Displaying items by tag: Lincolnshire

There was only one star of the Cubs-Diamondback series this past weekend in Chicago and it wasn’t a player. It was a pigeon who spent a sleepy seven innings strutting along the third base line to the delight of cameramen and Cubs fans. Who can blame the cameraman panning in on the funny looking bird when our beloved Cubbies couldn’t manage to get a player on base let alone to third? At one point fans were telling the team to put let the Pigeon play. But my son cautioned us all: Don’t let the pigeon play baseball. This sentiment was agreed upon by all the children in our section of the stands. The reason was that pigeons think they are old enough, mature enough, talented enough, when in reality they can’t play baseball any more than they could drive a bus and the children had the Mo Willems receipts to prove it. But in a world of Don’ts, particularly involving our fine feathered friends, there is one thing we all should do, and that is seeing the soon to be crowd favorite of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!

Hop on board for an unforgettable ride with the Pigeon in Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! In this feather-filled extravaganza based on Mo Willems’ bestselling books, the Pigeon is back and he’s ready to take the stage. When the Bus Driver has a crisis that threatens to make her passengers late, the wily bird sees his chance to take the wheel. With an innovative mix of actors, puppets, and feathers, this production brings the beloved characters to life like never before. Featuring a hilarious script co-written by Willems and Mr. Warburton and catchy songs by Deborah Wicks La Puma, this show is perfect for the whole family. Suitable for children ages 4 and up, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! is an interactive and joyous experience.

Similar to Willem’s musical adaptation Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!” that premiered at Marriott Theatre in Chicago, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! brings the beloved children’s story about the Pigeon to life, focusing nearly entirely on Drive the Bus, but references Willem’s other Pigeon books such as Stay up Late, Duckling gets a Cookie, Pigeon Wants a Puppy and Pigeon Finds A Hot Dog. Unlike its predecessor, Drive the Bus relied too heavily on the one book for source material. The Pigeon was almost a secondary character behind the bus driver, and duckling hardly made an appearance the whole show. The play lacked a well crafted storyline that could have tied all the beloved books together, relying on overexaggerated bits and gags that had kids rolling in the aisles and some clever quips that adults ostrich chuckled at. What the musical story might lack, Marriott Theatre makes up for in its local talent. Actors and actresses belted out catchy tunes and demonstrated their breathtakingly impressive ranges. The actors make the musical accessible and easy to follow for children of all ages, using the full 360-degree stage to ensure every section of the theatre feels included in the show and can see the Pigeon. While the story might not be as strong or entertaining as the Piggie and Elephant musical, the magic and charm of Mo Willems still shines through and it is well worth the trip to Lincolnshire to delight your kids of all ages.

The Cubs might lose some, but there is plenty of season left. The same cannot be said for this limited run of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!, now playing only through August 11^th at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. Maybe the Pigeon shouldn’t drive the bus, but maybe, just maybe, the Cubs shouldn’t discount the Pigeon to be a reserve player for the latter half of the season. Tickets for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! are available at www.marriotttheatre.com.

You got trouble, my friends, if you’re going to put on Meredith Willson’s The Music Man.

If you’re going to stage a show that’s been staged ten thousand times since its 1957 Broadway debut—from Hugh Jackman on the stage to Matthew Broderick on the screen to every doggone high school from Clear Lake to Mason City.

A show lovingly recreating an era (Willson was born in turn-of-the-century Iowa) and themes (Willson’s virtuosity on the piccolo found him playing in John Phillip Sousa’s band and Toscanini’s New York Philharmonic) that aren’t quite old enough to be ancient but aren’t familiar enough not to seem dated.

To try and recreate those songs.

“Trouble”

“Till There Was You”

“Seventy-Six Trombones”

To try and attempt to touch the hem of the salesman’s trousers worn by Robert Preston’s Professor Harold Hill—Preston not only originated Hill and played him for much of the original production’s 1,375-show run and the beloved 1962 Hollywood adaptation, he is Professor Harold Hill. Nobody—not any one of those ten thousand (or more) high school or professional actors, not even Hugh Jackman—can be the band instrument-peddling flim-flam man like Preston was and is and always will be.

