Displaying items by tag: TUTA Theatre

Real Chicagoans don’t gatekeep hidden gems. Whether it’s hidden bars behind laundromats, the best Billy Goat location (under Mag Mile), the best desserts or street tacos, the best place to catch a local game (insert season + sport), or a must-see show or concert, real Chicagoans share the hidden gems and surprise experiences. They share because it's thoughtful, considerate, and they want others to experience the same joy and elation they themselves experienced. Most importantly, they want to talk about the shared experience after, preferably at a hidden beach adjacent gem. Today’s hidden gem is TUTA, a theatre company staging a heavy-themed production of Crime and Punishment.

The story of Crime and Punishment follows the mental anguish and moral dilemmas of Rodion Raskolnikov, an impoverished former law student in Saint Petersburg who plans to kill an unscrupulous pawnbroker. The play is a stage adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's 1866 novel of the same name, co-written by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus. The authors of the adaptation condensed a heavily philosophical and psychological novel into a 90-minute, three-person play where the actors portray multiple characters without losing any of the depth or themes conveyed in the novel. Themes like isolation, morally gray ambiguity, faith, and fairness all still resonate today over 100 years later.

The TUTA Theatre (The Utopian Theatre Asylum) really proves that good things really do come in small packages. The small theatre found through an alleyway and accessed through a garage provided an unintentional eerie setting, winding your way to a small enclosure similar to the run-down windowless room the protagonist lives in. The minimalist-yet-evocative stage design also lent itself to the poignantly punishable psychology of Dostoevsky's play. By having Raskolnikov kneeling in dirt in supplication, having characters move behind sheer yet blurry plastic tarps, making you question if they were really there or if the character was descending into the madness of his own logic. In a way, the stage was the fourth cast member, moodily setting the tone with lights and effects that aided the claustrophobic and alienation the protagonist was showing on stage. And big talent filled the room with the incredible talent of TUTA company members Felix as Sonia, Huy Nguyen as Inspector Porfiry, and Clifton Frei as Raskolnikov.

TUTA is a fascinating theatre company with a pay-what-you-choose ticket structure. As a non-profit theatre, TUTA relies on ticket sales as well as grants, donations, and in-kind gifts of labor and talent to create art. For Crime & Punishment, for example, a price of $100 per ticket is what it would take to cover the costs of the production. By choosing a higher ticket price, you are creating opportunities for others to attend at lower prices who may not be able to enjoy this performance otherwise. If you want a guaranteed seat in the small theatre, reservations are available online, and you can choose one of four suggested prices ($20, $45, $60, and $100). The higher price you pay or donate, the more affordable future tickets can become throughout the production’s run time.

Whether a production is staged in a garage that borders the Brown Line or the finest auditoriums the city has to offer, Chicago proves time and time again that it houses a thousand treasures. And if you don’t know how to find them, don’t worry, there’s always a friendly Chicagoan ready to tell you all about it. Crime and Punishment is now playing at the TUTA Theatre (4670 N. Manor, Chicago) through June 28^th. To purchase reservations and guarantee a seat to the performance of your choice, visit www.tutatheatre.org. It'd be a Crime if you didn't get the chance to see this one.

"White Rabbit Red Rabbit" isn’t your typical night at the theater. It’s unscripted, unpredictable, and unlike anything you’ve seen before. Performed cold by a different actor each night, it’s a play that blends humor, vulnerability, and a quiet kind of bravery—both from the performer and the audience.

There are plenty of ways to spend a Sunday or Monday evening, such as relaxing on the couch, cooking something ambitious (or just heating up leftovers), maybe taking a stroll through the park. I, however, choose to spend my Monday night at one of the most surprising and engaging plays I’ve ever experienced. I head over to TUTA Theatre to see White Rabbit, Red Rabbit by Iranian-German playwright Nassim Soleimanpour. Safe to say, I have absolutely no idea what I’m getting myself into.

