Category: PLAYWRIGHTS
Chicago Theater – Best of 2008 (TimeOut Chicago)
TimeOut Chicago‘s Christopher Platt and Kris Vire present their top 10 Chicago theater picks of 2008:
| 1. | Caroline or Change (Court Theatre) by Tony Kushner Standouts: Charles Newell (director), Doug Peck (musical director); actors: Kate Fry, E.Faye Butler |
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| 2. | Our Town (The Hypocrites) by Thornton Wilder Standouts: David Cromer (director), actors: Jennifer Grace (as Emily), David Cromer (narrator) |
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| 3. | Speech and Debate (American Theatre Company) by Stephen Karam Standouts: PJ Paparelli (ATC Artistic Director); performances: Patrick Andrews, Jared McGuire, Sadieh Rifai |
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| 4. | Uncle Vanya (TUTA TheatreChicago) by Anton Chekhov Standouts: Zeljko Djukic (director), Yasen Peyankov and Peter Christensen (translators), Martin Andrew (designer) |
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| 5. | Miss Julie (The Hypocrites) by August Strindberg Standouts: Sean Graney (director); performances: Stacy Stoltz, Greg Hardigan |
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| 6. | Titus Andronicus (Court Theatre) by William Shakespeare Standouts: Charles Newell (director), ; performances: Timothy Edward Kane, Hollis Resnik |
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| 7. | Fake Lake (The Neo-Futurists) by Sharon Greene Standouts: Halena Kays (director), Welles Park pool, Mikhail Fiksel |
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| 8. | Breathing Corpses (Steep Theatre) by Laura Wade Standouts: Robin Witt (director), Marcus Stephen (set designer) |
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| 9. | Million Dollar Quartet (Goodman, Apollo Theater) Standouts: Levi Kreis (as Jerry Lee Lewis), Lance Guest (Johnny Cash), Rob Lyon (Carl Perkins), Eddie Clendening (Elvis Presley) |
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| 10. | As Told by the Vivian Girls (Dog & Pony Theatre) by Devin de Mayo Standouts: Devin de Mayo (director) |
To see the TimeOut Chicago description of each of these shows, click here.
Chicago Theater – Best of 2008 (Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Tribune’s main theatre critic, Chris Jones, presents his top 10 plays of 2008:
| 1. | A Trip to Bountiful (Goodman Theatre) by Horton Foote Standouts: Harris Yulin (director), performance: Lois Smith |
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| 2. | Our Town (The Hypocrites) by Thornton Wilder Standouts: David Cromer (director), actors: Jennifer Grace (as Emily), David Cromer (narrator) |
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| 3. | Picnic (Writers’ Theatre) by William Inge Standouts: David Cromer (Director) |
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| 4. | Caroline or Change (Court Theatre) by Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori Standouts: Charles Newell (director), Doug Peck (musical director); actors: Kate Fry, E.Faye Butler |
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| 5. | Ruined (Goodman Theatre) by Lynn Nottage Standout: Kate Whoriskey (director) |
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| 6. | Four Places (Victory Gardens) by Joel Drake Johnson Standouts: Sandy Shinner (director) |
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| 7. | Sweet Charity (Drury Lane Oakbrook) by Cy Coleman Standouts: Jim Corti (director), Mitzi Hamilton (choreographer) |
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| 8. | Gatz (Elevator Repair Service Theatre) by John Collins |
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| 9. | The Seafarer (Steppenwolf Theatre) by Conor McPherson Standout: Francis Guinan (says Jones: probably the best male performance of the year) |
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| 10. | Journey’s End (Griffin Theatre) by Jonathan Berry |
Honorable mentions: (alphabetically): America: All Better! (Second City), Don’t Dress for Dinner (British American Stage Company – at Royal George), Grey Gardens (Northlight Theatre), If All The World Were Paper (Chicago Children’s Theatre), Jacques Brel’s Lonesome Losers of the Night (Theo Ubique). Les Miserables (Marriott Theatre), Million Dollar Quartet (Deegee Theatricals, John Cossette Productions and Northern Lights – at the Apollo Theater), A Taste of Honey (Shattered Globe Theatre), Tomorrow Morning (Hilary A. Williams LLC), The Voysey Inheritance (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company).
