Displaying items by tag: Arlington Heights

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights at 111 W. Campbell St., is proud to announce its 2026-27 season launching with Ride the Cyclone, September 16 - October 18; followed by a Chicago-rooted holiday classic The Christmas Schooner, November 24 - January 3, 2027; an in-concert production of Disney's The Little Mermaid, January 27 - February 14, 2027; Chicago Premiere, The Match Game, March 3 - 28, 2027 and concluding with Rodgers and Hammerstein's masterpiece from music theatre's golden age, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, September 16 - October 18, 2027.  Early bird discounted subscriptions are available now through June 5 at MetropolisArts.com/2627-season or by calling the box office at 847.577.2121, with single tickets available later this year. 

The 2026-27 season also includes a limited run of the beloved holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol, as part of the Metropolis Family Series Saturdays at 10 a.m. (December 5 - December 19) and a full-length production December 13 and 20 at 6:30 p.m. and December 24 at 2:00 p.m.

2026-27 Season Sponsors: The season show sponsor is Suburban Accents. The season Paint Sponsor is Marc Poulous Painting and Decorating. The season costume storage sponsor is Jennifer Burnidge, CLU, ChFC, RICP State Farm Agent.

All performances are held at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St. in Arlington Heights. The full Metropolis Performing Arts Centre's 2026-27 season includes, chronologically:

RIDE THE CYCLONE

September 16 - October 25, 2026

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell

Directed by Lillian Castillo

A darkly comical musical about six teens bargaining for a second chance at life in this profound exploration of life, death, and knowing who you are. An added bonus to the Metropolis production features Director Lillian Castillo. Castillo is the original Constance on the World Premiere Cast Recording, and she also originated the role in the American premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER

November 24, 2026 - January 3, 2027

Book by John Reeger

Music and Lyrics by Julie Shannon

Directed by Patrick Tierney

A heartwarming Chicago-based musical that tells the dramatic true story of a Lake Michigan captain who risked his life to share the Christmas spirit.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL - LIMITED RUN

Metropolis Family Series: December 5 - December 19 at 10 a.m.

Full Length Production ONLY: December 13 and 20 at 6:30 p.m., December 24 at 2 p.m.

Adapted by Johanna McKenzie Miller

Original Music and Lyrics by Cory Goodrich

The holiday tradition returns to Metropolis for both the Metropolis Family Series and Metropolis Mainstage. 

DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID, a concert presentation

January 27 - February 14, 2027

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater

Book by Doug Wright

Director to be announced

Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Group, this is a concert collaboration with Metropolis School of the Performing Arts and JAM Orchestra. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney film produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker and written and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements.

This in-concert production features professional and student actors backed by a full orchestra, allowing the music to shine.

CHICAGO PREMIERE

THE MATCH GAME

Written by Steven Strafford

March 3 - 21, 2027

Director to be announced

This new work, a hilarious and heartbreaking family dramedy, asks us to contend with truths we may be too afraid to name and to laugh at ones we can't change.

RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S OKLAHOMA!

April 28 - May 30, 2027

Music by Richard Rodgers

Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Based on the play "Green Grow the Lilacs" by Lynn Riggs

Original Choreography by Agnes de Mille

Director to be announced

The classic, medium-defining musical. A high-spirited romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a tumultuous, yet hopeful, new era.

ABOUT METROPOLIS PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre is a vibrant cultural hub that enriches the community through inspiring live performances, creative arts education, and impactful partnerships. It fosters artistic excellence, cultivates multi-generational connections, and offers inclusive experiences that engage and uplift all community members. Located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights, Metropolis is not just a theatre; it is the cultural pulse of the area, surrounded by premier shopping, dining, and nightlife. Metropolis offers a dynamic year-round season of professional theatre, comedy, concerts, and cabaret performances along with engaging arts education for ages 3 to 85. Serving more than 65,000 patrons annually from across Chicagoland and beyond, Metropolis plays a pivotal role in the community. It provides arts education programs that support thousands of aspiring young artists, as well as community engagement initiatives like the Third Act Players (musical theatre for thespians over 50), Crescendo Chorus (for singers over 55), Flourish in the Footlights (for young artists with disabilities), and Clearbrook on Cue (for artists with disabilities). Metropolis is proud to partner with local organizations such as Endeavor Health, Arlington Heights Senior Center, and Clearbrook. Scholarships are available for students at the School of the Performing Arts to ensure access to the arts for all.

