REVIEW: The Rosenkranz Mysteries: MAGICIAN/PHYSICIAN

A couple of weeks ago, we had the pleasure of attending a magic show at the Royal George Theatre.


Titled The Rosenkranz Mysteries, the show features physician turned magician Ricardo Rosenkranz as a magician/philosopher.  Interspersed between tricks of mentalism, magic, and historic spiritualism, Dr. Rosenkranz expounds on ideas of magic, health, and healing.

There's nothing earth shattering about what he does but he does it well, and it was pretty fun.  We went with a friend of mine who is also a physician and his son, and we all were very entertained.

 Rosenkranz has been a doctor for over 20 years and has been practicing magic at least that long.  He's achieved some pretty good accomplishments in both fields, currently serving as a faculty member at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine.  In the magic field, he has performed on Penn and Teller's television show Fool Us, as well as performed a run at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles.

Rosenkranz is very professional, and his routines are well thought out and mystifying.  They all go very smoothly.  Most of the tricks seem to be classic tricks that one would expect in a parlor show. drawing from different branches of magic, including card magic, spiritualism, mentalism, and other disciplines. There's a bit with a skull that's a lot of fun, and he does use some audience members as volunteers, so beware.

The program shows that he has studied with and consulted with a couple of the top magicians in the world about these tricks, including Eugene Burger, Jeff McBridge, and Johnny Thompson, and their tutelage shows.  The magic is all superbly performed and well thought out.

I also really love the idea of magic and science (or medicine) being linked.  Arthur C. Clarke once wrote "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic to the uninitiated." And one of Rosenkranz's heroes once squelched a revolt by passing off electromagnetism as magic.

And I really like what Rosenkranz wrote on his website talking about the intertwined nature of medicine and magic, being like the caduceus (the image of two snakes around a rod that now symbolizes medicine in the United States.)




Some photos from the show: (provided by the Rosenkranz Mysteries website)

 If I were being asked about his show, my only real suggestion from a theatrical point of view is that the pace and rhythm of the whole show are very similar. 

Rosenkranz is level-headed, good-natured, soft-spoken, and quite reasonable-- all befitting a doctor of his level. 

I'd like to see some changes to his speaking rhythm and to the rhythm/pace of the show, so that not every trick was punctuated by talking, and that Rosenkranz veers away from "I will show you something amazing" to his actually being amazed.

 He talks about amazement and wonder a lot in his show, but I would like to see him being amazed as well.

It's a small criticism, and I don't think that most people would notice, but I think that it could take the show from being an 8.5 to a 9.3.

The show has been selling quite well, and in fact, has now been extended through May 27.  To get your tickets,  Click here for ticketmaster.com or call The Royal George Ticket Office (312) 988-9000.  Tickets for the show are $50-$75 at the Royal George Theatre Cabaret, and discounts can be had often on Goldstar.com

Find out more about the show at https://therosenkranzmysteries.com/

DATE NIGHT IDEA: Xanadu at the American Theater Company

American Theater Company's production of "Xanadu."
Image by Michael Brosilow. 

Now through July 17, the American Theater Company will be presenting the classic camp musical Xanadu. 

 It's the first production of its Legacy season, presented as a tribute to ATC's late Artistic Director PJ Paparelli, who was a huge fan of this camp classic, which is based on the 1980 Universal Pictures film, also called Xanadu. 

The production has music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne (of E.L.O.) and John Farrar (of British group The Shadows, and producer of Olivia Newton-John's work) and the book is by playwright Douglas Carter Beane.

Xanadu takes place in Venice, California in 1980. Struggling artist Sonny Malone seeks to create his own version of the American dream by renovating an abandoned warehouse into a venue for world-class entertainment – a roller disco!  He manages to succeed with the help (and hindrance) of some Greek deities. A hilarious and modern update of the 1980’s camp classic, Xanadu celebrates the artist’s muse, even when it comes from the most unlikely of places.

We saw this when it was on Broadway and it was a very fun (and funny) musical.  If you are a fan of the 1980's, of camp, and of roller-skating, then this will be a sure fire winner for you.

Here's the promo video for your perusing pleasure:

The Sirens in American Theater Company's production of "Xanadu."
Image by Michael Brosilow.

Single tickets for Xanadu range from $48-$58. Student tickets are available for $15 with valid student ID in-person at the Box Office. More information and tickets are available by visiting the ATC Box Office at 1909 W. Byron Street, by calling 773-409-4125 or visiting www.atcweb.org. 

Xanadu Performance Schedule

Regular Run: June 7–July 17: Tuesday–Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.

