Peter & Paul’s Tribute to Mary at Ravinia 2010
Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stooky returned to Ravinia to pay tribute to Mary Travers who passed on September 16, 2010 at age 72.
Reviews
A Guide For the Perplexed
When you have Kevin Anderson, Francis Guinan and young Bubba Weiler in your cast you have the makings of a fine show. Their acting and the smart flowing direction by Sandy Shinner save the evening. Joel Drake Johnson’s strange play, A Guide For the Perplexed, sure is a puzzlement since it leaves more unanswered questions than it resolves
LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES: PROM NIGH
To understand the premise of the Les Enfants Terribles: Prom Night show at the Red Tape Theatre, one must first understand the logic behind the bouffant, or buffoon, character. The bouffant is a French derived “clown” act that keys in on the grotesque and absurd facets of human nature, rather than the vibrant and cheerful ones we’re used to seeing at the circus
Charenton
The quality of acting and chemistry between the ensemble members is outstanding. The characters in the play have a sense of hopelessness, loneliness and desperation, but the play expresses this while still being decorated in beauty and raw emotion. The music is moving in itsel
Escape From Happiness
When the best thing about a play is the set (designed by Kathy Arfken), you know the work is in trouble! I can’t understand why they chose anything by Canadian playwright George F. Walker to mount? He may be the worst playwright to find his plays on stage that I’ve ever encountered.
After the Fall
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.
This Train
This Train not only utilizes the power of spoken language, but the power of song, art, and even “hobo language.” A combination of storytelling, multimedia, song; This Train is a rare piece of theatre that is not to be missed.
Hesperia
Hesperia is one of these instances, confidently relying on the ability of the actors and the language of playwright Randall Colburn to create a wonderful evening of black box theatre.
The Philadelphia Story
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.
Jesus Christ Superstar
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.