Displaying items by tag: Chicago

All apologies to the teachers and professors who groomed me to be a ceaseless reader and sporadic writer — I never finished Anna Karenina. But while I never plowed through all 900 pages of Tolstoy’s novel, moments from the book have stayed with me. One of them is just a line, one seemingly effortless line among pages full of them, and what a line it is: “All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow.”

As I reflect on the variety, the charm, and the beauty I was privileged to behold at the Joffrey Ballet’s world premiere of Yuri Possokhov’s production of his countryman’s classic, I realize I witnessed a whole world of light and shadow being created right there on the Auditorium Theatre’s stage.

The creation of that entire world was, most obviously, performed by Possokhov’s choreography carried out by the Joffrey’s outstanding company, of course. Victoria Jaiani’s Anna navigates said world in both light and shadow — beautiful but damaged, faced with reality but delirious. Her husband Karenin, towers over the stage, as portrayed by the magnificent Fabrice Calmels, as a stately, stern husband and father and statesman. Just as stately, while also boyish and beautiful, Alberto Velazquez’s Vronsky lures the audience just as he lures poor Anna. And parallel to the love triangle and tragedy that envelope those three is the love story between Yoshihisa Arai’s Levin and Anais Bueno’s Kitty. If the former affair gives us the shadow, then the latter relationship brings it into the light.

These lights and shadows do not flicker before us thanks solely to the dancers, however. No, the spectacle of sight and sound beyond the dancing are every bit as stunning. Tom Pye’s sets and David Finn’s lighting navigates from dusky railyards to sunny Tuscany, from opium dreams to canapé flings. Of the many delights dished out by the Joffrey’s Nutcracker, perhaps my favorite was its use of projections, and Finn Ross’ projections for 'Anna Karenina' equal those, coloring the story and conjuring spirits.

But from curtain to curtain, the visual thrills are always complemented and often eclipsed by Ilya Demutsky’s original score directed by Scott Speck. The Chicago Philharmonic’s accompaniment, shifting seamlessly from elegance to dissonance, while always both classic and contemporary, is joined by Lindsay Metzger’s mezzo-soprano — who literally joins the show by the end — to craft this world of light and shadow in multiple dimensions that quicken multiple sensations.

So join the Joffrey Ballet at the Auditorium Theatre for Anna Karenina through February 24, as all of these world-class talents work together to shade and illuminate, to craft and create the variety and the charm and the beauty one would expect from a hefty literary classic written a century-and-a-half ago and half a world away.

What was meant to be a run somewhere in the neighborhood of four to eight weeks, became a resident show for Windy City Playhouse, so popular in fact, a new home was created nearly a year later to hold the run indefinitely. The new venue, Windy City Playhouse South (2229 S. Michigan) is now the home for ‘Southern Gothic’ the smash hit play that shows no signs of slowing down. The immersive theater experience co-created by Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director Amy Rubenstein is truly unique and it’s not at all beyond the possibility that this show could become Chicago’s next Million Dollar Quartet, as far as a show that went on an open run for several years.

The show centers around a house party containing four couples in Ashford Georgia on June 30th, 1961. Ellie and Beau Couttier (Sarah Grant and Michael McKeogh) are hosting Suzanne Wellington’s 40th birthday party and it doesn’t start off very well after the caterer doesn’t show up, and the Couttier’s are forced to throw together appetizers and desserts. Scrambling through their refrigerator and cabinets, the two throw together frosting on graham crackers, Cheez-it on crackers and other fun creations. As guests arrive, the party starts off on a light note but quickly goes off the rails as secrets come out and Tucker Alsworth (Ben Page) shows up with Cassie Smith (Arielle Leverett), a woman of color – in 1961 Georgia, where, for many, it was acceptable to enjoy Harry Belafonte on the radio but not socially acceptable to have him over for dinner. As the play progresses, multiple story lines take shape - each fascinating in their own right, with everything eventually coming together quite nicely.

So…the dialogue is riveting and the performances outstanding. Sounds like a solid production, but why all the fuss?

