Musical | The Hanslick Girls

July 9, 2017

Richly Adorned Commoner: The National Tour of “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”

—Originally written July 25, 2016—

Meet the Hanslick Girls: Gwen, Eleanor and Dania. Created by writer Zach Barr, they are a trio of Northwestern students who always go to see plays and movies together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. Recently, the Girls saw the national tour of the Tony-winning musical “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.” Let’s hear what they had to say about the musical…

“Well,” Eleanor said, as they began to rise to make their way out of the theatre.

“Hm.” Gwen added. She was grabbing her coat and trying to fold the program so it would fit into her purse. As she slowly walked out the long aisle towards the lobby, shuffling behind older audience members moving slowly, Gwen glanced back towards the inventive set design on the stage. The Edwardian Toy Theater in the center of the stage stuck out, gaudily designed, against the red curtain backdrop and the tall dark flats with outlines of mansions forming the wings. Or, rather, the singular wing, at the front of the stage. It was all very cutely designed, an over exaggerated and hand-drawn style that edged closer to animation when the screen at the back of the theatre turned on to show the backgrounds for each scene. It was simply made, but anything but simple in design.

July 9, 2017

Hear The Wind Blow: The 5th Avenue Theatre’s “Lerner & Loewe’s Paint Your Wagon”

—Originally written June 20, 2016—

Meet the Hanslick Girls: Gwen, Eleanor and Dania. Created by writer Zach Barr, they are a trio of Northwestern students who always go to see plays together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. Recently, the Girls saw the 5th Avenue Theatre’s revisal of Lerner and Loewe’s troubled musical “Paint Your Wagon.” Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

The crowds were on their feet as Robert Cuccioli came out for the final bow, but all three of the girls were still sitting down in their seats. Gwen was considering standing up, purely for a better view, but one glance over to Eleanor was evidence enough of how concretely glued to her seat her friends were, and she remained sitting.

As they stood and the house lights rose, Dania turned to the other two.

“No words until we are safely away from the theatre.”

“Duh,” came Eleanor’s response.

July 9, 2017

That Sinking Feeling: Chicago’s Pre-Broadway Tryout of The Spongebob Musical

—Originally published June 11, 2016—

[SPOILER ALERTS: Minor spoilers abound. To avoid the major spoilers, stop reading once the Girls board the L Train]

Meet the Hanslick Girls: Gwen, Eleanor and Dania. Created by writer Zach Barr, they are a trio of Northwestern students who always go to see plays together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. Recently, the Girls, along with Gwen’s younger sister Hazel, saw the world premiere of Nickelodeon’s “The Spongebob Musical.” Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

Eleanor applauded politely, the sound of her clapping buried under the riotous cheering of the crowd, which ricocheted off the walls of the Oriental Theatre and drowned out the bows music. As each actor bowed, Eleanor glanced over to her right to see Dania’s reaction. Smiling wide, Dania was clapping in time to the music. Having seen “The Spongebob Theme Song” listed in the program, Eleanor could tell that Dania was at peak anticipation for the show’s true finale.

“Pick me up! Pick me up! I can’t see!”

July 9, 2017

Happy Times Out West: The Waa-Mu Show: Another Way West

—Originally published May 23, 2016—

Meet the Hanslick Girls: Gwen, Eleanor and Dania. Created by writer Zach Barr, they are a trio of Northwestern students who always go to see plays together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. Recently, the Girls saw the 85th Waa-Mu Show, “Another Way West.” Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

As the final strains of “To The Memories” drifted through the air inside Cahn Auditorium, the house lights slowly rose.

“I always like hearing that at the end of the show,” Eleanor said, as they began to grab their coats and programs. “Reminds me how long the Waa-Mu Show has been going on for, that it’s part of something bigger.”

“Well, they do mention it in the logo,” Dania added.

“Sure,” Eleanor agreed. “But you’re not seeing the logo during the performance, obviously.”

“Yeah.”

Category / Musical