Displaying items by tag: Grace Steckler

Dave Malloy’s Octet is a musical with daring aspirations, currently gracing the stage in a powerhouse co-production between the Raven Theatre and the Goodman Theatre. This staging, directed by Keira Fromm, first debuted at the intimate Raven Theatre, where it enjoyed a highly successful run before its move to the Goodman - a transition that proves the project is as robust as it is ambitious. Octet stands apart as a completely a cappella experience, relying entirely on the human voice to build its intricate, immersive, and haunting soundscape.

Malloy’s imprint is everywhere in this piece. He wrote the music, lyrics, book, and even the intricate vocal arrangements, crafting a score constructed without a single instrument to generate its tension, beauty, and emotional architecture.

Set in a sparse, church-basement style meeting room, the play introduces us to the “Friends of Saul,” a support group for people struggling with internet addiction. Their relationship to the online world is so fraught that they refuse to say its name, calling it only “the monster” to avoid giving it more power. Throughout their time together, the eight participants take turns sharing fears of being canceled, pornography, gaming, the pull of incel communities, and the inability to connect with others. Their discussions are brutally honest, darkly comedic, laced with expletives, and at one point offer an especially disturbing illustration of just how grotesque the monster can be. It’s unlike anything before.

The show threads each character’s intimate, emotionally charged account into sweeping ensemble passages that rise like contemporary hymns, the group joining voices to confront and grieve the “monster” that binds them. The interplay creates a pulse that feels communal and ritualistic, as though every personal admission is carried forward and reshaped by the collective.

The performances are nothing short of a whirlwind. The talent onstage is beyond belief. The ensemble showcases astonishing vocal mastery, blending with precision to create rich, enveloping music.

Sam Shankman in Dave Malloy's Octet at Goodman THeatre in collaboration with Raven Theatre. Photo by Joe Mazza. 

Neala Barron, as Jessica, is phenomenal with powerhouse vocals and a dynamic stage presence. Her rendition of “Refresh” is delivered with the intensity of a tiger trapped in a cage, perfectly capturing the visceral feeling of being humiliated online and the subsequent rage against the world. Along with dramatic chops, she makes her comedic lines sizzle.

Sam Shankman plays the comedy perfectly as Henry. His portrayal of a tone-deaf, slightly dorky addict is both identifiable and deeply empathetic. His song “Candy” is a standout that demonstrates how this ensemble can craft story using only a cappella sound and how their movement reinforces the narrative.

Teressa La Gamba, as Paula, the group’s moderator, brings a gentle strength and compassion that helps root the show. But when she sings, it feels as if the roof will fly off. She commands the stage with perfect vocal precision, whether in a solo or complex ensemble passages.

The set is intentionally sparse and open, which functions perfectly for the show’s focused format, a choice scenic designer Milo Bue shapes with thoughtful restraint. The lighting design, crafted by Maximo Grano de Oro, is similarly impressive. Overhead lights shift deftly from the feel of a bland meeting room to the vibrant, chaotic interior of a Candy Crush interface or the dark corners of a character’s mind. In an instant, you can be transported to an entirely different plane and lost in its overwhelming atmosphere.

As the plot unravels, the staging seems intent on exploring where hope can or cannot be found, and it makes clear that faith-based religion is not where it looks. The script often approaches Christian belief with a skeptical edge, sketching certain “believer” archetypes in broad, unflattering strokes. The structure of “Friends of Saul” reinforces this orientation, lightly echoing the format of Alcoholics Anonymous. AA, one of the most widely recognized recovery communities, is often described as spiritual in nature, while many participants experience it as rooted in a faith-guided model, as it was originally intended. “Friends of Saul,” by contrast, operates with a more nonreligious bent, occasionally running out of pamphlets for “Steps for Agnostics and Atheists,” a detail made all the more ironic given that their meetings take place in a church basement - a space that pointedly distances itself from the faith‑oriented tradition AA is often associated with.

That contrast deepens in “Little God,” one of the staging’s more unusual songs. Here, Marvin (Jordan Golding), a committed atheist, describes an encounter with an all-powerful being represented onstage by a small girl and reflects on his compulsion to debate creationists about evolution. The moment is very much Malloy’s choice, framing Marvin’s fixation as a kind of intellectual loop: the irresistible pull of trying to reason through the idea that something as vast as existence might emerge from nothing at all, a purposeful artistic angle that shapes the show’s worldview.

Given these choices, the staging’s perspective may not resonate as strongly with audiences who hold traditional Christian views, which seems intentional, reflecting a deliberate direction in Malloy’s overall vision. In contrast, the show places greater emphasis on new age spirituality and tarot, treating these elements with notable sincerity. Each character has direct parallels to tarot cards, and Velma (Joryhebel Ginorio) finds her spiritual awakening through them. In fact, she is the only member of the group who speaks the monster’s true name, “internet,” throughout the night. Ultimately, the musical suggests that a blend of new age spirituality and human connection is the most viable path to inner peace.

