Don't Lose Your Head At Six

This weekend, Barcelona becomes the stage for a royal revolution as Six: The Musical makes its highly anticipated debut at the Teatre Coliseum.

Running from April 24 to May 11, 2025, this West End sensation reimagines the six wives of Henry VIII as pop divas, each telling her story in a high-energy, 90-minute concert-style show.

Performed in English with subtitles in Catalan and Spanish, Six offers a fresh, feminist take on Tudor history, blending humor, empowerment, and a chart-topping soundtrack.

Six The Global Phenomenon Lands in Barcelona

Since its inception, Six has garnered over 35 international awards, including two Tony Awards, and has been performed simultaneously in six cities across four continents. Its soundtrack has surpassed a billion streams, featuring songs inspired by pop icons like Beyoncé, Shakira, and Lizzo. The musical’s creators, Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow, have been lauded for their innovative approach, with Moss becoming the youngest female director on Broadway and Marlow being the first non-binary Tony Award winner.

Experience the Queens Live

At the Teatre Coliseum, audiences will witness Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr take the mic to share their stories. Backed by a live band, each queen delivers a powerful performance that challenges historical narratives and celebrates female resilience. The show’s modern staging and vibrant costumes add to the electrifying atmosphere, making it a must-see event.

Secure Your Tickets

Don’t miss this limited-time engagement in Barcelona. The show runs from April 24-May 11 at the Colisseum Theatre (Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes, 595, BARCELONA BARCELONA)

Tickets are available through the official site, balanaenviu.com, with prices starting from €44. For group bookings, discounts of up to 30% are offered for parties of 10 or more.

Alternatively, tickets can be purchased via El Corte Inglés and Atrapalo.

Experience the empowering stories of these historical queens as they reclaim their narratives in a show that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening. Join the revolution at the Teatre Coliseum—Six is here to reign!

The Race -Virtual Theatre- Extended March 13-28!

 I previously wrote about my friend Mark Binder's play, that had its World premiere via Zoom at the Wilbury Theatre Group in January. 

Read that article here.

It closed on January 31, but due to popular demand, it's being brought back from March 13-March 28.

Here's a video trailer for the play.

The Race - live theater that disrupts the zoomscape from Mark Binder on Vimeo.

 
In the play, two candidates (Mr. White and Mr. Black) are vying for a position.  One is white, and one is not (and during the course of the production, the actors change roles, so their name is NOT an indicator) As they are interviewed by an unseen third party (who may be a person, or an algorithm, or some strange amalgamation of the two) politics, race, bias, competition, complicity and computer mediation are all explored.  The questions are off-putting and relevant (and audience members can participate in the live chat and vote on some of the questions using Zoom's Poll feature)  And at the end of the show, the audience is invited for a talkback.

Don't miss the chance to see it!

Tickets are available at https://thewilburygroup.org/the-race.html

The Race by Mark Binder features Rodney Eric Lopez (left), Jim O'Brien (right) and Jennifer Mischley (unpictured)  The actors change roles nightly, which adds to the interest of this production.

Virtual Theatre: The Race by Mark Binder: Wilbury Theatre Group Ends January 31

Yes, the pandemic has shut off traditional methods of producing theatre.  But there is always a way.  And sometimes that way actually expands the possibilities of your work.

My longtime friend (and accomplished storyteller and novelist) Mark Binder has a new play being produced by the Wilbury Theatre Group in Providence, RI.  The play is called The Race, and it uses the zoom platform effectively to simultaneously isolate and engage the audience.   

It's his first produced play in 20 years, It ends this weekend, it's gotten great reviews, and I urge you to see it. 

The Race by Mark Binder features Rodney Eric Lopez (left), Jim O'Brien (right) and Jennifer Mischley (unpictured)  The actors change roles nightly, which adds to the interest of this production.

In the play, two candidates (Mr. White and Mr. Black) are vying for a position.  One is white, and one is not (and during the course of the production, the actors change roles, so their name is NOT an indicator) As they are interviewed by an unseen third party (who may be a person, or an algorithm, or some strange amalgamation of the two) politics, race, bias, competition, complicity and computer mediation are all explored.  The questions are off-putting and relevant (and audience members can participate in the live chat and vote on some of the questions using Zoom's Poll feature)  And at the end of the show, the audience is invited for a talkback.

