PicksInSix Review: 2024 Year in Review

Tip The Hat. Turn The Page.
Memorable Performances for 2024
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Singling out six of the most memorable performances of artists we covered in 2024 who turned heads and left lasting impressions long after the final bow was a daunting task. So difficult, in fact, that there is also special mention to others who have had terrific years on multiple Chicago stages.

It was a year that included the Royal Shakespeare Company’s return with “Pericles” at Chicago Shakespeare Company, pre-Broadway runs of “Death Becomes Her,” Steppenwolf’s “Purpose” directed by Phylicia Rashad—and, we expect, Sam Hunter’s “Little Bear Ridge Road,” a compelling new work starring Laurie Metcalf—and touring productions like the sensational “Harry Potter and The Cursed Child,” among others. While all deserving of mention, you will find others on the 2024 PicksInSix Year in Review list, our first post-pandemic yearend review.

A special note of thanks to every theatre company, their dedicated boards, administrative, artistic and technical teams, and the unending support of publicists who invest their time and talent in support of the Chicagoland theater community and made it possible to review these shows. It’s an honor to be invited and a responsibility that we take very seriously.

CONVERSATIONS|PicksInSIx® celebrates 10 years in 2025 and owes much to writers like Ronald Keaton, Scott Gryder and Kaitlyn Linsner who have contributed mightily to our archive of Chicago theatre during that time. Thank you!

And, a deserved tip of the hat to the brilliant Chicago theatre photographers Michael Brosilow, Liz Lauren, Brett Beiner, Joe Mazza and videographers HMS Media, among many others, whose expertise and professionalism continues to document these productions and preserve the image archive for future generations.

So here we go in alphabetical order and with a link to the PicksInSix Review (P6):

Sarah Bockel—Falsettos - TimeLine & Court Theatre - The critically-acclaimed co-production of director Nick Bowling’s “Falsettos” featured an ensemble of superb actors and singers in one of two sung-through shows on this list. In the role of Trina, Bockel delivered an extraordinary performance, navigating a delicate emotional path with heartfelt passion and homespun humor. Stunning! P6  

Mark David Kaplan—Fiddler on the Roof at Drury Lane Theatre - In the little town of Anatevka, director Elizabeth Margolius’s ‘memory play’ was, according to Kaitlyn Linsner, an opportunity for Kaplan to display “excellent comedic timing and whimsy” in the critically-acclaimed turn as Tevya. L'Chaim! P6

Beth Stafford Laird—FROZEN at Paramount Theatre - In an epic production directed by Trent Stork that includes several of Disney’s most popular songs and beloved characters, you just might take for granted a character whose youthful exuberance is at the heart of the story. The multi-talented Laird exudes unmatched charm in a rich performance as Anna that is marked by superb vocals, effortless company dance numbers and a shimmering presence all her own. Spellbinding! P6

Meghan Murphy—Anything Goes at Porchlight Music Theatre - Even a blizzard could not keep us away from director Michael Weber’s “Anything Goes” starring the captivating Meghan Murphy in a commanding performance as the seaworthy siren Sweeney. A topflight, take-no-prisoners, star turn. Anchors Away! P6

Aurora Penepecker—Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 at Writers Theatre - The other sung-through musical/pop opera on this list—one of the most ambitious all-around artistic undertakings of the year by any theater directed by Katie Spelman—featured an extraordinarily multi-talented ensemble of players. And there, at the center of this glorious production, was Penepecker whose lyrical voice and pristine talent was simply intoxicating. Magnificent! P6    

Sawyer Smith—Little Mermaid at Drury Lane Theatre - When you hear the term “over the top” in stage performances, it is often afforded to a performer who has elevated their role beyond the script and score to a new level of excellence. The showstopping turn for Smith, in the Scott Weinstein directed “Little Mermaid,” set a new standard that is certain to change the trajectory of Smith’s exceptional career. Wowza! P6

There are six other artists who excelled in multiple productions deserving of special mention: 

Jackson Evans displayed his wide range for musical comedy in four critically-acclaimed roles: Porchlight’s “Anything Goes,” Drury Lane’s “Guys and Dolls,” Paramount’s “Full Monty” and the Timeline/Court production of “Falsettos.” 

Heidi Kettenring delivered her special brand of star power to Drury Lane’s “Guys and Dolls,” Marriott’s “1776,” “Cinderella” and her concert performance of “Something Wonderful.” A true Chicago stage treasure!

We have been watching Evan Tyrone Martin for years and his compelling and beautifully sung Pierre in Writers “Comet” was central to the overwhelming success of this challenging production.

In addition to all of the projects the busy Ron OJ Parson has been delivering, Ronald Keaton noted that “East Texas Hot Links” at Court Theatre “bears the unmistakable stamp of the great director Ron OJ Parson, who has a relationship with this piece that forces us, in its sheer professionalism alone, to see an unencumbered view of what Jim Crow has done to our world and continues to do today.”

And as much as we never really give credit to the people who support everyone else, the masterful career of Nick Sula has been elevating the work of Sondheim enthusiasts throughout Chicago. Sula followed last season’s stellar production of “Kokandy’s Sweeney Todd” with the unique two piano presentation of Kokandy’s “Into the Woods.”  We can hardly wait to see what the next project will be.

Last, but not least, a tip of the hat to Charles Newell whose long-standing career as Artistic Director has come to a close at Court Theatre, You can be sure we have not heard the last from him. The Newell directed “An Iliad” starring Timothy Edward Kane returns in early June 2025. Bravo!

Happy Holidays!

See you on the other side of the aisle!

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PicksInSix Review: It's A Wonderful Life: Live In Chicago! - American Blues Theater

Delightful Holiday Classic at American Blues!
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

Feeling like this is an especially long year? Full of physical challenges and emotional obstacles? Need a nostalgic, heartwarming experience and a hot cup of cocoa to get you in the spirit of the season? One thing we’ve always done as a people, I think, to address times like these is to observe our established mores during the holidays. And what better way to capture that special feeling than to spend a few hours at the new and elegant American Blues Theater performance space on North Lincoln Ave with the superb cast and crew of “It’s A Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!” Led by their stalwart artistic director Gwendolyn Whiteside, ABT has shared this delightful Chicago holiday tradition—a familiar, yet energetic presentation of a loving story we all know and appreciate—for so many years that it has become a beloved and highly anticipated outing for the whole family.

The show takes the shape of a radio play on Chicago station WABT, circa 1944, complete with a foley artist in charge of live sound effects and noises and all else you can imagine. It falls to the responsible hands of J.G. Smith and I wish there was a way to bring her more focus. When you watch her, it’s apparent that there is an absolute pleasure for this actor to be a kind of soundtrack to the play. Her face lights up with every scene, every moment.  What a joy to watch an actor who knows how to impact a scene through simply listening.

The cast sinks its teeth into the tale with exuberance. Brandon Dahlquist, who has been ABT’s George Bailey for eight years now, has become a font of articulate emotion in his portrayal of a man at the end of his rope, wanting only to see even a little of his dreams in front of him. Mr. Dahlquist is strong and humble, as you might expect the character to be, and the simplicity of his prayer to God at the bar shows us his best work. Then there’s the ABT ensemble itself at work. Audrey Billings is a tender, highly accessible Mary Bailey, a woman who knows her husband well and gives him the room he needs to be himself—even at potential great cost to their family. And the most expressive eyes you’ll see.

Manny Buckley plays both the chief angel Joseph and Uncle Billy with authority and grace. He sits on one side of the stage while actor/musician extraordinaire Michael Mahler mans the keyboard on the other side—along with several musical instruments and an endless versatility in his charming guise of station announcer. Dara Cameron is a fun Violet, always being as fetching as possible to George and every other guy she meets.

The grand surprise for this writer is again Joe Dempsey, who portrays both Clarence, the angel second-class trying to earn his wings, and Mr. Potter, the “Scrooge” of the story who owns everything in town but the Bailey Building and Loan. Two more opposite characters you will not find. So, there’s a great deal to admire in actors like Mr. Dempsey; he cuts the cloth of each character in a vivid, striking manner. Ian Paul Custer is a wonder as Ernie the cab driver, Harry Bailey the war hero brother, and a menage of three or four others, usually with a different accent.

Director Whiteside keeps the brisk pacing consistently through the evening, with nice touches like a WABT “On-Air/Applause” sign that the audience dutifully obeys. There is an engaging pre-show with carols and humor, and then there are the little notes of appreciation the audience is asked to compose. The cast reads them out loud at designated points in the proceedings, so friends can know of those who appreciate them. American Blues Theater has honed and crafted its own tradition through this gratifying piece of American literature. It knows when to stop at the point of being too corny, and it delights us in its regaling of a soft, heartfelt holiday whisper we all continue to love.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com  Coming soon, his new solo play “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com

PHOTO|Michael Brosilow

American Blues Theater
presents
It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!
through December 22, 2024

5627 N. Lincoln
(773) 654-3103

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2024 BACKSTAGE GUIDE

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PicksInSix Review: The Secret Garden - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre

Outstanding Performances Seed Theo’s ‘Secret Garden’
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

It’s a famous children’s story that ends up, in this reincarnation, being the most adult tale in the room—and it works in both realms.  The Francis Hodgson Burnett 1911 novel “The Secret Garden,” presented by the always ambitious Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre as its annual holiday offering through December 22, tells the tale of Mary Lennox, a girl doing her best to stifle her grief through her own entitlement, while simultaneously searching for her self-worth at a Yorkshire estate full of colorful gardens, one of which is locked away, kept in secret, while also holding surprises of its own.

