“Songs for Nobodies”

Highly Recommended ***** Bethany Thomas is a gift to the world of entertainment! There, I said it! Chicago ( and Milwaukee) audiences are familiar with Ms Thomas. We have seen her grace many of our area stages, but never like you see her in this tour-de-force performance now on stage at Northlight Theatre in Skokie. The piece is called “Songs For Nobodies” by Joanna Murray-Smith, directed by Rob Lindley with musical direction by Andra Velis Simon. This is two hours of captivating stories and music with a performance by Ms Thomas that will hold you spellbound for the two hours ( no intermission, and I didn’t care) she graces the stage.

When you walk into the venue, you will see a blank stage with levels and microphones all over. In fact, there are microphones hanging from the ceiling. Ms. Thomas takes on many personalities during this amazing story. The stories are those of “other” women, not the stars that she will portray. They are the powder room attendant and her meeting with Judy Garland and a wonderful “Come Rain Or Come Shine” ( Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) and when Ms. Thomas does this song, if you close your eyes, you will swear that you are listening to an old recording done by Ms Gumm herself. ( for those who don’t know, Ms Gumm IS Judy Garland).

Each story that we hear is unique and the story is told from the standpoint of a “nobody” who has that one brief shining moment where they meet fame and fame likes them!

The other voices she takes on are those of Patsy Cline ( “Crazy” by Willie Nelson and “Stand By Your Man” written by Tammy Wynette and Billy Sherrill),  Billie Holiday ( probably the greatest Jazz singer in our history) as she does “Lady Sings the Blues” written by Holiday herself.

She also takes on the role of Edith Piaf and then Maria Callas ( her vocal range will astound you ).

This is an extraordinary evening of music and storytelling and Ms Thomas truly shines in every way. While we have all seen her ripen over the years, becoming a true master of the stage, her performance in this piece is one that one should call a MUST SEE>

We all get to share with her these stories about ordinary women, who by sheer accident had an encounter with a legendary diva, and how this impacted their lives. I am sure there are evn more of these out there and I am hopeful that  somehow Ms Murray-Smith can find them and bring them to a local stage as well. I would just love to see Ms Thomas do a little “Sophie Tucker”- wouldn’t that rock Skokie?

The music is provided by Ms Simon ( conductor/keyboard), Yulia Block ( drums and accordian), Kelsee Vandervall (cello/percussion) and Sean McNeely (contractor). The sound ( Lindsay Jones) is perfect as are Jesse Klug’s lights.

Part of the beauty of the show is the feeling that Ms Thomas brings to each of the characters she portrays, both the Diva and the “ordinary woman”. If you watch her face, you can actually see a transformation. She becomes each of these ladies and her entire persona as well as voice does as well. No wonder the entire audience stood when the lights dimmed- this is a MUST SEE and you only have until October 31st.

Performances are as follows:

Tuesday ( October 19th)  7:30 p.m.

Wednesdays   1 p.m. ( except 10/27) and 7:30 p.m.

Thursdays  7:30 p.m.

Fridays  8 p.m.

Saturdays  2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Sundays  2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.(10/10 and 10/17 only)

Tickets range from $30 and are available at the box office  847-673-6300 or online at www.northlight.org

This show was supposed to be part of the 2020 season and so Ms Thomas has waited some 18 months to bring these ladies to the stage in Skokie- Well worth the wait.

Northlight Theatre is located at 9501 Skokie Blvd ( North Shore Center for the Performing Arts)

Plenty of free parking.

The Northlight Theatre is following all the CDC standards. You will need to follow them with Vac cards and wearing of masks

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Songs for Nobodies”.