A behind the scenes look at The Race.  I recognize this desk as Mark's!  (photo by Mark Binder)

Because it's on Zoom, anyone in the world with $20 and a computer can see the show. (which expands the audience base.) And because it's DESIGNED to be consumed in the Video/streaming format, it suffers none of the typical issues that a play suffers when translated into video (poor lighting for video, bad camera angles, muffled sound, and a feeling of not being present in the room.)  


This is an interesting new way to look at theatre, and a well designed and enigmatic evening. The actors are great, the writing and directing are on point, and like all good theatre it raises as many questions as it answers.  Definitely see it if you can!

The Race by Mark Binder, directed by Brien Lang with original music by Nikita Zabinski, and features actors: Rodney Eric López, Jennifer Mischley and Jim O'Brien.

Three more shows available:   (click links to purchase tickets)

Friday, January 29, 2021  7:00 PM
Saturday, January 30, 2021 7:00 PM
Sunday, January 31, 2021  2:00 PM

To find out more about the show: visit https://www.thewilburygroup.org/the-race.html

Read some reviews of the show:


https://artsfuse.org/220539/theater-review-the-race-business-as-unusual/

https://www.thewesterlysun.com/lifestyle/entertainment/the-wilbury-theatre-presents-mark-binders-the-race/article_0cf37e5a-5521-11eb-8a8c-472993a2567a.html

https://cranstononline.com/stories/wilburys-the-race-is-masterful-innovative-theater,158050

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/entertainment/arts/2021/01/21/zoom-job-interviews-get-dramatic-wilbury-theatre-groups-the-race/4235022001/

Book Preview: Superhero Science by Cris Johnson

Cris Johnson is an accomplished elementary school assembly presenter.  In pre-pandemic times, Cris typically performed approximately 400 curriculum based school assembly programs across the states and in Canada, using a fast-paced combination of magic, music, audience participation, humor and fun to reinforce his messages and present education in an accessible manner.

When Covid-19 hit, Chris got busy, performing virtual shows and extending one of his shows into a book.  He recently sent me the first three chapters of that book SuperHero Science, and it really succeeds in creating a fun and funny intro to science in a way that kids are bound to enjoy.

Cris at work in one of his shows.

The basic premise is that he presents experiments that attempt to replicate, imitate, or simulate super powers.  Along the way he explains the scientific method, explains the idea of experimentation, and lays out each experiment in a casual yet professional manner.  Each experiment is laid out with the materials required (usually stuff that is around the house), the hypothesis (which, he explains, is a fancy word for educated guess) and any dangers or pitfalls that might require adult supervision (most of them do not, although don't check out parents-- you will be entertained and amazed as well!)  

And when he asks you whether or not the President of the United States may or may not have stolen your bike-- well, look out evil-doers!

Some of the experiments include forays into x-ray vision,  telekinesis, shrinking, invulnerability, and a lot more.  He explains it all in a folksy and slightly goofy way, asking people if they were aliens, how they would know if a hot dog wouldn't fly.

Cris is an experienced and entertaining performer, and that experience shows in his book.  The book is funny, relatable, and accessible to everyone.  Adults and kids alike will enjoy this adventure into science, experimentation, and imagination.  

Who knows, maybe you will even get bitten by a radioactive spider!  (My understanding from Cris is that radioactive spiders are not included with the book purchase.)

Superhero Science will be available in September 2020.  To find out more, visit Cris's website: https://elementaryschoolassemblies.com/

Star Guard Academy: Digital LARP camp for kids starts August 17!

 A friend of mine sent this over, and it looks awesome!  

It's a LARP Camp that is played online (digitally) and has counselors acting as NPC's and moderators.

In case you don't know what a larp is, 
it stands for live action role-playing game.  The players (or campers!) physically portray their characters and pursue goals within a fictional setting represented while interacting with each other in character. It's kind of like a moderated form of make-believe with rules, or Dungeons and Dragons without rolling dice. 
​
The Players unlock plot, interact with camp counselors who act as different characters in the narrative, and work together to defend the galaxy.

We just enrolled my son in this camp.  Tickets are on sale through tomorrow if you are interested in enrolling your child.

Along the way I found out about the Other Worlds Theatre company, and I have to say, I have no idea why I didn't know about them before.  They seem 100% up my alley, and fairly close to my house.  