Mary (a complicated role in this guise that Joryhebel Ginorio handles with great aplomb and intelligence) is orphaned because of a cholera pandemic in India that took the lives of her parents and her guardian. She has been sent to England to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven (Will Koski offers articulate, clear choices with a handsome, tight tenor voice to boot), who is mourning himself the death of his wife Lily—seen and heard in ghostly form, as others are in this musical, by the graceful presence and voice of Brennan Martinez. Now Mary is very entitled, it seems, but the arc of this attitude is not given very much shrift, thanks to the fabulous Dakota Hughes as Martha, a chambermaid who exerts much influence and calm on Mary, all the while showing her own excitement in life.

The parade of characters, all with varying degrees of influence, include: Martha’s brother Dickon (an easy, accessible Lincoln J. Skoien), who actually tells Mary of a ‘secret garden’ to explore; Ben (a folksy turn by Bill Chamberlain), a gardener who keeps his word to Lily to tend the estate gardens after her passing; Mrs. Medlock (Kathleen Puls Andrade, properly conservative and authoritarian), who meets Mary first and takes her to her new home; Colin (an honestly thankless role given fine depth and nuance by Kailey Azure Green), whose health diagnosis keeps the lad bedridden for a major part of the story; Rose (with Rachel Guth’s lovely singing voice), Lily’s ghostly sister; and Dr. Neville Craven (Jeffrey Charles makes him more human than the character deserves), the nemesis here who has kept Colin in bed for most of his life.

A word should be said about this adaptation. People who know Brunett’s beloved book are aware, as they watch the progress of the musical, that Dr. Craven has been elevated to the status of villain and given more strength in the plot by original bookwriter/lyricist Marsha Norman, so some of his influence and characterization are a bit contrived in its expansion to help make such a choice work. Same with the fact that the story’s conclusion is not just Mary’s story, but Colin’s as well—and how the ‘secret garden’ actually might contain its own healing magic.

But that’s why adaptations are of varying degree. And the choices made do indeed allow truly fine musical moments to occur; the duet between Neville and Archibald about “Lily’s Eyes” is a great sight and sound to behold between Mr. Koski and Mr. Charles. Martha’s solo “If I Had A Fine White House” is energetic and fascinating, as shared by Dakota Hughes. In fact, the entire Lucy Simon score is offered in a mature, charming guise by music director Carolyn Brady and her charges.  And this chorus… outstanding. Wow!

Director Christopher Pazdernik requires praise here, too. The Theo space is simply a flat stage that needs lots of filling. And it’s been done admirably. There are six or so tables with four seats at each table, all enveloped in the walled seating that the space has available. But Mx. Pazdernik, a literal expert in musical theatre story and history, weaves the cast in and out of the seating area with small set pieces and literal lit areas for the ‘invisible’ chorus to inhabit. It’s pretty imaginative and strong. The minimalist set pieces from scenic designer Rose Johnson are a fine corollary. Levi J. Wilkins offers constant atmospheric lighting to proper and spirited effect for Lucy Elkin’s rich costumes. “The Secret Garden” is a surprisingly difficult story to tell, even with today’s sensibilities and maturity. But at Theo, it has earned a respect as a marvelous holiday offering.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com  Coming soon, his new solo play “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com

PHOTO|Time Stops Photography

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
presents
The Secret Garden
721 Howard Street
Evanston, IL
through December 22, 2024

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PicksInSix Review: FALSETTOS - TimeLine Theatre Company - Court Theatre

“Things Rarely Go According To Plan.”
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

The flawless production of “Falsettos”—one of the most enjoyable, heartfelt and moving productions you will ever see—opened Saturday in the intimate Abelson Auditorium at Court Theatre. The show is directed by TimeLine co-founder and Associate Artistic Director Nick Bowling and presented in partnership with Court.

“Falsettos,” a two-time 1992 Tony Award-winning musical, has a fascinating origin story. With music and lyrics by William Finn and a book by Finn and James Lapine (Into The Woods), it began in 1979 as Finn’s—and Playwrights Horizon’s—first musical “In Trousers” about the trials and tribulations of Marvin, a gay Jewish man coming out and presented in, what was then, the unique and evolving sung-through format.

In 1981, Finn teamed with Lapine on “March of the Falsettos”—which later became the first act of “Falsettos.” Set in 1979, the story begins as Marvin and his wife Trina separate on the news that Marvin is moving in with his male lover, Whizzer. In an attempt to keep Trina and their young son Jason together as a family, Marvin steps up sessions with his therapist Mendel. When Mendel falls for and marries Trina, Marvin’s possessive and passive-aggressive nature impacts his relationship with everyone, including his pre-Bar Mitzvah son who begins questioning his own sexuality. Marvin’s need for a monogamous relationship with the more free-wheeling Whizzer leads to the breakup, and although Marvin is inconsolable, he has matured and become better able to relate to Jason when his son needs him most.

It's important to note that “March of the Falsettos” is set prior to the widespread awareness of HIV or AIDS and deals, often hilariously, with the complex dynamics of the personal relationships and acceptance of the changing social norms of the time.

Following the explosion of the AIDS crisis, Finn and Lapine returned in 1991 to pen “Falsettoland” which will become Act II of “Falsettos.” Set a year later in 1981, when the family is moving on while Marvin still yearns for Whizzer, who reenters his life and rekindles the relationship. Two additional characters are introduced—Dr. Charlotte and her lesbian lover, Cordelia—who live next door and become fast friends with Mendel, Trina and Jason. It is Dr. Charlotte who recognizes that ‘something bad is happening’ and it is not long that “Falsettoland” takes on a whole new powerful storytelling line all its own.

Bowling, movement director William Carlos Angulo and music director Otto Vogel have assembled an amazing cast. In the role of Marvin, Stephen Schellhardt displays an extraordinary range of emotions teetering between the need to be loved and respected and the frustration, resentment and rage he feels from and toward the family he desperately wants to salvage. Jack Ball expertly plays Whizzer, the carefree gay man with needs of his own, who is quick to recognize that Marvin may want more from him than he is willing to give but later reconciles with Marvin in a way that is moving and real, particularly as he is forced to face his own mortality. .

Sarah Bockel’s Trina tugs endlessly at our heartstrings. She is an open book of emotions, channeling both keen comic sensibilities and a enormous capacity for empathy. Jackson Evans gives a terrific multi-faceted performance as the intellectually neurotic Mendel, savoring every comic moment with child-like enthusiasm while expertly delivering the more serious interchanges with Bockel and Jason (Charlie Long, who alternates with Eli Vander Griend). Long is a superb young talent and in step, stride for stride, with everyone on stage. Sharriese Hamilton is perfect as the compassionate Dr. Charlotte and partner for Cordelia, played beautifully by Elizabeth Stenholt, who round out the company of gloriously nuanced voices who deliver this fast-paced, challenging score with precision and ease.

Amel Sancianco’s scenic design ingeniously places the band shrouded on the second level within the multi-colored stage wall that is highlighted by three doors and an oculus window that is utilized effectively throughout the show. The open style chessboard tile floor plan serves to magnify one of the main themes and allows for effortless scene changes which keep things moving along briskly. Lighting and sound designs by Maggie Fullilove-Nugent and Stephanie Farina and period costumes by Teresa Ham are all excellent.

For those of us who lived through this period, TimeLine’s “Falsettos” is a moving tribute to the memory of all who passed and renews our commitment to those whose lives have been immeasurably changed. For everyone else, it serves as a reminder of the importance of cherishing our relationships and instills in us a better understanding of the universal power of love, kindness and acceptance.

PHOTO|Michael Brosilow

Editors Note: The TimeLine alliance with Court follows critically-acclaimed productions of “OSLO” and “The Lehman Trilogy” with Broadway in Chicago and the recent transfer of the stunning production of Tyla Abercrumbie’s “Relentless” to Goodman Theatre in 2022. TimeLine’s Artistic Director PJ Powers has tapped into an excellent model that requires a long view for the future, the coalescing of like-minded theatre administrators and boards willing to take a sizable financial risk, and mining sufficient sponsor and donor funds for the arts in a very tentative post-pandemic production climate. That long view applies to just about every facet of the arts right now with no better example and track record of unqualified success than TimeLine Theatre Company. While construction continues on the new center for theatre, education and community engagement at 5035 N. Broadway slated for a 2026 opening, the current season is being staged in partnership with institutions across Chicagoland. “Falsettos” is the first of three such partnerships that will continue next year with The Theatre School at DePaul University and Writers Theatre in Glencoe. For more, read TimeLine’s excellent BACKSTORY publication available online here.

