Fremont Street Theater Company's "Mrs. Claus"

In a clever twist on the traditional Santa Claus story, the Fremont Street Theater Company delivered a healthy message about generosity, multiculturalism, and acceptance in the world premiere of a colorful Christmas musical, "Mrs. Claus Saves Christmas Eve," with script, lyrics and music by Sue Mrotek.

The cast of "Mrs. Claus Saves Christmas Eve" joined by friends and audience members.

Adults were just as captivated as the kids by the elaborate costumes and set featuring the magnificent fireplace of the Elgin Art Showcase decked out in holiday trimmings. The characterizations and amusing action directed by Julie Price held childrens' attention, but parents could see something more: a multigenerational cast, a multilingual script, and a story that emphasized values and the better parts of human nature.

The very affordable ticket price of $6 had no bearing on the quality or the talent, as these accomplished performers sang sophisticated solos and combos with superb musical arrangements by A.J. Braman. A more ambitious lighting design could have helped shape some vignettes better, but the staging, seating and sound reflected the considerable experience this group brought to the production.

This was the debut of Fremont's R.A.T.E.!! project -- Raising Awareness through Theater Expression!! -- an effort to engage dual language families through the arts. It clearly has potential in Elgin, where the significant number of multilingual households are currently underserved by English language theater groups and Anglo- and Euro-centric art music.

Alongside Children's Theatre of Elgin, which produces musical theatre by children, R.A.T.E.!! could become an important complement: multilingual musical theatre for children. The next production is planned for Summer 2019, and will be announced soon at www.fremontstreettheater.com.

Janus Theatre's "Sunday On the Rocks" is a Happy Hour (or two)

Being honest is a virtue. But the trouble with being totally honest is that in the process, we expose all of our vices, weaknesses and inconsistencies. That's just one paradox you could discover in Sunday On the Rocks, a 1994 play by Theresa Rebeck which opened Friday at the Elgin Art Showcase.

Women are "behaving badly" on a Sunday morning in this story which develops characters as witty, funny and charmingly flawed as we all imagine ourselves to be. With plenty of truth serum flowing,  the play addresses morality without becoming a morality play.

The all-female cast delivers lines like "I don't want to see any men today," yet all the Freudian projections, biological imperatives and emotional ambivalence are more than just feminist subject matter. They show how the female experience is an authentic part of all human experience.

The ensemble made it look easy to differentiate these four complex but highly relatable single women. A shot of real whisky might have calmed the nerves that hurried the opening scene, but as the two-hour story unfolded, the stage chemistry was as pure as single malt scotch.

Great direction by Tara Morrison kept the actors playing fluidly to a 360 degree audience, which is a perfect fit for Janus Theatre's intimate staging style. An excellent set, costumes and props were maneuvered with skill and subtlety by the talented cast.

Day drinking isn't really the issue in this piece. It's just a device that produces carefully crafted lines like "She doesn't even see the dirt" (Jessica) and "I think we're capable of anything" (Gayle). Near the end, Elly roars at holier-than-thou Jessica, "You are just as bad as us!"

Seeking equality among people is also a virtue. But isn't the trouble with seeking equality that it drives all of us toward the lowest standard? See what you think when Sunday On the Rocks returns to the stage now through November 4th. For tickets and a complete schedule, go to www.janusplays.com.

Janus Theatre Co presents Marsha Norman's "'Night Mother"

All the pain of misunderstanding is summed up in a daughter's last words, "'Night Mother," the title of a Pulitzer prize-winning 1983 play by Marsha Norman. Produced by Janus Theatre Company, the show opened Friday night at the Elgin Art Showcase, the first of a series titled "Underplayed: The Margo Jones Theater Project."

In one eighty-minute scene, a lifetime of personal baggage is unpacked by a mother and daughter over cigarettes and hot cocoa. Leah Soderstrom plays Jesse Cates, an estranged wife who has given up on life, and Maureen Morley plays her anxious mother Thelma. After a tense conversation preoccupied with the minutiae of interpersonal communication, their mundane routine will come to an abrupt end.

With a set made of elements borrowed from somewhere in small town America, sometime in the twentieth century, the actors play to a 360 degree audience in a style practiced by Margo Jones, the regional theatre pioneer and namesake of this month-long series of plays written by women. Excellent direction by Lori Holm places the characters just a few feet from the audience, in Janus' trademark "up close" approach to live theatre.

