Review: The Winter Wolf (Otherworld Theatre)

The Winter Wolf

Written by Joseph Zettelmaier
Otherworld Theatre, 3914 N. Clark (map)
thru Jan 6 | tix: $20 (suggested) | more info

Check for half-price tickets

Sweet and wistful world premiere

Review by Lauren Emily Whalen

At a certain age, one starts to realize that their loved ones won’t be around forever. It’s a hard pill to swallow, and a lesson you can’t un-learn. But how does one stop time? Can we keep the holidays perfect, frozen in time, a virtual snow globe? Otherworld Theatre is a relatively new Chicago company, focusing on science fiction and fantasy-focused storytelling. The Winter Wolf is their holiday world premiere, an intimate female-driven fairy tale about granddaughters, grandfathers and the quest to keep Christmas wonderful. Directed by artistic associate Lauren N. Fields, Joseph Zettelmaier‘s script is a bit slow at times, and the puppetry slightly underwhelming. Overall, however, The Winter Wolf is a pleasant and touching world premiere for those craving something new.

Cora (Molly Southgate) is a precocious preteen – are there any other kind in pop culture? – who is very close to her grandfather (Mike Rogalski). Sadly, dear old grandpa’s health is failing and the end seems nigh. When Grandpa tells Cora a story from his childhood of a powerful, magical Winter Wolf (Shariba Rivers), Cora sees an opportunity to keep her favorite family member around forever. But what is the price of stopping time?

At its core, Zettelmaier’s script has the dark-yet-uplifting predictability of all fairy tales – but come holidays, that’s not a bad thing. Why do people stream Hallmark Original Movies, make yearly pilgrimages to The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol? At the holidays, we want routine and a happy ending. We crave it. Sure, a little sadness and tragedy is acceptable, but especially as the world around us grows more chaotic, we count on satisfying and hopeful resolutions wrapped in a pretty bow. The Winter Wolf delivers this: when stepping into the theater, audience members are greeted by the fresh scent of pine needles, and Cora’s mother (Katy Crow) and father (Nathan Pease), who cheerfully offer cookies and hot cocoa while bedecked in Christmas sweaters. The atmosphere is lovely and welcoming, setting the tone for the short, family-friendly parable ahead, and Fields engineers it to the hilt, while maintaining the script’s genuine feel.

Though the play clocks in at only 70 minutes, the second half – where Cora gets her wish and then has to live with the consequences – drags, and could benefit from quicker pacing. Though most of The Winter Wolf‘s effects are thoughtful and lovely, especially lighting that lovingly recalls fire by the hearth, ominous power outages and sweet shadowboxes, the wolf puppet itself isn’t much to write home about. Rivers is an incredible wolf, with a rich speaking voice that projects both intimidation and compassion, but Janie Killips‘ puppet projects none of this and appears as a glorified stuffed animal. The Winter Wolf is presumably meant to be suitable for children, but even the smallest kids can handle a bit more fright.

Fields has cast four capable actors, and the three adults project warmth and compassion, especially Rogalski as Cora’s snappy but kind grandfather. As the child Cora, Southgate is polished and adorable – and has worked with Otherworld previously – but struggles with Cora’s more emotional moments. Could be opening-night nerves, but Cora’s realization that her wish to stop time has negatively affected everyone around her, felt more put-upon than natural. Perhaps this will come with time. Despite these flaws, The Winter Wolf never feels forced or manipulative. Instead, the original story, beautifully directed, designed and acted, has the potential to be a holiday tradition for Otherworld in the years ahead. Step right up.

The Winter Wolf continues through January 6th at Otherworld Theatre, 3914 N. Clark (map), with performances Wednesday-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays 2:30pm. Tickets are pay-what-you-can ($20 suggested), and are available by phone (773-857-2116) or online through eventbrite.com (check for availability of half-price tickets). More information at OtherworldTheatre.org. (Running time: 70 minutes without intermission)

Photos by Steven Townshend

artists

cast

Molly Southgate (Cora), Mike Rogalski (Grandfather), Nathan Pease (Father), Katy Crow (Mother), Shariba Rivers (The Winter Wolf), Mary Kate Arnold (The Winter Wolf understudy)

behind the scenes

Lauren N. Fields (director), Sara Robinson (production stage manager), Janie Killips (scenic, puppet and props design), Tiffany Keane Schaefer (sound design), Bryce Fields (technical director), Steven Townshend (photos)

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Tags: 18-1215, Bryce Fields, Chicago Theater, Janie Killips, Joseph Zettelmaier, Katy Crow, Lauren Emily Whalen, Lauren N. Fields, Mary-Kate Arnold, Mike Rogalski, Molly Southgate, Nathan Pease, Otherworld Theatre, post, Sara Robinson, Shariba Rivers, Steven Townshend, Tiffany Keane Schaefer