TimeLine Theatre Company
and Court Theatre
present
FALSETTOS

EXTENDED
through December 15, 2024

Court Theatre
5535 S. Ellis Ave
Chicago, IL 60637

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PicksInSix Review: Disney's The Little Mermaid - Drury Lane Theatre

This ‘Little Mermaid’ Has Got Legs!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Sparkling performances that shimmer from head to tail highlight director Scott Weinstein’s delightfully bewitching and hugely entertaining revival of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” that opened Thursday at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook. The royal love story—with Alan Menken score, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and book by Doug Wright—is anchored by the stunning presence of Sarah Kay as Ariel and her stalwart Prince Eric played by Patrick Johnson. The timeless classic is a heartwarming fantasy adventure in a world that includes whimsical puppets, gorgeous costumes and magical special effects that will take your breath away.

That love story begins when Ariel, who has yearned for a new part of the world, away from the isolation of the underwater kingdom ruled by her father, King Triton (Anand Nagraj) and from her siblings, the Mersisters, saves Prince Eric from drowning. Fleeing from her father’s rage when he discovers what she has done, Ariel is lured into a pact with her evil aunt Ursula (Sawyer Smith) to trade her enchanting voice for the opportunity to explore the world in human form. But it all comes with a heavy price of Disney-style drama.

Ariel’s glistening underwater world is the work of scenic designer Tijana Bjelajac who crafts rock formations and massive stone laid columns together with sheer fabric all highlighted by Anthony Churchill’s projections and Ryan O’Gara’s lighting to simulate the mystical ocean depths and the stately kingdom that bursts with the color and rich texture of the costume design by Ryan Park and Zhang Yu. Those finely-feathered and floppy-finned friends in Ariel’s oceanic sphere—the creative artistry of Chicago Puppet Studio—come to glorious life in Kasey Alfonso’s superbly choreographed ensemble sequences. Music director Ellie Kahn brings out the brilliance in the iconic Menken/Ashman/Slater score performed in fine form by the Drury Lane Orchestra under the direction of Chris Sargent.

Michael Earvin Martin is terrific as the crab companion Sebastian, leading the company in the crowd pleasing “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl.” Maya Lou Hlava’s Flounder, with the array of Sea Creatures, Gulls and Animals, are sure to make you smile. Landree Fleming shines as Scuttle in the playful “Positoovity|Positaggity” and you’ll love the zany antics of Matt Edmonds as the kooky French Chef Louis in “Les Poissons” along with the wonderful, and often hilariously understated, work of Rob Lindley as Grimsby, the Prince’s dutiful Guardian.

Few Disney villains compare in sinister scope to the sea-witch Ursula and Smith’s commanding presence in the role as the cunning sorcerous, with a couple of slippery eel sidekicks like Ryan Michael Hamman (Jetsam) and Leah Morrow (Flotsam) in tow, is magnificent. The trio are chilling in “Daddy’s Little Angel” and Smith brings the house down in a dazzling performance of “Poor Unfortunate Souls.”

It’s a night of fun filled comic chaos that keeps bubbling up with Kay’s marvelous, multi-layered performance at the heart of the show. Her exuberance, youthful charm and soaring vocal talents make Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” at Drury Lane a joy to watch and a destination for the holiday season and New Year.   

PHOTO|Brett Beiner

Drury Lane Theatre
presents
Disney’s
The Little Mermaid
100 Drury Lane
Oakbrook Terrace
through January 12, 2024

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PicksInSix Review: Disney's FROZEN The Broadway Musical-Paramount Theatre

For the First Time in Forever…
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Paramount Theatre’s sensational production of Disney’s “FROZEN The Broadway Musical”— featuring the electrically-charged performances of Emily Kristen Morris and Beth Stafford Laird—opened Friday in Aurora to the thunderous cheers of fans both young and old who have helped to canonize the 2013 film’s anthems “Let It Go” and “For the First Time in Forever” into Disney’s musical lexicon and made modern day icons of a rambunctious reindeer with an attitude and a playful snowman with joie de vivre and a yearning for a summer vacation.  

The show that garnered three 2018 Tony nominations (Best Musical, Book and Original Score) features music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and book by Jennifer Lee based on the smash hit 2013 Disney animated film written by Lee. Paramount’s Midwest Regional premiere is directed by Trent Stork with a top-flight creative team including choreographer Tiffany Krause and music director Kory Danielson who also conducts the orchestra.

The story begins in the mythical kingdom of Arendelle and follows the child sorcerous Elsa (Everleigh Murphy shared with Genevieve Jane) and her younger sister Anna (Avelyn Choi shared with Elowen Murphy) whose loving relationship for each other is severed when their parents King Agnarr (Brian Hupp) and Queen Iduna (Allison Sill) discover that Elsa’s inability to control her mystical powers are a direct threat to Anna’s life. When Anna is saved by the Hidden Folk with no memory of the encounter, the parents venture off for a cure and disappear. As time passes, the coming-of-age Anna (Laird) is confused by her sister’s self-isolation in the castle and yearns to be reunited with Elsa (Morris). On the day of Elsa’s coronation, Prince Hans (Jake DiMaggio Lopez) arrives, sweeps Anna off her feet and proposes marriage. Elsa refuses to bless the sudden union and in a frustrated rage, drops her guard and is forced to flee from the castle when her powers are revealed. In the wilderness, Elsa then creates an icy sanctuary of her own, unaware that her awakening has plunged the kingdom into an endless winter. Anna, despondent and desperate, is left with no choice but to pursue her sister and try to bring her back. She is soon joined by the mountain man Kristoff (Christian Andrews), his trustworthy reindeer companion Sven (Adam Fane) and the irrepressible snowman Olaf (Ryan Stajmiger)—courtesy of puppet designer Jesse Mooney-Bullock. Not far behind is Hans and the conniving Duke of Weselton (Jason Richards) who have diabolical plans of their own.

Scenic designer Jeffrey D, Kmiec, projections designer Paul Deziel and lighting and sound designers Greg Hofmann and Adam Rosenthal have created a magical, ever-evolving icy landscape with superb scenic projections—including a wink to Aurora’s Fox River—and eye-popping special effects. Mara Blumenfeld’s stunning costume design has magical treats all their own.

The shimmering and flawless performances of Laird’s “For the First Time in Forever” and Morris’s “Let It Go” are highlights in a score that includes brilliant ensemble arrangements and specialty numbers including the fine company with Oaken (David Blakeman) in the hilarious trading post number “Hygge,” with Elsa in “Dangerous to Dream,” and Kristoff, Olaf and Hidden Folk in “Fixer Upper.”     

Life lessons abound here about remaining positive in the face of adversity, coping with loss and isolation, and understanding ourselves and our place in the world around us. But it’s Anna’s determination to put her love for others above all else that will warm your heart for “FROZEN,” a fun-filled musical extravaganza for the entire family.

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

PARAMOUNT THEATRE
presents
FROZEN
The Broadway Musical
through January 19, 2024

23 East Galena Boulevard
Aurora, IL 60506

(630) 896–6666

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PicksInSix Review: Into The Woods - Kokandy Productions

Ensemble Vocals Dazzle in Kokandy’s ‘Woods’
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

This was the very first time in all the years I have worked in the theatre that I have seen a full production of “Into the Woods,” the Sondheim/Lapine creation from 1997, currently produced by Kokandy Productions and presented at the Chopin Theatre in Chicago through December 22. It’s a show of far-reaching ambition and clever story and character. Drawing from the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, the authors have brilliantly created a place that is mostly referred to as ‘the woods,’ and every Grimm story one can remember is weaved throughout the plotline. “Into the Woods” purports to show what happens when a fairy tale ending isn’t really that happy in the face of real-life situations that affect such feelings and moments.

You name it, it’s there—Cinderella and her stepsisters and mother… Jack and his beanstalk, with his mother constantly trying to keep the boy in line. Oh, and giants not seen but certainly heard. Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Rapunzel and her long golden hair. A Witch who moves in and out of all the tales. Two young, full-of-themselves Princes, whose total delight with themselves eventually take them on separate journeys. There are even two characters that Mr. Sondheim and Mr. Lapine create out of thin air—a Baker and the Baker’s Wife. At least I don’t know what story they are in, but they are smartly used to plant the image of magic beans into Jack’s mind as he sells them the family cow, Milky White. And throughout the action, there is a Narrator who plays a Mysterious Man, guiding the players and the audience through the minefield of ‘the woods,’ learning lessons about life and death and how to survive.

And that’s just Act I. Act II takes an entirely different turn, as all the characters realize that life is not at all the happily ever after ending offered by the Brothers Grimm. Cinderella marries one of the princes, who turns around and has a quick tryst with the Baker’s Wife. After killing one of the Giants, young Jack discovers that the Giant’s wife wants revenge and intends to kill him for the death and thievery he has caused. Meanwhile, the Baker and Wife have had a child and discover just how difficult parenthood can be in maintaining a loving family. And on and on the story goes as one character after another learns different, but appropriate lessons on growing up. Taking responsibility. Realizing (painfully at times) that they can be better people than they might have been in the past. As a lyric goes: “children will listen.”