Otherworld Theatre Company was founded in June 2012 with the mission to bring a theatrical experience to the science fiction and fantasy genre. Their work celebrates the depth of human imagination by engaging our spectators with high quality storytelling. 

They have a number of shows and events that seem fantastic, in addition to the summer camp.  They have LARPs for adults (which are usually played in person, and with COVID, it's possible that those will be played online as well)- as well as (during non-COVID times) plays, events, colloquys, and all other sorts of mashups of theatre and science fiction.  It sounds like great fun, and I definitely want to keep these guys on my radar!

Their first full length production (which is available on Youtube for free until August 14) is a show called Of Dice and Men.  It's a play about gamers and Dungeons and Dragons, and during the show the game comes to life.  

Here's the synopsis (please note that it is suggested 14+ because of strong language throughout. Viewer discretion is advised.)

SYNOPSIS:
Few dungeon masters can make the game come to life better than John Francis. Dwarves, Mages and Barbarians jump right off of their character sheets whenever he sits down at the gaming table of frisky suburbanite parents, Linda and Brandon. John Francis’ best friends, sailor-mouthed John Alex and thoughtful jock Jason, bring roguish swagger and knightly nobility to the game. And the object of John Francis’ affection, the feisty Tara, provides all the Half Elven Double Princess backstory they could ever need. 

But when Jason enlists to go to Iraq and with the relationship with Tara going nowhere, it may be time for John Francis to hang up his twenty sided dice and take a job on the other side of the country. However, John Francis is about to discover that leaving will prove tougher than the Tomb of Horrors. A blisteringly funny and heartwarming comedy about gamers, for a general theatre audience.

Here's the video (which may or may not disappear after August 14)

You can find out more about Other World Theatre Company on their website https://www.otherworldtheatre.org/ and on their Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsmsppAgXfNCZm8ZjRaz0uQ

Virtual Vaudeville This Saturday: Featuring The Acme Flea Circus!

I'm very pleased to announce that I'm getting into the remote performing craze.

This Saturday, from 3 pm to 9 pm (Chicago time), I and 8 other performers are creating a "Virtual Vaudeville" show that will feature 6 hours of continuous entertainment from some of the top vaudeville and variety artists in the country.

The show will take place on Instagram Live on the account phonographdjmac.

You can find out more about it on the following facebook event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2361081560859357/

Over the course of the 6 hours, each performer will do a show or piece of their show at least 3 times.

UPDATE:  I will be on at 3:50 pm, 5:50 pm, and 7:50 pm.  All times CST.  Tune in a little before that to make sure to catch the whole flea circus act. 

Viewing is free, but we are asking for donations that will be split equally with all of the performers.

In addition to my show, the performers include some of the best in the business, including:

The performers of the first Virtual Vaudeville (Listed below top left to right, middle left to right, bottom left to right.)

•      Professor A.G. Gertsacov - Acme Miniature Flea Circus
•      Alex Vernon & Sarah Olmsted Thomas – Puppeteers
•      Mark Jaster & Sabrina Selma Mandell - Dizz & Izzy
•      DJ Phonograph Mac- MC and DJ
•      Gin Minsky– The Tapdancing Sword Swallowing Delight
•      Keith Bindlestiff – Top Spinning Extraordinaire
•      Peter Mintun –  1920s Keyboard Capers 
•      Andy Sapora– Variety Performer/ Clown

I've seen and worked with a few of these people before, and they are great.  And what I've seen from the other performers shows that they will also be a lot of fun.

I've got a few technical issues to solve, like where in my relatively crowded apartment I'm going to perform the show, and whether or not I have enough lighting for it, and how I'm going to adapt my heavily audience-involved show happen without being able to see the audience!

 All solvable and all worth the challenge.

 I look forward to you seeing me (and the fleas!) and my friends on Saturday!

REVIEW: Teenage Dick, Livestreamed (sort of) from Theater Wit.

I just got through seeing the Livestreamed production of Teenage Dick by Mike Lew.  I wrote about it a couple of days ago here, and they very graciously offered me a ticket to see the show.

In short, it's a great play, well worth seeing.

