Kokandy Productions resurrects the dreamy ‘Amélie the Musical’ – Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune 08/05/25

“What was ground zero for the manic pixie dream girl movie trope? Zooey Deschanel in “(500) Days of Summer?” Kirsten Dunst in “Elizabethtown?” Winona Ryder in “Autumn in New York?”

It depends on the nature of your preferred definition and some go back as far as Katharine Hepburn. But a case surely could be made for the pointy-haired French star Audrey Tautou in “Amélie,” the whimsical 2001 French fable from Jean-Pierre Jeunet about a melancholy but lovable Montmartre waitress who decides that the best cure for her own feelings of loneliness is throwing herself into improving the lives of the clutch of Parisian eccentrics who surround her. “Amélie” was one of the most internationally successful French movies ever made, and those of us who fell under its witty, sweet, intermittently acerbic spell at the time surely recall it with great fondness. Ah, when quirkiness and whimsy still felt fresh and new.

Until, that is, some of us walked into Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theater in 2017 for the disastrous musical version.

Not many folk had that dubious pleasure, given that “Amélie,” which has a book by Craig Lucas and music by Daniel Messé, lasted only 57 regular performances. I hadn’t seen it since before this weekend and was not sure I ever would before Kokandy Productions, the indisputable current leader in edgy, off-Loop musicals, announced its summer project.

Kokandy’s hugely inventive production, which is a must-see for anyone interested in the long Chicago tradition of fresh and intimate takes on failed Broadway musicals, goes a long way toward giving Amélie back her crucial sense of self and worth. You might say it de-tropifies her. Most specifically, that is achieved by the delightful Aurora Penepacker, who plays the central character here and makes Amélie entirely her own, even though she comes with a Tautou-like Parisian bob and a day-glo vivacity that put me most in mind of Jasmine Amy Rogers in “Boop! The Musical.”

The gifted director and choregrapher Derek Van Barham, who has been doing for musicals these last few summers what David Cromer once did for straight plays in the basement of the Chopin Theatre in Wicker Park, has created an eye-poppingly immersive production that draws on the cabaret-style implications of the material (Amélie is, after all, a waitress in a Parisian cafe) and features a cast that switches, “Once”-style, back and forth between playing instruments (playing them well, too) and performing the show’s wacky lost urban souls. The tone of the production is admirable diverse: Mizha Lee Overn, for example, brings warmth to her little clutch of characters while Quinn Rigg, between stints playing the violin, adds a delicious soupçon of cynicism to his denizens. I did think Joe Giovannetti, who plays Amélie’s love interest, Nino, could warm up some more toward the end, but then the production’s problems mostly are in the second act.”

This underground Chicago theater just made ‘Amélie’ better than Broadway - Lauren Emily Whalen, 1minutecritic.com 8/4/25

“Amélie has been synonymous with whimsy ever since the 2001 French film launched Audrey Tautou to icon status. A musical adaptation was inevitable, but even Hamilton star Phillipa Soo (most recently in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl opposite Cynthia Erivo) in the title role couldn’t guarantee a Broadway hit in 2017. Perhaps, like its celluloid predecessor, Amélie is best when presented with intimacy (as opposed to Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theatre at 975 seats). Thanks to flawless sound design and a terrific cast led by Aurora Penepacker, Kokandy Productions’ innovative Amélie is très magnifique.

Amélie Poulain (Penepacker) has always lived inside her head, thanks to distant and paranoid parents. Now a server at a Paris café, Amélie—inspired by Princess Diana’s recent death and the discovery of a boy’s box of treasures—leaves her apartment to change the world. But when an encounter with shy photographer Nino (Joe Giovannetti) turns personal, Amélie must decide if putting oneself out there is worth potential heartbreak.

Kokandy puts a unique spin on Amélie with a tight, talented ensemble cast, most of whom play several roles as well as musical instruments. Thanks to Lynsy Folckomer and Mackenzie Hahn’s meticulous sound engineering and T.J. Anderson and Anna Wegener’s music direction, Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen’s score is crystal clear. Director-choreographer Derek Van Barham’s staging leans into the intimacy of the Chopin Theatre’s downstairs space, placing the audience on three sides of the room, including at front row café tables, absorbing them in the action without smothering. The music isn’t particularly memorable, but with a true star in the lead and a lovely message of kindness, does it matter?

Amélie - "A Feeling of Absolute Harmony" – Ed Tracy, PicksInSix.com 8/3/25

“The Chicago premiere of “Amélie: The Musical,” now playing in an exquisite Kokandy production at Chopin Theatre that opened Saturday in the intimate Downstairs Studio, is based on the 2001 award-winning French film written by Jean-Pierre Jenet and Guillaume Laurent. It was adapted for the stage—book by Craig Lucas, music by Dan Meese and lyrics by Meese and Nathan Tysen— and debuted in 2015 at the Berkeley Repertory Theater followed by a brief Broadway run in 2017, a UK tour in 2019 moving to the West End for a summer 2021 run.

