RENT returns.

I am intrigued.

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

DreamCast: Blood Brothers

Blood Brothers just might be the best musical ever written. It is so thick & so poignant, especially for being penned in the 80s. I was lucky enough to see it in London & it was one of my Top-Ten Theatre Experiences. I love the dingy setting, the creepy undertones of the music, the quietly complicated characters, & the serious nature seasoned with perfect moments of light.

Jane Krakowski
Mrs. Johnstone
Something about her screams deadened potential.
I first met her on the soundtrack to Grand Hotel,
now she is associated more her with 30 Rock & Ally McBeal
(both positive associations, IMO).
But first impressions say it all: to me,
she will always be a quality & capable
musical theatre rockstar.

Michael Emerson

The Narrator
I apologize for the repetition,
but I can't stop casting this man in my imagination.
What an exceptional actor,
what a great &expressive face, &
what positive associations for me from the Lost years.

Laura Linney
Mrs. Lyons
For some reason, she plays the suburban crazy very well.
I liked that she had the same coloring as Jane Krakowski
because Mrs. Lyons should serve as a foil
of who Mrs. Johnstone could have been.
Mrs. Lyons is a symbol of Mrs. Johnstone's lost potential,
& requires an untouchable quality that Laura Linney could convey.

Jack McBrayer
Eddie
He has proven on 30 Rock that he is a smart actor.
It takes such articulated effort to play a believable idiot.
Not that Eddie is an idiot, but he is a man
whose mind has been simplified by the luxury of an easy lot.

Ellie Kemper
Linda

She has grown into one of my favorite character on The Office. 

I could see her though Mickey's eyes:

 as his familiar partner in crime.

I could see her through Eddie's eyes:

as a an idealized & eternally adored armpiece.

Jeremy Sisto
Mickey
He is a crazy great actor.
I first loved him in Clueless, but his work on Six Feet Under
solidified my confidence in his solid skills.
He has such a strong performance presence,
a strong & striking speaking voice, &
creates crazy, great characters out of nowhere.

Father's Day

Today marks my third father-less Father's Day.

Time doesn't help so much, but

my appreciation for the father I had

grows greater with every day I have to live in a world without him.

 This blog directly reflects my father's influence:
I would not love theatre

if it had not been for my father encouraging me to articulate my passion. And being so supportive that the word supportive loses meaning. Not only did he encourage my interest, but he adopted it as his own. He was an athlete who was intrinsically non-artistic, but was open to love this new arena because it was introduced to him from the love of his daughters. His encouragement towards his children to do what God created us to do was astounding.

I would not have moved to Chicago alone

if he hadn't instilled in me the importance of independence. Not to mention his confidence in my ability to be my own person & flourish in any environment. It is hard to doubt yourself when the person you respect most in the world has the utmost confidence in you.

 

I would not have started this blog

if he hadn't set such a strong example as one who works to create their work-based success & happiness. My father created goals for himself that weren't even on the table & achieved them at a higher caliber than anyone expected. His success was astounding, but not to his family because we saw the hours & focus behind his success.  Of all his legacies, the strength of his work ethic will undoubtedly be his most long-lasting & inspiring.

Slaughter City by Jackalope Theatre Co. @ Raven Theatre



Slaughter City
by Naomi Wallace/directed by Kaiser Ahmed

The effort & quality of the production outweighed the quality of the script. I loved the artistic interpretation of the script. It was very much my personal taste, and executed exquisitely. The pristine but crafty style of Julie Taymor meets tenement rags of Rags…it felt at the same time a period piece, a timeless commentary, & a futuristic cautionary tale. This is a feat of the production staff--the dramaturge (high-five for having one), the meticulous direction, truly artistic stage dressing, & a finely-tuned cast. However, none of this can make up for a script that I found largely lacking.

A lot of the blocking written into the script. Which makes the over-direction & air-tight blocking somewhat necessary. It's a good directing style for actors who have talent but lack instincts, but for the high-quality, interpretive actor the restriction is nothing more than restrictive. A micro-managing director can stunt the growth of an actor, and I wonder how much authority these actors were given in the opportunity to interpret their roles. For some actors, such as Jack McCabe, this directing style is so necessary. I saw him in The Homecoming at Mary-Arrchie & his performance in this production was of a much higher caliber. It still was not the best casting choice, in my opinion; this role required a more layered, subtle, & engaging performance that he was able to execute.

The roles of the factory workers required very specific actors, in race, physicality, & specific personal abilities. The cast fulfilled the specifications well. As Rose, Kristin Anderson was natural in her part & never broke focus. She was too young, but that’s a flaw I am willing to overlook due to skill & commitment level. Anne Sears was subtle, sweet, perhaps too guarded, but overall gave a strong performance. As the curious & central character Cod, AJ Ware mastered the dialogue & danced over the words with an articulated influx of emotion. This part can make or break a production & her performance was an excellent fulfillment of the demands of the role.

The script was just too serious & stylized for my taste. It vaguely reminded me a script InterAct would consider. I love a solid, serious, message-oriented script, but it has to be well-rounded. There was no humor at all. The only moments the audience laughed erupted out of awkwardness or irony, but a 2+ hour show requires a light moment here & there.

I wanted more historical context. Isn't that why we have dramaturges on staff? I wanted more narrative of the fire, not the fault of the company but still a fault of the production choice. I love that so much of Chicago-theatre is based on local history & the fire is an intriguing subject matter. With the script's literal smoke & mirrors, stomps, sharpened knives, & heavy-handed metaphors, it is easy to forget to wonder: What Is The Point? It was so thick in metaphor that I couldn’t figure out where to plant my feet. The script itself lacked a solid point-of-view & I didn't leave with a new perspective or education on the subject matter.