Displaying items by tag: Buzz Center Stage

I love the theater. Having no talent for acting myself, I venture to see skilled thespians bring stories to life on the stage. My love of theater was fostered from an early age and, as an adult, I want to pass that love onto the next generation and help grow my children’s creativity and imagination. No other playhouse helps to do this quite as well as The Marriott Theater in Lincolnshire, who once again brought a beloved Hans Christian Andersen tale to the stage. Not only was the show delightful, but it kept two toddlers and a four year old entertained for over an hour without disruption. This is no small feat.

The Emperor's New Clothes is the story of fourteen-year-old Emperor Marcus the Third, who is nervous to take the throne. Deciding that he can only gain confidence by dressing in the finest attire, Marcus commands his Royal Clothesmaker to fashion him in the most royal wardrobe. Taking advantage of Marcus' uncertainty and immaturity, a Swindler promises to make magic clothes that are "invisible to fools, liars, and anyone you should ignore," for a large and hefty price. Only Arno, the simple-hearted mop boy, can help Marcus out of this royal mess and teach him an important lesson about outward appearance.

The play was performed with the same campy, over-the-top styling that can only be found in children’s theater, but there was also a genuineness brought to the story through the characters. This was most noticeable in the relationship between Emperor Marcus played by Declan Desmond and Arno, played by Garrett Lutz. The characters dominated the small cast and were at their best in their scenes together. They were genuine without overdoing it, authentic without trying too hard. The young actors’ charisma drew in all audiences and their fun back and forth banter made children giggle and clap with excitement. The actors seemed to genuinely enjoy what they were doing and above all just wanted to make the audience laugh. With so much joy and enthusiasm to their acting it was easy to see why young audiences were completely focused on them.

With quality play selection, wonderful acting, and a cast whose hearts are as young as the audience members’, you have a winning combination for a weekend excursion. Children will hopefully start to love the theater and parents will love an uninterrupted hour where they are not the entertainers.

The Emperor’s New Clothes is a one-hour presentation for kids (and parents) of all ages. All performances are followed by a Q&A session with the cast. The play runs through May 12, 2018 and tickets can be purchased at http://www.marriotttheatre.com/show/the-emperors-new-clothes. Please note: all patrons, regardless of age, need a ticket.

I remember first hearing Joanne Shaw Taylor somewhere around three years ago. A guitar player, her sound falls in the vein of Stevie Ray Vaughan. And though Taylor played a solid set at City Winery this past weekend in support of her latest release “Wild,” I don’t know if I’ll be in line for a second helping.

The first issue I had in this particular performance was in her vocals. Unquestionably, Taylor’s voice comes with a decent tone, but honestly, I couldn’t understand a word she sang. There was no articulation to her singing whatsoever. Despite the fact that she was perfectly on pitch, she could have been singing anything. As a concert goer who is not very familiar with her music and had never seen her perform live before, I had no idea what the songs were about. Her songs sounded original overall and there was a cover by The Hoax thrown into the set, but it would have been difficult to differentiate one from the other if not familiar with the latter.

My second issue was in the material itself. There was nothing to remember at all. Nothing. Nada. Maybe I am being a bit harsh? I’m not. There were literally no songs to speak of to take home afterwards. The set was filled with riffs that seemed like ideas that could have gone somewhere with a little more effort – but instead they just lie dormant. Maybe hire a writer?

Not being able to understand the lyrics certainly played part in this.

Furthermore, her guitar playing left much to be desired. Like I said, she can play the guitar, but having said that, she has yet to develop a style. He songs were mostly comprised of the most basic of Stevie Ray Vaughan licks. I also found her tone painful at times, like an icepick through the forehead. I know it is tough to find your own voice on your instrument today. It takes time. I feel she will find it, but it just isn’t there yet.

Lastly, her rhythm section was solid, but dynamically boring and just did enough to get the job done.

As critical as I am of her performance, the crowd didn’t seem to find much fault in her set and appeared to enjoy what she had to offer. I think with some better material, Taylor might have a chance to survive in the music industry. But without better songs, she will soon fall out of the game quickly. There is always plenty of work for dependable live music acts and I just don’t see her developing a much larger following without one or two memorable songs in the set.

