Displaying items by tag: Jamal Howard

The whole family can enjoy The Lizard y El Sol, returning by popular demand to 12 public spaces citywide this summer. Co-Directors Jamal Howard (Splish Splash: A Day on the Lake) and Raquel Torre (BOOK UP!) again take the reins of this beloved "Theater for the Very Young" (TVY, designed for ages 0-5) production, which drew nearly 3,000 theatergoers to Chicago parks in 2024. The cast of new faces and returning favorites includes Sonya Madrigal (Chicago Children's Theatre's Goodnight Moon) as the Lizard in search of the sun—joined by a cast portraying fellow animals, Osiris "Pinky" Cuen as Carpintero (Woodpecker), Lucía Mier y Terán Romero as La Mosca (The Fly) and Andrew Sepulveda (Jaguar) with Otto Anzures Dadda (Musician/Music Director). With free performances scheduled in 11 parks and one public library, The Lizard y El Sol is presented as part of the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks series, supported by the Mayor's Office and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). The Lizard y El Sol appears throughout Chicago July 22 – August 9. Tickets (FREE, reservations encouraged) can be booked by calling 312.443.3800 or visiting GoodmanTheatre.org/Lizard. All performances are one hour long followed by a hands-on workshop for audiences. The Goodman is grateful for the support of the Laura Sachs Family Foundation (Major Individual Sponsor), Wintrust Commercial Bank (Community Programs Sponsor) and Kirkland & Ellis (Arts in Community Sponsor).

"Two years ago, we built this show as a beacon of hope for Chicago's young people and their caregivers, with deep love to those in our Spanish-speaking communities," said Co-Director Raquel Torre. "The message of unlikely heroes working together to solve the crisis of a missing sun continues to resonate! As the mother of a now-five-year-old, I've seen firsthand how this story, along with its music and performances, has endured in both memory and values."

When El Sol (the sun) mysteriously vanishes from the sky, it's up to one brave Lizard to embark on a quest to find and bring back the light. Audiences of all ages will enjoy this enchanting retelling of a beloved Mexican folktale featuring interactive storytelling and Mexican-inspired music and dance. The Lizard y El Sol is presented primarily in Spanish but is designed to be enjoyed and understood by both Spanish and non-Spanish speakers. 

"I'm thrilled to bring the joy of this story back to Chicago's children and families," said Co-Director Jamal Howard. "The capacity for empathy starts from the day a person is born, and this show helps foster empathy in our youngest audience members as well as courage and curiosity. The story of a lizard and their animal friends searching for the missing sun inspires audiences to be active community members and encourages children to get involved directly in helping the characters solve problems. Empathy is uniquely learned by experiencing and participating in theater, the work we're doing with productions for young audiences helps to set the foundation for a child to grow into an empathic adult." 

Theater for the Very Young (TVY) programming offers immersive theatrical experiences—produced and performed by professional artists—designed for children ages 0–5 years old to experience alongside the grown-ups in their lives. Created in 2023 by Goodman Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth in response to research demonstrating the profound impact the arts can have on early childhood development and long-term learning outcomes, TVY introduces Chicagoland's youngest audiences to live theater through storytelling, music, movement and sensory-rich play produced and performed by professional artists. Over the past three years, TVY has served thousands of children and families in Chicago parks, theaters, schools and community spaces with productions of the plays Splish Splash: A Day on the Lake (2026); BOOK UP! (2025); The Lizard y El Sol (2024); and Pearl Cleage's In My Granny's Garden (2023).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Jamal Howard (Co-Director) is a Chicago-based director, choreographer and producer with a focus on creating courageous and empathetic theater. He was the 2023/2024 Goodman Theatre Michael Maggio Directing Fellow, a member of the Theatre Communication Group's 2024 Rising Leaders of Color Cohort, Co-Artistic Director of New American Folk Theatre and an Associate Company Member with TUTA Theatre. At The Goodman, Howard co-directed Splish Splash and The Lizard y El Sol and associate directed In My Granny's Garden. Other Goodman Theatre credits include English, A Christmas Carol, Highway Patrol and Antonio's Song. Select directing and choreography credits include: Doctor De Soto, The Wong Kids, Splish Splash (Northwestern University); 8-Track: The Sounds of the 70s, Songs for a New World (Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre); Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (Backstage Breckenridge Theatre); R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (National Tour); tick, tick... Boom! (Boho Theatre); The Apple Tree (Porchlight Music Theatre); Think Fast, Jordan Chase (Filament Theatre); Corduroy, The Wiz, Magic Tree House: Showtime with Shakespeare (Emerald City Theatre); The Wiz, The Mole Hill Stories (Children's Theatre Madison). Howard served as the Associate Artistic Director of Emerald City Theatre where he created inspiring productions that helped Chicago's children creatively face the world. He is an alum of Loyola University Chicago. jamalhoward.com

