Displaying items by tag: The Den Theatre

David Koechner stormed into The Den Theatre’s Mainstage this weekend with the kind of unruly, big‑hearted presence that instantly reminded audiences why he had been a comedy fixture for more than two decades. People knew him as the blustering Champ Kind from Anchorman, the delightfully inappropriate Todd Packer on The Office, and from scene‑stealing turns in Waiting…, Talladega Nights, and Krampus. But the Koechner who took the stage here was a comic in full evolution, digging into the raw, strange, deeply human corners of his own story.

His set leaned heavily into his Missouri upbringing, though not in the polished, memoir‑ready way you might expect. Koechner unspooled these memories as if he were rediscovering them in the moment – childhood chaos, family quirks, and the odd rhythms of small‑town life all collided and escalated into full‑tilt comedic spirals. His Second City roots were unmistakable, and the Chicago connection ran deeper than nostalgia; Koechner lived in the city for nine years, and that long stretch of his life seemed to pulse through the performance. He shifted voices, dropped into characters, and built entire scenes out of thin air, giving the night a sense of spontaneity that felt tailor‑made for The Den’s intimate Mainstage.

What defined this chapter of his stand‑up was how much he fed off the room. Koechner treated the audience like co‑conspirators, not spectators. A stray laugh or a bold comment could send him veering off script, and those detours often became the highlight of the night. There was a looseness to the show – a sense that anything could happen – that made the experience feel alive in a way only seasoned improvisers can pull off.

Although he tossed in a quick nod to the roles that made him a household name near the end of the set, he never leaned on them as a crutch. Still, hearing Champ Kind and Todd Packer delivered straight from the source was undeniably fun. The real draw was Koechner himself: messy, generous, unpredictable, and fully engaged. His weekend at The Den Theatre served as a reminder that he was not just a beloved character actor – he was a stand‑up with a singular voice, still sharpening it, still surprising himself, and still finding new ways to bring the audience along for the ride.

Koechner’s Mainstage run was rowdy, personal, and unmistakably his – the kind of night where you walked out buzzing, not because you saw Champ Kind live, but because you saw David Koechner exactly as he was now: a comic still evolving, still swinging big, and still wildly fun to watch.

Promethean Theatre Ensemble has announced it will perform the Lewis Galantiere adaptation of Jean Anouilh's ANTIGONE, from May 31 through June 28 at the Den Theatre. Anouilh's play, which premiered in Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944, was itself an adaptation of the Greek play by Sophocles, believed to have been written in 441 BC. In the original myth of Antigone, the heroine defies King Creon's decree forbidding the burial of her brother. In Anouilh's adaptation, Antigone's dilemma is recast as a choice between following one's conscience and moral code versus capitulation to a totalitarian government. The play was a covert symbol of the French Resistance, with Antigone's "No" to Creon mirroring the French refusal to submit to German occupation. Galantiere's adaptation of Anouilh's text, which premiered on Broadway in 1946 replaced Anouilh's formal French with accessible prose that frequently uses American vernacular and has become the preferred version of ANTIGONE for contemporary performances. It also lightly shifted the tone to make the parallels to WWII more explicit for American audiences who hadn't lived through the occupation. This version employs relatable characters, unexpected humor, and accessible yet poetic language. 

Promethean's modern dress production, set in present times in a city very much like ours, will be directed by ensemble member Elaine Carlson, whose many roles with Promethean include Eleanor in THE LION IN WINTER, and the title roles in THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT and MRS. WARREN'S PRFOESSION. ANTIGONE will be performed from May 31 – June 27 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago.  Press opening is Wednesday, June 3 at 8 pm, following previews on Sunday May 31 at 7 pm and Monday, June 1 at 8 pm. The production will play through Saturday, June 27.

Carlson says,  "the theme of Sophocles' drama – choosing what is right over what is expedient - is timeless, but Galantiere's adaptation puts it into a setting that makes it even more immediate.  Maybe this time Antigone's courage will be contagious."
 
