Follies in Chicago...

[skynyc]

Yes, after seeing the current New York production several times, I was interested to see this smaller "more boutique" version of this show. I have written here (ad nauseum to the minds of many who post here, LOL) about how much I like this show, and what I liked and didn't like about the NY production, (and the DC production.) I thought I would offer another version to the mix.

 

This production was put on Chicago's Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. It was staged in their main venue, a thrust stage that reaches way out into the audience. And reading the program, it was evident that the cast featured the cream of Chicago's divas.

 

The first person (ghosts not included) one encounters in Follies is Sally Plummer, played in NY by Bernadette Peters. Ms. Peters' portrayal has gotten much comment, both good and bad. I for one, enjoy it. But the Chicago production featured something that I haven't seen in a production of Follies in many years...a Sally that I didn't know. SHe didn't bring any thoughts of "that's Bernadette Peters/Donna MacKechnie/Judith Ivey/Victoria Clark" to mind. She was Susan Moniz and she was terrific. Vulnerable and eager I loved her performance.

 

Her Buddy Robert Petkoff, was good, but Danny Burstein is still my favorite Buddy of recent memory...perhaps of all time. The Stones, (Phyllis) Caroline O'Connor (who has played Velma on Broadway in Chicago) and (Ben) Brent Barrett, who was the only familiar face for me, were much colder than their NY counterparts, and their voices were in top form. Sally's Lucy and Jesse was a Fosse-esque trio that was terrific.

 

Hollis Resnik's Carlotta gave the best rendition of I'm Still Here that I recall. Hard to define, but she evoked the gamut of a theatrical experience that build seamlessly and almost got a standing ovation.

 

Over all, the production was fine. The smaller cast and orchestra were very noticeable, and I missed the larger number of ghosts, both in their ethereal presence, and appearance in the Who's That Woman number. But all in all, I was sorry I couldn't return to see this version again.