Comments on: The Reasons http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/ Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:19:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0 by: Renee Mumford http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/#comment-406 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:49:30 +0000 http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/#comment-406 Last night was my night to sit ensconsed in row AA36. A great seat 'cause the set was thrust forward and tilted at an angle and gave me a perfect television stylized perception of Superior Donuts. Here are my feelings on last night's performance. The Story: This play is not about donuts. I think that is correct. It's not about a Chicago neighborhood, per se. It's not about different waves of immigrants setting up shop whether they were forced here or came on their own merit. It's not about love. I think it's about making money and friendship? I think the play will continue to grow in irony. Starbucks has peaked. I wondered if the production got advertising compensation from the coffee king? I think The Russian will do well expanding his store and selling electronics. I wonder if Best Buy compensated too? The Acting: Without mentioning names. One main character's volume was turned down so low, he appeared almost dead! My husband couldn't hear hardly any of this person's lines! Which made the story sort of one sided. The other main actor was turned up too high! Chill pill - chill pill. So, if one acter could turn up his volume a little (energetically and auditorially) and the other turn his down a little, we'd have balance and harmony! I loved Lady. Who wouldn't? The Setting: Nice! I got angry when TWO cell phones went off during performance. But was impressed the actors stayed focused. I relish the day, actors take it upon themselves to stop the performance and scream at the culprit, "Turn our effing cell phone off, you effing moron! Gosh darn it anyway!" There would be a standing ovation and the culprit would be shamed into submission. I was tickled by the El sound affect. Very cool. Okay, so, I'm not going to write this in not July, Cook County (you know what I mean). It was a good evening at Steppenwolf. Anytime I attend theatre at Steppenwolf, it is a good evening because I absolutely worship the place as the greatest, most wonderful theatrical space on earth! XO PS: The play reminded me of a cross between a Spike Lee flim and sitcom (Alice). Last night was my night to sit ensconsed in row AA36. A great seat ’cause the set was thrust forward and tilted at an angle and gave me a perfect television stylized perception of Superior Donuts. Here are my feelings on last night’s performance. The Story: This play is not about donuts. I think that is correct. It’s not about a Chicago neighborhood, per se. It’s not about different waves of immigrants setting up shop whether they were forced here or came on their own merit. It’s not about love. I think it’s about making money and friendship? I think the play will continue to grow in irony. Starbucks has peaked. I wondered if the production got advertising compensation from the coffee king? I think The Russian will do well expanding his store and selling electronics. I wonder if Best Buy compensated too? The Acting: Without mentioning names. One main character’s volume was turned down so low, he appeared almost dead! My husband couldn’t hear hardly any of this person’s lines! Which made the story sort of one sided. The other main actor was turned up too high! Chill pill - chill pill. So, if one acter could turn up his volume a little (energetically and auditorially) and the other turn his down a little, we’d have balance and harmony! I loved Lady. Who wouldn’t? The Setting: Nice! I got angry when TWO cell phones went off during performance. But was impressed the actors stayed focused. I relish the day, actors take it upon themselves to stop the performance and scream at the culprit, “Turn our effing cell phone off, you effing moron! Gosh darn it anyway!” There would be a standing ovation and the culprit would be shamed into submission. I was tickled by the El sound affect. Very cool. Okay, so, I’m not going to write this in not July, Cook County (you know what I mean). It was a good evening at Steppenwolf. Anytime I attend theatre at Steppenwolf, it is a good evening because I absolutely worship the place as the greatest, most wonderful theatrical space on earth! XO PS: The play reminded me of a cross between a Spike Lee flim and sitcom (Alice).

]]> by: michele lang http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/#comment-399 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:04:24 +0000 http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/#comment-399 Kudos to all for truly terrific and satisfying performances. Daughter (a former Steppenwolf intern) and I saw "Superior Donuts" on Sat. afternoon at the press preview, and enjoyed it immensely. We also both think that Chris Jones got it exactly right in his review today. (We'd been anxious to see what he was going to write.) Everyone in this was wonderful, but Jon Michael Hill? Oh my, what talent. You have a long and rewarding career ahead of you. And Michael McKean? Daughter saw you perform in London last year and absolutely loves you. One interesting note: When you turned in profile on stage, you reminded me physically of George Carlin at his best, most thought-provoking moments. Given your character, I thought that was cool. Tracy Letts? There are no words. We are such fans, and I just kept remarking to my daughter, "You can just IMAGINE him writing these words on this one." Your particularly wicked sense of humor was just stamped everywhere on this play. You got it, guy; you got it. We are in awe. Kudos to all for truly terrific and satisfying performances. Daughter (a former Steppenwolf intern) and I saw “Superior Donuts” on Sat. afternoon at the press preview, and enjoyed it immensely. We also both think that Chris Jones got it exactly right in his review today. (We’d been anxious to see what he was going to write.)

