Home

Displaying items by tag: MadKap

Whenever I review a theatre company for the first time I get a bit of "first date nerves", especially when a suburban company (unabashed City snob, c’est moi) is doing such an iconic show. The stakes were even higher cos this was my first time seeing HAIR – I was a little too young in 1968 and somehow never got a chance in the intervening years (never mind how many).

Skokie Theatre Company proved I was in good hands. The cast members greeting guests on the street set the mood, and I was charmed when Woof (Sam Hook) blew me a kiss from the stage. And then Dionne (Niki-Charisse Franco) began to croon the opening bars of ‘Aquarius’ and I relaxed. I knew I could sit back and enjoy the show.

HAIR includes copious profanity, overt drug use and full-frontal nudity, but there was so much MORE to love! Let’s start with the music: several of the songs, from ‘Easy to be Hard’ and ‘Good Morning Starshine’ to the iconic title song are still around today, but I hadn’t realized how very many songs are in Hair: 27 in Act One alone, and all wonderful: ‘Donna’, ‘Hashish’, ‘Colored Spade’, ‘Air’, and the fabulous ‘Initials’. And who knew HAIR had an actual plot? The cast was enormous: nine principals plus five in The Tribe – and each better than the last.

I could say HAIR was flawless, but that would set you wondering just how much of the Kool-Aid I drank; besides, there were a couple of teensy flaws. Sound Designer Chris Cook needs to make some small adjustments with the microphones -- for the most part the soloists came through, but I missed much of Crissy’s (Bridgett Martinez) solo. Mind, this sort of readjustment is routine for first-weekend performances, and my sitting in the front row may have been part of the problem.

Scenic Designer Scott Richardson and Props/Set Decorator Barry Norton wisely kept it simple: the tie-dye background effectively recalled the era, and multiple levels gave Director Derek Van Barham (with Asst. Directors Miranda Coble and Brennan Urbi) plenty of options for staging. Urbi, as Movement Asst, did a hell of a job with nearly continuous dancing and cavorting; good job he had the aisles to expand into. Beth Laske-Miller’s costumes were spot-on, evoking the flower-child tie-dyed-hippie-freak symbols of protest. She accentuated the principals just enough to distinguish them without dissociating them from the Tribe as a whole. And I loved the pansexual vibe that Intimacy Director Christa Retka achieved. Overall, the mood was effervescent, unselfconsciously joyous and totally infectious: we were all drawn into the Tribe.

I love seeing shows with this companion cos I learn so much from them. In one of my early I reviews I asked them, “Just what does a Stage Manager do?” Their reply: “Make certain every person and every prop is in exactly the right place at precisely the right time.” Their guidance let me appreciate what a phenomenal job Stage Manager Amanda Coble did with HAIR. Keeping a cast of 14 on cue through every moment of a 90-minute first act (and the 2nd act as well); staging, with Musical Director Jeremy Ramey, a total of forty songs, at least 36 of them ensemble pieces … she pulled it off without a bobble.

My companion’s standard for Light Design is ‘if you notice the lighting, they’re doing it wrong.’ Lighting Designer Pat Henderson met, even surpassed this standard with a basic kit used to full advantage. She utilized every possible source of illumination, stage lights, house lights and spotlights, using one particular center-stage spot super-effectively. I loved Musical Director/Conductor Jeremy Ramey’s brilliant idea of placing Shraga Wasserman (Berger) and Joey Chelius (Claude) in the band during Sheila’s (Alexandria Neyhart) solo ‘Easy to be Hard’, bringing the men into the scene and the song without choreography or lines.

Okay, what am I forgetting? Director … stage manager … music … intimacy … aha! The cast!

In a word, ridiculously talented. Okay, that’s two words, and they aren’t mine but Julie Peterson’s (Jeanie), but I’m totally with her on this, for both cast and crew. There was not one single weak voice in the cast, not one. I saw Shraga D Wasserman play Roger in RENT and, though I wrote a ‘Highly Recommended’ review, I remember that Wasserman’s talent outshone the rest of the cast, making for a slightly unbalanced production. No such problem here! Wasserman’s Berger was as good or better than their Roger in RENT, but the cast of HAIR was so stellar that their genius fit in seamlessly. That face of theirs! like living Silly Putty, so incredibly mobile.

