***** A few months ago, I was talking about one of Chicago’s finest actresses, Kate Fry, and how I never miss a play that she is in. No matter the role, the type of play ( comedy or serious), and in the very beginning of her Chicago career, a musical ( I think the first thing I saw with her was a mini version of “My Fair Lady” and I fell in love with her Eliza Doolittle. I am still enamored by her ability to take over the stage and in Northlight Theatre’s current production, “Birthday Candles”, a Chicago area premiere written by Noah Haidle, it seems as if the role she is playing was written with her in mind.

This 90 minute story, keenly directed by Jessica Thebus on a magnificent set (Sotirios Livaditis) is a story of life, love and significance. Our main character is Ernestine Ashworth ( Ms Fry) and at the very start, in the kitchen ( the show takes place in the same kitchen, year after year), she is celebrating her 17th birthday, with her mother ( Cyd Blakewell, who also plays several other roles) as they do the family traditions of baking the birthday cake and marking the wall with the height and age. This tradition becomes more of a ritual during the play and over the years as we see Ernestine age and change.

While we are going through a great many years and life-changing moments, Ms. Fry never leaves the stage, doing her transitions from year to year and decade to decade with tone of voice, mannerisms, and dialogue. In watching the years go by, I for one, felt her aging.

The cast of players, who are asked to play many roles is composed of Chik’e Johnson ( as Matt and William), Corbertte Pasko ( as Joan, Alex and Beth), and Samuel B. Jackson ( as Billy and John). Timothy Edward Kane plays Kenneth, the boy next door who has always had a “thing” for Ernestine and every birthday shows up to “make her day”.

During this play, we go through her 18th birthday, and her finding love, although her plan was never to go to the Prom as it might lead to marriage. We go to her 41st, her 70th and even her 101st birthday. On each of these days, the cake and marking process/tradition must take place. We see her marry, have children, lose a child, have her first grandchild and on and on, life progresses with the years.

The story is deep and very realistic. I knew a girl back in Belvedere Illinois who lived in a farmhouse that had been her great grandmothers and they had all the markings of the kids as they grew. I would imagine that Karen might still live there and Ernestine just might be her.

Every character in this play has depth. They are real in all ways and as we witness the changes in their lives, including Ernestine outliving them all, we know that there was a great deal of love and nurturing in this old house. When at long last, Kenneth proposes, watching Kane get down on his knee is hysterical.  Fry and Kane play well together.

The tech side of this production is flawless. Sound (Andre Pluess), lighting ( JR Lederle) and costumes (Rachel Anne Healy) and the props (Bren Coombs did one heck of job) are sheer perfection.

The only drawback to this show is that you only have the opportunity to see it thru October 8th.

This is one of those DO NOT MISS! plays.

I also suggest a bunch of Kleenex ( I used 6). The tears are both of happiness and sadness as we watch lives of these people change and then end. The final scene on Ernestine’s final birthday in the house, is powerful and will get at least a tear in your eye ( even if you are not a crier).

“Birthday Candles” will continue thru – Oct 8, 2023, with performances as follows: