Displaying items by tag: Chopin Theatre

Mike Royko is a seminal influence on—and expression of—Chicago culture. Even today, if many locals might not know who Royko was, millions across the country do—his column was syndicated in 600 newspapers. The Pulitzer prize-winning columnist published non-stop for 30 years, starting at the now defunct Chicago Daily News, moving to its surviving sibling Chicago Sun-Times, and finally going to the Chicago Tribune to escape working for Rupert Murdoch when the media titan acquired the morning tabloid.

Royko’s columns were both fearless in tackling those in power, and immensely funny. So is “Royko: The Toughest Man in Chicago,” the excellent one-man show now playing at Chopin Theatre. “Royko” is the brainchild of writer and performer Mitchell Bisschop, whose script artfully draws from the spectrum of Royko’s work. Those columns were serious and wry, courageous and, occasionally, sentimental, but the subtext remained throughout—calling out injustice, and for righting wrongs, especially from the powerful and politically connected.

While Royko’s own words power much of the script, for Bisschop, building a dramatic storyline, and selecting from so much material, was probably the greatest challenge. And he has succeeded in spades. As a performer, Bisschop captures Royko the man, and we have no trouble buying in. While there isn’t much movement on the stage—we see Royko at his desk, and at the tavern—he was a writer and talker first.

Some of the scenes include multimedia production: split screen projections and videos from original source, or recreated with Bisschop playing Royko on camera in moments that wouldn’t have been captured. Or reading from his own writing, like the scene early on in which Royko questioned why Frank Sinatra was getting 24-hour Chicago police guards while in town, even as ordinary citizens fended for themselves on streets and subways.

Never one for understatement, Royko also cited Sinatra’s mob ties, said he punched an elderly drunk, and claimed Sinatra wore a toupee. That May 1976 column earned Royko an angry retort from Sinatra, which came in that period’s equivalent of a flaming post: a letter to the editor. Sinatra told Royko his sources were wrong, called him a pimp, and offered a $100,000 if he could prove he punched an elderly drunk. Sinatra also challenged Royko to pull his wig off.

A Chicago high school graduate with Polish and Ukrainian parents, Royko was funny, irreverent, and always remained a self-empowered voice for the average Joe on the street. Royko was a burr under the saddle of Mayor Richard J. Daley, who barred him from the City Hall pressroom. Royko’s best-selling 1971 book on Daley, “Boss,” was also banned at certain retailers in the city, but remains the definitive exploration of the Chicago democratic political machine at its time. Royko’s notoriety in the political class may be one reason we saw a packed house opening night, which included Royko’s son Sam, who ran for alderman last cycle, and former Illinois governor Pat Quinn, among numerous political influencers and forces. 

Royko wrote in a sophisticated yet colloquial style that embodied Chicago argot, the same language that succeeding generations of immigrants adopt as the influences of their native tongues dissipate. That speech is parodied on Saturday Night Live during the heyday of Dan Akroyd and John Belushi - “Da Bears” - the latter is a nephew of Royko. Like other journalists, Royko hung out at the Billy Goat Tavern, the subterranean Wacker Drive burger joint also made famous by Belushi.

Bisschop includes many key Royko-isms—his love of 16-inch softball; the fictional Slats Grobnik, an earthy tavern-dweller that voiced bald remarks even Royko dared not speak— and his ineffable characterizations of the Chicago political scene. Royko suggested Chicago change its motto from Urbs in horto (city in a garden) to “Where’s mine?” He noted the steadfast loyalty of Chicago politicians. “When someone takes a bribe here, they stay bought.”

At times he could soar, and Bisschop includes Royko’s column after the assassination of Martin Luther King, and exploration of the responsibility we all carry for harboring or passively assenting to the sentiments that led to the shooting. Another, about a woman running a dry cleaning shop that doubles as a neighborhood hangout, and is threatened by a national chain, is truly moving.

Royko’s influence was strongly felt by comedians and producers at a local humor factory, Second City, the Wells Street institution. That list includes Bisschop, and also Beth Kligerman, a producer of this Royko show who for 25 years was casting director and producer at Second City. (Also producing is actress Lecy Goranson, a Chicago-native and well-known for her role as the daughter Becky on the “Roseanne” TV series.)