Carlson's cast will feature Promethean Ensemble members Heather Dennis as Antigone, Artistic Director Jared Dennis as Creon, Meghann Tabor as Ismene, Joshua Servantez as Haemon, Gunner Bradley as First Guard, Brendan Hutt as Second Guard, and Christina Renee Jones as the Chorus. The cast also includes marssie Mencotti (nurse), Gavin Blayne (Third Guard/ Messenger), Anthony J. Harris (Page), and Alex George (Eurydice). Understudies are Alex George (u/s Chorus), Anna Rose Steinmeyer (Antigone), Chris Lysy (Creon), Layke Fowler (u/s Haemon), Dame Grant (u/s Guards/Messenger), and Jennifer Mohr (u/s Ismene/Nurse/Eurydice/Page).

The ANTIGONE design team includes Trevor Dotson (Scenic Designer), Rachel M. Sypniewski (Costume Designer), Stefanie Senior (Sound Designer), RobbyMoe Reeves (Lighting Designer), Maureen Yasko (Violence and Intimacy Designer), and Tristan Brandon* (Props Designer). Also on the production team are Hayley Rice (Assistant Director), Alexa Berkowitz* (Production Manager), Esau Andaleon (Stage Manager), and Jeremiah Barr* (Technical Director).

• Indicates Promethean Theatre Ensemble member.

ANTIGONE
Written by Jean Anouilh, Adapted by Lewis Galantiere
Directed by Elaine Carlson
May 31 – June 27, 2026
Previews Sunday May 31 at 7 pm and Monday, June 1 at 8 pm
Regular Run: Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 3 pm. Additional matinees on Saturdays June 13 and 20 at 3 pm
The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago 60622
Ticket Prices: $35 general, $25 students and seniors
For tickets, visit https://www.prometheantheatre.org/project/antigone/ or The Den Theatre Box Office, 773-697-3830.

Contemporary adaptation of Jean Anouilh's poetic drama of a woman forced to choose between following her moral compass and obedience to the laws of her rulers. First produced under Nazi censorship in 1944 Paris, Anouilh's ANTIGONE explores the conflict between individual conscience and political expediency. Then as now, "going along to get along" wasn't tragedy from ancient history - it was personal tragedy with real world consequences.
 
BIOS
 
Elaine Carlson (Director) Ensemble member Elaine Carlson will make her Promethean directorial debut with this production. Elaine is well-known to PTE audiences for her on-stage work including as Kitty Warren in MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION, the madwoman in THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT, and Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in WINTER. She has appeared on many Chicago stages including City Lit, Eclipse, Citadel, Famous Door, and others.
 
Jean Anouilh (Playwright) became one of the strongest personalities of the French theatre and achieved an international reputation. His plays included RING AROUND THE MOON, THE WALTZ OF THE TOREADORS, THE LARK, and BECKET, OR, THE HONOUR OF GOD. , 
 
Lewis Galantiere (Adapter) was a writer, critic and authority on modern French literature. His own best‐known work was as a translator, of the works of Antoine de St.‐Exupéry, Jean Cocteau, Francois Mauriac, Sacha Guitry and Jean Anouilh. His adaptation of Anouilh's ANTIGONE was first performed by Katharine Cornell in 1946 and has remained a popular version of the classic Greek drama.
 
ABOUT PROMETHEAN THEATRE ENSEMBLE
 
Promethean Theatre Ensemble produces and develops ensemble-focused theatre with vibrant language in dynamic and purposeful storytelling. We select a service organization to support and promote with each production, bridging ideas within the play to real-world efforts to address challenges within our communities. Since its founding in 2005, Promethean has produced a body of work ranging from Shakespeare, 19th and 20th Century classics, and new work. The company was in the midst of its 14th season when the pandemic struck. ANTIGONE is Promethean's 36th production.

