Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Stage Door Jonny
by JONATHAN ABARBANEL
2005-05-25

This article shared 2049 times since Wed May 25, 2005
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Well, my dears, the national touring company of Wicked has opened at the Ford Center/Oriental Theatre and—oh, my—what a witches' brouhaha! Why, it's enough to make one turn absolutely green.

The critical response was mixed, very mixed, decidedly mixed, and none more so than dear Hedy Weiss—she of the flowing auburn tresses—in the Chicago Sun-Times. She didn't like Wicked at all! So along comes the show's director, the notable Tony Award winner, Joe Mantello, and dashes off a Weiss-is-a-Wicked-Witch herself letter to the Sun-Times, which printed it, of course. Wisely, Ms. Weiss didn't respond in kind, although she would have won if she had. There's an old showbiz axiom: never get into a pissing match with a critic.

It does seem like a tempest in a teapot, doesn't it? After all, the New York reviews were decidedly mixed when Wicked opened on Broadway. But it survived both the not-so-hot notices and the bad notices to become a huge hit, win Tony Awards and develop devotees who have seen it multiple times. As the fastest-selling show in the history of Broadway in Chicago, Wicked would appear able to cast the same spell here, no matter what ANY print or broadcast critic has to say about it.

The present company of Wicked will play here through June 12 and then click their ruby slippers and transport to Los Angeles, the next stop on the tour. But they will leave all the scenery behind at the Oriental, to be taken over by a brand-new Wicked company organized specifically for Chicago, and planning on running here for several YEARS. That company will be composed mainly of Chicago performers, among them Gene Weygandt as the Wizard and Steppenwolf bombshell Rondi Reed as Madame Morrible, with Northwestern graduate Ana Gasteyer as Elphaba. The Chicago company begins previews June 24 and opens for the press July 13.

Now, Jonny may have made a terrible error in judgment—after all, Jonny is infallible only in matters of faith, and the Pope gets it wrong almost every time—but Jonny decided Windy City Times readers would rather read a review of the permanent Chicago company than the touring gypsies, vagabonds, minstrels and munchkins currently in town. Let Los Angeles have them, Jonny declares! If you care to see one of them perform, pick him up at the bars. They're sure to be wearing their very expensive Wicked show jackets.

You heard it here first: About Face Theatre and the Museum of Contemporary Art—the folks who brought you I Am My Own Wife—will team again next February to offer the world premiere of A Long Gay Book, a new musical with a text by Gertrude Stein and a score by Stephen Flaherty, composer of Ragtime and A Man of No Importance. Theatrical polymath and Santa Claus look-alike Frank Galati—director of Ragtime on Broadway—thought up the project, adapted the text and will direct. Galati and Flaherty workshopped A Long Gay Book last year at Northwestern University, where Galati is a professor of Performance Studies.

The League of Chicago Theatres has moved its Downtown flagship Hot Tix store. The new location is 72 E. Randolph, within the Chicago Tourism Center. The League promises it's bigger, better and more patron-friendly. Hot Tix, which sells over 100,000 tickets a year, will continue to offer both half-price day-of-show tickets, and full-price advance sale tickets. Keep in mind that you also can purchase tickets for all Ticketmaster events at Hot Tix, including theater, concerts and sporting events. Play Money gift certificates also are available.

Our community's very own improv and sketch comedy troupe, GayCo, was the hit of the recent Chicago Improv Festival with Weddings of Mass Destruction, the show ya' just can't kill with a stick. GayCo's first show sold out way ahead of time, so a second show was added to the April 29 schedule. Maybe next year the Festival organizers will book 'em in a venue larger than the Athenaeum Studio Theatre.

Today, May 25, is Jonny's birthday. Jonny is youthful—always—for whatever age Jonny happens to be. The proper gifts are French champagne and emeralds ( Jonny's birthstone ) . Both may be delivered care of this publication.


This article shared 2049 times since Wed May 25, 2005
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

THEATER 'Mamma Mia!' returns to Chicago with 'Daddyhunt' star Jim Newman
2024-04-24
"Who's your daddy?" That's the key plot question driving the global hit Mamma Mia! The global smash jukebox musical famously features the song hits of Swedish pop group ABBA, and it returns for a three-week run ...