Compared with other one-man shows, “Royko” has a tendency to be static. Bischopp perhaps could move around the stage a bit more. Some technical matters need adjustment. When we hear the other side of a phone conversation, the amplification overpowers the non-amplified Royko. Overall, director Steve Scott (more than 25 years with Goodman) elicits a strong performance from Bisschop, and blends the multimedia elements well into the production.

Highly recommended, “Royko: The Toughest Man In Chicago” runs through September 29, 2024 at the Chopin Theatre in Chicago.

Something special has been afoot at Chopin Theatre for the past few weeks: the world premiere of “Turret,” written and directed by Levi Holliday. Created as a vehicle for two-time Oscar nominee Michael Shannon, the production by A Red Orchid Theatre (Shannon is a founding member) has turned into so much more, signaling to the Chicago theater community what it takes to produce a sell-out show that generates infinite buzz as it progresses toward the end of its run, extended to June 22 to accommodate the crowds.

In fact, in anticipation of Shannon’s star-power draw, A Red Orchid Theatre decamped from its tiny digs on Wells street for the more capacious, historic Chopin Theater building at Milwaukee and Division. Still, that was not enough. Discounts, rush tickets, and the like fell by the wayside and would find people crowding the lobby in the hopes of snagging a seat.
Shannon ends his run on June 16 - and he is epically good in the role of Green, the mentor and master of Rabbit (Travis A. Knight). The audience will come for Shannon, but Knight really steals the show in this post-apocalyptic tale of two men sequestered in a vault, and the evolution of their relationship.

The story has some big reveals that tie-up the plot lines at the end - but leave some questions open-ended, too. As compelling as the story line is, the staging (Scenic Design by Grant Sabin); lighting (Mike Durst); and sound design (Jeffrey Levin, sound designer and composer) is as constantly powerful as the dialog. Work by Movement Director Drew Vidal and Fight Director Paul Deziel (assisted by Wes Daniel) may lead you to ask, “Is this a dry run for a film?” It’s that good.

“Turret” is that rare type of show that had me saying, “I love this” within 60 seconds of the curtain. Lawrence Grimm, who makes a brief but scintillating appearance as the third character, Birdy, is also understudy to Shannon, and will take on the lead role of Green when Shannon departs.

How to get a ticket? I live just six blocks from the theater, so I stopped over 10 minutes before curtain to buy that rare commodity - a ticket resold because its owner had not claimed their seat. There were just a few available that night.

While Shannon as Green turns in a truly excellent performance, so does Grimm as Birdy and I would urge you to see him when he takes on the role of Green for the extended run. The surprise here is Knight, who is on stage constantly as Rabbit, a voluble and expressive personality that is the antithesis of the terse Green. It is Rabbit that playwright Hollaway uses to make the dynamic of his relationship with his mentor Green accessible.

For me, the play is an exploration of the relationship of a father figure with a son. And Rabbit at a certain point begins to exert his will, defying Green to explore whether there are other survivors, and what might be left of the world. “I don’t want to be a pollywog anymore.”

The complexity of this relationship, when the son naturally matures and asserts his individuation and personhood separate from the father, was the essence of the story for me. Yet as this happens, the father suffers his own setbacks, becomes vulnerable, and Rabbit must rise to the role of caregiver and nurturer. Just like real life. “Turret” has been extended through June 22 at The Chopin Theatre and comes highly recommended.

I’m amazed that it’s been 18 years or so since I first saw a Hell in a Handbag production. Though it seems like yesterday, my first experience with Handbag was taking in their production of The Poseidon Adventure at the cozy and artistic Chopin Theatre in Wicker Park. It was fantastic and it was funny - fantastically funny. The musical’s parody humor, clever innuendos and dry wit reeled me in immediately. I was instantly blown away by Founding Artistic Director and performer David Cerda and the company’s cast of very talented comedic singers and dancers - and I still am. Hell in a Handbag is a dependable theater company that consistently provides hilarious, high-quality productions of camp entertainment (i.e. Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, Christmas Dearest, Caged Dames) to the appreciative Chicago community and, like so many others, I find myself always looking forward to their next production. 

