Saturday Special Edition: Presidents and Earmuffs

A Joyful Noise - A Review of 44 The Musical

RECOMMENDED

Barack is back, baby! On its return to Chicago, 44 The Musical is hitting every note at the Studebaker Theater. A celebration of joy by way of political satire, this delightful musical had me smiling from ear to ear. Narrated via a hazy recollection by Joe Biden (Chad Doreck), this R&B musical runs through Obama’s political legacy from his senatorial days to the Oval Office. By curtain call, my face hurt from all that smiling. There couldn’t be a better time for this kind of joyful noise.

With book, music, and lyrics by Eli Bauman, 44 is not necessarily a love letter to Obama. Instead, it’s a love letter to democracy itself. Poking fun at people on both sides of the aisle, Bauman’s show is clever, caring, and auspiciously timed. A brainchild from circa 2020, this show would have hit just as hard, but striking a different chord, had the 2024 election gone differently.

Leading the way with hope was a magnanimous T.J. Wilkins. Between Wilkins and Summer Nicole Greer as The Voice of the People, the Studebaker was electric. Greer in particular has a once-in-a-generation vocal quality. Following close at hand, it’s impossible not to love Doreck or even Larry Cedar as Mitch McConnell. These two steal every scene that they’re in without trying. And that will be the only time in my life I’ll be grateful to see Mitch McConnell.

Even if you are exhausted from the American political system, this show is a must-see. You will walk in weary and walk back out fully renewed. 44 made me hopeful again.

44 the Musical is now playing at the Studebaker Theater, 410 South Michigan Avenue - Fine Arts Building, through September 21. Tickets start at $44 and are available online.

Small Town Living on Display - A Review of Muffed: A Recounting of Farmington, Maine’s 43rd Annual Chester Greenwood Day Devised by the Members of the Meaningful Action Theatre Company*

RECOMMENDED

*Per the show program card, since I was a comped audience member, I am compelled to use the full title and not just call it Muffed. So that’s what I’m going to do.

Suppose you’ve ever lived in a small town. In that case, you’ll immediately recognize the characters depicted in Muffed: A Recounting of Farmington, Maine’s 43rd Annual Chester Greenwood Day Devised by the Members of the Meaningful Action Theatre Company. They are wacky, sarcastic, and utterly devoted to their beloved Chester Greenwood Day. They are the spitting image of the folks from my tiny hometown, which is about 1/5 the population of Farmington.

Written by Zack Peercy, who attended the University of Maine at Farmington, I can see the love interwoven between the chaotic scenes. Each moment brings a taste of life in the town, centering on its celebration of Greenwood and his invention of the earmuff. But it’s not about the earmuff, not really. This devised work explores what it means to be a community and what it looks like when a group of outsiders arrives to capture that essence. In this sense, approaching it like a mockumentary, there are many times throughout the show that feel disjointed.

That’s the point. It’s up to us to piece together the meaning behind the muff, as it were.

Leading that charge are ensemble members Jaycey Carlson and Adelaide Nicolette. As an ensemble-based show with a flurry of different characters scurrying around the stage, it can be hard to stand out. Yet these two consistently grab your attention with a sense of urgency, regardless of the character they’re portraying. In a small town, when everyone knows everything about everyone else, sometimes it does feel like you’re talking to myriad people when it’s really just the one.

Muffed: A Recounting of Farmington, Maine’s 43rd Annual Chester Greenwood Day Devised by the Members of the Meaningful Action Theatre Company is not a perfect show. It could use a bit of tightening throughout, as some of the scenes drag on. That said, it remains a poignant snapshot of small-town life. Seeing it in the petite space at Factory Theater, in the big city, is an excellent reminder of how people are just people, no matter where you go. Sometimes it just takes half a hat to bring them together.

Muffed: A Recounting of Farmington, Maine’s 43rd Annual Chester Greenwood Day Devised by the Members of the Meaningful Action Theatre Company is now playing at Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St, through September 20. Access tickets are $10 and general admission is $30 (plus fee) and are available online.

Chicago A&E News

• American Blues Theater's "The Commons" community initiative continues with the launch of Tania Richard's new book, Black Girl From a White Suburb: Finding My Light, Using My Voice. Richard will read an excerpt from her memoir on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at the theater's location in Chicago. The event is free with a reservation and will feature a reading, followed by a book signing and reception.

• A Red Orchid Theatre is opening its 33rd season with the world premiere of Veal, a dystopian dark comedy by Jojo Jones, directed by dado. The show runs from September 25 to November 2, 2025, and stars Jojo Brown, Alexandra Chopson, Carmia Imani, Jasper Johnson, and Alice Wu. The story centers on a young woman who becomes Queen of North America and reunites with three estranged middle school friends.

• At Charlie Trotter's, four acclaimed chefs will unite on Sunday, September 14, to create a unique 7-course tasting menu. The one-night-only event will feature steakhouse classics transformed into fine-dining artistry, anchored by premium Wagyu from Australia's Westholme Beef. Chefs John Manion, Brent Balika, Brian Ahern, and Casey Doody will collaborate to deliver this elevated culinary experience, which also includes an optional wine pairing curated by Master Sommelier Ken Fredrickson.

• Hell in a Handbag Productions has announced its 2025/26 season, which will feature three shows written by Artistic Director David Cerda. The season includes two world premieres: The Real Housewives of The North Pole and The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes – The Cheese Pyramid. The season will conclude with a revival of the fan-favorite show, Joan Crawford Goes to Hell, originally produced in 1999.

• La Grande Boucherie in River North has introduced a new "A Night Out" prix fixe dinner menu, available Sunday through Thursday. Priced at $50 per person, this menu allows diners to experience the grand Art Nouveau setting and classic French cuisine at a great value. The meal includes a choice of hors d'oeuvres and entrées, with an optional dessert for an additional $10.

• Northlight Theatre is presenting Gaslight, a Victorian mystery by Steven Dietz based on the play by Patrick Hamilton, running from November 28 to December 28, 2025. Directed by Jessica Thebus, the play follows a woman named Bella whose marriage descends into sinister manipulation, causing her to question her own sanity. The cast includes Janyce Caraballo, Cheyenne Casebier, Lawrence Grimm, Timothy Edward Kane, and Kathy Scambiatterra.

• Steppenwolf Theatre Company's 50th Anniversary Season will feature a production of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus, directed by Robert Falls. The play stars ensemble member Ian Barford as Antonio Salieri and David Darrow as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The cast also includes ensemble members Robert Breuler, Francis Guinan, Ora Jones, Yasen Peyankov, and Karen Rodriguez. The production will run from November 6, 2025, to January 4, 2026.

• The Goodman Theatre is making a change to its 100th anniversary season lineup. York Walker's Covenant, which was recently canceled from another theater's schedule, will now make its Chicago debut at the Goodman from May 2 to May 31, 2026. As a result, Dael Orlandersmith's Blood Memory will be rescheduled to a future season.

• The League of Chicago Theatres is bringing back "Tickets for a 20," a limited-time promotion offering discounted tickets to fall shows. Through Sunday, September 14, theatergoers can purchase $20 tickets to select productions exclusively through Hot Tix. The total cost with fees is $25.25, and the promotion will run while supplies last.

  Do you have Chicago-based A&E news to announce?

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