CelloBello Celebrates Chamber Music – The Arts Club of Chicago – April 24, 2024

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I wanted to ask Katina Kleijn, one of the featured cellists (with Ken Olsen and Brant Taylor), what she thought about the name CelloBello, as opposed to, say, CelloBella or CellaBella, but I restrained myself. After all, I live for rhymes, and Cella translates to cell.

All the music was terrific, but, for me, the highlight of the first half of the program was, of course, the rendition of The Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy, featuring three cellos (celli?) and some wicked piano-playing by Craig Terry, whom I told afterward I hated because he was so good at what I yearned to master (I’m currently attempting Death Ray Boogie, which is just as scary as it sounds).

There also was a bit with an unlit cigarette dangling from Taylor’s mouth during part of his solo that you had to be there to appreciate.

Unlike many of these events, there was nothing that I would derogatorily classify as speechifying. The oratory was interesting and kept to a minimum, and there was cheese available at the back of the room all the while, just in case. Moreover, all the appetizers were excellent and the deserts did not escape my attention.

The second half was a rousing rendition of Mendelssohn’s Octet in E-flat major, Op. 20 performed by the Balourdet and Pacifica Quartets.

These eight musicians got more exercise during the piece than I ever did in a Pilates class. Some of the violinists were swaying, bobbing and weaving like a bunch of fans doing an energetic version of the wave at a football game. They were clearly having a great time, as was the audience. One of the viola players occasionally seemed to be imagining that he was using a ThighMaster.

The exercise regimen continued, especially for the cellists, as the group, at the end of the concert, all the while carrying their instruments, kept coming back for more deserved applause.

They may still be doing that, but I bolted (at least my version on two bad knees), grabbing brownies on the way out and being the first person to arrive at the coat check, a perfect ending to a wonderful evening.

Money Museum – Chicago Federal Reserve Bank – April 23, 2024

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First answer – yes the museum gives out samples. Really. But they’re of shredded bills and you’re only supposed to take one piece (though I don’t think anyone was watching).

And, you have to reach into a dark hole, ala something Indiana Jones might do, and though I doubted there were spiders or snakes guarding the paper (actually 75% cotton and 25% linen), I decided to forego the experience.

Second answer – “not a clue”, to the question of whether, after spending my whole life here, I had any idea that this museum existed (before yesterday).

Third answer – definitely worth the visit. I may have spent more time there than I did at the Louvre. And the Buy Bonds posters are worthy of any art gallery. I was particularly fascinated by the one featuring Joan of Arc (probably Jeanne D’Arc on any copies at Musée du Louvre).

I learned a lot about Military Payment Certificates used during the Viet Nam troop deployment, including how easy it apparently was to counterfeit them.

I leaned a lot about counterfeiting, not how to do it (darn), but how to spot it and the fact that, at the time of the U.S. Civil War (also, strictly speaking, not a war) almost one-third of all the U.S. currency in circulation was counterfeit (today only about .03%, but who uses cash anymore anyway, probably just counterfeiters).

To show how hip they are, the curators also have an area dedicated to the first Secretary of the Treasury (and Broadway star), Alexander Hamilton that included quotes from the musical.

There was plenty more, but perhaps the best thing was the Life Cycle of a Dollar section featuring a wonderful Rube Goldberg-type contraption that would look great in my living room.

 

 

A Night at Mr. Kelly’s Exhibit – The Newberry – April 16, 2024

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I’ve never read or seen The Accidental Tourist, but accidentally joined a tour of the A Night at Mr. Kelly’s exhibit at The Newberry (running through July 20) when I unknowingly burst into the back of a gathering just as the docent began her spiel.

I think the last time I did something like that was in Luxembourg City in the mid 1980’s when I had the good fortune to stumble upon the back of the pack of a group of American college students (not my status at the time) being shown around the walled city.

Alas, I remember nothing about Luxembourg City, other than the McDonald’s where I grabbed an orange juice. Nevertheless I’m sure that experience didn’t include stories about Barbra Streisand’s signature being forged for patrons because her hand got tired, the building burning down just as Lainie Kazan was about to sing Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and the audience being handed their checks as they fled the establishment. Also, where else can you see Lenny Bruce’s bar tab.

I saw Woody Allen at Mr. Kelly’s the night of my senior prom and the docent confirmed for me that such parties were accommodated, no fake IDs required. Woody is not mentioned in the exhibit, though, again, the docent confirmed that he appeared at the club several times and his lack of inclusion in the exhibit was not related to later accusations against him, the only person purposefully excluded being Bill Cosby.

The exhibit makes a point of the diversity in Mr. Kelly’s performers and audience members often not found at other clubs of its era, but, I might add, also not in today’s tour group.

Chicago Sings Broadway Pop II – House of Blues – April 15, 2024

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I wasn’t even at the venue yet and already was having a good time as I walked past the post office and saw the long line of last-minute tax filers, of whom I joyously was not a member, nervously double-checking their precious cargo with only 45 minutes before closing to get their valued postmarks.

