The Bar Show- “Little Shop of Lawyers” reviewed by Edie Reese

[rating=5] I’m not going to lie to you. I was once in the Bar Show cast. But the last show that I participated in was 16 years ago, and I was truly blown away by the talent shown by veterans and newcomers in the Bar Show’s current “road show” version, which played last night at Congregation BJBE. You’ll get another opportunity to see them on February 25 when they’ll appear at BHBE Synagogue in Wilmette (more on that later). Yes, these are all lawyers who hold down day jobs. This is an irreverent musical comedy revue parodying local and national political, sports and showbiz figures. (Regarding politics, no one on either side of the political divide is spared.) Some of these lawyers have also written all of the material being performed. Don’t miss this chance for an evening of bust-your-gut laughter!

One particularly funny parody song was “The Gummie Song” sung to the tune of “Money, Money” from Cabaret. Rainell Rains, Larry Aaronson and David Miller play three senior citizens extolling the virtues of marijuana-laced gummies and other products to cure “what ails ya” as an elderly person. Both timely and funny was “Right Wing Girls”, a singing cat fight between Liz Cheney (Kate Kelly) and Marjorie Taylor Green (Jacqueline Carroll). There was even a bit worked in at the last minute about the Chinese Spy Balloon.

The Bar Show has a long history—in fact, it will celebrate its 100 Year Anniversary in December of 2023. The Bar Show started out as “Christmas Spirits” in 1924, when a few Chicago Bar Association members decided to liven up an annual yule-tide dinner. It was a single sketch of dearly departed lawyers communicating with their living brethren through a telephone booth. The institution grew from the Bar Association dining room to a series of hotel ballrooms (complete with catered dinners). Female lawyers didn’t join the cast until the 1970’s (and it took a lawsuit to do so). Sometime during the late 1990’s it became too expensive for the Bar Association to pay for union construction of a special but temporary set on hotel property, so they began to look for a place where a stage already existed. DePaul’s Merle Reskin Theater was accommodating. The move to the Reskin focused more on the artistic and technical aspects of the show; the dinner portion was dropped, and the ticket prices were reduced. Still, publicity for the Bar Show was mostly through word of mouth from cast members and the occasional feature on radio or TV.

Then came 2021 and the Pandemic. Theaters were dark. There had always been an Bar Show, even during WWII, but Mother Nature proved too wily for even a bunch of very creative lawyers. There was an “On-Line Bar Show,” a few parody songs put together on-line, but there was no live show. By 2022 the writers were prepared with new material, the cast was rehearsed and …two weeks before the show was to go on, the Merle Reskin faced staffing issues, which meant that the Bar Show had two weeks to find a new performance “home.” Given the crush of newly opening theatrical productions in Chicago, it was impossible to do so, despite valiant efforts by the Bar Show team and the Chicago Bar Association.

Plans now focused on securing a theatrical home for December, 2023, and the current show was re-tailored for a “road show” version. Minus the sets, lighting and sound system and with only the barest hints of costuming, the talent of the fifteen member cast (David Miller, Jay Schlebbenbach, Jacqueline Carroll, Ron Balfour, Larry Aaronson, Jacque Donahue, Lindsay Millman, Jeffrey Marks, Mghnon Martin, Carissa Meyer, Ebony Smith, Mike Weaver, Dan Teinowitz,and Kate Kelly) is onstage, guided by Jeff-Award winning director-choreographer Marla Lampert. Musical Director Brad MacDonald is responsible for the musical and vocal arrangements for the show. He is also the Road Show accompanist.
When the show opens at its “permanent” home in December, two additional Jeff-Award winners (Scenic Designer Angie Weber-Miller and Projection Designer Tony Church) will add their technical talents to the show’s production. The Bar Show will have a full cast of about 50 lawyers in full costume and makeup and a full show length of about two hours. (The current Road Show is about ninety minutes long, which flies by.) Lead Producer Carissa Meyer and Assistant Producer Jeff Marks hint that other, special visual effects may be in store to mark the Show’s centenary celebration.

So here’s the scoop on how to see the funniest show in town long before December. The show is on February 25, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. at Beth Hillel Bnai Emunah (BHBE) Synagogue, 3320 Big Tree Lane, Wilmette IL 60091 Tickets are $45 before February 19, after that date the price goes up to $50. The price includes dessert and parking. To purchase tickets visit bit.ly/littleshopoflawyers. For directions and parking information, visit bhbe.org/about.

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