My friends, if you’re going to attempt all of that… well, you’ve got trouble.

Unless you’re Katie Spelman, who is directing and choreographing Marriott Theatre’s current production of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man. Spelman’s production lovingly embraces and focuses on some aspects of Willson’s original, while avoiding the pitfalls such an iconic show presents. But what this production does best is it knows its strengths, and it leans into them, giving Spelman’s show its own unique flair.

We see the sort of Harold Hill we’re going to spend the evening with right away aboard the train from Rock Island. In most productions I’ve seen, me and the rest of the audience know the first scene’s big reveal, and our eyes remain glued to a particular passenger despite the cast’s best efforts at the syncopated opening number, “Rock Island.” But even though we spot KJ Hippensteel at the back of the train car, we don’t focus on him. Instead, we focus on the enthusiastic ensemble that everyone—Marriott’s in-the-round setup means it’s always the best seat in the house—sees up close and personal and from all angles. Ron E. Rains, all dolled up like a turn-of-the-country fellow, leads the charge, while his fellow passengers run through Spelman’s clockwork choreography. Right away, I was glad to see a familiar face, Michael Mahler, who brought the same charm to each role in this play as he has in many past.

After Hippensteel’s Professor Harold Hill disembarks from the train to River City, Iowa, this closeness and intimacy we felt aboard the train transfers right into town. This production doesn’t try to recreate River City on a Hollywood scale. But it really focuses on certain things and gives us a good, close look at them, which we might not have gotten on the Broadway stage or the silver screen.

The citizens of River City are each and every one unique. And, as they move around the round, allowing us to see each and every one of them, we appreciate the details of each of their costumes (by Raquel Adorno), we appreciate that each one is someone. Particularly charming are youngsters Emily Ann Brooks and Sam Linda, Janet Ulrich Brooks’ Widow Paroo, Elin Joy Seiler’s Amaryllis, Alex Goodrich’s Mayor Shinn, Melanie Loren’s hilarious Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn, and the spot-on barbershop harmonies of the school board quartet (Matt Edmonds, Quinn Rigg, Michael Potsic, and the afore-mentioned Mahler).

Besides the ensemble’s vocal strengths, the singer who really shines is Alexandra Silber as Marian Paroo, the town librarian. No shrinking violet, no old-maid-against-her-will, and not even Mrs. Partridge (although I do love Shirley Jones’ Marian the Librarian), Silber brings her Grammy-nominated vocals to the fore. This production’s brought Julie Andrews-caliber pipes to the party—Silber’s soprano as she sang of “My White Knight” gave me chills.

But while all of these strengths—the ensemble’s skill, the cast’s charm, the performers’ pipes, the theater’s—are recognized and utilized and add up to a unique and charming take on an old favorite, I’ve not yet addressed KJ Hippensteel as Professor Harold Hill. And that’s because, like the production itself, Hippensteel’s Hill reads the room and knows what the room needs, or he knows how to sell the room what the room thinks it needs.

Hippensteel’s Hill doesn’t try to go toe-to-toe with Preston’s over-the-top traveling salesman—he’d have failed like every other Hill since Preston caught his last train ride. But Hippensteel’s Hill knows his own strengths.

He’s city pretty and, while out of place in a place like River City, he’s a curiosity. He’s slippery, slinking around with an easy physicality that sometimes seems to be at twice the speed of the Iowans moving around him. And Hippensteel’s Hill seems like he might just be a nice enough fellow—while Preston’s Hill, played by an actor who up until then had usually played screen villains, is a bad guy you hope could see the light, Hippensteel’s Hill is a good guy who you hope can right the ship after some bad life choices.

But, because this is The Music Man, a show we music theater folks know and love, Hippensteel’s Hill does give us the flourishes, the hand gestures, the hops, the dips, all the pizazz we came into the theater expecting from the professor. However, Hippensteel does it on his own terms, as his own Harold Hill. Just like the entire charming and unique production of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man does, playing now through June 2 at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire.