Category: 2018 Reviews, Holiday Show, Lauren Emily Whalen, New Work, Otherworld Theatre, Puppetry, World Premier

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Review: Into the Woods (Music Theater Works)

Into the Woods

Music/Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Lapine
Cahn Auditorium, Evanston (map)
thru Dec 31 | tix: $34-$96 | more info

Check for half-price tickets

An all-star cast makes this a ‘Woods’ to remember

Review by John Olson

Into the Woods, with its easily summarized and broadly appealing concept (well-known fairy tale characters from different stories converge to make a brand-new fairy tale) has long been one of Stephen Sondheim’s most popular musicals. Its all-age-friendly content and large cast have made it a top choice for many a school and community theatre production, but one wonders if the casting demands have made it a daunting choice for professional companies. It’s a true ensemble piece, with at least nine roles that need performers of leading actor abilities and several other key supporting roles that require specially skilled performers. So while opportunities to see Into the Woods on stage are not hard to find, chances to see it with a fully-professional cast are rare. Music Theater Works’ two-weekend, eight-performance run is one of those rare opportunities to see this Sondheim musical performed by a cast that can deliver the goods on both Sondheim’s demanding and beautiful score along with the comedy baked into his lyrics and James Lapine‘s script. Director Rudy Hogenmiller has assembled an all-star cast of Chicago non-Equity players (alongside two Equity members) to provide a fully-satisfying production of this classic that can hold its own against memories of the original Broadway production (preserved on a PBS-produced video) or the 2014 feature film.

The Equity players are Chicago and Music Theater Works favorites James Harms as the fatherly Narrator and Mysterious Man, and Daniel Tatar as the Baker – a character that along with the “Baker’s Wife” is invented for this fractured fairy tale mashup. These roles are central to Lapine’s original fairy tale following the misfortunes of a father who made the mistake of stealing magic beans from the “witch next door,” and these two Equity performers in them are strong anchors for the storytelling. Harms switches from kindly, neutral Narrator to the comical and eccentric “Mysterious Man” with ease. Tatar’s Baker is the show’s emotional center. As the young husband who desperately wants to be a father, he establishes the piece’s stakes firmly in the second act songs “No More,” and “No One is Alone.”

To single out these two, though, would be wrong as the whole cast is a delight – from the arguably starring role of The Witch (originated on Broadway by Bernadette Peters) down to the small but importantly comical roles like The Steward and Cinderella’s Stepmother. Alexis Armstrong is a warm, wise, winning wife for the Baker – a steady rock in contrast to Tatar’s anxious Baker. To this writer’s eye and ear, she’s as good a Baker’s Wife as was Joanna Gleason in her Tony Award-winning performance. Michelle Jasso as the Witch wails beautifully in all her comic witchiness and is always enjoyable to watch. Kelly Britt is an absolutely lovely and touching Cinderella.

Before continuing, I must disclose that I’ve served as a press rep for shows featuring some of the performers I’m about to praise, but I’m certain skeptical readers can find other reviews that will confirm my prejudiced opinions. The appropriately boyish Christopher Ratliff gives Jack (of the Beanstalk) just enough naivete and a big voice to sell the beautiful melodies of “Giants in the Sky.” Cecilia Iole, who’s twice proven her Sondheim chops as Sweeney Todd‘s Johanna, shows her comic and vocal skills as the spunky Little Red Ridinghood. Projecting just the right amount of egotism as Cinderella’s Prince and goofiness as Rapunzel’s Prince are Benjamin Sprunger and Maxwell J. DeTogne, two of Chicago’s leading non-Equity leading men. Both have the vocal chops and comic skills to sell Sondheim’s clever mock-lament “Agony,” that song of love-sick men that betrays their shallowness.

Just as telling of the overall strength of this cast are the performances in supporting roles. Anne Marie Lewis and Sarah Wasserman bring rich soprano voices to their vocals as Jack’s Mother and Rapunzel. Comic treats are offered by Katherine Condit, Caitlyn Glennon and Evelyn Finne as Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters Florinda and Lucinda, and a special comic gem is Anthony Whitaker as the officious Steward. This array of performers who each have their moments to shine individually blend perfectly into a singing and dancing ensemble (executing Clayton Cross‘s smart choreography) in the full cast numbers that open and close each of the two acts,

Music Director Roger L. Bingaman conducts a 15-piece orchestra that is, if not-quite Broadway-sized, much larger and fuller than we would normally find in a (mostly) non-Equity production. Sondheim’s clever, philosophical, and densely packed lyrics are delivered with clarity thanks to the cast’s diction and Aaron Quick‘s sound design.

