Suburban alums have musical roots

"Old Town," the new musical by Brett Neveu and Mikhail Fiksel about an old-fashioned political dynasty and the old-school politics they practice is an anomaly for Strawdog Theatre.

The Chicago company doesn't do many musicals. In 20 years they've staged two: 2005's "The True Ballad of Falls Blessings" and the aforementioned "Old Town" which premiered this week.

Following the opening, Elmhurst native Tom Hickey, Christopher Hainsworth formerly of Glenbard Heights and Shannon Hoag from Batavia sat down to talk about their musical theater memories and what it was like to collaborate on a new work.

Q. What was your first experience with musicals?

TH. "I started acting in plays pretty early and we did musicals all the time because they just pleased audiences."

SH. "I grew up watching touring companies. That's what got me interested."

CH. "My mom was the aficionado in the family. She took me to the high school musicals when I was in junior high."

SH. "We went to Pheasant Run."

CH. "My high school (Glenbard East) did a musical every other year. My senior year it was 'Oklahoma.' I still remember the tap bit."

Q. Most of your work has involved straight drama. What made you want to do this show and what kinds of challenges did it pose?

CH. "One of the reasons I was interested is it's not something I'd get to do anywhere else. It's a musical, but it's a Strawdog musical."

SH. "Part of the attraction was that we'd be doing it together."

CH. "And the fact that all of us were so challenged by it."

TH. "This being a new show is really exciting. Trying to put a Strawdog spin on it, staging it in this crazy, second floor space with a full-on dream waltz…"

CH. "But we knew it would be about the story."

TH. "It's a show about politics, but really it's a show about a family."

CH. "And we like our family dramas."