Displaying items by tag: Chicago events

BrightSide Theatre’s The Producers storms into Meiley Swallow Hall with the kind of swagger only Mel Brooks can inspire: brash, brazen, and blissfully unconcerned with good taste. From the moment the lights rise, the show charges ahead with a manic momentum that feels both affectionately old school and sharply self-aware. It knows exactly what it’s here to do: go big, go bold, and never apologize for the mayhem.

Under the confident direction of Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass, this staging taps directly into Brooks’ outrageous, boundary-poking sensibility and never loosens its grip. Cass understands that The Producers thrives when its humor teeters on the edge, and he captures that gleeful imbalance with remarkable control. The original film premiered in 1967, the musical exploded onto Broadway in 2001, and if anyone wonders whether that brand of audacity still lands in 2026, the answer is an unequivocal yes. The Naperville audience laughed steadily from the first scene to the curtain call, proving that Brooks’ anarchic wit remains timeless.

BrightSide’s version brings the show’s wild premise to life with full comic force: washed-up Broadway producer Max Bialystock (Scott Kelley) and anxious accountant Leo Bloom (Michael Metcalf) concoct a get-rich-quick scheme to stage the biggest flop in theatre history. If the show collapses on opening night, they can pocket the investors’ money and disappear. Their hunt for guaranteed failure leads them to the worst script imaginable, the most misguided director in town, and a cast so spectacularly wrong that success seems impossible. But in classic Brooks fashion, the plan detonates in the most unexpected way, turning their surefire disaster into an accidental triumph and leaving the pair scrambling to survive the fallout.

That spirit of intentional ruin pulses through the musical numbers, each one another attempt to engineer catastrophe. “Springtime for Hitler,” the show-within-the-show’s notorious centerpiece, is crafted as an overblown, tasteless pageantry meant to repel audiences instantly. “Der Guten Tag Hop Clop” and “Haben Sie gehört das Deutsche Band?” push the absurdity even further, spotlighting a playwright and director whose delusions should have doomed the project. Even “Keep It Gay,” with its flamboyant insistence on excess, is part of Max and Leo’s strategy to stack the deck with choices so misguided they can’t possibly succeed. Ironically, the songs are so bold, so shamelessly theatrical, and so cleanly executed that the very elements meant to sink the show end up turning it into the hit they never wanted.

Scott Kelley’s Max Bialystock and Michael Metcalf’s Leo Bloom make a terrific duo, striking a lively balance between showmanship and panic. Kelley barrels through the role with larger-than-life bravado, while Metcalf’s tightly coiled nervousness plays off him beautifully. Their timing is crisp, their rapport effortless, and together they elevate every scheme, meltdown, and misstep.

Max Bialystock (Scott Kelley) and Company.

Amelia Tam is outstanding as Ulla, the blonde bombshell Max hopes to lure to his “casting couch”. She is an amazing dancer with an equally outstanding voice, commanding attention the moment she steps onstage with a blend of radiant charm and razor-sharp comedic instinct. Her Ulla rises far above the familiar Swedish ditzy-blonde trope, becoming a spark of vitality who shifts the temperature of every scene she enters. Tam mixes wide-eyed innocence with sly intelligence, making each line land with extra bite. Whether stretching a vowel for comedic payoff or launching into “When You Got It, Flaunt It” with fearless gusto, she turns Ulla into a character who is not only irresistible but essential to the show’s rhythm.

The supporting cast is uniformly strong, powered by an ensemble that moves with clarity (credit to choreographer Mary Grace Martens), hits its jokes cleanly, and fills the stage with infectious confidence. Cheryl Newman shines as one of Max’s elderly ‘investors,’ delivering sharp comedic work while also contributing behind the scenes as costume designer - a pair of responsibilities she handles with impressive finesse. Michael John Lynch brings delicious flair to Carmen Ghia, the impeccably mannered yet cutting assistant whose every gesture blends elegance and threat. Myles Mattsey is memorable as Franz Liebkind, the unhinged playwright whose patriotic fervor is both alarming and hilarious, while John B. Boss transforms director Roger DeBris into a gleaming spectacle of theatrical excess. Together, they form a gallery of eccentrics who keep the show’s momentum high and its humor constant.

All the while, Phil Videkis provides excellent musical leadership, guiding the orchestra with crisp pacing and keeping the score bright, tight, and perfectly attuned to the show’s comic sensibility while supporting Thomas Meehan’s book with well-judged musical choices.

The staging makes clever use of an economical but highly effective set designed by Ariel Mozes, shifting smoothly from location to location without ever feeling limited. What the physical scenery lacks in large-scale opulence, it compensates for with smart configuration and adaptability, allowing the story to move quickly while keeping the focus on the performers. Enhancing that versatility is a programmable LED backdrop that becomes one of the production’s most dynamic tools, transforming into windows, rainbows, bursts of color, or even spelled-out words that heighten key moments. Together, Mozes’ resourceful design and the vivid LED wall create a surprisingly rich visual world that expands far beyond the modest footprint.