DATE NIGHT: The World On A String: Harold Arlen Revue

This Tuesday we'll be attending the opening of a new musical revue right near our house (in the Edgewater neighborhood) City Lit Theatre company is producing the world premiere of a Harold Arlen song revue. The revue, entitled I've Got the World on a String: Harold Arlen's Songs of Love and Loss, features 23 of Arlen's most famous songs.

NOTE: This is the start of a new occasional feature on Dadapalooza, where I review and feature cultural events that would be perfect for Date Nights. A lot of the cultural reviewing I've been doing has been kid-friendly, but I've been wanting to review and bring to your attention great cultural and culinary opportunities for you and your spouse to re-connect as adults. This may be even MORE important than finding great cultural things for your kids! So drop the kid off with your in-laws, hire a babysitter, and let's get to DATE NIGHT! PS--If you've got an idea for a great date night in Chicago, let me know, and I'll check it out. Thanks for reading!

In case you were unaware, Harold Arlen was one of the most popular song composers of the 20nth century.  He wrote for Broadway, film (including The Wizard of Oz), vaudeville, and for musicians around the world.  Many of his songs are now jazz standards.


 I've been a fan of many of his songs for a long time!

Here are just a few of the songs that will be featured in the revue:

• Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive
• As Long as I Live 
• Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 
• Down with Love 
• Fun to Be Fooled 
• I Love a Parade 
• If I Only Had a Brain 
• It's Only a Paper Moon
• I've Got the World on a String 
• Let's Fall in Love 
• Lydia the Tattooed Lady 
• Over the Rainbow
• Stormy Weather
• That Old Black Magic

Arlen wrote the music for all these songs, and collaborated with many top lyricists including Yip Harburg, Johnny Mercer, Ira Gershwin, and Ted Koehler.

The show, which is set in a Manhattan bar in the 1940's, features 3 men and 3 women (and 1 piano player, of course.)  It sounds like a great concept, and I'm looking forward to connecting with my wife in an adult way over these wonderful classic songs.

After you see the show, you'll definitely want to read more about Harold Arlen, and probably listen to him as well (or maybe even before you see the show!)

I highly recommend the following books and albums (available from Amazon):
(These are good places to start)


INFORMATION

DATES:  March 4- April 10, 2016
The show has a slightly complicated schedule:
    Tuesday, March 8 7:00 PM (OPENING)
    Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm
    Mondays March 21, 28 and April 4th at 7:30 pm
    Sundays at 3:00 pm  *No Show Sunday, March 27th*
    Final two performances April 9th and 10th will be at 5pm

WHERE: CityLit Theatre Company, 1020 W Bryn Mawr, Chicago, IL 60660
City Lit Theater is located on the second floor of the Edgewater Presbyterian Church at the corner of Bryn Mawr and Kenmore.

COST:  Tickets are $29 each, with discounts for Students, Military, and Seniors.

MORE INFO:  Call the box office 773-293-3682 or visit http://www.citylit.org

Family Matinee of The Explorers Club this weekend- Windy City Theatre

This weekend, my son and I will be attending a special family matinee production of the show: The Explorers Club at the Windy City Theatre.  The show, a comedy farce that features stilt-walking, crazy stunts, onstage snakes, and live guinea pigs, sounds hilarious.  It's set in a Victorian-era scientific gentleman's club.

The plot and characters of the show includes a blue, Spoon-worshipping NaKong tribesman, a woman scientist vying to become the first female member, a series of lost guinea pigs, and an explorer just back from the East Pole. Chaos ensues in The Explorers Club when the Queen is inadvertently insulted, possibly setting the British Empire at war with the world. And not only that, they need a new bartender!

During the run of the show (and especially during the two family matinees) the on-stage bar will feature child-friendly libations (as well as some more adult concoctions.)  Post-show, the audience will have the opportunity to have their pictures taken with the costumed actors.

I've been to the Windy City Theatre once before, and it's great. They built the theatre last year, and it's very luxe.  About half the chairs are super comfortable swivel lounge chairs, and the others are plush movie-style seats.   There are tables/shelves for your drink and snacks, and even the lobby is beautifully appointed.

Some of the kooky denizens of the Explorers Club

INFORMATION:
The show has an open-ended run through at least April 17.
 Showtimes
Wed/Thurs at 7:30pm
Fri/Sat at 8pm
Sundays (consult website for Sunday times).

 Two family friendly matinees will be held during the run: This weekend Sunday, February 28 and on Sunday March 26.  Both shows will be at 3 pm.

 Single tickets range from $15-$55 and are available by calling 773-891-8985 or visiting windycityplayhouse.com.

The theatre is located at 3014 West Irving Park Road.

For more information about the show, visit http://windycityplayhouse.com/the-explorers-club/