Handbag’s current production is yet another gem. Also performed at Chopin Theatre, Poor People! The Parody Musical, was brilliantly written by Tyler Anthony Smith and is wonderfully directed by Stephanie Shaw. Poor People! is a dynamite brand-new production that creator Tyler Anthony Smith describes as being a tribute to the characters in shows like Annie and Les Miserables, “that despite dire circumstances, the characters were still belting their faces off and dancing in the streets. Anybody can be happy and sing but it takes something special to be on your deathbed and still be on key.”

In the gritty, smoke-filled streets of 1979 New York City, the story’s fiery-haired protagonist, Li’l Orphan Arnie (played by Dakota Hughes), is on the run. Escaping the clutches of a lascivious, meth-cooking, authoritarian head of the orphanage, Miss A (Sydney Genco), Arnie’s fate takes an unexpected turn when they encounter a mysterious feline dancer named Whiskers (Matty Bettencourt). Whiskers leads Arnie through a supernatural manhole, hurtling them back in time to 1815 Paris, France.

In this new period of time, Arnie trades one impoverished existence for another. The search for their birth parents takes a backseat as they join forces with a ragtag gang of pickpocketing prostitutes, masterminded by the enigmatic Fagin (David Cerda).

Life takes a darker turn when Mama Moneybags (Brittney Brown), a corrupt Republican hailing from the future, sets her sights on dismantling Fagin’s crew. But fear not! A motley crew of vibrant, down-and-out characters steps up to the challenge. Among them are the consumptive Pantene (portrayed by Caitlin Jackson), the wild and feral Beggar Woman (Elizabeth Lesinski), and Nance, the quintessential hooker with an unexpectedly golden heart (brought to life by Tyler Anthony Smith). 

Besides Annie and Les Miserables, the story also parodies a bevy of characters and songs from other favorite Broadway productions including The Phantom of the Opera (“The Groomer of the Flop’ra”), Oliver, and even a lampooned version of Mary Poppins’ “Feed the Birds (Tuppence A Bag)”.   

(front center) Sydney Genco with (back, l to r) Tyler Anthony Smith,Taylor Dalton, Caitlin Jackson and Patrick O'Keefe in Hell in a Handbag Productions world premiere of POOR PEOPLE! The Parody Musical.

So, let's get to the talented cast members…

Dakota Hughes plays Li’l Orphan Arnie with a childlike charm and sass. Not just gifted with comedic talent, Hughes has a tremendous vocal range and gets to show it off throughout the play. Caitlyn Jackson, who plays Pantene and Sydney Genco as Miss A have been longtime favorites of mine in the Hell and a Handbag Productions troupe throughout the years and were both very funny and also had great song and dance numbers, which I have come to expect and enjoy! Along with Genco and Jackson, Brittany Brown also gets to impress the audience with her sensational singing voice. Another favorite Handbag veteran of mine is Elizabeth Lesinski and she absolutely crushes in her role as the Beggar Woman, drawing laughs with just about each delivered line. She also shows us that she can manage a herd or ravenous squirrels while holding a tune. 

Warm, commanding, and consistently hilarious, David Cerda shines in his role as Fagin. Cerda’s presence exudes both comedy and a nurturing energy that envelops the entire cast. Audiences eagerly anticipate his every entrance. Meanwhile, Tyler Anthony Smith remains a beloved fixture from previous Handbag productions - and absolutely steals the show! Smith brilliantly adapted many numbers from well-known Broadway shows into rousing, funny, bawdy and touching ensemble performances that keep the entire audience laughing and cheering right up until the end of this wonderful full-length production.

To complete the ensemble, Matty Bettencourt sizzles as Fosse Kitty, and special recognition is also due for the outstanding performances of Taylor Dalton as Epipen, Shane Roberie as The Groomer, Patrick O’Keefe as Twinky, and Tommy Thurston as Pretty Rich Boy. There is so much to love about this gifted ensemble. Truly, every cast member delivers an exceptional and delightful experience for the audience. 

Poor People! is a fun show filled with one hilarious moment after the next that does not mind pushing the envelope as far as it can. Yet, no matter how ribald or risque the show may be, a Hell in a Handbag production always includes a heartwarming message to the audience of support and acceptance to all people, regardless of their gender, race or age - and this show is no exception. Tyler Anthony Smith delivers the timeless message of wisdom in the uproariously funny and endearingly adapted finale, “We’re All Gonna Die Soon!” Embrace the present moment! We’re all here now, but who knows what tomorrow holds. So, let’s have fun and enjoy life! 

