John Logan is a GOOD MAN at the Goodman.

The Goodman Theatre, one of Chicago’s leading theatrical institutions, announced their season earlier today. Well, half of their season. They’re probably still waiting to hear about rights from other shows they have up their sleeves.

(Let’s just hope Bobby (Robert) Falls doesn’t direct all the shows. His Seagull was god-awful!)

Bobby is directing the John Logan play Red, though. The show premiered in London and was a hit on Broadway, winning multiple awards including the Tony for best new play. I can't wait to see it downtown Chicago. I tried scoring a ticket to the show in NYC, but that never happened. The Goodman will be one of the first productions in the country of the show outside of the New York mounting. This has to come as a major slap in the face to Victory Gardens (VG) Theatre. John Logan is part of their Writers Ensemble. He could have easily allowed the Chicago premiere to VG, but he opted for the Goodman. The Victory Gardens Theatre is barely a step above community theatre. Of course, they won the 2001 Tony Award for Best Regional Theatre, but what have they done with that accolade besides produce mediocre theatre? Their current production of The Boys Room by Joel Drake Johnson is trite, tiresome and troubling…and not in a good drama-ish kind of way.

In other news, the American Theatre Company’s current production of The Big Meal got four stars from Chris Jones. I might just have to check it out and eat my words.

Keep warm,

WCR

The Snow Must Go On

Well, well, well… In the world of black comedy Mother Nature always gets the last laugh. Many productions and rehearsals throughout Chicago came to a screeching halt on Tuesday, February 1 and Wednesday, February 2 (and even into Thursday, February 3) as nearly two feet of snow was dumped on the Windy City in what meteorologists are calling one of the worst snow storms in Chicago history.

Here are some of my comments in regards to canceled rehearsals, frozen performances and Nazi-minded artistic directors:

Circle Theatre canceled its Wednesday rehearsal of the Kaufman/Hart comedy The Man Who Came To Dinner. Sorry to hear that. I’m sure they will need that rehearsal. Their fall/winter production of the musical tragedy comedy Kiss Me, Kate was God-awful.

All the biggies (Steppenwolf/the Goodman Theatre/Chicago Shakes) all canceled Tuesday and Wednesday performances. Smart move.

One of my favorite theatres in the city (the Annoyance Theatre) was closed because of the storm. How annoying! [I couldn't resist!]

I cannot get over how Broadway in Chicago (BiC) decided to KEEP their Tuesday night performance of Burn the Floor open? (According to Chris Jones, the audience was small, mostly made up of Les Miz cast and crew!) How unsafe of those idiots at BiC to expect paying patrons to be out in that mess of a night. Gotta make a pretty penny, eh? In the end, they probably spent more money on keeping the lights on at the Bank of America Theatre than what they made in ticket revenue, seeing how most of the tickets sold to Tuesday’s opening were comps to the cast of the newly-staged Cameron Mackintosh show in town and Chicago critics! 

And last, but not least: the American Theatre Company (we’re still waiting to hear why your Executive Director up and left? crickets?) has cancelled their Thursday, February 3 performance of their new play The Big Meal. (They’re giving this show so much freakin’ hype…like it’s a new play by Tony Kushner. Oh, wait, it’s not penned by Tony. It’s by some playwright no one has ever heard of.) I’m sure the show is in shambles and they need rehearsal time to fix it.

Now who’s having the last laugh, PJ?

That’s all,

WCR

Changing of the Guard

Two companies. Both alike in (lack of) dignity. In gritty Chicago where we lay our scene.

Sorry, Shakespeare…move over. We have lots to discuss. Let’s first start with the American Theatre Company. Don’t worry, Chicago Muse. We’re saving you for dessert.

Executive Director Mary Ruth Coffey up and left the American Theatre Company this past week. She’d only been with the theatre since September 2010. I wonder if she’ll even put the job on her resume! What the hell is going on at the American Theatre Company? If anyone remembers correctly, back in 2009 all by twenty three of ATC’s ensemble members up and left to start their own company – the American Blues Theatre. Sidenote: I found it interesting how both companies presented scaled-down “radio” productions of It’s A Wonderful Life this past year! Great stab in the back! The pompous (and recently hired) artistic director PJ Paparelli apparently caused a mutiny at ATC and all but a few jumped ship. Can you blame them? A newbie nazi walks into a company he knows nothing about and starts ordering people about like robots. I would have left, too. Sources tell me that there are some major cash flow issues going on at ATC. PJ’s sunk a pretty penny into this new production of Grease they have opening later in the spring. The show sounds promising, but those original writers don’t come “rework” a show for nothing. Sounds like Mary Ruth got out while she could! PJ better learn how to work well with others, or that board might give him the axe next.