BrightSide Theatre once again demonstrates a sharp eye for material, adding The Producers to its growing list of savvy, crowd-pleasing selections. This staging delivers everything a Mel Brooks musical should: big laughs, confident performances, and a joyful sense of mischief that never lets up. It’s a lively, high-spirited evening that embraces the show’s outrageous personality while still finding its own clever touches along the way. This musical comedy is highly recommended, playing through June 28th at the Theater at Meiley Swallow Hall, an ideal summer outing for anyone craving a night of bright, unapologetic fun.

For tickets and/or more show information, visit https://brightsidetheatre.com/producers/.

Elmhurst Art Museum’s two new exhibitions feature a pair of artists with Midwestern roots whose outlooks and perceptions of the world lead in quite different directions.  Both of their creative paths are paved with output that prod our inquisitive instincts and ask our eyes to look a little closer.  One is unmatched in the way it provokes actual wonder. 

Jeannette Andrews was a young teenager from Wheaton and already enthralled with magic when she found herself in a contemporary art museum one day.  Her mind immediately saw parallels between what attracted her to the mystery and enchantment of magic and what was on the museum’s walls.   For her, the conceptual similarities between the two were so strong that she couldn’t fathom why no one was exploring their link.

The budding conjurer would go on to build a career that includes performative magic.  She also began seriously looking into the synergies and commonalities between contemporary visual art and the body of knowledge and practices that produce magic.  That interest and effort provide the foundation for Of Wonder, Mind and Magic, nine magic-focused installations that make up her first solo exhibition now running at the museum until late August.

All photos by Siegfried Mueller.

“Learning secret information that’s not easily found” is a powerful motivating force in Andrews’ life.  It’s led her to conduct exhaustive research into some of the most esoteric areas of magic.  A great deal of the work in her show also focuses on the physical sciences and deviations in how people believe they perceive the natural world and how they in fact do.  The magician/artist’s ruminations on a dense thicket of “what if” scenarios eventually culminate in either a performance piece or, in the case of Of Wonder, Mind and Magic, an art installation that focuses on what was once called the dark arts.

What is, remains is an example of how Andrews interweaves the properties of the physical world and that of magic.  An interactive or immersive piece that asks visitors to take specific actions while looking at a suspended sphere and its shadow, it’s a disappearing act that’s brought into an arts centric setting.  While following the instructions of a recorded voice, participating museum visitors will find the sphere disappears and reappears at will.

Awe inducing for its simplicity and the incredulity it triggers, Bottling the Impossible is, once you fully absorb its significance, a remarkable show of skill.  Riffing off the classic ship in a bottle conundrum, objects are displayed in a small Bulleit whiskey bottle with no obvious way for them to have gotten there.  A chess piece, a pocket mirror and a complete sealed deck of playing cards all sit benignly in their separate bottles; defying both logic and the natural order.  Andrews confessed it took more than two years of research and false steps before she was able to master this genuinely impressive challenge.    

Several of the other installations are more interactive with technology on hand to guide visitors on what to expect and do.   Andrews, who’s currently an artist in residence at Brown University, has enjoyed similar affiliations with other notable institutions including MIT and Harvard.  The breadth and penetrating quality of her work appeal to anyone who enjoys interacting with creatively unorthodox approaches to interesting and sometimes arcane concepts.

Near Eternity, the contributions of sculptor Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford, is inspired by the way time and the changes it brings to our lives impact how we view the past, present, future and ourselves.

Life can be viewed as a series of transitions and the ways we respond to them are endless.  Artists react through their work.  In Near Eternity, Hulsebos-Spofford’s low carbon sculptures are widespread.  They can be found gracing the interiors of the museum’s prestigious adjunct building, outdoors among the greenery of Wilder Park adjoining the museum and just inside the main entrance.  Notions of loss and mortality, contemplations on human vulnerability due to infirmity or age and the silent confusion and unanticipated emotions that accompany some of life’s more poignant passages are all represented in wood or polyester resin.

Several examples are found in McCormick House directly adjacent to the museum’s main building.  In it, Hulsebos-Spofford reimagines either familiar or iconic items and overlays empathetic sensibilities onto them.  In Hyperplexia: Splint, he takes an object used to brace injuries and produces a “meditation on support structures” that take in the emotional and architectural as well as the physical. 

In another room, Mies van der Rohe’s timeless Barcelona chair gets a similar treatment.  Elegant perfection gets a redo that emphasizes what it feels like to be susceptible or exposed to harm or injury.  All for the purpose of highlighting the “tension between preservation and decay”.

Temperamentally lighter and more playful works are in the park where an artistic homage to Mr. Coffee can be found along with a radically chill Shark Cat cast in bronze, fashioned after the social media craze of the same name.   

Like most of us, artists have many facets to their sensibilities.  Along with encouraging us to think deeper through art, Mr. Hulsebos-Spofford also derives a great deal of pleasure knowing artwork in public spaces can instigate instant and random joy.  A balance that makes a show of any kind a more complete and gratifying experience.