"White Rabbit Red Rabbit" is an experimental play performed “cold” by a different actor at every show. The catch? The actor has never seen the script beforehand. There’s no rehearsal, no director, and barely even a set. It’s theatre stripped down to the bones: one actor, one script, one shot. Unable to leave his home country, Soleimanpour offers a deeply personal glimpse into his life in Iran and the complex power dynamics at play, not just there, but everywhere.

As the show begins, the actor for the night, Huy Nguyen, opens a sealed envelope containing the script. He introduces himself, then asks the small audience to count off. It’s Soleimanpour’s way of making sure we all know how many people are about to go on this strange little journey together. Final headcount: 30.

Right from the start, it’s clear Nguyen is a gifted performer. He delivers each line with power and clarity, pausing just enough to let the weight or the weirdness of the words sink in. Through his performance, he brings Soleimanpour’s voice to life, striking a balance between humor, tension, and vulnerability with impressive ease.

TUTA company member Huy Nguyen (left) with audience member Robert Bry Hunter.

Those numbered seats aren’t just for counting heads. Nguyen, following Soleimanpour’s instructions, pulls audience members into the performance. Like it or not, we aren’t just watching the play, we become part of it. Each person is assigned a number, a role, and, weirdly enough, a sense of shared responsibility. Before long, the stage fills with everyday people acting out a strange and quietly heartbreaking tale about a rabbit trying to get into a circus. It feels whimsical at first, but the deeper metaphors quickly surface. These surreal moments offer a glimpse into the constraints Soleimanpour faces, using allegory to explore themes of power, obedience, and isolation.

As the performance continues, it becomes clear that "White Rabbit Red Rabbit" is more than just a theatrical experiment. It creates a deeply personal connection with Soleimanpour as he reaches out to share his trauma and vulnerability with the audience. The play explores what it means to lose power not only as a citizen but also as a performer and audience member. Soleimanpour expresses his strong desire to travel and meet the people watching, to connect fully through shared experience. Throughout the show, Nguyen beautifully captures the deep emotions and longings at the heart of Soleimanpour’s story.

One of the wildest things about "White Rabbit Red Rabbit" is how it keeps you laughing. . .until it doesn’t. One minute, Nguyen is running around the stage pretending to be an ostrich. The next, he’s calmly listing ways people commit suicide. It’s emotional whiplash in the best (and most jarring) way. That sudden shift from comedy to darkness really shows the inner chaos Soleimanpour must have been dealing with. He’s clearly trying to make sense of heavy stuff while still holding on to humor and hope.

This was my first time seeing a “cold read” performance, where the actor hasn’t seen the script before stepping on stage. I was genuinely impressed. The whole thing felt unpredictable, not just for the audience but for the actor too. It created this weirdly intimate vibe where we were all discovering the story together. Surprisingly, nothing felt awkward or forced. Nguyen handled it all like a total natural, even in the most bizarre moments. The rawness of the format made everything feel immediate, real, and kind of thrilling.

I highly recommend "White Rabbit Red Rabbit" to anyone who’s spontaneous and looking for something completely different. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that keeps you guessing. That said, I’d think twice about bringing kids or anyone who might be uncomfortable with sensitive subjects, especially suicide. The show does dive into some heavy themes that may not be for everyone.

The show has a fast runtime of about 70-90 minutes without any intermissions. Make sure to eat dinner before as the small theatre doesn’t have any concessions but do offer drinks in exchange for a theatre donation.

The production is presented by TUTA Theatre, a company known for its bold and experimental approach to theater in Chicago. The show is brought to life by TUTA’s Co-Artistic Director, who also serves as the Artistic Producer for "White Rabbit Red Rabbit."

TUTA Theatre is located at 4670 N Manor Ave in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood. It’s an intimate space, with the show staged in a small back auditorium through a garage entrance. The venue seats about 30 people, which makes the whole experience feel up close and personal.

