Lisa Loomer’s dramatic yet funny look at the struggle to raise a precious, manic, strong-willed child in the modern world of quick fixes and pill-popping gets a stinging presentation at American Theatre Company under the swiftly flowing direction from PJ Paparell
Chicago playwright Tony Fiorentino (Lease on Love, Cold Cold Feet, Fraternal Instinct, My Dinner with Amy and All My Love) has amassed a fine body of work over the last five years. His latest world premiere, Lucid, is a smart work that explores the mystery and enticement of lucid dreams as used to transform one’s unsatisfactory life.
My fond memories of this great show were reinforced. The three plus hours living with Weston’s was totally engrossing and richly rewarding. Tracy Lett’s deserves all the Jeff, Tony and Pulitzer’s he has received for the first great 21st Century American play!
In Blue Door, an African-American math professor, Lewis (played with dignity by Bruce A. Young), is left by his white wife due to his reluctance to embrace his identity. The 90 minute one-act covers the night of their break as Lewis is visited in one sleepless night by the spirits of the instant ghosts of his grand-father, Simon, his departed younger brother, Rex and Jesse, his sharecropper grandfather.
Clifford Odets sprinkles Awake and Sing with his socialist/communist anti-capitalist rhetoric especially in Jacobs speeches. Odets’ faith in the determination of youth is embodied in Hennie as she is determined to have love in her life and in Ralph’s fiery determination to “fix it so life won’t be printed on dollar bills.”
Steppenwolf Theatre presents an ambitious and innovative trilogy, The Brother/Sister Plays under the unique direction/collaboration of Tina Landau and playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney. These three distinct work are now playing in repertory
The cast ranges from adequate to good, which is dangerous in a play this complicated. Shanley writes characters with tough as nail exteriors, but use poetic language to lament. However, the actors had not concept to what they are saying,…
Aaron Carter is a playwright with skill for story, structure and character development. His latest world premiere now running at the Greenhouse Theatre produced by MPAACT, First Words, tells the story odd a family’s struggle to deal with their autistic 15 year old son, Aiden (effectively played byScott Baity Jr).
Donizetti’s bouncy melodic score features bel canto (beautiful singing) arias. Nicole Cabell, as the love maidenAdina, sings her desires deftly while Gabrielle Vivani, as the blusterous Sergent Belcore, demonstrates his vocal chops. Alessandro Corbelli is the delightful Dr. Dulcamara who convinces the clueless Nemorino that he indeed has the elixir of love.
He (Brian Dennehy) is a world class actor at the top of his art. He moves from the fast-talking gambler in Hughie to the old recluse fearful of the man he once was in Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape. These two pieces demonstrate Dennehy’s acting range.