MUSIC MAD Continues Its Second Season

Described last summer by WGN’s Rick Kogan as the “Irish Sensation of the Season”, the musical drama Music Mad continues its second season at Chief O’Neill’s Pub & Restaurant in Chicago. 

The Author of the show, Adam Whiteman, is an attorney with a lifelong passion for music. He is the founder of Chicago based record label Big Chicago Records and he plays principal Horn with the North Shore Symphony Orchestra which is based in Lake Forest. “I was intrigued by O’Neill,” says Whiteman, “because he possessed the mind of a law man and the heart of a poet. He lived a storied and adventurous life, and the music of Ireland was his constant companion.” 

Although he is not of Irish descent, Whiteman has penned a show which strikes a chord with the Irish community.  The Consulate General of Ireland would agree. In fact, they recently hired out the entire cast for a private preview of the fall run and are now considered an official sponsor of the production.

Music Mad is based on the true life story of Francis O’Neill who served as Chicago’s top cop from 1901-1905.  There is a live Irish band on stage led by Chicago fiddling sensation, Sean Cleland, and the scenes are punctuated by traditional Irish song, story and dance.  Brendan McKinney, owner of Chief O’Neill’s Pub & Restaurant, brings his mastery of the Irish flute and whistle to the stage as does the talented vocalist, Kathy Cowan.

“Many people have heard of Chief O’Neill, but not a lot knew his back story or what motivated him to dedicate his life to the preservation of traditional Irish music,” says Whiteman.  Eight years in the making, Whiteman researched O’Neill’s writings, scoured the Chicago Historical Society for relevant news stories, and interviewed O’Neill’s surviving great granddaughter, Mary Lesch. Says Lesch to Whiteman, “You have done a beautiful job of weaving O’Neill’s own words into a stage narrative about his life and enhanced the production by intermingling musical selections from his collections”.  “By using local traditional Irish musicians, actors and dancers, we are helping to perpetuate the very music and culture that O’Neill worked so hard to preserve,” says Whiteman. 

The show is performed in the spacious dining room of Chief O’Neill’s Pub & Restaurant at 3471 N. Elston, Chicago, IL. Call Chief O’Neill’s at (773) 583-3066 to make reservations for dinner after the show. The next two performances are Sunday October 20 at 5:00 and Sunday October 27 at 4:00 pm. Tickets are $22. Tickets and information can be found at www.musicmad.net or call (312) 655-1000 for group and senior rates.