The Glass Menagerie opens in Off-Loop Chicago production

[jon5202]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 11:04pm

While Broadway awaits the ARC revival in September, a recent revival of TGM has re-opened in Chicago's off-Loop theatre community. This re-imagined look at William's Chicago born play has found the Chicago critics throwing out raves once again. Having seen this production last winter and seeing again this week, I must admit that it is a revelation in the way that director Hans Fleischman has staged and starred in this production. If you think you know TGM then try and see this production because it will make you revisit this American classic in a new and revelatory way.

Here are a few reviews and a short trailer:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/theaterloop/ct-ent-0603-menagerie-review-20130602,0,6886621.column

http://www.stageandcinema.com/2013/05/31/glass-menagerie-mary-arrchie/

http://chicagocritic.com/glass-menagerie/

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/20285185-421/words-of-the-glass-menagerie-like-youve-never-heard-them-before.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNyvdFegFWM





Updated On: 6/9/13 at 11:04 PM

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 11:32pm

I saw the production in its original run earlier this year and was blown away. The final moments of the show were haunting. I have never seen such a raw, new imagining of this material. If you are in the Chicago area and havent seen it I urge you to. Also, the Jeff Awards were tonight (for those not in chicago its like they Helen Hays awards or the drama desks) and the actor playing the gentlemen caller won for his work in this show.

[jon5202]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 8:45am

Additional comments and a short clip from TGM currently playing in Chicago:

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/video/category/on-stage/page/1/

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 3:14pm

Very curious about this term "off-Loop". What does it mean? And if this is an off-loop, is there also an on-Loop? And where is this off-Loop theater district?

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 3:23pm

In Chicago, the term "the Loop" refers to the "loop" that the elevated commuter train "the el" makes around the Central Business District....commonly referred to as "the Loop." Many of the Broadway-In-Chicago theatres are there as is the Goodman Theatre.

The term "off-Loop" is a term that's meant to evoke "off Broadway" but basically means any theatre that is not downtown in the Loop.

As in NYC, there is no set geography for off-Broadway and there is no set geography for "off-Loop" either.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 3:29pm

I get that it is supposed to evoke off-Broadway, but the difference is that off-Broadway has specific seat requirements (100-499) and it is connected to the term Broadway.

But since the phrase "on-Loop" theater is not used, I wonder where/when/why this habit of saying "off-Loop" started.

[jon5202]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 11:47pm

Thanks for your comments. The off-Loop reference to shows outside of the Loop theatre district in Chicago basically began in the 1970's with companies like the Organic Theatre and Body Politic. As far as I can tell, it was primarily started by newspaper reviewers to differentiate plays/musicals performed outside the Loop (i.e., off-Loop) from those performed commercially downtown (in the Loop). There has never been a reference to on-Loop because the Loop is not a street like Broadway (though the term Broadway now refers more or less to a district rather than one street). Chicago does not have a designated off-Loop theatre district per se so I have removed the term district from my original post. However, there are 7 theatre spaces in the block where TGM is currently performing so I almost think of it as an off-Loop theatre district.

Basically, today off-Loop means any size theatre outside the Loop and does not separate equity/non-equity or commercial/non profit and off-Loop often means storefront theatre in the Chicago theatre community.

Hope that clarifies your question?

Updated On: 6/9/13 at 11:47 PM

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 12:28am

Well now I'm curious about when Broadway theater referred to only one street. I thought it always referred to the Broadway Box.

So essentially it sounds like the phrase off-Loop should be changed to out-of-the-Loop, if, as you say, the point of the term is to differentiate the theaters out of the Loop from the ones in the Loop.

Then again, Chicago has signs proclaiming the "Randolph Theater District" even though there are only two theaters on Randolph (and a few around the corner). Perhaps the term should really be "off-Randolph"?