Your Guide to Hamilton: Part Three - A Personal Note

A personal story (or six) about Hamilton. Wherein we talk about having seen it YEARS ago on Broadway with the original cast. I mean, we can't NOT mention that, right?

Lin-Manuel Miranda,
In The Heights stage door. Cute.

A Weekend in Chicago - Chicago Shakes, Lyric Opera and a little show called Hamilton

I need to start off this Chicago theater trip recap with a massive shoutout to the League of Chicago Theatres.

Dear League of Chicago Theatres: 

We recently traveled to your fair city to see a few shows, but we had not made a lot of advance plans. After a cursory online search, we had a lot of options, but was having trouble deciding. We stopped by the Hot Tix location on 72 East Randolph and had a lovely chat with the Hot Tix 'theater geniuses.' They described the various available shows, provided incredibly helpful directions (including train stops) and helped figure out if we could make it from one show to another in ample time. The next day, we stopped by the Block Thirty Seven Shops on State Hot Tix booth to decide on our final show of the trip. The charming and hilarious theatre genius helped us pick out a show that was relatively unknown to us, but turned out to be an amazing experience.

Thank you for all the awesome theater help, 

Kate McGonigle in Shakespeare in Love.
Photo by Liz Lauren

Your friends at Minnesota (and now more than a little Chicago) Theater Love

More about the League below, but now on to the shows!

Shakespeare in Love - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Luigi Sottile in Shakespeare in Love.
Photo by Liz Lauren

Despite the fact that we didn't really love the movie that this play is based on, we absolutely love Chicago Shakes and will take any opportunity to see a play there. Love their beautiful house, the gorgeous location on the lake, and the fabulous lobby bar that looks like a miniature British pub. They also do beautiful theater--we adored previous shows like Heir Apparent, Sense & Sensibility: The Musical and even way, way back to Pacific Overtures.

Directed by Rachel Rockwell, with scenic design by Scott Davis and costumes by Susan E. Mickey, Shakespeare in Love was beautifully put together. Kate McGonigle was a delightful Viola, and led a strong ensemble cast. I wish Will Shakespeare was a stronger character--he didn't have much to add to the action despite being the lead character. The action picked up immeasurably when Luigi Sottile as Ned Alleyn leapt onto the stage. His energy and enthusiasm, as well as a charming personality and mad fight skills brought the entire show up to a new level. He will be one for these Minnesota Theaterlovers to watch. A few musical interludes showcased amazingly strong voices, and made me wish the entire play was a musical. Still, Chicago Shakes rocks and we are always happy to be there.

Bonus! Check out this completely adorable interview with Luigi Sottile and his dog Dash, who also stars in the show.

Marry Me A Little - Porchlight Music Theatre at Stage 773
Recommended by the folks at Hot Tix, we took the train out to Lakeview to Stage 773 to check out this charming (and short!) musical created by Craig Lucas and Norman Rene and comprised primarily of songs cut from Stephen Sondheim musicals. This two-person musical directed by Jess McLeod stars Bethany Thomas and Austin Cook (who also serves as the musical director) is about two urban singles living in the same apartment building and the full arc of their romance, with the song lyrics telling their story. The two terrific actors don't need dialogue to create their characters, and it's interesting to see how the context can change the meaning of these songs. Porchlight has a great graphic on their website showing where the songs in the show originated.

Next up was the whole reason for the trip: My Fair Lady at Lyric Opera of Chicago, which had us at Richard E. Grant playing Henry Higgins. Add in Bryce Pinkham and Lisa O'Hare, so fabulous in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder on Broadway, and there was no way we were missing this. This sumptuous production premiered in Paris, which may explain the fashion-forward costumes. It's nice to see a colorful Ascot scene, and Eliza's dress (see pic above) is to die for. O'Hare is a forceful and gorgeously sung Eliza, and Grant makes a rather charming Higgins, managing to seem more absent-minded than purposefully mean. And it's rather thrilling to see the show with an enormous singing and dancing chorus. Lyric Opera is knocking these musicals out of the park lately. We adored their Carousel (with Steven Pasquale and Laura Osnes). Next year's big Lyric Opera musical? Jesus Christ Superstar.

