Coming Out Of The Dark

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 1, 2005 3:55PM

One of the reasons why we like the Goodman Theatre (don’t start) and why it’s so quintessentially Chicago is that it never gets too big for its britches. They may be world-famous but they didn’t get named Best Regional Theater by Time Magazine for nothing.

So it follows that they’d not only be giving us a free workshop performance of an upcoming show but that the show would be Brigid Murphy’s Without A Song. A former alto saxophonist with Poi Dog Pondering, Murphy is well-known in Chicago for creating Milly’s Orchid Show, a mixture of poetry, music and carnival acts.

The show details Murphy’s fight with cancer (material she and her husband Frank Orral explored on Poi’s 1995 release Pomegranate) in a story about “falling in love...and learning to live again.” We were about to sound a Lifetime Alert until we found out there’d be jazz standards and “a bevy of chorus boys.” Plus: free! And maybe she’ll throw in a fire-eater or two.

Performances of Without A Song will begin at 7 PM on June 4th, 5th, 11th, and 12th in the Goodman’s Owen Theatre. Though it is a free event, you’ll have to call 312-443-3800 to reserve tickets.