For anyone familiar with children’s literature, Roald Dahl is a household name. Since the 1960s, Dahl has entertained and enchanted his young readers with fantastical tales of witches, giants, talking animals, magical chocolate factories, and yes, even a giant peach.

So, it is more than appropriate that the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire has added to its children’s theatre repertoire for the 2023-2024 season a lively and imaginative adaptation of Dahl’s classic James and the Giant Peach. During the 70-minute run time – perfectly suited for the younger audience – the gifted and energetic ensemble bring to life the magical adventures of James Henry Trotter and his intrepid insect friends – Earthworm, Green Grasshopper, Centipede, Spider, and Ladybug.

In this adaptation of the musical, which premiered in 2010, with a score composed by the Tony Award-nominated team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman) and book by award-winning playwright Timothy Allen McDonald (who also adapted Dahl’s most well-known work, Willy Wonka), the charm and quirky characters of Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach are introduced once again to a new generation of fans.

The audience is guided through James’ adventure under the skillful musical narration of Ladahlord, a mysterious magical man, capably played by Chicago theatre veteran, Alex Goodrich. As he informs the audience, magic is going to unfold “Right Before Your Eyes” in the opening number. And then it does, as spiders, earthworms, grasshoppers, ladybugs, centipedes, charging rhinos, ravenous sharks, and comical seagulls all come brilliantly to life through the creative combination of puppets and actors and innovations of costume and wig designers Amanda Vander Byl and Ray Sanchez and gifted props master Leo Bassow.

For those unfamiliar with the story, James becomes an orphan after his parents are eaten by a rhino (see above!) who has escaped the London Zoo. He falls into the hands of his wicked aunts, Aunts Sponge and Spiker. After being given a magical potion of crocodile tongues by Ladahlord, James trips and scatters the potion before he can use its power. What does result, however, is a gigantic peach!

While the aunts try to make money off charging people to see the giant peach, James enters the peach itself, finding himself in the company of human-sized insects. After the peach drops from the tree and rolls into the ocean, James and his companions use their wits and abilities to battle sharks and other obstacles to voyage across the ocean. Eventually the peach lands on the Empire State Building. When it drops to the ground, it crushes the two wicked aunts who have followed the peach across the ocean, and James and his newfound family are home at last.

From the beginning, the audience is captivated by the music, puppets, and the talented cast. James is wonderfully played by 12-year-old Kai Edgar, who made his acting debut at age 8 in the title role of Oliver at the Marriott Theatre. Edgar brings an energy and poise to his performance that is well beyond his age. His amazing performance alone is reason enough to see the show.

He is joined onstage by an equally experienced and gifted ensemble. The dour and doubting Centipede is brilliantly played by Garrett Lutz, who has appeared on numerous Chicago stages, including numerous Marriott productions. Andrés Enriquez also returns to the Marriott stage and delights as the near-sighted and fearful Earthworm. Enriquez shines in his number “Plumb and Juicy,” one of the show’s more memorable tunes, as he breaks from his reserve and fears to help save his companions.

The ensemble is rounded out by veteran actor Christopher Kale Jones, who plays the wise and steady Green Grasshopper and undeniable leader of the group, with an understated elegance and humor. He is joined by Elizabeth Telford, as the kind and motherly Ladybug, who brings a sweetness and tenderness to her role. Juwon Tyrel Perry, who most recently appeared in Marriott Theatre in its Carole King tribute musical, Beautiful, who plays Spider, with a hip and stylish vibe.

And of course, no Roald Dahl story is complete without its villains, which are wonderfully played by Lucy Godinez and Leah Morrow, as the delightfully wicked aunts, Sponge and Spiker, respectively. The pair’s oversized personalities and outlandish antics are crowd favorites, but that doesn’t stop the audience from cheering when their evil designs are finally crushed after the peach drops on them.

