'Grelley Duvall Best Actress' is a charmingly bonkers tribute to '80s movie moments – Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune (3/24/26)

"Back in 1968, the late, great Liberace, Milwaukee's most outré son, performed his very particular version of Paul Simon's "The 59th Street Bridge Song," best known as "Feelin' Groovy," on "The Red Skelton Hour" along with a group of wholesome-looking youths billed as The Young Folk. The clip, which is both glorious and awful beyond words, has achieved a kind of cringe-fame in our TikTok world and for some reason it popped into my head halfway through "Grelley Duvall Best Actress" at the Chopin Theatre the other night.

That's partly because it matches the camp aesthetic of "The Grelley Duvall Show" and partly because said show actually did make me feel kinda groovy.

I think it might do the same for you.

Somehow I've never had the pleasure of seeing "The Grelley Duvall Show," even though it has been knocking around town for a decade at various small venues, promising "Oscar-worthy acting" and "heart-pumping choreography," not to mention "a slew of puppets." I'm all in favor of all such attributes and, indeed, "Best Actress," the show's current edition, does deliver Oscar-worthy acting in the form of movie clips from the 1980s, enough self-aware choreography from Erin Kilmurray and Kasey Alfonso to get a little blood pumping through the arteries and even actual puppets, although I might take issue with the phrase "a slew of," as if this were the closing number of "The Muppet Show."

Not quite, but, as directed by Kasey Foster, this is nonetheless a very fun and delightfully camp night out. If you can't wait for the tour of "Oh, Mary!" to get to Chicago (it's coming next year), here is something to hold you off.

What transpires?

Working with the writer Jesse Morgan Young, the performer Alex Grelle basically hosts a bunch of affectionate re-creations of, and narrative tributes to, whacked-out moments from the movies of the 1980s and 1990s — from such films as "Showgirls," "The Omen," "The French Lieutenant's Woman," "Popeye" and "Ordinary People." Naturally, a particular scene from "Basic Instinct" makes an appearance.

Aside from what Grelle is doing, all of which is very funny, you get your little troupe of dancers, a la The Young Folk, and a knockout live band, as directed by Aunt Kelly, performing intriguing versions of period covers off to the side. The music is related to the movies in various bizarre ways. Among many others, you'll hear Donna Summer's "I Feel Love," Dionne Warwick's "Always Something There To Remind Me," Dead or Alive's "Brand New Lover" (which I'd not heard for years) and even Annie Lennox's "Why." All in service of your amusement and the historical record.

Plus, puppets.

Like all such entertainments, this one is very much dependent on the charm of the hostess, and the very personable (and personal) Grelle has plenty to spare. One is gently coaxed, whoever one may be, through this fast-moving retro extravaganza, a fine night out and an escape from all the troubles of the world"

Highly Recommended - Best Actress – Alan Bresloff, Around The Town Chicago (3/19/26)

" If you are "into" Drag and Gender Bending, love old movies, love old actresses, or just love life, you will have a ball at The Chopin Theatre, as they present, on their "Main Stage", The Grelley Duvall"Best Actress" . a two act musical revue, written by Alex Grelle with Jesse Morgan Young. The production is the World Premiere and while it is not my favorite type of theater, this show is full of laughs and some highly talented performers.

The show, directed by Kasey Foster and choreographed by Erin Kilmurray and Kasey Alfonso, is a mixture of film, live action and music, with puppets tossed in just to make it extra special. The show looks at film stars of yore. Women like Meryl Streep, Kim Novak ( I am unsure as to how many young audience members even remember her), Jodie Foster, Shelly Duvall ( from the film "Popeye"), Jane Fonda, Mary Tyler Moore and a host of others. How can they compete with Grelley Duvall?

This amazing cast of performers play many roles and are able to switch characters and often genders at will. The film clips lead into scenes that are more like skits. They bring Hollywood legends to life and show us a side of them that one might never expect to see. All this is added to with music from Musical Director, Aunt Kelly and her crew: Dan Gianaris, Max Loebman, Scott Daniel and Sarah Weddle.

