Displaying items by tag: Chicago

It’s often quoted in reviews that we are unworthy of such beauty or splendor the arts and humanities afford us. The turn of phrase elicits images of Wayne and Garth of Wayne’s World bowing at the feet of Alice Cooper, or a dashing Bridgerton man dropping to a knee at the feet of a lithe debutante to profess his unworthiness of her affections. But in a world that increasingly takes more and more from us, we mere mortals, I challenge that we are worthy. We are worthy of beauty, of art, of the humanities. We are worthy to see the amalgamation of when talented artists bring a work of fiction to a stage, to hear clever prose intermingled with catchy musical numbers, and be visually wowed and transported out of our reality, if only for a few short hours. We are worthy of magic. And magic is precisely what Cadillac Palace Theatre is granting us in Death Becomes Her, the musical, now playing through June 2nd.

(l to r): Megan Hilty (Madeline Ashton), Jennifer Simard (Helen Sharp)

Death Becomes Her, hailed as musical comedy revitalized, is a new musical adaptation based on the 1992 Universal Pictures movie of the same name. When a novelist loses her man to a movie star and former friend, she winds up in a psychiatric hospital. Years later, she returns home to confront the now-married couple, looking radiant. Her ex-husband's new wife wants to know her secret and discovers that she has been taking a mysterious, magical potion which grants eternal life to the person who drinks it. The actress follows suit but discovers that immortality has a price in this supernatural, dark comedy. Producer and writer Marco Pennette transformed the play for the theater, which is directed and choreographed by Tony-nominated Christopher Gattelli. Tony Award nominees Jennifer Simard and Megan Hilty take the lead roles as Helen Sharp and Madeline Ashton, the former friends competing for the same man’s affection and finding a solution that is simply to die for. Renowned stage actor Christopher Sieber and millennial’s goddess Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child round out the cast as Dr. Ernest Menville and Viola Van Horn (que thunder and lightning). It’s a dark comedy essential to add to any playbill collection.

Christopher Sieber (Ernest Menville)

Few Broadway shows, let alone any play, have had such an illustrious reception in Chicago. The gays, the theys, girlies young and old, allies and kings all donned their best summer theatre attire to attend last night’s performance, all dutifully in their seats the moment the play started with a literal CRASH of magenta-hued thunder. Lightning struck and we were all worthy to be transported to the magical world of New York City to follow the story of best frenemies Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp. For the entire run time of 2 hours and 30 minutes (with a 15-minute intermission), Chicagoans were treated to an artistic cornucopia for the senses. The live orchestra playing catchy tunes, lavish scene and stage designs, alluring and dramatic costume designs, the illusion and fight sequencing, the lighting, the makeup, the sound, the dancing and musical arrangements, the orchestration, every single solitary artistic element left the audience spellbound and awestruck. Brought to life with the incredible talents of the four main cast members, supported by an inclusive, talented, and drop-dead gorgeous ensemble cast, Death Becomes Her is sure to be a powerhouse on the Broadway circuit for decades to come.

The cast of Death Becomes Her

In addition to the production quality and value delivered, what makes this adaptation so flawless is the story itself. The elegant-gothic motifs in Death Becomes Her are timeless and hold up in 2024 just as well as it did in 1992; beautiful women feeling the pressure of unrealistic societal beauty standards and attempting to defy the natural order of aging, friends as fierce rivals and competitors, love triangles, and the desire to remain as we are, to stop time. While Death Becomes Her might not be able to defy gravity, it does stop time for a blissfully fun three hours. And that is pretty damn magical.

Balanced with witty banter, clever one-liners, raunchy humor, and exceptionally timed comedic delivery, Death Becomes Her is exactly the realistic escapism we need in our chaotic world and one we are all supremely worthy to behold. The musical comedy is now playing at The Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W Randolph St, Chicago) through June 2nd. Get your tickets today before they magically disappear.

BALLET 5:8 is a female - and minority-led ballet company resident at Harris Theatre in Millenium Park. Under the leadership of co-founder, Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager the company is ‘dedicated to engaging communities in conversations of life and faith through innovative storytelling and breathtaking dance’.  Last February I saw BALLET 5:8 perform Butterfly, inspired by the diary of Helga Weiss. Each dancer depicted an actual person Helga had known during her years at the Nazi concentration camp Terezin, where Jews of special prominence and talent were sent. Helga made many paintings of the camp, which Rubio Slager projected onto the background as the terrible story evolved in dance.

I’m fascinated by Julianna Rubio Slager. She’s created more than 50 works in the past dozen years, each inspired by real people, real events, real situations that Rubio Slager feels compelled to chronicle and demonstrate, often so as to build public awareness of unknown circumstances and predicaments. Me, I’m a wordsmith –I record people and events that I see in writing; thus, my brain is always sifting words, formulating sentences as I walk through my day. One need not be a writer for this of course; I imagine many people see and experience the world around them with words, or see them as photographs, etc. But I have to wonder: what must it be like inside the brain of this woman who depicts the world around her as dance? Through BALLET 5:8 Rubio Slager gives us a glimpse of just what it’s like in there, and last Saturday night she revealed the most amazing things!

LOST WOMEN OF JUAREZ was accompanied by three additional compositions, Counterpart, Wind, and The Sea is Flat, and I’ll discuss them first.

I saw the premiere performance of Counterpart last February with Butterfly, and it was just as lovely this time. A pas de deux performed by Samuel Opsal and Elizabeth Marlin, Counterpoint explores partnership and equality to the music of genre-bending string trio Time for Three. As one might expect in a dance that celebrates the thrill of equality, Wardrobe Head Lorianne Robertson’s male and female costumes were not identical but definitely like. 

Natalie Chinn and Christian English in 'Counterpart'

WIND is aptly named; dancers in flowing skirts partner with Alfonso Peduto’s music, and we can see – can feel – the leaves dancing in the spring breeze, and whipped by the furious barrage of a stormy gale. Dancers in the first and third movements included Lorianne Robertson, Caedence Sajdowitz, Savannah Stach, Jonathan Bostelman, Ellington Nichols, Rachel Walker, Alessia Braggiato, Katrina Clarke, Ford Tackett, Christian English and Samuel Opsal. In the second movement Bostelman, Tackett, and English performed a pas de trois  [I do so love all-male pas de deux and trois!).

