The Iowa State House has declared February 26th Bacon day! Why not? I. These troubled times, I say, if you've got it flaunt it and apparently Iowa sells more Pork than any other State in the U.S.A..
Now I know I could make a lot of jokes about Iowa's pork bellies, or Iowa being the source of all the pork that flows out of D.C., but that wouldn't be fair. Producing food is a good thing and a hard thing and so I say Bravo. Besides, I've always sorta liked Iowa ever since being in that play, you know, that one musical of Americana that celebrates all that is good about small town America and is set in River City Ioway. That's right, Meredith Wilson's The Music Man.
In the spirit of the play I've written a little musical number that could be used to promote Iowa Bacon Day or Iowa's love of Pork. Here it is:
Oh, there's nothing half-way about the Iowa way to feed you if we feed you which we may not do at all!
There's an Iowa kind, a bacon, pork shoulder attitude we've never been without that we recall.
We can be cold to someone hawking all-beef products at a ball game, but then warm to his pork hot dogs even fried.
But what the heck, try spare ribs, try pork loin or pork sausage, even though you're vegan it can't hurt to add some fried, you really ought to give Iowa, home of pork Iowa: pigs feet, spare ribs, browned ham steak, Italian sausage, baby back ribs, pork sausage, bacon, pig tails! You ought to give Iowa pork a try!
So, what do you think? Another American classic? Maybe I can send my kid to college on the residuals? I know, I'll have to split it with Meredith Wilson's estate for the music, but still, a few pennies? I need a grass roots campaign so call your Iowa legislator today! :-)
I could go on and on how wonderful this important and nail-biting book is, winner of a true crime award. I could tell you how important a historical work it is documenting Ms. Lazar's personal tragedy, and the tragedy of the impact of the crime on the surrounding business community where my Grandfather owned a Real Estate Office At the time of the murder.
I could tell you about what happened after I wrote the Original Post, meeting her with my father and brother, talking to her about shopping at their store and their customer Mandy Patinkin who I had always thought was familiar since being a fan of Sunday in The Park With George.
I could tell you about the book's incredible value as a primary source for those studying merchandising, the history of the City of Chicago,the history of Chicago's neighborhoods, or anything to do with the movement of people and race in the 1930's through the 1960's.
But instead I'll just be brief and tell young buy one of the most surprising true dramatic stories by an Author you never heard of you are likely to find. A tale told in a clear, taut well researched way without hyperbole or hysterics.
Amster manages to tell the story of this tragedy without making it into something it
was not, while seeing the damage caused by a cascading series of circumstances for what it was. A tragedy in an era of tragedies that helped shaped the hard times that followed.
I will also say that what I told her the day we met. We moved to a new neighborhood the previous August. Had we not, because of the proximity of the date of the murder with the birthday of one of the kids in my family, we all could have been in the store when that gunman walked in. I know what my brother 9 and I 10 would have done. We'd been playing Batman and Robin for years. We would have rushed him without thinking twice just like we rushed the bad guy cowboys every summer at the amusement park in Eagle River getting us and who knows who else killed in the process.
But we moved and so didn't get the birthday card for a free toy at Wee Toys for that birthday. So, I guess I do find this story pretty personally interesting. Nut you won't need
that to enjoy this book. Besides, I can't help thinking it's natural forth big screen.
Oh, Amazon.com carries it. You can click the link in the book title above or enter the title in the Amazon search box on your right.
Because of the Blagojevich stupidy-for-sale scandal, many in Illinois politics may be thinking about taking a quick trip out of the U.S., PERMANENTLY, so, I thought I might republish the link for you this easy wikiHow guide for How To Avoid Looking Like An American Tourist.
In these days when Americans are not always seen as popular overseas, though President-Elect Obama may be helping that image a bit now, fitting in is likely to be more important than before. So this could be timely whether you intend to escape to, er, visit, Argentina, Guatemala, Ireland, Blagoland, West-Ciceonia, or other places in the world you might like to visit. Notice I did not even hint at Sicily. Eh, Tony?
Here's one tip I didn't know. In other countries, ignore what Mom pounded into your head and use your left hand to use your fork. That's right, do what always felt natural all those years! Yes!
But, in general, to travel in other countries is going to mean more dressing up, giving up gym shoes and logos, wearing more black socks, and avoiding logos. Yup, looking like, THEM.
Well, that's the price of fitting in. But, as they say, when in Rome... That's the point isn't it? Learning about another culture by fitting in a bit. Learning a bit of the local patois, the lingo, and about the money, figuring out where you want to go first? That kind of stuff.
It's a pretty good article.
WikiHow's are Fun. Anyone can start one. I considered starting one called "HOW NOT TO APPOINT A REPLACEMENT UNITED STATES SENATOR" but I think between them Rob Blagojevech and Pat Fitzgerald have that material covered.
Wikiguides, are not always perfect, since anyone can start and edit them, but, they can be informative, with things you might not think of.
Ok, the Wiki-how link was supposed to transport the article to this blog in toto: here's what came:
Clearly something went wrong. Now it might be my fault. I have not updated to the new customized, easier to use "widget driven" version of blogger. I just have my own clunky code driven version that I have edited by hand over the years, so it's mine, but not perfect.
So, I've pasted the text in myself. Here goes. Since Wiki's are changed, you have to go to that site to get the updates. So do that. OK?
How to Avoid Looking Like an American Tourist
As an American traveling in a foreign country, the last thing you want to do is stand out like a sore thumb. Not only do you have a greater chance of getting sucked into tourist traps, but you're also a more obvious target for getting mugged or even kidnapped. So, are you aware of the things you do, say, and wear that make you look like the stereotypical tourist?
Steps Clothing Ditch the athletic shoes. White athletic shoes (otherwise referred to as tennis shoes, or sneakers) are stereotypically American. Any shoes that don't look like they were meant for exercise will suffice. If you do wear socks, make sure they're dark. Flip-flops are also very noticeable as American attire, unless you're in a country like Brazil where Havaianas reign, or Australia or New Zealand where the Brazilian flip-flops are also ubiquitous. Buy accessories at local stores, especially ones that you see the locals wearing, like scarves. Sometimes not wearing something could signal that you are a tourist. For example, in some countries, hats or scarves are worn by the majority, or, in winter, most people might wear neck scarves. Also, head scarves in some religious establishments. It would be wise to research this in advance and be prepared to take something with you if you plan to visit religious places. Avoid US brand name clothing with easily readable names (eg. Nike, Gap, Abercrombie, Patriotic, Texas A&M, etc.). In fact, don't wear any slogans (like "Virginia is for lovers") that will tie you to a specific place. Notoriously American brands are becoming more popular outside of the US due to globalisation, however, it's still a good idea to stick to non-slogan clothing.
