Reviewed by:

• The Spectacular Theatre of Frank Joseph Galati: Reshaping American Theatre in Chicago, Illinois by Julie Jackson
• Stuart J. Hecht

Frank Galati died in early 2023 at age 79. On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the usually sardonic host Colbert spent several minutes soberly marking his former teacher's passing, calling him "an inspiration to all who worked with him and a brilliant director." I, too, knew Galati from my time in the 1970s and '80s as a graduate student and then through my work on the artistic staffs of two prominent Chicago [End Page 580] theatres. Galati seemed to be everywhere, knew everyone, and was at the center of Chicago's thriving theatre scene. Although he remained a Chicagoan, Galati's reputation as an actor, adaptor, director and teacher grew to include Hollywood and Broadway. In The Spectacular Theatre of Frank Joseph Galati, Julie Jackson charts the evolution of Galati's artistry and approach, arguing for the primacy of his particular brand of "spectacular" visual stagings with their rich poesy. His methods—original and collaborative and diverse—embodied Chicago's theatrical spirit and influenced well beyond their Midwestern roots.

Jackson's excellent study of Galati is a tribute to this extraordinary artist and teacher, but it considers him within the context of that time and place. Jackson spent hours interviewing and observing Galati at work. She approaches the book through the rich understanding of one who herself participated (sometimes with Galati) concurrently in the Chicago theatre scene as one of the city's leading costume designers. Fluent in stagecraft, sensitive to artistic choices, able to describe artistry with rigor, Jackson articulately explains how Chicago theatre in particular worked, both onstage and in its peculiar actor/audience dynamic. While her book offers an important biographical account of Galati's artistic career, Jackson's perspective also frames the unique utility of theatre scholarship developed out of close collaboration and relationships with one's subject.

In the 1970s, Chicago began a remarkable theatrical era. New companies cropped up seemingly over night, transforming the city's many empty shops into "storefront theatres." Newcomers established ensembles, each dedicated to its own aesthetic. Theatremakers at the time were young, energetic, and enthusiastic. Since they were also ambitious, most demonstrated dedication, and imagination, each eager to establish their particular niche. Unlike New York's every-person-for-themselves approach, Chicago theatre favored the collective, where cooperation coexisted with competition. Productions ranged from gritty realism to deliberate inanity, usually done with intelligence and power. From the mid-1970s to 2020, Chicago theatre grew to include some three hundred working theatres, six of which were awarded Tony Awards as best regional theatre in the US.

Galati first appeared as a member of Northwestern University's Interpretation Department (not to be confused with its renowned Theatre Department). There, he followed the lead of Robert Breen and other faculty who took nondramafie literature and found ways to explore them through performance. An inspiring teacher, Galati encouraged students to balance imagination with the analytical. Galati practiced what he preached, winning national attention for his adaptations; for example, he coauthored the Oscar-nominated screenplay for The Accidental Tourist (1988). The Chicago Opera Theatre also commissioned him to develop a new libretto each year.

Galati's artistry expanded. He established what would be a life-long, impactful career as a Chicago actor. Galati simultaneously emerged as a prominent stage director of the classics as well as his own dramatic adaptations. One particular production that Jackson describes in detail illustrates Galati's directorial style. In his production of Kaufman and Hart's classic The Man Who Came to Dinner, Steppenwolf actor Laurie Metcalf, wearing a backless gown, played a temperamental diva. Galati had her enter—intentionally—at the wrong place onstage and then had her sneak across. Jackson deliciously describes how Metcalf managed this bit of lazzi clinging to the upstage wall, acting entirely with her exposed back. Jackson's ability to describe what she witnessed with thoughtful detail makes her account of each production a real treat. Readers see...