Because, you – the audience, are invited to the party – like, really. And, if you’re like me – someone who enjoys going out but prefers to avoid mundane small talk with acquaintances or strangers, this party is for you.

Audience members can gather in the front yard area of the mid-century modern home or choose to travel from room to room in its interior. There’s not a bad seat in the house (literally). The story moves from room to room (even the bathroom) and you, as the “invited guest” can choose to follow whichever story line you like. There are benches along the walls of the home if you prefer to sit for a bit, but chances are you’ll be moving back and forth a fair amount of the time to collect as much action as possible. And don’t be shy. Feel free to grab any of the snacks that the Couttier’s provide for the guests. Tom Collins are also served (non-alcoholic version available upon prior request). It’s a party! And all you have to do is sit back (and/or walk around) and soak in a hilarious party gone wrong.

Of course, the audience (limited to 30 guests for obvious space reasons) is asked to do their best to stay along the walls and not interact with the actors, who by the way are spectacular at focusing on each other despite the distraction of a moving crowd. Yes, each finely-tuned actor is dialed into their character and the others as though the audience did not exist.

Superbly directed by David H. Bell and wonderfully written by Leslie Liataud, the play includes a great amount of humor, comes with a handful of intriguing story lines, includes eight stand out performances and a set that will certainly make many reminisce about their childhood home (depending on how old one is) or maybe their grandparents house thanks to the fine attention to detail by the talented Windy City Playhouse design team.

Victor Holstein as Charles Lyon, Erin Barlow as Lauren Lyon, Paul Fage as Jackson Wellington and Amy Malcom as birthday girl, Suzanne Wellington round out a splendid cast, that, along with the other actors already mentioned, create a most memorable night for audience members in this very special production.

Do not be deterred by the $90-$100 ticket prices – steep at first glance – but it’s really not. This brilliantly put together show is well worth the cost of admission as it is something you cannot experience anywhere else. In fact, you might even opt to see the play more than once just so you can follow a different story line or see it from a different perspective. There’s a reason this play is a hit and is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Highest recommendation.

‘Southern Gothic’ is being performed at Windy City Playhouse South indefinitely. For tickets and/or more show information, visit windycityplayhouse.com.

*Extended through October 27th

“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

My gateway to Nina Simone fandom came when I was a kid, watching some crummy 90's action movie that was somehow soundtracked by Ms. Simone’s music. Her take on George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun” was both recognizable to young me as a Beatles tune, but it was also strange, alien, powerful, wistful, something completely different than anything I’d heard before. Not the song. But the singer. It was a gateway, for sure.

From there, I ended up with a CD reissue of her late-60s Sings the Blues album, an even better introduction for a clueless young white boy to this complicated genius — one with toe-tappers, showtunes, pop tunes, and yes, the blues. Perhaps the most powerful tune on there, perhaps one even too powerful for me at the time, was Langston Hughes’ “Backlash Blues,” which laments that “the world is big and bright and round and it’s full of folks like me who are black, yellow, beige, and brown.”

In the years since, I’ve grown, as my love and understanding of Nina Simone — the musician, the public figure, the strong woman, and the complex human being — has grown. And now maybe I’m old enough or wise enough or just ready to appreciate the picture of this woman and “folks like” her that Christina Ham’s Nina Simone: Four Women paints for us, as currently performed at Skokie’s Northlight Theatre, directed by Kenneth L. Roberson.

The play itself is named for one of Ms. Simone’s most powerful compositions, one about women “who are black, yellow, beige, and brown.” But it is also framed around what is perhaps an imagined 1960's fever dream of Ms. Simone’s, in the wake of the horrific 1963 bombing of Birmingham’s historic 16th Street Baptist Church in which four beautiful little African-American girls were murdered.

In the play, Ms. Simone is joined in the church’s wreckage by three other African-American women, each of them representing someone Nina sang about in “Four Women.” Above, I wondered if the play’s setting and the four women’s existence are perhaps imagined, based not only on Ms. Simone’s actual history, but her history of mental illness, as well.