Dress a little nicer than usual. Casual dress (wearing sneakers, sweatshirts, t-shirts, jeans, or shorts (especially athletic shorts) instead of slacks or skirts with shirts or blouses) is not as common outside the US. Jeans are not universally accepted as appropriate in all social situations. Take some pairs of trousers or slacks in lieu of jeans. And don't wear shorts, especially if you are a woman. Look around and see whether people tuck their shirts in, or leave them hanging out--sometimes this differs for men and women in the same country. Dress appropriately for the local weather. Shorts and a t-shirt in cool climates (or winter time) are a clear sign that you are not in touch with the local weather. Camouflage. What colors do the locals wear? Mostly black and other neutral shades, like in London, or bright, bold colors like in the Caribbean? Wear colors that you see the locals wearing. Your hot pink sweater vest or bright blue collared shirt might be fashionable in Minneapolis, but it won't fly in Budapest. Leave your baseball hats, backpack and water bottles at home
Food Take whatever condiments they give you. Requesting typical US condiments (ketchup, salt, pepper, etc.) is a sure giveaway that you are an American tourist. Use the typical condiments in your host country, and if you don't like them or can't bear to eat without your American condiments, bring your own. Take small packets with you to use rather than insisting that the restaurant supply you with it. Give up the ice. In many parts of the world, you will be served your drinks with little or no ice - much less than you're accustomed to in the US. Of course, if you want ice in your drink because that's how you prefer it and you're paying for it, you're perfectly entitled to ask for it...but the point of this article is to help you avoid being labeled as an American, and requesting ice is a definite giveaway, and be warned, the drinking water of some other countries aren't as safe as the water back at home... the water in the glass might be filtered, but the ice sometimes isn't, and with that you can get a bad case of food poisoning.
Eat local food. Many American tourists visit US chain restaurants for every meal, afraid to dabble in the local cuisine, but becoming a regular at the local McDonald's and Pizza Hut will tip everyone off that you're an American really quickly. Use local table manners. For example, in Europe, a fork and knife are used differently than in the US. In some Southeast Asian nations chopsticks might be more appropriate. Order like a local. In some countries, for instance, a salad is the last item served, not the first. In others, people don't eat what we in the US think of as a "salad". Don't request decaf unless you can see in the menu that it is offered. Don't ask for a seat in the "non-smoking" section, unless you already know there is one. Don't insist on drinking “Coke” with every meal.
Behavior Keep the map out of sight. Pulling out and looking at your map in a public space is a no-no. Study it before you leave your hotel, and if you do need to consult your map, step into a store or any other less public place. Have the maps pre-folded so they may be easily accessed and read. Same goes for other items:
If you must use a dictionary to translate a sign or menu, be discrete. For example, copy down the words of the sign and move aside to a less public place to work out the translation. Don't carry US newspapers, magazines or books in plain view.
Be quiet! Many Americans are recognized for being louder than is customary in other parts of the world. Large arm and hand movements and boisterous behavior should be avoided until you know how the locals act. Adults in many non-American cultures use lower voices in public places. Either way, you're always better off being a little more reserved and quiet, at least for starters, than blasting onto a foreign scene with your vitality and making the wrong impression.
Don't brag or be showy. When you pull things out of your bag in public to show your friends or family what you purchased, you might as well yell "I have money and I'm ready to spend it, unless you want to take it from me against my will!"
Avoid talking about the local people and culture. Something as seemingly harmless as "Oh, I just love the scarves here!" will mark you as a tourist. And don't assume people can't understand what you're saying, just because you said it in English. In many parts of the world, people are taught to speak English along with their native language.
Mind your personal space. Not every country is as "spacious" as the US (unless you're in New York City, where space is at a premium). When you're at a counter, for example, don't spread out your arms; when you're sitting down on the bus or train, don't stretch out your legs in a way that might get in someone's way.
(Don't put your) Hands in Pockets. If you are touring a religious place or a place of great national pride, it can be considered very disrespectful to have your hands in your pockets.
Don't chew a lot of gum. It's just not very common outside of the US, and even within the US, it's a breach of etiquette under some circumstances. Don't wear your camera around your neck. When traveling to a foreign country, you are bound to take pictures. However, having a camera strap and wearing it around your neck for easy access is a sure way to look like a tourist. If you can, keep it in a pocket or in a purse and pull it out when needed.
Try to speak the language. Why not try to make an effort to speak the local language? It's a sign of respect and appreciation of the local culture. Learn a few basic words like "Hello", "Please" and "Thank you". Nobody will mind if your accent is not perfect; the fact that you've been willing to speak their language, even when you could well have spoken yours, is a thing that many people appreciate in tourists.
Tips These are only guidelines. You can do whatever you want as a tourist, but this article outlines some things you might want to avoid doing if fitting in and avoiding unwarranted attention is a concern.
In the UK, most men wear closely-fitted, dark clothing. If you are visiting during winter months, a snugly-fitted jacket will help you blend in with the local crowd. Avoid baseball caps if possible.
If you are travelling alone, especially a woman, buy the local newspaper and keep it under your arm when walking, or open it if on a bus or train. Always buy a pair of local shoes - especially what people wear for comfort.
Warnings Don't wear a fanny pack. They make you a ridiculously easy target for pickpockets. A pickpocket could unzip the fanny pack and effortlessly take out the contents without you being aware.
If you look different (like if you have different color skin, or are more overweight or underweight than everyone else) people are going to think you're a tourist, or at least a foreigner, no matter what. But if you follow the steps above, hopefully they won't think you're a stereotypical American tourist, and they won't treat you as such.
It is best to wear your personal items such as money, ID, passport, credit card, etc. close to your body. You may not feel someone pulling objects out of your pocket. Inner pockets, or pockets on the front are easier to guard.
Don't hold your fork in your right hand. It makes Americans stand out from a distance no matter what they wear or which language they are speaking.