They are great and handle quite a few musical pieces: "I Feel Love", " A Chorus Line" ( where they do a special number reflecting the number "All I Need Is The Music and The Mirrors", but with three other dancers giving us the illusion of the images from the mirrors! Very slick! They also do "Someone There To remind Me", "Let Me Dance For You" and they take scenes from movies like "Ordinary People", "Poltergist", "Heartburn", "Doubt" and even do some spoof commercials, such as American Express and Calvin Klein's Obsession. these are just plain fun.

In addition to the amazingly talented Grelle ( who came up with the concept as well), the cast is composed of: Kara Brody, Madigan Burke, Lolly Extract, Darling Shear, Patrick Stengle and Mary Williamson. The show moves quickly and is tighter than I would have thought based on the numbers of set changes, a very clever set designed by Caitlin McLeod. The lighting (Quinn Chisenhall) and sound (Maya Nguyen) are right on and the costumes ( Alaina Moore) and wigs (Keith Ryan) truly help to make the scenes look as if the performers walked off the video screen onto the stage. The video work is a combination of old films and newly directed bits that work in conjunction with the originals. Great work by Derek Spencer, Alberto Mendoza, Paul Scudder, Kevin Veselka, Glam Hag, Eon Mora, and Drew Angle. Last, but certainly not least is the props person Jackie Berland. There were a ton of props needed.

Now that we covered the performers, let's talk puppets! Lolly Extract, and Madigan Burke, bravo! They were very neat and added a great deal to the overall production. As I said at the very onset of this review, while this may not appeal to every theater patron, if you just want to have some fun and you love movies ( in particular old movies), I think you will have a blast. This is not for children and may not be for your grandparents, but if you are a young liberal theater patron, understand that you will laugh"



"Best Actress" (Grelley Duvall Show): Unapologetically Excessive… in the Best Way! - Katy Walsh, The Fourth Walsh (3/21/26)

"The Grelley Duvall Show returns with the World Premiere of BEST ACTRESS.

The show starts with a film montage. An eclectic hodgepodge of iconic and obscure clips feature actresses across decades in movie roles or award shows. The mash-up snippets lead into a longer cinematic scene where the Mother Superior is giving instructions to a young nun on a mission. Is this a real reel or parody video? Is this show a drama or comedy? Is Alex Grelle a campy performer or serious actress? The complex answer is Yes!

Grelle debuts another revue for review. He leads this jam-packed tribute to actresses. Grelle hilariously spoofs Sharon Stone's crotch scene in "Basic Instinct" and the possession of JoBeth Williams in "Poltergeist." He also does an elegant reenactment of Holly Hunter in "Piano" and pitch perfect meltdown of Meryl Streep in "Heartburn." In addition, Grelle plays an unintentionally awkward Elizabeth Berkley in "Showgirls" and an award-winning turn as Nicole Kidman in "The Hours." Grelle even becomes a sweet giggly Mo Rocca to Ed Jones' riotous hot-mess-portrayal-of-Kim-Novak in a spoof-tastic CBS Sunday morning segment. And that's just SOME of the highlights.

Written and conceived by Grelle with Jesse Morgan Young, the variety show is a series of unexpected choices delivered live or filmed. The nonstop action has the energetic Grelle prominently featured as best actress. Even with multiple wig and costume changes, he makes an entrance dancing or singing or riding a horse appear effortlessly nonchalant. Director Kasey Foster masterfully orchestrates this big bundle of creative content. Although Grelle has produced enough stuff for 2-3 shows, Foster squeezes it into this one bursting spectacle. The pacing and timing is impressive. Grelle casually tosses off a wig, a cloak or a child to the wings and Madigan Burke effortlessly catches it.

This is Grelle's show yet he is supported by extraordinary talent. From their first note, the Aunt Kelly band didn't miss a beat. They rocked out to elevate the mood or slowed it down with an evocative ballad. Even though the focus is on actresses, the Oscar goes to Aunt Kelly for Best Score.

And stealing focus consistently was the exquisite dancing by Kara Brody and Darling Shear. For a variety show chocked full of puppets, video clips and Grelle, Brody and Shear held their own with beautiful movements choreographed by Erin Kilmurray and Kasey Alfonso. The entire ensemble (Burke, Brody, Shear, Lolly Extract, Patrick Stengle and Mary Williamson) came ready to entertain. They slap on purple leotards, matching wigs and kick up the fun.

