'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for April 21st, 2010
By: Paul W. Thompson Apr. 21, 2010
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:
The Bohemian Theatre Ensemble is flying high these days, isn't it? Their successful production of "Hello Again" is still running at the Heartland Studio on Glenwood, through May 1st, and we just found out earlier this month that their winter production of "The Glorious Ones" will be remounted this summer at the Theater on the Lake at the foot of Fullerton Street (June 23-27), directed by Stephen M. Genovese. And of course, in the fall, BoHo will be one of the companies taking up regular residence in the new Theatre Wit space on Belmont (formerly the Bailiwick Arts Centre), where they will kick off next season with the Tony-winning "Big River." The well-laid plans of mice and men, eh, peeps? Nice work.
Click Here for the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
Next door to the new Theatre Wit, Theatre Building Chicago is currently (through May 30th) playing host to the Porchlight Music Theatre's production of "Into the Woods." The show, arguably Sondheim's most accessible, has gotten variably conflicting reviews, has it not? My rule of thumb in these cases is to rush out and see something, figure out what caused the ruckus, and make up my own mind. Who's with me on that? The force of nature known as Bethany Thomas headlines as the Witch.
Another company flying high these days is Writers' Theatre, up in north suburban Glencoe, cozied up against the Metra tracks. Their long-running production of "Oh Coward!" continues through May 16th, where Tammy Mader has reportedly just replaced Kate Fry in the cast, joining Brandon Dahlquist and Rob Lindley. In rehearsals now is the (non-musical) "A Streetcar Named Desire," which the very hot David Cromer has returned to town to direct. In the fall, Writers' will present the Bock/Harnick gem "She Loves Me," directed by artistic director Michael Halberstam and opening September 14. And next spring, at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at New York's Lincoln Center (host to the aforementioned "Hello Again" and "The Glorious Ones," btw), Writers' will make its presence known in New York with the Jeff Award-winning "The Minister's Wife," the musical from last summer based on Shaw's "Candida" and conceived and directed by Halberstam. The book is by Austin Pendleton, with music by Josh Schmidt ("Adding Machine") and lyrics by Jan Tranen. Performances begin April 7, 2011. Awesome!
Just opened and running Wednesdays-Sundays through May 2nd at the Illinois Theatre Center in south suburban Park Forest is "No Way to Treat a Lady," the somewhat obscure 1987 and1996 off-Broadway musical written by Douglas J. Cohen, and based on the crime thriller novel by William Goldman. David Boettcher directs a cast featuring Peter Robel, Joe Lehman, Regina Leslie and Debra Criche Mell.
And continuing our little tour of the far suburbs here, the Elvis musical "All Shook Up" is in final preparation out at the Prairie Lakes Theatre in northwest suburban Des Plaines, courtesy of the Big Noise Theatre Company (a division of the Winnetka Theatre). Going up April 23-May 16, Nancy Flaster directs, Ann Fink choreographs, and Robert Deason stars as Chad. We've seen him in the Mosh Pit, haven't we? Well, not lately...guess he's been rehearsing! And the piano bar host and triple threat stage performer is reportedly learning the guitar for this gig, too.
Another friend of the Mosh Pit, the in-demand actor Eric Martin, is believed to have begun preparation for the revue "Sweet and Hot: The Songs of Harold Arlen," to go up in June at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre in Rogers Park. That's all that anyone knows about this production, as "Chess" is still going strong there, through April 25th. There's nothing else to be known, just yet!
Speaking of songwriter revues, a new one, "It's an Art: The Songs of Stephen Schwartz," debuts Sunday, May 2nd for three Sundays only at Davenport's Piano Bar in Bucktown/Wicker Park. Christopher Pazdernik directs the Jeff Award-winning Ryan Lanning, Charissa Armon and Courtney Freed in a run-down of songs from nine shows by the long-running pop-rock king of Broadway, musical directed by Aaron Benham. Oh, wait! It's ten shows, as "Blame It On the Summer Night" from "Rags" has just been added in. The show is at 7:30, and costs only $13, with a two-drink minimum. You know you like this guilty pleasure!! And do you know "Rags?" Oh, my....