"White Rabbit Red Rabbit" runs from July 6 through August 11, with shows on Sunday and Monday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $20 to $60. You can grab yours at tutatheatre.org.

*Extended through September 29th

So if you’re free on a Sunday or Monday night, skip Netflix and take a chance on something different. You might walk away thinking a little deeper…and may even begin looking at rabbits a little differently, too.

*This review is also featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/! 

Immediately following the gastronomical excesses of Thanksgiving are the monetary investments and personal sacrifices we make for Christmas.  At the heart of both is family and the importance we place in coming together to sustain and strengthen seminal bonds. 

In 1931, a 34-year-old college professor at the University of Chicago took the long view of these ritual gatherings and focused on what they look and feel like over time.  In his beautifully crafted one act play, The Long Christmas Dinner, Thornton Wilder also manages to deliver an incisive and sobering treatise on time and its fleeting fragility.  What he does so exquisitely in the 26 pages of his script is to point us in the direction of using that time most fully and appreciatively.  Chicago’s TUTA Theatre, who “searches for the unique and exceptional in the language of theatre”, has generously brought this rarely produced treasure to the stage at the sparkling new Bramble Arts Loft in Andersonville for the Christmas season.

Wilder has the prosperous Bayard family act as proxies for all families and takes us with him as he visits them experiencing Christmas dinners that span the course of 90 years and four generations.  He pays close attention to how the family interacts and the way they voice convictions, concerns and priorities.  In many ways, perhaps in all ways, they’re a very typical and intrinsically familiar family.  That notion becomes more and more entrenched as the play progresses.  When it opens, Lucia (Alexis Primus) is about to welcome her mother-in-law, Mother Bayard (Joan Merlo), to the dinner table of her new home.  Her husband, Roderick (Matt Miles) leads the family firm and is the classic head of the house as seen in the era.  Proud of his wife, his mother and his success, he glows with the light of the supremely satisfied.   Although wheelchair bound, Mother Bayard’s vibrant mind and observant eye reveal a robust inner vitality.  It’s her penchant for too frequently repeating how clearly she remembers seeing Indians in the streets during her youth and riding rafts across the Mississippi that hint at the creeping cognitive malaise common found in the aging.

Although rather formal by today’s standards, you can still easily recognize that beneath the rituals of decorum the family practices in their interactions that there is a true closeness of hearts. You feel how sacrosanct kinship is to them. Still, the circle of life encompasses families just as it does individuals.  We are born and we die.  And it’s the way that The Long Christmas Dinner treats these events that make us evaluate ourselves and our relationships with our own families.

The entire play occurs around a stately dining table in the middle of the stage.  Laden with gleaming silverware and China, the luxurious Oriental carpet it rests on and the elegant linear chandelier floating above it are the few things that will remain unchanged.  Two dimly lit doorways, one on the left and the other on the right of the stage, represent the ending and beginning of life, respectively.  Keith Parham’s quietly graceful set surreptitiously becomes its own character.   Stoic and impassive as it witnesses transitions through each doorway.   His lighting design would go on to memorably propel and enhance the dramatic impact of the play. 

Watching the arch of Uncle Branden’s presence was particularly impactful. Full of life, song and playful mischief, he was such a bright light when he first came to dinner.  Assuredly played by Wain Parham, he began to change when Roderick, his cousin, fell victim to his excesses in drink.  Branden’s silence began to grow when Roderick later passed through the doorway symbolizing death.  As he watched Roderick and Lucia’s children, Charles (Huy Nguyen) and Genevieve (Charlie Irving) grow, his warmth remained, but his effervescence and spontaneity notably faded until he too slowly drifted through the portal on the left.

