New to the Windy City theatrical landscape, The Lake Forest Theatre is a freshly renovated, 309-seat venue, staged at the John and Nancy Hughes Theater in the northern suburb of Lake Forest. The inaugural season began recently with The Secret Garden playing this summer, Young Frankenstein scheduled to haunt the fall and A Chorus Line ringing in Spring 2017. I found it curious all involved would select such a quiet and little known show for their debut. While the show did garner a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical in 1991, I found the tale of an orphan girl, guided by well-intentioned haunted spirits to her estranged family, something that wouldn’t necessarily come to the top of my mind as an auspicious debut for a new venue. The book and lyrics by Marsha Norman were based on the melancholy 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Artistic director, Steve Malone, spoke before the performance I attended about his “vision” and “passion” for the details of the piece. While they may have gotten many of the minor superficial details spot on, overall, the staging fell flat, the pacing pointedly slow and overall, Secret felt disjointed from start to finish. This Garden certainly needed a voracious pruning.
The story itself follows a young orphan girl named Mary Lennox (Kailey Albus and Carly Meyer) whose parents were killed in a cholera epidemic. As she returned to England to reside with her Uncle Archibald (Edward Fraim) Craven at his vast estate, Uncle Archibald hardly welcomed the child with open arms. He is also ardently emotionally stuck, stagnant within his own grieving process over the loss of his wife of ten years, Lily (Michelle Jasso) and equally troubled by his sickly, bedridden son, Colin (Zachary Fewkes). Adding to the estate’s overall feeling of despair, a cruel sub-plot involving Archibald’s brother, Doctor Neville Craven (Edward MacLennan) who gave up his once promising career as a doctor to tend to his nephew’s medical needs, although his intentions are far more financial then familial. While exploring the grounds of her new home, Mary discovered a magic garden full of well dressed ancestral spirits who guided her along a path to a dour free life. The stage itself is overcrowded by these well dressed (costumes by David Lundholm and Joanne Seaman) and well intentioned garden spirits. Their repetitive, circular choreography suggested they travel in tandem on the wind, but this recurrent visual grew quickly tiresome. While their vocals were methodically lovely, Lucy Simon’s music and orchestrations sounded piped in, as though the cast were singing to track instead of with the lush, 15 piece live orchestra. An issue I hope immediately addressed before the time Young Frankenstein stomps into Lake Forest in the fall. David Geinosky’s scenic design was tepid at best, more accent pieces then a full set.
The largest positive for this pedestrian debut is the only way to go creatively is up. The theater itself is lovely and the surrounding community truly ravenous for good works. However, their suburban competition is downright formidable. With the Paramount Theater in Aurora, The Writer’s Theater in Glencoe, Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook and the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire presenting dynamite and truly inventive restaging of classics, including the valiant West Side Story, masterful Company, spine-tingling Deathtrap and the magnificent Man of La Mancha, Lake Forest Theatre is going to have to quickly regroup and rethink to stay competitive. You have to do more than “show up” when you are putting on a show to succeed in today’s jam-packed marketplace. The Secret Garden had the superficial going for it, remarkable costuming and lovely harmonies, especially during “Lily’s Eyes,” but painfully little else was cultivated to support it. This Garden had “dashes” of color, but as a whole, it never solidified. It played more like individual “Flower” than a luminous “Garden.” When an orchard doesn’t have a rich and solid foundation, little tends to sprout or grow. Lake Forest Theatre’s The Secret Garden, sadly, never blossomed.
Lake Forest Theatre’s The Secret Garden is now playing through July 2, 2016
(Photo by Honor the Earth)
On Tuesday September 19, 2023, the Indigenous peoples took to the frontlines of the climate crisis on Turtle Island and took over Times Square painting a giant mural with the message, “No Green Colonialism; Land Back NOW!”
This mural came the day before the UN Climate Ambition Summit, where world leaders are expected to come together and make decisions around the climate crisis.
The Indigenous communities are organizing to push back on the Biden Administration’s push toward solutions to the climate crisis that threaten the lives of Indigenous people across Turtle Island, which they call “Green Colonialism.” “For too long, Native lands and communities have borne the brunt of harm from mining and other extractive industries. As the federal government moves to support clean energy development, this cannot come at the expense of clean water or Indigenous rights. This familiar assault on Native lands and communities is another wave of colonialism, and we will not stand by and allow our lands to be sacrificed,” Krystal Two Bulls, executive director of the national Indigenous organization Honor the Earth said in a press release.
The mining projects violate treaty rights and threaten clean water and land in places such as Thacker Pass, Oak Flat , and the Talon-Tamarak mine near the Mississippi headwaters.
We should all be fighting this fight!
It is hard to believe that summer is officially wrapping up. But as days get shorter there is still plenty of time to toast the season in style with these favorite white wines.
Kenwood Vineyards Six Ridges Chardonnay 2019
This refreshing chardonnay crisp apple and crunchy peach flavors is electrifying and oh, so yummy! It brings out the feeling of velvet caressing you. This is simmply all of the best the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County has to offer.
Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Divinely balanced wine with zesty aromas and highlights of pink grapefruit, melon and gooseberry. It refreshing and perfectly sweet. Every sip will have you singing praises to the wonderful summer you just had.
I was taken to City Winery by Eli Marcus for the Beatles Brunch with Strawberry Fields. 