The basic idea is that they have transplanted the story of Richard III into high school, where a boy with cerebral palsy (Richard Gloucester, played by MacGregor Arney) has it in his mind to become the class president over the teenage football quarterback Eddie (played by Ty Fanning). Along the way, he reads Machiavelli, confides in his also disabled friend Buck (played by Tamara Rozofsky), falls in love with Eddy's old girl friend Ann (played by Courtney Rikki Green), and dupes his high school teacher Ms. York, played by Liz Cloud.  Also in the mix is Clarissa, a Christian goody-two-shoes who also wants to be class president.  She is played by Kathleen Niemann.


Although the play follows pretty closely the plot of Richard III, it is set in high school, so bullying, twitter, Instagram selfies, online taunting, and hooking up all have their moments in the show.   The play has heightened language (and some swearing, so kids beware).  Richard speaks about half the time as if he were a Shakespearian villain and half the time if he was in the HBO version of Glee. (After the show, during the post-show discussion, I imagined a Glee version of this show, which would be interesting, but not nearly so well written or acted.)

Top Left:  Richard and Eddie.  Top Right: Richard and Buck.
Bottom Left:  Richard and Ann.   Bottom Right: Ann, Buck, and Richard. 
All photos by Charles Osgood.  Provided by the theater.

Richard, very well played by MacGregor Arney.

All of the cast are great, but I thought that MacGregor Arney as Richard did an especially wonderful job of striking a balance between power-mad Richard and a boy trying to be a human.  It's a hard needle to thread, but he manages it. There's a moment at the end where it was a bit of a cliff-hanger as to whether or not the play would follow Richard III's tragic conclusion (and rather than spoil it, I will urge you to watch the play and decided for yourself. )

Ann, played by Courtney Green, in a moment of indecision.

 I was also taken with Courtney Green's Ann, who has a meta-moment late in the play where she tells her story for a minute.  This was haunting and wonderful and reminded me of a moment in another play about disability, The Boys Next Door by Tom Griffin.   In that play, one of the retarded men steps out of his retarded character for a moment, to speak about what it is that he really wants, and I remember wanting to weep.  (The production I saw at Trinity Rep featured the amazing Ed Hall, in what turned out to be one of his last performances there, and it may be a moment in the theatre that I never forget.)  Ann's last monologue had a similar feel, and there was a symbolic moment that gave me chills. At the post-discussion, I wondered if that scene was an homage to the Boys Next Door (there are a number of homages and references to other plays, including Macbeth, Hamlet, and Hamilton  -- Eddie says "Talk Less, Shower More")  The cast didn't know, and the playwright wasn't there, so I will ask him on Twitter and report back in the comments.

Ann and Richard go to the school dance.

The play is not actually livestreamed-- it was filmed the day before all the theaters got shut down with a live audience. 

When you buy a ticket, you get an invitation to login to Vimeo about 15 minutes before showtime.  They ask you to start the video at showtime, and then after the show, there is a GoToMeeting Livestream after the event.  I recommend doing that.  It was interesting to talk to the cast, and see other audience members from far away.  (Seattle, Boston, and Calgary were all in the house that night)


Although I would prefer to see a live play, this is the second-best thing.  You get a lot of the experience of the theatre, mediated by your phone, and you never have to leave your house.  The camera barely moves (Equity rules), but they capture all of the action in a way that is almost as good as being in the room.





Teenage Dick will be playing through April 19 at screens in your house.  Tickets are limited by Equity Union rules to 98 per show, so don't miss out.  To purchase tickets, visit the Theater Wit website.

How StoreFront Theaters are Dealing With the Coronavirus Crisis

Just a quick note about a fantastic article that recently appeared on the WTTW website, which talked about how storefront theatres in Chicago are dealing with the cancellations necessary to deal with COVID-19.

Photo from TeenAge Dick Livestream.

Chicago is  the storefront theatre capital of the country, with over 200 theatres in Chicago, and each one is taking a different (and often creative) approach to solving the problem of what to do when the audience can't come to you.

The article on WTTW (link below) highlights several different tactics that theatres are taking, from delaying productions to canceling productions to even leaving the sets in place and praying that this hiatus is short.

It also goes into shocking detail about the magnitude of the loss-- one theatre is out over $80,000 in lost revenues, including two different tours that have been canceled.  That's for the next month alone!  And insurance is not paying for that.  And many theatres have not yet had their gala, which typically raises 20% of their income for the year.


