Displaying items by tag: Levi Holloway

Something special has been afoot at Chopin Theatre for the past few weeks: the world premiere of “Turret,” written and directed by Levi Holliday. Created as a vehicle for two-time Oscar nominee Michael Shannon, the production by A Red Orchid Theatre (Shannon is a founding member) has turned into so much more, signaling to the Chicago theater community what it takes to produce a sell-out show that generates infinite buzz as it progresses toward the end of its run, extended to June 22 to accommodate the crowds.

In fact, in anticipation of Shannon’s star-power draw, A Red Orchid Theatre decamped from its tiny digs on Wells street for the more capacious, historic Chopin Theater building at Milwaukee and Division. Still, that was not enough. Discounts, rush tickets, and the like fell by the wayside and would find people crowding the lobby in the hopes of snagging a seat.
Shannon ends his run on June 16 - and he is epically good in the role of Green, the mentor and master of Rabbit (Travis A. Knight). The audience will come for Shannon, but Knight really steals the show in this post-apocalyptic tale of two men sequestered in a vault, and the evolution of their relationship.

The story has some big reveals that tie-up the plot lines at the end - but leave some questions open-ended, too. As compelling as the story line is, the staging (Scenic Design by Grant Sabin); lighting (Mike Durst); and sound design (Jeffrey Levin, sound designer and composer) is as constantly powerful as the dialog. Work by Movement Director Drew Vidal and Fight Director Paul Deziel (assisted by Wes Daniel) may lead you to ask, “Is this a dry run for a film?” It’s that good.

“Turret” is that rare type of show that had me saying, “I love this” within 60 seconds of the curtain. Lawrence Grimm, who makes a brief but scintillating appearance as the third character, Birdy, is also understudy to Shannon, and will take on the lead role of Green when Shannon departs.

How to get a ticket? I live just six blocks from the theater, so I stopped over 10 minutes before curtain to buy that rare commodity - a ticket resold because its owner had not claimed their seat. There were just a few available that night.

While Shannon as Green turns in a truly excellent performance, so does Grimm as Birdy and I would urge you to see him when he takes on the role of Green for the extended run. The surprise here is Knight, who is on stage constantly as Rabbit, a voluble and expressive personality that is the antithesis of the terse Green. It is Rabbit that playwright Hollaway uses to make the dynamic of his relationship with his mentor Green accessible.

For me, the play is an exploration of the relationship of a father figure with a son. And Rabbit at a certain point begins to exert his will, defying Green to explore whether there are other survivors, and what might be left of the world. “I don’t want to be a pollywog anymore.”

The complexity of this relationship, when the son naturally matures and asserts his individuation and personhood separate from the father, was the essence of the story for me. Yet as this happens, the father suffers his own setbacks, becomes vulnerable, and Rabbit must rise to the role of caregiver and nurturer. Just like real life. “Turret” has been extended through June 22 at The Chopin Theatre and comes highly recommended.

Charles Busch, creator of the camp classics, Die, Mommie, Die!, Psycho Beach Party and Vampire Lesbians of Sodom seems to have written The Divine Sister just for David Cerda and his fabulous cast of rotating members in Hell in a Handbag Productions.

Affectionately making fun of films like The Song of Bernadette, The Bells of St. Mary's, The Singing Nun and Agnes of God, and a strong dose of The Davinci Code, The Divine Sister actually pulls some great ideals out of each and makes some wonderful points during all the fun and mayhem about what it means to "believe" in God and miracles within a religion that doesn't believe in you - if you are female or gay. 

David Cerda as Mother Superior rules the roost as always with a performance combining the essences of Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell with both sparkling humor and unexpected tenderness. While trying to raise money to rebuild her crumbling church Mother Superior is confronted with all sorts of "obstacles", which really turn out to be miracles in disguise. 

The young postulant, Agnes, played by Charlotte Mae Ellison, who is seeing visions and “experiencing” the signs of stigmata also turns out to be Mother Superiors long lost daughter. While one hilarious twist occurs after the next, the object of a Davinci Code type search also reveals Agnes to be the reincarnation of "Joyce" the long forgotten older sister of Jesus Christ himself whose body was entombed beneath this very church.  Joyce is the actual doer of the miracles attributed to Jesus. I thought this was a marvelous feminist plot twist that could have been explored even further. Ellison is beautiful and perky in the role, epitomizing the young nun image of early 1960s TV, but I felt she needed to add a few subtler layers to her physical comedy and vocal levels in order to compete with the more mature comedic players surrounding her. 

Levi Holloway deserves special kudos, both as sinister albino Brother Venerius searching for Joyce's incarnation and particularly as film producer Jeremy who is still wholly devoted or should I say HOLY devoted to his long lost love of Cerda's Mother Superior from her pre-nunnery days as a brilliant news reporter Susan. Levi Holloway really DELIVERS the comedy, especially in the extremely rapid fire monologues and fast talking flashbacks to their exciting early reporter days of flirtation and falling in love with each other through words, glorious words. 

Performed at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Andersonville, the setting couldn’t be more appropriate. John Holt has transformed this actual church into a fully functioning and beautifully lit theater "church" with stained glass and special effects that heighten the drama perfectly from scene to scene. At the same time, Keith Ryan and Kate Setzer Kamphausen’s wig and costume designs are absolutely essential for each character and mind-blowingly funny. 

The neighboring atheist, a bitter Jewish woman who turns out to be Mother Superior’s long lost mother Mrs. Levinson, as well as a gender-confused Convent student named Timmy, are both wonderfully played by Chad.  Chad is on top of his game and totally hilarious in both roles, brilliantly delivering Busch' complex, fast and funny monologues without tripping once. Ed Jones as Sister Acacius also puts forth a thoroughly entertaining performance. It is always a pleasure to see Cerda and Jones in action together, as their chemistry is tough to beat. 

The Divine Sister isn't just about the miracle of three generations of women being reunited with their daughters, it also strikes a real blow at a church system which denies sexuality to its members in ANY form, gay or hetero and as a result denies each of these women and men a chance at living a full life unless they realize the folly of prolonged abstinence - a FORCED shame and despair filled type of abstinence, not voluntary, which was never prescribed by the bible anyway. 

The laughs don’t stop. There are so many funny subtleties and bits of finely aimed sardonic humor mixed in with sidesplitting over the top scenes such as Cerda and Ellison’s lip-synced duet and dance to the backing track of a number of pure cheesiness.   

Highly recommended for a night of fun-filled camp and silliness with a few heartfelt messages about the reality of miracles that come into your life whether you believe in God or not. 

The Divine Sister is being performed at Ebenezer Lutheran Church through July 10th. To find out more about this very funny show, visit www.handbagproductions.org.