All season long I have been looking forward to [title of show]. The funny thing is, if you sat me down and asked me the reason why, I was totally without one (unless you count “just because” as justifiable)! It wasn’t until I was asked to reflect upon what speaks to me in [title of show] that I was finally able to pinpoint the reason I was so excited for the show.

My instinct was to say that it is the first show that I felt thoroughly represented my Generation Y identity…but then my mind wandered into the debate I have had with many of my fellow thespians regarding the value/purpose of theatre.  I believe that those of us who work in theatre, or even those of us who are regular audience members, often focus too much on the message of a show and forget to be entertained by it. [title of show] is a musical that has not forgotten the value of entertainment!

But that wasn’t enough! My mind made one more leap and it didn’t happen until two days before this blog was due.  I was sitting in the second row of the audience during rehearsal and the marvelous Stephen Schellhardt started to sing “Nine People’s Favorite Thing,” one of the last big numbers of the show (which, let me say, if you haven’t been convinced to come see this show yet you need to just to hear this cast sing this song!!).  The first line of that song, brilliantly written by Jeff Bowen, is “We can either follow our instincts/or take advice from every joker/we can either be distinct/or wind up merely mediocre/but not me, not me.”

Cut to and zoom in on my face; which must have looked like some mixture of a very happy Dopey from Snow White and a contestant on a TV show (really any, you can name any one!) who just won the big prize.  Somewhere in that contorted analogy of a shocked/happy face I had found something that I completely connected with.

The next day we had two performances and this time I was struck by more mentions of being an individual: songs like Susan’s “Die Vampire, Die” (about being strong in the decisions you make and not allowing those who criticize you to determine the path you follow), or the characters of Jeff and Hunter deciding it’s ok if the judges don’t pick them, they were proud of what they had done.  Suddenly, I realized what I must have connected with all along.  Positive reinforcement of individuality is everywhere in [title of show]!

So here is my conclusion: if you are a Gen-Y-er who feels they can’t connect with a show, or a person who just likes to laugh and have a good time–or even if you are neither of those things, you will love this show. This brilliant cast makes the show’s message shine: It’s good to be unique and it’s paramount to be strong in that endeavor.  I hope that that message makes everyone as happy as it makes me.

Victoria Jeans is a proud English major from Lake Forest College. She happily hangs out at Northlight Theatre working as their Production Assistant.

One of my earliest memories as a child was performing a ballet to Copland’s Appalachian Spring with my sister in our family room. I remember carefully selecting a pink hand-me-down leotard for the performance and holding back giggles as I pretended to prance like a deer at the opening of our highly theatrical choreography. Despite the lack of audience (only mom and dad in attendance) we pulled off a memorable performance with carefree confidence and charm. Thinking back, I wish I could find a way to replicate that same self-assurance into my adult life.

As a theatre artist I find it is so easy to get down on myself about my own career…why am I not further along? Why can’t I sing like her? Why didn’t I get a callback? why? why? why?

In these moments of self deprecation I’ve learned it’s best to re-evaluate my idea of success in the way Hunter and Jeff do with [title of show]‘s clever lyric “I’d rather be nine people’s favorite thing, than a hundred people’s ninth favorite thing.” And I think it is important to remind myself that I’m incredibly lucky to be doing what I love for a living.

When I think back to that first performance, as my sister and I took our final bow for our applauding audience of two, I remember feeling complete in that fleeting moment. Who would have imagined that 26+ years later I would be here, still performing, still directing, still creating? I think this is exactly why I get so choked up every time I hear Heidi (performed by Christine Sherril) soar through the gorgeous balled “A Way Back to Then” because I have done just that…I’ve found my way back to then. I am living my dreams, doing what I have always wanted to do. I’m “that little girl with her wings unfurled flying again. Back in the back yard dancing, I found a way back to then.”   

[title of show] is about so many things but at the heart it’s about staying true to yourself, honoring your passions, taking risks and having fun with the people you care about. If Hunter and Jeff had given in to the pressures of creating a typical broadway musical, it never would have become the relatable heartfelt success that it was/is.

