Steadstyle Chicago
	July 2008 Theatre Review by Ruth Smerling
	Looking for a Ticket Broker? Check out the hottest broadway tickets from Gotickets.com Superior Donuts Critical Evaluation: ** out of **** I defy anyone to deny that Michael McKean is as sexy as Paul Giammatti.  Of course, Giammatti has a leg up with the musical Italian name.  McKean, best known as Leonard Koznowski, cohort of the two inebriated girls from Milwaukee on the hit TV series "Laverne and Shirley," is in Chicago at world renowned Steppenwolf Theatre starring in Tracy Letts’ latest work "Superior Donuts".  McKean plays Arthur Przybyszewski, the proprietor of a dilapidated donut shop in the ominous Uptown neighborhood.  Pushing 60, he seems to have been born into the business and is content to just die there.  His shop is vandalized and the neighborhood is either on the brink of gentrification and prosperity or total collapse.  Either way, tough Russian entrepreneur/thug Max Tarasov (Yasen Peyankov) wants to buy the shop, which sits between his two booming electronics store.  If he had Arthur’s shop he knows his potential is unlimited.  Arthur finally admits he needs some help in the store and hires Franco Wicks (Jon Michael Hill), who takes the minimum wage job to fuel his real passion – writing his great American novel.  Arthur starts to perk up with this kid around, he’s actually quite literate himself, and engages in heated and stimulating conversations about poetry and literature.  Franco encourages him to ask Randy, the lady police officer to go out with him.  Randy, played by effervescent and saucy Kate Buddeke, is the police officer who stops in daily.  Arthur is smitten with her but either too shy or too lazy to do anything about it.  Franco, like a Jewish mother, won’t take no for answer.   He’s a great kid except for one small flaw, he has a pretty huge gambling monkey on his back that winds up costing him a few fingers. Tracy Letts just took home a carload of awards for detonating and revealing the genetic material decaying three generations of substance abusers in his groundbreaking work "August Osage County".  The bad part of that is that all his future work will be measured against it.  "Superior Donuts" is pretty hollow by comparison.  The set is almost an exact replica of the one Ted Danson ranted and raved on in his hit TV show "Becker".  The bill collectors are borrowed from many previous films, but the one that comes brightest to mind is Eric Robert’s who suffered the loss of a thumb in "The Popes of Greenwich Village".  At moments, Arthur will wax nostalgic, describing the advent of the donut on U.S. soil, much like William Hurt’s soliloquies in "Smoke".  Director Tina Landau, working with a Letts’ script for her first time, has a hard time deciding whether this is a comedy, tragedy or just a bit of absurdity.  "Superior Donuts" has a very good heart, but no arms and legs to get it going.  Tracy Letts is young.  He’s evolved 365 degrees from "Killer Joe" to now.  Just wait, he’ll wow us with something else before we know it.  "Superior Donuts", with some interesting characters despite a wobbly script, runs through August 24, 2008 on the Steppenwolf Mainstage, 1650 N. Halsted.  Phone 312-3335-1650 or visit www.steppenwolf.org for tickets and information.   About Ruth Smerling Ruth Smerling began work as an entertainment writer while attending the prestigious University of Illinois School of Communications.  She persuaded the school paper to assign her to review the film "Get Shorty," starring John Travolta.  Unfortunately her work was a little too brutal for the UIC paper and that was also her last assignment.  Nevertheless, the need to write and communicate could not be extinguished and fortunately her reviews received a warm welcome by the Editor-In-Chief of College News, Daphne Robinson who named her the Reel Goddess from 1993 to 2003.  Ruth covered film festivals all over the North America and interviewed countless movie stars, directors and authors.  Meeting the French Director Bertrand Tavernier at the Chicago Film Festival was the turning point in her movie reviewing experience.  He presented a brilliant film called "It All Starts Today".  He explained that she loved his films so much because American films are enjoyable, but must sell as much popcorn and Coca-Cola as they do tickets.  Since 2003 Ruth has been submitting controversial and thought provoking reviews to Theatreworld Internet Magazine and is pleased to report that people around the world send her e-mails inquiring about Chicago theatre, actors, directors and productions underway.  Ruth is delighted to be part of the Steadstyle website and looks forward to a long and happy association.