BOOTH ONE - Celebrating Culture and Conversation

Join us in a great conversation with brilliant artist and illustrator Tom Bachtell. Learn how this self-taught artist became the best thing about the New Yorker's "Talk of the Town".  He is still doing stunning caricatures and illustrations for the magazine 23 years later. Check out this wonderful piece Neil Steinberg recently wrote about Tom in the Sun-Times. Tom tells us that "People are bundles of ambiguity. That's what I try to capture in portraits."  

Rising stars Isaac Gomez & Karen Rodriguez join us in the Booth to talk about the rehearsal process for their world premiere production of Isaac's play, La Ruta, at Steppenwolf Theatre. Previews begin December 13 and the show runs through January 27. We are going to press opening on December 20 and cannot wait! This amazing project features a number of Steppenwolf debuts: It is Isaac's as a playwright, ensemble member Sandra Marquez's as a director, and Karen's as a new ensemble member! Director Sandra Marquez with Karen Rodriguez Isaac tells us that the play is "about a community of women who are living in the wake of unspeakable loss...About how resiliance takes form in various capacities and directions for each of them." La Ruta is a bus that takes women to the U.S. owned factories in Ciudad Juarez. Along this route, many women have disappeared, been attacked, and murdered. Steppenwolf Poster The eight Latina actresses in this play all represent real women Isaac has interviewed. As he describes it, "I made a promise to these women that their stories would be heard by as many people as humanly possible,

Fashion world icon Nena Ivon joins us in the Booth to talk about her astounding career, her varied interests in all things cultural, and so much more! A legend in Chicago, Nena Ivon was the fashion and special events director at Saks Fifth Avenue from 1956 to 2009, where among other things, she produced all of the fashion shows, handled publicity, styled the windows and dressed the mannequins. She has worked with hundreds of the leading fashion designers and style icons of the 20th and 21st centuries, including many great models. Nena talked about the quality one-on-one time she got to spend with these designers, picking them up at the airport when they came to town for Saks events. She is currently a member of the executive board of the Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum, and a faculty member in Fashion Studies at Columbia College Chicago (where the Nena Ivon Collection is archived). She is also the author of a marvelous blog called Nena's Notes. We love the way she organized the blog. As you will learn in more detail on the episode, each day of the week has a different theme to reflect things she's passionate about. Monday is for profiles of people, starting with a Proust-like questionnaire, then an interview. A favorite topic for her is how people reinvent themselves when they leave one career, such as the models she worked with. Tuesday is for book reviews. Wednesday is musings, which can go in a number of different directions. Thursday is for collections, not just of fashion, but also other beautiful objects. Friday is for Fashion. Spotlights on designers she's worked with or the current season. Check it out. There is something for everyone. We are excited that she is working on a podcast and a book! Amazingly enough, Nena has a direct connection to the real Booth One and the impetus for our show. Back in the day at Saks, they would hold two fashion shows a week at The Pump Room at lunch time. Then there were conversations in Booth One with stars, Broadway tryout cast members, authors, and local personalities. Nena led a number of these interviews. Oh, how we wish those were recorded! Speaking of Booth One, she is a huge fan of theatre, ballet, and opera. Her favorite medium is musical theatre! Learn who Nena's favorite designers are, including the great Bob Mackie, who she says is a brilliant designer of clothes as well as costumes. Gary tells Nena that he has never missed an episode of Project Runway. Her favorite designer to come out of that show is Christian Seriano and she tells us why. Check out this glam photo of Nena with Christian LaCroix. The photographer, Robert Carl, said of the picture, "“I love this shot of two sophisticates, Nena Ivon and Christian Lacroix. It reminds me of Grant Wood’s “American Gothic,” even though she is the high priestess of Chicago fashion and he is the darling of Paris.”  We talk about the new Library of Congress National Screening Room, which has films from 1890-1999. They are being digitized so we can all check them out. The goal is to have their vast collection reach the largest possible audience.

