Otherworld Theatre's A PRINCESS OF MARS - Review

(Special thanks to Otherworld Theater for providing a complimentary ticket for review purposes).

Right now, many people feel the need to escape, to lose themselves in another world. With an impending move and maternal health issues, I was desperately needing to mainline some straightforward pulp thrills.....

....and Otherworld Theatre's production of A Princess of Mars fits the bill precisely. With creative staging, atmospheric lighting, and a smart script, this is one theatrical production you don't want to miss.

Adapted by Nick Izzo and Tiffany Kean Schaefer from the pulp-era Edgar Rice Burroughs novel,  Otherworld Theatre's A Princess Of Mars deftly manages to balance many plot threads, integrating some of the best aspects of the novel while integrating some more contemporary concerns. This is a play that has it all: action, romance, and a smart message that lifts the material. Think of it as the exact opposite of John Carter, choosing to emphasize character and circumstance over special effects.

(And let's be clear - I liked John Carter).

With minimal staging and a high level of atmospherics and costuming, A Princess of Mars manages to drive home several themes: the need for a personal mission, the drawback of being a "chosen one", and the need to act towards the greater good.

It's also incredibly fun, with very well-staged fight scenes. (And a bit of a trigger warning: even though I knew that most of the action was being blocked, it still felt real at times. This isn't a complaint - it's a compliment. Because this is being done by an all-volunteer troupe, and that's definitely worth kudos).

Plus, the cast really makes this a great experience. Elliott Sowards' John Carter isn't the traditional action-hero of many of my contemporaries, but a man truly out of step and thrust into a very unusual world. (And I'm late to the John Carter bandwagon, only having read A Princess of Mars five years ago). Mary-Kate Arnold crafts a very real Dejah Thoris driven by scientific curiosity and a deep passion for her home world.  With a large cast (including Bennett Decker Bottero, Elizabeth MacDougald, Tim Larson, Michael Bullaro, Nathan R. Miller, Julia Rigby and Shaun Hayden) that has some members playing multiple roles, Otherworld Theatre's A Princess of Mars really hits home in many ways, and is a great example of small, local theater done right.

With a greater emphasis on pulp-era literature and characters being developed for the big screen, it's really pleasurable to see smaller, more intimate takes on the material. One of the joys of Otherworld Theatre's A Princess of Mars is how it takes an early 20th century work and gives it a contemporary immediacy.

Simply put, go see Otherworld Theatre's A Princess of Mars. It's being run for a limited time, and you'll fall in love with this production.

Second City's DEPRAVED NEW WORLD - Review

"The world is so full of voices,
why are so many in my head?"

I'm always enthusiastic about attending a Second City revue, so being invited to attend a performance was not a tough decision. When I received a complimentary pass for Depraved New World (102nd in a series - collect them all!), it was simply a matter of clearing my evening....and I'm glad I did. Depraved New World is not only funny, but is surprisingly inventive in extremely subtle ways.

Much of the revue's focus (as "spoiled" in the introductory song) is about the split between what we're thinking and how we're acting....and the first sketch plays out the obvious. (People in an office discussed upcoming birthdays, and cast members announce "hidden" thoughts accompanied by dramatic changes in lighting). But from there, the material grows increasingly riskier...and comfortable in taking those risks. Lines of dialogue like

"That's a great tan!"
"No, actually, I'm black"

might easily have been overplayed, but the troupe has such ease with the material, it never comes across as forced or overt.

(In fact, my favorite sketch of the evening centers around the phrase "firefighter orgy"...and I'm willing to risk ending up high in Google search ranking around the phrase "firefighter orgy".)

From women encouraging their peers to "don't date a douche" to men embracing their self-esteem; from youthful escapades around YouTube and horses, Depraved New World provides moments of genuine surprise. Even during the "audience participation"-driven second half, troupe members manage to weave comic gold. Out of one audience member responded "pizza" when asked what they ate, troupe member Tawny Newsome provided rapid-fire monologue which had a perfectly scripted feel without any blank space. As another audience member provided minimal cues, both Mike Kosinski and Chelsea Devantez managed to wring further laughs for an admittedly tough situation. If improvisation is the creation of moments from random ideas, the Depraved New World troupe manages to create solid moments of humor and make it look effortless.

What makes the production especially noteworthy is that there is an inventiveness in timing with both lighting and music. Dramatic lighting cues help foster a strong sense of pace - in fact, one sketch involves sudden stop-starts with lighting that could have easily failed, yet managed to highlight the humor of the piece. Even sound and music play a key role - two of the sketches are silent, focusing more on music, dance and performance; a third (with Ms. Newsome and Steve Waltien) deftly mixes live performance and lip sync in a perfectly-timed meditation on relationships. Much like the troupe, the overall production is a high performer, and never misses its mark.

Depraved New World is more than just another Second City revue - it's an imaginative, inventive exploration around the dichotomy between our inner and outer lives. It's also a must-see experience.
Trust me - it's that good.

