Dying For It, is a greatly written new play by Moira Buffini, is freely adapted from Nikolai Erdman's "The Suicide" a 1928 satire, which was banned by Stalin before it ever hit the stage (and about 90-95 years give or take before Republicans started banning abortions, books, drag queens, trans people, and voting rights), so there's a lot of poetent policitcal and social satire in this play's DNA, which is subperbly directed by Monica Payne and given an excellent production by The Artistic Home at The Den's Bookspan Theatre.
3 cheers for this production! It's stellar and wonderful in every way! From the pre-show atmosphere, the acting, the direction, the ensemble work, the costumes, the set, the props, the lighting, the music, the sound, and the script. In theatre, it's always easier to say what's wrong with something or why it didn't work, rather than why it did and does. This show is one of those great examples of the kind of ongoing terrific theatre work that Chicago is known for: ensemble driven, well directed, black box theatre productions that pack a punch, making you laugh and think at the same time.
An old Broadway theatre saying is "Satire is what closes on a Saturday night", but we in Chicago love good satire, and this show is full of great satire, and it runs through April 23, so go see it!
Kudos everyone!
Actors: Kayla Adams; Reid Coker; Kristin Collins; Brookelyn Herbert; John LaFlamboy; Kathy Scambiatterra; Jared Goudsmit; Daniel Shtivelberg; Mary Spence; Patrick Thornton; and Carolyn Waldee.
Stag Manager & Assistant Director: Andrew Snyder / Assistant Stage Manager: Dakota Pariset; Scenic Designer: Kevin Hagan; Lighting Designer: Mark Bracken Jr. / Original Music & Sound Designer: Petter Wahlback / Costume Designer: Rachel Lambert / Props Designer: Randy Rozler / Tech Director: Tom McNelis / Fight Choreographer: David Blixt / Dance Choreographer: Britt Anderson
Dying for It is playing through April 23rd at The Den Theatre 1331 West Milwaukee in Chicago. For tickets and information go to https://www.theartistichome.org/
For more reviews see TheatreInChicago.com
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