To see further discussion regarding each show, go to Chris Jones’ The Theater Loop blog posting.
Playwright Harold Pinter dead at 78
From Broadway.com:
Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter died of cancer on December 24, according to the Associated Press. He was 78.
The highly influential and political scribe was awarded the 2005 Nobel Prize for Literature. He was born on October 10, 1930 in the London borough of Hackney. In 1948 he was accepted at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He published his first poems in 1950 and by 1951 he was accepted at the Central School of Speech and Drama. That same year, he won a place in Anew McMaster’s Irish repertory company, renowned for its performances of Shakespeare. Pinter toured again between 1954 and 1957, using the stage name of David Baron.
He wrote over 30 plays, making his playwriting debut in 1957 with The Room, presented in Bristol. Other early plays were The Birthday Party (1957), The Dumb Waiter (1957) and The Hothouse (1958). His first big breakthrough came in 1959 with The Caretaker. His subsequent plays include The Homecoming, Night School, The Collection, The Lover, The Homecoming, Landscape, Silence, Old Times, No Man’s Land, Betrayal, Family Voices, A Kind of Alaska, One for the Road, Mountain Language, The New World Order, Party Time, Moonlight, Ashes to Ashes, Celebration and Remembrance of Things Past. He also wrote over 20 screenplays, including The Servant, The Go-Between and The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Pinter was also a director, poet and essayist.
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Looking at Pinter’s political views, this via the DailyKos:
The provocative Nobel laureate Harold Pinter died December 24. Although his work in the theater over the course of 32 plays was broadly praised, his political views drew savage attacks, including one from fellow Brit and neo-conservative Christopher Hitchens, who wrote in 2005 that giving the Swedish award “to someone who gave up literature for politics decades ago, and whose politics are primitive and hysterically anti-American and pro-dictatorial, is part of the almost complete degradation of the Nobel racket.”
Evanston-Native Jeremy Piven ends Broadway run because of ill health
Jeremy Piven, born and raised in Evanston, IL, (and whose mother founded the Piven Theatre) has abruptly ended his run in Broadway’s Speed-the-Plow, (by playwright David Mamet, also originally from Chicago) after missing Tuesday evening’s performance and a Wednesday matinee
Piven, 43, has told producers that he hasn’t been feeling well due to a “high mercury count.”
But playwright David Mamet is skeptical.
“I talked to Jeremy on the phone, and he told me that he discovered that he had a very high level of mercury,” Mamet said. “So my understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer.” (Aside: no, Mamet did not say that!! David’s got his claws out!!)
The show will still go on through February, Mamet said.
“The good news is that some really great actors will be helping out and stepping in, which to me is a sign of great heroism and friendship,” he said.
According to the New York Post, about 300 theater patrons requested about 300 theater patrons requested refunds after it was announced that Piven was MIA. (which I guess tells you how much star-power makes a difference on Broadway).
[hat-tip: Us Magazine)
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Aside: This Chicago ticket broker offers a great selection of tickets in the city – Purchase tickets for Wicked in Chicago and nationwide theater events like Radio City Christmas Spectacular tickets – a favorite during the holiday.
Chicago Theater extensions – Steppenwolf and Lifeline
It’s always great news for the Chicago theater community as a whole when one hears that – due to popular demand – a production has been extended. You might ask – isn’t this just good news for the specific theater company doing the extension? I know it’s more than that – I call it the “putting-your-toe-in-the-water-syndrome”. In other words, when new theater-goers attend a play (i.e., put their toe in the water), they usually say to themselves “I enjoyed this, and would like to do it again”. Over the last few years (maybe 4-5 years) I’ve seen an uptick of play extensions – there must be a lot of toe-testers out there who are concluding that the water is fine, and whole-heartedly jump in the water (hopefully for multiple laps). Point in fact:
"Dublin Carol" at Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf Theater has announced, even before the opening on November 6th, that Dublin Carol will now be extended past Christmas, through December 28th. Dublin Carol, by Conor McPherson, will be directed by Amy Morton, and will feature Stephen Louis Grush, William Petersen and Nicole Wiesner.