Maureen Morley (left) and Leah Soderstrom in 'Night Mother.

Soderstrom plays a clear-thinking but nihilistic Jesse, easily switching from perfunctory home management recitations to moments of confession or frustration. Morley is brilliantly casted as her mother Thelma, whose unresolved issues are skillfully telegraphed through tone and body language.

The patter of dialog was rushed at times but the stage chemistry was excellent, and the intimacy of the seating layout revealed incredibly detailed acting within each character's personal space.
 
'Night Mother returns to the Elgin Art Showcase October 21st and 27th. Also playing this month are Circle Mirror Transformation and Sunday on the Rocks on select dates though November 4th. For tickets, times and more information go to www.janusplays.com

Robert Frosty Theatre Company at Elgin Fringe Festival

Nobody works so hard at something so #EFFing ridiculous as the Robert Frosty Theatre Company, whose one-act play "Frostvengers: Insanity War" unites Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Pope Francis, Tomahawk Peterson the Social Justice Warrior, and President Andrew Jackson 2.0 in an epic battle against a Schaumburg mayoral candidate.

Lathered and gasping from physical combat after almost every eye-popping scene, the cast splatters a melting pot of American pop culture references across the huge open floor of the Elgin Art Showcase, never looking back on their trail of mayhem.

The action is a heavy metal medley of The Three Stooges, Bruce Lee, and Wrestlemania, performed with excellent craft and powered by childlike exuberance. You'll need more than one Kleenex and possibly a diaper to contain your joy.

Catch your breath during the Guns 'n' Roses Kum-ba-yah moment. You'll need all your strength for what comes next.

The Bipeds at 2018 Elgin Fringe Festival

"Psychedelic song and dance" are just four of the words that appear in a description of "54 Strange Words," the groundbreaking work of The Bipeds, a North Carolina-based group of multidisciplinary artists. All four words are necessary and sufficient.

"Dance" is what you see first, as a couple in mysterious costume move fluidly through the space from the floor up, using every part of it as if they are inhabiting their bodies for the first and last time. "Song" follows close behind, as folksy, bluesy voices belt out cryptic lyrics and harmonies accompanied by bare finger banjo and bass fiddle.

"Psychedelic" is how the hippies referred to an experience of extreme consciousness. It's what the first humans experienced when they walked upright and became self-aware; and physical sensation, including pain, is the last thing we'll know as we leave our bodies.

"And" is what makes this piece pure art: a completely original fusion of roots music, modern dance and poetry that offers an impression of the ephemeral nature of a life, or even a species. "Strange words, strange heart" are the observations of a soul trapped in flesh for a short time on the physical plane.

You may never forget this strange piece for as long as you live, until "gravity, memory, everything has been erased."

Night Moose at 2018 Elgin Fringe Festival

Comedy improv is really the truest expression of "whatever happens happens," as actors tag in and out of a play that is literally made up one line at a time. The crew of Night Moose seem to have no fear as they riff off each other like a jazz combo, while the audience and the cast shout prompts and challenges from offstage.

Like the story you invent during a traffic stop (wait, did I just write that?), sometimes they talk themselves into trouble. But as they ad lib each other out of creative jams again and again, the trust and respect for the art is evident. And then the one-liners start.

"Sex with Patrick is like a plunger. It's something you pick up at Home Depot."

There's very little unfunny about this troupe, and you might be tempted to jump in and join them.

Audacity Theatre Lab at 2018 Elgin Fringe Festival

Every great piece of theatrical art bears the stamp of something like divine intervention, in the form of a few words from the script that sum up the piece perfectly. Awash in the torrent of words that is "Robert's Eternal Goldfish" is this phrase: "horribly adorable."

The angry rants and picayune observational humor are just camouflage for a beautifully composed long-form prose poem filled with layered imagery, expressed through vivid descriptions of cafes, apartment life, memories and dreams. This piece would read beautifully on paper.

But Brad McEntire executes it convincingly as a neurotic loner in a hoodie and knit cap, with a musical and emotive delivery that fixes your attention no matter what the hour of night -- or degree of caffeination. Like anger management group therapy, you might be healed just by listening.