BEST ACTRESS is delightfully overindulgent. Movies, sketches, song, dance, puppets… it's unapologetically excessive! Grelle makes a strong case that The Grelley Duvall Show should be a weekly series".



Alex Grelle shines in Grelley Duvall Best Actress" – Jerry Nunn, Windy City Times (3/23/26)

" Grelley Duvall Best Actress is a two-hour recap variety show that showcases a multitude of movie moments at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. The overall theme focuses on females and will keep theater goers guessing what campy classic will come next. Act One begins with music from Donna Summer and Madonna, combined with a take on the 1947 motion picture Black Narcissus. Scenes shift to films from different time periods that are paired with previously aired television acceptance speeches from Oscar winners.
Queer performer Alex Grelle and his team have edited together taped video segments using local performers portraying iconic roles and then projected them onto a big screen at the Chopin. In between the retrospectives, new material is placed into the mix with live actors, singers and dancers. Thanks to dynamic drag artists, energetic choreography and clever puppetry, Best Actress stands out from the rest of the Showgirls.

Grelle has brought a rich comedic background to the table as a writer, and The Grelley Duvall Show project has continued to evolve since 2015. Incarnations of Grelle's work have been seen at the Steppenwolf Theater, The Hideout and Theater on the Lake.

Previously, Grelley Duvall V ran for four weeks at the Chopin and Grelle returns to the venue for his latest endeavor.

Grelle provided commentary and context about his creative moments following the world premiere of Best Actress on opening night.

Windy City Times: Start with your background.
Alex Grelle: I grew up in Missouri and I did theater when I was in grade school. It was a small town and I eventually started theater in college.

WCT: Talk about your last name and how it's used in the show.
AG: It's pronounced Greh-lee. I wanted to do a show like I was Carol Burnett or Cher hosting a '70s variety show. They were huge inspirations for me.
I have been playing Shelley Duvall for years. When I first started, my costume designer called me Grelley Duvall; it stuck.

WCT: What a great drag name. I saw your parody of STEPMOM at the old Ethan Allen space and noticed actor Rob Lindley, who was in that, is also in this show for a video segment.
AG: Rob was so good in that show as Susan Sarandon.

WCT: What inspired this particular project?
AG: I was doing a weekly show called Salonathon. It was a variety show that was curated at Beauty Bar Chicago. It ran for six years. I was constantly doing scenes with a myriad of Chicago actors.
I would play Juliette Lewis in Cape Fear and Sharon Stone in Casino. I wanted to keep going with it and then I performed at the Steppenwolf space, where you saw STEPMOM. The show was called Shelley Duvall's Women Under the Influence.
I added music and performed at The Hideout in Chicago. I have been making variations of the show for 11 years now.

WCT: What a large venue you are in now.
AG: The Chopin Theatre is a really nice space.

WCT: What Best Actress scenes wound up on the cutting room floor?
AG: There have been many cuts over the years. This was my dream project that I started writing during the lockdown. I envisioned it playing at the Chopin the whole time. There was some good stuff, like an Annette Bening impression that I have always wanted to do. There was a 3 Women music video that was also cut.

WCT: Is the process just trying out things and seeing what works?
AG: Yes. I wrote this with Jesse Morgan Young. I came to him with 50 ideas and we whittled them down to around 25.

WCT: What was the most challenging video segment to shoot?
AG: Well, it wasn't hard to shoot, but it was difficult figuring out the hitchhiking scene in Showgirls with the green screen.
Luckily, I have incredible filmmakers as friends like Glam Hag and Eon Mora. They are geniuses with films.

WCT: How did you find your band?
AG: A friend of mine hooked me up with Aunt Kelly and she already had that band except for the violin player. This is our fourth project together after Lady Di at the Empty Bottle for two years. We also perform at The Green Mill together occasionally.

WCT: You have worked at so many different places in Chicago. I remember seeing your work in several Hell in a Handbag Productions.
AG: Yes, I worked with them for over six years. Ed Jones from that theater company is in a video segment for this show and Lolly Extract is our puppeteer.

WCT: Your theater job includes a lot of networking.
AG: Yes, the Chicago theater industry is all about who you know in the community.