Photo by Joan Marcus. 

Do you believe in theater miracles? We do. Good timing paid off when we stopped by the Private Bank Theatre and bought two second-row tickets to Hamilton for that afternoon at face value. We'd seen Hamilton back in September 2015 and couldn't even really absorb what we were seeing. To see it again, with an amazing cast that included Daniel Breaker as Aaron Burr, Karen Olivo as Angelica Schuyler and ton of (new to us) other fabulous performers. And to see it so close? Amazing.

FYI: The show holds UP y'all. A couple of outstanding cast members that join Luigi Sottile and Bethany Thomas on our must-see list: Samantha Marie Ware as a fun-to-watch Peggy/Maria, Jin Ha as a hilarious King George, Colby Lewis as Lafayette/Jefferson (Daveed Diggs is pretty tough to compete with but Lewis made the role his own), Wallace Smith as a magnetic Hercules Mulligan/James Madison, and Jose Ramos as a heartbreaking Philip Hamilton. Really, the whole cast was fantastic. You should see it. But don't buy resale tickets. All that does is benefit evil ticketing companies and promote scalping. Boo hiss.

Photo from Lookingglass Theatre

To finish off the trip, the Hot Tix theater geniuses recommended Beyond Caring at Lookingglass Theatre. When we asked why we should see the show over another choice, we learned that it originated at the National Theatre in London and was having its US premiere, plus it was the last night, and we were sold. Set in the break room of a manufacturing plant amongst the temp, minimum wage workers and their supervisor, this immersive performance featured amazing performances and a fascinating, thought provoking script. Written and directed by Alexander Zeldin, this was the perfect, meaty, marvelously acted play to finish off our trip.

Love you, Chicago. We'll be back soon!

As promised above, here's more about The League of Chicago Theatres - "The League of Chicago Theatres is proud to serve a membership of more than 200 theaters, a rich and varied theater community ranging from storefront, non-union theaters with budgets under $10,000 to major cultural centers with multi-million dollar shows."

Looking for a show to see in Chicago? Check out ChicagoPlays, the League's comprehensive theater listings.

Hot Tix booth on Randolph.

How about a deal on tickets? Try Hot Tix, both available online and in person at the following locations (highly recommended!):

72 E. RANDOLPH, Chicago
(Between Michigan Avenue and Wabash Avenue, across the street from Chicago Cultural Center)
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 11am-4pm

108 N. STATE, Chicago
(in Block Thirty Seven Shops on State, first floor Guest Services)
In the Downtown Chicago Theater DistrictOpen every day: Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 11am-5pm

Happy theatergoing!

Letter from Chicago - The Heir Apparent at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

We knew only a few things about Heir Apparent at Chicago Shakespeare Theater before going in:

1. It's at Chicago Shakes, which is a fabulously intimate space on Navy Pier, with one of the best lobby bars ever;
2. It's written by David Ives
3. The show art was cute

Technically, David Ives adapted the play from the French Restoration play Le Légataire universel by Jean-François Regnard. Never heard of it? Us neither. 

Described on Chicago Shakespeare's website as a "cheeky romp" and directed by John Rando, Heir Apparent is about young (and handsome) Eraste (Nate Burger) who must be named as the sole heir by his miserly uncle (Paxton Whitehead) before he can marry the beautiful Isabelle (Emily Peterson). He's aided in his endeavors by his servants Lisette (Jessie Fisher) and Crispin (Cliff Saunders), and occasionally thwarted by Madame Argante, Isabelle's mother (Linda Kimbrough) and diminutive lawyer Scruple (Patrick Kerr).

Adorable lovers Eraste (Nate Burger) and Isabelle
 (Emily Peterson). Photo by Liz Lauren.

Essentially, hilarity ensues, and ensues and ensues, to the point that the woman next to me snorted (in a hilariously unladylike fashion) while laughing and the woman next to my sister said to her at intermission, "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" And we did. To a person, the cast was spot on and totally committed, despite our catching one of the last performances of a long run. I am putting every single one of them on my don't-miss theater list.

