“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” repeats James Seol in Lauren Yee’s new play “The Great Leap” now playing at Steppenwolf Theatre. Jesca Prudcencio directs this modern twist on the Dickens classic “A Tale of Two Cities”, which divides its action between 1980s San Francisco and Beijing. 

“The Great Leap” refers to a period of social revolution in China beginning in the 1950s that spilled over into chaos by the late 1980s. Yee’s play is based on a series of real life basketball games in which her father played on behalf of America in Beijing during the 80s. Her father, much like the main character Manford, was a basketball star of San Francisco’s Chinatown. From this bit of personal history, Yee creates a fictional friendship match between USF and Beijing which culminates in the height of the Tiananmen Square protests.

Manford, played by the indefatigable Glenn Obrero is a fast-talking basketball wunderkind from the streets of Chinatown. He convinces down-on-his-luck coach Saul Slezac (Keith Kupferer) to bring him to Beijing for a high-profile rematch between the two countries. Slezac is the standard cocky American who credits himself for bringing basketball to China eighteen years prior when he trained the Republic of China coach, Wen Chang (James Seol). Though the game is coined a friendship match, the stakes are high for both coaches as well as Manford who has limited post-high school options. 

For many theater-goers, plays about sports can be a snooze, but Yee’s play is rarely just about basketball. “The Great Leap” is a history lesson about a revolution in China that failed. Many of today’s teenagers are entirely unaware of the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the famous image of the man with bags in front of a tank. The playwright uses basketball as an allegory for the communist party’s tension with the west. 

Performances and production run strong here. Those with only a lukewarm interest in sports will be dazzled by the theatrical vision Jesca Prudencio has for this show. The basketball choreography creates a sense of excitement in the brightly lit set by Justin Humphres. It’s not often that a major house has an entirely Asian American cast (with the exception of Keith Kupferer). It is on the stellar and inspiring performances by James Seol, Glenn Obrero and Deanna Myers that this play hinges. Though Kupferer gets most of the laughs as the crass American coach through which Yee pokes fun at her own Asian American heritage. James Seol establishes himself as the main character with a performance that is as humorous as it is heartfelt. 

“The Great Leap” comes at a relevant time in history. As we observe the 30th anniversary of the June 4 protests, Yee asks us if diplomatic relations have improved or degraded. An ongoing trade war between the two nations as well as uprisings in Hong Kong are food for thought. As complex as the social revolution was, Yee’s play uses hindsight to suggest it was a simpler time, or at the very least a time of great hope. 

Through October 20 at Steppenwolf Theatre. 1650 N Halsted. 312-335-1650

How does an advice column translate to stage? Surprisingly well in the case of 'Tiny Beautiful Things’ at Victory Gardens. From an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s book penned by “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” star Nia Vardalos comes this uplifting one-act. Directed by Vanessa Stalling, this production marks the Chicago premiere for this 2017 play. 

Strayed is best known for her 2012 memoir “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail’ which was adapted into a film in 2014. In “Tiny Beautiful Things” (Also from 2012), Strayed recounts the time she spent writing the anonymous advice column “Dear Sugar” for “The Rumpus.” 

Chicago stage favorite Janet Ulrich Brooks takes up Strayed’s character in this inventive adaptation. The play is set in a hip looking coffee shop as designed by Courtney O’Neill. In rapid-fire succession anonymous questioners played by August Forman, Jessica Dean Turner and Eric Slater throw their quandaries at Strayed and she responds back as all-knowing Sugar. In a series of bittersweet and heartbreaking monologues, Janet Ulrich Brooks relays Strayed’s troubled past as it relates to her readers’ questions. 

Nia Vardalo’s swiftly-paced script nearly serves as a one-woman show for the transfixing Janet Ulrich Brooks. Through the power of good storytelling, entire scenes are built out of responses to some of life’s most challenging questions. Despite tales of woe from Strayed’s somewhat traumatic life, there’s a great deal of humor in this play. Vardalos shows us both ends of the emotional spectrum in the eighty minute runtime. The message of her stories is always of survival or overcoming bad circumstances in order to grow. Ulrich Brooks has a comforting and relatable way of taking an audience in her arms as she pours herself into the life of the character. 

Like A.R. Gurney’s classic play “Love Letters” “Tiny Beautiful Things” is a play that could be performed with little to no staging, but it’s nice that director Vanessa Stalling has added so much style to her production for Victory Gardens. When we aren’t being gutted by the moments of humanity in the advice column, or hopelessly endeared by Janet Ulrich Brooks’ performance, there’s an inviting atmosphere being created here.  Wise casting maintains a universal appeal in this life affirming play about growing up and the choices we make. “Tiny Beautiful Things” is a play about the minute moments that alter the course of a life and the perspective of age. Splendid acting and a compelling script make this a play that’s anything but tiny. 

