One of the first projects I did as a newly-minted Business Volunteer for the Arts (BVA) for the Arts and Business Council of Chicago several years back was a strategic planning exercise for GreasyJoan & Co., a storefront theater that, at that time, I have never heard of. Before beginning the project, I went to see their production of Sophocles’ Antigone, expecting the usual highly-stylized, intensely dramatic production given to many Greek classics, but instead was blown away by a modern, very strongly feminist staging (I was pleasantly surprised by the non-traditional portrayal of Creon as a conflicted, put-upon, pseudo-leader and the use of a multi-cultural, all-female Greek chorus). Over the years I have been a strong supporter of GreasyJoan, and I do firmly believe that it is one Chicago storefront theater that should-that deserves to-grow and endure, given its very clear point of view (”Classic Theatre. Contemporary Edge.”) and its always ambitious and never appealing-to-the-least-common-denominator programming (and as can be expected from having strong vision and ambition in anything, success may not be within reach all the time- for every enthralling Sueno, there was a head scratching Woyzeck). I also feel that Julieanne Ehre, GreasyJoan’s Artistic Director, has one of the more sophisticated artistic palettes in the city’s theatrical community, able to draw from and balance diverse influences and references, from 19th century Russian fiction to the Japanese Butoh dance movement to current events. With their season opener, an invigorating, hilarious, sexy, hip and hoppin’ version of Moliere’s The Misanthrope (directed by company member Libby Ford), GreasyJoan, for this particular audience member and theater supporter at least, finally comes into its own, not only deeply imbuing its mission of presenting the classics with a contemporary spin, but also clearly demonstrating why classic theater is universal, timeless theater that demands the attention and enthusiasm of new audiences.
The big Chicago theater news today (every theater blog and theater website has an article on it) of course is the much-awaited announcement of Steppenwolf’s 2008-2009 season. How much can I hyperventilate before reaching another plane of consciousness (or maybe just woozily fall flat on my face)? The season opener is Frank Galati’s new adaptation of Haruki Murukami’s Kafka on the Seashore which is one hell of a phenomenal book. I love, love Murukami’s works (and I’m in good company, I guess, because people as diverse as Wong Kar Wai and Adam Rapp have hailed his works as inspiration for their own) and, regardless of the tepid reception it received among the critical community and the Steppenwolf audience alike, I was very much enthralled by Galati’s adaptation of After the Quake, Murukami’s very soulful collection of short stories, which was part of Steppenwolf’s 2005-2006 season. Kafka on the Seashore is much stronger material, and I think a more mellow, mature one, with still the unique brand of Japanese magical realism and very inward-focused writing that Murukami is known for, but it’s also full of melancholy reflection - the novel reads very adult and worldly. I am very excited to see what Galati does with the book and which themes he keeps, removes or tones down (there is a whole incest angle that is one of the creepier things about the book), so if there is one must-see show of the season I think this is it. I am neutral, rather than excited with the rest of the shows (although I am intrigued by how Tina Landau and Steppenwolf will tackle Shakespeare, represented in the season by The Tempest), and I am absolutely perplexed why Yasmin Reza’s Art is included. I agree with From the Ledge friend and Francis’s own personal paragon for theatre criticism, Time Out Chicago’s theater critic, Kris Vire, when he writes in the TOC blog that the selection of this particular work is quite baffling especially given a 2007-2008 season that saw three world premieres and August: Osage County’s Broadway triumph. You’d think a play that is as bland and undistinguished as the artwork that is central to its dramatic narrative, and which has been, and is continuing to be done, by many community theaters and high school drama departments, will be rather incongruous in the season of a theater that is on a roll with staging challenging, intriguing, provocative, take-no-prisoners works that has widespread critical and audience acclaim. I saw the Broadway staging of Art a decade ago with Alan Alda and Alfred Molina and I really thought it was kind of much ado about nothing back then. Well, maybe the magic of Steppenwolf can do wonders with this piece. (I’m sure my friend Jonathan is polishing the poison apple given my skewering of one of his favorites). And watch out for Conor McPherson’s Dublin Carol, which is not part of the subscription season, starring CSI’s William Petersen, and directed by the woman-who-can-do-no-wrong, magnificent Amy Morton.
No, this is not a basketball-related blog post at all. Spring is annoyingly dragging it’s feet (sort of like Renee Zellweger in Christian Loubotin heels, uggh) in coming to Chicago with its lush green, its warmer weather, and its generally genial effect on a wintered-out, beaten-down populace, but the cultural hubbub has began. March is turning out to be a great month for actively engaging in the vibrant artistic life of the city. Some of my avid blog readers continuously ask which theatre, film, visual arts, or classical music/opera events I plan to go to, so as a sort of “public service announcement”, I’ll probably give a rundown of notable arts events in the city maybe once a month (of course, with my colorful, insightful commentary accompanying each one -ha!- since plain, bulleted lists are for grocery stores, not arts and culture blogs).
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