Blackbird, Victory Gardens, Chicago : 3rd July 2009 - 9th August 2009
Pat Said…
I will start off by saying the theatre is beautiful. The lobby has decent seating and standing tables as well.
The play its self was amazing, intense, so many other words to choose from. Billy looking fabulous doesn’t hurt, at all. I was curious as to how the dialog would go since reading it with the starts, stops, stutters and run overs was a bit of a challenge. It went smoothly and it amped up the intensity by quite a bit. There was a lot more anger than is conveyed in the written word, the shouting and raw anger was really something. There were moments of black humor and Mattie… I can’t recall her last name, really has quite a future a head of her, IMHO. She’s absolutely amazing. There were also moments that were really uncomfortable, I was squirming more than once, it was so very well done.
If anyone is hesitating about going… GO. It’s worth everything, travel, inconvienience, any of it. I can’t wait to see it again tomorrow.
Virginie Said…
I did fly from France, to see Blackbird. And I’ll never regret it !
What could I say about this play ? That I get sick each at the end ( already seen 3 times), that my feelings/mind change each time about the characters and their relationship. This play is awesome and so intense, I got my guts upside down each time.
If you read the script, you know that the atmosphere is heavy, and I was suprised to hear people laughing. They don’t laugh because it’s funny (except fot a few parts), they laugh because they are nervous. You’re like a witness, and you feel that you shouldn’t be right there, that you shouldn’t see this.
Dennis Zacek is very proud that people from all around the world are coming, he told us he saw people from Germany, Holland …
And I met Billy yesterday. This guy is the nicest man in the world, really !
Billy is really tired at the end, he puts so much on the stage: hurt, anger, love, fear…
(He was also sweaty as he kissed me , but I didn’t mind)
I also talked to Mattie Hawkinson ( she is fabulous…)
Sorry it’s difficult right now, to find the right words in english, to explain how I feel !
He is not only a great actor but also a great man !
Gloria said…
Saw the play, got to meet the director–very nice man. AND got to meet Mr. Petersen, who is very very charming, polite, gracious with fans as he gives hugs and signs his name. Took several photos with us! and smiled in every one of the pictures.
The play is intense, subject is not something you want to applaud but the acting of the two main characters is totally awesome! They are really into the characters–the anger, the passion, and the horror of what happened between them. There are moments when you really feel sympathy for the male (Ray) in the conversation with Una (the girl), but hopefully, most people will see the planning, the adult process of preditor behavior on a very young girl. Then the ending is SO shocking! Audience is left in total stunned silence. I would love to see the play again and watch the audience reaction to the end!
Servern Sound said…
Just got back from seeing the play on July 7. I must say that this play was much more intense than Dublin Carol, where Billy just seemed to be on a bit of a romp, not that I didn’t enjoy that play as well. When they say that this play leaves the audience stunned and shocked, they weren’t kidding, there was no standing ovation at the end, only because people were to dumfounded to react.
This type of play is where Petersen shines, and his potrayal of Ray was both revolting and sad. The young woman who played Una, Mattie Hawkinson did a good job also, coming off as both a young woman and a child at the same time. The language gets a little tough and the subject matter is not for the weak of heart or those easily upset ( the lady beside me took off like a rocket after curtin call ).
I had front row seats although part of my view was blocked by a damn garbage can, but can report that Billy actually has a few hairs on his chest, not many but they are there neverless.
Oh, and the Cubs won their game the night before! Go, spend some time in Chicago, see the show, “do” Wrigleyville and enjoy yourselves as much as I did.
Alice said…
Alice kindly emailed us and shared her review and meets with Billy which you can read about here.
Corrine said…
Hi there! Just got back from my holiday to Chicago. Ever since I knew Billy was getting back to the stage I wanted to go and watch him. It took some planning but now I have! I saw the play on July 3 and it was INTENSE. Both Billy and Mattie were absolutely fabulous. You could see that they gave everything during the performance. The end was shocking. I enjoyed every minute of the play. Hopefully I can come back next year to see Billy in End Game!
Greetings from Holland.
ps: Loved Chicago, what a great city.
