UPDATE: Excerpts from Hedy Weiss’s new article regarding Ms. Torem has been added at the bottom of this post.
I am always incredibly impressed by young theatrical talent that can hold their own among a group of professional actors. Often these young prodigies easily steal the
show. Past examples include Edward Heffernan in American Theatre Company‘s The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs, by William Inge, as well as Lillian Almaguer in Steppenwolf’s controversial production of The Pain and the Itch, by Bruce Norris.
It looks like we have another one of those Chicago prodigies, per Hedy Weiss‘s glowing review of Profiles Theatre‘s Great Falls, by Lee Blessing – that being Allison Torem.
Says Weiss:
One crucial reason to catch the Profiles Theatre production of Lee Blessing’s two-character play “Great Falls” is to witness the astonishing performance by Allison Torem. An actress of dazzling skill, fierce emotional honesty and breath-taking sophistication, she also just happens to be a senior at the Whitney Young Magnet High School. (emphasis mine)
Ms. Weiss goes on to say that Torem “triggers memories of the young Jodie Foster“. Wow.
Kudos to Ms.Torem, and to Profiles for presenting such an exemplary production.
Great Falls continues through March 1st. Starring Darrell W. Cox and Allison Torem, direction by Joe Jahraus, Chelsea Meyers (set design), and Kevin O’Donnell (sound design).
Read the entire review here. Other reviews: Trib, ChicagoCritic,
![Great Falls, by Lee Blessing]()
UPDATE: Chicago Sun-Times’ Hedy Weiss has also written a post regarding Allison Torem on her blog. A few quotes:
She didn’t see much theater as a child, but when she broke a finger in a bowling accident at age 9, she stopped taking karate and violin lessons and enrolled in classes at Prologue Children’s Theatre. In eighth grade she took classes at the Second City, but confesses: “I was seriously insecure. It would be a whole lot more fun for me now.” She also tried her hand at musicals as part of the youth-oriented Entertainment Project.
At first I was taken aback when reading this:
Torem, a slight girl with an interesting face that can shift between beauty and something far more challenging, admits to being stunned by her glowing reviews.
But then I realized that, for the stage, an actor’s ability to manipulate their expressions is an a coveted talent. Read the entire article here.
Once again – bravo!
Filed under: Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Chris Jones, Drama, Hedy Weiss, Profiles Theatre, Second City, Theater News, William Inge, World Premier | Tagged: American Theatre Company, Bruce Norris, Chelsea Meyers, ChicagoCritic.com, Darrell W. Cox, Edward Heffernan, Entertainment Project, Great Falls, Hedy Weiss, Jodie Foster, Joe Jahraus, Kevin O'Donnell, Lee Blessing, Lillian Almaguer, Profiles Theater, Prologue Children's Theatre, Second City, Steppenwolf Theatre, Stppenwolf Theatre, The Pain and the Itch, William Inge | Leave a comment »