Winter WishList

Other Desert Cities @ The Goodman Theatre

When Brooke Wyeth arrives at her parents’ Palm Springs mansion on Christmas Eve 

with the manuscript of her tell-all memoir in tow she unearths a devastating family secret—

throwing her parents into a panic that threatens to rip the clan apart. 

With biting wit and razor-sharp insight, Other Desert Cities 

“has the appeal of a Broadway hit from another age” (The New York Times).

I’ve been looking forward to this one for awhile. Other Desert Cities debuted Off-Broadway in 2011 & hit the ground running. The play (written by Jon Robin Baitz) earned five 2012 Tony nominations (with Judith Light winning the Award for Best Featured Actress) & was a 2012 Finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The story is that a woman returns home after writing a tell-all, autobiography; her homecoming is the catalyst for some huge family secret to be exposed & drama ensues. It’s always fun to see a play without knowing the storyline & The Goodman nails those highly dramatic but authentically contemporary scripts exceptionally well.

Runs Until Feb. 27

The Final Balloon @ The Annoyance Theatre

"Welcome to Maggie's Bar, home to a ragtag band of drunks who each year, on the exact same day at the exact same time, are inexplicably tortured by a mysterious visitor known only as "Balloon Boy."

The first thing I thought when I read the description of this production was BAT BOY: The Musical. For those of you who don’t know BAT BOY, it was an awesome musical based off the Weekly World News “character” that opened Off-Broadway in 2001. I saw it & it was on of the Top Ten Best Theatre Experiences of My Life.  This similarly satirical musical centers around a man who randomly appears at a  bar once a year to hand out balloons. [P.S. The musical debuted in 1992, 19 years before that whole other Balloon Boy situation].

Runs Until Feb. 23

Pygmalion 
by BoHo Theatre & Stage Left @ Theatre Wit

Shaw's classic tale of wiley Cockney flowergirl Eliza Doolittle & her transformation 
into a high-society woman at the hands of the arrogant phonetician Henry Higgins. Higgins' takes on a bet to train Eliza to pass for a duchess at an ambassador's garden party 
by teaching her to assume a veneer of gentility, the most important element of which, 
he believes, is impeccable speech. 
The story was adapted into the musical My Fair Lady, but Shaw's original tale 
is not one of romance, but of beauty, class, and power. A comedic and satirical today as it was then,
Pygmalion will have you wondering what truly makes a person beautiful.

I am much more familiar with My Fair Lady than Pygmalion & that needs to change. It is the first time BoHo  Theatre has teamed up with Stage Left to produce a production & I think this is a match made in Heaven. Stage Left's mission focuses on political issues, so hopefully this version of the staple of a story will incorporate a fresh, contemporary insight while highlighting new thematic applications.

Runs Until Feb. 14 

Fillet of Solo @ Lifeline

This solo performance & storytelling festival is in its' 16th year 
and features the following performers:

2nd Story, enSOLO, GayCo, the kate, The Lifeline Storytelling Project, Stir Friday Night, Story Club, 

Sweat Girls, Tellin' Tales Theatre (featuring Tekki Lomnicki), Write Club, You're Being Ridiculous

Runs Until Jan. 20

lady M @ the side project

To sleep no more, perchance to dream just once. Ambition begets bloodshed begets mental anguish. 
A psychological, disjointed, minimalist re-visioning of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" 
in which Lady M. lives and relives the events of that fateful night.

MacBeth is one of my favorite Shakespearean scripts (with Lady MacBeth also serving as one Shakespeare's most intriguing female roles) & this seems like a smart way to re-visit this awesome, ageless story. Plus, the side project theatre looks like a cool & up-&-coming, hole-in-the-wall company. 

Runs From Jan. 14-Feb. 6

Hellcab @ Profiles

Hellcab presents a day in the life story of a cab driver in for the longest night of his life 
as he transports a bizarre and mysterious collection of customers through the gritty streets of Chicago. 
Playwright Will Kern draws from personal experience as a former cab driver to create this 
alternately frightening, hilarious and poignant journey. Throughout his long shift, 
the eclectic collection of passengers includes a trio of drug-addicts, a smug lawyer, a born-again couple, 
and a randy couple on their way to a motel. Set during a bitter cold Christmas Eve,
 Hellcab presents a rear-view image mirroring the passing parade of humanity.

I’ve never been let down at Profiles, but some of their shows are a little dark [Bachelorette, A Behanding in Spokane, reasons to be pretty]. The premise is promising for something a little more upbeat. It is also exciting that the show features an ensemble of 34 actors since Profile‘s performance space usually cannot accommodate huge casts. . 

Runs Until Jan. 27

June WishList: Part 2

FLOYD COLLINS

BoHo Theatre 

In 1925, while chasing a dream of fame and fortune by turning a Kentucky cave into a tourist attraction, Floyd Collins himself became the attraction when he got trapped underground. Alone but for sporadic contact with the outside world, Floyd fought for his sanity and ultimately his life as the rescue effort above exploded into the first genuine media circus. Reporters and gawkers from across the country descended on the property, fueling the hysteria and manipulating the nation into holding its collective breath. This haunting musical — one of the most acclaimed in recent years — tells the transcendent tale of a true American dreamer.

