Displaying items by tag: Kelan Smith

Northlight Theatre opened its new venue with Jeffrey Hatcher’s smart, rejuvenated adaptation of The Front Page. Commissioned by Artistic Director BJ Jones, this world-premiere production is the first play to be performed in their new Evanston home and proves to be the ideal piece to launch the company’s exciting new era. Built at a cost of roughly $32 million, the modern and sleek new facility looks beautiful inside and out, featuring an intimate 285-seat theater space alongside dedicated rehearsal rooms and gathering spaces. Classic chandeliers hang gracefully inside, while wide-open windows showcase its elegant new design and invite the outside world in.

Set in the high-stakes press room of 1930s Chicago, The Front Page follows the chaotic, fast-talking world of newsroom journalists scrambling to cover the impending execution of Earl Williams, convicted for killing an officer. When Williams unexpectedly escapes police custody, the press room explodes into a frenzy of rival reporters and corrupt politicians desperate to save face before an election. At the center of the storm is Hildy Johnson, an ace journalist who intends to quit the business in order to marry. However, her relentless editor - and ex-flame - Walter Burns has no intention of letting his best reporter walk away.

The Front Page was originally penned by playwright Ben Hecht alongside his frequent collaborator and fellow former reporter Charles MacArthur. Together, they mined real-life experiences covering the rowdy police beats and Chicago pressrooms to write the play. The piece has been adapted several times, including its most famous screen adaptation, His Girl Friday, starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, which was the first to change the gender of Hildy Johnson into a female lead. Hatcher’s sharp adaptation draws inspiration from His Girl Friday and services the original text while still carving a path of its own. In this version, Hildy also has a romantic history with her boss, but while there are sparks, this Hildy is wise enough to look for commitment rather than be carried away by emotion. Hatcher weaves in several clever nods to Chicago, making it feel like this rejuvenated piece has found its perfect home.

The production itself is a masterclass in ensemble comedy, anchored by real-life married couple Kate Fry and Timothy Edward Kane. Fry is excellent as Hildy Johnson because she is able to blend in with her tough journalist equals while still retaining her femininity and moral core. She delivers lines with sizzle and wins the audience over with her charm and wit. Kane plays Burns with fantastic energy, riding the line perfectly between a meddling boss and a sly, emotionally manipulative pal. The newsroom reporters played by Mark David Kaplan, Guy Van Swearingen, Kelan Smith, and Joe Dempsey each add a different flavor to the room - flavors that blend together well and build the framework for the comedy to succeed. John Drea adds gentle humor to his mixed-up criminal Earl Williams, playing the unstable, confused man with hilarity, especially as he falls for Mollie, portrayed by Rae Gray, whose husky voice was made for this role. Tim Kazurinsky plays Pincus, a courier, and while it’s a minor role, his meek, overly literal character steals every scene he’s in. Cindy Gold also delivers comedy gold as the stern mother-in-law-to-be.

Another exquisite element of this magnificent show is the beautiful set crafted by Jeff Kmiec. It wonderfully captures the vintage feel of the press room with its warm tones set against hints of Chicago in the background.

The Front Page is a thoroughly fun time. This show is not to be missed and is the perfect inaugural production for Northlight’s beautiful new space.

Through October 25^th - https://northlight.org/series/the-front-page/

Get ready for a cosmic comedy of gods, monsters, and mayhem that refuses to play by the old rules. That’s right - the universe is ending, and apparently it booked a headliner.

In Lifeline’s world premiere Loki: The End of the World Tour, we travel to another universe where Norse gods wrestle with fate, power, and the consequences of welcoming a trickster into their midst. Loki, half‑god and half‑giant, storms into Asgard with the force of a live wire, intent on reshaping his identity and carving out a place in the celestial hierarchy. His charm wins over Odin almost immediately, but the rest of the pantheon isn’t so easily convinced. While gentle Baldur welcomes him with the sunny goodwill he offers everyone, Thor bristles at the sudden competition for his father’s attention, and Freya senses danger in him from the start. Meanwhile, Loki’s three unusual children - Hel, Fenris (a wolfen creature), and the slithery Midgard Serpent - appear in Asgard as the very figures described in the prophecy Odin dreads, the beings destined to spark Ragnarok and bring the realm to its knees. Caught in the middle, Sigyn finds herself drawn to Loki’s restless spirit even as these revelations cast a looming war between gods and giants across their path. Loki’s return from the land of giants sets off a quiet upheaval in Asgard, and it’s clear the realm will never look the same again. Yep, Lifeline Theatre certainly lives up to its “Big Stories, Up Close” tagline in this original creation, transforming ancient myth into a visceral, close‑quarters clash of gods, secrets, and fate.