Gary and Frank welcome one of the finest actors we've ever had the pleasure to meet to Booth One! Francis Guinan has been with the Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble since 1979 and has appeared in a remarkable number of shows. Check out the list of past productions on his Steppenwolf bio. We have seen many of them and his work is simply not to be missed. Speaking of not to be missed...he is currently appearing in a world premiere of Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Bruce Norris's Downstate alongside a breathtaking ensemble cast. Beautifully staged by Tony award winner Pam MacKinnon, it is a co-production with the National Theatre of Great Britain and stars several actors from there, including the marvelous Cecilia Noble. The Steppenwolf ensemble members (Glenn David, K. Todd Freeman, Francis Guinan, and Tim Hopper) are all just astonishing. Our good friend, Laura Glenn is Downstate's fabulous stage manager. The production will travel to London in the spring of 2019. Here are a couple of Downstate production shots:           Fran's first show with Steppenwolf was The Real Inspector Hound. Learn more about his illustrious career there in this article from 2009. One of our favorite recent performances was in The Rembrandt, working opposite his dear friend, the late John Mahoney. Of his relationship with John, he told us they had worked together s0 often and that their 30 years of shared history was "present in every glance." Fran said John was immensely generous on stage and off...Check out this Chicago Tonight interview with John and Fran talking about the last show they would do together. A shot with the the great Audrey Francis in You Got Older: Francis talks about the magic that only happens in a theater. How sometimes you can say a line to an audience of 300 or more people and then there is total silence. A collective holding of breath. And that feeling is not like anything else. He talks about the vibrance and truth of the Chicago style that goes back to the Compass Players. He thanks "the Godfather of Chicago Theatre, Sheldon Patinkin for teaching so many people in our community to "Always Say Yes." That it's not about you. It is all to the benefit of the story. Whatever your fellow actor throws out there, accept it and play that moment, even if it's very different from the night before. Kiss of Death: Carol Hall Carol Hall, a songwriter who wrote the music and lyrics for "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", which was about a brothel called the Chicken Ra...

Booth One's Frank Tourangeau and his husband, filmmaker Dan Pal, who serves as Booth One's film correspondent, have just returned from a trip to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and have much to report! They have been going to film festivals for many years, including several trips to Telluride, Sundance, Toronto, and our very own Chicago Fest. The Chicago Film Festival is happening from October 10 through October 21 at the AMC River East. They also share secrets about how to have a Booth One experience at a festival! Let's cut to the chase. Dan and Frank both LOVED a movie called Roma, written and directed by Alfonso Cuaron, which won the prestigious Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival. A story about a domestic worker in Mexico City working for an upper middle-class family, it is said to be the most personal work of Cuaron's career. And also his best. It has a 98% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Dan, who says it's the best film he's seen this year, thinks it is a shoe-in for Best Foreign Film and also has a chance to win Best Picture. The actress playing the housekeeper has never been in a movie before. So many reasons we can't wait to see it! Frank and Dan saw 14 films in 5 days. The most thrilling thing for them is getting to see movies before anyone else does. Every director was there and did a Q & A. Lots of big time actors too. They shared their reviews and impressions about all the movies they saw, including: Ben is Back, directed by Peter Hedges and starring Julia Roberts & Lucas Hedges. Vox Lux starring Natalie Portman and Jude Law. (They did not like it.) If Beale Street Could Talk, based on a James Baldwin novel, adapted and directed by Oscar winner Barry Jenkins, made its world premiere at Toronto. Dan and Frank say it is an absolute stand-out. Very powerful and more dialogue driven than Moonlight. The score by Nicolas Britell is "spectacular!" One of the stars, Chicago actress Kiki Lane, was in Booth One favorite Byhalia, Mississippi and part of the ensemble of Definition Theatre Company. We are so excited for you. Go Kiki, go! While they weren't able to score tickets to A Star is Born, here's a fun photo of the stars in Toronto: Gary announces that sadly, the wonderful show public access television show, Theater Talk, has ended after 25 years. Because its station wanted to take over editorial control. :( And just after it won an Emmy award! Everyone who's anyone has appeared on Susan Haskins' great interview show, which we think has a lot in common with Booth One. Its last season was distributed to more than a hundred public television stations nationwide. Gary talks about an episode featuring James Grissom, an author who has written a great book called Follies of God: Tennessee Williams and the Women of the Fog, which is based on his many, many hours of conversation with the playwright about his close relationships with a number of women who influenced him.  Other films that are discussed in this episode: The Hummingbird Project starring Jesse Eisenberg

