The sign over the display room entrance may read Zenith, but Pete’s TV and Video is at its nadir, and Pete himself ain’t doing so hot. Once as Chicago famous as Celozzi and Ettleson combined thanks to his goofy television ads, Pete’s retail empire is down to the one flea-bitten location where it all began four decades ago.
There hasn’t been a customer through the door all week, but Pete (Francis Guinan, delivering the goods per usual), his daughter, Sam, and son-in-law, Mike, still show up every day, more out of habit than anything else.
In fact, when the lights come up on Ashland Avenue, now enjoying its world premiere at the Goodman, we see that Pete even spent the night in the office after his much younger, sorta kinda girlfriend, Jess (a spiky Cordelia Dewdney), told him she needs some space.
We soon meet Mike (an avuncular Chiké Johnson), a graphic novelist who’s a bit of a blurter when it comes to secrets he’s supposed to keep, and then Sam (a winning Jenna Fischer), who’s nursing dreams of becoming an author herself.
Many things, it seems, are about to change. Mike wants to take a shot at becoming a Hollywod animator. He and Sam will be visiting L.A. to see if it suits them. Meanwhile, Pete’s about to get an award from the mayor honoring his contributions to the city’s pop-cultural fabric, which he hopes will help jumpstart the business and maybe keep Jess from leaving.
The resulting drama plays out over the course of two days in which we see the three main players interact in ways familiar to any Chicagoan. They’re comfortable together. We’re comfortable with them. They talk sports. They watch sports. They complain about the freezing winter. They gossip about a former TV weatherman. They nose into each other’s business. They annoy each other almost as much as they love each other.
The name of Fischer’s character may be one letter removed from the role that made her famous on The Office, and she even sits for a moment on a high chair behind a counter reminiscent of a certain reception desk, but her Sam is a distinct and delightful presence onstage, especially when she spars with and mother hens Guinan. They have an easy chemistry.
This play would be unlikely to work anywhere but here given how infused it is with all things Chicago, but it works here quite well. It’s playwright Lee Kirk’s love letter to the wonderful people of a wonderful city, brought to engaging life by director Susan V. Booth.
The details feel just right, down to the location of the shop. Hell, I bought a used washing machine a couple years ago in an appliance shop a lot like Pete’s right on Ashland Avenue. Kevin Depinet’s cluttered set captures the time capsule vibe.
With the trauma this nation is going through on a daily basis, a show like this with its familiar touchpoints and endearing characters feels like just what the doctor ordered. It’s two-plus hours of sweet escape that’ll leave a smile on your face. What’s not to like?
Ashland Avenue runs through October 12 at the Goodman Theatre.
For a full roundup of reviews of this show, visit Theatre in Chicago.
Photo by Todd Rosenberg
