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Once Upon A Time
(Or the Secret Language of Birds)
Created and Directed by Frank Maugeri
Written by Joe Meno
Music and sound by Kevin O’Donnell
Co-directed by Jim Lasko
Produced by Redmoon Theater
At Redmon Central
1463 W. Hubbard
Chicago, IL
Call 312-850-8440, tickets $15 for kids 6-12, adults $20 - $25 -$30
Thursdays through Sundays at 7:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday matinees at 3 pm
Running time is 65 minutes
Through April 8, 2007
Crafted puppet-based multimedia spectacle awaits
Redmon Theatre is one of the leading creators of Spectacle Theater that contains “a highly visual and inventive theater style that embraces the act of transformation through pageantry, puppetry, contraption-type mechanical objects, robust physical movement, and surprising use of scale and special effects.” Add terrific sound design, original music and songs and interesting cartoon art work with cardboard colorful city scenes upon an elaborately crafted toy theater and you have a most fascinating theatrical event.
“Once Upon a Time challenges a collision of worlds: a 17th Century-style toy theater projected with 21st Century multimedia equipment; a mythical fairytale meets colorful comic book heroism,” says Maugeri. “This is a hopeful story meant to inspire audience members of all ages to continue believing in their greatest dreams and desires.”
This original tale of friendship, villainy, dreams and heroism is a 65 minute treat that instantly grabs us and never lets go. This show champions courage, leadership and the possibility that songs sung by birds gives meaning to our lives. It is set in the 1920’s in an American city where a little girl, Emily, who understands the language of birds; she saves a canary and she befriends a wrestler and she solves the mystery of the disappearance of all the city’s birds. She saves the world from the calamity of no music, thus no one can dream since dreaming and music are linked. The story is told by the narrator, Lindsey Noel Whiting whose immense talents include the ability to act in a wide assortment of voices, both men’s, women’s and kid’s. Whiting is a stunningly beautiful woman with a charming manner. Her performance is a tour de force effort that compliments the amazing puppetry from Kasey Foster, Adrain Monte, Matt Parker and Judith Lesser. The story comes to life with help from the large overhead video projections of the live action from the tiny theater that unfolds like a cartoon show.
This well produced show is clever, funny and heartwarmingly charming. It is also a fine morality tale that has a worthy message. This is a richly entertaining piece that showcases the talents, creativity and innovation of the artists at Redmoon Theater. If you’ve never been to a Redmoon show, you’ll be amazed at the sheer originality contained in their shows. Words can’t do their productions justice. Seeing is believing.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: February 10, 2007
Jeff Recommended
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