Through October 13 at Victory Gardens. 2433 N Lincoln Ave. 773-871-3000

Would you be able to spot a person in trouble? Lucas Hnath’s new play “Dana H” is a fascinating look at what the seedy underbelly of America may be (or sound) like. Goodman Theatre gives this unique new drama its Chicago premiere with direction by Les Waters. 

“Dana H” is part documentary, part one-woman show and yet still doesn’t neatly fit into either category. Lucas Hnath is arguably one of the country’s most imaginative playwrights working today.  In this new play he explores the kidnapping and torture of his mother in the late 90s. It’s a period of his mother’s life that they admittedly avoid discussing. In fact, he himself did not conduct the interviews that led to the creation of the play. Through pieced together bits of an extensive interview between the real Dana H (Dana Higgenbotham) and Steven Cosson, a true story of harrowing survival and compassion unfolds. 

Deirdre O’Connell portrays Dana in a way never-before seen in mainstream theatre. Most actors rely on their voice to find the character, but in this play O’Connell remains silent. Her task is to provide the body and mannerisms as she lip-syncs to interview tapes of Higgenbotham. While the device is somewhat jarring at first, O’Connell seamlessly becomes Dana H and you easily forget it’s not her own voice. 

“Dana H” is a true testament to Dierdre O’Connell’s skills as an actress. In her Goodman debut she’s given the task of physical theatre. She’s so natural as Higgenbotham that she even adjusts her jewelry as Higgenbotham had done on the interview tapes. A glance at how much compassion an actress must have for their character as well as how many times she had to listen to the grizzly tapes to get the gestures down.  

But “Dana H” is more than just a “48 Hours” with a gimmick. It’s a story about how involved we get with strangers. Dana is a hospice chaplain. Her job is to help people pass from one world into the next. The irony is her getting tangled between the law-abiding reality most of us can relate to and an underworld that knows no law, only power. It’s also ironic that so few people intervened on her behalf. Was it cowardice or ignorance? 

“Dana H” never lacks theatricality. O’Connell’s mesmerizing performance makes this a very active telling of a gruesome interview. Les Waters breaks the uniformity of Hnath’s concept with a well-crafted set and some effects that punctuate the timespans Higgenbotham covers. “Dana H” is an unforgettable evening of theatre. It’s certainly an impressive feat for actress and author but more than anything it’s a real-life situation that makes you wonder what you’d do. 

Through October 6 at Goodman Theatre. 170 N Dearborn. 312-443-3800

How odd that a play about nihilism could be so uplifting. ‘Be Here Now’ at Shattered Globe is just that. Shattered Globe ensemble member Sandy Shinner directs a new play by Deborah Zoe Laufer. A small, mostly ensemble cast opens the season with a relevant play about the state of happiness in the modern world.

Bari (Rebecca Jordan) is a former professor of nihilism who finds herself far from New York City working in a fulfillment center upstate. Her coworkers Patty (Deanna Reed-Fosters) and Luanne (Demetra Dee) are her coworkers who find themselves constantly at odds with Bari’s negative attitude. When Bari starts having severe headaches that bring about visions of optimism, her coworkers get worried. In an attempt to bring Bari joy, they set her up with local oddball Mike (Joe Wiens). As Bari and Mike get closer, she must decide if the potentially lethal vision-producing headaches are something she even wants to cure.

Rebecca Jordan is perfect in this role. Bari is a tough character to love even if you agree with half of her stream of negativity. Jordan cashes in on the dark comedy of Laufer’s script. When Patty and Luanne wax on about their own personal happiness, Bari pokes apt holes in their personal philosophies. Jordan’s performance elevates the petulance of the dialogue to something both humorous and academic. She tactfully drops her lines into the scenes so swiftly that you want to rewind so you can quote it. Deanna Reed-Foster also brings a great deal of humor to the philosophical discussions.

There’s a fine line between optimism and nihilism. In fact, the two may bleed into each other in Laufer’s interpretation. If the future of the world is as bleak as it seems, then why not enjoy the ephemeral beauty around us? In the end, it’s unclear if Bari really changes from nihilist to optimist, but is anyone capable of being just one thing? Life is a grey area and it’s probably better to be happy. Even if that takes work.

‘Be Here Now’ says a lot about the emphasis America puts on the idea of happiness. Laufer asks whether happiness is a choice and what difference does it make it we have it or not? Shattered Globe premieres this work to Chicago in a beautiful production designed by Angela Webber Miller. Sandy Shinner continues her tradition of directing new works that slyly make you question your very existence while also tickling your funny bone.

