***** Marriott Theatre’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music” is thoroughly enjoyable. This is a story about spouses and lovers in Sweden, circa 1900, whose ideas of love, sex, and romance differ from each other. Sondheim’s profound music and lyrics spin a tale of confusion, distrust, dishonesty, and remorse. We hear the occasional discordant chord in keeping with piques of emotion fueled by the characters’ mismatched love interests. Meaningful direction by Nick Bowling makes the performance flow from one scene to the next, and he has assembled a very talented cast, crew, and orchestra to delight us, together with music director Ryan T. Nelson. Strong voices make this musical worthy of high praise together with excellent dance numbers by choreographer Katie Johanningman and associate choreographer Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson.Alexandra Silber engages the audience superbly as Desirée Armfeldt, whose sensual attractions for her long-absent lover Fredrik Egermann (Andrew Samonsky) predate his second marriage to his young wife Anne (Addie Morales). The story is largely told from the viewpoint of Desirée’s mother Madame Armfeldt (Carmen Roman), who has been acquainted with Fredrik for years as her attorney. What happens is that Fredrik’s desire for the glamorous Desirée is rekindled when he sees her on stage performing as an actress in a top-notch costume drama. Now he wants to spend more time with her, while making excuses to his virginal wife of eleven months. Other characters are equally ill at ease about their current romantic involvements. Fredrik’s melancholic son Henrik (Eldon Warner-Soriano) feels out of place in his own family and constantly doubts himself and his reasons for living. He has had a dalliance with their much-older domestic servant Petra (Madison Uphoff), while he harbors a secret yet unattainable love for his young stepmother. At the same time, Desirée has been clandestinely seeing Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm (Alan H. Green), who has been openly cheating on his wife Countess Charlotte Malcolm (Veronica Garza). Charlotte happens to be a good friend of Anne’s and her close confidante. Tensions come to a head when guests (and non-guests) arrive at Madame Armfeldt’s country estate in the second act… and drink the wine of truth. Plus, Desirée tells her own daughter Fredrika (Olivia Grace) that she wants to figure out a way to get Fredrik interested in her again so that he would leave his wife—so as to ensure that her daughter would finally have a daddy.
Highlights are many. There is “A Weekend in the Country”, with its fusion of singing and choreography, which crowns the first act before intermission. An especially well-known song is the sad and wonderful “Send in the Clowns”, sung by Silber as Desirée, first as an entire number and later briefly as a reprise. One of my favorite scenes is in connection with the song “It Would Have Been Wonderful”, where palpable tensions exist between Fredrik and Carl-Magnus, whose voices blend well together. Directing here is marvelous, with perfect blocking between the two characters.
Further, the orchestra, conducted by Brad Haak (who also doubles as a keyboardist) is nothing short of brilliant! An amazing footnote has to do with the orchestra reductions by Ryan T. Nelson. Considering that the original musical had a 27-piece orchestra, this production has whittled the number down to nine musicians, playing fourteen instruments, without any loss of power and quality. Separately, I enjoyed listening to Warner-Soriano playing cello as Henrik. Sound design and mix are often challenging between a live orchestra, vocalists, and instrumental soloists, and Michael Daly has done an outstanding job in this department, especially considering all the singing while dancing. Kudos must go to dance captain Michael Earvin Martin and assistant dance captain Ava Lane Stovall.
Scenic design for theater-in-the-round is always challenging, and Regina García does a nice job creating a multipurpose set combining interior and exterior spaces, together with Amy Peter’s prop design, where furniture and accoutrements are constantly being moved in and out to delineate scenes and actions. Benches are arranged and rearranged, and a piano is brought in at one point. Lighting is perfect for this show, under the aegis of Jesse Klug. The representation of the moon using a globular lamp is great, with its analogy to romance during summer nights. Plus, we see how the lights shift as the mood changes whenever the characters explore various relationships with each other. Here the lighting is never intrusive: It just adds to the flow of the musical.
Above all, costume design by Sally Dolembo is magnificent! For example, there’s the Athenian-style dress and the blue robe that Desirée wears, Fredrika’s black and white plaid dress, Carl-Magnus’s soldier-like uniform in aqua, and Anne’s pretty pink dress: all of which neatly add layers to each character’s distinct personality. I loved the smashing white costumes to depict what people visiting the estate would be wearing on a summer weekend, with the characters plus the ensemble dressed similarly yet uniquely. All this, together with the excellent wigs and makeup design by Miguel A. Armstrong, make for a vivid spectacle throughout.
As the incompatible couples converge at the country estate, shifting partnerships and bittersweet reconciliations take place. All the more, matriarch Madame Armfeldt waxes philosophical about the ways that people strive to serve their own needs for affection and attention. Although the collision of personalities on stage creates intrigue, the audience really doesn’t know what will happen next. While we each might have our suspicions, what is eventually revealed is how longing, regret, and second chances ultimately forge a “more perfect union” among the characters. In this modernized (almost-Shakespearean) comedy, everything eventually works out as well as it should be. We can only chuckle at the happy result.
“A Little Night Music” is playing through August 9, 2026, at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, in Lincolnshire.
Tickets start at $76, depending on date, seat location, and availability. Call the Marriott Theatre Box Office at 847-634-0200 for student, senior, and military discounts.
Performance schedule:
Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
No Wednesday evening performances on July 22nd, July 29th, and August 4th
Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.
Additional Thursday matinee performances:
July 23rd, July 30th, and August 5th, at 1:00 p.m.
Fridays at 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
No performances on Saturday, July 4th
Sundays at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
No Sunday evening performance on August 9th
For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://tickets.marriotttheatre.com/Online/default.asp or call the Marriott Theatre Box Office at 847-634-0200.
To make a restaurant reservation or to purchase a Dinner Theatre Package, or to learn about the Marriott Theatre’s other offerings, visit https://www.marriotttheatre.com/
or call 847-634-0100
To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “A Little Night Music”. photos by Justin Barbin
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