Latest news with #KokandyProductions
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Review: Kokandy Productions resurrects the dreamy 'Amélie the Musical'
What was ground zero for the manic pixie dream girl movie trope? Zooey Deschanel in '(500) Days of Summer?' Kirsten Dunst in 'Elizabethtown?' Winona Ryder in 'Autumn in New York?' It depends on the nature of your preferred definition and some go back as far as Katharine Hepburn. But a case surely could be made for the pointy-haired French star Audrey Tautou in 'Amélie,' the whimsical 2001 French fable from Jean-Pierre Jeunet about a melancholy but lovable Montmartre waitress who decides that the best cure for her own feelings of loneliness is throwing herself into improving the lives of the clutch of Parisian eccentrics who surround her. 'Amélie' was one of the most internationally successful French movies ever made, and those of us who fell under its witty, sweet, intermittently acerbic spell at the time surely recall it with great fondness. Ah, when quirkiness and whimsy still felt fresh and new. Until, that is, some of us walked into Broadway's Walter Kerr Theater in 2017 for the disastrous musical version. Not many folk had that dubious pleasure, given that 'Amélie,' which has a book by Craig Lucas and music by Daniel Messé, lasted only 57 regular performances. I hadn't seen it since before this weekend and was not sure I ever would before Kokandy Productions, the indisputable current leader in edgy, off-Loop musicals, announced its summer project. 'Amélie,' the musical yin to 'Lupin's' Netflix yang. Interesting, I thought. Everything gets licensed. I should first note why I think 'Amélie' had such a rough go of it on Broadway in 2017. Many reasons: The source movie was so organically and distinctly beautiful as to resist brand extension. A chilly vibe couldn't compete with the warmth and vulnerability of Tautou's film performance. The show struggled to translate so fundamental a cinematic narrative into the language of a Broadway musical. And, frankly, time had just . Daring originality had become a familiar trope. Kokandy's hugely inventive production, which is a must-see for anyone interested in the long Chicago tradition of fresh and intimate takes on failed Broadway musicals, goes a long way toward giving Amélie back her crucial sense of self and worth. You might say it de-tropifies her. Most specifically, that is achieved by the delightful Aurora Penepacker, who plays the central character here and makes Amélie entirely her own, even though she comes with a Tautou-like Parisian bob and a day-glo vivacity that put me most in mind of Jasmine Amy Rogers in 'Boop! The Musical.' The gifted director and choregrapher Derek Van Barham, who has been doing for musicals these last few summers what David Cromer once did for straight plays in the basement of the Chopin Theatre in Wicker Park, has created an eye-poppingly immersive production that draws on the cabaret-style implications of the material (Amélie is, after all, a waitress in a Parisian cafe) and features a cast that switches, 'Once'-style, back and forth between playing instruments (playing them well, too) and performing the show's wacky lost urban souls. The tone of the production is admirable diverse: Mizha Lee Overn, for example, brings warmth to her little clutch of characters while Quinn Rigg, between stints playing the violin, adds a delicious soupçon of cynicism to his denizens. I did think Joe Giovannetti, who plays Amélie's love interest, Nino, could warm up some more toward the end, but then the production's problems mostly are in the second act. Act 1 is pretty knockout but post-intermission (an intermission that did not exist on Broadway) the show gets less specific and it just pops off the boil a tad. Penepacker's vocals are simply fabulous all the way through to her big Act 2 number, 'Sister's Pickle' (I know; what a title for an 11 o'clock number) and then she suddenly seems less tonally assured. I suspect that the show ran out of rehearsal time, which is not uncommon. I also think the problems within the material finally start to overwhelm the plethora of creative staging ideas here, all shrewdly designed and lit by G. 'Max' Maxin IV. Caper-driven films invariably have too much plot for Act 2 and that's surely the case here, when all the audience really wants is to spend more time inside the head of the heroine. So I can't report that Kokandy solves about 'Amélie.' But the score is worth hearing, when this well sung. Indeed, I'll wager you won't regret going for a second, not with this much passion and creativity and sheer talent running around what long has been the most artistically satisfying basement in the city. Review: 'Amélie' (3.5 stars) When: Through Sept. 28 Where: Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes Tickets: $45-55 at
Chicago Tribune
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
At the Non-Equity Jeff Awards, Kokandy's ‘Into the Woods' is the big winner