I already mentioned that Sam Hook (Woof) stole my heart when he threw me a kiss, and my infatuation grew with his every appearance on stage. It’s hard to believe he’s still a student; I hope he stays in Chicago so I can follow his career.

Claude (Joey Chelius) had perhaps the heaviest dramatic role and his acting was most definitely up to it during the hallucination sequence and the finale. Hud (Justice Largin) was gorgeous and ‘I’m Black’ was a brilliant piece. I already mentioned that Niki-Charisse Franco as Dionne wowed me with her opening performance of ‘Aquarius’, singing with near-operatic potency. The other three principal women, Sheila (Alexandria Neyhart), Jeannie (Julie Peterson), and Crissy (Bridgett Martinez) had equally powerful voices. Ben Isabel was absolutely hilarious as Margaret Meade.

Which leaves The Tribe: Jonah Cochin, Jack Chylinski, Cristian Moreno, Chevy Dixon Saul, and Hannah Silverman. I reiterate: there was not a single weak performer! Jonah Cochin stood out for his delightfully bawdy contribution to ‘Black Boys’.

HAIR revived a lot of old memories for me, both good (dyeing my own love beads) and not-so-great (nightly body counts on TV). The rebellions of the 60’s/70’s shaped what American culture is to this day, and HAIR captured it all: peace and protest, music and drugs, love and fury. In 1969 HAIR was the counterculture’s manifesto. Today it’s a documentary, and a must-see!

MadKap Production's HAIR is being performed at Skokie Theatre through July 30th. For tickets and/or more information, click here.

Published in Theatre in Review
Sunday, 13 November 2022 15:17

Review: 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' at Skokie Theatre

My favorite writer of all time is Tennessee Williams. He was born into a dysfunctional family in Mississippi 1911. Most of his plays revolve around family dynamics.  My favorite play of his, and of all time is “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”. It is an exploration of life, of death, of unrequited love and sexuality, but most of all, it’s about mendacity. The whole play is centered on various family members lying to each other, and in the case of one character, to himself.

“Cat” was written, and it takes place in the present, which would be 1955. A lackluster screen adaptation starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman was done in 1958. While beautiful to view , the movie sanitized the script, taking out the scandalous details, leaving an easily digestible movie for 1958 audience. It has none of the heart or the scandal of the play and Mr. Williams hated it.

I had mixed emotions with MadKap’s production at Skokie Theater. I loved the sound effects and felt they were well-designed. The set was a different story. I liked the hanging moss indicating a southern locale. I would have liked to see more order in the netting surrounding the set. It was extremely thick in certain places and seemed to be thrown onto the backdrop. I understand what the designer was going for. With a little help from the lighting designer this could have been an impressive set, as it is now, it is just functional. The furniture in the bedroom did not suggest a wealthy southern family of means. The vanity was a table with a tablecloth thrown over it, the chaise lounge was a pale gray color, the liquor cabinet was a 1980’s stereo system without the stereo. All these items should assist in telling the audience who these people are.  Set design for this show doesn’t begin and end with a brass bed.

The characters in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” are complicated. They have big personalities and even bigger emotions, but so much more than that, they are real people. They shouldn’t be reduced to goofy accents and characterizations.  Reid Harrisson O’Connell plays older brother Gooper and Emilie Yount plays perpetually pregnant sister-in-law Mae. O’Connell wore an oversized suit, a rare miss in an otherwise excellent costume design by Beth Laske Miller. I never got the impression Gooper was a successful lawyer. O’Connor played at the character. His body language gave H.S. student trying to play older. His big scene in the third act came off as comical. Yount as Mae fared slightly better. I wanted to see more variety in her characterization….more cat, less bitch.

I love what Kent Joseph did with Big Daddy Pollitt. He showed us all sides of this cancerous and cankerous plantation owner. In him we see parallels between himself and Brick.  Like Brick, he believes himself to be surrounded by dishonesty. Also, like Brick, he views his marriage as a sham, and feels nothing but disgust for the woman whom he married. The difference between he and Brick is Big Daddy is being lied to, while Brick is lying to himself.  Joseph gave us an honest portrayal of Big Daddy and he was equally yoked with Ann James’ Big Mama. Hers was a loud, tender, and touching performance.  A joy to watch.

