A Political WishList.

Julius Caesar @ Chicago Shakespeare Theatre 

When men feel they can no longer trust their elected leader, where is the line between patriotism and personal ambition? Acclaimed British director Jonathan Munby—whose work has graced the stages of Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe—ignites the fiery power of the most enduring political assassination in history. Within the uniquely personal setting of CST’s Courtyard Theater, audience members feel each spark of emotion as words are wielded like knives in Shakespeare’s epic tale of ambition, betrayal and consequence. 

Closes March 24

Divided Man: Pilate's Story @ Overshadowed Theatre 

Around two thousand years ago, there was a trial that changed history. Jesus Christ was dragged before the Roman politician who had to make the fateful choice that would place the Messiah on the cross. Who was this man, Pontius Pilate? The life of Pilate dramatically comes to life in this world premiere. Judea was a difficult part of the Roman Empire and part of Pilate's responsibility was to keep peace and stability in the land that he governed. Filled with danger, political intrigue, love & history- this story will grip you and bring you face-to-face with the politician, the husband, the servant, the man: Pontius Pilate.

Closes March 9

Crime Scene: A Chicago Anthology @ Collaboraction

Crime Scene: A Chicago Anthology is a timely new theatrical reaction to Chicago’s history of violent crime and a call to discover what it might take to create lasting change in our city. The show, a Collaboraction world  premiere conceived and directed by Anthony Moseley, couples nonfiction source material such as interviews, articles, and online comments with three true Chicago crimes to raise critical questions surrounding segregation, poverty, the news media, popular culture, and our numbness to it all. Crime Scene: A Chicago Anthology features immersive staging, audience participation and stylized dramatizations of three real Chicago crimes:The 2000 mistaken identity killing of Orlando Patterson, a 12 year old boy playing ball in front of his house in the 6900 block of South Perry Avenue; The attack on 13-year-old Lenard Clark by white youth in Bridgeport, leaving him in a coma; & The savage beating of Stacy Jurich and Natasha McShane just blocks from Collaboraction in Wicker Park in 2010

Closes  March 10

The City & The City @ Lifeline Theatre 

Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad is assigned to a seemingly open-and-shut case: an American student found dead in the gutters of the city of Beszel. But soon this deceptively simple crime reveals ties to powerful political and corporate factions at the heart of both Beszel and its twin city, Ul Qoma. Forced to cross the divide between two city-states coexisting in the same geographical space yet separated by irreconcilable cultural differences, Borlú must bring to justice the mastermind of the most unusual and dangerous case of his career. A thrilling crime story set in a location both fantastical and eerily real, in a world premiere adaptation.

Closes April 7

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo @ Lookingglass 

The lives of two American Marines and an Iraqui translator are forever changed by an encounter with a quick-witted tiger who haunts the streets of war-torn Baghdad attempting to find meaning, forgiveness, & redemption amidst the city's ruins. Rajiv Joseph's groundbreaking new play explores both the power & perils of human nature. The New York Times writes, "This boldly imagined, harrowing, & surprisingly funny drama is wonderfully daring." 

Closes March 17

I Love Lucy: Live OnStage @ The Broadway Playhouse

"IT'S 1952. 
You & I are part of a studio audience 
watching a taping of I Love Lucy, 

the early TV sitcom starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz...
of course, we see Lucy & Desi and company 

do their stuff in the 2 episodes that are 
theoretically being recorded.
It's a pleasant illusion for the most part."

~Tony Adler, The Chicago Reader

I am very glad I read Mr. Adler's review before seeing this show. I didn't realize the title I Love Lucy: Live On Stage would be taken so literally in this musical adaptation [and honestly don't understand why that was the artistic vision chosen by the creators of this show, but still held hope]. I had also seen a brief preview of LUCY at the Broadway in Chicago Summer Series Concert, which appeared promising. So, I entered the theatre with semi-high hopes. 

All my hopes were crushed. 

