The Best of 2014: The Best Musicals I Saw Onstage

I unabashedly love musicals and, even in a year in which I didn't see any in New York or London, I caught 25 musical theater productions live on stage.

That many ranged from first-rate to fantastic isn't surprising, given that Chicago routinely gets high-profile pre-Broadway runs--e.g. The Last Ship--and pretty much any fresh-from-Broadway national tours, such as with Newsies.

But beyond outstanding touring musicals--and a phenomenal updated rendition of The Phantom of the Opera helped me like that show more than I ever have, while trekking to Milwaukee for The Lion King reiterated my love for that brilliant work--the Chicago area is rich in regional producing theaters that specialize in musicals.

I have long been a fan of Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire, where I saw the rarely staged On the Town this year, and Drury Lane Oakbrook, which continues to do impressive work including a Broadway-caliber-except-for-the-size Les Misérables. I also enjoy Theatre at the Center in Munster, IN, Aurora's Paramount Theatre and Evanston's Light Opera Works (productions held in Evanston's Cahn Auditorium) even though I didn't get to anything by the latter two over the past 12 month. 

Chicago's Mercury Theater has also gotten into the self-producing game in recent years, and I loved their self-made take on the great Avenue Q in 2014.

The Lion King

Chicago Shakespeare Theater has long run a side business as the Chicago Sondheim Theater, and I've seen and loved all of director Gary Griffin's scintillating showcases of the sublime composer/lyricist.

This year, CST and Griffin gave us two such pieces: a remarkable Gypsy (Sondheim only wrote lyrics on this classic, whose music is by Jule Styne) and an intriguing Road Show, an oft-revised work that I had seen at the Goodman Theatre in 2003--when it was titled Bounce.

The Goodman will occasionally stage one musical per season--the theater was actually the first home of The Million Dollar Quartet--and this summer produced a revised version of Lerner & Loewe's Brigadoon, which was largely quite lovely.

And the Lyric Opera of Chicago is in the midst of a glorious string of once-yearly Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals. After loving their superb rendition of Oklahoma in 2013, I liked The Sound of Music there just as much if not more. 

This year, I finally experienced the acclaimed small size, big production feel of Theo Ubique in Rodgers Park with their terrific version of Sondheim's Passion, and I even saw a remarkable college production of Cabaret at Northwestern.

So not only was 2014 another great year for musicals in the environs of Chicago, but I'm glad to have seen and liked so many across a variety of venues.

The late Bernie Yvon, with Kelly Anne Clark, in
The Beverly Hillbillies Musical at Theatre at the Center

Unfortunately, it was also a year of tragedy on the local theater scene. On September 6, two veteran actors, Bernie Yvon and Molly Glynn, died in separate accidents. I had only seen Glynn in a few shows, including The Odd Couple (not a musical) at Northlight in late 2013, but Yvon had long been one of my favorite local musical theater performers.

If my personal database is accurate, I caught Yvon in 8 shows at various theaters since 2002, including in the world premiere of The Beverly Hillbillies Musical at Theatre at the Center just this summer.

Tragically, Yvon died in a car accident in Munster on his way to rehearsals for another TATC musical, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

I would see that piece a couple weeks after Yvon's death, and though I didn't love the show, I tried to pay warm tribute to him and everyone involved in my review.

Though they don't have much direct connection to me or, to my knowledge, musicals, I'll also note here the passing of longtime Chicago director and theater professor Sheldon Patinkin, as well as the multifaceted Mike Nichols, who was part of the origins of Second City in Chicago in the 1950s.

While not lessening the tragedies, I got a real sense of what is meant by "The show must go on"--especially in the case of Yvon thanks to a small memorial I attended at Theater at the Center after the opening of the show he was to have been in.

And so, in 2014, my admiration for those who sing & dance (and direct & choreograph, design sets, sew costumes, etc.) for a living--and the entire close-knit Chicago theater community--was only furthered.

For few things in life can make me feel as ebullient, and emotionally enriched, as a truly sensational stage musical.

So I not only rank but give heartfelt thanks for...

The Best Musicals I Saw On Stage in 2014:

Gypsy - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

(Note: My rankings are based on my enjoyment of the particular productions, but blend in the quality of the source material as well. New shows are denoted with an *)

1. Gypsy - Chicago Shakespeare Theater (my review)

2. The Phantom of the Opera - Bank of America Theater (Broadway in Chicago) (my review) 

3. The Sound of Music - Lyric Opera of Chicago (my review)

4. Les Misérables - Drury Lane Oakbrook (my review)

5. The Last Ship* - Bank of America Theater (Broadway in Chicago) (my review)

6. The Lion King - The Milwaukee Theatre (National Tour) (my review)

Les Miserables - Drury Lane Oakbrook

7. The Wizard of Oz - Cadillac Palace (Broadway in Chicago) (my review)

8. Avenue Q - Mercury Theatre (my review)

9. Annie - Cadillac Palace (Broadway in Chicago) (my review)

10. Newsies - Oriental Theatre (Broadway in Chicago) (my review)

Honorable Mention (in order of preference)

Passion - Theo Ubique (my review)

Brigadoon - Goodman Theatre (my review)

Road Show - Chicago Shakespeare Theater (my review)

The Beverly Hillbillies Musical* - Theatre at the Center, Munster (my review)

The Last Ship - Broadway in Chicago

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella - Cadillac Palace (my review)

On the Town - Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire (my review)

Motown - Oriental Theatre (Broadway in Chicago) (my review)

Special Mention

Cabaret - Ethel M. Barber Theatre, Northwestern University
A college production that was truly first-rate.

