The Reviews Are In

The reviews for The Iliad are coming in, and they're good.  The show is "Highly Recommended" by Hedy Weiss at the Chicago Sun-Times, who wrote that the actors "impress with the ferocity of their emotions, the sureness of their intellectual attack and the force and clarity of their diction" and that the show is a "highly unusual but rewarding take on a story that bares the truth about how ego, envy and the sheer addiction to war can result in unbridled savagery."  (Full review here)  The Chicago Tribune also gave it a great review, calling it "a most remarkable theatrical experience," and adding "Wright has given these girls quite a gift. But while many people are understandably reluctant to watch children — or, at least, children to whom they have no relation — this one offers glory on all sides." (Full review here)  The Chicago Critic review is also good, claiming "The girls DID make the Trojan Wars come to life. Amazing!"  It also includes some great photos from the the performance.

And in another news, last night The Inconvenience took over A Red Orchid's theater space for their Fresh Mean Reading Series.  The play, "The Triple Dog Dare of King Pluto the Dark," was written by Aaron Weissman, and performed by five talented actors, including Walter Briggs, who was seen recently in A Red Orchid's The Louis Slotin Sonata.  The Fresh Meat Reading Series continues on Dec. 8, and more information can be found on their website.  This was my first time seeing this group, and I have to say, they have a great energy.  Before the show, the audience buzzed with chatter.  The opening acts were firery.  And the reading was funny, heart-felt, and immensely entertaining.  How refreshing to see a group of performers doing what they love, simply because they love doing it.

Two openings this weekend

The Iliad opens tomorrow, with two previews this weekend, and tickets ($15) are still available for both shows.  Monday's press opening is still sold out, and Sunday's performance is for the families of the performers.  The show begins its regular run on the 18th, with performances at 8 pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and the 3 pm matinee on Sundays.

Because this is a Youth Ensemble production, and because we kept getting asked about it, we've decided to schedule some matinees during the week, especially for school groups who want to come see the show.  Tickets for those matinees have to be booked in blocks, and if you know anyone who might be interested, tell them to call us and we'll answer all their questions.  And while we're on the topic, keep in mind that we offer summer classes through the Red OrKids program, and we can tell you about those, too. 

In other Ensemble news, the New York production of Mistakes Were Made is set to open on Sunday.  So  that's two plays opening this weekend for ensemble member and playwright Craig Wright.  I haven't seen any reviews for the New York production, yet, but the NYT has the play listed in their theatre section here, with all the ticketing information and such.  There's also this piece, with one of the strangest pictures of Mike Shannon I've seen in a while. 

The Iliad at A Red Orchid

The previews for The Iliad are just over a week away (November 12 and 13), the press opening has sold out (November 15), and we're already getting some great buzz about the show.  TimeOut Chicago ran this piece, with a great shot of the actors at rehersal: 

Also, the poster is pretty great, too: