Highly Recommended
MadKap Productions at the Skokie Theatre have hit it out of the park with their hilarious presentation of the farcical operetta “Romeo and Bernadette” – a new musical with book and lyrics by seven-time Emmy winner Mark Saltzman.
Romeo (Tyler Lord) has awakened from a 400-year slumber to find his beloved Juliette long turned to dust. So, he finds an American teenaged tourist, Bernadette (Megan Mariko Boggs). Her mother (Gretchen Wood Kimmeth) has brought the family to Italy to get in touch with Veronese roots.
Bernadette is the very image of his lost love and she is a descendent of Juliette’s family. In a desperate attempt to be reunited with her, Romeo follows the family back to Brooklyn.
The story is narrated by Brooklyn Guy (Elijah McTiernan) who doubles as Dino, the son of Don Del Canto, (Devon Desmond) head of an Italian-American mob family and who Romeo saves in a street fight. In gratitude, “The Don” takes him in as an adopted son.
Ironically, Bernadette is also the daughter of mob boss Sal Penza (Alex Iacobucci), the archrival of the Del Canto family. Thus, Romeo once again finds himself embroiled in a feud which he must navigate in order to win the one he loves.
The production is riddled with obvious New York Italian-American stereotypes and much used gangland tropes but it is all firmly tongue in cheek.
Director Bernard Rice has done an expert job guiding this company. Each of the ten cast members are faithfully committed to their campy characters, providing nonstop humor combined with outstanding vocals. Think Gilbert and Sullivan meets The Godfather.
The twenty-three comical musical numbers are based on popular Neapolitan tunes and familiar arias. They are all expertly sung in a bel canto style with multi-part harmonies and are aided by the very capable accompaniment of musical director Jeremy Ramey with Jeff Smith and James Kowalczyk.
Everyone gets a chance to shine with their own featured musical number but Devon Desmond who doubles as popular recording star Enzo Aliria displays his considerable vocal chops very early on in a short solo “Marechiare” setting the tone for where this production is headed.
Bushy-haired Luis Del Valle is credited as “Multiple Character Man,” but this should clearly be corrected to “Multiple Character Person” as “they” adeptly morph from multi-gender role-to-role with delightful sketch comedy precision.
Elijah McTiernan with his slight build, squinty eyes, and big smile, made me think of 60’s teen idol Bobby Rydell who played Hugo in the film version of Bye Bye Birdie.
Conjuring up his inner Joe Pesce, McTiernan is the glue that holds this production together and he does so with great energy and spirit.
In addition, there is Abby Glaws’ thoughtful choreography.
In 2020, the New York production of Romeo and Bernadette received Drama Desk Award nominations for outstanding book and lyrics, the Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for best book, and the Off-Broadway Alliance nomination for Best Musical.
If you’re in the mood for some good old fashioned musical theater fun you can’t do much better than this.
Details: Romeo and Bernadette presented by MadKap Productions is at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie, IL. through Mar 2, 2025. Runtime is a little over two hours with one intermission. Tickets can be purchased online at SkokieTheatre.org or by calling 847-677-7761.
Reno Lovison
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