Joanne has a lot of potential but needs more seasoning. Simply put, she needs more experience and some help in the writing department. If she can build on the little momentum she already has, she may have a chance of getting to the next level. Having said that, there are a million players out there capable of doing exactly what she is currently doing on stage. It will be interesting to see how she grows as an artist. Joanne Shaw Taylor is still very young and she has plenty of time to blossom into a serious artist. It just isn’t quite there yet. Give her some time.

Joanne Shaw Taylor setlist:

Mud, Honey
Outlaw Angel
Wrecking Ball
Tried, Tested & True
Jump That Train
Diamonds in the Dirt
Time Has Come
Bones (The Hoax cover)
No Reason to Stay
Tied & Bound
Kiss the Ground Goodbye
Going Home

"Faust" is revered as the world's most popular opera. It was the first opera performed at the Met in New York in 1863. This iconic French opera took Charles Gounod several years and several drafts to complete. Since its debut in Paris in 1859, "Faust" has continued to seduce audiences. Lyric Opera continues the tradition with a thrilling new production by Kevin Newberry.

From the poem by Goethe, "Faust" tells the story of an old man who wakes one morning with nothing left to live for. His youth is gone and the pleasures of life no longer interest him. Faust tries suicide but is rescued by Mephistopheles (the devil), who offers him eternal youth in exchange for his soul. Mephistopheles is sung by Christian Van Horn. He's got the youthful energy and allure of the devil as he pounces about in a very orange suit.

Faust is promised a beautiful maiden, Marguerite (Ailyn Perez). She's crippled and her brother Valentin worries for her as he heads off to a vague battle (there is almost always a distant war in an opera). Faust instantly falls in love with Margueite who is exquisitely sung by Ailyn Perez, she is making her full Lyric debut in this production. French singer Benjamin Bernheim eloquently sings the title character. He brings a necessary sex appeal to the young Faust role. After the relationship is consumated, Faust splits. Drama ensues.

Gounod's brilliant music soars in this highly stylized production. David Adam Moore's unsettling projections throughout have an eerie Tim Burton quality to them. The convention really works here. Along with Gounod's cinematic score, there's an added sensory detail that never fails to captivate.

"Faust" is above all things, an incredibly accessible opera. The contract between mortal and devil is always intriguing. Gounod's music is as relevant as today as it was in the 1860s. You can hear traces of it in film scores and musical theater orchestras. There's a little something here for everyone, it's a cheeky horror story, a love story, a story of redemption, a musical and a little je ne said quoi.

Staging like this brings "Faust" into the twenty-first century, which is essential to the survival of opera in the modern era. Never a dull moment in the nearly four hour run time. Opera has a way of lulling even the most ardent enthusiast to sleep after a glass of chardonnay during the intermission. "Faust" is riveting in all five acts. Those familiar with the classic work will be impressed by the new lens with which Kevin Newberry shows it through.

Through March 19 at Lyric Opera Chicago. 20 N Upper Wacker Drive. 312-332-2244

In a departure to their oft musical-driven productions, Theater at the Center kicks of the 2018 season with the comedy-drama Steel Magnolias, Robert Harling’s 1987 play that became a blockbuster film directed by Herbert Ross just two years later.

Set in the deep South, in a northwestern Louisiana town, the play revolves around the bond between a handful of small-town women that frequent a local beauty salon, Truvy’s, whose owner is of the same name. Based on the premature death of Harling’s own sister caused by diabetes, the play’s character’s strength is tested as they struggle with the imminent and eventual loss of one of their own.

Run by Truvy Jones, Truvy’s Salon is seemingly the gossip hub of the town. Regulars such as the gleeful widow of the town’s former mayor, Clairee Belcherand, and Louisa "Ouiser" Boudreaux, the irritable and sardonic neighbor, often pop by whether getting their hair serviced or not – just to hear, or pass on, the latest. M’Lynn Eatenton and her daughter Shelby are also staples in the shop, Shelby now getting ready for her wedding day. At first it seems we are thrust into light-hearted beauty salon talk. Truvy loves to listen as much as she loves to dish out advice. Even though it mainly consists of neighborhood small talk, the dialogue is so rich and humorous, we can’t help but get pulled in. Quickly the characters become charming in their own ways; each personality so well-crafted in just the first scene. Minutes into the play, we feel we know them.

