Displaying items by tag: Goodman Theatre

GRACE -- “Let me try to explain something to you. The Nacirema Society is not a social service group nor a political organization. Our challenge and our joy is to celebrate the best of us, not by giving scholarships and financial assistance, but by recognizing the fact that there are some of us who don’t need it [a beat}. Who has never needed it." - From the script, "The Nacerima Society..."

Commissioned by The Alabama Shakespeare Festival in 2009, “The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of their First One Hundred Years” comes to The Goodman Theatre thanks to the association its Artistic Director, Susan V. Booth, has with playwright Pearl Cleage. Chicago theatergoers cannot be happier. “The Nacirema Society Requests….” is a laugh out loud spectacle.

As some may have noticed “Nacirema” is simply “American” spelled backwards. Cleage borrowed the term from a satirical essay by Horace Miner, an anthropologist. Miner believes what one culture does and believes to be normal, others may see as unusual. Cleage feels African Americans have been forced to adopt values and norms of white society to survive and this process of assimilation has come at a cost.

Montgomery, Alabama, 1964 conjures up feelings of dread for African Americans. The play is set 10 years after the Montgomery bus boycott, and there are freedom rides into the deep South, challenging segregation. African Americans, under the tutelage of Dr. M.L. King Jr., are gearing up for a march from Selma to Montgomery to demand voting rights. But to Grace Dunbar, doyenne of the exclusive Nacirema Society, nothing is more important than its upcoming 100-year celebration ball. That set-up, in and of itself, begs one to laugh.

From the moment we meet Grace Dubose Dunbar, portrayed brilliantly by the exceptional E. Faye Butler, we know we must mind our manners. She is a high strung, outspoken, aristocrat. For a glimpse into her personality, one need only to remember Dunbar rhymes with bourgeois. She’s in the midst of preparing her granddaughter, Gracie, brought to life wonderfully by Demetra Dee, for the debutante ball organized by the Nacirema Society.

Assisting Grace is her dearest friend and fellow society member, Catherine Adams Green, played with an air of affluence by the talented Ora Jones. Catherine, being sure her grandson, the dashing Eric Gerard as Bobby Green, will propose to Gracie, has planted a story of their engagement to the local society papers. Gracie and Bobby have absolutely no intention of marrying, but out of respect for their grandmothers, they play along with the charade, at least until after the ball. Marie Dunbar, Grace’s Daughter-in-law and Gracie’s mother is aware of Gracie’s intentions and fully supports her. She is played by Sharriese Hamilton with strength and honesty.

Janet Logan, a reporter, played with steely resolve by Jaye Ladymore, will be covering the Debutante Ball for the New York Times. She will be the houseguest of Grace Dunbar, creating an extra layer of anxiety for Madame Grace to get everything just right. As if having a reporter from a major newspaper breathing down her neck weren’t enough, the daughter of the Dunbar’s late former maid, Alpha Campbell Jackson, a devious portrayal by Tyla Abercrumbie, is in town with her daughter Lillie Campbell Jackson, a lovely turn by Felicia Oduh to settle a family affair. Everyone gets more than they bargained for.

In a non-verbal role Shariba W. Rivers nearly steals the show as Jessie Roberts, the maid of Grace Dunbar, proving once again, there are no small roles.

The dual set for this production can only be described as a conspicuous display wealth. Arnel Sancianco, set designer, did a visually amazing job of creating a 1960’s upper middle-class home. There is a great room with a crystal chandelier hanging in the center. The furnishings are noticeably french, with several seating areas. There is a set of stairs leading to a library that is just as opulent as the rest of the home. The home of the late Lillie Campbell is just as impressive in its scope, a 1960’s working class kitchen with colored refrigerator and matching cabinets. Costume design by Samantha Jones was gorgeous. I can tell she likes working in this era. The jewel toned dresses were fabulous.

Cleage's is work is known for its sharp wit, and insightful commentary. “The Nacirema Society” shows her ability to combine humor with social critique. It is a thought-provoking look at the dynamics of a specific segment of African American society all wrapped up in a romantic comedy. Lili-Anne Brown did a fantastic job directing this situational comedy, she keeps the ball and the tension in the air, and despite the running time, makes us forget about the worries in the world, exactly what a comedy should do.