Related wikiHows How to Be Safe in a Foreign Country How to Travel Beyond the Tour Bus How to Travel With One Bag How to Get Cash when Traveling in Europe How to Travel to India—Native Style How to Travel Around the World
I hope you find this and other articles interesting. I know the last two months I have had less humor and more commentary and theater notices. There is a reason for that. My sense of humor is returning. Remember, with more than 650 posts, just hit the archives for lots of jokes on all kinds of topics, use the blue search box to find them.
Also, please support this blog by using the Amazon search box to do your Amazon holiday shopping!
As my regular readers know, in order to support the art, every so often I will promote the arts by running ads for Chicago Area Productions, and when I can, and a show runs long enough to merit it, or I can see it before it opens in a short run, I write a review. I attended the performance of Up and Coming Theater's The Producers on Saturday, October 11. 2008.
Short Review: This production of The Producers is a triumph of comedy, satire, song and dance that will leave you longing for more as you laugh and sing your way home.
Change your plans for this weekend and see Up & Coming Theatre’s The Producers on October 16, 17, 18 and 19th or you’ll regret it and your smarter friends will make fun of you. I am tempted to come a second and or third time, myself.
Forest View Theater 2121 S. Goebbert Rd Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Remaining Performances: • Thursday, October 16 - 7:30 pm • Friday, October 17 - 7:30 pm • Saturday, October 18 - 7:30 pm • Sunday, October 19 - 2:30 pm
Tickets: • Call 847-718-7702 Mon - Fri 9 am to 4 pm • Advance - $15 ($12 with Gold Card) • Door - $18
Up & Coming Theatre’s current production of The Producers is nothing less than a triumph and I don’t use that term lightly. This production is a hysterical romp, a madcap express train riot and one of the most fun and exciting shows I’ve seen in a long, long time. The cast, full orchestra and crew provided a synthesis of acting, singing, dancing, directing, choreography, orchestra, crew, sets, lighting, and fantastic costuming that left me longing for more.
Director Susan Hamel kept this rollicking farce moving at lightning speed and seemed to never leave an opportunity for an actor or dancer to let a laugh pass by while somehow increasing the pace as the number onstage grew. Choreographer Jennifer Cupani’s marvelous work was not only breathlessly pleasing, but breathtakingly funny as well, and provided everyone in the show, from walker tapping grannies, to Max. Leo, Ulla and the “Springtime” water ballet dancers, a chance to shine as they danced, rolled, shaked, shimmied, Ullalated, Scotterized, or DeBris’d the audience into ecstascy, laughter, or hysteria, whatever the case may have been.
The Music Direction by Thomas Stirling was masterful. The Producers, Jorge Bermudez, Rich McMillan and Mario Manno are to be praised for allowing Stirling the resources to put together a 16-piece orchestra, and what an orchestra, not overpowering, note perfect, and perfectly nuanced, the orchestra provided the track on which this express hurtled so directly towards our hearts. His work with the singers and dancers was superb. While you can never tell what part of a performance’s success is due to the Director and Musical Director, when this many people get so much so perfectly right, you know that their hands must have been strong at the helm of this titan of a musical. I’d call it a Titanic success but this ship did not flounder!
The lighting and scenery by Chelsea Lynn and Robert Hamel respectively added to the fun. While Max’s office seems unremarkable, it is in other areas that the true creativity comes out, and boy does it come out! That’s all I can really say, some things have to be seen in person to be appreciated.
Getting back to Director Susan Hamel, her major triumph was in creating a cohesive whole out of what could have been an unconnected morass of individual bits and “here I am” performances, focusing them, drawing the best out of each performer, until the show had assumed a life of its own, a synergistic cohesion of magic, where a miracle has occurred beyond your wildest expectations. That’s The Producers I saw this weekend. More than worth the 35-mile round-trip I took (twice, I got lost the first time) to get there. It was worth the trip, and more.
This seemingly effortless cohesion of talent ran through the whole show, this cast knew what they could do, and they did it. They knocked the audiences socks off one toe at a time, and then slipped the socks back on so they could do it again.
Now I have to try to write about nearly 30 performers, each of whom in other shows I would probably single out. Oh the tragedy of it, oh the horror! I’m going to leave someone out! And that will be a tragedy, for The Producers, like many shows of its kind, depends upon the company as a whole to keep the show going in so many places, and in this production in particular, it is the company that is the star, from It’s Opening Night, through Along Came Bially, the mammoth, eye-bending, Springtime for Hitler, Prisoners of Love, and Goodbye, the company showcases the stars, but is itself the star, as each member is given their own moments to shine, time after time, after time, after time.
Certainly it helps that the singers can dance and the dancers can sing, the tappers can count, and sing, and dance all at the same time, and all can be funny when they are supposed to be too.
There is a lot of physical comedy in this show and something you just can’t get from a concert, though the music was certainly top quality. From Spidale’s death grip on his blankey, Hamel’s entreaty’s to God, Ulla’s well, Ullaating, Anthony Berg’s incredible antics as the crazed Franz Liebkind, John Boss’s continual antics from the first seconds of his entrance as DeBris to his last moments on stage, and most especially, Dan Naylor’s counter to type dramatic, flouncing, prancing, saucy, bouncy, leaping entrance as DeBris’ Choreographer Scott, complete with saucy belly moves that had young girls there to see him swooning (I saw them Dan, don’t let them deny it, there was swooning); the show’s physical comedy was brilliantly done and helped make the show such a smash hit.
I guess the lead actors helped too. What? Them too?
When meek and mild Leo Bloom (Bob Spidale) mentions off-handedly that a crooked Broadway producer could make more money from a flop than a hit; cynical has-been Max Bialystock (Nicholas Hamel) jumps on the idea – and Bloom – like a crazed mountain lion, starting the two on an misbegotten search for a play “so bad it has to fail”, that has a brilliance, talent and fervor that is a delight for the heart and ears.
Essential to the success of the show is that Hamel and Spidale gel nearly perfectly as comic foils and masters of physical comedy with their own unique talents having many surprises to give. Though both bear some resemblance to the originals, especially Spidale, you soon forget that and get lost in this company’s magical trek towards disaster.
Hamel is nothing less than fantastic as Bialystock, less knowing and cynical than Nathan Lane’s version of the role, his Max sings richer, dances with more grace and with moves that Mr. Lane could only fondly remember. Hamel’s Betrayed, the test of tests for any to attempt this role, is superbly and artfully performed with a deftness and mimicry of the others in the cast that brought roars from the audience. His comic timing and sense of the absurd delight the audience as he pushes Bloom along in Der Gutan Tag Hop-Clop and Keep it Gay. It seems clear that one day, you will remember that you saw Nicholas Hamel in person in a break-through performance for only $18, fondly, if you are clever enough to come.
