Column: BOLD Series drama in Aurora both fictional and real

Chicago Tribune

7 hours ago

I have to admit that after watching the recent opening of 'True West' at Copley Theatre in downtown Aurora, I had some negative feelings, but not about the show itself, which kicked off the fourth season of the Paramount's BOLD Series.
This powerful drama clearly lives up to the name given to these productions held in this small theater that was renovated a few years ago to showcase thought-provoking performances that tend to stick with audiences long after the final bow is taken on stage.
'True West,' a Pulitzer-Prize finalist written by Sam Shepard in 1980, is explosive and raw – pitting two brothers against each other who share scars from childhood but little else.
Even though the drama uses character-types and symbolism taken from the classic American Western, it is set in the 20th century's less primitive – but still cut-throat – environment of Hollywood and Southern California. And the conflict between the law-abiding brother and his petty thief sibling isn't over a herd of cattle or gold mine but over a screenplay an agent promises will bring them fame and fortune.
The tension and anger that builds throughout the show makes for powerful theater. But 'True West' is also full of dark humor, symbolism and some flat-out remarkable acting. And I found myself, as I usually do after a BOLD production, sitting in my seat for a few moments to collect my thoughts.
Only this time they centered not on the fictional ending I'd just witnessed but on an ending more realistic that could impact this community.
The BOLD Series kicked off in 2022 but quickly made a name for itself with audiences and critics. And that can't help but provide excellent marketing for the city. Consider the words of Chicago Tribune editor and writer Chris Jones, who covers theater in Chicago, New York … and Aurora.
He said in his review of 'True West' that was published Friday in the Chicago Tribune that 'there's not a moment here that does not ring true and essential.'
'Frankly, I was blown away by how well this play works in the here and now, how relevant it feels,' he wrote.
Then he added, 'If you're in shouting distance of Aurora, you won't regret the roughly 50 bucks or the two hours in its company.'
In other words – mine to be exact – this nationally-recognized theater expert is practically begging people to come to Aurora. And that's music to the ears of anyone who remembers, not that many years ago, when the downtown had such a bad reputation people were being warned to stay away.
But just as the brothers in 'True West' had dueling philosophies that crashed and nearly burned, Paramount leaders and the new mayoral administration in Aurora have opposing views on how critical all this is to downtown Aurora.
That conflict was obvious immediately after John Laesch was elected mayor this spring when he told reporters he had no intention of pursuing the City of Lights Center, a 4,000-seat theater and 600-person event space that was next on the Aurora Civic Center Authority's list to continue making the city an entertainment hub.
That angst and uncertainty has only grown since then. Last week at a town hall meeting, Laesch, who has put reducing city debt at the top of his priority list, made it clear there would be drastic cuts to the $7 million grant the city gave last year to the Aurora Civic Center Authority, which owns and operates the Paramount Theatre, Copley Theatre, Paramount School of the Arts and North Island Center, plus manages the city-owned RiverEdge Park and Stolp Island Theatre.
That amount is 'way too much money,' he told the audience at Metea Valley High School. And that most likely means layoffs and huge cuts to programming may be necessary.
Which brings me again to Jones' review and where my thoughts were as 'True West' kicked off the new BOLD Series season.
'In the unlikely setting of a small civic theater in downtown Aurora,' he noted, 'director Jim Corti and crew are staging what appears to be an ongoing series of very intense and distinctive versions of 20th century American classics of the kind theaters don't produce as much anymore.'
There's no question the Paramount has brought theater magic – not to mention cool branding – to the city of Aurora. But this series of unique and powerful plays is not inexpensive to produce.
'True West' may have been among the best BOLD productions I've seen so far. But my fear is that it could also be its last.