Into the Woods is a longer-than-average musical, but Hogenmiller keeps it moving, though never rushed. He knows where all the show’s beats are and brings them out respectfully. His action plays out on a deceptively simple set by Christopher Rhoton of sliding rows of trees with multi-colored leaves, beautifully lit by Andrew H. Meyers. The show seems a perfect fit for the Cahn Auditorium, with a stage big enough to hold the entire cast of 20 and a pit for full orchestra, but at 1000 seats, intimate enough to share the intricacies of the Sondheim songs and Lapine’s wry book.

The short two-week runs of Music Theater Works, playing in a 1,000-seat theater, are part of a production business model that distinguishes the company from other all or mostly non-Equity companies, allowing them to stage large-scale musicals with a full orchestra. What this Into the Woods suggests, though, is that the company’s short runs can make it possible for MTW to continue to attract the very best of Chicago’s stellar non-Equity talent pool to come together for all-star productions like this in the future.

Into the Woods continues through December 31st at Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson, Evanston (map). Tickets are $34-$96 (ages 25 and younger: half-price), and are available by phone (847-920-5360) or online through their website (check for availability of half-price tickets). More information at MusicTheaterWorks.com. (Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes, includes an intermission)

Photos by Brett Beiner

artists

cast

James Harms (Narrator, Mysterious Man), Daniel Tatar (Baker), Alexis Armstrong (Baker’s Wife), Michelle Jasso (Witch), Kelly Britt (Cinderella), Cecilia Iole (Little Red Ridinghood), Christopher Ratliff (Jack), Benjamin Sprunger (Wolf, Cinderella’s Prince), Maxwell J. DeTogne (Rapunzel’s Prince), Anne Marie Lewis (Jack’s Mother), Katherine Condit (Cinderella’s Stepmother), Caitlyn Glennon (Florinda), Evelyn Finne (Lucinda), Bob Sanders ( Cinderella’s Father), Sara Stern (Cinderella’s Mother, Granny), Sarah Wasserman (Rapunzel), Anthony Whitaker (Steward), Rebekah Rawhouser (Giant), Rachel Wagner (Snow White), Teaira Burge (Sleeping Beauty).

behind the scenes

Rudy Hogenmiller (director), Clayton Cross (choreographer), Roger L. Bingaman (conductor), Christopher Rhoton (scenic design), Jane DeBondt, Jesus Perez (costume design), Andrew H. Meyers (lighting design), Aaron Quick (sound design), Alice Salazar (hair and make-up design), Jamie Daras (properties design), Mary Zanger (stage manager), Jim Davis (production manager), Brett Beiner (photos)

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Tags: 18-1227, Aaron Quick, Alexis Armstrong, Alice Salazar, Andrew H. Meyers, Anne Marie Lewis, Anthony Whitaker, Benjamin Sprunger, Bob Sanders, Brett Beiner, Cahn Auditorium, Caitlyn Glennon, Cecilia Iole, Chicago musical theater, Chicago Theater, Christopher Ratliff, Christopher Rhoton, Clayton Cross, Daniel Tatar, Evelyn Finne, James Harms, James Lapine, Jamie Daras, Jane DeBondt, Jesus Perez, Jim Davis, John Olson, Katherine Condit, Kelly Britt, Mary Zanger, Maxwell J. DeTogne, Michelle Jasso, Music Theater Works, post, Rachel Wagner, Rebekah Rawhouser, Roger L. Bingaman, Rudy Hogenmiller, Sara Stern, Sarah Wasserman, Stephen Sondheim, Teaira Burge

Category: 2018 Reviews, Cahn Auditorium, John Olson, Music Theater Works, Musical, Stephen Sondheim

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Review: La Ruta (Steppenwolf Theatre)

La Ruta

Written by Isaac Gomez
Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted (map)
thru Jan 27 | tix: $20-$89 | more info

Check for half-price tickets

Heartwrenching world premiere both devastating and glorious

Review by Lauren Emily Whalen

Missing White Woman Syndrome is real.

The aforementioned is a cultural phenomenon in which certain abduction victims – those who are young, white and often wealthy – receive more media attention than those who are, well, not. (Think Elizabeth Smart, Laci Peterson and Jaycee Dugard, among others.) In the meantime, Mexican women just south of the border disappear with alarming frequency. Some are sold into sex trafficking, others vanish as if into thin air, leaving devastated, powerless family and friends behind.

In 2016, playwright Isaac Gomez premiered his solo performance piece, the way she spoke, at Greenhouse Theater Center, about the women of Ciudad, Juarez through the eyes of one gum-chomping wannabe actress whose eyes are opened over the course of 70 heart-wrenching minutes. This piece will receive its off-Broadway premiere in spring 2019, but not before Gomez’s full-length play La Ruta has its stunning world premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Directed by ensemble member Sandra Marquez and featuring a powerhouse female ensemble, La Ruta is both devastating and glorious in a way that’s difficult to convey in words.