"The Portrait of Dorian Gray" at Lifeline Theatre
Lifeline Theatre is extending their exciting new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’sThe Portrait of Dorian Gray a full 2 weeks, moving closing from November 8th to November 16th. CTB gave Dorian Gray a much-deserved 4-stars (review here), so we can see why the show’s popularity has called for extra performances to be added. Dorian Gray is adapted by Lifeline ensemble member Robert Kauzlaric, directed by Kevin Theis. The production features Nick Vidal as Dorian Gray.
Congrats to both theatre companies!!!
Wassup at *Village Players* ??
Due to popular demand, world-premier musical The Medium at Large, starring Tony & Jeff Award Nominee John Herrera, has added an extra weekend of shows, extending the run through Sunday, Novebmer 23rd. The production is co-written by Julia Cameron (international best-selling author of The Artist’s Way) and Emma Lively; directed by Carl Occhipinti. (blog aside: Carl is my neighbor! Hey Carl, when are you going to return that Tupperware I loaned you?)
Betrayal, by Harold Pinter, is also currently running in the black box space at Village Players Performing Arts Center.
Also at the Village Players – At Large! will be presented in their black box space November 20-23. This one-woman show, which tackles weight issues head on, is written and performed by Keri Marcouillier, and directed by Christopher Pazdernik.
For more information, including tickets, call 866-764-1010 or visit www.village-players.org
Review – "Portrait of Dorian Gray" at Lifeline Theatre
Reviewed by Jackie Ingram
Lifeline Theatre has proven once again, “bigger is not always better.” Their small theatre has truly captured the essence of Oscar Wilde’s play with creativity, wonderful acting, and a skillfully used two-tier set that is amazing. Through the help of Basil Hailworth, Lord Henry Wotton, Alan Campbell, and the beautiful, Sibyl Vane, the play begins with all sharing their amorous feelings for the handsomely young Dorian Gray, convincingly played by Nick Vidal.
Following the introductions, we see Basil Hailworth presenting the finished picture to Dorian who, after viewing it, falls in love with his own image. Dorian vows to sell his soul for eternal youth if only his picture would not age himself. The role of Dorian Gray might have been a daunting task for Nick Vidal and very one-dimensional, but under the great direction of Kevin Theis, you see the evil that is beginning to spew and creep out of Dorian’s face and behavior.
The ten-cast ensemble is excellent. By taking chances, the ensemble shares and entertains us with great fortitude. Don Bender, as the elder Basil, is strong and yet – when Dorian is present – converts into the shy, rambling and insecure young Basil, played by Aaron Snook. The work of these two agile performers is truly amazing. Unlike Basil, the young Lord Henry, played by Paul S. Holmquist, manipulates his way into Dorian’s life by teasing him with his biting sense of humor. The young Lord Henry is self-assured, funny, and not ashamed to voice his opinion. As the years pass, the influence of Dorian Gray seeps in, and the elder Lord Henry, played by Sean Sinitski, becomes a darker, more demure, and his biting sense of humor seems to fade. One must not forget the Sibyl Vane played by the beautiful Melissa Nedell: she commands the stage and charms our hearts with the love she holds for Dorian Gray. We see Kyle A. Gibson and John Ferrick as the younger and elder Alan Campbell. Mr. Campbell’s love never changes and he never stops wishing that one day Dorian would feel the same. We find out later that there is nothing Alan will not do for Dorian Gray. Adam Breske and David Skvaria as James Vane, younger and elder brother of Sibyl Vane, are equally scary and fantastic to watch. Whenever on stage, you can feel their anger. The entire cast and their secondary roles are truly brilliant, working as a fine-tuned machine.
Twists and turns are abundant in Robert Kauzlaric’s adaptation of Portrait of Dorian Gray – and they will keep you focused on the action throughout. Indeed, one scene even scared me! (and I don’t scare easy – though my grandkids might say otherwise!). Unfortunately I am not going to let you know what this scene is – you’ll have to see it for yourself!