Poor People! The Parody Musical with musical direction by Andrew Milliken and choreography by Christopher Kelley is being performed at The Chopin Studio Theatre (1543 W. Division St.) through June 16th. For tickets and/or more show information visit https://www.handbagproductions.org/.   

Highly recommended.

*Extended through June 23rd!

As twinkling Christmas lights return to Michigan Avenue and holiday themed bars pop up in trendy neighborhoods, Chicagoans are kicking off their pre-winter days by flocking indoors. Fortunately for us, Chicago theatre continues to deliver an exceptional lineup of classic holiday favorites and new ingenues hoping to become a staple in the cold winter months. One such production is “Christmas With Elvis” by Terry Spencer Hesser, directed by Dexter Bullard playing at the charming Chopin Theatre.

“Christmas With Elvis” tells the story of a lonely, anxious and slightly angry woman who discovers, on Christmas Eve, that her ex-husband is getting remarried. Before she can indulge in her misery, the very dead and not too debauched ghost of Elvis Presley appears in her apartment. The two-person cast features Brenda Barrie (Trudy) and Victor Holstein (Elvis).

The premise of “Christmas With Elvis” is captivating; a lonely woman with a bevy of mental and physical health issues puts on an old vinyl record, Elvis crooning “Are you Lonesome Tonight.” Answering the vinyl record, she soon gets to answer Elvis, the King, in person as he appears in her Chicago apartment. After getting past the initial shock, both characters begin to share their feelings as they unpack what brought them to that moment on Christmas Eve. As wonderful as the premise it was, the play itself had some consistency issues with the character development. Trudy is plagued with a bevy of health issues from anxiety to alcoholism to an eating disorder. With so many issues, it struck me as odd that when Elvis questioned Trudy about what an eating disorder was, she replied crudely with “it’s a diet that works.” It wasn’t the fault of the actor, it was just dialogue that didn’t quite fit. In the same first act, Elvis chastises Trudy by telling her he didn’t drink as much in life as she claimed, only to turn around and order an entire case of Jack Daniels to be delivered along with eleven dominos pizzas for them to eat. Little lines and moments like this pull you out of the magical moment, quaking your eye at the oddity of the dialogue. The starkest example of this was at the end of the first act, Trudy admitting to Elvis she wasn’t a huge fan of his music, even when he was alive, as Elvis flips down her couch into a bed. The scene moves rapidly to Elvis crooning out some of his biggest hits to Trudy, while Trudy writhe like a sixties Elvis fan, driving herself to orgasm as the doorbell rings with their delivery.

There were some incredibly tender and raw moments of dialogue between Trudy and Elvis, Barrie and Holstein had a real chemistry that was palpable throughout the two actor’s time on stage. Holstein had incredible vocals and truly captured the King’s mannerisms and cadence, even if it were a bit stereotypical. From the moment Barrie walked onto the stage she commanded your attention, able to portray a woman alone in her apartment, admittedly not in her finest moments or appearance. She played a lonely and broken woman, finding solace with an icon and the simplest of Christmas lights. The characters Hesser created could have really driven deep into the parallels the characters had, gone deeper into the concept of loneliness. It was noted in the playbill that someone “did not understand Elvis until they got divorced,” indicating it took a certain mindset and mood to really understand the sadness, love, and loneliness captured in Elvis’ music. While that was the prevailing theme of the play, some of the attempts at sarcasm and levity fell flat or fell back on commonplace language and stereotypes, when the material and premise offered and promised more.

Overall, Barrie and Holstein were an incredible duo to watch. Holstein’s renditions of "Love Me Tender", "Don't", and “Blue Christmas” felt like you were listening to Elvis incarnate, and Barrie is a Chicago talent that will have a long and prosperous career ahead of her. For a magical night out, “Christmas with Elvis” is a dramedy with a lot of potential, promising to, at least for the evening, stay off the blues during this Christmas season.

“Christmas With Elvis” is now playing at the Chopin Theater, 1543 W. Division, Chicago through January 7. For tickets, visit www.Chopintheatre.com.