The plot and background are being laid out carefully here, because this is how thick the storytelling has to be to get everything told that the authors wish to include. The Lapine book is articulate and, despite all the plot twists, highly entertaining to watch. The Sondheim score is one of the most challenging ever written for the theatre, with intricate lyrics and music stylings that draw from the Romantics and patter songs a la Gilbert and Sullivan and even a jazz turn or two. His brilliance can never be overstated.

Kokandy Artistic Director Derek Van Barham and music director Nick Sula have taken over the lower level of the Chopin space in a stylish manner and, with single colorful lights augmenting the G Max Maxin IV lighting design and the posts in that space decorated to be imagined trees in the forest (also Maxin IV), the cast moves about with ease and energy.  My favorite idea in the entire production was the placing of two pianos at centerstage—the staging is in the round, by the way—and the two musicians Ariana Miles and Evelyn Ryan almost stole the show as they showcase their two-piano arrangement of one of the most formidable scores in the Sondheim canon flawlessly, all while reacting to characters approaching them with personal charm and grace.

“Into the Woods” is truly an ensemble piece, much like the great “Sweeney Todd,” and the actors need to be on their game to compliment each other doing the same. The vocal work is quite dazzling. There were standout moments – Madison Kauffman offers a simultaneously vulnerable and strong Cinderella who becomes a Princess not always willing to rule; Kevin Webb’s Baker is achingly tender and confused and ultimately learns his lesson well about fatherhood; Stephanie Stockstill as the Witch lovingly chews every bit of scenery as a proper witch should; and August Forman’s Narrator is a calming, sometimes even charming influence amid all the chaos that boils up in ‘the woods.’  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com  Coming soon, his new solo play “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com

PHOTO|Evan Hanover

KOKANDY PRODUCTIONS
presents
INTO THE WOODS
Chopin Theater
1543 West Division
through December 22, 2024

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PicksInSix Review: Pericles - Royal Shakespeare Company-Chicago Shakespeare Theatre

Vibrant, Imaginative Collaboration Begins With “Pericles”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

If the Royal Shakespeare Company’s exhilarating production of Shakespeare’s “Pericles” is, as it was for me, your first introduction to the material live on stage, you are in for an experience that only comes along, in this case, every thirty years or so. There is agreement on an ongoing relationship with RSC and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater which could not be better news for one of Chicago’s most prestigious purveyors of international productions and for the fascination and enjoyment of young and old alike.

Up until now, there is a small amount of chance, and even less opportunity, that a professional production of “Pericles” has eluded my production list over the last five decades.  I suspect that I am not alone even though in the last decade Chicago Shakes mounted a production on Navy Pier. The stars were not aligned for me for that production, so except for the reading and some discussion from time to time about the period from 1608-11 that produced “Coriolanus,” “Pericles” and “Cymbeline,” I arrived on Friday night for the opening like everyone else in the capacity crowd: full of anticipation and expectation. I was also determined to answer the question as to whether “Pericles” is firmly among the histories steeped in politics, a work of romance, a swashbuckling tale of adventure or somewhere in between. In the end, it’s abundantly clear that director Tamara Harvey has found the sweetest spot of all: a free-spirited exploration of relationships that explores our inner feelings of unbridled passion, longing and regret, the depths of sorrow and loss, and that ecstatic, often unattainable, joy of reunion.

The story is compelling, lyrical and clever, made more so by the ensemble who reach beyond the page in a way that engages us in not only in the telling, but with a knowing sense that this is a play, richly told and solely for our enjoyment. In the titular role of Pericles, Zach Wyatt is a commanding presence, first as the young lover who justly flees Tyre for his own safety only to suffer a devastating shipwreck, washing ashore in Tarsus where he wins the hand of Thaisa (Leah Haile) with the blessing of her doting father Simonides (Christian Patterson). When Thaisa dies on the return voyage while giving birth to his daughter Marina, Pericles gives up the baby to the care of Cleon (Sasha Ghoshal at this performance) and Dionyza (Gabby Wong). Meanwhile, despite the sorrowful loss and burial at sea of Thaisa, there is a twist or two in store.

Time passes and, with the coming of age of Marina (Rachelle Diedricks), we discover that Dionyza is threatened by her presence and orders Leonine (Sam Parks) to kill her. But the plan is thwarted as Marina is whisked off by pirates and then to a brothel in Mytilene, where despite the dark and threatening environment, she proves her nobility and virtue until the timeworn traveler Pericles returns and father and daughter are miraculously reunited.

Director Harvey’s brisk pacing—and the presence of live musicians—help move the action seamlessly. As Marina, Rachelle Diedricks delivers a heartfelt and multi-faceted performance as she finds her way to her birthright. Notably among the exceptional company, Christian Patterson’s Simonides displays the unceasing love of a father for his daughter Thasia whipped up in an over-the-top performance that is a delight to behold.   

Seaworthy elements and a few surprises abound in Jonathan Fensom’s sparse scenic design with massive rows of rope that frame the stage. The bold lighting elements in Ryan Day’s design enhance Kinnetia Isidore’s timeless costumes. With the stellar production of “Pericles,” all bodes well for the vibrant, imaginative collaboration between Chicago Shakes and the RSC that lays ahead.       

PHOTO|Johan Persson

Chicago Shakespeare Theater
presents
Royal Shakespeare Company
PERICLES
through December 7, 2024

Courtyard Theater
Navy Pier

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PicksInSix Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Broadway in Chicago

A THRILL-A-MINUTE BLOCKBUSTER ADVENTURE!
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ed Tracy

Broadway in Chicago’s Nederlander Theatre is the first stop for the national tour of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” that had an epic premiere on Thursday, primed and ready for a long sit-down for the holiday season in Chicago that will no doubt fill every corner of Randolph and Dearborn with junior-level sorcerers with maroon and gold striped scarves and wands.

This is the final saga in J. K. Rowling’s spellbinding series of books that continue to engage readers of all ages, has spawned six epic films, and a hugely successful Broadway run garnering ten 2018 Tony Nominations winning six including Best Play. Following a Covid shutdown, the original two-part version was modified to one two-act play that has been retooled by one of the largest—and most celebrated—production teams ever assembled for the tour.

For anyone still wondering if this robust and heart-pounding show can do justice to all that has come before, rest assured that “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” truly is a thrill-a-minute blockbuster adventure with all the magical twists and eye-popping special effects imaginable. It’s also an intriguing heartfelt story—filled to the brim with surprises that befit the original—written by Rowling, playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany. Tiffany, with movement director Steven Hoggett, have assembled a superb cast to play new versions of the familiar characters that successfully tap into the memories of diehard fans who are sure to flock to this show, and are clever enough to captivate first timers and the young-at-heart from beginning to end. It’s a win-win all around!

To the story, it’s 19 years later. Harry Potter (John Skelley) and Ginny Weasley (Trish Lindstrom) are now married, as are Ginny’s brother Ron (Matt Mueller) and Hermione Granger (Ebony Blake), who is now serving as Head of the Ministry of Magic. Their children—Albus Severus Potter (Emmet Smith) and Rose Granger-Weasley (Naiya Vanessa McCalla)—board the Hogwarts Express where they meet Scorpius Malfoy (Aiden Close) son of Harry’s nemesis Draco Malfoy (Bejamin Thys). There is a dark cloud hovering over Scorpius and once at Hogwarts, the two form an alliance after being selected to Slytherin.

After meeting Amos Diggory (Larry Yando), the two join forces with his niece Delphi (Julia Nightingale) and plan to change the trajectory of the competition that ultimately cost the life of Amos’s son, Cedric Diggory (Caleb Hafen). Using a flurry of magical spells, the trio infiltrate the Ministry, abscond with the Time-Turner orb and are off on a race across time to save Cedric, only to realize that their impact on the past has a devastating effect on the present.

The fascinating arc of the story allows us to experience an exciting new adventure. The Dementors are here, along with Albus Dumbledore (the brilliant Yando who also plays Severus Snape), Moaning Myrtle (a delightful Mackenzie Lesser-Roy) and Professor McGonagall (Katherine Leask, who also shines as Professor Umbridge).

On the creative side, scenic designer Christine Jones uses massive arches to frame the Hogwarts action that then evolve seamlessly to establish other places and time periods. Among the many ingenious elements—including a plethora of magical entrances, high flying exits and cape-flashing scene changes—are the almost balletic use of twin stair units at Hogwarts and a delightfully carnivorous bookshelf. Imogen Heaps’s costumes are sensational. Neil Austin’s lighting and sound by Gareth Fry all complement Jamie Harrison’s astounding illusions that all contribute to a stunning, visual extravaganza.   

The message of love, family and friendship—and of good vs. evil—at the heart of this story courses through Skelley’s moving portrayal of Harry and in his relationship with his son. The younger clan form a union against the ever present dark arts to the extent that there feels like there could be much more to come in this franchise, despite Rowling’s assertion that this is Potter’s crowning achievement.