Rocky: the Musical - Winter Garden Theatre, New York (Not seen by me)
I was only in New York for about 4 hours in March amid flights into and out of two city airports. If not for luggage, I likely would have tried to see Rocky, but couldn't. But later, three friends were heading to the Big Apple and asked for my theater recommendations; in an overlong piece of advice, the stage adaptation of Rocky was one of my top suggestions--and the one they heeded. Though it would close just days after they saw it in August, all three friends reported really liking it.

The Best of 2014: The Best Plays I Saw

2014 was another really rewarding year in terms of plays I saw--and this doesn't even include musicals or other types of shows, such as Lookingglass Alice--and made me all the more grateful to be living in the Chicago area.

Once again, I was absolutely astounded by the amount of dramatic acting talent that exists in the city, not only at large, prestigious theaters, but at many storefront and similarly small venues where the performers earn a pittance at best.

While I saw nine plays, and almost all of them first-rate ones, presented by and at the Steppenwolf and Goodman theaters, plus two that I really loved at Northlight in Skokie, some of the ones I liked best in 2014 were staged by considerably smaller companies in some rather disparate places.

As I conveyed as part of my review of Exit Strategy, which was staged by Jackalope Theatre in the far reaches of Chicago's huge Broadway Armory, the Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones is by far the theater critic I most read & trust, and I greatly appreciate him prompting me to see stellar works such as that one and the currently running (at American Theater Co.) The Humans. Yet not only will my year-end ranking of the latter play not approximate Jones' naming it his #1 piece of theater seen in 2014, but his top show of 2013, Smokefall--which he liked even more in a 2014 re-staging by Goodman--was one I didn't much care for.

Exit Strategy - Jackalope

Greatly gratifying beyond the several plays I saw in subscription series (to Goodman & Broadway in Chicago) and at Chris Jones' recommendation were some wonderful evenings of theater that came about due to other stimuli.

Although I've utilized the discount ticket service Goldstar rather vociferously over the years, it seems like their "Comp Train" promotion of free tickets (+ service fees) to certain shows came and went over a weekend. But I was able to get a complimentary ticket for Wit, staged by AstonRep Theater Co. at the Raven Theater in early June--and as you'll see below, I thought it was absolutely phenomenal.

My motivation--and seemingly that of most audience members--for seeing Pride Films & Plays' production of Lillian Hellman's 1934 classic, The Children's Hour, was because I had a friend in the cast.

The Children's Hour - Pride Films & Plays

The play was outstanding and even in trying to be objective 11 months later, I still feel Britni Tozzi gave one of the best performances I saw all year, alongside terrific work by Whitney Morse and Nora Lise Ulrey, the latter whom I also found excellent in a strong rendition of The Lieutenant of Inishmore by AstonRep.

Among a plethora of outstanding performances in 2014, a few others that stand out include Alexandra Bennett in Wit, Reyna de Courcy and Colin Sphar in Luna Gale, John Mahoney and Penny Slusher in Chapatti, K. Todd Freeman in Airline Highway, Francis Guinan in The Night Alive, Sean Blake in Why Not Me? A Sammy Davis Jr. Story, Mike Nussbaum in Smokefall, Michael Urie in Buyer & Cellar, Jerry MacKinnon in Exit Strategy and Keith Kupferer in both The Qualms and The Humans.

That The Children Hour's director, Derek Bertelsen, wound up helming three of my top 10 plays of the year is also extremely impressive.

And although Evanston's Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre celebrated its 35th anniversary this year, it was only because my sister Allison sourced it out as a troupe we should check out that I saw my first play by them this summer. And then two more.

All three of which were directed by F-J Artistic Director Tim Rhoze, who also wrote one of them, a fine piece about Sammy Davis Jr. Before and after each play, Rhoze greeted Allison, my mom, me and a friend warmly, so it was especially a thrill to see him onstage (currently) in Steppenwolf's  Airline Highway, which I loved.

Airline Highway - Steppenwolf

Thus, not only was 2014 a rewarding year for dramatic theatergoing, but a personally gratifying and somewhat oddly intertwining one as well.

I also found it cool that although several plays I saw were buzzworthy, and often terrific, world premiere and/or pre-, recently on or likely-to-hit Broadway shows--Luna Gale, Exit Strategy, Airline Highway, The Qualms, Wit, This is Our Youth, Peter and The Starcatcher, The Humans, The Night Alive, Tribes, Buyer & Cellar, The White Snake, Venus in Fur, Smokefall--I liked a fairly straightforward production by Northlight of a Neil Simon classic, Lost in Yonkers, even more than most of these.