Get ready - those phones are about to explode, and Sam is already spinning like a top trying to catch every single one. It’s a full‑blown ring‑storm, and he’s diving into it with the hectic energy of someone who knows the chaos is coming and still can’t outrun it.

A brisk, razor‑funny powder keg of a play, Fully Committed tracks a single frantic day in the life of Sam, the lone reservationist at one of Manhattan’s most elite - and most impossible - restaurant. Becky Mode’s script is a full‑tilt high‑wire act, and Mike Newquist tears across nearly forty characters with the kind of breakneck precision that makes your head spin. As Sam, he’s already a live wire - but then he’s also snapping into entitled celebrities, neurotic assistants, tyrannical chefs, and every flavor of fine‑dining madness that dares to ring his desk. It’s dazzling, anxious, and wildly fun to watch him juggle it all without ever dropping the thread. The comedy snaps because each character is so sharply etched, and Newquist seamlessly shifts among them with the kind of finesse that turns mayhem into art.

At its heart, the nearly 90-minute play gleefully skewers the rituals of status and the agitated, almost feral hunger for exclusivity, exposing just how ridiculous people become when a reservation turns into a badge of power. Sam becomes the unseen fulcrum of that world, and his day unravels from merely hectic to outright surreal as he absorbs tantrums, negotiates impossible demands, and fights to keep a grip on his own sense of worth. Watching Newquist as Sam behind that reservation desk in a constant tinderbox had me instantly aware that I wouldn’t survive two hours in his shoes. His frantic charm and barely contained panic sells the chaos and sparks a whole new respect for the people who actually thrive in that kind of daily combustion.

Fully Committed lands as hard as it does because it’s rooted in real industry absurdity. Mode shaped these characters straight out of real restaurant‑world encounters, giving the show a mix of satirical whirlwind and a bite of truth that feels both sharply recognizable and wickedly real.

Throughout the play, I loved how Sam’s dad kept slipping into the heavy commotion with that gentle, grounding voice - just long enough to let the whole room exhale. Each time he called, Sam’s entire demeanor flipped in an instant; you could watch him go from frazzled to peaceful like someone had hit a reset switch. Those brief check-ins made it clear how a few steady words from a gentle, supportive father (or friend/family member) can cut straight through the noise, offering a tiny pocket of calm even when everything else is burning down around him.

Mike Newquist is pure kinetic joy onstage, delivering a commanding turn in Fully Committed. The Chicago‑based actor and improviser thrives in the city’s storefront trenches, bouncing between sharp‑edged comedy, character chameleon work, and the kind of ensemble disorder where anything can - and usually does - happen. He’s popped up with PrideArts, AstonRep, and The Comrades, tackling everything from contemporary drama to high-velocity comic mayhem. In Fully Committed, it’s his quick‑switch agility that makes him a blast to watch.

Directed by Derek Bertelsen, this Chicago staging arrives with a jolt of fresh energy and real immediacy. Newquist’s performance becomes the engine that drives the whole night, while Bertelsen keeps the momentum razor‑sharp, the pacing tight, and every character shift snapping cleanly into place.

The Den Theatre hosts the run March 13–28, 2026, with performances on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for Fully Committed at The Den Theatre are just $26. For tickets and/or any more show information, click here.

Recommended.

This review is proudly shared with our friends at www.TheatreInChicago.com. 

“You can’t raise kids without hope.” says terminally pessimistic Arthur Pryszbyszewski in Tracy Letts’ 2008 play “Superior Donuts” now running at The Artistic Home at The Den Theatre. Directed by Artistic Home ensemble member John Mossman, “Superior Donuts” tells an authentic Chicago story in the cozy kind of theater our city is known for.

Originally produced by Steppenwolf on the heels of Letts’ Pulitzer Prize landmark “August: Osage County”, this play feels almost lighthearted by comparison. “Superior Donuts” swaps the blues of the Oklahoma plains for the desperation of Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, before the Target opened on Wilson.