One of my favorite stories in the article is a positive one from Theatre Wit, who were producing the Midwest premiere of Teenage Dick by Mike Lew (a hilarious re-telling of Richard III, set in a high school, with a cerebral palsy survivor who wants to be class president.)  They were all set to open the show, when it became clear that the Corona Virus was going to put a kibosh on their plans.

This is a screen-capture of the Theater Wit website, which explains more about how remote viewing works.

Rather than canceling the show, they videotaped the show (without an audience), and with permission of Actor's Equity and the actors, each night that the show was supposed to be on, they are selling tickets to a streamed production of the show.  (It's not live-streamed, as it is the tape, but you can only see it that night.  In addition, after each show, there is a cast Q&A  Livestream on Gotomeeting.com  that ups the interactive potential of the show dramatically.   And the cast and crew are still getting paid!

Buy TeenAge Dick on Amazon
(boy, could that sound any worse?)

Furthermore, some of the first tickets purchased for this show were from NY, suggesting that this could be a future income stream for plays, extending the boundaries (and marketing) of a play, assuming that they can get continue to get Equity approval for these remote showings.

I love this kind of creativity in the face of adversity!

Read the full article at  https://news.wttw.com/2020/03/18/how-chicagos-storefront-theaters-are-facing-coronavirus-crisis

And you can read the Chicago Tribune review of the experience of watching Teenage Dick online here:  https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/reviews/ct-ent-teenage-dick-theater-wit-livestream-0320-20200320-l6jx5bw6fnbmdk2d5aypiqg6si-story.html

REVIEW: Q Brothers Christmas Carol

I've loved the Q Brothers since I saw them do their version of Othello three years ago.  READ MY REVIEW OF OTHELLO.

 That soundtrack has become a staple in my household.

They've been busy since then, including a successful Off-Broadway run of Othello, playwriting a new show (an adaptation of Lysistrata called Ms. Estrada) performing at festivals like Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, and continuing on with their busy lives as musicians, actors, and creators.

In the meantime, their "rap-daptation" version of the Dickens Christmas classic has become a Chicago Shakespeare staple for the last few seasons.  I've missed it the last couple of years and was very excited when I got invited to the opening of this season's production.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Pos) throws it back to Scrooge’s past with the help of back-up dancers (JQ and Jax) in Chicago Shakespeare Theater's production of Q Brothers Christmas Carol, presented in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, November 29–December 23, 2019.
Photo by Liz Lauren.

The show does not disappoint.  It tells the basic story of greedy misanthrope Ebeneezer Scrooge and his journey to (SPOILER ALERT): happiness through the intervention of ghosts.  His partner, Jacob Marley, who died 7 years ago on Christmas Eve appears first, followed by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.  Scrooge realizes through this intervention that his previous misanthropy is not serving him well, and resolves to be a better person.  It's become a holiday classic because of its story of redemption, and the melodramatic storyline that fits perfectly with the Christmas spirit.

A Rastafarian Jacob Marley (JQ, center) and his crew of reggae spirits (left to right, Jax and Pos) haunt Scrooge. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Like most actors, I am very familiar with the story, having performed and done tech for multiple versions of the show.  I can recite many of the original lines that usually remain in every production.  ("I forged these chains in life" | "Nothing but a piece of cheese, or an undigested bit of beef" | "You boy, what day is today" are three samples that Dickens aficionados will easily recognize.) 

In their re-telling, most of these old chestnuts have been cut by the Q brothers, although I have no doubt they could make a fine rhyme for undigested beef)   Instead, we get their words, which are usually super clever, contain multiple pop culture references, and come a mile a minute with a hard-driving beat.  Although I missed some of those old friend phrases, I wasn't so sad about it, as the Q brothers found other inventive ways to say the same things.

"There’s no time like the present" for the Ghost of Christmas Present (JQ), surrounded by his crew (Pos and Jax)  Photo by Liz Lauren.

One of the things that I appreciate about the Q Brothers' work most is their acting.  The style is broad and inventive, yet also filled with authenticity.  They cut away inessential elements, and in the end, we focus on their acting.

In this production, GQ, the brother who plays Scrooge, manages the transformation deftly.  His delight in pissing people off early shows in a hilarious number called Crissmyassmus.  But by the end, when he begs the spirit to take him in death rather than Lil Timm (Tiny Tim from the original, who has been transposed into a rap-star wannabe with a bum leg and multiple multiple diseases) the mood in the theater is chilling.