Anyway, with that lengthy setup, and unscientifically blending together the scripted quality of the 23 plays I attended and their specific productions, here's my ranking of the:

Best Plays I Saw in 2014:

(Note: All were in the Chicago area; new or recent plays are denoted with an *)

Wit - AstonRep

1. Wit - AspenRep Theatre Co. (my review)
written by Margaret Edson; directed by Derek Bertelsen

2. Lost in Yonkers - Northlight Theatre (my review)
written by Neil Simon; directed by Devon de Mayo

3. The Children's Hour - Pride Films & Plays (my review)
written by Lillian Hellman; directed by Derek Bertelsen

4. Luna Gale* - Goodman Theatre (my review)
written by Rebecca Gilman; directed by Robert Falls

Lost in Yonkers - Northlight

5. Airline Highway* - Steppenwolf Theatre (my review)
written by Lisa D'Amour; directed by Joe Mantello

6. Exit Strategy* - Jackalope Theatre Co. (my review)
written by Ike Holter; directed by Gus Menary

7. Chapatti* - Northlight Theatre (my review)
written by Christian O'Reilly ; directed by B.J. Jones

8. The Qualms* - Steppenwolf Theatre (my review)
written by Bruce Norris; directed by Pam MacKinnon

9. The Lieutenant of Inishmore - AstonRep Theatre Co. (my review)
written by Martin McDonagh; directed by Derek Bertelsen

10. Why Not Me? A Sammy Davis Story* -
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre (my review)
written and directed by Tim Rhoze; a one-man show starring Sean Blake

Luna Gale - Goodman

Honorable Mention (in order of preference) 

Buyer & Cellar* - Broadway Playhouse (touring) (my review)
written by Jonathan Tolins; directed by Stephen Brackett; one-man show starring Michael Urie

The Humans* - American Theater Company (my review)
written by Stephen Karam; directed by PJ Paparelli

Chapatti - Northlight

Tribes* - Steppenwolf Theatre (my review)
written by Nina Raine; directed by Austin Pendleton

This is Our Youth - Steppenwolf Theatre (my review)
written by Kenneth Lonergan; directed by Anna Shapiro

The Night Alive* - Steppenwolf Theatre (my review)
written by Conor McPherson; directed by Henry Wishcamper

The Qualms - Steppenwolf

The White Snake* - Goodman Theatre (my review)
written and directed by Mary Zimmerman

Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years* - Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre (my review)
written by Emily Mann; directed by Tim Rhoze

Read All About It: Exuberant 'Newsies' is Really Really Good (If Not Quite "Extra! Extra!" Special) -- Chicago Theater Review

Theater Review

Newsies

Oriental Theatre, Chicago

Thru Jan. 4, 2015

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On Tuesday night, even with virtually every school in existence on Christmas break, hundreds of teenagers helped completely fill Chicago's cavernous Oriental Theater for a performance of the Disney musical, Newsies.

Though I wouldn't quite call it Beatlemaniacal, there was a clearly palpable sense of giddy anticipation and youthful excitement running through the balcony.

I have been to other musicals that have attracted busloads of teens--including Wicked, Billy Elliot and Spring Awakening--but all too often (although a bit less so at downtown Broadway in Chicago presentations than at suburban theaters) I find myself to be a youngster in any given theater crowd. At times by 30 years or more--and I'm 46.

Thus I frequently fret about the enduring commercial viability of the musical theater art form, say 10 or 20 years hence. Broadway itself, and big touring shows, might be okay, but some of Chicago's great regional houses & companies like Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Theatre at the Center in Munster, Light Opera Works, the Paramount Theater in Aurora, etc., may have a tougher time surviving unless they start attracting younger patrons in mass.

So that the teens seemed to raucously love Newsies is far more important--even to me--than what I thought of it.

And I found it to be really terrific.

Perhaps not quite legendary, as though Alan Menken's score, with lyrics by Jack Feldman, has a number of rousing group songs, many coming straight from the 1992 movie musical of Newsies--"Carrying the Banner," "The World Will Know," "Seize The Day," "King of New York," "Once and For All"--I just didn't feel the music had the heft or depth of truly magnificent musicals, even among the best of the 21st Century.

Based around the New York newsboys strike of 1899, the ardently pro-union show--which, properly, is touring with an Actors' Equity--reminded in parts of Billy Elliot, but even though I had familiarized myself with the Broadway cast recording beforehand, I didn't find Newsies' tunes of solidarity to be quite as forceful or distinctive as those in that show, and certainly not Les Miserables.

But with a solid book by Harvey Fierstein, excellent choreography by Christopher Gattelli--I was as wowed as the teens by some of the group dance numbers and dazzling solos--and rather unique scenic design by Tobin Ost, at worst Newsies is a musical that any lover of the art form should at least like.

I was looking forward to the show more than any on my fall Broadway in Chicago slate, and I was not disappointed.

After a successful 2+ year Broadway run that ended in August, the first national tour is also helmed by director Jeff Calhoun and the narrative runs pretty seamlessly.

I did not see Newsies in New York, but in his positive review Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones notes that all of the original Broadway scenery is replicated on tour, and actually fits better into the spacious and splendiferous Oriental.

And while, befitting a show about newspaper hawkers that approximate the age of the audience members who came via a yellow bus, the cast is quite young, the performances were really good throughout.

From the very top of the theater, only the four primary newsies--Jack Kelly (Dan DeLuca), Crutchie (Zachary Sayle), Davey (Jacob Kemp) and Les (Anthony Rosenthal)--truly stood out from the numerous others, and even they sometimes got lost in the crowd.

But DeLuca makes for a cool, cocky, well-sung Jack, who serves as the de facto leader of the newsies and is the focus of the show's love story--with Katherine (Stephanie Styles)--and showdown with publisher Joseph Pulitzer (Steve Blanchard), while Rosenthal is fun as spunky little Les, the little brother of brainy Davey, believably imbued by Kemp. (Rosenthal rotates in the role of Les with Vincent Crocilla.)