But there is a haunting line in the show that I will share, “Love is truly mankind’s greatest tragedy.” What do you think? Go to the show and find out.
As a side note – I had the pleasure of speaking to a retired woman in the audience named Ms. Phyllis Trowbridge, who was friendly yet quirky, much like the gentrifying Rogers Park neighborhood surrounding the theatre. Phyllis relayed to me that she had gone to a number of shows at Lifeline and, to quote her, “ I have not seen any bad shows here.” I certainly must agree with Phyllis, and encourage all to support this theatrical treasure.
If you enjoy reading the works of Oscar Wilde (and even if you don’t) then this is the play for you. The Picture of Dorian Gray, showing at the Lifeline Theatre, runs through November 2nd.
Rating: ««««
2008 After Dark Awards Announced!
Gay Chicago Magazine has just announced this year’s After Dark Awards. Below is an abbreviated list. For the complete list, as well as production photos, go to Venus Zarris’s website: Chicago State Review
Best Production
Passion Play: A Cycle in Three Parts (Goodman Theatre)
The Mark of Zorro (Lifeline Theatre)
Hunchback (Redmoon Theatre)
Outstanding New Work
Sarah Ruhl - Passion Play: A Cycle in Three Parts (Goodman Theatre)
Anna Carini – Sweet Confinement (SiNNERMAN Ensemble)
Tracy Letts – Superior Donuts (Steppenwolf Theatre)
Outstanding Adaptation
Shishir Kurup – Merchant on Venice (Silk Road Project)
Devon de Mayo and Ensemble – As Told By The Vivian Girls (Dog & Pony Theatre)
Outstanding Musical
Old Town (Strawdog Theatre)
Outstanding Direction
David Cromer – Our Town (Hypocrites Theatre)
John Mossman – Juno and the Paycock (Artistic Home)
Anna Bahow – Sweet Confinement (SiNNERMAN Ensemble)
Peter Robel – Merchant of Venice (Bohemian Theatre Ensemble)
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Fred Anzevino – “Cabaret” and Jacque Brel’s Lonesome Losers of the Night (Theo Ubique Theatre)
Outstanding Musical Direction
Joshua Stephen Kartes – Jacque Brel’s Lonesome Losers of the Night (Theo Ubique Theatre)
Outstanding Performance in a Play
Jennifer Grace – Our Town (Hypocrites Theatre)
Mark Ulrich – Juno and the Paycock (Artistic Home)
Nicole Wiesner – Passion Play: A Cycle in Three Parts (Goodman Theatre)
Keland Scher – Much Ado About Nothing (First Folio Theatre)
Madeline Long – Soldiers: The Desert Stand (LiveWire Chicago Theatre)
Sadieh Rafai – Speech and Debate (American Theatre Company)
Jeremy Sher – Hunchback (Redmoon Theatre)
Annabel Armour – Fiction (Remy Bumppo)
Jenn Remke – Resort 76 (Infamous Commonwealth)
Andy Hager – Red Light Winter (Thunder and Lightning Ensemble)
Polly Noonan – Passion Play: A Cycle in Three Parts (Goodman Theatre)
Nick Vatterott – Love is Dead: A NecRomantic Musical Comedy (Annoyance Theatre)
Adam Kander – The Merchant of Venice (Bohemian Theatre Ensemble)
Outstanding Performance in a Musical or Review
E. Faye Butler – Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Goodman Theatre)
Kat McDonnell – Old Town (Strawdog Theatre)
Summer Smart – Sweet Charity (Drury Lane Oakbrook)
Bethany Thomas – Nine (Porchlight Music Theatre)
Outstanding Ensemble
Emma (Trapdoor Theatre)
As Told by the Vivian Girls (Dog & Pony Theatre)
Juno and the Paycock (The Artistic Home)
Sweet Confinement (SiNNERMAN Ensemble)
Superior Donuts (Steppenwolf Theatre)
For the complete listing of all 2008 After Dark Awards, including full descriptions and great pictures, go to my friend Venus Zarris’s theatre blog: www.chicagostagereview.com. Go Venus!!
