Filed by Bil at 2:40 pm under Shameless Plugs, The Arts

Unabashed self-promotion time. But I don’t want to just mention the times and dates. This is more than just a shameless plug. I want to give you some actual selling points – actual reasons to come see this show.

So, here are just a few, in no particular order…

Support for tipyourwaiter.org founder Trevor Watkin & contributing editor Bil Gaines

Both Trevor and I have been hard at work these past couple of months on Dream Theatre’s production of a new silent melodrama, “The Black Duckling,” which opens this Thursday. The plot has to do with a young girl struggling to keep afloat in a dark, Dickensian city that seems to punish innocence and happiness. I play a sad and dejected poet in the show, and Trevor has been composing and recording new music.

For those of you who know me, I am indeed a sad and dejected poet in real life, but the acting challenge is nevertheless a real one. This character runs the gamut from miserable to elated, from rejection to rebound, from self-imposed misery to self-release from said misery, and all back around full circle. It’s an incredibly fun role for an actor even without being silent. And this is a silent show, so there’s that added level of difficulty. It’s been a blast to work on, and I don’t think any audience member will be let down.

For those of you who know Trevor and have heard his compositions before, you know just how sweet and how intense his music can be, and this show is no let-down. In fact, it will impress you with how much he has grown as a composer, seeing as how this is a completely new process for him, but he has come up with some of his most memorable music to date. He has even stretched into the macabre realm of haunting burlesque jazz. Here’s a little teaser of what you might expect at this show:

Teaser: “The Black Duckling”

Written & directed by Jeremy Menekseoglu

Jeremy is the artistic director of Dream Theatre Company, which is one of Chicago’s most interesting companies. Jeremy’s work is mainly melodrama, which lies in the dead center between comedy and tragedy. Don’t think of “melodrama” like day time soap operas; the word means music (melody) plus action (drama), and being in the center between comedy and tragedy allows for all characters in his works to fly to both extremes.

Jeremy acts in the show as well, and you’ll be surprised if you’ve never seen this guy in performance before. His presence is such that even though you’re an adult, and you know in the back of your mind that the violence is fake and the story is fiction, you still find yourself affected, outraged, heartbroken, and scared for the lives of the characters.

Designed by Anna Weiler

Anna is the managing director at Dream Theatre, and her creative energy seems limitless. I’ve seen shows with budgets of $25,000 for costumes alone that don’t compare. Anna’s costumes have something about them that seems both more grounded and real than the big-budget guys AND more fantastical. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi about her artistic gifts, something more tangible and yet more dreamy than just about anything else you might find in a theatre around this town.

Also, she is one of the most charismatic actresses I have ever seen on stage. She could give Rondi Reed a run for her money. And she is the star of this show. You don’t want to miss that.

Every actor matters

There are no superfluous actors or actresses in this show. Everyone in this piece plays more than one part, so the audience gets to play the game of who-played-who-in-the-last-scene, and the actors get to show off their range of talents. The supporting characters have been treated with just as much importance as the leads in this rehearsal process, and when that happens, it’s a win for both cast and audience. When actors feel like their part is small or insignificant and treat it as such during performance, the audience knows. Nothing breaks the illusion of another world like an actor pulling focus and messing around on stage because he or she wants more attention, and this cast is delightfully diva-free. So, audience, come see this show and you’ll be fully immersed in a brooding, sooty old city rife with sin and misery, and you can find the little lights that keep each individual hopeful.

Fantastical romantic escapism with Bil

This show marks the third time I play the romantic lead. Anybody who finds Bil Gaines attractive, please feel free to treat the show like a romance novel and just imagine yourself in the place of the ladies (yes, plural) with whom I lock lips during the course of the show.

Hipsters love buttons

At the box office window you can obtain neat little one-inch diameter buttons for your hoodie or your man-purse. They come in several varieties, including “Madame Purdie,” Dream Theatre Company Logo, and “Anna, In The Darkness.” You know you want one.

Some come on out and see this one. It’s worth every minute and every dollar you spend here — and quite economical, too, since the show is short and tickets are cheaper than many other theatre companies’ prices here in town. It’s a great way to spend an evening. We want to entertain you.

The Black Duckling
Dream Theatre
556 W. 18th St.
Chicago, IL

Phone:
(773) 552-8616

Times:
Thurs - Sat at 8:00PM and Sun at 7:00PM.

Tickets: $20

Reservations online:

Driving Directions:
3 blocks east of the 90/94

From South:
From South: 90/94 to exit 53A (Canalport Ave.)
Right at W. 18th St.
Destination will be on the left.

From North:
90/94 to exit 52C (18th St)
Left at W. 18th St.
Destination will be on the left.

Plenty of free street parking.

CTA:
Nearest Red Line: Cermak/Chinatown (walk west on Cermak, turn north at Canal, turn west on 18th St.)
Nearest Bus: Halsted (exit 18th St., walk east to 556 W. 18th)