La Ruta is also the name of the bus taken by female workers at U.S.-owned factories in Juarez. Every morning and night, they board the bus, ready for their shifts – only some won’t ever make it home. In the summer of 1998, teenaged Brenda (Cher Alvarez) disappears without a trace, leaving her mother Yoli (Sandra Delgado) scared and confused, but convinced that someday, somehow, her daughter will make it back. Meanwhile, Yoli’s best friend Marisela (Charin Alvarez) has lost her own daughter in the same way and feels a call to action. What really happened to Brenda, and to the women who vanish almost-daily? And does Brenda and Yoli’s friend Ivonne (Karen Rodriguez) know more than she is saying?

Gomez’s script jumps around in time: the days, weeks and years before and after Brenda vanishes. The effect is appropriately jarring: one moment Yoli has a typical teenage daughter, who may work full-time for low wages but still giggles about boys and anguishes over what top to wear, and the next moment, she’s all alone with only her thoughts and the mother of another missing girl. Where, exactly, do the mothers go from here? What about the women who’ve made it home safely another night, with another bullet dodged? And most importantly, what is it going to take for the disappearances to stop? There are no easy answers, and Gomez deftly illustrates this down to the syllable. At times, La Ruta takes the feeling of a dark musical, thanks to the presence of chanteuse Desamaya (Laura Crotte), who appears as a one-woman Greek chorus with songs of mourning and uprising.

Marquez’s flawless direction takes care with the big and small moments in every character’s life, from bonding over mascara on bathroom breaks to pleading with passersby to take a flier with a teenage girl’s photo on it and report back if they know something. Anything. The women move with choreographed precision in the factories, and fly at each other in fits of devastating passion in front of a makeshift graveyard of pink crosses (props to Gaby Labotka for her stunning fight direction). Rasean Davonte Johnson‘s projection design, dominated by real-life photos of missing women, makes for haunting imagery.

Seeing eight Latinx actors onstage together is phenomenal all on its own, but La Ruta‘s cast is particularly gifted, bringing Gomez’s words to life with meticulous thought. Delgado proves once again that she can play any character, from a pissed-off girlfriend in The Motherf*cker with the Hat to a glamorous songstress in La Havana Madrid to La Ruta‘s grieving mother Yoli, with a grace that’s almost otherworldly. Alvarez is incredibly believable as gawky teen Brenda, who gleefully drops out of school and dives headfirst into an adult world she just knows she can handle. But Rodriguez is the true star. The original performer of the way she spoke and now a Steppenwolf ensemble member, she gives Ivonne a grave empathy throughout the character’s dubious choices and all-out calculation. Her charisma is magnetic, her presence stubborn and unapologetic, and if Steppenwolf decides to cast her in every production from here on out, that would be just fine with me. Overall, La Ruta is a brutal and difficult but supremely rewarding take on a little-known but incredibly important story. Just make time for self-care after curtain call.

La Ruta continues through January 27th at Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted (map), with performances Tuesdays at 7:30pm, Wednesdays 2pm & 7:30pm, Thursdays-Fridays 7:30pm, Saturdays 3pm & 7:30pm, Sundays 3pm. Tickets are $20-$89, and are available by phone (312-335-1650) or online through their website (check for availability of half-price tickets). More information at Steppenwolf.org. (Running time: 95 minutes without intermission)

Photos by Michael Brosilow

artists

cast

Karen Rodriguez (Ivonne), Charin Alvarez (Marisela), Cher Alvarez (Brenda), Laura Crotte (Desamaya), Sandra Delgado (Yoli), Mari Marroquin (Zaide), Alice da Cunha (Woman of Juarez), Isabella Gerasole (Woman of Juarez), Alice da Cunha, Gabriella Diaz, Isabella Gerasole, Amanda Raquel Martinez (understudies)

behind the scenes

Sandra Marquez (director), Regina Garcia (scenic design), Christine Pascual (costume design), Mikhail Fiksel (sound design), Rasean Davonte Johnson (projection design), Zacbe Pichardo (musical direction), Andra Velis Simon (musical direction), Polly Hubbard (dramaturg), Gaby Labotka (fight choreographer), Christine Freeburg (stage manager), Amanda Landis (assistant stage manager), JC Clementz (casting director), Greta Honold, Patrick Zakem (artistic producers), Gigi Buffington (company voice and text coach), Michael Brosilow (photos)