All four of the actors do the same with their roles, veering from silly to serious and back again.

Scrooge (GQ) embraces the magic of the holiday season.
Photo by Liz Lauren.

Some of the highlights include Postell Pringle as a smoove Grandmaster Flash style Ghost of Christmas Past,  as the ultra-cheerful Bob Cratchit, and his precocious college student/daughter Martha (there's a couple of hilarious and cheesy moments as the actor takes turns smelling delicious corn so that he can portray both characters using a bit of microphone ventriloquism. 

Jackson Doran, who plays the nephew Fred as a charades loving gay man with a penchant for Christmas, as well as Mama Cratchit, and a hilarious friend of Scrooge from year's past.  He also has a hilarious turn as one of the people who dun Scrooge at the beginning (and who Scrooge tells to "Chrissmyassmus")  These two guys are Jewish. for the Rahm and Manual Foundation. Big laugh from the audience.

Lil’ Tim (JQ, at center) pops a move while Mama Cratchit (Jax) and Martha Cratchit (Pos) dance along. Photo by Liz Lauren.

GQ's actual brother JQ plays the aforementioned Lil Timm, whose various diseases cracked the audience up, as well as the Ghost of Christmas Present, who was a weird combination of Stevie Wonder and Vanilla Ice, as geeky girl Belle (who owns Fezzy Wigs, a wig production company that  Scrooge and Marley make their fortune on (but Scrooge insists that they be called wigmakers and not wiggers)  and Jacob Marley (who  visits Scrooge in dreadlocks and sings a rasta-style rap, because his personal hell is Jamaica, and he insists that he is not a long lost son of Bob Marley.)  JQ also has a little bit of a tour-de-force performance as a friend of Scrooge's who waxes philosophically on what it means to Level up.  He got all of the other actors cracking up, as well as the audience.

In short, this is a great adaptation, and well worth seeing.  Tickets are sure to go quickly, so get them before they sell out.

INFORMATION:  Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Q Brothers Christmas Carol, November 29–December 23, 2019 in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Single tickets ($32-$56) are on sale now. Special discounts will be available for groups of 10 or more. For more information, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

Scrooge (GQ, at center) lights up with the holiday spirit in Chicago Shakespeare Theater's production of Q Brothers Christmas Carol, presented in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, November 29–December 23, 2019.
Photo by joe mazza.

REVIEW: A Man of Good Hope at Chicago Shakespeare

South Africa's Isango Ensemble has brought a very entertaining and very deep production to Chicago Shakespeare that tells the odyssey of a young Somali refugee who battles poverty, crime, racism, and xenophobia in his journey across Africa.  The story is told through song and dance, and the 20 member company really works as an ensemble to tell this true story, based on a book by Jonny Steinberg.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Isango Ensemble’s A Man of Good Hope, based on the book by Jonny Steinberg and adapted and directed by Mark Dornford-May, in the Courtyard Theater, October 4–13, 2019. Photo by Keith Pattinson.

The show features the story of Asad Abdullahi, an 8-year-old boy whose mother is murdered in front of him.  He realizes the need to leave his native Somalia, and follows a path throughout Africa, ending in a township in South Africa where he is bullied and attacked for being Somali.  Despite his travails, he manages to keep his dignity and to persevere.



The performance of the ensemble is stunning, with a number of characters taking on multiple roles, including Asad at various ages.  The direction is simple but effective, and music and dance are throughout the show.  One of my favorite aspects of the show happened as he journeyed through each country-- the country was displayed by the music and dance of that country.  Seeing that was a vivid and immediate reminder of how different each countries culture is.

One of the most moving and enlightening things about the show from a cultural perspective is seeing how South Africans feel about Somalian refugees.  There's a scene in this play that could have been in a play about 1930's Germany.   

Poor native South Africans blame the refugees for taking their jobs, and for the ills and problems that they face, even when they are simply outworking and outhustling them.  Asad and his cousin have their shop ransacked by their customers, who bandy about the word Friend as if it were a weapon.  It was pretty chilling.

Despite the tragedy, there's also a lot of comedy in the show.  The show has an operatic feel, with many of the words being sung.  This makes sense as it is a co-production of the Young Vic and Isango and the Royal Opera.  Almost all of it is in English. 

This is a show worth seeing, and one that will give you a really interesting insight into the life of refugees-- something that is sadly very relevant to our lives today.

