Displaying items by tag: John B Boss

BrightSide Theatre’s The Producers storms into Meiley Swallow Hall with the kind of swagger only Mel Brooks can inspire: brash, brazen, and blissfully unconcerned with good taste. From the moment the lights rise, the show charges ahead with a manic momentum that feels both affectionately old school and sharply self-aware. It knows exactly what it’s here to do: go big, go bold, and never apologize for the mayhem.

Under the confident direction of Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass, this staging taps directly into Brooks’ outrageous, boundary-poking sensibility and never loosens its grip. Cass understands that The Producers thrives when its humor teeters on the edge, and he captures that gleeful imbalance with remarkable control. The original film premiered in 1967, the musical exploded onto Broadway in 2001, and if anyone wonders whether that brand of audacity still lands in 2026, the answer is an unequivocal yes. The Naperville audience laughed steadily from the first scene to the curtain call, proving that Brooks’ anarchic wit remains timeless.

BrightSide’s version brings the show’s wild premise to life with full comic force: washed-up Broadway producer Max Bialystock (Scott Kelley) and anxious accountant Leo Bloom (Michael Metcalf) concoct a get-rich-quick scheme to stage the biggest flop in theatre history. If the show collapses on opening night, they can pocket the investors’ money and disappear. Their hunt for guaranteed failure leads them to the worst script imaginable, the most misguided director in town, and a cast so spectacularly wrong that success seems impossible. But in classic Brooks fashion, the plan detonates in the most unexpected way, turning their surefire disaster into an accidental triumph and leaving the pair scrambling to survive the fallout.

That spirit of intentional ruin pulses through the musical numbers, each one another attempt to engineer catastrophe. “Springtime for Hitler,” the show-within-the-show’s notorious centerpiece, is crafted as an overblown, tasteless pageantry meant to repel audiences instantly. “Der Guten Tag Hop Clop” and “Haben Sie gehört das Deutsche Band?” push the absurdity even further, spotlighting a playwright and director whose delusions should have doomed the project. Even “Keep It Gay,” with its flamboyant insistence on excess, is part of Max and Leo’s strategy to stack the deck with choices so misguided they can’t possibly succeed. Ironically, the songs are so bold, so shamelessly theatrical, and so cleanly executed that the very elements meant to sink the show end up turning it into the hit they never wanted.

Scott Kelley’s Max Bialystock and Michael Metcalf’s Leo Bloom make a terrific duo, striking a lively balance between showmanship and panic. Kelley barrels through the role with larger-than-life bravado, while Metcalf’s tightly coiled nervousness plays off him beautifully. Their timing is crisp, their rapport effortless, and together they elevate every scheme, meltdown, and misstep.

Max Bialystock (Scott Kelley) and Company.

Amelia Tam is outstanding as Ulla, the blonde bombshell Max hopes to lure to his “casting couch”. She is an amazing dancer with an equally outstanding voice, commanding attention the moment she steps onstage with a blend of radiant charm and razor-sharp comedic instinct. Her Ulla rises far above the familiar Swedish ditzy-blonde trope, becoming a spark of vitality who shifts the temperature of every scene she enters. Tam mixes wide-eyed innocence with sly intelligence, making each line land with extra bite. Whether stretching a vowel for comedic payoff or launching into “When You Got It, Flaunt It” with fearless gusto, she turns Ulla into a character who is not only irresistible but essential to the show’s rhythm.

The supporting cast is uniformly strong, powered by an ensemble that moves with clarity (credit to choreographer Mary Grace Martens), hits its jokes cleanly, and fills the stage with infectious confidence. Cheryl Newman shines as one of Max’s elderly ‘investors,’ delivering sharp comedic work while also contributing behind the scenes as costume designer - a pair of responsibilities she handles with impressive finesse. Michael John Lynch brings delicious flair to Carmen Ghia, the impeccably mannered yet cutting assistant whose every gesture blends elegance and threat. Myles Mattsey is memorable as Franz Liebkind, the unhinged playwright whose patriotic fervor is both alarming and hilarious, while John B. Boss transforms director Roger DeBris into a gleaming spectacle of theatrical excess. Together, they form a gallery of eccentrics who keep the show’s momentum high and its humor constant.

All the while, Phil Videkis provides excellent musical leadership, guiding the orchestra with crisp pacing and keeping the score bright, tight, and perfectly attuned to the show’s comic sensibility while supporting Thomas Meehan’s book with well-judged musical choices.