The winners have been announced for the 51st annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards, with Kokandy Productions taking home five awards for 'Into the Woods.' Its production of the Sondheim musical in late 2024 won several big categories, including for best musical, ensemble, director and music direction, as well as for artistic specialization for orchestrations. Another leading winner was City Lit Theater, which won best play for 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars.' In the cast, Robert Howard was honored as best performer in a supporting role. (The Jeff Awards do not separate acting categories by gender.) City Lit also won a third award for costume design for 'Murder in the Cathedral.' Refracted Theatre also won three. In the play category, the coveted ensemble award went to TUTA Theatre for 'Attempts on Her Life.' Lead performance awards for a play went to Bide Akande for 'Rhinoceros' by Theatre Y and Jacqueline Grandt in 'The Totality of All Things' at Redtwist Theatre. For musicals, they went to Tyler Anthony Smith from 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' at Haven Theatre and Colette Todd in 'A Little Night Music' at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. Open Space Arts took home four awards in categories for short-run productions (or shows that had between 9 and 17 performances). The Theatre School at DePaul University won the 2025 Joseph Jefferson Special Award, according to an announcement from the Jeffs, honored for 'its 100-year legacy of training exceptional artists and its profound influence on the Chicago theater community.' A new Impresario Award honoring excellence in stage management went to Kyle Aschbrenner of Blank Theatre Company, and will be a part of both Equity and Non-Equity Jeffs going forward. The awards to 33 recipients across 25 categories were presented in a ceremony Monday night at the Harris Theater by the all-volunteer Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee. They recognized theater productions opening in 2024 by the Chicago area's non-union theaters. Some 138 artists in shows from 29 companies had been nominated. Winners of Non-Equity Jeff Awards for 2024 productions PRODUCTION OF A PLAY: 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theatre PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL OR REVUE: 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions ENSEMBLE OF A PLAY: 'Attempts on Her Life' – TUTA Theatre ENSEMBLE OF A MUSICAL OR REVUE: 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions NEW WORK: Brynne Frauenhoffer – 'Pro-Am' – First Floor Theater Erik Gernand – 'The Totality of All Things' – Redtwist Theatre DIRECTOR OF A PLAY: Rebecca Willingham – 'Pro-Am' – First Floor Theater DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL: Derek Van Barham – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (PLAY): Bide Akande (Berenger) – 'Rhinoceros' – Theatre Y Jacqueline Grandt (Judith) – 'The Totality of All Things' – Redtwist Theatre PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (MUSICAL): Tyler Anthony Smith (Hedwig) – 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' – Haven Theatre Colette Todd (Desiree Armfeldt) – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (PLAY): Jodi Gage (Actor 1) – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company Robert Howard (Hedley) – 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theater Company PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (MUSICAL): Alicia Berneche (Letitia Peabody Primrose) – 'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company Maya Rowe (Charlotte Malcolm) – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre PRODUCTION (SHORT RUN): 'Cock' – Open Space Arts DIRECTOR (SHORT RUN): Michael D. Graham – 'Light Switch' – Open Space Arts PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (SHORT RUN): Philip Andrew Monnett (Henry) – 'Light Switch' – Open Space Arts PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (SHORT RUN): Sonya Robinson (W) – 'Cock' – Open Space Arts ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION (SHORT RUN): Diane Fairchild (lighting design) – 'Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol' – Lifeline Theatre SCENIC DESIGN: Marvin Tate – 'Rhinoceros' – Theatre Y COSTUME DESIGN: Patti Roeder – 'Murder in the Cathedral' – City Lit Theater Company SOUND DESIGN: Christopher Kriz – 'The Singularity Play' – Jackalope Theatre Company L.J. Luthringer – 'The Tempest' – Idle Muse Theatre Company LIGHTING DESIGN: Garrett Bell – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company PROJECTION DESIGN: Abboye Lawrence – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company MUSIC DIRECTION: Nick Sula – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION: Ariana Miles, Evelyn Ryan and Nick Sula (orchestrations) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
Chicago Tribune
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations: Theo's ‘Secret Garden' and Kokandy Productions lead the way
Nominations have been announced for the 51st annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards, with Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre and Kokandy Productions earning the most nominations for their off-Loop musicals. The Evanston company also known simply as Theo received 22 nominations for three productions, including 'The Secret Garden' (with 10), 'A Little Night Music' (with 8) and 'Sondheim Tribute Revue' (with 4 nominations across the awards' 23 categories.) Chicago's Kokandy Productions received 14 nominations, with most going to its holiday production of Sondheim's 'Into the Woods,' which was staged in the basement of the Chopin Theatre (10 nominations). According to the announcement Thursday by the all-volunteer Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee, Invictus Theatre Company and City Lit Theater Company also earned 12 and 11 nominations, respectively, for multiple productions in the past year. The Non-Equity Jeff Awards are for the most recent season of theater productions by the Chicago area's non-union theaters. Eligible productions for the 51st