Since the preview for the Chicago-based play only hints at the subject matter, here's the theatre's online description:
In 1959 Russ and Bev are selling their desirable two-bed at a knock-down price. This enables the first Black family to move into the neighbourhood, creating ripples of discontent amongst the cosy white urbanites of Clybourne Park. In 2009, the same property is being bought by Lindsey and Steve whose plans to raze the house and start again is met with a similar response. Are the issues festering beneath the floorboards actually the same fifty years on?
Bruce Norris’ (The Pain And The Itch) satirical new play explores the fault line between race and property.
Regular readers will know that it was Norris' excellent Purple HeartwithLaurie Metcalfthat forever won me over to the cutting-edge charms of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, which ironically (I'm sure) is just a stone's throw from Clybourne Avenue. Additionally, it was Norris' biting The Pain And The Itch that first exposed me to fierce acting talents offered by Steppenwolf's exceptional ensemble members Tracy Letts, Kate Arrington, Mariann Mayberry and James Vincent Meredith. Tony-winning director Anna D. Shapiro helmed both of those works, as well as the recent Steppenwolf premiere of Norris' very latest, A Parallelogram.
Clybourne Park has already received a flat-out rave from the West End Whingers. I'll be curious to hear from my other friends in London how they received Clybourne Park, which to date, has been mounted at Off-Broadway's Playwrights Horizons, but not yet on Broadway or at Steppenwolf.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
SOB's Theatrical Firsts Of The Noughties: My Steppenwolf Love Affair
Over the course of the last decade, I’ve been truly fortunate to enjoy a never-ending number of enlightening firsts in my personal theatregoing. Each has only served to increase my deep and abiding love for the art form known as live theatre. What follows is one of my ten favorite experiences of the last ten years.
While Time magazine may have dubbed the Noughties as “the decade from hell” with myriad reasons to support that claim, I’ll always remember the last ten years for my introduction to the two great loves of my life.
Aside from The Love Of My Life, who has been my soul mate and partner in crime around the world for the last two-thirds of the decade, my other noteworthy love affair that continues to flourish is with a Chicago-based non-profit that has been providing me with nearly ten years of intellectual stimulation since I first laid eyes on its breathtaking work.
Back in 2001, prior to the horrific attacks of 9/11 that forever altered our outlook on life, I had the opportunity to take in an excellent revival of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest at Broadway’s then Royale Theatre. The Terry Kinney-helmed play had just won the Tony for Best Revival, so I was buzzing with anticipation. As only a budding theatre aficionado at that time, I was still unfamiliar with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre or its stellar reputation. But as the curtain fell on that show, I was already blown away by the likes of Steppenwolf co-founder Gary Sinise as Randle P. McMurphy and ensemble member Amy Morton as the notorious Nurse Ratched. With an indelible impression made, I wanted to know more about this theatre company. Steppenwolf was forever on my personal radar.
Fast forward to the summer of 2002 when one of my close friends from Australia was visiting the United States. Paul Battye had a very limited itinerary, but one of the places on it was Chicago. Since I had pledged I’d meet up with him somewhere during the course of his trip, I decided that I’d make my way to the Windy City. Once there, I learned that near the top of his to-do list was taking in a production at Steppenwolf. While our other local friends passed on the opportunity, I said I was in.
He told me that the production currently playing was something called Purple Heart. To be honest, I could have cared less what it was since I was excited I’d have a chance to see a Steppenwolf production on its own home turf. Little did I know that my captivation from seeing Bruce Norris’ compelling play starring Christopher Evan Welch, Rosemary Prinz and Laurie Metcalf would make a devoted personal involvement with Steppenwolf inevitable.
Less than three years later, I took a position with a major PR firm in Chicago, of all places (where, among other things, I learned about the increasingly vital role that blogging would play in mass media and a burgeoning social networking). Because another friend of mine was already involved in Steppenwolf’s Auxiliary Council’s Board of Governors and recognized my deep-seated love for live theatre as well as my enormous respect for this Chicago institution, he asked if I had any interest in joining that group. I didn’t even hesitate in saying “yes.”
