Displaying items by tag: Andrew Mueller

Back in simpler times, what seems like decades ago, during a global pandemic, I remember watching an NPR Tiny Desk Concert featuring the Broadway cast of Little Shop of Horrors. In the middle of the string of incredible songs from the show, the songs’ composer Alan Menken sat down at the piano and, before playing it, discussed how “Somewhere That’s Green” was a classic “I Want” song, one that enlists us, the audience, on a journey to fulfill a dream.

“Somewhere That’s Green.” “Part of Your World.” “Sante Fe.” Some of my favorite songs, all written by Menken and Howard Ashman. All of them, the spunky upstart in a big, bad world dreaming that the sun’ll come out tomorrow. That things’ll get better. The sort of dreamy songs and dreaming characters and dreamed up worlds that are the reason we go to the theater—the sort of theater that the Marriott Theatre always does right and certainly does in their current production of Little Shop of Horrors.

That dreaming—sweet, delusional, stubbornly human—sits at the heart of this production, anchored beautifully by Jackson Evans’ Seymour. Evans plays Seymour as a cartoonish nerd, yes, but also as an everyman in the truest sense: gentle, unsure, but never empty. His Seymour is the kind of guy you root for, because Evans lets us see the decency beneath the desperation. Even as the body count rises and the moral compromises pile up, there’s something achingly recognizable about his Seymour. He’s all of us.

Opposite him, Maya Rowe delivers a quietly devastating Audrey. “Somewhere That’s Green” lands here not as a kitschy parody of 1950s domestic fantasies, but as a heartbreakingly sincere confession—and at the end it felt and looked like she was singing it right to me. Rowe resists the temptation to overplay Audrey’s quirks, instead grounding her in a bruised realism that makes her longing feel earned. When she dreams of a life that includes frozen dinners and a plastic sofa, Rowe is reminding us that while Little Shop of Horrors may be funny and absurd, it’s also a story about people like each of us, people dreaming of something better. (Side note: A chance encounter in a theater hallway post-show found Rowe’s actual persona as sweet as her onstage Audrey—taking a moment to take a photo with my young daughter and offering words of encouragement to her about her own theatrical dreams.)

Seymour and Audrey’s grounding make the production’s comedic turns all the more effective, particularly when longtime Marriott favorites Andrew Mueller and Mark David Kaplan enter the fray. Mueller brings infectious energy and sharp comic timing—not only to Orin, the biker/dentist/villain whose portrayal by Steve Martin delighted me as a kid), but to a slew of other characters, while Kaplan once again delights with his own comedic and vocal talents. Their work fills out the Skid Row world that we inhabit for a couple of hours without ever pulling focus from its emotional center.

And then, of course, there’s Audrey II, the most iconic carnivorous plant in musical theatre history. The combination of Lorenzo Rush’s velvety, menacing voice work and the precision of the puppet operation is nothing short of thrilling. The puppeteers both sink into the background and provide their own characterizations as leafy parts of Audrey II’s anatomy. The plant feels alive in an unsettling way, its charisma as seductive as its hunger is terrifying. Rush’s performance finds the perfect balance between playful swagger and genuine menace - the audience enjoying the sound of the voice even as we recoil from what it represents. (Although Audrey II’s hilarious pre-show no-phones-or-posting warning seemed to have been unheeded by several oblivious influencers on opening night.)

Still, the beating heart of this Little Shop belongs to the trio of Crystal, Ronnette, and Chiffon. Lydia Burke, Daryn Whitney Harrell, and Miciah Lathan deliver a masterclass in ensemble performance, functioning as Greek chorus, Motown girl group, and omniscient narrators all at once. Their 60s-period-correct harmonies are immaculate, their energy is electric, and each of their vocals are utterly commanding.

All of this talent is corralled and focused by Tommy Rapley’s direction and choreography, which keep the production moving, with the intimacy and magic unique to the Marriott’s in-the-round design. The set design creates a mid-century Skid Row that’s a world where our heroes live. And all of the characters - heroes or villains - are beautifully costumed by Amanda Vander Byl, with amazing wigs and makeup by Miguel A. Armstrong being especially delightful. Meanwhile, the orchestra - so often an unsung hero at the Marriott - delivers Menken’s score with precision, swelling where it should and pulling back when restraint serves the story better.

What ultimately makes this production of Little Shop of Horrors resonate is its refusal to treat the show as a novelty. Yes, it’s funny. Yes, it’s outrageous. Yes, it involves a singing plant from outer space. And yes, the stage ending’s a bit different than the one I remember at the movie theater from my own childhood. But Marriott’s production understands that behind all of this, Little Shop of Horrors does what all great musical theater should do - take its audience on a beautiful journey through a world populated by talented artists whose dreams and desires aren’t that different from our own. Come journey with Marriott Theatre to somewhere that’s green, as Little Shop of Horrors runs now through March 15.

When I remember John Denver, it’s hard not to think about crisp country air, clean rivers, pristine mountains and, well, just a healthy planet. John loved nature. It was abundantly clear in his music. His life was cut short at just 53 years old when a plane he was piloting crashed into Monterey Bay, but the folk and country singer left quite an impression on the world in his four decades with not only the music he wrote and performed but also his work as an activist and humanitarian.