Arthur Pryszbyszewski, impeccably played by Scott Westerman, is a complicated, introverted middle aged man who’s devoted himself to keeping the family donut shop in business long after its heyday. One morning he finds his shop vandalized and in walks Franco, a young man with big dreams but even bigger debts. Franco is an aspiring novelist with no shortage of things to say on virtually every topic. His stream of conscious babble eventually helps Arthur open up.

Letts’ has a real knack for gritty stories, but what he does especially well is cleanly written scenes. Playwriting doesn’t have to be complicated. “Superior Donuts” excels much like his other work in that each characters’ desires and disappointments are clearly laid out. You’re never wondering what the point of a scene is. That is to say, Letts never leads you into the weeds.

In two briskly paced acts, “Superior Donuts” is both a male-driven comedy and a hard-hitting drama. Letts explores what happens to neighborhoods when small businesses close. You don’t just lose the business; you lose pillars of neighborhoods. Arthur is a reluctant pillar but his paternal affection for Franco becomes his greatest achievement.

Featuring a cast of Artistic Home ensemble and newcomers, Mossman's’ production is stacked. John N. Williams is well suited to the awkward but endearing Franco. Ensemble member Kristin Collins plays CPD officer Randy Osteen, Arthur’s burgeoning love interest. Collins’ Chicago accent and mannerisms are incredibly comforting.

“Superior Donuts” is not only a love letter to Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood but also a world you don’t mind spending a little more time in. In fact, it was adapted into a relatively successful CBS tv series in 2010.

Artistic Home reinterprets “Superior Donuts” at a time when Uptown has more or less been gentrified. No longer on the cusp as depicted in the play. In 2025, it feels more like a heartwarming period piece that true Chicagoans will fondly remember.

Through December 6 at Artistic Home at The Den Theatre. 1331 N Milwaukee Ave. 773-697-3830 

‘Hedda Gabler’ has mystified audiences for generations, as this was certainly Ibsen’s intention when creating this endlessly fascinating character. The Artistic Home transforms the Den Theatre into 1890s Norway for their production of Irish playwright Mark O’Rowe’s 2015 adaptation of ‘Hedda Gabler’. Under Monica Payne’s direction, this contemporary-voiced retelling is diabolically humorous.

Any production of ‘Hedda Gabler’ is only as good as their Hedda. In Brookelyn Hebert, Monica Payne has a frighteningly self-assured Hedda who is insatiably fun to watch. Flanked by Todd Wocjik as Jorge Tesman and John Mossman as Judge Brack, Hebert plays both the conqueror and conquered with hot tempered fluidity.

Ibsen, like Chekhov, helped usher in a new era of modern theatre that would inspire 20th century playwrights like Arthur Miller and Eugene O’Neill. With focus on the doldrums of a waning aristocracy, Ibsen captures the everyday hopes and disappointments of his characters in scenes that feel as relevant today as when they were written.

What makes ‘Hedda Gabler’ unique is the myriads of ways a director and an actress can approach the title role. Ibsen’s play is somewhat vague so that audiences and theater makers are free to go with their own interpretation of what motivates Hedda.

In this new version by Mark O’Rowe, many of the Easter eggs Ibsen drops throughout the play are further expanded upon so that audiences have even more context for Hedda’s past and present. In Rowe’s version, Hedda is quicker to anger and more self-aware than in previous iterations. An angrier Hedda shows the brewing hostility of a woman trapped by society, which makes her downfall all the more tragic.

Time seems to fly with O’Rowe’s modern language. Instead of literary innuendo, characters are free to discuss sexuality and substance abuse with more directness. Two and a half hours can feel long for a classic melodrama, but this script has a lot of juicy scene work to keep audiences on the edge of their seat, even if they know what’s going to happen next.

Plays like ‘Hedda Gabler’ do exactly what good plays should, and that is to ask why. As mentioned before, Ibsen purposefully did not provide just one reason for Hedda’s actions, rather he planted many seeds so that nobody can really be sure, opening the door for riveting conversations.