Even though I've never seen the movie, and somehow don't remember even knowing of it until Newsies
hit Broadway, nothing that happens in the show comes as much of a surprise.

Yet while it's not a headline-making masterpiece, Newsies is a recent musical that's better than most, terrifically performed on a first-rate tour.

With the huge teen turnout, tickets for the remainder of Newsies' seemingly all-too-brief Chicago run are somewhat sparse (and unlikely to be discounted on HotTix or Goldstar).

But while I hope that those who love musicals can get to this one, I'm genuinely thrilled that the kids are packing the joint.

And if Newsies helps lead them to Les Miz, Rent, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, Evita, the upcoming Lyric Opera production of Carousel and much more theatrical greatness--including shows yet to come--well, that would be even more newsworthy.

And I would be all the more delighted than I was by a delectably entertaining downtown show, done right.

'The Humans' Provide Compelling, Not Supernatural, Holiday Dinner Conversation -- Chicago Theater Review

Theater Review

The Humans

a world premiere play by Stephen Karam

directed by PJ Paparelli

American Theater Company, Chicago

Thru February 1

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Like any other form of beauty, theatrical transcendence is clearly in the eye of the beholder. 

Which isn't to imply that the play I'm reviewing, The Humans, in a world premiere production at Chicago's American Theater Co. ahead of a mounting next fall on Broadway, isn't one that I found enjoyable, entertaining, engrossing, enriching, excellent and, yes, even beautiful.

But I saw it, feeling I needed to, at full price ($43, still rather reasonable for a first-rate new play) amidst a mostly sold out run, because the Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones gave it 4 stars (out of 4) and named it his #1 show of 2014.

As I expounded on rather extensively as part of my July review of a terrific play called Exit Strategy, which I also saw because he highly lauded it, Chris Jones is by far the theater critic I read and trust most.

His praise has elicited me to see many shows I wouldn't have otherwise, and while I haven't always agreed with him entirely, I am completely grateful for the plays he has pointed me to.

All three parts of the preceding sentence are true here.

I found The Humans well-written and excellently performed. I'm glad I saw it and--while I wouldn't insist as vehemently as other critics or about other plays--I recommend it.

But, though I actually respect Jones' critical assessments far more than my own, I can't give The Humans my highest rating (or even @@@@1/2) and won't have it near the very top when I post my list of "Best Plays I Saw in 2014" in the coming days.

Essentially a 90-minute, real-time Thanksgiving dinner conversation, it is quite estimable, even excellent, but it just didn't feel phenomenal.

To me.

The framework of the play is that two empty nest parents who live in Scranton, PA--which years back had represented an escape from New York--come to come to Thanksgiving dinner at their daughter Brigid's new Manhattan apartment, which she shares with her newly live-in boyfriend. They bring the father's wheelchair bound, Alzheimer's stricken mother, and are also joined by another daughter, Aimee, a lawyer and lesbian who lives in Philadelphia.

Thanks to the script by Stephen Karam and a wonderful cast, the characters and conversation feel quite believable--for the most part.

I imagine the dynamic and discussions in The Humans are likely less dramatic or tempestuous than many real ones had over Thanksgiving turkey.

But, understandably, for narrative purposes, Karam seems to compress many years' worth of typical family drama--financial problems, illnesses, fledgling romances, breakups, infidelities, aging, dementia, career angst, personal wrongdoings, etc.--into a single hour-and-a-half conversation.

At the play's best--or perhaps worst--moments, the tension is palpable and each word riveting.

This is clearly a quality piece of writing, and as the father, Keith Kupferer is especially good. The Humans is actually the third show I've seen him in this year, and that I consider it the lesser of the three says a whole lot about the work Kupferer is getting and doing.

Kelly O'Sullivan and Sadieh Rifai as Brigid and Aimee feel quite genuine as sisters despite looking nothing alike, while Hanna Dworkin believably imbues their mother with a wide range of emotions.

Lance Baker is also strong as Brigid's boyfriend and Jean Moran does a terrific job playing the out-of-sorts grandmother.

So in no way do I mean to assert that there is anything particularly deficient about The Humans.

I imagine most who see it will find it remarkable, and perhaps all too relatable.

And in a weirdly convoluted way, that I wasn't quite floored by it may bespeak that The Humans is actually better than I thought. That it feels real, with some amped-up drama but no August: Osage County hysterics, likely suggests just how truly well it is written and performed.

So even if it doesn't feel all that nouveau, consequential or like the best play I saw in 2014 (or even within a span of four days), The Humans is/are worth getting to know.

The Best of 2014: Some Most Memorable Meals

Along with much else I enjoyed in 2014 were numerous great meals.

Perhaps too many.

But by way of rationalization that my ever trying (quite correctly) to get me to lose weight doctor will never buy, not only is food the only traditional vice I regularly indulge in, and not only am I acutely happier when I eat good food that's bad for me, but as someone who appreciates creativity and artistry in many realms, I consider well-made meals another art form that I feel compelled to explore.

I don't really consider myself a foodie or gourmand, and while I appreciate the artistry of superstar chefs--and have in years past made a rather pricey point of trying Charlie Trotter's and Alinea, and enjoyed some indulgences this year--I just as much relish savoring and supporting a particularly nifty storefront taco joint or unpretentious local breakfast place that just does everything right. 

Heck, one of my favorite restaurant discoveries of 2014 was Sparky's, a blue-collar diner in my hometown of Skokie, IL that has been in the same place and has remained seemingly unchanged for 30+ years (it looks like it could date back 60)--only I'd never known of it until a few months ago.

