ESC'S DARRYL MAXIMILIAN ROBINSON REMEMBERS A 1998 CHICAGO JOSEPH JEFFERSON CITATION AWARD-WINNING REVIVAL OF EUGENE O'NEILL'S "LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT" AT CHICAGO"S INTIMATE HEARTLAND CAFE STUDIO THEATRE OF ROGERS PARK!
"Danielle Gordon, playing the wife Mary, is a marvel. O'Neill wrote his mother into this play, and Gordon gives a sustained, quality performance that is unique and fulfilling as the lady who must accept her drug addiction because without it, life, as a woman following a "famous actor," has offered nothing real in pleasure." -- Lawrence Dunn, The Chicago Citizen, August 7, 1997.
"Highly-talented Robinson, who also directs the drama, plays James Sr. as larger than life - a vast ego of a man, continually speaking lines from his successful onstage appearances, driven by an over-weening professional ambition, a penchant to control his family, and a miserly streak so broad it is destroying them all. -- Beverly Friend, The Chicago Skyline, July 24, 1997.
"Only Ian Vogt as the author's surrogate, Edmund, anchors his character in the hard-edged reality of a tubercular dreamer." -- Lawrence Bommer, The Chicago Reader, July 17, 1997.
Playing on the boards of Rogers Park's much-missed Heartland Cafe Studio Theatre in a 1997 ESC Rotating Summer Repertory with an effective staging of acclaimed playwright Edward Albee's "The Zoo Story" ( which featured gifted young actors and future Furious Theatre Company Co-Founders Shawn Lee as Jerry and D'amaso Rodriguez as Peter ), The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival production of Eugene O'Neill's epic family drama "Long Day's Journey Into Night" would become the third presentation by the Non-Equity professional, multiracial chamber theatre to garner both critical praise and award recognition.
It is important to state that noted Chicago playwright, performer, educator and theatre producer Jeffrey Wayne Helgeson "The Bard of Rogers Park" played a vital role in both ESC Summer Repertory Revivals of Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" and Edward Albee's "The Zoo Story" by serving as Associate Producer, Co-Designer and Dramaturg for these ESC shows at The Heartland Cafe Studio Theatre in the Rogers Park neighborhood of The Windy City.
29 years ago, there was something magical about playing in this intimate performance space. It therefore was quite fulfilling for ESC Founder, Artistic Director and Producer Darryl Maximilian Robinson to see some critical praise and award attention given to his 1997 Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival staging of Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night", which featured Mr. Robinson as James Tyrone, Sr. opposite gifted young actors Danielle Gordon as Mary Tyrone, Steven Wilson as James Tyrone, Jr., Joslyn Housely as Cathleen, and which was most certainly highlighted by the wonderful Ian Vogt's 1998 Joseph Jefferson Citation Award-Winning Performance as Outstanding Actor In A Supporting Role in A Play for his portrayal of Edmund staged at The Heartland Cafe Studio Theatre in Rogers Park.
Of the Alums of the cast of the 1997 Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival of Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" actor Steven Wilson ( who gave a fine performance as James Tyrone, Jr. ) continued his work in the local professional Chicago Theatre Community for years and became notable not only as a gifted actor, but a skilled director as well.
Former Chicago Theatre Actor Ian Vogt moved to the west coast to perfect his craft of acting and over the years has acquitted himself very well as both a stage and screen performer. He proudly lists his 1998 Chicago Joseph Jefferson Citation Award for Outstanding Actor In A Supporting Role for The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival of Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" as part of his credits at his IMDb professional profile page.
Chicago Theatre is a place where great performances and real career beginnings frequently happen.
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