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Tags: 18-1225, Alice da Cunha, Amanda Landis, Amanda Raquel Martinez, Andra Velis simon, Charin Alvarez, Cher Alvarez, Chicago Theater, Christine Freeburg, Christine Pascual, Gabriella Diaz, Gaby Labotka, Gigi Buffington, Greta Honold, Isaac Gomez, Isabella Gerasole, JC Clementz, Karen Rodriguez, Laura Crotte, Lauren Emily Whalen, Mari Marroquin, Michael Brosilow, Mikhail Fiksel, Patrick Zakem, Polly Hubbard, post, Rasean Davonte Johnson, Regina Garcia, Sandra Delgado, Sandra Marquez, Steppenwolf Theatre, Zacbe Pichardo

Category: 2018 Reviews, Drama, Lauren Emily Whalen, New Work, Steppenwolf, Video, World Premier, YouTube

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Review: Evil Dead the Musical (Black Button Eyes Productions)

Evil Dead the Musical

Book and Lyrics by George Reinblatt
Music by Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla,
Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt
at Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway (map)
thru Feb 16 | tix: $30 | more info

Check for half-price tickets

A bloody fun time, from first note to last splash of blood

Review by Lauren Emily Whalen

Parody is a tricky beast and requires appealing to two audiences: those who know the original material and those who don’t.

If last Sunday’s matinee of Evil Dead the Musical was any indication, this parody succeeds. Those familiar with the Sam Raimi cult horror movies guffawed at certain lines, but the general atmosphere was one of hilarity and delight, from the first note to the last splash of blood. (And there were many, many splashes of blood.) Though the musical’s score is a bit all over the place and the book is decidedly imperfect, Black Button Eyes Productions’ storefront revival is pure goofy, gory fun for the diehard fan to the completely unfamiliar.

Ash (Jordan Dell Harris) is a college student and proud employee of S-Mart, who needs a little break. He sets off with his girlfriend Linda (Kirby Gibson), buzzkill sister Cheryl (Caitlin Jackson), best friend Scott (Josh Kemper) and Scott’s bimbo girlfriend Shelly (Stevie Love) for a week of fun in an isolated cabin they’re going to break into. As the excited quintet trills in the opening number, what could possibly go wrong? But when the friends discover a cadre of weapons, a mysterious tome and evil trees that talk, spring break quickly turns…graphic.

George Reinblatt‘s book and lyrics are snarky and snappy, capturing the nutty camp of the films while successfully adapting them for the stage (also a challenge with parody shows). Evil Dead the Musical requires a strong sense of fun as well as a willingness to get dirty, for both cast and audience – one section of the Pride Arts Center Broadway space is christened the “splash zone”, with ponchos for the lucky audience members. You’ll see exactly why in the musical’s second act. Director Ed Rutherford has chosen the ideal place for the gritty reboot: the Broadway is only just bigger than a black box, with actors using every entrance and aisle, sometimes growling in the faces of willing spectators. Rutherford heightens the schlock with every opportunity, using the high energy of his cast to the fullest as they use axes and chainsaws, pop up from doors in the floor and (in the case of Love) rip off clothing to make outfits smaller and smaller. The result is hilariously, and deliberately, sloppy – exactly as Raimi and iconic star Bruce Campbell would want.

The only hiccups in this strong production lie in its writing. While Reinblatt’s book and lyrics are mostly spot-on, there are multiple contemporary references to The Bachelorette, Netflix and CSI: Miami. Though the Amazon Prime series Ash vs. Evil Dead premiered in 2015 and had three seasons, the first Evil Dead film came out in 1981, and the musical appears to be set in that universe. Though the references may seem inconsequential, they take the audience out of the moment – a lot. Only one lands: a winking reference to the Spider-Man films and director Sam Raimi. Also, though the musical’s score is enjoyable, it was penned by four different composers (including Reinblatt) and it shows: the songs are well-performed but lack overall cohesion.

Still, there’s a lot to love about Evil Dead the Musical, especially its ensemble. Harris perfectly embodies the very specific cadence and energy that made Bruce Campbell a cult hero and is adept at maneuvering a fake chainsaw as a hand. Love is perfectly ditzy as literal babe-in-the-woods Shelly and driven, intelligent Annie, whose unlucky father owns the stolen cabin. As Cheryl, the bookworm who’s the first casualty of the diabolical forest, Jackson turns in a bravura performance: rocking her powerful pipes and cracking nasty jokes with wide, crazy eyes. Evil Dead the Musical is spooky silliness at its finest, a must-see for those who like singing, dancing and plenty of stabbing.