The Sea is Flat was an incredibly evocative piece, capturing the sea’s capricious nature while simultaneously depicting its tumultuous essence to the music of Ezio Bosso. One sees chaos and tranquility juxtaposed was the male dancers portray Poseidon, while the female principals bring peace, transformation, and faith, drawing the audience as well as dancers toward serene silence. The cast included Caedence Sajdowitz, Jonathan Bostelman, Ellington Nichols, Katrina Clarke, Valerie Linsner, Sarah Clarke, Libby Dennen, Elizabeth Marlin, Melanie Rodriguez, Lezlie Gray, Sophia Snider, Natalie Chinn, Kayla Kowach, Christian English, Sam Opsal, Jenni Richards, Maggie DeGroote, and John Szwast.

OK, now to LOST WOMEN OF JUÁREZ. Julianna would definitely want me to tell you the story behind the ballet:

El Paso is a factory town, and the factories maximize profit by hiring poor Mexican women for paltry pay.  As non-citizens – and, of course, as women – they have no leverage to demand fair wages and must take any work available to feed their families. These impoverished women live in Mexico, in Ciudad Juárez, and must take public transportation through rough areas to reach El Paso.  In the borderlands between and El Paso and home women are mysteriously disappearing, their corpses later found in the desert but never fully investigated. I’m reminded of MMIW and the thousands of Indigenous Women and girls who are Missing or Murdered yet never effectively investigated. MMIW Task Force attributes these grim matters to historical trauma, racism, and sexual objectification of women … and the same applies in Juárez. The ballet employs the music of Oscar Lopez, Vico C, Antonio Garcia Isaac, Stefan, and Cortando Troncos to tell the story tenderly and with compelling urgency, as this femicide must not continue! 

Change can’t begin until there is widespread awareness of the need for change. The Transtheoretical Stages of Change model describes the process of change beginning at the precontemplation stage, in which there is not yet an awareness that a problem and a need for change even exists. Obviously, with the public at large still unaware of the femicide in Juárez, there is scant impetus for change.  

Taking the first step towards change is the same for an individual or a society: advancement from precontemplation to contemplation requires education. This is what Julianna Rubio Slager is doing with LOST WOMEN OF JUÁREZ – she is instructing the world of this issue to bring justice for the dead women, to alert other women of their peril and, most crucially, to enlighten the public that there is indeed a problem – a calamity! – that urgently needs to be changed.  And she does all this through the medium of dance. Wow.

Rubio Slager lost a family member, Yolanda Soto Rubio, to this mass murder, and Rubio Slager writes herself into the production, danced by Valerie Lisner; Elizabeth Marlin dances the part of the murdered Yolanda Soto Rubio. The dancers represent real women, the dead and the mourners: Lily Alejandra Garcia (Sarah Clarke), Luz Angelica Mena Flores (Libby Dennen), Jessica Ivone Padilla Cuellar (Melanie Rodriguez), Maria Guadalupe Perez Montes (Lezlie Gray), Gabriella Espinoza Ibarra (Jenni Richards), Esmerelda Castillo Rincon (Natalie Chinn), Ingrid Escamilla (Sophia Snider), Adriana Sarmiento Enríquez (Rachel Walker), Griselda Murua Lopez (Kayla Kowach), and Danna Jaqueline Reyes Lopez (Darissy Matias). The LOST WOMEN OF JUÁREZ trace patterns of grief across the stage, against background projections showing glimpses of Juárez and fields of crosses scattered over the desert sands. The slain women have become one with the sand, and their devastated family and friends bring grains of sand to their mouths to incorporate and embrace their lost loved ones.

Lighting, designed by Julianna Rubio Slager and Mike Goebel, was vital to every performance. Rubio Slager has a long-standing interest in stage design, evident in every piece. Lorianne Robertson designed all costumes to be eloquent while remaining as simple as possible.

BALLET 5:8 habitually follows the production with Talkback, where Rubio Slager and a selection of the dancers are available to discuss their experiences of the dances and answer questions. The dancers are gallantly open and frank about how they embody their roles and how that embodiment affects and changes them, while Julianna Rubio Slager candidly reveals her motivations and processes. In a touching coda Rubio Slager announced the promotion of Jonathan Bostelman and Lezlie Gray from Company Artists to Soloists.

A spectator remarked that the cast of LOST WOMEN OF JUÁREZ is all female, which Rubio Slager acknowledged was a conscious decision: the work is about the victims, and she has no inclination to give attention and salience to the villains. Another attender asked about the music, which Rubio Slager admitted was a complex issue – for every composition she must acquire consent to use the piece. Luckily, she adores music and listens to it constantly; if she finds a piece intriguing, she may seek proprietary rights even before knowing exactly where or how she will employ it.

The entire program is performed with intense passion and fervor, depicting ecstasy and anguish, fury and tranquility, with such intensity and authenticity that the cast undertakes but a single performance of each production. Very sad!! But I strongly recommend you join BALLET 5:8’s emailing list so you won’t miss the next production of a Julianna Rubio Slager’s masterpiece!

This year's Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 65th-anniversary engagement at Chicago's historic Auditorium Theatre held particular importance as it marked the company's first season after Artistic Director Robert Battle's departure. Battle was only the third person to lead the company in its 65-year history, following Alvin Ailey and Judith Jamison. During this transitional period, Matthew Rushing is serving as Interim Artistic Director. Despite these changes, the program offered a dynamic evening of dance, featuring both iconic works and innovative new pieces.

