After hearing Jerome pontificating on the plight of American Indians, we also learn that Ninety-Two is a Holocaust survivor. We learn that Rey is much more than a chump “fish” chess player. We hear his story about surviving a genocide of his family and village in Guatemala. Rey lives for revenge and since the chess hustlers took the man who saved his life in Guatemala, he is bent on cleaning out the hustlers through his amazing chess skills
Read MoreBy Marisa Wegrzyb Directed by Shade Murray At A Red Orchid Theatre, Chicago Wacky comedy a winner that reminds me
Read MoreJersey boys is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons—Bob Guadio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. These guys are blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks. DeVito is a small-time Jersey hood and mafia want-to-be who narrates the early story of the rise of the pop foursome. Jeremy Kushnier plays DeVito with raging intensity. We see that Nick Massi is the passive, go-with-program guy and friend to Tommy Devito. DeVito’s control over the group is challenged when songwriter/arranger Bob Guadio arrives in the group.
Read MoreWe see the dynamic of family relationships as three generations emerge with different political and social beliefs. Ben is an open Marxist apologist while Emma is both an American patriot and a leftist. We see the generational conflicts with Ben and her grandmother Vera (MaryAnn Thebus). The common binding thread here is the Marxist beliefs shared by all.
Read Moreif – you can get over the actor’s struggle to tell and move the story along. The leaderless troupe finds the black women (Tracey N. Bonner) trying to arbitrate, stimulate and focus the storytelling to mixed results. All the bickering, backstage humor and role playing games eventually sets up the final powerful racially-charged final role playing game that becomes much
Read MoreWhen a stranger, a fast-talking man, Starbuck (Matthew Keffer) arrives at the Curry ranch, his high-powered charismatic manner and slick talking charms H.C. and young Jim but turns off the pragmatic skeptical Noah and Lizzie. Starbuck promises to deliver rain within 24 hours for $100. Starbuck is “selling” hope–dreams- promising rain if the family has faith in him and if they do his rituals.
Read MoreStronger voices with a clearer focus which may have exuded more empathy and charm like the first Silk Road Cabaret show did would make this revue more stage worthy. As it plays now, there is enough quality tunes to give an honest portrait of Asian and Middle Eastern psyche as part of the unique melting pot know as the USA.
Read MoreBut my irritation to this work rests mainly with the repetitive circular structure of the play. Giles and Lucy go over the events and source of Giles’ PTSD so often that I was about to scream. Giles’ lifelong memories from the horrors and fears of his tunnel activity that led to his killing of a female Vietcong are never resolved nor fully developed by his visits to the mental health professional. Amazingly, Lucy has nothing to offer Giles as psychological help. Instead, she does what no professional therapist would do – she tells himof her personal demons and foibles that comes from her being an over-achieving Jew.
Read MoreRemy Bumppo think theatre has mounted Chesapeake under the thoughtful direction of Shawn Douglass. This one-person comedy, staring Greg Matthew Anderson, is quirky yet funny cautionary tale about artistic expression and the ignorant governmental attempts to stifle art.
Read MoreNick Sandy plays The Man, an old women housekeeper and a young boy, among others while Melanie Keller plays the governess as the horror genre works to create the necessary tension to scare us. The psychological mystery is both vague and frightening.
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