Jodi said…
Awesome, that’s the only way to describe the play. I was lucky enough to have gone to open rehearsal but to see the play done in its entirety, “on the book” as Dennis insisted this be done was sheer poetry in motion. The actors are intense as is the subject matter and it was as others said easy to realize that many of the patrons around me either were uncomfortable with the subject or quick to ride the ‘fence’ on whether the character of Ray that Billy portrays was ‘guilt’. Personally it was interesting having survived a similar childhood ‘moment’ like the story portrayed….(details not really necessary it was easier to understand that Ray really felt that he loved Una when this happened and wasn’t ‘using her’ as she’s led to believe by lawyers, her parents and the likes…it brought up interesting conversation as several of us went across the street for a beer afterwards to hear friends with children of similar age to the Una of the past able to defend the fact that Ray wasn’t a preditor but someone with misguided feelings…and before anyone ‘jumps the shark’ I am not condoning the character’s actions but am able to see things from both sides. Dennis took the time to meet with us and for him to describe Billy the way he did shows what I’ve always felt about both he and Billy…they’re both a class act…and I’m grateful that I’ll get to see this wonderful play at least three more times….and see other friends’ reactions to both the subject matter and the actors that make these complex characters come to life. Mattie also was a breath of fresh air….and I’m grateful that I had a chance to spend a few minutes chatting with her as well.
Amberle said…
Ashley & I left the hotel (Hotel Sax) at about 1:45pm so we could pick up tickets and be there before VG wanted us to be (2:30p) and possibly catch Billy. We took a cab which was funny…we talked the whole time about how nervous I was (I had *ahem* consumed alcohol beforehand to stay calm and I was feeling sick from that and nerves) and how we should control ourselves ;P (She’ll add to this later) .
We pulled up to VG and I had a seriously major breakdown..I wanted to scream, cry, and run all at the same time. I had a dream that we pulled up and Billy was walking toward the theatre at the same time, so I was just waiting to see that happen…Anyways, we walked in, they had my tickets, and I talked to some people until we went into the theatre.
We saw our seats and I almost cried…literally. We were TWO FEET (probably less) from the stage. I mean we could put our feet up on the stage and I got nervous Billy would dump trash all over me…LOL (for those who have seen the play, ya’ll get that) We were super close and we could see stuff and the set was beautiful….I got much more fidgety and nervous…we were by far the youngest people in that theatre so we were hoping for some major attention from Billy.
The lights dimmed just after that SEXY voice came over the loudspeakers and announced the usual “no cell phones, no flash photography…” and he kindly asks you to “unwrap your candy at this time.” and he ends so beautifully “And now, Blackbird.” and that’s when I got VERY nervous, cos I KNEW he’d be out there.
Billy comes out and I had to focus on my breathing….he’s ten times more gorgeous than on TV and makes you feel so very comfortable in his presence; it’s like he’s known you forever. His delivery was smooth and flawless, full of emotion. He moved around a lot and yes, did see me and we made eye contact twice. I pretty much squeed on the inside at the thought that he knew I exist now! Maybe he’ll remember me for Endgame next year?
The play was beautiful, and afterwards we stood around for a minute (they were older and had come for Billy ;p) to see if anyone knew if he would come out and say hi, which got shot down pretty quick. We took some photos outside the theatre (particularly the VG signs ;p) and chatted with some other people, and then within 30 minutes after the play, everyone was gone, the doors were locked, and life was back to normal.
We took a cab back to the hotel (which is where I am) and talked and talked and talked about Billy the whole way/time. It was not NEARLY enough time with him, it wasn’t long enough, but I’m so honored and grateful for it, and I am so very proud of him…very proud of him. <3
Billy was pheonomonal…..Absolutely beautiful, he did a wonderful job…just wonderful…He just blew me away. The play is definitley adult content, for sure, but it was just so worth seeing; PLEASE go see it you haven’t. Billy is just passionate and wonderful and amazing and just raw; his emotions are just raw…..he gets into the character and STAYS there, and he gives just an amazing performance……He is just gorgeous gorgeous in person but somehow has the ability (are we shocked?) to make you feel as though you know him, and this play is nothing more special than any other Chicago or NYC play you’d see anyday….He just makes it, even though it’s totally adult content, comfortable and approachable and understandable.
I do understand why he doesn’t want to talk to fans afterwards though, as hard as we tried..there were two other ladies there who came soley to see him (we were by far the youngest girls there, which makes me wonder why the man didn’t come find US! LOL) and we were trying to ask around to see if he’d come down and say hi to us or something, but it didn’t work. We’re planning on going next year.
And, by the way, FRONT ROW, means literally 2 feet from the stage…yes, you can smell him, catch his eyes (I did it twice…once was before he turned around and I flashed a grin in my dress, which would have been MUCH easier to undo than Mattie’s ;p) and the other was kinda a two second thing where we both caught each other’s eyes but didn’t hold the gaze cos he was turning around the second later.
