Some theatre is so unique that it defies genre, or even creates its own. 'For Colored Girls/Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf' by Notzake Shange is considered a choreopoem, a first and only of its kind to appear on Broadway. This pivotal work debuted on Broadway in 1975 and remains as potent today as it was then. Court Theatre's revival, going on now, is directed by original cast member Seret Scott. 

You may be asking yourself what a choreopoem is. As defined by Shange's work, it's a beautiful combination of spoken word poetry, song and dance. While narrative structure is fluid, there is a central storyline flushed out over the 90 minute run. 'For Colored Girls' tells eight black women's stories of urban life in sometimes joyful, sometimes tragic, but mostly empowering vignettes. The characters are identified only by the color of their dress, but are made distinct by their individual voices and stories. 

This piece isn't produced very often as it requires a solid and specific casting. Seret Scott has assembled a stellar cast for her production. Melody Angel as Lyric creates the rhythmic backbone as she shreds an electric guitar. Though all the women in this ensemble are hair-raisingly spectacular, Anji White's performance is truly transcendent. There's a moment near the middle of the show when White takes center stage as Lady in Red. From there on, you cannot take your eyes off her. The final monologue leaves an audience entirely surrendered to both her sensuality and gut-wrenching story. 

'For Colored Girls' is a timeless exploration of black female themes in American life, but perhaps there is no better time than right now to celebrate being other. If you've always wanted to see this piece performed to the best possible standards, don't skip this powerful production.

 
Through April 14 at Court Theatre. 5535 S Ellis. 773-753-4472

"Nostalgia is a disease." bemoans Lynn Nottage's downtrodden characters in 'Sweat' now playing at Goodman Theatre. This 2017 Pulitzer prize winner examines the ordinary lives of factory workers in a Pennsylvania town in the years leading up to the 2008 recession. 'Sweat' is the second Pulitzer for playwright Lynn Nottage, making her the first woman to ever receive the prize twice. Goodman Theatre premiered her first prize winning play 'Ruined' in 2008. Ron OJ Parson directs an all-star cast in this Chicago premiere. 

'Sweat' switches between 2000 and 2008 as the changing economy finds factory work becoming scarce in traditionally blue-collar Pennsylvania. The play begins with two young men's release from prison for an undisclosed crime. One white (Mike Cherry), has a swastika tattooed on his forehead, the other a young black man (Edgar Miguel Sanchez), crisply dressed holding a bible. We're immediatley swept back to year 2000 when things were as they always had been. Three coworkers of different backgrounds celebrate their friend Tracey's (Kristin Fitzgerald) birthday in a local dive bar. When their friend Cynthia (Tyla Abercrumbie) mentions she's putting in for a promotion at the plant, tensions rise in quick moving scenes. 

The majority of the play takes place in a rundown bar tended by retired plant employee Stan (Keith Kopferer). Kupferer plays a reliable moral backbone of the play as Tracey and Cynthia are pitted against each other when the layoffs begin. Fitzgerald and Ambercrumbi deliver powerhouse performances. Both each other's match as they square off in scenes so intense you nearly forget to breath. 

Though first produced before Trump won the election, it's as if Nottage knew the outcome. It's a quick descent into blatant racism for these otherwise easy-going characters. Economic stress in these reliably blue states turns those at the bottom of an economy against each other. Nottage captures life for those holding onto the past with compassion but perhaps not dignity. 

It's nice to see a full length play these days. 'Sweat' runs two and a half hours but the scenes are so taught you'd hardly notice. This deeply human story has a long-burning fuse that leads right up to a full-fledge powder keg. In the four walls of a smelly bar we're shown some of the darkest sides of capitalism. In that regard, 'Sweat' is not just an American play, but a universal and timeless play about those left behind. 

Through April 14th at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn Street. 312-443-3800

“I’m a better version of myself, when I’m by myself,” says Nora in Lucas Hnath’s sequel to Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’. The play takes place some fifteen years after her departure at the end of the original play. Steppenwolf is one of the first regional theaters to revive the 2017 Broadway blockbuster, which starred Steppenwolf ensemble member Laurie Metcalf. Both Hnath and Metcalf were nominated for Tony awards for the play, Metcalf taking home the Best Actress award.

