Displaying items by tag: Nathaniel Thomas

Next to death and taxes, Chicagoans can count on their favorite theater companies doing holiday shows in the last few weeks of the year. For their part, Glenview’s Oil Lamp Theater presents Joe Landry’s radio play adaptation of It’s a Wonderful Life. With their charming downtown Glenview location, Oil Lamp’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play feels atmospheric, Glenview is a great stand-in for Bedford Falls.

It’s a Wonderful Life is typically devised as a “live radio play” – meaning, you the audience are watching a cast of actors, playing voice actors, putting on a fictional radio drama broadcast. Landry’s script has become one of the most produced holiday shows in the country, and it’s for good reason. His script stays faithful to the Frank Capra film but also allows theatre companies to add their own flavor to the plot.

Director Lauren Katz’ production injects a much-appreciated sense of humor. The radio players often merely serve as vessels for the characters of It’s a Wonderful Life, but here they’re given more dimension, and their individual talents are showcased in cute jingles and a stirring rendition of ‘Silent Night’ from Halli Morgan.

(L to R) Chase Wheaton-Werle, Carolyn Plurad, Nathaniel Thomas, Rami Halabi and Halli Morgan in IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY from Oil Lamp Theater.

A fun element of radio style plays is that actors perform multiple parts in rapid succession. Chase Wheaton-Werle switches between roles as seamlessly as a chameleon, while Nathaniel Thomas’ boyish earnestness makes him a perfectly sincere George Bailey. It’s also cool to see how old-time radio sounds were made, and Corey L Mills plays the “foley artist” with a great sense of comedic timing.

Landry’s script is malleable so that it always feels unique to the companies who have made this show their yearly tradition. Katz and cast bring a few new plot points that help thicken the story up. Though, It’s a Wonderful Life is a timeless classic film, it’s exciting to see what new directors bring to stage versions. There’s a quirky edge to Oil Lamp’s production that gives audiences a few surprises while staying true to the heart of this enduring classic. 

Recommended.

Through December 28 at Oil Lamp Theatre. 1723 Glenview Road. 847-834-0738

Coming-of-age is a subject with universal appeal across the arts.  Playwright Jonathan Keebler makes it fun by putting it to music composed by Ryan Korell in GAY CARD, playing at Pride Arts Center through September 24.

Logan (Ben Ballmer) is saying goodbye to the horrors of high school and is totally stoked to celebrate his college enrollment by coming out in a big way. To this end, he chooses the dorm called ‘Diversity House’. His best friend Melanie (Sophie Murk) does the same, as they’ve always been ‘there for each other’.

Logan quickly learns that it’s not that simple; there are many prerequisites to being issued a GAY CARD. In her role as Logan’s adjuvant braniac, Melanie steers him towards GayCardBlog-dot-com, where Logan is told he must decide what kind of gay boy he’ll be. His outrageous ventures into what he considers ‘Twink’ and ‘Artsy Gay’ (among others) are celebrated in song and dance.

At Diversity House Logan and Melanie find the voraciously heterosexual house mother Danielle (Rachel Carreras) and recovering jock Justin (Nathaniel Thomas). Corey (Joey Alvey) and July (Maya Radjenovich) present themselves as blissfully bi, while Graham (Freddy Mauricio) is somewhat mysterious – which naturally makes him alluring.

The GayCardBlog is brought to dramatic life by the Blog Trio – Michael Idalski, Adelina Marinello, and Elijah Warfield – who personate Logan’s pilgrimage with lascivious lyrics and appalling apparel – well done, Costume Designer Shawn Quinlan!  Ensemble numbers are completed by Kyle Johnson and Dance Captain Haven Sydney Denson.

Did someone say dance? Choreographer Britta Schlict gives us one spectacle after another, assisted by Jordan Ratliff, who is also Assistant Director under Pride Arts’ Artistic Director Jay Espaῆo. Espaῆo, Sound Designer Valerio Torretta Gardner and Music Director Robert Ollis navigate every number to near-balletic synchrony, even the full-ensemble extravaganzas. Sound Engineer Kat Tilt and Lighting Designer Kyle Anderson weave the story across the stage, with illustrative assistance from Projections Designer Eme Ospina-López. The few props are well-managed by Props Designer Hannah Dains. A large cast and near-continuous action present a challenge deftly met by Stage Manager Dakota Allen, assisted by Reagan Stevenson.  No nudity (rats!) but Intimacy Director Garrett McCann has some kissing to choreograph. And I loved the brilliant set created by Scenic Designer Brett Baleski, with its multiple levels painted in Miro-esque asymmetrical blocks.

Performances overall were outstanding. Ben Ballmer as Logan was in perpetual motion – supple, vivacious, and indefatigable – I’ve no idea how he kept that going! I’d swear his jumps soared a full yard off the floor – Air Ballmer! But, though his dancing was spectacular, it’s his sensational voice that really blew me away. Singing solo, duet, or choral; accompanied or a capella, his voice carried the show, strong and clear and true.

Actually, every voice in the cast was excellent. Sophie Murk’s [Melanie] superb soprano was exceeded only by her fortitude: during her most crucial solo her microphone repeatedly broke off, cut back in for a couple of measures, then failed again – a performer’s nightmare! Losing your mike is dreadful, but having it randomly cut in and out is calamitous! I’m sure Ms Murk had plenty to say about it backstage, but in front of the audience she was totally unflappable. The ovation she received was only partially (though deservedly!) for her singing; a significant portion was an accolade to her sang-froid.

Freddy Mauricio [Graham] also had a splendid voice, but it was eclipsed by Ballmer’s far stronger one, which also sometimes shrouded Murk’s performances.  It can be a real dilemma, from casting through rehearsal and into performances: how to manage the disparities in the cast’s endowments. It is, of course, the sort of predicament directors long for, but that doesn’t necessarily make disentangling it easier.

Live theatre, even in the biggest houses, was decimated by covid, and there’s much speculation about how to revive it. Theatre, particularly my beloved tiny storefront houses packed with sensational talent, is a Chicago hallmark. A couple of seasons at Second City is virtually a prerequisite to joining the cast of Saturday Night Live!  Everybody knows about Gary Sinise, but dozens more actors have been launched to fame from the Chicago stages. It’s imperative we maintain that heritage.

Trivia break: many think Chicago’s nickname of Second City is because its live theatre is second [only!] to NYC. Actually, the name is a legacy of the great Chicago Fire – we now live in the Second City that rose like a phoenix from its own ashes. Now where was I? Ah yes – how to help a Second Stage arise from the wreckage left by covid.

Debates rage: lower ticket prices to entice audiences, or raise them to pay artists a living wage? Present thoughtful, cutting-edge plays exploring society’s most pressing issues, or fill the stages with absurdity to provide escape from said issues? The Chicago Tribune has been running a series of op-eds on the subject, speculating on how best to support theatre.  Well, I’m a simple sort o’gal, and to me the solution is simple: attend more theatre!

GAY CARD has no deep social significance; it explores no critical current issues and poses no intellectual challenges. But if you’re in the mood for a very well-performed bit of musical fluff, see GAY CARD!

GAY CARD is being performed at Pride Arts Center through September 24^th. For tickets and/or more show information click here.