Review: CHOPIN IN WINTER at Chopin Theatre

Chopin at the Chopin Theatre is only appropriate, and Chopin Theatre’s newest theatrical production brings that vision to life. Directed by Dexter Bullard based on Stuart Dybek’s short story, Chopin in Winter features Yasen Peyankov delivering a captivating monologue to the backdrop of Chopin performed by pianist Jana Pavlovska. 

The story is set in a post-war Polish neighborhood in Chicago. Told from the first-person memory of the narrator, Yasen Peyankov portrays the young boy transfixed by the piano music coming from Marcy, the pregnant daughter of his landlady who lives upstairs. His grandfather Dzia-Dzia spends most of his time soaking his feet in the kitchen, where Chopin floats through the walls and the two connect through sparse conversation to this piano backdrop that fades over time. 

October is Polish American Heritage Month, and Chopin in Winter is a beautiful tribute to one of Poland’s most celebrated composers while depicting the post-WWII experience of immigrant families through a particularly poignant and specific memory. Under Bullard’s creative direction, the production features Yasen Peyankov reading “on book” as an artistic decision. Just as pianists can choose to follow the score rather than memorize a piece, so Bullard chooses to let Peyankov interpret the lines fresh off the page as he paints the picture of the immigrant family experience through the eyes of a child and the lasting impact of music — and the subsequent silence — through Dybek’s lyrical prose. By the end of the show, the script is strewn across the simple stage as the descriptions of the working-class Chicago neighborhood fly off the page as Peyankov paces the barren apartment set and takes us on a trip down memory lane.  

From the first notes of Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor that chillingly meld with Peyankov’s words to the rapid flurry of technique in Ballade in G-Minor, Op. 23, No. 1 transformed with the spirit of boogie-woogie, Pavlovska’s poetic piano performance exudes emotion and warmth, completely changing the atmosphere of the one-man show using Chopin’s greatest pieces and even newly re-discovered songs. Pavlovska artfully weaves the range of Chopin’s compositions into the narrative, bringing Dybek’s words to life through the magic of music. 

The production is intimate, rooted solely in Peyankov’s voice and Pavlovska’s touch. While some pieces offer a lively tempo that changes the rhythm of the performance, the show is generally slow, contemplative, and descriptive, relying on the meditative narrative to evoke the memories of poverty, exile, and survival. This show might not be everyone’s speed — especially for those looking for plot-driven dialogue or flashy theatrical production — but it’s an imaginative work of art for those with an acquired taste of deep storytelling combined with some of the most beautiful piano compositions from the Romantic era. 

Chopin in Winter plays at the Chopin Theatre MainStage (1543 W. Division St.) through October 18, 2026. Tickets are $40 adults and $30 students and seniors.

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