Photo by David Hagen
Anyone who paid any attention to pop music in the 90s and 00s is keenly aware that the hypersexualization of female stars was, in many ways, its bread and butter. From Brittney Spears to Janet Jackson, female singers had to fight being targeted as just extensions of their bodies, a fight made more difficult in the tabloid age, when any faux pas large, small, or even imagined could destroy a reputation or even a career. This misogynistic culture was certainly exacerbated by the extremely sexualized dancing that was coming into vogue at the time and may have reached its nadir with Jackson’s years-long ostracization after the “wardrobe failure” that exposed a nipple during a Super Bowl halftime show. (Of course, viewers blamed Jackson, even though it was Justin Timberlake who had exposed her.)
Still, this sexualization and all that accompanies it—including paparazzi and sensationalized press coverage—were the prices many women had to pay for stardom, and it is one of the main focuses of Justine Gelfman’s new play the love object, now premiering at Raven Theatre in a production directed by Jasmine B. Gunter for The Story Theatre.
the love object is set during the final rehearsals for a splashy stadium tour by the recent Grammy winner Ramona (Emily Holland). Set on a stage, the play follows the final preparations for the tour and the sometimes strained interpersonal relationships that develop under its pressure, especially after Ramona’s long-time producer Paula (Kaylah Marie Crosby) announces that, after years of working for her friend, it’s time for her to work on her own art. But when Ramona, freaked out by the impending loss of the woman who has run things for years, responds by inventing a story about a sex tape that could destroy her, Paula faithfully and predictably decides to delay leaving until she can stop it from hurting her longtime friend.
The two women, one sincere and one duplicitous, are the main characters in this play, and Holland and Crosby inhabit them brilliantly. We can clearly see the still-warm embers of their long collaboration in their easy familiarity as well as the sparks of a new, potentially caustic, flame deriving from Ramona’s insecurity. It is, we sense, a relationship heading to a boiling point, and it is complicated by the fact that these rehearsals are being filmed for a documentary, adding even more pressure to the proceedings than would ordinarily be there.
Background dancers, played by Cat Christmas, Spencer Diaz Tootle, and Mollyanne Nunn, along with their choreographer Simon (William Anthony Sebastian Rose III) obviously also feature heavily in these rehearsals. [Honestly, I don’t know which of these actors’ names I like most!] Onstage, Simon walks the dancers—each of whom has her own fun, quirky and neatly sketched personality—through last-minute tweaks to their complicated movements while, offstage, show choreographer Angelíca Grace clearly had fun planning dance moves that are highly reminiscent of those found in actual pop concerts of the era. All four of these actors, as well as Holland, are excellent dancers; it’s all so well done that it’s easy just to get lost in the choreography at times. Indeed, the entire play demands more varied talents than most “straight” dramas, and is impressive to watch.
Meanwhile, director Gunter holds all of these moving parts together. The dramatic moments include some unexpected surprises as well as complex, simmering emotions. Holland and Crosby, especially, are tasked with some powerful scenes, and both handle them extraordinarily. The technical elements also shine. Tianxuan Chen’s set combines the rehearsal space with screens that show, among other things, larger than life photos of Holland-as-Ramona. Ben Argenta Kress created the kind of showy costumes frequently found in these huge stadium events. (There is an ongoing joke about one robot costume, which is part of this for some reason, that none of the dancers want to wear.) Seojung Jang’s lighting is excellent whether mimicking complicated concert vibes or a backstage atmosphere. Newt Schottelkotte’s sound design is just the right kind of loud when it plays Ramona’s latest hit (a Schottelkotte song that has Holland and the backups in full pop concert mode). This show hits on all cylinders.
I may be getting old—67 at the moment—but I have watched plenty of musicians on tour, from the days when Led Zeppelin thrilled concert-goers with Jimmy Page’s guitar and John Bonham’s drums alone to P!nk concerts where the singer flies on complicated rigs above crowds of spectators and many outrageously costumed dancers. I couldn’t get tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, but I watched and loved the filmed version. the love object captures the pop concert experience very well, but it is more: it is a story of one-way friendship, selfish narcissism, withering fame, and betrayal within the context of an exploitative pop tour, and it is one of the best shows I’ve seen this year.
the love object is presented by Raven Theatre and runs through Nov 3 at 6157 N. Clark St, Chicago. For tickets and information, please visit Raven Theatre or call (773) 338-2177. For more Chicago reviews or show information, see chicagoonstage.com or theatreinchicago.com.