Review – "Much Ado About Nothing" at First Folio
by Venus Zarris
The Bard verses Nature; at First Folio it is a dead heat!
I am not an outdoorsy kind of person. Given the choice between an air-conditioned theater and a summer night outside with mosquitoes buzzing in my ear, I am inclined to choose ‘civilized shelter.’ But the sweet and talented folks at First Folio Shakespeare Festival combine impressive theatrical production with breathtaking natural setting to create a perfect evening of entertaining escape.
I say escape for three reasons. One, you are transported into the world of Shakespeare’s classic comedy by a completely engaging cast. Two, you are swept away by the natural wonders of the lovely Peabody Estate. And three, you are far from the hectic city limits.
But rest assured, if your ‘First Folio Get Away’ is anything like ours you will not only count your evening as one of the summer’s best but as one to be remembered for years to come. Pack a picnic, assemble your favorite cohorts and prepare to relax and enjoy.
Birds, Bats, Breezes, Fireflies and… a turtle?
We packed some delicious delicacies and subtle spirits. Anxious to indulge and imbibe, we planned to arrive a little early, the play starts at 8:15pm but the grounds open at 7pm. As we turned into the entrance I noticed something on the side of the access road. It was a turtle! Unable to climb the curb, he seemed destined for trouble so we parked and I picked him up. Turtles pee when they are scared and this guy was evidently terrified! But a quick trip to the lake behind the estate mansion and he was eagerly swimming back to safety.
(I add the little turtle aside because in my personal experience, turtles have been good luck charms and delightful omens. True to form, he foreshadowed a positively delightful night!)
We set up our picnic and were refreshed by subtle and unexpected spontaneous cool breezes. Birds playfully flew around the stage and as dusk set in the fireflies added delicate and restrained intermittent fireworks to the festivities. Paying close attention overhead, I noticed a pair of bats doing their part to keep the bug population at bay and add to the already enchanting atmosphere.
As the night progressed the moon slowly emerged from behind the treetops. Almost full, its beauty was easily underestimated but that night it was simply partial and premature sublime perfection. Its waxing excellence exceeded the drama of its pending fullness.
If there was one natural element that needed to be ‘toned down’ it was the boisterous crickets. Obviously unaware of Shakespeare’s impressive and historic theatrical reputation, they did their best to sing over the actors. Thankfully, a state of the art sound system thwarted their disrespectful efforts.
Shakespeare’s writing is so timeless that it can be delivered with bare bones or lavish production values and engage on either scale. But the added element of nature created a beguiling accent that almost threatened to usurp the already impressive theatrical offering.
Much Ado About A Lot
Before the play’s exposition even gets started we are warmed up by a brilliant fluffing from the antics of Verges, adorably played by Keland Scher. Scher has charm and sweetness galore as he juggles, flirts and clowns with the audience creating the perfect pre-show mood. Oftentimes, this sort of interactive audience participation can prove to be obnoxious, corny or embarrassing but Scher is brimming with playful talent and is as lovable as a cartoon bunny.
Bickering, blundering, deception, redemption and ultimately, after some bumbling and revelation, requited love are the forces at work in Much Ado About Nothing. Between the entanglements and resolution Shakespeare has created Much Ado about an awful lot and the first rate cast delivers the goods with clarity and charm.
Melissa Carlson and Nick Sandys provide the most excitement with their clever verbal jabs and retorts. Carlson’s Beatrice, the confirmed spinster, is venomously shrewd and Sandys’s Benedick, the confirmed bachelor, is lyrically adroit. They elevate the juvenile game of ‘taunt your undeclared love interest’ to a wickedly witty and articulate exchange. Rene Ruelas renders an amusingly eccentric Friar Francis to add to the fun.
Andre Pluess’s sound design and original composition add even more natural texture and subtle elegance to the production. Michael Goldberg’s straightforward direction of the excellent ensemble and gifted design team create an outstanding rendition of the classic comedy.