I wish Caleb Gibson matched the energy of Kent Joseph. I couldn’t get past a weird accent he used. It was a cross between Jim Nabors’ Gomer Pyle (who, incidentally, was gay) and Foghorn Leghorn. A dialect coach would have served this production greatly. Act two of the play is the heart of the drama. We learn the problem with Brick, and Big Daddy learns of his problem. The language is very important. It is not the time to break down sobbing. Gibson, while trying to convince his father he is not “a sissy”, is incoherent because of his crying. We miss a lot of information. It was an issue of over-acting in some places while underacting in others.

Sarah Sapperstein did an amazing job as Maggie the cat. She is strong yet vulnerable. She gives as well as she takes. She is determined yet utterly feminine. We could have asked for more onstage chemistry between Gibson and Sapperstein but her Maggie was one point nonetheless.

I recommend everyone see “Cat on A Hot Tin Roof”, after all, this is Tennessee Williams. The world has changed so much since the 50’s. Writers such as Donja Love, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Jonathan Larson, Tony Kushner as well as others, owe so much to Williams. I owe so much to him; he kept me reading and learning.

“You two had something that had to be kept on ice, yes, incorruptible, yes!--and death was the only icebox where you could keep it....”
― 
Tennessee Williams, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Through 11/20: Fri-Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 2 PM; also Wed 11/16 1:30 PM, Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln, Skokie, 847-677-7761, skokietheatre.org, $38 ($34 students/seniors)

Published in Theatre in Review

Disney's THE LION KING Returns to Chicago

01 April 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

By popular demand, Disney’s The Lion King will return to Chicago for the first time since 2023, where the production played a sold-out…

Review: The Listeners at Lyric Opera of Chicago

31 March 2025 in Theatre in Review

THE LISTENERS has undergone several incarnations since the 2021 novel by Jordan Tannahill. It’s been a full-length movie, a TV…

IDENTITY PERFORMING ARTS: Spring Concert 2025 - 'Instinct' at Ann Barzel Theater (April 26-27)

31 March 2025 in Upcoming Dance

IDENTITY PERFORMING ARTS Presents Spring Concert 2025  “Instinct”   A captivating performance of four distinct works on April 26 & 27…

Dynamic South Chicago Dance Theatre at The Auditorium in one perf only, May 3

26 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

 The Auditorium (Chicago’s Landmark Stage® at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) proudly welcomes back the eclectic energy of hometown favorite South…

Open Space Arts announces staged reading series and a powerful premiere for April through June

26 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Open Space Arts (OSA), who recently won some of the top honors in the Joseph Jefferson Awards for 2024 productions,…

Review: 'it's been ten years since everybody died' at Open Space Arts

26 March 2025 in Theatre in Review

I’ve reviewed a number of shows at Open Space Arts (OSA) – I love the place – so I’m familiar…

Hell in a Handbag Productions' World Premiere of SCARY TOWN By Artistic Director David Cerda Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass April 9 – May 11, 2025 at The Clutch

25 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to continue its 2024/25 Season with the world premiere of Scary Town, Artistic Director David Cerda's semi-autobiographical…

Definition Theatre Defines the Crisis: 'Splash Hatch on the E Going Down'

24 March 2025 in Theatre in Review

In Definition Theatre's production of "Splash Hatch on the E Going Down," Kia Corthron's 1997 work feels unnervingly relevant in…

Kokandy Productions Announces Line-Up for CHICAGO MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL Returning April 3 – 6, 2025 at The Chopin Theatre

22 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Kokandy Productions is pleased to announce the official selections for the annual Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, a celebration and showcase of the…

Hive of Hilarity: Copley Theatre’s 'Spelling Bee' is a Buzzing Triumph!

21 March 2025 in Theatre in Review

I’m not holding back—Copley Theatre’s latest offering, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is an absolute winner! I’ve seen…

The Search for Truth Turns to War in Oil Lamp’s Outstanding ‘The Lifespan of a Fact’

21 March 2025 in Theatre in Review

Don’t be deceived by the title.  The phrase “lifespan of a fact” sounds about as dry as the Mojave Desert…

Disability-inclusive company brings Frankenstein to Chicago Shakespeare Theater

21 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations—a Chicago-based nonprofit that creates theatre and film for, with, and by individuals with Down syndrome…

Invictus Theatre Presents Enchanting Production of The Winter’s Tale

20 March 2025 in Theatre in Review

Walking into Windy City Playhouse, audiences are immediately transported to somewhere new. Scenic Designer Kevin Rofls fills the space with…