We welcome to the Booth this week the very talented and vibrant Jerre Dye. Recommended by a recent genius guest, Cecelia Wingate, Jerre is a Southerner by birth, having grown up in a small town in Mississippi. He is a playwright, actor, director and opera librettist, now living in Chicago. Fellow Mississippi playwright Beth Henley, whose play Crimes of the Heart earned her a Pulitzer Prize in 1981, praises his lyrical voice and distinctly Southern sensibilities, proclaiming him "a vibrant force in the American theater." Jerre's plays Cicada and Distance were both nominated for Joseph Jefferson awards. First off, Frank tells us about seeing our friend Christine McHugh's one-woman play Parents Must Be Dead at the Greenhouse Theatre. By all accounts, the evening was a smashing success, with a full house and great audience response. Congratulations, Christine! We learn that the somewhat odd title refers to a friend of Christine's preference listing on a dating website. A bit maudlin, but at least he's honest. Gary reminds our listeners that they can hear the Booth One crew interviewed on the Rick Kogan After Hours radio program on the WGN website. To listen to Rick's jaw-droppingly generous words about our show, click here. Jerre takes us through his upbringing, his school days in Memphis, and his foray into acting in Hollywood. Big brother John Dye was his mentor, inspiration and role model. Highlights from his LA days include teaching Lily Tomlin how to clog(!?) and appearing as a dancer in the 1993 film of The Beverly Hillbillies with Jim Varney. His mentor at University of Memphis was Gloria Baxter, who was a classmate and friend of Frank Galati's at Northwestern. As film fans, we love a well-written movie review, even if it's a pan. A couple of snippets from the the recent Keanu Reeves/Winona Ryder film reviewed in the NY Times: "'Destination Wedding' is torture."; "Nothing is as ailing as the screenplay." Almost worth going to see it just for the train wreck! Jerre talks about becoming an opera librettist and how that writing style and process differs from, and is similar to, his playwrighting. He first got involved with opera six years ago doing a project in Memphis creating several different stories about the people who worked at a now-shuttered Sears distribution complex. His opera career has advanced from there to the point where he's now at work on a project called Taking Up Serpents with composer Kamala Sankaram to be presented by Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center. The piece runs January 11-13 in Washington. Jerre has many other projects in the works and we're excited to see them come to life. As Jerre says, "Everybody's born with a story. It's like a spell." In our Good Times and Bum Times segment, you'll hear about the first raw-meat ven...

While Frank is out of town, we welcome Ross Fraser, founding co-host of Booth One,  back to the studio. He is clearly excited to be back behind a microphone and in rare form. Gary and Roscoe revisit some favorite topics such as, "Where are the Movie Stars?" and a new shark attack on Cape Cod. Roscoe shares his favorite news story of prior week about a woman in a stolen car trying to elude police in (where else?) Florida, by jumping into a pasture with a herd of cows, who then take chase. You cannot make this stuff up. We talk about the recent passing of the great Aretha Franklin. In 2008, Rolling Stone named her the greatest singer of the rock era, ahead of Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, and John Lennon. Check out this list! Friend of the show David Cromer will be appearing on Broadway in The Waverly Gallery this fall with Elaine May, Joan Allen, Michael Ceres, and Lucas Hedges. It previews on September 27 and opens October 27. We were already planning a trip to see Alexandra Billings in her Broadway debut in The Nap, but now have two great reasons to venture east. We have been invited to appear on After Hours with Rick Kogan on August 26. If you miss hearing it live, we'll post the link to the recording on our next episode. Both Gary and Roscoe recommend the book Something Wonderful, Rogers and Hammerstein's Broadway Revolution. Kiss of Death: Patricia Morison Learn about the actress Cole Porter discovered for his Broadway Production of Kiss Me Kate, who recently died at 103. From her NYT obituary: "The critics loved both her and the show — Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times praised her as “an agile and humorous actress who is not afraid of slapstick and who can sing enchantingly” — and so did the public."      

