Latest news with #42Balloons'
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Afternoon Briefing: What to know about protests in Chicago and LA
Good afternoon, Chicago. A massive demonstration by thousands who marched through Chicago's Loop in protest of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown yesterday briefly snarled traffic and resulted in several confrontations between protesters and police as crowds surged into downtown streets and DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Protests that sprang up in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids and prompted President Donald Trump to mobilize National Guard troops and the Marines have begun to spread across the country, with more planned into the weekend. Today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended his decision to order troops to provide security during federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, telling senators during a hearing it's about 'maintaining law and order.' Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Andy Austin was an artist drawn to the activities, antics, boredom, rare joy and frequent heartbreaks of the dramas that play out in the courtrooms of our city, vividly capturing their characters and crimes for more than 40 years. Read more here. More top news stories: If you're arrested by ICE in Illinois, what happens next? Legal experts explain the process. Chicago Street Race adds Arby's as major sponsor for July Fourth NASCAR event Built in the 1950s and known as the Frazel House after its first owners, the redwood brick and glass house is located in the Kane County portion of Wayne and sits on a 3.76-acre lot that bisects Norton Creek. Read more here. More top business stories: Chicago Bears CEO Kevin Warren pays nearly $2.3M for Lake Forest mansion Inflation rose slightly last month as grocery prices ticked higher In the moment that night in October 2005, Robert Prevost indeed looks like any other guy from the South Side. That has become a big part of the allure. The night has taken on a sense of timelessness. Two decades later, people want to revisit it. Some are making pilgrimages to Rate Field, now home to one of the most hapless teams in baseball, to feel closer to Pope Leo XIV. Read more here. More top sports stories: Grant Taylor touches 100 mph 6 times in his 'pretty good' MLB debut for the Chicago White Sox How Matthew Boyd's pickoff move has been a weapon for the Chicago Cubs: 'It's a skill to learn that' Chi-town could have another local Top Chef if they win, a coveted title that frequently propels cast members to successful restaurants, television spots and cookbooks. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: Review: The Broadway-bound '42 Balloons' is a musical lifted by songs you'll feel you've heard before Review: 'Black Bone' by Definition Theatre looks at race and artificial intelligence Ramón Morales Reyes was accused of a writing a letter threatening Trump in a blistering social media post by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. But the claims quickly fell apart as Wisconsin authorities determined that Reyes, who doesn't speak English well or write in the language, was framed. Read more here. More top stories from around the world: Khaby Lame, the world's most popular TikTok star, leaves the US after being detained by ICE Brian Wilson, visionary leader of the Beach Boys, dies at 82
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Review: The Broadway-bound '42 Balloons' is a musical lifted by songs you've heard before
Had the young British writer Jack Godfrey made up the plot of '42 Balloons,' his new musical with Broadway aspirations now in its North American premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, he'd have been obliged to justify its eccentricity. But a California man who came to be known as 'Lawnchair Larry' Walters really did attach 42 helium-filled weather balloons to a Sears lawn chair, take a seat and leave terra firma in 1982, reaching a whopping height of 16,000 feet during his 45-minute flight before popping some balloons with a pellet gun and floating back down to Earth. The introverted Walter was not some TikTok influencer (he took no pictures and did not inhabit any such gestalt), but an eccentric man who simply wanted to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a pilot. For those who have not seen other material influenced by Walters' flight (the movie 'Up' being just one example), the veracity of the story gets pointed out at the top of '42 Balloons' by an eight-person ensemble, a self-aware Greek chorus that knows it is in a musical. 'This actually happened, you can look it up after the show,' they sing. 'And you can tell your friends about it and they can say, 'That's pretty crazy, why did you go and see a musical about balloons and what makes a man try to fly in a lawn chair?'' That's a good question on many levels, especially since Walters (played by Charlie McCullagh) persuaded his wife, Carol (Evelyn Hoskins, in a dominant performance), and his best pal, Ron (Akron Watson), to fund and back his quixotic quest, despite its obvious risks to life and limb. But it's also a clever bit of self-protection from the exceedingly smart Godfrey, a newcomer who has written an enjoyable and engaging new musical that strives to see Walters as an everyman with a weird dream — not so different, of course, from the dreams people describe in Tony Award acceptance speeches. His fast-moving, sung-through show (Godfrey penned the whole shooting match) is a quizzical, chirpy, mid-sized musical written for a cast of 12, with an undeniably charming and very British insouciance. American eccentrics like Walters long have provided material for satirists across the pond. But the difference between '42 Balloons' and, say, 'Jerry Springer — The Opera' is that this one has an emotional openness at its core. Godfrey walks a careful line between making musical hay with the strangeness of Walters' 'Candide'-like quest and admiring the guy's chutzpah and his determination to find his grail, as they say in 'Spamalot.' Many