Category > Theatre
As is often the case, I entered the Krannert Center's Colwell Playhouse knowing next to nothing about what I was about to see. If I'd read more about this particular play, I'd probably not have attended. Christopher Durang's "A History of the American Film" is a parody of the classic 1930s–1940s musicals and films that the WWII Generation enjoyed. Good Girl Loretta falls in love with Jimmy the Gangster, and through their adventures we're treated to an historical account of …
| "I bet you're worried. We were worried. We were worried about vaginas." The opening lines of The Vagina Monologues still get my blood pumping. After performing the monologue "My Angry Vagina" in my college's version of the VMs back in my feminist activist heyday, I've tried to catch a performance annually. While few moments can compare to the heart-pounding, palm-sweating, gender-celebrating exhilaration of sitting on a stool under a spotlight reciting lines like, "I mean what's the deal — an …
The cynical edge of humor, it's been said, rests on mortality. Slip on a banana peel; break your neck; get a few yuks. Station Theatre's staging of Lee Blessing's fairly recent drama, A Body of Water, wedges existential crisis in there along with memory lapse, deception, and willful forgetting. The execution recalls some of the works of English playwright Harold Pinter in its inclusion of odd characters forced, by proximity, circumstance or fate, into confining, absurd situations. Also like Pinter, …
I knew I’d enjoy Killer Joe when I received the warning letter from Krannert. “This play contains violence, sexual themes, nudity, and graphic language,” it cautioned. Well! Anything that advises parental discretion, is something I’m sure to enjoy. And I figured that if I could get through “Buried Child” with no nightmares, this one shouldn’t be too disturbing. It doesn’t get much darker than dead babies buried under the corn, right? Tracy Letts’ 1993 play, “Killer Joe” is, indeed, dark. …
How many times can you watch a woman attempt to commit suicide -- even if it's part of the dark humor of a play -- before it becomes just too much? As in, too many stabs at the same joke and too slow in the delivery of said jokes? In Station Theatre's opening night performance of Absurd Person Singular, both of these comedic problems were present.
While it might be too early to start thinking about Santa Claus and decorated evergreens, Urbana's Station Theatre is finishing its summer season with a play that takes place during Christmastime. On July 23, the Station will begin its run of Absurd Person Singular, a dark, but silly comedy about subverting the social status quo; and, unique to this production, Station's veteran actress, Joi Hoffsommer, will be making her directorial debut.
Singing plants, dancing monkeys and marching elephants brought the jungle to Champaign-Urbana during Champaign Park District's Youth Theatre production of Disney's The Jungle Book Kids. The 30-person cast of children between the ages of 7 and 10 put on three performances of The Jungle Book Kids last week under the direction of Sarah Malone, CPD's Youth Theatre program manager. The show was a 50-minute stage adaptation of the Disney film, replete with all the movie's characters and songs, with some …
Red pleather g-strings, pelvic thrusts and naked dudes make this show a rollicking delight for audience members of both the male and female variety; but, the characters in The Full Monty make for a thoughtful exploration of men and their relationships with themselves, each other and with their significant others.
When The Full Monty hit the silver screen in 1997, audiences laughed their asses off around the globe - and the critics did too, with the Academy Awards giving it four noms (including Best Picture). It even won the Oscar for best original music score, against that year's show stealer, Titanic. In 2000, a musical based on the movie graced the Great White Way, and now that show is here on our own Broadway Avenue. So get ready to see …
I was lucky enough to catch a performance of Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things performed by the Penny Dreadful Players this past week. The play itself could be called a “black comedy,” though “black hole comedy” would possibly be a better description. It’s certainly funny and intriguing as you circle the inner mass of the thing; but once you approach the event horizon you might find yourself mighty disturbed by what you find within. Unsettling or not, though I …
Most Recent Arts Comments
It appears to me that your reviewer did all that could be expected: she paid her money, saw the play and conveyed her impressions. The review (on the whole, laudatory) may have been rushed, in a generous attempt to publicize the production while it was still available…
That settles it… Im going.