WCT: What do you want to do next?
AG: I have a show planned for June that I am excited about. Tyler Anthony Smith is doing Out Darn Spot! in the basement here at the Chopin. We are doing a show together.

WCT: For Pride?
AG: Yes. It will be at The Den Theatre.

WCT: What is one dream project you would still like to do?
AG: Well, I turn 40 years old in May and my dream for my birthday is to make a show just like this one, but it's the arc of Ellen Ripley in the Aliens franchise. I would like to cover everything from Alien one, two and three to Alien: Resurrection. I only want to parody the movies that Sigourney Weaver is in because she's an idol of mine.

WCT: If you could only pick one person who do you think is the best actress ever?
AG: It's the performance that Mary Tyler Moore gives in the film Ordinary People. I love that movie.

WCT: You have a scene in Best Actress from it. Is it hard to entertain an audience with Ordinary People because it's so heavy and sad?
AG: It is. I grew up watching her on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She was different and so happy on The Dick Van Dyke Show. She was way too supportive of her husband, which made the show misogynistic. I watched it recently and that part was not good. To see her in Ordinary People, though, she gives the best performance of all time. I love her in that.

WCT: What would you like to tell the LGBTQ+ community about your show?
AG: When I was a little gay boy growing up, the Academy Awards were my movie guide. The Best Actress category was my favorite and that is what the show is about. I love emulating all of my favorite performers using a tightly curated list.
All the films are must-sees except for Out of Africa. I hate that film, but many moms love it.
This is a show celebrating gay icons and I hope people like it.

WCT: Congratulations on the project and it's easy to tell you have put a great deal of work into it.
AG: Thank you. It's a crazy marathon to run.

WCT: Audiences shouldn't leave before the curtain call ends because there are some surprises at the end.
AG: Yes, they should stay until after the credits roll" -



"Grelley Duvall Best Actress" transfixes, transcends and offers a welcome bit of trash – Stephanie Kulke, Chicago Stage and Screen (3/21/26)

"The award for best actress in a leading role goes to…. Grelley Duvall!

The first time I heard the name Grelley Duvall was after "Grelley Duvall V" closed in spring of 2025. Now I'm kicking myself over every Grelley show I've missed since the 2015 debut in Steppenwolf's "Lookout" series.

I had expected a variety show format, with guest performers introduced by a colorful emcee like Bridget Murphy's long-running Milly's Orchid Show at the Park West. And when I heard would be drag performance, my main reference points were the ultra-glam queens of the Baton Show Lounge, or the campy, sweet performers at Hell in a Handbag.

My opening night theater companion at "Best Actress," described Grelley shows as song-based, with scenes that come together in the logic of a fever dream. But nothing prepared me for the jaw droppingly talented Alex Grelle, a charismatic actor, dancer and singer with gorgeous eyes and a long face that reminded me at times of a young Hugh Laurie, or the empathetic, playfully uninhibited Cole Escola, the creator-performer of "Oh, Mary!" Except Grelle can also dance with abandon in heels, has a helluva leg extension, and can sing sweetly or with gusto, and sometimes both as in Alyson Reed's solo "Let Me Dance for You" from "A Chorus Line."

An homage to the leading ladies of stage and screen, "Best Actress" is structured similarly to an evening spent watching the Oscars on TV, including film clips, montages, interview snippets, speeches and the commercials in between -- plus impromptu moments from backstage.

Grelle's portrayals of the actresses who inspire him are often touchingly earnest and poignant (Mary Tyler Moore, Nicole Kidman and Shelley Duvall) even as he relishes unleashing the quirks, sluttiness and bitchiness of others (Kim Novak, Sharon Stone, and Showgirls Gina Gershon and Elizabeth Berkley).

It's fair to say there's a fever dream logic to "Best Actress" as conceived by Grelle and Jesse Morgan Young with direction by Kasey Foster. Myriad forms of creative expression are used in the show which ping pongs between staged scenes, hysterical film shorts (directed by Glam Hag) and song and dance numbers. The dances feature brilliant choreography by Erin Kilmurray and Kasey Alfonso that ranges from the balletic to the bump and grind and are performed by extraordinarily talented dancers (Kara Brody and Darling Shear). The show is backed by a kickass band led by Aunt Kelly and further enhanced with puppets created and performed by Madigan Burke and Lolly Extract. The puppet horses in the "Black Narcissus" send up was one of my favorite bits. The cast also includes character actors Patrick Stengle and Mary Williamson, who are no slouches at song and dance.