Under the direction of Tommy Rapley, who also choreographs the performance, Dahl’s classic tale entertains and captivates the audience with its fast-paced action, nonstop comedy, and innovative set. Marriott’s signature theatre is the perfect venue and James and the Giant Peach is the perfect production to introduce your children and grandchildren to the wonderful world of theatre.

You can catch James and the Giant Peach at the Marriott through March 30th.

On any given day, when I walk out my front door, I’d see a quiet suburban street. Most families stay within their, rarely venturing out unless the temperature is a cool-but-warm 70 degrees, content with their healthy skepticism of their neighbors, keeping to surface level ‘how-do-you dos’ or ‘how-is-the-family?’ There’s not a sense of engagement let alone community.  The concept of community is an abstract one but something that people crave, something they need in their lives. But what makes a community?The places?The familiarity or the routine? The melding of business and residential living? Or is it the people? These are the questions that come up when viewing the exceptional Broadway National Tour of Lin Manuel-Miranda’s In The Heights, now playing at Marriot Theatre.

In The Heights takes place on a hot and sweaty day in the summer of 2008 in Washington Heights, New York City. On a corner bodega, Usnavi de la Vega, welcomes us to his neighborhood and introduces us to his community. We meet Abuela Claudia, the neighborhood’s resident matriarch and grandmother who raised Usnavi, and Sonny, Usnavi’s cousin, Daniela and Carla, local salon owners, Kevin and Camila Rosario, who manage a cab service, and Vanessa, Usnavi’s crush who wants out of the barrio, the Rosario’s daughter Nina who is returning home from Stanford with a secret, and runs into Benny, his father’s employee at the cab service. As the community moves about their day, we see the struggles and challenges each person faces in and out of the barrio; feeling unwelcome, discriminated against, cut down, undervalued. Amidst their own personal crises, the neighborhood itself is under attack from gentrification, businesses being bought out for cheap by big realestate investors, eager to remove teh culture and heart of the neighborhood. As the heat rises, passions and tempers flare, and the barrio goes dark, a once in a lifetime occurence changes the trajectory of the neightbod, uniting them in ways that allow them to move forward together towards a bright future. 

The Marriot Theatre continues to produce incredible shows each season and finds exceptional local talent that rivals any NYC Broadway cast. There was not a single member of the ensemble cast of In The Heights that was not talented beyond measure, their energy and vibrancy pulling you in and bringing you along for the entirety of the 2 hr and 20 min run time. Start with the captivating Joseph Morales as our narrator, Usnavi with Paola V. Hernández spicy and vulnerable Vanessa, add in the singing talents of Yasir Muhammad and Addie Morales as the young lovers, Benny and Nina, mix in the humor of  Jordan Arredondo as Benny with the heart of Crissy Guerrero’s  Abuela Claudia, and finally throw in smooth-as-honey vocals from Lillian Castillo, Andres J DeLeon and the sexy and rhythmic dance moves of Wesley J Barnes and Kiana Rodriguez and you have an ensemble case ready to step onto Broadway and sweep the Tony’s. The cast was energtic, fun, passionate, and heartfelt, and truly made the audience long to be part of such a community.  In The Heights features a live orchestra secretly nestled within the 360 degree theatre. The immersive stage allows the audience to feel like they are a member of the cast, every angle and corner utilized to portray the NYC neighborhood. The lighting, the music, the staging, everything was en pointe for this production of In The Heights. Chicago theatre lovers will be remiss to not see such a whirlwind portrayal of what is sure to be a play with lasting staying power. 

