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18 | February 13, 2020 | the new lenox patriot life & Arts newlenoxpatriotdaily.com ‘Mary Page Marlowe’ paints picture of complicated woman Lincoln-Way actors star in Drama Group production Nuria Mathog Contributing Editor If you go... What: The Drama Group’s “Mary Page Marlowe” When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22, and 2 p.m. Feb. 16 and 23 Where: The Drama Group’s Milord Studio Theatre, 330 W. 202nd St. in Chicago Heights. Ticket information: Tickets cost $23 for adults, $21 for seniors and $17 for students with ID. They can be purchased online at brownpapertickets.com/ event/4443615 or by calling the box office at (708) 755-3444. Even the most seemingly ordinary people can turn out to be surprisingly complex. That is one of the principal messages behind the Drama Group’s upcoming production of “Mary Page Marlowe.” Written by American playwright Tracy Letts, the play chronicles the story of an Ohio accountant, her decisions and her relationships with her family. The tale is not told chronologically, instead conveyed through a series of scenes from throughout Marlowe’s life. Nine different actreses are cast as Marlowe, showcasing her journey from childhood to old age. Director Chuck Cairns, a Park Forest resident, has been involved with the Chicago Heightsbased Drama Group “in one form or another” for about 45 years, starting with a successful audition in the 1970s for the role of John Adams in the musical “1776.” Since then, he has directed about half a dozen plays as part of the community theater group, he said. He first saw the play in its original incarnation in Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre in 2016 and was immediately hooked, he said. “The idea of an examination of one woman’s life in non-chronological order, over 11 different scenes cherry-picked for her life, just intrigued me,” he said. “And when it was all done and finished, I wanted to know more about this woman. So the arc of her life, the story really enthralled me, and I thought, ‘What play, if I ever want to direct another one, would I want to do?’ The cast, which consists of about 21 actors, has been rehearsing for the production since just after Christmas, he said. The Drama Group’s rendition of the show is told in the round, meaning the actors can be seen from all sides, and involves “a lot of moving parts,” Cairns said. “It’s a very, very big piece that I’m working on,” he said. “I’m very blessed to have the caliber and quantity and quality of the actors that I have to do the show” Cairns said his favorite scene from the play is the one between Marlowe at age 63 and her husband, Andy — a moment he described as one of the most bittersweet, touching and comedic parts of the show. “It’s sort of a slice of life,” he said. “And any couple who’ve been married, young or old, for any length of time, will appreciate some of the action that goes on in that scene. That would probably be my favorite, but they’re all very, very good.” He added one member of the group once called the production a “parking lot play” — the kind of play that stays with viewers to the extent that it later compels them to talk about it in the parking lot on the way to their car. “You’re taking all these little isolated incidents and then seeing, out of time, all that happened to her here or her child here, came to affect her 10, 15, 25 years later down the road here,” he said. Frankfort resident Jeannie Markionni, who plays Marlowe at age 59 in the play’s final scene, said she typically pursues musical theater roles but was inspired to audition for the play because she thought working with Cairns would be “a great experience.” She said she hopes the audience is able to take each scene and use it to get a better understanding of Marlowe’s actions in other parts of the play. “I really feel that my role is a transitional role for Mary Page, where she’s looking back and possibly regretting some things, and then she realizes that that is just all part of life, that sometimes life is messy and you have to pick yourself up and keep going,” she said. “And I think that really relates to any of us — we all have those moments where you have made a mistake or New Lenox resident Liz Yerkovich (right), playing Roberta Marlowe, rehearses a scene with Oak Park resident Mia Wetzler, cast as a young Mary Page Marlowe, Jan. 29 in the Drama Group’s upcoming production of “Mary Page Marlowe.” Photos by Nuria Mathog/22nd Century Media might have gone, ‘Hm, maybe I shouldn’t have done that,’ and then we move on.” New Lenox resident Liz Yerkovich and Mokena resident Joshua Reid are cast as Mary Page Marlowe’s parents, Roberta and Ed Marlowe, in the 1940s. Reid said this will be his first production with the Drama Group, adding he was a big fan of Letts’ plays. “The shows he writes have just got such emotional weight, but it’s not gratuitous emotional baggage in these shows,” he said. “It’s very personal. You can empathize with it very well. It’s not always the easiest thing to write a very personal, powerful emotional show but also be able to get people to empathize with it as well, so that’s why I love this show, and it’s a very unique show in the way that it looks at Mary’s life Frankfort resident Jeannie Markionni, playing Mary Page Marlowe at age 59, reflects on her character’s past. in snapshots.” Yerkovich said she was looking forward to seeing the audience’s reaction. “[Letts] sneaks in so many things throughout his play, and we’ve done it so many times, but there’s some things now that we’ve just started to see,” she said. “So, I’m interested to talk to the audience afterwards and ask, ‘What do you think about this?’ or ‘What do you think about that?’ It’s a show that makes you think.”