This show plays every Sunday with an unlimited brunch buffet that includes coffee, tea and juice, starting at noon. A bottomless brunch cocktail package is also available and children get in free. Here tourists mingle with New Yorkers, eating scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, dried out French toast, spicy potatoes with onions and peppers, perfectly done chicken, salad and fresh fruit. What is so nice, is that everyone seems happy to to be here, to see and hear the Fab Four.
Eli Marcus, Suzanna Bowling
The show starts off without fan fare. The lights dim and four men enter, not quite looking like the originals. Tony Garofalo (John Lennon), Billy J. Ray (Paul McCartney), Ira Siegel (George Harrison), and Michael Bellusci (Ringo Starr) and their costumes and wigs have seen better days. Then the music starts. You can watch one of our video’s here.
From the early hits like “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You,” “Ticket To Ride” “Eight Days A Week” and more the first act is nostalgia at it’s best. It was adorable to watch the audience, especially the young ones “Twist and Shout.”
After a break in came the Sergeant Pepper era, clothing and all. From that we got “Nowhere Man,” “My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “When I’m 64,” “Penny Lane” and songs that dig into your soul. They are done well and the Beatles live again. You can see our video here.
Then the later songs like “I Am The Walrus” and “Don’t Let Me Down” end a show that is almost two hour long of music, that is classic. I have to admit I wanted to hear “Blackbird” and “Norwegian Wood,” but what you get is a well rounded assortment of those songs that shaped several era’s.
Billy J. Ray, Ira Siegel
Ira Siegel stands out with his guitar playing that is out of this world. I really loved all the songs he sang as well.
Michael Bellusci
Michael Bellusci, gives Ringo a run for his money on the drums.
Tony Garofalo
Tony Garofalo is the founder, creator and producer playing rhythm and lead guitar and singing lead vocals along with Alan LeBoeuf from the original Beatlemania playing bass guitar. Ray looks the most like the Beatle he is playing.
Alan LeBoeuf, Ira Siegel
Alan LeBoeuf, Ira Siegel
Alan LeBoeuf
Strawberry Fields has been covering The Beatles for over three decades. They used to have a residency at B.B. Kings, but these days their home base is City Winery and it is definitely a great way to spend a Sunday. All four are consummate musicians and obviously have a love for what they do and that rubs off on their audience.
For a souvenir up a City Winery Strawberry Fields Rose Wine and have it signed by the cast. With its is its strawberry pink color, you get a combination of kiwi, watermelon and the taste of strawberry that lingers.
City Winery is right next to Little Island, Chelsea Market, The Highline, the Meatpacking district, Chelsea, and West Village. Everything is nearby to make a perfect outing for the whole day and this is one brunch where you definitely get your money’s worth. Click HERE for tickets
Tickets are $65.45
Thank-you again to Eli Marcus and the staff of Dave and Buster’s, at 234 West 42nd Street.
Eli Marcus
Eli was sending the concierge’s to the show The Shark Is Broken.
The producers of The Shark Must Be Broken, Eli Marcus and the general manager of Dave and Buster’s
There were lots of new friends to be made such as Carol Mennie, Caroline Rosado from the Hilton, Dinnella Collado from the Washington Square Hotel, Benjamin Maddy from Dave and Buster’s and Michaela Paratore of Benjamin Steakhouse Prime
Michaela Paratore
This destination for sports enthusiasts, foodies, and arcade offers space, fun and some fabulous happy hour deals.
All across the multiple screens were football, basketball, and hockey games from across the sporting world. At the sports bar an impressive selection of drinks, including craft beers, signature cocktails await. I sampled some their tasty bites and was impressed.
wings
Pretzel Dogs
To sooth your inner child air hockey and arcade games are waiting to be played.
Margarita and I playing for Make A Wish
If you are looking for entertainment they have a legendary Trivia Night with fantastic prizes.
Double Pepperoni Flatbread
wings
BBQ Chicken Flatbread
This is actually a great place to throw your holiday parties.
Fire-Grilled Atlantic Salmon
Boneless Wings
Chocolate- and caramel-filled churros with chocolate and salted caramel dipping sauces.
I am so glad the Mayor of Times Square invited me to his event.
Margarita Parlionas and Eli Marcus
-Kent Walz, attorney & journalist
Diane Dimond’s book on the scourge of abusive adult guardianships is coming out very soon. It only took her 8 long years of investigation and countless interviews with affected people to get to the bottom of this extremely flawed part of the justice system.
People who have lived through this nightmare knows first hand what this “protective” part of the court system can do to rip apart families. But because it’s such a secretive system few Americans realize that they – or someone they love – could be guardianized without warning. It’s not just Britney Spears – up to 2 million people currently live under guardianship/court control.
All it takes is for someone (a vindictive relative, a greedy business partner, a former lover, even a landlord) to file a guardianship petition with the court saying someone is not competent to care for themselves. The judge usually agrees – often without ever seeing the targeted person – and the guardianship is established. Judges routinely appoint a total stranger as guardian to make all life decisions for the new “ward of the court.” All their civil rights are stripped away and, suddenly, the person has no say in their own life –they can’t even hire their own lawyer to fight it. There are many more horrific aspects to this “justice” system and Ms. Dimond spells it all out in the book.
We’re Here to Help – When Guardianship Goes Wrong not only reveals the predatory nature of the system (which controls a collective $50 billion in ward’s money every year!) but also tells what to look out for. It provides a guide for readers to protect themselves and those they love.
Diane Dimond is the author of four books including the upcoming, “We’re Here to Help: When Guardianship Goes Wrong,“ published by Brandeis University Press, released Sept. 19, 2023
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