Entertainment

BY WES HESSEL

BY SYDNEY MILLIGAN WITH WES HESSEL

The intimate and intense Copley Theater in Aurora once again delivers with an up close and personal drama and comedy in “Bull: a love story”.

The “Bull” in question is a man with that bovine nickname, who intends to return to his family and pick up where he left of from after a ten-year stint as a guest of the state. Bull-headed though his intentions may be, he discovers, as the saying goes, “you can’t go home again”.

Things have changed in his prior environs of Lakeview, so in almost all respects he has to start over: re-earning the trust of his wife who has moved on, the love of his daughter who was too young to remember him well, re-acquainting with his “little” sister - now grown-up, and re-orienting himself to making better choices in decisions that affect his and others’ lives.

In all good love stories, it is about the day-today that can make (or remake) a forever - “Bull” does this handily, from the acute acting to the “so-right-there” set to the talented technical tone - right down to the lucid lighting depicting the changing colors of day and season, and the ambient audio complete with passing busses, sirens, and other street noises; not in a New York in-your-face way, but appropriate to a nice neighborhood in the Windy City.

“Bull” pulls at the heartstrings but it doesn’t pull punches about things it wants to say, thanks to great playwright Nancy García Loza, and the directorial dimensions of Laura Alcalá Baker.

Its boldness does make it a play for mature audiences; one worth the trip, so take this one by the horns before November 20th.

For tickets or more information, please go to www.paramountaurora.com/bold.

“13 Tongues” by the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan at the Auditorium Theatre was a very interesting, visually stunning performance with unmatched athletic prowess and flexibility in tandem with the aesthetic splendor of great movement.

The kicks and extensions these dancers accomplished were phenomenal, seeming to reach into the stratosphere. The choreography, while mainly modern and highly experimental, clearly incorporated some elements of traditional Taiwanese movement and martial arts inspiration. The ensemble’s strength really lies in their partner work – there were some amazing pas de deux moments, lifts, barrel turns, twists, ronde de jambes, and jetes, which is where this company really shines.

The costumes were very simple in the beginning, everyone wearing the same uniform of plain head to toe black tunics and gaucho pants. Towards the second half of the show, however, the outfits were swapped for colorful neon coats, tops, and loose pants that glowed under the blacklight.

The music was a mixture of angst and traditional Taiwanese sound and folk music, allowing for the dance to really take center stage as the tones did not pull any focus away, but only added to the atmosphere.

In the moments where the cast moved in unison, it was particularly spectacular – it appeared in some instances they were moving as one body, especially when they seemed to take on the role of and embody the lucky magic fish that was projected as swimming around on the background. There was also a very cool moment which is still hard to wrap one’s head around, where it looks as if all of the dancers onstage were skating on a pond of black ice.

The performance is just another example of the great works of art presented by the Auditorium Theatre.

For tickets or more information on future dance and other events, please see their website at www.auditoriumtheatre.org.

BY ANNA HESSEL

Ballet 5:8’s professional company brought Hispanic Heritage Month to a first-rate climax with a magnificent performance by their stellar dance troop at the lovely Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture in Chicago.

“Imagine Better” was expertly executed, beautifully costumed, with magnificent music. This supernal faith-based organization is filled with a cast of talented performers dancing for God’s glory.

The production featured two superb world premieres, “Solace” and “Look to the East”. T h e s e poignant pieces were flawlessly danced - mental health was, in essence, on the bill, actively serving to diminish t h e erroneous negative stigma often associated with clinical despondency.

Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager courageously shared her own struggle with depression in an on-stage chat, which followed the exemplary performance; she was joined by members of the cast, all of whom spoke eloquently about the roles they played in the ballets.

Pas de deux and ensemble numbers were innovative, athletic, and strong. The solo parts beautifully showcased individual skill and expertise.

Ballet 5:8 is truly poetry in motion - precise, pretty, and thought-provoking dance at its finest.

For tickets or information for upcoming performances, including a pair of free shows November 12th at the National Museum of Mexican Art, and their holiday event “Beyond the Nutcracker” December 17th and 18th, please visit www.ballet58.org.