Evil Dead: The Musical continues through February 16th at the Pride Arts Center, 4139 N. Broadway (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays 2pm. Tickets are $30, and are available by phone (800-838-3006) or online through BrownPaperTickets.com (check for availability of half-price tickets). More information at BlackButtonEyes.com. (Running time: 2 hours, includes an intermission)

Photos by Evan Hanover

artists

cast

Kirby Gibson (Linda), Jordan Dell Harris (Ash), Caitlin Jackson (Cheryl), Josh Kemper (Scott), David Lipschutz (Fake Shemp), Shane Roberie (Jake), Stevie Love (Shelly, Annie), Robert Quintanilla (Ed, Moose)

Understudies: David Lipschutz, Maiko Terazawa, Peter Ruger

band

Oliver Townsend (keyboard, synthesizer, conductor), Henry Altenberg (guitar), Cali Kasten (drums)

behind the scenes

Ed Rutherford (director), Oliver Townsend (music director), Derek Van Barham (choreographer), Jeremiah Barr (scenic, props and puppets design, technical director), Rachel Sypniewski (costume design), Liz Cooper (lighting design), Robert Hornbostel (sound design), Jon Beal (fight choreography, gore consultant), Kai Young (fight choreography), David Lipschutz (assistant director), Christopher Young (assistant choreographer), Melanie Thompson (assistant props design), Alexa Berkowitz (stage manager), Beth Weinstock (assistant stage manager), Evan Hanover (photos)

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Tags: 19-0117, Beth Weinstock, Black Button Eyes Productions, Caitlin Jackson, Cali Kasten, Chicago musical theater, Chicago Theater, Christopher Bond, Christopher Young, David Lipschutz, Derek Van Barham, Ed Rutherford, Evan Hanover, Frank Cipolla, George Reinblatt, Henry Altenberg, Jeremiah Barr, Jon Beal, Jordan Dell Harris, Josh Kemper, Kai Young, Kirby Gibson, Lauren Emily Whalen, Liz Cooper, Maiko Terazawa, Melanie Thompson. Alexa Berkowitz, Melissa Morris, musical theater, Oliver Townsend, Peter Ruger, post, Pride Arts Center, Rachel Sypniewski, Robert Hornbostel, Robert Quintanilla, Shane Roberie, Stevie Love

Category: 2019 Reviews, Black Button Eyes Productions, Musical, Parody, Pride Arts Center

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Chicago Bulls (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

Chicago Bears Free Agency: 4 players that require caution by Ryan Heckman

Chicago Blackhawks: Artemi Panarin returns to Chicago with NYR by Vincent Parise

The Chicago Bulls didn’t place a player in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, but no matter, as basketball fans everywhere ended up entertained.

While the Chicago Bulls sat at home or in the stands and watched with the rest of us, a fairly run-of-the-mill all-star game, which was light on defense, as usual, turned into the best vs. the best duking it out for charity in the fourth quarter.

Like many folks, I’ve often dismissed the NBA and NHL all-star games because of their lack of defense. That doesn’t mean I don’t understand it – teams, especially playoff contenders, don’t want their players getting hurt in an exhibition game; and the relaxed defense allows the most talented athletes to show off offensive moves/take shots that they couldn’t or wouldn’t in a regular-season contest. The problem is that the offensive fireworks get boring after a while.

This year, the scoring format was changed. Instead of normal scoring, the score would reset after each quarter. However, the cumulative score would still be tallied. Then, 24 points would be added to the lead team’s score as a target number, and the game clock would be turned off, although the shot clock would remain in effect. Whichever team reached the target first would be the winner.

The number 24 was chosen in honor of the late Kobe Bryant, who along with his daughter Gianna and several others, perished in a helicopter crash in January. The fourth quarter would also run commercial-free.

So, as the NBA said in a press release, if, for example, the cumulative score was 100-95 entering the fourth, the target would be 124, and the team that had 100 points would need just 24 points to win, while the trailing team would need 29.

The 2020 NBA All-Star Game had a target of 157 points.

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Team LeBron and Team Giannis – the teams were selected by LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo – switched gears from a game of dunks and lightly contested shots to one of actual defense in the fourth. Players started showing the same intensity of a regular-season game, and actually expressed anger at foul calls. Yes, there were suddenly foul calls in an all-star game.

It came down to an Anthony Davis free-throw, which he sunk to give Team LeBron a 157-155 victory. But the real winner was the NBA – the new format gave viewers a reason to stick around for the fourth quarter, instead of bailing as soon as they were tired of the dunks.

While it’s not a given that the new format will provide this type of drama every year, it’s probably more likely that teams will have to slug it out, creating a chance for fans to watch what happens when the league’s best players are actually trying, as opposed to running what’s essentially a lay-up line.

Yes, if one team has a huge lead in cumulative scoring after three quarters, the drama will be sucked out a bit. For example – a 120-90 score would take the edge off, as it’s likelier that the team with 120 points is getting to 144 quicker than the one that would need 54 before the other guys scored 24.

And even a tied game could go sideways if one team got on a quick run.