Ride The Cyclone is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing Global, www.broadwaylicensing.com.

The Christmas Schooner is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, www.mtishows.com.

Disney's The Little Mermaid is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, www.mtishows.com.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA! is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization,  www.concordtheatricals.com.

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights at 111 W. Campbell St., is proud to announce its 2026-27 season launching with the return of Ride the Cyclone, September 16 - October 18; followed by a Chicago-rooted holiday classic The Christmas Schooner, November 24 - January 3, 2027; an in-concert production of Disney's The Little Mermaid, January 27 - February 14, 2027; the launch of a new work, The Match Game, March 3 - 28, 2027 and concluding with Rodgers and Hammerstein's masterpiece from music theatre's golden age, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, September 16 - October 18, 2027. 

The 2026-27 subscription series includes Ride the Cyclone, The Christmas Schooner, Disney's The Little Mermaid, The Match Game and Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!. Early bird discounted subscriptions are available now through June 5 at MetropolisArts.com/2627-season or by calling the box office at 847.577.2121, with single tickets available later this year.

A strong Chicago theatre weekend starts with choosing your flavor, and this one offers a full flight. Whether you’re in the mood for something scrappy and strange, bright and nostalgic, or mythic and mischievous, the city’s stages have you covered. Three wildly different productions are running right now, and each one makes a compelling case for your time.

Shattered Globe’s Eelpout at Theater Wit is the pick for anyone who wants a show that feels distinctly Chicago - intimate, odd, and quietly daring. It’s the kind of storefront piece that rewards audiences who like their theatre a little off-center, with sharp writing and performances that dig into the emotional grit beneath the humor. If you’re craving something unexpected and handcrafted, Eelpout is the weekend’s sleeper hit.

If your week has been long and you want pure joy, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre’s The Wedding Singer is the fizzy, feel-good option. It’s big-hearted, neon-soaked, and built for audiences who want to laugh, tap their feet, and leave humming. Metropolis knows how to deliver a crowd-pleasing musical, and this one leans all the way into its ‘80s nostalgia and goofy charm.

And for something bold, clever, and completely its own, Lifeline Theatre’s Loki - The End of the World Tour offers a mythological comedy with cosmic stakes and storefront ingenuity. It’s fast, funny, and packed with the ensemble-driven inventiveness Lifeline is known for. If you want a show that feels like nothing else onstage right now, Loki’s your ticket.

Three shows, three distinct worlds - quirky storefront storytelling, musical escapism, and mythic mayhem. Whichever direction you choose, you’re in for a memorable night out.

The Wedding Singer is currently onstage at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights, offering a faithful and upbeat interpretation of the Adam Sandler–Drew Barrymore film. The production leans into the story’s rom‑com roots while making effective use of the Metropolis space, integrating ensemble work, clear character moments, and a series of well‑staged song‑and‑dance numbers to establish its easygoing, ’80s‑infused tone.

Before getting deeper into the production itself, it’s worth pausing to talk about the music. Not being familiar with the stage version - but very familiar with the film - I walked in fully expecting a night filled with Culture Club, The Cars, Depeche Mode, Dead or Alive, Huey Lewis, the B‑52s and, of course, Billy Idol. After all, Broadway has reimagined just about everything, so why not build a soundtrack from these great artists? But that isn’t what the musical sets out to deliver. While the film rolls out one 1980s hit after another, the stage adaptation replaces those songs with an entirely original score. Curious about the shift, and assuming it might be a budget decision, I did some digging - and here’s what I found.

Ok, so The Wedding Singer stage musical wasn’t conceived as a jukebox show. When Chad Beguelin, Tim Herlihy, and Matthew Sklar adapted the film for the stage, they chose to create an original score rather than license the movie’s well‑known pop hits. Securing rights to songs from multiple artists, labels, and publishers would have been enormously complex and prohibitively expensive (I was partially correct), and it would have limited the creative team to a patchwork of pre‑existing material. By writing new music, the creative team could shape songs around character development, pacing, and theatrical storytelling, all while capturing the spirit of the 1980s without relying on specific chart‑toppers. And while it may be a slight letdown for anyone hoping to hear those iconic hits, the production does nod to the film’s soundtrack: many of those artists play over the speakers as audiences enter, setting the mood with a warm wave of ’80s nostalgia before the show even begins.