If that is the case, we will all have to join the next generation of adventure seekers and relive this series all over again. For the present, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” will be making magic every night at the Nederlander for all to see—a memorable holiday outing that will last well into the new year and beyond.

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy

Broadway in Chicago
presents
National Tour Debut
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
James N. Nederlander Theatre
through February 1, 2025

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PicksInSix Review: Inherit the Wind - Goodman Theatre

“THE RIGHT TO THINK ON TRIAL”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The image has all the makings of a Norman Rockwell painting.

The citizens of rural Hillsboro, clustered four-deep in the steamy courthouse, leaning in and transfixed by the sudden turn of events at the trial of Bertram Cates (Christopher Llewyn Ramirez), accused of teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution in his 2nd grade classroom. Leading Cates’s defense is Henry Drummond (Harry Lennix) who is grilling the prosecuting attorney—and his old friend—Matthew Harrison Brady (Alexander Gemignani) on the witness stand about philosophy and scriptures after the judge (Kevin Gudhal) has refused to allow any men or women of science to testify for the defense.

The fiery courtroom interchange between the two men leads to the scintillating climax of the Goodman Theatre’s superb revival of “Inherit the Wind” directed by Henry Godinez that opened Monday. The 1955 play, written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, is a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes Trial in Dayton, Tennessee that challenged the Butler Act outlawing the teaching of evolution in the classroom. Indeed, the injustice of suppressing alternate opinions and attempting to eliminate the free exchange of ideas flows throughout the play which explains its universal appeal on stage and in the memorable 1960 film starring Spencer Tracy and Frederic March.

For context, the title refers to Proverbs 11:29: “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: And the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.” Exemplified in the overbearing nature of Reverend Jermiah Brown (Ryan Kitley) toward his daughter Rachel (Tyler), who is torn between the love she feels for Cates and her strict religious upbringing, and in the exchanges between Drummond and Brady, “Inherit the Wind” lays bare the differences in the individual beliefs of our existence. Perhaps the most salient point belongs to Drummond, who says: “The man who has everything figured out is probably a fool. College examinations notwithstanding, it takes a very smart fella to say ‘I don’t know the answer!’”

Director Godinez has assembled a stellar cast and creative team around the central characters involved in the trial. Lennix is commanding as Drummond, his folksy charm every bit a match for Gemignani’s swaggering fire and brimstone. Together they are simply terrific to watch. In supporting roles, Lawrence Grimm has a slick featured role as the radio man and among the townspeople in the fine ensemble that includes William Dick (Mayor), Terry Bell (Sillers), Charin Álvarez (Mrs. Brady) and Meighan Gerachis (Elijah). On the fringe of the proceedings is E.K.Hornbeck (Mi Kang), the cynical reporter who is covering the trial. The real life father/daughter team of Christopher Kale Jones as the trial attorney Tom Davenport and  Melinda (Presley Rose Jones) who is the friend of Thomas Murphy Molony’s Howard and Robert Schleifer (Meeker) all deserve special mention.

There is a down-home, natural and overall timeless vision on the creative side of the show that is first-rate. Collette Pollard’s elegant scenic design includes a stunning vista of the Hillsboro skyline above the stage, ever present within a shimmering skylight that mirrors the raked stage surface that serves as both the townsquare and the courtroom. Jessica Pabst’s costume design fits the period nature of the piece perfectly along with Jason Lynch’s crisp lighting and the subtle but effective original music and sound design by Richard Woodbury. While the sense is that the action is occurring at another place and time, this thought-provoking piece reflects the here and now, or for that matter, any instance when the threat to free speech and our personal liberties is so great that we must take an active stand and always seek the truth.  

(Note: An earlier version omitted Robert Schleifer..)      
PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Goodman Theatre
presents
Inherit the Wind
EXTENDED through October 20

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PicksInSix Review: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 - Writers Theatre

‘GREAT COMET’— Big, Bright, Beautiful Star!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The Chicago premiere of “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” is lighting up the Glencoe sky over Writers Theatre in a soaring production directed and choreographed by Katie Spelman with music direction by Matt Deitchman. Spelman has assembled an exceptional ensemble who deliver a flawless performance of Dave Malloy’s groundbreaking electropop opera that received a dozen 2017 Tony Award nominations.

There is a lot to unpack in this love story derived from a 70-page section of Tolstoy’s War & Peace. The first path of two storylines that are destined to intersect involve the emotional struggles of Natasha (Aurora Penepecker) a free-spirited young woman who is visiting Moscow to meet relatives of her soldier fiancé who is away at war. Natasha becomes wildly tempted by the deceptive Anatole (Joseph Anthony Byrd) whose seductive charms compel her to break her engagement and make plans to elope with Anatole. But there is more to Anatole than meets the eye.

The second path involves the unhappily married Pierre (Evan Tyrone Martin) who is tormented by drink and depression and searching for his own way out of the situation. Pierre’s promiscuous wife Hélène (Bri Sudia) happens to be Anatole’s sister and takes macabre pleasure in helping him lure Natasha’s affection. Pierre is lost in his own obsessions to the point where he publicly confronts one of Hélène’s lovers, Dolokhov (Andrew Mueller), who also happens to be a friend of Anatole, and, in a drunken rage, challenges him to a duel.

Natasha’s host and godmother Marya D (Bethany Thomas), Natasha’s cousin Sonya (Maya Rowe) and Mary (Julia Wheeler Lennon) Andrey’s sister have vastly conflicting interests while, at home, Mary must contend with the eccentric Bolkonsky (Rob Lindley) and keep a watchful eye on Natasha as events unfold. By the time Andrey (Matthew C. Yee) arrives, there is glass all over the floor and only with Pierre’s influence can there be a hopeful solution for both Natasha and for himself.   

This glorious work is sung-through, a highly ambitious undertaking that could only be accomplished with the superb ensemble—including those mentioned with Sophie Grimm, Will Lidke and Jonah D. Winston—steeped in seasoned Chicago talent and showcasing many fine newcomers to Writers, including the luminous Penepacker whose voice and presence as Natasha is intoxicating in a big, bright, beautiful star turn. Rowe is perfect as Sonya, particularly in the memorable “Sonya Alone.” Martin’s brilliant vocal range is on full display as the conflicted Pierre. Winston has the reins well in hand in “Balaga” leading the company on a wild crowd-pleasing ride.

The creative team of scenic designer Courtney O’Neill, costume designer Raquel Adomo, sound designer Eric Backus and lighting designer Yael Lebetzky create a stellar, unified experience, and the magnificent work of Dietchman, conductor/pianist Charlotte Rivard-Hosler and the orchestra shines brightly all night long to deliver Malloy’s complicated and intricate score with elegance and precision. Altogether, it’s a compelling, cosmic adventure that just might be a once-in-a-lifetime event!

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Writers Theatre
presents
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
through October 27

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PicksInSix Review: Henry V - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Brilliantly Staged ‘Henry V’ at Shakes!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The explosive, contemporary staging of Chicago Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Edward Hall’s “Henry V” that opened Friday is a riveting soldier’s war story dedicated to the modern military code of honor, duty, service and sacrifice and amplifies Shakespeare’s depiction of King Henry V (Elijah Jones), initially perceived as an ineffective leader, to conquering warrior. Hall’s production broadens the intense combat action that is central to the work.

That initial perception is dispensed early on as Henry keenly roots out deception within his ranks and then proceeds to turn an ambitious, undermanned and seemingly unwinnable assault on France into stunning victories at Harfleur and Agincourt and in so doing, claims the hand of France’s Princess Katherine (Courtney Rikki Green).

The modern framing of the piece allows the unique interweaving of Jon Trenchard’s original music and arrangements that include a variety of musical genres all accentuating the storytelling with a deep sense of patriotism and camaraderie that then turns quickly to the shocking realism of the battle. Framed in Michael Pavelka’s industrial metallic scenic and extraordinary costume design presents a strikingly unified vision. The Courtyard Theatre is draped in camouflage netting and bathed in Marcus Doschi’s searing lighting design with Emily Hayman’s pulsating sound to establish a staggering backdrop for Hall’s company of seasoned actors covering multiple roles at breakneck speed.

Hall dispenses with the prologue as a single voice incorporating the company as a chorus of voices who drive the pace of the production. Within the company of commandos arise superb individual performances: the strong presence—and singularly extraordinary entrance—of Jaylon Muchison’s Montjoy; Axejandra Escante’s Dauphin (and also an almost unrecognizable Mistress Quickly); Rachel Crowl’s Fluellen;  Gregory Linington’s Archbishop of Canterbury; and, pretty much every time Scott Aiello (Nym and others) appears with Ronald L. Conner (Bardolph) and Demetrios Troy (Pistol) as the ragtag Eastcheap Three with the Lad (Green). The unique and multi-faceted roles of Kate Fry include the gentlewoman Alice and feature her appealing bilingual abilities as Monsieur le Fer to Green’s thoroughly enchanting Katherine. Sean Fortunato (King of France/Sir Thomas Erpingham) stands out in this exceptionally fine ensemble.