annual awards opened between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024, and the nominations cast a wide net, recognizing some 138 artists in shows from 29 companies. The ceremony for the 51st Anniversary Jeff Awards for Non-Equity Theater will be 7 p.m. March 24 at the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph St. at Millennium Park; tickets are $73.60, on sale Feb. 17 at NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES PRODUCTION OF A PLAY 'Attempts on Her Life' – TUTA Theatre 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theatre 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre 'Native Son' – Lifeline Theatre 'Pro-Am' – First Floor Theater 'Topdog/Underdog' – Invictus Theatre Company PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL OR REVUE 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions 'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company 'Sondheim Tribute Revue' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre ENSEMBLE OF A PLAY 'Attempts on Her Life' – TUTA Theatre 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theatre 'Dogs' – Red Theater 'Pro-Am' – First Floor Theater 'The Singularity Play' – Jackalope Theatre Company ENSEMBLE OF A MUSICAL OR REVUE 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre 'Alice by Heart' – Kokandy Productions 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions 'Sondheim Tribute Revue' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre NEW WORK Brynne Frauenhoffer – 'Pro-Am' – First Floor Theater Erik Gernand – 'The Totality of All Things' – Redtwist Theatre George Howe and William Massolia – 'The House Without a Christmas Tree' – Griffin Theatre Company Hanna Kime – 'Dogs' – Red Theater Mark Pracht – 'The House of Ideas' – City Lit Theatre Jay Stull – 'The Singularity Play' – Jackalope Theatre Company Loy A. Webb – 'Judy's Life's Work' – Definition Theatre Laura Winters – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre DIRECTOR OF A PLAY Aaron Reese Boseman – 'Topdog/Underdog' – Invictus Theatre Company Manny Buckley – 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theatre Aileen Wen McGroddy – 'Attempts on Her Life' – TUTA Theatre Max Truax – 'Mother Courage and Her Children' – Trap Door Theatre Georgette Verdin – 'The Singularity Play' – Jackalope Theatre Company Rebecca Willingham – 'Pro-Am' – First Floor Theater DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL Fred Anzevino – 'Sondheim Tribute Revue' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Danny Kapinos – 'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company Christopher Pazdernik – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre L. Walter Stearns – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Derek Van Barham – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions Derek Van Barham and Brittney Brown – 'Alice by Heart' – Kokandy Productions PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (PLAY) Bide Akande (Berenger) – 'Rhinoceros' – Theatre Y Mikha'el Amin (Lincoln) – 'Topdog/Underdog' – Invictus Theatre Company DeMorris Burrows (Booth) – 'Topdog/Underdog' – Invictus Theatre Company Holly Cerney (Mother Courage) – 'Mother Courage and Her Children' – Trap Door Theatre Peter Ferneding (Ned Weeks) – 'The Normal Heart' – Redtwist Theatre Jacqueline Grandt (Judith) – 'The Totality of All Things' – Redtwist Theatre Tamarus Harvell (Bigger) – 'Native Son' – Lifeline Theatre Claudia Quesada (Alba Guerrero) – 'An Educated Guess'– Definition Theatre Ana Santos (Electra Casados) – 'Adverses' – Aguijón Theater Company Katherine Schwartz (Agnes Eggling) – 'A Bright Room Called Day' – Blank Theatre Company James Sparling (Thomas Becket) – 'Murder in the Cathedral' – City Lit Theater Company PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (MUSICAL) Patrick Byrnes (Frederik Egerman) – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Caitlyn Cerza (Alice) – 'Alice by Heart' – Kokandy Productions Joryhebel Ginorio (Mary Lennox) – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Madison Kauffman (Cinderella) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions Will Koski (Lord Archibald Craven) – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Julia Limoncelli (Addie Mill) – 'The House Without a Christmas Tree' – Griffin Theatre Company Tyler Anthony Smith (Hedwig) – 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' – Haven Theatre Colette Todd (Desiree Armfeldt) – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Karylin Veres (Lily Garland) – 'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company Kevin Webb (Baker) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (PLAY) Cereyna Jade Bougouneau (Charli) – 'Judy's Life's Work' – Definition Theatre Grant Carriker (Gregor Bazwald) – 'A Bright Room Called Day' – Blank Theatre Company Kason Chesky (Micah) – 'The Totality of All Things' – Redtwist Theatre Callahan Romen Crnich (Hal) – 'Proof' – BlueBird Arts Justice Ford (Lotte/Carmen) – 'By the Way, Meet Vera Stark' – The Artistic Home Jodi Gage (Actor 1) – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company Robert Howard (Hedley) – 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theater Company Zachary Linnert (Felix Turner) – 'The Normal Heart' – Redtwist Theatre Stephanie Shum (Two) – 'Dogs' – Red Theater Jarvell Williams (Canewell) – 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theater Company Michael B. Woods (Macduff) – 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' – Invictus Theatre Company PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (MUSICAL) Lexi Alioto (Susan) – '[Title of Show]' – PrideArts Alicia Berneche (Letitia Peabody Primrose) – 'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company August Forman (Narrator/Mysterious Man) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions Shea Hopkins (Cinderella's Prince, Wolf) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions Dakota Hughes (Martha Sowerby) – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Brennan Martinez (Lily Craven) – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Shannon McEldowney (Heidi) – '[Title of Show]' – PrideArts Maya Rowe (Charlotte Malcolm) – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Anne Sheridan Smith (Beverly) – 'The Mad Ones' – Blank Theatre Company Kevin Webb (Carl–Magnus Malcolm) – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre PRODUCTION (SHORT RUN) 'Cock' – Open Space Arts 'The Drowsy Chaperone' – Surging Films and Theatrics 'The Language Archive' – Edge of the Wood Theatre 'Light Switch' – Open Space Arts 'Pilot Island and Her Keepers' – The Impostors Theatre Co. 'The Smuggler' – Jackalope Theatre Company DIRECTOR (SHORT RUN) Michael D. Graham – 'Light Switch' – Open Space Arts Stacey Lind – 'The Language Archive' – Edge of the Wood Theatre Billy Surges – 'The Drowsy Chaperone' – Surging Films and Theatrics Iraida Tapias – 'The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon' – Water People Theatre Wren Wesner – 'Cock' – Open Space Arts PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (SHORT RUN) Rebeca Alemán (Paulina) – 'The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon' – Water People Theatre Seth E. Harman (Man in Chair) – 'The Drowsy Chaperone' – Surging Films and Theatrics Philip Andrew Monnett (Henry) – 'Light Switch' – Open Space Arts Mafer Roussell (Helen of Troy) – 'Juicio a Una Zorra' – Repertorio Latino Theater Company Andrew Burden Swanson (Tim Finnegan) – 'The Smuggler' – Jackalope Theatre Company Phil Timberlake (Jacob Marley) – 'Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol' – Lifeline Theatre PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (SHORT RUN) Jeff Broitman (Resten) – 'The Language Archive' – Edge of the Wood Theatre Yahdina U–Deen (Grandma Betty) – 'Beneath the Willow Tree' – Pulse Theatre Company Sonya Robinson (W) – 'Cock' – Open Space Arts Ellen Shaw (Emma) – 'The Language Archive' – Edge of the Wood Theatre ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION (SHORT RUN) Dominick Alesia (original music) – 'Pilot Island and Her Keepers' – The Imposters Theatre Co. Diane Fairchild (lighting design) – 'Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol' – Lifeline Theatre Madeline Felauer (costume design) – 'The Golden Girls Meet the Skooby Don't Gang: The Mystery of the Haunted Bush' – Hell in a Handbag Productions Tim Huggenberger (choreography) – 'The Drowsy Chaperone' – Surging Films and Theatrics Stefan Roseen (sound design) – 'Pilot Island and Her Keepers' – The Imposters Theatre Co. SCENIC DESIGN Rose Johnson – 'Bottle Fly' – Redtwist Theatre Manuel Ortiz – 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' – Invictus Theatre Company Samantha Anna Rausch – 'Proof'– BlueBird Arts Kevin Rolfs – 'Network' – Invictus Theatre Company Kevin Rolfs – 'Topdog/Underdog' – Invictus Theatre Company Marvin Tate – 'Rhinoceros' – Theatre Y COSTUME DESIGN Gregory Graham – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company Rachel Lambert – 'By the Way, Meet Vera Stark' – The Artistic Home Lucy Elkin – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Rachel S. Parent – 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theater Company Patti Roeder – 'Murder in the Cathedral' – City Lit Theater Company SOUND DESIGN Ethan Korvne – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company Christopher Kriz – 'The Singularity Play' – Jackalope Theatre Company L.J. Luthringer – 'The Tempest' – Idle Muse Theatre Company Kimberly A. Sutton – 'Rhinoceros' – Theatre Y Petter Wahlbäck – 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' – Invictus Theatre Company LIGHTING DESIGN Garrett Bell – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company Keith Parham – 'Attempts on Her Life' – TUTA Theatre G 'Max' Maxin IV – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions Hannah Wien – 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' – Invictus Theatre Company Levi J. Wilkins – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre PROJECTION DESIGN DJ Douglass – 'Network' – Invictus Theatre Company Abboye Lawrence – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company G. 'Max' Maxin IV – 'The House of Ideas' – City Lit Theater Company MUSIC DIRECTION Carolyn Brady – 'Sondheim Tribute Review' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Carolyn Brady – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Eugene Dizon – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Heidi Joosten – 'Alice by Heart' – Kokandy Productions Aaron Kaplan – 'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company Nick Sula – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION Violent Delights (Amber Wuttke & Jay Donley) (fight choreography) – 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' – Invictus Theatre Company Jillian Leff (fight choreography) – 'Die Hard 4 Your Luv' – Factory Theater Ariana Miles, Evelyn Ryan and Nick Sula (orchestrations) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions Philip Seward (original music) – 'Murder in the Cathedral' – City Lit Theater Company