From left - Cristina Benighoff, Kylie Tollefson, Jamie Dillon Grossman as Holly,  Teah Kiang Mirabelli as Julia and Jodi Gage as Angie. 

The musical adaptation of The Wedding Singer - with a book and music by the above mentioned Chad Beguelin, Tim Herlihy and Matthew Sklar - premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre on February 8, 2006, following previews that began January 31. It later transferred to Broadway, where it began previews on March 30 and officially opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 27, 2006. Now, twenty years later, almost to the day after its Broadway debut, it has arrived in Arlington Heights.

For those anticipating a beat‑for‑beat version of the movie, the stage musical instead embraces a more expansive, stage‑shaped version of the story - exactly what a musical adaptation calls for. The core story and main characters remain, but it’s the show’s original songs, larger ensemble numbers, and broader comedic beats that naturally shift the tone. Certain plot points are streamlined, and some supporting characters are reimagined or expanded, while others, like the over-the-top lounge-singing character Jimmie Moore played by John Lovitz, don’t appear at all. The result keeps the spirit of the film intact, but filters it through the pacing, structure, and heightened style of a full musical.

At the center of the story is Robbie Hart, New Jersey’s go‑to wedding singer whose life unravels after his fiancée, Linda, leaves him at the altar. The musical charts his shift from upbeat crowd‑pleaser to heartbroken mess, blending the film’s familiar humor with a more expansive emotional arc. Robbie’s missteps, meltdowns, and attempts at recovery take on a brighter, more expressive energy onstage, all while staying true to the spirit of the original film.

Julia, the warm‑hearted waitress engaged to the wrong man, grounds the narrative and becomes the catalyst for Robbie’s rediscovery of hope. Their growing connection unfolds through new songs and heightened character moments as the two become closer and closer, surrounded by neon nostalgia and a fizzy sense of fun. By the time the show reaches its finale, it captures the same earnest, feel‑good spirit that made the Sandler and Barrymore film a favorite, now delivered with Broadway‑sized verve and a wink to every ’80s love story that came before it.

The score leans into the show’s 1980s setting with a mix of upbeat pop styles and earnest ballads, and while the songs themselves aren’t the most memorable, they’re delivered with strong vocals and crisp musical direction. Numbers like “It’s Your Wedding Day” and “Saturday Night in the City” bring plenty of energy, and pieces such as “Someday” and “If I Told You” give Robbie and Julia room to explore their emotional arcs. Altogether, the score creates a fun, nostalgia‑tinged atmosphere that supports the story even if the tunes don’t linger long after the curtain.

The Metropolis cast brings The Wedding Singer to life with an easy, infectious force that suits the show’s playful spirit. Abraham Deitz‑Green leads the production as Robbie Hart, offering strong vocals and confident movement throughout. His strength shows most clearly in the musical numbers, where his singing and dancing bring real appeal to the role and highlight where his talents truly land. His rendition of Adam Sandler’s “Grow Old with You” is especially sweet, giving the show one of its most heartfelt moments. There’s a sincerity in his approach that keeps the character engaging and makes it easy to root for him from start to finish. “Casualty of Love” lets Robbie hit rock bottom in spectacular fashion, and Deitz‑Green tears into the collapse with a mix of wild humor and crisp musicality.

Opposite Deitz‑Green, Teah Kiang Mirabelli brings Julia to the stage with a gentle warmth that immediately draws the audience in, and she positively glows as the character’s optimism and sincerity take shape. Her growing connection with Robbie feels effortless and genuine, supported by acting choices that are both clear and confidently delivered. Mirabelli gives Julia a grounded sincerity, a bright sense of humor, and a quiet emotional intelligence that enrich every scene she’s in. It’s a performance that consistently elevates the material and gives the show much of its heart.

Abraham Deitz-Green as Robbie Hart.

