Village Theatre Guild opens 63rd season with ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’
Village Theatre Guild opens its 63rd season Friday, Oct. 16, with “Tiny Beautiful Things” by Nia Vardalos, adapted from the book by Cheryl Strayed.
The play brings the beloved “Dear Sugar” advice column to life. Through a collection of real-life letters seeking guidance on love, loss and life’s challenges, the play celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the connections that help us heal. It is filled with humor, wisdom and compassion.
“The play’s raw intimate dialogue is something you don’t normally say to people openly but expresses feelings we all share and can empathize with. It is a play about being heard, acknowledged and cared about, and I wanted to share that with our VTG audiences,” said director Jody Vogel of Westmont.
The show runs for 12 performances from Friday, Oct. 16, through Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Village Theatre Guild is located near the northwest corner of Park Boulevard and Butterfield Road in Glen Ellyn. Parking is free.
The cast features Renee Kosiarek (Lisle) as Sugar, Eric Robson (Villa Park) as Letter Writer #1, Stevie Vitzthum (South Elgin) as Letter Writer #2 and Kyle Januska (Elmhurst) as Letter Writer #3. It is produced by Dave Dolnics (Naperville) and Chris Fassett (Woodridge).
“What drew me to ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ was how honest the stories are. We interact with people every day without really knowing what’s going on underneath the surface. Someone can seem completely fine while they’re grieving, falling in love, struggling with something, or celebrating something they haven’t told anyone about,” said Vitzthum, who plays one of the letter writers. “I loved the opportunity to tell several of those stories from very different perspectives and give an audience a glimpse into all of those private, complicated parts of people’s lives.”
For the Oct. 31 performance, one lucky patron will receive a copy of Strayed’s book “Tiny Beautiful Things.”
“Cheryl Strayed’s bravery and storytelling have helped me through many difficult moments, so I was instantly intrigued when I saw that VTG was doing this show,” said Kosiarek, who plays the advice columnist. “I applaud VTG and the team for choosing such a beautiful, intense and difficult show, and am very grateful to be part of this work.”
Tickets are $25 at villagetheatreguild.com/tickets/ or at the box office at 630-469-8230. The performances on Friday, Oct. 16, and Sunday, Oct. 18, are sold out. Limited tickets remain for the Saturday, Oct. 17, show.
“I am in awe of this cast. The characters’ emotions are on full display, each letter different from the last. A big part of the process has been for each actor to actively listen to one another, taking in what is being said without a verbal response,” Vogel said. “With each letter, they are revealing the tiny beautiful things that make us human and vulnerable.”
Due to the subject matter and occasional strong language, “Tiny Beautiful Things” is recommended for mature audiences. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.