It was 1982 in America when “Pump Boys and Dinettes” first premiered on Broadway. Developed by a band whose members worked at the nearby Cattleman Restaurant, the show is based on their experiences working there, but trasposed to a setting recalling the "good ole days" of the South (for some), through the lens of the staff working at the Double Cupp Diner. 

It doesn’t have much of a plot. But if you enjoy escapist theatre with a country western feel, this is the show for you. It was nominated for a Tony award for Best Musical, right along with “Dreamgirls," “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Nine." "Dreamgirls" won most of the Tony's and Pump Boys finished after 573 performances before disappearing into obscurity.

But in Chicago, it the musical has had a very different history. After opening in November 1984 at the Apollo Theatre on Lincoln Ave., it closed in July, 1989 after 1,976 performances and selling more than 600,000 tickets. So locally, its a known crowd-pleaser. 

But to be staged 30 years later, it was too much a product of its times. The Double Cupp Diner in its previous versions would never have made it into the famous Negro Motorist Green Book—a guide published by Victor Hugo Green to steer African American travelers to motels, restaurants and filling stations that would serve them in the South. As a Black man, I have admit a bias against the heart of the original “Pump Boys & Dinettes.” (How’s that for critical race theory?)

But Porchlight has updated the production significantly, with the people of color running the production and included in the starring roles. And the music 

The set for Porchlight’s production of “Pump Boys & Dinettes” is gorgeous. Going out on a limb, it’s probably the best set you’re going to see this season. Sydney Lynne’s 1950’s retro art deco diner and filling station is worth the price of admission. This set was so fully realized, I could smell the coffee coming from the kitchen. It is an explosion of color and neon lights. It’s all beautifully lit by Denise Karczewski, whose lighting design changes from song to song creating a different effect depending on the tempo and subject of the song. If you’re like me and you peek into a diner before going in, you would have noticed a picture of that country western star Lil Nas X hanging on the wall. I immediately knew this wasn’t my Grand-daddy’s “Pump Boys and Dinettes” – this was gonna be something different.
Under the direction Daryl Brooks, a name you may know from The Black Ensemble Theater, this cast gives a lively energetic jolt of life lessons, foibles and desires by way of country western songs. The genius of Brooks was casting an inter-racial group of people to play the pump boy and dinettes, thereby making it an American Musical .
Shantel Cribbs (Prudie) and Melanie Loren (Rhetta) are cast as The Cupp sisters proud owners of the Double Cupp Diner. Prudie, the more sentimental of the two sisters sings a torch song “The Best man” while Rhetta lays down the law with her firery “Be Good or Be Gone,” The two create a melancholy moment with the surprisingly tender song “Sister,” but not before explaining what it is a waitress want, “Tips.” These women have phenomenal voices and acting abilities. Th Cupp Sisters also provided percussion by way of salt boxes, washboards, pie tins, basically anything that is handy and could make a sound.
Not only does the boys pump gas and fix cars, but they are also accomplished instrumentalist. Ian Paul Custer on rhythm guitar as Jim, is our tour guide and leader of the Pump Boys. He engages the audience with his down-home charm whether he’s singing about “Taking it Slow” or reminiscing about childhood memories with his "Mamaw." On lead guitar is the handsome heartthrob Jackson played by the equally handsome Billy Rude. His “Mona “is a hilarious but sweet crush on a Walmart clerk. His energy is infectious as is his comedic timing. Rafe Bradford is pump boy Eddie. What makes Eddie such a fun character is he seldom speaks but says a great deal with his facial expressions while playing his bass guitar. L.M (Ladies Man) is the co-owner of the filling station played for everything it’s worth by Frederick Harris, a first-rate musical comedy actor. One of the funniest songs is done by LM. I won’t spoil it by giving it away.
“Pump Boys and Dinettes” is at its best when the entire company is working together. Thanks to Music Director Robert Reddrick , choreographer/Costume & Wig Designer Rueben Echoles and Director Daryl Brooks they work together beautifully. As a gift to the original creators, I suggest a brand new 40th anniversary cast album. This deserves to be heard more than once.
The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn
Created by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, Jim Wann Directed by Daryl Brooks
Music direction by Robert Reddrick
Choreographed by Rueben D. Echoles
Thursdays at 7pm
Fridays at 8pm
Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm
Sundays at 2pm
Thru December 12th

Before entering Invictus Theatre's storefront on Thorndale Avenue, you are asked for your vaccination card. But they may just as well have asked for your passport.

Once you pass through the curtains on your way to your seat, you know quickly “something is rotten in the state of Denmark." There’s a feeling of death—and grief—in the air. Kevin Rolfs’ bare, blood-red set consists of a single paneled wall. That, coupled with Chad Lussier's atmospheric soundscape, and the stark lighting, evokes a sense of dread. And within a brief three hours, this will indeed be the scene of a slaughterhouse.

Hamlet, considered by many to be Shakespeare’s best play, starts with a young man, Hamlet (Charles Askenaiser), being told by the ghost of his father that he was murdered. The ghost then demands Hamlet seek vengeance on his murderer.

Making things interesting is the fact that the murdered man was King of Demark. The murderer is the king’s brother, Claudius (Jospeh Beal) who two months after the crime married the king’s widow (Hamlet’s mother), and is now the reigning king—Hamlet's uncle-slash-step daddy. Still with me?

It’s enough to drive the heir to the throne mad, and as Hamlet goes about his task of vengeance, he causes collateral damage that suggests he just might indeed be mad. The mood swings of Hamlet are demanding. His emotional highs are quirky; his lows are disturbingly maudlin. Charles Askenaizer, as Hamlet, makes the most of every moment. I found myself looking into his eyes hoping for a clue as to his mental state.

Askenaizer, who also directed, sped up the pace of this Hamlet, and it works for the most part. While still clocking in at a little over three hours, fear not: the time flies by.

The supporting cast is strong and worked well as an ensemble. Barry Irving is a sincere Horatio. Joseph Beal as Claudius became ever more dastardly as the play progressed.

A special nod must go to the intimacy coach, Glenn Thompson. His orchestration of the scuffle between Hamlet and his mother Gertrude (Diane Sintich) must be seen. It looked as though she were giving birth all over again, only this time to a monster. 

There was something sweet in the chemistry between Laertes (Michael Lewis, excellent recently in “A Raisin In The Sun) and Ophelia (Ebby Offord). Certain scenes stood out for me and this was one of them. This begins their character arc and we are fully invested in them, though Lewis should take care not to let the background music overtake his melodic voice. And Offord if this is your debut, you have a bright future.

Darren Jones’ plays Polonius as an oily, pompous, hypocrite. That he would be the first to die by Hamlet’s hand is no wonder. A lot of comedy is lost because of the speed of delivery of Polonius’s lines. Another of my favorites scenes was Rosencrantz (Jack Morsovillo) and Guildenstern (Andrea Uppling) being questioned by Hamlet. Comedic timing by the three characters worked perfectly. Other excellent performances were offered by Robert Koon, Chuck Munro, Keenan Odenkirk and Maria Clara Ospina.

Isaac Jay Pineda's costumes were reminiscent of 1980's businessmen and women. The military characters wore fatigues with the Danish flag. Upon Laertes' return from France, you could tell he had done some shopping. Nice work! 

This excellent production of Hamlet by Invictus Theatre demonstrates yet again why Chicago storefront theatre is known throughout the country.

Hamlet at Invictus Theatre runs October 21 – November 21, 2021
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 3:00 p.m.
1106 W. Thorndale Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60660