'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for July 3rd, 2013

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:

And so it has opened! The most widely anticipated musical of the summer here, and for many across the country, is "The Jungle Book" at the Goodman Theatre, and the reviews from the press opening on Monday night are positive and promising--with a few raves sprinkled in the mix. I guess the answer to the age-old question, "Is it soup yet?" is that it is indeed soup, but folks are hoping it gets more tasty as time goes by. There seems to be universal praise for Doug Peck's contributions in fusing American jazz with traditional Indian music, and for Mara Blumenfeld's costumes fusing Indian and British clothing with animal characteristics. And people love the framing device, and the actors, and the overall beauty. But Mary Zimmerman's book seems to need a stronger through line, to be less episodic and have more sense of what Mowgli is learning along the way. The coming-of-age thing. The show's similarity to "Peter Pan" and "Alice in Wonderland," and all that. And maybe more music in the first act. At least, that's what I glean from the reviews. What is your takeaway from the reviews? Have you seen it? It's running through August 11, with a fall run in Boston already planned. Future productions? Unknown right now.

Links to some reviews of "The Jungle Book"

The many folk who read last week's "Mosh Pit" know that "The Jungle Book" was on our list of the Top Ten Hot Topix for the first half of 2013. Another one of those (and the other that featured actor Usman Ally) was Lyric Opera Of Chicago's short run of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" back in May. For those who missed it, you may get your last chance to experience it in part when radio station WFTM-FM rebroadcasts their opening night broadcast of the show, on Saturday, July 13 from noon to 3:00 pm (98.7 on your dial). This may be the best sounding "Oklahoma!" anywhere in the world for quite some time, so I recommend tuning in, or recording it off your radio or computer. Even without the choreography and the scenery, you can still hear the Lyric Opera Orchestra, John Cudia, Ashley Brown and a full cast of musical theater and opera pros. It won't happen, but wouldn't it be cool if this were released on CD or download? Just sayin'.

http://www.wfmt.com/OKLAHOMA!

A widely anticipated local event each summer is the Broadway In Chicago fall preview concert in Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion. Well, it's on their website, though I haven't seen any sort of press release or advertising for it. The "Broadway In Chicago Summer Concert At Millennium Park" is scheduled for Monday, August 5, 2013, at 6:15 pm. And it's FREE. Janet Davies, Val Warner and Ryan Chiaverini from ABC 7 will host, and performers from Broadway's "Motown: The Musical" (I call it "Motown") will perform. Somebody will perform selections from "Wicked," "Elf," "Evita," "Flashdance," "Ghost," "Million Dollar Quartet," "Once" and "We Will Rock You." Illinois's representatives at last week's Jimmy Awards in New York, the winners of the 2013 Illinois High School Musical Theater Award, will also perform: John Clay III of Oak Park and Taylor Marie Sherry of St. Charles. Last year, this concert featured Cyndi Lauper performing "Sex Is In The Heel" from "Kinky Boots," in what I think was a world premiere performance. I doubt that anything that historic will happen this year, but you never know. They just don't divulge much about this concert, do they? It could be something extraordinary with a little more build-up! Just sayin'.

http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/summerconcert.php

I should not have been surprised AT ALL, but one of the biggest hits of the summer has turned out to be "A Cole Porter Songbook" from Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. The original songbook revue, directed by Fred Anzevino and choreographed by David Heimann, features arrangement of Porter's songs by Aaron Benham, sung by a cast of four. After opening June 6, the shows has been extended and extended, and just yesterday, Anzevino let the other shoe finally drop: the show will play out the entire summer, through September 1, at its home at the No Exit Café. Rapturous reviews. Optional pre-show dinner served by the cast. Cole Porter songs! What's not to love? I might have known.