When my husband announced that his company holiday party this year was 80s themed, my first thought was that it had been done before. I’d donned enough leg warmers and sported enough side ponytails at enough parties. My second thought was why not the 90s? Surely in 2023 people want to worship another decade? But when I read Chicago was getting American Psycho: The Musical, I dug out my favorite oversized blazer and headed to Wicker Park to watch the book-turned-movie-turned-musical that encapsulated and glorified the very decade I dared to criticize..

The cast was led by the showstopping talent of Kyle Patrick as Patrick Bateman, the stylish and sadistic center of American Psycho. Patrick’s performance was riveting, one couldn’t take his eyes away from him. He perfectly captured Bateman’s devilishly attractive and hypnotic presence, pulling you in with his charm and wit, turning psychotically evil effortlessly before falling back into his charm. The range Patrick displayed as Bateman was nothing short of breathtaking. The murderous chemistry between Patrick and John Drea as his nemesis Paul Owen was haunting and electric, their bravados embodying the 80s and their fight staging choreography scarily convincing. The play was accompanied with an indulgent soundtrack with original numbers like “Cards” and “Not a Common Man” along with seminal 80s bangers Everybody Wants to Rule the World and of course Hip to Be Square. You were dancing in your seat along with the cast.

The play was set appropriately on a cat walk, white business cards adorning the path, the cast using the cat walk to seamlessly transition from the Tunnel nightclub Tunnel, to the gym, to the office, to Paul Owen’s apartment, the entrances draped cleverly with white tarp. The choreography, directed by Breon Arzell, was nothing short of art. Arzell was able to take extremely difficult and violent scenes and make them hauntingly captivating. In one particularly sexually violet scene (read the book or watch the film if you are curious about this referenced scene), an adonis-like Patrick puppeteered two women, played by Emily Holland and Quinn Simmons, through a series of graceful movements, simulating a sexual throupling without being obscene, and navigating the violence with dignity, masked through the art of dance. Such scenes were made to be very effective thanks to Kokandy's incredibly talented Intimacy Coordinate Kirsten Baity and Fight Choreographer Kate Lass. 

(left to right) Kyle Patrick and John Dreain Kokandy Productions’ Chicago premiere of American Psycho: The Musical

The book-turned-movie-turned-musical has real staying power. Comments Director Derek Van Barham,  It’s horror, it’s satire, it goes for the guts and getsinto your head. And it’s all tinged with that David Lynchian unease of ‘What is actually happening?’ Extending that question of uncertainty into the live experience, we’re playing with what we show vs. what we don’t show, what you see vs. what you think you saw. A lot is going to be left up to the audience.” American Psycho: The Musical has many themes that are still applicable and relatable today. If I concede that the musical glorifying the 80s is still relevant and significant in 2023, then by proxy the 80s are still relevant and significant today, meaning I must find neon bangle earrings to match my leg warmers this holiday season…

Kokandy Production's American Psycho: The Musical runs through November 26, 2023 at The Chopin Studio Theatre (1543 W. Division St., Chicago). Tickets are available at https://www.kokandyproductions.com/american-psycho/.

*Extended through December 10th

Oy … where to begin with Stephen Sondheim’s SWEENEY TODD?

Let’s begin with what one sees first: the venue. Chopin Theatre opened in 1918 at the Polonia Triangle in Wicker Park. Over 100 years the building has variously housed (among other things) a bank, a thrift shop, and a discotheque.  In 1990, Zygmunt and Lela Headd Dyrkacz purchased The Chopin, and restored it to accommodate two remarkable theaters, the Main and the smaller Studio in the basement. For SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET the entire theater is part of the set; as you walk down the stairs you descend into 19th century London.

The seating is a motley collection of Victorian divans and chairs, giving the sense of a less-than-opulent home parlor. The seats are placed round a circular stage with a raised octagonal platform at its centre –we later see that the platform revolves. This is one of the many contrivances that Scenic & Lighting Designer G “Max” Maxin IV (h/h) uses to showcase the masterful company. He is assisted by Andrew Lund (h/th, Asst Director), Jakob Abderhalden (h/h; Props & Scenic Décor), Scenic Painter David Geinosky (h/h), Sound Designer Mike Patrick (h/h) and Lynsy Folckomer (sh/h, Sound Engineer). 

