Private Lives is a fine production combining outstanding work from the five actors with Noel Coward’s sophisticated wit, fluid language and smart, quirky plot. It amounts to an intelligent, hilarious night at the theatre. You’ll laugh as you acknowledge the complete honesty of Coward’s words.
Read MoreBy Frank Mahon & Milissa Pacelli Directed by Susan Felder Produced by Libby Adler Mages, Tony D’Angelo And Smock Alley
Read MoreWalter Stearns’ decision to cast Pacific Overtures with all Asians was bold making it the first Chicago production to do so. It worked effectively, to say the least! The atmosphere was created with Kurt Sharp’s sliding door set on John Horn’s fine lighting. The players are dressed in gorgeous Japanese kimonos (designed by Carol Blanchard) with authentic wigs and they move with Kabuki movements with Noh theatre elements. The show features terrific musical direction by Eugene Dizon and his orchestra that flawlessly plays Sondheim’s strongly Oriental influenced score. The show is Japan meet Broadway.
Read MoreMozart’s 1782 comic opera, The Abduction from the Seraglio, highlights his genius with his fresh spirited score that contains local color from Turkish music containing cymbals, bass drums and the like.From beautiful arias to up-tempo marches and stirring anthems, Mozart’s opera moves from comic delight to deep emotions.
This romantic adventure deals with Konstanze (Erin Wall) a beautiful and spirited Spanish noble woman captured by Turkish pirates. Together with her feisty maid, Blonde (a last minute triumph debut by Angela Mannino), they end up in the harem of Pasha Selim (David Steiger) overseen by Osmin (Andrea Silvestrelli). Of course, the ladies’ trueloves—Belmonte (Matthew Polenzani) and Pedrillo (Steve Davislim) launch a plan to rescue their loves.
Leave it to director Fred Anzevino and the creative staff at Theo Ubique for boldly mounting Evita on their miniscule stage in the No Exit Café. They have perfected their trademark “cabaret theatre” style taking storefront musical theatre up a notch or two. They have successfully mounted a most articulate and musically sound version of Webber & Rice’s pop opera, Evita. I heard and understood every word and I enjoyed Brenda Didier’s smartly stylish choreography.
Read MoreBartleby the Scrivener Adapted from Herman Melville By R. L. Lane Directed by Richard Cotovsky Produced by Mary-Arrchie Theatre Kudos
Read MoreArt, written my a French female, Yasmina Reza, deals with the reaction of three supposed friends to a painting purchased by one of them for a large sum. Art, of course, tests the depth and validity of the friendship between the three men. Serge (John Procaccino) is a self-proclaimed expert in modern art.
Read MoreBlack Ensemble Theater’s Season of Men continues with “I Gotcha” (The Story of Joe Tex and the Soul Clan). Written by Joe Plummer and David Barr III, “I Gotcha” uses the basic Black Ensemble formula: blending tidbits of biographical information with a character sketch of the principal person to that person’s music and those he/she associated with.
Read MoreThis nostalgic musical revue features a girl-group, The Taffetas, out of Muncie, Indiana as they appear on a national network TV show in the 1950’s.
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