There’s always a guy, there’s always a girl, and there’s always a scheme. Guy needs to get a girl, or the girl needs to get the guy, they enlist the help of their friends, a little chaos ensues, but in the end they all live happily ever after. Pretty standard for a romantic comedy, right? But what happens after the final credits roll and the characters have to go about the rest of their lives? MISSED OPPORTUNITIES explores the full story of a romcom with a modern, millennial love story.
Cuckoo’s Theater Project Seizes the Chance
For blogger Max, being herself around guys has never really worked out for her. It’s much safer to pretend to be someone you think this guy is going to like, go home with him, and then leave early the next morning while he’s in the shower. However, things might have gone too far with the next guy she tries this with.
When her old college crush, Nate, moves into the apartment above hers with his bandmate, Jenna, it’s Max’s second chance at this missed opportunity with Nate. With the help of Jenna, they hatch a plan to “date” each other. This allows Jenna to avoid the dating scene and for Max to get closer to Nate leading to him inevitably falling in love with her! Will this plan work out and everyone lives happily ever after? Or will it backfire leaving everyone hurt and relationships damaged?
Fast Paced and Sparking Relationships
The pace of this show is quick and snappy. We easily move between the coffee shop and the two apartments due to a simple set design by Charlotte Lastra. All three scenes live onstage meaning there’s no pausing for scene changes keeping us fully immersed in the story.
In addition to the fast scene changes, the dynamics between the characters make the show fly by. They each have their own quirks and distinctive personalities making them bounce energetically off each other.
The relationship between Max, played by Jillian Leff, and her roommate Adam, played by Joe Lino, has an effortless quality as they josh back and forth with each other about their respective dating habits. And when Max and Jenna, played by Bailey Castle, have some real talk, we see a deeper side to them as they discuss their romantic histories.
The Aftermath of the Plan
Even though MISSED OPPORTUNITIES isn’t your standard romcom, for this writer, it still leaves a very satisfactory ending. Even though we see the aftermath after a life-changing kiss, it offers more character depth and brings a more realistic ending to this modern day romantic tale. MISSED OPPORTUNITIES might not be the best fit if you’re not looking for a romcom theatre night. But it would be a good pick for a date night or if you’re interested in a millennial love story.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Note: This is now added to the Picture this Post round up of BEST PLAYS IN CHICAGO, where it will remain until the end of the run. Click here to read — Top Picks for Theater in Chicago NOW – Chicago Plays PICTURE THIS POST Loves.
CAST
Jillian Leff
Joe Lino
Jose Cervantes
Bailey Castle
Shannon Sotomayor
Matthew Torre
CREATIVE
Lexi Saunders
Jillian Leff
Shawn Rodriguez
Charlotte Lastra
Joan Pritchard
Ellie Humphrys
Xavier Lagunas
Teryl Thurman
Doran Konja
When
Now through February 16, 2019
Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00p
Sundays at 3:00p
There will be an additional matinee on Saturday, February 16th at 3:00pm
Where
The Den Theatre
1331 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL
Tickets
$5-$30
Tickets can be purchased through the Cuckoo’s Theater Project website
Photos
Courtesy of The Cuckoo’s Theater Project
Note: Picture This Post reviews are excerpted by Theatre in Chicago
About the Author
Alexis is a theater reviewer, travel bug, media specialist, and burger & beer enthusiast. During the day she works in the advertising business as a senior communications designer. When night falls, or when she can escape to New York, she’s hitting the theaters to see as many shows as she can. And whenever she’s not at her desk or in the audience, she’s out seeking the best burger and beer offerings in Chicago.
Editor's Note: Click here to read more Picture this Post articles by Alexis Bugajski
