CTWS Presents World Premiere of Founder’s Granddaughter’s 'Al Capone'

In 1929, local legend Mary Cattell founded the Theatre of Western Springs—now, 82 years later, the Children’s Theatre will perform the first-ever adaptation of her granddaughter author’s Newbury Honor-winning children’s novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts.

That author, Gennifer Choldenko, will pay a visit to her grandmother’s Theatre on Saturday to see her characters brought to live-action for the first time.

“I had seen that the Theatre wasn’t just doing plays that existed, but adapting new plays,” said Choldenko, who reached an easy agreement with the Children’s Theatre to present the play. “So wouldn’t it be cool if I could get Al Capone on my grandma’s stage?

“I’ve never had this experience before,” Choldenko added. “I think it’s going to be fun, how they change it around, however they make it come to life. I’m just pretty excited about it.”

Al Capone is the story of 12-year-old Moose Flanagan, who has recently moved to Alcatraz Island in 1935, a time when the island’s prison holds notable inmates like Machine Gun Kelly and “Scarface” himself. The good-hearted Moose is heavily burdened with the care of his autistic sister, Natalie, and along with the island’s other young residents, often hypothesizes about the prison’s notorious inmates (who, as per the title, perform laundry duties for the staff’s families.)

Living on Alcatraz wasn’t really dangerous, but the isolation would have been miserable, said 13-year-old Brendan Stelmach, who plays Moose. “Looking back on it, when you grow up and you leave, it’d be like, ‘oh, that was an interesting childhood,’” Stelmach said. “[But] when you’re actually experiencing it, it would be like, ‘God, this is miserable.’”

Caring for Natalie severely hampers Moose’s social life—when he’s not trying to stay out of trouble concocted by the prison warden’s mischievous daughter, Piper. Meanwhile, the Flanagan family is desperately trying to squeeze Natalie into an elite special school, but her severe disabilities and advanced age (16) are major roadblocks.

“It’s an honest portrayal of a family that’s going through the same struggles that many families are today,” said LTHS senior Ava Thompson, of La Grange Park, who plays Natalie. “Autism is becoming increasingly well-known; people know what it is now… It will hit home in the right way for a lot of people.”

The novel has been adapted for its stage premiere by Chicago playwright and TWS vet David Bareford. Tripp Burton, who directs, said that one of the most interesting things about doing the show is having no precedent to work on, since the story has never been staged before.

“You’re going to get to see something that no one else has ever seen before,” Burton said. “Friday night when those lights come on, it’s the first audience that will ever get to see this world, the first time these characters will have been put into flesh.”

“It’s funny, it’s touching. You’re gonna laugh, you’re gonna cry, you’re gonna see some really amazing kids and adults up on stage.”

Author Choldenko will also be at the Theatre’s Saturday-night (Feb. 26) fundraiser, Al Capone’s Speakeasy, following the 4 p.m. performance, which will feature food, raffles and entertainment. (She is currently on tour promoting her first young-adult fantasy novel, No Passengers Beyond This Point.)

Choldenko never knew her grandmother well—she died when Choldenko was 14—but she says it is an honor to bring her work back to Cattell’s hometown of Western Springs.

“We didn’t have a close relationship, but she had a larger than life presence in our lives because she had done such impressive things with her life,” said Choldenko. “So for me to be able to come full circle and have characters that I created stand on the stage that she created means a lot to me.”

Western Springs residents in the play include Bob Baker (Warden Williams/Mr. Purdy), Emilie Bielski (Annie), William Belden (Scout), Jack Schroeder (Meeger), and Adam Kubil and Cate Locke (Students).

Al Capone Does My Shirts plays on Fridays Feb. 25 and Mar. 4 at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays Feb. 26 and Mar. 5 at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and Sundays Feb. 27 and Mar. 6 at 2:30 p.m.. The play is appropriate for children 9 and up. Al Capone’s Speakeasy will follow the Feb. 26 4:00 p.m. performance. All ticket information can be found at the TWS website.