Review: THE CALLBACK at Muse Art

Is it possible in one night, to have two shows, that are intermingled, in the same space, that are perfectly choreographed? This is what writers Kellee Stall and Janelle McHugh set out to create. Creating this brilliant show, THE CALLBACK may have been the easy part, executing would be another story.

Inhabit Theater is all about inhabiting unique spaces with original plays. The space for THE CALLBACK called Muse Art which is a studio that is well known for its paint and sip events, birthday parties for children and adults and workshops and classes.

The shows plot involves several actors getting called back for a second or third time to tryout for a play without a script. In other words, they had no idea exactly what it was they were being called back for.

The magic of the show was there were two versions of the same story happening at the same time in two different rooms. In one room (The Waiting Room), the actors were assembled waiting to get called in for their audition. While they were waiting, many hilarious interactions were happening between the actors with very different personalities and opinions of themselves. Among some of the most amusing were a game of truth or dare and all the actors trying to get an edge on the script to have the best audition. After the first hour, the audience of the show switched rooms and saw the perspective of the other room (The Audition Room). In the audition room, the writer and director had the opportunity to watch tryouts of a group of people vying for the lead role in a show they didn't know anything about.

The cast of characters (and I do mean characters) in THE CALLBACK include Mark Platt (John Barnett) who was the writer of the show, Taylor Grant (Janelle McHugh) the director, Shawn Evans (Adam Moxness) the intern, Maxwell Vladenshtein (Brandon Morales) a you-tube sensation-actor wannabe, Lola Rockefeller (Amanda Spenner), Bette Lyons (Karen Neidlinger), Annie Rhineheart (Tania Gibson), Mary Winters (Jenny Olson) and Buddy Gibson (Randy Peterkort) all trying for the lead in the play and Rhonda Mahoney (Sheri Warren) who randomly walks into tryout.

THE CALLBACK is an engaging evening of entertainment that's suitable for all ages. Director Kellee Stall does an amazing job of pulling together the entertainment, chaos, food and the sponsors of the show. Most impressively was the timing of the show with the two rooms which Stall was able to pull off with help from Tim Stall, Terry Edwards, Maggie Kopala.

THE CALLBACK plays at the Muse Art in Crystal Lake at 135 Beardsley Street. The show runs every Sunday in October at 6:00pm. Tickets are available at inhabittheater.com

I am looking forward to going again opening night!

Review by William Geheren

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