Of Wonder, Mind and Magic

Near Eternity

Through August 23, 2026

Elmhurst Art Museum

150 South Cottage Grove Ave.

Elmhurst, IL   60126

For more information on both exhibits:  https://elmhurstartmuseum.org

Immerse yourself in the enchanting wonder, vibrant magic and joyous celebration that is Mexican folkloric dance when Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl presents its 43rd Anniversary Concert, Thursday, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. 

Experience the charming, diverse folkloric dance styles of Mexican culture, cultivated right here in the Fox Valley. Tickets are $27-$32. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount Theatre box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and until show time on show days. Children two and under are admitted free. *Prices are for in-person purchases. Additional fees apply for phone and online orders.

Based in Aurora, Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl is an internationally celebrated Mexican folk dance troupe that has delighted audiences for over 40 years around Illinois and as far as Mexico with its colorful costumes, wonderful music and electrifying choreography. The group originally formed to meet the need to preserve one of the most important aspects of Mexican culture, the folkloric dance. Juan Manuel “Nery” Cruz, originally from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, is the group’s director and choreographer. 

The name "Quetzalcoatl" originates from the ancient Mexican and northern Central American civilizations. It means “snake or serpent with feathers of quetzal,” which implies something divine or precious in the Nahuatl language. Quetzalcoatl was also the god of wisdom of the primitive Mexicans, a god of the air, or sun-god, who instructed them in the use of agriculture and metals.

Don’t miss this magnificent community celebration of Mexico’s rich culture, an amazing pageant of dazzling costumes, infectious music and high-energy traditional folklore dance numbers still performed in the villages of Mexico’s different regions. For more, visit bfquetzalcoatl.org.

For the first time in company history, Oak Park Festival Theatre presents two productions in repertory: William Shakespeare's HAMLET and Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.

Though separated by centuries and radically different in tone, both plays explore questions of identity, performance, truth, and societal expectation. Presented on alternating evenings throughout the summer, the productions invite audiences to experience two of the theatrical canon's most enduring works in conversation with one another. 

In HAMLET, Prince Hamlet returns home following his father's death and his mother's swift revenge, only to discover a kingdom haunted by betrayal, suspicion, and revenge. 

In THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff navigate a web of mistaken identities, secret engagements, and social satire as they attempt to win the affections of two very particular women. 

HAMLET

Written By: William Shakespeare

Directed By: Peter G. Andersen

Cast: Brew Bos (Hamlet), Brenna Distassio (Laertes), Olive Gallagher (Ophelia), Pedro Jimenez (Rosencrantz), Gabriel Armstrong (Guildenstern), Patrice Egleston (Polonius), Jodi Gage (Gertrude), Josh Carpenter** (Claudius), Lucas Prizant (Horatio), and Charls Sedgwick Hall** (Ghost/Player/Gravedigger)

Understudy Cast: Lucas Prizant (Hamlet), Avery Dulak (Laertes), Anya Moeske (Ophelia), Ben Crane (Rosencrantz/Guildenstern), Julia Rowley (Polonium/Gertrude), August Foreman (Claudius/Ghost/Player/Gravedigger), Jamille Calixte (Horatio).

Production Team: Patrick Starner (Production Manager), Andy Cahoon (Technical Director), Tessa Huber  (Stage Manager), Chrissy Roy (Assistant Stage Manager), Devin Cameron (Lighting Director), Evan Frank (Scenic Designer), Taylor Pfenning (Costume Designer) Duncan Hon (Master Electrician), Trent Jones (Scenic Painter), Sophia De La Torre (Board Mixer), and Jack Short (Box Office Manager).

** Denotes Membership in Actors' Equity Association

Dates: July 1 – August 15, 2026 (previews July 1, July 3)

Schedule: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Select dates only. See website for complete schedule.

Location: Austin Gardens, 167 Forest Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302

Tickets: General Admission ($40); seniors ($30); students ($15); previews ($20); children under 12 ($5). Group discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Additional booking fees apply. 

Box Office: www.oakparkfestival.com 

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

Written By: Oscar Wilde

Directed By: Kathryn Walsh

Cast: August Foreman (Algernon), Chad Bay (Jack), Sonia Goldberg (Gwendolyn), Aurora Pennepacker** (Cecily), Drew Bos (Merriman/Lane), Barbara Zahora** (Lady Bracknell), Gabriel Armstrong (Chausible), and Jodi Gage (Miss Prism). 

Understudy Cast: Gabriel Armstrong (Algernon), Pedro Jimenez (Jack), Olive Gallagher (Gwendolyn/Cecily), Evan Ozer (Merriman/Lane/Chasible), Belinda Bremner (Lady Bracknell), Julia Rowley (Miss Prism).

Production Team: Patrick Starner (Production Manager), Andy Cahoon (Technical Director), Chrissy Roy (Stage Manager), Tessa Huber (Assistant Stage Manager), Devin Cameron (Lighting Director), Evan Frank (Scenic Designer), Phoebe Boynton (Costume Designer) Duncan Hon (Master Electrician), Sophia De La Torre (Board Mixer), and Jack Short (Box Office Manager).

