Best Upcoming Musicals In Chicago
Chicago's fall musical scene is full of shows you may think you know, but after seeing them you are likely to walk away with a different perspective. From such classics as "The King and I" to a revival that refocuses attention from grand spectacle to intimate stories, they present memorable songs and thought-provoking messages. The following five musicals are among the best reminders of how theater does more than offer a brief night of good entertainment.
"Titanic"
Griffin Theatre Company
Theatre Wit
1229 W. Belmont Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 975-8150
www.griffintheatre.com
Date: Now through Dec. 7, 2014
Chicago audiences get to see the new, lean version of "Titanic," Maury Yeston and Peter Stone's Tony Award-winning show, because the 2014 Broadway revival was postponed. Directed by Scott Weinstein for the Griffin Theatre Company, the new production is a more intimate look at the ship's cross-section of humanity. Accompanied by a six-member band the size of Titanic's when it went down instead of the 20-piece orchestra used in the 1997 Broadway show, the revival zooms in on passengers instead of going with the original spectacle treatment. It also fits well with Theater Wit's space. The show's reworked orchestration is by Ian Weinberger. "I Give You My Hand," a piece cut from the Broadway show, is now included with songs from the original production.
"Camelot"
Drury Lane Theatre
100 Drury Lane
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
(630) 530-0111
www.drurylane.com
Date: Oct. 30, 2014 – Jan. 4, 2015
Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loew's classic musical about the legend of King Arthur and the rise and fall of idealism returns to a Chicago stage this fall. Under the direction of Alan Souza who is also choreographing the production, the show is bound to have audiences leaving with the songs "Camelot" and "If Ever I Would Leave You" in their heads. But with Souza's talent for honing in on the crux of the script, people are also likely to leave thinking about other heads of state who held idealistic values and dreamed of a spot called "Camelot."
Related: A Night At Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre
"The King And I"
Marriott Theatre
10 Marriott Drive
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
(847) 634-0200
www.marriotttheatre.com
Date: Now through Jan. 4, 2015
The number of songs from Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's "The King and I" that continue to be sung, played and enjoyed today boggle the mind. "I Whistle a Happy Tune," "Something Wonderful," Getting to Know You," I Have Dreamed," "Hello Young Lovers," " Shall We Dance" and "We Kiss in a Shadow" are all from Rodgers and Hammerstein show about what happens when Anna, a British schoolteacher, is invited by King Mongkut to come to Siam in the 1860s to be his children's governess. The concept is fraught with cultural conflicts but under the skillful script of Rodgers and Hammerstein and the direction of Nick Bowling, who is directing the show for Marriott Theatre, what emerges is that everyone, from the king and Anna to the children, end up learning and changing. Part reality, part fiction, the show is based on author Margaret Landon's "Anna and the King of Siam" novel that had its roots in the memoirs of governess Anna Leonowens.
"Annie"
Cadillac Palace Theatre
151 W. Randolph St.
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 384-1502
www.broadwayinchicago.com
Date: Nov. 18 – 30, 2014
In the spirit of what's old can be new again, "Annie" is back touring the country following its 2012 Broadway revival. About 35 years after opening on Broadway and taking seven Tony Awards, the feel-good musical has been re-energized by Martin Charnin, the show's 1977 lyricist. The revival still has the iconic "Tomorrow" and such applause-creators as "It's a Hard Knock Life" and "Easy Street." If some of the dance movements look familiar, it's because revival choreographer Liza Gennaro has pulled them from dad Peter Gennaro's original award-winning numbers. The show is part of the 2014-2015 Broadway-in-Chicago series.
"Newsies"
Bank of America Theatre
18 W. Monroe St.
Chicago, IL 60603
(800) 775-2000
www.broadwayinchicago.com
Date: Dec. 10, 2014 – Jan. 4, 2015
As with "Annie," orphans, homeless kids and some of the people who try to take advantage of them can succeed as a musical turned movie and again revitalized as a musical. Or, as with "Newsies," start out as a movie (1992) and then turned into a stage musical. After winning best choreography and best score on Broadway in 2012, the show about newsboys protesting unfair price practices by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer is now touring the country. "Newsies" is also part of Broadway-in-Chicago's 2014-2015 season.
Related: How To Get Involved In Chicago's Theater Community
Jodie Jacobs is a veteran journalist who loves writing about Chicago, art, theater, museums and travel. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.