of his lyrics are written in narrative rather than dramatic form, allowing his characters to comment on their own actions and motivations ('Suddenly Larry felt a flash in his mind,' Larry sings at one point, and Carol warbles 'Carol didn't really expect this'). But then Godfrey also knows how to write sharp, funny lyrics. When Carol's mom, Margaret (the caustic Lisa Howard) makes her first entrance, her song starts with, 'When your daughter marries a loser …' It's funny, because it reflects back exactly what the audience is thinking. The score is, well, strangely familiar. There's a number that recalls 'Light My Candle' from 'Rent.' Another that sounds like 'Everything's Alright' from 'Jesus Christ Superstar.' A third shot me right into the middle of Justin Paul and Benj Pasek's 'Dear Evan Hansen.' A fourth felt like 'Come From Away.' And a fifth catchy hook, penned for Carol and beautifully sung by the fabulous Hoskins, kept me awake half the night trying to remember in which show I had heard that particular musical phrase before. You can hear the strong influence of Tim Minchin, who wrote the score for 'Matilda,' as well as other English composers from John Barry to Andrew Lloyd Webber to Willy Russell to Elton John to the Australian songwriter John Farrar, who wrote 'Xanadu,' another show you keep hearing. There's a 'Hamilton'-like rap and, unsurprisingly, some harmonics not so different from 'Six.' At other moments in the orchestrations, you feel like you are listening to ABBA or Electric Light Orchestra or 10cc or the show 'Rock of Ages.' I recount all that not necessarily as pejorative or to say that '42 Balloons' is like a musical Wikipedia (although, come to think of it …). Broadway musicals are an incremental art form and shows quote other scores all the time, and that above list is long enough to suggest intentionality and provide contrasts. But it is especially noticeable here and is part of what makes Godfrey's score Godfrey's score. There's a baked-in familiarity to everything you hear and, while purists will likely demur, I can see regular audiences latching onto its retro, gently satirical comforts. It's easy on the ears and it also knows that it's easy on the ears and has fun making fun of the fact that it's easy on the ears. The musical '42 Balloons' at Chicago Shakes is a producer's bet on the unknownBy Act 2, I'd decided this was the most jukebox-like musical that was not a jukebox musical I had ever heard. That might well be its secret to success: giving an audience original songs that they will feel like they have enjoyed before. That's actually far from easy to pull off and, despite the undeniably derivative nature of this theatrical experience, I find myself wanting to go back and hear it again. Hoskins, a powerhouse British talent, takes the most advantage of the score's many opportunities. A performer with integrity, McCullagh is laudably committed to honoring his troubled and introverted character, but he still needs to fully find his way to the emotional center of the show. That's the show's biggest issue right now. There's other work to be done, beginning with a song or two that quote absolutely nothing, although this piece already has been staged in Manchester in the U.K. and it's performed at a very capable level under director Ellie Coote, another talented newcomer. There's a hole in Act 1 where Larry needs a song to better explain, like, why he wants to fly in a lawnchair. The Act 2 swirl where post-flight Larry becomes a media curiosity feels underdeveloped. And the show still has to figure out how to logically negotiate both the sadness of the end of this story and its inspirational properties, as musicals always demand. It's all rushed right now. And, frankly, if it says '42 Balloons' on the marquee, they need to be in the show, not the lobby; the lawnchair alone looks mighty lonely. Godfrey introduces an original character to this story, called The Kid, a bystander who finds himself inspired in his own life by Walter's acts. That's a great device and worth further developing, especially since the fine young performer, Minju Michelle Lee, makes you feel what you need to feel. Walking out the door, I found myself thinking about the ubiquitousness of casual American cruelty, present in the 1980s and, of course, today. Plenty of folks right now would like to ascend into the air and get away. If Godfrey can have fun tap into that, Walters will seem like the most logical person in the country. Review: '42 Balloons' (3 stars) When: Through June 29 Where: The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave. Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes Tickets: $71-$132 at 312-595-5600 and
Chicago Tribune
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Theater for summer 2025: Our top 10 from '42 Balloons' on Navy Pier to Amy Morton back at Steppenwolf
As our chilly, dusty spring turns into summer, Chicago theaters have a stellar line-up of warm-weather attractions for you and your out-of-town guests to enjoy. Here are 10 shows opening between Memorial Day and Labor Day that look especially promising. Live entertainment can be found all over town, of course, but Chicago Shakespeare Theater will be especially busy this summer with two new shows likely to attract international attention. Before I list my picks, I'll add my annual reminder that some here may disappoint, and that 10 shows hardly do the full seasonal slate justice. You can also find an Ethiopian Circus at Chicago Shakespeare this summer, not to mention magic and comedy all over town, some familiar musicals in the city and suburbs, and a new Second City e.t.c Stage. revue, to name just a few more. And we've also not included the likes of American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, just a short drive away. '42 Balloons' at Chicago Shakespeare Theater: Arguably the highest profile Chicago show this summer, '42 Balloons' is a pre-Broadway tryout from producer Kevin McCollum ('Six') in Chicago Shakespeare's Yard on Navy Pier. First produced at The Lowry in Salford, Manchester, in the United Kingdom and penned by the British writer-composer Jack Godfrey, '42 Balloons' is the real-life story of 'Lawnchair Larry' Walters, a Vietnam veteran who, in 1982, made a quixotic, solo 45-minute flight above Southern California in, of all things, a lawn chair, as lifted by more than 40 helium-filled weather balloons, reaching 16,000 feet. Expect an all-new pop score themed to the power ballads, funk and glam rock sounds of the much-maligned 1980s. 