Me and Sting

Wednesday I saw The Last Ship, enjoying its world premiere here in Chicago. It's definitely still a work in progress -- a little too long, a little too slow, a few staging problems --  but it's moving. A small town is about to lose the shipyard, the business that employed almost all the village's men. A man returns to the town after more than a decade at sea, and finds everything in a state of flux. It's not a fun show, nor an exciting show, but it's emotionally resonant. And the score is high quality pop, just what you'd expect from the composer, Sting.

Even more exciting than the play, I nearly ran into Sting, literally, early Wednesday evening. I was headed over to Italian Village, across the street from the B of A Theater, to meet my friend Barb for a pre-play dinner and birthday celebration. Sting was turning from Monroe onto Michigan Avenue, taking a stroll before the evening's performance. He was wearing a tight t shirt and hoodie. He's very bald, very buff, and very handsome. More handsome than I expected. I'm proud to report I respected his privacy.

Enjoy my city, Mr. Sumner!