“The Nacirema Society” runs through October 15 at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.

There is a Pearl Cleage festival in Chicago. Most of the events are free. You can get details at https://www.goodmantheatre.org/event/pearl-cleage-fest/

Robert Falls is back! Well, for a short time at least to direct his adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard.” Falls retired as the Goodman Theatre artistic director in 2022, but his productions of Chekhov’s classics have become events to anticipate. “The Cherry Orchard” is the endcap to Falls’ Chekhov series that began with ‘Three Sisters’ and has included “The Seagull” and “Uncle Vanya”. Each a definitive production that was met with critical acclaim. “The Cherry Orchard” is no exception, in fact, it might even be his best.

“The Cherry Orchard” premiered in Moscow in 1904, just a few decades after the end of serfdom in Russia. The story follows Lyubov Ranevskaya (Kate Fry) as she returns to her family’s estate after years of living abroad. The estate has fallen into disrepair and unless the taxes are paid, Lyubov is certain to lose the property her family has held onto for centuries. Her childhood friend, a former serf, Yermolai Lopakhin (Kareem Bandealy) eagerly awaits her return, and offers her family solutions that would allow them to keep the estate. It’s also implied Yemolai is in love with Lyubov. As with any Chekhov play, the lives of the serving class are also highlighted in all their unrequited loves and general discontent.

This “The Cherry Orchard” is a veritable who’s who of the Chicago theatre scene. Kate Fry plays Lyubov with an almost manic vacillation between childlike naiveté and a crazed addict. Her powers are immediately illuminated from the moment she walks on stage. Regular Goodman player Amanda Drinkall plays the maid Dunyasha. Her giddy and absurd physical humor brings a much-needed sense of humor to a role that doesn’t offer much kindness to the family accountant Semyon—played with as much physical humor but perhaps more guttural pathos by Will Allan. Chicago stage favorite Janet Ulrich Brooks returns with another wonderful performance as the governess/trickster Charlotta. Her sleight of hand magic tricks make you wonder if she really is magic after all. Perhaps nobody is as affective as Francis Guinan as the servant Firs, who may just be the last vestige of serfdom on the property. The pottering body language and stammering delivery are devastating.

Adding to the roster of Chicago theatre staples, set designer Todd Rosenthal’s staging is nothing short of epic. There’s a striking blend of minimalism mixed with the kind of over-the-top spectacle that Goodman audiences expect. While it’s not always a necessity to have larger than life sets, some occasions just call for it and a theatrical event like this is fitting to pull out all the stops. Costumes by Ana Kuzmanic play nicely against Rosenthal’s backdrop.

If you’re going to see a classic, the team behind “The Cherry Orchard” is your best bet. Robert Falls has had an influential career turning Goodman Theatre into the institution it is today and Chicago audiences will likely continue to be enchanted by his work for years to come. His own adaptation of “The Cherry Orchard” digs deep on the idea of what it means to be free. It also showcases some terrific performances from some of Chicago’s most beloved performers. This production feels like a love letter to the theater that made Robert Falls the mastermind Chicago has come to expect. You won’t be quick to forget this epic night at the theatre.

 Through April 30 at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn. www.goodmantheatre.org.

Decades before the enactment of Title IV, famous for its impact on expanding opportunities for women and girls in sports and well before the inaugural game of the WNBA, an African American women became the first to play for a professional baseball team.

“Toni Stone”, written by award winning playwright Lydia Diamond is receiving a rip-rousing production at the Goodman Theatre. Arguably, this is Lydia Diamond’s finest work, and that is saying a mouthful. She has consistently written engaging, thought-provoking work, adding beauty and depth to the American theatre canon.

We meet Toni Stone as she introduces herself and her teammates in a circus like atmosphere. She narrates the story of her life with The Indianapolis Clowns, a baseball team much like the Harlem Globetrotters. Although they play baseball and are darn good at it, their main job is to entertain. This was before African Americans were allowed to play in the all-white baseball leagues. We meet a cast of characters that are the most interesting characters I’ve seen on stage in a very long time.

