Black Ensemble Theater, under the hyper leadership of Jackie Taylor have re-mounted their Chicago’s Golden Soul (A 60’s Revue) now playing in repertory with The Story of Curtis Mayfield. Golden Soul contains a rich assortment of Chicago style soul featureing the music of jerry Butler, Curtis Mayfield, Gene Chandler, Major Lance, The Impressions, Betty Everett, Barbara Aklin, Etta James and the Chi Lites.
Shakespeare final full play,The Tempest is now running at City Lit with a talented and dedicated group of actors who articulate The Bard’s poetic language with verve and aplomb. Filled with terrific period costumes including vivid threads for the Spirits, director Sheldon Patinkin’s deftly staged and superbly cast with non-Equity players who garner all the humor and zaniness of the work.
Literature from Interrobang Theatre Project states that the theatre “…poses muscular questions. Navigating through the dark together with our audience we attempt to arrive at new understandings and fresh perspectives of who we are and the world in which we live.” I did not walk away with a fresh perspective, but that is not to say that others might. Symbolism abounds in The Pitchfork Disney , but the long journey through it with only a slight redemption at the end may only be worthwhile for a few.
The characters act out the struggles of these small town folks as their discontent with the boredom and isolation of rural plains life renders them restless souls. High school teacher Tom Guthrie (Joseph Stearns) must raise tow boys alone since his wife leaves him after suffering depression. Guthrie also has conflicts with an unruly student, Russell Beckman (Rudy Galvan) without much help from his principal.
We also see how the two boys, Ike Guthrie (Cale Manning) and Bobbie Guthrie (Jack Edwards) cope with the loss of their mother by helping a lonely old lady.
We see several sides of Raskolnikov including his disdain for money as he gives all the cash he has to aid a woman who has just lost her father. Raskolnikov is a troubled, psychologically flawed man whose moral outrage becomes confused with his views of the capability of the ‘chosen ones’ to resort to murder to further social change.
These women have a mysterious past relationship that causes much debate about their theories regarding sex, evolution, feminism, generational divides and the status of female scientists. This is a smartly written work with biting sarcasm, intelligent ideas and deeply human observations on generational thoughts.
At The Museum of Contemporary Photography Archeology in a broken city and relics of animosity. Failed seems like a harsh word to describe a city that millions of people still live in, but Arianna Arcara and Luca Santese bring heart wrenching evidence of Detroit’s brokenness in their project Found Photos in Detroit, 2009- 10. Damaged … Read more
In the black box theatre, the play has been skillfully produced on the minimal set, with quick clever costume and character changes on stage. The cast preformed phenomenally, keeping a distinct energy in each of their characters through all of their character changes. The lead Aila Peck (Joan) brings an incredible emotion and intensity to the role, convincing you that she is the pure selfless heroin diligently performing her mission from god.
As Barber’s preeminence among his output seems to have been established by a nearly unanimous consensus since its premier, more or less agreed to by Rossini himself, casual opera-goers who are given the chance to get regularly re-acquainted in the theater with this alone among the composer’s vast output may safely assume that it is that most worthy of such attention. And of course it is a delightfully sparkling, lyrical, and mischievous work, even if the music may not quite erase memories of Mozart, whom it often evokes and to which it ultimately yields the last degree of poignancy and memorability – it is hard not to enjoy this lovely opera.
Add a cast of players with little or no concept of what they were saying – a common problem with poorly trained Shakespearean actors. Some mumbled; some raced through their speeches with little emphasis; some did both of those in so low a volume as to be not heard.