Displaying items by tag: chicago theater

The holidays bring many traditions for different people. Some rewatch home alone, some bake cookies, some see Christmas lights, and some watch The Nutcracker with family. To me, it isn’t Christmas until I've seen the ballet at least five times. I've always loved the ballet, especially around the holidays. But tap? When tapped to see Tidings of Tap! I was skeptical. But what could be bad about a holiday dance show?

I never gave much attention to tap. It was the other dance. Sort of like rhythmic gymnastics to Simone biles gymnastics. But I'm a sucker for kitschy holiday shows and one that is family friendly is even better. Tidings of Tap! opened much like The Nutcracker where a young girl, performed by nationally ranked rhythmic gymnast Dasha Merkulov, enters into a mysterious and magical winter wonderland where she meets friends who demonstrate the meaning of the holidays. The tap dancers intricately tapped to familiar holiday carols and tunes, accompanied by a five piece band and live vocals. From winter wonderlands and Christmas to Hanukkah and from Black Friday and New Year's Eve, each number was more charming than the last. The young clara-like girl performed rhythmic gymnastics with grace and beauty. I was surprised by the talent of all the performers. The production was simple yet magical, the choreography intricate yet not overdone. The dancers were expressive and graceful, again nothing what I expected from a tap performance.

Thinking of tap my mind fills with figures like Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. It's an older dance, one that hasn't kept up with the times. But Tidings of Tap!'s charm and spirit changed this tap-grinch's heart and made her a convert. The whimsical production of two hours and countless numbers offered plenty for the whole family. It was impossible not to smile and it'll be impossible to imagine next holiday season without this in the holiday line up.

Make Tidings of Tap! part of your holiday season next year. It's sure to become a mainstay on the North Shore and a tradition the whole family can enjoy. For more information on Chicago Tap Theater (CTT) visit www.ChicagoTapTheater.com.

Has anyone ever knocked on your door trying to sell you something? Magazines? Cookies? What about religion? No? Me neither. A new Chicago musical-comedy utilizes a familiar character-driven plot line of two Mormon missionaries knocking on doors, only to discover a new friendship, and themselves along the way. It’s not The Book Of Mormon, this is The Book of Merman, the off-Broadway show showing in select cities across the country.

Two missionaries spreading the word about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they find themselves at the door of Ethel Merman, hilarity ensues in a diva-driven journey featuring original songs by Leo Schwartz. The Book of Merman did not have much substance. There was a familiar story line of a closeted gay Mormon man who secretly loves musical theater who meets one of his idols (and he just happens to have her biography in his backpack next to his bible!). Then there’s something about Ethel Merman (the undisputed first lady of musical theater who died in 1984) is- spoiler - not who she says she is! She’s only pretending to be Ethel Merman. The characters find themselves in each other, complete strangers, and they shimmy and box step their way into no ones hearts while using jazz hands. To top it off, the vocals could hardly make it past the second row of of the 50-person music box theater at Stage 773.

With the The Book of Mormon’s monumental success, it’s easy to see how utilizing a similar character-driven plot could work. But switching out character development for stereotypes and bad vocals does not make a great production. And I have to wonder if religious soliciting is still a thing or if it’s a dying fad. Unfortunately for The Book of Merman, I think it too is a dying fad.

Presented by Flying Elephant Productions, The Book of Merman is playing at Stage 773 through January 6, 2019. Run time: 90 minutes, no intermission. For showtimes and tickets visit https://www.stage773.com/show/merman.

As the house lights dimmed and the actors took to the stage, an odd play began to unfold at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater. Lights appeared to direct the actors where to go, the actors didn’t act as though they were acting, and perched on my corner aisle seat actresses raced by to leap onto the backs of other actors. I wondered if having that second glass of wine was a good idea. But what was unfolding before me was a beautiful, complex, original, and exquisitely choreographed production of The Better Half presented by Lucky Plush Productions.

The Better Half is a dance-theater spin on the 1944 psychological thriller Gaslight, directed by George Cukor. Launching from this classic film, layers of fiction and reality accumulate, revealing the elusive boundaries between performer and character, actual and scripted relationships, life versus borrowed plot lines. Ultimately a new narrative emerges, capturing the habitual patterns, escapist tendencies, and resilience in contemporary relationships through a complex mix of dance and theater languages.

Rhoads and Danzig approached the staging of The Better Half with a commitment to actual experience. The performers are first and foremost themselves. They are assigned characters. The thriller plot is handed to them. The imposed elements cause the performers to react, and their reactions further the plot. The actual effects on the performers in trafficking between the composed plot and the live circumstances deliver a coherent narrative arc that grapples with fact and illusion, life and art and the way these opposites can get entangled.