But this isn’t just a show about finding the road to success, its about who is along for that ride. [title of show] invites its audience to get to know the people responsible for the creation of the very show we are watching…and that is something truly special. We get to see the familial nature of creating theatre, and how through every show a new family is born… and as a family unit we breathe life into art; that to me, is the most rewarding thing about working in theatre.  After all, as a friend recently posted on Facebook, “success is doing what you love with the people you love.”  I couldn’t agree more…so, here’s to our success, and here’s to all of my theatre friends old and new.

Kirstin Franklin is the assistant director of [title of show], a company member of Chicago’s Akvavit Theatre Company and a MFA graduate of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. You can learn more about Kirstin on her website: www.kirstinfranklin.com

Well, we are well into the third week of our rehearsal process for [title of show] and we are about to start tech. So exciting! This whole experience has been incredible.

I’m often asked to identify my favorite show, but that ranks among the hardest questions to answer. Every show is a learning experience. Sometimes I am in love with a show for the book or the music – or even the scenery and costumes. At times the material speaks to me because of where I am in my own life–or it doesn’t for that same reason. Other times, my show experience is shaped by the artists I am working with.  Sometimes all the stars align, and a show hits every note. A dream show. [title of show] is just that.

You, like many, may ask “What IS [title of show]?” Well, for one, it is a “mostly” true story of its creators. Its book and music are contemporary and linger. Both are rooted in honesty and hilarity; they speak to an enormous demographic of people. At its heart, this show is about friendship –how four friends stay true to themselves and each other when their dreams are tested and change. When life happens!

We have all seen dreams come true or fall by the wayside. [title of show] is about being unafraid to dream BIG, forcing yourself to take risks and eliminating “vampires” to realize those dreams. As an artist, my dreams are often grand and ever changing: I hope a show succeeds and ticket sales thrive, that I play a role I’ve yearned for, that I work with artists I respect.  Yet doubts and fears still emerge–that the show will flop, or I will. That audiences won’t enjoy the show as much as me, and the constant worry that I’ll break a leg. Literally.

This show encompasses all of that, but leaves a playgoer with hope and joy. For me, working with this group of artists has been sheer delight. It is a pleasure to come to work every day with incredible artists who are also just great people. Peter Amster is an actor’s dream director and Doug Peck a musical master. I think we’ve created something very special for Northlight audiences, and for ourselves with [title of show].

It’s a real treat to bring it to you.

Stephen Schellhardt plays Jeff in Northlight Theatre’s [title of show].  You may read more about Stephen here or on his website.

It’s amazing what you don’t throw away when you’re moving things from props. Normally if you were moving to a different apartment or home, you would take the opportunity to throw junk out. Here however we are recycling junk, because you never know when you will need a Life Magazine from 1953, a jar with a sponge brain in it, or a dozen cans of asparagus that are on the verge of exploding. How many champagne flutes might you need, or shot glasses?

After a morning of breathing in dust, I head to the theatre to watch some of [title of show]’s run thru. It’s their first run thru and I suppose I should give them some room and wait till the designer run to watch the show, but I love the show and Peter Amster’s cast is killer, accompanied by the incomparable Doug Peck, who will be on stage, wry and funny and charming.

[tos] speaks to anyone that has ever memorized a lyric or a line, mastered a time step, or dreamed of stardom. There are moments in the show that give me shivers of recognition reflecting my own journey and I’m certain that performers will feel the same. In a day when I pack dusty memories in the shop, the fresh and funny look at the act of creation fills me with all sorts of emotions.

I’m sure some of our audience will share the experience, but some will be getting their first glimpse of the struggle to get noticed in the incredibly competitive marketplace that is New York theatre. For anyone who has enjoyed TV’s Glee or Smash, [title of show] is a must-see. If your children are burning with theatrical ambition, it will bring you a little closer to their dreams, and perhaps soften your impatience. If you have put your own dreams on the shelf, it will let you off the hook, even as it tugs at your heart with gentle regret.