Around them, the supporting cast adds plenty of texture and momentum. Peyton Schoenhofer gives Glen just the right amount of slick confidence and the perfect touch of cockiness, while Andres J. DeLeon’s George and Danny Dollase’s Sammy bring sharp comedic timing to Robbie’s inner circle and enjoy several standout moments of their own, turning in multiple scene‑stealing bits that consistently lift the energy onstage. Jamie Dillon Grossman’s Holly brings a spark every time she appears drawing lots of laughs, and her vocals add real lift to the ensemble. Caron Buinis offers a crowd‑pleasing turn as Rosie, finding the humor in the role without tipping into caricature and ultimately delivering one of the show’s funniest performances. As Linda, Katherine Abel delivers a compact but very funny performance that adds just the right jolt of attitude.

The strong ensemble keeps the show moving with crisp choreography by Nich O'Neil and bright character work, giving the production a lively pulse from scene to scene. The airplane scene, packed with gleefully exaggerated celebrity impersonators, brings a burst of chaotic fun and stands out as one of the production’s funniest moments.

Guiding it all is director Amber Mak, whose steady hand shapes the blend of ’80s nostalgia, rom‑com sweetness, and high‑energy musical comedy. Her approach highlights the story’s heart without sacrificing its humor, creating a production that feels both affectionate toward the original film and confidently theatrical in its own right. The production maintains a lively pace from start to finish, striking a rhythm that keeps the story engaging without a single stretch that feels slow.

The glitzy, wedding‑themed set by Milo Blue gives the show a bright visual identity, and the choice to keep the live band visible throughout adds a dynamic, concert‑like presence that energizes every scene. Getting to watch the musicians play in full view is always a big plus for me. The band is beautifully led by Carolyn Brady - not Carol Brady; that would take us back to the ’70s.

One of the pleasures of this production is the steady stream of 1980s references woven throughout. A Mr. Belvedere shout‑out, a five‑pound car‑phone battery, a nod to the “Time to make the donuts” guy, and a perfectly timed “Where’s the beef?” all land with an easy, throwback charm. The show adds plenty of other touches from the era, delivered with just the right touch of silliness. From fashion jokes to pop‑culture moments I’m surely forgetting, each reference lands like a small time‑capsule detail that keeps the audience laughing and taps into the easy lure of the 1980s.

The Wedding Singer at Metropolis ultimately delivers a bright, good‑natured night out with plenty of laughs and well-choreographed musical numbers along the way. It leans into its ’80s nostalgia and rom‑com charm without taking itself too seriously, making it an easy pick for anyone in the mood for something fun and feel‑good. If you’re looking for a show that will lift your spirits and leave you smiling, this one is well worth the trip to Arlington Heights.

Through May 24^th at Metropolis Performing Arts Center.

For tickets and/or more show information, click here.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

The Chicago Metropolitan area has a soft spot for a beautiful disaster, and The Play That Goes Wrong delivers the kind of exquisitely engineered chaos that feels tailor‑made for this theater‑loving region. What begins as a straightforward 1920s whodunit quickly mutates into a full‑throttle demolition derby of missed cues, mutinous props, collapsing scenery, and actors clinging to their dignity by the frayed edges of their costumes. Still, this play-within-a-play has the Cornley Drama Society charging through their staging of Murder at Haversham Manor with heroic - if spectacularly misguided - determination, clinging to the illusion of control even as the entire production disintegrates with spectacular enthusiasm.

That staunch commitment - part boldness, part sheer delusion - is exactly where the comedy ignites. Each disaster tops the last, creating a giddy, snowballing momentum that captures the thrill of live theater at its most unpredictable: anything can happen, and in this gloriously unhinged production, absolutely everything does.

Now this wonderful wreckage has landed in the northwest suburbs, with Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in downtown Arlington Heights offering Chicago‑area audiences a prime view of just how fabulously wrong things can go - and how deliriously right it all becomes.

Adeptly directed by Jahanna McKenzie Miller, the production becomes a finely tuned symphony of disarray - each mishap landing with surgical precision, each failing set piece detonating like a perfectly timed punchline. What unfolds is a relentless cascade of comic disaster, the kind that sends laughter rolling through the audience in unstoppable waves and showcases just how artful a well‑executed trainwreck can be.

Ryan Armstrong (left) as Chris Bean / Inspector Carter and Ryan Michael Hamman as Max Bennett in The Play THat Goes Wrong at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.

To pull off such a bang-bang comedy, it all starts with the cast - and we’ve got a good one here.