Writers Theatre announces 2025/26 season

19 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Artistic Director Braden Abraham and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce Writers Theatre's 2025/26 season. The five-play season is marked by four productions never seen before…

About Face Theatre presents the return of Re/Generation Studio at The Alice at Goodman Theatre March 28-30, 2025

19 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

About Face Theatre announces the return of Re/Generation Studio, a weekend of community building, education, and performance to help build the future…

Steppenwolf Theatre Presents Broadway's Kelli O'Hara - April 18 & 19, 2025

19 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Fresh off her critically acclaimed and Tony-nominated run in Broadway's Days of Wine and Roses, Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Mark Cortale are pleased to present…

Grand Opera that is Truly Grand: La Bohème at the Lyric

19 March 2025 in Theatre in Review

Going into “La Bohème” with little knowledge of Puccini’s masterpiece, I was just a naive theater-goer seeing it fresh at…

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Returns to Chicago

18 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that a revitalized new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, will play…

Marriott Theatre Continues 50th Anniversary Season with Tony Award-Winning Titanic the Musical - Opening April 16th

18 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicagoland's longest running musical theatre, Marriott Theatre, continues its 50th Anniversary Season celebration with the epic production of Titanic The Musical, directed and choreographed by Connor…

Teatro La Plaza teams up with Chicago Latino Theatre Alliance for wonderful production of Hamlet at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

16 March 2025 in Theatre in Review

Ser o no ser   esa es la cuestión We are all familiar with Shakespeare’s iconic line: to be or not…

Announcing CityTalk: A Series of Conversations on Assimilation, Antisemitism and Culture

14 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Theater Wit, in collaboration with the Crown Family Center for Jewish Studies at Northwestern and Northlight Theatre, hosts CityTalk: A Series of Conversations on Assimilation, Antisemitism…

Steppenwolf Theatre Presents THE BOOK OF GRACE - March 27 – May 18, 2025 - Chicago Premiere!

13 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to continue its 49th season with the Chicago premiere of The…

Lyric Opera announces 2025/26 season, including major collaborations with Billy Corgan, avery r. young

12 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Lyric Opera of Chicago today announces the company's 2025/26 Season, its first complete season under the leadership of new General…

BEETLEJUICE is Now Playing Through March 16

11 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice… Beetlejuice! You’ve summoned him once again, Chicago— BEETLEJUICE is back for another hauntingly hilarious run! The edgy and irreverent Broadway…

The Auditorium proudly presents Parsons Dance One Night Only: Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 PM

11 March 2025 in Upcoming Dance

The Auditorium (Chicago’s Landmark Stage® at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive) proudly presents a special evening with Parsons Dance, the New…

The critically acclaimed hit production of Obliteration returns

10 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Obliteration, LLC & The Revival Theater announce a limited engagement of Obliteration, written by Andrew Hinderaker, directed by Jonathan Berry, featuring Michael Patrick Thornton and Cyd Blakewell. Obliteration runs April 10-May 4,…

Red Clay Dance Company’s 16 centers perseverance and legacy in Vershawn Sanders-Ward Revival and Bebe Miller Premiere

10 March 2025 in Upcoming Dance

The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago announces 16 by Red Clay Dance Company for three performances only, April 17-19, 2025, featuring Founding Artistic Director and CEO Vershawn…

Stand Up Together Comedy stars unite during Chicago fundraiser to support California wildfire victims Thursday, March 27 at Laugh Factory Chicago

10 March 2025 in Upcoming Theatre

Stand Up Together, a comedy benefit in support of artists impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires, hosted by Second City and SNL…

Luck Be a Lady Tonight: A Rollicking Review of Music Theater Works’ 'Guys and Dolls'

09 March 2025 in Theatre in Review

Following a string of successful shows, Music Theater Works has once again hit the jackpot with their 2025 season opener,…

Auditorium Theatre’s Presentation of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Company Soars and Astounds

08 March 2025 in Dance in Review

Two dancers stand center stage. The traditional, spiritual music begins to play as they start to move. Very much in…

 

 

         17 Years and counting!

Register

     

Latest Articles

Guests Online

We have 944 guests and no members online

Buzz Chicago on Facebook Buzz Chicago on Twitter 

Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.