'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for May 4th, 2011
By: Paul W. Thompson May. 04, 2011
THE LATEST IN UNAUTHORIZED GOSSIP AND BUZZ
FROM THE HEART OF CHICAGO'S SHOWTUNE VIDEO BARS,
AND MUSICAL THEATER NEWS FROM CHICAGO TO BROADWAY
by Paul W. Thompson
Overheard last weekend under the showtune
video screens at Sidetrack and The Call:
It's awards season! And last week, Chicago's very own Joseph Jefferson Awards announced the nominees for its Non-Equity Wing, to be given out in 23 categories on Monday night, June 6, 2011, at the Park West. The eligibility period for productions is April 1 of last year through March 31 of this year, and aren't you glad you aren't on the nominating committee? The same five musicals are up for the Production--Musical and Director--Musical categories, so we assume they are perceived as a cut above the rest. They are Bohemian Theatre Ensemble's "Big River" (directed by P. Marston Sullivan), the three-theater co-production of "Boojum! Nonsense, Truth And Lewis Carroll" (directed by Jimmy McDermott), Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre i/a/w Michael James' "Cats" (directed by Brenda Didier), and two productions by The Hypocrites: "Cabaret" (directed by Matt Hawkins) and "The Pirates Of Penzance" (directed by Sean Graney).
Other productions with multiple nominees include Theo Ubique and Michael James' "Sweet And Hot: The Songs Of Harold Arlen" and "Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs Of Rodgers And Hammerstein," Circle Theatre's "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas," City Lit Theatre Company's "Oh, Boy!," Griffin Theatre Company's "Company" and the hard-to-categorize "The Love Of The Nightingale" from Red Tape Theatre. What an impressive non-Eq season, you guys! Congratulations to all the nominees and the folks involved with these honored productions!
Oh, yeah, a town on the east coast announced its theater award nominees this week, though I think they're all pretty big-budget, union affairs. "The Book Of Mormon" and "The Scottsboro Boys" got way more noms than any other productions, with the "Anything Goes" and "How To Succeed..." revivals next in line. "Sister Act," "Catch Me If You Can," "Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown," "Priscilla Queen Of The Desert" and "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" were cited multiple times, as well. It was a really great season in New York, we think! Who needed that comic book musical to make it exciting, hm?
And to put the cherry on top for Chicago theater fans, the Lookingglass Theatre Company on Michigan Avenue was named the recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, giving Chicago its fifth such award! We have a lot to be proud of here. And, even though three of the nine productions listed above have already closed, we do get to see an exciting crop of musicals when we go to New York! And/or, we hope that they tour here soon. The Mosh Pit gets lonely without our fair share of national tours....
Speaking of last week, the Mosh Pit at Sidetrack was treated to a live performance by cast members of "White Noise," now running at the Royal George Theatre through June 5. The cautionary tale about white supremacists and the power of the media is directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, and numbers Whoopi Goldberg among its producers. Will we be seeing it up against "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" at next year's Tony Awards?
White Noise - Royal George Theatre
A fairly recent Tony Award winner (for Best Book of a Musical) is now in its Chicago area premiere at the Chicago Center For The Performing Arts, courtesy of Bailiwick Chicago. It is "Passing Strange," and many observers are truly intrigued at how this show plays with an actor other than its autobiographical author (Stew) standing center stage. It runs through May 29th.
Passing Strange - Chicago Center For Performing Arts
Another show that may have New York in its sights is "Nunset Boulevard," now open down in Munster, Indiana, at the Theatre At The Center. The seventh musical by Dan Goggin to feature the same five habited characters, the "Nunsense" sisters are back (also through May 29th), directed and choreographed by Stacey Flaster in this Chicago area premiere. Nine-time Jeff Award-winner Alene Robertson stars as Reverend Mother, with Tony nominee Felicia P. Fields ("The Color Purple") as Sister Mary Hubert.
Nunset Boulevard - Theatre At The Center
If you've never seen the original "Nunsense," the show that spawned the longest series of recurring-character musicals anybody can think of, you're in luck! It starts performances in just two weeks (May 19), up at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights. It will run through June 26, starring Kelli Clevenger, Elizabeth Haley, Rachel Klippel, Nancy Kolton and Amy Kolton. The off-Broadway production ran for something like seven years, didn't it? People do like their "Nunsense!"
Nunsense - Metropolis Performing Arts Centre
Not quite as new as "Passing Strange," but not as old as "Nunsense," is "The Drowsy Chaperone," the one with the character (Janet Van De Graaf) named after the sister of WFMT-FM 98.7 overnight program host and local opera singer Peter Van De Graaf. And it's on the boards now through May 15 in Des Plaines, Illinois, at the Prairie Lakes Theatre, under the monicker of the Big Noise Theatre Company, itself a division of Winnetka Theatre. It's been directed by Melissa Young and musical directed by Robert Deason. Alexis Armstrong and PJ Samorian star.
There are only two more weekends left to see "the most successful musical of all time" in what is believed to be its first licensed production in this area. You know the show, don't you--it's the one about the deformed man and the soprano he loves, and that mask? Yes, indeed. Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom Of The Opera" is now running on the campus of Morton College in Cicero, directed by Dante Orfei with musical direction by Austin Cook for the Jedlicka Performing Arts Center. As the years go by, it will be fascinating to see how this show holds up in various performance venues, and with varying production values, theatrical homes and musical and aural resources. Is the future here?
Jedlicka Performing Arts Center
Also closing very soon is the well-received Stephen Sondheim musical "Merrily We Roll Along," at the Music Theatre Company in Highland Park. There are only five performances left! You wouldn't want to miss a legendary show with a highly regarded score, played out with semi-autobiographical overtones by a cast who could probably work for a lot more money, but who would be far less satisfied with their work, do you?
Merrily We Roll Along - Music Theatre Company
When one Sondheim show closes, turn around these days and you'll find another one to hold your attention! "A Little Night Music" has opened at Circle Theatre in Oak Park, and will run through June 5. It's directed by Bob Knuth and musical directed by Josh Walker, and stars Anita Hoffman, Patti Roeder, Kirk Swenk, Jeremy W. Rill and Patrick Tierney, with Khaki Pixley as Petra. That's a pretty good cast!
A Little Night Music - Circle Theatre
And then there's "Alien Queen." The mash-up (we used to call that a "conflation," but no matter) of the movie "Alien" with the music of the band Queen, this show ran last year at Circuit Nightclub, but has been resurrected (for one night only) as a concert experience. Friday night, May 13, at The Metro (3730 N. Clark Street). Original producers The Scooty & JoJo Show have reassembled their cast, tweaked their material, and hired out a hot rock venue to house their creation. Special guests will be performing before the main event, too. Is it still a rock musical? Or is it a themed concert? I don't know! Go and find out, and then we will all know!
That's all she wrote for this week! I didn't realize so much of this week would be about suburban musical productions, but there you go. Who needs a modified grid system and constant street lights in order to find a musical production? We don't! And, with so much to talk about, I'll see you later under the video screens,.....ok?-PWT
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