THEATRE REVIEW: "Bullets Over Broadway" at The PrivateBank Theatre (Chicago, IL)

     In April of 2016, my dad and I saw a performance of the Woody Allen musical "Bullets Over Broadway" when the non-equity national tour played a two-week run at The PrivateBank Theatre (now called the CIBC Theatre) in Cbicago, IL.  The production starred Michael Williams (David Shayne), Emma Stratton (Helen Sinclair), Rick Grossman (Julian Marx), Michael Corvino (Nick Valenti), Jemma Jane (Olive) Hannah Rose Deflumeri (Ellen), Bradley Allan Zarr (Warner Purcell), Rachel Bahler (Eden Brent), and Jeff Brooks (Cheech).  The scenic designer for this production was Jason Ardizzone-West.






     The Broadway Production of "Bullets Over Broadway" ran for 156 performances after 33 previews.  I'm surprised there was a touring production of the musical at all.  From what I remember, NPR and The New Yorker gave the Broadway Production a good review--which might have been enough incentive for a National Tour.  This musical has no original music, but somehow manages not to be a jukebox musical.  At least, I don't think it's a jukebox musical.  The New Yorker described the musical as "a  fun machine."  So it might be just that.  In the tour's case, I guess it's a non-equity fun machine.



     
     "Bullets Over Broadway" was one of the shows included in the 2016 Broadway in Chicago Spring Subscription Series that my parents got me the Christmas before.   To be honest, I don't have many friends, and my dad was the only person who wanted to see this show with me.  I don't know how excited I was to see  Bullets Over Broadway."  I was, however, excited to see the inside of the theatre since it was renamed.  But the interior of The PrivateBank Theatre looked the same as it did when it was called the Bank of America Theatre.  But back to the show... I'm all about grand finals.  This show didn't have that.  Instead, Emma Stratton lead the cast in a rendition of "Yes, We Have No Bananas."  I think most people clapped because they were happy it was time to go.  If that song was sung at the beginning of the musical, the audience might have gone "bananas."






     Leading up to seeing "Bullets Over Broadway," I remember being nervous about my dad seeing the show.  Our seats were in the balcony section of the theatre.  That requires a lot of stairs to climb before the show.  I needn't have worried though.  My dad and I paced ourselves.  We admired the architecture of the theatre's interior as we climbed the stairs.  Also, the balcony was the section where my dad saw the Pre-Broadway Production of "The Goodbye Girl" several years before.  So he had climbed those stairs in the past.  Plus, he and I climbed the stairs to the crown of the Statue of Liberty once.  Or maybe it was twice.  Now THAT was tiring!





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