The performance opened with a vibrant expression of grace, patience, and elegance in Ronald K. Brown's "Dancing Spirit."  A dancer gracefully moves through a sequence of elegant arm extensions while standing in a spotlight upstage. Soon, other dancers join in, echoing the movements with slight variations. The pulsating African-diasporic soundscape fueled the dancers, clad in tie-dyed blue and white dresses and separates. They moved with a reverent, almost ecstatic joy. "Dancing Spirit" served as a potent reminder of the company's deep connection to its African American heritage and as a homage to Artistic Director Emerita, Judith Jamison.  The exceptional cast of dancers, Hannah Alissa Richardson, Deidre Rogan, Coral Dolphin, Jacquelin Harris, Solomon Dumas, Christopher Taylor, Christopher R. Wilson, Michael Jackson Jr., and Xavier Mack brought the stage to life with their extraordinary performances.  Throughout the performance, glimpses of the opening are interwoven into the choreography, leading to a jubilant finale. The music selection, featuring compositions by Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, Radiohead, and War coupled with the lighting design by Clifton Taylor provided a rich and dynamic backdrop that complemented the dancers' artistry and passion.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Kyle Abraham's Are You in Your Feelings

Kyle Abraham's "Are You in Your Feelings?" marked an emotional shift in the performance, presenting a sexually and emotionally charged piece that contrasted with the regal opening. The dancers, dressed in jewel tones of indigo, ruby, emerald, citrine, and amethyst by costumer Karen Young, explored themes of vulnerability and self-discovery, navigating the complexities of finding and losing love. Abraham's choreography emphasized nuanced gestures and emotional authenticity, with the dancers expressing a range of emotions, including longing, frustration, jealousy, contempt, same-sex and self-love. Their performances featured voguing duckwalks, fluid body waves, and other sensual movements. The narrative was supported by modern music choices, including Erykah Badu's soulful "I'll Call U Back" and Jhené Aiko's tender "While We're Young," as well as classics like The Flamingos' "I Only Have Eyes for You" and Shirley Brown’s “Woman to Woman” and contemporary tracks such as Kendrick Lamar's "LOVE”.  The featured dancers included Caroline T. Dartey, Solomon Dumas, Samantha Figgins, James Gilmer, Ashley Kaylynn Green, Michael Jackson, Jr., Renaldo Maurice, Ashley Mayeux, Corrin Rachelle Mitchell, Chalvar Monteiro, Miranda Quinn and Deidre Rogan. Ultimately, this introspective work offered a profound glimpse into the emotional complexities of the human experience.

The program culminated with the iconic "Revelations," a cornerstone of the Ailey repertoire. Divided into three sections, “Pilgrim of Sorrow”, “Take Me To The Water” and “Move, Members, Move”, each section represents different aspects and experiences in the African American Southern Baptist worship. From the prayers for salvation in “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel”, the baptism in “Wade in the Water,"  and the congregate of members in “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham “ each section resonated with emotional depth. The dancers delivered powerful performances, their bodies embodying the struggle, resilience, and spiritual fervor depicted in the music.

Ailey once said in an interview. “I’m interested in putting something on stage that will have a very wide appeal without being condescending; that will reach an audience and make it part of the dance; that will get everybody into the theater. If it’s art and entertainment—thank God, that’s what I want to be.”   

The audience erupted in a standing ovation, a testament to the enduring power of this groundbreaking work.  Ailey's choreography remains a potent portrayal of the African American experience, weaving spirituals, and gospel music into a moving journey.

While Artistic Director Robert Battle's absence will certainly be felt, the company will navigate this transitional period with grace. The program's curation, showcasing established masterpieces alongside contemporary voices, hints at the stability of the company.

Celebrating its 55th engagement at the Auditorium Theatre, the Ailey company's return held a special significance for Chicago audiences. The historic venue, with its ornate architecture and rich acoustics, provided the perfect backdrop for these powerful works. The palpable energy between dancers and audience offered a potent reminder of the transformative power of live dance and the importance of artistic expression, especially during times of transition.

As the curtain fell on "Revelations," one couldn't help but feel the joy of witnessing exceptional artistry and the hopeful anticipation of what the future holds for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. This 65th anniversary program served as a poignant bridge between the company's rich legacy and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead.

Highly Recommended

When: Through Sunday

Where: Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive

Running time: 2 hours, 25 minutes with two intermissions

Tickets: $40-$174 at 312-341-2300 and auditoriumtheatre.org

Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. Sometimes you want to be surrounded by people to experience the intimacy of being in public. Lately the types of places where someone could venture to for either experience are dwindling in numbers. It's the loss of third places, a place that is neither your home nor your workplace, but a location to go and experience community. Covid has changed many things but one endearing and lasting desire is for a third place to go for a friendly chat, a drink, or simply to be with people and listen to an incredible soundtrack with original and unique renditions of your favorite songs. There is no better show in Chicago that captures the beauty of the humanities and the need to preserve third spaces more than The Choir of Man, now playing at the Apollo Theatre.

Welcome to The Jungle, we've got fun and heart! The Choir of Man is an uplifting celebration of community and friendship where everyone is welcome. Set in the best pub in the world, a cast of nine (extra)ordinary guys combine hair raising harmonies, foot stomping singalongs, world class tap dance, and poetic meditations on the power of community. Featuring pop, classic rock, folk melodies, and pub anthems from artists such as Adele, Paul Simon, Katy Perry, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Luther Vandross and more, The Choir of Man is 90 minutes of feel good entertainment that has something for everyone and is unlike anything else in Chicago.

If Pitch Perfect, Coyote Ugly, and School of Rock had a baby, it still wouldn’t be as fun,genuine, or entertaining as The Choir of Man; it’s a party, it’s a concert, it’s an immersive experience, it’s your neighborhood bar filled with exceptionally talented sings, musicians, and performers. From the moment you walk into the Apollo Theatre you feel welcomed as an old friend, invited to sit and stay for a yarn, to sing, to dance, to party. Like any good evening at the bar, there isn’t a particular storyline or climactic plot. Instead, the ensemble cast share their stories with you and reflect on community and commradery in a post-Covid world where third places are becoming more and more scarce. The performances have an improvisational element to it that plays off and responds to the vibes of the audience, including pulling willing participants onto stage to be serenaded to. The song arrangements include beautiful renditions of favorite songs that challenge the way you view and hear the songs; like “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover,” performed by Shane McDaid accompanied by George Knappe whose tap dancing sequence adds a poetic rhythm and heartbeat to the number; “Some Nights” performed by Benji Lord and the ensemble cast that would rival The Bellas Cups song; or a sad, bittersweet arrangement of Chandelier that gave me goosebumps. Though unlike a good night out at the pub, the cast encourage photos and short videos, asking only that the audience share the good ones. The level of familiarity and inclusiveness The Choir of Man sets is a love letter to community, to friends, to family, and to those third spaces that allow us to come together to sing, dance, tell stories, or simply just be together. 