** Denotes Membership in Actors' Equity Association

Dates: June 30 – August 14, 2026 (previews June 30, July 2, July 4)

Schedule: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Select dates only. See website for complete schedule.

Location: Austin Gardens, 167 Forest Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302

Tickets: General Admission ($40); seniors ($30); students ($15); previews ($20); children under 12 ($5). Group discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Additional booking fees apply. 

Box Office: www.oakparkfestival.com 

When Terry Guest left Atlanta and arrived in Chicago ten years or so ago, a bracing reality check caused the young actor to make a bold pivot.  Three years of auditions and zero bites on the acting front, he turned himself into a playwright and used a deceased uncle as his inspirational muse.  At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen was born, with Guest placing himself in the starring role.  Rave reviews, real recognition and an impressive collection of Jeff Awards followed.  As they used to say during the dawn of space exploration, “Houston, we have liftoff.”

That was in 2019 and since then the actor and playwright has been exploring other opportunities to extend his keenly astute vision about life and people into the theatrical ecosphere.  More plays were written, last year At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen was reprised and a brand spanking new dazzler by Guest just launched its world premiere at Jackalope Theatre in Edgewater a few days ago.  If there’s any logic in the universe, it’ll enjoy a very similar reception to his inaugural tour de force.

Because it’s so creatively extravagant, Andy Warhol Presents: The Cocaine Play lives in a universe all its own.  There’s enough drama and suspense to be slightly Hitchcockian, but it’s also unrelentingly funny.   It’s arguably biographical, but not in any way you’d expect.  Because it indulges in the supernatural, you can say it possesses strong elements of mystical realism. Nothing about it is predictable. And it has two endings.  Both killer.

If you had to name one thing that forms its nucleus, it would be fame.  The single name variety.  Blinding individual glory.  Guest probes into what it’s like to have it and what it means to crave it.

We get a sample of the first right at the opening when Marilyn Monroe appears resplendently before us and gives a little run down on what it’s like to be her.   The instant recognition, the automatic smiles, the rapturous attention, the sheer adoration.  But she isn’t “that” Marilyn.  And she’s not really an avatar.  You could say she’s a concept of the blond bombshell turned into flesh. Played with decadent deliciousness by Alexis Ward, she’s the psychological stand-in for the mega-star from Hollywood’s past. 

A quick shift and we’re suddenly in a New York apartment with a woman, Edie Sedgwick, complaining to a friend about her inattentive, I-don’t-understand-him-at-all-anymore, husband. We’ve already learned from the friend she’s talking to, Andy Warhol, that we’ve gone back in time to the 1960s. And even though he’s a painter too and wears a bushy white wig, he’s not that Andy Warhol. Like Marilyn, Andy and Edie are facsimiles of the people we think they are.  And like every other member of the four-member cast, everyone’s Black.

(L to R) David Michael Dowd, Jasmine “Jazzy” Cheri Rush and William Anthony Sebastian Rose II in ANDY WARHOL PRESENTS: THE COCAINE PLAY.

William Anthony Sebastian Rose II occupies the role of Andy, and a more droll, brilliantly glib performance will likely not be seen on another stage anytime soon. He and Edie’s husband Michael (David Dowd) are having a very hot little affair on the side.   Regardless of how trivial or momentous, all interactions are laced with coke. Indulging in cocaine hits is so pervasive it’s like watching piranha in a constant feeding frenzy.

They’re all in the creative arts.  Edie (Jasmine “Jazzy” Cheri Rush) is an actress married a painter.  She and Michael are flat out rabidly ambitious, and both invest the sweat and tears to make it in their crafts.  Unfortunately, their striving just doesn’t end up going anywhere. Andy’s less driven or sure of himself.  Much more reticent.  When an opportunity arises for him and Michael to catch some limelight, it’s Andy, after being pushed by his lover/friend, who prevails.  His portrait of the late Marilyn Monroe catapults him to fortune and fame. 

Guest not only wrote the Andy Warhol script; he also directs this three-act marvel that moves like a bullet train on freshly greased tracks.  This production shows too that he’s a master at shaping performances.  All four glow with a blindingly high gloss.   

The play spans three decades.  Sydney Lynne’s scenic design stamps all of them with genuine uniqueness and style.  Dress transforms with the times too and, in this case, only Edie’s wardrobe changes noticeably as the years roll by.  As costume designer, Maddy Shows makes sure they sync perfectly with the period and sing with class.   Much the same can be said for Ayanna Bakari and that cavalcade of wigs she presents.   Stellar.  

Cohesive and boppin’ original music binds the play together from the very beginning to the absolute end, yielding what can only be called yet another delectable surprise bonus.

