Bruce Arnston created and performs the role of Doyle Mayfield with his sidekick, Buddy (Matthew Carlton) and his singing partner Debbie (Jenny Littleton). This threesome deftly spoofs, lampoons, and mocks with a series of down-home yet original country tunes every cliche revolving around the Southern mentality and the essence of old-time country music.
I was particularly impressed by Antoine Pierre Whitfield’s commanding sheriff; with Jon Steinhagen’s performance as a funny yet deeply flawed tragic figure. Sophia Menendian exudes hope and kindness as a pure romantic while Michael Stegall was strong and manic as the love-struck cowboy. Ultimately, Bus Stop is a love story where in Cherie learns that Bo has a gently side besides his handsome sexy mann
The desire for and inability to communicate mark the haunting theme of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. This is the tale of a mute ironically named Singer, who not only is deprived of the recipient of his innermost thoughts and feelings but who now, in turn, becomes the uncomprehending focus of the thoughts and feelings of everyone surrounding him.
The famous sextet when Edgardo crashes the wedding between Lucia and Arturo, Chi mi frena in tal momento?, is rich with countermelody and contrappunto, the polyphony not just musical but emotional, with six people expressing themselves deeply and strikingly. When Lucia loses her mind, Il dolce suono…Ardon gli incensi is an absolutely astounding representation of madness in music. Pardon the plebeian expression, but it is mindblowing. And Susanna Phillips absolutely brings it home. A superlative performance, to any eyes.
The National Tour of Mary Poppins began in Chicago in March 2009 at the Palace Theatre playing 18 weeks to 300,000 people grossing over $18.5 million at the box office. There are six productions worldwide grossing over $605 million and playing to 8.5 million guests! All this happened due to meticulous stage craft, catchy well-know tunes and a superb dance and special effects
British playwright David Eldridge has written an ode to high school teachers everywhere with Under the Blue Sky – now in its Midwest Premier at Steep Theatre. Free from romantic sentimentality, Under the Blue Sky is part contemporary life commentary where a bomb can change life in an instant and part a love letter to those who dedicate themselves to teaching high school.
Now it is Chicago’s turn! And the recent New York opening — even with such a stellar star as Bernadette Peters — couldn’t surpass the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production. If this review were limited to just one word, that word would be magnificent! What a sight for the eyes, what a pleasure for the ears, what a treat for the mind.
Quickly the battle is on between Anna and Deeley. The verbal barbs fly as their deadly combat rages. When Kate retires to take a bath, Deeley remembers that he met Anna more than 20 years ago in a pub. Anna and Kate were roommates 20 years ago before Kate married Deeley.
While Rodgers’ music is lush, varied and melodic, I believe that it was Larry Hart’s often sad yet smart lyrics that made tunes like “Falling in Love with Love”, “Little Girl Blue”, “My Funny Valentin,” “Blue Moon,” “I Could Write a Book” and “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” American classics.
created a very difficult, very real, very European piece of theatre. The characters do not speak exactly as normal people would; it is a kind of artificial speech that furthers the play’s goals of shocking us out of our day-to-day boredom and non-introspection and forcing us to look inwards, consider ourselves, consider society, consider what we believe the world should be like.