It’s Annelle Dupuy’s first day and she’s got a lot to take in.

Lighthearted soon goes to serious at the drop of a hat when Shelby falls into a hypoglycemic state while sitting in a salon chair. M’Lynn rushes to her aid with a juice box forcing her to drink the sugary liquid. From there theatre goers are on notice to proceed with caution – tear jerker coming.

As the story progresses, Truvy begins to look at Annelle as the daughter she never had, something they each so desperately seem to need. We watch Annelle grow from timid employee to becoming a confident woman. At the same time, an impending doom looms over the story concerning Shelby’s condition, especially when she announces she is pregnant – something doctors warned her against due to the strain it would cause on her body. Though greeted with a series of “congratulations” by each of the women, M’Lynn does not share the enthusiasm, knowing the risks that would be involved.

Linda Fortunato directs this production as smoothly as a gentle southern breeze that brushes against a Weeping Willow. The exceptionally well-acted play is really cut into four scenes, each one as engaging as its colorful characters. Theater at the Center favorite Cory Goodrich returns as M’Lynn Eatenton and powers her way through the complicated role displaying a much-needed warmth, concern and love for her daughter. Shelby is wonderfully played by actress Landree Flemming. We immediately connect with her, which makes us relate to her mother even more so. Heidi Kettenring successfully turns on the southern charm as Truvy and is extremely likeable in the role as the salon’s queen bee.

The cast is superb – all players adding just the right amount of personality to each character. Myesha-Tiara is finely-cast as Annelle, while veteran performers Joslyn Yvonne Jones as “Ouiser” and Jeannie Affelder as Clairee add the final touches that makes this such a powerhouse cast.

The three-quarters theatre-in-the-round staging give us an up close and personal peek into the well-constructed set that consists of Truvy’s in-home beauty salon complete with all the works, mists of hairspray and all.

Women as strong as steel yet as fragile as the magnolia flower, the title suggests we can all be broken yet each one of us has the inner strength to prevail no matter how bleak a situation might seem, even if some of that strength is on loan to us by a friend.

Highly recommended.

Steel Magnolias is being performed at Theater at the Center in Munster, Indiana through March 25th. For tickets and/or more show information visit www.TheaterAtTheCenter.com.

*Tissues are offered by ushers upon exit.

These days, the antihero has become the new hero. Talented, but tortured. Acclaimed, but complicated. We have gotten to a point in culture where those we place upon pedestals are not just allowed to be, but expected to be, both ingenious and imperfect. And I’m fine with that; seeing my heroes as humans not only makes them more relatable, but more real and much more fascinating.

One of music’s true heroes – and a legend we lost at age 90 in the past year – gets this realistic treatment in Black Ensemble Theater’s Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, written by L. Maceo Ferris. That’s not to say that the show, directed by Daryl D. Brooks, isn’t a delightful musical production, because it is. But instead of simply focusing on the beloved songs Chuck Berry left us, we get a look at the man who made the music.

We see Chuck’s childhood as a deacon’s son – which, coming from this son of a preacher man, can lead to a far from perfect adulthood – and his run-ins with the law. We witness a young Chuck struggle against racial inequality, both while touring through the Jim Crow South and right at home in St. Louis, as well as the unfair practices of record labels and managers. But while these episodes might explain the famously curmudgeonly man Mr. Berry became, especially later in life, they do nothing to dampen the pure joy his music brought to the world.

And that music! That rock and roll music!

That music is played, and played perfectly, by a band led by musical director and drummer Robert Reddrick. The band performs above the stage, so we see and appreciate every note, every backbeat. Oscar Brown fires off those licks we all know, those riffs that Chuck invented, with all the virtuosity and attitude you’d desire. Gary Baker and Mark Miller hold it down on rhythm guitar and bass, respectively. And Adam Sherrod is a highlight on keyboards, not just playing the piano parts of Johnny Johnson, but of Jerry Lee Lewis and Fats Domino, as well.

