“Parenthood Unplugged” a cabaret by 4Chairs Theatre

[rating=4] There is a lovely space in Arlington Heights called “Hey Nonny” ( some people refer to it as the perfect spot for music of all types). Lauren Berman is what I might call a seeker of talent. I know that part of what she does is work with young singers to improve their skills. I have also seen the work she does on stage as a director and her ability to make so-so performers truly shine! Her work with singers has been shown in many a concert at Hey Nonny located at 12 S. Vail Street. It is a restaurant for sure, but has a second room for music and performances. They bring every type of genre to the Village of Arlington Heights, so no matter what you like, just wait and they will have it. By the way, the food is truly special. ( I did a food review when they first opened).

Back to the evening. Instead of Lauren’s students taking the stage, tonight it was adults from all over with all types of musical experience. Six singers and a piano player who is also the musical director ( Kailey Rockwell, who has worked at many theaters in town) who also does a number on her own called “Everything Changes”. Since the evening and the show was about Parenthood, she chose hers as a “stepmother” as her parenting platform.

The six singers showed a lot of talent and when they selected songs that fit them, they brought the audience ( a full house by the way) to a roar of applause and shouts. For the most part the selections were perfect for them. I will say that some of them were brilliant. This is not to say that each and every performers was not good, but to say that the work they chose to perform was perfect.

The evening began with Jojo Farrell  doing “I’M Breaking Down”. I must say that Jo-Jo brought the house down with this number. Even with a flaw in Jojo’s performance, the audience loved the song and the personality. Mike Weaver had to follow this act, and did so with a flair doing “Lullabye:. Each performer for the most part had a story to tell along with the song. Something about growing up, or their parents or even parenting. The third singer, Leah Davis who I have reviewed in the past picked songs that are Mama related ( “Mama Will Provide” and “Don’t Tell Mama”) with her family sitting ringside and taking videos of every move she made. She played off them with great zest and they were perfect foils for her. She is a powerhouse on stage!

Dave Lemrise has been around the area doing regional works and had some great stories to go with his songs. “Fight The Dragon” was his first, but he truly showed his stuff when he donned his black derby and did “Mr. Cellophane” from Kander & Ebb’s “Chicago”. I felt that Bob Fosse had entered the Hey Nonny!  Alexis Armstrong did a marvelous rendition of “Stop Time” in the first Act, but truly brought out her talent when she did “Days and days” and a duet with Mike of “Slipping Through My Fingers”. Mike showed his special qualities in this one as well as the comic touch in “The Song That No One Likes”. Masterful, to say the least.

The sixth performer was Linda Andrews, a bright light who as it turns out has an alter ego named Vanna Tease ( a burlesque queen). I thought they had forgotten her during the entire first act, as she just sat onstage smiling and listening to each of her cast members do their thing. She took the stage for the finale of Act one with a powerful rendition of “Mommy Is A Rockstar”. She truly rocked. In the second act she did “He’s My Boy” to perfection and then joined with Leah to close out the show with “Get Happy/Happy Days” ( a marvelous piece to end a marvelous evening..

This was an impressive show , as they have all been, but the difference is that these are adults who have been there, done that, and want to do even more. Lauren asked me when I was going to do one of these shows with her. Maybe I will. There are times that I miss “The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd”. To keep up with 4 chairs, visit www.4chairstheatre.org