Sidebar: One of the funniest audience interactions I've ever seen happened during this show. At one point, in all of the madcappery, Crispin stops and checks in with the audience to see if they're following the plot. He happened to pick out a couple in the front row--just two rows in front of us--to direct his comments to. The hilarious part is that she was reading her program, I mean, READING her program to the point that she didn't notice him talking directly to her, just a few feet from her. And to add to that, he looks past her and notices that her husband is actually asleep. You could see his glee at that discovery, and the whole interaction was hilarious. (Eventually, someone poked her.)

Genius comedy by Jessie Fisher (as Lisette) and Cliff Saunders (as Crispin).
Photo by Liz Lauren.

Great talk-back after the show as well with the cast. I love Chicago Shakespeare. It's one of those theaters that makes me sigh that it's not located in my town. Can I at least move to Chicago for Shakespeare 400, a yearlong, citywide celebration of Shakespeare's work?

Oh, and did I mention their awesome bar? It's like a miniature pub, and it's the only theater I know that serves Champagne in real glass flutes. It's a classy joint, that Chicago Shakes. (Reviewed by Carly)

Letter from Chicago - Gotta Dance at Bank of America Theatre

We recently caught Gotta Dance at the end of its limited run, and I'm so glad we did.

I mean, how can you pass up an opportunity to see a pre-Broadway world premiere of a new musical? Especially one that is directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots), with a book co-written by Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone) and starring Lillias White, Andre de Shields, Georgia Engel, Stefanie Power, and Nancy Ticotin. And did I mention Lillias White? You just can't pass that by.

Gotta Dance is inspired by the story of the New Jersey NETSational senior hip hop dance team portrayed in the 2008 documentary of the same name. The show starts at auditions for a senior dance team, and it isn't till our intrepid cast make it through auditions that they realize it's a hip hop dance team. Alison (Tracy Jai Edwards), kicked off her own team for being too old (28, I think), is tasked with whipping these dancers into shape. Cue drama: Do they really have what it takes? (Spoiler: Take a guess.)

I see a lot of theater, and I have seldom seen a show where the audience is so obviously and completely on board. They are all-in from the beginning right through the ending--laughing, sympathizing, cheering on the characters. It was an amazing audience experience, and one I'll remember for a long time. And I was right there with them.

A few things I really loved:

The Characters:
It's a dance team, so there are a lot of characters. Having just seen a lot of indistinguishable characters onstage in Bel Canto, I was a little worried. But Bob Martin and co-book writer Chad Beguelin have created realistic, fully fleshed-out characters with strong and relatable stories. I also love how racially, culturally, age and gender-diverse the cast is.

The Cast:
Come ON. Lillias White? Hearing  Lillias White sing in person is basically on my theater bucket list. And Andre De Shields was so magnetic and mesmerizing. Georgia Engel appears to have a painting in her closet, and her comic timing is exquisite. Every member of the cast was fabulous.

The Songs:
I tend to judge new musicals by whether I'll remember any of the songs when I've left the theater, or if I'd want to listen to the cast recording months later. The songs in Gotta Dance (music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Nell Benjamin) easily passes those tests. I particularly loved how specific to each character the songs were, and how much they developed already full characterizations. And don't forget the excellent beats and the rousing group numbers.

This is a funny, touching, sweet and fun show. I'm hoping for a strong and healthy run on Broadway (opening in Fall 2016) and beyond.

Chicago - Three-show Day: Sense & Sensibility: A New Musical at Chicago Shakes

Sisters, sisters! There were never such devoted sisters.
Photo by Liz Lauren

Our three-show day in Chicago continues! After seeing The Herd at Steppenwolf, and First Date at the Royal George, we headed over to Navy Pier to Chicago Shakespeare Theatre for Sense & Sensibility: A New Musical.

This is another ticket that we bought far in advance being 1) die-hard Janeites and 2) musical fans. Plus, Chicago Shakespeare!

Although it's been over the month since we saw the first preview of this world premiere musical, they have just extended to June 14th, so this post is not for naught.