The rigorously polished production lets the audience lean back and enjoy the wild ride, happy to be in the hands of consummate pros. Stage Manager Sam Burkett and Production Manager Anastar Alvarez clearly deserve credit for this. The production team is too vast to name, but it seems important mention that every leading lady must have costumes and hair designed at the highest level. Costumer Alaina Moore and wig designer Keith Ryan rise to the occasion. Period wardrobe standouts included Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin's dresses and bonnets for "The Piano" and Nicole Kidman's prim Victorian attire as Virginia Woolfe in "The Hours."

I spent a good portion of the show laughing with recognition at canonical moments of the actresses portrayed by Grell. I also caught myself sitting with my mouth hanging open, sometimes because the beauty of the dances transported me, and sometimes because the no holds barred energy and sexual bravado surprised me. This show is for you if you love movies, and theatre that pushes boundaries. And if you grew up in the repressed Reagan years of the 80s like I did, well, that's all the more reason to see "Best Actress."



Grelley Duvall Best Actress Delivers a Pop?Culture Fever Dream at Chopin – John Accrocco, Buzz Center Stage (3/21/26)

"The Oscars might be over, but this "Best Actress" is just getting started. Welcome to the weird world of the Grelley Duvall Show, or Alex Grelle. His unique approach to cabaret has amassed quite a fanbase over the years. Suffice it to say, there's nothing else quite like it. In two acts, Grelle and his team blend his favorite female performances with highly choreographed musical numbers set to toe-tappin' hits performed by a live band.

Directed by Kasey Foster, "Best Actress" tells the origin story of the Grelley Duvall Show and what inspired a young Alex Grelle and his creative partner Jesse Morgan Young. Their obsessive knowledge of pop culture as seen through the lens of queer millennials is unmatched. They throw anything from a given day on cable TV in the 1990s into the blender and it's up to the audience to keep up. The irreverent humor, costumes, and slickly produced video segments add up to an evening of hilarious deep cuts and surprise cameos.

To be honest, not all experimental cabaret style theatre is good. Rest assured Best Actress is not that. Rather it's a 2-hour musical extravaganza with solid gold choreography by Erin Kilmurray and Kasey Alfonso and a kick-ass band led by (and featuring the vocals of) Aunt Kelly. Alex Grelle is a certified triple threat: he can sing, he can dance and he can kick. The team he's assembled for this production has made something really special for anyone really, but especially for the pop culture obsessed, vintage shopping community.

Joining Grelle onstage is a powerhouse ensemble - Kara Brody, Madigan Burke, Lolly Extract, Darling Shear, Patrick Stengle, and Mary Williamson - plus a handful of puppets that feel like characters in their own right. And make no mistake: Grelle isn't the only one throwing kicks. This cast matches his energy beat for beat, putting on quite a show. Again, Killmurray and Alfonso's choreography is killer.

Grelley Duvall Best Actress is one of those shows it's almost best to not know much about going in. It's also one of those shows that should just run open-ended for a while, because once you see it, you'll be trying to explain to people for weeks what exactly it was"



Through the Roof: Grelley Duvall Goes for the Statuette with Best Actress Full-spectrum emotionally gratifying theater, signed and sealed in a love letter to pop culture. Sharon Hoyer, New City Chicago (3/17/26)

"I might as well say it up front: Alex Grelle is living my childhood dream. Via his drag persona Grelley Duvall and ever-evolving stage extravaganza "The Grelley Duvall Show," Grelle has brought to life the fantasies of a kid who spent a good portion of her formative years in her bedroom, headphones in, lip-synching in the mirror to pop tunes and mentally inserting herself into her favorite movies. A musical revue with a kick-ass live band, Fly Girl-fierce dancing, a dozen costume changes, and more cultural references than you can shake a shimmy at? It's a nineties theater kid's interior world come to life.

