Displaying items by tag: Young People’s Theatre of Chicago

If you’re looking for a way to entertain the children (or grandchildren) this holiday season that doesn’t involve long lines, icy cold temps or going to the mall, look no further than the Greenhouse Theatre Center’s production of Mo Williams’ smash hit musical, “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.”

After two years of successful productions aimed largely at school groups, the Young People’s Theatre of Chicago is transitioning from an intermural Greenhouse Theatre Center project to a stand-alone, professional children’s theatre. And just in time for the Thanksgiving Day weekend, the YPT is kicking off its inaugural season with the return of William’s beloved and beleaguered Pigeon, in his own adaptation of his best-selling Caldecott Honor Award-winning book bearing the same name.

This high-energy hourlong offering of pure silliness and joy is the perfect way to introduce the younger crowd to the magic of live theatre. From the very beginning, as the woebegone Pigeon pops out from the windows of the cleverly engineered and colorful set to lament over his tedious days, kids are immediately engaged in the unfolding story.

Pigeon is skillfully brought to life by YPT veteran Brade Bradshaw as a hand-and-rod styled puppet in the technique first showcased in the Broadway hit Avenue Q. In fact, all the puppets were built and designed by Rick Lyon, the puppeteer designer for Avenue Q. The combination of performer and puppet are so seamless that at some point you forget that Pigeon is a puppet.

Bradshaw is joined onstage by another YPT veteran, Karla Seretto, who shines as the indomitable bus-driving Bus Driver. With her “officially official” cap and dedication to her job, you never doubt that her main passion in life is to drive her bus and never be late. Also returning to the YPT stage are the talented Tamsen Glaser as the Duckling and Bus Engine, and Marquis Bundy as Teenage. They are joined by experienced Chicago actors Jake Elkins as the Hot Dog Vendor and Businessman, and the hilarious Dakota Hughes as the Little Old Lady.  

As his young fans well know, Pigeon never gets to do anything he wants to do. And that’s where the fun begins. In the opening number, Pigeon laments that he never gets to do anything, not even eat a hot dog – which, he claims, is all he really wants to do. Even a visiting Duckling gets a hot dog, but not Pigeon. He’s just told by everyone to “fly away, bird.” What’s a hot-dog loving, adventure-seeking Pigeon to do?

Life changes dramatically for Pigeon when a new bus line opens near Pigeon’s hangout, and he encounters Bus Driver and her brand-new bus. Pigeon is immediately entranced and now the only thing he wants to do is drive the bus! Working up his courage, Pigeon approaches the Bus Driver and sings, “Can I drive the bus?” to which the Bus Driver and all her passengers chorus, “No! Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus.” But when the bus breaks down and the Bus Driver has to find a way to alert the people along the route the bus is running behind, she turns to Pigeon to help her out. Together, Bus Driver helps Pigeon discover his true purpose and dream.

The Greenhouse Theatre is the perfect venue for a younger audience to watch the performance. It’s compact, and with the front row right on the stage, it provides an intimate interaction with the actors. To the absolute delight of the audience, Pigeon goes “flying” through the theatre to alert them that the bus will be late, and they become part of the show as well.

The show got two-thumbs up by my grandchildren, ages 8 and 6, who loved the antics of the Pigeon as he tried his very best to fulfill his dream to drive the bus. But they especially loved the ending when, even after Pigeon discovers his true purpose in life, he spies a plane in the sky and suddenly all he wants to do is “fly the plane.” The entire audience joins in with the cast in the chorus and shout, “No! Don’t let the pigeon fly the airplane!”

There’s something for everyone in the show. I particularly loved Dakota Hughes as the Little Old Lady, who continually threw birdfeed at Pigeon in a well-meaning attempt to give him a treat. (“What is this stuff?” Pigeon indignantly wants to know.) And Tamsen Glaser made a hilarious bus engine with her sputtering and spattering noises as the bus breaks down.

Under Randy White’s astute direction, the action never stops, and the music, composed by Deborah Wicks a Puma, an acclaimed artist in Theatre for Young Audiences, keeps the story moving along, making for a manageable and totally enjoyable theatre experience for children of all ages.

You can catch “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” at Lincoln Park’s historic Greenhouse Theatre Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave.) from Nov. 23-Dec. 22. For ticket information and performance times, visit ytpchi.org.

Despite the fact that I have never read the Newberry Award-Winning children’s book called Last Stop on Market Street, I chose to see the musical adaptation on a sunny Saturday afternoon. And I have to say, I am impressed with this fun-loving musical at the Young People’s Theatre of Chicago. This show is everything you could ask for with beautiful variations of music, singing, dancing and a playful cast.

The show adapted by Cheryl L. West from Matt de la Peña’s best-selling picture book, begins with a young boy named C.J. arriving at his Nana’s house for a short stay while his parents are on a work trip. C.J. is quickly introduced to his Nana’s neighborhood with a joyous welcome song from the neighbors that is contrasted with C.J. 's wishes to go back home. As time goes on, Nana and C.J. reach a point of contention over C.J. wanting to use his electronics and Nana wanting to spend quality time with her grandson. Nana realizes C.J. has been closed off to the world around him and takes him on an adventure through the city on the bus and to a soup kitchen. These experiences challenge C.J. and open him up to the diversity of humans and life around him. Throughout the story C.J, learns valuable life lessons that we all can benefit from.