You decide who prevails, theater or nature. Either way, it is a WIN/WIN proposition for the audience.
Gather up your friends for a little road trip and enjoy exceptional theater in a remarkable atmosphere. First Folio Shakespeare Festival is a brilliant addition to this summer full of marvelous Shakespearean options. It is a tucked away treasure that is well worth the drive.
Rating: ««««
(“Much Ado About Nothing” runs through August 17 at First Folio Shakespeare Festival, 1717 W. 31st Street, Oak Brook. 630-986-8067)
High gas prices negatively affect Shakespeare festival
Looks like the high gas prices are (not unexpectedly) affecting theatre ticket sales. Case in point: Ontario’s Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s box-office receipts are down 10%, with a possible $5-million dollar loss in revenue this year, the assumed reason being that Americans are thinking twice before filling up their tanks to cross the border into Canada. Whole story here.
Main theatre at Ontario's Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Review: "A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Queer Tale"
Shakespeare, Never So Gay and Never So Fun!
By Venus Zarris
This midsummer seems to be chocked full of options for fans of the Bard. There are two productions currently running of Much Ado About Nothing, one under the starlight and trees of the First Folio Shakespeare Festival at the beautiful Mayslake Peabody Estate Forest Preserve in Oak Brook and the other at the Oak Park Festival Theatre. There is also Funk It Up About Nothin’ (weblink here), a world premiere “ad-rap-tation” of Much Ado About Nothing at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. (It can’t be Nothing if there are three productions going on at once. I call that Much Ado!)
On July 26th Bohemian Theatre Ensemble opens The Merchant of Venice at BoHo Theatre @ Heartland Studio and on the 27th The Mill Theatre opens Paula Vogel’s Desdemona: A Play About a Handkerchief, a reimagining of Othello, at Stage Left Theatre.
But if you are looking to satisfy your iambic pentameter cravings with a delightfully decadent deviation, MidTangent Productions A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Queer Tale is the show for you! Director/Adaptor Tony Lewis takes Shakespeare’s romantic comedy of young lovers and mischievous fairies and infuses it with a red light cabaret complete with some of the best dance numbers you’ll see in any musical. Filled with writhing bodies engaged in undulating erotic naughtiness, this spin on the Bard’s classic will make you wish that all of the Shakespeare library could be retold with as much homoerotic delight.
In the struggle to gain mainstream acceptance, the gay community has taken to homogenized representations. Many of us are settling down, pairing off in committed relationships, buying homes and/or having or adopting children. On the surface it might even be construed that being straight is so great, we are attempting to imitate or emulate. But Queer Tale stands as not only a wonderful adaptation of Shakespeare, it also stands as an unapologetically sexual solute to the daring divergence and darling debauchery at the roots of gay liberation and expression.
With forbidden lesbian and gay relationships, a Drag Queen Titania lip-syncing to Cher and Madonna and an outrageously erotic dance party fueled by euphoric intoxicants, this show celebrates the ‘old school’ joie de vivre of the community while, at the same time, illustrating the ongoing struggles for acceptance and equality. With a charming cast, fantastic soundtrack and the most playful choreography in town, this will reinvent your notions of Shakespeare in love to include sophisticated and stylized same sex subversion.
“How now faggots?” Asks Puck. “We are but tricks and treats!” Answers the Fairyz of the Hood. From the brilliant dance opening to the bittersweet end, MidTangent’s ‘Queer Tale’ is filled with tricks and treats and then some!
The outstanding direction, conceptual ingenuity and adorably enthusiastic cast shine through to make this a production that transcends sexual orientation or identification. You can’t help but be enchanted by this midsummer dream.
“Some are born gay. Some achieve gayness. And some have gayness thrust upon them.”
Regardless of your sexual proclivity, Queer Tale makes for amazingly entertaining Shakespeare and ambitiously excellent theater!
Rating: «««½
(“A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Queer Tale ” runs through August 3 at National Pastime Theater, 4139 North Broadway (map). 800-595-4849)