The 1700 Theater is Steppenwolf’s newest theater; a casual, intimate and flexible 80-seat space dedicated to showcasing the work of ensemble and emerging local theater companies. With the entrance conveniently located through the bar, it set the mood perfectly for the avant garde production. This surprising, confusing, and intriguing play made for a more unusual theatrical experience than the normal Chicago theater soon. It pairs best with a crisp chardonnay.

On November 10 and 17, take advantage of a discounted Lucky Plush Saturday double feature with a work-in-progress showing of Rink Life at 5 pm, and the signature Lucky Plush work The Better Half at 8 pm. Tickets are available through November 17th and can be purchased at https://www.steppenwolf.org.

It could have been any other Friday night for me; coffee, friends, and a few brief moments away from the responsibilities of motherhood, to talk and vent about the responsibilities of motherhood. But it wasn’t a Friday night with my friends, but Cry It Out, a new play written by Molly Smith Metzler. Like most evenings out, there were laughs, shared emotions and connections, and it ended far too soon leaving me wanting more.

Cooped up on maternity leave and eager for conversation, Jessie invites the funny and forthright Lina for coffee in their neighboring backyards. They become fast friends, quickly bonding over their shared “new mom” experience—and arousing the interest of a wealthy neighbor hoping for a similar connection. This insightful comedy takes an honest look at the absurdities of new motherhood, the dilemma of returning to work versus staying at home, and how class impacts parenthood and friendship. A comedy with dark edges, Cry It Out takes an honest look at the absurdities of being home with a baby, the power of female friendship, the dilemma of going back to work, and the effect class has on parenthood in America.

At a time when new mothers have little time off to care for their newborns, and even less time to mentally and physically recover from the trials of giving birth, this play shines a light on how depressingly similar our situations are. Three mothers represent three different economic situations. Each struggle with having a significant other who doesn’t fully understand their decisions and desires, discovering and accepting their new roles as mothers, and each face their own self judgement and worry about making the right choices for their families and themselves.

What Metzler does so well with this play is keeping it simple and unabashedly honest about what mothers go through, and how they deal with the challenging newborns, new bodies, and new friendships. From subtle references to NoseFridas (accurately referenced as the greatest invention of all time), to more tragic realities like breech deliveries and life-altering injuries. Cry it Out is a painfully beautiful story that will leave you crying for more. Its talented cast includes Laura Lapidus (Lina), Gabriel Ruiz (Mitchell), Darci Nalepa (Jessie) and Kristin Valada-Viars (Adrienne).  

Cry It Out runs through June 17th at Northlight Theatre. Tickets are available at https://northlight.org/

Forget everything you know about A Midsummer Night's Dream. Don't recall images of the classical ballet, or lines from Shakespeare's play, and definitely don't think about how often the singular possessive noun is used incorrectly by putting the possessive on the wrong word. A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Joffrey Ballet trumps any rendition of the classic you’ve ever seen. It is a trip, and needs to be experienced in order to fully appreciate it.

The artistic direction was inspired not by the play but by the actual tradition of Midsummer, specifically celebrated in Sweden. In Sweden, Midsummer's Eve is one of the most important days of the year, rivaling Christmas with its festive spirit and traditions. Traditionally, Midsummer was celebrated on June 24, the feast day of St. John the Baptist, but the holiday has its roots in a pre-Christian solstice festival.

The play opens with a sleeping man who awakes in a dream like state to take a roll in the hay. The curtain rises revealing the Joffrey corps beating and rolling in the hay in perfect unison. They are jubilant, frolicking before an enormous sun, the entire stage and wings exposed to lend the scene a rustic, industrial feel. After cleaning up the hay, the midsummer festivities begin, there is laughter, kissing, sunbathing, dancing around a maypole, wearing crowns of wild flowers, toasting to the audience, all culminating in a Gatsby like way until they pass out, crawl, or drag each other home. Americans needs to adopt this holiday immediately. Accompanied by a haunting, ethereal vocalist, the ballet took us on a fantastic and hilarious trip.

Contrasting the first act’s dreamlike party, the second act was a trippy nightmare complete with a passionate pas de deux, dead fish, and Wild Wild Country-like expressions of raw emotion (those who've watched the documentary know what I’m talking about). The trip was a slow burn, building in intensity and complexity, leaving the audience to exclaim, “I have no idea what I just watched, but I loved it.”