We welcome the remarkably talented actress and stage director Cecelia Wingate to Booth One this week. Hailing from Memphis, TN, Cecelia is a driving force in the vibrant theater scene there. Gary recalls seeing her breathtaking performance in Chicago in the marvelous new play by Evan Linder Byhalia, Mississippi directed by Tyrone Phillips a couple of seasons ago, a performance for which Cecelia won a Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Supporting Actress. Here is a photo from the triumphant opening night at Steppenwolf, which we were so lucky to get to be part of. Cecelia recounts her upbringing in the South, from Georgia to Mississippi to Tennessee. Frank and Gary comment on her smooth and sexy southern drawl, an accent that Americans find the most appealing, according to a YouGov Poll. In aquatic news this week, a trio of thieves pulled off a "shark-napping" at a Texas aquarium by disguising the stolen horn shark as a baby and wheeling it out in a stroller. Known as Miss Helen, the relatively harmless 1.5 foot creature was eventually found in a mock-up aquarium in a local garage and returned unharmed to her home tank. The two men and one woman heist-ers are being held on charges of theft in a San Antonio jail. Before her tremendously successful career as a director took off, Cecelia was the founder and one of four lead singers in a band called The Bouffants for 21 years. The "Premier Party Band of the South", the group has played throughout the United States, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Minneapolis. The troupe started out as a girl-group cover band but has since added R&B, Motown and classic Rock & Roll to their repertoire. There's no current plan for a reunion of the original members, but Cecelia won't rule out a comeback should the circumstances arise. We give a shout out to our friend Christine McHugh, who will perform her one-woman show Parents Must Be Dead at the Greenhouse Theater Center, Chicago, on Thursday, August 30. When her parents died within three years of each other she thought she had weathered this milestone life passage as an adult with some measure of ease and grace. Little did she know that the death of parents comes in many forms and with many reverberations. Some of them seismic. In her solo show, Christine explores this landscape that all of us will eventually navigate with raw humor and tender vulnerability. Click here for tickets and information. Cecelia's Porch is a Memphis institution, where creative types and artists gather for informal dialogue, exchange of ideas and just plain fun. Open 365 days a year, it's a come-as-you-are drop-in destination. BYOB and food but be prepared for anything to happen, including singalongs with the neighbors. Gary, Frank, and Betsy are considering a field trip to Memphis to chec...

Legendary Chicago newspaperman, radio host, and author Rick Kogan joins us in the Booth to share some great stories and lively conversation. He's a big fan of our show and has listened to a number of past episodes that he's told us are terrific. High praise from a master interviewer who was a close friend of Studs Terkel and is carrying on in his brilliant tradition. Rick says he may be our only guest so far who has gotten drunk in the original Booth One at the Pump Room back when real movie stars sat there. Check out the list here. Rick talks about growing up in a remarkable family - his father, legendary author and journalist Herman Kogan; his mother, reporter and publicist Marilew; and his brother, major league rock band tour manager Mark. He tells us an amazing story about Mark, Elvis and Sinatra. Their parents met at Riccardo's, a restaurant behind the Wrigley Building, and he is named Rick (not Richard) after the owner. A legendary hang out for newspaper people, artists, and musicians, our producer spent some time there back in the day just to eavesdrop on the always interesting conversations. He talks about the kind of people who were hanging around his parents' apartment growing up. A list that includes Studs & Ida Terkel, Nelson Algren, Marcel Marceau, and Mort Sahl. Can you imagine? We learn about his early career driving a cab, then moving to Spain and eventually submitting a travel piece about Dover, England to the Tribune, which sold for the then thrilling price of $160. He returned to Chicago and began an incredible career in journalism. Gary announces that on August 1st, the National Comedy Center will open in Jamestown, NY, the birthplace of Lucille Ball. Check out this video that will make you want to visit. Frank is an expert on Lucy, and will probably be going to represent. One of the cool things is that on a touch screen, you create a "sense of humor profile" to personalize your experience. They have acquired the archives of a very impressive array of comedians, including Lenny Bruce and George Carlin. Gary asks Rick about favorite guests on his radio show. He starts with Studs Terkel, who was not just the all-time great interviewer, but also a really fun guest. They talk about the WFMT Studs Terkel archive and Rick describes a favorite - Studs interviewing a very young Bob Dylan. You don't want to miss his spot-on impression of Studs and hilarious summary of the episode. The digital audio of this is not yet public, but will be soon. Rick graciously invites us to come on his radio show, After Hours, which airs on Sunday nights from 9:00 - 11:00pm CST on WGN. What an honor! The boys are excited about this opportunity. A Red Orchid Theatre is currently running a Eugene Ionesco play called Victims of Duty, a lesser known work not often produced. It stars a wonderful group of actors, including Michael Shannon and AROT co-founder Guy Van Swearingen.