Fame, we later find, isn’t sitting all that well with Andy.  Something about it is oppressive and Marilyn keeps showing up like a specter he’d really like to leave him alone for a while.  Still treading water, Edie and Michael aren’t faring much better.  She left for LA to try and make it in the movies since NY never ignited. Micheal continues to paint in the Big Apple and remains mired in the same obscurity.   The chance at a long shot makes him desperate, brings his resentment regarding Andy’s success to the fore and sets him to scheming.  After all, he rationalizes, Andy would never be where he is if it weren’t for him.  Things then turn very dark and get just as hot.  Hence the first ending that’s so intense there should be a way to one day to enshrine it in the National Archives.

It’s the second closing that comes out of nowhere that will blast your other sock off.

Andy Warhol Presents: The Cocaine Play

Through July 6, 2026

Jackalope Theatre

Broadway Armory Park

5917 N. Broadway Street

Chicago, IL  60660

For more information and tickets:  https://www.jackalopetheatre.org/

Highly Recommended

When Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years premiered at Chicago’s Northlight Theatre in 2001, it flipped the traditional rom-com musical blueprint on its head. Off came the rose-colored glasses, and what was presented was an intimate, searing, and structurally unique take on the modern relationship, inspired by Brown’s own love and loss. Now, twenty-five years later, this piece, directed by Christina Ramirez, returns to Chicagoland at Oil Lamp Theater in Glenview. The Last Five Years presents the entire course of a relationship between Jamie, a rising author, and Cathy, a struggling actress – from the first hello to the final goodbye – performed by only two actors, who take turns singing their hearts out in this vocally demanding score.

Structure is everything in this show. Jamie’s timeline starts from the high of their first date and moves chronologically, while Cathy’s story begins at the end and moves backward. They meet only once, in the middle, for their wedding, and then move in opposite directions.

Lili Galluzzo, playing Cathy, is an absolute powerhouse. She commands the stage with a voice that can belt to the rafters, packing an emotional punch with every note. Whether she is navigating the comedic neuroses of “A Summer in Ohio” or the crushing vulnerability of “I'm Still Hurting,” she conveys unvarnished emotion that anchors the production's vocal stakes.

As Jamie, Abraham Deitz-Green has an effortless, magnetic charm. From his opening number, he is clearly having fun, schmoozing the crowd and winning the audience over with ease. He infuses the ambitious young novelist with infectious likability. In fact, it makes it hard for the audience to decipher who is at fault more in this relationship, forcing them to question everything, just as the leads do.

Perhaps Cathy is too pessimistic? Years of career letdowns have tainted her perspective on life, and misery loves – needs – company. Maybe she can’t be happy unless Jamie is unhappy too. Or perhaps Jamie was always emotionally unavailable? As his career takes off, does he want to give himself sacrificially to another person, or does he want to be the new, shiny toy on the scene? Maybe he only wants to reap the benefits of love without caring for it. These are the questions the audience is wrestling with thanks to their strong performances.

Lili Galluzzo in THE LAST FIVE YEARS from Oil Lamp Theater.

But while individually the leads command the stage, their chemistry together left something to be desired. The musical’s structure itself doesn’t help much. After all, the majority of the time, they sing alone, interacting only with props. So, the anticipation of them finally being in the same timeline, sharing space, perhaps places an undue burden on the moment. Still, their big song together, which is also their wedding song, felt flat. The same charm that Jamie had when he landed his big break was gone, and the fire that Cathy had joking about Ohio was missing. Given that this was opening night, the chemistry may well evolve as the actors settle into each other’s timing, but in this performance it was noticeably absent. Since that crucial piece wasn’t there, it felt a little as if these characters never truly understood each other from the start. Were they truly lovers or just lines intersecting at a point?

Oil Lamp’s space is the perfect venue for this intimate show. The set really doesn’t need much; the songs are the main course. But the set was a bit of a distraction. Flat panels slid on and off stage to delineate different locations or the passage of time, but they were rather clunky when they were moved, like a stubborn shower door. At other times, Jamie entered from behind the audience, stepping directly in from the street. The sudden opening of the door and the outside light coming in pulled one out of the moment. The scenes that worked best were those which used lighting to direct your focus and shine on Jamie or Cathy as they untangled their vulnerabilities or drew you in with bursts of emotion.

The Last Five Years is a unique art piece, and its story is not for everyone. Can love and ambition mix, or are they oil and water? This untraditional, somber look at relationships offers unflinching moments, lush and playful songs, and questions you have to wrestle with – no doubt why it has found its way into the hearts of many musical theatergoers. Whether you're "Team Jamie" or "Team Cathy," fans of this modern musical will certainly fall in love with Oil Lamp’s rendition, thanks to the dynamic performances of its leads. They perform this high-wire act with skill and vocal precision, bringing this complex story to life with incredible emotional depth.

The Last Five Years plays at Oil Lamp Theater now through July 19th.

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

Some stories refuse to fade with time, and Brokeback Mountain is one of them. What began as a modest short story by Annie Proulx in The New Yorker in 1997 grew into an award-winning literary work, an acclaimed film, and now a deeply moving stage adaptation by Ashley Robinson at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Under the assured direction of Jonathan Butterell, this production achieves something rare: it honors the source material while creating an emotionally overwhelming theatrical experience that stands on its own merits.