By the time I left Chicago barely a year later for other professional opportunities, I had become deeply immersed in the Steppenwolf culture. Talk about a tight knit organization. I had seen almost every show their three stages offered, and I had become acquainted with so many exceptional people behind the scenes that I simply could not let go. Icing on the cake was having one opportunity after another in meeting many of the exceptional array of ensemble actors.
Because moving away from Chicago presented its own challenges in my ability in providing a minimum level of commitment I believed necessary toward contributing as a solid member of the Board of Governors, I ultimately resigned from the body sometime in 2006, but pledged my support via the next best means: financially. I am proud to say I’m a member of Steppenwolf’s Director’s Circle of donors. I believe so wholeheartedly in this extraordinary theatre company that I am pleased to lend it my financial support.
One of the benefits of being a Director’s Circle donor is that I regularly attend nearly all of the opening nights of Steppenwolf’s seasons. While I can’t say that I’ve seen each and every production with the same level of enjoyment, I profess that each has challenged me in profound ways I could never have anticipated.
Despite my ongoing support, I have not shied away from telling you how I really feel about productions I have reviewed in this space. However, it probably goes without saying that the majority of Steppenwolf’s productions have made me enormously proud to be counted as one of its supporters -- otherwise, why would I continue to support it?
Certainly the best of those productions I’ve seen is a little Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play you may have heard of: August: Osage County. Due to an unfortunate scheduling conflict, I was unable to get back to Chicago for its opening night, but when I hit the Windy City just a couple weeks later and took in the production, I was simply blown away by its depth and breadth.
All my pride in Steppenwolf came gushing out in ways it never had before. I suddenly found myself championing a Broadway transfer for Tracy Letts’ superb work. I even mentioned in my SOB Review that this play deserved Pulitzer Prize buzz.
While I wasn’t able to get to the delayed August: Osage County’s opening night on Broadway due to major upheavals in my professional life (which ultimately worked out for the best), I did manage to see the show threetimes on the Great White Way. I also had the rare opportunity to personally cheer it on in live at the 2008 Tony Awards and afterwards at the show’s very own Tony party, and even finally saw an opening night when most of the original cast transferred to London’s National Theatre a year ago last Thanksgiving.
Now, I’ve begun contemplating a journey Down Under for this play’s mounting at the Sydney Theatre Company with many of its original cast, but in the meantime, I can’t wait to see it again next spring as it tours the United States.
As for Steppenwolf itself, it’s been an honor and quite a thrill to continue supporting this vital organization and take in each new play that opens there. But to bring this post full circle, I have to thank Steppenwolf’s Director of Development Sandy Karuschak. You see, I recently regaled her on how it was love at first sight with Steppenwolf by taking in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. And you know what? Barely a week later, she graciously sent me an exquisite poster from the show autographed by the entire cast – a keepsake of my ongoing love affair that I’ll forever treasure.
So, I'll close out this first post of my decade's worth of personal firsts by saying, if you’ve never been to Steppenwolf in Chicago, you haven’t seen live theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. I more than paid my own way for each of the performances outlined, although as noted above, the theatre was kind enough to recognize my love for it by sending me a poster. Eat your heart out, FTC.
Most audiences know Metcalf for her broad-humored television work as Roseanne Barr's policewoman sister Jackie on "Roseanne," as well as for her portrayal of Carolyn Bigsby on "Desperate Housewives." Yet, Metcalf first cut her teeth treading the boards.
While November will unbelievably mark just her second Broadway outing -- the first came in the short-lived 1995 production of Alexandra Gersten's My Thing Of Love -- the riveting actress has been a member of Chicago's Steppenwolf ensemble since 1976. In fact, it was in Steppenwolf's 2001 chilling production of Purple Heartthat I finally had an opportunity to see this versatile actress' full dynamic range. She's a major force. Not only was I utterly mesmerized by her excellent performance, but I became a believer in the magic of Steppenwolf itself. (Incidentally, My Thing Of Love was produced by Steppenwolf.)