So in my book--and probably everyone's--a "great meal" can connotate a variety of things, including of course, but not only, food that is delicious and/or distinctive.

A restaurant's ambiance--whether high-class or homey--can certainly lend itself to a meal feeling fantastic, as can ever attentive and exceptionally friendly & helpful service.

And obviously, one's dining companion(s) can make for a "great meal" almost as much as the food and service and value and atmosphere, etc.

I feel quite fortunate that there are a number people in my life with whom I could share a bag of potato chips at Subway and find it to be a phenomenal dining experience. Though many of my fondest feasts with friends and family also featured fine food elevated by the company I kept.

Unlike most of my other Best of 2014 posts, this won't be a ranking of my favorite restaurants or meals but rather a salute to several that stand out, somewhat by category. 

The food itself will largely be an abiding factor, but not entirely, as per my explication over the last few paragraphs.

But now that I have whet your appetite, here are some of my:

Most Memorable Meals of 2014

(Note: Some restaurants warrant inclusion in multiple categories below, but I will cite each only once. All restaurants in Chicago proper unless otherwise noted.)

A True Masterpiece
Picasso - Las Vegas. I've wanted to eat at this AAA 5-diamond restaurant in the Bellagio for years, mostly so I could see the numerous Picasso paintings hanging within. In January, I decided to go for it, and the splurge was worth every penny. A truly phenomenal setting and likely the best "high-end" food I've ever eaten. You can read more about it and other Vegas dining experiences in this post.

Chops with Chops

I had the pleasure of eating many high quality steaks, plus some Prime Rib, in 2014.

The best steak was at CUT in Las Vegas, which is a Wolfgang Puck joint. My friend Dave and I ordered American Wagyu Ribeyes, and though I would have a hard time telling you why Wagyu matters, the steak was sensational.

Other great steaks or prime rib were enjoyed at (in no specific order): Smith & Wollensky, Michael Jordan's, Sullivan's (Lincolnshire), Jack Binion's (Hammond, IN), Cabana Las Lilas (Buenos Aires), Desnival (Buenos Aires), McCormick & Schmick's (Skokie), Bobby Van's Steakhouse (JFK Airport), Weber Grill and Pete Miller's (Evanston).

In Rio de Janeiro, I ate at a couple churrascarias (Brazilian steakhouses), with Marius Degustare being by far the best.

And the best rack of ribs I had was at Sweet Baby Ray's (Elk Grove Village).

Franks for the Memories 

Perhaps the year's biggest story in Chicago dining was the voluntary closing of Hot Doug's by its proprietor, Doug Sohn. Lines at the gourmet sausage emporium, which could exceed an hour as a matter of routine grew to 8 hours and more near the October 3 end date. I'd agree that's a bit crazy, and made my last visit in mid-August and had--for the first time after several visits over the past 7 years--Doug's signature Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mouse and Fleur de Sel.

Like everything else I ever ate at Hot Doug's, it was sensational (and yes, I am allergic to poultry, but it was worth the risk and I seem to have survived). Some may never believe it, but Hot Doug's merited the hype, fervor, loyalty and chagrin over its closure. Although I was actually happy for Doug to go out on top, as I wrote in this May post shortly after he announced plans to close.

And while Hot Doug's is gone, the somewhat similar Chicago's Doghouse pays tribute to him by recreating his signature foie gras sausage with all the accoutrements. I tried one just the other day and it was terrific.

I've also enjoyed the gourmet sausages I had this fall from the Haute Sausage food truck (they also have a storefront in the South Loop). I rather coincidentally ate at Haute Doggery in Las Vegas, just because I happened to be standing next to it at the perfect moment, and had a rather tasty Kobe beef frank.

And in terms of more straightforward hot dog stands, I still love Char Cheddar Polish from Poochie's in Skokie, and the Whoopskidawg from the legendary Superdawg.

Fancy Thai, Casual Thai

I had long read many superlatives about Arun's, said to be the best Thai restaurant in the country. My
first visit there in March was a real treat, albeit a pricey one, and actually impressed more for the overall experience (and sensational artwork by the brother of the owner/chef) than the prix fixe meal itself--as I wrote about here.

It wouldn't be inaccurate to say that I remain a bigger fan of more standard issue Thai food, such as Pad Thai or Mussaman Curry, and in 2014 my favorite establishment for such was Siam Rice along Wells Street in the Loop.

Local Global Excursions
(a.k.a. Sethnic Dining)

Unlike in 2013, this year I didn't not make a concentrated effort to eat at Chicago area restaurants representing as many different cultures as I could--click the Chicago Dining World Tour link at top for numerous recaps--but still had several excellent meals at establishments of various ethnic origins. Besides those listed elsewhere, some that stood out include:

El Tinajon (Guatemalan), Noon O Kabab (Persian), Cafe Central (Puerto Rican), Siunuk Grill (Armenian, Glenview), Creperie St. Germain (French, Evanston), Roy's (Hawaiian), Taste of Cuba (Lincolnwood), De-Jred (Jamaican, Skokie), Lupita's (Mexican, Evanston) and Psistaria (Greek, Lincolnwood).