Ryan Armstrong leads the beautifully controlled bedlam with a performance steeped in delicious self‑importance, giving Chris Bean - director, actor, and self‑appointed guardian of “proper theatre” - a pompous grandeur that’s as funny as it is precise, while his turn as Inspector Carter unravels in a perfectly paced crescendo of exasperation. Eric Amundson’s Charles Haversham is a riot of physical comedy, playing a corpse who refuses to stay still (hilarious!), and Casey Ross leans into Thomas Colleymoore’s melodrama with booming gusto, turning every line into a wonderfully overwrought declaration.

David Blakeman’s Perkins is a standout of earnest incompetence, mangling lines and props with lovable sincerity, while Ryan Michael Hamman’s Max Bennett steals scenes with wide‑eyed enthusiasm, overacting and shameless audience‑wooing as Cecil Haversham and Arthur the Gardener.

Even the sound and light operator becomes a crucial player in the unfolding disorder. Richaun Stewart turns Trevor Watson into a wonderfully frayed bundle of barely contained madness, playing the chronically overtaxed tech operator whose deadpan, slow‑burn panic becomes one of the evening’s most dependable laugh generators. Teah Kiang Mirabelli dazzles as Florence Colleymoore, embodying Sandra Wilkinson’s diva bravado with such gleeful abandon that each unhinged beat lands bigger than the last.

Rounding out the cast, Natalie Henry turns Annie Twilloil into the production’s unlikely center of gravity in the second act, charting a sharp, hilarious rise from hesitant stagehand to full‑blown spotlight thief.

Together, this ensemble builds a beautifully calibrated disaster - each actor contributing a distinct flavor of chaos that makes the entire production detonate with joy.

And then there’s the set, an impressive spectacle in its own right. Scenic designer Angela Weber Miller, properties designer Gigi Wendt, and technical director David Moreland push the production well beyond a typical farce, each adding a distinct layer of precision and controlled mishaps. The set functions as a full-fledged character, engineered to collapse, misfire, and betray the actors with such precision that its breakdowns become part of the comedy’s rhythm. Each wobbling wall, treacherous platform, and ill-timed malfunction gives the performers a fresh obstacle to hurl themselves against, turning physical comedy into a kind of athletic endurance test. The design doesn’t just support the charade - it actively conspires in it, creating a living, booby‑trapped environment that amplifies every pratfall and heightens the sense that the entire world of the play is gleefully turning against its inhabitants.

Written by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields and Jonathan Sayer, the Olivier Award-winning The Play That Goes Wrong is the kind of theatrical joyride that reminds audiences why live performance is irresistible: it’s unpredictable, it’s explosive, and it’s crafted with such precision that the turmoil becomes its own kind of art. This production delivers laugh after laugh through fearless physical comedy, razor‑sharp timing, and a cast fully committed to the magnificent meltdown unfolding around them. It’s the rare show that guarantees a good time - whether you’re a seasoned theatre goer or someone who just needs a night of pure, cathartic laughter.

For tickets and/or more show information, visit https://www.metropolisarts.com/event/the-play-that-goes-wrong/. Through March 29^th.

Recommended.

Tickets: Regular $49, Preview $35, Students $25
Pay What You Can: February 25, 7:30 pm
Previews: Evenings, February 25 – February 27. Matinee, February 28.
Opening: February 28, 7:30 pm

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com.

The holiday season in Chicagoland brings with it many things: snowstorms, festive markets, twinkling lights, and cozy traditions that warm the soul on bitterly cold evenings. Holiday traditions also abound in the Chicago theatre scene with familiar favorites, comforting stories, and guilty pleasures easy to come by. If 2025 has taught us anything, it’s that what we choose matters; where we spend our money, where we focus on energies, and how we spend our money and, more importantly, our time. It’s a question at the heart of one of the most beloved holiday shows, A Christmas Carol, now playing at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center.

Charles Dickens’ enchanting tale of redemption, generosity, and hope comes to life in Arlington Heights’ favorite holiday tradition. On a snowy Christmas Eve brimming with memorable characters, ghostly apparitions, and festive holiday music, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge visits the past, present, and future and discovers the true meaning of Christmas. A Christmas Carol is adapted and directed by Metropolis Artistic Director Johanna McKenzie Miller and music directed by Cory Goodrich.