newlenoxpatriotdaily.com dining out the new lenox patriot | February 13, 2020 | 19 The Dish Taco Patio in Lockport continues to win hearts with unique family recipes Abhinanda Datta Contributing Editor A strong focus on building relationships within the community is what drives this eatery serving Mexican fare in Lockport. According to Taco Patio co-owner and restaurant manager Nasia Katris, unlike a franchise, “Our priority isn’t to make money.” “Growing up in the restaurant business, I know from personal experience that a family-owned business has an advantage, because you’re going to have the family there,” she said. “If there’s a personal touch, they’re more in touch with the community or the needs of people. That’s the priority with us.” The original Bellwood location was opened almost 40 years ago by Katris’ father, Jim, and 10 years ago, she launched the one in Lockport along with her husband an coowner Christos Giannakopoulos. “For such a small community, Lockport has really opened up and supported us,” Katris said. “We love to have regulars all the time. It’s a hardworking community that is kind and appreciative of our services. And because we are here all the time, we get to know everybody and get to see what they’re like.” Whether you want to dine in with your family or grab a quick bite on the way to work, Taco Patio caters to all kinds of dining needs. One item that is quite popular among those opting for the drivethru service is the lightly sweetened horchata, available in two sizes ($2.45- $2.75). Made entirely from scratch, this recipe has been in Katris’ family for over 40 years and is a concoction featuring Jicaro seeds ground with rice and ground cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. “We need to cook the cinnamon all day; it’s a huge process,” she said. “I keep telling my husband that we’re going to somehow make bigger batches. We can’t keep up. People will come to the drive-thru for four or five horchatas at a time. It’s crazy.” The loaded cheese fries ($5.89) — potatoes fried and salted, topped with seasoned meat of the customer’s choice, grilled onion, sour cream and hot peppers — are another sought-after option. Katris said since the distribution of Mexican products in the market was not as great a few decades ago, she saw her family prepare their own beans, taco shells and sauces in the kitchen. “You couldn’t go and buy ready-made products like so many Mexican restaurants do these days,” she said. “So that’s why everything was made from scratch, and we still do that. We come two hours early in the morning and we stay late at night. We refuse to buy anything.” For those looking to get a heartier meal, the enchilada dinner ($9.99) comes with three enchiladas with either chicken, beef or cheese, along with rice, tortilla chips and fresh guacamole. There also is the taco salad ($7.99) — a combination of protein, beans, lettuce, tomato, green onion and black olives served in a crispy Taco Patio 1022 E. 9th St. in Lockport Hours • 10 a.m.-midnight Monday-Thursday and Sunday • 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Saturday For more information ... Phone: (815) 838- 8226 Web: www.tacopatio. com Pictured is the No Name ($4.99) dessert — a plate of Mexican doughnuts with powdered sugar, cinnamon and caramel drizzle — at Taco Patio in Lockport. Photos by Thomas Czaja/22nd Century Media The nacho supreme ($7.49) comes with meat, cheese, beans, tomato and olives, topped with sour cream and guacamole. flour shell with a dollop of sour cream. Guests have the option of adding guacamole for another $1.10. For Katris, cooking has become a labor of love. “Working in a restaurant, you see what it should be like, what it could be like and what it is like in other places,” she said. “We do have a lot of families that come here. And I personally would not be able to serve something that I could not serve to my own family. Those who eat here know it will be good, because it is freshly made right away.” Some items on the menu take longer to prepare, such as the vegetarian option with stuffed peppers. The stuffed pepper burrito ($7.75) and the stuffed pepper taco ($3.10) come with poblano peppers prepared over three days. They have to be skinned and fried, stuffed with a special five-cheese blend and breaded. While most popular desserts have appetizing names, Taco Patio’s only item with no name has been winning hearts for years. “A couple of years ago, we were testing a new dessert one night when a customer wanted to try it out,” Katris said. “He liked it so much that he wanted to order more, even before we could name it officially. So, we went with No Name for this phenomenal dessert.” The No Name ($4.99) is a plate filled with fried dough and served with cinnamon, powdered sugar and a drizzle of Mexican caramel. Coming from an immigrant family, Katris said food was very important as “it was a time to be happy, enjoy yourself, forget about what was going on.” Armed with strong values and even stronger familial bonds, she has ensured that Taco Patio is unique in its dedication to the quality of the food and personal service. “We are an upscale fast food place, and I hope Lockport will continue to support us, so that we can provide them with a great experience,” Katris said.
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