Enjoy Every Sandwich, some more than others

Perhaps giving wide berth to what I include here (is a taco a sandwich?), in 2014 I remember having burgers at great Labriola Cafe (Oak Brook), Rudy's, Bat 17 (Evanston) and Farmhouse (Evanston), remarkable Reubens (or just corned beef) at Katzinger's Deli (Columbus, OH), Manny's Deli and Kaufman's (Skokie), outstanding tortilla-encrusted tilapia tacos at Carbon and many other unique and savory tacos at Taco Nano (Northfield) and BIG & Little's.

The Prime Rib sandwich at Eataly is wonderful, but I actually liked the one at the United Center's Bar One food stand even better. Cafecito's Cuban Steak Chimichurri sandwich is delicious, as is La Nuestra, aka The Pabellon Arepa at the Venezuelan Aripo's (Oak Park). My favorite gyros remains at Dengeos (Skokie), while Al's still serves my favorite Italian Beef; for the latter, I also love Johnnie's (Arlington Heights) and the Beef & Cheddar Croissant at Portillo's. I also revisited Real Urban Barbecue's wonderful Burnt Ends BBQ brisket sandwich (in Vernon Hills and Highland Park).

Pizzas with Pizazz

Lou Malnati's for deep dish and Pizano's for thin crust, though their thick is also great. (I also love Gino's East, but think I only had their supermarket rendition in 2014.

Buffets, Breakfasts and Brunches worth getting out of bed for

The Aria Buffet in Las Vegas is probably the best I've ever experienced, though the one at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines was also very good. For quick & cheap eggs 'n bacon, I really like the aforementioned Sparky's on the east end of Oakton in Skokie, while for a bit more robust breakfast selection, Annie's on the west end of Oakton in Skokie remains a perennial favorite.

Fine. And Even Dandy.
They likely won't win awards, but several better-than-basic places I had good meals in 2014 include Firehouse Grill (Evanston), Ridgeview Grill (Wilmette), Glenview House (Glenview), Bluestone (Evanston), the new Ten Mile House (Evanston) and the raised-their-game Ruby Tuesday.

Yes, Sometimes I Eat a Salad
Besides Sweet Tomatoes, where I can make my own, my two favorite salads are the Mixed Baby Green (with apples, raspberries, candied pecans, etc.) at Pizza Capri on Halsted near Steppenwolf Theatre and the Strawberry Poppyseed Salad (sans chicken) at Panera.

Otherwise Unique

Curt's Cafe in Evanston has a tasty selection breakfast & lunch items, and an even better raison d'etre, as it provides training for at-risk youths. Of food trucks in the Loop, my favorite was the Tamale Spaceship, from which excellent tamales were made cooler by being served by guys in Lucha Libre masks. I was surprised at the distinctiveness of the menu at the 3 Floyds Brewpub in Munster, IN, though the Death Metal was pretty hard to take, for me let alone my mom. And having had the pleasure of going to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires this year, I should cite having enjoyed their historic Confeteria Colombo Cafe and Cafe Tortoni, respectively.

Great Taste, in dining companions, too
A wide variety of friends and relatives joined me for many of the meals at places cited above, and I relished all of my shared meals. I don't mean to imply that the places listed here were more special for the company or the food than several of the aforementioned, but a few more of most memorable meals of 2014 were all the better for who joined me. I won't name my companions here, but perhaps they'll see this and also fondly recall eating at Buddy Guy's Legends, Shokran, Libertad (Skokie), Lao Sze Chuan, Las Fuentes (Morton Grove), Rusty Bucket in Dublin, OH, McNally's Irish Pub (St. Charles), Taqueria La Estrella (in Jefferson Park) and the Walnut Room at Macy's.

Just Desserts
I really can't recall all that much in particular--for, of course, I didn't indulge all that much--and in terms of chocolate cake I preferred that at Portillo's to the 23-layer one I had at Michael Jordan's Steakhouse. But I've been on a bit of a crème brûlée kick and remember having some good ones at Pete Miller's, Bonefish Grill in Skokie and Weber Grill. And probably some other places, too.

The Best of 2014: The Best Rock Concerts I Attended

I have always loved live music, and though there are aspects I rather dislike--shows where standing entirely is the only option, and therefore festivals; the proliferation of rude assholes who frequently seem to be sitting nearby--at the age of 46, I still love going to rock concerts.

And in 2014, I attended more concerts than I ever had in a given year.

Qualitatively, as well as quantitatively, it was about as good--and fulfilling--a concertgoing year as I can remember. 

I saw many living legends including those I'd seen before--Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Robert Plant, Billy Joel, Bob Seger, John Fogerty, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac and more--and some I never had: Stevie Wonder, Barry Gibb, Jackson Browne, Richard Thompson, Alice Cooper.

I even saw Santana, Devo, Steve Winwood, The J. Geils Band and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck--as opening acts!

Though my calendar was crowded with Rock 'n Roll Hall of Famers, I also caught "current" acts such as Arcade Fire, the Black Keys, Fitz & the Tantrums and Vampire Weekend as well as alternative era superstars such as Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bob Mould, Billy Corgan, Johnny Marr, New Order, Wilco, The Pixies, Flaming Lips, Afghan Whigs and even the Spin Doctors.

I saw longstanding personal favorites like Paul Weller, Alejandro Escovedo, The Bangles and Rik Emmett of Triumph. 

I survived two festivals: Lollapalooza in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Riot Fest (for a day) in Chicago.