‘Masterful company’ is a major understatement.  The casting used by Kokandy Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham (h/h) and Casting Associate Roman Sanchez (h/h) is diverse and inventive, and the ingenious choreography utilizes every inch of the limited space. I already mentioned the carousel stage…. I guess that makes it Theatre in the Round-and-Round, yeah?

From a purely mechanical standpoint, SWEENEY TODD is … I believe the technical term is ‘a real bitch’. Sondheim loves to challenge actors with his complex music and lyrics; the ensemble of eight roars out countless alliterative tongue-twisters – rapidly, at maximum volume, and in unison. Getting this right ain’t easy, but it’s delivered flawlessly by the ensemble: Joel Arreola, Brittney Brown, Ethan Carlson, Stephanie Chiodraws, Christopher Johnson, Nikki Krzebiot, Daniel Rausch, and understudy Nathan Kabara (stepping in for Charlie Mann).

The show begins with a welcome and a warning from Quinn Rigg who, with a swoosh of his cloak (costumer Rachel Sypniewski (s/h) uses cloaks very effectively) transforms into Adolfo Pirell, pivoting and whirling through a terrific performance. Kevin Webb and Caitlin Jackson star as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett. Both give truly outstanding performances as partners in clipping and culinary crime. Jackson has a miraculous voice, as do Isabel Cecilia Garcia (Beggar Woman) and Ryan Stajmiger (Anthony Hope). Christopher Johnson is Judge Turpin, Josiah Haugen plays Beadle Bamford, and I want to give a special shoutout to Patrick O’Keefe, who plays Tobias Ragg with frolicsome charisma [two words I don’t often use together]. His voice soars in “Not While I’m Around”.

The intensity and vitality of this production is stunning. I was exhausted at the end, and I never left my seat! while the players danced, leapt, capered and whirled continuously, belting out rapid and complex lyrics, all in perfect time with a dozen castmates. Just incredible. 

Sydney Genco (sh/h) designed splendidly macabre makeup; Keith Ryan (h/h) matched her sinister mastery with his wigs. Scot Kokandy (h/h) is Executive Producer, Assisted by Erik Strebig (th/th). Nick Sula is Music Director, with Vivica Powell (sh/h) as Assistant Choreographer; Intimacy Choreographer is Kirsten Balty (th/th) and, because it’s TODD SWEENEY, we need Jon Beal (h/h) as Violence Director. Stage Manager is Drew Donnelly (h/h), with Assistant Kendyl Meyer (th/th). 

Stephen Sondheim created SWEENEY TODD (music and lyrics; book by Hugh Wheeler) in 1976 as a musical play. But beware! this is not “My Fair Lady”! Prepare to be disturbed, as SWEENEY TODD delves the nether portions of civilization [sorry, I can’t help it – SWEENEY TODD evokes melodramatic phrases like this!].  

The character of Sweeney Todd originated in 1846 as a villain in the penny dreadful serial “The String of Pearls.” In Sondheim’s play, Todd is driven mad by venal and lascivious Judge Turpin’s sentence. His lunacy is re-channeled by Mrs. Lovett (maker of The Worst Pies in London), but she can’t alter the course of his mania. His obsession for revenge is levied on London’s greedy populace; still, Todd can’t find atonement while his foe yet lives. 

SWEENEY TODD is germane to both Yom Kippur and Halloween, but it is not a holiday celebration!  I left the theater stunned and deeply troubled, with at least Six of the Seven Deadly Sins roiling in my head.  

My turmoil is offset, however, by my appreciation of a magnificent piece of musical theater, brilliantly produced and superbly played by a cast whose acting ability is matched only by their musical genius.

OK, time to give my thesaurus a rest … go see SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, and we’ll see how you fare with the superlatives.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

*Extended through December 18th

A rare opportunity to see Brian Friel’s ‘Molly Sweeney’ is being presented at the historic Chopin Theatre building at its intimate Studio through May 8. The celebrated Irish playwright won a 1996 Tony Award for this very contemporary tale of a 40-year-old woman blind from infancy who has her vision restored, examining the aftermath.

