This campy, opera style, cabaret performance mostly in drag is oddly compelling.
The unconventional storyline comprised of seven sexually ambiguous individuals has the show living up to its tagline of a queer extravaganza.
Thompson Street Opera Company is worth keeping an eye on. Their recent premiere production of Off-Nights at the Sometimes Café at Bramble Arts Loft in Andersonville was a short run just one weekend but worth mentioning for the record.
As the title implies the action is set in the off-nights (or weekdays) of a popular drag club where the second-string performers get a chance to strut their stuff while staff and patrons declare their love or at least attraction for each other.
This dramatic cantata is expertly narrated by The Pianist (Kingsley Day) an amused and mostly detached observer who does double duty as accompanist to the singers.
Admittedly the elder of the crew, Day dressed androgynously in black sequined pants and ruffled blouse while sporting a short blond wig of dubious quality, is not only a very capable musician but simultaneously sets each scene in a dryly humorous tone. Day is the guiding presence – – the glue that keeps each lash in place.
What makes this theatrical company worth note are the exceptional voices beginning with soprano Katherine Petersen as Sarah Spangle who provides the sweet opening number “Sometimes” in which she expresses her love for tenor bartender Bob (Brian Pember) while adding the word “sometimes” to the end of each line of devotion.
Soprano Jade Dasha provides an air of powerful mystery and true anguish, taking the mezzo voice as the clairvoyant Madame Nappu.
Baritone Alexander Quakenbush as Drew offers a comic element as the young man who peaks the romantic interest of nearly everyone. As a budding composer he is responsible for such lyrics as “since the dinosaurs were drinking beers” to indicate the length of time he has been in love.
The score by Dave Walther harkens back to an earlier time, reminiscent of some 1920’s or 30’s musicals that were trying to be contemporary while still staying within a more formal musical structure. For a common reference think maybe Jeanette McDonald and Nelson Eddy. This of course is what gives the “opera” a campy tone while providing the performers with interesting bel canto vocal opportunities.
This brings up the term opera as well as ballet, recently maligned by the young cinema celebrity Timothee Chalamet who declared “no one cares” anymore about either art form.
Though the statement is harsh I do believe that both terms have the tendency to scare much of the theater going public who might believe the language will be foreign and the music overly complex or beyond their comprehension. Well, there is no fear of that here. In fact, though not really necessary, this production utilized projected lyrics onto the black background, I believe more as a further tongue-in-cheek nod to traditional operas.
This being said not long ago the Northshore “Light Opera Works” changed its name to “Music Theatre Works” I imagine at least in part to overcome this stigma.
As for ballet this production offers the audience a few dance numbers designed by Jordan Ricks performed by drag king Mx. O’Lydian and drag queen Delta Badhand.
Though severely mismatched in height, Delta at more than six feet in heels, towers over her partner by 24 inches or more. But the duo performs with unabashed sincerity – – with Delta presenting an endearing earnest vulnerability.
Off-Nights at the Sometimes Café may not be everyone’s cup-of-tea or latte for that matter but I found it amusing, with a charm of its own.
Though the musical composition was a bit chaotic and maybe atonal, the superb singers and their piano accompanist met each challenge with conviction including the nearly cacophonous contrapuntal finale providing the production with a truly culminating climax.
Since this show which was onstage at the Bramble Art Loft at 5545 N Clark Street, Chicago through March 22, 2026 will be over by the time you read this I will simply suggest that you visit thompsonstreetopera.org to learn more about upcoming productions.
*As a footnote I will add that it was announced that this company has lost some of its funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) due to the federal cutbacks made by the current administration. This arts organization as well as many others need your support more than ever.
Reviewer Reno Lovison