yourself which, if any, to see. It appears that Lifeline, Remy Bumppo, Court Theatre and Lookingglass have all included unique adaptations of the sci-fi classic. More than likely it is because 2018 marks 200 years since a young Mary Shelley published her seminal work. Of course, October is a pretty great time to stage any sort of Halloween theatre, but there’s something about the production running at Remy Bummpo that doesn’t quite feel like a horror story.

From an adaptation by Nick Dear and directed by Ian Frank, Remy Bummpo brings a great deal of humanity to this stage production. Dear’s adaptation was a success when it premiered at the Royal National Theatre in London back in 2011. It went on to be live broadcast in American movie theaters in 2012. This particular script comes with fanfare. The RNT production was directed by Danny Boyle and starred a then fledgling Benedict Cumberbatch. Something interesting Ian Frank borrowed from the London staging was the interchangeable casting of the Creature and Victor, played here by Nick Sandys and Greg Matthew Anderson. The two switch roles every other night. Sandys portrayed the Creature in Tuesday night’s opening.

Dear’s swift moving script begins at the creation scene, arguably the most dynamic moment of Shelley’s source material. Not too many frills here but the device saves quite a bit of exposition, because honestly who doesn’t already know the basics of the story? For those unfamiliar with Shelley’s original text, this is where the plot might diverge from popular memory. Dear’s script maintains a great faithfulness to the novel rather than the Boris Karloff monster movie.

Sandys performance as the Creature is more tragic than scary. Though, Kristy Leigh Hall’s special effect makeup makes Sandys unrecognizable and very menacing. The Creature, like a baby, begins naked and ignorant of the world around. Over the course of the 90-minute play, we watch a cruel world educate the outcast Creature into becoming a monster bent on revenge. Sandys eventual monologues about the desire for love are as haunting as the murder scenes. The script intellectualizes the Creature in a way that makes the audience pity him instead of fear him.

Ian Frank’s production is intimate and minimal. A sleek stage design by Joe Schermoly gives this production a disorienting effect. It’s almost to say, forget what you think you know about ‘Frankenstein’. In fact, this ‘Frankenstein’ may not even be a true horror story. Unlike Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ or Gaston Leroux’s ‘Phantom of the Opera’ – ‘Frankenstein’ sets itself aside as a story of scientific failure and the condition of humans to fear what we do not understand. It’s a story about the human need for love and this production tugs at the heart more often than it curdles the blood. Mary Shelley would appreciate the depth this adaptation gives to her most important contribution to literature.

Through November 11 at Remy Bummpo. Theatre Wit 1229 W Belmont Ave. 773-975-8150

Forget about the lofty plans you had for the day, the goals you had set.  Grab your girls, all your friends, your snacks, your drinks, and head over to Miss Cook’s Women’s Gym!

WaistWatchers the Musical will have you and your friends laughing hysterically and cheering along with MC, Cheryl, Cindy, Carla and Connie.  Up close and personal within the alcoves of the Royal George Theatre, inspiring you through sweat, tears, song and their supportive friendships, we go through the struggles of these strong women trying to reach their gym goals. Their reasons vary. For some it is for love, others for acceptance of themselves, and some for those who just want to control their cravings for the decadence of delicious life.

                                                                                                                With the terrific cast of WaistWatchers the Musial

The cast is finely tuned and features fantastic performers like Martha Wash, a two-time Grammy nominee (Connie) who we all know as one of the The Weather Girls that brought us “It’s Raining Men” and "Everybody Dance Now".  Along with the powerhouse voices of Katherine S. Barnes (MC), Krissy Johnson (Cheryl), Sarah Godwin (Cindy) and Kiley L. McDonald (Carla). This 90-minute musical, which allows audience members to refill their snacks and drinks throughout the non-stop performance, contains a plethora of musical styles from pop and soul to country. The sassy musical includes remakes of songs that we love, clever lyrics and plenty of cheeky commentary. After watching this fun and inspiring show you will probably wonder when the next open class is available near you. 

Created by Alan Jacobson (Book and Lyrics) with Vince DiMura (Music) and directed by Matt Silva get your tickets to WaistWatchers the Musical now. Show times are: Wed. 7:30PM, Thu. 2PM & 7:30PM, Fri. 8PM, Sat. 2PM & 8PM, Sun. 2PM. For more information on this highly humorous musical, visit http://waistwatchersthemusical.com.

