As part of Lanford Wilson’s Talley Trilogy, Fifth of July is the 1977 gathering of the Talley clan in their Lebanon, Missouri home. The clan is once more in turmoil. The play centers on Ken Talley (Stephen Dunn), a gay paraplegic Vietnam survivor who has inherited the decaying summer home.
The satire gets quite thick as Marcus takes on the persona of an Asian cultural believer who becomes more ‘Asian’ that Hwang. This is were the plot gets too self-serving as it wonders into the story of Hwang’s banker father (played with gusto by Joesph Anthony Foronda). David Rhee is fine as Hwang as he traverses through Hwang’s ups and downs as he struggles to make the concept of Yellow Face relevant.
Broadway Bound is billed as Eugene’s (Max Polski) story but I believe that it is more Ben’s (Mike Nussbaum) and Kate’s (Carmen Roman) story as it is a powerful family drama with loads of trademark Simon one-liners. Utilizing a magnificent two level house set (design by Collette Pollard), director David New has cast a superb group including the fabulous and ageless Mike Nussbaum as the Socialist grandfather Ben. Nussbaum steals his scenes with his exquisite comic timing.
We see the story weaving deftly in time as we see how she went from conservative Jewish religious patron in Poland to a vibrant woman through her contact with the agnostic Jewish traveling toy theatre promoter Ben Ari Adler. Jacqueline and Richard Penrod’s set aptly depicts Lilith’s home and it contains a moveable toy theatre set (by Tracy Otwell) where Adler gets Lilka (Nora Fiffer) to help him write a new version of the story of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Through this encounter, sparks fly between Ben Ari and Lilka as the Nazi’s invade Poland.
We see Venus as a exploited soul duped by her handlers until she ends up in the hands of the French doctor Baron Docteur (Jeff Parker) -who falls in love with the Hottentot beauty. The Baron also wants to research and measure every unique physical attribute of Saartie. While playwright Parks fictionalizes Saartie’s life choosing to emphasize her intelligence, acumen for language, and her sexuality.
The ArchiTech Gallery is one of many art galleries located in the River North neighborhood, but is really the only one of its kind in the city. David Jameson, owner/collector, has painstakingly assembled a unique collection of rare prints, drawings, plans, and concept models created by some of the greatest modern architects and designers the city, and the country, has ever seen.
Ravinia is the perfect venue for Wynton Marsalis, who has concentrated his career on education and outreach almost as much as on music. Jazz at Lincoln Center has a year-round education & outreach program, geared towards giving children opportunities they would not otherwise have.
We see the five living in frustration as their alienation fuels their basic need for connection on several levels consumes them. The tedious first act so over states that concept that I quickly became as frustrated with the play as they were with their isolation. The irritating videos only added to the weirdness of this work.
Utilizing Adam Lucas Venes’ back porch-backyard set aptly depicting an aging bungalow, we find John Patrick Moore (Boyd Harris), a third generation Chicago Police officer drinking beer with his cop partner Terry Donnelly (James D. Farruggio). Tension between the two revolves around loyalty, trust and honesty as a work incident strains their relationship.
Anton Chekhov is arguably the best playwright since Shakespeare; he is unequivocally one of the great playwrights of history. The Raven Theatre, with Michael Menendian at the helm, has decided to try their hand at his last, and (according to Chekhov himself) funniest play – with mixed results.