Raquel Torre, she/her/ella (Co-Director) is a Boricua theater maker currently based in Chicago. With a background in new work development, physical performance and community-grounded spectacle, she's been creating, directing, producing and performing in all types of theatrical productions for almost two decades. She was the 2024/2025 Goodman Theatre Michael Maggio Directing Fellow and, since 2013, has been creating original work through La Vuelta Theatre Lab (formerly Circo La Vuelta) with her partner Jean Claudio. Passionate about artistic facilitation and teaching artistry, she's often teaching workshops and leading guided experiences, in addition to teaching a course on Latinx Theatre at Aurora University. Select Chicago directing credits include BOOK UP!, The Lizard y El Sol (Goodman); Farewell Opportunity (Filament Theatre); Aquí o Allá (Actors Gymnasium); Memorabilia (Teatro Vista); Kid Prince and Pablo (Lifeline Theatre); Back in the Day (UrbanTheater Company). Select associate/assistant director credits include: Eureka Day (Timeline Theatre); BUST, Betrayal, Inherit the Wind (Goodman); POTUS (Steppenwolf Theatre). She holds a BA in Theatre from the Universidad de Sagrado Corazón (Puerto Rico), a certificate in Movement and Devised Theatre from Cabuia Teatro (Argentina), and an MFA in Devised Performance Practice from LISPA/Columbia College Chicago (Germany/USA).

Company of The Lizard y El Sol

Presented as part of the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks Series, supported by the Mayor's Office and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE)

Originally produced by Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA

Co-Directed by Jamal Howard and Raquel Torre

Sonya Madrigal...Lizard
Otto Anzures Dadda...Musician
Osiris "Pinky" Cuen...Carpintero 
Lucía Mier y Terán Romero...La Mosca
Andrew Sepulveda...Jaguar

CREATIVE TEAM

Scenic Designer...Ryan Emens
Costume Designer...Jazmin Aurora Medina 
Music Director...Otto Anzures Dadda 
Production Associate...Lauren Westfahl 
Production Assistant...Mia Maccarella 
Line Producer...Jared Bellot 
Second Line Producer...Michael Cotey

Casting by Lauren Port, CSA.

ABOUT THE GOODMAN

Since 1925, The Goodman has been more than a stage. A theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for community, it's where stories come to life—bold in artistry and rich in history, deeply rooted in the city it serves.

Led by Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, The Goodman sparks conversation, connection and change through new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musicals. With distinctions including nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman is proud to be the first theater to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson's "American Century Cycle." In addition, the theater frequently serves as a production partner—with national and international companies to Chicago's Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify theatrical voices.

But The Goodman believes a more empathetic, more connected Chicago is created one story at a time, and counts as its greatest legacy the community it's built. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime; from Theater for the Very Young (plays designed for ages 0-5) to the long-running annual A Christmas Carol, which has introduced new generations to theater over five decades, The Goodman is committed to being an asset for all of Chicago. Education and Engagement programs led by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot and housed in the Alice Rapoport Center use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging. Each year, these programs reach thousands of people (85% from underserved communities) as well as educators, artists and lifelong learners across the city.

The Goodman stands on the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—and acknowledges the many other Nations for whom this land now called Chicago has long been home, including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo, and Mascouten. The Goodman is proud to partner with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (Gichigamiin-Museum.org) and the Center for Native Futures (CenterForNativeFutures.org)—organizations devoted to honoring Indigenous stories, preserving cultural memory, and deepening public understanding.

The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family to honor the memory of Kenneth Sawyer Goodman—a visionary playwright whose bold ideas helped shape Chicago's early cultural renaissance. That spirit of creativity and generosity endures today. In 2000, through the commitment of Mr. Goodman's descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—The Goodman opened the doors to its current home in the heart of the Loop.

Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women's Board President; and Kelli Garcia is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals. 

More jukebox than musical, Theo Ubique’s production of 8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s, conceived by Rick Seeber with musical arrangements by Michael Gribben, is a tribute to 70’s AM radio, performed by an ensemble of powerhouse vocalists, showcasing a range of tunes from Motown to the Bee Gees. There is no metal, punk, or hip-hop, but the range of pop sounds that provided the soundtrack for the decade is wide enough that, in the hands of the capable musicians who perform them in this lively rendition, there is something for everyone in the set-list. The actor/singers do a good job of creating distinct characters, but plumbing the depths of relationships or creating anything resembling a plot is an elusive quest when there are 50 songs to get through. Director/Choreographer Jamal Howard has done his best to pay tribute to the social movements of the 70’s, but this backdrop only makes one wish for a deeper dive; the production is more successful when the music guides the choreography and relationships are lighter. Music director/conductor/designer and keyboardist Jeremy Ramey keeps the tempos brisk and the harmonies tight, providing a musical setting that ensures one is not sucked into the morass of the more saccharin or outdated numbers. The cast is respectful of the material but does not allow their reverence to try to sell numbers whose expiration date is past—though they still have fun with them. Billed as a holiday production, this is a light-weight but entertaining option for people who loved even some of the music of the 70’s or those whose pop music education began in later decades and want a quick primer.