Elijah Jones is HENRY V at Chicago Shakespeare Theater through October 6, 2024.

And there at the center of it all is Jones’s Henry who so tentatively takes the throne at the top, dispatching his distractors and leading the invasion with the courage and the decisive authority of a battle seasoned warrior. Jones portrays Henry the commander as a soldiers soldier and ally, as a disciplined ruler in the negotiations with Muchison’s Montjoy and as Katherine’s enamored suitor.

There are exhilarating moments of brotherhood, humor and song, stirring special effects and deftly creative enactments of justice. At the most intense moments of this brilliantly staged drama, the sometimes dense text emerges with broad clarity, a longstanding objective of Chicago Shakes to bring the more complex elements of Shakespeare’s plays to an ever-expanding audience on Navy Pier.      

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Chicago Shakespeare Theater
presents
HENRY V
through October 6, 2024

Courtyard Theater
Navy Pier

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PicksInSix Review: East Texas Hot Links - Court Theatre

Articulate, Impactful ‘East Texas Hot Links’
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

There is a stellar production of Eugene Lee’s signature play “East Texas Hot Links” playing now at Court Theatre in Chicago through September 29. It is an articulate, impactful play that echoes in one’s mind long after the curtain comes down in its eloquent and painful comment on the remnants of the civil rights movement in America, how it continues to resonate and affect so many of our societal mores.  It bears the unmistakable stamp of the great director Ron OJ Parson, who has a relationship with this piece that forces us, in its sheer professionalism alone, to see an unencumbered view of what Jim Crow has done to our world and continues to do today.

Imagine the mid-1950s in the South—in this case, east Texas—at a small café/saloon back in the “piney woods.”  We are privy to a group of folks who all know each other, whose familiarity is not just palpable, it’s vital for the telling of this story. And this production offers one of the finest presentations of true ensemble acting we will ever see.  The intimate banter, the intuitive approaches in character, the story’s roadmap that is laid out for the cast, enhancing each actor’s planting of their artistic feet by literally grabbing and shaking us. It’s as hard as anything we may have seen in recent seasons at Court.  And it’s all couched in, yes, the love that people can have for each other by pointing out the bad and raising high the good in us.

This cast. The play begins with Kelvin Roston Jr., a Court favorite, as Roy, a man whose checkered past (a trait shared by others here) has made him look at starting over in a more productive way. He’s always had a huge attraction for the owner/bartender Charlesetta (a glowing AnJi White), who keeps him and all the men in the bar constantly at bay. There’s Adolph (Willie B. in a strong portrayal), a blind philosopher of sorts whose gravitas helps steer the conversation. Beside him at his table is Columbus (Alfred H. Wilson is a compelling influence) whose ownership of property gives him a more telling voice.

There’s the formidable AC Smith whose hustler/fortune teller Broochie dominates the story halfway through by a simple reading of the palm of Delmus (a naïve young man given wonderful shrift by David Dowd), a kid with big dreams and plans. Then there’s Buckshot (a dark and yet emotionally delicate performance by Geno Walker) who’s just gotten out of jail and simply trying to find his way.  And there’s Juwan Lockett in a defining portrayal as XL, a man whose instinct for survival overpowers his sense of decency and responsibility to his friends and family.

Little by little, the silence at the beginning of the play—one that is held to observe for a reason—gives way to exchanges between characters that make you listen to the words, other times to their rhythms, all the time to the presence and power of the voices. With the specter of the Klan exerting power all through it, director Parson deftly handles the intensity with the skill of a surgeon. This kind of story telling is indeed his specialty and it’s marvelous to watch.  And it’s a simple, highly effective Jack Magaw set design, this small tavern that offers big story. It’s highly complimented by a soft, layered lighting design from Jason Lynch.

Let us also remember that the setting and locale for “East Texas Hot Links” lives in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education and Emmitt Till and Rosa Parks and the emergence of MLK in the public eye. This is not just Black history, but American history, no matter any regard for political expedience. These characters are etched so well within these creative walls by Mr. Lee, an August Wilson disciple and accomplished actor/writer in his own right, and expertly guided by Mr. Parson to the ultimate surprise at the end of the play.  Well, unfortunately not a surprise to all, as you will see.  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com  Coming soon, his new solo play “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com

PHOTO|Michael Brosilow

COURT THEATRE
presents
East Texas Hot Links
5535 S Ellis Ave.
through September 29, 2023

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PicksInSix Review: ROYKO: The Toughest Man in Chicago

ROYKO: “Always, always say it now.”

PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

In his exceptional one-man show “ROYKO: The Toughest Man in Chicago” that opened Friday in a limited run at the Chopin Theater, writer/actor Mitchell Bisschop brings the life and career of Mike Royko into sharp focus. Using Royko’s own words, the show is culled from nearly eight thousand columns spanning four decades that were syndicated nationally at a time when everything was not a click away. It is a remarkable historical archive—epic in nature—on topics ranging from Chicago politics and personalities to Picasso and pizza from the early 50s to his untimely passing in 1997.

Much of what Royko has written is still available thanks to his own foresight to reprint much of his writing in numerous books, the committed nature of his family to preserve his work in print and online, and to the publications themselves who have made them publicly accessible. Ask anyone over fifty living in Chicago about Royko’s work and you will understand the enormous impact that he had on daily readers through the years.

Bisschop and director Steve Scott deliver a compelling, and at times, deeply moving portrait of the man who was by his own account equally beloved and despised but never pulled a punch on a point he believed in. Whether it was the 1960s Daley political machine or recollections of Jackie Robinson’s first day at Wrigley, the stories flow effortlessly.  Scott’s influence can be seen all over this work, in Bisschop’s superbly-paced delivery and the sequential transitions of the storyline aided by the timing, placement and impact of Smooch Medina’s projections and stylized musical underscoring by Christopher Kriz.

In the center of it all is Bisschop weaving together a tapestry of Royko’s early career, not so much in a linear sense, but through the varied topics of his columns—Frank Sinatra’s city sponsored security detail, his mother’s dry cleaning and tailoring store, Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods, RibFest—each punctuated with personal details and wry commentary.  There are frequent trips to the Billy Goat Tavern, which stands as a living testament to Royko’s roots.

For the record, I was a Royko neophyte when I first moved to Chicago in 2002. What I could not gather from many of the references at the time, others helped fill in the gaps. With so much material to choose from, Bisschop wisely concentrated his efforts on a balance between the serious and sublime, equally framed in the brazen insight and searing satire that Royko used to highlight public injustice. The sensitive, emotionally-charged choices are evidence of the appeal that drove readers to his column first whether in the Chicago Daily News, the Chicago Sun Times or the Chicago Tribune.  Royko’s touching tribute following the unexpected passing of his first wife Carol is one of the night’s most powerful moments. There are tributes to Martin Luther King and John Belushi. And Royko’s passionate struggle with the Chicago Cubs plays out here as well.

“Royko: The Toughest Man in Chicago” will serve to introduce a new generation to this remarkable life. There is a helpful historical timeline in the show’s program and a note where Bisschop states that he is trying to “allow people to feel the same magic that I felt when I read Mike for the first time.” Take a look for yourself and you will certainly agree that it is a staggering accomplishment. See this show and you will know that only a gifted actor of Bisschop’s unique skills and rarified commitment to the source material could succeed so well.  

PHOTO|Sarah Larson

Toughest Man Productions
presents
ROYKO: The toughest Man in Chicago
Chopin Theater
through September 29, 2024

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PicksInSix Review: The Audience - Drury Lane Theatre

Brooks Holds Court in “The Audience.”
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

I had the unique opportunity of seeing the original Broadway production of Peter Morgan’s historical play about Queen Elizabeth II, “The Audience,” back in 2015, with the fabulous Helen Mirren and a host of excellent actors in support.  The research into the subject matter is meticulous and well-organized, and if you’re a history buff, you will absolutely love this wonderful creativity.  If you’re not and you keep an open mind, it will lure you in with a kind of picture-book approach of a history lesson, that couldn’t be more entertaining in its turns, and they’re offered by the fine actors seen here. 

“The Audience” takes place during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, specifically focusing on her weekly meetings with the prime minister in office.  It’s not told in a linear fashion, but in a kind of memory focus, so we get an interesting and full scrapbook of storytelling.  There’s even a narrator-on-staff, so to speak—the versatile Jürgen Hooper as the Equerry—to help guide us through the maze of time and place and, well, all the prime ministers, as well as a young Elizabeth (Omi Lichtenstein in an impressive turn) to whom the adult Queen can relate to on occasion.

All the meetings are held in what’s called ‘The Meeting Room’ in Buckingham Palace. It is very simple, accessible staging by director Jessica Fisch. Center stage are two chairs with a small table between them, where all the discussions take place. It might have helped a bit to have the prime ministers and/or the Queen get up and move more often to vary the scene, but that’s nothing that overcomes the fine storytelling.  Ms. Fisch also has created a smooth, absolutely silent scene change habit for those chairs and other set pieces, musically underscored, that actually entertains on its own, thanks to a wonderfully restrained, elegant scenic design by Andrew Boyce.

