Big Love
The term “battle of the sexes” gets a whole new meaning when a group of brides-to-be on the run from the altar face down their jilted grooms at an Italian villa. Strawdog Artistic Associate Matt Hawkins, director of The House Theatre’s Cyrano and Strawdog’s award-winning smash hit Red Noses returns (triumphantly) to our mainstage with Mee’s poetic, madcap riff on love, violence and gender roles.
“RECOMMENDED … a comic, tragic, utterly terrific battle that makes The Taming of the Shrew look like the kid’s stuff it essentially is. Matt Hawkins’s staging is also terrific. The precisely choreographed cast of 30 (yes, 30) play for keeps—especially those in featured roles, such as the fierce Michaela Petro, the convincingly dangerous Shane Kenyon, the girly-girlish Sarah Goeden, and Stacy Stoltz and John Ferrick as gender warriors who find themselves caught behind enemy lines. Paul Fagen and Cheryl Roy float through in delightful character roles, and Mike Mroch’s apparently simple set discloses its value as the show goes along. All in all, this Big Love is a marvel of big ensemble work in a tiny space.”
— Chicago Reader
“★★★ Hawkins, whose staging of Peter Barnes’ Red Noses for Strawdog a few seasons ago was a sheer delight, again demonstrates his zesty ability to animate a large cast in a small space without losing focus on the small telling moments … Pianist Dane Halvorson provides cunning accompaniment to a gaggle of pop love songs … the performances are terrific from top to bottom, including John Henry Roberts’ Piero, the owner of the Italian villa who finds his attempts to help the women thwarted by realpolitik, and Cheryl Roy as Bella, the Italian matriarch …”
— Chicago Tribune
“People who would like this show are people who like being free, being in love, and flip-up sunglasses. People should go and see this show because it is funny but also very serious. It has a great set (by Mike Mroch) that is pretty and deadly. The costumes (by Brittany Dee Bodley) are amazing. The wedding dresses are pretty when you first see them and then they start to get creepy; they reminded me of ghosts. The acting is fantastic. It made me think that I am not going to let anyone make me marry anyone. Period.”
— Ada Grey Reviews For You
Cast
Christopher Acevedo
as Groom
Jonathan Beal
as Groom
Sami Cravens
as Bride
Luke Daigle
as Groom
Matthew Dealy
as Groom
Anita Deely
as Eleanor
Paul Fagen*
as Giuliano
John Ferrick*
as Nikos
Kyle Gibson*
as Oed
Sarah Goeden*
as Olympia
Carmine Grisolia*
as Leo
Dane Halvorson
as Pianist
Shane Kenyon
as Constantine
Michael Medford
as Groom
Emilie Modaff
as Bride
John Moran
as Groom
Shane Michael Murphy
as Groom
Michaela Petro*
as Thyona
Rasika Ranganthan
as Bride
John Henry Roberts*
as Piero
Cheryl Roy
as Bella
Brandon Saunders
as Groom
Eleni Sauvageau
as Bride
Kevin Sheehan
as Groom
Elise Spoerlein
as Bride
Stacy Stoltz
as Lydia
Britni Tozzi
as Bride
Walls Trimble
as Bride
Casey Wortmann
as Bride
Kelly Yacono
as Bride
Creative Team
Charles L. Mee
Author
Matt Hawkins
Director
Charlie McGrath
Assistant Director
Mike Mroch
Set Design
Heather Gilbert
Light Design
Brittany Dee Bodley*
Costume Design
Jeff Shields
Props Design
Heath Hays*
Sound Design
Marrissa Moritz
Choreography
Kathy Logelin
Dialects
Clare Roche
Stage Manager
Sarah Espinoza
Ass't Stage Manager
Aaron Cannon
Master Electrician
Sarah Burnham
Production Manager
* Strawdog Theatre ensemble member