Many of us rarely venture outside our own neighborhoods when heading out for a night’s entertainment. This presents a challenge for any theater company, but perhaps more so for those in out-of-the-way communities looking to attract audiences beyond their surrounding suburbs.
“I tell my friends I’m doing a show in Arlington Heights and it’s really hard to convince them to come out here and see it,” said Evanston-based actress Lucinda Johnston after finishing a recent performance of “The Vagina Monologues” at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. “They think it’s such a long way out.”
But for a charming night on the town, Metropolis is well worth the visit.
With its folksy, snuggly ambience, you’ll want to hang around and soak the place up. With a little planning, your night can include tickets to a show with dinner and shopping beforehand, plus a summer evening stroll around Arlington Heights and maybe a drink or two after final curtain. The 5-year-old Metropolis happens to be smack dab in the middle of the recently renovated suburban village, which on an August evening can be bustling with people visiting restaurants, boutiques and ice cream shops.
For those in the northern suburbs, Metropolis is a quick trip from home, and from downtown Chicago, it’s about 45 minutes by car. The same goes for many other suburban theater companies, some of which have made themselves into destination points by focusing on a specific niche. Writers’ Theater in Glencoe, for example, offers cozy and witty productions of classics by playwrights such as George Bernard Shaw; the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire presents a steady lineup of old-fashioned musicals.
Comparatively speaking, the schedule at Metropolis is all over the map–and at least some of the bookings this summer seem a little musty. In addition to “The Vagina Monologues,” there are productions of “Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding,” “Flanagan’s Wake” and a Second City best-of revue called “Girls Night Out.”
But like a breath of fresh air, “Beyond Therapy,” Christopher Durang’s comedy about love and therapists, is a bright new show with performances through Sept. 25.
Not long ago, I ventured to Arlington Heights to catch a performance of “The Vagina Monologues,” which runs through November.
But first, a late afternoon stroll along the main intersection where Campbell Street meets Vail Avenue. (There is street parking and a garage on the west side of Vail between Campbell and Sigwalt Streets that offers free spots for theater patrons.)
My first stop was Urban Harvest, a gourmet food store owned and run by Mary Ellen Hogan. It carries everything from fruit salads and decadent sweets to pre-made side dishes such as Tuscany bean salad. There is also a selection of wines and chilled microbrews.
The shop is across the street from Harmony Park, a tidy, grassy enclave where a free (and, according to Hogan, very popular) concert series called “Sounds of Summer” takes place Friday evenings at 7 p.m. As we talked about the town, the driver of a passing pickup truck whistled in our direction.
“Oh, that’s my neighbor,” Hogan assured me. “I’m Brownie leaders with his wife.”
She steered me toward a pile of Carol’s Cookies, big honking things that look like bloated scones. If you like your chocolate chip cookies cakey and very filling, this is your heaven.
Turning east onto Campbell, I nosed around a few shop windows. At Victoria’s Books, a used and antiquarian bookstore with moss-green carpeting and wallpaper flecked with roses, owner John Meinhardt showed me a 1910 copy of L. Frank Baum’s “Land of Oz.”
Later, I grabbed dinner at Regina’s, a mellow-hued Italian eatery next door, where I scarfed down a plate of veal medallions in mascarpone sauce. Afterward, I continued down Campbell Street to Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream shop, where a flavor called anniversary cake caught my eye, with its yellow cake batter ice cream and colorful frosting chunks. But show time was approaching and, with my Carol’s Cookie weighing down my shoulder bag, I decided to head to the theater.
Though not sold out, a good portion of the theater was full. Metropolis, unlike most venues of this caliber, allows drinks inside the theater–the seats come equipped with drink holders. Generally, a bar in the lobby is open before curtain and during intermission. And many partake, according to Jim Jarvis, who heads Metropolis’ public relations and is the director of “The Vagina Monologues.” An alcohol-infused crowd, he said, often makes for boisterous audience participation segments.
This show has been making the rounds for several years and Jarvis’ production is a good one, hitting many of the right comedic and poignant notes in its monologues about female sexuality. The cast, happy to mingle with the audience, frequently goes out after the show and there are at least three watering holes where you can grab food and drink at this late hour–which is more than you can say for Chicago’s Loop theater district, where tumbleweeds might as well roll down Randolph Street for all its post-show cocktail options.
Downstairs from the theater is the Boiler Room. The vibe is modern and upscale, with votive candles, black leather booths and exposed brick walls. Live music is frequently on the bill, which necessitates a small cover charge.
Just down the street is alittle piece of Wrigleyville in the northwest suburbs called Harry’s of Arlington. The 1893 building was formerly a general store. Later, it was used as local campaign headquarters during Richard Nixon’s 1972 bid for re-election. The decor today is strictly sports bar, plus an outdoor patio.
On this night, however, we decamped for Peggy Kinnane’s Irish Restaurant & Pub across the street from the theater. Everything in the place was shipped over from Ireland, said owner Derek Hanley–not just the knickknacks such as the old bicycle, trophies and plaques, but mundane things including the generic-looking tables and chairs, which lent an air of verisimilitude, as did Hanley’s genuine Irish accent.
The room was packed, mostly with people in their 30s, but many a few decades older. We found a booth and ordered a round. Amid talk of past audience encounters–many theater-goers have tried to predict (often inaccurately) which of the actresses is straight or gay–we debated whether to head over to Harry’s for karaoke.
But the hour was late and a long drive home awaited most of us. Before we dispersed, a group of women at the next table waved hello. They had just seen the show.
“To `The Vaginas!'” they toasted, sending us off into the night.
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Guide to Arlington Heights
Now playing at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St; contact 847-577-2121 or www.metropolisarts.com:
“The Vagina Monologues” by Eve Ensler; 7:30 p.m. Wed. through Nov. 9; $25.
“Beyond Therapy” by Christopher Durang; 7:30 p.m. Thu., 8 p.m. Fri., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sat, 3 p.m. Sun. through Sept. 25; $19-37.
“The Second City Theatricals Presents Girls Night Out”; 10 p.m. Fri., 9 p.m. Sat. through Sept. 3; $22-$27.
“Flanagan’s Wake”; 7:30 p.m. Tue. in an open run from Aug. 2; $25.
“Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding”; 5 p.m. Sun. in a yearlong run beginning Aug. 7; $65.
Steve March Torme in “Torme Sings Torme”; 7 p.m. Fri., 6 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. through Sept. 4; $39.50.
Also check out:
Urban Harvest, 4 S. Vail Ave.; 847-632-0860
Victoria’s Books, 13 W. Campbell St.; 847-788-1313
Regina’s Ristorante, 27 W. Campbell St.; 847-394-2728
Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, 5 W. Campbell St.; 847-454-9178
Boiler Room Music Lounge, 2 S. Vail Ave.; 847-398-8700
Harry’s of Arlington, 1 N. Vail Ave.; 847-577-2525
Peggy Kinnane’s Irish Restaurant & Pub, 8 N. Vail Ave.; 847-577-7733
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onthetown@tribune.com
