Theater is sometimes referred to as “the magnificent invalid” for a variety of reasons including weak box office. The artful, complex storytelling technique has been around for more than 2,500 years and as such seems to be firmly situated as a marker for what makes us human. Thus, even though times and activities change, the magnificent invalid still survives.

Peoria has a reputation as a town that supports live performances with our once proud vaudeville traditions and stately old proscenium theaters, and today we continue to haul our atoms out of our digital dungeons to enter the social atmosphere of theater. In an age that has seen the demise of fraternal organizations, bowling leagues and all manner of other social organizations, theater has a small but devoted audience.
This past month, I have spent many happy hours in our local theaters. The common theme with three offerings was sexuality (straight and gay) and youth.
Bradley opened its season with “Spring Awakening,” a rock opera adaptation of Franz Wedekind’s 1895 play of the same name. It is the story of high school students in repressed, conservative Lutheran Germany and what happens when they “awake.”
ICC opened its season with “Avenue Q,” a rock musical with puppets and satirizing Sesame Street on adult themes.
Cornstock Winter Playhouse opened with “Bare,” another completely sung show with a rock score and also about a group of high schoolers this time in a residential Catholic school rehearsing the senior class play “Romeo and Juliet” and living through many of Shakespeare’s situations only with a twist. The actor/singers, director, musicians, musical director and technicians were almost all millennials and announce that the future of theater in Peoria will be robust.
We’ve come a long way baby from the repression of 1895 to singing and dancing with puppets about our sexuality in all its manifestations. I cannot help but to think that shows such as these have contributed to our more open, tolerant attitudes toward sex.
Also at Cornstock was “November,” a political satire about a weak Blago-style president, by David Mamet who has built his career as a playwright on the “f-bomb.” Mamet is not for everyone and calls for an adult mordant sense of humor and true to form the house of about 190 seats was half full.
Last spring, I went to New York to see former Peorian and recent Cornstock artist-in-residence, Steve Vinovich who was appearing on Broadway in “All the Way” as well as understudy to Brian Cranston, who played LBJ. The play and performances were excellent and won best play and best actor awards. The thing is that when I saw Mr. Cranston, he had been with the part for almost a year, opening in Boston, and then he would play eight a week for a 15-week Broadway run.
“November” played for five performances total. The cast and director spent countless hours of rehearsal and preparation to do it five times in front of an audience. David Cook played the part of the president very well on opening night. It is a monster of a role and to all appearances, to be letter perfect on opening is an achievement to be noticed. The “November” cast and crew had a further complication to deal with consisting of the loss of an entire week of rehearsal time on the stage because of a very special opportunity.
Christine St. John, formerly of Peoria, now London, came through town with her one-woman show that she wrote and stars in titled “Bette Davis, On the Edge.”
She is in the process of building the role through repetition and selection before playing in New York and finally London. Cornstock served as an out of town opening for her.
The house was sold out for both performances and for good reason. She was sensational as she held court alone on stage for almost two hours. Talk about working without a net!
Peoria Players opened its season with the old chestnut, “The Odd Couple.” Time has not been kind to Neil Simon’s early work that seems dated and not very funny now. Director Lana Warner was lucky to have two of our best local actors, Nate Downs and Dave Schick, for her leads and a competent supporting cast as well who successfully entertained the half-full house.
On Oct. 3, an Indie film crew was on the banks of the Mackinaw River shooting for “Convergence” written and produced by brothers Corey and Curtis Gilbert who grew up in Tremont and now run “p3mediaworks” in Chicago.
It was a cold and windy day on the location, and the young, energetic crew went about their work of setting lighting, camera angles, special effects, costumes, make up and directing the actors with professional skill during the six-hour shoot.
The pyro technique crew employed a flying drone to capture an overhead shot while the ground crew lit up a conflagration on the sand bar. Following the shot at the river, they then went to Tremont’s football homecoming to film into the night for some fan in the stand shots to also be used in the film. Money for the shoot was raised through crowd funding on the Internet, and the film will eventually be available following a premiere in Chicago sometime in December.
Previews of coming attractions at Cornstock include “The Shape of Things” by Neil LaBute, directed by Christopher Gray (director of “Avenue Q”), Nov. 14 opening. At Bradley, Pulitzer winner “Proof” with guest artist Charlie Brown opening Nov. 13. At ICC, “When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder?” in the Studio Theater for nine performances opening Nov. 14.