Displaying items by tag: E Faye Butler

There is something timeless and lasting about 1920s and 1930s jazz. The lively tunes and sultry tempos defined an era and resonates throughout every aspect of our culture from movies and cinema, music and radio, and to literature and theatre. I jumped at the opportunity to revisit the art-deco, jazz-fueled era to see The Fats Waller Musical Show, Ain’t Misbehavin.’

The incomparable Drury Lane in Oakbrook transports us back to the 1930s to celebrate the music of Grammy Hall of Fame American jazz pianist Thomas “Fats” Waller and the vibrant spirit of the Harlem Renaissance. Set in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood in 1939 Ain’t Misbehavin’: The Fates Waller Musical Show is a non-stop party, featuring over 30 numbers with including “Honeysuckle Rose,” “The Joint is Jumping,” and “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” and of course “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” With a live pianist, a four-piece brass band, and an incredible cast of talented singers and dancers, you’ll lose yourself in the irresistible rhythms and soulful melodies that defined an era of musical brilliance. From sultry ballads to upbeat swing numbers, come to Ain’t Misbehavin’ for an evening of unparalleled entertainment where you’ll find yourself swaying and humming along to the enduring melodies from the legendary Fats Waller.

Coming into the play I was expecting one of two things. The first that this was going to be about the life of Fats Waller in the same way Tina Turner: The Musical or Beautiful: The Carol King Musical is. As the show started with the cast engaging the audience in the same style speakeasies and clubs allowed in the 1920s and 30s, I started to think the show was more like Choir of Man, more of a journey or a snapshot in time. But Ain’t Misbehavin’ takes a different approach entirely, one that this author hopes to see more theatre like it. Ain’t Misbehavin’ is an auditory and visual time capsule come to life. What it lacks in a narrative, it makes up for in pure enjoyment of the soulful music that defined an era and paved the way for modern jazz.  Director E. Faye Butler, a native Chicagoan and Southside resident surrounded by the beauty of the architecture and music of the Bronzeville neighborhood, says it best, “I wanted to bring a bit of history through the music of Fats Waller to the Drury Lane audience. Although Fats’ music was primarily written and performed in New York City during the Harlem Renaissance period, that same spirit and music was happening right here in Bronzeville at clubs where Fats performed, such as Club DeLisa, The Cabin Inn, The Regal Theatre, or The Palm Tavern. This was Chicago at its finest in 1939.”

With the exceptional talents of Sharriese Y. Hamilton, James T. Lane, Alanna Lovely, Alexis J. Roston, and Lorenzo Rush Jr., coupled with the music prowess of the Drury Lane Orchestra led by the incomparable William Foster McDaniel, this ensemble will have you jumping out of your seat and dancing in the aisles (or at least feel the urge to).

We’re brought into a world many people might not have experienced or heard about in every day experiences. To truly appreciate this piece you must not approach this show like others you have seen. It’s not a narrative. There is no great story arch. The actors and actresses need your engagement and enthusiasm (respectfully) and want you to interact with them when they signal you to. This is a club after all. Aren’t we all here to have a good time and listen to some incredible music? This is a show celebrating Fats Waller as much as it is celebrating incredible music that will stay with you long after the air raid sirens have gone off and we must once again be on our best behavior as we venture back to our lives. But for a short while, a brief moment in time, we can escape to 1939 Bronzeville where misbehaving is highly encouraged (respectfully).

The Tony-Award Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Fates Waller Musical Show revue is directed by E. Faye Butler and runs through Aug 18^th, 2024, at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. Tickets are available at www.drurylanetheatre.com.

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/

I must admit, I knew nothing about Marie Knight or Rosetta Tharpe. It went over my head when they made an appearance in the critically acclaimed movie “Elvis”. Baz Luhrmann’s inclusion of Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight during the Club Handy scene with the likes of Elvis, BB King and Little Richard spoke volumes of her place in music history. Not only was Rosetta Tharpe a major influence on Elvis Presley, Jimmy Hendrix and Johnny Cash but the gospel guitarist practically discovered Little Richard, bringing him on stage for his first performance. “Marie and Rosetta” documents their lives together with a rousing, heartfelt production at Northlight Theatre.

It is 1946, Rosetta Tharpe is an explosive gospel singer and R&B performer,. After hearing Marie Knight sing, she tries to get the ingénue to create an act with her. “Sister” Rosetta needs Marie’s holier than thou credentials to “get back in the church folks’ good graces”. Her brand of gospel is infused with R&B and electric guitar riffs. She is a popular nightclub act and just as righteous as Mahalia Jackson, she just likes R&B. Marie Knight, on the other hand, is a traditional gospel singer with a powerful angelic voice. She is in awe of the older, popular Tharpe, but is unsure of the worldly music Tharpe calls gospel. This is their first rehearsal on the day of their first performance so naturally things must be sorted out before a duet can be made.

Playwright George Brant has done his research for this play with music, yet he hasn’t created a jukebox musical. There is a clear story being told here and the music is a bonus. Although, the play is heavy on exposition, it tells the beautiful relationship between these women and their influence on the music world. It is thought Marie and Rosetta’s relationship extended beyond the stage. Brant doesn’t straightwash this story. He has handled their relationship with the utmost respect. Brant does an interesting writing trick. It would be unfair to reveal it, but it has been on my mind since I saw the show. Brant has used spiritual songs like “This Train” and “Didn’t Rain”, as well as worldly songs like “I Want A Tall Skinny Papa” and “4 - 5 Times” to keep things hot.