Lamar Lockett at 2018 Elgin Fringe Festival

Full of Chicago references and a critical subtext, "Honey Fly Rum" isn't about life on a plantation, or is it? Combining dramatic scenes with hip-hop performance, this play underscores the tragedy of individuals selling out to corporate objectives, using not-so-subtle cues like the play's setting: radio station WFKU.

Lead actor Pierre Crawford brings considerable skills to his role as J. Smooth, a recovering alcoholic rap artist trying to find his way in the cutthroat world of mass media. Interpersonal subplots add depth to scenes interspersed with catchy and totally legit original raps that shine a light on the creative process, if not the product.

You'll leave this show reflecting on lines like "the thing you live your life trying to avoid ... still controls you." But you'll also be treated to a bite of "Honey Fly Rum Cake," bumpin' to the beats of J. Smooth and D.J. Porsh.

Memoriam Development at 2018 Elgin Fringe Festival

You might think of it as comedy with an edge, if not an agenda: "Participation Trophy" is nine sketches that capture life in 2018 as it's played out in restaurants, living rooms, football fields and corporate America. Big targets like bigotry, capitalism, violence and misogyny are easy to hit, but this troupe takes them on — and wins — in street clothes and a minimal set, with bold and well-rehearsed characterizations.

It's an equal opportunity rapid-fire satire of men and women, young and old, real and imagined, with a keen dissection of language, labeling, and social conventions. Not even the digital app you're using right now is off limits. We'd call it "skitsplaining" if we thought it wouldn't put you off this cleverly written show full of absurd dialogue, parodies and punchy endings. Put "Participation Trophy" on your list -- the bigger and looser the audience, the more fun it will be!

Shakespeare's Sonnets for Modern Times: A Goodly Creation

Among the giants of English literary history, Shakespeare is head and shoulders above the rest for his creativity, craftsmanship and masterful use of language. Beside his well-known plays are more than 150 sonnets collected into a sequence published in 1609.

This 14-line poetic form tradtionally addresses themes of love and beauty in an idealized or metaphorical way, but Shakespeare introduced material that confonts the human experience of love as it truly is: erotic, erratic and often tragic.

Though never intended as a theatrical script per se, the sonnets have internal voices that lend themselves to dialogue, and a continuity of subject matter that offers many adaptations to a plot. It's these qualities that make "Goodly Creatures: A Review of Shakespeare's Sonnets for Modern Times" viable as a staged production.

Created by company founder and director Katrina Syrris, "Goodly Creatures" uses the original text of twelve sonnets to construct a layered and interconnected story of three couples and two singles in various stages of relationship. In each of the twelve short scenes, the action, costume and a few choice props establish context and story lines that illuminate the Elizabethan period language.

Amaria Von Dran and Cam Tucker perform Sonnet 145 in "Goodly Creatures: A Review of Shakespeare's Sonnets for Modern Times."

Incredibly, the cast is able to portray complex modern situations involving childless same-sex couples, adultery, bedroom politics, and perhaps even suicide. Shakespeare's dense and often opaque turns of phrase become clear through the sharp direction and careful acting of this highly original piece.

Thoughtful sound and lighting design and a minimal set reinforce the idea that stories such as these happen in every time and place, as the 400 year old language speaks of universal truths to adults of any century, age or gender.

Borrowing a creative device from the form itself, the final scene reinforces the enduring primacy of Love like the closing couplet of an ingenious sonnet.

"Goodly Creatures" continues Thursday through Sunday until July 15th at the Elgin Art Showcase and runs for two more weeks at Stage 773 in Chicago. Come early to get a front row seat, as you'll want to hear every word. For tickets and more information, go to goodlycreatures.com

The Good Christian: World Premiere at Going Dutch Festival

The title shot is of a beautiful old church, with the camera tilting down from the steeple to the steps, where three dancers are standing outside the large wooden doors. It's a powerful statement about art, a legacy, and deep roots in a particular place.

This is the opening sequence of "The Good Christian," a dance film by Talia Koylass and Motion/Pictures Dance Project that was screened for the first time in front of an audience Thursday at Imago Creative Studios. It officially kicked off the Going Dutch Festival, a dance-centric "celebration of the female voice in dance, music, theatre and the visual arts." Going Dutch, now in its eighth year, is based in Elgin with events and live performances in multiple downtown venues.

