PicksInSix Review: Ain't Misbehavin' - Drury Lane Theatre

AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ - Revival Worth Waiting For!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

For those looking to enjoy a soulful and spirited night of jazz music, consider a visit to Drury Lane Theatre for the wildly entertaining revival of Richard Maltby Jr. and Murray Horwitz’s 1978 Tony Award–winning musical revue, “Ain’t Misbehavin’: The Fats Waller Musical Show.” 

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” celebrates the music of legendary Thomas “Fats” Waller, a popular and influential performer who first studied classical piano and organ before becoming a master of Harlem stride piano playing. The production features over 30 of Waller’s captivating melodies and an incredibly talented cast that brings to life Waller’s prolific songwriting skills with an impressive range of artistry that captures all the emotions of Waller’s catalog from the heartfelt and sultry moments to the upbeat and comedic.

Director E. Faye Butler set the production in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood to share its history through Waller’s music. Butler and choreographer Mz. Flo Walker-Harris do a remarkable job in staging an old fashioned good time, right here in Chicago, and the creative team similarly soars with a set, costumes, wigs, hair and makeup that truly transport and transcend — Andrew Boyce (scenic designer), Lee Fiskness (lighting designer), McKinley Johnson (costume designer), and Kevin S. Foster II (wig, hair and makeup designer).  

The rich vocals of the five-member cast, under the musical direction of William Foster McDaniel and sound engineering of Stephanie Farina, make it so easy to lose track of the time and to get lost in the thrill of it all.  While each song shines in its own right, a few must be highlighted. James T. Lane, Alanna Lovely, Alexis J. Roston, Micah Mixon, Lorenzo Rush Jr. are sensational in “Black and Blue” in reaching heavenly harmonies together. Lorenzo’s comedy chops shine in “Your Feet’s Too Big,” and Lane is too smooth in “The Viper’s Drag.” Other standouts include “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Mean to Me” and the jubilant audience interaction in “Fat and Greasy.”

Perhaps the best part of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” is just how entertaining it is from start to finish. As soon as the show begins, a vibrancy takes hold and pulls the audience into an evening of celebration and delight. It felt good to connect with the stories that unfolded with each song and to fully embrace the feeling of, well, feeling good. 

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” is something special and in the words of Waller himself “the piano’s thumpin’ The dancers are bumpin'. This here spot is more than hot. In fact, the joint is jumpin.’  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER is a Chicago-based attorney practicing construction and surety law.

PHOTO|Justin Barbin

DRURY LANE THEATRE
presents

AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’
The Fats Waller Musical Show
100 Drury Lane
Oakbrook Terrace
through August 18, 2024

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PicksInSix Review: Midsummer Night's Dream - The Joffrey Ballet

WHAT A WEIRD AND REMARKABLE DREAM
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

Sometimes, a once clear line between dream and reality will blur. A fantastic and boundless dreamscape may blend into everyday surroundings causing tired eyes confusion as they awake and search for clarity in the recognizable. This uncertainty might conjure up an unease followed by an urge to ascribe meaning to the dream and the desire to still be in it. How chaotic and beautiful. Then, an alarm goes off. Time to start another day.

This is perhaps the best way to describe the immersive experience of The Joffrey Ballet’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” staged at the Lyric Opera House through May 5, 2024. The Joffrey Ballet first premiered “Midsummer Night’s Dream” by internationally renowned Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman in 2018. Now, the talented company closes its 2023-2024 season with its masterful return and by daring Chicago audiences to get real weird with it.

The first of two acts begins with a Dreamer (Dylan Gutierrez) in his bed seemingly dreaming before he awakens and joins a Hostess (Victoria Jaiani) for the Midsummer festivities. The curtains open to a visually stunning piece where the company dances amidst hay tossing up pieces in joyous synchronicity. The first act continues to weave through the summer solstice with rhythmic choreography around the maypole and a striking piece at a long communal dining table. The original lighting design by Linus Fellbom and recreated by Chris Maravich enchantingly transitions scenes from day to night before helping the audience later sink into the surreal in act two.

Ekman’s choreography blends classical and contemporary ballet. There’s freedom, fluidity and sheer fun that fills the stage throughout the production. The company connects seamlessly with each other, the set (Ekman) and the audience despite the massive size of the stage. They reflect dream-like scenarios through slow and precise movements and sprawl throughout the theater as both actual persons and shadowy figures on the walls. It is truly a vision.

The second act starts much like the first but quickly spirals into the large-scale absurdity of a wild dream. With widened eyes, audience members watch fleeting scenes of Headless men (Edson Barbosa and Davide Oldano) contorting on stage, floating tables, fish and bodies. The frenzy is magical to witness. Yet, one of the most impressive pieces in “Midsummer Night’s Dream” springs from a rare moment of tranquility amidst the dreamscape chaos. Adorned in sleepwear button downs, the women command an intoxicating beat and traverse the stage with stirring power and grace toward the end of the second act.

From start to finish, “Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a vivid celebration of love, dance, theatrics and wit. It blurs the lines between dream and reality and in doing so showcases the brilliance of leaning into imagination and sheer creativity. A must see.  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER is a Chicago-based attorney practicing construction and surety law.

PHOTO|Cheryl Mann

The Joffrey Ballet
presents
Midsummer Night’s Dream
Lyric Opera House
through May 5, 2024

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PicksInSix Review: The Steadfast Tin Soldier - Lookingglass Theatre Company

A Mesmerizing and Unforgettable Theatrical Treasure!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Kaitlyn Linsner

The beloved and delightfully creative holiday treasure, “The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” is now playing at the Lookingglass Theatre in the Water Tower on Michigan Avenue. Mary Zimmerman first brought the Hans Christian Andersen tale to life in 2018 and years later, it remains an unforgettable theatrical experience. 