The show kicks off with a blast of rock‑and‑roll as the onstage trio - guitarist and music director Kelan Smith, keyboardist Kara Alexander, and drummer/bassist Alek Boggio - tears into the opening number. These three performers also serve as the Norns, guiding the audience through the story with a mix of narration, commentary, and musical firepower. Penned by Lifeline ensemble members Christina Calvit and George Howe and directed by Heather Currie, the “World Tour” concept gives the production a playful, concert‑style frame that keeps the energy high from the very first chord. Earplugs are free for anyone who wants them, and even with the show’s solid sound mix, you might be glad to have a pair handy - particularly in Act Two, when Boggio unleashes a drum assault that rattles the room.

Jack Chylinski leads the company with a magnetic, mercurial turn as Loki, slipping between charm, menace, and mischief with the ease of a born shapeshifter. The physicality is sharp and unpredictable, and they ride the rock score with a swagger that makes the trickster god both dangerous and oddly irresistible. Opposite him, Scott Danielson brings a seasoned authority to Odin, grounding the production with a commanding presence and vocals that cut cleanly through the music. Danielson’s All‑Father carries the weight of prophecy and fear in every scene, and the show deepens whenever he steps into the light.

Kelan Smith, Alek Boggio, Kara Olander, Janelle Anabria in LOKI THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR. Photo by Josh Bernaski.

Janelle Sanabria’s Freya is a powerhouse in every sense, her vocals soaring across the theatre with clarity, range, and emotional bite. She plays the goddess with fierce intelligence and a simmering distrust that adds real tension to the pantheon. Keenan Odenkirk, meanwhile, delivers a standout comedic performance as Thor, balancing bluster, jealousy, and impeccable timing. His ability to punch a line, hold a beat, and land a laugh gives the show some of its sharpest moments. Peter Gertas brings a bright, buoyant charm to Baldur, radiating warmth as the god of light and shifting effortlessly into his more grounded work as Mason.

India Renteria offers a luminous, heartfelt Sigyn, grounding the chaos around her with sincerity and emotional clarity. Loki’s three children - Grace Reidenauer as the coolly witty Hel, Anthony Kayer as the feral and unexpectedly tender Fenris (and the delightfully bold Thrym), and Avery Thompson as the playful, serpentine Middy - round out the ensemble with vivid, memorable performances. Each brings a distinct energy to the stage, and together they form a trio that’s as funny as it is thematically essential. The cast as a whole fuels the production with personality, precision, and a rock‑and‑roll spirit that never lets the momentum dip.

The physical world of the production is intentionally spare, yet it feels remarkably tailored to the story thanks to the combined work of scenic designer Lindsay Mummert, props designer Saskia Bakker, and lighting designer G. “Max” Maxin IV. Instead of overwhelming the stage with spectacle, the design team leans into simplicity and lets the atmosphere do the heavy lifting. The band sits off to one side in full view, their presence giving the show the pulse and immediacy of a live concert rather than a traditional musical. Maxin’s washes of purple light bathe the space in an otherworldly glow, transforming the minimalist set into something mythic, shifting, and just a little dangerous.

Anthony Kayer, Jack Chylinski, Grace Reidenauer and Avery Thompson in LOKI THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR. Photo by Josh Bernaski.

This production feels like lightning in a bottle, and the cast - backed by that ferocious onstage band - absolutely tears into it. New, original musicals don’t always find their musical footing right away, but this one arrives with a score that feels confident, catchy, and fully realized. Several numbers grabbed me on first listen, and by the time the show barrels into its final sequence, the music swells into a full‑throttle rock anthem that literally dares the audience to join in. The closing chorus suggests, with a wink and a blast of guitar, that if the world really is ending, we might as well crank the volume and go out in a rockin’ blaze of sound - and honestly, it’s hard to argue with that.

Loki: The End of the World Tour is the kind of original musical that proves, yet again, how fiercely inventive Chicago storefront theatre can be when it fires on all cylinders. Lifeline’s ensemble throws themselves into the chaos with precision, personality, and a rock‑and‑roll fearlessness that makes the whole night feel like a small miracle happening a few feet away. It’s smart, loud, heartfelt, and just strange enough to feel genuinely new - the sort of show you want to tell people about before it closes. And with the production running through June 27th, there’s still time to catch the lightning (or Thor's hammer) for yourself. As for logistics, street parking in the neighborhood remains one of the city’s best‑kept secrets: arrive a little early and you’ll likely snag a spot without the headache of garages or meters. For a show this fun, this fresh, and this full of talent, the trip is absolutely worth it.

For tickets/and/or more information, click here.

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