The portrayal of community within the play is one of shared struggles and successes. When Nina returns home from Stanford, feeling like she has lost her way, her community reminds her of her talent and prowess. Nina herself is reminded of not only where she comes from, but where her parents came from to build a foundation to give her a better life. She’s able to refocus and ground herself, and find her way again. After Usnavi’s bodega is looted, Sonny enlists the help of Graffiti Pete, played by Phillip Wood, to symbolize home and community on the bodega’s gate, signifying to Usnavi where his heart has been all along, right there in the barrio with his chosen family. Director James Vásquez says it best, “with the help of Lin Manuel Miranda’s brilliant and specific score, which has changed the idea of what musical theatre can be, we zoom in to get a closer look at one particular community. They fight to remember who they are where they come from, but also look to the future and dream of who they can become.” If a neighborhood is a body, the bodega would be the head, but the people would be the heart, and that is the true essence of In The Heights. Community is about what you make it to be, and who makes up that heart.

Though my community isn’t nearly as engaging or centric as the one portrayed in In The Heights, I walked away from Marriot Theatre feeling light, hopeful, and a part of a larger community than just what makes up my cul-du-sac. The Chicago Theatre community is supportive, vibrant, and diverse. They lift each other up and come together to experience real, authentic voices. The community is welcoming and fun and one that draws me back in every time. Not every community is made up of a corner store or city block, or even a quiet tree-lined street in greater Chicagoland. There are thousands of communities to discover in Chicagoland and beyond. Whatever makes up your community, I hope it is filled with love, hope, happiness, and has a soundtrack that Lin Manuel Miranda himself would be envious of. 

In The Heights runs through March 17th at The Marriot Theatre at 10 Marriott Dr, Lincolnshire. Tickets are available at www.marriottheatre.com.

The first time I read an Elephant & Piggie book I didn’t think highly of it. I thought they were too simple, too cliche. I read one, and didn’t pick up another. Every parent raved about these books. Every small child knew who Elephant & Piggie were, offering their recommendations of their favorite stories. It wasn’t until my own children picked Elephant & Piggie books up from the library – on their own – and started reading the simple words, following the simple storylines, laughing and giggling, that I grew to love these books. And I couldn’t wait to see the Elephant & Piggie in real life as they perform at The Marriott Theater in Lincolnshire.

Elephant & Piggie's "We Are in a Play!" is a story that celebrates Elephant & Piggie books written by award-winning, best-selling children's author, Mo Willems.In Elephant & Piggie's "We Are in a Play!", Gerald and Piggie take to the stage in a rollicking adventure that is perfect for young audiences. An elephant named Gerald and a pig named Piggie are best, best, "bestus" (a word Gerald and Piggie made up that means "very best") friends, but Gerald worries that something could go wrong that would end their friendship. Piggie is not worried at all. She's even happier and more excited than usual. That's because she and Gerald are invited to a party hosted by the Squirrelles, three singing squirrels who love to have a good time. And so begins a day when anything is possible. Starring the incomparable and stellar casting of Lillian Castillo (Piggie) and Lorenzo Roy Jr. (Gerald), Elephant & Piggie's "We Are in a Play!" is a perfect way to introduce young people to theater.

Parents and kids will immediately find themselves watching a real life storytelling of their beloved modern classics. From a fun invitation arriving for Piggie, an homage to "I am Invited to a Party!", to sweet moments of party prep lamenting a lack of rhythm, an homage to "Elephants cannot dance,” the play pulls from multiple Elephant & Piggie books, ensuring there is something for everyone. Coupled with smart writing (script and lyrics by Mo Willems), live bubbles, and dancing Squirrells you are watching literature come to life. The Marriott Theater continues to select engaging and relevant plays to produce for children’s theater. “We are in a Play!” was another success in many well curated seasons and will sure to be a crowd favorite.

Leaving the play, I listened to my kids provide Siskel and Ebert quality reviews of the play; what worked, what didn’t, and what was missing (it was the Pigeon!). They asked me my opinions and did not find them sufficient; “you only liked it? You didn’t love it?” And when we arrived home, they wandered off to the library and read every single Elephant and Piggie book we own. What a beautiful thing, to love to read about your favorite Elephant and your favorite Piggie. What a beautiful thing to read.

“We are in a Play!” is playing at the Marriott Theater in Lincolnshire and runs through August 13th. Tickets are available at www.MarriottTheatre.com.