The action begins with a long shot down the center aisle of the church sanctuary. Three dancers clothed in black work through closely measured movements in front of the altar. Though not entirely predictable, the dance is ritualistic at first then reveals moments of weakness and frustration. As the camera dollies in closer over a sound track with unintelligible foreign language lyrics, it becomes clear that the ensemble is tightly knit and will not leave the chancel, an area traditionally off-limits to all except the clergy.

A second sequence consists of the dancers viewed from the pulpit, positioned separately among the pews in the darkened sanctuary, dressed in street clothes. The movements are more protest than praise or prayer as the music shifts to lyrics like "God, why must I suffer?" It's a scene that speaks of a shared experience of inner conflict and personal isolation.

But the message is ultimately one of good news, as the dancers reappear in flesh-colored leotards, making free use of the entire church space. The movement is beautifully human and unapologetic as the music introduces lyrics of empowerment with a refrain of "this what God feel like." The final shot is a long dolly out, with the individual artists connecting like dots from the altar to the aisles to the pews and ultimately into the street.

The piece couldn't be titled anything less, because Christians believe Jesus came to Earth to begin the work of reconnecting people directly to God, as proclaimed by the banners seen in the wide shots: "Son of God" and "God with Us." The Church continues this work, and after centuries of reform, it is becoming more humane and democratized. Historically disadvantaged parts of society can find powerful and transformative redemption in Jesus' universal message of salvation.

At times, artistic expression is like the ancient spiritual practice of speaking in tongues: not everyone understands the language, but those who do, hear truth. The language, sound and visualization of "The Good Christian" are a beautiful composition on their own, and the fusion of film and concert dance is brilliant for at least two reasons.

First, unlike performance in front of a stationary audience, a filmmaker can use angles, perspective, and shot-framing as effective creative devices, and make the quality the same for all viewers. Second, the recorded medium means the art can be reexperienced many times. This is the kind of piece that takes on more meaning with successive viewings, a luxury not afforded to many live dance performances.

Rescreenings of "The Good Christian" are set for 9:30pm Friday at Side Street Studio Arts (15 Ziegler Court) and 2 pm Sunday at the Elgin Art Showcase (164 Division Street). You can meet Talia Koylass and dozens of other artists as the Going Dutch Festival continues through Sunday. Day passes include multiple live performances, talks and classes. A complete schedule can be found online at www.sidestreetstudiosarts.org

Between Worlds: Elgin Master Chorale and Duruflé's Requiem

The last concert of any choir's or orchestra's season is often the best, because the musicians have completed a full eight months of development, individually and together as an ensemble. This was evident Sunday as the Elgin Master Chorale and the EMC Children's Chorus concluded their season at the ECC Arts Center.

The nineteen-voice Children's Chorus showed the courage of a group many times its size in taking on an incredible variety of material, sung in three languages and almost entirely memorized. Sacred and traditional songs were combined with modern tunes arranged with tricky key and meter changes and subtle harmonies. The high point was possibly "Tcho tcho losa," a South African call-and-response folk song delivered with authentic tone and technique — entirely a cappella. 

The quality of the music was matched by the singers' confidence and professionalism. Managing Director Becky Narofsky is an enthusiastic and skilled artist-educator whose work with this group is clearly reflected in their sound and presence on the stage.

Joined by members of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and guest instrumentalists, the Elgin Master Chorale presented the forty minute Requiem, Op. 9 (1947) by Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986). This impressionistic nine-part Mass for the Dead, well known in the choral repertory, was new to many in the audience and on stage.

Conductor and Music Director Andrew Lewis introduced the composer and the work in opening remarks, in a lecture-recital style that is appearing more and more in the concert hall. But this didn't soften the wonderful surprise of the first few moments of the Mass's Introit. This is very different from other works you've heard bearing the title "Requiem."

Ancient sacred Gregorian chants supplied the modal palette that gives this music its ethereal quality, avoiding the usual emotional interpretations of major or minor keys. The orchestra, augmented by organist David Schrader, produced sounds and textures that defied explanation at times, adding to the experience of being between worlds.

The power of more than one hundred voices was restrained and reverent throughout most of the Mass, but the full-throated delivery of "Hosanna in excelsis" ("Hosanna in the highest") or "judicare saeculum per ignem" ("to judge the world by fire") moved one's spirit in quite a different way.