It is based on a case study written up in 1995 by Oliver Sacks, telling of the real patient on which ‘Molly Sweeney’ is based. The notoriety of playwright Friel, who died in 2015, has been eclipsed by more recent Irish script writers like Conor McPherson (‘The Weir’ and with Bob Dylan, ‘Girl from the North Country’) or Martin McDonough (‘Beauty Queen of Leenane’ and ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’).

The Irish Theatre of Chicago has given the two-act play a skillful production under director Siiri Scott. Molly (Carolyn Kruse) is a vibrant figure, an athletic and successful woman living a rich life, who has married Frank Sweeney (Matthew Isler) who is a bit too much of a dreamer who attaches himself to efforts like saving whales in which he hopes to gain fame and distinction. But things end badly, usually, as in the case of introducing Iranian goats to Ireland. (The animals never quite adjusted to the time zone change and must be milked at ungodly hours).

Mr. Rice (Robert Kauzurlaric), an ambitious doctor also hoping to reclaim his clouded reputation with a medical miracle for Molly, who begins to suspect she is a foil in other peoples’ goals. The playwright’s mastery becomes apparent as the action is simply a series of monologues—each recollecting aspects of their lives and the story at hand. Yet my interest never flagged, and the recounting of dances and parties, by which other characters are injected into the action. The simple stage becomes all the world, as the Bard says. And we are left wanting more at intermission.

Like the real patient, Molly regains her sight, but with unintended consequences and a steep personal cost. The Irish Theatre of Chicago brings careful attention to dialect, and the Irish English which is its own language (like Puerto Rican Spanish, perhaps) is delivered convincingly to Chicago ears. Kruse is most vibrant and the perfect picture of Molly as it unfolds in the script. And likewise Kauzurlic as Mr. Rice and Isler in the role of Frank Sweeney.

One quibble would be the stage which spreads wide across the front row, so the spotlighted characters are far from each other, giving those in center rows a better view than the left or right seating. But it's a small thing in this lovely space. ‘Molly Sweeney’ is a lovely return to live production at the Chopin Theatre Studio, and demonstrates Irish Theatre of Chicago hasn’t been diminished a bit by the pandemic. Performances run Thursday through Sunday (except Easter) through May 8. www.irishtheatre.org

This Halloween season the Rough House Theater brings a very different haunted house experience to the Chopin Theatre. Written by Mark Maxwell and Clara Saxe, under the direction of Mike Oleon, The Silence in Harrow House is an updated version of last year’s production called The Walls of Harrow House, but with new puppets and new stories. 

The creators of the show take us on a self-guided tour of the house of a reclusive architect Milton Harrow, who has some bizarre experimental ideas of the world and what it should look like. His house is inhabited by hideously disfigured life-size mutants. They lurk in corners and tiny enclosures, slowly making their appearances; they make scary sounds and communicate messages to visitors (the audience), who are encouraged to wander around the space and interact with the creatures. All of the residents of the house, including the host, are portrayed by monstrous puppets animated by the actors (puppet design by Grace Needlman). Masked and dressed in all black, the puppeteers are nearly invisible, but for the sake of entertainment, it’s helpful to completely ignore them during the show.  

The show starts out pretty mellow, but the intensity does pick up half-way through, as the music gets creepier and creatures’ loud screams and banning get louder. Cool music and awesome sound effects (sound design by Corey Smith) intensify to unnerving levels at times, and prove a great tool that could’ve been utilized even more, as it has great potential to frighten the audience. I wouldn’t mind, really, it is a haunted house after all! But it is a fun show, and definitely worth checking out. With stunning puppet crafting by Vincent Adler, Anna Ogilvie and Severed Hand and masterful puppeteering by Felix Mayesand Lucia Mier, The Silence in Harrow House is being performed at Chopin Theatre through November 10th.  