Second City ETC Rides A CLOWN CAR NAMED DESIRE

(Special thanks to Second City for providing complimentary admission to this show)

Sometimes, there's a fine line that blurs reality and dreams, of wondering whether this is as good as it gets or does it get better.

It's with that preliminary question that Second City ETC's 37th revue, A Clown Car Named Desire, goes into full gear, delivering some great scenes and - well, let's face it, some easily-earned laughs.

From hipsters to mismatched friends, from a Tron-inspired dance routine to a sketch namechecking the Notre Dame football player "Mandy Patinkin", A Clown Car Named Desire is a very well-rounded, super-sharp show...in fact, this is one of the few times at Second City that I never thought, "Hmm, which one of these cast members is due for bigger and better things?"

(Only because the entire ensemble does such a great job throughout the evening, it's hard to pick out one person and say they have "that thing." Of course, had the tall blonde cast member pointed to me when she sang, "I'll make out with you after the show"...I might be writing a different kind of blog post. But it's safe to say - singling out one person out of a stellar cast is unfair and really unnecessary).

And you may wonder what the difference is between Second City and Second City ETC (which is where this revue is running). Rather than give you a long, lengthy explanation, let me point you to this brief snippet from their FAQ page).

It's rather difficult to find a Second City revue that doesn't hit on all cylinders - most of the time, a revue has much that works, and some sketches that don't. However, A Clown Car Named Desire manages to fire on all cylinders, providing a nice, lengthy ride full of laughs, and is much more enjoyable than a Cubs or Sox game.

And yes, there is the obligatory Tennessee Williams joke...but A Clown Car Named Desire is one of the highlights of Chicago theater, and well worth your time.

We're All In This Second City Together

(Full Disclosure - as part of Second City's media list, I received complimentary tickets for a special press premiere. Show formally opens on 7/1)

"Our jobs kick your jobs' ass!"

So it's the hottest day of the year - the first time Chicago temperatures broke 100 degrees in seven years. The kind of day which is best spent staying in an air-conditioned home consuming large quantities of chilled, non-alcoholic fluids.

However, this past Thursday evening I spent attending a special premiere of We're All In This Room Together, the latest revue from in Second City's ETC theater....and quite frankly, it was a great way to spend an evening.

It's also one of the more intriguingly staged productions - sketches "rewind" and provide different options and outcomes. There's much more audience engagement and "playing" in this revue. That's what makes this much more enjoyable and perhaps even fosters a desire to return, with the performances top-notch and a strong sense of playful exploration. It's one of the few times

Sketches focus on various levels of connection and disconnection, ranging from a country singer and her "all ex-husband" band to a man trying to get his child into U of C Lab School; from a couple cruising in a Ferrari in the 1980s to a debate between two candidates for city councilman. This is one of the more "physical" revues as well, with the cast energetically throwing themselves into their performance, avoiding what could easily be a sit-down-and-be-funny performance.

We Are All in This Room Together is one of the more successful ETC reviews because it is so intimate. It cuts straight to the heart, has a great deal of wit, and is mandatory viewing.

Go see this. You'll thank me later.

Revisiting My Marxist Past: ANIMAL CRACKERS at the Goodman Theater

(Revised May 28, 2023)

I think it is safe to state that, for the record, I have a very strong Marxist streak in my past - and present.

So much so that when I heard that Animal Crackers was coming to the Goodman Theater, I bought a ticket. Granted, it was a Sunday night ticket (and I managed to get second-row seating!) It was, without a doubt, a very rare occasion - a chance to time travel and see a play that had been put on before I was born. Or even before my parents were born.

I was not disappointed - this was one of the best experiences I have had in seeing live theater.

Part of it was a unique energy - not just amongst the actors playing the Marx Brothers, but all of the cast. Given that there are only nine people in the production - especially with the variety of roles - some of the quick changes were not only astounding but much like a great magic show, I was wondering how they did it. I was also surprised (and maybe this is due to a slight familiarity, having seen the movie multiple times) at how farcical the play was, poking fun at high society and....well, it's easy to see why it was popular during the Depression.

But anyway, what about the actors playing the Marx Brothers? Fine - it was hard for me to get the movie portrayals out of my head, but once I let those particular voices settle (voices in my head? did I just type that out loud?), it all clicked - Joey Slotnick's Groucho, Jonathan Brody's Chico, and Molly Shannon's Harpo (a female Harpo? Trust me, it works) helped give the show some expected jolts. But Ed Kross, who plays Zeppo - and another, more romantic lead - really deserves kudos. So much so that one can see why Zeppo left show business: the "Zeppo" character had maybe 30 minutes of total stage time.

(And in all fairness to the play, some other Marx material was integrated - it didn't seem like a Marx Brothers' greatest hits so much as a way to make a Depression-era play connect for younger viewers. It all hung together beautifully)

So this was one of my glad-I-did-before-I-got-too-old moments: a chance to see a play that resulted in one of my favorite movies. This is very well worth it, so I'm tempted to see it again.

Especially since I'm seriously crushing on one of the actresses.

See this. Now.