Sirena Irwin & Bill Mendietas were sub-par & generic choices for our Lucy & Ricky. Their performances qualified more as off-kilter charicature than thoughtful interpretations of this iconic couple. As Ethel & Fred, Joanna Daniels & Curtis Pettyjohn brought a little more to the table in terms of acting with an appropriate degree of authenticity [and were styled in a much less cartoony manner]. I'm sure all the performers are actually quite talented, but I don't think this material would have allowed any actor the opportunity to shine. 

Re-creating two episodes being filmed in front of a live studio audience did not offer the audience any fresh perspective on the TV show I Love Lucy. Rather, it presented a sub-par interpretation of something awesome without offering any innovative style, perspective, or information. Lucille Ball was a firecracker & trail-blazer, but, most importantly, she still serves as one of the most important women in the history of American comedic entertainment. Before there was Tina, Chelsea, Ellen, & Mindy, there was LUCY. And learning about the woman behind the laughs would have been a much more enriching, enlightening, & authentic theatrical experience than trying to transpose a few vintage episodes to the stage. 

There has been a recent string of musicals that pay homage to some of our more glorious female representatives. This musical did not take that historic route, but here are some musicals that did:

• Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson starring Carolee Carmello [who I saw in The Scarlet Pimpernel & LOVED as the Parade's original Lucille Frank]. 
• End of the Rainbow starring Tracie Bennet as Judy Garland
• Bombshell: The (fictitious) musical on the TV show SMASH that should be real & is the story of Marilyn Monroe
• Evita [2012 Broadway revival] starring Argentinean actress Elena Roger as Eva Peron. 
• One Name Only @ Black Ensemble Theatre: A Chicago world-premiere tribute to The Ladies of Soul which featured the music of Aretha, Gladys, Patti, Chaka with a special tribute to Whitney.

I also find it interesting that there is a show for the theatre that is based off of a television show that is an homage rather than a spoof. The only TV-based musical I've ever seen was Gorilla Tango Theatre's Attend The Tale of Danny Tanner, which was an awesome, gory, re-imagined version of Full House; but to see the same principle applied in a more literal manner would be a fun trend to erupt onstage. Some shows I'd like to see: 

• LOST: It is my favorite show ever, after all. The storyline(s) were highly complicated though, so it would have to be something like Potted Potter, which melds the entire Harry Potter series into a 90-minute recap. Or like the time I saw Henry the IV Parts 1 & 2 @ The National Theatre, which was an 8-hour event complete with a break for dinner. 
• My So-Called Life: It could be performed like a gloomier, more suburban but equally angsty & awesome RENT. Good luck finding someone to stand up to the original Jordan Catalano though 
• Sex & the City: I firmly believe the sassy & urban Cosmo Girls are an underrated demographic in the theatre world. Profiles made a smart move by appealing to their production of Bachelorette. However, I think the SATC musical could easily marry the this TV-trend with the Chick Flick Musical trend to produce something glorious. 
• Six Feet Under: Dark musicals work. I'm picturing something like Martin McDonagh meets The Addams Family Musical meets John Patrick Shanley: one that is satirically dark, at the root focuses on the importance of family values, and is presented in a clean, contemporary manner.

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

September WishList

The Fall of The House of Usher 

by The Hypocrites @ Chopin Theatre 

Terror! Suspense! Gothic cross-dressing melodrama! Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” is a highly tense and taut work of fiction that set the standard for American Horror for the past two centuries. This adaptation, which examines the psychology of a fractured personality, utilizes a cast of only three women to navigate the notorious House.

Illegal Use of Hands 

by American Blues Theatre @ Victory Gardens

 

In a small town where buzzards feast on a dead Chevy and the local Wal-Mart hires only college graduates, three men [ABT ensemble member Steve Key (Broadway tour of August: Osage County), ABT Artistic Affiliate Dennis Zacek (founding artistic director of Victory Gardens Theater) and Howie Johnson (award-winning Killer Joe at Profiles Theater)] wait out the night in the company of a high school football trophy they have rescued from obscurity. It’s a story about revenge, glory, and being a man—if only the characters could agree on what they can’t remember.