But in front of the band, in front of the mic, is the man. Or men, as we get an older Chuck as narrator, performer, and actor, played by Lyle Miller. Miller’s got the look – the sideburns, the sequined shirts, the pigeon-toed strut – and he’s also got the musical chops, as vocally he kills it. But what he brings most of all is that pure joy. Chuck, despite his difficulties as a man, was always the ultimate performer. And Miller brings that, a twinkle in his eye and a spring in his, admittedly, aged step.

What Chuck might have lost in spryness when he got older, the young Chuck always had, and that is what Vincent Jordan provides us as Berry in his earlier years. A lanky, cocky, duck-walking “black man playing hillbilly music,” Jordan has the confidence that Chuck had, that Chuck had to have, as he played as an underage prisoner, as an unknown in a St. Louis nightclub, and as an unsigned talent at Chicago’s legendary Chess Records. He had it, and he knew it. What I didn’t know, what I couldn’t have known, is that Jordan was a last-minute fill-in for the role, having had only days to learn the part, learn the songs, learn to be Chuck Berry. If he’d prepared his whole life to play Chuck, I’d have applauded Jordan’s performance. But to learn he did so in less than a week, now that’s something special.

Also special is the rest of the cast. As younger and older versions of Chuck’s longtime musical partner and pianist, Johnny Johnson, Rueben Echoles and Kelvin Davis bring humanity and humor. And it’s nice that Ferris’ script works to rectify the decades Johnson spent receiving little to no recognition for his hand in making the man we know as Chuck Berry. Jeff Wright plays two important roles in Chuck’s legend. First, he plays Leonard Chess, the Chicago label owner who made Chuck famous, and himself very wealthy in the process, as well as a sneering, leering Keith Richards, one of many white men who built careers on reworking what Chuck had invented. Dwight Neal was a particular favorite of mine, also handling dual roles. His Muddy Waters howls and growls the 1950s electrified Chicago blues, while his Fats Domino is regal, tickling the ivories to “Blue Monday.”

The rest of the ensemble is impressive, too. Kylah Williams is affecting as Chuck’s loyal and long-suffering wife Themetta. Cynthia Carter brings additional joy and humor each time she graces the stage. And Trequon Tate is great as a late-period Bo Diddley, leading the audience in a singalong.

And that’s what this show is all about, really: the songs, and how the audience loves them, how everyone loves them. Old and young, black and white, nobody could stay still as those frolicking riffs were played and those transporting lyrics were sung. And while Jackie Taylor’s Black Ensemble Theater does look at some of the more honest and serious aspects of Chuck Berry’s life, it is almost impossible to make human the kind of hero, the kind of superhuman who could write those songs and perform them. Hail, hail Chuck Berry. Hail, hail Black Ensemble Theater. And hail, hail rock and roll.

Hail, Hail Chuck: A Tribute to Chuck Berry is being performed at Black Ensemble Theater through April 1st. For more show information, visit blackensembletheater.org.

Having read that Six Corners was the “third in a loose Cop trilogy” by playwright Keith Huff, I was concerned that not seeing the first two stories (A Steady Rain and The Detective’s Wife) would lessen my experience. But from the moment I entered the theatre the stage was set, both literally and figuratively.

Thanks to the realistic set design, I was transported from a theatre to the Six Corners Police Precinct to watch this mystery unfold. The use of lighting to move the story between locations was especially effective as it simulated the fluorescent lights of the police station or the dimly lit bench at the bus station. The incorporation of a moving wall, however, was too complicated and not essential. That it failed during the show causing a disruption should be a signal to the creative team that it should be removed rather than risking another distraction. In my opinion, the pacing improved without it.

The opening scene brought the precinct to life, as we looked in on Detectives Nick Moroni (Peter DeFario) and Bernadette Perez (Monica Orozco), two burnt-out cops feeling the stress of failing marriages, being absentee parents, and being cops; not to mention the sexual tension between them. With a fast-paced verbal exchange full of both insults and empathy, it was clear that these two detectives were not looking forward to another late night dealing with the murder of a CTA employee. Relying on ethnic stereotypes of a chest-beating macho Italian and a fast-talking fiery Latina switching between English and Spanish, the actors’ portrayals were at times cartoonish as they overacted to earn some laughs. I assume this was intentional direction, and not the actors taking license.

