June 2010 Theatre Review by Paul Cosca
Baby
Often, when shows are set in the recent past (sometime in the past 30 years), the effect only goes so far as to give the show some sense of artificial reality, or even worse, to just mock the period it's set in. Whether it's 70's platform boots, 80's fanny packs, or 90's Fresh Prince haircuts, I've seen my fair share of shows that have little real connection to the period they are set in. Then, there's "Baby". Actors Theatre Company's newest show at Theatre Building Chicago immediately devotes itself to the year it is set in: 1984. With the soft pastel color palate of Matt Kollar's set, and the cheery, themed music in the preshow, I almost expected the ending credits for "3 Men and a Baby" to scroll across the projections.
The opening number only ramps up this feeling, serving up the breezy enthusiasm of the best 80's sitcoms. It's hard not to be reminded of something like "Perfect Strangers" as the first half hour of the show flows from one storyline to the next, introducing our protagonists and their very similar problems. The premise is simple enough: three couples at very different points of their lives and relationships are told they are going to have a baby. Lizzie and Danny are juniors in college and not sure if they're ready. Pam and Nick are married and 30 and absolutely ready for a child. Arlene and Alan are in their 40's and have already raised three grown children.
What follows is mostly what you expect it to be. The trials and tribulations of having a baby play out with the three different couples in songs that trade distinction for pep and a bold excitement that begins to set it apart from typical musicals. And even though you might not walk out humming any of the tunes, the cast handles the music very well.
Jason Jackson, playing track coach Nick has a light soulfulness that gives him immense control over the music he sings. And even in the first act, it's easy to see that Katherine Condit, playing Arlene, has a voice that is worthy of her impressive past credits. The only actors that don't always seem quite on top of their music are Hannah Sielatycki and Patrick Tierney, who play the youngest couple. Tierney sometimes lets the music get away from him, while Sielatycki occasionally has problems being heard and understood over the music. Whether this is a volume issue or the music is just too low for her at times, I do not know.
The issue of sound levels is one that usually plagues musicals, but ATC has it figured out for the most part. Jack Cameron directs a small orchestra that manages to stay just present enough to balance out the sound beautifully. The only time sound ever becomes a problem is when members of the ensemble are given solos. For the most part, because they are not amplified, their voices end up seeming very underwhelming. The only exception to this is ensemble member Molly Tower, who has a small, memorable solo at the top of the second act that shows that she is one of the most powerful belters in the room.
In the second act, when hard lessons are beginning to sink in, "Baby" trades in its 80's enthusiasm and adopts a more typical musical feel, for better and for worse. On the good side, you end with some really standout musical numbers, such as Katherine Condit's heart breaking "Patterns" and the fantastically written (and performed) trio "End of Summer". On the bad side, we still have three different storylines. And at the end it drags a bit when all three storylines have to be tied up with perfect symmetry to one another.
Actors Theatre Company is devoted to "providing audiences with high-quality musical theatre at an affordable price." In a city where you could pay $37 for a terrible seat to a good musical, here you can pay $25 for a great seat to a show that will leave you feeling excited about what you just saw. Even better, if you are in the industry, you can go on Thursday, June 17, bring your headshot and resume, and only pay 10 bucks. For $25, there's little excuse not to go. For $10, you'd be stupid to stay home.
"Baby" by David Shire and Richard Maltby Jr., and directed by Marlon Barden, plays at Theatre Building Chicago (1225 W. Belmont Ave.) from now until June 27, 2010. Performances are Thursday-Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available on www.theatrebuildingchicago.org.
About Paul Cosca
Paul
Cosca is a writer, actor, director, designer, and critic who loves
the city of Chicago. Originally from California, Cosca moved to the
windy city in 2005 and got a BFA in acting from Roosevelt University.
He has acted and directed in several theatres in the city and is the
artistic Director of Brikenbrak Theatre Project, a theatre that is
devoted to challenging the way people think.
Cosca is devoted to creating a dialogue between all kinds of people in the theatre community. He believes that actors, directors, writers, critics, and theatre lovers should all engage each other, and that the flow of communication is what makes theatre such a vibrant community. He would love to hear what you think, not only about his reviews, but about other shows you've seen. Feel free to send him an email at paulcosca@gmail.com.