The Kokandy production is directed and choreographed by Artistic Director Derek Van Barham with music direction by T. J. Anderson and Anna Wegener. The already lush and whimsical score has been enhanced with additional instrumentation that, in the talented and capable hands of twelve superb actors/singers/musicians, create a glorious experience of sight, sound and song. “Amélie” fits perfectly in the Chopin space and has all the makings of a colossal hit for Kokandy.

Amélie Poulain is a dreamer who overcomes early childhood isolation, and unimaginable loss, using all she has learned for good, to approach the world with wonder and spreading playful joy to everyone around her. Along the way, she builds confidence and develops a circle of friends and mentors who help her gain her own independence, ultimately, revealing the elusive love and affection she has yearned for all her life.

Aurora Penepacker is simply mesmerizing as Amélie, displaying a captivating stage presence that is only surpassed by her stunning vocal abilities. Penepacker, whose star shone brightly last season in Writers “Great Comet,” delivers a multi-layered performance, bursting with enthusiasm and beguiling charm, that is delightful to watch. True to the original story, Penepacker’s Amélie leads us through the mystery of a 40 year-old tin treasure box; the forging of romantic relationships at the café where she works; healing the broken heart of a co-worker; and, bringing peace and solitude to her grieving father.

All the while, the evolving relationship with Nino Quincampoix (Joe Giovannetti, in top form), the object Amélie’s desire, becomes her passionate focus. It is not just how Amélie attracts Nino, the shy and earnest collector of discarded subway photo booth images, but the interconnecting paths of all of the unique characters who serve as narrators to move the story along. Even though this feels very much like a collaborative ensemble experience throughout, Amélie’s parents Amandine (Rachel Carreras) and Raphael (Kelan M. Smith, who also covers Bretodeau), Sonia Goldberg’s Gina (“Window Seat”) and Jon Patrick Penick (Collignon/Julien Dufayel) and the company’s Act I closer “Goodbye, Amélie” leave memorable impressions.

The fine work of dialect coach Carrie Hardin is evident. The vast instrumentation—I lost count at twelve—and the quality of the musical performances is a credit to every member of the company—backed up by Kara Olander and Anna Wegener—who contribute to the exquisite harmonies. “Amélie: The Musical” has it all from an outstanding, energetic cast to an accomplished technical team—sound design by Matt Reich, mixed and engineered by Lynsy Folckomer and Mackenzie Hahn, set and lights by G “Max” Maxin IV and costumes by Rachel Sypniewski—all combining for a rich and robust vocal and instrumentation mix that is in a word: Magnifique!

Highly Recommended – A Musical Mosaic” – Reno Lovison, ChicagoTheaterAndArts.com 8/4/25

“ “The Chicago premiere of Amélie the Musical by Kokandy Productions based on the popular motion picture is a musical mosaic composed by Daniel Messe whose colorful jagged pieces eventually come together into an enjoyable if not perfectly clear image.

This is not a musical in the strict sense but rather an extravaganza of a dozen singer musicians utilizing a myriad of instruments. They perform a dizzying array of Parisian characters to tell a sweet boy-meet-girl tale based on the character of Amélie, charmingly portrayed by Aurora Penepacker.

The story seems incidental to the exuberant performance of roughly thirty musical numbers that stream one into the other over two acts. Ostensibly it tells of Amélie’s life from birth through her mid-twenties as she searches for meaning through random acts of kindness and an ultimate, though reluctant, quest for love.

The action mostly takes place on the streets of Paris, in Metro stations, the bistro where Amélie works, and in her apartment. But they morph like a fever dream one into the other through the employment of a door, a few tables or in the case of the Metro station a photo booth that enters and exits through a portal at the back of the stage area.

Amélie’s love interest Nino (Joe Giovannetti) works in a sex shop but is obsessed with finding a mysterious man who takes pictures of himself in Metro photo booths around Paris then rips them in half and discards them. Nino wants to know why he does this and who he is – – saving the discarded fragments in a scrapbook that Amélie finds, leading to their meeting.

Joining his quest, she conjectures that the man is dead and going around taking pictures of himself to prove he is still alive. The storyline is peppered with absurd encounters and arbitrary obscure facts.

Staged in the downstairs studio at the Chopin Theatre there is a designated floor level performance area with the audience arranged on three sides. However, bistro tables offer additional seating and performers enter and exit from every direction making this an immersive experience.

Musical instruments are stationed throughout the space standing at the ready. Each member of the ensemble not only has an exceptional singing voice but also plays several instruments, at one moment guitar, then violin, percussion or trombone. The accordion of Lucas Burr as the blind beggar provides a distinctive Parisian atmospheric element.

The performers are having such a good time it is unclear whether the audience is there to enjoy the performance or to give the performers an excuse to enjoy themselves. The Elton John inspired interlude by Todd Aulwurm is a show stopper.

To my ear there were no standout melodies but the contemporary compositions have a distinctive Parisian tonality.

Because the performers are singing with French accents the lyrics of Daniel Messe & Nathan Tysen can be difficult to grasp at times. This is no reflection on dialect coach Carrie Hardin who obviously did a great job.