E. Faye Butler is making a name for herself as a director. She is fresh off “Five Guys Named Mo”, a co-direction assignment with Felicia Fields at The Beverley Arts Center. It was excellent. Here, Butler is challenged with giving these characters emotional depth equal to their amazing voices. Challenge met. Butler has raised the stakes between these two women without losing the love and respect they had for each other. Their movements were instinctual, their emotions palpable.

This play is heavily dependent on excellent actresses. Not only must they sing well but they must be able to portray characters long gone from the collective psyche. Making these characters real was no easy task. Alexis J. Roston and Bethany Thomas by themselves knock your socks off, together they are a force of nature. They both engage us with their very different singing styles. Roston blesses the heavens with her symphonically precise tones. Thomas is like a hurricane, belting out the blues in all it’s various hues. They are accompanied offstage by Morgan E. Stevenson on piano and Larry Brown on guitar.

John Culbert’s scenic design coupled with the lighting design by Jared Gooding will be the subject of conversation for a while. McKinley Johnson’s costume design played a significant role. It’s always wonderful when set, lights and costumes enhance the characters presence and add depth to the overall production. Florence Walker-Harris is a joy, and her assistant director credit makes a wonderful show even more wonderful.

This play is highly recommended. Thank you Northlight Theatre for remembering these forgotten icons. You will leave the theatre joyful, filled with the knowledge of a rock and roll icons making a joyful noise to the Lord.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

When: Through August 6, 2023

Where: Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd.

Running time: 90 minutes

Tickets: $30. - $89 Student tickets $15.

Contact: northlight.org.

*Extended through August 13th

It’s been quite some time since “Chicago” has actually been performed in Chicago (or thereabouts), but after a ten-year road in obtaining the show’s rights, Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook brings home the popular musical created in 1975 – and we are glad they did. With music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Webb and a book by both Webb and super choreographer Bob Fosse, the musical “Chicago” is based on a 1926 play of the same name. Inspired by actual criminals and crimes reported by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, the story revolves around the notion of the “celebrity criminal” while mocking the Chicago justice system that was in place in the 1920’s, an era where it was also widely suspected that an attractive women could not be convicted of a heinous crime, like say, the murder of her lover or husband. 

In “Chicago” the story starts off with a “bang” when Roxie Hart (Kelly Felthous) shoots dead her lover on the side. She is quickly arrested and held in Cook County Jail while awaiting trial for murder. In an age when the press sensationalized homicides committed by women (good ol' media), the public quickly buys into the hype making an instant celebrity out of Roxie, and as starved for stardom as the former dancer has always been, she thrives on the new-found attention. In the “pen” Roxie meets several colorful characters, but none as tough as Velma Kelly (Alena Watters), a socialite divorcee and former cabaret singer who is currently the talk of Chicago for the high-profile murder she committed. Velma barely gives Roxie the time of day, instead giving her the cold shoulder. But when Roxie’s popularity soars as the “new story” and Velma’s diminishes, it’s Velma who wants to partner with Roxie for a song and dance nightclub act, this time receiving the cold shoulder from the new celebrity. 

Roxie’s only way to avoid a sentence of death by hanging is to hire the flashy, fast-talking lawyer, Billy Flynn (Guy Lockard) for five thousand dollars. Well beyond what the couple can afford, Roxie’s doting, naive and “invisible” husband Amos (Justin Brill) scrapes up what he can and promises Flynn to pay the rest when he can. From there, Flynn turns the case into a dog and pony show, equating the trial as a “three-ring circus”.  

Watters stuns on several occasions as sassy Velma Kelly, winning the audience over almost immediately after a dazzling performance of the musical’s opening number “All That Jazz”. Possessing just the right dose of sexy attitude, Kelly impresses both vocally and in her dancing, her performance nothing short of riveting. As notable as Watters’ portrayal of Velma Kelly, Felthous also knocks the ball out of the park as Roxie Hart, pairing perfectly with her fellow caged dame and giving the show a rock ‘em sock ‘em one-two punch. Felthous convinces as one stricken by delusions of grandeur, confusing the popularity of her murder case as celebrity fame, putting forth an overall display of well-tuned comedic timing to go along with her own vocal prowess and dance ability. As fun to watch as the two are, Watters and Felthous really bring it home in their physically-charged routine “Nowadays”. 

He’s charming, good-looking and possesses a silver tongue that can sway even the toughest juries. Well-cast, singer/songwriter Guy Lockard brightly shines as the smooth defense attorney, Billy Flynn, and gives the show yet another boost, particularly in his courtroom maneuvering melody “Razzle Dazzle”. Justin Brill also contributes nicely in his funny depiction of Amos Hart, a man who is considered so undistinguishable by others he aptly refers to himself as “Mister Cellophane” in one of the show’s most humorous numbers. E. Faye Butler’s strong interpretation of Matron Mama Morton is pivotal, Butler crushing it in the number “When You’re Good to Mama”, a jailhouse tutorial for newly imprisoned Roxie Hart. A talented ensemble also brings another strength to the production in their many alluring dance numbers, perhaps most markedly in “Cell Block Tango”, a sultry ode to the woman prisoner during the revolutionary Jazz age.  

This new staging of “Chicago” is colorful and richer than ever thanks to an artistic creative team that includes Kevin Depinet (Scenic Design), Sully Ratke (Costume Design), Lee Fiskness (Lighting Design), Ray Nardelli (Sound Design), Cassy Schillo (Properties Design), Claire Moores (Wig Design) along with Production Stage Manager Larry Baker. 

“Chicago” is an energy-driven musical that is sexy, fun and truly memorable. Filled with a slew outstanding performances, inventive choreography and a set list that is justly contagious, Drury Lane’s “Chicago” is a can’t miss thrill ride. 

The Roaring Twenties are back...in high style. 

“Chicago” is currently being performed at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook through June 18th. For tickets and/or more show information, click here.