The Woman in White @ Lifeline Theatre

Trapped in a loveless marriage and threatened by a conspiracy of ruthless men, young heiress Laura Fairlie faces a future of sorrow and misery. Her only hope lies with her true love, the poor artist Walter Hartright, and her sister Marian Halcombe, both of whom will risk everything to protect her. Without the law, society, or money on their side, Walter and Marian must race against time to free their beloved Laura and uncover the truth behind the mysterious woman in white that shares her face. A dark tale of romance and suspense, in a world premiere adaptation. Based on the 1889 novel by Wilkie Collins (The Moonstone, Armadale), considered among the first mystery novels in the English language.

Sweet Bird of Youth @ The Goodman Theatre 

Into a tiny Gulf coast hamlet drifts an improbable couple: the Princess Kosmonopolis, a Hollywood legend fleeing the disastrous premiere of her latest epic, and Chance Wayne, a young actor-turned-gigolo who has brought his new benefactress to his hometown in hopes of reclaiming his former glory. But when a youthful mistake surfaces that threatens Chance’s plan, the pair are forced to confront their crumbling dreams. Laced with humor and Williams’ “characteristically gorgeous lyricism” (The New York Times), Sweet Bird of Youth is a sensual, haunting theatrical journey that will captivate and seduce you.

Sunday in the Park with George 

@ Chicago Shakespeare Theatre 

Sunday in the Park with George, inspired by Georges Seurat's most famous work A Sunday on La Grande Jatte-1884, on display and in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, unites Seurat and Sondheim in Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theater. Griffin's musical production will transform the painting into a life-size masterpiece to tell the story of a painter's struggle between creating art and living life.

Metamporhoses 

Lookingglass Theatre Company 

Fourteen years ago Lookingglass debuted Metamorphoses, a play of such grace and beauty that the memory of it still lingers in the minds of audiences today. The critically-acclaimed, record-breaking Chicago engagement led to a Broadway production that garnered Mary Zimmerman the 2002 Tony Award for Best Director and catapulted Lookingglass onto the national stage. In the simple beauty of a rippling pool of water, Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman conjured Ovid’s myths into gorgeous imagery, provocative moments and breathtaking storytelling. Metamorphoses’ long-anticipated Chicago revival will feature a number of Lookingglass Ensemble Members and original cast members.

August WishList

 

A Steady Rain

@ Chicago Dramatists 

A Steady Rain is the story of two seasoned police officers) who find themselves caught up in a conflict between family and duty when a seemingly routine domestic disturbance call results in the death of a boy. When the horrific truth of the situation is made public, one of the two must take the blame for the fatal mistake. Their life-long friendship is put to the test, as both men struggle with issues of honor, love and loyalty in the face of adversity. 

Through Sept. 2

Reefer Madness @ Circle Theatre

Reefer Madness takes the over-the-top morality tale of the 1936 film cult classic, and pushes it to the edge of ridiculous. Innocent teen Jimmy is lured into the dangerous world of marijuana, a world full of insanity, promiscuity, recklessness and murder. This campy musical will have you tapping your toes to a Tom Jones-esque Jesus, and just might make you hungry for a snack.

Through Aug. 26

Death & Harry Houdini 

The House Theatre of Chicago @ The Chopin Theatre 

Artistic Director Nathan Allen returns to his very first script having spent the last decade developing The House’s voice. The House’s original production featured magic, music, dance, and film. Now Allen, along with The House’s incredibly diverse ensemble of artists, bring their experience in creating ensemble theater and devising story to the life of history’s greatest magician, while reaching deep into its bag of tricks to create an altogether new theatrical event.

Through Aug. 17

Three Sisters 
@ Steppenwolf Theatre Company

The Prozorov family chafes at the constraints of life in their small provincial town, once a bustling army garrison where their late father served as general. Attempts to shore up their crumbling social status lay bare the larger forces of unrest that will soon engulf them all. Tony® Award-winning ensemble members Tracy Letts and Anna D. Shapiro continue their celebrated collaboration, bringing fresh insight to this classic story of a privileged family’s changing fortunes.