Proulx's story unfolds in 1963, in a world where homophobia was not merely accepted but embedded within the culture. In rural America, far removed from urban centers and decades before meaningful LGBTQ+ rights protections, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist find themselves trapped between the lives they are expected to live and the love they cannot deny. Although the story concludes in 1983, its themes remain startlingly relevant. The prejudice that shaped their lives has not disappeared; it has simply changed forms.

Butterell's direction is masterful. He understands that the power of Brokeback Mountain lies not in grand declarations but in silences, glances, and opportunities missed. Every scene is infused with aching restraint, allowing the audience to feel the enormous weight of what remains unspoken. The result is a production that slowly tightens its grip on the audience.

Harrison Ball delivers a remarkable performance as Ennis Del Mar, capturing the character's stoicism, fear, and buried longing with heartbreaking precision. Opposite him, Jack Cameron Kay gives Jack Twist an irresistible warmth and optimism, making his refusal to surrender to a life of secrecy all the more poignant. Together, the two actors create a chemistry so natural and compelling that the audience becomes deeply invested in every stolen moment they share.

The supporting cast is equally extraordinary. Cordelia Dewdney's Alma Del Mar is nothing short of revelatory. Dewdney charts Alma's transformation from a hopeful young wife into a woman forced to confront painful truths with astonishing emotional depth. Her performance is so finely calibrated, so emotionally authentic, that it feels destined for award recognition. Every look, every hesitation, every moment of heartbreak lands with devastating force. It is one of the finest performances currently on a Chicago stage.

Thomas Cox and Kat Eggleston excel in multiple roles, helping populate the world around Ennis and Jack with richly drawn characters. Eggleston's work as the Balladeer provides a haunting thread that runs through the production, giving voice to emotions the characters themselves cannot express.

Tom Pye's scenic and costume design is stunning in its simplicity. With minimal elements, he evokes the sweeping grandeur of Wyoming's mountains and the claustrophobic domestic spaces that confine the characters for much of their lives. The contrast is striking. On Brokeback Mountain, Ennis and Jack briefly experience freedom. Everywhere else, they are hemmed in by expectations, obligations, and fear. Sammi Grant's dialect coaching enriches the production, lending authenticity to the Wyoming accents and further immersing the audience in the world of the play.

What makes this production particularly resonant is its willingness to confront the societal forces that shaped Ennis and Jack's tragedy. The play never becomes didactic, yet it clearly illustrates how homophobia was reinforced by cultural institutions, including religious traditions and biblical interpretations that were frequently used to condemn same-sex relationships and enforce rigid definitions of masculinity. Whether through family expectations, community pressure, or appeals to religious authority, the message was clear: people like Ennis and Jack were expected to deny who they were. The production allows audiences to witness the devastating human cost of those beliefs without reducing its characters to symbols or political arguments.

Although Brokeback Mountain is not a musical, musical elements are woven seamlessly into the storytelling, becoming an emotional landscape of their own. Rather than interrupting the narrative, the ballads deepen it, expressing feelings that the characters are unable to articulate. Combined with the breathtaking visual and emotional scope of the production, the music helps transform the story into something more.

What is most impressive is how contemporary the play feels. Nearly forty years after the events depicted, Brokeback Mountain remains a cautionary tale about the consequences of intolerance and the lives damaged when love is forced into secrecy. Yet it is also a story of resilience, desire, and the human need for connection.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater has delivered one of the most powerful productions of the season. Under Jonathan Butterell's direction, every artistic element works in harmony to create an evening of theater that is both intimate and epic. It would not be surprising to see this production enjoy a future life beyond Chicago. The quality of the staging, the strength of the performances, and the universal appeal of the material suggest a production that could fare exceptionally well in New York and beyond.

Brokeback Mountain is theater at its finest—beautifully acted, exquisitely directed, emotionally devastating, and utterly unforgettable. It is not merely a revival of a story; it is a production that reminds us why stories like this continue to matter. And in Jonathan Butterell's hands, it soars.

Highly Recommended

Running Time: 90 minutes

When: Through June 28

Where: Chicago Shakespeare Theater 800 East Grand Avenue in Chicago

Tickets: $65 - $125

Box Office: 312-595-5600

Info: www.chicagoshakes.com

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

Produced in partnership with JunkHeart, The Metal Shop Performance Lab is proud to announce the cast and creative team for Anatomy of a Suicide, August 12 - 30, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago, written by Alice Birch and directed by Alex Mallory. Previews are Wednesday, Aug. 12 and Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. The regular performance schedule is Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 - $35 and may be purchased starting June 1 by visiting TheMetalShop.org.

Anatomy of a Suicide follows three generations of women; a mother, a daughter and a granddaughter, whose individual stories are being told simultaneously. For each, the pain and chaos of the women who came before them force them to question whether they will be able to escape this deeply rooted legacy and instead make their own. Alice Birch's Susan Smith Blackburn Prize-winning play is an intimate exploration of inter-generational trauma, told across three interlinking narratives.

