Sister Calling My Name

With all the praying, I thought I was at a Catholic retreat being held at Trap Door theatre with Sister Calling My Name. This is a memory play that finds Michael (Luke Daigle) telling his memories of his reconciliation with his mentally retarded/schizophrenic younger sister. We meet Lindesy (excellent work by Katie Cheely) Michael’s mentally challenged sister. We see that she is incapable of rational thought and she seems to be highly influenced by who ever is her guardian.

The Detective’s Wife

Robertson presents the persona of a cop’s wife who raised two children and loyally waited for her man to come home to the safety of their Edgebrook house. Alice Conroy tells us of the time when her husband is fatally shot on duty while investigating an old 1988 “who-done-it” that has taken the lives of several investigators through the years. Alice tells that she simply “knew” the moment when John was gunned down.

The Sign of the Four

Dr. Watson acts as narrator and Holmes emerges as a superhero with amazing capabilities to deductive reasoning from the most miniscule information or evidence. The foibles of Holmes – his violin playing – his injecting of cocaine – his aversion to woman – and his condescension toward Watson’s chronicles of their cases – are well established here

Skylight

The meeting of the ex lovers becomes a passive-aggressive verbally intense debate over their history, their beliefs and their personal passions. Through a series of monologues, intense arguments, with some cooking throw in, Skylight becomes a smartly fresh take on the elements of character, that at one point attracts two people to be lovers, and later, once apart, both realize that they had little binding them together.

Bug

Set in a seedy motel room (earthy set design by Jack Magaw and Kimberly Senior) Bug unfolds as an uneven journey onto the conspiracy world that paranoia can bring to a former soldier. The mystery slowly builds into violence as the bugs take over the two impressionable souls

Theophilus North

We see how the charming and totally honest Theophilus North becomes as both the conscious and the motivator who affects the lives (for the good) of all who come into contact with him. Theophilus finds adventure in everyday life once he realizes that he doesn’t need to travel to exotic places to find enterprise.

Porgy and Bess

The clarity of the Newell-Peck production gives our understanding of the angst and pain of the Gullah community a new richness. We feel Porgy’s pain and Bess weakness. We also appreciate the strength of the Gullah community. After seeing several strong productions of Porgy and Bess (including the amazing Lyric Opera of Chicago production) , I must state that this truthful Court Theatre production is a masterpiece of art. It has the best of opera with the strengths of musical theatre.

Three Days of Rain

When Pip (Tony Bozzuto)- Welker’s best friend and son of Walker’s father’s partner joins the two siblings, old memories kindle trouble. We learn about the complex relationship between the three that was strongly influenced by the father’s partnership. Walker finds a journal left by his father that is filled with hints an a reference to “the three days of rain” back in 1960.

The Outgoing Tide

Jack and Peg want to convince Gunner to move to an assisted living facility. Gunner, becoming frustrated with his worsening mental state, has an alternate plan to deal with his condition. Gunner has a quite unorthodox plan to secure both Peg’s and Jack’s future. The play deftly deals with the ramifications and ethical dilemmas as Gunner chooses a final solution that will solve everyone’s need for financial security and his need for peace and dignity.

Aces

When the girl-next store pretty blond, Samantha (Simone Roos) arrives from Reno to become the fourth dealer, she has a soothing effect on all the characters. After a meeting, the ‘Aces’ agree to each get to know the new dealer with an eye on trying to determine of she’ll go along and join their scam.