Old Town is Strawdog Theatre's new musical that explores the leadership dynasties and the sometimes shady political doings in Chicago, that town famously known as 'The City that Works.' So it's a disappointment that playwright/lyricist Brett Neveu and composer Mikhail Fiksel's writing for Old Town doesn't live up to that Windy City motto.
____________Playwright: Brett Neveu;
composer: Mikhail Fiksel
At: Strawdog Theatre, 3829 N. Broadway
Phone: 773-528-9696; $15-$20
Through May 31
Photo by Don Cardiff
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Instead of just focusing on one family like the Daleys, Strogers or Madigans, Old Town is an agglomeration in the fictional political Weltz clan. Cook County Board President Jerry Weltz is up for re-election, and he's behind in the election-night polls.
Neveu and Fiksel opt to have Weltz absent at the election-night party, and instead look at his troubled family, hovering political operatives and the media looking for cracks to exploit in the family's façade. That's a lot of choice material, but Neveu and Fiksel fail at shaping it all into that notoriously difficult form of a musical.
Neveu is great at the snappy political dialogue, less so with his so-so and convoluted lyrics. For my taste, there are far too many individual moping expositional songs. By the time we get to the minor character of alcoholic Weltz son, Scotty ( Christopher Hainsworth ) , it's too much.
Far better are production numbers that use musical and dance forms to comment on the political game. The tango becomes a contentious interview between TV reporter Karen Mosher ( Shannon Hoag ) and Weltz wife Liz ( Anne Sheridan Smith ) which is lively with Eilleen Mallary's choreography. So is the 'Politics as Usual' number with harmonizing lobbyists and contractors ( Tom Hickey, Danny Taylor, John Moran, Damian Vanore ) swarming around County Clerk Cindy Weltz ( Kat McDonnell ) .
Otherwise, Old Town frequently feels as rudderless in direction as the cast members playing campaign supporters who meander around throughout the show.
If the material isn't the greatest, the entire Strawdog ensemble acts the hell out of it under Kyle Hamman's direction. They may not be great singers ( which is apparent when trained singer Smith belts out a powerful speech ) , but they all can hold a tune and sell the text.
McDonnell is a great example. Even if the metaphors in the lyrics of her unhappy song are baffling, she gets the point across with plenty of waterworks and pained body language. She pairs greatly with John Ferrick who plays the campaign manager Daniel Deering who isn't the greatest at hiding his love for her.
Another thing to admire is the hulking set of Mike Smallwood that incorporates uniquely Chicagoan structures throughout. The live score performed by the Denizens also sounds polished ( if a bit too loud at times when paired with these actor-singers ) .
As a musical, Old Town doesn't work. But at least there is enough talented potential throughout to encourage candidates Neveu and Fiksel to run again.