The excitement begins as you walk up to the Mayslake Peabody Estate. It screams Poe, despite the fact that it was built around 1920, some 70 years after the great American writer’s death. Upon entering we are given a dance card. Two colors are distributed – blue and yellow. The card one receives determines the path they will take in experiencing an intimate peek inside the head of Edgar Allan Poe. Though the two paths start off in different directions, ultimately the audience is told the same story, though through a changed order of events. Essentially, two plays take place at one time.

First Folio’s “The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story” was a favorite of mine when I came across it in 2015. I felt it was one of the best, if not the best, play I had seen that year. This year, as we begin to wrap up 2018, I feel the exact same way. Christian Gray, who reprises the role of Poe, is an extraordinary actor and is allowed to cut loose in this play to give us the performance of a lifetime. The intensity and passion Gray gives to the role is authentic and would be tough to match by any other actor. Almost seemingly born for this role, Gray is a pleasure to behold in each and every scene, the audience getting their first taste of his command in the play’s opening act that revolves around Poe’s “The Bells”, just prior to splitting up on different paths. "Bells! Bells! Bells! Bells! Bells!"

The play moves from room to room throughout the Tudor Revival styled mansion as scenes break out in several rooms, the staircase and hallways. The interior of the mansion perfectly provides such a sincere set it would be easy to imagine we are lost in time with Poe and the characters he created. Each location holds setting for a different story, though the overall theme clearly revolves around the love between Poe and his much younger wife (and cousin), Virginia. After all, this is a love story and a remarkable one at that as we see - and feel - Edgar and Virginia's undying love for each other throughout the play.

Executive Director David Rice’s masterful piece is nothing short of brilliant as every nuance and touch are considered to make the journey all the more unforgettable. Favorite stories by Poe are acted out with the rich flavor they so much deserve. Sam Pearson’s energy-filled performance as The Madman in Poe’s “Tell-Tale Heart” is as intense as it is memorable while Mbali Guliwe take on The Prisoner in “The Pit and the Pendulum” penetrates through the crowd in the intimate setting of the once pitch-black room.

Poe’s wife, Virginia, is well-played by Erica Bittner, her best as she beautifully delivers the poem she had written for her husband. The love between the two is real and eternal. This is aided by Skyler Schrempp’s great direction and executed by Gray and Bittner’s exceptional performances.

The entire audience reunites for the play’s final act, “The Masque of the Red Death”. It is a triumphant finale to an incredible journey. The scene is elegant but foreboding. It is, the perfect ending to a nearly flawless production.

Christian Gray is a force. Gray’s performance alone is worth the price of admission - easily. But when you add several other dynamic acting performances, its truly unique one-of-a-kind setting along with the masterful writing and staging to support such an incredible story, this play is one of the biggest theatre bargains of the year – and it should be experienced by everyone.

With Halloween just around the corner, the air is right and the mood inviting for First Folio’s classic take on Edgar Allan Poe.

Highly recommended.

“The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story” is being performed at Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oakbrook through November 4th. For tickets and/or more information, please visit www.firstfolio.org.

Having been close with many people with disabilities over the course of my life, I’m often hesitant when it comes to media about such individuals. Too often, books or films or plays dealing with disabilities end up being either demeaning to the folks who have them or cloying and saccharine to the audience. Earlier in this young millennium, I was thrilled to find and read Mark Haddon’s novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a rare tale that falls into neither of these traps. Haddon’s novel became a favorite of mine, its important-sounding title (taken from a line in a Sherlock Holmes story) hinting at the very big steps taken by its protagonist and narrator, a British teen afflicted with autism. And now I can say that the Steppenwolf Theatre’s current stage production based on the novel has become one of the best shows I’ve seen — this year or any other, in Chicago or elsewhere.

In the role of Christopher, said protagonist, is Terry Bell in his first Steppenwolf production. The key to Bell inhabiting the role of Christopher isn’t that he makes the boy’s Britishness real any more than that he realistically portrays autism. No, Bell’s performance is stunning in that he makes Christopher human. While tics and traits are given to the lad, it’s the vulnerability, intellect, and emotion that Bell gives Christopher that made him so real, so human. This was an actual person I saw up there, not a type or a trope or a character. Whether Christopher is doing math, navigating London, fighting with his father, or reading long-lost letters, he is a real boy, not just someone up on a stage.

