We've all had that special mentor in our life, the person who inspired us to grow and stretch, and exceed our own expectations to reach our full potential. It may have been a parent, a coach, a member of the clergy, or even a teacher. As parents, we trust these people to guide our children appropriately. But what happens when that trust is misplaced? This theme is explored in the award-winning play The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Jean Brodie is an unconventional teacher in a very conservative school. She is in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders, and all of her special girls are "la crème de la crème". She dresses in colorful, fashionable clothes, and shares stories with her students of her love affairs and trips abroad instead of teaching history and math. Her bohemian approach to education is exciting to her girls, and horrifying to her peers in 1930's Scotland.
But Brodie gets very wrapped up in her private life. She is, "in her prime." As she indulges more and more in her narcissism, she looses sight of her girls, and has permanent and dangerous effects on them.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie was originally a book written by Muriel Spark. It was adapted into a play by Jay Presson Allen, and is notorious for the stars it attracts for it's leading lady. Vanessa Redgrave originated the role in the London production in 1966, and Maggie Smith won an Oscar for her role in the movie.
Megan Wells stars as Jean Brodie in the MadKap production at Skokie Theatre. Wells is a nationally-renowned actress, director, and story-teller who has appeared in Skokie in her one-woman adaptations of Dracula and The Great Gatsby. She has looked forward to playing this role through her entire career, having made her professional stage debut in this play as Sandy, the smartest and most capable of Brodie's proteges. That torch is passed to Josephine Longo, who makes her Skokie Theatre debut in this production. Others in the cast include Jeff Broitman, Lili Cleveland, Austin Cornett, Maxwell Downs, Caitlin Dunlap, Ariel Henry, Courtney Miller, Stephanie Murphy, Amy Ticho, Brianna Valentine, and Grace Wilkerson.
A play set in the 1930's with a large cast and multiple scenes and locations can be quite a challenge for a costume designer. Deerfield resident Patti Halajian is rising to the occasion, creating and sewing original designs based on authentic patterns from the period. Other designs include sets and props by Gordon Leibowitz and lighting by Andrew Vanderbye.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie opens on April 22 with nine performances through May 8. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 2:00 pm, and a special matinee performance on Wednesday, April 27 at 1:30 pm. Tickets are $34 general admission, $29 for seniors, and $24 for students. They can be purchased online at SkokieTheatre.org or by phone at 847-677-7761.