Through October 19th at Shattered Globe Theatre. Theatre Wit 1229 W Belmont Ave. 773-975-8150

If anyone can be trusted to pay tribute to the late Sam Shepard’s work, it’s Steppenwolf. While they didn’t necessarily originate Shepard’s now classic play, their 1982 production certainly had something to do with the play’s legacy. In fact, Steppenwolf owes a lot of their respected standing in the international theatre community to this particular production. Directed by Gary Sinise and starring then unknowns John Malkovich and Laurie Metcalf, the storefront theater’s production transferred Off-Broadway in 1982. It ran for nearly 2 years and did better than the play’s original Off-Broadway run just a year earlier. 

In 2018 it was announced that Steppenwolf would revive their production in the 2019 season. Of the original ensemble cast, Francis Guinan is the only member to return (in the same role no less). Randall Arney replaces Gary Sinise as director and the results are fairly revolutionary. Some audiences may struggle with Sam Shepard works, but in Arney’s hands Steppenwolf delivers a comprehensible revival worthy of the hype. 

‘True West’ is at its core a simple story. Austin (Jon Michael Hill) is a successful writer taking some time away from his wife and kids to house-sit outside LA for his mother (Jacqueline Williams). His peace is disturbed by his screw-up older brother Lee (Namir Smallwood). The two spend the play battling out their dominance in near primal terms until their mother returns early. 

Sam Shepard had a gift for taking typical American life and turning it on its side with odd, but profound dialogue. ‘True West’ is an examination of the old west and what glimmers of it remained by 1980. It’s especially expounded upon when the two brothers vie for film producer Saul’s (Francis Guinan) attention. ‘True West’ also represents Shepard’s own duality; the slick Hollywood writer and the rebellious hellion described in Patti Smith’s memoir ‘Just Kids’. 

Sam Shepard plays are thinkers. They can be tedious to read, and even more tedious when done badly. This cast and director have a solid grasp of Shepard’s intention rendering a very easy to follow performance. While the ethnicity of actors should be irrelevant, Arney has made an interesting choice by making this a primarily African American cast. This casting adds a layer of complexity perhaps even Sam Shepard never thought of. Both Jon Michael Hill and Namir Smallwood turn in intense performances. They deftly switch between their character architypes and by the end you aren’t sure which character should be feared more. The last image will leave you breathless.  

If you’ve never seen ‘True West’ this is the production to see. It’s epic in scale with an impressive set by Todd Rosenthal and it’s incredibly well acted. For those Steppenwolf enthusiasts, this is an important revival for the institution itself, as this was the play that put them on the map. It’s hard to believe that without Sam Shepard’s ‘True West’ we may not have the iconic space on Halsted and maybe Chicago wouldn’t be nearly as reputable for outstanding regional theatre. In any case, this ‘True West’ is a bit of history reimagined for a new generation to not only find Shepard’s work relevant, but also consider the impressive legacy of one of Chicago’s finest institutions. 

Through August 25th at Steppenwolf Theatre. 1650 N Halsted. 312-335-1650

June 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the New York City funeral for Judy Garland. Some suggest that the emotional intensity of the day lead to the patrons of the Greenwich Village bar resisting the police thus starting what we know as “Pride” today. As we head into Pride season in Chicago, fewer cabarets would be more fitting than ‘Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland’.

Some may remember Ingersoll’s excellent performance as Judy in Porchlight Music Theatre’s production of ‘End of the Rainbow’ in 2016. She bears uncanny likeness to Judy Garland in both appearance and voice. This is the closest to seeing the real Judy Garland perform as any of us will get.

Not only does Angela Ingersoll do Judy’s songbook justice, but she’s a real Judy Garland historian. In the two rousing sets, she relays the story of Judy’s life as well as many interesting bits of Garland trivia. This is a show for fans. Interestingly enough, she worked with Judy Garland’s surviving son, Joey Luft, on this act which has now toured the country and has been recorded for PBS.

For those who are well versed in Garland’s work, each song will be a delight. Watching her move to the band with Judy’s signature mannerisms is almost eerie. As she goes through the medleys from the famed Carnegie Hall album, it would be impossible not to smile.

But it’s not just a Judy tribute concert. Angela is very charming as herself. She keeps an informal attitude throughout, while telling her own stories of how she relates to Judy. Some are funny and some are very authentic, creating a bond with the audience the way Judy had with hers. It’s as if she’s holding every patron in the intimate cabaret space in her arms to say I’m happy you’re here.