Bob Spidale is also someone you may well remember seeing first here. His Max Bloom has a golden voice that makes all his songs a delight, but his emotive skills shine though especially in That Face, I Wanna Be A Producer, and that homage to friendship, ‘Til Him. I’d compare him too, but who care about "that guy" when you can see Spidale this weekend?
Like Hamel, Spidale is a great physical comic. Spidale’s sense of the vaudevillian hilarity is never so spot on as when he dives for his “blanky” or fights with Bialystock after the first night of their show. Spidale makes the audience laugh, roar and sigh, as he, Hamel and Malloy triangulate the movements of the audience’s funny bones all night long.
Sarah Malloy’s Ulla literally leaves male audience member’s jaws dropping* when “Ulla dance” and “Ulla dance again”. I turned around to look when I finally was able to wrench my eyes away; the things a critic must do for the art. My eyes are still annoyed at me for taking them off Ms. Malloy. Her husband is not.
Yet, Malloy’s acting and singing chops go far beyond Ulla’s bewitching belly blenderizing as she brings a joyous esprit to Ulla that makes her a joy to watch throughout the show.
Sarah Malloy’s voice as “Ulla Sings” is also quite splendiciously fine, and if her belting is not as loud as Ethel Merman’s, quite frankly, nobody minded, the sound was beautiful and so was she. Malloy’s singing in That Face is particularly beautiful and her performance in the last quarter of the show, as “Ulla acts” brings an almost insane excitement to the part. More importantly, Malloy played a funny, determined, intelligent Ulla, and I continually wondered who was pulling the strings as soon as she entered the story. This was a plot element missing from the modern version, and I liked it.
Well, you’ll have to see the show to see what else she delivered. It was a joy to watch her magnificent performance as Ulla the dancer. Here Malloy, surrounded by all the other dancers in the company not only held her own, but shone showing just how talented Malloy is, and how much more of her than “Ulla” we may see of her some day.*(I am told that the murmurs during intermission that photos N____e and S______a took of husbands with their jaws gaping open were available for sale at a small fee, is just a rumor. Surely participation in theatre could not lead our young youths astray?)
I am afraid it will be difficult to talk about John B. Boss’ performance as the untalented director DeBris with a straight face, he was so outrageously funny, it was only the cast’s rehearsal schedule that saved them from Tim Conway-it is, if you get it? Got it? Good.
John Boss’ DeBris goes beyond staggering in this unforgettably flamboyant performance that had the audience rolling each and every time he made his unique way onto the stage.
Boss’ acting, singing and dancing would have completely stolen any other show had not this cast; from curly tops and producer hats to baby blue tap dancing bottoms and storm trooper boots, not been so finely polished. Boss is a consummate actor, and in what could have been a two-note character part, he produces a symphony, with all the trills and flourishes that his comic imagination could provide, each moment building on the one before it, until that glorious moment when all is revealed and he tops himself once again. And amazingly, the company marches right along with him to glory.
I’ve seen Boss in any number of productions over the years; he’s entertained audiences in all kinds of roles from romantic but unmarried Bobby in Company to geriatric curmudgeon Scrooge in The Christmas Carol, but in this performance, he has outdone himself, going beyond all expectations, superceding all imagination and anything the movie has to offer. If for no other reason, you should see this production just to see John Boss’ DeBris. You will never, ever see anything like it again.
DeBris is the perfect vehicle for Boss who is a magnificent performer in his own right. Tall and bald, his DeBris is a queenly force to be reckoned with, yet played with all the fawning insecurity the part requires. His, um, how should I put it in a family blog, posse, I’ll use that spelling, Will Loftus as Carmen Ghia, Barry Blodgett as Brian, Michael DeFrang as Kevin (and the Soloist Storm Trooper in Springtime for Hitler), Dan Naylor as Scott, and Katy Smith as Shirley, were perfectly cast and perfectly funny. Frankly, I enjoyed this scene far more than I enjoyed it in the movie due to the combined efforts of the cast. Granted, the tension brought to the scene by Spidale and Hamel pushed the laugh index through the roof and Boss’s take no prisoners physical comedy approach made the audience scream. That was before Gary Peterson’s memorable entrance.
Later in the show, DeFrang’s solo in Springtime for Hitler was a showstopper. Superb. No other word for it. Then of course, John Boss entered as “you know who”. From that point on the laughter never seemed to end.
The most difficult part of this review is that there is so much to praise in this production and so little to criticize. I found nothing of note to criticize, and worse, there was something wonderful to point out about every actor on stage. In a cast this large, this makes the review start to take on the length of War and Peace, yet in this case, it might be worth it.
For example, while Will Loftus was amazingly funny and sincerely pathetic as Carmen Ghia, providing Boss a perfect counter-point all the way through the show, yet his deep bass solo near the top of the show in I Wanna Be A Producer is so rich and beautiful that it, in and of itself is worthy of a mention.
Anthony Berg’s startlingly amazing performance and dancing as Fritz Liebkind (and his birds) caught me completely by surprise. Berg brought just the right amount of madness and camp to his portrayal, yet when the time called for tension and drama, he was able to bring it within the lines of the character he had drawn. I doubt anyone who saw his hilarious singing and dancing performance as Fritz, will ever be able to forget it. He should go far.
So who do I leave out?
How about the beautiful and beautifully choreographed tap girls who steal the audiences hearts in I Wanna Be A Producer: it’s easy to single out the tall and beautiful Laura Berger and not-as-tall but beautiful Samantha Giovannetti, since they double as usherettes. At the same time, the gorgeous Nicole Giannelli, Erika Bradbury, Jodi Buczek and Katy Smith, blended perfectly with the others, making the tap girls a unified, funny and sexy unit throughout the show.
Or should I forget to mention the comic genius of “Not her!” Elaine Castor whose frenetic and persistent antics reminded me of the Ingénue in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s “The Critic” from the Chicago International Theatre Festival of the 1980’s? Both women decades apart gave me belly laughs and a near coronary. This company can’t be faulted for not swinging Castro in on a wire, it’s not in the script, but she tries to get back in the chorus line nearly every other way with fierce aplomb, yet in her other dancing characters, could not be a more graceful beauty or refined, if called for.