The Artistic Home’s production of ‘Hedda Gabler’ is a good reminder of why classics should be seen every so often. Though the modernized script takes some interesting liberties, and can become a bit meandering in parts, overall Ibsen’s points are well preserved. However, it’s fairly unlikely that high society folks would speak in expletives the way they are in O’Rowe’s script. Still, this production is faithful in its interpretation of the limits of courage. In the end, despite Ibsen’s Easter eggs, this is a play about one woman’s courage to go against the grain of society.

Through March 23 at The Artistic Home at The Den. 1331 N Milwaukee Ave. 773-697-3830

Just as there are many Santa’s around town, this time of year we have a wide selection of Christmas and Holiday-themed shows on stage. While I’ve grown quite jaded about the diminishment of “real” theater during the holidays—steadfastly avoiding the Goodman show each year—there was something that overcame my reluctance in the concept of “Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs ‘A Christmas Carol’ Again.”

The darkly charming premise is tantalizing: that Dickens is still alive, and has for 171 consecutive years been annually performing his stage reading of a version of his 19th century book “A Christmas Carol." In fact, as we learn in the course of the show, Dickens did read an adaptation of his book onstage for years. This piece, however, is a remarkably artful riff on Dickens' original, written and performed stunningly well by Blake Montgomery.

This is an actor with chops, a Jefferson Award winner seen over the years on stages at Steppenwolf, Writers and Court Theaters. About 10 years ago Montgomery developed this show, and has given himself a script that is a great showcase of his skills. Walking among the audience before curtain, dispensing candy canes and wearing ridiculous holiday antlers, Montgomery gradually shifts into the Dickensian story.

Speaking candidly of the character of contemporary Christmas Carol shows, including the “large well-known theater downtown” where “snow falls on stage, and Christmas ghosts literally fly,” Montgomery adds dryly. “All I can do is talk.” And with that, Montgomery shifts gradually into the character of Dickens, holding the audience in the palm of his hand.

But Montgomery is also present, all the while, playing moderator. After spending some time somewhat disabusing us of our preconceived notions of what Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” holds, he deconstructs the story, then disarms us, and we are open to hear the story anew. The more opulent productions risk masking the human tale embodied in Dickens’ work. Montgomery reveals more of the internal workings of Scrooge. At times, he allows Dickens to read directly from the text. In other moments Montgomery re-enacts scenes holding up two sides of a dialog. He asks us to examine Scrooge's transformation during the ghostly visits. In one dream-like celebratory Christmas party scene that Scrooge visits in company of a ghost, Montgomery tells us, "The activity is dancing; the action is about what is happening within Scrooge."

In all it’s a remarkable reenvisioning of “A Christmas Carol,” and a work and performance not to be missed this season. “Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs ‘A Christmas Carol’ Again” runs through December 22, 2024 at The Den Theatre in Chicago.

“To love the beauty of the mistakes….the imperfect.”  Isis Elizabeth, Playwright

In Beneath The Willow Tree, playwright Isis Elizabeth weaves an emotionally rich tapestry that examines the intricacies of familial bonds, generational trauma, and the delicate interplay between tradition and change. Set in the heart of the Louisiana Bayou, the Bordeaux family home becomes both a sanctuary and a battleground for three Black women whose lives, secrets, and desires come crashing together. Expertly directed by Aaron Reese Boseman, this world premiere delivers a gripping, spiritual family drama that hits deeply personal and universal notes.

At the center of the play is Willow Bordeaux, portrayed with emotional nuance by Sierra Coachman, a young woman who returns home from NYU, bringing more than just academic achievements—she’s accompanied by her lifelong friend  Ree, beautifully brought to life by ASH. She has also brought with her a life she’s building beyond her family’s reach. Willow’s return unearths long-buried family secrets, revealing how trauma, often unspoken, festers beneath the surface. As the audience watches Willow grapple with her past and present identities, her journey becomes emblematic of the broader struggle between old traditions and new ways of being.