In the newly re-imagined Pinocchio, the House Theatre has done what it does best: bring out a childhood favorite and give it a fabulous makeover. Directed by Company Member Chris Mathews, Carlo Collodi’s classic tale is taken on a wild ride (adapted for the stage by Joseph Steakley and Ben Lobpries). The House’s Pinocchio is decidedly different from the one we grew up with: he’s bookish, has photographic memory, a penchant for grammar, and a razor-sharp wit that often comes in handy. But he’s made of wood, and he is not like everyone else in that little town, so his gloomy Papa Geppetto (Molly Brennan) becomes fiercely protective of him. Nevertheless, Pinocchio is a clever little wooden boy; he’ll find a way out of the house and into the world full of wonder. Armed with wit, book smarts and hunger for musicals, he sets out to explore the world outside of the house windows. But he soon finds that the real world is filled with mean school children and close-minded townspeople. In fact, this town happens to be an oppressive place, fearfully intolerant of anyone different and anything that they cannot understand. Thus, Pinocchio, much like his unusual Papa, is persecuted and forced out, or at least attempted to.

Animating and voicing Pinocchio-the-puppet is a very talented UK-born guest artist Sean Garratt. Garrett’s Pinocchio is emotional and lively, the two of them soon practically fuse into one and the same. They move seamlessly about the stage, occasionally helped by the cast members, mostly when more complex movements, such as running or dancing, are involved. As nearly always the case with House’s high energy productions, Pinocchio requires carefully executed stage choreography; the flow of movement here is effortless (choreographer Kasey Foster). 

Other amusing characters in the play include mean-spirited schoolchildren Kitty (Carley Cornelius) and Dingo (Omer Abbas Salem), who let their teenage frustrations out on poor unsuspecting Pinocchio; dyslexic and goofy town deputy Doohickey, played by Kevin Stangler, and a very proper schoolteacher Miss Penny (wonderfully played by the Company Member Christine Mayland Perkins). There’s always live music on stage, whether just a simple banjo sound accent, or a full-on musical number, performed by Mike Mazzocca and Tina Munoz Pandya (music by Matthew Muniz). 

Witty writing makes use of the language nuances, so the audience gets numerous lessons in grammar and vocabulary, but most importantly, Pinocchio teaches us all a lesson on kindness, tolerance, and the importance of being true to oneself.

Through May 19th at Chopin Theatre - https://www.thehousetheatre.com/.

There’s something so effortlessly optimistic in the way the old meets the new in the charmingly vintage Chopin Theater. And it’s just the perfect fit for The House Theatre of Chicago that calls Chopin Theatre home. The House Theatre’s 17th season opens with a brand-new work written by guest artist Bennett Fisher and directed by Monty Cole, Borealis.

The main character of the play, a spunky thirteen-year-old girl named Cosbi (played by Tia Pinson) lives in an old rickety house with her brother Absalom, who works for an oil-mining corporation. Absalom’s part is played by The House Theatre’s veteran Desmond Grey, whose credits include The Nutcracker, Hatfield and McCoy, Death and Harry Houdini, as well as many others. When one day Absalom goes to work on the oil fields but then fails to come home, instead sending his sister a heavily redacted letter, worried Cosbi immediately sets off for Anwar, Alaska to find him. Armed with a sharp axe and a strong will to succeed, she makes her way through the jungles of the corporate world, encountering some hilariously bizarre corporate types (wearing cool outfits (design by Izumi Inaba) ) along the way. Some helpful employee at the corporation gives her a very important book on corporate communication strategy, and it proves indispensable. The vague language of the book works like magic, as no one is quite sure of what those words and phrases really mean, for as long as they sound authoritative enough. In Borealis a fairy-tale-like world is superimposed on the reality of Corporate America. Protocols need to be observed, the right pass will get you through the door, and coffee is the most important fuel. A highly coveted pastry (it sounded like a more complicated version of a cronut) can make or break your day. Corporate America never looked more fun.

The rest of the seven actors cast are Johnny Arena (Death and Harry Houdini, The Sparrow), Ben Hertel (Death and Harry Houdini, A Comedical Tragedy for Mister Punch, etc.), Paige Hoffman (Cave with Man, The Sparrow), MckKnzie Chinn (The House debut) and Karissa Murrel Myers (The House debut), some of them playing multiple parts. Scenic design by Eleanor Kahn deserves a special mention. A narrow catwalk-like stage is equipped with a wild mechanized contraption that is capable of unfolding, effectively turning itself into an extra stage, or simply used as a prop in a scene. Walls move and doors get spun around, creating an illusion of extra space and speed in the chase scene.

The House Theatre’s Borealis is being performed at Chopin Theatre through October 21st. For more information visit www.thehousetheatre.com.