I was so moved by today’s run thru,  perhaps because I was rummaging through memories in the shop this morning. But as days go, today was a wonderful reminder as to why we make theatre; a story to tell, a talent to share, a dream to come true.

One of the many lessons I’ve learned as a Teacher is that I do just as much homework as my students (if not more); I want them to pass their tests every bit as much as they do, and I’m constantly worried about myperformance in class… only from the front of it instead of crammed behind a single-seater desk. I’ve also learned there’sno way to prove these truths to my students, and that’s probably for the better.

from Lynn Baber, Casting Director and Artistic Administrator at Northlight Theatre

When listening to the first read-through of Ten Chimneys back in February, I was given pause when we got to this piece of dialogue between the Lunts:

ALFRED:  Lynnie, darling…it’s only a play.

LYNN:  (gasps)  Blasphemy!

I thought to myself, “That’s funny. That’s sounds like another script I’ve heard recently. What WAS that?” And then I thought about it for half the afternoon, until it came to me: the other dialogue I am thinking of is from [title of show], the next play in our season:

JEFF: It’s just a show

HUNTER: Why do you do that?

JEFF: What?

HUNTER: Just a show? Jeff, I know you. I know that for every hour I spend on the show, you spend ten…We’ve both dreamed about this our whole lives and now that it’s finally right in front of us, you act like you don’t care if it happens.

In both these scenes, one actor is reminding the person with whom he/she is closely bound ARTISTICALLY that it is not okay to reduce what we do, or to dismiss it. They are saying “This is our life. This is what we do. This is important.” At least that’s what I hear. It translates in my head: “Theatre is important. We must treat it with great care.”

Both Ten Chimneys and [title of show] have roots in the creation of theatre. Both plays are about The Theatre with a capital T. And yet both plays are completely accessible and relevant for anyone and everyone who has something they care strongly about. Both plays deal with the places where the personal and the professional intersect. Both plays are about people with strong personalities and artistic temperaments. Both plays expose the flaws as well as the genius of the characters.

I’m lucky to work in at Northlight where we get to do plays like these. And I’m on fire about the last two plays of the season. I just love it when there’s a play or musical ABOUT The Theatre. That’s my thing. Could you tell?

Our relationship with Northlight has come at a good time because I have very open teachers who see the value of having students participate in theatre workshops and attend professional theatrical performances.  Without buy-in from the teachers who will be asked to coordinate events and miss students for normal classes, the success of our program would not have been as great.  I think that it was critical to be involved as the Principal to select lead teachers who I knew would be receptive to this type of experience and would view it as a great opportunity for the students rather than an encumbrance on their curriculum.

The students at Fairview have greatly enjoyed the chance to be creative in a purposeful way when the artists have come on-site to discuss the plays and play several acting games.  Each time, the kids are very active and I am surprised by the students who step up in this setting.  Some times this has been the student who behaves timidly in the classroom, but can open up in a more creative environment.  Each time our students have gone to see a production at Northlight, they are not only experiencing professional theatre, but building etiquette skills on how to purport themselves in this type of environment.  Hopefully, events such as these, early on in their education life will spur a life-long appreciation for the theatre.

Finally, Fairview has a tremendous auditorium facility with updated sound and lighting systems.  For the previous 15 years, the space had been dormant when it came to developing a middle school theatre production.  This was viewed as a gaping hole in our otherwise robust extracurricular offerings.  With the help of Northlight, we are in the second year of Northlight on Campus.  This group has opened up a vehicle of school participation for an entire new sub-group of students and we are anxiously awaiting their second production in April of this year.  The artists who have led this group have been wonderful to work with and have developed high quality experiences for the students.  We have been extremely pleased with the relationships formed with students and the type of training received by participants.

Northlight On Campus has been working with Fairview South on the show Rodeo, a play commissioned by NOC for Fairview Middle School.  Rodeo is an adaptation by Philip Dawkins of the Copland ballet, and tells the story of a girl who wants to compete in a rodeo with all the boys.  It will be performed at Fairview South on Friday, April 13 at 3:30pm and 7:00pm. 