Sitting behind the Swedish ambassador to the United States and her delegation, Rahm Emmanuel and his wife in attendance, and a packed house, the Joffrey's premiere of this production could not have been more well received. The swedish guests beamed and marveled at the ballet, and were the first to rise and give a standing ovation. Ashley Wheater, the ballet’s artistic director, celebrating his 10th year with the company, has created a modern festival that encapsulates the fervor and the magic of the Midsummer holiday. The jubilation is not lost in translation even though Americans do not have an equivalent holiday to reference, instead they are exposed to what seems to be the greatest holiday since Halloween. With choreography and set design by Alexander Ekman, and music by Mikael Karlsson, they've developed a piece that showcases not only the ballet dancers contemporary prowess, strength, and grace, but also gave them room to act, and laugh, and show their personalities in a way that I've never seen in any other ballet production. It's nothing short of a modern masterpiece.

There's an old Swedish proverb that says “Midsummer night is not long, but it sets many cradles to rock,” which accurately summarizes this ballet. I encourage you to let your imagination interpret the proverb, think about this when viewing this marvelous and magical production, and to lobby Rahm to adopt this holiday as Chicago’s newest summer tradition.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream plays at the Auditorium Theater through May 6th, tickets can be purchased at http://www.joffrey.org/midsummer.

Once upon a winter’s glow,

I did venture to see a show,

A show so dark and oddly brooding, filled with misery and woe.

A new musical did appear,

At the Edge Theater it did premiere,

Nevermore:

The imaginary life and death of Edgar Allen Poe.

Upon the stage seven players did regale,

A musical rendition of the troubled poet’s tale,

With songs on pointe in pitch and scale,

Depicting Poe’s tragic life,

Filled with sadness, death, drunkenness, and strife

His countenance and will, through hardships made frail.

The cast of players did their thing,

Though some fell short when they tried to sing,

While others, like Poe! What a talent was he! whose heart and soul he did bring,

To the characters of a man both fascinating and strange,

He conveyed happiness, sadness, and showed a great range,

To the moon- which he reached- he did swing.

The music was ominous, and lyrics were dark,

The storyline has substance and hit the mark,

And covered all aspects of a story, that was anything but stark.

This well written piece was an enjoyable jaunt,

On a mystery of death that continues to haunt,

Their endeavor was clearly not just a lark.

Against many a theater I am willing to measure,

This piece and its cast did bring the audience pleasure,

It stands on its own and with some casting changes, could make a piece Chicago could treasure.

Poe is a topic du jour, many plays and stories are being written,

Of the man and his Raven whom the world still is smitten,

You’d do well to see this young play at your leisure.

Go to the theater I do implore!

To see this musical with an artistic score,

And be dazzled and delighted, by a life immortalized in lore.

This is a play I think you must see,

To the Edge Theater you must flee,

Before this play is…nevermore!

Nevermore- The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe! Runs through January 28^th at

The Edge Theater

5451 N Broadway, Chicago

http://nevermorechicago.brownpapertickets.com

On Friday, January 19, in honor of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday, audience members are invited to join us after the show for a complementary Prosecco toast to the great author and poet!

Once upon a winter’s glow,

I did venture to see a show,

A show so dark and oddly brooding, filled with misery and woe.

A new musical did appear,

At the Edge Theater it did premiere,

Nevermore:

The imaginary life and death of Edgar Allen Poe.

Upon the stage seven players did regale,

A musical rendition of the troubled poet’s tale,

With songs on pointe in pitch and scale,

Depicting Poe’s tragic life,

Filled with sadness, death, drunkenness, and strife

His countenance and will, through hardships made frail.

The cast of players did their thing,

Though some fell short when they tried to sing,

While others, like Poe! What a talent was he! whose heart and soul he did bring,

To the characters of a man both fascinating and strange,

He conveyed happiness, sadness, and showed a great range,

To the moon- which he reached- he did swing.

The music was ominous, and lyrics were dark,

The storyline has substance and hit the mark,

And covered all aspects of a story, that was anything but stark.

This well written piece was an enjoyable jaunt,

On a mystery of death that continues to haunt,

Their endeavor was clearly not just a lark.

Against many a theater I am willing to measure,

This piece and its cast did bring the audience pleasure,

It stands on its own and with some casting changes, could make a piece Chicago could treasure.

Poe is a topic du jour, many plays and stories are being written,

Of the man and his Raven whom the world still is smitten,

You’d do well to see this young play at your leisure.

