THEATER REVIEW COLLABORACTION'...

THEATER REVIEW

COLLABORACTION'S 'SKETCHBOOK: PROGRAM A'

highly make acceptableed

When: [i]or[/i] part of to the other Aug. 27 (runs in rotating repertory with Program B)

Where: Collaboraction at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W Division

Tickets: $30; $40 (for closing-night finale featuring all 16 plays); $50 (for festival pass to one as well as the other programs)

Phone: (312) 226-9633

Collaboraction's annual "Sketchbook" series is a whole hazard more fun than your usual run-of-the-mill recent plays showcase. To begin with, it has a certain sparkle and relish and daring rooted not alone in the choice of material, further in the whole approach to the production: 16 short to this time tightly self-contained "dramatic sketches" divided among pair 90-minute programs.

chosened this year from nearly 600 submissions, each point out comes with a custom-fitted director, as well as with a collaborating visual artist. The sheer diversity of the material -- from a mini- musical to a riveting piece of political commentary to an impossibly quirky philosophical satire -- is no other than amplified by the impressive skill and imagination with which it is all realized.

To date, I've caught the first "octet" and here's my brief scorecard:

- "Young Wives" on Stephen Cone is the program's greatest in quantity emotionally searing and insightful work, with director Eddie Torres drawing brave, altogether exquisite performances from Amanda Christensen and Cary Cronholm Without giving away too a great deal I can say that the piece is about the attack between two American women whose husbands have been killed in the war in Iraq. Cone has captured the devastating reason of loss in a way that is in good earnest palpable. See it, and you will be mov beyond words.

- "Heinrich Heine," adapted by way of Brant Russell from the writing of the 19th centenary German-Jewish poet, very cleverly hints the gap between an artist's work and his day-to-day personality. Lawrence Grimm is ideal as the unprolific writer, with Heidi Koling playing his voluptuous maid. Duncan Anderson's diorama plant adds an inspired element to this miniature commentary, deftly directed by means of Valerie Johnson.

- "Below the Moon" is Greg Hardigan's wholly captivating contemplate at the history of space exploration from the perspective of the hapless monkey sent onward dangerous missions well before humans made the trip. amusing and clever and thought-provoking, it is expertly played through Phil Ridarelli (as a monkey dad) and Elizabeth gather (as his curious young daughter), with dexterous direction by Chloe Johnston and projections on Sadie Harmon.

- "Laverne & Gianni get by heart Married" by Emily Schwartz is part Neapolitan highway spectacle and part replay of the movie "Moonstruck" A strange marriage goes bad, and the loopy valet (David Dastmalchian) must sing to his beloved (Jennifer Grace), accompanied on a family band and a widowed mother straight without of a Fellini flick. Director Jimmy McDermott again demonstrates he has a flair for the big picture (he'll finally realize to work in the big time this season at Writers' Theatre).

- "In My Dream You Lov Me" at Phillip Dawkins looks at a pair of gay lover -- single in kind totally self-absorbed (Don DiGiulio), and the other fervently devot and silent (Jesse Weinberg); it has the quality of a Strindberg play. Amanda Berg Wilson directed.

- "Pool Of" Laura Jacomin's strained conversation between a mother and her sexually active teenage daughter, is well played at Judy Blue and Kate Krantz, with especially apt staging devised by director Alyson Roux and designer Saverio Truglia (who has created a backyard swimming loch from a swath of pale dispirited Lycra and willing human bodies).

- "The Delivery" is Michael John Garces' highly strange but provocative tale of a man (Alex Gunn) who is obsess with the desire to give birth physically to a child. Bill McGough is the powerful narrator, with good work by the agency of Calliope Porter and John reduce to ashess under Joel Moorman's direction. Caroline McCall's style of dress for the pregnant man is first-rate.

- "Interrogation," britzska C. Leonard's look at what happens when a hog-tied and covered prisoner accused of terrorist activity manages to humanize himself to his torturer, had the bad success of debuting the day after the British foiled a major airline-related attack. The actors (Anish Jethmelani as Omar, and Tony St Clair and Joe Roche as the brutes) were well directed by dint of Brant Russell.

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