Photo by Michael Brosilow
Derek Van Barham. His name is worthy of its own place at the top of this review. This director floored me with his delicately-woven creativity in Kokandy Productions’ Amélie at The Chopin Theatre. Previously named one of Windy City Times’ 30 Under 30, Van Barham has a reputation for tackling ambitious musicals and staging them in a small performance space. After experiencing Amélie (& I truly mean experience; this is not a performance you ‘see’), I’m fascinated by Van Barham’s ingenuity. His bold choices produced a fully immersive experience of this whimsical, romantic tale. Fans of the 2001 film will fully approve of the Broadway adaptation, complete with a delightful and quirky score by Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen. And newcomers will fall head over heels for Amélie, many thanks to the show’s leading lady, Aurora Penepacker, who entirely stole my heart. The opportunity to experience this musical, in such an uncommon and exceptional way, should not be passed up.
Through the doors of The Chopin on Division Street, an enchanting atmosphere of Parisian music fills the air. Furnished with eccentric décor, the mood is as welcoming as the staff. Down the stairs to the basement space, a charming waiting area is filled with plush couches and arm chairs. The bar offers a lovely array of beverages & snacks, including adorable bags of assorted macarons. I sat and enjoyed my San Pellegrino and cookies while listening to the cast warm up on the other side of the wall. The ambience was sweet & seducing, and the doors to the house weren’t even open yet.
Inside the downstairs studio, it’s difficult to comprehend how this unique space could accommodate a Broadway production. The seating is unconventional; a tapestry of bistro tables, loveseats, & mismatched chairs framing three quarters of a stage, no bigger than an average dance floor at a wedding. The stage manager’s comments at the top of the show included instructions that the actors would be sitting at our tables, as the audience is intended to be an integral part of the performance. Thrilled to be sitting at a small bistro table in the front row, I was eager to be enveloped in the action. Little did I anticipate, however, that this idiosyncratic production would actually wreck my desire to see a musical in traditional format ever again.
Amélie is the tale of a quiet, yet extraordinary young Parisian woman. An unusual childhood and a wild imagination shape her fanciful world that blurs the boundaries of reality. Aurora Penepacker is the perfect leading lady, oozing charm with her sideways smile & animated eyes that speak a thousand words in a single glance. Her vocals are exceedingly gorgeous with impressive range. Opposite Penepacker is Joe Giovannetti as Nino Quincampoix, Amélie’s accidental love interest. Giovannetti leans into Nino’s peculiarities with just the right amount of delightful appeal. Bursting through Nino’s boyish demeanor and introverted nature roars a vocal gift that will live rent-free in my head for months to come. Giovannetti’s command of the song, When the Booth Goes Bright, is sublime. Stunningly synchronized lighting, designed by G “Max” Maxin IV, accented the song with brilliance.
The entire production team is deserving of their own standing ovation. They have certainly earned my tremendous respect. They threw all conventional wisdom to the wind, creating (what I imagine to be) a staggering amount of intentional obstacles. Such as the fact that there is no room for an orchestra pit in this space. One would assume that canned music would accompany the cast. Mais non! The entire cast plays the music live on stage using a diverse assortment of instruments. It’s truly more than a musical; it’s a live concert that entwines its way through and around the audience. Elegantly choreographed transitions, instruments that innovatively morph into props and set pieces, & an ensemble with outrageous vocal talent coalesce to create a must-see production!
The casting jigsaw puzzle for this endeavor is still a conundrum to me; finding just the right actor for each role- one who can sing, who can also skillfully play an instrument, and who can further command an authentic French accent in dialogue and song. Oh yes! This show was successfully performed in melodic French articulation (kudos to dialect coaching by Carrie Hardin), something that even the original Broadway production did not attempt. This production is a diamond in a sea of late Summer theatrical offerings throughout the Chicagoland area. Grab a friend and pull up a chair at the Two Windmills Café.
Performances of Amélie run through September 28 in the Chopin Downstairs Studio, 1543 W Division Street in Chicago. Curtain times: Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:00 pm; Sundays at 5:00 pm. General admission and reserved seating tickets are $45-$55. Discounted $35 tickets available for students & seniors. A limited number of $15 tickets (with code ARTIST) available to artists for each performance. Tickets are currently on sale at kokandyproductions.com or bit.ly/AmelieChicago. Photos courtesy of Michael Brosilow.