Diamond wrote Stone as a beautifully complex, conflicted character. I don’t believe Toni Stone ever saw herself as sexual. She knew she wasn’t a man, but she also knew she was so much more than what was expected of a woman. She saw herself simply as a baseball player. She expected everyone to see her as a baseball player. When she meets Alberga, a male suitor that falls in love with her, she is thrown a curveball. Along with her only woman friend Millie, she navigates life as a baseball player and wife. Baseball came easy, being a wife was a bit more challenging.

This is Toni’s story, but it couldn’t be told without the assistance of a team of rambunctious, opinionated, athletic men. Under award-winning director Ron OJ Parsons’ assured and exuberant direction we are transported back to the late 1940’s.

With the help of movement director, Cristin Carole, Parson’s has his cast dancing, singing, juggling and doing acrobatics as if by second nature. This is a fun show to watch. The Actors morph into a variety of characters with striking ease.

It would be unfair not to mention some of the uniformly excellent the cast by name. Tracey Bonner is a joy as Toni Stone. Her warmth and enthusiasm are evident in this role. It’s hard to think of another actress embodying this character. The outrageously talented Edgar Miguel Sanchez plays a bookish Spec with steely resolve. Kai A. Ealy fresh off the Court stage in “The Island” gives us an energetic King Tut. Travis A. Knight goes from team bus driver Stretch to team owner Syd Pollock effortlessly. Chike Johnson brings a tender effect to Alberga, Toni’s admirer/husband. It was good seeing Chike on stage in Chicago again. Jon Hudson Odom plays a drunk ballplayer and Millie, Toni’s friend and confidant. The character of Millie could have gone too many ways of wrong, but for the writing of Diamond, the direction of Parsons and the acting expertise of Odom. Odom played Millie so understated that it was sublime and never caricature.

Todd Rosenthal’s set of a dugout with bleachers is masterful. This set has lots of surprises, with projections by Mike Tutaj it becomes the team bus, a boardroom, a bar but mostly a baseball playing field. Keith Parham’s lighting design was as high energy as the set, blinding white lights reminiscent of a summer day in the ballpark, quiet country roads at midnight.

Toni Stone was honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991 and was inducted into the Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. Although we have made inroads in sports, to date there are no women playing professional major league baseball.

Not only is this an entertaining piece of theatre, it’s also an important piece of theatre. How often does that happen?

When: Through Feb. 26

Where: Goodman Albert Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn

Tickets: $25 - $45

Info: goodmantheatre.org

Like Christina Anderson, the Tony award nominated playwright of “the ripple, the wave that carried me home” I too was naively unaware of the history of segregation of public pools.

Growing up in Brooklyn, NY, at the same time as the play’s timeline, public pools were more likely segregated by class than by race. Besides, beaches were the preferred pastime on a hot summer day in NYC. The play gave me a new perspective and made me think outside my sheltered world. It is highly recommended.

As water fills the space it finds itself in, this play has many themes and ideas filling the hour and forty-five-minute running time. Themes of patriarchy, access, racial justice, family dynamics, legacy and forgiveness are all marinating together. If it doesn’t come out in the wash, it will come out in the rinse.

The play opens in 1991 with unanswered phone calls to Janice, (Christiana Clark) a recruitment officer at an Ohio University. The calls are from a Young Chipper Ambitious Black Woman (Brianna Buckley) who is representing an African American Recognition Committee in Beacon, Kansas, her hometown. They are renaming a pool in honor of her father, who was instrumental in desegregating the public pools in Beacon. They would like her to attend and participate. She takes issue, her mother was just as involved in this fight as her father. Why is she not honored?

“ripple..” is a memory play and according to Janice, some of those memories are best left at the bottom of a deep pool. Janice narrates her time growing up starting in the early 60’s as the daughter of Edwin (Ronald Connor) and Helen (Aneisa Hicks). We learn Janice’s father is from the necessity class and her mother, the thinking class. These distinctions meant very little to the white majority, but these distinctions helped the audience understand how her parents approached life.

Between scenes of narration, we see this family in action. We see a teenage Edwin demonstrate how he covertly integrated a public pool and the resulting fallout. We see the sacrifices made by Helen, so her daughter and other children can learn the mechanics of swimming.