With the exception of ‘Grease 2’, sequels are rarely good. That said, it’s an interesting thing when done in theatre. In recent years we’ve seen a sequel to ‘Hamlet’, ‘The Crucible’ and now Ibsen’s feminist drama ‘A Doll’s House’. Before groaning, “but they’re ruining it!” consider that Hnath’s script stands alone and is probably closer to a satire than a direct sequel. ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’ picks up at the very door Nora slams at the end of Ibsen’s play. It is fifteen years later, and she comes back with a favor to ask of her ex-husband. What follows is a humorous manifesto in defense of being single. And no, you don’t need to remember the fine points of Ibsen’s original to enjoy Hnath’s updated version.

Sadly, Laurie Metcalf is not joining this revival but that’s just fine because ensemble member Sandra Marquez is well suited for the role. It’s a short play, just barely hitting the 90-minute mark, but in that time there’s a perfect banter between Nora and her former governess Anne-Marie, played by the indelible Barbara E. Robertson. Marquez spends every moment of the play on stage and that often includes swaths of monologue. In a costume designed by Izumi Inaba, her performance is captivating. She nails all the jokes and maybe even finds new humor in the script. Though short, her scene with Celeste M Cooper is ripe with tension. Cooper plays her estranged daughter with a cool and mysterious sense of doublespeak.

If a ‘A Doll’s House’ is about the suffocation of marriage, then ‘Part 2’ is more of a denunciation of pairing off in general. In fact, Nora mentions that you’re not marrying the person you’ll end up with, you’re marrying who they are right now. And people change. This observation alone is somewhat disturbing but truly encapsulates the message Hnath is getting at. The play ends abruptly but the point is made. Maybe being alone isn’t the worst thing in the world, but like Marquez’ performance, it takes a lot of strength to stand on one’s own.

Director Robn Witt’s vision for this show is cool. We would imagine that anything in the world of Ibsen would be typical high production cost period piece. Witt strips it down for a minimal approach, nearly the only color is the bright yellow door Nora comes in, and then out of again. The costumes suggest period, but the dialogue is exceptionally modern. Though there are Voss water bottles on stage, we never forget what time period we are in. ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’ at Steppenwolf is a near perfect revival that doesn’t go in for a carbon copy of the Broadway production. A major difference is that there’s on-stage seating for an even more intimate look. A good example of why it’s usually best to skip the national tour if you live in Chicago.

Through March 17 at Steppenwolf Theatre. 1650 N Halsted. 312-335-1650

If there’s ever been a time for Paula Vogel’s 1997 Pulitzer Prize winner ‘How I Learned to Drive’ it’s now. In the wake of the #metoo movement, a play about a young woman being taken advantage of by her older uncle seems extremely relevant. Under the direction of Raven Theatre artistic director Cody Estle, ‘How I Learned to Drive’ makes its second appearance in Chicago this year. Artistic Home revived it in the spring.

If you’re wondering which one was better, it’s Raven’s. The combination of strong direction and even stronger performances makes this a more solid production. This play hinges on the lead actress in the role of Li’l Bit. Eliza Stoughton turns in a powerhouse performance. She’s consistent throughout the 90-minute run time. The script moves in quick vignettes that span from her teenage years until the present. It’s not an easy feat to make the teenage version of the character as dynamic as the grown version. Stoughton strikes the perfect balance, picking up on the nuances of Vogel’s complex script. Though, it’s not just her that makes this cast so great. Kathryn Acosta is double cast as Li’l Bit’s mother and her aunt. She achieves the humor of the dialogue in a subtle way with all the appearance and poise of a brunette Betty Draper.

Cody Estle’s vision for this show is very definitive. Scene transitions are accented with captivating projections that place the audience right into the 1960s. Again, think ‘Mad Men’. There’s a branded quality to this show that feels exceedingly professional. The art of subtlety might be the real star. Estle has mined this play for all the psychological tells of abuse that Vogel nestles into the dialogue. The characters never go over the top, which can easily be done in such a juicy play. This feels like real life despite Vogel’s unique storytelling device of driving lessons as a means to propel the action.