Gay News

Local queer opera composer premiering her first show, a coming-of-age tale with LGBTQ+ themes
2024-04-23
A Lake View woman is debuting her first opera as a composer, a coming-of-age story with LGBTQ+ themes. Gillian Rae Perry, a fellow with the Chicago Opera Theater's Vanguard program for emerging artists, composed The Weight ...


Gay News

The importance of becoming Ernest: Out actor Christopher Sieber dishes about the Death Becomes Her musical
2024-04-20
Out and proud actor Christopher Sieber is part of the team bringing Death Becomes Her to life as a stage musical in the Windy City this spring. Sieber plays Ernest Menville, who was originally portrayed by ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Celine Dion, 'The People's Joker,' Billy Porter, Patti LuPone, 'Strange Way'
2024-04-19
I Am: Celine Dion will stream on Prime Video starting June 25, according to a press release. The film is described as follows: "Directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor, I Am: Celine Dion gives us ...


Gay News

Kokandy Productions now accepting submissions for Chicago Musical Theater Fest returning Aug. 8-11
2024-04-18
--From a press release - CHICAGO (April 18, 2024) — Kokandy Productions is pleased to open submissions for the 2024 Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, returning this summer following a four-year hiatus. Kokandy is thrilled to ...


Gay News

THEATER Blue in the Right Way's 'Women Beware Women' offers feminist, trans take on a troubling Jacobean tragedy
2024-04-18
"Problematic" is a great go-to adjective to describe Women Beware Women. This 1621 Jacobean tragedy is by English playwright Thomas Middleton, who is probably best remembered as a collaborator with William Shakespeare on their pessimistic tragedy ...


Gay News

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago announces programs for May 17-19 season finale
2024-04-17
--From a press release - CHICAGO — Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) announced program selections for Spring Series: Of Joy, the final installment of Season 46, Abundance. The engagement will include four unique works, once ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ film fest Queer Expression to feature Alexandra Billings in 'Queen Tut'
2024-04-12
--From a press release - CHICAGO — Pride Film Fest celebrates its second decade with a new name—QUEER EXPRESSION—and has announced its slate of LGBTQ+-themed feature, mid-length and short films for in-person and virtual events in April and May. QUEER EXPRESSI ...


Gay News

Open Space Arts's COCK offers a complex but compelling take on relationships
2024-04-08
By Brian Kirst - Premiering in 2009, Mike Bartlett's COCK was a comic revelation, exploring notions about fluidity and sexual labelling long before they became commonplace discussions. Granted, conversations about these issues will always ...


Gay News

Jeff Awards launches submission period for Impact Awards
2024-04-06
The Jeff Awards announced the opening period for applications submissions for its 2024 honors to help inspire early career artists of color in the Greater Chicagoland area. Two recipients will be selected for awards of $10,000 ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Outfest, Chita Rivera, figure skaters, letter, playwright dies
2024-04-05
For more than four decades, Outfest has been telling LGBTQ+ stories through the thousands of films screened during its annual Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival—but that event may have a different look this year because ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Dionne Warwick, OUTshine, Ariana DeBose, 'Showgirls,' 'Harlem'
2024-03-29
Video below - Iconic singer Dionne Warwick was honored for her decades-long advocacy work for people living with HIV/AIDS at a star-studded amfAR fundraising gala in Palm Beach, per the Palm Beach Daily News. Warwick received the "Award of ...


Gay News

WORLD Israel court, conversion therapy, death sentences, Georgia bill, fashion items
2024-03-29
Israel's Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Population Authority must register female couples as mothers on the birth certificates of their children they have together, The Washington Blade reported. The decision was made following a petition ...


Gay News

City Lit Executive Artistic Director Brian Pastor talks theater, comics, queerness
2024-03-26
City Lit Theater has announced its programming for the 2024-25 season—which will be the company's 44th. It will also be the first season to be programmed under the leadership of Brian Pastor (they/them), who will assume ...


Gay News

The Jeff Awards announces the 50th anniversary awards for non-equity theater
2024-03-26
--From a press release - A complete list of recipients can also be found online in the Non-Equity and News and Events sections at www.jeffawards.org. (March 25, 2024 - Chicago) — Celebrating its 50th anniversary awarding recognition for Non-Equity theater, the ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor
Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.