Todd Rosenthal’s set consist of the inside of a public pool building complete pool and trophy case. To change scenes the trophy case slides out and a household scene slides in. It is a nice and clean set change. While Janice doesn’t change costumes in the 30 years of the play, the other characters change from late 50’s to the 90’s. Montana Levi Blanco caught the essence of the time period with his costume choices. Cookie Jordan did an excellent job in hair and wig design. Until I read the program, I didn’t know Aunt Gayle and Young Ambitious Black Woman were played by the same actress (Brianna Buckley). It was clearly a testament to costume, hair, wig and performance.

Jackson Gay captured the feel and energy of family life in the 60’s and 70’s. The play moved smoothly from narration to action, from joy to tears and back again.

It is interesting Anderson chose to place her play in 1991 and work backwards. 1991 was the year of the “Rodney King Riots” when the officers that beat King within an inch of his life were acquitted. King survived the beating only to die in 2012 of …. you guessed it, drowning.

When: Through February 12th

Where: Goodman Owen Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn

Tickets: $15-$45

Info: www.goodmantheatre.org 

Goodman Theatre pulled up the curtain on the 45^th opening night of their legendary adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol’. Undoubtedly there are likely thousands of productions of ‘A Christmas Carol’ opening all over the country this week, but Goodman’s holiday tradition feels like a homecoming for the Chicago stage community. It’s become a rite of passage for Chicago actors to grace the Albert stage, and that helps keep this show fresh for audiences year after year.

Veteran Scrooge Larry Yando is reliably visited by three spirits and learns the error of his ways, but if that’s all there was to it, there’s no way the entire run of this show would continue to sell out each year. Goodman artistic staff includes new additions to the script, staging and costumes. You’ll never see the same production twice.

Goodman could easily phone it in for this yearly cash-grab, but they don’t rest on their laurels. ‘A Christmas Carol’ is treated with as much enthusiasm as the hottest new play from Broadway. The artistic team maintains a sense of discovery, asking audiences to see this familiar story from new perspectives. For the true meaning of ‘A Christmas Carol’ to be derived, audiences need to be able to identify with Victorian England. That can be hard to do in an era of smart phones and Tik Tok.

The spirits are recast every season and with the new casting comes a new aesthetic. The Ghost of Christmas Present is a fun and festive role for any actor, but Bethany Thomas is a wonderful addition to this year’s cast. When you’ve got a voice like Thomas’ in your company, it’s best to put it to use. More music has been added to this year’s script to showcase her talents. Additionally, a quartet of musicians has also been added this year, providing an extra layer of charm.

With the retirement of longtime Goodman artistic director Robert Falls, Chicago heavy-hitter Jessica Thebus directs this year’s ‘A Christmas Carol’. She does a great job honoring the beloved production but brings in some modern flare of her own. This production seems to lean into the spooky. Afterall, this is a Christmas ghost story.

Goodman cultivates a sense of inclusivity that stretches beyond their standard seasons. In creating programming for students and young theatre makers, Goodman has become a pillar of the Chicago arts community. Nowhere is this more exemplified than their ‘A Christmas Carol’.

From a risky investment in the late 1970s, to the holiday institution we see this year, ‘A Christmas Carol’ at Goodman has become part of Chicago’s Christmas landscape. Next to Christkindlemarket in Daley Plaza, it’s hard to find a more quintessential Chicago tradition. Through December 31 at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn St. www.goodmantheatre.org

A title like “Swing State” is certainly provocative and might suggest exactly what Rebecca Gilman’s new play is about, but oddly enough it’s not about an election. Two of Chicago’s best actresses; Mary Beth Fisher and Kristen Fitzgerald join director Robert Falls in this much-anticipated production at Goodman Theatre. Chicago-based playwright Rebecca Gilman has had a long history of collaborating with Goodman, Robert Falls and Mary Beth Fisher. This is the tenth play they’ve produced, and many have been directed by Falls and, or starred Fisher. “Swing State” is another riveting script from the Pulitzer-nominated playwright.