However, combined with the generally frenetic pacing it may take a moment of comprehension that contributes to the fragmentation of the overall “picture.” But if you let the experience simply wash over you, not worrying whether you caught every word or phrase – – like a mosaic the pieces eventually assemble into an image that you can stand back and admire.

The stage direction and choreography of Derek Van Barham with assistance of Quinn Simmons in this avant-garde space is beyond admirable. Simply moving the performers in and out while keep track of who is playing what instrument at any given time is a feat in itself worthy of the finest marching band. Doing all this while also paying attention to the advancement of story is laudable.

This is indeed a group effort and everyone’s contribution is evident. I assume based on her headshot that Penepaker as Amélie is wearing an awesome wig designed by Keith Ryan. The stark black color and blunt cut is striking against the shocking red outfit designs of Rachel Sypniewski.

Kudos to stage manager Kendyl Meyer and assistant stage manager Ethan Colish for being sure everything and everyone was in place during the live performance.

G “Max” Maxin IV lighting is essential for adding atmospheric effect to the minimalist set design. Bouncing lights off the various windows hanging around the perimeter of the stage was brilliant.

The properties assembled or designed by Julian Weslander such as the garden gnome, treasure box and scrapbook are pivotal to understanding the storyline and are delightful.

The action is of course dependent on having a stellar musical ensemble led by T.J. Anderson and Anna Wegener. Congratulations to the casting committee for putting together such a capable group of musicians and singers to work with that included: Rachel Carreras, Sonia Goldberg , Sam Hook, Mizha Lee Overn, Jon Patrick Penick, Quinn Rigg, Samantha Ringor, and Kelan M. Smith. Swings: Joel Arreola, Hailey Brisard, Neill Kelly, Andrew Lund, Gavin Rhys and Melanie Vitaterna.

The sound design of Matt Reich implemented by sound engineers Lynsy Folckomer and Mackenzie Hahn with technical director David Moreland was perfection on press night. Managing an array of sound effects, instruments and voices moving throughout the space with sound levels and volumes well balanced is impressive.

This may well have been or will be performed on a proscenium or in the round at some point but the opportunity to experience this unusual staging is worth the effort.”

'Amélie' is an amiable, whimsical romp that shines when in song
The cloying sweetness of the Montmartre-set romance is tempered by a triple-threat ensemble that spins sonic gold from a Pixy Stix plot. – Catey Sullivan, Chicago Sun Times 8/4/25

“If you’re into whimsy, the musical “Amélie” has it dialed up to 11. Based on the five-time Oscar-nominated 2001 movie of the same name, “Amélie” features a singing garden gnome, a tragic goldfish, a song about figs named Figaro, a piano festooned with floral wallpaper and Amélie herself, a manic pixie dream girl with a heart of gold.

In Kokandy Productions’ Chicago premiere of the musical running through Sept. 28, “Amélie” is an amiable romp that’s at its best when in song. Fortunately, this is most of the time. Directed and choreographed by Derek Van Barham, it also has a saccharine, Pollyanna-ish feel that the movie somehow avoided. The plot is ripped from the pages of the Girl Scout manual: Do good, but don’t show off about it.

But when the music takes hold (score by Daniel Messé, lyrics by Messé and Nathan Tysen), the cloying sweetness of the Montmartre-set romance is tempered by an ensemble that spins sonic gold from a Pixy Stix plot. With music direction by Anna Wegener and T.J. Anderson, “Amélie” is as buoyant and uplifting as a balloon bouquet. Moreover, Kokandy’s staging is anchored by an extraordinary performance by Aurora Penepacker as Amélie.

The plot (inspired by an original story by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant) follows that of the movie. Our quirky, doe-eyed heroine Amélie has a sad, traumatic childhood. Her father, Raphael, (Kelan M. Smith) is distant. She’s not allowed to play with other children, and is homeschooled by her mother (Rachel Carreras), who uses dubious geometry to indoctrinate Amélie with the idea that everybody is always and forever basically alone. Amélie learns to live in her fantastical imagination and while she eventually leaves home, her isolated childhood has rendered her incapable of actually getting close with anyone.

A set of quirky, serendipitous circumstances (plus a major meet cute) lead Amelie to love and her raison d'être: Finding ways to anonymously make other people happy.

As “Amélie,” unspools, the cast doubles as a band: Almost everyone on stage plays their own musical instruments — cello, piano, slide trombone, mandolin, ukulele, accordion, flute, clarinet, violin and various forms of percussion — among them. The music travels a gamut of emotion, from the upbeat energy of a Disneyland band to the lamentations of the broken-hearted.

The alluring score begins with Lucas Burr (who plays a blind beggar, among others) pulling the audience in with a gorgeously haunting accordion solo, a prelude that’s at once yearning, wistful and hopeful. When Penepacker enters with “The Flight of the Blue Fly,” her magnificent vocals and sunny charisma light up the stage.