In Almost Heaven, a musical revue created by Harold Thau, the singer’s longtime manager, John Denver’s life and music are celebrated in brilliant fashion. Currently being performed at nearby Theatre at the Center in Munster, Indiana, Artistic Director Linda Fortunato skillfully directs this wonderful tribute as William Underwood lends his special touch as the productions’ Music Director to bring Denver’s most memorable songs to life.

(left to right) Actors Steven Romero Schaffer, Tommy Malouf, Sara Geist and Andrew Mueller - Photo by Guy Rhodes

While telling the story of Denver’s life from the start of his music career in the 1960’s through his untimely death in 1997, the musically gifted cast takes turns singing and playing songs that include fan favorites “Rocky Mountain High,” “Annie’s Song,”, “Sunshine on My Shoulders” and, of course, “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. The often-moving story touches on Denver’s anti-war stance despite growing up in a military family, his meteoric rise in becoming a household name, his marriage, his love for a rich, clean environment and the impact his music had on so many people. A particularly touching moment occurs when a letter is read from a young fan in China who shares what a positive effect Denver has left on her and her music teacher – even at a time when it was illegal to listen to his music in their country. We are also made privy to Denver’s shortcomings in his later years, since he, too, is after all human.

A rotating cast commands the three-quarter round theater. Steven Romero Schaeffer, Shannon McEldowney, Andrew Mueller, Sara Geist and Tommy Malouf each deliver strong solo and group performances, beautiful harmonies filling the venue as the five also impress on stringed instruments playing along with the Underwood-led band that also features musicians Malcolm Ruhl and Alison Tatum.

Almost Heaven is a well-crafted musical work that flows at the perfect pace while grabbing its audience from the very beginning - and it never lets go. Whether a fan of John Denver’s already or for those that have been recently introduced to his work, this production is sure to entertain and touch hearts.

Highly recommended.  

Almost Heaven is being performed at Theatre at the Center through March 22^nd. For tickets and/or more information visit www.TheatreAtTheCenter.com.

Chicago Children’s Theatre World Premiere invites you to “Wonderland, Alice’s Rock and Roll Adventure”, and to delve into your curious imaginations. Chicago director Rachel Rockwell and music director Michael Mahler reinvented Lewis Carroll’s books Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass into a wild adventure of self-actualization.

Small, troubled, 7½ year-old Alice wants to feel ten feet tall, because after all, nothing matters at all when you’re feeling small. But that does not stop Alice from reaching her dream of becoming queen. Rockwell describes Alice as “an active protagonist. We’re talking girl power here, empowering girls, in particular, to boldly discover their true selves.” Ariana Burks, 15 years, and Isabelle Roberts, 12 years, steal the audience’s hearts, brilliantly playing Alice (both young ladies will be alternating performances as Alice).

Rockwell and Mahler uniquely interpreted the classic “Alice” stories into an inspirational rock and roll adventure. A new Alice in Wonderland soundtrack was created featuring sounds similar to Aerosmith, Kiss, Joan Jett, and David Bowie. With the perfect cast and crew, this performance is seamlessly executed. The live rock soundtrack, varying from classic rock to punk to ska, surrounds Alice as she learns valuable lessons from her friends in Wonderland. The Mad Hatter tells Alice to “do what you like, and like what you do.” Ironically, the short tempered Caterpillar reminds Alice to keep her temper. The unicorn at the end of Alice’s journey tells Alice to believe in six impossible things before breakfast, with the underlying message “believe in the impossible, and the impossible will believe in you.”  

As far as vision goes, the set perfectly captures the Victorian-grunge look. The stage’s floor resembles a chess board, and projections of gardens and hallways are plastered behind the cast to aid in the visual adventure. Costumes are also very fun and innovative to complement the colorful set. Costume designer, Mara Blumenfeld, turns the Cheshire Cat into a 1970’s lavish David Bowie. Cheshire Cat, Andrew Mueller, follows Alice throughout her journey and always wears a grin on his face because he knows the punch line. The Queen of Hearts, Molly Callinan, rocks the Joan Jett look and is completely mad when it comes to order and fairness. All the while, the Red Roses, Lillian Castillo and Regina Leslie, wear red bows and puffy red skirts, providing Alice with ridiculous advice, like “it takes a lot of work to be a natural beauty!” The Jabberwocky, also Andrew Mueller, is your worst nightmare… a punk rock demon. Complete with intimidating black spiky hair and tall, black boots, Alice must defeat the Jabberwocky; the negative thoughts and harmful monster created in her head. In this case, Alice smashes her demons, with a sensational solo on the drums. At the end of this crazy adventure, Alice learns to believe in herself and to never instill self-doubt in her head.

This performance calls for kids, parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and school groups to join in the fun at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts! “Wonderland, Alice’s Rock and Roll Adventure” will make you laugh, it will make you shake, and it will tap your feet along with the beat.

“Wonderland, Alice’s Rock and Roll Adventure” performances are being held through May 24^th at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Tickets are $10-$38. Programs include fun activities for kids and lessons drawn from the themes of the play. For tickets and information, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.orgor call (872) 222-9555. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (773) 227-0180 x 13 to learn about deeply discounted group rates for schools, playgroups, birthday parties, and scouting trips. Note: Groups can book an ASL- interpreted or Autism-Friendly performance by calling (773) 227- 0180 x 13 with a minimum of two week notice.