There is a lot of bad content out there, particularly regarding family programming. Any parent forced to endure an hour of Cocomelon will tell you, not every show is a banger or cult classic in the making. When modern programming fails, it is nice to know we can reach into the past and find good, reliable programming in the classics. For us, those classics are Rugrats, The Simpsons, Powerpuff Girls, Fraggle Rock, and of course School House Rock. When we learned that another classic, even more vintage, had a musical, we knew we had to check it out. With 2023 being the year of 'what was old is new again,' we ventured to the Northern burbs to see You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

Based on the beloved Charles Schulz comic strip, the 1967 musical features Charlie Brown and the Peanuts bunch as they explore life's great questions: playing baseball, struggling with homework, singing songs, swooning over their crushes, and celebrating the joy of friendship.

We were so hopeful for this play and curious about the comic strip in musical form. There were most certainly a few standout moments such as the song "Suppertime" performed by Snoopy and "Beethoven Day" performed by Schroeder, but overall, the songs and music were quite forgettable; no one would be caught singing a song from this musical at an audition.

Much like the comic strip and small vignettes on DVD, the play did not really have a plot or a story arc. What motivates the characters? What is the climax or problem of the story? If this Charlie Brown person claims he has no talent and nothing to offer, and throughout the play we see him live up to that expectation, what is the point of watching him or the people in his life? One could reach for a plot in that Charlie Brown is a good man simply because he is so ordinary that it makes those around him stand out even more, even though they aren't particularly fascinating. We could even venture that he's a good man because he truly does no evil, only sort of floats around innocently, keeping to his own. he does good by doing nothing and allowing his friends to be themselves (even at his own detriment). 

The musical was short and sweet, just under an hour run time with over 20 songs. It's a small cast and simple design, and the Lincolnshire Marriot 360 Theatre ensured you saw every minute of the play from any angle. The only real redeeming quality of the show is that children loved it. In its simplicity and sweetness, it found its niche with the children in the audience whose faces lit up when Snoopy started to talk and when Linus sang a ballad to his blanket. Maybe our brains crave more action and drama than Charlie Brown would deliver (he is rather unextraordinary after all), or maybe Charlie Brown doesn't resonate like it did in the 60s and 70s, but nevertheless, it does have some lasting power, reaching out across generations to bring Boomers and Gen Alpha together for a brief moment out of lives. And maybe, just maybe, that was the real purpose of this musical.

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is playing at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire and runs through April 1st. Grab the kids and grands and secure your tickets today. 

The first time I ever saw Oliver!, it was the 1960s movie version. I saw it at one of those old-timey theaters where an “old” guy (this was the 1980s and I was a wee lad, so the organist very well could’ve been a pimply teen keyboard prodigy and I’d have still pegged him as a geezer) played the pipe organ and they showed “old” movies (I remember seeing Laurel and Hardy there, too) and it was supposed to make you feel like it was the good-old days. Well, I know I didn’t recall much of the plot, but that Oliver!’s characters and musical numbers sure made a big impression — a big enough impression that my reintroduction to them, all these years later, by the Marriott Theatre’s current production, made it feel like being reacquainted with shabby old Cockney chums on the Victorian London streets in which they make their questionable livings.

When my date for the night, my six-year-old daughter who’s already a Broadway kinda gal, asked me what Oliver! was about, I told her it was “Annie with boys.” That explanation appeased her beforehand, and it made even more sense as we watched the show, because in Oliver!, it’s the kids who do the heavy lifting. From the opening number, “Food, Glorious Food,” the urchins whose lives are spent in either the poorhouse or on the London streets are the focus whenever they’re onstage. And the boys (and yes, unlike Annie’s female orphans, these kids are all male), despite their coal-smudged cheeks and their ratty rags and hand-me-down threads, light up the stage whenever they take it, especially in big numbers like the afore-mentioned “Food, Glorious Food,” as well as “Consider Yourself” and “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two.”