The staging makes clever use of an economical but highly effective set designed by Ariel Mozes, shifting smoothly from location to location without ever feeling limited. What the physical scenery lacks in large-scale opulence, it compensates for with smart configuration and adaptability, allowing the story to move quickly while keeping the focus on the performers. Enhancing that versatility is a programmable LED backdrop that becomes one of the production’s most dynamic tools, transforming into windows, rainbows, bursts of color, or even spelled-out words that heighten key moments. Together, Mozes’ resourceful design and the vivid LED wall create a surprisingly rich visual world that expands far beyond the modest footprint.

BrightSide Theatre once again demonstrates a sharp eye for material, adding The Producers to its growing list of savvy, crowd-pleasing selections. This staging delivers everything a Mel Brooks musical should: big laughs, confident performances, and a joyful sense of mischief that never lets up. It’s a lively, high-spirited evening that embraces the show’s outrageous personality while still finding its own clever touches along the way. This musical comedy is highly recommended, playing through June 28th at the Theater at Meiley Swallow Hall, an ideal summer outing for anyone craving a night of bright, unapologetic fun.

For tickets and/or more show information, visit https://brightsidetheatre.com/producers/.

Many of us already know the story of the spirited, loveable orphan girl who is saved from an abusive orphanage after a billionaire takes a liking to her and decides to adopt her. Daddy Warbucks is that billionaire, Miss Hannigan is the abusive, alcoholic who runs the orphanage and the musical is ‘Annie’. Yet, if you know the story or not, it is a musical that inspires, offers hope and shows us that positivity can go a long way.

Citadel Theatre, located in Lake Forest, is the latest to bring ‘Annie’ to the stage. Directed by Robert D. Estrin, ‘Annie’ is a fun production for the whole family to enjoy.

It’s 1933 and Annie (Sophie Kaegi) and her gang are often mistreated at the orphanage by Miss Hannigan (Ellen Phelps), who finds sadistic pleasure in disciplining the kids. Miss Hannigan drinks openly, flirts with every serviceman that enters the orphanage and resents Annie most of all. The only thing the kids can do is hope they get adopted and, in the meantime, praise Miss Hannigan on command and sing “It’s A Hard Knock Life” while scrubbing floors. But everything changes when a billionaire’s assistant, Grace Farrell (Chamaya Moody), drops in unexpectedly to pick out a child to spend with the powerful Oliver Warbucks (John B Boss) over the holidays. And guess who she picks? Yep. Annie.

After Mr. Warbucks takes a liking to Annie he offers to adopt her, but Annie is determined to find her real parents. So the billionaire offers a huge monetary reward to the father and mother that come forward and claim Annie as their own - though he must be careful of imposters.  When Miss Hannigan finds out the reward offerd by Mr. Warbucks, she, her jailbird brother Rooster (Kyle Ryan) and his girlfriend Lily (Becca Duff) begin scheming. But can they fool Mr. Warbucks and his sharp assistant, Miss Farrell?

Citadel makes the best of their space to accommodate such a large cast and include a changing set that that takes us from the orphanage to Warbucks giant mansion – and it works quite well. With this production you also get strong ensemble and individual vocal performances, particularly from lead Sopia Kaegi, Chamaya Moody and Bill Chamberlain who plays Franklin D. Roosevelt, Oliver Warbucks very good friend. The children actors add much of the show's charm while players of multiple roles like Nick Mendelson (who killed it in Hell in a Handbag's 'Poseidon! The Musical'), Alexander Rubin and Emily Lewis (to name a few) lend strong credibility to the ensemble's sturdiness.

The show's many catchy song and dance numbers (music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin) are admirably performed by its ensemble and there is a lot to like in this production although I would have liked to have seen a bit more put-up-your-dukes-spunkiness out of Annie, more gruffness from Oliver Warbucks so that we can more effectively feel him gradually soften to Annie's warmth and good-heartedness, and a bit more tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top, cruel and erratic behavior out of Miss Hannigan (not sure if there is a reason she is not portrayed as an alcoholic as much as we are used to seeing her, outside of her opening appearance in the orphanage). I also didn't feel that a romance was blooming between Miss Farrell and Mr. Warbucks until near the show's end scene. Still, the leading characters are effective, each having their share of fine moments, while the entire cast pulls off a solid all around performance and delivers a nice fun-filled production providing one hit after another including “Tomorrow,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You” and “Easy Street,” a deliciously pleasing song and dance number that has Miss Hannigan, Rooster and his girlfriend Lily (Becca Duff) setting their scheme into place.

‘Annie’ is an entertaining production that reminds us of the things we should not take for granted and the little things in life to be thankful for – sometimes it takes a special kid to show us the way. Extended through January 5th, ‘Annie’ is being performed at Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest.

For tickets and/or more show information, visit www.citadeltheatre.org.

Please note that Kayla Norris plays the role of Annie on alternating nights.