Still, there’s more chance for drama than not. And tacking the target onto the lead score gives both teams an incentive to work to keep it close through three. Certainly just asking teams to be the first to 24 would be silly, since it would make the first three quarters irrelevant.

Next: Jimmy Butler open to a return?

Chicago has seen great basketball over the years, and not just from the Bulls. The 1988 NBA All-Star Game is still remembered for its dunk contest. So it’s fitting that over 30 years later, the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, taking place just across the street, created memories of its own.

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CHICAGO, IL – MARCH 19: Fans cheer as Artemi Panarin #72 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates a third period goal against the Colorado Avalanche at the United Center on March 19, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Avalanche 6-3. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

2020 NBA All Star Game: Chicago was sweet home for new format by Tim Healey

Chicago Bears: New playoff format would really help team by Vincent Parise

The Chicago Blackhawks are welcoming in an old friend as Artemi Panarin makes his first return to the United Center as a member of the New York Rangers.

The Chicago Blackhawks traded Artemi Panarin to the Columbus Blue Jackets a few seasons ago now. They got back Brandon Saad in return and Saad is a very good player. He is, however, not as good as Panarin and it really isn’t even close. Panarin has developed into one of the very best players in the NHL since his departure from Chicago. Anybody who thought Panarin was only good because of Kane looks very wrong now.

He has returned to United Center as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets but this will be his first time as a member of the New York Rangers where he signed a lucrative deal over this past summer. He is so far, worth every penny of his 11.6 million dollar cap hit. If the Rangers were a little bit closer to playoff contention, Panarin would be in the conversation for the Hart Trophy.

With that said, there is still a hockey game to be played. The Blackhawks are finally back at home after a five-game Western Canadian road trip where they were awful. Their 1-4 run out west has made the playoffs look very bleak. This might be their last chance for management to see a reason not to be complete sellers this trade deadline.

The Rangers have a lot of great players having good years outside of Panarin. They are probably not going to the playoffs, but they have an extremely bright future ahead of them. With forwards like Mika Zibanejad, Ryan Strome, and Chris Kreider to help Panarin, there is no doubt they can score some goals. They also have a great defense with guys like Jacob Trouba, Adam Fox, and Brady Skjei. Their goaltending is also a solid group, as they use three goalies on their roster which is a bit unusual.

Related Story: Trade ideas for Chicago and Edmonton

As a nationally televised game, it is important for Chicago to get off to a good start in this one. If the players want to make one last showcase to the management team before some big decisions are made, this is the time to do it. It won’t be easy against a pesky team like the Rangers.

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Chicago Bears (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Chicago Blackhawks: Artemi Panarin returns to Chicago with NYR by Vincent Parise

Chicago Bears: 3 players worthy of trading 2nd Round pick by Ryan Heckman

If the NFL is actually changing the playoff format starting in 2020, the Chicago Bears would really benefit from the change.

The Chicago Bears went 8-8 in an incredibly disappointing season that had Super Bowl or bust expectations going into it. They were one of the first teams out of the playoffs in 2019 with their .500 schedule. They need many improvements to their team, but the NFL might have just given them another boost that could really help them get in the 2020-21 NFL Playoffs.

ESPN’s top football insider, Adam Schefter, is reporting that the new proposed CBA has there being seven teams making the playoffs from each conference. He is reporting that this would go into effect this upcoming season. It would have each conference with one team on a bye week. The new CBA would still need to be approved over the next few weeks.

This structure would certainly keep the Bears in the race a lot longer next season. They still need to iron out the quarterback situation, the offensive line, and a tight end. With that said, having an extra team from the NFC in the playoffs would significantly increase their chances in 2020. If the structure was that way in 2019, the Los Angeles Rams would have been the seventh team and the Bears would have been the first team out.

That means that if they make some of those needed moves, they could absolutely be in the playoffs in 2020. It would at the very least, give the Bears a chance to be in the race all the way through to the end of the season. It would also make it much more entertaining for pretty much every team in the NFL as more teams would be in the race longer.

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This move would expand the regular season to 17 games per team while shortening the preseason to three games. That is another interesting note to consider when evaluating how the Bears will be in 2020. Either way, adding a playoff team would increase the Bears’ chances of being in the playoffs for the foreseeable future.

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Chicago Bears: New playoff format would really help team by Vincent Parise

Chicago Bears News: Insider suggests nightmare scenario at QB position by Patrick Sheldon

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Chicago Bears (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Without a pick in the first or third round this year, would the Chicago Bears even entertain trading one of their second-rounders?

Before you laugh or look away, let’s get real honest with ourselves. We do remember who the general manager of the Chicago Bears is, right?

Ryan Pace is notorious for making deals, especially come draft day. He can’t get enough of them, and funny enough, some of the big ones have involved second-round picks. Just look at a couple of the notable trades Pace has pulled off.