The entire play is owned by Queen Elizabeth II and taken into charge by the redoubtable Janet Ulrich Brooks, one of Chicago’s truly talented, fascinating actors. She plays Elizabeth from the beginnings of her reign in 1952 by meeting her first Prime Minister, Winston Churchill (an irascible, almost knightly Matt DeCaro), who detests and resists any turn from tradition in the meetings and, indeed, reinforces the Queen’s grandfather, George V, in his insistence on maintaining such structure. The Queen stands up to the great man with questions and methods of her own; they reach a shaky truce of sorts by meeting’s end, and one tips a hat to her resolve.

All the Prime Ministers are at once impressed, shaken and establish their own friendly joust with the Queen.  The first PM appointee Anthony Eden (excellently manipulative and fearful by Mark Ulrich) betrays his reputation with his mismanagement of the Suez Canal affair. Ron E. Rains offers a surprisingly full-bodied and humorous Harold Wilson, thanks to the playwright’s gift of three different scenes with the Queen. (Mr. Wilson did have two separate terms in office, thus justifying what we see.) Susie McMonagle clutches the expected aggressive stance as Margaret Thatcher in a gripping, properly uncompromising exchange with Brooks’ Queen. Both John Major (John Judd) and Tony Blair (Alex Goodrich) leave strong marks on their terms in the office for totally disparate reasons. The Scot, Gordon Brown (Raymond Fox) followed the Churchillian path of Chancellor of the Exchequer in stabilizing the UK’s economy, which led to his PM appointment.  And David Cameron (a second turn by Mr. Goodrich) led the first peacetime British coalition government that voted to leave the European Union in 2016, forcing him to resign.

The richness in history is handled by Elizabeth with varying degrees of attitude, but always in support of each charge. And the many physical changes in Ms. Brooks’ appearance onstage are deftly handled through those aforementioned scene changes with wig and dress by a hugely talented palace staff, both in the story and through the craft. This fine production of a rare play runs at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace through October 20.  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com  Coming soon, his new solo play “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com

PHOTO| Brett Beiner

Drury Lane Theatre
presents
The Audience
100 Drury Lane
Oakbrook Terrace
through October 20, 2024

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PicksInSix Review: The Full Monty-Paramount Theatre

Paramount’s “Full Monty” Really Measures Up!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Do not fear. If you are looking for a big, bawdy, unabashed comic revival—with all the twists, turns and pelvic thrusts you can imagine—then Paramount Theatre’s “The Full Monty” is the show for you. Sure, it’s suggestive and saucy, but beyond the boisterousness, it’s a moving story about building self-esteem through dedication, hard work and the support of friends and family. Adapted for the stage by Terrence McNally with a lot of heart there are surprises galore to be found in the music and lyrics by David Yazbek. Add in a terrific cast and you’ve got a winner from top to bottom!

Based on the 1997 hit film about six out-of-work steel workers who decide to bare it all at a local nightclub to pay the bills, the ten-time Tony Award nominated 2000 Broadway musical was reset to middle class America in Buffalo, New York. Jerry Lukowski (Ben Mayne) is struggling to maintain a relationship with his son Nathan (a split role for Will Daly and Ellis Myers) and stuck trying to catch up with child support payments to his wife Pam (Rebecca Hurd) during their divorce. Jerry and his buddy Dave Bukatinsky (Jared David Michael Grant), who is under similar pressure from his wife Georgie (Veronica Garza) to take a security job to tide things over, decide to hatch a plan to make a bundle at a one-night-only strip show at Tony Girodano’s club.

The two first recruit the depressed and despondent Malcom MacGregor (Adam Fane) and then turn to Harold Nichols (Jackson Evans), a former plant supervisor-turned-dance-instructor to help them put the act together. The men then team up with Jeanette Burmeister (Liz Pazik), an adorably salty rehearsal pianist for auditions. Busting out of the pack at auditions Noah “Horse” T. Simmons (Bernard Dotson) and Ethan Girard (Diego Vazquez Gomez) round out the somewhat dubious, but committed, sextet who hilariously transform into “Hot Metal” before the night is done.

At every turn, Director Jim Corti with choreographer Tor Campbell meticulously move the men from initial awkwardness and insecurity forward. It all plays out against scenic designer Michelle Lilly’s brilliant skyline of Buffalo, framed by a massive, multi-story urban landscape that morphs effortlessly from night club to rehearsal hall where the men perfect their dance steps often in uncontrolled unison when least expected.

Music director/conductor Kory Danielson and the orchestra are in exceptionally fine form with Yazbek’s first Broadway score that features the men in “Scrap,” “Michael Jordan’s Ball” and “Big Black Man” (featuring Dotson in a commanding performance), the women in “It’s a Woman’s World,” and the company in the rousing “The Goods.”  Pazik is a blast in “Jeanette’s Showbiz Number” while Mayne and Grant team up well for “Man” and are joined by Fane in the somewhat dark themed, but clever, “Big-Ass Rock.”

Among the quieter moments, Ann Delany “Life with Harold” is a delight. Mayne is superb in “Breeze Off the River” while Evans and Grant shine in the anthem “You Rule My World.”  The inspirational musical highlight of the night belongs to Fane for his soaring vocal in the hymn-like “You Walk with Me” with Gomez that helps pave the way for the showstopping finale “Let it Go” which is full of bright lights and “Hot Metal” enough for everyone.  

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

PARAMOUNT THEATRE
presents
THE FULL MONTY
The Broadway Musical
through October 6, 2024

23 East Galena Boulevard
Aurora, IL 60506

(630) 896–6666

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PicksInSix Review: 1776 - Marriott Theatre

“TO THINK THAT HERE WE ARE.”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

The inspiring production of “1776” that opened Wednesday at the Marriott Theatre brought a few familiar thoughts to mind about our young and exuberant country.  Democracy is messy. The more things change, the more they stay the same. And a line from one of Sherman Edwards’ songs: “To think that here we are.”

That jubilant statement is sung out by Benjamin Franklin (Richard R. Henry) to John Adams (Tyrick Wiltez Jones) and Thomas Jefferson (Erik Hellman) as the newly drafted Declaration of Independence is being read to the 2nd Continental Congress. They know that there are pitfalls and more debate ahead—and the reality of the bloody war already underway that is underscored throughout the show with missives from ‘G. Washington’ himself—but for a brief instant, getting to this point feels like a small victory.

Obviously, no one truly knows what transpired in the room where this happened. That said, Edwards’ 1969 Tony Award-winning concept, music and lyrics and Peter Stone’s book together create a captivating menagerie of historical characters who are (mostly) bent on unification. All those years later we are today mired in a never-ending election cycle and immersed in an escalating debate about the future vision for our democracy. There is hope and we do generally agree that a new, yet imperfect, nation was formed on July 4, 1776 for the people of the thirteen original colonies, even as freedom and equality for all is still lagging woefully behind.

With director Nick Bowling’s steady hand, sharp choreography by Tanji Harper and a casting coup that has assembled many of Chicago’s top performing artists together on one stage, Marriott Theatre’s “1776” has a sweeping professional sheen as one of the finest and most unique shows on stage right now.

The opposing voice to Adams’s passionate colonial independence is embodied in Pennsylvania delegate John Dickinson, a stellar performance by Heidi Kettenring. The two opposing forces—mediated by Joel Gelman’s stalwart John Hancock and Gabriel Lott-Rogers‘s Charles Thomson with assistance from the ever-present Karl Hamilton as Andrew McNair—weave arguments and slow progress to a bitter stalemate. Along the way, songs teeter from the humorous—“Sit Down, John,” “The Lees of Old Virginia” and “He Plays The Violin”—to the horrific, by South Carolina’s Edward Rutledge (Matthew Hommel) whose chilling referendum to slavery “Molasses to Rum” is alarmingly prophetic. The moving performances of Katherine Alexis Thomas (Abigail Adams), Alicia Kaori (Martha Jefferson), Lucy Godinez (Richard Henry Lee) and a remarkable performance by Jay Westbrook (Courier) in “Momma Look Sharp” deserve special mention in a company stocked with extraordinary voices under the musical direction of Ryan T. Nelson and conductor Brad Haak.

Regina Garcia’s crisp, multi-level scenic design expands Marriott’s in-the-round configuration to create a wide and striking panorama of the chamber interior punctuated by Jesse Klug’s evocative light design and Michael Daly’s pinpoint sound design. The visual picture is complete with Theresa Ham’s gorgeous costumes that make “1776” a truly wonderful—and historic—theatrical event.  