Did I say the staging was spare? Gorgeous, no?
Photo by Liz Lauren

Any Janeite worth her (or his!) salt has pretty strong opinions about how these characters should be portrayed, and this musical is faithful to the characters, particularly in the relationship between sisters Elinor (Sharon Rietkirk) and Marianne (Megan McGinnis). In fact, one of the most indelible images for me from this show is their exit from the curtain call--arms around each other's waists, then around the waists of their newfound loves. So cute. Also, spoiler.

The men, as well, are wonderfully cast. Wayne Wilcox is a sweet, romantic and slightly confused Edward Ferrars and Peter Saide is an extremely tall and dashing Willoughby. Sean Allan Krill as Colonel Brandon is a bit of a departure from the usual stoic but romantic portrayal. He's a bit more transparent in his emotions. How could he not be, singing a song called "On the Wrong Side of Five and Thirty"? Although it was a change, it absolutely worked for me. Krill's voice is perfectly gorgeous, and his Brandon seemed a heck of a lot more fun to marry than many Brandons I've seen.

On the whole, this is a lovely musical, with melodic songs that tell the story beautifully. The humor of Austen's work is kept intact, and is extremely true to the era and story. All of the actors, from Sir John Middleton to Lucy Steele, do marvelous credit to Austen's original characters. The staging, while spare, was inventive and evocative, especially when combined with ingenious lighting that subtly used color to evoke the emotional difference between the sisters--blues for Elinor and pinks for Marianne.

Oh, sigh!  Dreamy!
Photo by Liz Lauren

Chicago Shakespeare is a beautiful theater right on Navy Pier, from the lobby with windows overlooking the lake, to the interior with its Globe-ish courtyard around a thrust stage (wonderfully utilized in this production). It's intimate and comfortable, and every member of staff was welcoming and friendly.

Do not miss the charming mini British pub in the lobby. We pre-ordered our intermission drinks (LOVE pre-ordering) and got a split of champagne in real glasses. Real glasses!  In a theater!

If I lived in Chicago, I'd see it again in a heartbeat. Need more incentive? Here's a bunch of glowing reviews. Now playing through June 14. Go see it!

Chicago - Three-Show Day: First Date at The Royal George Theatre

After The Herd at Steppenwolf, we dashed across the street to the Royal George Theatre for First Date. We lucked out  We had just about enough time to hit the bathroom, pick up a drink at the bar and make it to our (front row) seats before the show started.

First Date is one of those shows that we just couldn't make it to when it was in New York, despite an abiding love for Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez. We were so excited to see that it was playing in Chicago, at the exceedingly convenient time of 5:00--perfect for squeezing in between a matinee and our evening show.

Taking place in the Royal George's intimate cabaret space, First Date is the story of a young man and woman on a blind date in a bar. Five other performers play a waiter, exes, besties, other daters, parents, you name it. The fast-moving book (by Austin Winsberg) covers many of the realities of dating in the modern age, along with the age-old issues of old relationships, family approval, and compatibility, not to mention the ways in which we try to represent ourselves to potential lovers.

The songs, by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner are fast and witty, and performed with verve by the cast and the band of five players. The laughs come fast and furious, but Charlie Lubeck and Dana Parker still make the daters seem like actual people. It was a very funny 90 minutes that shows that there is a great pool of talent in Chicago, as all of the performers were very strong and handled their multiple parts with grace.

I look forward to a Twin Cities production of the show. (Minneapolis Musical Theatre, are you listening?)

Chicago - Three-Show Day: The Herd at Steppenwolf

While in Chicago to see the magnificent Lyric Opera of Chicago Carousel, we took the opportunity to catch some more theater. We had all day Saturday before our Sunday flight and packed it as full as we could. We calculated running times, mapped our routes, and completely skipped most meals. If only we could have squeezed in more... Two Trains Running at the Goodman! Marie Antoinette at Steppenwolf! So much fabulous theater.

First up was a much-delayed trip to Steppenwolf. After a beautiful morning (spent partly on the phone at the Chicago Cultural Center, trying to get a hold of some of Steppenwolf's 20 for $20 tickets), we hopped in a cab up to the theater, and arrived only about five minutes before the 3:00 start of The Herd. (We do not normally cut it that close, but sometimes when traveling, it happens!)

