The Audience is terrific theatre. Two hours of riveting acting with many telling scenes told with wit, humor and stinging retorts. Nick Bowling’s staging in-the-round with an all-white set give an intimacy to those meetings. We become a ‘fly-on-the wall.’
The Audience makes history and powerful historical figures come to life, foibles and all. We see that Elizabeth II is more than a smiling lady with a handbag. Brooks is wonderful here. This is a gem!
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I could probably state what the story was from the many press notes but I approach a new show as if I was an audience member. By the way, I asked an audience member both at the intermission and after the show if he had trouble understanding some of the characters? The young man said he could not understand the woman and the estate manager (Ross Frawley) because they slurred their words and spoke too fast to be understood. He was most dissatisfied with the play. He Asked me why they speak so fast? I told him to ask the director.
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The ambitious, driven ultimate stage mother, Mama Rose is one of the great characters in all of American Broadway musicals. Any production of Gypsy depends on who plays Mama Rose. Mary Robin Roth’s booming voice channeled Ethel Merman takes over as the determined stage mother. Her voice grated on me after a time but Roth’s be
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Somehow the creatives at Red Theater Chicago delivered a comical yet physically demanding satirical parody of wrestling and a unique take on the American Dream, From the players warming up the audience to groan and cheer to the wrestlers taking prat falls everytime the cross the ropes of the full-sized ring, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity is two hours of entertaining theatre. This comic satire works better on the intimate staging of Strawdog’s new diggs on west Bernice street.
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This outstanding world premier musical, based on an Oscar-winning short
film, tells a coming of age story of a 13 year old struggling with his
sexual identity. While it is set in 1981 and times have changed, there is
still a universal recognition for all who have experienced the angst of
youth and remember the pain of being an outsider, the isolation of being
different. So important is the story that response to this brief film
(only 17 minutes in length) led to the Trevor Project —
The inability of most of the audience to hear the speeches, kills this show adding another tragedy to this horrific account of genocide. It got so bad, I was thinkg about shouting out “Lauder, Lauder” after Malessa Nelson’s first few weak opening monologue.
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What makes this drama sizzle are two main factors. One, the strong yet subtlely nuanced performance by Heather Chrisler. She makes us feel how trapped his is. And the brilliant staging and ensemle wotk from the cast. The tiedum and repitious ‘machine’ of office work and the roles each play in society as marvelously presented here.
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This is a scary, funny cautionary tale that is both a work of art and a functioning musical. The twelve players, lead by the hammy MC, Kevin Webb, who weirds-out us yet sets the tone for the 65 minute musical.
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The first great rock musical, it has some of the most rousing and soulful songs ever written for the stage, including “Let the Sun Shine In,” “Good Morning Starshine,” “Aquarius,” and the memorable title song, “Hair.” This cast led by Matt Keffer (Berger) , Lliam Quealy (Claude) and Michelle Lauto (Sheila) effectually understood what was the mindset of the hippies. They sing, dance and create chaos in tune with their tribal sense of freedom, love and doing what feels good.
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But the real star here is the ensemble of dancers who manically translate Echoles’ varied choreography into a sweeping rhymthic movements worthy of appreciation. I always thought that the Black Ensemble needed stronger choreography to compliment the terrific orchestra and the fabulous singers. And this year, under Rueben D. Echoles.’ leadership, dance has found its place at the Black Ensemble. Kudos!
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