Angela Ingersoll has made a name for herself as the Judy Garland impersonator. As Judy’s life and death fade further into history, it’s important someone with as much enthusiasm is out there keeping her memory warm. It’s startling how many people from younger generations don’t even know who Judy was or that she’s Liza Minnelli’s mother. Ingersoll is keeping a star alive and doing a first-rate job. This cabaret is a pleasing way to celebrate Pride this year.

Through June 30th at Venus Cabaret. 3745 North Southport Avenue. 773-325-1700. 

Does not supporting Israel make you an anti-semite? This is the central theme of playwright Steven Levenson’s work ‘If I Forget’ now running at Victory Gardens under the direction of Devon De Mayo. Levenson is best known for providing the book to Broadway’s smash hit ‘Dear Evan Hansen’. “If I Forget” made its Broadway premiere in 2017 at the Roundabout Theatre Company.

“If I Forget” is a classic family drama that echoes of Arthur Miller. The set up is very simple, a DC-based family reunites for their father’s 75th birthday. Their father, Lou (David Darlow) is still mourning the recent death of his wife when his three adult kids come to visit. The action mainly concerns itself with a controversial book his son Michael (Daniel Cantor) is writing titled ‘Forgetting the Holocaust’. In two acts deep familial revelations are made as the family hotly debates what Jewish heritage means in our modern world.

While Michael is the main character, this is largely an ensemble piece. His older sister Holly (Gail Shapiro) is a socialite with few ethical cares, while his younger sister Sharon (Elizabeth Ledo) is the caretaker-type to whom Judaism is quite sacred. Michael’s wife Ellen (Heather Townshend) has no religious affiliation but serves to represent the respect for tradition some non-believers have. When it’s discussed what is to be done with their father’s valuable real estate, each character confronts their connection to their lineage.

The female ensemble gives very compelling performances. Elizabeth Ledo provides the moral backbone of the play even if her character has selfish intentions. She’s the voice of traditional values lost along the way to progress. Ledo’s performance is touching and complicated and even tragic by the play’s end. Gail Shapiro is a Karen Walker-flavored character that gives the play its levity. She saunters about naturally with the cool authority of the upper classes, seemingly untouchable by political tides.

“If I Forget” is an uncomfortable play to watch. As we move further from the recent memories of the Holocaust, we see generations become destigmatized by the horrors found at Dachau and Auschwitz. The scary part is that without the memory of it, there’s a chance it could happen again. This play also picks apart the nuances of the politics around Israel. Talking about this play will be difficult as some of the dialogue could be triggering for some audiences. This is exactly what good theatre should do. There are bits of dialogue so divisive your jaw might hang open. Levenson’s play hinges on a single hypothesis and rarely strays from that essential question. De Mayo gives this play an impressive Chicago premiere with a strong cast and a commitment to the intensity of the words.

Through July 7th at Victory Gardens Theater. 2433 N Lincoln Ave. 773-871-3000

The Den Theatre returns to original programming for the first time in nearly five years. Director Lia Mortensen directs their revival of the Joel Drake Johnson play ‘Four Places’. In the intimate space at the Den, ‘Four Places’ gets its first Chicago production since its premiere in 2008 at Victory Gardens. 

‘Four Places’ is a fast-paced one act about two siblings dealing with aging parents. The action is fairly simple; a car ride to lunch, the meal and the car ride back.  Warren (Bruch Reed) and Ellen (Amy Montgomery) are the disgruntled siblings. Throughout, there’s an underlying bitterness between the adult children and their mother. Peggy their mother (Meg Thalken) first appears as any other sweet old lady with a slight distance from modern life. The awkwardness seems merely like a generational gap. Once they begin the lunch, the revelations unfold and we get a glimpse into not only this specific family, but the aging process in general. 

This is a tight-knit cast and the nature of the play requires it to be so. Montgomery and Reed are convincing siblings. There’s a familiar chemistry between them adds a complicated layer to the story. They love each other, but rarely like each other. Reed is the sensitive one and Montgomery is the tough one. Good cop, bad cop. Though, it’s really Meg Thalken’s show. Lia Mortensen’s production is gritty and real. Thalken hits all the comic notes but seems more focused on authenticity. Thalken’s visible and palpable unraveling throughout the play is disturbing and achieves the play’s goal. Johnson’s play is about how uncomfortable it is to age, especially into the twilight years when control and dignity begin to slip away. 

‘Four Places’ is a very bleak dark comedy. It asks what happens when the parental/child roles reverse. Each scene is perfectly structured, the needs of the characters are so clear that the ending sneaks up on you. It is a sit-comish style play that’s easy on the ears, but Mortensen has mined the depths of the script for the universal realities. You may not cry but you’ll certainly wonder, what are we going to do about mom? 