The Choir of Man was made for a city like Chicago, capturing the bittersweetness of a bygone era. With beautiful and original song arrangements, a welcoming and immersive atmosphere, and a captivating and engaging ensemble cast, this show will sure to be top your 2024 favorites list. Like the fleetingness of a Chicago Spring, The Choir of Man is only here in town for a short engagement. So grab a pint, sit for a spell, and at closing time remember you don't have to go home but you can't stay there. 

The Choir of Man is now playing through May 26th, 2024 at the Apollo Theater at 2550 N Lincoln Ave, grab a pint and your tickets before closing time.

*Extended to July 14th!

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (CDE) in collaboration with Duncan Dance Chicago has put together a production that undoubtedly will tap into one’s inner most feelings by way of a stunning presentation of interpretive dance, storytelling and art exhibition. Meditations on Being, performed at Danztheatre’s home in the Auditorium at Ebenezer Lutheran Church is, according to the Executive Director and Founder Ellyzabeth Adler, inspired by the difficulty the arts community has faced over the last four year but focuses on reflection, and reconnecting – rebuilding a sense of community. Meditations is a stunning collection of eight pieces that also include contributions by author and playwright Timothy David Rey and fellow artist/performer Courtney Reid Harris who has worked with Adler on past projects The Wasteland and This Is Not a Pipe.

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble opens the show with “Meditations on Nature: Birth, Decay and Renewal,” a segment co-created/performed by Wannapa P. Eubanks, that paces us nicely for what is to come after Adler sets the tone with heartfelt poetry that touches on the many frustrations we face in today’s society while offering a suggestion to reset by relinking with others to focus a peaceful mindset that revolves around the often overlooked, gift of the moment.

The production moves gracefully from one scene into the next. I was very touched by the two-woman dance piece by Duncan Dance Chicago titled “Street Salvation” with music by Chopin. The choreography was originally designed by company namesake Isadora Duncan. Duncan herself was simple and expressive. Artistic Director and Jennifer Sprowl performs beautifully as does Lila Rubin who portrays a young girl, down and out laying in the street, when an angel comes and tries to help her blossom and open up in the end. The angel walks towards Heaven and the young street girl finally able to get up and follow her.

“Confluence” created by Siwei Xu and Daria Jin is a lovely piece danced in complete silence. A beautiful girl is trapped in a maze of red velvet ropes suspended from the ceiling and her lover tries desperately to pull her out, so close at times yet so out of reach until the two are finally united.

Of the many poignant pieces the production delivers, “Elyse” created, and performed by Eileen Tull may have resonated with me the most. “Elyse” was a very well written monologue with interpretive dance about a young friend of hers who recently died of a heart attack. Tull’s delivery is compelling and her words, beautifully said in this lovely tribute to her dear friend, ever so moving. Connected to this piece, as part of the show’s visual art demonstration, one corner of the church space displays an art exhibit created by Tull, entitled “The Grieving Corner”. At one point in the piece, Tull asks the audience to call out the name of a person they were mourning, which I felt was very touching and effective.

“RIA” with choreographer and performer Anniela Huibobro and production by Gabriel Mercado with music by Victor Moris, Collen and Mercado is a stunning piece of modern dance while “Meditations on Walden” by CDE with text by Henry David Thoreau is a delightful and intriguing play on words and life. The act is summed up in the song “Who Knows Where the Time Goes” charmingly performed by Courtney Reid Harris to ensemble members Kerry Valentine Taylor, Jen Benjamin and Peyton Hooks.

The final presentation ends the show with expressive imagery that effectively sums up the program creator’s destined vision. “Meditations on Nature” includes beautiful video along with projected images of flowers and plants growing and unfolding while blossoming, as a woman donned in a wedding gown with a forty-foot train slowly walks up into the nature scenes. Her train becomes the final touch to the structure that houses a community rebuilt and reconnected.

Meditations on Being presents a powerful message thanks to inspired direction and its talented group of performers, writers and choreographers. I really enjoyed the way Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble employs so many different styles of dance from Isadora Duncan to modern along with the art installations that are available to look at during the intermission. This is a very lovely and touching, politically affecting night of entertainment and art. I highly recommended this production for audiences of all ages.

Mediations of Being is performed at Auditorium at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster Ave through March 9th. Tickets are a suggested $10-$20 donation and running time is about one-hour and forty minutes, which includes a ten-minute intermission. For tickets and/or more information on this production, click here.  

I’ve loved the Joffrey Ballet for almost its entire lifetime (it was begotten just two years after I was). My first memories of seeing the Joffrey Ballet in performance date back to … the Eighties? Seventies? Any road, I’m not a joanie-come-lately fan of the Joffrey Ballet.

The Joffrey never disappoints. I’ve reviewed Joffrey Ballet several times here at Buzz Center Stage and my reviews reflect this: Joffrey Ballet never disappoints. But saying the Joffrey Ballet never disappoints is inadequate to the task of launching a review of STUDIES IN BLUE. I was transported; I was captivated; I was ensorcelled and entranced. In short, STUDIES IN BLUE is the finest program I’ve ever seen Joffrey Ballet perform. 

But I can’t just say that and go on about my day, yeah?  Right then: STUDIES IN BLUE, how do I love thee?

Hungry Ghosts - The Joffrey Ballet Ensemble

The program is three acts, Yonder Blue, Hungry Ghosts, and Hummingbird. I’ve seldom seen three ballets more dissimilar, yet each in its own unique way uplifted and harmonized with the other two to compose a perfectly unified program. Wowie.  