Through Aug. 26

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

Attend the Tale of Danny Tanner: A Full House Musical 

Gorilla Tango Theatre  

In this original musical, the true life of Danny Tanner and his family is exposed; promises will be broken, sinister paths explored, lives (maybe even of main characters!) will be lost, and yes, songs will be sung. Whether you're a member of the Full House fan club or scoff in a superior fashion when you hear someone utter "Cut It Out", you will find both a touch of nostalgia and an illuminating light shining brightly on the Tanners' most clandestine realities in this black comedy with a twist. Come see the Tanners as you've never seen them before. Attend the Tale.

I grew up with the Tanners & love a new musical, so this is right up my alley. 

Cirque Shanghai: Year of the Dragon 

Navy Pier Skyline Stage 

Cirque Shanghai: Year of the Dragon is a spectacle for audiences of all ages, featuring performers direct from China who are leaders in their craft of tumbling, juggling, balancing and more. This year's production features an incredible line up of awe-inspiring acts, including favorites such as Bike Balances and Hoop Diving, as well as an all-new Group Chair Stack, Teeterboard act and the Wheel of Death.

I am ashamed to say I've never seen a show by Cirque du Soleil. And tickets to this one are surprisingly cheap at HotTix, so looks like I'll be able to cross Cirque du Soleil off the bucket list. 

Eastland: A New Musical 

Lookingglass Theatre Company 

July 24, 1915: Moored on the Chicago River between Clark St and LaSalle, The Eastland begins boarding and thousands of Western Electric employees and their families climb the ramp, excited for their annual company outing. Overflowing with passengers about to depart, the boat leans port – and doesn’t lean back. Within minutes, cries fill the air, families are torn apart and unexpected heroes emerge to rescue dozens of Chicagoans from a watery end.

Why this looks awesome: 

• Lookingglass tends to produce impeccable shows. 
• I never knew about the Eastland Disaster before I moved to Chicago. Much like Devil in the White City (another story that should be on stage), the Eastland is a part of Chicago’s history that doesn’t seem to be adequately acknowledged in American history. 
• I loved Titanic: The Musical. It won the 1997 Tony for Best New Musical but never seemed wholly embraced or beloved by musical-lovers. My theory is that, although the music was beautiful, the staging was too literal & not artistically fulfilling. Granted, sinking an ocean liner onstage is a pretty difficult task, but that is why the task needed to be approached with an artistic eye, innovative staging, & the use of/faith in the audience’s imagination. These are all elements that Lookingglass regularly incorporate into their productions, so I have no doubt Eastland: An Original musical will not disappoint. 

Amy Adams in Into The Woods!

Amy Adams will be playing  The Baker's Wife 

in New York City's Central Park

in The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park's production of

INTO THE WOODS!

I love Amy Adams & love this casting choice. It is an especially awesome casting choice because Amy Adams is more synonymous with the Cinderella character (the girl who sings to birds in Enchanted & the trusting innocent Doubt). I am ashamed to say I haven’t seen her performance in The Muppets yet, but my favorite of her roles was as the blogger in Julie/Julia. She will be a great Baker’s Wife; I am so glad they didn’t just try to go find another Joanna Gleason, because that does tend to be the trend in the casting of this role.

She is joined by Jack Broderick (Narrator), Gideon Glick (Jack), Cooper Grodin (Rapunzel's Prince), Ivan Hernandez (Cinderella's Prince/Wolf), Tina Johnson (Granny), Laura Shoop (Cinderella’s Mother), Tess Soltau (Rapunzel), Jessie Meuller (Cinderella), & Josh Lamon (Steward).