The backdrop of the stage is a colorful painting of Nana’s street in the city. The buildings and nature on that street are similar to the illustrations in the Last Stop on Market Street book. The setting has smooth transitions from the vibrant neighborhood street to Nana’s old-fashioned living room, and to the bustling soup kitchen. As the stage transforms throughout the story, the cast keeps you entertained by making their way through the crowd.

The six-member cast is packed with talent. Many of them play multiple characters and have fun on stage acting out each of their roles. I love how magnetic the cast is and feel that each of their characters are relatable to those who live around us in Chicago.

One standout cast member is Aja Singletary who plays the main character, C.J. She brilliantly captures the childlike personality of the young boy. She fully embraces the wild ride of emotions C.J. endures as he has his electronics taken away, meets interesting people on the bus, and asks a million questions about the world around him. Despite being an adult woman, Singletary acts as a convincing child who the children in the crowd seemed to have identified with. She takes on C.J.’s mannerisms, whining, imagination, and laughter with ease on stage. 

The wide-range of music is the best feature of this show. The song genres include hip-hop, soul, gospel and Motown funk. I found myself tapping to the beat and bopping my head along with many children dancing along in the crowd. Each song is super catchy and carries a powerful message worth remembering. Last Stop’s wonderful score is by Paris Ray Dozier and his father Lamont Dozier, writer of Motown hits like “How Sweet It Is” and “You Can’t Hurry Love. The lyrics are cleverly written and even left a few of us laughing with interwoven jokes.

Each cast member does a great job singing and dancing along to the music throughout the show. The choreography is on point and complements the music with engaging moves. The cast definitely shows off their talent and even takes their dance moves to the theatre’s aisles among the crowd. Richuan Stewart, who plays as the Tattooed Man and Vernon, shocked me with an impressive vocal range and beautiful singing voice. He captivates the crowd with a few solos and a contagious smile.

If you have an upcoming free Saturday or Sunday, I highly recommend seeing ‘Last Stop on Market Street.’ This musical is an uplifting story filled with diversity and lifelong lessons both children and adults can benefit from. It’s an awesome way to spend some time with your little ones or even on your own. It will leave you feeling joyful and may even give you a new and loving perspective on those who are around you.

Last Stop on Market Street is at the Young People’s Theatre of Chicago located in the Greenhouse Theater Center on 2257 N. Lincoln Ave in Lincoln Park. The show will run May 11th through June 2nd, 2024. Performances run Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 1:30 p.m. This show is best enjoyed by everyone ages 4+, even including adults like me. The show has a quick 60-minute runtime with no breaks. Tickets are $25 for adults and $19 for those under the age of 12. Visit Young People’s Theatre of Chicago’s website at yptchi.org and buy your tickets today!

It’s been almost 80 years since the publication of Anne Frank’s Diary, and yet it remains one of the most significant personal accounts of the Holocaust on record. Though ‘The Diary of A Young Girl’ is a well-established work of young adult literature, it continues to be challenged by parents and school boards. The irony is that maybe there’s never been a more important time for children to read this haunting personal narrative.

Young People’s Theatre of Chicago presents a new adaptation of the 1955 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. This is a secondary adaptation as Wendy Kesselman considerably trimmed the play down for the 1997 Broadway revival. Her updated script is generally considered the standard now. This new, 75-minute version was developed by the Nashville Children’s Theatre along with the Anne Frank-Fonds and is making its Chicago premiere at Greenhouse Theater Center. The goal of the shortened running time was to make the play more impactful for younger audiences. This is not to say this new version has been sanitized to appeal to conservative audiences. In fact, this script keeps the play’s most challenging moments intact.

Randy White directs this intimate production with an impressive young cast. Given that this is one of the most produced plays in the world, it’s reasonable to assume this cast could maybe be influenced by other actors’ portrayals of the two families in hiding. Instead, it feels like this cast decided to depict these real-life figures in their own way. Shelley Winters won an Oscar for her somewhat over-the-top performance as Mrs. van Daan, whereas Amy Stricker plays the part with a realistic coolness. One of the production’s most upsetting moments is when she must sacrifice her beloved fur coat so they can afford rations.

Despite its dark subject matter, ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ endures because of Anne Frank’s ceaseless optimism in the face of the unimaginable. This fast-paced version moves quickly from scene to scene, but it doesn’t lose any depth. Rather, this is a version that children can identify with. For many children, ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ is their first exposure to the Holocaust, so while it’s important not to traumatize a younger audience, it’s also important for children to know the truth so that it can’t happen again. This production hits all the emotional high points that make this play so essential. It was touching to see how affected some tiny audience members were by the play’s chilling conclusion.

‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ is a play that everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. While it’s certainly Holocaust adjacent, there’s a lot in this script about that human condition, and what it means to be a misunderstood teenager that everyone can relate to. Though Anne Frank never saw the impact her work had on generations of people, she achieved what she set out to do. Her diary is more than just a record of her time in hiding, it’s a work of literature wise beyond its author’s years and reminds us all to be gentler with each other.

Through March 24 at Young People’s Theatre of Chicago at Greenhouse Theater Center. 773-404-7336