 校订者：

• 
  弗兰克·约瑟夫·加拉蒂的壮观剧院：重塑伊利诺伊州芝加哥的美国剧院 朱莉·杰克逊
•  斯图尔特 J. 赫克特

弗兰克·加拉蒂 （Frank Galati） 于 2023 年初去世，享年 79 岁。在斯蒂芬·科尔伯特 （Stephen Colbert） 的深夜秀 （The Late Show with Stephen Colbert） 节目中，通常带有讽刺意味的主持人科尔伯特 （Colbert） 花了几分钟清醒地纪念他前任老师的去世，称他为“所有与他共事的人的灵感来源，是一位才华横溢的导演”。我也是从 1970 年代和 80 年代读研究生的时候认识 Galati 的，然后通过我在芝加哥两家著名的剧院 [End Page 580] 的艺术工作人员的工作。Galati 似乎无处不在，认识每个人，并且是芝加哥繁荣的戏剧界的中心。尽管他仍然是芝加哥人，但 Galati 作为演员、改编者、导演和教师的声誉越来越大，包括好莱坞和百老汇。在弗兰克·约瑟夫·加拉蒂的壮观剧院中，朱莉·杰克逊描绘了加拉蒂的艺术和方法的演变，以其丰富的诗意论证了他所特有的“壮观”视觉舞台的首要地位。他的方法——原创、协作和多样化——体现了芝加哥的戏剧精神，其影响远远超出了他们的中西部根源。

杰克逊对加拉蒂的出色研究是对这位非凡的艺术家和教师的致敬，但它在那个时间和地点的背景下考虑了他。杰克逊花了几个小时采访和观察加拉蒂的工作。她通过对一位本人（有时与 Galati 一起）同时作为该市领先的服装设计师之一参与芝加哥戏剧界的丰富理解来阅读这本书。杰克逊精通舞台艺术，对艺术选择敏感，能够严谨地描述艺术性，他清楚地解释了芝加哥剧院的运作方式，无论是在舞台上还是在其独特的演员/观众动态中。虽然她的书对加拉蒂的艺术生涯进行了重要的传记叙述，但杰克逊的观点也构建了戏剧学术的独特效用，这些学术研究是通过与学科的密切合作和关系而发展起来的。

1970 年代，芝加哥开始了一个非凡的戏剧时代。新公司似乎在一夜之间涌现，将这座城市许多空荡荡的商店变成了“店面剧院”。新来者建立了合奏团，每个合奏团都致力于自己的审美。当时的戏剧制作人年轻、精力充沛、热情洋溢。由于他们也雄心勃勃，大多数人都表现出奉献精神和想象力，每个人都渴望建立自己的利基市场。与纽约人人为自己的方法不同，芝加哥剧院偏爱集体，合作与竞争共存。作品范围从坚韧不拔的现实主义到刻意的荒谬，通常以智慧和力量完成。从 1970 年代中期到 2020 年，芝加哥剧院发展到包括大约 300 家正在运营的剧院，其中 6 家被授予托尼奖“美国最佳地区剧院”。

Galati 最初是作为西北大学口译系的成员出现的（不要与其著名的戏剧系混淆）。在那里，他跟随罗伯特·布林 （Robert Breen） 和其他教授的脚步，他们研究非戏剧文学，并找到通过表演探索它们的方法。Galati 是一位鼓舞人心的老师，他鼓励学生平衡想象力和分析能力。加拉蒂身体力行，他的改编赢得了全国的关注;例如，他与人合著了《意外游客》（1988 年）的奥斯卡提名剧本。芝加哥歌剧院还委托他每年开发一个新的剧本。

Galati 的艺术才华得到了扩展。他确立了作为芝加哥演员的终生、有影响力的职业生涯。Galati 同时成为经典作品和他自己的戏剧改编的杰出舞台导演。杰克逊详细描述了一部特别的作品，说明了加拉蒂的导演风格。在他制作的考夫曼和哈特的经典作品《来吃饭的人》中，Steppenwolf 的演员劳里·梅特卡夫 （Laurie Metcalf） 穿着露背礼服，扮演了一个喜怒无常的女主角。Galati 故意让她在舞台上错误的地方进入，然后让她偷偷溜过。杰克逊美味地描述了梅特卡夫如何管理紧贴舞台上墙壁的这点懒惰，完全在她裸露的背部的情况下表演。杰克逊能够以深思熟虑的细节描述她所目睹的一切，这使她对每部作品的描述都是一种真正的享受。读者可以看到...