Angelia said…
What a wonderful weekend spent in Chicago! Sights, sounds, food, friends, CUBBIES, and oh yeah, Billy was in a play. What more could a girl ask for?
Needless to say I was in a very good mood before the play, Oh, the Cubbies lost, but I had been to Wrigley for the first time. Oh, joy!
The theater is a very nice place. The location is great with all the restaurants and such.
I arrived at the theater just in time for the free beer and pizza. Such fun. I chomped on a piece of pizza, but I’m not much on beer, so I guess it was okay.
I was sitting in the center section. The staff was pretty adamant about turning off cell phones and no late seating.
The lights dim. Billy’s voice can be heard telling you to turn off your cell phone and unwrap your candy. I thought this was pretty comical.
And now, Blackbird.
What an emotional roller-coaster! When they warn you about adult content, they are not kidding. I am not offended easily with language, but I did not expect some of the language that was used. It was very graphic to say the least. Billy and Mattie nailed every scene. I cannot imagine being in that situation, but the play opened up my eyes to this taboo subject. Mistakes were made, lives changed, ruined. Innocence was lost, never to be the same again. Living in fear, terror of what you had done. It’s quite much to absorb in 90 minutes.
I was most impressed by Billy when Mattie was recounting the experiences of Una for several minutes. He was sitting in a chair, and the facial expressions and body language were in sync with her words. You could tell he was feeling remorse, shame, sorrow, sadness as she recounted what happened to her. Things he did not know. I’m telling you, the man can act even when sitting down and not saying anything.
I went to the play the next night and was sitting on the right side. This even intensified that part of the play as you could see Billy from that angle much better.
I’ll close with saying this was a wonderfully done play to top off a wonderful weekend. A must see.
Ashley said…
Well what can I say to describe this…there aren’t many words that can even begin to describe the experience I had. I got up and left from Dayton, Ohio about 8 A.M. and headed out for the 5 1/2 hour drive to Chicago. Traffic wasn’t that bad but construction was, however after awaiting the show later that night and then finally getting to the theater and watching the performance it was well worth it! I had front row center seats which let me tell you are so close to the stage that all you have to do it lean forward and you can place your hand on it. The theater I may add is beautiful! I sat there as the performance began and immediately realized that I could smell Billy’s cologne he was so close. He looked great and his acting was amazing, and made you feel as if you were right there living the storyline out with the characters. Blackbird is an amazing piece of art in itself, and I can now understand the confusion that people had said hits you after it is all said and done. You go in with questions and leave with questions that wont ever be answered from the performance. Mattie Hawkinson is an amazing actress and I can definitely see her going places in the near future. I didn’t expect to see any of the actors after the performance knowing how tiring it had to be, however I did meet one, but I can’t tell you the name or what role the character played because if you’re going to see the show it would ruin the ending. All in all it was an amazing experience and one that I am so glad I got to have. If you’re thinking of going and seeing the show but aren’t sure, go! You won’t regret it and you will take so much away with you after it is all said and done!
Liz said…
We flew over 8,300 miles and spent nearly a thousand pounds visiting Chicago to see ‘Blackbird,’ and William Petersen, and it was well worth every mile and penny. The Victory Gardens theatre staff were warm and friendly, and on hearing our accents checked our tickets to make sure we had good seats… luckily for us, we had!
The inside of The Biograph theatre is beautiful. It’s been renovated and the everyone is quite rightly proud of the final results. The inside of the auditorium made me giggle… mainly because it was so intimate. And this is not a play where you want to feel like that. The stage juts out into the theatre seating rather than being purely proscenium, putting the audience in the heart of the action – almost to the point where you are on stage yourself. It’s very comfortable and spacious, despite being only 300 seats capacity.
The play itself starts with a blackout and the diminutive strains of an acoustic guitar version of, ‘Blackbird,’ by The Beatles. It’s muted tones set the scene for a powerful and encapsulating drama. There is nowhere to hide as the blackout fades down and the lights snap on to reveal Ray and Una, face to face, staring in horrified disbelief at each others presence in the room. If you’re a William Petersen fan, and are worried about being nervous and being in the same room as him, you don’t have time to react as you are thrown full on into a bitter exchange between the two.