The annual Porchlight Music Theatre spring event once again hit all the right notes and was an even better experience than last year’s first exploration of Broadway Pop.

The food, which was excellent, was easier to obtain this year, set out on a buffet table so that we didn’t have to huddle near the door to the kitchen to intercept staff as they emerged with trays of appetizers that were voraciously attacked and emptied within seconds. It also allowed for something other than finger food, which sounds cannibalistic. As a side note (like almost everything I write), we ate off bamboo plates, a first for me, for the full panda experience.

The performances were, as always, first rate. I’ll mention a few. Billy Rude, whom I last saw in Pump Boys and Dinettes, once again put his rock ’n’ roll talents on display with a rousing rendition of Johnny B. Goode, currently featured in the stage musical version of Back to the Future.

Nik Kmiecik also broke out his axe in Pinball Wizard (Tommy), a turn that only lacked a Pete Townsend-like demolition at the end, problem due to budget constraints and the fact that he needed it again later to lead the audience in a participatory rendition of Sweet Caroline (A Beautiful Noise), as is the custom with this classic, perhaps more so than with any tune outside the Star Spangled Banner.

The dancers made me dream of what it must be like to be flexible, but, my one disappointment, which carries over from last year, was that there was no tapping. I recovered from that psychological trauma thanks to the great mood that pervaded the room.

The star of the night for many was Kelly Felthous, whose The History of Wrong Guys (Kinky Boots) put her singing and comedic talents on full display. She even threw in a dance split in the middle of the song for no discernible reason other than she could. Bonus points for that.

Blommer Chocolate Company Factory Visitation – April 9, 2024

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In celebration of the fact that I didn’t blind myself staring at the solar eclipse yesterday, I decided to visit, for the first time, the soon-to-close Blommer Chocolate Company Factory (RIP) and purchase some souvenir bites (as in something to be immediately consumed, not put on a shelf with inedible memorabilia).

Alas, although the factory doesn’t officially close until the end of May, and there was still a delicious aroma in its environs, the store that was there already has shut down operations, or so the security guard told me after I spent 15 minutes pounding on the door, though I thought I detected a small chocolate smudge near his mouth.

Unsated and downtrodden, I was only a half mile into the long, lonely trek home when I serendipitously happened across the home of the Doughnut Vault, where I was told that all they had left that day was EXACTLY what I wanted (and needed)!

Strengthened by this fortuity, I now have started making plans for viewing the August 23, 2044 solar eclipse, which may require a sojourn in Great Falls, Montana if I want the full experience.

In the meantime, the new Blommer R&D Center is scheduled to open in the fall.

Solar Eclipse – April 8, 2024

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It was August 21, 2017 when I saw my last partial solar eclipse, which, thanks to the cloud cover that day, turned out to be the most boring four minutes of my life, not counting a short blind date I went out on in college.

I saw a total eclipse in the movie A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. That one at least had Bing Crosby.

I also should mention that I saw a total lunar eclipse some time after midnight on December 30, 1982. I was by myself on a beach in California and mostly it was just dark, so if I needed an alibi for some reason, I was out of luck.

This time, instead of trucking down to the Adler Planetarium as I did last time for an experience that reminded me of the people in Independence Day gathered on a Los Angeles skyscraper rooftop to welcome the extraterrestrials right before, oops, the carnage began, I decided to head for the park across the street for today’s cloudless 94% experience.

It was a good-sized crowd, many of whom appeared to be enjoying any excuse not to be at work. I was prepared to avoid looking at the sun, but someone shared their Eclipse Shades, so I partook.

As anticipated, there was a diminution of bird chatter for a few minutes at the height of the event, along with a chill breeze that felt like the draft in a haunted castle when Count Dracula enters, which made sense given the somewhat darkened skies.

The Band’s Visit – Writers Theatre – March 23, 2024

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Here I go again, being heretical.

The Writers Theatre production of The Band’s Visit was highly recommended, across the board, except by me. I am, however, willing to recommend it, especially now that the run is over.

I’ve not seen other versions, so I have nothing to compare it against. I’m told I should see the original movie, that it would help me to better understand the play. I probably will, as I had high hopes for the show, but should that be necessary?

On Broadway, it won the Tony award for Best Musical, but the competition was Frozen, Mean Girls and SpongeBob SquarePants, enough grains of salt to fill a shaker.

I thought the action was disjointed, harmed by multiple subplots, that, from my perspective, went plotz.

And, though I usually have no problem with nontraditional casting, it made no sense to have a woman portray a man, telephone guy, in an underplot that could have used a burial plot.

I would like to praise the lead, Sophie Madorsky. Hers was by far the most interesting character and she easily held my attention, except, in a couple scenes, when I was distracted by a large screen behind her showing a live video of her movements, for no apparent reason.

I did leave the theater on a high note, literally and figuratively, provided by The Concert, for me the best part of the show.