“The Steadfast Tin Soldier” follows a small tin soldier through a whirlwind of adventures including falling in love with a ballerina, getting swallowed by a fish and befuddling a rat working in the sewage system’s customs department. The story itself has great charm and enduring life lessons, but it is Zimmerman’s use of wordless storytelling techniques that make this a larger-than-life spectacle. 

Why speak the language of love when you can dance? Or better yet, just slick back your hair, stand up tall and ask your crush out by pantomiming a play-by-play of your ideal date. It’s an absolute riot, and not only does this approach work for the show, it lingers outside of the theater by striking up a curiosity about how to interact in time and space with that same childlike playfulness and imagination.

In addition to the stellar pantomiming, the puppetry, visual imagery and original music by Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert elevate this production from endearing to truly remarkable. The musicians play well together, and with the cast, to deepen the experience and connection with the characters. The costumes from Ana Kuzmanic and sets from Todd Rosenthal also dazzle. 

Same goes for the exceptionally talented ensemble cast - Kasey Foster as the Ballerina, Anthony Irons as Goblin, Christopher Donahue as the Nursemaid, John Gregorio as the Rat, and Adeoye as the Tin Soldier - who skillfully play multiple roles and cultivate magic on the stage. Highlights include Irons’ animated movements as the haunting jack-in-the-box Goblin and Gregorio’s hilarious pantomiming as the Rat and the googly-eyed fish monger. 

At a running time of only an hour, the show is perfect for all ages looking to enjoy music, movement, charisma and great comedic timing. “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” continues to embody whimsy and wonder and will leave a lasting impression of just how darling things can be. 

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | KAITLYN LINSNER is a Chicago-based attorney practicing construction and surety law.

PHOTO CREDIT | LizLauren

LOOKINGGLASS THEATRE COMPANY
Presents
THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER
through January 8, 2023

Water Tower Water Works
821 N Michigan Ave.
(312) 337-0665

WEBSITE
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2019 PicksInSix Review

Listen to our 2018 CONVERSATIONS podcast with Mary Zimmerman

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PicksInSix Review: THE KING AND I Drury Lane Theatre

RICH VOICES, PAGEANTRY CROWN DRURY’S “KING”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Well along in the sprawling, crisply paced production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “The King and I” that opened Thursday at Drury Lane Theatre, Anna (Betsy Morgan) and the King (Adam Jacobs) appear to be on the verge of consummating an epic love story. Everything before has led to this joyous climax with the bristled, yet vulnerable, King fatefully enraptured by Anna’s intelligence, irresistible charm and strength of will. The celebratory feeling in “Shall We Dance?” stands among one of the most fulfilling moments in all of Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals.

It is the pageantry that has come before, and how vitally important the moment is to what follows, that makes Alan Paul’s expertly directed “The King and I” shine. Swept up in 1860s Siam, the story of Anna Leonowens’s true-to-life experiences unfold over the course of a year in the King’s palace. First told in Margaret Landon’s “Anna and the King of Siam,” it became a film starring Rex Harrison, prior to the 1951 Broadway musical debut with Gertrude Lawrence and the robust Yul Brynner. In the style of Robert Preston and Zero Mostel, Brynner went on to become inextricably associated with the role he created. That kind of legacy, and a career that included over 4,600 stage performances and an award-winning film version, is a daunting benchmark whenever this show is revived.

In the role of King, Jacobs has a commanding presence on stage and comes with a resume that includes an origin story of its own as Broadway’s first “Aladdin.” Striking a delicate, and yet defiant, balance with a finely tuned sensibility for the complex role, Jacobs skillfully navigates between the autocratic ruler, who insists that everyone around him obey, and the inquisitive man, who is equal parts father figure and all-knowing philosopher. For good measure, he adds a stellar voice and a believable heap of wonder and frightful insecurity in the face of opposition.

That opposition comes mostly in the form of the alluring Morgan, a quintessential star-turn for the actor whose lofty abilities are on full and magnificent display. As Anna, Morgan plays a widowed governess with high ideals for civility and the advancement of human rights. After charming the adorable royal children and their mothers, it is just a matter of time before Anna is able to melt the calloused exterior of the King that leads to that wonderful, fleeting moment when we feel the exuberance of two people in love. Along the way, Morgan revels within the iconic score singing the memorable “I Whistle a Happy Tune” and “Getting to Know You,” the declarative and comic “Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?” and the beautifully poignant “Hello Young Lovers.”   

The other primary love story involves Tuptim (Paulina Yeung) and the scholar Lun Tha (Ethan Le Phong) who, early on, presents her as a gift from Bruma to the King. Their soaring love ballad “We Kiss in the Shadow” is a highlight. When Lady Thiang (Christine Bunuan) discovers the relationship, she warns the young lovers of the dire consequences should the King find out. Bunuan is brilliant in the supporting role, delivering “Something Wonderful” and the lighter “Western People Funny” with poise and power. Fine featured performances abound in the cast and talented ensemble, including Karmann Bajuyo as Kralahome, Matthew Uzarraga’s Prince Chulalongkorn and Braden Crothers, who splits the role of Louis Leonowens with Nolan Maddox.

There is so much more about this exceptional production from the superb work of music director/conductor by Tim Laciano, scenic design by Wilson Chin and Riw Rakkulchon, dynamic choreography by Darren Lee, especially “The Small House of Uncle Thomas” ballet featuring Kristine Bendul, to the cavalcade of stunning Izumi Inaba costumes based on Catherine Zuber’s original designs, which just have to be seen to be believed.     

PHOTO|Brett Beiner

DRURY LANE THEATRE
presents
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S
THE KING AND I
through May 22, 2022

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RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN WEBSITE

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