Theo-Ubique-Cabaret-Theatre-Extends-COLE-PORTER-Through-9-1-2013

Beginning performances this weekend, July 5, and running weekends through August 11, is another type of summer hotness, "Hedwig And The Angry Inch," the hit off-Broadway and film rock musical about an East German transsexual's search for love despite a botched sex change operation. Kyle Trent directs a cast starring Ryan Lanning (no stranger to this type material, I assure you ["Alien Queen"]) and Lauren Paris, with musical direction by Kory Danielson. It's from the new Haven Theatre Company ("new Haven," get it?), and is playing at Theater Wit on Belmont Avenue, in the heart of Chicago's off-Loop theater scene.

https://www.theaterwit.org/HEDWIG

Another edgy, rock concert-based off-Broadway musical, "Rooms," is making its Chicago debut this weekend, starting previews July 6 and opening July 13 at the Flat Iron Arts Building in Bucktown. Subtitled "A Rock Romance," the show is by Paul Scott Gordon and Miriam Gordon. Its premiere here is from the new Broken Nose Theatre, and it also runs through the popular closing date of August 11. It's a two-hander musical, starring Matt Deitchman and Hillary Marren. And yes, there is definitely a trend, both here and in New York, toward musicals that look, sound and feel like rock concerts.

http://www.brokennosetheatre.com/

That other trend, putting your original show on YouTube, was begun by Chicago's Team StarKid when they were still in school at the University of Michigan ("A Very Potter Musical," etc.). They are debuting their latest musical, "Twisted," at the Greenhouse Theater in Lincoln Park. Performances begin tomorrow, on July 4th, and are announced for July weekends, closing July 28. Subtitled "The Untold Story Of A Royal Vizier," "Twisted" is a satirical version of the Aladdin story, with a book by Matt Lang, Nick Lang and Eric Kahn Gale, with music by A.J. Holmes and lyrics by Kaley McMahon. Brian Holden directs a cast of now-internet-famous StarKids, including Dylan Saunders, Jeff Blim, Joe Walker, Jim Povolo, Lauren Lopez, Meredith Stepien, Denise Donovan, Nick Cage and Jaime Lyn Beatty. Three new actors appear as well: Rachael Soglin, Alex Grace Paul and Robert Manion. Videos by the BroadwayWorld Chicago Award-winning Team StarKid have been viewed online over 150 million times. Add this latest to the greatest hits parade, I have no doubt.

Team-StarKid-Bringing-TWISTED-to-Chicagos-Greenhouse-Theatre

I don't often have the space to talk about community Theater Productions, but I know you guys are out there! And Chicago has a lot of community theater groups doing musicals, especially in the suburbs, and especially in the summertime. For instance, the Glenview Theater Guild has presented one musical every summer since 1974, and is now presenting "Thoroughly Modern Millie," which opened June 28th and runs through July 13th at Glenbrook South High School. Catherine Davis directs, with choreography by Ericka Mac. Kara Vombrack stars, with David Geinosky, Marian Kaderbek, Kimberly Karlin and Pascale M. Trouillot, with a large ensemble. Way to go, you guys! I bet it's awesome.

http://www.gtgonstage.com

Also popular in the summertime are musical theater camps, workshops and summer intensives for kids of various ages. One example of such is the Encore Theatre in Libertyville, whose Junior program is mounting "Les Miserables" in its School Edition, with a large cast of 37 kids from first through eighth grade. The show stars Jack Miller and Zachary Ford as Valjean and Javert, with Phoebe Paslaski (Eponine), Jake Rudolphi (Marius), Sami Ross (Cosette) and Ryan Krewer (Enjolras), with Alex Brown and Anna DeNoia sharing the role of Fantine. Bob Silton directs, with musical direction by Jonathan Weppler. Performances are at CarMel Catholic High School in Mundelein, July 11-13. Again, I bet it's awesome.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Encore-Theatre-NFP

Last but not least, it's time for the second BroadwayWorld Chicago summer event at The Call bar in Andersonville. It's next Wednesday, July 10, 2013, from 9:00 pm to midnight. It's the Summer Birthday Showtune Blowout, hosted by yours truly. In celebration of my birthday, and maybe yours too, we will have two kinds of trivia, spaced in between VJ Michael Hogan's sets from his extensive showtune video collection. If you can stump me, win a prize! If you give the written answer to a question before anyone else, win a prize! And if you answer the most questions correctly throughout the evening, you win the grand prize! And everybody gets cake. Here's the article with further details. I hope you come and join us (21 and older). What's not to love? Showtunes, trivia questions and cake!

July-10th-is-the-SUMMER-BIRTHDAY-SHOWTUNE-BLOWOUT

So that's it for the first edition of the Mosh Pit in 2013's second half. Wonder what the weather will bring us in July and August? I have no idea. But I do know that there is a lot of great musical theater out there. I hope you get out and do some, and enjoy some! And I hope that I'll see you, next Wednesday and always, under the video screens.....-PWT

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