Gary and Frank catch up and discuss a couple of recent theatrical viewings. First off, we get an inside look at Frank's eastern European trip which took him away from Booth One for a couple of episodes. He tells of his experiences in Warsaw, Krakow, Prague, Vienna and Budapest, how the architecture and city centers have changed, and why Prague is one of the most stunning cities he's ever visited. He is grateful to friend of the show and two-time guest, Stuart Dybek, for his great suggestions for things to do in Prague. He also let us know that Warsaw is booming and beautiful. While on the continent, Frank sampled a Porn Star Martini, ate at iconic local restaurants, and ogled the naked people on building facades in Prague. Other than Vienna, the entire trip was a bargain and the direct flights on LOT between both Warsaw and Budapest & Chicago made travel a breeze. A trip that Frank highly recommends.   The boys visited the Steppenwolf Theatre to view their new main stage show The Roommate, featuring knock-out performances from Ora Jones and Sandra Marquez, both Steppenwolf ensemble members. Written by the up and coming and very talented playwright Jen Silverman and directed by Phylicia Rashad, The Roommate is a comedy/drama centered around two women who become housemates somewhere in Iowa. Gary and Frank share their thoughts and opinions on the play, and suggest that it is perfect summer fare for those seeking a great night out at the theater. The Roommate runs through August 5. We discuss writer-performer Amanda Duarte's Guide to Theater Etiquette. Standing, talking, eating, drinking, clapping and cell phones are among the topics she shares her opinions on in this New York Time Out article. Enjoy. Next up is our take on The Cher Show, which recently had its pre-Broadway tryout here in Chicago at the Oriental Theatre. Containing 35 hit songs and a flurry of thrilling Bob Mackie gowns, this biographical musical gives us three versions of Cher - Babe, Lady and Star - at different points in her life and career. Played by three actresses - Micaela Diamond (in her professional debut), Teal Wicks, and the always amazing Stephanie J. Block - the show is framed as a TV special being made about Cher's life. The three "Chers" interact with each other throughout, even having musical numbers as a trio, something Gary found to be an oddly disconcerting choice by the writers. Nevertheless, the opening night audience was very responsive and cheered wildly at many of the show's high points and at the curtain call. By the way, Jarrod Spector as Sonny is marvelous.

Today we welcome to the Booth acclaimed artist, author, and actor Tony Fitzpatrick, and his son and podcast partner, Max. They are quite a team. Max also manages Adventureland Gallery at 1513 N. Western. Where there is great art and free beer! Tony's stunning drawing collages can be found in museums such as MOMA and Chicago's MCA, along with a lot of private collections. He has also done cover art for many musicians, including friend of the show Steve Earle, jazz saxaphonist Frank Catalano, Ike Reilly and Sarah Borges. Tony has amazing taste in music, so check out these brilliant artists. In 2009, New City magazine named Tony Fitzpatrick the "best iconic Chicago personality now that Studs Terkel is gone." That is quite an honor and we agree. Tony and his son are now producing a great podcast called The Max & Tony Show. Tony has lots of radio experience from doing a show on the Loop and Max brings a lot to the table as a younger actor and producer. They have amazing friends who often appear on the show. Check it out. We talk about all the opportunities we now have in the very personal medium of podcasting. Tony is hilarious making fun of us who are Cubs fans for bringing up our world series win every chance we get. He is a long time White Sox fan. Steven Conrad, creator of the television show Patriot, tapped Tony to play a wonderful character named Jack Birdbath. Not only is it an amazing show, but Max and Tony describe a creative process that sounds like a dream come true. AND...they filmed season two in Paris! Max was able to be on set every day and get a "master class in acting for camera." Not too shabby. Check out season 2 in the fall. Tony can do it all. When Gary asked him about that he said, "I've always found that the best respite from one creative pursuit is another one. Which is why I've always written poetry....A good, nimble, and limber way to keep yourself engaged creatively all the time." Tony recently published Dime Stories, a collection of columns and drawings he did for New City. He reads the first piece, about bird watchers, for us. What a treat! How about this description from the great Chicago filmmaker, Andrew Davis: "This brilliant view into the wild world of Tony Fitzpatrick will move you. His art is astounding and relevant, his writing gutsy, funny, and unafraid. In the tradition of the the great Chicago and Illinois icons—Terkel, Twain, Royko, and Sandberg—Tony Fitzpatrick takes on the phonies and con men and elevates the humanity in us all. From beautiful birds to bar room brawls, Dime Stories exemplifies the work of a true renaissance man. Grab this book and cherish it." —Andrew Davis, director of The Fugitive, Code of Silence, and Holes