Speaking of costumes, follies girls Shannon Langland, Erika Bradbury, Mia Hirschel, and Toni Higgins-Thrash deserve special marks for bravery for wearing their staggeringly skimpy and ludicrously perfect costumes during Springtime for Hitler. Come to think of it, I really should have worked tech on this show. It’s only 70 miles round trip, quite reasonable really…
Don’t let me let this tiny bit of wit give the chorus girls short shrift. Their voices were heavenly and did much to make the Busby Berkeley meets Esther Williams choreography near the end of the show work its magic and their voices were as gracefully heavenly as they were. Yep, I really blew it on this one. I bet I could have been the pigeon wrangler…
Double casting was well hidden. There sure were a lot of Bialy girls. Who would suspect that Mr. Marks, The Indian, Donald Dinsmore, and a variety of walk-on storm troopers, theatergoers and prisoners were all played by the excellent, quick changing character actor Gary Peterson? Or that Barry Blodgett covered Bryan, Jason and Cop O’Brien? So, I’m not even going to go there.
Which brings us to the music overall. Stunning, enchanting, surprising, thrilling, powerful, balanced, audible, even, all parts heard, in short everything you want and expect from a show of this caliber. I heard every note and every note seemed to be wonderfully sung from virtually every cast member with a surprising virtuosity of singing from the dancers and dancing from the singers.
The full orchestra was a wonderful surprise, they were an asset to the show, never overpowering, and the actors never struggled to be heard over them, their voices floating easily above them. Tempo was never an issue as the show sailed along in perfect time.
Had this been merely a concert of the show, I doubt that the music could have been better, but it was so much more than that, with a richness of humor and surprises at every turn that made this Mel Brooks comedy, written in the old style of theatrical comedy fly by.
This is perhaps an excellent moment to talk about the virtually perfect tech and the amusing and clever scene changes all guided under the magnificent prowess of Stage Manager Dani Klosowskiwho kept the show running like a fine tuned Swiss watch. Since the back stage area of the show was undoubtedly busier than O'Hare at Thanksgiving, Klosowski and her crew deserve immense credit for brining off the amazing number of cast movements, sound and lighting cues, scene changes, prop and actor maneuverings and the thousands of little backstage details and riots that happen backstage, that must happen every night, so that what we saw on stage happens without a flaw.
The dance sequence after DeBris is signed up may be in the script, or it may have been improvised as a nod to the Mambo scene in Guys and Dolls, in any case it was a howl and covered effortlessly a scene change between DeBris' house and Bialystocks’ office with fun and esprit. Moments like this made the show fly by with fun and imagination. Keep your eye on who pulls those curtains though, I promise, it will be worth it. The sets and lighting were magnificent with too many touches to go on without spoiling the effect. But the big numbers were big and beautiful because of them. Robert Hamel’s sets deserve all the kudos they got after the show.
Other unsung Tech and Production Staff Heroes?
• Technical Director - Vlad Novikov • Master Carpenter - Grant Wenger • Scenic Designer - Bob Hamel • Lighting Designer - Chelsea Lynn • Sound Designer - Tom Scanlon • Accompanist - Kelli Shibuya • Props Coordinator - Michelle McDonagh • Publicity - Phaedra Wells • Production Assistant - Lindsey Weiss
(Anyone willing to type in the orchestra into a comment, please let me know!)
So, now you have a decision to make. Do you say to yourself, wow, what a review! Too bad I can’t go? Or do you pick up the phone and make a reservation? I can only urge you to go. It’s on your conscious now, but I’ll leave you with this thought.
I've been less consistent about writing this blog lately because of a massive back injury that has me in constant pain. I don’t usually mention it because while in comedy pain is funny, listening to whining about it is pathetic and boring. But I’ll tell you this, after 4 years of constant merciless pain ranging from 3-9 on a 10 point scale, I’m always in some level of discomfort. Always. So I was expecting to see this show after such a long ride through a wall full of misery and have to upgrade my opinion to compensate for the agony.
I'm not sure when the laughter became so overwhelming that I forgot my misery and just enjoyed the show, then became overwhelmed with laughter and was anesthetized by it completely, but the effects of the joy and laughter lasted through two acts, some talking with the cast, crew and audience after, the whole 35 mile trip home, and for several hours later, a painless interlude for which the cast and crew have now earned my undying friendship. It's literally been years since I've felt this good. Thank you for that. It might not be a miracle, but the laughs you gave me were the best over the stage medicine I’ve had in a long time.
Thank you to all concerned. If I left you out of this review, my profound apologies, just leave me a note and I will correct it. I hope to add the names of the musicians at a later date for the record.
Correction 10/15/08 Jodi Buczek tells me that I accidentally omitted the awesome Samantha Giovannetti. Probably not the first time someone has made the Giannelli/Giovannetti mistake during this production. I have still to clear up whether "Sam" was also one of the Usherettes. Nicole who I first gave that credit to is a brunette where as Sam is a blonde. I distinctly remember a blonde Usherette. But, was that a wig? So many mysteries. Guess I will just have to go back and see the show again. Corrections like this are most gratefully received.
Correction 10/16/08 Stage Manager and Technical Staff accidentally omitted were re-added to the review. Also on the cutting room floor. My sister had a baby this week, what can I say?
In keeping with the Peter Files Comedy Blog's effort's to support area theatre, here is some information on a great production. Based on the cased and crew in this production it should be a laugh riot. Don't miss one of the funniest plays now off-Broadway.