I caught a trio of outstanding free shows at Chicago's Millennium Park, as part of the city's Downtown Sound Series at the Pritzker Pavilion: Bob Mould, Richard Thompson (playing electric but also opening with an acoustic set) and The Both, consisting of Aimee Mann and Ted Leo. The latter two shows were especially revelatory for me.

And beyond the big name, high profile concerts, I derived great pleasure from small blues shows (Carl Weathersby at Kingston Mines, plus Buddy Guy at Legends), a Bluesfest performance by Bettye Levette and several first-rate cover/tribute artists including American English, The Cheetles, an unnamed Zombies tribute band, Gerry Grossman (the Human Jukebox), Final Say and Tributosaurus as Stevie Ray Vaughan and as The Doors.

Just this past Sunday, I made a point of seeing a deep-blues guitarist/singer named Donna Herula at the Skokie Public Library, accompanied by her husband Tony Nardiello, because I had enjoyed Herula so much earlier this year at the Glenview Public Library (where she was joined by a harmonica player named Dave Ricks).

So although I had to take a Thunder Road trip to Columbus, Ohio to see my all-time favorite concert performer, Bruce Springsteen--he was again fantastic, even for the 44th time, and played personal favorites like "Backstreets" and "The River"--even without catching the Boss multiple times (as I often have), 2014 was a truly spectacular concert year.

For more that I can readily remember, I had numerous "OMG!" lose-my-shit, "rock is my religion," "art is salvation," "this is fucking incredible!" spastic air-drumming moments of musical bliss--that honestly do make life much more worth living.

And on my @@@@@ rating scale, I gave 30 shows 5 or 4-1/2.

Looking back, I do not feel like I overrated any.

So every show in my Top 10 and Honorable Mention was one I truly loved, and many are not readily distinguishable in terms of quality, especially months later.

Thus, take this ranking with a grain of salt, but know that even if primarily performed by aging legends I conceivably could have been seeing for the last time--not a small factor in choosing to attend so many shows--I still love rock and roll.

Live and in person. 

And so, without anything else on my concert docket for the remainder of 2014, I proudly present...

The Best Rock Concerts I Attended in 2014
Includes Blues performances; does not include cover/tribute acts

(Note: I will cite opening acts in cases where I enjoyed them in their own right, but my rankings are based solely on the performance of the headliner. All venues are in Chicago area except as noted.)

1. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - April 15 - Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH (my review) (full concert audio on YouTube)

2. Pearl Jam - October 20 - BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI (my review)

3. Arcade Fire (w/ Devo) - August 26 - United Center (my review)

4. Robert Plant (w/ The Last Internationale) - October 2 - Riviera Theatre (my review)

5. Stevie Wonder - November 14 - United Center (my review)

6. Neil Young - April 21 - Chicago Theatre (my review)

7. Elvis Costello - June 11 - Copernicus Center (my review)

8. Bob Mould (w/ Split Single) - June 23 - Pritzker Pavilion (my review)

9. Paul McCartney - July 9 - United Center (my review)

10. Santana (w/ Rod Stewart, co-headlining) - August 16 - Allstate Arena, Rosemont (my review)

Honorable Mention (in preference order)

- Buddy Guy - January 19 - Buddy Guy's Legends (my review)
- John Fogerty - July 27 - Chicago Theatre (my review)
- Richard Thompson - June 16 - Pritzker Pavilion (my review)
- Fleetwood Mac - October 3 - United Center (my review)
- Paul Simon and Sting - February 25 - United Center (my review)
- Paul Weller - September 13 - Riot Fest (my review of Riot Fest)
- Fitz & the Tantrums - November 22 - Riviera Theatre (my review)
- Soundgarden - April 2 - Lollapalooza, Buenos Aires
- Afghan Whigs - September 13 - Riot Fest
- New Order - July 3 - BMO Harris Pavilion, Summerfest, Milwaukee (my review)
- Barry Gibb - May 27 - United Center (my review)
- Billy Joel - July 18 - Wrigley Field (my review)
- Billy Corgan - August 30 - Ravinia Festival (my review)
- Arcade Fire - April 1 - Lollapalooza, Buenos Aires
- Johnny Marr - November 25 - The Vic (my review)
- Bob Seger (w/ J. Geils Band) - December 11 - United Center (my review)
- Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band - June 28 - Chicago Theatre (my review)
- Bob Mould (w/ Jason Narducy) - January 17 - Prairie Center for the Arts, Schaumburg (my review)
- Wilco - December 8 - Riviera Theatre (my review)
- Carl Weathersby Blues Band - March 10 - Kingston Mines (my review)

Others Worth Mentioning

- Bob Dylan - November 8 - Chicago Theatre (my review)
- Jackson Browne - October 14 - Chicago Theatre (my review)
- The Both - July 21 - Pritzker Pavilion (my review)
- Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (w/ Steve Winwood) - August 23 - United Center (my review)
- Rik Emmett - January 23 - Arcada Theatre, St. Charles (my review)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers - April 2 - Lollapalooza, Buenos Aires
- Alice Cooper - November 2 - The Venue at Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, IN (my review)
- The Bangles - July 28 - City Winery (my review)
- The Black Keys (w/ Cage the Elephant) - September 27 - United Center (my review)
- Nine Inch Nails - April 1 - Lollapalooza, Buenos Aires 
- Alejandro Escovedo (w/ Peter Buck) - February 22 - Lincoln Hall (my review)
- Steve Nieve - September 30 - City Winery (my review)

Others seen at Festivals (some only in part):

The Pixies, Vampire Weekend, Ellie Goulding, Lorde, Imagine Dragons, Phoenix, Buzzcocks, Television, Flaming Lips, Face to Face, Tokyo Police Club, Face to Face, The Orwells, The Get-Up Kids, Bettye Levette, Spin Doctors 

En Route to Broadway, Excellent 'Airline Highway' Reaches the Essence of Us All -- Chicago Theater Review

Theater Review

Airline Highway
a world premiere play by Lisa D'Amour
directed by Joe Mantello
Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago
Thru February 8, 2015
@@@@1/2

Airline Highway is easily one of the best new plays I've seen in 2014, a year in which I've seen several excellent ones. (Look for my Best Plays of 2014 post here in the days ahead.)