'Diana the Musical' at Theo Theatre: Although a flop on Broadway, this campy musical from Joe DiPietro was to be rethought and retooled in Chicago-style fashion by Fred Anzevino, the longtime artistic director of Theo and a man who deeply appreciated all the former Princess of Wales did during the AIDS crisis. Alas, Anzevino died while in rehearsals for a show now dedicated to his memory. For all its excesses, 'Diana' did have a better score than a lot of critics first realized, so I'll be interested to see how it works as director Brenda Didier and the other Theo artists work to honor a man who did so much for small productions of musicals in Chicago. 'Iraq, But Funny' at Lookingglass Theatre: The list of theatrical comedies about Iraq is short, but Lookingglass Theatre, experiencing a rebirth this season after a long hiatus, is adding to the canon with this semi-autobiographical show about five generations of Assyrian women, as penned by ensemble member Atra Asdou and starring Asdou, Susaan Jamshidi, Gloria Imseih Petrelli, James Rana and Sina Pooresmaeil. Asdou describes her show as a 'raucous satire,' and the narrator is 'a British guy.' Intriguing. 'You Will Get Sick' by Steppenwolf Theatre Company: The title might not suggest summer frolics but few will care, since 'You Will Get Sick' represents the return of the much-loved Amy Morton to the Steppenwolf stage after an absence of eight years (since her appearance in 'Hir' in 2017). Since then, she's been one of the main characters on the massively popular Dick Wolf TV show 'Chicago P.D.,' which has been good for her and the franchise's global viewers but less good for Chicago theatergoers. Morton returns to the mainstage of her home theater in a much-acclaimed play by Noah Diaz about a young man and his caregiver, a role first played off-Broadway by Linda Lavin. Co-artistic director Audrey Francis directs. 'Kimberly Akimbo' at CIBC Theatre: Chicago gets its first look at the first national tour of the justly acclaimed Broadway musical from 2022 about the 16-year-old title character who has a rare genetic disorder — meaning that she ages very quickly and has the appearance of a 62-year-old woman, even as she is just trying to go to junior prom. The gorgeous score is by the incomparable Jeanine Tesori with a book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, after his own play. This affirmative and teen-friendly piece, fundamentally, is the quirky story of a stranger in the strange land of her own body. And it's far more life-affirming than its plot might first suggest. 'Dhaba on Devon Avenue' by Writers Theatre: I'm a sucker for locally set plays and this summer attraction at Writers Theatre in Glencoe is set on Chicago's famously rich and diverse Devon Avenue, the Far North Side artery and early epicenter of the Indiana diaspora in the Midwest. Homing in on a big dilemma for family restaurants, playwright Madhuri Shekar writes about a small Indian eatery that has to contend with the economic struggles of the restaurant business at large and generational change within a hard-working family that has long served hungry diners on Devon. 'Beauty and the Beast' at Cadillac Palace Theatre: This 1994 live adaptation of the beloved animated movie was a seminal event in the launch of Disney Theatricals, a producing entity that went on to create 'The Lion King,' 'Aladdin' and many others. The first Broadway project of the mighty mouse basically set about putting the movie on stage, replete with the fabulous songs by Alan Menken, the late Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. It was masterfully done and never repeated, even by Disney, who then turned to distinctively theatrical artists like Julie Taymor. This summer, Disney is bringing back this title in a whole new touring production. I'll be fascinated to see what decisions they make for the tale as old as time. Better yet, the Chicago great Kathy Voytko is playing Mrs. Potts. 'Twisted Melodies' at Northlight Theatre: The talented and longtime Chicago actor Kelvin Rolston Jr. has written this new show for himself about the late Chicago-born musician, singer and composer Donny Hathaway, known for his soul music and R&B hits, as well as his duets with Roberta Flack. Expect to hear Hathaway classics like 'I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know,' 'The Ghetto' and 'The Closer I Get to You.' The highly experienced Ron OJ Parson directs this show about a musical giant who, alas, lived only for 33 years. 'Billie Jean' at Chicago Shakespeare Theater: In one of the biggest shows of the post-Wimbledon summer, Chicago Shakespeare Theater explores the life and times of the tennis icon and LGBTQ activist Billie Jean King, who lived for many years in Chicago. I'm told King is involved with a show likely to have a future beyond Chicago. Penned by the popular and prolific Lauren Gunderson, 'Billie Jean' will be directed by Marc Bruni and already has a commercial producer attached. How the show will handle the action on the court itself remains to be seen but you can expect a celebration of King's ground-breaking achievements in and out of the great game. 'Things With Friends' at American Blues Theater: The high-profile writer Kristoffer Diaz ('Hells Kitchen,' 'The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity') is now an ensemble member at American Blues and he has given them the coup of producing the world premiere of his latest play, 'Things With Friends.' Therein, we meet Adele and Burt throwing a dinner party for their dearest friends, even as the George Washington Bridge and Brooklyn Battery Tunnel have collapsed into their respective rivers. Things apparently go from there.