The truth is, perhaps, somewhere in between, and that makes the play work. There are hints at Ms. Simone’s mental health throughout the play — voices and sounds she hears — but they don’t completely define her. And there are, for me at least, distracting bits of expository history — biographical details that might be fleshed out if this were a more standard “jukebox musical” — but I didn’t let them get in the way of the four women onstage. And those four women are what make the play work.

First, Sydney Charles is Nina Simone. And is she ever. I heard the rare complaint after the show that her character didn’t feel quite human. But that affect — that coldness, that stateliness, that hurt — seemed to me so in character. Ms. Charles voice, while very good, doesn’t quite match the richness and depth of Ms. Simone’s, but I’m not sure anyone’s does. But as the play went on, Charles’ voice grows stronger, as does her performance, until she is raging, proud, and loud at the world.

The strongest performance comes from the woman who shares the stage the longest with Ms. Charles — Deanna Reed-Foster’s Sarah. What could have veered into the territory of stereotype is fleshed out and deep thanks to the work of Ms. Reed-Foster, a Chicago actress whose work I realized I’ve seen on the TV show, Chicago Fire. If Nina Simone was perhaps superhuman in some ways and unable to convey the tenderness of humanity in others, “Auntie Sarah” gives the show its human and humane center, moving from fear to anger, from joy to sorrow, filling the theater with her beautiful voice and grounding the stage and the story on it.

The other two actresses in the show, Ariel Richardson and Melanie Brezill, also shine. Ms. Richardson brings us the 1960's modern woman, polished and self-assured, while Brezill (who was a highlight last year on the stage of the Chicago Children’s Theatre) shimmies, struts, and slurs as a more worldly woman, doing so in the performance I saw on a broken stiletto heel! The piano accompaniment and musical direction is provided by Daniel Riley, himself a part of the show for much of the evening.

So, while this play is not a standard jukebox musical about, nor a factual portrait of, one of our most gifted and enigmatic musical geniuses, I think it works because it is neither. Nina Simone couldn’t and cannot be separated from her music or her times or who she was or who people think she is. And, soundtracked by wonderful live performances of many of Ms. Simone’s most powerful songs, Nina Simone: Four Women doesn’t try to do any of those things. It lets Nina’s words and Nina’s music tell a story, even if her own story cannot be told.

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

January 25th is now Palmer House, A Hilton Hotel and Magic Parlour Day in Chicago as so declared by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a statement last week. The day is named so for good reason. An idea that took shape in 2011 has now become one of Chicago’s great attractions as Magician Dennis Watkins has been hosting sold out events ever since. In fact, last Friday marked Watkins 1,000th show (most being sold out) – an astounding achievement for any entertainer in Chicago.

Chicago has a rich history in Magic. From early 20th century magician/illusionist Harry Blackstone Sr. (a.k.a. The Great Blackstone), to Harlan Tarbell, who created a magic correspondence course in 1928, Chicago was once home for many magic clubs. We had Jack Gwynne in the 1950's and, of course, Marshall Brodien, who started out as a carnival barker for a circus freak show also made an impression. Before gaining mass popularity as Wizzo Wizard on The Bozo show, Brodien was an accomplished hypnotist. He also created every beginner’s favorite teaching tool in the 1970’s – T.V. Magic Cards along with several magic kits (yes, I had one). Even while retired, Brodien assisted in creating illusions for the likes of David Copperfield and Lance Burton. Yes, Magic was certainly a popular pastime in our fair city throughout the early-mid 1900’s and was kept alive thanks to magician stars like Brodien through the early 1980’s.

Then, unless you were visiting Las Vegas, magic got quiet for awhile.