Long time friend and Gary's collaborator on the legendary Klub Kokomo joins us in the Booth to talk about that amazing production and his career as an actor, director, producer, and coach to trial lawyers. Richard directed and Gary was the stage manager for Paul Stanley's production of this wild show in 2000. Read about it here. Our producer was there and has never seen anything like it. A few highlights: They transformed the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts into a nightclub. The show was environmental and interactive (including working bars). Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders fame played a 15 minute set at each intermission. Wish you could have seen it. Richard draws on his background as a theatre artist to train lawyers on presentation skills for the courtroom and depositions. In his business, Speaking Legally, he works with partner Kevin Theis  (episode 58) on coaching performance skills. Chicago Litigation Consultants brings actors into law firms or law schools to portray clients or witnesses to train lawyers in trial practice. Sounds like fun and interesting work. Gary asks him if he's ever had a hopeless case. No, but Richard describes a very interesting challenging client. Thanks once again to awesome friend of the show, Nancy Needles, we learned about an amazing "Urban Glamping Experience" at The Gwen Hotel here in Chicago. You must check out the glamorous details. We think $5,500 per night is extreme, even if you are allowed to share it among 7 people. Still, it's a fun thing to imagine doing. Gary tells us about our friend Jennifer Engstrom's marvelous performance doing exerpts from her Dorothy Parker show at A Red Orchid's fund raiser (which we attended the night after she was on the show).  Jennifer is the real deal, in so many ways. We were thrilled to get to witness some of Frank's mentorship of Jen in action. Richard is an official Tony award voter - first on our show! He and Gary did some fun predictions and we will let you know how that went. Big love to The Band's Visit! A heartfelt thank you to Carnegie Mellon and the Broadway League for recognizing Melody Herzfeld, the remarkable drama teacher at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas high school, with a Tony award. Will write more about that next episode. We, like so so many others, loved Rachel Rockwell. The point of this part of our show is to celebrate and honer someone we admired. Listen to his lovely tribute that includes some beautiful quotes about who she was and her work from her dear friend and collaborator, Rick Boynton, as well as from her dad. Read Chris Jones' obituary here. We were fortunate to be able to spend an afternoon with her as our guest on episode 57.    

The endlessly fascinating Jennifer Engstrom graces us in the Booth today. Jen is a long-time ensemble member of A Red Orchid Theatre (as is our last guest, playwright Brett Neveu). She has appeared in over a dozen productions there and at many other great Chicago theaters (as well as in productions in London and New York). She grew up on a farm outside of Huxley, Iowa and made her way to the big city via the College of DuPage theatre program, where she soon became active in the speech department. And who coached and encouraged her in a career in the performing arts? None other than our own Frank Tourangeau! Frank was a professor and head of the speech department during Jennifer's time there and served as her mentor and teacher. Frank relates how he cast her in the play Whose Life is it Anyway? as the lead made famous on Broadway and the West End by Tom Conti, and revived some years later with Mary Tyler Moore in the starring role. By all accounts, Jen was luminous in the part. BTW, when Gary was working in Emanuel Azenberg's office, he was a stand-in for Tom Conti for several rehearsals on the Broadway production. In addition to her numerous acting roles, Jennifer has had an interesting career as an understudy around Chicago. We discuss her going on as Blanche DuBois at the last minute in a Writers Theatre production of A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by David Cromer. Though she knew the blocking and the lines well, her costumes had not been finished and there was a mad scramble to devise a proper wardrobe track for that performance (which Gary and producer Betsy were privileged to see!). She also stepped in for Amy Morton in the Steppenwolf Theatre production of Taylor Mac's HIR when Ms. Morton turned her ankle on stage prior to the first preview. Jennifer had learned all the lines and after a rushed blocking rehearsal, kept the curtain up for the first preview audience in stellar fashion. To quote the wonderful stage manager, Laura Glenn, "She was a total professional and I was so grateful she was there." Among Jennifer's favorite playwrights are Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee and newcomer Jen Silverman, whose play Witch will get a world premiere production at Writers Theatre in the fall. Two items of show biz interest - The Play That Goes Wrong is closing on Broadway in August. One of the most hilarious shows that Gary and Frank have ever seen, a national tour is scheduled so don't miss this gem of a show if it comes to your town. And the five-and-a-half hour adaptation of Roberto Bolano's mammoth novel 2066 can be seen on streaming video soon. In an unusual arrangement, a filmed version of the Goodman Theatre's production will be available free, unlimited streaming for at least two years. Frank was a big fan of this production. You may have to watch in installments given it's extraordinary length, but you're unlikely to see another production of it anywhere any time soon. Jennifer has created and performs a one-woman show called Excuse My Dust, A Dorothy Parker Portfolio, in which she embodies the writer and humorist in an evening of theatrical monologues from Parker's writings. Dorothy Parker wa...