The heart of Beneath The Willow Tree is the three generations of Bordeaux women, each dealing with the weight of their histories. Yahdina U-Deen, playing the family matriarch Beatrice Bordeaux , offers a towering performance—her stern exterior masking years of sacrifice, grief, and unspoken pain. Her relationship with her daughter Gloria Bordeaux played with an inner strength by Monique Marshaun,  is fraught, tinged with tension but layered with a palpable sense of love and obligation on both sides. Boseman’s direction ensures that the tension never veers into melodrama; instead, it simmers, allowing the emotional stakes to rise naturally, leading to moments of catharsis that feel earned rather than forced.

Also delivering excellent performances are Dylan Rogers, who skillfully portrays both Moses Bordeaux, the loving and enigmatic patriarch of the Bordeaux family, and Dante Ri’chard, Willow's charming and complex love interest. Rogers deftly navigates the dual roles, bringing a commanding presence to Moses while offering vulnerability as Dante. Mayiyah Brown also shines as young Gloria, capturing the innocence and intensity of the family’s earlier struggles with grace and authenticity. Special mention must be given to dialect coach Susan Gosdick, whose meticulous work ensured that the accents were pitch-perfect, seamlessly shifting from generation to generation, adding depth and authenticity to the play's rich Louisiana setting.

The Bayou setting is not just a backdrop; it is a living, breathing presence in the play. The willow tree itself becomes a symbol of both the Bordeaux family’s resilience and the weight of their past. Set design by Kevin Rolfs captures the mystical and haunting atmosphere of the Bayou, with sprawling branches casting long shadows that seem to stretch into the characters' souls. Adding to this immersive environment is Levi Watkins' lighting design, which subtly enhances the eerie and ethereal quality of the Bayou, playing with shadows and light to deepen the mood. Ethan Korvne's soundscape interweaves seamlessly, with whispers of the wind and the distant echoes of ancestral spirits by way of bass and percussion enriching  the play’s spiritual elements, grounding the story in both realism and mysticism.

One of the play’s strongest elements is its exploration of Black womanhood across generations. The conflicts between the Bordeaux women reflect broader themes of identity, legacy, and healing, resonating particularly in today’s world, where conversations about generational trauma and reclamation of self are becoming more prominent. Elizabeth’s writing doesn’t shy away from the pain these women carry, but it also offers them a path to healing—a journey that is messy, complicated, and deeply moving.

Iris Elizabeth and Aaron Reese Boseman are quickly establishing themselves as the future of theater in Chicago. While there's much to praise, a minor critique might be directed at the play's lengthy running time. Although the exceptional writing nearly makes the duration worthwhile, it may feel somewhat prolonged for some audience members. However, any potential concerns about the length are effectively alleviated by the riveting performances and the substantial thematic depth that resonate throughout the production.

Overall, Beneath The Willow Tree is a powerful debut from Isis Elizabeth. With Boseman’s sensitive direction and a cast that brings the Bordeaux family to life with authenticity and passion, the play delivers a potent mix of raw emotion, spiritual reflection, and the hard-earned path toward healing. A must-see for those who appreciate deeply human stories with cultural resonance.

Highly Recommended

When: Through September 29
Where: The Den Theatre 1331 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago,
Tickets: $25-$45
Info: www.pulsetheatrechicago.org  (773)697-3830
Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission

The witch is back, Jen Silverman’s ‘Witch’ that is. Since first being commissioned by Writer’s Theatre back in 2018, Jen Silverman’s take on Jacobean theatre has become a somewhat popular selection for regional theaters. The Artistic Home Ensemble brings this play back to Chicago in a revival directed by Devon Carson going on now at The Den.

What continues to be striking about this play is its exploration of hopelessness. ‘Witch’ is about an ostracized woman living in the 1600s who the townspeople have decided (without basis) is a witch. Her miserably lonely life is spiced up when the devil himself comes to town and begins meddling in the lives of the villagers. Some are more easily tempted than others, but the supposed witch, Elizabeth Sawyer (Kristin Collins), is harder for the devil to convince. Besides, what can anyone offer someone who has lost hope for a better future?