In subsequent scenes we join the detectives as they investigate the crime by interviewing the only two witnesses, Carter Hutch (Manny Buckley) and Amanda Brackett (Brenda Barry), as their stories slowly unravel. Are these two witnesses really just strangers in the wrong place at the wrong time? Can they convince the detectives (and the audience) that they truly were Good Samaritans? Buckley and Barry portrayed their characters with emotional honesty and integrity. They were believably sympathetic as they displayed a nervousness and uneasiness that you might feel after witnessing a murder. Barry stood out to me for her portrayal of the struggling pregnant late-night waitress.

Intertwined with the murder investigation, we see a backstory develop as the show travels back in time. We are at the bus stop where an 8-year-old girl, Katie Yates (Lyric Sims), is alone after being separated from her mother. She encounters a stranger, a transient, BJ Lyles (Byron Glenn Willis) who she innocently befriends. Sims’ portrayal of 8-year-old Katie Yates was perfectly on point bringing an innocence to the child that felt real. While Willis adeptly portrayed transient BJ Lyles as a sympathetic character, he still gave the audience reason to mistrust his character as he got eerily close to the vulnerable child.

As the Backstage Guide reveals, the writer is influenced by CPD’s reputation for disregarding civil rights, inequality in treatment of female police officers, the blue code of silence, and the lack of public trust.

Throughout the story, the writer subtly weaves in evidence of unconscious bias and inherent racism. At the same time, he develops characters who are outwardly sympathetic even as their faults, deceptions and corruptions are exposed.

In spite of my criticisms, I enjoyed and am recommending this play, directed by Gary Griffin. The story line is well conceived and presented. More importantly, the subtext is both thought provoking and relevant.

Winner of the Edgegerton Foundation New Play Award, American Blues Theater’s production of Six Corners by Keith Huff runs at Stage 773 through March 24, 2018. 

When walking past the exterior of the unflattering storefront on Clark Street in Andersonville, a former laundromat, one wouldn’t give it a second glance. Perhaps a handful of classic magic posters littered around the entrance might cause pause for a brief second, but that’s about it. No marquee, no ostentatious logos, no windows to peer inside. Nothing but the words “The Magic Lounge” near its main door would suggest that maybe something is going on inside – something special.

Upon entering the laundromat – wait, it used to be a laundromat, yet a wall of washing machines are in use. All signs point to the place still being a laundromat - we see clothes freely spinning through the circular windows of each machine while an attendant holds up a pair of underwear and asks, “Are these yours? We’ve been trying to locate their owner.” But alas, suddenly a secret entrance opens and I can only compare the experience to the Wizard of Oz, when black and white becomes color.

Much like an old-timey speak easy, patrons are quickly transported from the unspectacular to the spectacular. Music is playing, the atmosphere is lively as people gather around a bar that centers around a magician performing close-up magic and challenging eager volunteers with bar bets for a free drink chip. This in itself is already something. Onlookers gaze down from a mezzanine above. We later learn these onlookers are club members – magicians only. Not long after an usher escorts us to a library, some of its contents authentic relics of a grand time when magicians like Harry Houdini, Harry Keller and Chin Ling amazed audience after audience. After a brief history lesson, the usher escorts a handful of people through another secret entrance. What we experience next is nothing short of astonishing, as we enter a vast theater laced in fine art deco finishes with high ceilings above the balcony, the floor accommodating multi-layered seating areas that surround a magnificent stage to host its magicians. No details are overlooked. Club employees are donned in clothing reminiscent of the 1920’s Jazz Era, the women in sparkling dress then men dapper with white shirts beneath vests or skinny ties and suit jackets. You can almost imagine Al Capone and friends walking in at any minute while instinctively looking for a hook to hang your fedora. The theater is appropriately named after Harry Blackstone, the famous magician who really put a stamp on “Chicago magic”, which we are reminded by the evening’s host is a real thing.