The cast of Anatomy of a Suicide features Tatiana Pavela (she/her, Carol); Taigé Lauren (she/her, Anna); Isabel Lee Roden (they/them, Bonnie); Josh Razavi (he/him, John); Raúl Alonso (he/him, Jamie); Allyce C. Torres (she/her, Jo/Laura/Lola/Woman); Jocelyn Maher (she/her, Emma/Karen/Esther/May/Diane); Laila Malak (she/her, Young Daisy/Young Anna/Child); Wisterman (they/them, Dan/Dave/Nurse/Felix/Luke); Faiz Siddique (he/him, Toby/Tim/Mark); Ellen Campbell (she/her, u/s Carol); Taylor McWilliams-Woods (she/her, u/s Anna); Ashley Leake (she/her, u/s Bonnie); Zak Wilson (he/him, u/s John); DeVaughn Loman (he/him, u/s Jamie); Liliana Mastroianni (she/her, u/s Jo/Laura/Lola/Woman); Lori Navarrete (she/her/ella, u/s Emma/Karen/Esther/May/Diane); Amanda Elena de la Fuente (she/ella, u/s Young Daisy/Young Anna/Child); Derek Preston Ray (he/him, u/s Dan/Dave/Nurse/Felix/Luke) and Darius Stubbs (he/him, u/s Toby/Tim/Mark).

The creative team includes Alex Mallory (she/her, director); Marlee Feacher (she/her, assistant director); Sofie Schmeltzer (they/them, stage manager); Annabelle Lamb (she/her, assistant stage manager); AJ Noon (they/them, rehearsal assistant stage manager); Dusty Brown (they/them, production manager); Daphne Agosin (she/her, scenic and lighting designer); Naomi Arroyo (she/her, costume designer); Gina Montalvo (she/they, sound designer); Lolo Ramos (she/her, props designer) and Toranika Washington (she/her, intimacy director).

Anatomy of a Suicide is presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals Corp. www.ConcordTheatricals.com.

Please note: Anatomy of a Suicide contains themes of suicide, substance abuse, and depression. Age recommendation 14+.

If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis, 988 offers 24/7 judgment-free support for mental health, substance use, and more. Text, call, or chat 988. Information on local resources will be provided online, in show program material, and at the theater.

ABOUT ALICE BIRCH, playwright

Alice Birch is a British playwright and screenwriter. Birch has written several plays, including Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. for which she was awarded the George Devine Award for Most Promising New Playwright and Anatomy of a Suicide for which she won the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Birch was also the screenwriter for the film Lady Macbeth and has written for television shows such as "Succession," "Normal People" and "Dead Ringers."

ABOUT ALEX MALLORY, director

Alex Mallory is a director, educator, producer, arts consultant, director of The Metal Shop Performance Lab and one half of JunkHeart with Tatiana Pavela. She recently directed the world premiere of Sadieh Rifai's The Cave for A Red Orchid Theatre and a touring, community-engaged production of My Name is Rachel Corrie with The Metal Shop. Her award-winning production of Takeo Rivera's choreopoem Goliath toured over seven years through New York and California. Alex holds an MFA in Directing from Northwestern University and a BA from Stanford University where she received the Louis Sudler Prize in Creative Arts and the Sherifa Omade Edoga Prize for work involving social issues. She is a proud member of SDC, the national labor union representing professional stage directors and choreographers.

ABOUT THE METAL SHOP PERFORMANCE LAB

The Metal Shop Performance Lab creates theatrical events that build community through authentic exchange between artists and audiences. 

ABOUT JUNKHEART

JunkHeart is a new artistic collaboration between Alex Mallory and Tatiana Pavela. JunkHeart seeks to create bigger worlds for people to witness, so they have bigger worlds to exist within. Junk because it describes how we often make theatre: recorded on voice memos, written on scraps of paper, costumed from the back of our closets and thrift store finds. We collect salvaged wood from the landlord's garage, borrow furniture from our own living rooms, and assemble a motley crew of people to come together because they can't envision doing anything else. Heart because art should fracture something open to give people more space. We want our projects  to expand audiences' ideas of humanity and leave them feeling more, connecting more, envisioning more possibilities. Can your heart be split open and be put back together slightly changed, with light pouring through the cracks?

Produced in partnership with JunkHeart, The Metal Shop Performance Lab is proud to announce the cast and creative team for Anatomy of a Suicide, August 12 - 30, at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago, written by Alice Birch and directed by Alex Mallory. Previews are Wednesday, Aug. 12 and Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. The regular performance schedule is Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20 - $35 and may be purchased starting June 1 by visiting TheMetalShop.org.

Definition Theatre's Amplify New Play Program exists to elevate emerging voices, and Netta Walker's keerah certainly arrives with ambition. Loosely inspired by the mythological lovers Orpheus and Eurydice, the play explores race, identity, love, and memory through the relationship between Ciara and Cormac. While the production benefits from strong performances and excellent design work, the script ultimately struggles to transform its compelling ideas into equally compelling drama.

