Displaying items by tag: Nederlander Theatre

The Nederlander Theatre erupted in thunderous applause as the lights went down on the triumphant return of “Hamilton” to Chicago. Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking musical, finishing a successful run in Anchorage, Alaska, delivered an electrifying performance that left the Chicago audience in awe of its scope and magnitude. Chicago lifted “Hamilton” on its broad shoulders and has no intention of letting it down.

"Hamilton" is a masterclass in diversity and talent. Under the skilled direction of Thomas Kail and choreography of Andy Blankenbuehler, a diverse cast brings the story of Alexander Hamilton to life with passion and energy. Pierre Jean Gonzalez commands the stage with his charismatic presence and powerful vocals, more than ably supported by a talented ensemble that includes Deon'te Goodman as Aaron Burr, Nikisha Williams as Eliza Schuyler, Marcus Choi as George Washington, Lencia Kebede as Angelica Schuyler, Jared Howelton as Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Eddie Ortega as Hercules Mulligan and James Madison, Tyler Fauntleroy as John Laurens and Philip Hamilton and King George is played by Neil Haskell.

Company of 'Hamilton' at James M. Nederlander Theatre

Seeing the production for the third time, it’s hard not to make comparisons. I felt Goodman’s Burr was a tad bit passive and slow to anger in the face of Hamilton’s slights. Choi’s Washington was a commanding and inspiring figure. He brought a sense of dignity and gravitas to the role. “One Last Time” was as much a tearjerker as “It’s Quiet Uptown”. Williams’ Eliza is a beautiful and heartbreaking character. She brings a sense of grace, strength, and vulnerability to her interpretation. Howelton’s Lafayette/Jefferson was big and energetic, a joy to watch. I missed the chemistry and affection between Lauren and Hamilton, a minor detail, but still noticeable.

The ensemble cast is outstanding, delivering stunning performances in both the vocal and dance numbers. The choreography is inventive and exhilarating, seamlessly blending hip-hop, jazz, and ballet to create a unique and visually stunning performance. The show's musical score, which blends hip-hop, R&B, and traditional Broadway music, is also a highlight. The songs are catchy, thought-provoking, and emotionally resonant. Miranda has said hip hop is the "heart and soul" of Hamilton. He has incorporated elements of the genre throughout the show, from rapid-fire rapping to the use of samples and beats. Some of the specific hip hop artists that have influenced Miranda include The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas, and Eminem.

Stephanie Jae Park, Ta_Rae Campbell and Paige Smallwood in 'Hamilton'

Hamilton is a truly unique musical that draws on a wide range of musical influences. Miranda has said that he wanted to create a musical that would be "new and fresh, but also familiar and accessible." He has certainly succeeded in doing so, and Hamilton has become one of the most popular and critically acclaimed musicals of all time. I personally think it should be required reviewing for history classes. Learning American history has never been so entertaining.

Hamilton is a powerful and moving musical, teaching viewers many important lessons. It is a story about ambition, perseverance, forgiveness, the power of storytelling and of course, to never throwing away your shot.

When: Through Dec. 30

Where: James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St.

Tickets: $42.50+

Info: Broadwayinchicago.com

Digital lotteries will begin each Friday and end the following Thursday for the upcoming weeks performance - 

www.broadwayinchicago.com/hamilton/ham4ham-lottery-details-2023/

For tickets and/or more show information visit https://www.broadwayinchicago.com/show/hamilton/. 

“Jagged Little Pill,” Alanis Morisette’s 1995, 16X platinum album, with 33 million copies sold, is her declaration of the terms of her self-emancipation. Timelessly truthful and inspirational, it remains an emotional catalyst for generations of people.

The album is at the core of Broadway in Chicago’s “Jagged Little Pill,” which opened Wednesday for a limited run (through April 23) at the Nederlander Theatre in Chicago. Nominated for 15 Tony Awards in 2021 following a pandemic caesura, this long-awaited Broadway roadshow is unlike other jukebox musicals— “Tina” or “Donna Summer” or “Carole King”—in that it is not a biography of Morisette. And unlike Sarah Bareilles’ “Waitress,” or The Who’s rock opera “Tommy” (coming to Goodman this summer) “Jagged Little Pill” doesn’t follow an inherent album-based storyline.

Rather, it was the emotional inspiration for a show written by Tony and Academy Award winner Diablo Cody (Juno, Tully), lyrics and music from Morrisette hits such as “You Oughta Know,” “Head Over Feet,” “Hand In My Pocket,” and “Ironic”, as well as brand new songs written for the show.

