By Rikki Lee Travolta
Director Lauren Berman has shown off quite an array of diverse talents this year. She directed a smashingly good production of the young adult-oriented, cult musical “Ride the Cyclone” for 4 Chairs Theatre at the John and Nancy Hughes Theater at the Gorton Center in Lake Forest; the thought-provoking “What the Constitution Means to Me” about the inequities that our government has allowed to go on throughout history at the Copley Theatre as a part of Paramount Theatre’s BOLD Series; and now the musical review “Home for the Holidays” for 4 Chairs Theatre at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights.
Berman clearly isn’t just a one-trick pony. She has demonstrated time and again the skills to take a creative idea, find the talent needed to do it justice, and then develop that vision and put a top-shelf quality product on the stage for the enjoyment of all. And she does it in so many mediums.
Hey Nonny is a lovely cabaret space located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights. Kitty corner to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre and conveniently neighboring the city’s public parking structure, Hey Nonny might be the Northwest suburbs’ best-kept secret. Hopefully, programs like 4 Chairs Theatre’s capacity production of “Home for the Holidays” will be just what is needed to put Hey Nonny on the map.
“Home for the Holidays” was a one-night event, so I regret that I can only tease your appetite with a description of what I got to experience in the audience on a lovely December evening in the company of an enthusiastic group of theatre supporters. However, my hope is that this description does enough justice to the endearing program that you’ll keep a watch out for future 4 Chairs Theatre events – at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights and at other area spaces throughout Chicagoland. You never know where 4 Chairs is going to pop up to strut their stuff.
“Home for the Holidays” is not your typical holiday revue of classic carols. Instead, the five singers and their splendid accompanist Tyeese Braslavsky delighted the friendly audience with theatre, film, and television songs that loosely tie into themes that come up at the holiday times – like the awkward humor of seeing your ex who is now married. Yikes! But it’s all in good fun.
Indeed, Berman has selected a host of fun and sometimes emotionally moving songs to keep spirits merry for the holidays. And, she assembled quite a talented group to put their unique spin on the songs.
The singers for the evening were Dylan Smith, Carolyn Sundlof Boudreau, Elise de Roulet, Scott Spector, and Denise Tamburrino. They all have divine voices and sparkling personalities that shine on stage. Bravely, each also shared elements of themselves in witty banter between songs.
Tamburrino, for instance, shared that this was her first time on stage in two years, after having successfully battled cancer. And what a return to the stage it was. Her rendition of “My Simple Christmas Wish” by film and theatre composer David Friedman was incredible – both powerful and funny as all get out. Tamburrino and all of the cast have incredibly expressive faces and offer not just premier vocal talents, but lively emotional interpretations as well.
Elise de Roulet also showed off her bravery, repeatedly throwing herself at the audience’s mercy with her tales of being a single mother nobody seems to be able to set up on a blind date. I will note that she is beautiful and has a gorgeous voice, and the personality that bubbled on stage also made it clear that any man would be lucky to have her as his girlfriend. And it doesn’t hurt that she is willing to laugh at herself. In terms of laughter, she had the audience in absolute hysterics with “T.M.I.” from “Island Song” (another show Berman has skillfully directed in the past). It was one of several highlights of the night.
Scott Spector is a big bull of a guy with a big bass voice and a big gleeful smile. He was completely in his element adding comic stylings with renditions of “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” and Adam Sandler’s classic “The Hannukah Song”. He also offered a lovely duet from “Wicked” with Dylan Smith.
Smith has a voice that is sweet like sugar. He is a recent college graduate who you can tell has a great career ahead of him. He has a magical way of expressing himself on stage, and showed his stuff with selections like “Advice from a Caterpillar” from “Wonderland the Musical”.
While all the players spent time on the mic, Carolyn Sundlof Boudreau was the unofficial master of ceremonies for much of the evening. And while she can capture an audience’s heart with her vivacious personality, her skills as a singer and on the piano are astounding. She can play the comedy of playful songs like “The Facebook Song (Are you F*ng Kidding Me)” by Kate Miller Heidke as easily as she digs deep for a moving rendition of “What I Was Made For” from “The Barbie Movie.”
“Home for the Holidays” is yet another feather in the cap of gifted director and creative visionary Lauren Berman. If you missed it, let it be a lesson that 4 Chairs Theatre is an entertainment producer to watch out for. If you see the names 4 Chairs Theatre and Lauren Berman on the bill, you should pull out your credit card and buy tickets before they sell out.
The Hey Nonny cabaret lounge features a wide variety of quality programming spanning holiday fare, rock n’ roll, pop, country, classical, folk, bluegrass, and more. Upcoming highlights include the Women’s Jazz Fest coming up on Saturday, January 6 and 7 and Blues Week starting Tuesday, January 30.
Hey Nonny is a two-part venue, featuring the cabaret theatre and a bistro with an array of tantalizing dining options. The eatery and entertainment spot is located at 10 S. Vail Avenue. For information on Hey Nonny’s menu and upcoming entertainment options visit www.HeyNonny.com.
Photos courtesy of 4 Chairs Theatre
