The Spectacular Theatre of Frank Joseph Galati: Reshaping American Theatre in Chicago, Illinois by Julie Jackson (review)

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• The Spectacular Theatre of Frank Joseph Galati: Reshaping American Theatre in Chicago, Illinois by Julie Jackson
• Stuart J. Hecht

THE SPECTACULAR THEATRE OF FRANK JOSEPH GALATI: RESHAPING AMERICAN THEATRE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. By Julie Jackson. London: Methuen Drama, 2024; pp. 215.

Frank Galati died in early 2023 at age 79. On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the usually sardonic host Colbert spent several minutes soberly marking his former teacher's passing, calling him "an inspiration to all who worked with him and a brilliant director." I, too, knew Galati from my time in the 1970s and '80s as a graduate student and then through my work on the artistic staffs of two prominent Chicago [End Page 580] theatres. Galati seemed to be everywhere, knew everyone, and was at the center of Chicago's thriving theatre scene. Although he remained a Chicagoan, Galati's reputation as an actor, adaptor, director and teacher grew to include Hollywood and Broadway. In The Spectacular Theatre of Frank Joseph Galati, Julie Jackson charts the evolution of Galati's artistry and approach, arguing for the primacy of his particular brand of "spectacular" visual stagings with their rich poesy. His methods—original and collaborative and diverse—embodied Chicago's theatrical spirit and influenced well beyond their Midwestern roots.

Jackson's excellent study of Galati is a tribute to this extraordinary artist and teacher, but it considers him within the context of that time and place. Jackson spent hours interviewing and observing Galati at work. She approaches the book through the rich understanding of one who herself participated (sometimes with Galati) concurrently in the Chicago theatre scene as one of the city's leading costume designers. Fluent in stagecraft, sensitive to artistic choices, able to describe artistry with rigor, Jackson articulately explains how Chicago theatre in particular worked, both onstage and in its peculiar actor/audience dynamic. While her book offers an important biographical account of Galati's artistic career, Jackson's perspective also frames the unique utility of theatre scholarship developed out of close collaboration and relationships with one's subject.

In the 1970s, Chicago began a remarkable theatrical era. New companies cropped up seemingly over night, transforming the city's many empty shops into "storefront theatres." Newcomers established ensembles, each dedicated to its own aesthetic. Theatremakers at the time were young, energetic, and enthusiastic. Since they were also ambitious, most demonstrated dedication, and imagination, each eager to establish their particular niche. Unlike New York's every-person-for-themselves approach, Chicago theatre favored the collective, where cooperation coexisted with competition. Productions ranged from gritty realism to deliberate inanity, usually done with intelligence and power. From the mid-1970s to 2020, Chicago theatre grew to include some three hundred working theatres, six of which were awarded Tony Awards as best regional theatre in the US.

Galati first appeared as a member of Northwestern University's Interpretation Department (not to be confused with its renowned Theatre Department). There, he followed the lead of Robert Breen and other faculty who took nondramafie literature and found ways to explore them through performance. An inspiring teacher, Galati encouraged students to balance imagination with the analytical. Galati practiced what he preached, winning national attention for his adaptations; for example, he coauthored the Oscar-nominated screenplay for The Accidental Tourist (1988). The Chicago Opera Theatre also commissioned him to develop a new libretto each year.

Galati's artistry expanded. He established what would be a life-long, impactful career as a Chicago actor. Galati simultaneously emerged as a prominent stage director of the classics as well as his own dramatic adaptations. One particular production that Jackson describes in detail illustrates Galati's directorial style. In his production of Kaufman and Hart's classic The Man Who Came to Dinner, Steppenwolf actor Laurie Metcalf, wearing a backless gown, played a temperamental diva. Galati had her enter—intentionally—at the wrong place onstage and then had her sneak across. Jackson deliciously describes how Metcalf managed this bit of lazzi clinging to the upstage wall, acting entirely with her exposed back. Jackson's ability to describe what she witnessed with thoughtful detail makes her account of each production a real treat. Readers see...