A Man of Good Hope is presented at Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Courtyard Theater for a limited engagement, October 4–13, 2019. Single tickets ($60–$90) are on sale now. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

For more information, visit chicagoshakes.com/goodhope.

REVIEW: A very entertaining Spamalot at Mercury Theatre

We saw Spamalot at the Mercury Theatre recently, and it is a very entertaining show, especially if you love Monty Python or silly humor.  Even if you don't know Monty Python, it would be very entertaining and well worth seeing.



DISCLOSURE:  We received review tickets in order to review the show.  This review has no relationship to the cost of the tickets.  I take my integrity seriously, and so should you.
All photos provided by theatre.

The show is (as the ad says) lovingly ripped off from the Monty Python movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."   That movie is a collection of absurdist sketches all themed in the world of Camelot, but Camelot is more of an excuse to do crazy comedy.  Many of the sketches from the movie have entered the classical lexicon of sketch comedy:   (I fart in your general direction, the Knights who say Nee, the airspeed velocity of a sparrow, the killer bunny rabbit, and many others)

The Trojan rabbit.  

Back in the early 2000's, former Python Eric Idle  came up with the idea to create the musical, and it premiered in Chicago before moving to Broadway. It's now back in a smaller, leaner production than the one that was on Broadway, and I think it's all the better for it.  The Mercury team has done a great job of keeping the show funny with minimal sets and props.  Director Walter Stearns keeps it going quickly from moment to moment, and musical director Eugene Dizon makes the most of his 6 piece live orchestra.

The Knights of the Round Table sing and dance.

The cast is uniformly excellent, including Jonah Winston as the ever-jaunty King Arthur, Meghan Murphy as the erotically charged Lady of the Lake, and all the other cast members do a great job.  Of particular note were Adam Fane with a number of memorable comic turns as characters and Adam Ross Brody who was a particularly fantastic cowardly Sir Robin.   (You might think that since my name is Adam, I am unfairly calling out actors named Adam.  Not true.  I calls them as I sees them.)  And all the voices were great.

At the end of the show, my wife marveled at how much talent we have in Chicago, which is definitely true.  My eleven year old son just laughed and laughed.  When musicality and comedy are both performed well, it's a joy to behold!

Ooh la la, the Lady of the Lake.

One piece of criticism from a comic point of view:

While I particularly enjoyed the Black Knight scene (a scene where Arthur and the Black Knight duel, and Arthur keeps on cutting off his extremities, to which the black knight says "It's only a flesh wound."  I felt that the mechanics of it the night I saw it were a little sloppy.  The mechanism of how he lost his legs was too obvious and not well-rehearsed enough.  It doesn't have to be perfect or an illusion, but it can't feel hurried, which is what happened the night I saw it.  I'm sure the actors will get the hang of it and do it cleaner by the end of the run.

All in all, a great night of entertaining theatre in Chicago's LakeView neighborhood!

The show was delightful from beginning to end.

SPAMALOT runs through November 3. The performance schedule for SPAMALOT is Wednesdays at 8 pm, Thursdays at 8 pm, Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 3 pm and 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm. Individual tickets range from $40-$70, and are available online at MercuryTheaterChicago.com,  by phone at 773.325.1700, or in person at the Mercury Theater Box office at 3745 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago.

Hamilton closing in Chicago on January 5

Just got the official press release. Hamilton will close in Chicago on January 5, 2020. Tickets for the final block will go on sale this Friday. It's not clear from the press release if Hamilton the Exhibition will close at the same time.

From the press release:

HAMILTON ANNOUNCES CLOSING DATE IN CHICAGO

JANUARY 5, 2020

FINAL BLOCK OF TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, MAY 17

CHICAGO (May 15, 2019) – The musical HAMILTON will conclude its more than three (3) year run in Chicago at Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) on January 5, 2020, it has been announced by producer Jeffrey Seller.  Chicago was the first city outside New York where HAMILTON opened; the production began performances on September 27, 2016 at what was then The PrivateBank Theatre. 

Tickets for the final block will go on sale on Friday, May 17 at 10:00 a.m. and will be available at CIBC Theatre Box Office, the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line (800-775-2000) and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.  The CIBC Theatre Box Office will be open for advance sales from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“More people have seen HAMILTON in Chicago than any other city, including New York,” said producer Jeffrey Seller.  “Chicago has been a cornerstone of our mission to make Hamilton as accessible to as many people as possible.  We’ve loved our time here, and you can bet that ‘we’ll be back’.”

