Politics may make strange bedfellows but it also makes for some interesting entertainment on stage and screen.
Stage
The political satire Coronation by Laura Winters features a gas mask fashion show and a devious Siri as it questions whether government will be controlled by the public or by Artificial Intelligence in the coming years. Set in 2044, this three-act femme-futurist play begins after a woman loses the presidential election. As a result, disappointed female voters launch a monarchy run by “the Queen of America.” Under the direction of Chicago’s Tova Wolff, the live performance includes Jodi Gage, Amber Washington, Mary Tilden, Dylan J. Fleming, Hannah Hammel, Kandace Mack, Katie Bevil, and Tristan Odenkirk. This Refracted Theatre Company production can be seen at the Den’s Bookspan Theatre (through Nov. 16).
The Second City reprises its quest for life, liberty and the pursuit of hilariousness with She the People at Chicago’s UP Comedy Club (through Nov. 23). Back by popular demand, the sketch show explores the complexities of being a woman in the 21st century with jokes and femme ballads.
Screen
In Vice President Kamala Harris: Chase the Dream (2021) filmmakers Samir Zakir and Gerard Pizarro provide an overview of Harris’s background and political career from her time as District Attorney of San Francisco and Attorney General of California to becoming the 49th and current Vice President under President Joe Biden; not to mention being the first female and person of color to hold the VP position and run for POTUS via the Democratic Party. The PG-rated, Harris-approved documentary uses archival and recent footage as well as soundbites from her friends, family and colleagues. This 46-minute film can be streamed on Prime Video and Sling TV for free.
Those who either love or hate Donald J. Trump will likely skip The Apprentice (2024), but moderates with open minds may have an enjoyable time experiencing the Big Apple’s grit and glam of the 1970s and ’80s. Like 2013’s American Hustle, this retro-set flick makes the most of observational humor, colorful characters, vintage styles, and a nostalgic song list. With a script by Gabriel Sherman and without Trump’s permission, the 2-hour fictional biopic follows an ambitious young Trump (Sebastian Stan) keen on impressing his father (Martin Donovan) by making a name for himself in real estate and beyond. Thanks to a fine cast and brisk pace, director Ali Abbasi succinctly conveys the titular personality as an unorthodox visionary. The film only stalls in the third act when it tries to milk sympathy for Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). Rated R, The Apprentice is currently playing at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema and Landmark at the Glen. On Nov. 25, it will be available on HBO Max.
Glenn Close received her eighth Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress (as well as a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress) for Hillbilly Elegy (2020). Based on the same-named memoir by J.D. Vance, the film shows the Republican Vice Presidential candidate when he was growing up in Ohio with his drug-addicted mother (Amy Adams) and spending summers in Kentucky with his eccentric grandmother (Close). The film also features Freida Pinto, Haley Bennett, and Gabriel Basso as a young Vance. It can be streamed on Netflix.
For additional coverage on the current candidates, check out the FRONTLINE documentaries The Choice 2024: Vance vs. Walz (2024) and The Choice 2024: Harris vs. Trump (2024) from PBS.