Spring Season

Oh Joy!!! After being disappointed about Ragtime being done by an opera company, and then it's cancellation after I was starting to come to peace with it, Chicago's own Porchlight Theatre Ensemble announced that they will be performing it starting later this month through May. They've always been superb, and their recent productions of Amadeus and Sweeney Todd were spectacular, so I know they're going to get Ragtime right.

Other notable spring productions include Frozen, by the Next Theatre Company which I am very excited to see since the Broadway production never toured. Too bad we won't have Swoozie Kurtz, but from what I've heard, it's not performer-dependent and should stand well on it's own. Next has a great reputation, and since I didn't get to see Adding Machine, I'm going to be sure to catch this one. The Writer's Theatre in Glencoe is doing an interesting one I've never heard of called The Puppetmaster of Lodz, which the Sun Times gave a glowing review to. The Goodman, which can also be counted on for quality (they did pre-Broadway productions of Hollywood Arms and The Light In The Piazza, as well as the world premiere production of The Visit, what were supposed to be pre-Broadway productions of Bounce! and Finishing The Picture), is doing another very interesting sounding one called Massacre (Sing To Your Children), which sounds like it bears a resemblance to The Visit but with a good twist of Stephen King thrown in. The Sun Times was also enthusiastic about this one. Then, in May, Bailiwick, which has done some awful productions in the past (The Party, Gypsy with a transvestite as Mama Rose), but has recently redeemed itself with superb productions of Parade, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Thrill Me, is presenting the US premiere of Jerry Springer: The Opera. Forget about the Fucking Color Purple and head to these instead. They should nicely fill the wait until Light in the Piazza and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels arrive this summer.

Lastly, as you know, I've been on quite a Diana Ross jones lately, and will finally see that come to fruition next Saturday when she performs at the Chicago Theatre. I've seen her twice before, first in 2000 for the so-called Supremes reuinion tour, which, even though it really was a Diana Ross concert with two women who joined the Supremes after she left, was a fantastic concert. She is such a great performer, and is so warm and personable on stage, you'd think she could corral some of that charisma for her interviews and daily life, but that's what makes her a diva. Even though it was at the Allstate Arena, it really felt like she was singing just to me (and really, she almost was, there were only about 15 other people in there with me). Then in 2004 she did a 2 week mini-tour of smaller cities to counteract the bad press she'd gotten over the Supremes tour cancellation, the Heathrow flap, her DUI, and her botched jail term (which really just goes to prove what a true diva she is, even Martha Stewart couldn't arrange a deal to come and go from jail as she pleased, order pizza for all the women on her block, and wear her street clothes while cooling her heels). We were her last stop, and she performed at the Chicago Theatre, which was a good choice of venue. She was able to sell that out, and yours truly was 5 rows from the stage!!! I was expecting an evening of ballads and love songs, but oh no, she gave the fans what they came for and did all of her 70's disco stuff. It was a 2 and a half hour dance party with 8 costume changes, and while she didn't do I'm Coming Out, she did do It's My House, I Ain't Been Licked, and Ease On Down The Road. The audience went nuts for each one. The only ballads she did were Touch Me In The Morning, Mahoganny, and Endless Love. It was a fantastic night. This time, I'm going to be in the balcony since the tickets went on sale while I was in New York, and by the time I got back, the only main floor seats were off to the sides, and I'm not going to pay $100 for a partial view of the stage. It's a small theatre, so the balcony won't be bad, and I have a feeling that she'll be doing more ballads this time since she's supporting an album instead of doing a greatest hits tour, and the album is all ballads, so I can comfortably sit and enjoy. She did sell out again, good for her, and it should be a fabulous night.