What happens when a 200-year-old play is brought into the world of Chicago pizza? Audiences will find out as The Theatre School premieres “The Servant of Two Master Chefs,” playing now through Sunday, March 8, at the Healy Theatre on the Lincoln Park Campus.
Professor of Movement Jeff Mills adapted Carlo Goldoni’s 1746 comedy “The Servant of Two Masters.” The production is part of The Theatre School’s centennial season.
“The name, ‘The Servant of Two Master Chefs,’ just popped into my head. I pitched the concept and was given a lot of support to make it happen,” says Mills. “I wouldn’t have been able to write this without the trust that was given to me by The Theatre School. My goal was to take that faith and create a process for learning because first and foremost, that's what we're here to do.”
The development of new works is an engaging challenge for students, who have more creative freedom to influence the transition from page to stage.
“I love working on new pieces, and I've been blessed this year to work on two new productions,” says Andalyn Honselaar, an MFA acting student in the production. “The Theatre School does a great job of bringing in new work and taking a collaborative approach with the playwright, actors, designers and director. New work is so special because you get to create with each other on a deeper level.”
The work audiences see on the stage is a result of years of preparation. To inform his writing, Mills studied with masters of Comedia dell’arte, an early ensemble-focused form of theatre originating in Italy during the Renaissance and referenced sitcoms from the 1960s and ’70s. More recently, actors in the production got a visit from Michelin-star chef Richie Farina to perfect their pizza-making skills, which they use to make pizza on stage every night.
“We've got two prep tables, and we're throwing pizza dough right on stage,” says Mills. “During the show, flour and pizza ingredients and sauce and wine are flying all over the place, and it’s total chaos. It’s part of the fun to see the virtuosity of how these pizzas are made right in front of you.”
Students and faculty brought a playful energy to the creative process.
“Everyone is dealing with a lot outside of the rehearsal room, and I feel very lucky to work on something that I care about and have fun with it,” says Honselaar. “I have a lot of gratitude for the ways that people show up for each other in this community. It’s good to know that we can still have fun, dance and laugh. The show is very silly, but it is very serious medicine.”
“The Servant of Two Master Chefs” is on stage now at DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus. Additional information and tickets are available on The Theatre School website.