Immediate Family
I wonder why Jessie would, after two years of not speaking to the family, come to his brother’s wedding especially knowing that Evy and probably the entire family would reject his lifestyle? What compels him to attend the wedding?
Reviews
Music Mad: How Chief O’Neill Saved the Soul of Ireland
Whiteman’s research lead him to Francis O’Neill and his amazing life story that featured world traveling, police work and Irish music. With the help of director Stefan Brun, Whiteman created Music Mad which includes terrific music by a band consisting of world-class Irish musicians from Chicago. As we hear Chief O “Neill ( played with zest by Brett Tewell) tell his story, the band plays transitional tunes to either underscore the mood and emotion of the story or to exemplify actual Irish traditions.
Crow
The most engaging thing in Crow is the use of sailing ropes that Sher deftly arranges from one clamp to another making a series of crossed rope formations hinting a sail ringings. I quickly got tired of watching Jeremy Sher move about the set as he tells his story while manically moving about suggesting the rigors of ocean sailing.
Camelot
It is always a special treat (and a throw-back to the Golden Age of Broadway musicals) when the creatives at Light Opera Works mount a show. Using a full (29 piece) orchestra, the full original orchestrations without cutting essential elements, Light Opera Works offers Broadway musical and operetta lovers a rare treat – original styled productions.
Bombs, Babes and Bingo
A smartly introspective work with a gimmick that for once doesn’t overshadow the proceedings, Bombs, Babes and Bingo is a fascinating look into a mind being torn apart by its own intelligence.
I am Going to Change the World
“Change the World” follows John Chapman (empathetic work by Nicholas Harazin), who as a child, in writing, wrote his life goals on a paper as a constant reminder and motivator. Among the items John strives for: being first in both his high school and college class, working, then owning Goldman Sachs and becoming a billionaire by age 35. With this ‘wiz’-kid’ all these are possible as John has a razor focus about his goals. But something happens during his initial interview with Goldman Sachs, actually before the interview when his alarm fails to go off and his life plans change dramatically. He awakes to a life he never imagined.
The Twelve Tenors
The young cast of unknown tenors tried to please but their voices were so slurred by the lousy sound system that it was difficult to distinguish their vocal abilities. Add the ambitious song selection, ranging from Irish folk tunes to Barry Manilow to opera selections to Simon and Garfunkel to a Frank Sinatra to Les Miserables to The Beatles, and we get a show trying too hard to play to all audience tastes
The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead
We find out the story as the seven characters weave facts with opinions clouded in personal bias. Deborah Staples is so convincing as each character that we easily “see” each. From the vengeful redhead to the manipulative neighbor to the slob husband to the innocent four-year old boy and onward to the butch doctor to the old lady, Deborah Staples quickly, before our eyes, becomes each in a remarkable truthful transformation. This is tour de force acting if there ever was any!
State Street
It is most refreshing to see a new classical styled Broadway musical with a clever and funny book; smart lyrics on a varied melodic score that begs an orchestra. In a era that lacks musicals with hum-able music and understandable lyrics, LaBebnik and Day offer a refreshingly tuneful and often funny original musical.
Crooked
Laney writes imaginative short stories filled with gore and horror that Elise tries to soften through literary criticism. Elise has her own problems as she is unemployed and lonely since she divorced her mentally ill husband now in a psychiatric hospital. The two find little comfort in each other.