The Harry Blackstone Theater

The Magic Lounge is a time capsule. The multi-million-dollar facility is an homage to the once popular magic haunts that regularly entertained its Chicago patrons. Magic clubs that were once such a prevalent part of Chicago’s night-life since the early 1900’s, have slowly – and not so magically – disappeared.

“Chicago Magic Lounge brings back a style of magic unique to the Windy City, which once hosted over 15 bars, restaurants and lounges all dedicated to what would become known as ‘Chicago-Style Magic,’” said co-owner Joey Cranford.

It’s main stage (yes, there is another stage – the private back-room, 40-seat “654 Club” for those who don’t want the magic to end – literally) will host some of Chicago’s most talented and colorful magicians such as Luis Carreon, Dennis Watkins, Bill Weimer and Lee Benzaquin and also bring in top performers from around the world such as was the case on opening night with superstar mentalist/wizard of sorts Max Maven. the shows are as interactive as they are mind-bending. Yours truly was even called onstage to volunteer for the great Mr. Maven. The venue will also host live music fitting to its atmosphere.

While having a bite and/or pre-show drinks (try the “Sleight of Hand”) prior to the evening’s main show, magicians circle the seating area entertaining each table with close-up magic. The club’s unique air of mystery, suspense and nostalgia is something that cannot be found at any other establishment in Chicago. And why Andersonville as opposed to a downtown location? Simple. Magic Lounge owners wanted to bring the gift of magic back to Chicago, therefore opting for a neighborhood location over an area that caters more to tourists.

Magician Bill Weimer entertains in the Performance Bar

Whether just going to hang out at the bar, attending a show in the main theater, catching an act in the more intimate 654 Club – or all of the above – a distinctively rich experience awaits you.

Live entertainment will be performed seven days a week. Monday and Tuesday evenings will welcome musical performances on the mainstage, Wednesday evenings will host David Parr’s “Cabinet of Curiosities” and Thursdays through Saturdays will offer the mainstage magic shows. A family-friendly show will be offered on Sunday afternoons. Depending on the show and ticket package, theater admissions range anywhere from $10-$55, though you can always stop in for a cocktail at the performance bar.

The Magic Lounge is an exciting scene that exudes the perfect combination of class, fun and awe. If its February 22nd grand opening is any indication of things to come, it will undoubtedly become a staple in Chicago entertainment for years to come.

For more information including performance schedules, cocktail options and pricing, visit www.chicagomagiclounge.com. 5050 N. Clark Street. 

Be amazed.

Before I set foot in the Goodman’s Owen Theatre to see the Chicago premier of Sarah DeLappe’s acclaimed play The Wolves, I tried not to read or hear or learn too much about it. I knew it had been a finalist for a Pulitzer, and won other awards. I knew it was about a girls’ high school soccer team. And that was about it.

The first tidbit informed my own expectations – this ought to be good, I figured. And the second informed who I’d bring along – my own 14-year-old soccer-playing daughter. I was excited that the subject matter might excite her, sure, but was more intent on using her as a litmus test for not just the play’s quality, but its authenticity. And boy, did we both find that it delivered on both counts.

While the play’s 20-something playwright and cast might seem like whippersnappers to an old dude like me, their ilk are positively elderly to a teen. After the play, my daughter admitted she’d been worried that the presentation would be the usual – what old people think young life is like these days. But The Wolves portrayed young life – the young life of today, of yesterday, of time eternal – in a way both dad and daughter found realistic. That is, the play portrayed life realistically.

Sarah DeLappe’s script sets up this portrayal like a champ. After the play, I read that DeLappe was influenced by old war movies – the kind where a gang of guys gain personal revelations in the face of greater situations – and I can see that. I also sensed the influence of 12 Angry Men or Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs – art that finds greater truths by plopping a disparate troupe of characters into a script. But instead of machine guns and military rations, instead of a jury room or a bank heist, the troupe on the Goodman’s stage was armed with shin guards and phones and backpacks and headbands. But the idea was the same – flesh out a story by fleshing out the people telling it. DeLappe tells her story through her girls’ banter as they stretch and warmup before a series of soccer games. Her gift for said banter is something else – making it sound like how not just girls talk, but how people talk, as the characters flit from discussions of world events to feminine products, from hopes and dreams for the future to the sex and sexuality that seems so pressing in their present. Talk goes from Pol Pot to periods, from weirdoes who live in “yogurts” to punk rock chicks who lick coffeehouse microphones. The stuff real people talk about. And how real people talk about that stuff.