Among the many musical highlights: The duet “Post Mortem,” featuring Amélie and restaurant regular Hipolito (Todd Aulwurm) is an exquisitely eccentric ballad of a sad cafe. As love interest and photo-booth frequenter Nino, Joe Giovannetti brings down the proverbial house with “When the Booth Goes Bright,” an anthem that celebrates art in all its weird and wonderful forms. Nino’s vulnerability and awkwardness, meanwhile, are utterly relatable.

“Amélie” also includes a cameo by Sir Elton John (Aulwurm again) serenading Amélie with a banger that’s part “Candle in the Wind,” part “Rocket Man,” and in Aulwurm’s ridiculously flashy performance, wholly its own.

Barham’s choreography reflects the show’s aesthetic. At one point, the cast becomes a human carousel spinning in graceful circles. In the pleading “Stay,” (an intensely aching duet between Amélie and Nino), the choreo hinges on a massive door that puts both characters in a liminal space they are desperate and terrified to leave.

Costume designer Rachel Sypniewski has outfitted Amélie in poppy-red, the vivid color standing out like a beacon against neutrals that the rest of the cast sports. G. “Max” Maxin IV’s set makes a fitting backdrop, the piano’s floral embellishment showing up on the pillars that have long defined the Chopin Theatre’s basement space.

“Amélie” remains bright even as it delves into sorrow. It’s a concoction that goes down like cotton candy. What gives it substance is Kokandy’s triple-threat ensemble of actor/singer/musicians, led by Penepacker turning in a performance of high-voltage star power.”

Amelie the Musical – Alan Bresloff, AroundTheTownChicago.com 8/3/25

“ It seems that Kokandy Productions has mastered the art of “chamber musicals”. They have also mastered the art of space management. Let me start by telling you that this theater company continues to utilize the lower level venue of The Chopin Theatre as never before, and it is a delight to see. The current production, ” Amelie the Musical” based on the French film, with a book by Craig Lucas, music by Daniel Messe and lyrics by Nathan Tysen & Messe is a love story that is quite musical and is what I consider a “chamber” piece. For those unfamiliar with the term “chamber” it is a classic musical piece written for a small ensemble of instruments typically with one performer per part. In this production, everyone in nthe play is able to play at least one musical instrument and in some cases, as many as three.

The story is one about Amelie ( Aurora Penpacker is dynamic in this role). She is a little strange, saving objects that others would never want. She is also a do-gooder ( someone who wants to help those around her and to make everyone feel happiness). As she takes her own personal journey, she finds her true love, and it is also not one that is very ordinary. Nino ( played to perfection by Joe Giovannetti) collects photos. Not just photos, but discarded ones that for the most part are torn and ruined, and found near a photo booth in the train station ( which always seems to be broken). These two end up falling in love, but the way the story unfolds beautifully directed byDerek Van Barham ( who also choreographed it as well) is absolutely amazing.

Part of the direction/choreography is the set up of the theater and the sight lines. I will say that the tables and chairs, giving the show a cabaret style is nice, but I think removing the two tables that block the views on the side would be beneficial. Yes, Kokandy would lose 4 tickets per performance, but they would not lose patrons who felt that they were misisng some of the action. I am only thinking of the beauty they have created not being wasted on those who are viewing the wonderful cast and production.

The ensemble is sheer perfection, each and every one do their roles in a unique manner and brng the story to life with great artistry. Bravo to Todd Autwurm ( one of his roles is Elton John- super job), Lucas Buff, Rachel Carreras, Sam Hook, Sonia Goldberg, Mizha Lee Overn, Jon Patrick Penick, Kelan M. Smith, Samantha Ringor, and Quinn Rigg- you were all terrific, flittling around, changing characters, costumes and musical instruments- wow is all I can say.

On the tech side of the production, the set and lighting design by G “Max” Maxin IV is very cool, the sound by Lynsy Folkomer & Mackenzie Hahn perfect ( designed by Matt Reich), and the intimacy design by Kirsten Baity, believable. In addition to the cast members handling instruments, there are two “pit” musicians- Kara Olander (bass) and Anna Wegener(keys) who keep it all in tune”.

Amélie The Musical brings whimsical Parisian romance to the Chopin – Frank Sennett, ChicagoCultureAuthority.com 8/4/25

Amélie The Musical, receiving its Chicago premiere from Kokandy Productions in a Chopin Theatre basement studio smartly reimagined as a romantic slice of Paris, hides a lively, engaging show under the weight of an aimless first act and a distractingly bad wig atop the head of its richly talented and charismatic young star.

Apparently assuming the audience is familiar with the charming 2001 film it’s based on, the musical delivers a head-scratching first act. Why should we care about Amélie Poulain or her odd-duck parents? What are the key plot points driving the story forward? It’s a cute-overload mystery that becomes somewhat taxing as we long to have a narrative hook to grab hold of beyond Amélie’s whimsical desire to do good deeds inspired by the death of Princess Diana.

Act two is a comparative delight. We see that Amélie is seeking to find her place in the world after the sheltered upbringing she (and we) have just endured. Now in her early twenties, she is ready to find a romantic partner. And there is one worth pursuing: a young man, Nino Quincampoix, who scours the city’s photo booths for dropped photos and places them into a scrapbook. Many of them are torn up pictures of a mysterious person that Nino has taped back together for installation in the book.

