Tom Williams After The Fall is a study of one man’s search for meaning through the thoughts and memories stuck in his head. Using a narrative flashback featuring generous use of personal confessional monologues, Quentin (Nathanial Swift in a powerful, honest tour de force performance) is obsessed with how pointless is life has been. His focus is on his personal fall from innocence as he shows an intense moral discomfort.
Bob Knuth once again has created an elegant old money family estate drawing room set that hints at the elegance of the rich and privileged Lord family of Philadelphia, circa 1930’s. Add the period-perfect costumes (by Elizabeth Wislar) and The Philadelphia Story plays like a classical drawing room comedy of manners. This production is light-hearted, fast-paced filled with whimsy.
I must admit that I’m not a great lover of Superstar due to its pop/rock elements and its completely sung through rock style. However, Flaster’s casting and the skillful enunciation by the singers together with a blend of high-energy staging and haunting dramatization of Christ’s final days made this production of Superstar and explosive journey of redemption for me.
Scott Ferguson and the new Bailiwick Chicago collective of Chicago non-Equity players have reinvented and revived the troubled, over-produced and over-amped Broadway production of the 1998 musical, Aida, with music by Elton John and Lyrics by Tim Rice.
Through a sassy, smart and light-hearted score and witty fun lyrics by Alan Schmuckler, this unique take on Andersen’s tale is a warm expertly directed fun 75 minute Broadway musical. The colorful characters are aided by sophisticated songs that effectively tell the tale.
When Billy Lomax from Georgia, circa 1963, hears the first two tracks from the jug band – That Sordid Little Story – he believes that the band has written his life story in their lyrics. He believes that the band is somehow connected to the father he has never met. Billy’s leaves home on a journey across America’s Bible Belt in the Deep South.
The reggae/calypso music and the large coral singing almost overwhelmed the show. Add the screaming by several singers and the show comes off as trying too hard to please. Lacking charm and warmth, Once On this Island takes too long to win our hearts but the terrific, heartfelt and honest work from Chasten Harmon as Ti Moune saves the show.
Saluting American Popular Music During the Wartime Years Produced by Jeanne Scherkenbach Musical Director/piano accompanist Carolyn Wehner At the Skokie Theatre Music Foundation Patriotic, nicely sung tribute to American war vets a winner! Using a well played piano (Carolyn Wehner) and the deft work from Joel Kopischke, Rachel Renee, Matt Richardson, Jeanne Scherkback became a … Read more
While the story could use a trimming of about 10 minutes, the 65 minute shows moves from political satire to an exhibition of middle aged and plus sized naked folks parading on stage completely having fun with their bodies…The Living Canvas folks produce performance art pieces featuring a cast of nude performers dancing and creating expressive movements naked but shadowed by a series of video projections to the tune of techno-pop music.
I’m not sure why Karen Zacarias’ play about Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (1649-1695) – The Sins of Sor Juana had to include silly, raw humor and buffoon-like characters? The contradictory tones and the confusing flashbacks deleted from the story of the famous Mexican the writer, scholar, poet, feminist, nun and revolutionary – Sor Juana