BoHo’s production of Floyd Collins explores freedom across multiple realms, from Floyd’s quest for financial freedom that leads him into the cave, to the literal need to escape from a claustrophobic cave-in, and finally to the emotional and spiritual freedom Floyd discovers when the fear and isolation give way to inner reflection. At the heart of this story is the contrast between the cynicism in the media whirlwind above ground and the real emotions and family dynamic between Floyd and his family. In an age of constant news bombardment and media spin, Floyd Collins is a reminder of what truly matters when the rest of the world disappears.

Floyd Collins is a great musical that I have never had the opportunity to see. Which is understandable considering the difficulty surrounding the production & the fact that the role of Floyd Collins is a crazy difficult task to conquer. The story of Floyd Collins is fascinating & one that needs to be remembered. There is a timeless element to this story (it is the original 127 Hours, after all). Plus, the music is amazing. Adam Guettel is a musical poet who crafts the most haunting & stunning moods & melodies. He is best known for Light in the Piazza, which won 2 Tony Awards in 1995 (Best Original Score & Best Orchestrations). He also wrote Myths & Hymns, an innovative & quiet musical that is too beautiful for words. 

THE MARVIN GAYE STORY:

Don't Talk About My Father, Because God Is My Friend

Black Ensemble Theatre 

Marvin Gaye’s life was plagued with depression and drug addiction and ended in tragedy on April 1, 1984 when he was shot and killed by his own father. The Marvin Gaye Story will reveal his struggles while also honoring his vast contributions to the music industry and the world. To many, Marvin Gaye represents the ability to face the worst of life’s adversities and still accomplish great success. This Black Ensemble Theater production will embrace this sentiment and celebrate a legacy of beautiful music that will last forever.

I’m a sucker for dramaturgically-based pieces; I love any piece of theatre that derives from a true-life story, especially if it‘s a musical. This specific story has all the makings of a great musical…a complicated, dark story sprinkled with elements of hope with an infusion of quality music. I have heard & read nothing but great things regarding this production (and the Black Ensemble Theatre), so I’m sure this is a stunning production. 

DANCING QUEEN 

Riverfront Theatre 

Travel back in time to the 1970’s and celebrate the music that made those days memorable. The audience will enjoy the chart toppers from the pop group phenomenon ABBA, as well as a dazzling compilation of highlights from the iconic film Saturday Night Fever. This glittering, polyester-clad production is guaranteed to have everyone dancing, singing and swinging in the aisles.

I LOVE ABBA 

and support any excuse to have their songs performed onstage. 

In 2006, I saw the tribute concert ABBA MANIA in London’s East End & it was perfect. In 2007, I saw the national tour of Mamma Mia! at the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, DE & it was equally awesome (and the last musical I ever saw with my dad). Both productions had very clear (though dissimilar) points-of-view in regards to their application of ABBA’s songs to the stage: ABBA MANIA’s goal was to recreate an actual concert with diligent authenticity; MAMMA MIA used ABBA’s built a story around the songs like the creation of a constellation from stars. I am curious about Dancing Queen’s production perspective…the title & promo graphics indicate an emphasis on dance, which would be a great emphasis to apply. But the whole highlights from the iconic film Saturday Night Fever element seems forced, completely random, & out-of-place. I am also curious about this Riverfront Theatre & its’ 70-foot tall, 22,000 square foot temperature-controlled tent. 

June WishList: Part II

Sucked Into Service

Chemically Imbalanced Theatre

An evening of comedic performances exploring
two very different sides of the service industry:
1/2 Caf Chronicles
Written and performed by Paul Whitehouse
A semi-autobiographical collection of stories
about a young man's short lived career as a barista.
Trapped in a Box
Written and performed by Casey Pilkenton
A story of Audrey losing her patience, her drive,
and her sanity working in a Box Office.

Closes: June 30

This piece caught my attention because I know about the life of a barista, having spent years of my life tapping the tamp, foaming the milk, and trying to figure out the point of latte art. It is a really great idea for a comedic, one-person, one-act. Hopefully the quality of the writing will be equal to the strength of the initial concept.

Henry IV Parts I & II

Oak Park Festival Theatre

A new single-evening adaptation of

Shakespeare's Henry IV Part I and Part II.

Closes: July 9

Henry IV is one of my Shakespearean favorites. I saw Henry IV Parts I & II at London’s National Theatre in 2005 (directed by Nicholas Hytner!). There was a full-length matinee of Part I, a dinner break, then a full-length evening production of Part II. It was a great experience (one of my TopTen ever), but a loooong day. The editing of two whole plays into one intrigues me. Artistic Director Jack Hickey is playing Falstaff, so it’s going to be a true reflection of the company’s skill level & perspective. Not to mention that outdoor Shakespeare is a perfect summer pastime.

Icarus

BoHo Theatre @ The Wit

In Edwin Sanchez's deeply lyrical and haunting play, a mismatched gathering of strangers has converged on an empty ocean-front beach house, all of them damaged, physically or otherwise, each yearning for something unattainable. In this sharp, Godot-like dreamscape, these outcasts must discover what true beauty really means.

I love the aesthetic of the graphics. In a myth-based, creatively-oriented show like this, I need to have faith in the theatre company’s artistic perspective & the first-impression from the poster is the only indicator I have (being unfamiliar with the company). I’m glad this production looks a little whimsical, not so super serious like the tone of so many plays based (even loosely) on Greek myths.

Closes: July 24