Up & Coming Theatre
in Partnership with
Community Education District 214
Proudly Presents our Fall 2008 Show
Showtimes:
• Friday, October 10 - 7:30 pm • Saturday, October 11 - 7:30 pm • Sunday, October 12 - 2:30 pm
• Thursday, October 16 - 7:30 pm • Friday, October 17 - 7:30 pm
• Saturday, October 18 - 7:30 pm • Sunday, October 19 - 2:30 pm
Theater:
Forest View Theater (Map) 2121 S. Goebbert Rd Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Tickets: • Call 847-718-7702 Monday - Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. • Advance - $15 ($12 with Gold Card) • Door - $18
Cast:
• Anthony Berg - Franz Liebkind
• Laura Berger - Usherette
• Barry Blodgett - Various
• John B. Boss - Roger De Bris
• Erika Bradbury - Tap Dancer
• Jodi Buczek - Tap Dancer
• Elaine Castro - Ensemble Dancer
• Michael DeFrang - Stormtrooper/Set Designer
• Nicole Giannelli - Tap Dancer
• Samantha Giovannetti - Tap Dancer
• Nicholas Hamel - Max Bialystock
• Toni Higgins - Hold Me Touch Me
• Mia Hirschel - Lick Me Bite Me
• Shannon Langland - Follies Girl
• Will Loftus - Carmen Ghia
• Sara Malloy - Ulla
• Peter Masterton - Jack/Accountant
• Dan Naylor - Choreographer
• Gary Peterson - Mr. Marx/Indian
• Katy Smith - Shirley Markowitz
• Bob Spidale - Leo Bloom Staff (Not on Poster):
• Technical Director - Vlad Novikov
• Stage Manager - Dani Klosowski
• Scenic Designer - Bob Hamel
• Lighting Designer - Chelsea Lynn
• Sound Designer - Tom Scanlon
• Accompanist - Kelli Shibuya
• Production Assistant - Lindsey Weiss
Up & Coming Theater has available staff positions some which have pay and all of which gives practical and educational experience:
Please send resume or letter of interest indicating position desired to UACTheatre@aol.com or to P.O. Box 473, Arlington Heights, IL 60006.
And for those of you who know John Boss, who plays Roger De Bries, one of the more flamboyant characters in the show, he has supplied this photo!
You can tell from this costume of Roger De Bris, that this will be a lavish production!
Looks like I am finally back to regular posting. Sorry for the delay, my health has been off. Hope you have been using the time to explore the archives.
P.S. The Producers of the Producers should contact me with errors or omissions, requests for a review of the show or offers of comps at thepeterfilesblog at gmail dot com Thanks!
When I first came back to Chicago's South Side Community Theater scene after a long gap from doing shows in Chicago, my first part was Pablo in the Beverly Theater Guild's 1984 production of A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Brian Leo, who took a chance on me, being an unknown talent to those casting out there at the time, and to a degree, to myself.
The show went very well, and to my surprise, I got lots of laughs in places where I realized that I should have known that there could be, and only one that there shouldn't have been (Stanley and I managed to break the bed during the fight scene in one performance when we tripped going through the unsupported door frame between the kitchen and the bedroom).
Afterwards a tall, thin person came up to me and asked me if I would like to be in a show that was going up in only three weeks at a nearby theater. His name was John Boss, and that show introduced me to many people who helped me meet people who led me to be in a series of 40 some shows that spanned 1984 - 2004.
I saw John last weekend during the intermission of "Moon over Buffalo" (that I reviewed last week) and reminded him that I am happy to promote productions when I am able - he assured me that he had remembered, and sure enough, in this morning's email was a notice that he was appearing as Mary Sunshine in the Holiday Star Theater's production of "Chicago" starting July 19th.
John is a very talented actor and Holiday Star Theater books really fine acts, so I am sure that you will find the show worthwhile, If you go, you may even pass me in the lobby. The details from the theater follow:
Star Productions is pleased to announce this year’s full scale regional presentation of the smash hit musical “CHICAGO,” scheduled for July 19, 20, 25 and 26 at Merrillville’s Star Plaza Theatre. (Directions)
The 20's are roaring with hot jazz and cold-blooded killers. Filled with passion, greed, corruption, murder and non-stop dance, Bob Fosse's “CHICAGO” is one of the sexiest musicals to ever hit Broadway.
Honored with six Tony Awards and one Grammy, this drop dead musical features classic show tunes "All That Jazz," "Razzle Dazzle," and "Roxie.” Star Productions secured the rights to this exclusive area engagement after the successful national tour of “CHICAGO” made a stop at Star Plaza Theatre this past March.
The regional cast stars Tina Dohl-Menconi, re-creating her NIETF award-winning role as villainess Velma Kelly; Charlie Blum also re-creates his role as the fast-talking attorney, Billy Flynn. Jenna Rose Underwood plays Roxie Hart, Mary Jo Williamson returns to the Star Plaza stage in the role of Matron Mama Morton, with J.J. Boylan as Amos Hart with John Boss rounding out the lead cast as Mary Sunshine. Add the accomplished ensemble cast of 17 singers and dancers, and this sexy musical comes to life for four performances.
This is a Peter Files Blog Recommended Show. No money or consideration was received in advance for this promotion.
Are you a theater person with a show to promote? Perhaps a friend of mine who would like to see their show promoted in this way? Be like John, send me the information needed to put a post like this together and time and health allowing I'll be happy to do it. Send me whatever you can: show information, production dates, cast lists, links to pictures, bios, directions and even your ticket office. THE EARLIER TO BETTER. While theater posts do get many dozens of hits, its always a shame when people visit only AFTER your production is OVER.
The more you information you give me, the more I can put up. But, you don't have to know me to send me a listing. Community theater productions are especially well treated. I am also happy to update posts as you get new information like cast information and photos. You can leave me information in a comment, leave your email address in a comment which I screen, so I will copy the address, delete it and email you for more information, or email me at: {thepeterfilesblog AT gmail DOT com}
Note: The Graphics on this page belong to the original copyright owners and may not be used for commercial purposes without permission. If the use of any graphic on this page is not allowable. It will be removed at the request of the copyright owner or its legal representative at once. All use is intended to promote the best interests of copyright owners.
I don't often engage in post production reviews, but in the case of the Beverly Theatre Guild's one weekend production of Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo, the production was so fine, the acting so outrageous and sublime, that for the benefit of future audiences in the area who often have only a one or two weekend run to see a BTG show, I felt that it was worth the effort to tell you what a marvelous gut-wrenching laugh riot you probably missed this weekend at Chicago's Beverly Art Center at 111th and South Western Avenue.
I've taken the liberty of reproducing parts of the program so that if you recognize the names of these actors in listings of productions in local papers in the future you know that you should make the effort to toddle on down to the theater to see them in action.
There wasn't a single performance that wasn't worth seeing in this extremely well directed production by director Tobi Lowrance with assistance from Assistant Director Francesca Scalzi who took a great script updated it with a combination of new and veteran actors and crafted a fast-moving and emotionally moving comedy and farce of high order.