Performed by a stellar eight-person cast led by four lead singers, Jamal Howard’s production pays tribute to the social movements that defined the decade, especially the post-Stonewall gay rights movement. Several characters explore their sexual orientation, questioning and fearing their feelings of attraction until finally embracing them with the advent of disco at the end of the decade.  The Vietnam War was nearing its end at the beginning of the 70’s, but the draft was still claiming the lives of young men without the means of it, and the music and Howard, with assistant director/choreographer J Alan, honors those who were forced to take up arms. Feminists were starting to demand equality of pay and opportunities for women, which was reflected in the music of the time (Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman” being a more obvious example), though there were plenty of songs that countered that narrative as well (the Commodore’s “Brick House” being a rousing but egregious example). In trying to bring these narratives into a musical without a book, Howard occasionally creates frustratingly mercurial relationships that leave one wanting some dialogue to flesh things out, but the historical framework offers insights into the decade that younger viewers will not have. Howard’s choreography is serviceable throughout, but shines when he draws on the dances of the time period.

The design elements also help transport the audience to the era. Mara Ishihara Zinky’s scenic design combines elements of wood-paneled basement and music club. Costume designer Jasmine Aurora Medina’s first act designs seem to be a year-by-year march through the Sears catalogue, though characters become more consistent as they “find themselves” and the disco looks are truly fabulous. Lighting designer Piper Kirchhofer brings a concert-like feel to the evening, relying on super-saturated colors to provide shifts in mood. Sound designer Stefanie M. Senior adds additional period context, and audio engineers Isaac Mandel and Max Cichon provide invaluable support.

The eight cast members all create distinct characters and bring both acting chops and vocal expertise to the experience. There is a lot of music, and the arrangements are complicated by the addition of voices to the core cast of four, but all the performers flawlessly execute the vocal journey and choreography. The four lead singers, Wesly Anthony Clergé, Mia Nevarez, Patrick O’Keefe and Jasmine Lacy Young all bring confidence and exuberance to their performances, capturing the emotions of their characters’ relationships and the songs that provide the vehicles. Jasmine Lacy Young brings soaring vocals to the anthem “I Am Woman,” and more meditative songs like “Just the Way You Are.” Wesly Anthony Clergé brings out the anger in “War” as the veteran who could not avoid the draft. Clergé’s well-modulated voice and ingratiating smile are a highlight of the show. Mia Nevarez, a relative newcomer, has a beautiful, smooth soprano that manages to make even “You Light Up My Life” rise above its schmalzy mediocrity. Navarez and Clergé join forces for a beautiful rendition of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” Patrick O’Keefe rounds out the quartet of principals; he ends up having to sell some of the less sturdy music of the decade and his character takes a while to come into his own, but he brings a nice longing to songs like “I’m Not in Love” and “Desperado.” The remaining members of the ensemble provide become love interests and swell the sounds of the music. Chamaya Moody distinguishes herself with her dance moves, but all the actors, Moody, Alli Atkenson, Matt Patrick and Roy Samra find ways to create characters that remain consistent while changing with the decade. The show is at its most joyful and fun when the eight-member ensemble joins together for “tracks” (the show is divided into eight of these, appropriately), including a raucous party in the first act, and a road trip and disco tribute in the second. With a versatile band consisting of Jeremy Ramey on keyboards, Perry Crowder on guitar, Egan Franke on bass and Carlos Mendoza on drums backing up the vocals and rocking out on their own, the production more than does justice to the artists that created the sounds of 70’s.

If one has musical memories of the 70s, 8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s will provide a joyful trip to the past, with the talented cast breathing life into even the most moribund hits of the decade. If one is too young to recollect the times, many of the hits may still ring a bell, and the show will provide an energetic introduction to those that don’t. If you are looking for complex plots and characters, this is not your show, but director Jamal Howard and the exuberant ensemble have created a respectful but not too reverent time capsule that provides a nice break from the winter weather as well as a reminder that every decade has its own struggles and celebrations.

8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s runs through January 23 at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre at 721 Howard Street, Evanston. Tickets are on sale at www.theo-u.com or 773-939-4101. Prices are Thurs. & Sun. $42 bar seats, $45 riser seats, $50 table seats; Fri & Sat: $46 bar seats, $49 riser seats, $54 table seats, except ticket prices for the New Year’s Eve show (including a champagne toast) are $70 for the show only. No performances Christmas week Thursday, December 23 through Sunday, December 26. Optional three course prix fixe dinners catered by Good To Go Jamaican Cuisine are available for $29.00 per person, per show. Dinner reservations must be placed one week in advance of the desired performance date. Theo Ubique will be requiring all audience members to be fully vaccinated from COVID-19 this season. Photo ID and proof of vaccination (photos or photocopies are acceptable) will be required at the door. (Starting one hour before curtain, all unsold seats will be released for $20.)