Everyone in this was wonderful, but Jon Michael Hill? Oh my, what talent. You have a long and rewarding career ahead of you. And Michael McKean? Daughter saw you perform in London last year and absolutely loves you. One interesting note: When you turned in profile on stage, you reminded me physically of George Carlin at his best, most thought-provoking moments. Given your character, I thought that was cool.

Tracy Letts? There are no words. We are such fans, and I just kept remarking to my daughter, “You can just IMAGINE him writing these words on this one.” Your particularly wicked sense of humor was just stamped everywhere on this play. You got it, guy; you got it. We are in awe.

]]> by: Philip Gibboney http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/#comment-396 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:49:53 +0000 http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/#comment-396 I attended a preview of "Superior Donuts" last evening and have been a subscriber at the Steppenwolf Theatre for 10 years. This is a play that you think about long afterwards and I think is a "superior" Chicago play written, directed and acted with great care for an appreciative Chicago theatre audience. The characters are richly and vividly developed throughout and remind us of persons we might have known at various points in our own lives. Yet here, these lives intersect simultaneously with varying degrees of humor, rage, arrogance, violence, sorrow and ultimately, acts of true bravery and friendship. Michael McKean's Arthur Przbyszewski is magnetic........understated yet energized and fully dynamic. Franco Wicks lives life in the affirmative and at his own expense offers to Arthur the gifts of encouragement and confidence, passionately played with a challenging range of emotions by Jon Michael Hill. The ensemble is truly remarkable and creates not only an unforgettable evening of theatre, but also a lasting contemplation of how the human condition and it's intricate relationships ought to be. Thank you Tracy Letts and Tina Landau. I attended a preview of “Superior Donuts” last evening and have been a subscriber at the Steppenwolf Theatre for 10 years.

This is a play that you think about long afterwards and I think is a “superior” Chicago play written, directed and acted with great care for an appreciative Chicago theatre audience.

The characters are richly and vividly developed throughout and remind us of persons we might have known at various points in our own lives. Yet here, these lives intersect simultaneously with varying degrees of humor, rage, arrogance, violence, sorrow and ultimately, acts of true bravery and friendship.

Michael McKean’s Arthur Przbyszewski is magnetic……..understated yet energized and fully dynamic.

Franco Wicks lives life in the affirmative and at his own expense offers to Arthur the gifts of encouragement and confidence, passionately played with a challenging range of emotions by Jon Michael Hill.

The ensemble is truly remarkable and creates not only an unforgettable evening of theatre, but also a lasting contemplation of how the human condition and it’s intricate relationships ought to be.

Thank you Tracy Letts and Tina Landau.

]]> by: Kathleen Brant http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/#comment-394 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:46:39 +0000 http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/#comment-394 I saw "Superior Donuts" and it was exceptional; I loved it, and it is SO much better than "Osage County". It was warm as well as funny and it made emotional and psychological sense. I stayed to for the discussion and learned the ending had been revised. . . and the ending I saw was much better than the one I heard described. I liked all the characters and the acting by everyone is perfect; the young man who played Franco is extraordinary and Lady is priceless---all of them couldn't be better. Obviously, I have preview tickets and re "Osage County" I'm curious to know if some changes were made from the preview to the perfected performance. . . I found the characters interesting but I was completely frustrated with the many times when the actors were telling, not showing on stage----often it happened after they'd already shown and the long explanations were unnecessary. This didn't happen in "Superior Donuts." This is one of the best plays I've ever seen at Steppenwolf. I saw “Superior Donuts” and it was exceptional; I loved it, and it is SO much better than “Osage County”. It was warm as well as funny and it made emotional and psychological sense. I stayed to for the discussion and learned the ending had been revised. . . and the ending I saw was much better than the one I heard described. I liked all the characters and the acting by everyone is perfect; the young man who played Franco is extraordinary and Lady is priceless—all of them couldn’t be better.

Obviously, I have preview tickets and re “Osage County” I’m curious to know if some changes were made from the preview to the perfected performance. . . I found the characters interesting but I was completely frustrated with the many times when the actors were telling, not showing on stage—-often it happened after they’d already shown and the long explanations were unnecessary. This didn’t happen in “Superior Donuts.”

This is one of the best plays I’ve ever seen at Steppenwolf.

]]> by: Pam Curtis http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/#comment-389 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:35:42 +0000 http://blog.steppenwolf.org/2008/06/19/the-reasons/#comment-389 I attended the matinee today and enjoyed the opportunity to discuss the play afterwards. The detail of the neighborhoods Mr. Lett's writes about is impeccable. Many memories came back, some tears and laughter! The choices made by each Actor in this ensemble were strong and well executed. I loved it!! I was sucked in and am grateful for the ride that this cast takes the audience on. I attended the matinee today and enjoyed the opportunity to discuss the play afterwards. The detail of the neighborhoods Mr. Lett’s writes about is impeccable. Many memories came back, some tears and laughter! The choices made by each Actor in this ensemble were strong and well executed. I loved it!! I was sucked in and am grateful for the ride that this cast takes the audience on.

]]>