I’m going to snatch this opportunity to thank Artistic Director Ashley Wheater, CEO Greg Cameron, and anyone else who played a part in re-homing Joffrey Ballet at the Civic Opera House. I’ve been seeing and loving shows at the Auditorium Theatre since the early 1970’s, and it’s still a magnificent venue. I, however, have gone a bit to seed over the years, and find the Aud just a leeetle bit challenging to navigate. COH is far more user-friendly now I’m no longer quite so spry. Thank you!  

Yonder Blue was choreographed by Andrew McNicol, premiering in 2019. Yonder Blue’s music was composed by Peter Gregson, performed by the Lyric Opera Orchestra, directed and conducted by Scott Speck. It was delightful, joyful and vivacious but without straying into cloying or syrupy. McNichol reminds us that ‘yonder’ is a word that wobbles, tangible yet hard to grasp.  Yonder implies distance – from here to there – yet it remains imaginary, as once you reach ‘there’ it becomes ‘here’, and ‘yonder’ again withdraws. Jack Mehler (Scenic and Lighting Designer), captures this from the opening curtain – the dancers are silhouetted against a misty sky of blues which is slowly covered by a solid backdrop, creating the illusion of the horizon receding into the distance 'over yonder' as we are drawn deeper into the piece. 

We feel that shifting sense of space and place through both McNicol's choreography and the exquisite execution of the dancers. At one moment their movements are creaky, fractured, straining, and the next they float weightlessly through impossible lifts. If you know me, you’ll know I’m very partial to boy-on-boy dance; McNicol did one better for me with a perfectly splendid pas de trois featuring Jonathan Dole, Alberto Velazquez and José Pablo Castro Cuevas.  

‘Blue’ is another mercurial word, referring now to nature, now to human qualities and even emotions, from ‘feeling blue’ to bawdy ‘blue humor’. Yonder Blue encapsulates these many and disparate associations. The piece ebbs and flows, including an extended full-ensemble unison section which builds from a simple start of stationary forms to a full-stage cascade of whirling exuberance. 

An aside here: reading the program, I was marveling at the company’s diversity:  from Cincinnati to Jacksonville, Indiana to Utah, from Cuba, Japan, China, Estonia, Brazil, Russia, Australia. This diversity was visually evident during Yonder Blue, exposing all that winter-white skin!   

I was excitedly anticipating Hungry Ghosts, choreographed by Stina Quagebeur, as this is the first performance art I’ve attended that is inspired by ‘one of the most seismic human tragedies of modern times’: America’s opioid epidemic. See, opioid addiction is my thing – for 35 years I’ve been an addiction psychiatrist working on the streets with needle exchange programs and other outreach to the human beings ravaged by this unspeakable disease. Unspeakable indeed – there is no advocacy for addicts, and a death toll exceeding 100,000 annually elicits much editorial handwringing but virtually no direct action: jail is still, by several orders of magnitude, the standard (affordable/available/accessible) treatment for addiction.

Sorry, I just couldn’t hold that in. I’ll step down from my soapbox and return to Quagebeur’s far more eloquent litany. Her fittingly titled Hungry Ghosts has it all:  hope and longing, failure and despair, ambivalence and impotent rage and resignation. The disease is embodied by Anais Bueno and Hyuma Kiyosawa in a running pas de deux while the company animates the course of the disease: the swoop to dizzying heights and the inevitable plummet into the Slough of Despond. Jack Mehler’s brilliant Scenic and Lighting Design made ingenious use of vertical scrim panels to portray the addict’s isolation, the urgent necessity but lack of community; hunger and destitution and craving and loathing … all so poignantly expressed by Quagebeur’s choreography and the dancers’ mastery. 

Jeremy Birchall’s music was absolute perfection: alternately discordant and mellifluous; simultaneously strident and harmonic. I trust I’m not trespassing when I say that clearly neither Quagebeur nor Birchall learned about addiction by reading about it in a book – their intimate sophistication can only be gained the hard way. Thus, Quagebeur doesn’t succumb to the banal platitude of wrapping it all up with a pretty bow; rather, the ending reflects the ambivalence and uncertainty of the disease itself; death is the sole unequivocal outcome.  I was leaking tears by the end and was so glad for the standing ovation Quagebeur received for this world premiere performance – may her work advance to stages worldwide!

I was grateful for the intermission as I definitely needed time to recover after Hungry Ghosts, and my ballet buddy and I agreed to be underwhelmed by the final ballet, Hummingbird. I guess Hungry Ghosts rattled us enough to forget the cardinal rule: the Joffrey Ballet never disappoints.

Hummingbird - The Joffrey Ballet Ensemble

Liam Scarlett choreographed Hummingbird, and Lauren Strongin staged it a bit differently to the first two offerings. While Jack Mehler was Scenic and Lighting Designer for both Yonder Blue and Hungry Ghosts, David Finn’s lighting and John MacFarlane’s Scenic and Costume Design imparted a very different tableau for Hummingbird. Check out the photo – your eyes are not deceiving you; the stage truly is tilted up sharply at the rear, creating unique entrances and exits against the abstract backdrop.

Philip Glass’ music animates nine couples, in pas de deux and in company, into choreographed movement that comes from deep within: “Like an earthquake epicenter it ripples out… It has a human quality because it’s using everything you have.” Scarlett plays with our expectations – like an actor breaking the fourth wall with an aside to camera, he 'breaks' the dancers into unexpected movement. The ensemble entering with gracefully pointed limbs, only to crouch into a quick, flat-footed run-in-place garnered quite a few chuckles. Ending a fraught and emotional pas de deux with the dancers bent over and gasping for breath rather than perfectly poised added an emotional punch of realism.

I mentioned at the outset how these three pieces harmonized with each other - the treatment of the pas de deux by each piece offers a prime example. In Yonder Blue it was thematic, in Hungry Ghosts, narrative. In Hummingbird, the pas de duex sits somewhere in between - evocative, intertwining, and emotional as they thread their way in and out and around and through the ripples of movement around them.

Joffrey Ballet will perform STUDIES IN BLUE until February 25 on Thursday, Friday, Saturday evenings, and matinee shows on Saturday and Sunday, so you have no excuse to miss it! 

