Skinny Dipping - Not Your Mama's One Woman Show!

At the Sept 5 performance of Skinny Dipping, I spoke to a young woman new in town since Wednesday, from Lincoln, Nebraska. I immediately let her know that all Chicago apartments have their plusses and minuses, and that if you are ever on a hot el train, move to a different car at the next stop, as each car has its own air unit. She then left her second row seat to visit the washroom. When she returned, two women had grabbed space in the front row in front of her, so this new Chicagoan immediately and graciously moved to the front row too. Thanks to her potty break, she lined herself up perfectly to receive the tall can of Busch beer from the outstanding star Shanna Shrum. This was my first time seeing this terrific show, and the interaction between performer and the new kid in town made for an unforgettable moment.

At the Sept 5 performance of Skinny Dipping, I spoke to a young woman new in town since Wednesday, from Lincoln, Nebraska. I immediately let her know that all Chicago apartments have their plusses and minuses, and that if you are ever on a hot el train, move to a different car at the next stop, as each car has its own air unit. She then left her second row seat to visit the washroom. When she returned, two women had grabbed space in the front row in front of her, so this new Chicagoan immediately and graciousy moved to the front row too. Thanks to her potty break, she lined herself up perfectly to receive the tall can of Busch beer from the outstanding star Shanna Shrum. This was my first time seeing this terrific show, and the interaction between the performer and this new kid in town made for an unforgettable moment.

Ms. Shrum uses the solo-show format to showcase her multiple talents--crack comedienne, gifted cabaret singer, campy character actress, and adroit storyteller. The show is fast-paced and completely engaging. During the several costume/character changes, she banters with the audience in a personal and very humorous way. Halfway through, I realized that all the characters were connected in a storyline that was heart-wrenching as well as side-splitting. See it!