And, more than any play I can remember, director Vanessa Stalling’s production of a team shows it takes a team to pull it off. First off, the cast is great. Those grown-up ladies onstage could totally, like, pass as a gaggle of teen girls. And that’s not to belittle them or the material they’re working with. Most likely because I’m a nerd, myself, I connected with Sarah Price’s neurotic know-it-all, #11 (yes, the characters are only identified by jersey number, further enforcing the team concept, and further highlighting how both script and cast breathe life into these nameless roles). As the team captain, #25, Isa Arciniegas is – to continue the earlier war motif – Pattonesque in a Napoleanic package. Cydney Moody’s #8 is the moody one. Angela Alise’s #00 is the lonely goalkeeper. Erin O’Shea is the red-headed, homeschooled, yogurt-livin’ outsider (think Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls, except with mad ball-handling skills). And the heart and soul of the team are Natalie Joyce and Aurora Real de Asua. Joyce’s #7 has the mouth of a sailor but the problems and insecurities of a girl, while #14 is the ego to 7’s adolescent id. The teammates kick around conversations as feverishly and randomly as they do their soccer balls, again making it sound not just like how high school girls talk, but how people interact.

The teamwork on display does not stop with the script and its interpreters, however. Collette Pollard’s set gave this soccer dad, who’s spent too much time hanging out at fields both outdoors and under domes, flashbacks. Lighting by Keith Parham is spot on, as are the musical choices by sound designer Mikhail Fiksel, both providing energy and intensity that match the actors’.

And so, this whole team comes together to not just tell a story of young girls, but of people. What starts as dissonant and diverse digressions between types and tropes turns into a realistic back-and-forth you’d hear not just on the field or in the mall or in a classroom, but at work, on the train, in the checkout line, on the street. Given great material to work with, the cast and crew of the Goodman Theatre’s production of Sarah DeLappe’s The Wolves give us something that’s funny, sad, uncomfortable, cute, ugly, and beautiful – that is, art that pulls off the rare feat of feeling like real life. And, like, my teen daughter seconds that!

*Extended through March 18th

Gone are the days of traditional theatre when actors and audience members were politely separated by at least an imaginary buffer zone. Enter Southern Gothic, written by Leslie Liautaud, created by Carl Menninger and Amy Rubenstein, and directed by David H. Bell, with its concept of “immersive theatre” where the audience members (only 25 are allowed per each show) are given an opportunity to be a “fly on the wall” at a birthday cocktail party in Ashland, Georgia in the summer of 1961.

There’s really no stage, the entire set is a replica of a southern mid-century house; it is meticulously designed by Scott Davis and complete with the kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom and a back porch. Every fabulously authentic detail of the house, including the furniture, dishes, the actors’ costumes, as well as the food and drinks, are spot on. And if going back in time sounds exciting, then being able to snoop around the house, open the kitchen cupboards and the fridge, and eavesdrop on intimate conversations is a dream come true!

And speaking of dream come true: just because the audience is “invisible”, doesn’t mean that they can’t sample that delightful mid-century American cocktail party fare: the spam-topped crackers, bright red jello dessert and the retro cocktails occasionally being passed around. All that is sure to put one in the mood for the unfolding drama; and there’s plenty of drama.

Four couples get together at Ellie and Beau Coutier’s house to celebrate Suzanne Wellington’s 40th birthday. Alcohol flows freely and guests are mostly enjoying themselves, when the good times turn sour once drunken guests start spilling their dirty secrets.