During its Chicago engagement, from September 2016 to January 2020, HAMILTON will have been attended by more than 2.6 million people, a number nearly equal to the population (2.7 million) of the city.  More than 32,000 Chicago public school students and teachers have participated in HAMILTON’s singular, nationwide American history education program – popularly known as EduHam – since the musical arrived in Chicago.

During its 171-week run in Chicago, HAMILTON will have played a total of 1341 performances.

For information on HAMILTON, visit www.HamiltonMusical.com, www.Facebook.com/HamiltonMusical, www.Instagram.com/HamiltonMusical and www.Twitter.com/HamiltonMusical, and the official app for HAMILTON is available for download at HamiltonBroadway.com/app, which offers an app-based show lottery, stickers, camera filters, a merchandise store, music, news, tickets and exclusive content with Lin-Manuel and the Hamilton companies.

                               

TICKETING INFORMATION

Tickets for the final block will go on sale on Friday, May 17 at 10:00 a.m. CST and will be available at CIBC Theatre Box Office, the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line (800-775-2000) and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.  There is a maximum purchase limit of 12 tickets per household for performances between September 8, 2019 – January 5, 2020.  Tickets for the final block range from $75.50 – $205.50 with select number of premium seats available for all performances.  There will continue to be an online lottery for forty-four (44) $10 seats for all performances.  Lottery seat locations vary per performance but will always include seats in the first row.  Visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com/HamiltonLotteryFAQ or download the official Hamilton app at HamiltonBroadway.com/app for more lottery information. 

There are many sites and people that are selling overpriced, and in some cases, fraudulent tickets.   For the best seats, the best prices and to eliminate the risk of counterfeit tickets, all purchases should be made through authorized Broadway In Chicago outlets.

Djembe (Drum With Us)

Djembe The Show is a high energy and exciting interactive drumming show that has a lot to recommend it.

It's making its premiere in Chicago at the Apollo Theatre for a limited run.

There is a drum in every seat at Djembe
Audience is encouraged to drum along!

•  It's interactive.  There are djembe drums at every seat, and there are portions of the show where the audience is invited to drum along.   It's a lot of fun, although it does take a bit of will power to NOT drum during the non-invited parts!

• It's educational.  The show takes you on a worldwide history of the djembe beat, stopping down in places like Brazil, Cuba, America, and the Middle East.  It draws a pretty straight line from African drum music to ragtime to pop hits.   

• It's masterful.  The drummers in the show are fantastic, especially the African drummers Fodé Lavia Camara and Abou Sylla.  Singer Rashada Dawan is also great as she sings and dances. And Broadway star Ben Hope is very engaging and funny (although it was a bit of a weird choice to have this amazing show about African drummers, and they somehow MC it with a white guy who is clearly the least masterful drummer on the stage)
(and after drumming for five minutes, you get even more amazed at these drummers who seem to be able to go for hours.  Iron hands!)

•It's multicultural.  As mentioned above, the cast is a mix of races, and in the show, they go to a number of places.  The originator of the show Doug Manual is English and white and the director West Hyler is an American and white.  They touch down on a number of different cultures telling the story of the djembe beat.  And the support musicians are different ages, races, and (well, not genders.  There's only one woman in the show)

•It's fun.  You leave the theatre feeling energized and happy.  Part of that is the fact that you just made music with 400 other people.  That's a great feeling!

The night I went the audience had a great time!

My only criticism/concern about the show is the idea of cultural appropriation.  Even though a lot of African artists are involved in the telling of the story, there's a sense that the show is viewing this from an American sensibility, and not an African sensibility.  I personally don't have a problem with this, but I could see others having a problem, and I want to point it out.

From my perspective, I was so glad that I went, and I could totally see this as a show equally available for school kids or a family audience as well as an all adult audience.  It's a rare show that manages to crack that, and these guys did it.



The other thing is that it can get pretty loud with all those people drumming.  If you have sensitive ears, bring earplugs!

Djembe The Show is playing at the Apollo Theatre, 2540 N Lincoln Ave in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. For tickets and additional information, visit  https://www.djembetheshow.com/

You can also get discounted tickets on occasion at Goldstar.