The cast features Netta Walker as Ciara, Cat Christmas as Lucy, Beck Nolan as Cormac, and Jacob Coggeshall as Finn. Under the direction of McKenzie Chinn, the actors work tirelessly to bring depth and authenticity to the material. Walker and Nolan, in particular, share a natural chemistry that anchors the evening. Their relationship serves as a constant reminder of the play's potential. Even when the script falters, both actors remain committed to finding emotional truth in their characters.

The first act unfolds as something of a meandering exploration of youthful angst and attraction. While it establishes the emotional stakes, it often feels unfocused. The second act finds greater urgency but also becomes increasingly forced, pushing emotional revelations rather than allowing them to emerge organically. Although Walker draws inspiration from the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, these characters never achieve the mythic resonance suggested by that source material. In fact, despite the strong acting, Ciara and Cormac never fully emerge as people who exist beyond the play's thematic framework.

The central relationship also bears the weight of a nearly two-hour running time. Scene after scene dissects emotional wounds without revealing enough new dimensions to sustain the audience's investment. The result is a play that feels longer than it is, with the stakes remaining surprisingly low considering the intensity with which they are discussed.

More problematic is the play's handling of race and identity. At one point Cormac declares, "I'm not white, I'm Irish," a statement that hints at a potentially fascinating conversation about ethnicity and cultural identity. Unfortunately, the play never meaningfully explores the implications of that claim. Even more troubling is a scene in which Ciara opens a bottle of Hennessy and mutters a racial slur. Rather than illuminating character or advancing the narrative, the moment feels gratuitous and awkwardly inserted for shock value.

Fortunately, the production's design elements are consistently strong. Scenic Designer Isa Noe creates realistic environments that are immediately recognizable and lived-in. The restaurant where the women work, the city streets, and the bedroom scenes all feel authentic. Garrett Bell's lighting design beautifully supports the shifting moods of the play, while Costume Designer Janelle Smith outfits the characters in clothing that feels both realistic and specific. Sound Designer Aaron Harris Woodstein further enriches the atmosphere.

One leaves keerah admiring the effort more than the result. Definition Theatre has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to produce work of the highest caliber, and its commitment to developing new plays remains invaluable. While keerah contains moments of promise and is bolstered by a talented cast and creative team, it remains a work still searching for the emotional and thematic clarity that would allow its ideas to truly resonate.

Somewhat Recommended

When: Through June 28

Where: Definition Theatre @1160 E. 55^th Street Chicago

Running Time 2 hours with a 15-minute intermission

Tickets: Start at $25

312-469-0390

https://www.definitiontheatre.org/shows/keerah

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

Welcome to Southie, a Boston neighborhood where a night on the town means a few rounds of bingo, this month’s paycheck covers last month’s bills, and Margie Walsh has just been let go from another job. Facing eviction, could an old fling who made it out of Southie be a ticket to a new start? Margie is about to risk what little she has left to find out. With his humorous glow, David Lindsay-Abaire explores the struggles, shifting loyalties and unshakeable hopes that come with having next to nothing in America.

Good People is David Lindsay-Abaire's most personal play. Set in "Southie", the working-class neighborhood where he grew up, Good People shines a light on socioeconomic disparities, luck vs. meritocracy, and what it truly means to be "good people."   In David Lindsay-Abaire’s own words, "I have a deep love and respect for the people from my neighborhood. I waited to write it until I could do so responsibly and respectfully, aiming to challenge stereotypes by portraying my friends and relatives as "salt of the earth people”.

Ticket info:

Location of show: Theater Wit (Theater One), 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago, IL 60657

Dates: Running July 17-August 23    Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm

Opening Day: Sunday, July 19 at 3pm

Cast:  Jodi Kingsley (Margaret), Bryan Breau (Mike), Sandra Adjoumani (Kate), Maggie Cain (Dottie), Wendy Hayne (Jean), Steven Horn (Stevie)

Understudies: Sarah Sapperstein (Margaret), Tim Ashby (Mike), Tiffani Grace (Kate), Judith Laughlin (Dottie) Amber Dow (Jean), Wyatt DeLair (Stevie).

Joining Lauren Berman (Producer/Director), is Beep Trefts (Production Stage Manager), Kevin Rolfs (Set Designer), Levi Wilkins (Lighting Designer), Petter Wahlback (Sound Designer) Anika Splettstoeszer (Costume Designer), Emma Jean Golden (Props Designer), Carrie Hardin (Dialect Coach), Ollie Van Den Heuvel (Assistant Stage Manager), Cammerrron Baits (Social Media Manager),  Brittany Brown (Casting Director).

4 Chairs Theatre’s Mission:

4 Chairs Theatre is a not-for-profit theatre committed to providing a safe space for actors and audiences of all ages, cultures, genders, races, abilities and walks of life.  Our performances breathe humanity, empathy and truth.  We amplify voices that are often excluded and uncover hearts that are often hidden. By replacing "You're too..." and “You'll never..." with "You're enough" and "You will…" we are determined to change the world, one show at a time. Pull up a chair. You can sit with us.