Somewhere on the driftless land of Wisconsin, recently widowed Peg (Mary Beth Fisher) lives alone on a large patch of remnant prairie land. When a box of old tools and a gun go missing from Peg’s barn, she enlists the sheriff (Kristen Fitzgerald) and her well-meaning but dopey deputy Dani (Anne E Thompson). They suspect a community “screw-up” named Ryan (Bubba Weiler) who Peg and her late husband had mentored. Though Peg doesn’t want to pursue it, the sheriff is relentless.

Despite its fast moving 95-minute runtime, “Swing State” takes a few hours to digest. What Gilman exceeds at is taking broad political issues and distilling them through the individual experience. Much of her parallels are drawn through metaphor. The prairie land Peg so meticulously tends to represent an uncorrupted way of life vanishing in the American heartland. Gilman also shines a light on the police ineptitude and cruelty running rampant in smalltown Midwestern communities.

Mary Beth Fisher embodies the beleaguered Peg. Her physicality tells an entire story without saying a word. Though, it’s in a single, lengthy monolog in which she effortlessly flows through the realm of emotions that she gets to the real depths of her character. Kristen Fitzgerald is also a thundering presence as the zealous smalltown sheriff, Kris. It’s clear Fitzgerald has a good understanding of the kind of corrupting ignorance plaguing our justice system. While neither character is without flaws, these two actresses have approached their roles with compassion, which serves the nuances of the ending.

“Swing State” is a shocking story that builds through quiet, often two-person scenes. Gilman does well to make her point while also staying true to her own life experiences. The title suggests that the rural Midwest is still a swayable population. In that idea alone the script points toward optimism. Peg’s character journey also suggests optimism even if the ending might seem unsettling. This is an honest play about the types of people you might meet in a small Midwestern community. There may not be an election in the play, but its looming consequences have colored every aspect of Gilman’s richly drawn world.

Through November 13^th at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn St. www.goodmantheatre.org

Goodman Theatre welcomes back audiences with Lynn Nottage’s Broadway hit, “Clyde’s”. Collaboration between Goodman and playwright Lynn Nottage goes way back, including the 2019 production of her second Pulitzer Prize winner “Sweat”. This food-filled dramady is directed by Kate Whoriskey who has directed several of Nottage’s plays around the country.

Lynn Nottage was one of the busiest playwrights in New York this year, with three of her shows running on New York stages at the same time! Nottage is the first woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize twice in her career. Both of her Pulitzer winning plays have been produced at Goodman. The first play, “Ruined”, was part of Goodman’s New Stages festival in 2007. It was revived in the Owen space the following season and was awarded the Pulitzer in 2009. Since then, Goodman has produced “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark” and “Sweat” by Nottage.

“Clyde’s” was hit on Broadway in 2021, closing in early 2022. The single act play tells the story of a group of recently released ex-convicts working at Clyde’s, a grease spoon diner. The truck-stop sandwich stand is their only hope for employment, but Clyde the owner (a former convict herself) is unreasonably wicked.

“Clyde’s” is lighter fare than Nottage’s previous Goodman engagement, “Sweat”, but it doesn’t shy away from life’s grittiness. Nottage has an appreciation for the working class of America and often uses unglamorous settings to explore some of society’s deepest fractures. Main characters Letitia (Nedra Snipes) and Rafael (Reza Salazar) spend their working hours jumping as high as Clyde commands, but in between the verbal and physical assaults, they daydream about the perfect sandwich. The perfect sandwich being both literal and a metaphor for life without the unsavory baggage of former incarceration. They’re inspired by ethereal head chef Montrellous (Kevin Kenerly) who brings a sense of peace to the cook line. Kitchen dynamics change when quiet newcomer Jason (Garrett Young) joins the team.

An intimate cast led by understudy Danielle Davis as Clyde brings this seemingly simple story to life. Simple doesn’t mean shallow. There’s a lot of meat on this play. In one act Nottage does something few can do in a full length: she makes us care about everyday people society wishes to ignore. “Clyde’s” makes a statement on prison reform, class warfare, race, gender, and workplace relationships.

Danielle Davis is nearly cartoonishly evil, but she walks away with most of the scenes and laughs. We’ve all worked for someone we perceive as the devil, but Clyde might actually be Satan herself. The emotional weight of the play falls on Letitia’s shoulders and Nedra Snipes carries it well. Her budding romance with Rafael exposes how lonely it can be as a formerly incarcerated citizen. Even though these characters don’t always get along with Clyde, in the kitchen they treat each other with respect, which is more than the world treats them with.

