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Friday, March 29, 2024

Art Talk – Play With Fire

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Last week I did something that I rarely do: I played hooky from work. I—the diligent former student who attended school on Senior Ditch Day. I’m also the one who won a pair of Cubs tickets for having perfect attendance in high school, but didn’t accept because it meant having to take a day off to attend the game.

Not wanting to be completely irresponsible, I reported to my job at the Naperville Fine Art Center & Gallery and worked for a few hours before sneaking off to an afternoon at Oakbrook Terrace’s Drury Lane Theatre. Upon entering the lobby, I was spotted by a couple of season-ticket holders who also happen to be art league members. I began to experience a touch of agita that became full blown panic after the receipt of an urgent text message stating something had come up at work and a meeting was required – ASAP!

Too bad! My plans were already in place. I turned off the phone and took my seat. Soon the darkened auditorium became electric as the ensemble cast of “Billy Elliot The Musical” broke into song.

The next two and a half hours were mesmerizing; my feelings of guilt and anxiety dissolved into a sense of awe and wonderment. The stage served as an intimate setting where emotions ran high. Audience members embraced scenes of heart-wrenching poignancy and violence, joyful exuberance and razor sharp sarcasm all whirling in a pirouette of frustration, rebellion, politics and hardship.

Sadly, “Billy Elliot’s” run will come to a close on June 7, but the discovery of Drury Lane will leave a lasting impression: a 20-minute car ride will transport you to a spacious, elegant theater filled with high quality productions and expert performances. This is a treasure you need to experience, so do whatever you can to see a Drury Lane presentation.

Life will wait—theater won’t.

FYI: Drury Lane Theatre & Conference Center, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181. Phone (630) 530-8300 or visit www.drurylaneoakbrook.com.

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Debbie Venezia
Debbie Veneziahttp://www.artsdupage.org
Debbie Venezia is the Director of Arts DuPage, a DuPage Foundation initiative. Contact her at debbie@dupagefoundation.org or visit www.artsdupage.org.

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