We were thrilled to welcome Brett Neveu to the booth just two days after being in the audience for the press opening of his marvelous new play, To Catch A Fish at Timeline Theatre. This production, masterfully directed by Ron OJ Parson, features one of the best ensemble casts we've ever seen, with standout performances by  Geno Walker, Al'Jaleel McGhee, Tiffany Addison, and Linda Bright Clay. We recently saw Al'Jaleel and Linda in Antoinette Nwandu's Breach at Victory Gardens. What a treat to see their work again so soon! Based on a true news story set in Milwaukee, Brett's play is about family and love and explores different types of love in a profound and very moving way. Timeline's 99 seat theatre makes for an intimate experience.  All the seats are good. The show runs through July 1 and is an absolute must see! This play came out of the Playwrights Collective at Timeline, which sounds like a very cool process for the writers. Brett, like our friend and recent guest Stuart Dybek, teaches writing at Northwestern University. He teaches classes in writing plays, television, and films. We are hoping to sit in on a class! Brett is a member of A Red Orchid's ensemble and has done 10 world premieres there. He has been interviewed by Booth One friend and guest, Mark Larson, for his book about Ensemble in Chicago Theatre and shares some of his insights about being part of an ensemble. A Red Orchid's theatre space is quite small and intimate, which sparks Brett's inspiration. As he says, "It challenges the actors and audience to communicate in a dangerous and interesting way." He studied writing at the University of Iowa along with some other amazing playwrights who are his good friends, such as Rebecca Gilman and Naomi Wallace. Brett plays in a band called The Last Afternoons. Multi-talented much? Kiss of Death: Florence Berman:         What a story! Florence Berman and her husband Maurie, started SuperDawg in 1948 as a way to pay the bills as they were going through school at Northwestern. All these years later, it is iconic. And we are happy to report that Brett Neveau and his daughter consider it to be an all-time favorite place. Read her beautiful obit by Maureen O'Donnell here.

Gary reports on the wonderful time we had at the Writers Theatre Gala at the Four Seasons. We were guests of Mary Pat & Andy Studdert. It was such a fun evening, featuring sensational entertainment with a Motown theme. Our table mates were all a blast, including great Chicago actor, Rob Lindley. Gary also profiles Mary Pat, who is Booth One's Creative Consultant. We met her doing a live podcast at Writers during their production of Company. Hear excerpts from that event on episode 39. Mary Pat was in the audience and was excellent at the Sondheim trivia contest. She's been a friend, fan, and extremely helpful advisor ever since. She is also a magnificent photographer and has taken some unforgettable shots of elephants (our favorite) in Africa as well other wildlife and nature photos. She mounts these photos on greeting cards and has started to make boxed sets. Mary Pat is launching a business with these cards as well as totally unique gift tags (also made from the photos). You'll be the first to hear how you can purchase those. Speaking of photos, Peggy Vagenius, who shot Gary and Betsy's wedding (beautifully and was so much fun!), is in the studio to do a photo shoot with Gary and Frank (their first together). "The Cher Show" is running in Chicago from June 12 - July 15 before moving to Broadway. Frank is a huge fan and has tickets for July 1st. We look forward to his report! Did you know that Cher's Mom was an actress who appeared on "I Love Lucy"? The episode he describes which was filmed in Paris sounds fabulous! Check out Georgia Holt's Wiki. What a story! For starters, her mother was 13 when she had her. Stormy Daniels is coming to the Admiral in Chicago in June as part of her current strip club tour. Gary is hoping to go and do a remote broadcast. Details to follow. Frank will be in Prague, so GZ will be looking for another date. We talk about the ritual of "The Gypsy Robe", a great Broadway tradition for long-serving chorus members. Check out the really interesting description of the rules here. Frank has a good friend Brian O'Brien, who has been a robe recipient! Basking sharks have recently been seen aggregating in the Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Long Island. They are HUGE, but Gary of course does not believe they are not dangerous to humans. One of our listeners, Mary Lesch, has been spotted wearing a T-shirt that says, "Lake Michigan - no sharks".  Another statement Gary is leery about. Frank reviews a play called "Women Alone Laughing Eating Salad", which features his friend and former student