Raven Theatre Premieres 2019 Musical 'Octet' in Chicago, Running Through June 21

2 articles · Updated · Chicago Reader · May 13

Keira Fromm’s Chicago premiere of Dave Malloy’s eight-person a cappella musical at Raven Theatre is framed as one of the city’s most engrossing productions this year, despite its unlikely subject of Internet addiction.
Malloy’s 2019 chamber work follows a support group for compulsive Internet and social-media users, using eclectic vocal writing—from hymnal and gospel to the centerpiece “Fugue State”—to turn testimony into drama.
Neala Barron, Elliot Esquivel and the rest of the cast are credited with giving the characters specificity rather than caricature, while Nick Sula’s musical direction recreates Malloy’s demanding arrangements in detail.
Maximo Grano de Oro’s lighting, Milo Bue’s meeting-room set, Christopher Kriz and Hannah Kwak’s sound design, and Laura Savage’s choreography deepen the show’s movement from anonymous recovery space into the characters’ inner lives.
The production runs at Raven Theatre through June 21, with tickets listed at $45 and discounted $20 admission for students, military and industry audiences.

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