Amélie and Nino have met in passing a few times and felt sparks, but shyness wins out. Now, though, Amélie sees Nino at a Metro station rushing for a train. When he accidentally leaves his photo book behind, she grabs it and employs it in a flirtatious game of cat and mouse with Nino. Will she give it back? Will she find the courage to meet Nino again for a proper introduction and perhaps more? It’s fun to watch the back-and-forth play out (even though Nino and the rest of us ultimately find ourselves urging Amélie to end the games already and let love bloom).

Aurora Penepacker and Joe Giovannetti shine in the lead roles, both displaying fine singing voices and plenty of nebbishy chemistry somewhat echoing Little Shop of Horrors. There’s a lid for every kettle and these two kids are destined for each other. Penepacker, a highlight of last fall’s Chicago premiere of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 at Writers Theatre, remains a talent to watch. This show is the perfect vehicle for her.

Though the book, by Craig Lucas, is in need of a major overhaul to find the great 90-minute story in what is now nearly two and a half hours long with intermission, the score–with music by Daniel Messé and lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Messé–is a winner, especially the gorgeous “Halfway,” “Thin Air,” “Times Are Hard for Dreamers” and the evocative “When the Booth Goes Bright.”

Ultimately, Amélie The Musical provides a night of great music in a fun immersive set populated by a talented group of actors who double as musicians in a show seamlessly choreographed by director/choreographer Derek Van Barham and musical directors T.J. Anderson and Anna Wegener.

You just might want to skip the first act”

Kokandy Productions’ Amelie is filled with charm, light and look towards love – Caroline Huftalen, BuskingAtTheSeams.com 8/4/25

“There is an allure to Amelie, the character, the film, and now, the staged musical adaptation. The pull to revisit Montmartre and the crew of curiously connected strangers is all due to a special charm that fires up the second you hear those opening notes of the accordion. Amelie showcases that even in bustling Paris there is a far reaching net of connection but you do indeed have to open your door and say bonjour. Amelie is a true testament that a vibrant life is waiting outside of just our imaginations.

At the heart of the tale of Amelie is not only her ever present desire for connection but that shared desire across her beloved city of Paris. Each character has something holding them back from their true wishes, from what they secretly want the most. Fear of rejection, fear of letting go, fear of the leap that it takes to jump off the ledge into the unknown is the very thing that keeps them all inside their safe frames.

In Kokandy Productions Chicago Premiere of Amelie, the cast is filled with triple threats who act, sing and play the accompanying music to their tunes over the course of the over two hour production. The title character, played by Aurora Penepacker, is filled with the right amount of whimsy and naiveté. Her facial expressions alone could tell this fantastical story that begins with the (not so) simple act of kindness of reuniting a found collection of treasures with its rightful owner. The enchanting feeling of placing the box in the hands it belongs in propels Amelie into a world she has been avoiding, a world filled with connection within the incredible ensemble of characters played by Todd Aulwurm, Lucas Burr, Rachel Carreras, Sonia Goldberg, Sam Hook, Mizha Lee Overn, Jon Patrick Penick, Quinn Rigg, Samantha Ringor and Kelan M. Smith. In the end, Amelie’s good deeds release her from the shadow of the great divide she has previously lived in and the community she has built are the very ones that lead her to love with the curious and innocently persistent, Nino Quincampoix played by Joe Giovannetti.

Part of the magnetism of Amelie is the setting and despite being told primarily in English, under the direction of Artistic Director Derek Van Barham, the spirit of France is boldly present in not only the language, accents, but in the joie de vivre, the culture, the mannerisms and idiosyncrasies. As someone who personally traveled to France and relived my favorite Amelie moments of tossing coins in the canal and climbing Sacre Coeur, the joy of setting is not lost within the walls of a Chicago theatre.

The production will leave you leaning full tilt into the light and opening your arms as you exit the theatre ready to embrace goodness awaiting you if you just let it in”

Camp Acts of Connection: A Review of ‘Amelie’ at Kokandy Productions – Robert Eric Shoemaker, NewCity 8/6/25

“We all need levity these days, and if you’re headed to the theater for the in-person variety, odds are you could benefit from a campy musical with heart. For their 2025 season opener, Kokandy Productions stages the Chicago premiere of the musical “Amélie.” Based on Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s 2001 film of the same name, “Amélie” proposes small acts of connection as balm against a world too difficult for dreamers. If you want that quirky smile, “Amélie” is a no-brainer.

Amélie is a gentle and kind but painfully introverted waitress in Paris who makes her way through life helping others instead of herself. After a flirtatious encounter with a fellow oddball, she designs love games of connection and evasion until, finally, she must choose to engage with real human closeness or continue fleeing to protect her heart. This ensemble-narrated musical pairs energetic scoring and vocals with high melodrama and humor.

