Sarah Bockel, Stephen Schellhardt, Jackson Evans, Charlie Long, and Jack Ball Photo by Michael Brosilow

The show's success begins with Arnel Sancianco's scenic design, which perfectly bridges the end of the 1970s and the early years of the 1980s. Sancianco sets three brightly colored doors in the upstage wall across which a bold ribbon of rainbow unfurls and rises at stage left. Above the doors at stage right is a long, darkened lozenge-shaped window fronting the platform that houses the musicians, and at center stage is a cameo-shaped window that accommodates actors as they announce scenes about to unfold.

Two panels in the rainbow lift away. One, at stage right, reveals a domestic space in the home Trina is still struggling to keep. The other, stage left, reveals a suggestive piece of art that hangs above Marvin and Whizzer's' bed. For most of Act I, the orange mid-century modern chair and divan that represent Mendel's psychiatric practice dominate the downstage area of the curved thrust.

In Act II, a seafoam green kitchen island rolls in and out to suggest Charlotte and Cordelia's home, and Trina's kitchen table with its orange vinyl bucket chairs dominates center stage the rest of the time, until the action moves to Whizzer's hospital room, at which point the rainbow wall is concealed by a massive hospital curtain that dwarfs the hospital bed up right and two waiting room chairs up left.

The lighting design by Maggie Fullilove-Nugent and Josiah Croegaert does an excellent job of directing the audience's attention from space to space. With impeccable timing and instincts, the lighting homes in on single characters to shape the show's most memorable moments, whether they are hilarious, intimate or both.

Theresa Ham's costumes are similarly terrific, from Trina's avocado ensemble in Act I to her workout wear in Act II, and from Marvin's very buttoned up look to something closer to comfortable with his identity. Similarly, Whizzer's hot young thing look clashes perfectly with Mendel's turtlenecks and plaid sport coat, and the looks Ham creates, particularly for Jason and the lesbians next store in Act II perfectly capture trauma of early '80s fashion. And last but definitely not least, the sound design by Stephanie Farina and Sarah Ramos is well balanced and serves to let the singers and musicians shine.

The cast here is truly something special, and Bowling, Vogel, and Angulo bring out the best in them. As Marvin, Stephen Schellhardt is appropriately entitled and infuriating, particularly in the beginning. But even when he and Whizzer (Jack Ball) reconcile and are enjoying their "second honeymoon" phase, Schellhardt allows the character to be oblivious and dictatorial but not entirely unsympathetic, thanks to the honest complexity of his relationships with Whizzer, Jason, and even Trina and Mendel.

For his part, Ball makes many of Schellhardt's choices work, as he plays Whizzer as genuinely smitten with Marvin, fond of Jason, and both sympathetic to and jealous of Trina, all as much to his own surprise, as anyone else's. The choreography and music direction during "Thrill of First Love' is particularly stunning, and Schellhardt and Ball knock it out of the park.

Sarah Bockel's powerful voice brings great depth and a moving weariness to the role of Trina, and yet she is side-splittingly funny, too. She and Jackson Evans (Mendel) both exhibit the kind of well-honed comedic timing that make so many of the ensemble musical numbers pop. The two also infuse tenderness even into the most absurd moments, making really touching connections not just with one another, but as their strange family grows and the ties that bind them grow stronger.

As Jason, Charlie Long (who alternates with Eli Vander Griend in the role) does far more than simply hold his own in a challenging role. His voice is excellent and his acting comes across as incredibly natural. This provides critical support for the emotional beats in Act II, but Long also handles the comedy admirably.

As Doctor Charlotte and Cordelia, Sharriese Hamilton and Elizabeth Stenholt certainly make the audience wish the characters were in both halves of the play. The brief glimpses we get into the quirks of their lives are a most welcome opening up of the show's universe, and the quartet with Marvin and Whizzer, "Unlikely Lovers,' is heartbreaking and beautiful.

Falsettos runs through December 8, 2024, at Court Theatre 5535 S. Ellis Ave, Chicago IL. For tickets and information, please visit CourtTheatre.org or TimeLineTheatre.com or call 773-753-4472.