But I would be hard-pressed to tell you what it's about, with any specificity in terms of storyline or meaning.

Best covering both may well be a line spoken by a character named Miss Ruby (well-played by Judith Roberts), who despite having rather limited stage time offers some of the show's most poignant sentiments, including this one:

"You are the most gorgeous group of fuck-ups I've ever seen."

She is speaking to the (mostly long-term) residents of the Hummingbird Motel, a now dilapidated establishment along Airline Highway, the road from the airport to the heart of New Orleans.

Photo Credit: All photos by Michael Brosilow and from Steppenwolf.org

Without giving away much, these characters--in the best sense of the word--include a prostitute (played by Kate Buddeke), stripper (Caroline Neff), transvestite (K. Todd Freeman), indigent poet (Gordon Joseph Weiss), hardscrabble handyman (Tim Edward Rhoze), longtime motel manager (Scott Jaeck) and a former nightclub promoter nicknamed Bait Boy (Stephen Louis Grush).

Although Airline Highway is a quite formidable work in its own right, commissioned by Steppenwolf Theatre from Lisa D'Amour, whose play Detroit premiered at the venue in 2010 and went on to be a Pulitzer Prize finalist, echoes of Lanford Wilson's Hot L Baltimore--which I saw at Steppenwolf in 2011--are not coincidental.

In this interview with Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones, D'Amour speaks of wanting to write an ensemble piece for Steppenwolf and pen "a tribute" to the Wilson play, which similarly concerns itself with a community of down-but-not-out tenants of lodging in disrepair.

Given the New Orleans setting, ensemble cast and celebration of societal outcasts, it's also not hard to think of various Tennessee Williams plays while watching Airline Highway.

And I also can't help but recall hearing Rebecca Gilman--in discussing Luna Gale, her terrific play that premiered at Chicago's Goodman Theatre early in 2014--speak of her frequent desire to "give voice to the voiceless."

For as much as any specifics I might give you (or avoid giving you), that to me is what Airline Highway is about.

Like a Toulouse-Lautrec painting humanizing the prostitutes, Can-Can dancers and other denizens of Montmartre, D'Amour's play not only chronicles a festive day in the life of a group of N'awlins tourist trade workers, but suggests that their sense of pride, dignity, camaraderie, community and even insecurity & self-doubt makes them no different or lesser than anyone of any station in life.

The entirely entertaining play reiterated my belief that there is a special story--or many--in everyone, and it was fun to ride the Red Line home afterward with that thought in mind.

Under the direction of A-List Broadway director Joe Mantello--he's directed Wicked, The Last Ship, several plays and has won a pair of Tony Awards--the cast is superb, despite only featuring two Steppenwolf Ensemble members.

One of those, K. Todd Freeman--who the program notes was college classmates with Mantello--is an absolute hoot as Sissy Na Na, a transvestite with a proverbial heart of gold.

Kate Buddeke is terrific as Tanya, an aging prostitute, as are all the others named above, particularly Neff and Grush. It was also a pleasure seeing the fine acting work done by Tim Rhoze, whose directing and writing--and he himself--I came to know a bit via three productions I saw this summer by Evanston's Fleetwood-Jourdain Theater, for which Rhoze is the Artistic Director.

With no disrespect to anyone in the fine Steppenwolf cast, I wouldn't be surprised if some bigger names take over a few roles when Airline Highway arrives at New York's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in April.

Though everyone was perfectly delightful in imbuing the ragtag gathering at the Hummingbird Motel--an early Act II onstage singalong of a song seemingly called "Love Me Good" is absolutely blissful--and I would be happy for several of them to hit Broadway, I can imagine some star faces adding a bit more personality, not to mention box office, to this ensemble piece.

As it was, in taking advantage of Steppenwolf's exceptionally generous "Twenty for $20" day-of-show discount offer, I was able to see a bound-for-Broadway, likely-to-become-Tony-nominated, regularly priced at $60+ play for just a mere pittance, along with my friend Bob, who seemed to like it even a bit more than me.

Based on sparser-than-it-should-have-been attendance in the balcony on Thursday night, you should well be able to take advantage of the "call 312-335-1650 right at 11am" discount offer as well.

But even for those who have no problem paying full price, as long as one can appreciate the "we all matter, equally" abiding theme, this fine new play is well-worth everyone's time, money and consideration.

And though it has substantial depth despite ambiguous acuity, Airline Highway is also a whole lotta fun, with vibrant colors, an outstanding set design by Scott Pask and a buoyant cast of characters who deserve far better than to be callously passed by on the way to town. Stop by and see 'em.

For they're likely to wind up seeming--perhaps surprisingly, perhaps not--a whole lot like you and me.