When Harry Met Rehab”

Highly Recommended ***** Walking into The Greenhouse Theater Center tonight, I realized just how long it had been since this building had a play. I am so glad that it is back and that they have a play that is meaningful, funny, emotional and all the things that most of us never have to experience or live through. Chicago sports fans may know the name Harry Teinowitz, a sports radio personality in town. “When Harry Met Rehab” is in a huge way, “his story” as written by him with Spike Manton. For those who have friends or family faced with drug or alcohol abuse/addiction, this play will bring back some memories or will lead you towards a way of helping them. For those of you who have never been witness to what alcohol or drugs can do to a person, or family, this is truly a learning experience and may allow you to be more tolerant of those who have to live with this.

Harry is played to perfection by Dan Butler. Many of you will recognize him from the TV show “Frazier” as Bulldog, the sports guy. ( perfect casting). Barb, ( played expertly by Melissa Gilbert, all grown up and no longer Laura Ingalls ) is the  Rehab Therapist and as we later find out, once lived in the same world as those she is helping.

Harry gets a DUI and is forced to enter rehab or lose his job and possibly his career and family. He resists at first, but as he works with his “group” he begins to see the importance of what can be done once people face who they are and what they have done or could do to themselves. He has every excuse possible, but so do the people who share his apartment and group. While they are a strange mix of personalities, the whole of their being takes on its own “persona” and this wild group become his new “family” making sure that he stays on the right path so that his daughter can color him happy once again.

The cast of players is terrific. Vince, the strongest of them all is played by Chike’ Johnson. Issaiah is a superb character study played by Keith D. Gallagher, George, the youngest of the group who continues to fall off the wagon ( so to speak) is well developed by Jonathan Moises Olivares and the one female in the group, Andrea is played by Elizabeth Laidlaw. Together, along with Mr Butler and Ms Gilbert, we find ourselves in the grasp of these amazing characters and their stores. Under the smooth direction of Jackson Gay, we watch this cast some alive and feel that each actor is indeed the person they represent. Yes, the fourth wall is broken and we are indeed observing the lifestyles of the drunk and druggies trying to get their lives back on track, or not?

I will not tell you what happens to each characters as that would spoil the story. I will tell you that there are some very sad moments and also some very happy ones with a lot of positivity for many of these “friends” and “roommates”. This is 90 minutes ( no intermission) of sheer artistry in storytelling and although it is not typical holiday fare, is indeed a play that you should try to see. If you have a family member that might be in need of help, for sure. Perhaps this play will open their eyes…or yours!

The set (Regina Garcia) is one that allows the actors to make scene changes easily and the costumes, which are very simple (Caitlin McCloud) are fitting for the characters. The projections of case studies ( Michael Commendatore) are a lesson for all and the lighting (Simean Carpenter) and sound ( Ray Nardelli and Christopher M. LaPorte) are perfect. I never missed a word.

“When Harry Met Rehab” is scheduled to run thru January 30th with performances as follows:

Wednesday  8 p.m.

Thursday  8 p.m.

Friday  8 p.m.

Saturday  3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Sundays  3 p.m.  and 7 p.m.

Tickets range from $42- $85 and can be purchased by calling the box office at 773-404-7336 or online at www.whenharrymetrehab.com

FYI_ There is no alcohol sold during this run, which makes sense.

The Greenhouse Theater Center is located at 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue

There are lots of new restaurants in the area and parking is available on the street (meters) and on side streets with  143 stickers

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “When Harry Met Rehab”.