JOFFREY BALLET STUDIES IN BLUE at the Civic Opera House through February 25

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Review by Sarz Maxwell with thanks for assistance from Eva Hare

Why do we learn about history?

This question has been asked for ages and is often met with the response: So that history does not repeat itself. When it comes to plays about history, that question is often met with some version of the same answer. We witness historical events in a live, theatrical setting so that among other things, we can learn to do better.

Playwright Anna Deavere Smith invites us to consider that question, but adds another layer: How are we meant to learn about our mistakes in history if we do not first get to know the people involved? As with many of her other plays, Notes from the Field is documentary theatre, and comprised of verbatim dialogue pulled from more than 250 accounts from students, faculty, prisoners, activists, politicians, and victims’ families. Smith conducted these interviews during President Barack Obama’s term, and while this may not quite be present day, the subject matter is certainly contemporary. Over the course of the play, we meet 19 individuals – all fighting to overcome and change America’s educational and criminal justice systems – especially with the tendency to focus on incarceration.

The catch? This play does not feature 19 actors, but rather three women – Mildred Marie Langford, Shariba Rivers, and Adhana Reid. Skillfully directed by Mikael Burke, the transitions between characters feel seamless, and every individual whom one of these actors embodies feels distinct and specific. While Smith brings humor into the script, many of the stories reveal heartbreaking memories, and the three actors fill each of these moments with an authentic balance of compassion and anger.

And so, we return to this question: How are we meant to learn about our mistakes in history if we do not first get to know the people involved?

One of the many individuals whom Langford embodied in this performance was Denise Dodson, an inmate who detailed what she learned from prison. Scenic Designer Eleanor Kahn has left the space fairly minimal – allowing the text to do its work as we hear each individual’s story. Langford is alone on a chair, and Lighting Designer Eric Watkins fills the space with just enough light to cast a large shadow behind her. Nothing is hidden as Dodson reflects with the audience on how education could have given her (and many young people like her) a different path. She explains:

“They have to see’em as people. They have to see them as the future. They have to see them as people who are gonna go out and be their next-door neighbors… ‘Cause they’re… at that stage where they absorb everything. And if they not absorbing all the right things, then… yeah. That’s… barbaric.”

Smith creates an opportunity for us as an audience to learn from a first-hand account how this country’s system has failed so many young people. We have created a system that forces them to so many to see themselves in a specific way. Langford’s matter-of-fact approach to the material is at times hard to hear. However, based on the silence surrounding me at this performance, it’s clear that I was not the only one hooked on every word, listening to this personal story unfold.

Dodson shares a warning. A desire for us as a country to offer stronger support for young people so we can change this school-to-prison pipeline. In the process, you may also notice that Smith is succeeding at something else. It’s one thing to write a story about incarceration and the failings of the education system. It’s another to look a human in the eye and hear their story – their personal account of how their life could have been different, a plea that we listen. Smith’s approach brings light to 19 of these accounts that may never have been heard otherwise – of “broken people’ as she puts it in her play. You may just find that this hits a little different. That Smith invites empathy in a different way. Maybe this approach can lead to the change that we as a country so desperately need.

Powerful performances and a hard-hitting script make this play an experience to remember. To put it simply, Notes from the Field is a must-see.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Running through March 24, 2024 at Timeline Theatre – 615 W. Wellington Avenue.

I thoroughly enjoyed this modern and timely play on both the issues of Hollywood stars whose lives are constantly scrutinized by complete strangers and how easily it is for any person now to be fed false information online in ways that can affect their lives either positively or negatively regardless of the intentions of the sender. Highway Patrol is being performed at Goodman Theatre’s Albert Stage and is funny, haunting, and engaging through and through. 

Dana Delaney, who plays herself, is best known for her roles in the TV series China Beach and the hit film Tombstone, and she looks and sounds fantastic. I have always liked her plucky, no-nonsense energy as an actress, and in this true-life story of her work life and internet/social media interactions the audience gets a very accurate glimpse of how lonely a life in the arts can be and also how badly many actors are treated by the industry at the expense of their physical and mental health.

I don't want to give away any spoilers because half the fun of this show is the whodunnit twists and turns her life took back in 2012 that continued for several years, sometimes dominating her private life at all hours... 24/7. The story begins when the actress decides to interact directly with one fan on social media, Cam. Thomas Murphy Molony is a very talented young actor who makes you feel deeply for Cam, a young Twitter fan who is suffering from a chronic and terminal illness, a recipient of two heart transplants who is innocently and adoringly in love with Delaney. While Cam enjoys his conversations with Delaney, his grandmother often provides updates regarding the boy’s health and upcoming procedures to keep her in the loop. Dot-Marie Jones, who takes on the role of Cam’s caretaker, Nan, is a very gifted character actress best known for her work on Glee and Desperate Housewives. Jones really displays her versatile acting range playing such a multifaceted character and does so beautifully with depth and complexity. 

Peter Gallagher’s highly recognizable voice is also strategically used in this production as he plays the true-life friend and confidant of Delaney’s that he has been throughout most of her career. The recognizability of his voice in this show gives real weight to the fact that a human voice is like a fingerprint and gives much more honest information and clarity as to whom we are communicating over the voices we imagine in our minds when reading our own DM's or emails.

Director Mike Donahue does a great job staging the show into two compelling acts and theatre goers should arrive early to see Dana Delaney in character on stage prior to the start of the play. Having Delaney onstage beforehand is a very interesting choice and sets the tone of the play, acknowledging that most people, fans or not, are fascinated by seeing stars in person that they have "known" for decades.

I enjoyed Dane Laffrey’s set design and Yee Eun Nam’s projection designs so much! The colorful and quick changing sets along with large high-definition projections not only help the audience follow along with the digital clues based on the digital archives of actor Dana Delaney (with text curation from playwright Jen Silverman), but they also combine to form beautiful and realistic backdrops depicting the glamorous luxury, palm trees, sunshine, and sometimes loneliness of Delaney’s Los Angeles home and also her work life on set. 

