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Superior Donuts By Tracy Letts Directed by Tina Landau At Steppenwolf Theatre’s downstairs main stage 1650 N. Halsted Chicago, IL Call 312-335-1650, tickets $20 - $68 Tuesday thru Saturdays at 7:30 pm Saturday & Sunday matinees at 3 pm Wednesday matinee at 2 pm July 30, August 6 & 13 Running time is 2 hours, 20 minutes with intermission Through August 24, 2008 New play from Tracy Letts is a riveting intimate work set in Chicago Coming off the multi award winning “August: Osage County,” playwright/actor and Steppenwolf ensemble member Tracy Letts has penned an excellent new comic drama set in Chicago now in a World Premiers at Steppenwolf Theatre. His “Superior Donuts” demonstrates Letts’ keen ability to write dialogue capturing the unique voice of each of his rich characters. After 22 years living in Chicago, Tracy Letts claims he is a true Chicagoan. “Superior Donuts” is his ode to the melting pot ethnic neighbor of Chicago’s Uptown. In a city where ethnic identity is a badge of honor, “Superior Donuts” is Arthur Prybyszewski’s (Michael McKean) Uptown rundown donut shop that is struggling to keep afloat. We learn that Arthur, now a 58 year old Grateful Dead look alike, is the proprietor bent on holding on to the shop that was been in the family for 60 years. Arthur clings to the status quo. His neighbor, Max Tarasov (Yasen Peyankov) wants to buy the donut shop to expand his next door DVD store. Max is a first generation Russian immigrant. Arthur is second generation Polish. The two are friends.
Officer Hailey (James Vincent Meredith) and his partner, Randy (Kate Buddeke) frequent the donut shop as does Lady Boyle (Jane Alderman)—a senior bag-lady type. When Arthur interviews Franco Wicks (Jon Michael Hill), a super-smart Black teen for a store clerk position, Arthur and Franco quickly bond as they exchange smart and clever witticisms. Franco wants to change the drab donut shop into a beatnik type coffee house. Arthur just wants to maintain things as they have always been. Franco’s youthful optimism toward the future gets Arthur to examine his past. Michael McKean delivers several monologues about his past where we find out about his draft dodging and attachment to the family business. The spark between McKean’s Arthur and Jon Michael Hill’s France produced funny and telling moments. Arthur eventually reads Franco’s hand written novel while Franco aids Arthur with flirting tips so Arthur can date Randy, the female cop.
We learn that the brilliant Franco has a gambling habit wherein he complied a $26,000 debt to ganster Luther Flynn (Robert Maffia). When Franco gets ruffed up and hospitalized by Luther and Kevin Magee (Cliff Chamberlain), Arthur decides that he has been a coward too long. His action against Luther results in a personal fist fight that was the low point in this otherwise fine production. The fight choreography was inept with slow moving action that played out like two old men falling all over each other.
Letts’ characters painfully adapting to the changing world of Uptown Chicago results in a comic drama that is a near miss—it is almost a terrific play. The poorly staged fight scene diminishes the piece somewhat. Ultimately, “Superior Donuts” works mainly due to the fully developed Arthur and the empathetic Franco characters. Max, the Russian, is the comic relief character filled with sharp barbs. The bitingly stinging dialogue filled with dark humor establishes Letts as a playwright adept at realistic and naturalistic story telling. “Superior Donuts” is a funny and nostalgic look at Chicago’s storefront retailers as they struggle to hold on and resist change. Chicagoans will love this play. Jon Michael Hill performance demonstrates his depth as an actor. This is a breakout role for Hill. Recommended Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast Date Reviewed: June 28, 2008 |
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Site owned by Tom Williams 1-773-549-0227, tom99@chicagocritic.com Copyright, Chicago, IL 2006 |
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There is only one spot for all your Chicago theater needs. Get your as well as sports tickets including at Neco.com. |
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