Having become a Petersen fan primarily due to ‘CSI,’ it’s a credit to him as an actor and performer that not one facial expression, body position or move echoed Gil Grissom. It’s like watching a totally different man. And a big contributing factor is Mattie Hawkinson. When you go into a play of this nature, with a certain amount of knowledge about the subject content, you have expectations of guilt and innocence. But her performance as the damaged Una makes you question what you believe both morally and philosophically. You have to empathise with Ray, especially the way he is brought to life. He is a physical wreck. Years of guilt, anxiety, stress as well as survival in prison, where he was the lowest of the low of all prisoners; a sex offender, have taken their toll. Her description of the police exam and questioning, reduces him to a blinking, writhing, miserable waste of space. He can’t focus – at the audience, at her, at himself.
There are recriminations. There is sadness. Anger. Mourning for lives wasted. We are taught that we are a particular role in this situation. Victim and criminal. But can those boundaries be blurred? Nothing is, after all, 100% clear cut black or white.
There is no doubt that Dennis Zacek is a master theatrical tactician. Ray leaves Una in darkness again, as he did years before, inducing a panic attack which gives us tremendous insight into the scars Ray has caused with his actions. Furthermore, Zacek keeps Una and Ray as far apart physically as is humanly possible for the majority of the play. By having two long tables on the set, he can keep them in their own worlds, never in the same section of the stage together until they throw the contents of the staffroom all over the stage, metaphorically getting all the rubbish between them out in the open. It is a well played game of cat and mouse. We expect to know who is the victim and who is the predator… but it’s really not that simple. David Harrower doesn’t let us get away with watching his play that easily.
The set is a character all of its own. It’s plain and simple – as are our expectations of who is guilty and who is not – but is surrounded by glass like a goldfish bowl, where everyone can see in. Is this symbolic of the world in which we now live? With the media reporting these crimes so luridly, we are all guilty of gawping at what becomes of these people.? Another question asked rather than answered by this production.
The climax of the play leaves an audible gasp hanging in the audience. If you haven’t seen the play yet, don’t read this bit until you do. It may spoil it. Una does three things. She holds Ray’s hand, then links fingers through his; then wraps her legs round his waist. When the new character arrives on stage, they do exactly the same moves, in the same order. Just when you believe Ray, Zacek introduces this twist which blows what you now believe wide open again. I was so impressed with that particular piece of direction. More cat and mouse games.
The fact Ray gets to leave at the end made me feel he had wriggled off the hook. He’d been able to change his name, find love, get a new career. He left her all those years ago without any answers. He does the same again here. She is left in the goldfish bowl. Alone and fearful.
We managed to stay for the post show discussion and got William Petersen’s autograph. If you do go, don’t pester him. And don’t mention ‘CSI!’ He spoke of the show with an air of contempt, calling it, ‘that show.’ We met him outside the theatre another night and got our pictures taken with him – and he couldn’t have been nicer.
A brilliant experience which I thank Mr Zacek, Ms Hawkinson, Mr Petersen and everyone at Victory Gardens for.
Jane said…
I had tickets for Blackbird on Wed, July 29, for the matinee. WOW! Lovely theater, great people, nice neighborhood, good lunch at the original Potbelly Sandwich Works, nice quiet hour in the little Children’s Memorial Park — no Billy, darn it — before the play. Blackbird is a very dark play, difficult to watch, searing in its intensity, gut-wrenching for anyone. Dean Taucher got the breakroom just right, although I do pity the cleanup/reset crew. Spoiler: They do trash the place. I was sitting in B5, way too close for comfort at times. Yet, perfect seats to enjoy and appreciate all the talent, craft, art, technique, artistry, effort and shear blood, sweat and tears that are shed on that stage in the way-too-short infinity of 80 minutes spent in the company of two tortured souls. Ray and Una are more like Ray andUna, inextricably linked by a series of circumstances 15 years earlier, circumstances that changed both of them at the same time it left them forever trapped in a tar-pit. A tar-pit of Ray’s making. The ending is shocking, but entirely believable. Billy was, as expected, perfect. He looks fit and trim, neat and in shape; hair is short and curly, no beard. Live theatre in Chicago obviously agrees with him. There was a Q & A session after, with one of the associate ADs and Mattie. Cubs were at home and I’m willing to bet Billy was on his way to Wrigley before the audience was on the sidewalk — best way for him to unwind! Mattie is awesome and holds her own on stage. We ran into her on the street after and she was gracious, too. There’s a lot of trust there, between the two actors and the director — there has to be, given the subject matter, the turn the play takes at the end, even the literal sharing of one bottle of water. I’m glad I went, I’d go again in a heartbeat, and I’m looking forward to my next opportunity to see Billy on stage — Steppenwolf in the spring, here I come.
