Elm Leaves

‘Oliver!’ dazzles at Drury Lane

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:18:00 -0500

As I headed off to see “Oliver!” at the Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, a friend told me of a couple who had named their kids Oliver and Annie, after two of the best-known orphans in literature and musical theater.

Bollywood pizzazz brightens Circle’s ‘Pippin’

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:46:01 -0500

It’s 40 years since Stephen Schwartz’s musical “Pippin” first found success on Broadway. Now, local audiences get to see it in a new light at Oak Park’s Circle Theatre where Kevin Bellie is staging the show as “Pippin: A Bollywood Spectacular.”

‘Yo Gabba Gabba!’ pays a visit

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:54:01 -0500

Californian Christian Jacobs had nothing against the purple dinosaur. It was a harmless character his oldest daughter was watching on television ten years ago… and it kept her happy.

‘One and Only’ upbeat romance set to great Gershwin

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 09:08:02 -0500

Can an ambitious aviator and a former English Channel swimmer find true happiness? Given enough great Gershwin songs it could happen in “My One and Only” at the Marriott Theatre.

‘Romeo and Juliet’ find love, death in New Orleans

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 09:06:01 -0500

Life is far from simple for two young lovers in the Big Easy. Their families don’t get along and, even in free-spirited 1920s New Orleans, their relationship seems doomed. That’s the backdrop for director Jason Narvy’s intriguing take on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” for the Artists of Concordia Theatre. “I needed to find a framing that I felt did justice to the world of the script that I wanted to create but also was accessible to the kids,” Narvy said. “New Orleans is a place that is frozen in time, timeless, romantic and chilling all at the same time.” Narvy …

Friendship enriches lives in ‘Steel Magnolias’

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:38:01 -0500

Strong Southern women and the friendship that sustains them is at the heart of “Steel Magnolias.” The Grove Players present “Steel Magnolias” by Robert Harling Nov. 9 to 18, at the Lincoln Center in Downers Grove. The play, which opened off-Broadway in 1987, became a successful movie starring Dolly Parton in 1989, then opened on Broadway in 2005. Cal Turner of Naperville directs the play, which centers on a group of Louisiana women who meet regularly in Truvy’s beauty shop and serve as each other’s support group. The story begins on the morning of Shelby’s wedding, and spans the next …

Second City buddies star as ‘Odd Couple’

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:50:01 -0500

They’re a couple of old pals, playing, well, a couple of old pals. Second City alums George Wendt and Tim Kazurinsky have “come home” to star in Neil Simon’s classic comedy, “The Odd Couple,” which begins previews Nov. 2 at Northlight Theatre. The duo recently chatted about comedy, friendship and politics.

Palmer ‘Singin’ praises of toe-tapping role

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:50:01 -0500

Singing in the rain is nothing new for Sean Palmer. “I’ve definitely had my share of rain onstage,” Palmer said. “I just did ‘Crazy for You’ at Regent’s Park outdoors. With the London weather, it oftentimes rained down on us.”

Theatre of Western Springs stages ‘Moonlight and Magnolias’

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:42:00 -0500

The Theatre of Western Springs is poised to make audiences laugh with “Moonlight and Magnolias,” a raucous comedy that will open the company’s 84th season Sept. 6.

Anita Deely lands three roles in one Lifeline play

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:34:01 -0500

Anita Deely has always been impressed by Lifeline Theatre’s work. That’s why the Westchester native agreed to take on three roles in their production of “The Woman in White.” “This is my first show at Lifeline but, of course, like every other actor in the city, I’ve been going to their shows for years,” Deely said. “I’ve always admired their work because actors get to show some range and do a lot of different things.” “The Woman in White” is an original adaptation of Wilkie Collins’ 1859 mystery novel by Lifeline ensemble member Robert Kauzlaric. It is the tale of …

Touching drama, top-notch cast in Circle Theatre’s ‘Marvin’s Room’

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 10:53:00 -0500

Circle Theatre’s highly commendable production of Scott McPherson’s touching 1990 drama “Marvin’s Room” hits home as it exposes a torn family’s mounting physical and emotional suffering.

Character assassination: Play explores John Wilkes Booth’s effect

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:24:01 -0500

“The Player King” begins a year after Lincoln’s assassination when Edwin Booth is coping with feelings of shame and grief over his brother’s actions.

Set designer is having a banner year

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:20:01 -0500

By all rights, Chicago-based theatrical set designer Kevin Depinet should be lounging on a beach somewhere, recharging after a year of living in creative overdrive. But he is not. Instead, when we chatted recently, he was nursing some painful dental surgery and speaking animatedly about one of his many works-in-progress — his collaboration with director Gary Griffin on a revival of “Sunday in the Park With George,” the Stephen Sondheim musical that will open the season at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. But before we get to that, it is worth considering some of the projects for which Depinet created sets …

Circle Theatre presents ‘Marvin’s Room’

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:46:00 -0500

It’s about bloodlines rather than phone lines according to Willow Springs’ Mary Redmon, who is directing Circle Theatre’s production of “Marvin’s Room” by Scott McPherson. “There’s a lot of human contact issues that come to the front in this show,” said Redmon. “There’s an overall arc, in familial situations that will become apparent to anybody that sees the show.” The play, which Redmon describes as a “dramedy,” tells the story of two estranged sisters coming together after a 20-year feud when one sister becomes ill with leukemia and needs bone marrow. The challenges and transformations that come along with child-rearing …

Bloody ‘Richard’ is a forceful study of evil

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 11:54:01 -0500

In “Richard III,” one of Shakespeare’s bloody history plays, the power-hungry Duke of Gloucester minces no words in disclosing his agenda: He’ll do whatever it takes to wear the crown as England’s monarch. And woe to anyone who gets in the way. Watching the embittered hunchbacked character bulldoze his way to the top in Oak Park Festival Theatre’s robust production directed by Belinda Bremner offers audiences a thrill ride that’s both satisfying and terrifying. Kevin Theis, a skilled actor who has appeared onstage numerous times for Oak Park Festival Theatre since 1990, puts his considerable talents to the test in …