HATS! at the Royal George Theatre
though Aug. 26. 
review by Ed Vincent

A fun exhilarating ride forward to 50 years of birth and completing in a Birthday party.  "We're 50, let the good
times begin", hopefully your good times began a lot sooner
than on your 50th birthday party.  We are told that getting
to 50 should have taken longer, as it arrives too soon.  Hats
seems targeted to a more female audience or at least couples
at or near 40, or families with someone near the turning of
50.   It could be a version of  "Vagina Monologes" that
has morphed into a singing and dancing "Chorus of Middle
aged Vulvas"....   Knowing people in the their middle aged
years this play was topical and fun, lots of good fashioned
humor with barbs here and there.

There are moments where this melody seems like an ex-wives
club looking for a thrill they had misplaced a few years ago --
at times a bit like an encounter group for the existentially challanged.

All that said, there is some great talent on stage and some
writing that is very topical for our aging youth.  This is not
an open run event so get a ticket soon.

The link below is to the Red Hat Society, have a look.

BETSY RANDLE
Star of “Boy Meets World”

 POPULAR PRODUCTION EXTENDED THROUGH AUGUST 26 DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND

 

CHICAGO – HATS! Holdings, Inc., Sibling Theatricals, Inc. and BG Productions, LLC announce that starting July 11, TV star and Chicagoland native Betsy Randle will take over the lead role from Melissa Manchester in HATS!, the popular, critically acclaimed music and comedy celebration now playing at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted.  Tickets for HATS! are $55 and are on sale now for performances through Sunday, Aug. 26.

 

Randle is known for her seven year role as “Amy Matthews” on the popular Disney sitcom Boy Meets World.  Randle also starred in several episodes of the hit shows Charmed and Home Improvement.  Additionally, she has appeared in Family Ties, Baywatch, and numerous other popular TV programs, as well as the independent film Urban Mythology.  A member of the Alliance Repertory Theater in Burbank, California, Randle performed in the Garry Williams original play, RAIN.  In Chicago, her stage career included acclaimed roles in TRIBUTE and A SUMMER AT BLUE FISH COVE.  Originally from Glenview, Randle is a graduate of New Trier High School.

 

HATS! is a new, critically acclaimed musical comedy that takes a hilarious look at one woman’s struggle with her impending birthday that ends in a big “0.”  This original musical comedy will make you laugh, cry, and cheer as you see how six women handle the trials and good times that occur in the journey of life.  These women find that there is a spirit of sisterhood and an innate ability to celebrate life, regardless of the circumstances, when they have friends with whom they can share these experiences.  Featuring hilarious and provocative new songs by a team of Grammy, Golden Globe and Tony award winning songwriters, HATS! is a fabulous musical celebration for women and for the men who love them.

 

The current cast includes veteran Chicago actors Marilynn Bogetich (Lady), Vickie Daignault (Baroness), Rosalyn Rahn Kerins (Dame), Elizabeth Gelman (Contessa/Ruby), Laura Walls (Duchess) and Kate Young (Princess).  Jane Brewer and Wydetta Carter understudy. 

 

HATS! premiered in Denver in October 2006, opened in January at Harrah’s New Orleans Casino Hotel and premiered in Chicago at the Royal George Theatre April 29, to rave reviews.  The Chicago Tribune says HATS! is “a music-and-comedy celebration….It will make a lot of people feel empowered. It does so with integrity, craft and heart.”  The Chicago Sun-Times says these are “highly polished performers” and Variety raves “This is a feel-good show that’s really about feeling good.”  HATS! is JEFF Recommended and a Chicago Tribune Critic’s Choice.

 

Directed by Tony award-nominee Lynne Taylor-Corbett (Swing!), HATS! features a score of original songs by some of today’s most celebrated songwriters, including three-time Tony Award-winner Doug Besterman, Tony-nominated lyricist Susan Birkenhead, Tony-nominated composer-lyrist Carol Hall, Tony-nominated composer and three-time Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger,  Grammy® Award-winners Melissa Manchester and Pam Tillis, Golden Globe-winner Amanda McBroom as well as Kathie Lee Gifford, Michele Brourman, Pat Bunch, Gretchen Cryer, Anthony Dodge, Sharon Vaughn, Beth Falcone, David Friedman, David Goldsmith and Stephen Lawrence.

 

HATS! is inspired by the experiences, philosophies, and mission of the
Red Hat Society.  For more information on the Red Hat Society, visit www.redhatsociety.com.

 

HATS! is now playing at the Royal George Theatre though Aug. 26.  Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. (no performance July 4 and 5); Fridays at 7:30 p.m. (no performance July 6); Saturdays at 2 and 5:30 p.m. (no performance July 7), and Sundays at 3 p.m. (no performance July 8).  Tickets are $55.

 

Tickets can be purchased at the Royal George Box Office box office, 1641 N. Halsted, or by phone at 312.988.9000.  Tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster, 312.902.1500, Ticketmaster.com or all Ticketmaster ticket centers.  Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more are available by calling Group Theater Tix at (312) 423-6612 or visiting www.grouptheatertix.com.  To purchase the HATS! cast album, recorded live in Denver, and for more information on the show, visit www.hatsthemusical.com.