Go to the theater I do implore!

To see this musical with an artistic score,

And be dazzled and delighted, by a life immortalized in lore.

This is a play I think you must see,

To the Edge Theater you must flee,

Before this play is…nevermore!

Nevermore- The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe! Runs through January 28^th at

The Edge Theater

5451 N Broadway, Chicago

http://nevermorechicago.brownpapertickets.com

On Friday, January 19, in honor of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday, audience members are invited to join us after the show for a complementary Prosecco toast to the great author and poet!

Nearly fifty years since the start of an amazing rock band, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull takes up for another tour most recently making a stop at the Chicago Theater. With him, he brought his classic songs and jammed away. Needless to say, the night was filled with incredible music.

A few minutes after 8 p.m. the lights dimmed to let everyone know it was show time. People made their way to their seats excited in anticipation of an explosive show. The upscale Chicago Theater was an excellent setting for a night with a musical mastermind. The ushers were helpful, fans were happy, and then the lights faded.

The show started and the powerful rock band painted the canvas of music for the evening. The earlier portion of the show contained a couple gems; “Living in the Past” and “Nothing is Easy”. These crowd pleasers were just what everyone wanted. They kept nailing the riffs in a refined way and delivering the music.

Ian Anderson brought along some really sweet sounding flute to the theater. His musical ability and showmanship is second to none. Playing fast-paced flute while standing on one leg while making mischievous looks are all part of his unique skill set.

Up next was a rewritten version of “Heavy Horses” that had a different twist. New lyrics were added to the song, but there was also a virtual singer involved. Screens behind the band were in sync with the show and had singers on the screen that were pre-recorded.

A favorite among so many, “Thick as a Brick” was yet another a great selection from Jethro Tull. The current lineup of musicians did the piece justice duplicating it. The presentation of the edited version makes quite a nice show and demonstrates the musical insanity of Ian Anderson.

Band Members;
Ian Anderson – Guitar, Flute, Mandolin, and much more!
David Goodier - Bass
Scot Hammond – Drums and percussion
John O’Hara – Piano, keyboards, and accordion
Florian Opahle – Guitar
 
The night went along playing one Tull song after another. Ian’s magic flute shines on the song “Bourree”. The instrumental piece always makes the fans happy. The polished up version was a perfect selection for their set. It wouldn’t be an Ian Anderson show without a classical piece like this one from J.S. Bach. The only way to continue was with “Farm on the Freeway”, “Too old to Rock n’ Roll, Too Young to Die,” and “Songs From the Wood”. Then the band took a quick intermission.
 
The crowd was very pleased at the start of the first set with “Sweet Dream”. Florian Opahle had his guitar tone set just right to mimic the record. Everything he does shows he can handle the guitar work produced on Jethro Tull albums. He nails the riffs and sound all while making it his own.

“Dharma for One” is a jam that ends up in a drum solo. Scott Hammond played some of the most incredible rolls going all over the kit in what was a seriously hard piece to play. His style and ability match, or surpass, that of any drummer around.

The deep bass feeling from David Goodier on “A New Day Yesterday” was the start of the blues jam that got some people moving. He blended well with John O’hara on keyboards. All of the musicians have some seriously good chops.

“Aqualung”! The opening guitar riff is one that stands out well. The heavy guitar-based song had the crowd on their feet and moving. The solo was incredible as well as the rhythm section. Once the song was over with the cheering didn’t stop and unfortunately the words, “Bye-bye! Bye-bye!” were said. No one was going to let them leave without playing one more song.

The band did not let their fans down. The song began and the audience was happy. The FM hit, “Locomotive Breath” gave a final punch to the show. The bug eyes and over the top leadership within Ian provided a memorable show. His song writing and musical styling was a pleasure within a live setting to see. The man is way beyond a flute player. He is a showman.

After almost fifty years of being involved with music, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull continues to tour with no signs of stopping and no reason to. The Chicago Theater was a perfect setting for the magic flute work of Ian and his amazing band. As always, they were a delight to see.

Holidaze really is like nothing you’ve seen before, especially during the traditional Holiday season offerings like The Nutcracker. The international cast members from many countries including Italy, Mongolia, Asia, Ukraine, and Ethiopia were extremely gifted in each of their unique disciplines. The magnificent Chicago Theater was a perfect venue for such a show.

The sister contortionists, aerialists, silks artists, chair stackers, and clowns all did so many different things all at the same time onstage and in the air that  it was difficult to really take it all in! 