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire
presents
1776
through October 13, 2024

Ten Marriott Drive
Lincolnshire, IL 60069

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847-634-0200 (Box Office)

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PicksInSix Review: Back to the Future-The Musical-Broadway in Chicago

“It works. It Works. IT WORKS!”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

It’s hard to avoid the what-if’s of time travel when it comes to the 1985 Robert Zemeckis film “Back to the Future” and its two sequels that have been entertaining audiences over the last 40 years. Jettisoning back along the space-time continuum to intentionally—or unintentionally—reorder events, change the future or restore balance to the universe has always been the stuff of classic science fiction storytelling.

The original “Back to the Future” was a real crowd-pleaser and a revelation for those of us around at the time. Sure, we had home movies, photo albums and family histories, but we could only imagine the past through the memories of those closest to us. Years from now, those memorable moments will be documented on a digital device in all formats, but obviously none of that existed when we were first introduced to a youthful rock n’ roller and his eccentric pal, the physicist who discovers a way to go back in time 1985 style. Taking the story from film to a live stage version creates some challenges and provides a splendid opportunity for eye-popping special effects.

At the opening of the national touring production of the John Rando directed “Back to the Future—The Musical” on Wednesday at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, I realized there was now a new generation introducing live theater to a much younger version as evidenced by a family of five sitting directly in front of me.  It was apparent to me that somewhere along the line I had taken for granted Doc Brown’s childlike wonder or the campy awkwardness of George McFly as he heroically confronts Biff in a parking lot, but not this crew.

For at least one of the three boys ranging in age from eight to mid-teen, this show was a first and they had a blast! Their joyous, wild enthusiasm for the extraordinary special effects and the techno star of the show—a slick, shiny DeLorean DMC-12 that makes a series of dramatic entrances and exits—was infectious. As avid young fans, their enjoyment was enhanced by the story as well because of its close proximity to the film and as a result, they followed along intently. And while we all know pretty much what was coming next, the Bob Gale book wisely stays within the margins and allows the stage version of “Back to the Future-The Musical” to evolve into a night of fun-filled family entertainment with more than enough whimsy and heart to wow the crowd.  

Or to borrow one of the Alan Silvestri/Glen Ballard lyrics sung by Doc Brown (a terrific role for Don Stephenson) when he first discovers proof of the viability of the flux capacitor: “It works. It Works! IT WORKS!” From Caden Brauch’s energetic portrayal of Marty McFly coaching the younger version of his dad George (a hilarious Burke Swanson) in “Put Your Mind To It” and the sultry Zan Berube’s rendition of “Pretty Baby” as the youthful Lorriane Baines in her bedroom with a trio of singers to Cartreze Tucker knocking the stuffing out of “Gotta Start Somewhere” as the young Goldie Wilson with the multi-talented ensemble and Stephenson’s blissful ballad “For the Dreamers,” this show has something for the young-at-heart of all ages.  But, oh that car is the real star!

When the original 2020 production was shut down in its first week due to the pandemic, you can bet that producers had no idea that four years later productions of “Back to the Future—The Musical” would be running concurrently in London, on Broadway and now in a 28 city national tour through August 2025. Safe to say that Marty, Doc and all the rest will be back in time well into the foreseeable future.       

PHOTO|Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman

BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
presents
National Tour
BACK TO THE FUTURE—THE MUSICAL
Cadillac Palace Theatre
through September 1, 2024

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BROADWAY IN CHICAGO

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PicksInSix Review: The Lord of the Rings-A Musical Tale - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

“We Hobbits Like A Good Tale!”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Wizards, Hobbits and Elves have taken up residency in a Middle-earth all their own at Chicago Shakespeare Theater with the U.S. Premiere of the adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece “The Lord of the Rings-A Musical Tale” that opened Friday in The Yard, CSF’s state-of-the-art 700-seat venue. The show, directed by Paul Hart, boasts awe-inspiring special effects, whimsical puppetry and a superb, multi-talented Chicago cast to tell the story of Bilbo Baggins (Rick Hall), Gandolf (Tom Amandes), Frodo (Spencer Davis Milford), Samwise (Michael Kurowski), and the rest of Fellowship of the Ring who save mankind from destruction.

With book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus and music by A. R. Rahman, Värttinä and Christopher Nightgale, “The Lord of the Rings” incorporates actors as singer/musicians in what is largely a play with music versus a traditional musical. Characters move throughout The Yard’s massive space, in, out and above the audience with eye-popping surprises along the way, not the least of which is the impressive entrance and commanding performance of Tony Bozzuto as Gollum, who is everywhere all at once.

The dense story of the journey to Mordor by Frodo and Sam to destroy the ring in the foundry where it was forged has been streamlined in such a way that those not familiar with the story can follow the evolving action even if many of the characters come and go in the blink of an eye. There is more than enough here for loyalists as well although the overall pace would be improved by reducing the 2 hour and 45 minute run time, not including the 15 minute intermission.

There is remarkable, and often startling, puppetry early on—and one additional confrontation that took everyone by surprise—which when combined with the live action sequences elevate the mystical nature of the piece. Those familiar with Peter Jackson’s film trilogy will not be disappointed, but may do well to manage their expectations as this show is more about the characters and story.

Chicago audiences are fortunate to have the premiere here at Shakes through September 1. Later this fall, the production travels to the 2,379-seat Civic Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand, the locale that Jackson chose for Hobbiton, the mythical shire that today is an international tourist destination for Tolkien enthusiasts.  At three times the size of The Yard with an expansive proscenium and lift system, the Civic, built in 1929 is an atmospheric theatre—one of only seven in the world—with a unique skyscape of stars and clouds which will surely allow audiences an enhanced experience for the show.

So it was natural for me to feel that in its present form, “The Lord of the Rings-A Musical Tale” still has some room to coalesce for its next date with destiny. Staging Tolkien’s epic fantasy is a high order for the stellar cast of Chicago-based talent who are leading the way and more than up for the task. An adventure of a lifetime for sure.

PHOTO|Liz Lauren

Chicago Shakespeare Theater
presents
The Lord of the Rings - A Musical Tale
through September 1

The Yard
Navy Pier

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PicksInSix Review: The Bridges of Madison County - Dunes Arts Summer Theatre

“Spinning By In One Split Second”
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy

Francesca (Kristianna Dilworth) and her husband Richard “Bud” Johnson (Gabriel Reitemeier) have overcome multiple challenges to forge a life on a 300 acre farm in Winterset, Iowa with their two teenage children Michael (Jackson Mikkelsen) and Carolyn (Emma Radtke). As “The Bridges of Madison County” opens, she sings hopefully of the life they have built together, one we find out along the way that is not at all what she envisioned as a young girl growing up in Italy during World War II. She would meet Bud after the death of her soldier fiancé, leave Naples as it was being brutally torn apart and arrive in America to start anew, learning the language and all that comes with raising a family.

Now, years later in 1965, Francesca’s feelings of isolation in the Midwest, trapped within the daily routine of her life, are all consuming. So, with little enthusiasm for the Indiana State Fair and more for reading a book and watching the sky go by, she decides to stay behind alone as Bud takes the kids and a two-ton steer to the 4H national competition. The separation feels natural in a way: Bud, Carolyn and Michael are excited about the event and Francesca admits that having no plans at all for the few days by herself will be a liberating experience.

When Robert Kincaid (Max DeTogne), a National Geographic photographer on assignment, arrives at the door of the Johnson home, Francesca offers to ride with him to the location of Roseman, the last bridge he needs to photograph and the first step on a path that leads the two together into a passionate affair that presents both unimaginable opportunities and a potentially devastating outcome.

The Dunes Arts Summer Theatre production, the brilliant and sensitively staged work of Artistic Director Steve Scott, features the equally superb music direction of Andrew Flasch who renders the rich Jason Robert Brown score brimming with melodies and counter melodies with ease. The book by Marsha Norman is based on the bestselling novel by Robert James Waller that also spawned the 1995 film starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood.

The Dunes ensemble, whose impressive vocal harmonies add depth and nuance to the piece, are led by the extraordinary performances of Dilworth and DeTogne in lead roles. Dilworth, a St. Louis native who now lives in Arlington, Virginia, is simply stunning in all facets of the deeply layered role of Francesca expressing the complexity of a woman at a turning point in her life, upended by passion, conflicted and longing for a path to what could be.  I have long admired DeTogne’s work in Chicago and this may well be one of his finest performances to date, delivering a strong, yet sensitive man who understands the enormous consequences of his deep, abiding love for Francesca.

Director Scott also successfully navigates two delicate relationships in the piece: the ebb and flow between Francesca and Bud, a finely-paced line that Reitemeier follows impeccably with depth and understanding while displaying his own exceptional vocal skills; and, Marge (Kim Lampl) and Charlie (Jim Lampl), the down home neighbors who recognize what is transpiring and provide the caring support that Francesca will need to sort things out. Framed in a sleek modular set designed by Micheal Lasswell, fine costume work by Emily Chidalek with evocative lights and sound by Arturo Pozos and Jake Tillman, the Dunes production of “The Bridges of Madison County” is a moving and memorable evening of theatre not to be missed.

PHOTO|Andy Neal

Dunes Arts Summer Theatre
presents
The Bridges of Madison County
Michiana Shores, Indiana
through August 11

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