Chicago Premiere

Presented by American Blues Theater
March 29 – April 27, 2019
Written by James Lacesne
Directed by Kurt Johns
Starring Joe Foust

READ REVIEWS
The evening’s primary narrator, recollecting events from a decade before, is Chuck DeSantis, a detective in the classic gumshoe mold. Storming into his office one day is Ellen Hertle, described by her embarrassed 16-year-old daughter Phoebe as “just a local beauty-stylist slash control freak.” Ellen has come to report the disappearance of Leonard Pelkey, whom she describes as her nephew. He’s been missing for 24 hours — well, O.K., 19 hours and 47 minutes — and what is Chuck going to do about it? And why isn’t he writing all this down?

The details surrounding Leonard’s disappearance come into focus as Chuck begins his investigation. He learns off the bat that Leonard was no average boy. As that pompous British owner of the drama school Leonard attended colorfully puts it, in a tone of deep seriousness, “I don’t think I’ve ever met a child who could express himself so thoroughly with jazz hands.” Ellen suddenly remembers that when he disappeared Leonard was wearing a pair of rainbow-colored platform sneakers that he’d made himself by gluing half a dozen flip-flops to the bottom of Converse high-tops.
Click here to read more about the production at American Blues Theater