One dancer did a balancing and juggling routine while lying on a slanted bench where at one point she literally was doing a different and independent action with each of her four limbs, Her right foot was twirling hula hoops, while her right foot balanced a rolling boll, her right hand was juggling and her left hand doing some other equally amazing task. This and all the acts really make you realize what an awesome creation the human body is and what seemingly miraculous feats it is capable of with the right talent and cultivation.

The costumes were for the most part spectacular but occasionally I thought they went a little too comical (reindeer unitards and old Mrs. Santa Claus) instead of balletic and took some of the dignity away from what were amazingly graceful and dignified performances.

Also the hypnotic, repetitive music soundtrack needs an updating as it gave everything kind of a 1990’s Euro-House Music feel that was dazzling at first but became a little overwhelming and confusing by the end of the first act.

One other note I have for the producers of this particular cast is the presence of a very young, tiny aerialist/ballet dancer who appeared to be about 6-7 years old. She was a brilliant ballerina who could very easily be playing the lead in The Nutcracker, but in this show she was trussed up in a very strange halter type contraption and pushed around the stage by a man on stilts. I felt very uncomfortable watching someone so young performing this way and doing contortionism at all when her body is so flexible because it is still forming.

To make sure I was not overreacting, I leaned over to a friend and asked what he thought and his first response was, “Creepy! Like watching child abuse!”  I agree, this act needs to be placed on the ground like the other young 9-year old dancer in the show and re-costumed as children should never be costumed in something that even resembles a restraint of any kind.

Other than that this was a refreshing and spectacular night of amazement, suspense and bursting at the seams with psychedelic Christmas colors and lighting effects that I will never forget. 

The Houston Ballet might not have shown us the world (shining, shimmering, splendid), but they did present the city of Chicago with an incredible production of “Aladdin” filled with the same sorcery, riches, splendor, magic, love, and romance as we’ve come to expect from the heartwarming tale of an impoverished young ne'er-do-well who becomes part of a whirlwind adventure.

The Houston Ballet made its debut at the Auditorium Theatre with celebrated English choreographer David Bintley's ballet "Aladdin." The ballet was originally created for the New National Ballet of Japan in Tokyo in 2008, and the Windy City was only the fourth city to experience the performance, sharing the magic carpet ride with such cities as Tokyo and London. Most people will know the story of Aladdin from the popular 1992 Disney movie of the same name. However, the Houston Ballet's "Aladdin" follows the more traditional story of Aladdin from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights). There’s no singing genie or clever monkey named Abu, but there was no need for it in this breathtaking production.

The caliber of talent that took the stage this past weekend would leave the staunchest of critics in awe. From the background dancers to the principle dancers, everyone commanded the audience’s attention with a technique and grace that prove why the Houston Ballet is a world renowned. The moment the curtains rose, the dancers instantly transported us to old Arabia. Set against spectacular scenery created by the English designer Dick Bird and coupled with an exceptional original score by Carl Davis and performed by the Chicago Philharmonic, the audience was immediately under the spell of Aladdin’s magic.

While there were many highlights throughout the 2 ½ hour performance, one of the standouts had to be the cave of wonders. When the evil sorcerer convinces Aladdin to enter the cave and retrieve the magic oil lamp, Aladdin is met with jewels and riches beyond his imagination. The jewels onyx, pearls, gold and silver, sapphire, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds were all brought to life by dancers, making the riches literally dance before Aladdin’s eyes. The audience watched on, as mystified and entranced as the young peasant boy himself. Equally impressive were the comings and goings of the genie throughout the performance; whether he hovered in midair or vanished and appeared in a cloud of smoke, the genie entered with power and pizazz that would make Robin Williams himself proud. In one scene at the royal court, when the genie transforms Aladdin from rags to princely attire, the scene erupts into a frenzied dance with the genie, jewels, slaves, and courtesans. The high energy, fast moving dance was so synchronized you’d think one person was controlling the dozens of dancers on stage. It was graceful, powerful, magical, and was the definitive mark that this ballet is here to stay.

Who doesn’t love the story of Aladdin? It’s a rags to riches story that has stood the test of time. The Houston Ballet’s production of “Aladdin” is nothing short of spectacular. Folks young and old gave the performance a standing ovation and were captivated for the entire duration of the performance. The sheer talent and pageantry of the ballet was a welcome change to Chicago and the Auditorium Theater. I hope more shows like this breeze through the Windy City for Chicagoans to experience. So the next time “Aladdin” flies into Chicago on its magic carpet, be sure you jump on and enjoy the ride.