As new generations of Bayard’s are born, explosions of joy and happiness are plentiful on the right where nurses dressed in immaculate white emerge through the passageway cradling babies who soon grow to teenagers and adults.   Often bearing the names of those who proceeded them, old names become new again and we can’t avoid noticing the cyclicality of existence.  Rather than a crown denoting succession, among the Bayard women a shawl becomes the item that chronicles the passage and toll of time.  Used to keep aging shoulders warm, it symbolizes both the inevitable and the blessing of continuity.   That same continuity can be heard when certain random phrases and observations are made by each successive generation that none had heard spoken before by someone else in the family.

Rifts, discord and the realities of life erupt in this very respectable family as they can and do in all.  Stifled by family expectations and the limitations of living in a small town, Charles’ son, Roderick II (Matt Miles) bolts to California when confronted about his drinking and lack of interest in familial responsibilities.  Charles and his wife Leonora (Seoyoung Park) had already lost a son during the first World War and their second son’s departure marked a crippling blow.  As we’re reminded by numerous characters throughout the play, time may not heal grief, but it soothes sufficiently to ease its pain and weight.  When Joan Merlo reappears as distant cousin, Ermengarde, that kind of wisdom flows with the power of rushing rapids.  A highly accomplished craftsman, Merlo’s phrasings of speech were transfixing as she wrapped the profound in tiny pellets of simplicity.  Her gleam of excellence ran through the entire cast, who were uniformly splendid. 

Most impressive was the meticulous pacing and abundance of satisfying nuance director and TUTA co-artistic director, Jacqueline Stone, built into the production.  She insured small gestures resonated with unexpected force and light touches of humor glittered brightly enough to make the project shine with warmth and contemporary flair.

In a time and landscape where holiday entertainment options are virtually endless, The Long Christmas Dinner counts as an especially rewarding option from a company who has a knack for curating works of discreet brilliance.

The Long Christmas Dinner

Through December 29^th, 2024

TUTA Theatre Company

Venue:  Bramble Arts Loft

5545 N. Clark Street

Chicago, IL  60640

https://www.tutatheatre.org/the-long-christmas-dinner-tickets

This was an interesting production that oddly enough had very little to do with radio. ‘Radio Culture’ is a one act play with a somewhat unique concept where just one actor holds a speaking role.

TUTA’s home theatre space (4670 N Manor in Chicago) is a small little place that makes you feel at home upon entering. I grew up in that neighborhood and the idea of having a small theatre in that area never even crossed my mind. I give a lot of credit to the people putting on these smaller productions since there isn’t very much money coming in outside of donations that are crucial in keeping the theatre going. You gotta really love what you are doing when you work with small, or storefront, theatres.

The setting takes us to a Russian construction site. The small audience is literally in a room under construction. This is a plus as we get a true intimate theatre experience that is about as up close and personal as you can get.

Kevin V. Smith plays Volodya who lives in Minsk with his parents. He acts more as narrator to the events, speaking in the third person. The whole play basically takes place in a day in the life of the Russian construction foreman who finds comfort in the classical music he listens to as the program Radio Culture is pushed across the airwaves. Natalie Ferdova does an impressive job in translating this story from Russian to English while Amber Robinson gets a nod for some very creative direction. Huy Nguyen and Wain Parham complete the ensemble with non-speaking roles.

This is one of those ideas that probably wouldn’t work as well on the big stage since the intimacy of the production is one of the attributes that makes this play so special, though the story is engaging and peaks one’s interest throughout. At times, the actors were right in front of you making eye contact, as if they were in your own living room.

The visuals don’t exactly make or break the performance but get the point across while the dialog was written in such a way that it was very easy to follow. I really want to give a shout out to Smith for his ability to flawlessly rip out 70 minutes of very convincing dialogue. A true professional, there was never a hesitation in his delivery and he truly keeps your attention through the entire play.

I would without hesitation recommend going to see ‘Radio Culture’ at TUTA.

‘Radio Culture’ is being performed at TUTA Theatre through December 2nd. For tickets and/or more information visit www.tutatheatre.org.

*Extended through March 3rd