The two young stars of the play do as much shining as any of their peers. In the performance I saw, Kayden Koshelev played the eponymous orphan (he’ll be alternating performances with Kai Edgar). Koshelev is a little guy, tiny in comparison even to the other kids. But that makes him stand out, actually, and makes the audience care for him even more. Patrick Scott McDermott’s Artful Dodger steals each scene he’s in, his Cockney accent on point, his top hat held high, his eyes twinkling through the gloom and doom of his homeless, criminal existence.

And the adults who force this existence on their youthful stage mates are every bit their younger peers’ equals. In the movie version, I remember being terrified of Fagin. But in this production, William Brown brings the heart he recently brought to Into the Woods — sure he’s a crook and takes advantage of the boys who are his wards, but he’s a vulnerable villain. The same cannot be said for Dan Waller’s Bill Sikes; I wish Waller had a bigger part, because while he wasn’t the imposing figure, size-wise, I remember the film Sikes being, Waller’s demeanor and attire sure made a dark impression. Matthew R. Jones’ Mr. Bumble was also a daunting adult for the poor kids to deal with, although he was allowed some humor thanks to Bethany Thomas’ Mrs. Corney (Thomas, too, displays her range, this time as a character actress after carrying the recent Into the Woods).

But it was yet another star from Into the Woods who shined brightest in Oliver! — Lucy Godinez’s Nancy. Godinez starred, of course, as Little Red Riding Hood, and helped make that production. But, if it’s possible, she’s even better here, showing just as much warmth as Brown’s Fagin for the ragamuffins, and providing the highlight of the show with her take on “As Long as He Needs Me” — her performance of that song alone will have me looking for any future productions she’s in.

So, just like the film version’s plot made little impression on a little me, while its cast and music did, I can say the same for the Marriott Theatre’s current production of Oliver! — come for the charming Cockney characters and the tunes, glorious tunes. You won’t leave with an empty belly.

At Marriott Theatre through December 29th. For more information visit https://www.marriotttheatre.com/.  

The skies full of snow,
The weekend seemed dire.
Oh, where would we go?
To Lincolnshire!

On the Marriott stage
To see Seussical,
Straight from the page
To a musical!

All your favorites are there,
Horton and a Who or two,
Gertrude and Mayzie,
We even go to Kalamazoo!

Oh, the thinks you can think
When you think about Seuss.
And the sings you can sing
When you let writers loose.

The play follows Horton
You know him, you must —
The kindly old elephant
With a speck of dust.

With Evan Martin as Horton
And Pat McDermott, moreover,
As the Who on the speck
And the speck on a clover.

But soon there is trouble:
A sour kangaroo
Played by Nicole Kyoung-Mi Lambert
Mocks Horton and his Who!

For the speck is a planet
Filled up with these Whos
Who’ve befriended our Horton
Who soon has the blues.

But Gertrude McFuzz
All bouncy and blonde
Played by Kelly Felthous
Of Horton is fond.

But Gertrude’s not all
No, no, no! No way, Jose!
She’s not the only
Star of this play.

There are Bird Girls galore
By gosh and by golly
Played by Michelle Lauto,
Mallory Madke, and Samantha Pauly

And the Wickersham monkeys
Onstage jump and sing,
Played by Alejandro Fonseca
Brandon Springman, and Ron King.

Horton hatches an egg,
Jojo yearns to be heard,
There’s even red fish and blue fish
Amongst all the birds.

Oh, I almost forgot —
Have you any guesses?
The Seussian favorite
Played by Jon Butler-Duplessis.

A feline who’s tall,
Nearly tall as his hat,
Hosted all the hilarity —
The Cat in the Hat!

On the faces of children
When the play was all done
Were smiles and giggles
Both sure signs of fun.

This musical’s a hit
But it won’t last too long —
Until March 31st
You can hear Seuss’ songs.

So if you’ve got wee ones
Who love Dr. Seuss,
Don’t miss this play,
You’ve got no excuse!

