Approach Savor After Hours from the jaded perspective of someone used to experiencing world-class culture in Chicago and you might miss how sweetly enjoyable this often sexy, sometimes silly dance showcase actually is.
Is the connection of wines to the various dance numbers a bit of a stretch? Sure.
Does the background soundtrack wander all over the sonic map? Yep.
Would the audience-interaction set pieces–including one in which dancers dressed as bridesmaids at a bachelorette party drunkenly stumble around the auditorium until they find an unsuspecting patron to conscript as the bride for some Magic Mike-style fun onstage–be out of place in a cruise-ship show or an off-Strip Vegas lounge? No.
But this big-hearted production, complete with swanky jazz club set, delivers 75 minutes of sophisticated dance numbers performed by top-notch, beautifully costumed performers–who have won a combined seven Dancing with the Stars trophies and are quite easy on the eyes–as they spin, flip and twirl each other to great effect.
The cast I saw included reigning DWTS champ Val Chmerkovskiy; his brother Maks, a former winner, joins the ensemble starting Aug. 6. Val’s wife, Jenna Johnson, another former DWTS champion, adds to the production’s family vibe. Director, writer and producer Mark “Swany” Swanhart trained with multiple Chicago dance companies, so Savor represents a happy homecoming for him. His credits include choreographing Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème on Broadway. Dancers Daniella Karagach, Pasha Pashkov and Artem Chigvintsev round out this talented team.
Here’s a hot tip: Book one of the four onstage tables for a date night and see all of this play out in a very intimate space. Go ahead. Live a little.
Savor After Hours runs through August 18 at Broadway in Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse.
For a full roundup of reviews of this show, visit Theatre in Chicago.
Photo by MagicSpace Entertainment/Matt Gordon
