"Ordinary Days" - Review by Carol Moore
3 ½ Spotlights for Canterbury Theatre’ third musical of the season, “Ordinary Days”
3 ½ Spotlights for Canterbury Theatre’ third musical of the season, “Ordinary Days”
The Canterbury Summer Theatre production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change!” is a terrific musical for these hot summer days/nights.
The first musical of the 2021 season at Canterbury Summer Theatre is a high-energy jukebox musical, “8-Track: The Sounds of the 70s”.
Chicago Street Theatre is welcoming audiences back into the theater with their production of “Heathers: The Musical.”
Summer’s here, so it must be time for Dunes Summer Theatre – and it’s outdoors! Bring your blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy the bucolic setting, as well as the quirky quartet known as the Plaids. “Forever Plaid” is a must-see for the summer!
Beatniks' production of "Making God Laugh" is a comedy hit! Don’t miss it! 3½ Spotlights
Finally, kudos to the brave actors cast in Beatniks' charming production of “Arsenic and Old Lace”!!!
The Towle Theater's production of “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End” was their last before the pandemic hit. Good news, they'll be back soon!!! In fact, the Towle Youth Theater Ensemble return to the stage with "subText" August 20th-22nd, followed by the adult production of "Night Tide" September 17th-October 3rd.
***RECOMMENDED*** For Oscar Wilde, it was the love that dare not speak its name. For Kitty Warren, the central character of George Bernard Shaw's "Mrs. Warren's Profession," it is her very profession which is never mentioned. Written in 1893, extremely early in Shaw's long and prolific career and only his second full-length play, he never expected it to receive a license from the Lord Chamberlain which would have allowed it to be performed. He was correct. The controversial work was banned due to its scandalous subject matter during the strict Victorian era and did not enjoy its first public performance on a London stage until 1925. Now, thanks to Promethean Theatre Ensemble and a decidedly modern and fresh adaptation by Melanie Spewock, we have this sparkling production which is a total delight to experience. 3 AND 1/2 SPOTLIGHTS
****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED**** Oftentimes, despite our best efforts and idealistic intentions, things fall apart. We let our fellow man down repeatedly by acts of ignorance or physical violence committed against one another. When the victim of that destruction is a member of the animal kingdom, some may feel that the offense is even greater. These defenseless and harmless creatures, many of which are on the ever-growing list of endangered species, face a brutal future as many of them are approaching total extinction. Whether threatened by the ravages of climate change (the recent bushfires in Australia that saw the astounding fatality rate of and impact upon countless koalas, kangaroos and wallabies is just one example) or by basic and all-consuming human greed, animals in the wilderness today are living -- and trying to survive -- in an alarmingly hostile world. The story of one such animal, an elephant named Mlima, is the basis for Lynn Nottage's multi-faceted and haunting play "Mlima's Tale," which is receiving its Midwest premiere in a beautiful production by Griffin Theatre Company at the Raven Theatre. 4 SPOTLIGHTS