I didn’t know that the LED was created here. That’s awesome.
It’s a total shame this is only during working hours! It sounds great, but I’m one of those who can’t slip away very readily during the 9-to-5. Next time, a request: weekend events, please?
Nuts. Sorry I saw this, um, 15 minutes before CULitFest (my term!) begins. However, one deficit - no beer. SP.com 1, UIUC 0. In all seriousness, hope it goes well!
Good stuff as always! I like the theory Zelina presented…curious to see how it plays out with Sawyer, Jin/Sun, and Kate…
To get back to the show, if that’s allowed, we saw it last night. I know a lot about the films of the 30s and 40s and appreciated what Durang was trying to do, though some was pretty obvious and the ending was forced. A literal kitchen…
I had a great time reading around your post as I read it extensively. Gold Coins
Zeleni, I had the exact same theory only with the mysterious Man in Black/Smokie granting the wishes. MIB promised Sayid he could have anything in the world he wanted, which turned out to be Nadia. Although he does not necessarily “have” her, she has not died yet…
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Nate, No offers to crash but I was wondering if you’d ever considered publishing the plans to your trailer. You might make a dollar or two especially after you go solar! Let me know if you do it. Sincerely, Don
Not sure if it’s been mentioned here, but they’ll also be playing the Old Rock House in St. Louis on May 22
Interesting about who owns land in the path of the Olympian Drive extension. My comment was in response to ‘Tony C’s remarks about the I-74 expansion. Just who owns land in the 150 [BloomingtonRd]-I-74 corridor?? Because the corridor is zoned for future use as Commercial/Industrial, I am…
(happy face)
Wow, great article. I wish you the best in your endeavors and hope you have a nice trip.
Um. Yeah — check out that “General Disclaimer” at the bottom of the article, folks.
As an adoptee, I can empathize—although I’m not an international adoptee, and I apologize if I’m assuming too much on the nature of your adoption. You can feel what you feel, but don’t be too hard on yourself. When I started a search for my birth family,…
I highly doubt a single dish is vegan at Bombay. Most Indian dishes use Ghee(essentially clarrified butter) as the base fat. While I guess they could make some dishes with canola oil, I would for sure ask the exact ingredients before I consumed if you are following a vegan diet.
You’re right! Every runner, in my opinion, is a real runner.
Congratulations on the AG place! In all of your accomplishments, don’t forget what it was like to think a mile was an impossible distance. Getting to the six-mile point takes a lot of training and preparation to acclimate the mind and musculature to so much pounding. Your…
Sounds like it!
I heading out on my 9 miler before my 10 hour work day right now. Do I have what it takes?
Nice, killer work pretty man…the channeled, one sided collaborated rhyming poem. An oft forgot genre. The ruckus was felt even here in my living room, which is normally a safe haven from ruckus.
wait, I was commenting on the wrong thing - sorry - he’s actually a gigantic sellout but who really knows what all this is about.
If the democrats didn’t have Kucinich, and the republicans didn’t have Ron Paul, where would both these parties really stand? These men actually mean what they say.
Joel, thank you for the opportunity to answer these questions and have them posted here. I really appreciate it! Yes, I was thrilled to see that Rep. Kucinich flipped today, so he will has committed to voting yes for health reform. I appreciated his comments which seem…
It appears to me that your reviewer did all that could be expected: she paid her money, saw the play and conveyed her impressions. The review (on the whole, laudatory) may have been rushed, in a generous attempt to publicize the production while it was still available…
Dan Schreiber’s chocolate is simply the best I’ve ever had. It’s a whole different ball-game; closer to very high-end wine than anything out of Hershey PA.
That settles it… Im going.
Vosges is pretty decent chocolate, but you should definitely try the locally-produced chocolate from Dan Schreiber, available (regularly?) at Amara, Caffe Paradiso, and Common Ground. I believe it is or will be at other places soon.
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Nice, killer work pretty man…the channeled, one sided collaborated rhyming poem. An oft forgot genre. The ruckus was felt even here in my living room, which is normally a safe haven from ruckus.