Through March 31st at Marriott Theatre - www.MarriottTheatre.com

The anti-fairytale is something everyone can get behind. Though there have many of these attempts over the years, Shrek is still the stand out, the one that broke the mold, the OG. Now everyone's favorite ogre is back in an  hilarious stage spectacle, based on the Oscar-winning, smash-hit film.

An unlikely hero, Shrek, is determined to reclaim his precious swamp from exiled fairytale misfits with the help of his wisecracking sidekick, Donkey. Together, they find themselves on a life-changing journey to rescue a princess who is locked away in an isolated castle guarded by a fire-breathing, lovesick dragon. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a royal wedding, and an evil curse and you've got the kind of mess only true love's kiss can fix!

The musical closely followed the movie, at times nearly line for line, even capturing the original line’s cadence and inflection. But the repetitive was broken up by clever musical numbers such as What’s Up Duloc?’,  ‘I Think I Got You Beat,’ and ‘Freak Flag,’ that enabled the show to stand out on its own. The musical adapted the magic of the play well with a life-sized version of the gingerbread man, a fire breathing dragon, and the stand out of the day, riding a motor-powered horse, Lord Farquaad played perfectly by Steven Strafford. As the actors, stagehands, and technical crews moved throughout the theater and on stage, the audience was transported to Duloq seamlessly.

The green anti-hero first premiered in 2001 and seventeen years later it still holds up in a form that young audiences can embrace and enjoy.

SHREK THE MUSICAL runs on most Wednesdays through Sundays at 10 a.m. with certain performances at 12:30 p.m. Visit MarriottTheatre.com or call 847.634.0200 for exact schedule, as show times and dates may vary. Single ticket prices are $18.23 per person. Groups of 20 or more receive a discount by calling 847.634.5909. Free parking is available at all shows. To reserve tickets, call the Marriott Theatre Box Office at 847.634.0200 or visit www.MarriottTheatre.com.

The theater was clad in every hue of pink your eyes have ever seen: baby pink, fuschia, blush, rose, peach, flamingo, ballet slipper, I didn't know that was an official color until an audience member corrected me (I googled it, she's right). My husband and I did not get the memo and dressed our family in yellows and blues of summer. We should have known better. This was Pinkalicious after all, the dress code was not subtly implied. Luckily my daughter sported her pink unicorn shirt and her enthusiastic bouncing in her seat more than made up for the faux pas. After some technical difficulties and an announcement from the director the pinktastic, pinkeriffic, pinktacular show began.

Adapted form the beloved series of children's book by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann, Pinkalicious tells the story of Pinkalicious Pinkerton, a young girl with a penchant for pink cupcakes. Her parents warn her about the dangers of eating too many sweets, but her hunger can't be stopped. One morning she wakes up with pink hair, pink skin and pink clothes - yes, she's come down with pinkititis! It's up to her family to teach her moderation, and get her back to her normal color.

This play was surprisingly enjoyable. The Marriott theater's talented ensemble provided the perfect blend of professional acting combined with the laissez faire air of live children's theater. In short, they don't take themselves too seriously. While the beginning of the play post tech issues was a bit over the top, the lead too fake and utilizing a sickly too high-pitched fake kid's voice, the cast eventually settled into their roles, interacted more with the audience, and performed the second half with an ease and lightness that wasn't forced. The play also incorporated heavier themes like how boys can like pink too, and wove a unique story into the story with catchy numbers like “I got the pink blues,” and “Buzz Off.” At times it was the parents laughing more than the children, which only  the best children's shows can pull off. Overall, the overtly cute gave way to an adorable and simple story filled with good lessons and some one-liners we can repeat to our kids to continually reinforce good habits. That's right, you get what you get and you don't get upset kiddo!

This family friendly musical, which teaches the value of family and healthy living, is an enormous hit. It took off on Off-Broadway and their tour is quickly becoming a local theatre favorite. Every playdate and park trip has someone raving about it as much, if not more, than Hamilton. So get your seats today and  just remember dressing up in pink is highly encouraged! The tour plays Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, IL, until August 19, 2018. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.marriotttheatre.com/show/pinkalicious.