April WishList

Freud’s Last Session @ Mercury Theatre

Freud's Last Session centers on legendary psychoanalyst Dr. Sigmund Freud, who invites the rising academic star C. S. Lewis to his home in London. Lewis, expecting to be called on the carpet for satirizing Freud in a recent book, soon realizes Freud has a much more significant agenda. On the day England enters World War II, Freud and Lewis clash on the existence of God, love, sex, and the meaning of life– only two weeks before Freud chooses to take his own. Not just a powerful debate, this is a profound and deeply touching play about two men who boldly addressed the greatest questions of all time. Mark St. Germain’s celebrated new play was suggested by the bestselling book The Question of God by Dr. Armand M. Nicholi, Jr., professor of psychology at Harvard University.

C.S. LEWIS RULES. During my senior year of high school I took a class at Church of the Saviour in Wayne, PA taught by Rich Craven. Rich Craven is a pastor, college professor, genius, & awesome guy. The class concluded with a trip to Oxford, London, & The Kilns to see first-hand what we had been reading & studying for months. It was amazing, enriching, & so integral in the structure of my growth as a writer, reader, & conversationalist. [Sidenote: this trip also marked my very first taste of alcohol: peach schnapps @ The Eagle & Child. I still have the bottle, obviously]. C.S Lewis is the best writer & I wish his writing had more influence on the theatre community. I have seen two pieces of his work put onstage: The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe (musical) @ Arden Theatre Company & The Screwtape Letters (play) @ Lantern Theater Company. The LW&W musical was lacking (only because the writer was too green to conquer such a subject matter), but the idea was GENIUS. I hate to say it, but Disney could/should produce a mean version of The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe & it would be a huge hit. The Screwtape Letters was a straight play that was well-written & decently performed. The notion behind the script was clearly awesome: 2-person play that does not lack for conflict & still provides the widest avenue for artistic, post-modern interpretation (and one of the characters is a DEMON, how‘s that for awesome theatrics?).

C.S. Lewis + Theatre = a trend that I would like to see expand.

THIS WORLD NEEDS SOME LEWIS.

P.S. The Weight of Glory is the most perfect compilation of words ever put together in the English language. Just sayin.

RUNS UNTIL JUNE 3

Laramie: 10 Years Later @ Redtwist Theatre

The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later is the epilogue to the original. Ten years after Shepard's murder, members of the Tectonic Theater Project returned to Laramie to conduct follow-up interviews with residents featured in the original play. Those interviews were turned into this companion piece. The play debuted as a simultaneous reading at nearly 150 theatres across the US and internationally on October 12, 2009 - the 11th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death. Most of the theaters were linked by webcam to New York City where Judy Shepard and the play's producers and writers gave an opening speech to begin this unique memorial and evening of theater.

I LOVE INTERVIEW THEATRE.

I define interview theatre as the act of interviewing participants surrounding an event & using their direct words to concoct a script. I first fell in love with this script-writing method after reading Fires in The Mirror by Anna Deavere Smith.

In August 1991, there had been an accident in Crown Heights, Brooklyn (a racially-divided community comprised of African-Americans & Hasidic Jews). The accident involved a 7 year-old, Caribbean-American boy who was killed while learning to ride his bike when a Jewish man drove a car  veered onto the sidewalk. There were issues with the response of the medical staff which instigated protests; during one of these protests, a Jewish student visiting from Australia was stabbed. This caused days of riots, which resulted in 129 arrests, 190 injuries, & an estimated $1 million in property damage.

This community conflict caught the attention of the nation & Ms. Smith, so she decided to go the scene of the crime(s) & interviewed the widest range of community members. She comprised those interviews into 29 monologues delivered by 26 different characters; it is a stunning script & one of my favorites. In the play’s introduction, she wrote: "My sense is that American character lives not in one place or the other, but in the gaps between the places, and in our struggle to be together in our differences." Fires in The Mirror made its’ debut at New York Shakespeare Festival on May 1, 1992 with an official press opening on May 12, 1992. There was also a film adaptation of the play with Ms. Smith performing all the roles [also directed by George C. Wolfe, produced by Cherie Fortis, & filmed by American Playhouse]; it is one of the best & richest pieces of American archived theatre ever.

RUNS UNTIL APRIL 7