Displaying items by tag: Tyler Hardwick

Not every story about gay youth is a “coming out” story. Some youth have nothing to come out of. Their lives are not spent hiding who they are. For the most part, young people today are confident and proud of who they are. They are who they are, and the world will have to deal with it. “Choir Boy,” receiving a visually and audibly beautiful staging at the Steppenwolf Theatre is the story of one such boy.

Pharus Young, is a junior at the Charles Drew Prep School for boys. Pharus, (exuberantly played by Tyler Hardwick) is clearly different from the other boys. He is comfortably gay, proud and most of all, talented ……and he knows it. During Senior graduation where Pharus is singing the school song, “Trust and Obey”, he is heckled by Bobby (thuggishly handsome, Gilbert Domally), who happens to be the headmaster’s nephew. Bobby calls Pharus among other things, “sissy” and the dreaded “f” word.

The headmaster (a comical turn by La Shawn Banks) tries to help Pharus by telling him to “tighten up”, code for act straight. Pharus, to prove he is indeed a “Drew” man refuses to tell on his tormentor, although Bobby thinks he has, which leads to more confrontation and taking of sides. Pharus instead confides in his athletic jock roommate, AJ (the excellent Sheldon D. Brown). AJ is the big brother we all wish we had. He understands and doesn’t judge Pharus. Why? He’s comfortable in his own skin, which makes it easier to accept other people. Not so much for the other boys, David, (the baby-faced Richard David) doesn’t want to create any problems that would interfere with his scholarship and Junior, (the comical Samuel B. Jackson) who hides behind his buddy Bobby's machismo. Each of these boys has a struggle that must be dealt with if they are to succeed.

The beautiful Greek motif set consists of the front of a Greek temple with six doric columns holding up a triangular pediment. It is interesting to note ancient Greece had no concept of sexual preference. It was assumed a person could have both hetro-and homosexual responses at different times. Both romantic love and sexual passion between men were often considered normal, and under some circumstances healthy or admirable.  Above the structure are large photos of Fredrick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Barack Obama, Malcolm X, and W.E.B. Dubois looking down on the proceedings. Beds rolled out as if my magic suggesting a dorm room making scene changes quick and effortless. Kent Gash has directed the ensemble to perfection, making clear the issues these men deal with including Mr. Pendleton (William Dick) who bring with him some special deep-seated issues.

Music in this play allows the students to express themselves in ways words would fail. Songs such as “Sometimes I feel like a Motherless Child” convey the loneliness of boarding school.

If you listen to the words closely, “Love Ballad” sung by David reveals a bit of his nature. Bobby and Junior act up when singing “Boys II Men” proving they are more boys than men. Gospel music sung a cappella by the group of boys, sounds like angels singing on high. Special notice should go to Jermaine Hill for musical direction and Byron Easley for choreography. "Rockin' in Jerusalem" by the ensemble is worth the price of admission. The cast was note perfect and well as step perfect.

Tarell Alvin McCraney has a special skill when it comes to writing about teenage boys just before manhood. McCraney is known for his Oscar winning movie “MoonLight”, but “Choir Boy” is closer to his lesser known television series “David Makes Man” Season 1. Both involve teenage men dealing with issues beyond their years.

Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago, (312) 335-1650, steppenwolf.org

Showtimes: 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, through July 24. Also 8 p.m. June 28, July 5, 12 and 19. No 8 p.m. show July 24

Running time: About 100 minutes, no intermission

Tickets: $20-$98

Parking: $15 in the Steppenwolf parking lot; limited street parking

Rating: For adults; contains nudity and mature themes

COVID-19 precautions: Proof of vaccination and masking required

So, I went into Once on This Island, currently playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, knowing nothing of the show at all. Nothing. The above title, I took that from one of the songs that’s still stuck in my head — “Some Girls,” sung beautifully in this production by Tyler Hardwick’s Daniel.

But it’s the sentiment of that song, that some girls (or some things, like Broadway musicals, perhaps) are extraordinary, special, better than the status quo. As this production began, I wouldn’t have guess that it would take its place in the really good shows I’ve seen, or the really good ones I’ve had the privilege to review. But you know what? By the end of the show, it had.

You see (and my 16-year-old daughter, a theater geek in her own right, agreed with me as soon as the houselights went on), this show’s a grower. Before it began, the set held promise — audience members seated on either side of the stage itself, various sand and detritus hinting at the Caribbean island setting to come, what seemed to be cast members milling about.

But, just as 2018’s Auditorium Theatre touring production of The Color Purple found a stripped-down production overwhelmed by a cavernous locale, this production at first seemed to be swallowed up by the size of the Cadillac. The set was spread out over the stage, sure, but the sound was muddled and devoured by the site. This problem seemed to get better as the show went on — I’m not sure if my ears just adjusted or if the cast did the adjusting.

Or maybe it’s that, as I said, the show’s a grower. Because the cast and the songs they sang seemed to get better as it went on. A show that had my daughter’s head nodding to stay awake at first later found it nodding along to the story and the tunes. This being a one-act performance, the lack of an intermission worked wonders, not allowing the booze-and-bathroom break to kill the slow-building momentum. And build it did.

The story’s your standard girl-meets-boy-but-stuff-gets-in-the-way sort of plot that Disney’s mined for decades. And this story would totally fit into the Disney Princess pantheon if Disney’s ever looking to head to the Caribbean for anything other than Johnny Depp in a pirate getup. Told as the story (to a young cast member and the audience members seated on the stage’s edges) of an orphaned and impoverished island girl (Ti Moune played by Courtnee Carter) who falls in love with a rich boy (the afore-mentioned Daniel, played by the talented Hardwick), the best parts go to the supernatural characters who populate the fairy tale.

Kyle Ramar Freeman lords over the stage whenever he’s on it as Asaka, Mother of the Earth. Jahmaul Bakare isn’t far behind with his water god. Just as the land of Oz’s Glinda is overshadowed by the cool costumes and witchcraft of her more wicked counterparts, Cassondra James’ love goddess Erzulie isn’t as much fun as the other deities, though James’ voice and presence make up for what her character lacks. But throughout the show, I was enchanted by the fourth god, Papa Ge, the demon of death. The actress who played Papa Ge was done up all ratty and punk-rock, but her physicality and beauty and presence were evident, not to mention her musical chops. Only afterward did I look in the playbill and learn that this Papa Ge’s played by Tamyra Gray, my all-time favorite television singing competition entrant (she was on the very first season of American Idol, back when Kelly Clarkson won, back before my teenage date for this show was even born). Needless to say, even if she’s playing a hellish harvester of souls, Tamyra’s still got my heart!

And, it seemed, by the end of the show, the cast and the story they told and the songs that they sang had won over the hearts of the audience, too. The songs had gotten better, the sound had settled down, and the actors and singers had warmed up and settled in, giving the Cadillac Palace’s audience a good time, which I’m sure they’ll keep on doing in this production Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s Once on This Island, playing now through February 2.