Although these elements may pose challenges for certain audiences, Octet remains a triumph of vocal performance. These actors represent the highest caliber of Chicago talent, and when their voices come together, the result is breathtaking and inspiring. If you are looking for choral artistry, Octet delivers. For some audiences, Octet’s philosophical stance may feel more contemplative than corrective, raising more questions than answers about our relationship to the online world - but its musical brilliance makes the journey more than worthwhile.

Recommended.

Venue: The Goodman Theatre – The Owen 170 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago

Run Dates: Through August 2

Performance Schedule:

• Wednesdays: 7:30 p.m.
• Thursdays: 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. (No evening performance on July 30)
• Fridays: 7:30 p.m.
• Saturdays: 1:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
• Sundays: 2:00 p.m. (Additional 7:30 p.m. performance on August 2)

Running Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes (no intermission)

Box Office: 312-443-3800

Tickets: https://www.goodmantheatre.org

Following an acclaimed extended run at Raven Theatre, Dave Malloy's "unique, ravishing and resplendent" (Chicago Theatre Review) a cappella musical Octet transfers to Goodman Theatre for a two-week run this summer. Directed by Keira Fromm—Associate Director of The Goodman's Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh—with music direction by Nick Sula (Kokandy Productions' Jekyll & Hyde) and choreography by Laura Savage (The Lord of the Rings International Tour), The Goodman's presentation of the Raven Theatre production will feature Raven's original cast—including Neala Barron (Porchlight Theatre's Fun Home), Elliot Esquivel (Lookingglass Theatre's White Rooster), Joryhebel Ginorio (Theo Ubique's The Secret Garden), Jordan Golding (A Christmas Carol), Teressa LaGamba (Paramount Theatre's Waitress), Ryder Dean McDaniel (Court Theatre's Taming of the Shrew), Sam Shankman (Court Theatre's Falsettos) and Grace Steckler (Writers Theatre's As You Like It).

The Goodman presents Raven Theatre's production of Dave Malloy's Octet in the 400-seat flexible Owen Theatre July 15 through August 2nd. For tickets ($44-$94, subject to change), call 312.443.3800 or purchase online at GoodmanTheatre.org/Octet. This project is partially supported by a grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). This programming is also supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.  

"I'm thrilled that Octet will receive an encore production this summer at the Goodman Theatre! Our whole team is stacked with the most generous and talented group of artists whose abundant love for the show is clear from the moment the first song begins," said Director Keira Fromm, who is also the associate director of The Goodman's upcoming world-premiere musical Iceboy! or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh, starring Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. "I'm overjoyed that the tiny ember I carried for this piece has caught fire and will be shared with so many others. It's a balm to put down your phone and be in the room with this incredible musical, and I can't wait for a wider audience to experience it."

"Octet has been a rare and remarkable experience here at the Raven, and we are so very excited to partner with The Goodman in creating a downtown extension for this production," said Raven Theatre Executive Artistic Director Jonathan Berry. "At its heart, Raven is always looking to build community, and this is a fantastic opportunity to share this production that we're so proud of with a wider audience."

In an anonymous meeting room on the North Side of Chicago, a group of people—always eight—gathers to sing. Best known for the Broadway hit Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet Of 1812, Dave Malloy's Octet uses chamber-inspired a cappella music to explore the total impact of life online. Hailed by The New York Times as "the most original and topical musical of the year" for its 2019 Off-Broadway premiere, this inventive and acutely relevant piece reflects the perils of the digital age.  

The Goodman Presents Raven Theatre's Production of Dave Malloy's Octet

Music, Lyrics, Book and Vocal Arrangements by Dave Malloy

Directed by Keira Fromm

Music Directed by Nick Sula

Choreographed by Laura Savage

Neala Barron...Jessica
Elliot Esquivel...Toby
Joryhebel Ginorio...Velma
Jordan Golding...Marvin
Teressa LaGamba...Paula
Ryder Dean McDaniel...Ed
Sam Shankman...Henry
Grace Stecklerr...Karly

CREATIVE TEAM

Scenic Designer...Milo Bue
Lighting Designer...Maximo Grano de Oro 
Co-Sound Designer...Christopher Kriz 
Co-Sound Designer...Hannah Kwak 
Costume Designer...Maegan Pate 
Props Coordinator...Paloma Locsin 
Master Electrician...Ruby Lowe 
Associate Scenic Designer...Wynn Lee 
Assistant Director and Dance Captain...Mads Wren 
Music Captain...Joe Giovannetti 
Assistant Master Electrician...Emmitt Socey 
Production Manager...Lucy Whipp 

Casting and Dramaturgy by Catherine Miller. JC Widman and Faith Locke are the Stage Managers.