Moving on…

Hey, Sean Cercone! If you’re working on your autobiography, I have a title for you! Call it “Story of My Life”…your life is the story of taking over theatre companies and running them into debt!

Chicago Muse (the brainchild of a bunch of idiots who think they know what musical theatre is) looks to be having intermal issues as well. This past week the Chicago Tribune reported that Sean Cercone, executive director of Chicago Muse, had left. Most recently, Sean produced that ill-fated production of The Story of My Life. Sean, the former artistic director of the Carousel Theatre in Akron (he ran that theatre into the ground, too), joined the dummies at Chicago Muse back in December 2009. Why the board let him on board, I’ll never know. His track record isn’t the best. Anyone can figure that out by a simple Google search. Most recently Muse board chairman Michael Rosenbaum confirmed that Cercone had left as of January 28, but declined to discuss the reasons. However, he also said that the board is "very disappointed that things worked out this way." Yours truly will be getting to the bottom of this. I have a feeling it’s over the lack of money they brought in with their last show. They have yet to announce a season. And let’s face facts: a theatre company doing one show a year (that loses money) is hardly a theatre company.

Two theatre companies falling apart before my every eyes. I love it.

All the best,

WCR

Bailiwick bombs with 'Departure Lounge'

For Bailiwick's second official season (they've been around for a while, formerly Bailiwick Theatre Ensemble...remember that dreadful fallout in late 2009?) things don't look promising. The fact is Departure Lounge, the new musical that played at Royal George, didn't go over too well with audiences. Instead of flying to the theatre, patrons decided they'd rather sit on the tarmac at O'Hare for two hours. Reviews were mixed and discounted tickets were showing up on Hottix every week. The company offered numerous other discounts: industry discounts and student discounts and "ticket prices increase next week so get them now" discounts. None worked. Insiders are saying that the show didn't make any money and now the company's future shows are on the rocks.

Violet, the Jeanine Tesori/Brian Crawley Civil-Rights themed musical, was set to open in early February, but, according to several cast members, it's not even on the books. According to those (former) cast members, they canceled the show because of lack of money and only a few actors found out at first. Of course, with dramatic tweets and Facebook status updates, the entire company knew within a matter of hours. The actors have had the roles since mid-October and it's too late to re-audition for spring 2011 shows, so they're all screwed out of theatre jobs and resume builders. Sorry, kids.

Let's hope the same doesn't happen with the new musical Passing Strange, set to open later in the Spring. They also have a new play (The North/South Plays) lined up for later in the season.

In a year-end letter to patrons, Executive Director Kevin Mayes begged audience members for money, but didn't mention the Violet vacancy, as we'll call it. Here's an excerpt. 

• In this economy, with so many theater companies in Chicago, you may wonder why we do this. We believe that theatre has the power to inspire, enlighten, and alter the collective consciousness. This belief drives us to create theatre that teaches, reaches the under-served, and elicits action toward global harmony, stewardship and unity. Every person and community has a story to tell. It is Bailiwick Chicago’s privilege to tell it.
• You may not be aware that ticket sales for our productions only cover about 40% of the costs needed to tell these extraordinary stories. Our 2011 season, shaping up to be just as phenomenal as our first, will not happen without your generous support to help us reach our fundraising goals.
• We need your support. Each and every donation, no matter how much, will ensure that Bailiwick Chicago can continue to produce nothing less than amazing theater.

And lastly, make sure you check out Bailiwick's site: http://www.bailiwickchicago.com/about-us/. The last "core value" doesn't seem to fit in with what's going on over there at the administrative offices. "We manage our operations with fiscal and social responsibility." Now there's a good musical comedy for ya!

Yours truly,

WCR

Welcome!

Let's face it: Chicago (and Illinois, for that matter) is full of lies and cheats. Ever heard of Rod Blagojevich or Al Capone or Jack Ryan? Just because they've been exposed doesn't mean the Chicago theatre world should be left alone.

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Thanks & enjoy!