Moon Over Buffalo, the story of 1950's couple George and Chalotte Hay, the touring repertory family company stars of the style of the Lunts, the Barrymores, or the Zimablists, who displaced by film and television, find the profitablility of the road touring companies drying up and their way of life dissapearing. They are facing the possibility of fiancial and relationship ruin when they get a phone call suggesting that film director Frank Capra will be in the Matinee audience of the day's show to see if George is fit to take over the lead of his new film, just as he has lost two of his own essential players.
The BTG's production was a door-slaming, sword-fighting, knee-to-groin below the belt guffaw generator of the highest or lowest order, depending on how you look at it. Joe Collins as George and Meg Massaro as Charlotte under the direction of Lowrance and Scalzi make us wonder sometimes if the War of the Roses was kid stuff as Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner did not play people who had the whole repetoire of classic theatre to fight, kick, scratch, curse and make asses of themselves with.
Both actors tender the performances of their lives with split-second timing, perfect delivery, no fear of looking foolish in either of them, both hungerly seeking the comic truth in each and every moment of the show, yet at the same time, they show that the other side of hate is deep and abiding love, not indifference, and the changes both George and Charlotte go through during the course of the show, as they beat by beat avoid the easy way out of each line or moment in the show, and provide the audience with richness and emotional truth instead in a way that is stunningly honest and laughingly true.
Massaro and Collins are perfectly matched. Massaro's antics reminded me of Carol Burnett with a kind of subtle restraint while prancing across the stage in antics of anger, hostility and rapturous joy, that make her highs more realistic and just as funny as Burnett.
Collins, known widely as the voice of WBBM's traffic reports, and a community theatre veteran, gives what is perhaps the best and most challenging performance of his life. An expert in physical and character comedy, Collins is forced to add the romance of Romeo, the pathos of lear, the errors of Falstaff, and the drunken blindness of Stanley and Merrythought.
As George plunges though the stormy seas of this farce, swooping up and down, driven by the winds of fate, opportunity, his own stupidity, and the heights of fortune and misfortune, instead of a farcicle charade of a man, Collins gives us a man complete, torn by the pain he has brought to those he loves, wracked and ruined by remorse, blindly attempting to get on with it anyway, until at last our everyman falls, the great fall and lands as low as any man can, worse yet, in front of an icon of his dreams, the key to his future. Neitzsche or Kafka could not have planned it so well.
At this point in the show, many actors, would allow the script in hand to carry him on, riding on it to safely breezing through to the end; but Collins takes emotional risks in keeping with his growing maturity as an actor, baring his emotions in a way that gives Massaro room to do the same. So at the end of the farce, instead of a lighthearted wrapping up of ends a la Charley's Aunt, we have the two confronting the pain and trauma they have endured in their lives together and grow, together, changed by the ordeal they have suffered, to become someone new while remaining to themselves true.
Breathtaking and moving. I wish you could have been there. Watch for the cast in other productions.
Their daughter Roz, played by Lisa Marie Marciano and her estranged ex-boxfriend Paul played by Lorenzo Blackett are forcefully thrust together by the circumstances of the day in which Roz had only intended to introduce her new fiance Howard, played by David Korzatkowski to her parents, but is sucked back in to the chaos of the day by the disappearance of the production's Ingenue Eileen, played by Tiffani M. Moore. Marciano and Blackett are wonderfully cast and provide both a dramatic and, it must be said, very steamy, dramatic tension, that adds to the sweetness of the farce. Korzatkowski and Moore both bring and empty headed playfulness to their roles that crank up the tension, humor, and guffaws at just the right time. Like Collins,Massaro, Marciano and Blackett, Korzatkowski has an incredible sense of physical comedy, perhaps equal to that of Joe Collins who's own mastery of the physical comedic art form stops the show at three or four points, minimum.
In fact, it should be noted, that in the performance that I saw, Collins was so funny, that his last antic at the end of a scene in Act II, caused a second wave of laughter to start well after the blackout, as the audience re-visualized what they had seen him do just before the lights went out. Something I have never seen in 45 years of theater. A new spontaneous wave of laughter spreading through the audience while sitting in the darkness, starting a good 15 seconds after the lights went out, without a smart alec comment to trigger it. Unbelievable. Joe was just THAT funny.
Rick Baker was also excellent and very believable as Richard, the love-struck friend who wishes to steal Charlotte away from George and their near poverty and terrible traveling conditions. Presaging the aging baby-boom romanic love interest, Baker is suave, debonair, and quite convincing a someone who George could perceive as a threat to take away the woman he truly loves, Charlotte because of a moments weakness.
In every farce of this caliber there has to be a foil that comes in and out delivering sharp lines to skewer the leads. In this show it is Ethel, Charlotte's mother and the bane of George's existence played by South Side theater veteran Jan Dignan. Saying just how long Dignan has been treading he boards out here with her sister Choch would be telling. But this is truly one of her best performances and she plays the part of the wiley, cantankerous mother and seamstress with joy, verve and cunning nastiness and with a great deal of depth. One of her best performances as well and I have seen many of them.
So why did I love this show so much. I've given you a good deal of plot, but nothing that would make you laugh I think. That's because a great deal of the humor comes directly from the acting and directing in the show. It has to stand as one of the funniest shows I have ever seen (that of course I have not been in myself...).
I laughed hard and long and so did the rest of the audience. There were constant surprises. Hardly a line went wrong. The timing and tension required to keep the show moving was constantly upheld. Nary a line was swallowed. The pacing was fabulous and the cast seemed to know JUST How long to hold for a laugh to allow the audience to laugh.
And the show moved fast. A credit to the actors and directors. With intermissions the show ran well under two hours. It easily could have run 20 minutes longer with a less experienced cast. Lowrance and Scalzi seemed to have an instinct for getting the best out of their cast, using their strenghts to their best advantage.
Moore for example, the ingenue with something extra, who causes a huge fuss between George and jealous Charlotte, plays the wide-eyed innocent with aplomb until the time comes to reveal that she has more underneath than some had suspected and she gets exactly what she wants. Played to a t.
Blackett's performance as the frenetic manager and lover, and a much more determined lover than able manager, is a perfect foil to George as George freaks out, (Woody Allen on steroids without the accent), In his unique non-George way Blackett panics about whole groups of issues, but not when it comes to Roz. His changes when it comes to Roz are as surprising and funny, as they are tempting and disturbing to Roz's confidence in her engagement. Paul is after all, looking for an engagement of another kindl For a moment we think we are about to see another show altoghether when a plot element breaks the two apart before anything really good happens. Whew! It had been getting hot in there.