New magic personalities Criss Angel and David Blaine helped in bringing magic back on a nationwide level in the early 2000’s, but, outside of an occasion magic show, magic didn’t have much of a presence in Chicago. There just weren’t many places to catch a quality magic act. But that changed just after 2010 thanks to a benefit appearance that House Theatre of Chicago that featured ensemble member Dennis Watkins. Watkins, now considered by many to be the best magician in Chicago – and some will even argue he’s the best in the country, wowed his audience with close up magic that evening. The House Theatre then produced a show called ‘The Magic Parlour’ on a limited basis, which featured 3rd generation magician Dennis Watkins. The show was a smash, selling out performance after performance after it became a weekly event. But it was after a sold-out New Year’s Eve performance at The Palmer House Hilton Hotel that a deal was struck that would put Chicago back on the magic map. Since, Watkins has performed ‘The Magic Parlour’ regularly at the classic Chicago hotel to which it has now become a staple in Chicago entertainment – a sought after attraction that people from all over the world attend.

Watkins magic is special. During his show, he talks of picking up the craft as a seven-year-old boy from his grandfather, an accomplished magician who also owned a local magic shop. Specializing in close-up magic, Watkins prefers to amaze his audience with in-your-face sleight of hand rather than with grand illusions. This creates a much more intimate experience - and one that demands much more skill from the magician. Watkins performs his own unique tricks that only those who have attended ‘The Magic Parlour’ could ever claim to have seen, and he also puts his own spin on classic tricks that have wowed through the ages. He is a magician but is also a skilled entertainer. Watkin’s banter with each intimate audience flows nicely and includes much humor. His ability to make every attendee feel comfortable and included is a great part of the fun. But make no mistake about it – it is his ability to perform magic at such a high level that separates him from the pack.

It is with much confidence that I can predict ‘The Magic Parlour’ will have another celebration in seven or so years as they hit another milestone with their 2,000th show. Dennis Watkins is as good as it gets, and the historic Palmer House Hilton creates the perfect ambience for such a magic act.

Dennis Watkins is one of the greats of our time.

Cheers! Here’s to another 1,000 shows!

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

Brendan Coyle is no Mr. Bates when it comes to his latest stage endeavor. Instead, the Olivier Award-winning actor, best known for his role on Downton Abbey as the likeable, mild-mannered, ever so loyal valet to Lord Crawley – Mr. Bates, takes on a persona far removed from what most of us are accustomed to seeing him portray. In Goodman Theatre’s ‘St.Nicholas' Coyle plays an resentful, cynical theatre critic with an unbelievable story to tell. Coyle's performance commands audience attention from beginning to end without a moment otherwise.

The first couple minutes of the monologue play are already filled with intensity. Coyle doesn’t even have to utter a single word as he tosses handfuls of rice in various areas of his disheveled apartment – chairs overturned, windows plastered in old newspaper. It looks like the place was ransacked. After penetratingly staring out to the crowd, he finally takes a seat and begins to tell his story. Upon revealing that he is a theatre critic (which alone in itself conjures a hearty, collective laugh in the way he says it), he admits he has been harsh in his reviews due to jealousy. He is a powerful critic. His reviews can make or break a production. The first act offers a great amount of depth into his character in a gripping monologue that only playwright Conor McPherson could pen. The description of his life as a critic laid out so well and superbly delivered, we get a perfectly painted picture. We feel his frustration, his pain and his triumphs. We feel for the character. In true McPherson style, who has given us such powerful productions as “the Seafarer’ and ‘Dublin Carol’, the play is filled with dark humor, plenty of F-bombs, drinking and, of course, deep soul searching.

“When I was a boy, I was afraid of the dark… What was there. And maybe one of the things I thought was there was vampires,” our critic says in the first act. It’s not the only mention of vampires in the play’s first half. Though riding along with perfectly timed moments of humor, “St. Nicholas” becomes more of a psychological thriller as it progresses. The Dublin theater critic tells us how he gave up his everyday life for a beautiful actress, an actress whose spellbinding grace, beauty and charm won him over while reviewing a play he planned to trash. As he describes the actress, it is obvious there is no turning back in his mind. His obsession, he reveals, leads him to strike a deal with a community of modern-day vampires and that’s when we are taken on a journey like none other, as we hang on his every word.