The devil played with fiendish fun by Julian Hester finds himself enamored with skeptical Elizabeth Sawyer who is also drawn to him. They spend long nights discussing their world views and within their conversations, Jen Silverman peppers in some humorous, but unsettling monologs about the human condition. Kristin Collins as Elizabeth has a great way of shifting between comedic relief and heart-rending vulnerability. Her character all the while pleading, “can things ever really get better?”

As the devil and Elizabeth get to know each other, the devil also inserts himself into the lives of the richest family in town. His gentle suggestion sets in motion a bitter rivalry that plays out with classic dramatic irony.

Silverman’s script is wise in its sharp tongue and makes a statement on the general apathy many feel every day. In her version, the devil himself has hopes and dreams, but outcasts like Elizabeth have long lost hope that her neighbors can ever evolve past their pettiness.

Like Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’, this play holds a Puritanical mirror to our own time, but unlike John Proctor, Elizabeth doesn’t have altruistic intentions. She may be the protagonist, but she’s not your standard heroine. Silverman’s point in comparing our two eras is to show that people haven’t gotten any wiser. People are still inherently selfish and highly subject to influence.

‘Witch’ is well-acted and well-styled. For a play with such a dark core, there’s a lot of comedy here and this cast really plays that up. Kristin Collins brings a Molly Shannon quality to the lonely Elizabeth that makes her plight far less depressing than it sounds. Hogan’s chemistry with Julian Hester is fun to watch.

More than anything, this play remains as timeless in 2018 as in 2023, because while some political and societal things have gotten better, some have inevitably gotten worse. There will always be cynics and optimists duking it out and perhaps the easiest place to be is somewhere in the middle.

Through December 3^rd at The Artistic Home Ensemble at The Den. 1331 N Milwaukee. 773-697-3830.

Murder, intrigue, and Angela Lansbury: the three universally acknowledged truths that make up a great mystery story. Hell in a Handbag's production of Murder, ReWrote: The Musical Parody at the Den Theatre is the perfect cross-section of drag show and musical. Expect to laugh, cackle, restrain yourself from singing along, and make an immediate tribute to the incomparable Angela Lansbury as you’re reminded of what an icon graced our screens and stages for the better part of a century.

Musical theatre references and camp abound alongside the talented singing and comedic performances. Whether or not you’re a fan of Murder, She Wrote the television show, you’re bound to be entertained outside of all context at Murder, ReWrote: The Musical Parody.

(Left to right) Britain Gebhardt, Grant Drager, David Cerda and Caroline Kidwell in Hell in a Handbag Productions’ world premiere of Murder, ReWrote. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

In The Den Theatre’s Murder, ReWrote, our favorite comedically reimagined mystery novelist Bessica Feltcher (Jessica Fletcher, in the real ‘80s/'90s TV show) has a harrowing case on her hands: that of a rich hieresses's daughter found dead in the living room of the family mansion.

Who could have done it? Her mother? The maid? Bessica’s hapless nephew Grady? It’s like watching a game of Clue play out in real time, only way funnier.

Britain Gebhardt channels Lansbury in voice, looks, and persona as acclaimed mystery author and amateur detective Bessica Jeatrice Feltcher, aka BJ. The hobbyist slueth finds herself at the center of a whodunit murder mystery leaving everyone wondering, “Who killed Christina??”

The rest of the cast is hilarious and committed to their roles as well, from Grant Drager as Bessica’s goofy nephew Grady to David Cerda's haughty, RuPaul-esque portrayal of heiress June Crayfish.

(Left to right) Mark Bartishell, Caroline Kidwell, Britain Gebhardt, Daniel Hurstand, Cathy Reyes McNamara in Hell in a Handbag Productions’ world premiere of Murder, ReWrote. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

Hell in a Handbag Productions goes all out in this production, from the creative and unexpected ways they adapt a television series to the stage, the thoughtful references to Lansbury’s other work sprinkled throughout, and the loving insults they lob at the corniness of the original TV show.