Always technically on point, the Chorale enunciated the Latin text well enough to be followed easily in the program, and fragile entrances like "Cum sanctis tuis" ("with Thy saints") or "Chorus Angelorum" ("chorus of angels") did not detract from the overall execution.

Soprano soloist Katherine Wells gave a radiant delivery, and in the mezzo range her voice took on a modernistic tone that complemented the piece nicely. Maestro Lewis was clear and confident at the baton and elicited a powerful interpretation from the combined forces of more than 150 musicians.

With each passing season, these Elgin Master Chorale collaborations prove to be more than just a choir concert — they are significant art events. With this score and the voices assembled on the Blizzard Theatre stage, this performance made us forget what city, what century or what plane of existence we were in, and there is truly nothing more that can be asked of any concert.

For more information on the Elgin Master Chorale and the Children's Chorus summer programs, visit elginmasterchorale.org, emcchildrenschorus.org, or call (847) 214-7225.

Janus Theatre Company: How Do We Talk About Race?

"Public dialogue is never real dialogue," says Dean of Students Sara Daniels, played by Tricia Miller Hewson. It's one of many powerful observations made by "Spinning Into Butter," a 1999 play by Rebecca Gilman, directed by Richard Pahl and produced by Sean Hargadon of Janus Theatre Company. The play opened Friday at the Elgin Art Showcase.

It's a continuation of Janus' season-long series entitled "Inspired By ..." which attempts to understand, through theater, the creation, debate and removal of Elgin's "American Nocturne" mural in 2016. "Spinning" addresses the question, "How do we talk about race?"

In a series of scenes full of lots of private dialog, a small New England college struggles with its response to incidents of racial hostility. Art truly imitates life in this play: there's lots of words and not much action, and public remarks on racism make an all-white audience rather uncomfortable.

Tricia Miller Hewson ("Sarah Daniels") handled her huge leading role very nicely, anchored by a long confessional exposition toward the end. A stalwart supporting cast led by Justin Schaller ("Ross Collins") were able to differentiate their characters into various shades of whiteness. Spencer Huffman ("Greg Sullivan") gave an especially controlled and convincing performance in a smaller role.

A 360-degree stage setup made beautiful use of the space in keeping with this company's up-close style, and the face-to-face audience arrangement added depth and meaning to the script. The brisk and often tense lines were generally easy to hear and the lighting and sound were excellent in design and execution.

"Spinning Into Butter" leaves us with unanswered questions about race and more. Do we create a false "otherness" by recognizing individuality? Does our class membership determine what we're allowed to think and say? Is justice possible in a diverse society? But two things this play is sure of: generalizing about racism is as bad as generalizing about race; and authentic dialogue must be private and intentional.

You can participate in the public/private conversation by seeing "Spinning Into Butter" Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm through March 25th at the Elgin Art Showcase. For tickets and more information, go to www.janusplays.com.

EYSO and The Things You Learn from "Water"

Getting sixty kids and teens together in a room to sit still for five minutes would be a challenge. Getting them to play a movement from Handel's Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 1 — without a conductor — defies belief. It happened on the Blizzard Theatre stage Sunday as the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra presented "Water," the latest installment in its 2017-2018 season titled "Elemental: What Natures Tells Us About the Orchestra."

That's just the beginning of what is possible when the dedicated artist-educators of EYSO entrust students with a performance they have thoroughly contemplated and rehearsed. Then, the first and second violin sections stand up and trade places for Deep River, the African American spiritual arranged with complex harmonies and expressive phrasings, followed by a dance movement from Ginastera's ballet Estancia, during which they stand and play directly to the audience. The depth of cooperation and concentration add a sincerity that elevates the music from a recital to a statement about the expressive potential of a sensitive group of (young) people.

Most music students are never asked to consider the creative possibilities within a single sustained chord, or the artistic challenges of one slowly played note, but those questions were abundant in Eric Whitacre's Water Night. The power of careful listening, emphasized in remarks by conductor Andrew Masters, was tested in Anton Arensky's Dream on the Volga Overture, Op. 16 which explored the full sonic capabilities of the orchestra. This season marks the first time some of these students have ever played with winds and strings together; for others it's a communication breakthrough when they see and hear the audience respond to their playing.

For generations, organized youth sports have been considered the best place to learn teamwork and loyalty, and to develop excellence from a little bit of natural skill and an honest work ethic. Perhaps a better place is youth orchestra, where all of those values are modeled in an art form that touches upon every part of human conscience and culture. 

