Monday, March 31, 2014

Theater Review: The Jewels/TUTA Theatre

 Another review for Newcity Stage:
Layne Manzer (center)/Photo: Anthony La Penna
Layne Manzer (center)/Photo: Anthony La Penna
Guy De Maupassant’s short story on the jewels of one Monsieur Lantin succeeds largely on its thrifty pacing and its economy of detail… TUTA Theatre’s adaptation “The Jewels” draws Maupassant’s tidy tale of role reversal and sullied ideals out to an hour and a half…
( read full review here )

Saturday, March 29, 2014

It was there that i erred

It was there that I erred
For it was there I encountered a maiden of willows
I grew fangs and claws for her amusement
I turned to plutonium once to rush off the guests
But I forgot that I had an appointment to keep
Please accept my apologies and on behalf of the company I'd like to offer you this receipt for the delay

had an hallucination about Elizabeth Moss

I had an hallucination about Elizabeth Moss
I blame New York magazine

I have a fantasy about democracy
I blame the Statue of Liberty

I have a new song for you all to sing
It goes like this tomorrow

Thursday, March 27, 2014

CDs for sale

CEDs for sale. A Live action film. VHS version available on laserdisc. Another world it seemed and it is. Another World, the series.
For ever new viewer a Cadillac again
For ever new year some points.

Over in the garden precinct there was a crime. The soulful hero came by the scene of it. He lent outta hand.
In the thistle grove there was a dungeon. They taught cookie classes down there.
The weddings for Wednesday had to be changed to flex days, schedule permitting.
Non profit churches started professional sports teams and now tax us.
The winter, hello.

The Winter: Hello.
Hello said: I.

And then there arête the drifters, and here the drifting letters combine.

All hands on the screen now together.

Friday, March 21, 2014

As if our fruit

As if our fruit
had never had pits
We sat upon the
Verdant hillside.

"This is ours
This is ours"
We sang
We sang
Now sing it with
Us and make it
All true

I decided to rinse

I decided to rinse out my deodorant
I mean I don't use it much

I'll dust off my
troubles next

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Theater Feature: 2nd Annual Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival at Stage 773

Plan 9 Burlesque
Plan 9 Burlesque

 A feature for Newcity Stage:

Back in the cathode ray days of my pre-HD childhood, when my father bemoaned my obscure taste in comic books (“What are the X-Men? Why can’t you like something popular like Spider-Man, so I can buy you something?!?”) it wasn’t just uncool to have geeky tastes, it was downright inconvenient… 
( read full feature here )
Improvised Star Trek
Improvised Star Trek
MRS
MRS

Monday, March 17, 2014

Theater Review: Ghost Bike (Buzz22 Chicago at Greenhouse Theater Center)

Buzz22 Ghost Bike Photo 2
 Another review for Newcity Stage:

The teen besties of “Ghost Bike” face a fearsome transition: Ora (Aurora Adachi-Winter) is bound for college out of state, while her pal Eddie (Ricky Staffieri) is remaining in the town of Chicago—every corner of which they have fallen in love with during their nonstop cycling. Yet it turns out Eddie is the one who departs first, and forever, dying in a cycling accident after the pair have an Independence Day falling out over their differing plans… 
( read full review here )

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

The weather doesn't apologize

The weather doesn't apologize
for talking about you.

The weather doesn't at all.

The jazz on the radio
is pop. Stars singing a hit together.
It reminds me I'll die.

I don't like seeing
children on leashes

I'm just trying to drink my coffee.

There's something inside of your purse

There's something inside of your purse.
Do you hear it?
Listen we'll just
take the purse outside
and wait for the authorities.
Oh that's
your ringtone.

"Oh, That's Your Ringtone" episode one
Next week:
Put down the weapon and place your hands on another plane. Transportational. Such
Revelations. Oh that's
your ringtone.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Theater Review: The Earliest Known Photo of Men Drinking Beer (Drinking & Writing at The Neo-Futurist Theater)

Sean Benjamin, Kevin Alves, Carolyn Shoemaker-Benjamin, Steve Mosqueda/Photo: Gosia Matuszewska
Sean Benjamin, Kevin Alves, Carolyn Shoemaker-Benjamin, Steve Mosqueda/Photo: Gosia Matuszewska
 Another review for Newcity Stage:

RECOMMENDED

Self-referential by design, “The Earliest Known Photo of Men Drinking Beer” tries to say in thousands of words seemingly everything the titular photograph brought to the mind of the playwright… ( read full review here )

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Theater Review: The Planetary Defense Force in: Crisis on Planet Earth (The Public House Theatre)

TPDF Press Pic Another review for Newcity Stage:

“The Planetary Defense Force in: Crisis on Planet Earth!” provides the slimmest of sci-fi narrative trappings within which to showcase an evening of the casually costumed cast challenging select audience members…
( read full review here )

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Sloganeering of Death

Sloganeering of Death
80 act play now

Private Vet: how am I still a private, even now?

Vegetal General: now!

There is still a town square. She is 32. He is 31. Together they become 15.

(voiceover,  amateurish): the news eludes us.

It was then, eluded by the news, society put a stop to the day's aggression. The
Famine was on!

"Oh, hunger, oh feet! To part with one we must part with the other!"
{The Head Said This}
{Bump . But From The Belly Were Rumblings}
{and from the soul; and from the soul}

In final conclusion orgasm nostalgia afflicted the whole.

In taut summation we came to an agreement of sorts:
Get back to us later.

(no that wasn't it; are we alone now? here's what it is [now turn the page)]

Monday, March 3, 2014

Theater Review: Asskicking Amazons (Chicago Mammals at Zoo Studios)

image_20140203152823571 
Another review for Newcity Stage:

Asskicking Amazons attempts to be many things. Unfortunately it attempts them in generally heavy-handed fashion… 

( read full review here )

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Theater Review: Period Piece (The Playground Theater)

 Another review for Newcity Stage:
IMG_1_Press Option 
RECOMMENDED
…Our hero Tammy DuPont has placed about as many pharmacological, intellectual and emotional dams between her and her monthly magic as playwrights Jenni Lamb and Lisa Linke have placed slang menstruation terms into this frequently uproarious script…
( read full review here )