In November -- a play about what befalls an incumbent American president in the days leading up to the election -- Metcalf is slated to portray a presidential aide. With Joe Mantello providing direction to this work, I had already added this play to my "must see" list, but Metcalf's addition could very well have me voting early and often for this show.
Alas, my time in Australia came to a close earlier today as I boarded a return flight to Seoul to make my way back home to the United States. It was indeed a roundabout way of getting to and from Down Under.
Certainly, my blog would suggest that I was consumed by theatre on this trip, but in reality, it constituted just a small portion of my journey that took me to Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth, as well as far flung places like the Clare Valley (wine country in South Australia), Kangaroo Island, the Yarra Valley (Victoria's wine country) and a trip down the Swan River in Western Australia.
Best of all was the opportunity to see family and friends. One such friend is a brilliant guy named Paul Battye, with whom I had several chances to catch up while in Sydney. Paul and I met nearly six years ago, and fortunately for me, our friendship has continued to flourish, and my time in Sydney allowed us to pick up right where we last left off. In addition to seeing each other (as well as our significant others) in Australia, we've met up in places like New York and Chicago.
It was in Chicago back in 2002 that Paul and another friend introduced me to the city's Steppenwolf Theatre. We took in a memorable production of Purple Heart, and I was so riveted by the performances that I made it a point to become more active with this exciting theatre company when I lived there -- I continue to be active in the theatre company's Director's Circle, even though my move from Chicago made me relinquish my role as a member of its Board of Governors.
Thankfully, this last trip to Australia made for an incredible opportunity for me to thank Paul for providing me with my first Steppenwolf experience. It's proven to be the gift that keeps on giving (and you'll see many more reviews in the coming months of its upcoming line-up).
Thanks Paul, for adding so much to our journey Down Under. And just as I've toasted your favorite, Patti LuPone, in my last posting, here's toasting you, Paul. Happy New Year! And here's hoping our next meeting is in the near future!
The Pain And The Itch Slated for New York Run Nothing is quite what it seems in the fictional world of playwright Bruce Norris. Fond of unexpected twists and turns, Norris’ excellent works have become staples of Chicago’s renowned Steppenwolf Theatre, which will host the world premiere of his latest play The Unmentionables this July.
My first-ever visit to Steppenwolf came at the urging of an Australian friend visiting from Sydney who wanted to see Norris’ amazing Purple Heart with Laurie Metcalf and Christopher Evan Welch back in the summer of 2002. Purple Heart is a comedic drama about a Vietnam War widow (Metcalf) who’s visited by a vet (Welch) claiming to have known her husband. That production still haunts me to this day.
Three years later, I was back at Steppenwolf as a newly-minted member of its Auxiliary Council Board of Governors taking in Norris’ controversial The Pain And The Itch, directed with fine precision by Anna D. Shapiro. Again, the experience was a rollercoaster ride of emotions, in this case, pivoting on the welfare of a young girl for whose safety we feared. I was introduced to the riveting Jayne Houdyshell (currently Tony nominated for her role in Lisa Kron’s Well), who played a wonderfully distressed grandmother in this “satire of the politics of class and race.”
I’m delighted to report that New York audiences will now be able to take in this outstanding play -- once again helmed by Shapiro -- at Playwrights Horizons, September 1-October 8. While casting has yet to be announced, I’m hoping that Houdyshell will reprise her role. Be sure to put The Pain And The Itch on your “must-see” list!
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles Limited run extended through May 31, 2011 (Show will go on hiatus starting January 15 and reopen at Brooks Atkinson Theatre on February 8)
Rock Of Ages - Open-ended run (Show will go on hiatus starting January 9 and reopen at Helen Hayes Theatre in March)
As someone who has been involved in both politics and public relations, it's no wonder I love watching theatre. Good or bad, it's the raw energy of seeing a live performance that gets my adrenaline pumping. From the moment I saw my very first Broadway show ("Annie" in London in 1979), I was hooked. Now I see as many as 70 shows each year ranging from soaring musicals to two-hander plays. And these eyes just may be in an audience near you!
