Lookingglass Theatre Company’s world premiere musical of Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon, featuring original country western and folk songs, with book and music by Artistic Associate Matthew C. Yee, is currently playing at Lookingglass Theatre located in the Water Tower Water Works building (821 North Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611) through July 16!
Aurora Adachi-Winter and Yee
The cast features Matthew C. Yee as Charlie, Aurora Adachi-Winter as Lucy, Wai Ching Ho as Grandma, Daniel Lee Smith as Jeff, Matt Bittner as Gabriel, Doug Pawlik as Martin, Rammel Chan as Peter, Harmony Zhang as Bao, and Mary Williamson as Feinberg.
Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon – Ensemble
The creative team includes Yu Shibagaki (Scenic Design), Artistic Associate Sully Ratke (Costume Design), Marcella Barbeau (Lighting Design), Ensemble Member Andre Pluess (Sound Design), Paul Deziel (Projections Designer), Karissa Murrell Myers (Production Dramaturg and Cultural Consultant), Yiwen Wu (Research Dramaturg), R+D Choreography (Violence Designers), and Gaby Labotka (Intimacy Director). Stage Management by Katrina Herrmann and Alexis Wiley.
Chan, Smith and Ho
How would you sum up this one of a kind theater experience? It is an experience that is equal parts intimate, moving and downright funny. Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon is not your typical musical – it is more like a concert that takes you on a journey across the Midwest with two First Generation Asian American Renegades in love and on the run. Direct from his Broadway debut in Almost Famous The Musical, Matthew C. Yee’s quirky, quintessentially American yarn follows a young couple fleeing expectation and trawling up trouble along the way, while embracing the worst of the American Dream!
Harmony Zhang
Not knowing what to expect, I attended this with an open mind, though with high expectations. I ended up being blown away by a one of a kind, yet hilarious part musical, part parody, part satire, that made me laugh out loud the entire time. It has original music, lyrics and a script that pokes fun at everything from Asian American stereotypes to spaghetti westerns, while showcasing the importance of love, family, trust and loyalty.
Matthew C. Yee
The entire ensemble was cleverly cast. Adachi-Winter and Yee had perfect chemistry as the couple who meet at a bar and marry two weeks later. Their I-have-no-clue-how-to-rob-a-gas station experience leads to a hilarious series of events including human traffickers, law enforcement and a wacky family. Wai Ching Ho as Grandma was great as the teeny tiny mother of Charlie, and Daniel Lee Smith played Jeff, Charlie’s older video game playing uncle who has never left home. Williamsburg as Feinburg, the law security woman who partakes in karaoke was wonderful, including Chan, as her wannabe pupil, Peter, who also happens to be Charlie’s brother. Zhang as Bao rocked as a Chinese illegal immigrant who comes to the US to help pay off her sister’s debt, and Bittner and Pawluk were funny as the human trafficking duo.
Chan and Williamson
A big shout out to the clever script and well written original songs! The production consisted of a musical score that was part country and part folk rock. My favorite included the opening number, First Generation Asian American Renegades, sung by Charlie and Lucy, which I felt was one of the strongest songs in the show. Several of the cast members not only could sing, but also played their own instruments, which added to the impressiveness of the show.
Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon – Ensemble
I also do not want to forget to mention the brilliance of Shibagaki’s simple, yet effective be set design, which combined a western feel to the story, including a gas station, Grandma’s house, a karaoke bar, the traffickers’ hideout, and much more. Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon was a delightfully entertaining and hilarious theatrical treat that you do not want to miss. See it before it leaves!
Photos: Liz Lauren
In Celebration of 35 years, Lookingglass will be offering 35 tickets at $35 for all performances! To purchase tickets, visit the Lookingglass Theatre website.
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