‘How I Learned to Drive’ is by now a modern American classic. Perhaps too risqué for high school drama, but it now finds itself within the cannon beside ‘Rabbit Hole’ and ‘Dinner with Friends.’ An essential play for our modern times. Vogel has continued to be a voice for women in an art that is even still somewhat dominated by male playwrights. Raven Theatre does the script its justice in a time in which it would be nearly impossible to separate it from the #metoo and #timesup movements. Perhaps Vogel was eerily ahead of her time. If you’ve been meaning to see a faithful production of this play, Raven Theatre Company has you covered.

Through March 24 at Raven Theatre Company. 6157 N Clark St. 773-338-2177

Elektra must have been a Scorpio. Strauss’ intense one-act opera ‘Elektra’ is a classic tale of revenge set to some of the most thrilling music ever composed. Originally directed by Sir David McVicar at the Lyric in 2012, Remy Bummpo artistic director Nick Sandys helms the revival this season.

Clocking in at a mere one hour and forty minutes, this brief but highly concentrated opera is as exciting as it is macabre. Violence in opera is more often conveyed through music than staging, but in this production brutality flows through the set and costumes. At once the one-set stage is overpoweringly effective in creating a dark, atmospheric experience. John Macfarlane presents a strikingly unique aesthetic that heightens Strauss’ sense of horror.

Richard Strauss collaborated on ‘Elektra’ with librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It held its world premiere in 1909 and has continued to be crowd pleaser ever since. Strauss helped bring the psychological elements dominating literature to the opera stage. In that regard, ‘Elektra’ is a very modern opera. His composition style also suggests the foundations of modern film scores. The music of ‘Elektra’ quickly moves from soaring to dark in the space of a breath.

This is an opera that requires a strong voice and a talented actress. Luckily, this production has two. Nina Stemme makes her Lyric debut in the title role. Eliza Van Den Heever returns to the Lyric to play Chrysothemis, Elektra’s sympathetic sister. While Elektra is the lead and Stemme does an amazing job, Heever makes Chrysothemis just as integral. Together with Michaela Marten as the wicked Klytamnestra, they create a trifecta of female power. With the exception of Orest (Iain Paterson) there aren’t many male voices in this opera. That’s entirely okay as these three women dominate the stage in a most satisfying way.

‘Elektra’ is an essential opera in the same vein as ‘Faust’. For those with only a tepid interest in opera, this 100-minute production is entirely accessible. There’s a cinematic quality to the music and the staging that leaves nary an empty moment. If that isn’t enough, just wait until the stage literally gushes blood.

Through February 22 at Lyric Opera of Chicago. 20 N Wacker Drive. 312-827-5600

Sometimes we see couples in restaurants and think how on earth did they ever end up together? Sadly, the couple in question might be feeling the same way. Is it the idea of settling or just assumed gender roles that lead so many married couples to this place? Will Eno’s play ‘The Realistic Joneses’ makes its area debut at Shattered Globe Theatre in a collaboration with Theater Wit. Shattered Globe is particularly well known for ensemble acting, Jeremy Wechsler (also artistic director) directs this 2014 dark comedy.

After a star-studded run on Broadway, Eno’s suburban play finally comes to Chicago. While hard to categorize, ‘The Realistic Joneses’ is an unsettling look at a couple’s battle with a degenerative disease. Middle-aged Jennifer Jones (Linda Reiter) is caring for her husband as he succumbs to an ALS-like illness. She feels taken for granted and begs her husband Bob for the emotional intimacy it seems she’s been waiting on for years. Their lonely lives change when a young, mysterious couple with the same last name moves in next door. With a strange but oddly satisfying dialogue cadence, Jennifer and Bob get perhaps too close to their new neighbors Pony (Cortney McKenna) and John (Joseph Wiens).

Will Eno proves with this play that loose ends and uncertainty are okay in life and in theatre. Joseph Wiens captures the at times absurd, but insightful dialogue in a way that makes it almost seem not absurd. There’s a familiarity in his delivery. We’ve all met someone like this and Eno digs deeper to show us why characters like this exist in an orderly world. Cortney McKenna plays his bubbly wife Pony with such sincerity that you almost forget how absurd her lines are as well. Crazy as what these two characters say to each other and their neighbors sounds, there’s a rooted sense of honesty that Eno suggests is the key to a happy life and relationship. It is Linda Reiter’s performance that ups the emotional ante of the play. Bits of anger boil through a strong exterior which makes the conclusion even more bleak.