So quickly after the pandemic did we forget about the “heroes” in service industry roles. “Clyde’s” reminds us to approach each other with respect despite background, job title or income. Nottage elevates the everyday lives of those working the hardest, and at the lowest rungs. The play also evokes a sense of gratitude for employment some would find off-putting. By having her characters dream of making the perfect sandwich, she’s encouraging all of us to keep dreaming of better life while appreciating the good right in front of us.

Through October 9 at Goodman Theatre, 170 N Dearborn Street. www.goodmantheatre.org

It’s not often that Goodman Theatre imports plays from other theatre companies. It’s also an exciting moment when a frequent Goodman actress gets to showcase her newest play on the mainstage. “Relentless” by Tyla Abercrumbie was originally developed and produced by TimeLine Theatre in Chicago as part of their Playwrights Collective. The past year was still tricky for most theatre companies, and many had to reconfigure their seasons on short notice. Directed by Ron OJ Parson, “Relentless” premiered at TimeLine in early 2022 to rave reviews and has since been moved to the Owen stage at Goodman.

Set in 1919, “Relentless” tells the story of two Black sisters who return to their family home in Pittsburgh following the death of their mother. Janet (Jaye Ladymore) and Annelle (Ayanna Bria Bakari) are two bourgeois young women who live in Boston. Janet and Annelle see the world differently. Annelle sees the bright side of things, which seems easy from her perspective as a doctor’s wife. Janet is unmarried and doesn’t see much use for marriage. It’s when Janet begins reading her mother’s diary that she considers keeping the house and staying in Philadelphia.

For many Americans, the year immediately following WWI and the 1918 flu pandemic, was a time of great optimism. For those still reeling from the horrors of slavery, seemingly very little had changed in the 60 years since the Civil War.

In fluidly moving scenes, Janet is transported by her mother’s diary to the twilight years of slavery. As middle-class characters, her and Annelle have been somewhat shielded from some aspects of discrimination, but the details of their mother’s journal pull back the veneer on the gilded life they live. Annelle would rather not know anything at all, but the injustices spurn Janet to rage.

Abercrumbie’s story has the look and feel of an August Wilson play, but with a unique perspective. This is a story about Black women, told by a Black woman. Female characters are dimensional here, they swear, they drink, and they talk about sex. Culturally we assume previous generations were somehow more innocent but that couldn’t possibly be true. Though like Wilson’s plays, “Relentless” underscores that every generation of Black Americans has had to deal with the same issues of violence, racism and oppression. “Relentless” asks if anything has really changed.

Performances by Jaye Ladymore and Ayanna Bria Bakari are what this play hinges on. Both actresses fill the space with their characters, both giving them distinct personalities and similarities that create a sisterly chemistry on stage. Demetra Dee as the mother, Zhuukee, in the years of slavery is the discovery of the evening. There’s a fragile yet strong delivery in her lines. She’s soft in situations that would make others harsh. “Relentless” is a play with anger at its core, but perhaps Zhuukee represents a sense of forgiveness, or healing.

Through May 8 at Goodman Theatre 170 N Dearborn Street www.goodmantheatre.org

It’s hard to imagine a life without late night talk shows. Since the dawn of TV, late night talk shows have been a means for Americans to get to know celebrities better. During the pandemic these nightly comedy hours provided a necessary platform for connection and laughter. We watched the studio audiences fade away and our favorite hosts compressed to a Zoom call. Even if imperfect, their presence provided a sense of comfort.

The art of conversation is a gift. Jack Paar certainly had that gift, and was one of the first hosts of The Tonight Show on NBC in the 1950s. His playful banter with his often-intoxicated celebrity guests was unpredictable and made for must-watch TV.

Doug Wright’s new play “Goodnight Oscar” premiering at Goodman Theatre, imagines the backstage drama of a taping of The Jack Paar Show with Oscar Levant, who was a frequent guest and one of Paar’s favorites. “Will & Grace” star Sean Hayes gives a powerful performance as Oscar Levant. Hayes is nearly unrecognizable donning the slurred vocal mannerisms of a comedian struggling with substance abuse.