Helena said…
Blackbird is what great theater is all about. It grabs you and doesn’t let go. The audience has to be involved. This play makes the audience think, question, and draw their own conclusions. It is not mindless entertainment. The Biograph is a beautiful theater. It was so intimate that I felt I was on the stage with the actors. I felt no sympathy for Ray. He tried to rationalize what he did, but no matter what he said, what he did was wrong. He has gone on with his life, whereas Una is stuck in a maze from which she cannot escape. He leaves again, the same as he did 15 years before. I cannot stop thinking about Mattie Hawkinson’s performance. She fit the character perfectly. She held her own against Billy. I hope this role brings her much deserved success. This is my third experience seeing Billy on stage and I thought this was his best role. He does not need to speak, his facial expressions and body movements say what he is feeling. This is a physical and mentally demanding play and both Billy and Mattie were superb. Dennis Zacek did everything right with this play. There was a lot of symbolism in this play and it is up to the audience to pay close attention. Congratulations to all involved in making Blackbird a success. Just a side note, I was sitting next to a couple who first saw Billy 30 years ago in Dillinger at the old Victory Gardens. They belong to a social group of theater goers who support off- Loop theater in Chicago. They said that the respect that Billy has in the Chicago theater community is unbelievable. They feel he is a true Chicago stage actor to give up millions of dollars to come home and perform for the people of Chicago. By the way, they hate CSI.
Rosie says…
I went to see BLACKBIRD thursday, friday, 2 shows saturday and the last one sunday. Well if i’m going to spend the moola to chicago then i want to see it as much as i could…we’re talking WILLIAM here !!
Great, great show. odd how different societies deal with early sex issues. Some places it is not a problem. But here the taboos and it’s aftermath show the back and forth emotional waves it causes.
Every woman who sat next to me said the same thing i did…towards the end when the “whooo” scene happens…they all said like me “wish that was ME!”
Mattie was perfect for the part. Her small nature and innocent face made the character perfect. William was OUTSTANDING. i said to him the second night, he did such a good job, i wanted to smack him for doing that to her.
The theater arranged for a special backstage tour for me and another lady. After which both WILLIAM and Mattie came out to talk to us. I got to spend a few quiet minutes with William. Sighhh. If i could only SEE him. But he sure FELT good! The man is a great full body hugger.
Chicago Gal said…
I have been lucky enough to have been experiencing Chicago theater for many years, and also lucky enough to see Mr Petersen perform in Night of the Iguana and Flyovers. Upon hearing about his return to Chicago theater last year I was very much looking forward to seeing him back on our local stages and could not wait to see A Dublin Carol at Steppenwolf.
I am a regular VGT goer and what an experience to see both Mattie Hawkinson, who I feel is a wonderful young actress, and Billy Petersen together on the same stage, and to top it off, under the direction of the amazing Mr Zacek!
I have to admit, VGT is my favorite local theater.
I am not sure what I can add to some of the great fan reviews already written, but this was a very powerful performance from both actors, it’s hard not to get completely wrapped up in the story. If anything, it certainly gives you a lot to talk about afterwards, which is the best part about live theater.
This was a production VGT can be very proud of, and even though I do not think Mr Petersen is appearing in any plays at VGT for the upcoming season, I do hope we will get to see him perform there a lot more in the years to come.
Jay said…
“Shock”: my attention was grabbed from the opening line, and never strayed as the story unfolded: some times it was awkward, others uncomfortable, at times surprisingly tender, other moments were heart-rending. No happy ending here, more questions were raised than answered, and we were left with much to think about, to discuss.
I saw Blackbird at the preview stage, just before the official opening night, and I was struck even then by how polished the whole production was. I had read the script before seeing the play and for me that was a good thing: seeing and hearing the often stilted, awkward dialogue transformed in the theater was amazing. The staging was realistic and under Dennis Zacek’s perceptive direction the words on the page sprang to life.
Billy and Mattie both gave powerful performances, and the effort involved was clear from Billy’s evident exhaustion at the curtain call – during the play, however, there was no sign of it. And I felt some of the strain too: only afterwards did I realise that my thighs were aching; I must have been tensing them all through. During the play I was so wrapped up in these two vibrant actors portraying their characters’ painful past and present that I was oblivious.