This is a solid play but perhaps not for everyone. Shattered Globe marketing materials uses a quote which says this is one of the strongest plays since Tony Kushner’s 1993 Pulitzer winner ‘Angels in America.’ Though this play is good, it’s not anywhere close to the monolith that is ‘Angels in America.’ This is a tight hour and a half stroll through the everyday lives of two couples that share the same name. In it there are nuggets of wisdom about everyday life that may not have a ton of plot-weight, but stick with you for days after. There’s a lot to unpack in this piece and surely nobody will leave saying “I didn’t get it.” Eno sticks closely to a reality we all understand; sickness, death, love and where we all fit into it.

Through March 9 at Shattered Globe at Theater Wit. 1129 W Belmont Ave. 773-975-8150

What kind of holiday season would it be without ‘The Santaland Diaries’? Old Chicagoans will remember the iconic poster art for the Theatre Building’s production that ran for years at Theatre Wit. This year the gang at Theatre Wit and their usual elf Crumpit played by Mitchell Fain opted not to remount Joe Montello’s adaptation of the David Sedaris essay. Luckily Goodman is filling their Owen space with a new production running alongside ‘A Christmas Carol’.

‘The Santaland Diaries’ has become an NPR holiday classic. Sedaris first read his comedic essay about his short-lived career as a Macy’s elf on NPR in the early 1990s. It was a huge hit and put him on the map. Joe Montello wrote a stage adaptation that has been seen all over the world. Oddly enough Sedaris isn’t a fan.

This new production directed by Steve Scott stars Matt Crowle as a young David Sedaris. For one solid hour we get the inner ravings of a seasonal elf presented in a one-man show rant. Crowle hits all the jokes but there seems to be a raw edge missing from his performance.

Sedaris is known for his caustic wit. In this piece we see him tear Christmas and the whole season apart in a Grinchy monologue. This is a play for anyone who truly loathes the holidays. Though it’s a Christmas play, this is an r-rated play not intended for the whole family. Even with that disclaimer, there are surely those who will balk at some of the more glaringly un-PC moments. And for good reason. Some of the evenings more uncomfortable moments came when jokes lacking a 2018 sensitivity failed to land.

That said, there are plenty of moments that do land. As adults, we’ve all seen the ugly side of Christmas and we’ve all had years where we wonder why we go through with it at all. Sedaris takes those dark moments and spins them into relatable humor. As one theater company passes the baton to another, ‘The Santaland Diaries’ endears as a modern classic for the cynical during this annoyingly cheerful time of year.

Through December 30th at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn Street. 312-443-3800

It’s December, which means Chicago’s theaters are in full-on holiday mode. Traditional theater takes a break at some of our major houses as festive productions of holiday classics trod the local boards. Those who do not celebrate Christmas aren’t to be left out. For family fun entertainment, Lyric Opera offers up an all-new production of Massenet’s classic French opera “Cendrillon” which is of course Cinderella in French.

Last produced in Chicago over 100 years ago, this vivid production directed by Laurent Pelly makes its Lyric Opera premiere. Massenet was largely overlooked in his own lifetime, ‘Cendrillon’ premiered in 1899, but did not make much splash outside of France. Massenet was always popular with French audiences but by the early 1930s, had been largely forgotten. It wasn’t until the last half of the 19th century that Massenet’s work enjoyed the renaissance it deserved. Much of his enduring popularity is because of his charming version of Cinderella. It has a very French sense of humor that holds up as well as beautiful music in easy-to-understand French no less.

Laurent’s vision is perfectly story book for this fairy tale. The staging is relatively modest in scale, but the over the top in execution. Acting as wall paper, the original words of Charles Perrault (who is credited as the originator of the Cinderella story as we know it) are projected onto the set pieces. Almost to say, the words are as important as the music. A lovely image countered by the flamboyant red costumes designed by Laurent Pelly himself.