Despite the snowy weather on opening night and the lack of proper heating in the theatre itself, there was something distinctly cold about Metropolis’s staging of A Christmas Carol this year. The performance leaned heavily on Dickens’ traditional storyline, offering no room for modernization. The simple storyline was nearly impossible to follow, many voices hardly carrying past the first few rows of the chilly theatre. When the dialogue did reach audiences in the back rows, the speech was heavy-handed, garbled, and lacking any emotional substance behind it. Even Steve Connell’s brilliant and iconic performance of Scrooge felt unsupported by the ensemble cast. Actors around Connell had difficulty delivering their lines in forced English accents that came and went as swiftly as the fog dispersed, utterly devoid of conviction for such an emotional holiday piece. The performance was simply cold, distant, and clinical.

There is something to be said for traditions, but this calendar year has made us question if the traditions we uphold are worthy of such repetition. Do we do these things because we genuinely want to or simply due to muscle memory? Are these traditions worthy of putting on, or is it merely a bygone expectation? A Christmas Carol seems particularly scrutinizing in a year wrought with conversations of greed, corruption, and overconsumption. Dickens’ classic tale now skews towards sci-fi and fantasy with a moody and selfish protagonist whose sudden change of heart warms and delights. A wealthy businessman with disdain for the poor has a sudden awakening and gives back to his community? In what world? Certainly not this one. This year, the play feels farcical, sardonic, and more than a little tone-deaf. 2025 has challenged many preconceived ideas and traditions, and that same energy should be utilized when viewing Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Before we call it cynical, we should ask ourselves if this piece of Christmas tradition should be shelved with the likes of Hello, Dolly, and Annie, beautiful pieces for their time that need to step away to make room for new perspectives, new voices, new stories. Is A Christmas Carol a beloved classic or merely a ghost of Christmas past (pun intended) that has nothing left to teach us?

A Christmas Carol is now playing at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (111 W Campbell St., Arlington Heights) through December 24. Tickets are now on sale for $25-$49 at MetropolisArts.com.

Arlington Heights has a new music venue, Hey Nonny, and it is located at 10 S. Vail right in the heart of a hopping downtown area that has been bustling with excitement over the past few years. Unlike difficult parking scenarios that you might find at Chicago venues, a parking garage is conveniently located about a half block down from the front door. Last week the new music club held their grand opening with only club members and press attending. An impressive venue with all the bells and whistles would be an understatement.

Club owner, Chip Brooks, was making the rounds introducing himself to everyone. The entire staff was helpful and friendly, and the place had a good vibe to it. A nice buffet was offered to the guests, which I believe were all essentially samples of what will appear on the menu. And having said that, the food was delicious, the chef also making his way out to make sure everything was going well and that his culinary creations were being enjoyed.

The night’s entertainment was Eric Lindell and his band, which proved to be the perfect choice for the club’s opening night. Sitting in on guitar was Anson Funderburgh who is currently in town playing shows at Fitzgerald’s and SPACE. Lindell and friends put forth a solid straight-ahead blend of roots influences. They took a little blues, some rock and country and rolled it into one fun-filled performance. At times they reminded me of the early 70’s version of the Grateful Dead. Fender guitars sautéed in reverb was the flavor of the night.

All in all, it was a great introduction to a new venue. I looked at the upcoming line up and it sure looked good. You can check out the upcoming performers by clicking here. The ambiance, stage, sound and kitchen all receive high praise. No doubt about it - Hey Nonny is going to be a fantastic place to see some great music. If I had to nitpick about anything at all I would request that they consider easier return access from the restrooms. To use the washroom, one leaves the suite that the club is in and returns to a locked door. Meaning, I had to go back outside and re-enter through the front door. There might need to be a better system involved at some point. A bit inconvenient, but not at all a deal breaker. The venue is top-notch and the owner really put a lot of thought into the place to provide a unique concert and dining experience.

Hey Nonny is in a great location, the food is excellent, and the music line up looks promising. I thought the acoustics in the room was very good, which is a must for any venue that offers live music. And the sound wasn’t overpowering, so friends could talk to each other while the music was playing without shouting back and forth, which is nice. Live club sound engineers have a tendency to peel the paint off the walls, which is unpleasant at times. Not the case here.

If you are in the area and looking for a night out with some good music and yummy food, keep an eye on the music schedule at Hey Nonny.