A lot of the world’s funniest comedians have led sad lives. Oscar Levant was both a gifted classical pianist and a Hollywood comedy actor. He struggled with mental health and substance abuse as many celebrities did in an era before rehab existed.

In Doug Wright’s telling, Oscar has been sprung from a mental institution on a four-hour pass in order to make an appearance on the show. Oscar’s quick thinking, off-color humor makes the NBC studio executives nervous, but his deteriorating health are what make his wife June (Emily Bergl) nervous.

Doug Wright has a knack for taking somewhat obscure pop culture and crafting an unlikely narrative around it. Wright and Goodman have a long history of collaboration, his last play “War Paint” premiered at Goodman before opening on Broadway. “Goodnight Oscar” nicely fits into his catalog. While the plot is fairly straight forward, it’s the character study of Oscar Levant where the heart of the script lies.

This play is mostly driven by Sean Hayes’ extraordinary performance. Hayes is best known as a comedic actor, but “Goodnight Oscar” gives audiences a chance to see him do a dramatic role. His transformative appearance and skills on the piano had the audience giving a standing ovation long before the curtain call.

This briskly paced 90-minute script is so full of one-liners, you don’t want to miss a word. While some of the humor is very specific to the 1950s, those with knowledge of classic Hollywood will find much to chuckle about. Jack Paar was not the first late night TV show host, but he knew good TV. He encouraged his guests to push the boundaries. So many of TVs most shocking moments have happened on late night talk shows. Doug Wright’s play provides the origin story of how late night TV became a nightly ritual for many Americans.

Through April 24^th at Goodman Theatre. 170 North Dearborn 312-443-3800

Goodman Theatre’s aptly titled season, Homecoming, kicks off with a revival of August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean.” Written just a few years before his death, “Gem of the Ocean” is the first chapter of Wilson’s 10-play 20^th Century “Cycle”. This play was originally produced at Goodman Theatre in 2003. Goodman has produced each of Wilson’s ten plays at least once, with some making their world premiere.  

Despite being a native of Pittsburgh, where his plays are set, August Wilson had a unique relationship with Chicago. Revival director Chuck Smith served as the dramaturg on the original production of “Gem of the Ocean” but formed a working friendship long before then. Since 2005, Chuck Smith has produced two August Wilson festivals.

“Gem of the Ocean” captures the African American experience in the first decade of the 20^th Century. The play centers around mystic Aunt Esther (Lisa Gaye Dixon) and a mysterious drifter named Citizen (Sharif Atkins). Romantic tension blossoms between Citizen and Aunt Esther’s housemaid Black Mary (Sydney Charles).

Wilson follows Citizen’s journey from Reconstruction-era Alabama to Free North Pittsburgh. The play makes a direct parallel between the American immigrant experience and the post-slavery African American experience. Much like Upton Sinclair’s Jurgis, Citizen is tricked at every turn upon arrival in bustling Pittsburgh and he quickly becomes discouraged. He seeks refuge and soul cleansing with Aunt Esther and finds a loyal family.

Performances are humorous and complex. Lisa Gaye Dixon fills the space with her enchanting presence, but it’s Sydney Charles in the meeker role of Black Mary who is equally captivating. Charles has an impressive voice and an ageless sense of vulnerability and humor. The two share a contagious chemistry. It wouldn’t be an August Wilson play in Chicago without A.C. Smith though, his hulking appearance and effortless comedy help maintain August Wilson’s balance.

While “Gem of the Ocean” is about class warfare in the 1900s, its themes of injustice and police brutality are as relevant today. Wilson covers a lot of ground in three hours but the mood never feels overwhelming. In fact, there’s a great deal of whimsy. “Gem of the Ocean” begins this cycle with a deep understanding of the horrors of the slave trade. Wilson deeply felt the plight of free, but somewhat lost African Americans in the century after the civil war. He gets to the heart of the American caste system, and why some people choose to perpetuate it. Though there is darkness, there is so much lightness in the warm exchanges and theatrical staging of this ensemble play.

Through February 27^th at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn St. (312) 443-3800