The EYSO offers opportunities for young musicians of all abilities. Placement auditions for the 2018-2019 season will be held May 31-June 3, 2018. Find out more at www.eyso.org.

How the Heartland Voices Twisted the Night Away

A large musical repertoire is a credit to any choir, but the talent and courage to perform it with costumes, dance and comedy sets the Heartland Voices apart from other area vocal groups.

Just one week ago, the Voices appeared in formal dress in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church, performing two sacred works accompanied by organ at the "Bach Around the Clock" event. Conducted by Artistic Director Dr. John Slawson, this is the choir you may know for its full, balanced sound, with crisp articulations and musical control.

Many of these same singers took the stage at the Kimball Street Theater to present "Twistin' the Night Away," a cabaret-style revue of music from the fifties and sixties. Accompanied by a tight three-piece band, they recreated the sounds of the Andrews Sisters, the Four Seasons and other memorable voices of the era in solos, trios and various lead-and-backing vocal arrangements.

Of course the music was good, but to see this sophisticated ensemble transform into a show choir was remarkable. In groups of three to eight, they executed modest but effective choreography by Konnie Kay Sherry, and solo performances sparkled with humor and personality. Enhancing this depth of talent, the first rate lighting and sound gave this show a professional look.

As guests of honor, David and Sandy Kaptain were recognized for their efforts in helping develop the cultural life of Elgin into an important part of its civic identity.

The Heartland Voices have played that role as well, offering eighteen years worth of proof that local talent combined with professional direction in a nicely equipped venue can produce affordable art and entertainment experiences that are the envy of northwestern Chicagoland.
Their next concert series entitled "She Writes the Songs" features the work of female composers, lyricists and poets. You can hear them April 20-22 in West Dundee, Elgin or Batavia. Find out more at www.heartlandvoices.com.

Ballet 5:8's Moving Rendition of "Scarlet"

The powerful portrayal of a classic American story inhabited the stage at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin as Ballet 5:8 revisited Scarlet, a fully developed two-act ballet choreographed by Artistic Director Juliana Rubio Slager.

Based on The Scarlet Letter, the landmark 1850 novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Scarlet reexamines morality through the public and private struggles of flawed characters in a socially rigid community. The contrast between individuality and conformity is highlighted throughout, as each lead character resolves this tension through confession, repentance or spiritual transcendence.

Paired perfectly with a score by the New England modernist composer Charles Ives, the voice of American innovation is strong in the dance, which extends the neoclassical approach with elements of film and spoken word.

The company looked spectacular and mature as an ensemble, with movement that made the Ives symphonic excerpts sound like they were written just for this ballet. Each artist was distinctly expressive within collective interpretations of the public square, worship and domestic life.

Lead roles danced by Brette Benedict, Antonio Rosario and Sam Opsal were eloquent and athletic, excelling in form and detail for nearly two hours of performance. The solos and pas de deux were nicely scaled for the Hemmens stage, and the lighting and curtain work were precise throughout. The film projection would have fared better with a new lamp.

Though the swirling organza looks beautiful and the movement is on par with olympic athletes, concert dance is a language that can be learned and understood. The source material for Scarlet — familiar to so many Americans — makes this ballet accessible, and new audiences will clearly recognize that while some of us must wear a badge of shame, everyone's petticoats are scarlet.

The finest in any art form leaves you wanting more, and we would gladly experience this production again, which tells a story "between a dream and reality" in a medium that's between a dance, a poem, a play and a symphony. Learn more about Ballet 5:8 and Scarlet's national tour at www.ballet58.org.

Elgin Theatre Portrays War ... and "Piece"

The memories of women who survived the Vietnam War are brought vividly to life in Shirley Lauro's 1991 play A Piece of my Heart suggested by the book by Keith Walker, performed by Elgin Theatre Company Saturday night at the Elgin Art Showcase.

Written in documentary fashion, consisting of scenic vignettes divided up by monologues and music, Piece is a scrapbook of situations experienced by a collage of characters that suggest the range of capacities in which women served in the war: nurses, relief workers, entertainers and soldiers. Every woman had a distinct personal story, and many volunteered as a means of escaping the social constraints of pre-feminist, mid-century America. Once they arrive "in country," however, the alternating horror and monotony of daily experience drives them to escape to booze, drugs and rock 'n' roll.