The most fascinating thing I took away from this very enjoyable piece of theatre was not about the necessity of verifying and protecting oneself from the many digital communications we all send and receive every day. What struck me rather was the idea presented to the audience that sometimes we as isolated humans living in this new frontier of instantaneous digital communication, including celebrities who appear to "have it all", can possibly grow to miss fictional love messages and reassurances of digital communication even after discovering their true source. 

Dana Delaney is absolutely outstanding in this production, as is the entire cast. I highly recommend this funny, touching, yet haunting, modern play. 

Highway Patrol is being performed at Goodman Theatre though February 18^th. For tickets and/or more information visit www.goodmantheatre.org.

For three decades, STOMP has captivated crowds with its dynamic percussion beats and mesmerizing performers. The sensational stage show is presently on a National Tour across the United States and has made a stop at Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse! By seamlessly combining dance and performance with music generated from ordinary found items like matchboxes, brooms, garbage cans, plastic barrels, and even the kitchen sink, STOMP offers a truly unique and unforgettable experience that you absolutely shouldn't overlook.

Buzz Center Stage had the unique opportunity to interview John Gavin, a long-time member of the STOMP cast. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Central Florida and a master’s degree in music from New York University. He has been with STOMP since 2017.

Drummer/percussionist John Gavin stars in STOMP now being performed at Broadway Playhouse.

John, thank you for agreeing to this interview. How did you get involved in STOMP?

Sure. I took an audition for STOMP in 2017 in New York. I had recently moved to New York the year before to start grad school at New York University. Halfway through the year my professor sent out an email to the percussion studio saying the producers were holding auditions at the theater, and strongly encouraged the percussion studio to audition. I knew a performer who had previously been part of the show, and thanks to the NYU network, I managed to connect with them. They shared insights about the show, highlighted key aspects to focus on during the audition, and provided some helpful pointers. Despite the guidance, I had to put in the effort, attend the audition, and showcase my abilities. The support from NYU's alumni network and community played a significant role in facilitating the entire process. I auditioned and progressed through multiple rounds of the audition process. They had me work with additional props to see how well I did as well as in different situations with different performers to stretch my ability to adapt and think ahead and retain information. From that audition process, I moved through the rounds and got offered a rehearsal contract where I was taught the show by rote and learned piece by piece from the training cast. They taught me the parts of the show and I learned my role while still getting evaluated. This happens before you get put into a show.

You're finally put into a show after weeks and months from the very first audition. It takes a long time to get it into your body and learn the choreography and learn the music. If you're lucky enough to have made it that far, you'll keep developing your show and keep honing your craft. And I've been doing that since 2017, still learning new roles and learning new characters, still having just as much fun as the first day I picked up a broom.

So, the show evolves on a regular basis?

That's the thing. It will start with an idea. They will start an idea with a prop or an object, and how can we make sound out of this? Where is the sound? And then from that sound, how can we elaborate on it? How can we change it? How can we make it more interesting? What are other ways we can play it or flip it or spin it, or exhaust all the sound capabilities and visual capabilities of that object into the show? And that's what keeps people engaged. If they're longtime fans of the show, if they see it again, they'll see these new props. We have two new numbers since the last time we were in Chicago. Even the old numbers are always getting edited if a new performer comes in and maybe puts their own spin on it.  That's how the show has new life and every generation that comes in, every new cast will have their own background and have their own experiences that they will put into the show as well. And that keeps it fresh.

Great. The show seems very energetic. A lot of energy is expended on stage. Do you have any kind of workout regime to keep your energy up?

We put a lot of emotion and passion into the show because first and foremost. We have a lot of fun with it. We really love our jobs. We really love bringing this kind of art form to the people of Chicago, to the people of the United States, Canada and Mexico. As soon as I get on stage or as soon as the lights come up, or as soon as I hear the music, I can't explain it, but it still gives me energy.

These same rhythms I've been hearing for years that I've been playing for years are just as exciting as the first time I heard them.

For me and other performers going to the gym, lifting weights, running, a lot of stretching, and yoga or maybe Pilates helps the body move more naturally and ergonomically in the show. I like to go to the gym at whatever hotel we're staying at and lift weights. Nothing too extreme of course, but something to allow me to build up a little bit of strength and stamina and endurance so that when I get into the show, my body is not totally exhausted. I still always want to have a little gas in the tank for the very end of the show. It builds and climaxes in this big number that I still must have something to give. Musically, I'm always practicing. I always travel with my drumsticks and drum pad.  I have a bunch of books with different exercises, and I play with the metronome. I'm always working my hands.

That's always a part of my routine, it keeps me focused and interested and always trying to develop new things, like I'm going to try a new stick trick tonight, or I'm going to try playing a different solo. Keeping it interesting for us as a performer also makes it feel fresh.

Tell me, who are some of the people you look up to, the people that molded you?

For sure. Well, first and foremost, I've always had a great family. I was blessed with two loving parents and an amazing sister who always instilled love in my life and made the world feel so accepting, loving and fun. Even with my extended family, my aunts and uncles, I'm very close with my cousins. I still have a grandmother and I love every moment that I get to share with her. The foundation I had growing up with allowed me to go at life without really being afraid of anything because I knew I had their love and support no matter what.

From there, I've been blessed with some amazing educational opportunities. I've had some great teachers in my day from English class, even to math class, music and band. I had some great professors in college that really expanded my mind and repertoire and abilities and really pushed me in the right way.  I attribute all the knowledge I have to any teacher that was patient enough with me and was able to give me a chance to see my potential. Having a good teacher is pivotal or having a good mentor as we grow up is important for young people. My cast, I feel very lucky to be working with them. It doesn't feel like work. It feels like fun because they're laughing and we're having a good time with each other. We're playing off each other's choices on stage, and it really feels like a family and a community.

How long is this tour and how do you manage being on tour for so long?

Sure. Oh, I'd also like to say I have a wife. I got married last year. I have an amazing support system in my wife that also answers this next question. Her love and acceptance for what I do and her patience with my career is also extremely pivotal and important in my life to give me that backbone and give me that foundation. We started the tour in October, and we're going until the middle of June. This is long as far as STOMP tours go in North America, hitting various cities, both big and small from both coasts, a couple of cities in Canada as well, we're really looking forward to being with our northern neighbors.

