Margaret (Mariann Mayberry), a local from working-class South Boston, loses her job at the dollar store and reaches out to ex-flame and successful doctor Mike (Keith Kupferer) for help getting another. The result is topical class comment that discredits the “we built this” air of Republican entitlement.
David Lindsay-Abaire’s smart script refuses to surrender to stereotypes and forces the audience to question who to root for. He avoids characterization to accurately dramatize grinding poverty and the condescension of good intention. Director K. Todd Freeman stays on top of the energy and the pacing, while Walt Spangler’s set visually details life with and without money.
Mayberry, Lusia Strus and Molly Regan as Margaret’s friend and landlady, capture the perseverance, unfailing good humor and necessary meanness that accompanies a life lived “at risk.” It’s a poignant look at money and choices, and how the lack of one corrupts or limits the other. (Lisa Buscani)
Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 North Halsted, (312)335-1650. Through November 11. (Half-Priced Tickets)
When Mad Men Ruled the Airwaves: A Review of "Good Night, Oscar" at the Goodman Theatre Doug Wright's brilliant new play, "Good Night, Oscar," in its hilarious and heartbreaking world-premiere production at the Goodman Theatre, is set in 1958. It's more than twenty years since Gershwin's tragic death at the age of thirty-seven, but his ghost still haunts Levant.
Let’s See Together: A Review of "Choir Boy" at Steppenwolf Theatre Among other compelling reasons to see "Choir Boy" is the power and musicianship on songs sung by the young men who play the students in the choir at the Black, Christian Charles R. Drew School for Boys.
Buggin’ Out: A Review of Bug at Steppenwolf Theatre The audience is the fly on the wall of a dingy Oklahoma hotel room where Agnes White is taking refuge from her recently released, abusive ex-husband Jerry.
Players 2022: The Fifty People Who Really Perform for Chicago In the return of the Players 50 list, we tried to honor those who came back, who've already been putting shows on stages, while crossing our fingers that those we've not heard from are just around the corner.
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