The hostess (beautifully played by Sarah Grant) is having an affair with one of the guests, Charles Lyon, a charming politician (Brian McCaskill), whose wife Lauren, a very wealthy woman with her own secret [or two] is pre-occupied with her problems. The birthday girl (a superbly colorful and lively Brianna Borger), whose reputation for being obnoxious precedes her… well, she is just very hungry because the party caterer was being held up and she’s reduced to dining on saltine crackers. It’s a very intimate play, made more so by being so physically close to the actors. There’re several plots going on, and as events intensify, it is virtually impossible to follow through on every one of them, which makes the entire experience sort of customizable. But as the sounds of crickets are heard outside the windows, cool 60’s vibes palpable throughout – it’s a good feeling to jump back to the simpler times. Just be sure not to bump into actors as you try to take it all in.

Opened in 2015, Windy City Playhouse prides itself on providing non-traditional high quality theater experience starting with a welcoming full-service bar in a luxurious lounge. Theatergoers are encouraged to stay after the show and mingle with the actors.

Southern Gothic is being performed as an open-ended run at Windy City Playhouse. For more show information visit http://windycityplayhouse.com.

*Now extended through July 29th

Cuban Jazz was the flavor at McAninch Arts Center (The MAC) this past weekend, but the band’s labeled genre might just be a bit misleading. In fact, I would describe the Cubanismo’s sound of as that more akin to Big Band first and foremost. Though high energy dance music with infectious grooves, it is heavily sprinkled with a touch of Havana and Latin Beats. Lively and catchy from beginning to end, let’s just say if audience members aren’t clapping or tapping their toes, someone in the medical profession needs to check them for a pulse.

Cubanismo founder and trumpeter, Jesus Alemany, led the ensemble through two sets of some very spicy music. Let me take a mental head count of musicians - four horns, three percussionists, three singers, bass, guitar, keys and Alemany complete the band’s line-up. That adds up to thirteen if I did the math correctly. Ricky Ricardo would have felt right at home with this combo.

They key word with music like this is rhythm. I mentioned in my review of Gipsy Kings last summer how that was a lesson in rhythm. This was a follow up to the learning I received that day. The reason why I don’t really consider this Jazz is due to the ability to dance to what was presented. I know Jazz has many sub categories. What this band really represents is the dance clubs of Pre-Castro Cuba - straight from the 1940’s – music with a serious spice to it. There also seemed to be far less emphasis on improvisation in this band’s set as opposed to the likes of Gipsy Kings. I think a good portion of the show may have been changed in slight ways from time to time, but unquestioned were its tight arrangements.

The band’s three singers took charge of their songs with serious support from the rest of the players. I wish my Spanish was better as far as understanding the lyrical content but that didn’t matter all that much, as music is the universal language. Cubanismo is all about getting their fans to move. Recently, a friend mentioned to me how there should be more room for dancing when going to see a band play. A larger dance area would have certainly helped the situation, especially when the band gave a mambo lesson on the final number. Cubanismo showed the moves while on stage and their fans followed. This was yet another reason I say it is not really Jazz per se. Nobody (particularly other musicians) was sitting around admiring the technical sophistication of the players. That being said, I am not at all saying the band members were not amazing. We just weren’t pelted with one self-indulgent solo after another in typical jazz fashion. It was truly an ensemble performance.

To give readers a brief history of the band, Alemañy was a child prodigy in Cuba before joining Sierra Maestra when he was just 16. After more than a decade of playing with that group, he moved to London to pursue his own career. There he met a fellow Cuban, pianist Alfredo Rodriguez, and the two musicians organized a jam session in Paris in 1994. It was there that record producer and head of Hannibal Records Joe Boyd heard the group play and suggested the pair organize another descarga (or improvised jazz session) in Cuba with all-star musicians from all over the country and record it. The recording was such a success that the group formed a band and toured extensively.

The band played selected tunes from their hit albums “Melembe”, “Reencarnación” and “Greetings from Havana” along with many other up-tempo, cha-cha-driven favorites.

The music of Cubanismo is straight from an era of Cuba long since gone. The tradition does live on through the music of this particular band that has received critical acclaim. Supporting this music is what keeps it alive and I hope to see more of that. Jesus Alemany should be proud of what he has assembled. If you get a chance to see them live, I am sure you will not walk away disappointed. In fact, you will not walk at all…you will dance.

www.cubanismo.org