Mrs. Doubtfire – Nederlander Theatre – March 3, 2024

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Mrs. Doubtfire is fun. Rob McClure isn’t Robin Williams. But vice versa. McClure is one of those Broadway stars we often don’t get to see in Chicago unless it’s in a pre-Broadway tryout, which can be disappointing (I think back to when I saw Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth in a easily-forgotten production of The Addams Family) or the performer is somewhat past their sweet spot in terms of Broadway demand (too many examples to mention), having been replaced by the next generation of ubertalent.

Speaking of the next generation, Giselle Gutierrez, a sophomore in college, as Lydia Hillard, displayed a voice and stage presence that will undoubtedly take her to Broadway some day.

McClure has more energy at age 41 than I had at age 17. When he isn’t acting (with his real-life wife as his stage wife), singing, dancing (in a variety of styles, with an awesome ensemble around him), nailing jokes, and doing at least eight or ten different voices, he’s busy getting in and out of the Mrs. Doubtfire mask, wig and costumes, and sharing the process with the audience, so that I can confidently say that he puts his pants on one leg at a time, but quickly, and without falling on his face.

The show has a somewhat checkered past, having started previews three days before all Broadway productions were closed for a year-and-a-half due to Covid, and then shutting down again for two months after only a month of performances due to more Covid concerns. McClure finally got enough stage time to get nominated for a Tony Award, but the show had lost all its momentum and didn’t last long on Broadway, which led to McClure’s interest in doing the national tour, to our great benefit.

Grant Park Music Festival – 2024 Festival Season 
Highlights Presentation – February 22, 2024

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Even in winter, with the glass doors closed the Pritzker Pavilion stage at Millennium Park is warm and cozy. As is my wont, I hung out near the back, near the food, in a spot probably inhabited by a percussionist during a summer concert.

As to the hors d’oeuvres, who decided long ago that kabobs were the way to go at such events? They’re really not finger food. Eating off a stick just doesn’t measure up to eating off the bone. They don’t slide easily off the holder, perhaps because they’re usually too dry unless you dip them in some messier than tasty sauce, and you risk impaling the inside of your mouth with the sharp end. But the wine and cheese were good.

The program was better. Christopher Bell, Director of the Grant Park Chorus, walked around in a natty hat, looking a lot like a Truman Capote impressionist, and gave us a rare insight to a normally well-guarded secret, of which we were not sworn to secrecy, so here it is.

During last year’s Chicago Nascar event, Bell became aware of, and fascinated by the fact that, a driver of the same name was competing in the race. One thing led to another, and Nascar will be sponsoring this year’s 4th of July concert and Chicago’s Bell will be wearing (this part’s the usual non-reveal) a special Nascar racing suit with the number 1 on it (also with, I assume, some red, white and blue).

Two musicians from the orchestra performed beautifully (sorry, I didn’t get their names), separately, one playing the double bass and one the marimba.

Carlos Kalmar spoke about his upcoming final season as the orchestra’s conductor, aided by some recorded selections from this year’s lineup, and one that was inserted accidentally, not that any of us would have noticed had he not pointed out the faux pas. He was very pleased to tell us that his final concert will include a Vienna children’s choir directed by his daughter.

After the bassist played a second short piece to close the program, and the audience rose to clap, I made my quick exit (first one to the coat rack!), walking past Kalmar, who was standing in the wings. I expressed my surprise that my departure had been greeted with such applause, which brought a smile to his face, so I guess we’re buddies now.

Anything Goes (Take 2) – Porchlight Music Theatre – February 16, 2024

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I raved about Anything Goes when I saw it on opening night. It was even better the second time around, so I felt the need to expand upon my earlier praise.

Emma Ogea graced us with her beautiful voice again, and this time she seemed even more comfortable in her role as Hope Harcourt, settling in while she continues to attend Columbia College!

I am continually amazed (I’m apparently a little slow) at the new talent coming out of our local schools and performing like veterans. Among the rest of the cast, Logan Becker also is a student at Columbia and Rachael Dec just graduated Northwestern last year. Gabriel Solis has three other plays under his belt and probably hasn’t even started high school yet.

Among the more veteran performers, Luke Nowakowski (as Billy Crocker) impressed me even more than I already was with his vocal range.

Ciara Hickey was a treat and I now realize I saw them perform at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre’s 2022 It Came from Outer Space, which I loved.

Steve McDonagh (Moonface Martin) gets to ham it up big time, and does so very successfully.

Jackson Evans (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh) still gets to display some wild dance moves, but they tightened his choreography up a little to allow him to shine even more.

And last, but never least, there isn’t much I can say about Meghan Murphy that I haven’t said many times before, but I would suggest that she has taken what was already a star performance and upped her game even more, if that’s even possible, with what seemed like an increasing array of facial reactions and physical gestures that could be their own highlight film.

Meghan has been nominated six times for a Jeff Award, but never won. I ‘m guessing that this will be the seventh time and the charm.