Over the last fifteen-plus years, Grelle has created a form of drag parody that transcends tribute, working with a cadre of Chicago's most imaginative performing artists to create multimedia productions of such explosive creativity that the show keeps growing into larger containers. More than a decade ago, Grelley Duvall—a pun on Shelley Duvall and Grelle's "The Shining" bit (he's also a dead-ringer in costume)—was a regular at Salonathon, the experimental performance series hosted Monday nights at Beauty Bar. Salonathon founder Jane Beachy asked Grelle to be one of the performers in a stint at the new Steppenwolf 1700 theater, for which he added a live music trio.

A booker for the Hideout caught that show and soon Grelle was expanding the production to fill the Hideout stage. Last year, the show repeatedly sold out the downstairs theater at the Chopin and packed the Empty Bottle for Grelle's funny, tender, at times surreal tribute to Princess Diana. The new iteration, entitled "Best Actress," will enjoy a run at the Chopin's upstairs theater March 19-April 12, the largest room Grelle has played since a stint at Theater on the Lake.

When I ask Grelle how he's approaching the new venue, he says he is thinking about how the entire performance will be much more visible to the audience—unobstructed by pillars, like in the Chopin basement, or by other attendees as it was at the Hideout. "It's lighting a fire under my ass and motivating me about this iteration."

Hollywood has always served as a prime source of inspiration for Grelle's productions, which are stuffed with movie references that range from the iconic to the deep cut (I can't help but wonder during the show in the Chopin basement how many of the twenty-somethings in the audience are getting the reference to Julianne Moore's soul-and-bush-bearing breakdown from Robert Altman's 1993 "Short Cuts"). The new production comes fresh on the heels of Oscar season and will bring years of planning to fruition.

"I've been writing ideas for this show since pandemic lockdown," Grelle says. "The scene is a televised Oscars ceremony, and the category that is every gay man's favorite: Best Actress. That race and that history of that award is a really good movie guide for the last twenty-five years of my life. It's not only those nominated but a culmination of the films that have shaped me as an artist."

Grelle worked with longtime collaborator Jesse Morgan Young on the script, enlisting Lookingglass ensemble member Kasey Foster to direct, "Fly Honey Show" co-founder Erin Kilmurray and Kasey Alfonso to choreograph, and power-pop band Aunt Kelly on music. Lolly Extract is designing puppet co-stars for the show; puppeteer Madigan Burke, dancers Kara Brody, Darling Shear, Patrick Stengle and the comically brilliant Mary Williamson round out the cast. "[Morgan Young and I] thought about who could hit these characters and we got everyone we wanted, which has never happened before," Grelle says.

Powerhouse ensembles are the exuberant body of each "Grelley Duvall Show," but the titular triple threat queen is its throbbing heart. Grelle is a magnetic performer, invoking any screen idol with not only a switch of wig, but a finely tuned tilt of chin or eye. He has effortless comic timing, can sing pretty much anything, and kicks it step for step with some of Chicago's fieriest dancers. Moreover, his writing encompasses joy, humor, defiance, tenderness and naked (in more than one sense) vulnerability: It's full-spectrum emotionally gratifying theater, signed and sealed in a love letter to pop culture.

"I feel lucky to have everyone involved," Grelle says. "I custom-write for the pool of talent I'm familiar with in Chicago. I think Chicago is the best place for so many mediums of artists." Truly, "Grelley Duvall" is one of those shows that feel like it could only happen in Chicago, where experimentation, hard work and collaborative spirit are in equal abundance. And the big room at the Chopin promises to be a space where Grelle and Co. can stretch out and take the show to new heights. "I slowly but surely realized I'm trying to do a big pop concert," he muses. "The spectacle for this one is through the roof."



From the Production - Grelley Duvall Best Actress is an all new two act revue featuring the award winning performances and iconic cinematic moments that have inspired us all. Bringing together live music, heart-pumping choreography, Oscar-worthy acting and a slew of puppets, this not-to-be-missed blockbuster has it all! Direction by Kasey Foster, choreography by Erin Kilmurray & Kasey Alfonso, and musical direction by Aunt Kelly. Hollywood legends light up the stage for a star-studded evening that is part tear-jerker, part adrenaline rush, part whimsy and all Actress. Best Actress. See you on the red carpet!