Like the album it relates an internal emotional journey, not of Morrisette, but of an upper middle class American family—rich turf for drama, from Ibsen to Chekov to Williams. “All happy families are alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” as Tolstoy notes, and we watch the Healy's go their own way from ostensibly happy to quite a mess. But never fear, this is a Broadway musical and they make their way back to the road to redemption to deserving standing ovations at the end.

Heidi Blickenstaff reprises her role from the Broadway production as the mother, Mary Jane Healy, with Lauren Chanel as her adoptive daughter Frankie, Chris Hoch as her husband Steve, and Dillon Klena as Frankie’s older brother Dillon. Blickenstaff has both the sensitivity to deliver Morrisette’s soulful sentiments, and the Broadway belt to go full throttle. Chanel is perfectly expressive of Morrisette’s range and when joined by her first love-interest, Jo (Jade McCleod) we have a duet providing great renditions of the album melodies, woven so beautifully to the storyline. Klena is also notable singing Morissette as older brother Nick as is Rishi Galani as Frankie’s other love interest.

One aspect of the production is particularly inventive: choreography by Beyoncé collaborator Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. With Morrisette’s sensitive reflective lyrics (in a vein with Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, or Jewel) Cherkaoui and director Diane Paulus (known for Sarah Bareilles’ “Waitress) created dance avatars who are visually similar to the actors, but dance at major numbers relieving the leads from having to hoof it big numbers in ways that would seem out of character or clash with the underlying material.

At the other extreme, the potential for this approach can also be seen in an intimate pas de deux in which Mary Jane Healy confronts her inner demons with her dance double, Jena VanElslande. It’s a tour de force.

Another show stopper for creativity is a scene at a pharmacy played forward, then later reprised in reverse, as Mary Jane examines her path to drug addicition, a family secret until it became an undeniable plague. The recount of her growing addicition to oxycontin, graduation to harder drugs, and the crisis and intervention that led to her recovery are very accurate. 

Highly recommended, “Jagged Little Pill” runs through April 23 at the James Nederlander Theatre in Chicago.

In the world before, when the availability of musical theater was just a given, just another one of life’s perks I took for granted, there was a show that hadn’t yet been available, at least not to me. I’d been perked up, waiting to see it since it became the next big thing in 2016 or 2017, waiting for the national tour to hit Chicago. Missing the brief 2019 stopover, I was all set for the 2020 production…

…now, here in 2022 or whenever it is, that production is finally here…

And yes, the current run of Dear Evan Hansen at the James M. Nederlander Theatre was worth the wait!

In the ensuing years, our whirlwind world’s made media and songs and moments come and go, and I’d totally forgotten about the show, about what I’d known about it before, about all the hype all those hype cycles ago. Which made me come into this production more in the dark than I think I ever have for a show. This was new, like if I’d walked into Broadway’s Music Box Theatre in 2016, before all the hype and the Tony awards and everything else, and I was just there to enjoy a really good musical. And this musical proved to be just that, thanks to a stellar cast and crew.

As the titular Evan, Anthony Norman transforms himself over the course of the show. At first, I wasn’t sure if his jitters were actual jitters or the character, even as he showed he could really sing. But Norman’s Evan really comes out of his shell, for better or for worse, as the story progresses. And what a voice—I’ve still got “For Forever” going through my head.

Because, despite the heavy subject material, and the light the show has shone on important issues, this show is less about its story than it is about the songs and the opportunities they give a cast of really skilled vocalists to sing them. And this cast sing the heck out of them.

The star of the show, for both me and my daughter, was Nikhil Saboo as Connor Murphy. Sullen and intimidating and scary in life, Saboo’s Connor as 21^st-century Jacob Marley is the exact opposite—providing a heavy show some of its lighter moments, especially when he leads Evan and a friend through the hilarious “Sincerely, Me.”

And Evan’s friends all get their moments, as well. Alaina Anderson’s Zoe Murphy transforms as the show goes on, much like Evan. And Pablo David Laucerica’s Jared and Micaela Lamas’ Alana bring both levity and humanity—both of them skilled character actors and both talented singers—as do John Hemphill and Lili Thomas as the Murphy parents.

But Coleen Sexton’s overworked and doing-her-best mother, Heidi Hansen, is perhaps the truest character, the heart of the play, looking in at others’ hurt while navigating her own, while navigating life. Maybe it’s me, as the dad there with his kid, but Sexton was the show’s heart and soul, and the show has a lot.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the show’s musicians, visible above and behind David Korins’ screentime set. Garret Healey leads the orchestra through all of these wonderful songs, including beautiful cello by Tahirah Whittington and great guitar work by Matt Brown and Eric Stockton.

When I wanted so badly to see Dear Evan Hansen all those years ago, I had no clue how long I’d wait to see it. But the waiting made seeing this current production, playing at the James M. Nederlander Theatre through December 31, all the sweeter.