We'll have what we call layoffs. So, for example, after this run here in Chicago, we're all being sent back home to our point of origin, which is different for each cast member. Some of us are from New York City, like me, some are from San Diego, some are from Fort Lauderdale, some are from North Carolina... At home, different people will do different things. Some people will take a break to rest their mind and body. Some of us might pick up some temp work. I like to teach and spend time in classrooms on my time off. Some people will practice or can continue to network during those times off. And it's typically about a week or two weeks, and it's a great time to kind of connect with loved ones and allow yourself to heal and freshen up and get a lot of errands and chores done.

It can be hard. Traveling is tough on the body. Air travel can be stressful nowadays. We are often on the bus for a long time if the cities are a far distance. In a lot of cramped quarters, making sure that you don't lose anything. You're bringing a lot of your valuables with you, passports, laptops, these things can get lost or stolen. That all adds to the stress of tour life and it's on you. Even though we're traveling as a company, and a company does a great job at taking care of that, you still must navigate a new city. You must be safe and thoughtful about your surroundings. During those layoffs, it is nice to reset and take a breath for yourself before you go out for maybe another six or eight weeks or however long it is.

Sounds interesting.

But it's an adventure too. It's an adventure, which makes it fun and gives life, because we all know it's not forever. We can't do this until we retire. There's no way. It's too hard on the body. So, all of us are very grateful, myself included, for these opportunities, for these moments and connections. We’re really looking forward to our time here in Chicago.

You mentioned something I find interesting, what do you plan on doing after STOMP?

Great question. Yeah, so I still have a lot of dreams and music and goals within music. I still have a whole career ahead of me in terms of performing arts. On the other side of that, I'm really interested in teaching. I have a degree in education. I think education is very important in our society and in daily life, and I have a great respect for it and admiration for great teachers and the work they do. So, I would also like to be a part of that, and hopefully one day have my own classroom and have my own private studio and have my own set of students that I can shape and mold and impact in a positive way for them to go and take something in their life and make something special on their own. That's another project that's down the road, but what I'm hoping to continue after STOMP.

That's beautiful, John. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful tour. Happy holidays to you, your family, and your friends.

Don't miss STOMP!

When: Through Dec 31, 2023

Where: Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place

Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes – no intermission

Tickets: $35-$80                    

https://www.broadwayinchicago.com/shows/stomp/

As someone who has seen Tchaikovsky’s timeless holiday classic, The Nutcracker, performed many times over, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect last night at the Cadillac Palace’s presentation of The Hip Hop Nutcracker.

But after experiencing the grandeur and soaring beauty of Tchaikovsky’s magical musical tale of a young girl and her Nutcracker prince reimagined as a modern-day love story set in a gritty urban backdrop and performed by a very talented and athletic ensemble of hip hop dancers, I was completely sold.

Yes, there still is Maria-Clara and her Nutcracker prince, the Mouse King and his gang, and the mysterious Drosselmeyer cast as a magical toymaker, but under the skillful direction and choreography of Tony and Olivier Award-nominated Jennifer Weber, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker is completely turned on its head – figuratively, and to be honest, literally.

Rather than the breathtaking leaps and twirls of ballet dancers, the audience was riveted by the gravity-defying breakdancing moves with performers springing from one-handed handstands to another and then spinning on their heads. The choreography was so cleverly intertwined with Tchaikovsky’s familiar orchestration that you could almost imagine that he actually intended his famous opus for hip hop.

The tone of the evening was set by special guest MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers, with a brief homage to this genre’s 50^th anniversary. Along with DJ Boo, a New York-based performance DJ, Blow masterfully invited the audience to sing and dance along as he moved through a mix of hip hop classics through the years. The audience loved it.

In this retelling, Maria-Clara (Halima Dodo) is upset by her parents’ constant bickering during the annual uptown holiday street party. Drosselmeyer (Tumelo “Melo” Khupe) appears, bringing magical toys to the party and introducing Maria-Clara to a street vendor (Anthony “Omen” Cabrera) selling roasted nuts, appropriately called the Nutcracker. The party breaks up, and while Maria-Clara is on her way home, she runs into the menacing Mouse Crew. Aided by a pair of magical red sneakers hanging on a lamp pole, the Nutcracker springs to her defense and the two enjoy winter’s first snowfall.

Drosselmeyer returns to magically take Maria-Clara and her Nutcracker back in time to the Land of Sweets nightclub, where the couple witness the New Year’s Eve revelers showing off the dance styles of that time. It’s then that Maria-Clara realizes that she is witnessing the night when her parents first met and fell in love. She is overcome by their love, and when they return to present day, Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker – with a bit more magic – help her parents reconcile.

The story is brought to life not only through the performers’ incredible hip hop dancing and choreography, but also by their amazing acting ability. Through their gestures and facial expressions, the ensemble brought the audience along into the story.

For me, one of the evening’s highlights was the powerhouse violinist Marissa Licata, who introduces the familiar opening strains of The Nutcracker and then appears strategically throughout the performance to move the musical narrative forward. A star soloist, she has appeared with the likes of Alicia Keys, Ben Harper, Jethro Tull, H.E.R., Ringo Starr, and Gloria Estefan, to name a few.

The set design was minimal, but skillfully done with a huge video cast on the stage’s backdrop. We’re taken right into the street scene, walk into Drosselmeyer’s toy store, and then cast back into time appropriately via a time-traveling subway, all through the magic of video. At first, the scenes and costuming are all cast in shades of black and white with only Drosselmeyer’s magical touch in red. But when we go back in time, the past comes to life in a spray of colors.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker is only at the Cadillac Palace for a limited engagement through Dec. 17, but tickets are still available. For families and children of all ages, this is a wonderful introduction to The Nutcracker, and even for those well acquainted with this holiday tradition, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is an imaginative and exuberant retelling of this classic worth seeing.

As MC Blow told the audience, “I’m sure Mr. Tchaikovsky would enjoy this performance.” I quite agree.