Marciano's conflicts as the daughter in search of normality, trying to break away from the perpetual craziness of her parent's life is also compelling, except, when disaster strikes, she is sucked back into it all to easily.
Credit must go of course to the writer of this gem, Ken Ludwig, who captured so well the essence of the times and the desires of those who wished to grasp fame and maintain their life on stage before it melted away.
So, were this show to go another weekend, which it cannot, sadly, I would have soundly recommended it. Instead, the best I can do is say, remember the actors, and the directors, and the group, the Beverly Theatre Guild, one of Chicago's oldest community theater groups.
Next Season BTG Plans to produce: The Irish drama Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel, October 24-26, 2008 The Musical The Full Monty by Terrance McNally and David Yazbek, February 6-9,2009 The Comedy Twentieth Century by Ken Ludwig, May 8-10th, 2009
You can print the form on this page to order season tickets and save $12 or more on ticket prices.
Hot Trash From the Audience: There was speculation about how full the monty would be for the full monty, and a few jokes in the audience about whether we would want to see some of our friend's montied at all. I assured those I sat with that I was not intending to audition as I wanted to help BTG build an audience rather than send them running to the exits, possibly scarred for life. More on that when they get closer to the production next year.
I am tired after being wired from the excitement of a great production so I hope the cast and you will forgive any typos herein. As always if you have a theatre production in the Chicago/NW Indiana Region to Promote send me the information well in advance to "Thepeteterfilesblog" At "Gmail" Dot "Com" and I will be happy to post what I can.
It helps a lot if you give me something in ready to post format. If you have pictures, especially at a website that I can link to, give me the links, or send me the photos as attachments and I will be glad to post what I can. As time has passed I do get quite a bit of response from actors knowing quite a few of them myself.
Finally, congratulations to the whole cast and crew of Moon over Buffalo. While I spent more time on Collins and Massaro, a production this complex does not succeed without incredible coordination and effort both onstage and backstage, a true ensemble effort. A.D. Scalzi was also the Stage Manager for the show, something she has a gift for. The show has a nightmarish number of entrances and exits, yet she looked calm and collected before the performance. The tech for the show was also perfect and the sets by Emil Zbella were also superb (as always Emil).
It's been a heck of a fight, and there have been a lot of things I did not like about it, but tonight's results show me, that even with CNN's projection that Clinton took Indiana, the 147 vote delegate count Obama lead still creates a hurdle that is too high for Clinton to breach between now and the end of the primaries.
America loves a fighter and a scrappy underdog. But if Clinton does not win the nomination and winds up dragging Obama through the dirt to try to get it, she risks being seen as the Ralph Nader of the 2008 political season. Of course, she could win. The Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox could also fight each other out in the World Series this year.
With all due respect, and respect is due, that it is time for Senator Hillary Clinton to end her campaign for President and begin her campaign for the Vice-Presidential nomination.
147 Delegates is too many. Democrats will not stand for a super-delegate win when the regular delegate vote puts Obama ahead. It would cause the same kind of disillusionment that the Party faced after the Gore vote theft defeat.
Her name will still be on the last ballots of course, but pulling out now will make her appear to be an actual uniter instead of a divider and at this time, this is what the Democratic Party needs. So think Ms. Clinton. Sometimes hubris isn't enough.
AND IF WE CAN'T TRUST YOU TO FACE UP TO THE TRUTH AND ADMIT IT DURING AN ELECTION WHAT THE HECK SHOULD WE EXPECT YOU TO DO IN OFFICE?
After arguably eight years of the worst White House in human history, the Democratic Party MUST stop the infighting NOW and start working on the Presidential Campaign.
Ms. Clinton is an ideal VP candidate because she reaches the rest of the demographics that Obama does not. Looking at their vote totals from state to state they make an indomitable team. Clinton as VP will encourage Republican Woman crossover that will exceed whatever Male residual Clinton hating is left over.
They are both smart as hell, they both can work together. But the Dems always wait too long giving the Republicans a huge advantage when it comes to getting rolling for the fall.
Why do this?
Obama's lead might be mathematically possible to beat, but NC and enough of Indiana did not fall for the Rev. Wright "issue relevance" late election season scam that started somewhere.
No matter what or how it started, we now know enough about Senator Obama to see past whose Church he went to as an issue. It's not something that should be relevant as an election issue and we all know it.
That kind of thing died with the "Jack Kennedy will take orders from the Pope" lies from Nixon's campaign.
Americans LIKE Barack Obama. He's proven his electability to all but a few North-Shore Illinois Chicago Cubs Fans and they never give up.
We'll see what happens. But trying to "scandal" Obama some more isn't going to work, folks. Not while memories of Whitewater and that blue dress and other things it is not fair to taint Hillary with pop into mind when someone tries to stick something on Senator Obama.
What I really want of course is a great president. They are both capable. But I think the dems have spoken over all and think Obama is either better or a more winning Presidential candidate. At least given that Obama Girl does not look 35 yet.
I hope we get one.
But already I see signs of Republican scandal following the Bush Administration mistakes coming for maybe the next 8 years. So if we don't get some dems in now, once the do get in, they'll be in forever.
Or, maybe I've just been juggling cats too long tonight and am getting goofy. When looking for political commentary consider the source. Then again, maybe this humble comedy blogger is about as good as anyone else out there tonight.
(Peter's note: Oak Lawn Park District shows are both fun to watch and be in. If you've ever wanted to be in a musical theater production, having singing and/or dancing talent, or want to work backstage, this may be the chance you've been looking for with very nice people and high quality productions. But expect to work HARD. Great shows don't get that way by accident, everyone here pulls their weight!)
The Oak Lawn Park District Theatre group has announced a casting call for its upcoming production of Seussical The Musical.
Auditions:
Sunday, May 4 from 1 - 5 pm, for children ages 8-12 and out of town college students. Monday, May 5 and Tuesday, May 6 from 7:30 – 10:30 pm for adults.
Come in proper attire and be prepared to sing and dance.
Auditions will be held at the Oak View Center, 4625 W. 110th Street.
Seussical will run for two consecutive weekends, August 1-3 and August 8-10.
First rehearsal will be on June 8th.
For more information on auditions or the production, call the Oak Lawn Park District at (708) 857-2200.
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