While it’s the composer’s intention for the role of Prince Charming to be sung by a female soprano, there’s something a little distracting about Alice Coote’s performance. It’s nearly impossible to forget she’s a woman and that is somewhat confusing in a 1600s-era romance. The rest of the show lacks any LGBT of queer context making the choice all the more confusing. That said, Siobhan Stagg makes her American debut as Cendrillon. She’s as lovely as her voice and conveys the character’s sense of integrity throughout. An incredible voice that picks up the slack of an otherwise bland cast.

When considering the bevy of holiday and family friendly shows Chicago has to offer this time of year, “Cendrillon” might not be your best bet. This is a lovely version of the classic fairy tale, but it’s hard to imagine this would be engaging to children who might be more enthusiastic about ‘The Nutcracker’ or anything at the Broadway in Chicago theaters. That is not to say this isn’t a good opera, but it tends to fall into a trap of being boring to kids and not exciting enough for adults. If you’ve been dying to see Massenet’s version of Cinderella in Chicago, by all means don’t skip as it could be another 100 years before we see it again. Otherwise, you may be more enthralled by “Il Trovatore” running concurrently at the Lyric.

Through January 20th at Lyric Opera. 20 N Wacker Drive. 312-827-5600

“It may be fiction but it’s not fake.” says French revolution-era playwright Olympa De Gouges to Charlotte Corday in a fictionalized meeting between the two in Lauren Gunderson’s play ‘The Revolutionists’. Rounding out the chance encounter are Haitian slave revolt activist Marianne Angell and Queen Marie Antoinette herself. If you find yourself only recognizing Marie Antoinette as a prominent female figure of the revolution, don’t worry, Strawdog’s production of ‘The Revolutionists’ will catch you up to speed in this delightful new comedy.

In the midst of the Reign of Terror, Olympe De Gouges (Kat McDonnell) is struggling to write a play that will leave a legacy. Her friend Marianne Angelle (Kamille Dawkins), needs a place to stay while her family returns to Haiti. A frantic pre-assassin Charlotte Corday (Izis Mollinedo) rushes into her studio to commission some final words before she goes to murder Marat. And then somehow, a lost and nearly condemned Marie Antoinette (Sarah Goeden) wanders in. The four women discuss each other’s ambitions, disappointments, joys and outrage as the French Revolution entered its darkest period.

Director Denise Yvette Serna’s modern vision for this show is very cool. The costumes by Leah Hummel are even cooler. Lauren Gunderson’s dialogue is also very contemporary for her fantasy meeting of these often-overlooked revolutionists. For a script about the condemned to the guillotine, this play is awfully funny. In many ways it’s shining a mirror up to our own world politics and asking us what has really changed. Those familiar with the French Revolution will be tickled by all the trivia thrown in.

The performances here are stellar. Kat McDonell leads this ample cast of Strawdog ensemble members. Her character is the narrative backbone of the play as she tries to write what she’s seeing. The real Olympe De Gouges delivered a powerful rebuttal to National Assembly on the forgotten women’s rights. Sarah Goeden’s somewhat satirical performance as Marie Antoinette is almost a Karen Walker-ish version of the mysterious queen. Most of the evening’s laughs come from her sympathetic but hopelessly entitled shtick. This cast’s secret weapon is Kamille Dawkins whose portrayal of freed abolitionist Marianne Angell is devesting by the end. The play is mostly a comedy, but Dawkins’ touching performance mines the depths of the Gunderson’s script and finds the true heart of the play.

As Sophia Coppola did in 2006, Gunderson’s play attempts to make the French Revolution seem modern or rather, more allegorical to our own times. She succeeds when the women from divergent paths find the common things between them: love, fear, motherhood, and motivations. The ways Gunderson weaves history with fantasy and structures it in such a way that you never want it to end is riveting. Another touch borrowed from Coppola’s cult classic 2006 film is the killer modern soundtrack chosen for this production. St Vincent’s ‘Paris is Burning’ is well placed and well appreciated. Strawdog seems comfortable in their new North Center space and this production of ‘The Revolutionsts’ is very confident. This will likely be a hot show as Gunderson was the most produced playwright in the country last year. If it’s a French Revolution era drawing room comedy you’re after, or even if it’s not, ‘The Revolutionists’ will surely spark your interest.

Through December 29 at Strawdog Theatre Company. 1802 W Berenice Ave. 773-644-1380

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