Artistic Director BJ Jones talks with Hollywood 360‘s Lisa Wolf about the importance of Ten Chimneys to American theatrical history.  They also discuss the play Ten Chimneys, which opens at Northlight Theatre tonight.

Listen here: BJ Jones on Hollywood 360 

from Susan Van Dusen

I’ve never written a blog entry before, being of an age where computers and cell phones are, for me, akin to the Wright brothers’ first airplanes and indoor plumbing! None-the-less, I’d like to say a few things about Northlight Theatre and its importance to our community.

For me, the Arts, theatre and literature in particular, are as vital as air. Through them I can fly through the universe. They make me laugh, cry, feel immense pride, or show me that I should become more aware.  Northlight Theatre does that for me. Their credo is to reflect our community to the world and the world to our community, and they take it very seriously.

Northlight makes me think and feel. Before attending Fire on the Mountain, I wondered, did I want to see a musical about coal miners from the Appalachian Mountains?  Not on my must-do list. Still, I went and was mesmerized. The play began.  A world was woven, and things I may have remembered from dry pages in history books danced before my eyes. The actors told and sang the story of the miners, their terrible lives, waking in the dark, working in the dank and dangerous mines, breathing in lung-destroying dust. The music, joyous and mournful, celebrated their lives and culture. It was a slap-in-the-face moment for comfortable audience members to see the hardships experienced then, and still today, by these people who eke out their lives so close to the bone. It was important for us to see – and enjoy.  Northlight brought that awareness to this community in a wonderfully creative fashion.

The most recent play that cut me to the quick was The Outgoing Tide. Did I want to see a show about a man who would face a future similar to that of my mother, whose final decade with an Alzheimer’s-like disease was terribly painful to her and my family? I did not. Still, I went. The acting, with John Mahoney and Rondi Reed, was superb. The issue of choosing death with dignity rather than weighing down family was like the huge elephant in the room sitting on our faces.

The play galvanized me into action. I decided that everyone I knew should see it.  I called friends, buttonholed people at meetings and events telling them they HAD to see the play.  This was Northlight reflecting our community to the world. This was Northlight having the guts to present a new play with a very difficult subject. This was Northlight addressing concepts that we need to feel, not just intellectually understand.

The importance of the Arts–and of Northlight Theatre in particular–to this community is emphasized by the fact that the home of Northlight, the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, was created and financed by the Village of Skokie and the State of Illinois. The Village understood that if you put a theatre arts center with free parking in our suburb, and present exceptional entertainment, THEY WILL COME! “They” being people from Skokie, from the City of Chicago and its suburbs, and even from Wisconsin and Indiana.  THEY will spend money in our town, helping our restauranteurs, shopkeepers, and Village economy.

Northlight lets us see ourselves, warts and all. Someone has to tell the Truth.  We are lucky to have a wonderful institution in our own community that does just that.

Susan Van Dusen has been a teacher, editorial director of WBBM Radio, magazine and newspaper writer. Author of four children’s books, three on the history of Skokie, she is a founder of the cultural initiative “Coming Together in Skokie.” Van Dusen has lived in the Village for 30 years with her husband George, her sons David and Danny, and her grandson Anthony.

As a lighting designer, I am often called upon to help transform a setting onstage.  In Black Pearl Sings! the most striking canvas for this transformation is the vast sky that scenic designer Jack Magaw gave our world.  The colors of the sky help track the passage of time in each scene and comment on the emotions onstage.  But in Black Pearl Sings! the lighting must also enhance the subtle but important distinctions between Pearl’s prison home in Act I and the cozy apartment of Susannah’s “bohemian” friend in Act II.

Sarah Hughey is a Lighting Designer who lives in Chicago. She earned her MFA from Northwestern University and teaches lighting design at Northwestern and Columbia College.

Production photos © 2012 Timmy Samuel of Starbelly Studios