Metcalf stars in Hunter’s LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD at Steppenwoolf, directed by Mantello — Page 2

Matt Legg said: "She will be at FanExpo (formerly Wizard World Comic Con) on Aug 17 and 18 in Rosemont, IL. She's relatively inexpensive for photos and autographs ($60). I look forward to meeting her there!"

Sadly I’m not local to the area, so the show is my one shot :/

if she does come out the "stagedoor" is typically the left door on the front of the building

Harriet Craig said: "Charles Isherwood gives the play a very favorable review in today’s Wall Street Journal. I can’t post a link because I only have the print edition, but Isherwood calls the play “one of his [Samuel D. Hunter] finest”, and raves about the performances by Laurie Metcalf (“Ms. Metcalf, as always, gives a performance of layered textures and rock-steady truthfulness”) and Micah Stock (whom he calls “terrific”)."

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/little-bear-ridge-road-review-laurie-metcalf-steppenwolf-4479a7d4?st=8802lge3hb47ler&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

 

We’re heading into the home stretch with less than two week’s remaining of the Steppenwolf Run… have there been any updates as to the status of this play beyond this run? I believe several Broadway producers have checked it out during this Chicago run, but have not heard anything lately about a Broadway transfer… anyone heard any news?

I’ll be in Chicago 8/5 and was really hoping this would extend. I guess that’s not happening? 

It was extended already, so I'm guessing not. (Based on my Saturday evening performance, it's packing 'em in, though.)

I think it would work great at the Hayes,

The play was so good it slightly cushioned them canceling "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" tonight. Slightly."

 

You got to see the better of the two

 

It could play anywhere. Again, virtually no set so all you need is room for a couch and some space on the sides of it. It could play at a tiny off Broadway house or with this cast, a smaller Broadway house would be perfect. It’s the performances and script that elevate everything, not the set. 

Saw this on Friday night. It was a thrill to be about thirty feet from Laurie Metcalf as she demonstrated complete mastery of the craft of acting. She has an incredible monologue (no spoilers, but if you've seen it, I'm referring to the "subset" speech) in which she seethes with anger and frustration but never overplays a moment. That was just the most memorable of many terrific moments and line readings. Micah Stock also mightily impresses -- in fact, he has more to carry even than Metcalf, as she has a couple of extended scenes offstage while he is on for probably 95% of the runtime. John Drea was also exceptional in a substantive supporting role. 

I don't see why this couldn't easily play the Hayes or Friedman as part of a season with Second Stage or MTC, though obviously it would work off-Broadway as well. Spinning the couch around to become a stand-in for a drink rail at a bar does smack a little of off-off-off-off-off-off Broadway, but there's no reason a couple of neon beer signs or something couldn't drop from the flies to dress up the change a little. The set itself is really inconsequential to the overall impact and a very few tweaks would make a big difference for a further commercial run. I feel like the ending maybe wasn't quite as impactful as it could have been, but that could also be addressed for a later run. Overall, this deserves the chance for more audiences to see it.

I was in Chicago for Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and was also disappointed the performance was cancelled Saturday evening, but at least I did get to experience this one.

For a show where SO much takes place with just sitting on the couch facing forward, being in the round could never work.