It was my first time at Victory Gardens. I love how they’ve kept the old marquee outside while modernizing the interior into a comfortable, welcoming space. The theatre was cool (due to Billy’s general hotness methinks) but I barely noticed that once the play started.
We’re very lucky that Billy likes to challenge himself (and us). Blackbird was so worth the effort.
Lee Anne said…
Our trip was brief, only three days, two of which were spent driving (I live near Toronto, Ontario) for over 9 hours.
This was my first trip to Chicago which, I have to take a minute to say, is a clean, beautiful, friendly city.
I went solely to see Billy, but the city ended up charming me. We stayed at the Belden-Stratford Hotel in the Lincoln Park area and enjoyed our walks around the Conservatory and the Zoo immensely.
I had several online friends who saw the play before me, so I was certain that I knew what to expect when I went to the 8:00pm performance on Sat Aug 1st. I was wrong!
The VG Theater is beautiful inside and the seating is incredibly intimate which works in the play’s favour. From the first moment that Ray and Una are on stage, you really feel that they are in a fish bowl and that you are viewing them in some strange voyeuristic way. You know you shouldn’t be there watching or listening to this painful, gut-wrenching exchange, but you can’t turn away. There is no place to hide for the audience…or the actors.
I loved the realism of the speech patterns…those stops and starts, half finished sentences. It really helped to magnify the awkwardness of the situation between Ray and Una. Ray’s whole demeanor, from his body positioning, and facial expressions to his speech patterns showed only too clearly that Ray wanted to flee, to escape back into his new life. Ray was dressed so dully that even his tie blended into his shirt. To me that was another way of showing that Ray was trying to disappear, to hide from his past. Una won’t allow him that peace. She’s in his face and demanding…forcing him to remember that which she can never forget. As Ray remembers and somewhat acknowledges his culpability, he folds further and further in on himself. In short he crumbles.
Both Mattie and Billy bring out the repressed anger, hurt and passion that their characters have been trying to hide from themselves and each other. The tension was palpable, and I was not surprised after the trash scene that the repressed passion manifested itself in the way it did. I did wonder at the ability of Ray to stop himself with the adult Una though. Was that because of lessons learned, or because he still can’t have a normal relationship with an adult?
And near the end of the play, that question certainly reared it’s head again. I bounced back and forth between feeling sorry for Ray…and not trusting a word he had said.
Billy and Mattie both did an amazing job bringing this play to life. Mattie had the easier part I think. She could vent and rant and rage. Billy had to sit quietly and react…only acting with his facial expressions and body language most of the time. He was masterful at baring Ray’s soul to the audience. I found myself watching him during Una’s monologue as much as I watched Mattie. I will also reiterate what another fan mentioned: there was no trace of Gil Grissom in any gesture, expression, tone of voice or movement. Billy was completely immersed in Ray, which was incredibly gratifying to see.
So was it worth over 18 hours of driving in a 3 day period to see Billy in Blackbird? Absolutely!!!! Unfortunately, we didn’t get to meet Billy in person, but I hold out hope that next year when we come back to see End Game, that maybe we’ll get lucky.
Sarah said…
We flew over from England to see Billy in Blackbird. We decided to get to two performances whilst we were there, because, hey, why not, we’ve come all that way! So we got tickets for the 22nd July & 24th July evening performances. We were particularly excited about the 22nd July one as there was a post show discussion afterwards. Maybe Billy would take part in it!!