The second act takes place in a candlelit setting – almost presenting an atmosphere like that of a ghost story told around a campfire as we are given the devilish details of his interactions with the band of vampires. Candles burn on the window sills, his desk, the floor. There is no stage lighting directed to Coyle’s face. Instead, the glow of small flames flicker about, allowing just the perfect amount of lighting to most effectively create just the right ambiance as he tells his dark tale. Peter McKintosh does a masterful job with set design and Matt Daw with lighting while Simon Evans' direction is flawless.

Towards the end of his magnificent story Coyle's character then wonders if it was real or just a dream. “After all, what is a dream and what is real?” he then asks while offering several scenarios of which can so be defined as a "dream". Perhaps, as he suggests, our dream moments are real and what we perceive as our awake moments are in fact dreams. The play, after all, is inspired by McPherson’s own dream - where he was bitten by a vampire and given two pain killers.

Emmy Award nominated Brendan Coyle is outstanding. He is a true stage presence and has the ability to reach out to his audience in the most effective of ways – a true master of the stage.

I wholeheartedly recommend ‘St. Nicholas’ at Goodman Theatre as Coyle’s performance is not to be missed – enthralling, powerful and perfectly executed humor – a theatrical delight. Catch this limited engagement that comes direct from London's internationally renowned Donmar Warehouse.

‘St. Nicholas’ is being performed in Goodman’s cozy 350-seat Owen Theatre through January 27th. For tickets and/or more show information, visit www.goodmantheatre.org.

Despite being both a writer and a fanboy of books aimed at readers much younger than I’ve been for what seems like millennia, I never got around to Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. Maybe I thought it was a knockoff of the, at the time, immensely popular Harry Potter books. Or maybe I’d had enough of Greek mythology from my own junior high days.

Either way, I came into the Oriental Theatre to see the touring production of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical with no advanced knowledge, no preconceptions, and no great expectations. But then a thunderbolt hit, the show began, and I ended up very pleasantly surprised by the cast of gods, demi-gods, and enthusiastic actors and musicians who took the stage.

As luck would have it, the titular character’s played by Chris McCarrell, a Broadway vet who actually originated this very role Off-Broadway. So from start to finish, the production’s in good hands, as McCarrell is youthful, confident, and has a Hades of a voice. My date for the evening — my six-year-old daughter, only slightly younger than the audience’s average age, I’d wager — whispered to me after one of Percy’s songs, “Daddy, I think I love that boy who’s singing.” Judging by the applause and squeals, much of the crowd agreed with her.

The cast for this show is a small one, with most members playing multiple parts, and playing them well. Jorrel Javier features as both a trusty young sidekick and crotchety old god of the vine who’s traded in drunkenness, debauchery, and drama to be a camp counselor. Kristin Stokes’ voice filled the theater whenever her Annabeth (type-A daughter of Athena) sang. Like Stokes and McCarrell, James Hayden Rodriguez has been part of this show for a long time, and his experience showed as he played both an adolescent counselor and an ancient deity with charisma and charm.

But the two cast members who had me applauding and near squeals were Ryan Knowles and Jalynn Steele. Knowles is first seen as a stuffy, wheelchair-bound teacher of the classics, but quickly proves his verve and versatility, playing a centaur and a beach bum among many others. But his best moment was as a snaky, strutting, devilish diva of yore. Steele then one-ups Knowles’ diva with her own, bringing the house down to an underworld full of shimmy, shake, and some shoutouts to long-dead musical heroes that the audience’s older members recognized.

And that brings me to the thing about The Lightning Thief that stood out the most to me. While there were bits here and there meant to appease the oldsters — pop-culture references, old-school mugging — this production felt young. It could’ve been the thrown-together (I mean that in a good way) but thoughtful set and costumes designed by Lee Savage and Sydney Maresca. Or it could’ve been the clubby lighting by David Lander. All of those things were fresh.

But I think what made The Lightning Thief seem so new and fresh to me is that it is new and fresh. It’s got the feel of the kids these days (again, meant in a good way). It’s not trying to be cool. It just is cool. It’s not trying to shoehorn ancient stuff like gods and monsters into today’s world. It just does so. I found it fun and inspiring and I’ve gotta say, it proved to be the gateway drug that’ll find my daughter and me checking out the book series on which the stage show is based.