Wednesday night at the Goodman

My friend Nicole and I have a very limited subscription to the Goodman Theater. Recently, we had the privilege of seeing "The Convert" in the Owen Theater.

The play takes place in colonial Zimbabwe around the turn of the 19th century in the home of Chilford, a native Zimbabwean man, with aspirations of becoming a priest in the Roman Catholic church. Chilford employs Mai Tamba and later Jakesai, who comes to be known as Ester As the title of the play would suggest, Chilford works tirelessly to convert the natives in his town. His efforts have varying degrees of success. But no convert seems as pure or as righteous as Ester.

And that is the crux of the play. Throughout "The Convert", Ester struggles with fully adopting her new way of life, while feeling a sense of duty to her family and her culture.

The first act of the play was slow and full of context-setting dialog. On a Wednesday night, it's difficult for me to sit through a performance that doesn't immediately grab my attention. But I persevered and the acts improved. The third act was by far the best. Suspenseful, dramatic and compelling, I was disappointed when the play was over.

"The Convert" plays at the Goodman Theater until Sunday, March 25th.

South Pacific in Chicago

At the Cadillac Palace Theater on Randolph

I have a confession to make. I love musicals. I know they are considered low-brow, but I'm not afraid to buck convention and admit that I like them. They make me smile.

I was jealous of my aunt when she said she was going to South Pacific at the Cadillac Palace Theater with some of her girlfriends. So when a coworker offered me an extra ticket to Wednesday night's show, I happily obliged.

I wasn't familiar with the plot before arriving at the theater, but could infer it had something to do with the islands of the South Pacific during World War II and a love story or two. It turns out I like the theme of the show--overcoming adversity and one's prejudices to find love and happiness. And I really liked the set design of this particular production, which is based on the Lincoln Center Theater production. The sets were complex, yet fit together very well.

But the show itself felt very long. The songs, which have a similar rhythm and tune to begin with, began to feel like one very long song. What I like most about musicals is their energy. Unfortunately, South Pacific, at least on this Wednesday night, lacked energy.

South Pacific plays at the Cadillac Palace Theater until Sunday, February 26. Tickets are still available.

Where to eat before a show

My aunt will be in town this weekend with a group of her girlfriends from college. In advance of her visit, she presented me with a challenge: "We're seeing South Pacific at the Cadillac Palace Theater on Sunday night. What are some affordable restaurants near the theater?"

My obvious choice, Encore Liquid Lounge, is closed on Sundays. I love Encore for lunch. It's great for birthdays, a coworker's departure or any other occasion when the typical Corner Bakery fare just won't do.

I've done the legwork on the remaining recommendations; as of this post, they're all open on Sunday evenings.

Also in Hotel Allegro is 312 Chicago, a delicious Italian restaurant. It has a more formal atmosphere than Encore, but during Restaurant Week, you can enjoy a three-course lunch for $22 or dinner for $33.

Not far away at the Burnham Hotel, another Kimpton Hotel, is the Atwood Cafe. It has a formal, but warm atmosphere in a classic old hotel. It's also lovely for breakfast.

A little farther away in River North, you can find Bin 36. I included it because it's not that far away, and I always enjoy the food. The swordfish is my favorite.

Also in River North is La Madia.  This pizzeria is more casual than my other theater-zone dining recommendations. Read: a lower price point and also a good option for families with younger kids. The pepperoni pizza with white truffle oil! is remarkable. But when is truffle oil not delicious?

To avoid a wait, reserve a table at any of these restaurants on OpenTable.