So, 22nd July – We decided to leave the hotel for about half five, leaving ourselves plenty of time to get to the theatre, have a couple of drinks in one of the bars around the theatre and then go to the performance. I was so nervous!! I didn’t know what to expect. I nearly died when I saw how close we were going to be – about 4 rows back. It didn’t help my nerves when he did the announcement at the beginning. I just couldn’t believe it was Billy! Nothing could prepare me for him appearing on stage like he did. Just. THERE! There he was. It was surreal. I don’t think I can add anything to the reviews of the play that have already been posted but he just amazing. Mesmerizing. I was so immersed, a nuclear war could’ve been going off outside and I wouldn’t have noticed! As I said before, there was a post show discussion at the end of the show. We’d seen Dennis Zacek wandering around before the performance so we knew he was there but we weren’t sure whether Billy would be taking part. We sure as hell were going to stay to find out though! Sure enough, Billy did take part. And Mattie Hawkinson. He’d changed from his stage clothes and had some shades hanging off his shirt. I couldn’t get over how young he looked and, weirdly, totally different to how we’d just seen him five minutes before. But he looked goooorgeous! And was absolutely lovely. My friend who I went with had a question about the play in mind and we ended up nudging each other, daring each other to ask it. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and Dennis Zacek brought the discussion to a close. As nearly all of the people left the auditorium, we decided this was our chance. Billy was still on the stage. We made our way to the front of the stage and apologised for disturbing him asked him for his autograph. He said he was sorry but he needed to go to speak to some of his family members that had come to see him that night. We replied, “ok”, and watched him jump off the stage. I noticed the Mattie was sat at the other side of the stage talking to somebody, so I nudged my friend and we made our way over to her. We waited till she had finished the conversation and my friend approached her saying how much she had enjoyed the performance and that we had come from England to see it. She signed my friends Blackbird script and was lovely to us. We then decided to approach Billy again after I spotted him signing someone’s programme. My friend went upto him first, asking him to sign her script. He said he was unsure whether to or not as everyone else will want things signing if they see. She said she would hold her jacket open as a shield so no one would see. He chuckled and said “sure” and signed the script. I had brought a fantastic screen print of him to be signed. I held it out for him to sign. His initial reaction upon seeing it was “jeez!! what’s that??”. I just giggled! He said he’ll sign it on the forehead cos there seems to be too much space there! I couldn’t say anything; I just had the hugest grin on my face. We came away, not wanting to bother him and were stood looking at each others autographs when I saw Dennis Zacek making his way across the seating area of the theatre, chatting to various people. We approached him and told him how much we enjoyed the performance. He was so friendly! We asked him some questions about the play and he answered them fully, making sure there was anything else we wanted to add. He chatted to us about all the people that had come from abroad to see the play and about what his last name means. My friend also got him to sign her script and we said our goodbyes to him and shook his hand. What a strange night! An amazing night though. Afterwards, I was sat outside the bar at the side of the theatre, my friend was inside buying drinks, Mr Zacek walked past and waved to me! Yay!
Friday 24th July: this was our second performance. Again, Billy was amazing. It seemed to be an even more of an emotionally charged performance than the Wednesday evening. This performance got a standing ovation, which I was ecstatic about – they deserved it. Billy looked a bit shocked by it to be honest. We’d decided earlier in the day to take a chance and try and get a photo with him. This may be the only chance we will ever get. To do this we decided to make our way to the stage door after the performance. It wasn’t a good night – it was raining. Not great conditions. My friend was convinced he’d gone already and tried to convince me to leave. I was having none of it! After a while of looking out for the giant rats that were scurrying across the alley, some other girls turned up, having had the same idea as us! We started chatting to them under the shelter opposite the stage door and found out they were from Philly. Suddenly, he came out of the stage door, under an umbrella. He looked confused, asking “what’s all this?” and we explained (excitedly) that we were waiting for him. He gently reprimanded us for standing outside in the rain at night waiting for him. I asked him if I could get a picture and he said “sure, get under here with me out of the rain”. Now how was I going to refuse that invitation?!! He put his arm round me, and me him, and I got my picture. My friend got one with him too. After we’d all got our pictures and autographs, he told us to “go and get inside”. I’m pretty sure he could hear us all squealing together after he left us (oh dear!). I’ll never forget the sight of him walking up the alleyway, the familiar bow-legged stride, silhouetted against the lights of the street at the far end.
The whole trip was amazing. Going to see the Cubs (they won – go Cubbies!), meeting Billy twice(!) in addition to Mattie Hawkinson and Dennis Zacek. But Billy was lovely to us. We didn’t know what to expect from him should we have met him. He was GORGEOUS. We will be going to see him again though. At some point. The stage is where he belongs.
Kiara said…
I flew all the way from Washington DC to see Billy. Though some have mention them being the youngest person to see him, I think I’ve got that beat. I am 15 years old and I love Billy so I begged my mom to let me go see him, and she figured why not. So I went on the show for July 25th and that day happened to be the taste of Lincoln Ave fair, so I went there took pictures of the Biograph and some of the people that worked there. They gave me a tour and we talked about Billy some and how great he is.
Later that night, show time, I went in and one of the ushers went to my grandfather and was making sure he and I were aware that the play had adult content in it, because though I am 15 years old I look like I’m 10 or 12. Then I went take my seat waiting for him to come on the stage and do his thing.