Through June 30th at the Den Theatre. 1331 N Milwaukee. 773-697-3830

Really? Another ‘Frankenstein’? The 2018/19 season was the year of ‘Frankenstein’. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s classic gothic thriller, four theatre companies produced wildly different adaptations of the novel. If you find yourself wondering whether these companies knew of each other’s productions, they surely did. The beauty of the Chicago theatre landscape is that there’s a lot of room for good storytelling. Lookingglass Theatre wraps up their season with a bold adaptation from the same team who brought us ‘Moby Dick’ and ‘Lookingglass Alice’.

Conceived and directed by David Catlin, this take on ‘Frankenstein’ is as visually stunning as it is insightful. The in-the-round staging makes this telling feel more active, as the entire performance space is used throughout. Shifting around in your seat feels like a more engaging way to view the show. Not knowing where the monster or the next loud sound will come from, heightens the sense of terror. Catlin’s production is scary. Many of the other productions discounted that this is a horror story originally intended by Mary Shelley to scare guests at a party.

While nearly all the productions tried to weave Mary Shelley’s personal life into the retelling, Catlin’s version cuts right to the heart. In fluid transitions between Shelley’s life and ‘Frankenstein’, we get to see the range of Cordelia Dewdney’s talents as an actress. The show may be titled after the scientist, but this is a play about Mary Shelley. Dewdney’s dialogue as Mary Shelley is heartbreaking when considering her real life. Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel also turns in a strong performance in a variety of characters, all of which she plays comically large with a faux pregnancy belly.

The balance of good casting, inventive storytelling and arresting staging distinguish this production. Catlin has chosen to frame his version almost as children playing dress up while exchanging ghost stories. And since the characters are adults, there’s a simmering sexiness to this production. Sexy and ‘Frankenstein’ are two words rarely seen in the same sentence, but somehow Lookingglass achieves just that, making this a delicious evening at the theatre. Thrills, chills and titillation, the pillars of entertainment.

Even though we are now 201 years out from the original publication of ‘Frankenstein’, don’t sleep on this striking production at Lookingglass. For those with a grey memory of the novel from high school, or only familiar with the Universal-Boris-Karloff film version, Lookingglass serves up an unforgettable night of scary fun.

*Extended through September 1st

You know if a musical wins the Pulitzer, it’s going to be a sad one. Creative team Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey took home the 2010 Pulitzer for ‘Next to Normal’, an award rarely given to musical theatre. David Cromer returns to Writers Theatre to direct this highly anticipated revival. Cromer has strong roots with the Glencoe-based company and this faithful, yet distinct production contains all the hallmarks of his signature style. Cromer also directed the Tony awarded production of ‘The Band’s Visit’ which just closed on Broadway last month.

‘Next to Normal’ is a rock opera about a suburban mother and housewife dealing with bipolar disorder. Not exactly the sexiest topic for a musical, but lyricist Brian Yorkey cuts through the schmaltz with deeply effective words about the state of mental health in America.

This show relies heavily on the small cast, but probably even heavier on the actress in the lead role. Keely Vasquez is devastating as Diana Goodman. Her performance is realistic and shocking as she rapidly slips from seemingly normal mother into the depths of psychosis, while mostly in song. A tough order to fill without losing your audience. Her daughter Natalie is played by Kyrie Courter who appears to be displaying Cromer’s directorial style the strongest in this ensemble. She has a great voice that she maintains even during the most challenging moments of acting.

Writers’ remount of ‘Next to Normal’ is hardly an area premier, as the national tour starring Alice Ripley made a stop in Chicago, and a few other companies have tackled this one since. Though Writers’ production feels like a definitive regional engagement. Cromer has a knack for these hard-hitting musicals. Some may remember his gritty, raw production of ‘RENT’ at the now defunct American Theatre Company. His vision for this show is unique and tends to go for the emotional gut rather than crystal clear showtune belting. While this may irk some musical theatre purists, the visceral sounds of the cast seem more authentic than the original cast recording.

This show is more like a play in song, than a traditional musical. Its depth lies in that it’s a story about specific characters dealing with an issue that many people can see themselves in. Even if you can’t relate to the character dealing with bipolar, the plight of the characters effected is heartbreaking. ‘Next to Normal’ is a slow builder. It isn’t really until the second act that it all catches up to you and by the finale, it’s hard to find anyone not emoting. This production is well worth hopping on the Metra for. If you missed the tour or the Broadway engagement, fear not, Cromer delivers an equally satisfying product.

Through June 16 at Writers Theatre. 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe IL 847-242-6000