“Judgement Day”

Let’s face it. Opening night tends to have all the reviewers, freinds and families of the performers and staff as well as contributors and season ticket holders. Going to a later performance or better yet a matinee ( with many more seniors in attendance). Jane and I went today, a Saturday to a 2:30 p.m. matinee. I would say the audience was composed of many seniors, visitors to the city and with all the stuff going on at Navy Pier on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, many non-traditional theater-goers.

The play, “Judgement Day” written by Rob Ulin ( a writer for sit-coms over the years) is a story about an attorney, one Sammy Campo ( played by Jason Alexander with a little George Costanza mixed in), who only cares about his bottom line. He is a wheeler dealer who will take down anyone who gets in his way, no matter what. In the early stages of this two act, 2 hour play, Sammy has a heart attack. While the surgeons are working on him, we see him leave the operating table where he is met by his former Catholic teacher, Sister Margaret ( played to comic perfection by Candy Buckley) who is an angel. She is there to deliver his message that he is not getting into Heaven, but rather Hell. However, should he change his ways and do some good, this may be altered.

Sammy decides Hell is not where he wants to be and so he looks to aid people and asks the help of Father Michael (deftly handled by Daniel Breaker) who has a poor congregation. He also goes back to his wife, who he walked out on when she got “fat”. Tracy ( a wonderful character developed by Maggie Bofill, who also plays two other characters) as it turns out has a son ( the reason she became “fat”) named Casper ( sharply played by young Ellis Myers) and we get to watch Sammy work with the lad to show care and get some points with the Lord.

There is also an elderly lady who needs help fighting an insurance claim for her late husband played by Meg Thalken and the insurance man played by Joe Dempsey ( both of these actors are known to Chicago audience) . There is also Olivia D. Dawsn playing two important parts; Sammy’s secretary and a school principal, and the last cast member is Michael Kostroff as The Monsignor. You will recognize this actor from TV as well as some local productions and Broadway as well. This is a very funny character.

Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel on a set designed by  Beowulf Boritt, this play moves along very quickly. The costumes (Tilly Grimes), lighting (Amith Chandrasher), sound ( Mikaal Sulaiman) and fight and intimact director (Max Fabian) have all done their work and the production runs very smooth. While there are some very funny lines and cute bits, I am not sure that this play is ready fro prime time. Yes, as long as Alexander is in the leading role, people will buy tickets to see him live and onstage. Let’s fact it millions of people love “Costanza”! In my opinion, Sammy needs to be developed so that he is not like George, but rather  like some of the attorneys we see on TV ads that say “in a wreck, get a check”. The sleezier, the better.

I am sure they are working on updates on a regular basis. They need to tighten the ship a little for Broadway, but in the meantime, it is an entertaining and funny show with your chance to see George , oops- sorry, Jason Alexander on stage at The Chicago Shakespeare Theatre “The Yard” venue!