Musical performances are the highlight of this production. The cast’s versatility and delivery create a delightful sonic atmosphere staged within inches of many audience members (and for a few audience members, mere centimeters). Leads Aurora Penepacker as Amélie and Joe Giovannetti as Nino elicit awed gasps with their solo vocalizations. Standout moments include Act Two’s trio “A Better Haircut” sung by Sonia Goldberg, Mizha Lee Overn and Samantha Ringor, who marry the blast-to-watch quirkiness of the production’s best moments with musical skill, humor and heart.

On first arrival, Penepacker dazzles with Amélie’s signature impish grin, and throughout, her imitation of the film character is well executed. Penepacker’s voice is polished and gorgeous, and her portrayal demurely cute. Penepacker’s Amélie is never quite as unusual in the manic manner as her fellow Parisians describe her—she’s more ingenue than pixie—but she’s a joy to watch and hear. Giovannetti offers a gorgeous vocal performance as well as a believable, attractive nerdiness as Nino.

Director and choreographer Derek van Barham and team stage “Amélie” in the round in the Chopin Theatre’s basement cabaret space. The scenery by G Maxin IV and props by Julian Weslander are sparse and selected for practicality rather than aesthetics. A clever unfolding backdrop provides little hints of location throughout, while fog and strategically placed lighting disguise the basement’s nooks and crannies. Very “Paris Café” shab, the mismatched cabaret chairs and on-set tables for front-row audience members place you among the bustle of Paris and the Café des Deux Moulins.

The musical makes connections with its film ancestor in campy moments of theater magic: Amélie’s goldfish fins its way out of the bowl to gurgle “au revoir”; red pulsating lights, thumping percussion, and an angelic chorus imitate Amélie’s excitable heartbeat (too dangerous to let her play with the other kids, says her father); and Elton John materializes from the television to serenade Amélie at the end of Act Two, leaving the audience with a glittering weirdness for intermission.

The musical’s notes, both written into the score and chosen in this production, ride the line between charming and cringeworthy. The musical is somewhat less successful in its attempts at pathos, in part because it’s so hard to turn from successful high camp sentimentality to grounded earth. Emotional moments illustrating Amélie’s timidity, such as those with her father, played by Kelan M. Smith, sometimes go a little too far toward seriousness.

As the score turns to solos and ballads at the beginning of Act Two, the staging choices become plainer. I found this hard to settle into just after the bedazzled (literally) Act One closer. In Act One, ensemble members were both characters and energetic landscape elements that swayed with motion as abstractions of the action. In Act Two, these choices all but disappeared, collapsing the staging onto just the two lovers or another central player. Choreography and staging in the higher moments of the show were such a strong point that it felt disappointing for that joie de vivre to fall away, even a little. Quirky staging makes a noticeable return in the last quarter of the production. Even with the brief blip, the ensemble’s sparkling performance kept me happily in orbit around Amélie’s strange, hopeful world.”

3.5 Stars - Kokandy revival of ‘Amélie’ a lovely tribute to kindness, human connection and simple pleasures – Barbara Vitello, The Daily Herald

Amélie,” the effervescent musical based on the 2001 French romantic comedy of the same name, is the theatrical equivalent of a sorbet: a tasty complement to a summer day. - Barbara Vitello, The Daily Herald 8/6/25

“Kokandy Productions serves up a delicious Chicago-area premiere made sweeter by the beguiling Aurora Penepacker as the titular Amélie, a spritelike, young waitress turned anonymous do-gooder.

Director/choreographer Derek Van Barham’s revival, smartly staged in the cozy albeit sightline-challenged basement of Chicago’s Chopin Theatre, boasts an exceptional cast of singer/actor/instrumentalists who accompany themselves while playing the assorted eccentrics who frequent the Montmartre, Paris, cafe where Penepacker’s Amélie works her magic.

Van Barham’s jolly production had me smiling long after the lights dimmed. And the performance by Penepacker (a winsome mezzo-soprano from Glenview who impressed as Natasha in Writers Theatre’s “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812” last fall) suggests a new star on Chicago’s theater horizon.

A testament to the ripple effects of kindness, the joy of human connection and the importance of cherishing simple pleasures, “Amélie” — which had an abbreviated run on Broadway in 2017 — is a bighearted, aggressively whimsical musical that pairs composer/lyricist Daniel Messé’s airy, waltz-infused score with Nathan Tysen’s adorable, punny lyrics. Relying heavily on character vignettes, Craig Lucas’ book begins with an extended expose of Amélie’s sheltered childhood spent with a distant, army physician father (Kelan M. Smith) and neurotic mother (Rachel Carreras), who insists isolation is constant and human connection impossible.

Fast-forward a decade or more and Amélie is a waitress at The Two Windmills Cafe owned by former trapeze artist Suzanne (Samantha Ringor), whose employees include asthmatic tobacconist Georgette (Mizha Lee Overn) and the widowed Gina (Sonia Goldberg), who still grieves her unfaithful husband. The regulars include unpublished novelist Hipolito (Todd Aulwurm) and plumber Joseph (Quinn Rigg), who pines for Gina. Amélie's orbit also includes the peevish grocer Collignon (Jon Patrick Penick, who also plays Julian, Amélie's kindly artist neighbor), his employee Lucien (an endearing Sam Hook), a simple young man who sings to produce, and a blind beggar played by the talented Lucas Burr.

Uplifting the lives of others — encouraging them to pursue romance, reconcile their past or reevaluate their future — Amélie remains unfulfilled in her own.

Enter Nino, a quirky loner (played with rumpled authenticity by the terrific Joe Giovannetti), who collects cast-off photographs from train station photo booths. Clearly, he and Amélie are soulmates, but they spend much of the musical circling each other, having near encounters first at the adult store where Nino works and later at a carousel delightfully conceived by Van Barham where the actors double as carousel animals.

I would argue that the references to the death of Princess Diana and Elton John’s funeral tribute to her are an unnecessary distraction in a show that could bear some streamlining. That said, Aulwurm’s performance of “Goodbye, Amélie” (a nod to “Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road”) as the bespectacled, white tuxedoed superstar is a hoot.

Kudos to music directors T.J. Anderson and Anna Wegener for assembling an ensemble whose vocals are ideally matched, as evidenced by the lovely “The Sound of Going Round in Circles.”

Equally impressive is Penepacker’s delightful “Times Are Hard for Dreamers.” There’s also her poignant duet “How to Tell Time” with estranged husband and father Bretodeau (Smith), who’s inspired to return to his family after Amélie returns to him his long-forgotten childhood treasures.

Last but not least is Penepacker and Giovannetti’s penultimate number “Stay,” a moving ode to desire and fear, the conflicting emotions Amélie and Nino experience (which many of us share) as they prepare to commence their romance.



In a musical animated by effortless charm and populated by characters more charismatic than substantive, it is a deeply resonant, wonderfully human moment: The perfect conclusion to a charming tale.

Overstated whimsy. The stage musical of Amélie overwhelms the delicacy of the original. Irene Hsiao, Chicago Reader 8/6/25

“Amélie, the 2001 Jean-Pierre Jeunet film, portrays the quiet life of an imaginative waitress whose world changes when she discovers a treasure hidden years ago in her Montmartre apartment. Tinted like an old photograph, the film operates like a poem; much is unspoken, especially by the titular character, whose interiority is revealed by vivid vignettes of neighbors and workfellows that reflect her qualities through association, within a meandering love story mediated by everyday objects. Like the recurrent image of a Renoir painting, the result is impressionistic, with a luminous soundtrack by Yann Tiersen.

Translating this introverted film into theater’s most extroverted form seems ill-conceived in theory and is preposterous in practice. Amélie the musical (first produced at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2015), with book by Craig Lucas, music by Daniel Messé, lyrics by Messé and Nathan Tysen, directed and choreographed for Kokandy Productions by Derek Van Barham, is melodramatic, overamplified, and overburdened with exposition delivered in faux French accents that articulate every emotion past the point of nuance. It’s difficult to access the purported delicacy and whimsy of its heroine when it’s all proclaimed so emphatically by everyone onstage. At its worst when quoting directly from the film’s subtitles, the musical works best when it departs from the original—arias about a grocer’s fig, a gnome’s adventures, an Elton John-esque extravaganza—light bits that don’t endeavor romance.

The Kokandy ensemble shines despite the flawed vehicle. Multi-instrumentalists and true of voice, they all commit to the bit with heroic determination to the happy poppy score. Aurora Penepacker makes a valiant Amélie; Sam Hook is charming as grocer’s assistant Lucien”

In a basement theater, the musical 'Amelie' builds a Parisian wonderland full of whimsy and kindness - Bob Chiarito, WBEZ Chicago 07/15/25

“Glenview native Aurora Penepacker was only 3 when “Amélie” debuted in 2001. The film — about an eccentric young woman living in Paris’s Montmartre neighborhood who secretly orchestrates small acts of kindness — would go on to become a cult classic and one of the largest-grossing French movies of all time.

“I had seen the poster all the time when I was growing up, but when I was young, I thought it was scary. She had a kind of scary smile, but the movie is a masterpiece,” Penepacker said

Penepacker now plays the titular role in Kokandy Productions’ musical “Amélie,” based largely off the film and set to open at the Chopin Theatre July 17. The part requires her to act, sing and play the piano. To prepare for the audition, she watched the movie and realized its broader influence and relatability.

“I could see the impact it had on the culture. A lot of Francophile things in society can be traced back to it,” Penepacker said. “Also, I’m around Amélie’s age. She lives alone in a city, as do I. I understand more now what she was going through.”

In just a few years on the city’s theater scene, Jeff Award-winning Kokandy Productions has built a reputation for creatively staging ambitious musical productions (“Into the Woods,” “American Psycho”) on a storefront budget. In Kokandy’s “Amelie,” actors are not only singing and acting but playing the show’s music live, accompanied by a small group of musicians.

For Penepacker, landing this role was especially meaningful; she had auditioned before for shows with Kokandy but had never gotten the nod until now.

“This is a theater company that I’ve been watching and auditioning for since I was in college,” she said.