In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bears traded up to select Anthony Miller at pick no. 51 in the second round. Chicago sent the New England Patriots their 2019 second-round pick to go along with the 105th pick in the 2018 draft.

Then, later in 2018, it was the blockbuster deal for Khalil Mack which had fans in a joyful ruckus. In that deal, Pace managed to net an extra second-round pick which saw Chicago trade two first-round picks to Oakland along with a couple other pick exchanges.

Somehow, some way, I think Pace strikes a deal once again this year. I wouldn’t be shocked, in the least, if the Bears traded one of their second-round picks.

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I understand the pushback on this. The Bears hardly have any cap room and don’t possess draft picks in two of the first three rounds. I get it. But, I also understand that Pace is a risk-taking general manager.

So, if the Bears end up dealing one of their second-round picks (and maybe more), which players or prospects would be worth it? Off the top of my head, there are three key names which come to mind.

Next: Player No. 1

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Chicago Bears (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Chicago Bears: 3 players worthy of trading 2nd Round pick by Ryan Heckman

Chicago Blackhawks: Trade scenarios and consequences for both goalies by Vincent Parise

According to one Chicago Bears insider, don’t expect big changes at the quarterback position.

The debate over the state of the quarterback position for the Chicago Bears continues to rage on over social media. Each day there are Twitter sparring matches between the “Trubisky Truthers,” and the “Trubisky Haters.” Even those who simply demand more from the quarterback position and want the team to bring in a legitimate option to both challenge Mitchell Trubisky and potentially win the starting role, are labeled “haters.”

In short, the battle rages on, and according to one Bears insider, it does not appear the latter two groups are going to get their wish. However, if you are a fan of Trubisky and still believe he can be a star quarterback in this league, then I have some good news for you. Regardless of how you feel about Trubisky, Biggs outlines what is, in my opinion, the worst-case scenario for the Bears.

On the most recent Bear Download podcast, Chicago Tribune member and Bears’ beat reporter Brad Biggs spoke about what he believes Ryan Pace will do to address the position. Biggs, who is one of the most connected Bears insiders out there had some very interesting thoughts. Now, he did not tie these comments to anything specific he heard, but because of how connected he is, anytime he renders an opinion, fans should take notice.

Biggs said he believed there were a number of fans who are of the belief that the Bears are going to “reboot” the quarterback position this offseason. However, Biggs stated he does not think that is going to happen, adding “I think they’re committed to holding on to hope that Mitch Trubisky can become and evolve and improve and rise to the level of that franchise quarterback.”

If the team isn’t going to bring in a front-line starter to challenge or supplant Mitch, how will they address the position? Biggs thinks they will look to add someone who has a lot of experience playing games, to serve in a true backup role. Because that type of scenario will not be appealing to many of the free-agent quarterbacks, Biggs thinks the Bears may need to ultimately trade for a backup quarterback.

So let me get this straight: 1.) the Bears are not going to bring in legitimate competition, 2.) they are going to risk squandering what little is left on their Super Bowl window, and 3.) they are going to use some of their very limited draft capital to acquire a quarterback to strictly serve as a backup?

Next: Bears should proceed with caution on these FAs

That sounds like the worst possible scenario for the Bears, but also one that is very possible because — well — they’re the Bears, and nothing surprises me anymore with this franchise.

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Chicago Bears News: Insider suggests nightmare scenario at QB position by Patrick Sheldon

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The Chicago Blackhawks are likely not going to the playoffs. They would be smart to trade both goalies for some future assets.

The Chicago Blackhawks are, in all likelihood, not going to the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. It is going to be the third year in a row without a playoff appearance despite some of the best play from the organization’s top players. It is not a good look for this team to be out with this level of talent and they need to do something about it soon. It is time to move on and get some future assets.

The thing is, both goalies on the team are on expiring contracts. Robin Lehner and Corey Crawford have been awesome this year for the Chicago Blackhawks but the rest of the team outside of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Brandon Saad, and Dominik Kubalik have not been good enough. It would be wise to move both goalies for the Blackhawks because they would be able to get a pretty good return on both of them from teams that need a goalie headed into the playoffs.

With both of them on expiring contracts, it makes sense to get something out of both of them instead of losing them both for nothing. These are two goalies that certain teams might pay a decent price to acquire at the deadline. There are also some good goaltenders that will be on the market in the summer via free agency for the Hawks to try and sign. There is also a chance that they try to bring back one of these two once free agency hits.

Each goalie would bring something different to whichever team acquired him. It would also prove to have some consequence for the Blackhawks for the rest of this season and beyond. It is a shame that it has come to this after having some home a few weeks ago, but this is what it is.

Next: Corey Crawford

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