I only saw three concerts at Ravinia this summer, and they all happened to be in August. It’s such a summer tradition for me and I was kind of bummed that I didn’t have a chance to go up there earlier in the season. It’s so nice to wander around the park before show time – you can marvel at the new pedestrian underpass (seriously, it’s pretty rockin’), stock up on glow rings at the gift shop, buy some overpriced food (although the giant carrot cake cupcakes and the garlic parmesan fries are totally worth it) and people watch. My mind is always blown by the amount of stuff people bring to the park. I’m all about minimizing the stuff I have to schlep around. I usually sit in the pavilion anyway, but on the rare occasions when I’ve brought food, it’s been a pretty modest spread. Sandwiches, bottles of water, fruit, a little dessert. Chips, maybe. Cole slaw and/or potato salad if I’m feeling ambitious. No chairs, no table, no candelabra, no keg, no coolers, no wine. No flowers. No knitting. No board games. Nothing crazy. But people go all out, and more power to them, I say, because it’s fun for me to look at.
Anyway. Wednesday night was our final visit to the park this season. We saw Mandy Patinkin** and Nathan Gunn. Together. At the same time. An exciting yet rather perplexing combination of performers. Mandy clarified for us how the evening came to be – they had apparently shared a dressing room (which they both referred to as “a closet”) for one of the Sondheim birthday concerts. They got to talking, like you can’t help doing when confined with someone in a really small space, and a bromance was born, brought to vibrant life for us in Highland Park.
The stage was mostly empty except for two pianos (grands? Baby grands? I really have no idea. They were quite large and black and shiny), two chairs (one on each side of the stage) and two small table to hold glasses of water etc) and two festive floral arrangements on either side of the stage. The crowd was mainly an older, north shore kind of bunch (not as extravagantly decked out as the group we saw who had come to see “Chicago” over the weekend. No glowy rings or light up sequined fedoras, more’s the pity). Our seats were decent (center section, row CC).
On with the show. The two gentlemen were both in great voice and horribly overdressed for the warm evening. Nathan had a suit on, for god’s sake, with a jacket and everything. Mandy was in his concert blacks (pants and long-sleeved v-neck shirt, possibly sweater), and was obviously hot and uncomfortable. He rolled up a bandana at one point and wrapped it around his head (possibly to keep the sweat out of his eyes) which, with his beard, made him look sort of pirate like.***
Although on paper it seems like a strange combo, in action, the two of them were really quite lovely. They were joined by Mandy’s son, Gideon, on a few songs (also wearing a long-sleeved shirt, although at least he could hang out in the air-conditioned back stage area when he was not on stage). They sang for almost two hours, without a break. They kicked off with a mash up that included a memorable rendition of Figaro’s song from the Barber of Seville – sung by both of them. There was some pop, some broadway (including Assassins and The Music Man, Camelot, no Evita, in case you wondered), some standards, some Yiddish renditions of broadway songs, including “White Christmas” (but why? It’s AUGUST!) and also “Maria” from West Side Story. When Nathan went up on some lyrics from Over The Rainbow, Mandy chimed in helpfully, “Do you want me to do it in Yiddish?” which he did – and it was back on track. They closed with "Sunday" from Sunday in the Park with George. Big sigh of contentment here.
They balanced each other out nicely – comedy and charm and great singing. I enjoyed it very much, and am even more of a Nathan Gunn fan than I was before. I will definitely see more of them in the future. And I am hoping that Mandy brings his little Sicilian friend back to Ravinia with him after their Broadway run in the fall (I heard they’re supposed to tour some more after that. So next summer? You bring the sass and I’ll bring the sequined fedoras?)
** Incidentally, my spell-check doesn’t know “Patinkin” and suggested instead: Potemkin, Patenting, Pataki and Paining.
***I have noticed this lately, at a few of the shows I have been to – and I’m here to let you know, performers of the world, that you can wear cooler clothes and we will understand. I know the leather jacket is part of your look, Bono, but you don’t need to wear it when it’s 90 degrees and humid. I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt at that show and I was just sitting around watching you. You can take off the knit cap, Edge, really, we’ll understand. Although then it might be all like, “Where’s the Edge? Didn’t he come?” so we’d be confused, but you’d be so much cooler. In the same vein, Nathan, just take off the jacket already. For real. They were both making me hot just looking at them and I was, as I say, just sitting in the audience, not running around under hot stage lights. I know you want to look nice and professional and all that, but honestly. A t-shirt would be fine. I’m there to see you, not your spiffy suit/leather jacket/knit cap/leather pants (also Bono)/sweaty bandana.
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