Rather than develop each individual character in the cast of seven, the play often uses them interchangeably to stand in for generic people and voices of The War. In fact, the only male role is simply that of "The American Men," played by Mark Brewer. As "Leann" (Angel Novie) puts it when she arrives in Vietnam, "I'm not special. Everybody's here."

During the long first act, the characters become exhausted by the relentless assault on their senses, their ethics and their identities, and feel their humanity slipping away as routinely as the soldiers lose their limbs. When they escape the war to return home in Act Two, they find themselves wounded, once again in a country that seems entirely foreign to them.

A great script becomes an amazing production when the set, the action, and the sound and lighting tell the story as eloquently as the words. Superb interpretation by director Madeline Franklin presents the non-linear material as it should be envisioned: with an abstract set, symbolic costumes and minimal props.

In roles that border on "performance art," the cast gave inspired performances, shifting smoothly in and out of multiple characterizations, going from panic to intoxication, breaking into song, resetting the stage, never missing a cue or an entrance. Libby Einterz ("Martha") and Elizabeth Dawson ("Whitney") rose above the script in delivering key lines that may have been overwritten but were not overacted.

Kiara Wolfe ("Sissy"), Jamie McCalister ("MaryJo") and Marixa Ford ("Steele") added to the excellent talent that keeps Elgin Theatre Company still fresh after more than fifty-five seasons on stage. A Piece of my Heart closes with three more shows, Feb. 16th and 17th at 8 p.m. and Feb. 18th at 2 p.m. at the Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division Street in downtown Elgin. For more information, go to www.elgin-theatre.org.

Steel Beam Theatre's "Dry Powder" is a Strong Buy

In the deal-making world of private equity investing, words do most of the work, and the four-member cast of Sarah Burgess' 2016 play Dry Powder does lots of hard work in a single act filled to the margins with fast-paced corporate-speak. Directed by Sean Hargadon, the play opened at the Steel Beam Theatre Friday, January 12th.

From left: Jennifer Reeves-Wilson as Jenny, John Westby as Rick, and Justin Schaller as Seth
 in Dry Powder, directed by Sean Hargadon at the Steel Beam Theatre

John Westby plays Rick, the firm's restless President who's constantly juggling deals, investors, and press coverage. He's a simple man who plays a complicated game very well. His two managers, Jenny (Jennifer Reeves-Wilson) and Seth (Justin Schaller) are more sharply defined. Jenny's decisions are as black-or-white as the numbers printed on her reports; she regards public relations as a mere necessary evil. Seth tempers his profit motives with qualitative principles, recognizing value in loyalty, patriotism and good will.

As a team, their constant verbal sparring over strategies is a three-person industry of its own that thrives on persuasion and competition. Yet as tightly as they are wound, the executives remain almost entirely impersonal toward each other, their employees, their families, even themselves (Rick: "My personal life can't factor in...")

The play revolves around the firm's leveraged buyout of a luggage manufacturer, headed by CEO Jeff (Richard Isemonger), who is quite the opposite: proud and paternal about his employees and their brand. Just like his suitcases, he's concerned about preserving and protecting what he already has: a reputation, a legacy. The main thing his corporate suitors are concerned with is keeping their powder dry, a metaphor for investment capital based on an old solider's maxim.

Richard Isemonger as Jeff (left), with Justin Schaller in Dry Powder.

Scenes set mostly in New York are dense with dialogue, leaving little or no space between lines. The well-prepared cast never faltered, and the limited physical action reminds us that we are looking into a world where looking good and talking smart are the essential qualifications. The script's comedic material was nicely delivered, and the audience laughed best at moments when the characters did a little acting of their own.

As the plot moves from office to restaurant to waiting room, music and video provided effective page-turns, and the stripped-down set was versatile and unobtrusive. The Steel Beam Theatre is comfortable, visually interesting, and there isn't a bad seat in the house. Snacks and beverages are available to sustain you through this 95-minute performance.

There's lots to think about after the play concludes with an interesting and refreshingly personal coda by Jenny. There are no clear victims, villains, heroes or clowns in Dry Powder, just lots of questions, among them "what is the price of a conscience?"

Make your own company valuation, Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM or Sundays at 3PM through February 4th. For more information go to steelbeamtheatre.com