Sweet, quietly compelling Chicago premiere
Review by Lauren Whalen
Stories are everywhere, and in these heated political times, when everything presented to us is high-stakes and life-changing, it's easier to forget about the quieter narratives. Sometimes it's nice to see a good, solid story that, while political in its own way, doesn't try to shove A Very Important Message in the audience's faces, and instead values character development and nuance over gimmick. The Chicago premiere of Nice Girl at Raven Theatre is just that. Some may find it dull, but I welcome this subtle, sweet twist on
It's 1984, and Josephine Rosen (Lucy Carapetyan) is 37 years old and single, and still lives with her mother. Since returning from college, she hasn't left the Boston suburbs, opting to work a dull office job and deal with mom Francine (Lynne Baker), who claims she is not well but musters the energy to leave the house and buy cigarettes. When Josephine makes friends with coworker Sherri (Stella Martin), a flamboyant divorcée with a chaotic love life, she begins to envision a future beyond her mother's house. And Josephine's new crush on butcher and former high school classmate Donnie (Benjamin Sprunger) adds more drama to the mix.
Melissa Ross' script offers a unique perspective on growing up through the eyes of a woman striving to catch up to her more settled peers, but tends to get in her own way. Josephine is introverted and shy, but has a sassy side that comes through in her interactions with mom Francine, and increasingly with Sherri and Donnie. Though Sherri sometimes borders on caricature, playwright Ross does an excellent job of treating each character with respect, and allowing their motivations and quirks to show as the play goes on. Though her pacing is a little slow, Director Lauren Shouse works well with Ross' source material, letting the story shine through without overwhelming it.
In turn, the production team brilliantly showcases the finer parts of the early 1980s (New Wave music, bright colors and teased hair). Scenic designer Lauren Nigri beautifully recreates a working-class East Coast home, and has fun with multi-use set pieces. Nöel Huntzinger's costumes are vibrant and time-specific, and Eric Backus provides lovely original music and a killer soundtrack that had many audience members singing along at intermission. Martin is such a perfect comic relief, it's easy to overlook Sherri's more exaggerated qualities, and Sprunger is a charmingly awkward love interest. Baker's performance is honest and funny without going over-the-top, and Carapetyan is so heartbreakingly vulnerable it's impossible not to root for Josephine.
is a quiet story, but a hearty and fulfilling one. Ross' script is simple but powerful, and poignant in a world where women are still fighting a seemingly never-ending battle for autonomy. As a 37-year-old single woman myself (albeit one with a very different life from Josephine's), it was refreshing to see someone of my age, gender and social status represented not as a stereotype or a joke, but a living, breathing person. Thoughtfully directed and performed, may not blow you away, but it will leave you satisfied and humbled.
continues through March 11th at Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays 7:30pm, Sundays 3pm. Tickets are $43-$46 (seniors/teachers: $38-$41, military/students: $15), and are available by phone (773-338-2177) or online at OvationTix.com (check for availability of ). More information at RavenTheatre.com. (Running time: 2 hours, includes an intermission)
Photos by Michael Brosilow
Understudies: Devri Chism (Sherri), Mike Newquist (Donnie), Katherine Swan (Josephine), Anne Wrider (Francine)
behind the scenes
Lauren Shouse (director), Lauren Nigri (scenic design), Nöel Huntzinger (costume design), Becca Jeffords (lighting design), Eric Backus (sound design, original music), John Buranosky (properties design), Jason Martin (dialect specialist), Sydney Archer (scenic artist), Jordan Pokorney (assistant director), Wilhelm Peters (stage manager), Michael Brosilow (photos)
Tags: 18-0144, Anne Wrider, Becca Jeffords, Benjamin Sprunger, Chicago Theater, Devri Chism, Eric Backus, Jason Martin, John Buranosky, Jordan Pokorney, Katherine Swan, Lauren Nigri, Lauren Shouse, Lauren Whalen, Lucy Carapetyan, Lynne Baker, Melissa Ross, Michael Brosilow, Mike Newquist, Noël Huntzinger, post, Raven Theatre, Stella Martin, Sydney Archer, Wilhelm Peters
Category: 2018 Reviews, Lauren Whalen, Raven Theatre