The rest of the Steppenwolf cast take their duty of realism just as seriously. Cedric Mays plays Christopher’s father as a loving but over-extended parent doing his best to raise his boy. Rebecca Spence, as Christopher’s mother, is heartbreaking as the broken woman who finally felt she couldn’t.

One of my biggest concerns coming into the play was how the first-person narration of the novel would translate to the stage. Would the audience be submitted to one character’s constant exposition? How would Christopher’s story work? Well, thanks to the shining performance of Caroline Neff as Siobhan, Christopher’s schoolteacher, I needn’t have worried. Neff acts as narrator for much of the play, while also acting the part of a nurturing and knowledgeable caregiver for Christopher. If only all children, regardless of their disabilities or lack thereof, could have as loving and caring a teacher as the one Neff has created.

And, as the production has been tailored not just to standard audiences, but to those who share Christopher’s disabilities (and abilities!), with information on the novel and play’s background provided, with discussions led by the cast, and even with accommodating and accessible performances for anyone to enjoy, I can tell you that not only is this a caring play onstage, but beyond the stage, as well.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is being performed at Steppenwolf Theatre through October 27th. For more information, please visit www.steppenwolf.org.

Before the curtain rose for the start of the Oriental Theatre’s current traveling production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the sole image onstage was a giant silhouette of the character most associated with the beloved tale — a tale told in Roald Dahl’s original novel, in two Hollywood films, and of course now as a Broadway musical — Willy Wonka. Said character, having been famously portrayed by famous folks Johnny Depp and Gene Wilder, has not only long coopted this story of a young boy and a visit to a confectionary facility, but even its title in the Wilder movie. That being said, this tendency to focus on Willy Wonka detracts from what is Wonka’s magical Chocolate Factory and the oddballs and delights within.

So, when the curtain did rise and this particular production began, I was happy to see that it lovingly focuses on Wonka’s whole world. Don’t get me wrong — Noah Weisberg is just fine as Willy Wonka. I told my daughter at intermission that I thought he was perhaps too understated, as I’ve come to expect an overbearing Wonka. That changed a bit in the second act, as Weisberg reminded me a bit of some of Groucho Marx’s Rufus T. Firefly or Captain Spaulding, with his witty asides and exaggerated pacing and prancing. But overall Weisberg stayed out of the way and let the set and his castmates shine.

Henry Boshart is charming as the titular Charlie, providing that rare but happy balance in a child actor that is neither too precocious and polished, nor too amateur. I’d be curious to see how the other two Charlies in this traveling show do, but Boshart does a fine job. His chemistry with James Young’s cuddly yet curmudgeonly Grandpa Joe seems real, as does his connection with Weisberg’s Wonka.

The rest of the cast, however, are allotted the real fun. Jessica Cohen is a Russian Veruca Salt (her father a timely oligarch played by Nathaniel Hackmann), and puts her background as a ballerina to use as she pirouettes and pouts all over the stage. Also timely is Brynn Williams’ social media star, Violet Beauregarde, who’s afforded a dance number of her own. Daniel Quadrino’s Mike Teavee is a modern take on Dahl’s character — an ADHD kid fed a steady diet of screentime and pills from his harried mother. My favorite golden ticket winner was Matt Wood as gluttonous German youngster Augustus Gloop.

But it’s this production’s ensemble that push Augustus and the rest over the top, whether accompanying his polka in leiderhosen and beerhall maid outfits, breaking it down as Violet’s flygirls, or putting on a ballet clinic clad in furry squirrel outfits as bad nut Veruca meets her fate in the Wonka factory’s nut-sorting room. These unsung singers and dancers bring Wonka’s world to life, making it a shiny magical place just as much as the production’s set designers do.

And that set…my daughter, a bit of a set designer her own young self, was amazed at the ingenuity on display at the Oriental. The stacked bed and bedraggled shack where Charlie and the rest of the Bucket family lives. The gates to the chocolate factory. The TV world where Mike Teavee meets his fate. And the Oompa Loompas…

I won’t spoil it, but the portrayal of Wonka’s staff is modern, both in its consideration and its execution. Again, what a set and what an ensemble!

So, if you want a new take on an old favorite, a candy confection, a loving and overall satisfying take on the people and places who’ve done as much as chocolate bars to make Willy Wonka’s name, head to the Oriental Theatre for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, now through October 21.