Side note: Every time we have discussed going to Chicago to see something at Steppenwolf, it's because we want to see John Mahoney, best known as Frasier's dad, but also wonderful in many other things, including The Broken Hearts Club. Also, being ardent fans of so many of Steppenwolf's alumni (Gary Sinise, John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, how much time do you have?), it was a thrill to finally set foot through their doors.

Credit: Michael Brosilow

John Mahoney was appearing in the The Herd, so it was pretty easy to choose that play, basically sight unseen. A domestic comedy-drama, The Herd is written by Rory Kinnear, one of those British actors with an impressive stage career who you've also seen in everything. Really, check out his IMDB.

On a beautifully detailed set of a modern home, we meet the family. Carol (Molly Regan) and her grown daughter Claire (Audrey Francis) are preparing for a birthday party. Carol's parents arrive bearing birthday cake and enough questions to establish Patricia's nosiness and Brian's tolerance. Mahoney plays the infirm Brian, and Patricia is played by the wonderful Lois Smith, who has also been in everything.

The plot of the play is small but universal: The issues of one extended family, and the ways they cope, together and separately. The show's naturalistic dialogue was engrossing, and of course, the acting was top-notch.

(Note to the lady in front of us, whose phone rang three times during the intermissionless show: If you don't know how to turn off your phone, maybe you shouldn't bring it to the theater. Also, Patrick really wants to get a hold of you, clearly.)

Next up: First Date at the Royal George Theatre.

Chicago - A Carousel for the Ages

A whirlwind weekend trip to Chicago yielded an embarrassment of theatrical riches. Four shows in two days! But the reason for our trip? Carousel at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. And it was everything we'd hoped it would be.

Ever since hearing the first casting news, we wanted to see this show. Having seen Steven Pasquale in A Man of No Importance back in 2002, and hearing him sing The Bridges of Madison County, he seemed perfect casting for Billy Bigelow. And our hometown girl, Laura Osnes, seemed ideal as Julie Jordan. And the more actors were announced, the better it sounded. Opera star Denyce Graves as Cousin Nettie, Jenn Gambatese as Carrie Pipperidge, Charlotte D'Amboise as Mrs. Mullin, Tony Roberts as The Starkeeper, Jarrod Emick as Jigger Craigin. Amazing!

The Civic Opera House, where the Chicago Lyric Opera performs, is a huge house, seating over 3,500. We found a deal and splurged a bit on front-row seats, but a friend of ours sitting further back on the main floor enjoyed her seat just as much. Fittingly, this is a big production. The chorus is huge, filled with talented singers and dancers. The play has been re-set from the early part of the century to the Depression-era 1930s, which works well, especially since Mullin's Carousel has been expanded to a traveling fair. The set, designed by Paulo Ventura, fills the vast space, and allows director and choreographer Rob Marshall to create some gorgeous stage pictures.

It's been a long time since I've seen a professional production of the show, and I loved the way the show started. After The Carousel Waltz started playing, the lights came up behind the scrim to show us Billy and then Mrs. Mullins emerging from her trailer en deshabille. Soon, the traveling show is setting up around them, with clowns, a stilt walker, dancing girls, and the carousel. This allows us to see Billy in his element, charming the girls who line up to see him at the carousel, and we see his interaction with Julie before we even hear a word. It was very effective!

This is one of the most beautiful musical theater scores ever written, and it's certainly done justice by the 37-piece(!) orchestra as well as the singers. Pasquale is a properly tortured Billy, and he really made me understand how conflicted he is within himself and why Julie stands by him. And Laura Osnes shows not only the incredible sweetness of the Julie we first meet at the carousel, but the steely determination beneath that, which allows her to take the chance to be with Billy and to keep believing in him.