The music and lyrics by George Howe and Ed Rutherford, along with the direction from Anthony Whitaker, make this musical parody a sparkling one. You can feel the love and attention to detail that went into every joke, reference, and visual gag, showing that this creative team genuinely loves its source material. You can only make fun of something lovingly – and cleverly – if you admire it and respect its merit in the first place.

Murder, ReWrote: The Musical Parody is playing at the Den Theatre through September 16, 2023. Tickets can be bought at the box office at 1331 N Milwaukee Ave or on their website.

*Extended through September 18th

Language Rooms is a convincing portrait of the hidden world of government interrogators. These individuals use cajolery and flattery, or fear and intimidation, to persuade individuals to spill their secrets – all on behalf of securing the safety of the state.

This two-act piece (one intermission) flies by, as the characters go about their work. But we see as well the impact that these information-gathering activities have on those doing the questioning. Their personal integrity is compromised as they lie to get truthful answers. It also faces us with a distasteful prospect: if our government and our society condones using intimidation and even physical abuse to gather data, are we not complicit?

Language Rooms involves two Arabic-speaking men on an unnamed government investigating team, quartered in a windowless vault with motorized doors that slide open with a whoosh at the touch of a button. Ahmed (Salar Ardebili) is a rookie, and his work is being closely watched by his supervisor, Kevin (Bradford Stevens). His co-worker, Nasser (Bassam Abdelfattah) is apparently even more fluent in Arabic than Ahmed, and is doing his best to help Ahmed with his weaker command of the language.

It soon becomes evident that the same hidden cameras and observational techniques used in questioning suspects are also trained on the men doing the questioning. They speak to each other with siielding their mouths from view, as they try to carry on private conversations. – just like any office, except that they have the continuous impression they are being watched. The manipulative techniques used on the subjects are also part of the office communication.

All of this provides a set up for a workplace wherein paranoia runs rampant. And as a subtext, these Arab-Americans feel they must not only do a good job, but prove their worthiness and loyalty to the government agency they work for - not to mention to society at large. The plot thickens dramatically as a new suspect is brought in, hooded and shackled: Samir (Bilal Dardai). This one, says Kevin, will be the great test for Ahmed, to prove both his loyalty and his competency. To avoid a spoiler here we can only say this sets up a dynamic, powerful tete a tete between the questioner Ahmed and his subject, Samir.

Samir (Bilal Dardai).

As the probe into his "suspicious" behavior goes on, Samir offers truthful answers, but not convincing ones. "You know the problem with being innocent is the facts don't serve you well," he says. "Innocence is not a good story."

This worldly, sophisticated script by Yussef El Guindi feels as though it will become a classic in the existentialist-absurdist roster, along with works like Miss Margarita’s Way or Master Harold and the Boys, plays in which a sinister undercurrent froths just beneath the surface. El Guindi provides a valuable service to us all just by telling this story. That he does it in such a timeless, universal way, will allow it to be told widely – and we hope it will be.

The production boasts extremely strong performances, especially Ardebili as Ahmed, the rookie; and Dardai, who delivers a perfect portrait of a good-hearted immigrant under a torrent of unfair questioning. I had a chance to see this show twice, April 22 and April 26 – and can say Ardebili had refined and heightened his delivery, and the dynamic between Ahmed and Nasser was even more intensely expressed. Director Kaiser Zaki Ahmed specializes in actor-driven new American plays, and has assistant director credits on two recent, illustrious productions: Guards at the Taj (Steppenwolf) and Hand to God (Victory Gardens).

The script is strong, but the first act could have been streamlined just a little, perhaps to give a stronger thrust to the dramatic rise and moment of suspense as it ends. The Broken Nose Theatre production of Language Rooms runs at The Den Theatre through May 18. It is highly recommended. www.brokennosetheatre.com.