The play was absolutely amazing! He and Mattie were just WoW! I actually think me being a teen helped with the content because while the adults were squirming in their chairs I was making sure I saw it, and laughing at things that to the adults were not funny. So to me the content was nothing more than a rated R movie. The play itself is very well written, very poetic. I really loved the question of what is right and what is wrong, and what is crossing the line. Society doesn’t know what to do with this problem, because each case is special. Me personally at my age of 15 I know what girls my age do, and girls who are 12 don’t think like how adults feel they should think any more. This generation is exposed to so much you can’t really tell by the way the think, behave, and dress how old they are.
Also me being the youngest one there, and looking the youngest and sitting right smack of the middle of the house, when Billy looked out he probably noticed, I think I stuck out. I know he was probably thinking what in the world is this little girl sitting in the audience watching this play for…and she’s giggling at me.
I cried when the cast came out at the end not because of the play but because I was just so proud of Billy. He is the type of person whose performance is so powerful your crying not for the character but because of the performance of the actor.
I did not get to meet Billy but I talked with a lot of people there that day about him, they all were telling me about stuff I already knew but it was great to hear it from them.
Because I do theater also I was just amazed with the theater itself, they talked about me after I graduate that I should come there and do an internship at Victory Gardens. I want to go to Chicago University anyway so I was like…that would be great, to internship where my idol got his start. They allowed me to take pictures of the set because I do set design, so to me I was just in awe.
I wrote a poem about the theater and they allowed me to send it back to Billy after the show. I hope he got a chance to read it. I don’t expect to hear a reply, but if I meet him when I go to Endgame next year I plan to ask him about if he remembers it, who knows he might even mention it in an interview or something.
Well I look forward to go seeing him again next year. This time I’m doing everything possible to meet him.
Cindy said…
Chicago always shows us it’s best, but visiting in the summer was terrific. We finally got to Wrigley Field for a game (free t-shirts!) and though the Cubbies lost, they beat the Cardinals the next day. The city was amazing, flowers blooming everywhere, so many places to see and great weather. You cannot be bored in Chicago.
So much has been written about “Blackbird” that there isn’t much else to say. Any conclusion reached in discussion only generates more discussion because of the subject matter. The acting was seamless, considering the difficulty of the dialogue, especially at opening. The audience reaction was perfect… surprise, shock, nervous laughter, in perfect time with each revelation. This was definitely a play to see more than once to get the “feel” of it.
The resounding success for Victory Gardens, Dennis Zacek, Mattie Hawkinson and Billy makes me proud for all. Best of all, Billy continues to take on characters that challenge him and his audience, and that makes us the winners.
Janet said…
Recently I had the wonderful honor of seeing Billy Petersen again for the third time on stage and the fun of treating several members of my family to seeing his play also. Our seats were up close and we could easily take in all details. Of course the performances were stellar. I was so quickly caught up in the roller coaster of emotions of these two tortured people. I think we not only see their pain as we watch, but they show us aspects of human nature, however mislead, that is true of most people, not always thinking of the morality or consequences to follow what we think we need at the moment. This is so true of youth ,but also as people grow older and look to gain something lost. I saw two really emotionally disturbed people, especially at the end. Each day I find myself coming to a different conclusion as to whether Ray is trying to make amends for his past or is he really a sick man. In some ways I find Una to be as questionable. No matter the answer, the story is heartrending. I cannot imagine anyone else but Billy and Mattie portraying these people. This was a treasured time for me to see Billy show what a truly gifted performer he is. I can hardly wait for more from him.
BBB said…
My trip to Chicago was fantastic. I got to hang out with friends who I do not see very often, do some sightseeing and also got to see one of my favorite actors perform in probably the most intense play I have ever seen.
Mattie Hawkinson perfectly fit the role of Una, as she still looks very much like a young girl, and I was very impressed by acting abilities. She has a great future ahead of her. Billy’s performance was marvelous, poor guy was absolutely exhausted by the end of the play, as expected as it truly is a demanding play on both the actors.
I was lucky enough to see the play more than once and depending on where I was sat, I got a great perspective of both characters. Each time I saw it I picked up on something I had not seen the previous time and started to notice small changes in each performance and notice more of the set design. One of the great things about seeing it more than once was that I got to focus on the audience as well, hearing the gasps at certain points, noticing the nervous laughter, it truly was a wonderful theatrical experience.
Congratulations to the actors and everyone at VGT for a very successful production!