Laura Osnes as Julie and Steven Pasquale as Billy.
Photo: Todd Rosenberg / Chicago Now 

Jenn Gambatese was a sweet and funny Carrie, and far less silly than others I've seen in the role, which easily tips over into caricature. Matthew Hydzik was a wonderful Mr. Snow, with all of his high-mindedness and ambition but also a weakness for Carrie that lasts into their married life. Denyce Graves was a bit formal as Cousin Nettie, as many opera singers are when they tackle musical theater, but then she would sing. Her big numbers, "June is Bustin' Out All Over" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" sounded amazing in her wonderful opera voice.

Jarrod Emick is a bit of a puzzle as Jigger Craigin. I found his giant bushy beard and cuffed jeans quite distracting. He resembled an old prospector who wandered into coastal Maine. But he was convincing at luring Billy away from the straight and narrow, and an effective roadblock for Carrie and Mr. Snow, and that's what he needs to be. Tony Roberts was fine as the Starkeeper, but there's not much to the role. (I never really saw the point of the song "The Highest Judge of All" before this production.) Charlotte D'Amboise was a slinky, desperate Mrs. Mullins, and got to show off her dancing. The ballet was performed beautifully by Abigail Simon, with able assistance from Martin Harvey as a carnival worker who looked a little too familiar to Billy.

And of course, the last thing to mention is the "Soliloquy." It's the Mount Everest of musical theater leading man songs, and Pasquale scales it beautifully. There's an odd choice to have an enormous set piece move onto the stage while he's singing, which does set up for a nice final picture at the end of the first act, but in spite of that, the song was riveting. This is a Carousel to remember. I know that I will.

But PLEASE Lyric Opera, find a way to record it! I know it couldn't come to Broadway in its current form with this huge cast and 37 musicians, so I hope they are able to give us some lasting memory of it.

Until then, I'll watch and rewatch this clip of Osnes and Pasquale performing the bench scene ("If I Loved You") in a rehearsal studio. (Yes, it's a rock wall in this production, but it's always called the bench scene. It just is.)

Carousel at Lyric Opera: A Master Class in Preshow Buzz

When Lyric Opera of Chicago announced months ago that they would be presenting Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel starring Steven Pasquale (April 10 through May 3), that was it.

I've loved Pasquale since seeing him in 2002 in A Man of No Importance at Lincoln Center on my very first trip to NYC. BTW, if you've not listened to him sing "The Streets of Dublin" for a while, I highly recommend it.

So we were in. Bought the tickets, figured out travel and lodging. No way were they doing this show with this cast in the Midwest and we were missing it.

In the interim, more cast has been announced and every one a gem. I mean, look at this cast: Laura Osnes, Jenn Gambatese, Matthew Hydzik, Denyce Graves (loved her in Doubt at Minnesota Opera), Jarrod Emick (loved him in The Full Monty in London and The Boy from Oz),Charlotte D'Amboise (just saw her in Pippin), and Tony Roberts (saw him in Xanadu, but love him from Annie Hall).

Anyway, as the big day approaches, Lyric Opera is offering amazing teaser videos and content that is ramping up excitement to previously unforeseen levels. Here's a taste:

Promotional video.  Warning: Just a touch spoilery ... (insert wink at spoilers for a musical written in 1945):

Then, of course, here's the cast urging you to come and see the show, which appears to be a bit heavy on the beards:

Not excited yet?  Try Lyric Opera's Insider's Guide to Carousel, which includes behind the scenes videos with director Rob Ashford, behind the music with conductor David Chase, Q and As with the cast, and of course, Eight Reasons to Love our Carousel stars.

You can even access the program online and read the cast bios and various articles to your heart's content.

Also, check out their great social media postings. I mean how cute is this:

And then there's this.  You know, whatever!  Maybe that might make you want to see the show. Not me, I'm in cause I love great musical theater, of course.

Photo by Todd Rosenberg

A theatery digression: I think about how much I loved Hairspray, my very first Broadway show, and how I looked and looked for information about the show. I think I may have bought magazines off Ebay that had articles about it!  I researched it using online databases at my library!

I would have loved to have had this kind of information at my fingertips, not to mention accessibility to insider knowledge from the creative and cast via social media, not to mention a communication with other theater lovers across the country.  It's such a different world, but I love it. What a remarkable age this is!  It's a real fine clambake, that's for sure.