To find the dozen actors who make up the cast, the Kokandy team auditioned nearly 600 people, according to co-musical director Anna Wegner, who said they ended up adding some instruments like ukulele and accordion to the show.

And while the production follows the same storyline as the film, the sound is different, coming from the 2013 musical written by Craig Lucas and featuring lyrics from Nathan Tysen and Daniel Messé.

“The score is quite different,” said co-musical director T.J. Anderson. “The movie is more like contemporary classical, while this is more of a standard musical. A lot of the music is folk-pop and also some contemporary Broadway with a French flair.”

Because the actors will be playing instruments, instead of a traditional orchestra in a pit, there are some unique challenges, Wegner said.

“As we transition between scenes, we’ll have to make sure everyone has their instruments in the right spot and make sure they have enough time to switch instruments if they are doing that,” she said.

But like the film, the theme of this production is simple, according to Derek Van Barham, the director of the show and the company’s artistic director.

“Even though it’s not overtly political, there’s this lovely message of being good to one another. I think it’s a message we can all enjoy right now,” Van Barham said.

Like some previous Kokandy musicals, the show will be staged in the basement theater of the Chopin, which features a cafe-like setting and a bar. Van Barham said he wants the audience to feel like they are at the Two Windmills Cafe, a.k.a. Café des 2 Moulins — the place where Amélie works and the main setting of the musical.

“The Chopin decor is like flea market meets European meets spiritual center, and the show starts as soon as you walk in the door, in terms of the vibe,” he said. Even the bar and cafe lobby will be incorporated into the event, he added, “because it so perfectly fits into the aesthetic of ‘Amélie.’”

In addition, Van Barham said they plan to immerse the audience’s senses by serving summer drinks and brewing coffee so the smell wafts through the space, giving the theatergoers the feeling that they are in a Parisian cafe.

Van Barham said while many love the movie, it is not essential to have seen it beforehand.

“It’s close enough to the movie that those who love the film will be really excited about it, but it also leaves a little room for surprise. The music takes it into a different realm,” he said. “You don’t have to know the movie to enjoy the musical.”

Penepacker noted that while the film is 24 years old, the story may be more relatable now than when the world was first introduced to Amélie.

“Watching it recently, I was struck by how Amélie was homeschooled and not allowed to talk to other kids,” she said. “There’s a whole generation of people right now who do not really know how to engage or interact with others. The story is ripe for a comeback because we need to understand why we need other people.”

Anderson said he hopes the audience will carry its lessons forward after they leave the theater.

“The show is all about kindness and the joy that can be found in helping others,” he said. “The joy that comes from simple moments, the joy that comes from helping yourself as well. We’re trying to find that charm and emotional impact, and in a way, it’s a bit of a break from everything in the world.”

25 of 2025’s Go-To Arts + Entertainment Shows
Janet Arvia, RebelliousMagazine.com 1/1/25

“Few year resolutionists vowing to widen their cultural horizons may check this list for artsy happenings taking place in Chicago-area galleries, museums, theaters, and other venues throughout 2025.

The romance and whimsy of Paris comes to life in the Chicago premiere of Amélie at the Chopin Downstairs Studio (July 17-Sep. 28). Presented by Kokandy Productions, this live musical is based on the same-named film from 2001”

Author
Based on the book by Craig Lucas, music by Daniel Messé and lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Daniel Messé.

Director
Directed by Derek Van Barham

Musical direction by T.J. Anderson and Anna Wegener, book by Craig Lucas, music by Dan

Performers
The Chicago premiere of this whimsical romance will be led by Aurora Penepacker as Amélie Poulain. The eccentric world that swirls around her includes Todd Aulwurm (Hipolito Jeunet, Elton John), Lucas Burr (Blind Beggar), Rachel Carreras (Amandine Poulain, Philomene de Noirpois), Joe Giovannetti (Nino Quincampoix), Sonia Goldberg (Gina Wells), Sam Hook (Lucien Villeparisis), Mizha Lee Overn (Georgette Cornuel, Sylvie Legrandin), Jon Patrick Penick (Collignon, Julien Dufayel), Quinn Rigg (Joseph Cottard, Fluffy Poulain), Samantha Ringor (Suzanne Sacripant) and Kelan M. Smith (Raphael Poulain, Bretodeau). This talented ensemble (many of whom play instruments in the show) will also portray a range of Parisians, tourists, customers and reporters who frequent the streets, cafes, sex shops and photo booths of Montmartre. Swings include Joel Arreola, Hailey Brisard, Neill Kelly, Andrew Lund and Melanie Vitaterna.

Production
G "Max" Maxin IV (Lighting Design), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design), Matt Reich (Sound Design), Syd Genco (Make-up Design), Keith Ryan (Wig Design), Kirsten Baity (Intimacy Coordinator), Quinn Simmons (Associate Choreographer), Nicholas Reinhart (Production Manager), Lynsy Folckomer (Sound Engineer), Kendyl Meyer (Stage Manager) and Ethan Colish (Assistant Stage Manager). Photography by Collin Quinn Rice.

Tags: Theater, American, 2025