Up at the Wilmette Theatre, you'll never guess who's coming to town in May. It's Andrea McArdle! The original "Annie," now a respected Broadway veteran, will be performing in concert at the north suburban venue the afternoon of Sunday, May 16th. Even more fascinating is the "Annie Workshop" she will be teaching in two sessions on Saturday the 15th. We're not sure what an Annie Workshop is, or who its target audience is, but those of us who are 10-18 years old (that's the announced eligibility window) should be planning to attend, we would think! All kidding aside, it's part of the Actors Training Center program at the Mette, and sounds like an awesome idea for young performers. But yes, blink your eyes and read this entire entry again. Andrea. McArdle. Wilmette. Annie. Workshop.
A little further in the future, and a little closer to civilization, stage and screen star Alan Cumming ("Cabaret" and that bizarre "Threepenny Opera" video clip with Cyndi Lauper) will be performing his "hit one-man cabaret show" at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance at Millennium Park in March of 2011. His show is called, "I Bought a Blue Car Today." Um, ok. Tickets go on sale May 1, 2010. Ok....
"Stomp" is coming to town, you know? The long-running off-Broadway sensation about rhythm and "found" objects (which opened in the 1990s and is still running, btw) is stopping at the Bank of America Theatre on Monroe Street in the Loop, with newly created material. I'm not even sure if it's a musical, but it might be, it probably is, so I'm mentioning it! The boys and girls will be here April 27-May 2, courtesy of Broadway In Chicago.
STOMP 2010 (Chicago) Tickets - Broadway in Chicago
On a serious note, a very important benefit performance will take place on Monday night, May 3rd at the Royal George Theatre, at 7:30 pm. It's in honor of Michael Cullen, a visionary Chicago theatrical producer and theater owner who is currently facing some large medical bills. He suffered a stroke and requires extensive therapy treatments. Cullen, for those who don't know, was one of the people who founded Theatre Building Chicago as well as the League of Chicago Theaters. He helped develop the Royal George Theatre and currently owns and operates the Mercury Theater on Southport Avenue.
Over a thirty year career, Michael Cullen was responsible for local productions of "Pump Boys and Dinettes" (one of the longest musical runs in history here), "I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road" (the longest production ever at the Drury Lane Water Tower Theater) and "Tintypes" at the Apollo Theater, another significant, long-running Chicago production. The list of stars, theaters, shows and concerts he was involved in since the 1970s is lengthy and extremely impressive. And now is the time for the theater community here to give back to him. Gretchen Cryer (author and star of "I'm Getting My Act Together...."), cast members of "Million Dollar Quartet," returning stars of "Pump Boys and Dinettes," Ron Hawking, Malachy McCourt and many others will be taking the stage to honor Cullen. A $25 donation is suggested, which will include one drink ticket. Since the time of Joseph Jefferson and Claudia Cassidy (they were contemporaries, yes??), has there been another giant of Chicago Theater to rival Michael Cullen? I don't think so.
Michael Cullen and the Michael Cullen Recovery Fund
And last but not least, "Glee!" Yes, this week was the Madonna episode, and next week Kristin Chenoweth returns for another guest appearance. Will Idina Menzel appear in the same episode (she was absent this week)? Can the show possibly maintain this much hype, and stand up to so much scrutiny? So far, we see no end in sight. Oh, the show won a GLAAD media award last week. And high school show choirs seem to be popping up all over.........future readers of the Showtune Mosh Pit, perhaps? To quote Irving Kahal, "Well, I can dream, can't I?" ..... Google him, people! He wrote with Sammy Fain. You call yourselves showtune fans??? Well, he WAS a movie guy... Lol
And so, with a fairly eclectic column this week, I will leave you to your springtime brilliance. And over the weekend, I'll see you under the video screens.....--PWT
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