There's something special happening at the Apollo Theater right here in Chicago, and it will continue to happen until the end of December. It's a play called The Sparrow that has received lots of glowing reviews from people who love the good things in life, and my wife bought two tickets as my birthday present. We were unprepared for how much we would love The Sparrow.

The story sounds dark - the only surviving member of a small town second grade class that suffered a fatal and tragic bus accident returns to town ten years later to graduate from high school. The drama comes primarily from her not knowing how to live in this town and the town not knowing how to accept her. But wait, there's something else you should know... Emily - that's the girl - has... well, she has powers. She can "make things happen" when she puts her mind to it.

The story is stirring and the acting is hyperbole-inducing. But what really made the show for us was two things:

1 - The writing is really beautiful. Everyone has their own voice, there's never a wasted scene. There are a dozen or so actors playing more than two dozen characters and every one of them is memorable. There are little moments that give the play heart, and there's a lot of humor. The humor really endeared me to these characters and when things got intense in the second act (as they often do) , the play really earned its emotional weight.

2 - I don't know enough about theater to call something 'groundbreaking', but this performance used the medium in a way I hadn't seen before. Emily's powers come to life in a real hearbeating way, but they do it on a budget of almost nothing. There are no special effects (save one maybe) and everything is done through lighting, sound, choreography, simple and effective props and especially motion. It has to be seen to be appreciated. It's simply dazzling and it is the main reason I would love to see the show again.

(2a - The music is pretty great as well)

So, if you live here, I think this is one of those must-see shows. It's a Chicago original and from what I've read, it seems like it won't always be a Chicago-only show. It's the original cast and everyone from the writers and directors to the stage managers seem to be putting their whole heart into it. If you have the opportunity, it's even worth a trip to Chicago. But hurry, it's here through the end of December, and the first two runs of the show completely sold out. Last night wasn't sold out so you may be able to get tickets, and friends, I'm convinced it's just about the best entertainment in Chicago right now.

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